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I test headphones for a living and these are the 3 alternatives I recommend over the AirPods Pro 3

AnyFans 2025-09-23

By Tammy Rogers

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Under $200: Cambridge Melomania A100

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Cambridge’s Melomania A100 earbuds are perhaps one of the most impressive things that I’ve tested all year. They’re not a particularly expensive pair of buds, but they somehow manage to outperform options that cost nearly twice the price. I adore them.

Their sound is the focus here, and it is excellent. There’s an alarming amount of detail, revealing the finest points of your favorite tunes. The soundstage is very wide, too, allowing for greater immersion. Bass is well-formed and dynamic — there’s really very little extra you could ask for.
ANC is good, and their fit is very comfortable. They don’t have any of the AirPods’ standout features, like heart rate monitor and Live Translation, but I’m still not sure how entirely useful those features actually are. If you’re looking for some excellent buds at a good price, the A100 are the way to go.

Cambridge Melomania A100: $149 at Amazon
The Melomania A100 cost $100 less than the AirPods Pro 3, but pack in a similar core feature set. Solid ANC, a comfortable fit, and intuitive touch controls. They also sound excellent, with an audiophile-style sound profile that’s sure to wow any listener. 39 hours of battery life sure doesn’t hurt either.

Under $300: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2

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If it’s noise canceling you’re looking for, then the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 are a real winner. They’re our pick for the best noise-canceling earbuds, with some of the most impressive ANC you’ll find in, like, anything. They’re unreasonably good at blocking noise.

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From the moment you slip them in your ears and the orchestral sound checks noise levels inside and outside, you’re coccooned in a world of your own. Every single noise that might want to get in the way of you enjoying your music is eliminated, be that the annoying baby at the back of the bus or the sound of your office neighbours’ noisy keyboard.
As you might hope from something that costs $50 more than the AirPods, the rest of the features are great too. Sound quality is good out of the box, they’re supremely comfortable, and the case now has wireless charging to make them more convenient to use. Battery life isn’t quite as good as the AirPods’ refreshed staying power, but it’s still enough to get you through the workday if you charge at lunchtime.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Earbuds (2nd Gen): $299 at Amazon
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds might be more expensive than Apple’s buds, but the noise canceling on board is game-changing. They’re also incredibly comfortable and offer more options to Android users than the AirPods.

Under $400: Noble Fokus Amadeus

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I can’t think of a pair of buds for the price that sound better than the Noble Fokus Amadeus. They’ve got this wonderful sound signature that edges out the Apple, Sony, and even the Sennheiser-flavored equivalents, all while bringing a slick-looking design that looks totally unlike anything else.
Part of their sound is down to the Audiodo sound personalization. It uses the familiar series of beeps and boops to check your ears and how well they can hear, and then makes a personal profile for each ear so that they always sound their best. It’s saved in the earbuds as well, so it carries over when you listen on other devices. It makes already excellent sound even better.
Battery life is good, ANC is solid, and their red colorway (modeled after Mozart’s coat, their namesake) makes them look like a pair of rubies that live in your ears. They’re not cheap — they’re around $70 more than the AirPods — but they’re easily worth the extra.

Noble Fokus Amadeus: $320 at Amazon
The Noble Fokus Amadeus are some of the best-sounding buds around. They’re a handsome thing too, with their crimson resin outer panels and red lidded case. ANC is excellent, and the fit is good — but they’re really all about the sound.

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Cambridge Audio Melomania A100

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd

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Noble Fokus Amadeus

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Tammy Rogers

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom’s Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore’s resident audiophile, Tammy’s reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom’s Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you’ll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that’ll never see the light of day.

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