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Tech News
Retailers are running early Black Friday discounts on headphones and earbuds, including markdowns of up to 50 percent on older Sony headphone models and a 20 percent discount on Apple's AirPods Pro 3. WIRED compiled a list of ten tested headphone and earbud deals it recommends, covering both new and older generation products.
Sony has reissued its original MDR-3 headphones, first released in 1979 alongside the Walkman TPS-L2, under the name MDR-3R. The new version keeps the original look, orange and blue ear cushions, and the same 23mm driver units, but swaps the connector for USB-C and adds an in-line remote with microphone. The MDR-3R is priced at $60.
Amazon is selling Sony's WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones for $198, which the listing marks as an all-time low price. The headphones feature active noise cancellation and a rated battery life of up to 30 hours.
Anker's flagship Soundcore Space 2 Pro headphones were tested and praised for a premium design with metal sliders, leather-wrapped ear pads and headband, and dual-material 35mm drivers delivering strong bass and clarity. The review also highlights the headphones' Guinness World Record for 'clearest over-ear headphones for calls,' attributed to a dedicated chip and six-microphone array.
Sony has launched the MDR-3R, a reissue of its late-1970s MDR-3 dynamic headphones, keeping the original's orange earpads, spring-steel headband and lightweight design. The new version uses 23mm drivers similar to the original but swaps the old 6.35mm jack for a USB-C connector, and sells for $60. Sony has also released an $80 Stranger Things special edition of the headphones.
Amazon has cut the price of Bose's QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) to $199, down from their $359 list price, marking a $160 discount. The headphones, a 2026 refresh of Bose's mainstream over-ear line, include Immersive Audio, improved ANC for glasses wearers, USB-C lossless audio, and multipoint Bluetooth.
Amazon is selling Sony's WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones for $378, an $81 cut from the $459.99 list price, matching their previous all-time low. The headphones support LDAC and LC3 audio codecs plus Bluetooth multipoint, and offer up to 30 hours of battery life with noise cancellation on or 40 hours with it off.
Android routes audio through a system service called AudioFlinger, which mixes, resamples, and processes sound at 32-bit floating point before outputting it at 48kHz with 16- or 24-bit depth, regardless of the source file's original format. The explainer describes how this default processing can prevent true 'bit-perfect' playback, where audio reaches the hardware mathematically unchanged from the source file.
Bose has cut prices on several headphones, speakers, and soundbars, with the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) hitting their lowest price since launching this summer. Depending on color, prices range from about $199 to $219. The older first-generation QuietComfort Headphones are also discounted to $169, down from $359.
Amazon has returned the price of Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) to $369, an $80 cut from their $449 list price. The discount matches the headphones' Prime Day price, which Bose watchers consider an all-time low for the September 2025 refresh.
Bose's new $99 USB-C Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds, which sold out quickly after launch, are now available again in dewdrop mint and black, though the white smoke color remains unavailable and shipping dates keep shifting. The earbuds had drawn strong attention after a CNET review awarded them an Editors' Choice and an Instagram unboxing video was viewed over 500,000 times.
Amazon is offering Skullcandy's Crusher Evo wireless over-ear headphones for $131.99, down from a $219.99 list price, via an on-page coupon that saves buyers $88, a 40% cut. The headphones feature an adjustable Sensory Bass slider, up to 40 hours of battery life, rapid charging, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, a microphone, and a 3.5mm wired input.