I pretty much spend every day I'm at work testing out headphones and earbuds, which means I've become well-versed in which headphones are actually worth your money.
This year has been an especially noteworthy year for headphones, with flagship releases from Sony, Bose, and Bowers & Wilkins. Flagship headphones are often the ones that get recommended on best of lists — ours included — but considering the new norm for a starting price is $449, they're not exactly the most affordable choice out there. Enter: early Black Friday deals, when tech deals abound.
As of Nov. 21, I've spotted some especially noteworthy headphones and earbuds on sale — all of which Mashable has recommended in some capacity. In this case, a noteworthy deal is not simply something on sale. In fact, I've only selected deals that are actually great Black Friday deals (and not easy to grab on sale at other times of year).
For instance, I didn't add the second generation Bose QC Ultra earbuds to this list when they were on sale for $249 — they hit that price in September, and have returned to it since (before Black Friday deals kicked off).However, with the start of Black Friday sales, they've dipped down to $216.13, making them a deal worth mentioning as truly one of the best.
As we approach Black Friday proper on Nov. 28, I expect more exceptional deals to pop up. But for the time being, here are the best headphones and earbuds deals ahead of Black Friday.
One of the most comfortable pairs of noise-cancelling headphones
$429 Save $131
The first time I put the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones on, I knew they were the most comfortable headphones I'd ever worn (Mashable's Samantha Mangino had a similar experience). That belief became even firmer over years of use (and testing them against new competitors). Although the new second-generation headphones feel ever so slightly more comfortable, the originals still hold up.
On sale for $298, they're a much better value than the $449 second-gen Ultras. Their main quirks include no passive playback and the occasional difficulty pairing to more than one device. However, when I compared them directly against their newer counterpart, I found the ANC and sound to be very similar, making it easy to recommend grabbing these over the second gens if they happen to go on sale.
Earbuds designed for quiet and long wear time
$299 Save $82.87
As I mentioned in the intro, despite being a relatively new release, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (2nd gen) have gone on sale a couple times, dropping down to $249 in select colorways. For Black Friday, not only are all the colorways on sale, but now select ones have dropped even lower, bringing these earbuds to a record-low price of $216.13.
I get that sale or not, over $200 is a hefty investment for a pair of earbuds. To that, I would say if you're someone looking for something you can wear all day, and prioritize top of the line noise cancellation above all else, these earbuds will be worth it for you. The fit keeps them secure without causing soreness, and helps seal you into a place of quiet that, along with the ANC, rivals many over-ear headphones I've tested.
Bose's latest flagship headphones
$449 Save $50
While the QC Ultras are one of the most comfortable pairs of headphones out there, the second generation QuietComfort Ultra headphones take the top spot. They also come with some nice quality of life upgrades, including a 30 hour battery life, passive playback support, lossless audio support with the USB-C cable, and a nice upgrade to their design with new colorways and a shiny metal accent. They're maybe not upgrade-worthy if you already own the first gen headphones, but if it's your first foray into the QC Ultra line, grabbing these headphones for their price drop drop ever (and a pretty solid one at that), is a smart buy.
Sony headphones that sound incredible
$399.99 Save $151.99
The thing about Sony flagship headphones is that they're going to sound incredible. With the release of the XM6s, the WH-1000XM5 headphones are the former flagship headphones, but their sound profile remains one of the best in the game. I particularly like the "find your equalizer" feature that guides the less audiophile inclined among us through the process of finding their perfect custom EQ sound, which really helps these headphones shine. More generally speaking, when I tested the XM6s and XM5s head-to-head, I didn't find any huge discrepancies in performance. Plus, the XM6s got a $50 price bump to their list price, meaning that even if they were to get a $50 price drop over Black Friday (a markdown we've only spotted once before), they'll still be $150 more than the XM5s at this price point.
And Sony's latest flagship headphones
$459.99 Save $61.99
While these are still $150 more than the XM5s, it is worth mentioning that the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are down to their lowest price ever at $398. It's certainly possible that their price will drop even further next week, but I've also seen Sony stick to their initial discounts in past shopping holidays. If you want the best sound Sony (and most brands, tbh) has to offer, industry-leading ANC, and ear cups that fold in (a convenient feature for travelers), then the XM6's are an excellent choice. In his review, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth wrote, "if you want best-in-class noise-cancellling headphones and pristine audio quality, the headphones deliver."
Mid-range headphones for under $100
$179.99 Save $91.99
Noise-cancelling headphones with great sound quality from a reputable brand don't need to cost several hundred dollars, and the Sony WH-CH720N are proof of exactly that. Mashable named them Sony's best headphones under $100, with Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti singing their praises after two years of use. He deemed their sound quality "near flagship" level, and was impressed by the 35 hours of battery life with ANC on, which beats out the current flagship models of both Bose and Sony.
Though you can often find them on sale for $98 (a feat on its own, considering their $179.99 list price), it's slightly less common to find them on sale for $88, making this a great deal ahead of Black Friday. As an added bonus, the pink colorway is more unique than you might find from other budget headphones options under $100.
The best sounding open earbuds
$299 Save $100
Open earbuds are great if you prefer staying somewhat aware of the world around you, but in my experience, that can come in the form of less-than-stellar sound quality. In the case of the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, you get the best of both worlds. I suspect that's a large part of the reason behind their $299 price tag (which feels more appropriate for noise-cancelling earbuds). That's why I recommend them as an upgrade pick for open earbuds, and why I'm an especially big fan of this $100 off deal. In addition to their surprisingly rich sound, I especially like their small charging case, smartly placed on-ear controls, comfortable clip-on design, and many options for colorways.
Excellent mid-range noise-cancelling earbuds
$179 Save $50
Rounding out my picks is maybe the most underrated Bose product — the QuietComfort earbuds. Though their design isn't the most elegant, that's pretty much where their underwhelming features end. For starters, these earbuds have incredible battery life — in my weeks of testing them, I rarely had to charge them, and easily squeezed in a five-hour day of use, with ANC on and battery life to spare.
Sound and noise-cancellation-wise, they don't wow quite as much as the QC Ultra earbuds, but they're also significantly cheaper, even at full price. For their $129 sale price, they're less than half the price of the premium earbuds, and I promise, their performance doesn't reflect that. If I had to put a number to it, I'd say there's more of a $50 to $75 performance discrepancy between the two earbuds, which is why we've named these the best mid-budget earbuds currently on the market. Though we've seen them drop to $129 before, it is their lowest price ever, making this a great grab ahead of Black Friday.
A budget-friendly favorite
$79.99 Save $40.00
Don't sleep on over-ear noise-cancelling headphones under $80, especially if they're the JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones. Impressively, these headphones are down to a whopping $39.99 just over a week ahead of Black Friday. The low price point doesn't indicate a huge lack of quality, though. These headphones are a great pick for students, thanks to the well-padded design that makes them great for all-day wear (Mashable's Haley Henschel says she wears them comfortably for hours at a time), solid sound quality, and excellent battery life. The ANC isn't anything to scoff at, either.
The best earbuds for working out
$249.99 Save $50.04
When I first tried out the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, I wasn't sure I'd like them all that much, as I had trouble finding how to properly put them on with the ear hook (my colleague Sam Mangino had a similar experience). However, there's a reason they say first impressions aren't everything — after we both found the right ear tip size and got through this small learning curve, we fell in love with these earbuds. So Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti, who gave them a Mashable Choice Award in his review.
This consensus made these an easy pick for the best earbuds for working out: though their ANC isn't the best, it's present, the ear hook keeps the buds in place without being uncomfortable, the sound is rich, the on-ear controls reliable and perfect for using mid-workout, and the built-in heart rate monitor is a convenient feature, especially if you don't already own a fitness tracker. Though they've hit this sale price before, they don't go on sale often, so I recommend grabbing them while you can.