Nothing’s revealed its second-generation Ear wireless buds. The eye-catching design sticks around and the company has tried to address some of the issues that bedeviled the original, with some much-needed improvements to connectivity and setup. Fortunately, the price of the Nothing Ear 2 is the same as the Ear 1: $149, which undercut a lot of the established true wireless competition.

Nothing hasn’t redesigned its buds and case – they look very similar side-by-side – but it’s made a handful of incremental changes. Most of them focus on the case, which is smaller and slimmer. The outer part of the case is still transparent, but part of the white structure is now exposed. There’s no textured surface, just a soft-touch panel. Nothing claims the see-through plastic is harder to scratch and damage than the original Ear 1. In my pockets and bag, getting shuffled around with keys or other objects has already left a noticeable scratch on the case. I also worry that this exposed panel could get muckier easier – the curse of all white gadgets.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Tackling one the bigger complaints I had with the Ear 1, Nothing moved the microphones and antenna inside the buds to improve connectivity and stability – something it also did with the cheaper Ear Stick. The company’s first wireless buds were often finickity when pairing. The company has also changed the antenna structure for better reliability, and the initial pairing process seems to be less fussy and smoother than its predecessor. It’s also, finally, added dual connectivity, making it easier to switch between your phone and laptop.

Microphone placements have also been repositioned to reduce wind noise on calls, but I didn’t notice major improvements over the Ear 1. Nothing said its Clear Voice tech was tuned to just shy of 2 million sounds on the Ear 1 in order to filter them out, while that was closer to 20 million on its newest buds. However, I made several test calls, and I was still difficult to hear when it was windy.

Nothing says it improved sound detail with polyurethane components for clearer low frequencies (it’s been a while since a company has sold polyurethane as a feature), and graphene for brighter highs. There’s also a dual chamber design for a wider soundstage.

The Ear 2 will also be compatible with Hi-res audio at launch, although they weren’t at time of writing, and are compatible with the LHDC 5.0 codec, which all means they should work with premium audio standards where you can find them.

But does it sound all that different? Swapping between the Ear 1 and Ear 2, the newest version does offer clearer sound in the trebles and the bass has more oomph than before. But, compared to wireless buds that are often hundred dollars more expensive, like the AirPods Pro or Sony’s latest flagship buds, they don’t quite stand up, coming off a little flat.

Nothing’s latest buds offer three levels of active noise cancellation (ANC): low, mid and high. The Ear 2 also offer a personalized ANC profile calibrated to your own hearing. The test is a lengthy five minutes, roughly, with a test dedicated to each bud. Your mileage and ears will different, but I didn’t note any marked improvements after calibration. The ANC isn’t perfect: At the highest levels of active noise cancellation still seemed to struggle with the reverberations on trains and the subway, leading to a jarring noise echo in my left bud while using ANC, despite recalibrating the buds several times in a bid to fix it. It’s, fortunately, happening much less often following a firmware update over the weekend. There’s also an adaptive ANC mode that will flit between levels depending on the noise around you, hopefully reducing the toll on battery life.

Nothing says there are battery improvements across both the buds (roughly an hour more, to over six hours) and the case, which can juice the buds for up to 36 hours of listening (with ANC off), two hours longer than the Ear 1. You should get 8 hours of audio from a 10-minute charge, too. There’s still wireless charging too, if you want it.

Setting up and switching between ANC modes is done through the updated Nothing X app, but the Ear 2, predictably, work best with Nothing’s Phone 1, with drop-down shortcuts and easier access to the fine-grain controls.

There’s also a custom sound profile calibration to hone in on frequencies you might not hear – thanks, aging. The equalizer, again inside the companion app, offers more options. You switch between treble- or bass-centric modes, a balanced mode and one dedicated to voice. My custom sound profile also came with the ability to augment my weaker audio frequencies I had trouble hearing with a richer profile, alongside the standard recommended mode. You can also tweak the intensity with a slider.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Nothing may have added many minor features and improvements but the Ear 2 isn’t shaking up the status quo like its predecessor. Given the eye-catching hardware of the Ear 1, I wasn’t expecting a major redesign (they don’t need it) and the company has addressed my biggest problems with the first headphones. It’s hard to complain about the range of improvements, including upgraded water and sweat resistance rating: the buds are IP54 rated while the charging case is IP55.

The Ear 2 will launch in white on March 28th on Nothing’s own retail site, as well as on Amazon and Kith. Unfortunately, if you were looking to match your black Phone 1, there’s no plan for a black option.

IKEA's Vappeby lineup continues to grow with a new waterproof Bluetooth speaker designed for the shower and priced at just $15 — undercutting all but the cheapest no-name products. "The fundamental goal with the new product was to offer quality sound in a versatile product that can really be used anywhere," said product design developer Stjepan Begic in a press release. 

The silicone speakers are just three inches square and two inches thick, small enough to bring pretty much anywhere. They come with a lanyard-style card, letting you hang them in the shower or carry around. They come in yellow, black or red and can be used as a stereo pair if you splurge another $15 for a second one. They offer an amazing 80 hours of battery life at 50 percent volume, and are IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.

IKEA launched its Vappeby lineup with an outdoor LED lamp that doubles as a Spotify-enabled Bluetooth speaker. That model has an IP65 dust and splash rating and delivers 360 sound. The Swedish retail giant also offers the Symfonisk lineup of Sonos speakers, with a bookshelf speaker, floor lamp/speaker and a wall art/speaker combo. 

The only thing lacking on the new Vappeby waterproof model is a USB-C charger, but I imagine you have a few of those lying around. Given the ridiculously low price, shower-friendly design and crazy-long battery life, they should fly off the shelves — though I wouldn't expect great sound quality. They're set to arrive in April for $15. 

When it comes to headphone design, Master & Dynamic has carved out a niche. The company’s signature look of metal and leather, immediately set it apart from the competition when the wired MH40 debuted in 2014. M&D followed up with a wireless version in 2019, giving its non-ANC (active noise canceling) over-ear headphones a modern update. Now the company is back with a second-generation wireless model, touting improvements to audio, battery and more. The third iteration of the MH40 is undoubtedly an improvement on the last, but are the company’s design chops enough to overcome the lack of features compared to similarly priced alternatives?

Design

One element that has always set Master & Dynamic apart from the competition is its design. From those first MH40 headphones, the company has relied on aluminum construction instead of plastic for several products. What’s more, it blends the metal with other premium materials like canvas and leather. For the second-generation MH40 Wireless, the company has stayed true to its roots, right down to the vintage, aviator-inspired look.

Alongside the aluminum body, a coated canvas-wrapped headband is color matched to removable lambskin leather ear pads. With all of those high-end materials, the MH40 weighs 280 grams – 30 grams more than Sony’s WH-1000XM5. Still, the extra heft isn’t a burden, these feel lightweight, comfy, and the cushiony ear pads keep you from feeling the outer rim of the ear cups.

Like the previous version, the on-board controls reside on the right ear cup. A three-button array is positioned near the headband hinge, giving you controls for calls, music, voice assistant and volume (including a mute button). The dual-function power/pairing button sits on the outer edge alongside the USB-C port and a multi-color pairing/battery life indicator. I’ll always advocate for physical controls over a touch panel, mostly because they’re more reliable. That’s certainly the case here, as I was easily able to execute multiple presses on the center button for skipping tracks.

Software and features

Billy Steele/Engadget

The M&D Connect app is the companion software for the MH40. Here, battery level is the most prominently displayed item, along with a note if your headphones are up to date firmware-wise. A tap on the gear icon reveals options for sound, controls and “about device.” Inside the sound menu, Master & Dynamic gives you four EQ presets: bass boost, bass cut, podcast (mids and vocals) and audiophile (mids and highs). By default, there’s no equalizer setting selected and the app will remember which one you picked so you don’t have to select it each time you activate the so-called E-Preset EQ. You can also enable Sidetone on the sound menu, allowing you to hear some of your own voice during calls. This comes in handy as it keeps you from feeling the need to speak loudly to hear yourself through the passive noise isolation.

While Sidetone is a nice feature, you can only activate it in the app, which means before a call (or more likely, during the first few seconds of one) you’ll have to swipe over to the sound menu to turn it on. I realize the MH40 doesn’t have ANC so there’s not a dedicated button that selects a noise-canceling mode. But perhaps there could be an option to reassign the long press on the center button, from summoning a voice assistant, to triggering Sidetone.

On the controls menu, the app gives you the option of renaming the device from M&D MH40W and changing the automatic shut-off timer from the default 30 minutes (one hour, three hours and never are the other options). From this screen you can also trigger a factory reset.

Sound quality

Billy Steele/Engadget

After testing several Master & Dynamics’ products over the years, it’s clear the company has a knack for warm, natural sound that’s devoid of any heavy-handed tuning. Across genres, there’s no over-reliance on bombastic bass or painfully brilliant highs. That continues on the second-gen MH40 Wireless where there’s ample low-end tone when a track demands it, like Mike Shinoda’s remix of Deftones’ “Passenger.” But the bass is a complement to everything else, and the default EQ works well across the sonic spectrum.

Master & Dynamic swapped out the drivers on the previous version for 40mm titanium units that it says produce “clearer highs and richer lows.” Indeed, the treble is punchy throughout a range of musical styles, and the bass can be as thick and thumping as a song requires. Other headphones may offer low boom, but it blends better with the mids and highs on the MH40, making the even the deepest bass on RTJ4 more pleasant to listen to.

There’s great attention to detail in the sound profile of the MH40 too, and again, it’s apparent across different types of music. However, this is most evident with genres like bluegrass and jazz – multi-instrumental arrangements with interwoven sections emphasizing different players at different times. It’s not quite on the level of what Bowers & Wilkins manages with its latest headphones, which are some of the best-sounding I’ve reviewed. But Master & Dynamic does a solid job with the subtle nuances of sound, from pick noise on a mandolin to the percussive thumps of an upright bass.

When it comes to calls, the new MH40 offers a better overall experience than its predecessor, but there’s still room for improvement. The new microphone setup does a solid job with constant background noise. It doesn’t pick up things like white noise machines and clothes dryers. The headphones aren’t great with louder distractions and it picks those up in greater detail if you’ve got Sidetone active.

Battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Master & Dynamic promises up to 30 hours of battery life on the new MH40. That’s up from 18 hours on the first wireless version of the headphones, but it's not any longer than most ANC models. Audio-Technica's best non-ANC model lasts up to 50 hours, for example. There’s also a quick-charge feature that will give you up to six hours of use in 15 minutes. During my testing, I managed to hit the stated time before having to plug them in, but I didn’t go beyond. That’s doing a mix of music, podcasts and calls (with Sidetone) at around 75 percent volume and leaving the headphones off overnight a few times.

The competition

In terms of non-ANC headphones, one of my favorite options is Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50xBT2. Like the MH40, this is a second-generation model with notable improvements over the M50xBT. Multi-point Bluetooth pairing, built-in Alexa and a low latency mode were added on top of the company’s blend of warm audio tone with a really comfy set of cans. Plus, they’re currently on sale for $179 – $20 less than the original price and less than half of what you’ll pay for the new MH40.

If you’re looking for noise canceling headphones, Master & Dynamic sells the MW75 with a more modern design than the company’s other over- and on-ear products. Adaptive ANC is powered by a set of four microphones and there are three noise-canceling modes to choose from. The MW75 is also equipped with wear detection to help you extend that 28-hour listening time (with ANC on). However, these headphones are a whopping $599, only surpassed by Bowers & Wilkins’ Px8 for the most expensive headphones I’ve tested recently.

For the best wireless headphones currently available, you’ll want to consider Sony’s WH-1000XM5. Simply put, no other company comes close to what Sony offers on its flagship set in terms of mixing features, sound quality and ANC performance. While they’re pricey at $398, you get more for that investment. Plus, we’ve seen the M5 on sale for as low as $279.

Wrap-up

What features are you willing to give up for headphones with standout looks and good sound? That’s really what you have to consider with the MH40. There’s no denying this second-gen model is an upgrade from the first wireless version. All of the things the company says it improved hold true, from the sound quality to the battery life and microphone performance. Had the company done so without boosting the price, I could make a strong argument for the new MH40. But at $399, there are flagship noise-canceling headphones from other companies that simply offer too much when compared to M&D’s latest. Unless, of course, the main thing that matters to you is a deft hand with product design.

Apple's Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds are a good option for folks who dislike the fit of regular AirPods, but don't want to pay the price for AirPods Pro. If you've been waiting for a deal on them, now's the time to act because they're back on sale at an all time low price of $145 (28 percent off) at Woot. 

The Beats Fit Pro scored a solid 87 Engadget review score based on their excellent ANC performance, good sound quality and comfort. For the latter, the "fit wing" tip can bend to a wide range of ear shapes while keeping the buds firmly in place. They also offer physical buttons to answer calls, control volume, play/pause music and skip tracks.

The sound quality is "balanced and powerful" with punchy bass as you'd expect with Beats earphones, while also offering great clarity. They support Apple's spatial audio, giving you the ability to listen to Dolby Atmos Music content in Apple Music, or TV/movies on Apple TV. They also have Adaptive EQ that adjusts low- and mid-range frequencies depending on ambient sound to keep audio quality consistent. The ANC is powered by Apple's H1 chip and does a good job of blocking distractions.

The main downside is the $200 price, double that of the regular AirPods, but at $145, they're one of the cheaper wireless ANC earbuds from a major brand. Bear in mind that while Woot is owned by Amazon, it doesn't have the same return policy. If you do want a pair of 2nd-gen Apple AirPods Pro wireless ANC earphones, those are still on sale for $200 at Amazon.

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Bowers & Wilkins is on a bit of a roll. The company debuted two stellar-sounding sets of headphones in 2022: the Px7 S2 and the Px8. To kick off 2023, it revealed revamped versions of its true wireless earbuds. The more premium Pi7 S2 sits above the Pi5 S2 in the company’s lineup, offering support for aptX Adaptive and 24-bit/48kHz streaming from compatible devices and services. The retooled Pi7 also packs in adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) and a case capable audio retransmission to set itself apart from the new Pi5. However, the S2 variants of the company’s high-end model are considerably more expensive than the best wireless earbuds we’ve reviewed and they lack polish in several key areas.

Design

Bowers & Wilkins didn’t reinvent the wheel when it came to the design of the Pi7 S2. The company stuck with the overall look from 2021’s Pi7, but it did change up the colors. Like the previous model, this IP54-rated S2 version comes in black and white options, but the previously copper-hued components are now silver. That change is primarily to the round exterior panel where the company’s branding and touch controls reside. There’s also a new third color – dark blue – which has gold accents. Bowers & Wilkins calls it Midnight Blue, but in person it’s more purple than blue to me.

All told, the Pi7 and Pi7 S2 have a unique shape that’s a flat oval with a circular touch panel on top. They aren’t the most comfortable earbuds to wear for long periods of time, but they stay in place when you move around. In terms of on-board controls, basic playback functions are here and they’re mirrored on both sides. A long press on the right side will summon your voice assistant, while doing the same on the left cycles between ANC and off. The Pi7 S2 does remember if you had the earbuds set to regular noise cancellation or the company’s auto-adjusting option. However, there’s no way to trigger transparency mode on the earbuds themselves and there’s no option for volume controls. Both are pretty big omissions for a $400 set.

Software and features

Billy Steele/Engadget

Like recent Bowers & Wilkins headphones, the Pi7 S2 settings are accessible inside the company’s Music app. Here, you can select your noise cancellation mode (on, auto or off), activate passthrough (transparency mode), manage connections (multipoint available for two devices), disable the wear sensor (automatic pausing) and determine streaming quality. The main view for the Pi7 S2 also displays battery life for the earbuds and the case separately, but you only get one number for the buds – not an individual percentage for each one. The app also lets you connect a handful of music services to use the software as your media player. Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, TuneIn, SoundCloud and NTS are the supported options here.

And that’s really it. There’s no option to adjust EQ to select from presets the company made for the Pi7 S2. Even with its recent headphones, Bowers & Wilkins included treble and bass sliders so you could make adjustments. Sure, the changes from those controls are basic and fairly subtle, but the option is there. You also can’t switch up the on-board controls, like reassigning the long press action. Which means you’re stuck with the left side cycling between ANC on or off, with no quick access to transparency mode.

One feature that sets the Pi7 S2 apart from much of the competition is its wireless transmission case. You can take the included USB-C to 3.5mm cable and use the earbuds with devices where a straight Bluetooth connection isn’t possible – like an in-flight entertainment system. All you have to do is plug the cable into both the case and the other device and the earbuds will automatically connect. The charging/pairing indicator on the outside of the case will slowly blink white when everything is in sync. Bowers & Wilkins isn’t the only company to offer this and it included the tool on the Pi7 too. However, the feature is far from commonplace at this point though it is popping up more frequently on new models.

Sound quality

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 S2 headphones were some of the best we reviewed last year in terms of pure sound quality. The company took things a step further with its high-end Px8, continuing its track record of well-balanced tuning with outstanding clarity and detail. While the Pi7 S2 aren’t quite on par with the company’s headphones, the overall audio here is still very good. I wouldn’t put these earbuds ahead of Sennheiser’s premium true wireless option, but Bowers & Wilkins isn’t far off. In fact, when it comes to reproducing subtle details, I’d argue the Pi7 S2 is slightly better than the Momentum 3 – but only on that one specific criteria.

The stunning detail is apparent when you listen to Makaya McCraven’s In These Times and other jazz albums. Ditto for multi-instrumental bluegrass. These genres showcase what the Pi7 S2 is capable of when it comes to clarity and subtlety. In the case of McCraven, it’s not just a kick drum, you can hear the nuance that this is that trademark, kind of muffled bass drum that’s a mainstay of the musical style. Horns float on top of everything else when they’re present, giving the instrumental tracks a vocal cadence even when there isn’t one.

More chaotic genres like hard rock and metal are a mixed bag. Some tracks are open, airy and bombastic while others come across slightly muffled and subdued. There’s ample bass throughout though, which means the kick drum is tight and punchy no matter the rest. When it comes to hip hop and electronic music – anything with a constant, driving bass line – the Pi7 S2 does better. More specifically, these earbuds are among the few that allow you to almost feel the low-end tone in a rap track when it hits that certain frequency. Earl Sweatshirt’s SICK! exhibits this quality well. For synth-heavy styles, like Sylvan Esso’s electro-pop No Rules Sandy, the Pi7 S2 perfectly captures the oscillation in Nick Sanborn’s composition on songs like “Echo Party.” There’s a lot of finer synthesizer work here and the Pi7 S2 doesn’t miss a single detail.

One area where the Pi7 S2 is just OK is canceling out noise. The earbuds do an admirable job in most scenarios, combatting constant annoying sounds that could otherwise hinder productivity. Like many sets of true wireless buds, these aren’t the best with human voices and other sounds will occasionally pierce through. The Auto noise canceling setting does improve ANC performance over the default “on'' option, but the Pi7 S2 is nowhere close to what Sony, Bose and others at the top of the heap can muster. And, again, when you’re evaluating a set of $400 earbuds, adequate just isn’t good enough.

In terms of call quality, the Pi7 S2 is a capable option. They’re not the absolute best, and they don’t handle background noise well, but the earbuds won’t leave you sounding like you’re on speaker phone, which is the case with most of the competition. You’ll definitely want to activate transparency mode here, even though that setting isn’t as natural-sounding as it is on Apple’s AirPods Pro and others. Bowers & Wilkins allows you to hear what’s going on around you, so you won’t feel the need to shout to hear yourself. However, the earbuds don’t feed your voice back through, so it’s not nearly the pristine experience as using the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max for calls.

Battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins promises up to five hours of battery life on a charge on the Pi7 S2, up from four hours on the Pi7. You’ll also get an additional 16 hours in the case and the ability to charge wirelessly. During my tests, I was able to hit this mark reliably with ANC on even though the company’s estimate is based on it being turned off. However, unlike recent Bowers & Wilkins headphones I’ve tested, the Pi7 S2 didn’t surpass the stated figures. The company has also included a quick-charge feature that will give you two hours of use in 15 minutes.

Five hours is significantly less than much of the competition. Sony’s WF-1000XM4, for example, clocks in at eight hours with active noise cancellation. For a set of $400 earbuds, I’d expect at least that much or more.

The competition

Despite being nearly two years old, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 are still the best true wireless earbuds you can buy right now. Simply put, no other company comes close to offering the truckload of features Sony has crammed into its premium buds. On top of great sound quality and capable noise cancellation, the M4 can automatically pause when you start talking, is equipped with a quick attention mode and can change sound settings based on your activity or location. Currently $278, they’re a huge savings over the Pi7 S2 and you can typically catch them on sale for even less.

In terms of pure sound performance, the closest competition to the Pi7 S2 is Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3. They’re available for half of what you’ll pay for the latest Bowers & Wilkins premium earbuds, the audio quality is very good and they pack in more battery life than the Pi7 S2 – seven hours on the earbuds with three full charges in the case. If you’re looking for the best noise-canceling chops, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II should be considered. They’re $100 less than the Pi7 S2 and do a much better job of blocking out distractions.

Wrap-up

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins has established itself as one of the best audio companies in terms of pure audio performance. The company’s Px line of headphones are sonically among the best you can buy and that trend continues for its latest high-end earbuds. However, for a set of $400 earbuds, the Pi7 need to be nearly flawless to justify the premium price that’s over $100 more than some of the closest rivals. While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit.

You won't have to buy a HomePod to listen to Apple Music spatial audio in your living room. Sonos has confirmed that its speakers will support Apple Music's Dolby Atmos playback from March 28th. You won't need the new Era 300 to experience the more immersive format, either. Sonos also says the Arc and second-gen Beam soundbars will also handle spatial audio tracks.

Play-series speakers and older Sonos soundbars unsurprisingly won't support spatial audio as they were built around conventional stereo and surround output. You'll need to upgrade if you want the grander audio experience, unfortunately.

The news makes the Era 300 considerably more appealing. Before today, Sonos was only committed to supporting spatial audio through Amazon Music Unlimited. This effectively doubles the potential audience. Statista notes that Amazon had 13.3 percent market share in the second quarter of last year, while Apple Music had 13.7 percent. Unless you're a Spotify die-hard (where spatial audio isn't really an option as we write this), there's a real chance you can try this feature yourself.

It's not certain if other speaker brands will support Apple Music spatial audio. We've asked Apple for comment. For now, though, this gives Sonos an edge over competitors that might not offer Atmos music at any price point. Whether or not it fares well against Apple's own hardware is another matter. If you're looking for spatial audio support at the lowest price possible, the $299 HomePod is decidedly more affordable than the $450 Era 300. We won't be surprised if the Sonos model sounds better, but it also represents a larger investment.

For the last few years Sonos has focused most of its efforts on two categories: portable speakers, like the Move and Roam; and home theater products like the affordable Ray and more extravagant, Atmos-capable Arc soundbars. The company’s main pair of music-focused speakers, the One and Five, still sound great but are getting a little long in the tooth.

That changes today with two new options: the Era 100 and Era 300. The $250 Era 100 is a totally redesigned replacement for the One with a number of improvements over its predecessor, while the $450 Era 300 is the first Sonos speaker capable of playing spatial audio. As with most Sonos speakers, you can use a pair of either of them in stereo or as rear surround speakers in a home theater setup. If you have the Sonos Arc or gen-2 Beam and Sub, adding a pair of Era 300s as your rear surrounds gives you a wild 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos experience. (If you’re willing to spend roughly $2,600 for that setup, anyway).

Sonos

The Era 300 looks unlike any speaker Sonos has released before, though it still has the company’s familiar clean design language. Its somewhat unusual knocked-over hourglass shape is largely functional: it allows for the upward-facing tweeter to fire at a slight but specific angle, which the company says will deliver more room-filling reflections for spatial audio. There are three more tweeters: one dead-center and forward-firing as well as two pointing left and right. Finally, a pair of woofers on either side of the speaker provide plenty of bass.

The Era 100, on the other hand, is more obviously a tweak to the Sonos One, itself acoustically identical to the Sonos Play:1 that was released all the way back in 2013. Put another way, an upgrade was long past due. The Era 100 features a pair of tweeters for left and right stereo channels in a single speaker, as well as a woofer that’s 25 percent larger than the One’s. It may not have the spatial audio capabilities of the Era 300, but it’s still a significant update to its predecessor.

Despite the very different price points and capabilities, both of these speakers have a lot in common. Both feature USB-C ports that let you plug in a turntable or other audio equipment with an optional line-in adapter. More significantly, they both also include Bluetooth, the first time Sonos has put the feature in a non-portable speaker. They also have a redesigned set of touch controls on top – instead of taping on either side of the play / pause button to adjust volume, there’s now a little ridge you can swipe your finger across as well as dedicated forward and back buttons. Sonos also included a physical switch to disconnect the microphones. This actually cuts the connection to the mic for additional security, rather than just muting it via software.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Both the Era 100 and Era 300 also can use those microphones for Trueplay tuning, which optimizes audio for where you place the speakers in your living space. Previously, Trueplay required an iOS device; its microphone was used to listen for optimizing the sound. If you used Android, you were unfortunately out of luck. But even though Sonos has been putting microphones in its speakers for years now, you couldn’t use them for Trueplay. This new feature means a lot more people will likely take advantage of the feature – that’s good news, because Trueplay does make a big difference.

Sonos

I got a chance to listen to both speakers in a variety of configurations at a Sonos press event last month, and they both unsurprisingly sounded great – but that was in a carefully arranged environment that Sonos had total control over. Obviously, we’ll need to review these speakers to see how they perform in the real world, but I was impressed by the short demo I got. The Era 100 doesn’t sound totally different from the One, but the larger woofer definitely gives it more bass presence. The two tweeters don’t give it true stereo separation, since they’re so close to each other, but they definitely provide more clarity in the high ranges than you hear in the One.

The Era 300, however, sounds quite a bit different. Sonos first showed us its chops playing back standard audio, and it has significantly more volume, bass and presence than the Era 100. Not a shock, considering it costs $200 more and has twice as many drivers. We then got to hear how the single speaker did at playing back spatial audio tracks. They didn’t sound radically different, but did less like they were coming from a single point in a room; instead, the audio was more balanced and enveloping. Of the few songs we got to hear, “A Concert Six Months From Now” by Finneas was the most impressive. His multi-layered focals felt like they were coming at me from multiple angles, but it didn’t feel like a gimmick – it was just a more immersive and more intimate presentation.

Sonos

While it’s easy enough to see how the Era 100 fits into the Sonos lineup, the Era 300’s higher price tag and focus on spatial audio makes the speaker a big bet on an unproven market. For starters, the only spatial audio service it supports is Amazon Music Unlimited, which means the millions of people using Apple Music are out of luck. Apple has pushed spatial audio harder than just about anyone in the past few years, highlighting it both on its music streaming service and AirPod line of headphones. And with a new full-sized HomePod, Apple now has both speakers and headphones that can play back Atmos mixes. So, it might not be inclined to support competing Sonos hardware.

Regardless of the competition, Sonos clearly sees spatial audio as the future of music playback. The company said there’s major interest in the format from artists and producers, and claimed that the Era 300 will be the best way to hear the details of spatial audio mixes without needing a room full of audio gear. Of course, there’s only so much we can expect from a single speaker, no matter how advanced its driver array is. And while Amazon is the only service that’s compatible with the Era 300 for spatial music, Spotify, YouTube Music and others will likely start offering spatial audio sooner than later – though again, that doesn’t mean it’ll necessarily work on Sonos hardware.

Of course, the Era 300 also is an extremely capable speaker even when playing back stereo mixes. As with the outstanding but expensive Sonos Five speaker, the Era 300 will probably be a more niche product in the company’s lineup. But if the spatial audio wave is about to crest, it makes sense for Sonos to be ready for it rather than play catch-up.

Apart from making a few of our favorite chargers and power banks, Anker also sells some of the better values among wireless headphones through its Soundcore brand. If you've been looking to pick up a competent set of noise-canceling headphones for less than $100, a couple of those standouts are currently on sale, with the Soundcore Life Q30 discounted to $60 and the Soundcore Space Q45 down to $100. For the Life Q30, that's not quite an all-time low, but it's still $20 off the pair's typical going rate. The Space Q45 usually retails for $150; this deal matches the lowest price we've seen.

To be clear, neither pair here can match the active noise cancellation (ANC), build quality, call quality, sound and/or overall feature set of the top picks in our best wireless headphones guide, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45. But if you can't drop $350 or so on a new set of headphones, they can get you much of the way there at a far lower cost. 

Both pairs offer a comfortable fit that doesn't clamp too tight on the head and offers ample padding. Both have superb battery life, lasting between 40 and 50 hours at moderate volumes. Both come with a 3.5mm cable for wired listening, though only the Space Q45 can still use ANC while wired. And while the ANC on each pair isn't top-of-the-line, it's still good, particularly when it comes to muting bass-range noises like a plane or bus engine. Both pairs also include a serviceable transparency mode, which is serviceable, though not as clean as what you can get on pricier alternatives. 

Sound quality is where the Life Q30 and Space Q45 might require some tweaking. Both headphones offer a strongly v-shaped profile out of the box, so their default sound is particularly boosted in the bass and highest parts of the treble. The Life Q30's low-end is especially boomy. Some may like this more excited sound, but it's not exactly natural. With either headphone, you may want to adjust the sound through Anker's companion app, which offers a graphic EQ tool and a few alternative sound profile presets. Just note that, like many cheaper ANC headphones, the signature will sound slightly different depending on what ambient sound mode you use. 

If you can afford the Space Q45, it's the better headphone of the two. Its design feels a bit less flimsy (though both pairs are mostly plastic), and it has an adaptive ANC mode that can automatically adjust the headphone's ANC strength based on your surroundings. The Life Q30, on the other hand, just offers three preset ANC levels. For Android users, the Space Q45 also supports the higher-quality LDAC audio codec. That said, finding any good ANC headphones for less than $100 is difficult; at these deal prices, both the Life Q30 and Space Q45 perform well enough to offer good value.

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Bose's portable Bluetooth speakers have made several of our latest shopping guides, thanks in part to the long battery life and loud, bright sound that carries well outdoors. They're also among the most expensive out there, but several models including the Smart Speaker, Revolve+ and S1 Pro are now on sale at Amazon with savings of up to 30 percent.

While Bluetooth speakers are often commodity items, Bose's SoundLink Revolve ($179 or 18 percent off) and Revolve Plus ($229 or 30 percent off) have premium features. Bose has eschewed typical plastic materials for a fancy "single-piece aluminum enclosure" that's resistant to spills, rain and splashes with an IPX4 rating. And by outputting music from 360 degrees, they sound the same to anyone in the vicinity. The only drawback is bass that lacks some oomph. 

If you want more low end and don't mind spending more, Bose's Portable Smart speaker is also on sale at $319, for a savings of $80 (20 percent). Also a 360-degree speaker, it has a well-rounded low end and bright dynamic sound with plenty of nuance. It's more geared toward home use, offering WiFi, voice and app control, along with support for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Chromecast and more.

Finally, if you really need big sound for outdoor parties, the Bose S1 Pro Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $599, or $100 (14 percent) off. It's designed for rugged use and supports not only wireless Bluetooth, but wired inputs from a guitar, DJ setup and more. You also get Auto EQ and other speakers to maximize sound output, whether you're inside or out. 

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Sony is launching a pair of midrange headphones that borrow some tech from the company’s $400 WH-1000XM5. The new WH-CH720N is an over-ear pair using the same V1 chip from Sony’s flagship model, which should help provide high-quality sound and active noise cancelation (ANC) for a much lower price.

The company says the WH-CH720N’s battery will last up to 35 hours with ANC enabled. The headphones also include Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) support, Sony’s audio upscaling tech that may improve the sound of compressed music files on services like Spotify. It also has multipoint connectivity and two microphones in each ear cup, which assists it in offering 20 levels of noise-canceling / ambient sound. Of course, you can tweak its settings with the companion Sony Headphones Connect app.

Sony has a good track record with its mid-range headphones. Like with this model, the company typically carries over a few features from its premium cans while skimping in enough places to keep the price down. (In this case, it lacks the second ANC processor from the WH-1000XM5.) So although they’ll have lesser noise canceling than their more expensive siblings, the V1 chip should still make for terrific ANC for their $150 price. The WH-CH720N will be available in black, blue and white when it begins shipping this spring.

Sony

Sony also announced a new entry-level pair of on-ear headphones, the WH-CH520, which will skip ANC but offer an impressive 50 hours of battery life. They will also include DSEE and multipoint connection. The WH-CH520 will also launch this spring in black, blue and white. They will cost a mere $60.