Audio

This muscular Denon AV receiver sounds spectacular with movies, music and games and is as future-proof as it’s possible to get. It may seem pricey, but its versatility makes it great value.

The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar flagship packs Dolby Atmos and AI clear dialogue support for immersive 3D audio, but bass output is a real rough spot.

These next-gen value wireless earbuds step up sound and reliable voice calling quality in a durable and compact key-fob charging case design, but some features are still MIA.

The Sony HT-AX7 portable Bluetooth speaker package creates an immersive sphere of sound ideal for smaller screens, and it looks like no other speaker system we've seen.

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 is an excellent upgrade with enhanced ANC, sound, and battery life.

Decent sound and ANC performance, but there are too many trade-offs

Skullcandy's Crusher ANC 2 headphones deliver insane bass, but it's at the expense of treble, leading to middling dynamics.

Bose's flagship noise-canceling headphones are best yet

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones replace the QC45 as excellent always-on noise-cancelers with enhanced sound and improved battery life, but there's a catch.

Entry-level Soundcore by Anker headphones deliver strong audio and ANC performance with 40-hour playback between recharges in a stylish and affordable package.

$179 Sennheiser Accentum over-ear headphones deliver strong ANC and signature sound performance with lengthy playtimes for budget-conscious buyers.

Sennheiser's Profile mic has great ease of use and high sound quality, making it my new favorite for recording and podcasting.

Google's Pixel Buds Pro are a respectable noise-canceller with great sound and best-ever Google Assistant integration, but fit and functionality could be better at the price.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are priced much lower than other ANC wireless earbuds at under $100. There's even more value thanks to its IPX2 rating, long battery life, and 1-way speaker design.

Bose takes immersive audio to the next level

The $349 Ultimate Ears Epicboom is the go anywhere Bluetooth music system with strong durability and big sound shaking up the portable speakers category.

The Ambeo Soundbar Mini delivers impressive virtual Dolby Atmos sound from Sennheiser's smallest and easiest to set up soundbar yet, but you're going to want to pay extra for the sub.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 flagship wireless earbuds are even better than I anticipated, with best-in-class sound, improved noise cancelation, and a smaller, lighter design.

The Sonos Move 2 packs serious upgrades for its high price

The Jabra Elite 10 are the company's top-flight wireless earbuds with strong audio and noise cancelation performance to challenge top rivals.

Everlasting and sonically engaging, the Jabra Elite 8 Active ANC earbuds are among the best sports headphones out there.

This Sony SRS-XB100 Bluetooth speaker doesn’t skimp on sound quality and it compact and portable design makes and strong durability make it a winner for life on-the-go inside and out.

The flexible Sony STR-AN1000/TA-AN1000 AV receiver/amp has 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, and its processing wizardry sounds bigger than its power rating suggests.

The JBL Boombox 3 is on the large side but has a wide sound and booming bass with plenty of power to rock any party — indoors or out.

The Marantz Cinema 50 is a knockout AV amp with a sharp contemporary design, advanced HDMI connectivity for movie fans and gamers alike, and superb immersive audio.

Despite having substandard ANC, these Soundcore by Anker earbuds come at a great price backed by strong audio, battery life, and special features.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 are the wireless earbuds upgrade we’ve anticipated, with better aesthetics, sound, noise cancellation and battery life.

These $99 Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds offer great sound and features at the price, but ANC performance could be improved.

If you don’t mind narrow audio and superheated foam padding, the Beats Studio Pro offer some key feature upgrades on the older Beats Studio3 Wireless.

The H20 Audio Tri Pro offer satisfactory bone conduction performance, but despite having versatile playback options some features are poorly executed.