Sony WH-1000XM5: Sony has released its new-for-2025 WH-1000XM6 headphones, but its former flagship model, the XM5 is still an excellent headphone that’s often on sale for closer to $300. Their noise-canceling, voice-calling and sound isn’t quite as good as what the XM6 offers (the XM6 sounds a little more detailed with improved bass performance) and the XM6 has a dual-hinge design that allows them to fold up, not just fold flat. As a result, the XM6’s case is a little smaller. Additionally, the XM6 is powered by a new QN3 chip that Sony says delivers 7 times the performance of the QN1 chip found in the XM5s. All that said, while the jump in performance from the XM5 to the XM6 is certainly noticeable, it isn’t huge; the XM5 still offers very good sound, noise-canceling and voice-calling performance that should satisfy most people. Read my Sony WH-1000XM5 review.
Poly Voyager Free 60 Plus UC earbuds: Like JBL’s Tour Pro 2 earbuds, the Poly Voyager Free 60 Plus UC earbuds also have a touchscreen display embedded in their charging case. The display isn’t quite as fancy as the one on the JBL case (it’s mostly monochrome), but these are among the first earbuds to have a case with a mini control panel integrated into it. Additionally, the Free 60 Plus UC case also turns into a Bluetooth transceiver for inflight entertainment systems (you plug the case into the 3.5mm headphone port). I also liked how you can store the USB-A Bluetooth dongle in the charging case when you’re not using it with your computer.
Cyber Acoustics Essential Bluetooth Headset HS-2000BT: UC headsets that include a USB dongle so you can easily connect the headset wirelessly to your computer tend to cost more than headsets that just feature Bluetooth connectivity. For around $70, the Cyber Acoustics Essential Bluetooth Headset HS-2000BT sells at a discount compared to similarly styled models from Jabra and Poly. I’m not going to say the HS-2000BT is better than those models, but it’s lightweight and comfortable to wear and offers similar features, including a retractable boom microphone with automatic muting (when you retract the boom mic). It also has a couple of bonus features: active noise canceling and wireless charging (Qi wireless charging pad not included). Callers said I sounded good though not quite as clear as when I was using the Logitech Zone Vibe 100. I thought the HS-2000BT sounded decent enough when when listen to music, though the sound is on the warmer side (pushes the bass a bit). The headset is worth checking out, particularly if it goes on sale. I should also note that if you don’t need the wireless connectivity, the headset is available in a wired-only version (the HS-2000) for $50.
Jabra Evolve2 85: With Jabra releasing the new Evolve3 85, you may find some deals on this earlier Evolve2 model. A souped-up version of Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones, which came in 2019, the Evolve2 85 offers better telephony options along with a Unified Communications USB dongle for PCs. With similar sound quality to the 85h for music listening, it has an updated audio chipset, a hideaway boom arm and two additional microphones (10 altogether, with the extra two in the boom arm) for noise reduction and picking up your voice. Its build quality is also a step up. A Microsoft Teams-certified version is available for those who need it. I found it comfortable to wear over several hours, and it offers an impressive 37 hours of battery life or slightly more than the Elite 85h.
Jabra Evolve2 65: Released in 2023, the Evolve2 65 Flex features a slimmer design with dual hinges that allows you to fold the headset up flat in its compact carrying case. While this is an on-ear headset, it has a nicely padded headband and ear pieces and is impressively comfortable (it also helps that it’s relatively lightweight, weighing 136 grams or 4.8 ounces). I was mostly impressed with the sound and performance of the Evolve2 65 Flex. It has a retractable boom microphone and good active noise canceling along with excellent noise reduction for calls (I made calls in the noisy streets of New York and callers said I sounded clear with little background noise intrusion). Flip the boom mic up and you automatically get muted during video conference calls; flip it down and you unmute yourself.
Sony CH-720N: Sony’s improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they’re lightweight (only 192 grams) and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised, as these headphones offer good overall tonal balance with punchy bass, decent clarity and a fairly wide soundstage (the headphones are suitable for a variety of music genres. They also offers decent noise canceling and good voice-calling performance.
Plantronics Voyager Focus UC: After Plantronics became Poly, it released a new version of this oldie-but-goodie headset called the Voyager Focus 2 (see above). This model remains on sale. We are steering people toward the newer model.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
