There’s a weird assumption baked into how most people shop for audio: if you want something that actually sounds good, you need to spend real money. Two hundred dollars minimum, probably more. And for a long time, that was mostly true. Even the best budget earbuds sounded like budget earbuds. Cheap speakers sounded cheap. But something shifted in the last year or two, and the big names started putting good hardware into surprisingly affordable packages.
So, what’s the actual deal? Did Sony, JBL, Beats, and Samsung actually figure out how to make budget wireless earbuds and a budget bluetooth speaker that don’t feel like compromises, or are they cutting corners you won’t notice until it’s too late? We dug into six products that sit well below each brand’s flagship pricing and came away impressed more often than not. Here’s what’s worth your money right now.
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1. JBL Endurance Race 2: the $60 sport earbuds that punch up
Under sixty bucks for sport earbuds with active noise cancellation feels like a typo, but JBL actually pulled it off. The Endurance Race 2 pack 6.8mm drivers, IP68 water and dust resistance, and 48 total hours of battery life (12 in the buds, 36 in the case). If you’re running through rain or sweating through a gym session, these won’t flinch. The wing-tip ear enhancers with Twistlock technology keep them locked in place during movement, which is something cheaper sport buds routinely fail at.
Sound leans into JBL’s Pure Bass signature, so you’ll feel the low end more than you’ll analyze the mids. For workouts, that’s exactly what most people want. Speed charging gives you four hours of playback from a 10-minute charge, and multipoint connection lets you toggle between your phone and laptop without re-pairing. At this price, the fact that they include ANC at all is a pleasant surprise. It’s not Sony-level noise cancellation, but it takes the edge off a noisy gym floor.
Price: $59.95
Where to Buy: Amazon, JBL
2. Beats Solo Buds: the smallest case Beats has ever made
Beats stripped everything down for the Solo Buds, and the result is either refreshingly simple or annoyingly bare depending on what you need. No ANC. No wireless charging. The case itself doesn’t even have its own battery, so you charge the buds through a USB-C cable plugged directly into the case. What you get instead is 18 hours of continuous playback in a case small enough to vanish in a coin pocket.
The trade-off is deliberate. At $79.99, Beats is betting that a lot of people don’t actually need noise cancellation or a case that doubles as a power bank. They want earbuds that sound good, fit comfortably, and last all day. The Solo Buds deliver on all three. Sound quality sits in that warm, bass-forward Beats zone, and the ergonomic fit is comfortable for extended wear. Apple and Android both get one-touch pairing and Find My support. If you can live without ANC, these are hard to beat at this price point.
Price: $69.95, $79.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, Beats
3. Sony WF-C710N: budget ANC from the company that does it best
Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds cost over $200. The WF-C710N lists at $129.99 but regularly sells for around $90, and the gap between them is smaller than the price difference suggests. Dual noise sensors power the ANC, and while it won’t dissolve airplane cabin noise the way the XM5 does, it handles office chatter and street sounds with confidence. You’ll notice the difference in a quiet room. You won’t on a commute.
Battery life hits 30 hours total: 8.5 in the buds, another 21.5 in the case. Five minutes of quick charging adds an hour of playback, which is handy when you forget to charge the night before. The Sony Sound Connect app opens up EQ customization, and AI-powered voice pickup keeps phone calls clear even in noisy environments. Multipoint Bluetooth means you can stay connected to your laptop and phone at once. For anyone who wants the Sony experience without the Sony flagship price, the C710N is the obvious entry point.
Price: $129.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
4. JBL Flip 7: the portable speaker that refuses to die
The JBL Flip line has been the default portable speaker recommendation for years, and the Flip 7 doesn’t change that. It refines it. IP68 waterproofing means full submersion protection, and JBL added drop-proof durability that the Flip 6 didn’t have. You can toss this into a bag, take it to the beach, and not worry about sand, water, or the friend who inevitably knocks it off the table.
Sound runs through a 25-watt woofer paired with a 10-watt tweeter (35 watts total), and the new 7-band EQ in the JBL app lets you shape the output more precisely than any previous Flip. Bluetooth 5.4 tightens the wireless connection, and audio-over-USB unlocks lossless playback for the first time in this line. At 560 grams, it’s light enough to clip onto a backpack using JBL’s new attachment accessories. If you already own a Flip 5 or Flip 6, the upgrade isn’t dramatic. But if you’re buying your first portable speaker or replacing something older, the Flip 7 at $99 is the one to beat in its class.
Price: From $99
Where to Buy: Amazon
5. JBL Live Beam 3: the earbuds with a screen on the case
The headline feature here is the Smart Charging Case, and it’s the kind of thing that sounds gimmicky until you use it. The case has a touchscreen that lets you adjust EQ, toggle noise cancellation modes, check battery levels, and control playback without pulling out your phone or opening an app. Once you get used to it, going back to a regular charging case feels oddly limited.
Inside the buds themselves, 10mm drivers deliver what JBL calls its Signature Sound, and True Adaptive ANC adjusts to your environment automatically. Six microphones handle call quality, and Personi-Fi 3.0 creates a custom sound profile based on a hearing test you take in the app. Battery life stretches to 48 hours total with the case (12 in the buds), and wireless charging is included. IP55 keeps them safe from sweat and light rain. At around $199 street price, these sit right at the edge of “budget,” but the feature set rivals earbuds that cost $100 more.
Price: $199.95
Where to Buy: Amazon
6. Samsung Music Frame: a speaker that disappears into your wall
This is the wild card on the list, and it earns its spot by doing something none of the others even attempt. The Samsung Music Frame is a wireless speaker shaped like a picture frame. You hang it on a wall, swap in your own art or photos using customizable bezels, and it becomes part of your decor. When it’s playing music, the sound comes from behind the image. When it’s not, it looks like a framed print.
The 3-way speaker system delivers Dolby Atmos, and Q-Symphony integration lets it sync with Samsung TVs and soundbars for a fuller room-filling sound. Wall mounting or stand use, your call. From $199 MSRP (frequently on sale closer to $150), it’s one of the priciest on this list, but it’s also the only one solving a problem most audio products ignore: how to put great sound in a room without making that room look like it’s full of electronics. If you already live in the Samsung ecosystem, it fits in seamlessly. If aesthetics matter as much as audio, there’s nothing else like it at this price.
Price: From $199
Where to Buy: Amazon
Who should skip this list
If you’re an audiophile chasing reference-grade sound, these aren’t for you. None of these products compete with $300+ flagship earbuds or $500 bookshelf speakers on pure fidelity. They’re not trying to. What they do is deliver surprisingly solid performance from brands with the engineering depth to back it up, at prices that won’t make you think twice. For everyone else: pick the one that fits your life.
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