This is the year that I finally finished with the wireless headphones. We tried for a long time to make things work, but I decided that it is time to face the music, even if I am the only one who can hear it. Earbuds and I just weren’t meant to be.
I won’t go so far as to diagnose myself with any phobia related to putting small objects in your ears, but something about sticking buttons so close to my brain doesn’t seem like me anymore. And I’m not sure if it ever happened.
As my bank account can attest, I tried not to find the best wireless headphones for me. Jaybird X3, Powerbeats 2, Powerbeats Pro, AirPods of first generation and, more recently, AirPods Pro are some of the models that I have flirted with. Despite the variety, each purchase spiraled into the same old story.
In the beginning, the drawing attracted me like a moth to a flame. I especially liked the look of Powerbeats Pro, and I thought they would look elegant around my ears. I’m not sure what I was thinking about AirPods – they are still horrible, although for a moment I fell into that trend. Anyway, I would soon realize that my new wireless headphones are just a pretty face.
These encounters went one of two ways: either I would recoil in devastating discomfort after using the buttons for more than a few hours, or they would fall out of my ears before reaching that limit. In the case of truly wireless models, we set out in more chaotic terms. Washing machines, sewers and crowded LIRR train cars are just a few of the places where my previous headphones died.
Real headphones or bust
In addition to being easy to lose or put in the wrong place, most wireless headphones did not impress me in terms of audio performance. I found myself cheating with cans and discarding buttons in random desk drawers and backpack compartments. I have used the excellent Sony WH-1000XM4 and the luxurious AirPods Max recently, and it’s almost unfair to compare both with any in-ear model.
Not only are the headphones significantly more comfortable and less likely to fall, but they are also able to create a comprehensive listening experience and block out the surrounding sounds. With hiatus shows, great headphones are close to getting my dose of live music.
O AirPods Pro I come closer to keeping up with the real headphones, but I am discouraged by the quality of the call and it seems that I can never keep them charged.
I wouldn’t feel so caught up in my fleeting headset cases if almost all consumer technology companies hadn’t released a pair or three in the past 12 months that I at least wanted to try. And that before considering the best fake AirPods, or similar to AirPods, if you prefer. I do my best to keep an open mind about the products, but for God’s sake, let there be less wireless headphones in 2021.
I admit that wireless headphones probably outperform headphones when it comes to working out. But then again, why do we need so many options?
Yes, I know it’s absurd to want wireless headphones to disappear from Earth’s Endgame style. I recognize that they are practical for some people, but I am not some people. My wallet and I have been tempted and despised as if the wireless headphones were the bad boyfriend I came back to many times.
If you want to join me to block wireless headphones, see our guide to the best headphones. There you will find many discreet and immediately available options that are worth your time and money.