\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIf you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.<\/p>\n
\n\tJust about any pair of wireless earbuds, from the cheapest to the priciest, have built-in microphones for making phone calls. But they\u2019re not all created equal \u2014 and just because a pair of earbuds sounds great for music, that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019ll excel at making phone calls. <\/p>\n
\n\tThat\u2019s why we put some of our favorite earbuds to the test to find the best earbuds for making phone calls. I tested several of the earbuds by making phone calls and having my recipient give feedback on how I sounded, including with loud music in the background to simulate a loud environment. <\/p>\n
\n\tIn some cases, I tested the earbuds\u2019 mic quality by recording my voice, both in quiet and loud environments, to see how natural and clear my voice sounded. <\/p>\n
\n\tIn addition to testing phone call quality, I evaluated several other factors that come in handy for phone calls, such as fast pairing with phones and active noise canceling (ANC) for easier conversations in loud cafes or busy streets. And since phone calls can drain earbuds fast, I checked out factors like battery life and evaluated the ease of use for the earbuds\u2019 controls.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJonathan Zavaleta\/Rolling Stone<\/p>\n
\n\tThe results had some expected winners \u2014 phone brands are good at making earbuds for phone calls, and Samsung and Apple\u2019s earbuds both sounded great on the other end. There were some unexpected losers, too; even though they make some of our favorite earbuds in general, Bose and Beats underperformed when it came to phone calls, with warbly, uneven performance. <\/p>\n
\n\tAnother finding was that some earbud shapes are more conducive to making phone calls than others. Stemmed earbuds typically performed best for phone calls, owing to better mic placement that\u2019s closer to the mouth.<\/p>\n
\n\tRead on for our top picks for the best earbuds for phone calls, and check out our other earbud roundups, including the best earbuds with ear hooks, the best open ear earbuds, and the best noise-canceling earbuds.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest for android\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tSamsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
\n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: The Galaxy Buds3 Pro earbuds deliver extremely clear calls, and have handy features for Samsung users. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: Ambient, Adaptive, and ANC \n\tThese earbuds have a stemmed design with pinch controls. Sound familiar? Yes, these earbuds bear some resemblance to AirPods, particularly in white, but Samsung took a few steps to set them apart. They have a bold triangular shape, a transparent case, and neat light-up stems that, while more gimmicky than useful, are fun to look at.<\/p>\n \n\tCrucially, they sound great, both for music and phone calls. My recipient commented on the clarity and lack of background noise, and the audio recording confirmed how crisp my voice sounded. As for controls, the pinch controls are fairly straightforward, with one press to answer or end a call and a pinch and hold to decline.<\/p>\n \n\tThe earbuds also have adaptive ANC that cuts out background noise, but the ANC is somewhat underwhelming compared to other similarly priced models, like Apple\u2019s AirPods Pro 2. You\u2019ll get up to 6 hours with the buds or 26 with the case with ANC on, and slightly more with ANC turned off. There are also other handy features, like a \u201cfind my earbuds\u201d function, reliable in-ear detection to pause music when you take an earbud out, and wireless charging compatibility. They also pair very quickly with Samsung phones if you need to pop them in to answer an unexpected call.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest for apple \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAirPods Pro 2\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: The AirPods Pro 2 remain among the best options for iPhone users, with impressive ANC and features that cut out background noise. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: ANC, Adaptive Audio, Transparency \n\tWith quick pairing with iPhones and great call quality, it shouldn\u2019t be too surprising that AirPods came out on top as the best option for iPhone users. Of the available models, the edge arguably goes to AirPods Pro 2, thanks to their excellent ANC performance that can come in handy in loud environments. The Adaptive ANC can adjust based on your surroundings, and voice isolation helps reduce background noise. <\/p>\n \n\tThe controls are straightforward, with a pinch to answer or a double press to decline. Battery life has never been a major strong suit with AirPods, and if you\u2019re using them heavily for phone calls, the advertised 4.5 hours of talk time on a single charge won\u2019t wow. Fortunately, a five-minute charge in the case gets an extra hour of talk time.<\/p>\n \n\tThe AirPods Pro 2 do have some unique features, such as spatial audio and head tracking, and Apple rolled out new features like hearing protection and a hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss. It\u2019s good to see that Apple is still rolling out new features on a pair of earbuds that are more than two years old.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest battery life\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAnker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: Anker\u2019s Soundcore brand is a Goldilocks option, with affordable pricing, excellent ANC, and solid sound. These Liberty 4 NC were clear for phone calls, and have great battery life. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: ANC, transparency mode, and wind noise reduction \n\tThere are cheaper earbuds and better-sounding earbuds, but few brands blend performance and quality at an economical price quite as well as Anker, whose Soundcore brand consistently delivers some of my favorite affordable buds. These earbuds got good marks from my other end of the line, and the audio recording backed it up.<\/p>\n \n\tThe Liberty 4 NC features reliable noise-canceling, with up to five levels of ANC and two transparency modes. That means anyone who finds it hard to have phone conversations when they can\u2019t hear their voice (like me) can adjust the ANC level to best fit their surroundings. The earbuds have 6 beamforming microphones for clearer phone calls and background noise reduction.<\/p>\n \n\tIf you\u2019re the type to talk on the phone for a while, these earbuds offer great battery life, with up to 10 hours on a single charge and up to 50 hours with the case, plus the ability to add four hours of battery life with a 10-minute charge. While the sound quality isn\u2019t stunning and the design is a touch generic, the Liberty 4 NC is a great pair of earbuds for under $100.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest design\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tNothing Ear \t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: Nothing\u2019s Ear earbuds have a stylish design, with plenty of features under their transparent hood, including customizable controls, solid ANC, and reliable mics for phone calls. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: ANC, transparency mode \n\tWith a name seemingly designed to give tech writers more reasons to make puns, Nothing\u2019s line of earbuds and smartphones, featuring transparent cases and quirky features, is an exciting antidote in a sea of anonymous design. <\/p>\n \n\tThat\u2019s not to say Nothing\u2019s earbuds are exactly revolutionary \u2014 the Ear and Ear (a) earbuds feature a similar shape and controls to Apple\u2019s AirPods, with thin stems and pinch controls. While both the Ear and Ear (a) look nearly identical out of the case, the more expensive Ear earbuds outperformed the budget model in terms of call quality. <\/p>\n \n\tNothing claims they\u2019ve improved the earlier models thanks to a new mic and extra airway that \u201creduced interference by 60% compared to Ear (2).\u201d While I haven\u2019t tested that model, the Ear stacked up well in call quality tests, with minimal background noise and clear vocals. <\/p>\n \n\tThe ANC is solid, and the EQ and controls can be customized. Plus, with Google Fast Pair and multipoint connection with up to two devices, it\u2019s easy to switch back and forth between a phone and a laptop for calls. <\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest sound quality\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tTechnics EAH-AZ100 Earbuds\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: Technics\u2019 EAH-AZ100 earbuds are some of the most impressive earbuds on the market, with excellent comfort, audio quality, and voice calling performance. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: ANC, transparency mode, adapative \n\tTechnics\u2019 EAH-AZ100 earbuds are not only among the best-sounding earbuds on the market, but they\u2019re also exceptionally comfortable, with solid active noise-canceling performance to boot.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThey\u2019re also the rare non-stemmed earbuds with excellent microphone quality. These feature a monaural and MEMS microphone, and Technics claims its Voice Focus AI technology reduces background noise when talking.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tI tested these earbuds in a simulated setting, recording my voice both in a silent room and with background noise. While there was a slight drop-off in voice quality in the loud environment, the earbuds effectively reduced background noise, such that it could barely be heard in the recording.<\/p>\n \n\tIn the quiet setting, my voice sounded clear and natural, without any tinniness or robotic distortion. If you\u2019re looking for a premium pair of earbuds that also excel for phone calls, these should be a top contender, although the price may put some off.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest anc\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSony WF-1000XM5\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: Sony\u2019s WF-1000XM5 earbuds have top-tier ANC and audio quality. The call quality is solid, particularly in quiet environments.<\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: ANC, transparency mode \n\tSony\u2019s WF-1000XM5 consistently delivers when it comes to audio quality and noise-canceling, and the earbuds are chock-full of features, keeping up Sony\u2019s reputation for making excellent audio products.<\/p>\n I recorded myself talking using these earbuds, and found that my voice sounded clear and natural, particularly in quiet settings. The earbuds did pick up some background noise in louder environments, but they should still sound clear for everyday use.<\/p>\n Sony claims these earbuds use bone conduction to detect when the wearer is speaking, allowing the earbuds to isolate the wearer\u2019s voice from background noise. Sony also claims it used 500 million voice samples to suppress ambient noise.<\/p>\n There are some drawbacks with these earbuds; the foam eartips are somewhat stiff and awkward, and the controls and Sony\u2019s Sound Connect app can be somewhat confusing.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbest value\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tJLab Go Pop ANC \t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\t\tQuick Summary<\/strong>: If you\u2019re the type to frequently lose your earbuds, or you just want an affordable backup pair, JLab\u2019s Go Pop ANC earbuds are a great option, with solid call quality and a pocket-friendly case. <\/p>\n Active Noise Canceling<\/strong>: Adjustable ANC, aware mode \n\tThe audio quality on JLab\u2019s Go Pop ANC earbuds isn\u2019t showstopping, but at less than $30, there\u2019s a lot to like about these budget earbuds. They have fully customizable tap controls and EQ, plus adjustable ANC which can be controlled from the simple, intuitive app. Despite the in-ear design, these earbuds were reasonably clear for making phone calls. I recorded myself with loud background noises, which were minimal during playback. <\/p>\n \n\tAs for the controls, you can pick up a call with a single tap, hang up with a double tap, or reject a call with a long press. The earbuds also have multipoint pairing, so you can pair a phone and a laptop for switching between work and personal calls.<\/p>\n \n\tThe earbuds offer up to 24 hours of playtime in total with the case, beating out some more expensive models. The quirkiest feature is the charging case itself, which has a built-in USB-C cable. That means you\u2019ll need to find a USB-C port. It\u2019s no great hardship, but not guaranteed either, given how widespread USB A still is.<\/p>\n \n\tDespite the quirks and the so-so sound quality, if you\u2019re looking for a pair of ultra-affordable earbuds with surprisingly clear call quality, JLab\u2019s Go Pop ANC are a solid option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Just about any pair of wireless earbuds, from the cheapest to the priciest, have built-in microphones for making phone calls. But they\u2019re not all created equal \u2014 and just because a pair of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[10251,3198,680,8568,6186,3240],"class_list":{"0":"post-17065","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-anker","9":"tag-apple","10":"tag-calls","11":"tag-earbuds","12":"tag-phone","13":"tag-samsung"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: Up to 7 hours with buds\/30 hrs with case (ANC off)<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: 6 hours with buds\/30 hrs with case (ANC off)<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: Up to 10 hours with buds\/50 hrs with case (ANC off)<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: 8.5 hours buds\/40.5 hrs with case (ANC off)\t<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: 7 hrs earbuds \/ 18 hours case (ANC On)\t<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: 8 hrs earbuds \/ 24 hours case \t<\/p>\n\n
Stated Battery Life<\/strong>: Up to 8 hours with buds\/24 hours with case <\/p>\n