I have the (a) version and I like them so much that when I lost the case I bought them again. They sound good enough and the ANC is decent. Good enough battery capacity for me.
this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
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BudgetAudiophile
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In my opinion, I would rather go with some cheap IEMs + a Bluetooth DAC, because then you get both the convenience (only needing to carry the light clip-on wireless bit) and the audio quality. Also, it makes them much harder to lose!
IEMs will also last a lot longer than any wireless earbuds would, since they don't have internal batteries that will eventually die. They're usually a bit more comfortable, and you get playback controls too. When I'm using my laptop, where I don't need to move around much and just sitting on my desk, I use the IEMs wired and leave the wireless DAC charging!
I'm personally using the Moondrop Chu 2 + the Fiio BTR11, but for the latter, they have the annoying issue common with cheaper wireless devices where it yells "low battery" over and over again when it is below 10% battery. I don't know if this is an issue with all Fiio wireless DACs or just the BTR11. The BTR15 is another option by Fiio, but there are lots of other options too.
As for IEMs, you have the usual suggestions like the Truthear Hexa or Pure, the various Moondrop ones, the Kiwi Ears Cadenza, the Crinacle "Zero" collaborations, etc. it'll just depend on where you are and what's available to you (+ your budget of course)
I've had the ear 2 for a couple of years now. Sound quality is good to great, but the anc can't handle wind or loud, high inconsistent noises (like a weed Wacker). I love these buds, they'd be perfect if could have a conversation while cycling, or use noise cancelling while wacking.
I had the cmf buds, I did like their sound but they were a bit heavy and they kept falling out. Also a bit difficult to clean up. I think I broke them while poking around with a cleaning stick, they no longer seal properly and sound bad. But while they worked they were overall pretty good. Noise cancellation wasn't very good, it made music maybe slightly clearer in a noisy environment, but didn't help enough so I rarely used it.
Nowadays I use Jlab Jbuds mini and they are the most comfortable earbuds i've ever had, they are so small and light they just feel great. Sound and battery is of course not best in the world, but for their size and price they are awesome.