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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.
Apple's new AirPods 5 bring active noise cancellation to both price tiers, a feature previously reserved for pricier configurations. Both versions also include Conversation Awareness, Live Translation, Spatial Audio and Siri features, with Apple claiming up to 50 percent better noise reduction than the AirPods 4's ANC thanks to a redesigned acoustic architecture.
Apple's AirPods offer standard Active Noise Cancellation, which uses microphones to generate anti-noise that blocks steady ambient sound, and Transparency mode, which blends outside sound back in. Adaptive Audio offers a middle setting that filters most background noise while letting important sounds like horns or voices through, and includes an optional Conversation Awareness feature that lowers media volume automatically when the wearer starts speaking.
An Android Authority writer says the OPPO Enco X4 true wireless earbuds solved a persistent fit problem he had with Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2. He notes the Pixel Buds Pro 2 eartips never created a secure seal for him, often requiring third-party eartip swaps to work properly, while he still credits the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for compact design, sound quality and live Gemini chat integration.
Amazon has discounted Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen by $70. The earbuds feature adaptive active noise cancellation, improved call voice pickup, wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.3 and multipoint connectivity, along with Bose CustomTune sound calibration. Battery life is about six hours per charge, roughly 24 hours with the charging case.
Audio-Technica has released the ATH-M50xSTS-WL, the first wireless model in its StreamSet line aimed at streamers and gamers. The headphones connect via a low-latency 2.4GHz USB transceiver rather than Bluetooth, offer about 24 hours of battery life, and can be used while charging over a wired connection. They retain the 45mm drivers from the ATH-M50x monitor headphones, a flip-to-mute boom microphone, adaptive noise cancellation, and two swappable earpad types.
Amazon is currently selling Apple's AirPods Max 2 for $449, a $100 discount, across all five color options. The AirPods Pro 3 earbuds are also discounted by $49, now priced at $200.
The CMF Buds 2 wireless earbuds are now priced at $29 on Amazon, a $20 cut from their $49 list price and a 41% discount. The deal matches the lowest price the earbuds have hit in several months.
Soundcore's Space 2 noise-canceling headphones are on sale across Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart in all three colors for $106.49, a $23 discount marking an all-time low price. The Space 2 succeeds the Space One, adding stronger noise cancellation for low-frequency sounds, improved sound accuracy, and longer battery life of up to 50 hours with ANC on or 70 hours with it off.
Anker's Soundcore Space 2 over-ear headphones, which launched in April, are now discounted to their lowest price yet, undercutting even their Prime Day sale. The headphones feature active noise cancellation, physical button controls, and battery life rated at 50 hours with ANC on and 70 hours with it off.
Bose announced it has acquired Skullcandy, a rival consumer audio company based in Park City, Utah. The companies had already been partnering, with Skullcandy incorporating Bose's spatial audio and noise cancellation technology into products like the Crusher 1080 ANC headphones. Bose says Skullcandy will continue operating as a distinct brand within its premium audio business, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Bose has released the Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds, priced at $99, marking its first wired earbuds in over a decade. The earbuds connect via USB-C rather than a 3.5mm jack, drawing power directly from the port to enable active noise cancellation without a separate battery pack.