I've Tested Dozens Of Earbuds Over The Last Year - These Blow Them All Out Of The Water

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

When it comes to audio, I tin beryllium incredibly picky. Like astir audiophiles, I person very peculiar wants and needs earlier I'll proclaim a brace of headphones a viable option. Because of that, astir earbuds neglect to guidelines up to my demands. I've had a fewer that were passable but seldom has a brace of wireless earbuds knocked disconnected my metaphorical socks.

At least, each of this was existent until I tried nan Denon PerL Pro. 

Also: My elemental tweaks that bring dead-sounding headphones backmost to life - Sony and Bose included

If high-quality sound is what you're looking for successful an earbud, and you person nan rate for a $249 pair, these babies are difficult to beat. I'd spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity they rival my go-to over-the-ear wired headphones, nan V-Moda Crossfade 3.

When I received nan Denon PerL Pro earbuds, I was skeptical. I've gone done truthful galore pairs of earbuds (none of which upwind up successful my "headphone rotation list"), and I thin to motion them each disconnected successful favour of my go-to pairs (unless I'm exercising, astatine which constituent I spell for my Mojawa Run Plus bone conducting headphones).

That each changes now.

Also: Why I still urge nan AirPods Pro 2 successful 2026 - particularly astatine this price

No, I won't beryllium utilizing nan Denon PerL Pro earbuds for workout because these things are excessively costly and excessively bully for sweating. But erstwhile I want to perceive accurate, rich, and elegant sound connected nan go, these earbuds are precisely what I want.

My experience

I ever judge earbuds (and headphones) without utilizing immoderate app to customize nan sound. I want to perceive nan euphony precisely pinch nan manufacturer's default settings, truthful I tin get an thought of what nan axenic sound is from nan hardware.

With immoderate earbuds, that results successful an acquisition that isn't astir up to my standards. However, successful nan lawsuit of nan Denon PerL Pro, nan shaper nailed it. As soon arsenic I connected them to my Pixel Pro 8 (which was conscionable a matter of taking them retired of nan lawsuit and stepping done nan automatic relationship punctual connected nan phone), I opened Spotify and played my default opus for testing specified devices: Rush's "Tom Sawyer". 

Also: Need a rugged Android tablet for your business? I tested 1 that looks awesome and lasts each day

Had you been watching me, you would person seen nan immense grin connected my face. I had conscionable travel crossed a brace of earbuds that made maine a believer, and it took each of 4 bars of euphony to impressment me. I fto 1 of nan top stone songs ever written proceed and, by nan clip it came to a close, I was sold.

In lawsuit it isn't clear: nan Denon PerL Pro earbuds are genuinely a activity of art. The sound is accurate, vibrant, spacious, and hits each nan correct notes. The bass is perfect, nan midrange subtle but sharp, and nan highs are spectacular. What is genuinely singular astir these earbuds is that you don't person to usage nan app to customize nan sound, arsenic it's that good out of nan box.

Also: How to restart your Android telephone without utilizing nan powerfulness button: 2 easy ways

Although you won't find nan bass of nan PerL Pro's to beryllium arsenic thunderous arsenic immoderate of nan competition, it's acold cleaner and accurate. Out of nan box, nan EQ connected these earbuds is spot connected for each genre of euphony I tried (prog rock, metal, classical, choral, 80s, rock, shoegaze, and pop). In immoderate instances (such arsenic pinch Rush's "Moving Pictures" album, nan sound was truthful crisp and agile that I was definite it was coming from my turntable. 

Just note, that arsenic pinch each brace of earbuds, fresh is crucial; you want to get nan champion seal imaginable pinch nan receptor tips. I've ever recovered foam receptor tips to beryllium acold superior but person a overmuch shorter lifespan. The silicon tips mightiness not create nan champion seal, but they will past exponentially longer.  

ZDNET's buying advice

The Denon PerL Pro earbuds person not only raised nan barroom for each earbuds, they've group nan standard, and each different brace I usage going guardant will person to guidelines up to what nan Denon PerL Pro earbuds deliver. 

It really comes down to this: If you person nan money and are looking for sound that shouldn't beryllium imaginable pinch an earbud, nan Denon PerL Pro earbuds are nan ones to buy. Forget astir thing Apple aliases Google has to connection and do your ears (and soul) a favour pinch a brace of earbuds that will ray up your encephalon wit off-the-charts sound.

Also: My AirPods wouldn't enactment successful my ears - these $20 eartips brought maine freedom

Denon PerL Pro tech specs

• Masimo AAT delivers personalized sound based connected each individual's otoacoustic emissions, which are produced by nan soul ear. A individual proceeding floor plan is created successful nan Denon PerL Headphone app pinch nan thief of AI.
• Denon Sound Master and Dirac Virtuo thief to present meticulous and freely sound.
• Bluetooth calls characteristic CD-Level clarity, acknowledgment to Qualcomm AptX Lossless
• Eight mics
• Denon Headphones app allows you to customize your acquisition pinch unsocial audio profiles and fine-tune controls.
• Up to 8 hours of artillery life and 3 further charges from nan case.
• Customizable touch controls pinch 4 customizable touch inputs connected each earbud.
• IPX4-rated h2o and sweat resistant
• Frequency response: 20 to 40,000 Hz
• Weight: .29 ounces (for each earbud)