Now 'ear this: These are the best Black Friday headphone & earbud deals we've found, including wireless, wired, open- & closed-back options.
By Tony Ware | Updated Nov 25, 2022 6:42 PM Lcd Video Brochure
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By the time you read this, another Thanksgiving is in the books. But that doesn’t mean you don’t still have things to be thankful for if you’re in the market for personal audio upgrades and deep discounts. And, lucky for you if you are, we’re on the same wavelength and attuned to the best Black Friday deals on headphones and earbuds.
If you’re looking for wireless noise-cancelling headphones, Sony’s last-gen. but still potent WH-1000XM4 ($228, regularly $349) is a good pickup, as is the premium, sound- and software-rich Shure AONIC 50 ($249, usually $299). If you want the convenience of Bluetooth but don’t need ANC, the Edifier STAX Spirit S3 Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones, on sale for $319 (regularly $399), feature driver technology from industry innovator Audeze that delivers a rich, rounded, ultra-wide 10Hz – 40kHz response, particularly on Android devices with an aptX HD/Adaptive connection.
If you take an old-school approach to audio purity, or just want to dabble in audiophile, both the Meze Audio 99 Classics closed-back headphones ($229, regularly $309) and Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX open-back headphones ($179, regularly $279) will get you wired and manage to both be affordable and deliver excellent, non-fatiguing imaging. (You can even upgrade the Meze Audio experience for less, with silver-plated copper balanced cables available for $60-$90, regularly $129.99. Or just go all-in on the flagship Meze Audio Empyrean open-back Isodynamic hybrid planar magnetic headphones at $2,399, down from $2,999.)
In terms of earbuds, our choice for the best overall noise-cancelling earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, are at a record low of $249 (regularly $299) after only a few months on the market. While Bose is the king of background noise suppression tech, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds, available for $199.95 (regularly $249.95), pairs ANC with a musicality that just makes you forget the rest of the world exists.
Those are just a few highlights that had us perking up our ears. We’ve collected dozens more below—including both headphones and earphones that go for under $100 to several thousand—and we’ll continue to update this list whenever we find gear that’s going for a song. But remember, Black Friday deals can’t be put on repeat, so if you see something that slaps quickly snap it up!
[Looking for picks with more kick? Our Black Friday speaker deals have you covered.]
Prices correct at time of publication and subject to change.
Tony Ware is the Associate Managing Editor for PopSci.com (and PopPhoto.com). He’s been writing about how to make and break music since the mid-'90s when his college newspaper said they already had a film critic but maybe he wanted to look through the free promo CDs. Immediately hooked on outlining intangibles, he's covered everything audio for countless alt. weeklies, international magazines, websites, and heated bar trivia contests ever since.
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