GoKawiil
Tech News
Sony's WF-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM5 both retail at $330 but are currently priced $50 apart on Amazon, with the M6 at $298 and the M5 at $248. The newer M6 has a smaller, pill-shaped design and a new QN3e chip that improves sound quality, but its ear tips create fit issues that weaken noise cancellation, while the M5 handles call clarity and background noise suppression better.
Belkin unveiled three new SoundForm audio products at IFA 2026 in Berlin: the flagship Isolate earbuds with up to 45dB of noise cancellation and 32-hour battery life, the budget-friendly Dot earbuds available in ANC and non-ANC versions, and the Play ANC headphones designed for children with a volume-limiting feature. All three support customizable equalizer settings through Belkin's companion app.
At IFA 2026, Anker introduced a new AI processor called Thus across its Soundcore audio lineup, headlined by the Space 2 Pro over-ear headphones and Liberty Buds 2 earbuds. The chip powers an eight-sensor array for adaptive noise cancellation and real-time voice isolation during calls on both devices. Space 2 Pro offers up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on and launches September 22 for $200, while the $130 Liberty Buds 2 arrive the same day with a custom 9.2mm wool paper diaphragm.
Apple's AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro allow users to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode by pressing and holding the earbud stem. This behavior can be customized in the Settings app under Press and Hold AirPods, where users can also add Adaptive mode or turn off noise control entirely, and set which modes cycle through when pressing the stem.
Apple's iOS 27 beta introduces a custom equalizer feature that lets users adjust individual sound frequencies on compatible AirPods, such as boosting bass or emphasizing vocals. The feature currently works with H2 chip-equipped models, including AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2, and requires both the device and earbuds to run the latest beta software and firmware.
Most wireless earbuds ship with silicone ear tips, which are cheap to produce but often fail to seal properly given how much ear shapes vary from person to person. Because earbuds rely on the ear tips alone to create a seal, a poor fit lets sound leak out and outside noise in, weakening bass response and noise cancellation performance. Swapping to a better-fitting tip, particularly memory foam versions, can significantly improve both comfort and audio quality without buying new earbuds.