neckband style bluetooth earbuds

Three years ago I bought 1More Dual driver BT ANC earbuds. I bought them because the hour-long drive in the Accord was a stressful, noise-filled mess. I got to work often worn out and beat. I used these, listed to podcasts, and engaged the active noise cancellation, and the results were amazing. It really did make a difference. I could use them while mowing, take a call, and the person on the other end wouldn't even know that I was mowing the lawn. The call quality was incredible and the music quality was totally great to my ear. I have since started using them in the gym and in the office. I hit the ANC button and the gym fades away to nothing and I can quietly get to work.

They died this past weekend. 1More generously offered a 25% discount from their store, so I started poking around. It seems these are nearly extinct. Wal-mart has the exact same pair for something $50, and that's fine. All of 1More's offerings have lost the ANC or are just true-wireless. Every competitor in the neckband-space seems to not be as good as these from three years ago.

Am I missing something? Have the true-wireless style taken over entirely?

After losing two pairs i am back to the $25.00 wired variety.

I was in similar situation. I really prefer the yoke style that rests around the neck. I do a lot of stuff with just one earbud in to listen to podcasts and keep an ear open if someone needs my attention. I was not able to find one in that style.

I did find some where there is a cable that connects the two buds. I'm not as wild about that. I can hang them around my neck, or I can have just one bud in. But if I've got one in, the weight of the other pulls on it annoyingly when I start turning my head around.

I've got an older pair of these. I generally like them, except I have mixed feelings about the active noise cancellation and really dislike that I can't turn it off. Otherwise, they're easily the best earbuds I've ever had. The price used to be much more reasonable.: https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Quietcontrol-Wireless-Headphones-Cancelling/dp/B01HETFQA8/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQIxNGT84-P9F0mkm5vfIkXP5z09NqWa7ekjcmMaXPRShyrJwSR5erwaAsahEALw_wcB&hvadid=233973788592&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9014939&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13451859796350179648&hvtargid=kwd-372191656931&hydadcr=19163_9664563&keywords=bose+quietcontrol+30+headphones&qid=1652972349&sr=8-3

Don't have input on currently available product, but I have LG neckband style I wear every day. The battery life is important to me, and the low profile of the actual buds means I can wear them under a helment on my motorcycle and not have them be squeezed into my ear canals. 

Beer Baron said:

I was in similar situation. I really prefer the yoke style that rests around the neck. I do a lot of stuff with just one earbud in to listen to podcasts and keep an ear open if someone needs my attention. I was not able to find one in that style.

I did find some where there is a cable that connects the two buds. I'm not as wild about that. I can hang them around my neck, or I can have just one bud in. But if I've got one in, the weight of the other pulls on it annoyingly when I start turning my head around.

I've got an older pair of these. I generally like them, except I have mixed feelings about the active noise cancellation and really dislike that I can't turn it off. Otherwise, they're easily the best earbuds I've ever had. The price used to be much more reasonable.: https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Quietcontrol-Wireless-Headphones-Cancelling/dp/B01HETFQA8/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQIxNGT84-P9F0mkm5vfIkXP5z09NqWa7ekjcmMaXPRShyrJwSR5erwaAsahEALw_wcB&hvadid=233973788592&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9014939&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13451859796350179648&hvtargid=kwd-372191656931&hydadcr=19163_9664563&keywords=bose+quietcontrol+30+headphones&qid=1652972349&sr=8-3

Oof on the price. Yeah the 1More earbuds I have allow you to turn ANC on or off, and they were like $75.

I really like the Plantronics Backbeat Fit series of earbuds. Mine run 6-8 hours, and rather than resting around the neck they wrap just below the hairline from ear to ear.

They're not the right thing if you want noise canceling because they have an "open ear" design so that you can still hear background noise at the gym/work/outdoors, and I just drop one side when talking to someone so not to seem rude.

So I spent $44 and bought the exact same model that I had. It's still leading, even today, in terms of the characteristics which matter to me. 

I got them last night. They are in Chinese. Instead of "battery low, please charge", "power on", "power off", "battery high", "connected", "disconnected" etc, you hear the Chinese equivalent. 

I'm not sure I care. 

Well those died again.

I bought these https://drop.com/buy/drop-grell-tws-iem/questions?search=anc#questions and they sound great, but phone calls are bad and ANC is nonexistent.

I am thinking between these:

https://us.soundcore.com/products/liberty-4-a3953z11

https://www.headphonecheck.com/test/jbl-reflect-aero/

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Live-Pro-TWS-Beamforming/dp/B09V9P5Q6W?linkCode=sl1&tag=qznce-20&linkId=b3456d85250b0caa9dbcb4fc879cb796&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09757BZM1/ref=vp_d_cpf-substitute-widget_pd?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=f3e0f858-bc1b-4cf8-bdca-f6e1481f1fbe&pf_rd_r=R00MW36EF0TEK6W8JD39&pd_rd_wg=cgv60&pd_rd_i=B09757BZM1&pd_rd_w=CxMkm&content-id=amzn1.sym.f3e0f858-bc1b-4cf8-bdca-f6e1481f1fbe&pd_rd_r=f11bbdc0-9fae-4bd9-a775-2fce96c965ca&th=1

https://www.soundguys.com/jaybird-vista-2-review-56920/

https://www.amazon.com/SENNHEISER-Plus-True-Wireless-Earbuds/dp/B09BXYKD2W?tag=sogu-20&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/soundcore-Adaptive-Cancelling-Comfortable-Customization/dp/B0B1LVC5VZ/?th=1&tag=at88-20

Goals are:

ANC for mowing and loud workplace, excellent phone calls, decent battery life and connections, and good retention for the gym

I looked around (online and stores) for noise canceling ear buds and came up with nothing. When they came out they were the cats meow. Saw them on TV and heard about them on the radio. IIRC they were ment to cancel noise in high decibel surroundings.  Were they too good and eliminated them? Or too damaging and just a crock of......

I will keep an eye on this post to find a pair to wear when a coworker uses a air hammer to cut a quarter off a car!

JLab Epic Air Sport is pretty much everything you are after.

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Bluetooth-Headphones-Sweatproof-Charging/dp/B08KFPPJ3Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=jlab+epic+air+sport+anc+2nd+gen&qid=1681267519&s=electronics&sprefix=jlab+epic+%2Celectronics%2C119&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384400153316?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qic9gw_5qgu&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=8ET8XUQCQBO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

I loved my previous 2 soundcore purchases, so I bought these as my 3rd pair. I love them. The anc is phenomenal for the price. 

93gsxturbo said:

JLab Epic Air Sport is pretty much everything you are after.

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Bluetooth-Headphones-Sweatproof-Charging/dp/B08KFPPJ3Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=jlab+epic+air+sport+anc+2nd+gen&qid=1681267519&s=electronics&sprefix=jlab+epic+%2Celectronics%2C119&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

 

I've heard all manner of Jlab quality and connection issues. Do you have firsthand experience?

lnlogauge said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384400153316?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qic9gw_5qgu&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=8ET8XUQCQBO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

I loved my previous 2 soundcore purchases, so I bought these as my 3rd pair. I love them. The anc is phenomenal for the price. 

I bought the liberty 4 before you answered. They come today and I can do a comparison with the Grells and let you know.

Yep - I have the old version of those Jlabs and they have been rock solid.  Instant pairing with my phone, tablet, or laptop.  Voice works well enough I can take phonecalls while I ride my bicycle outdoors.  Audio is OK - but I am pretty deaf so anything sounds pretty good.  Battery life is great, case is great, they charge when put in the case.  Really got nothing bad at all to say about them.  Comfort is subjective but they are good for me on 3-4 hour plane rides.

93gsxturbo said:

Yep - I have the old version of those Jlabs and they have been rock solid.  Instant pairing with my phone, tablet, or laptop.  Voice works well enough I can take phonecalls while I ride my bicycle outdoors.  Audio is OK - but I am pretty deaf so anything sounds pretty good.  Battery life is great, case is great, they charge when put in the case.  Really got nothing bad at all to say about them.  Comfort is subjective but they are good for me on 3-4 hour plane rides.

You guys are giving me buyers remorse before I even get the liberty's.

Now I want to try the Nothing 2 as well.

Got the liberty 4 tonight. 

I tried them one in each ear. They sound different, likely the liberty has more clarity which is weird. To Tunawife the grell buds sounded a little better on the phone. The anc on both is just okay. 

Now I'm stuck. I have to return one of them. 

The "walk through the factory" test showed the Liberty buds to be better at ANC, and they seem to stay put better too, so the Grells get returned unless anyone has an objection.

Should I stay with the Liberty units or keep looking?