Which are the Best True Wireless Earbuds for Under $500?

Getting a pair of high-quality earbuds can be a daunting thing. With so many brands and dozens of features, it's hard to narrow it down. For $500, you can get a great pair of true wireless earbuds that are worth the price. In this article, we take a look at three heavy hitters from three different companies that make stunning true wireless devices. The JVC Kenwood Glass Core Pro, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and the Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 are all at the top of our list for TWS recommendations. Which are the best earbuds for your needs? Today, we have a detailed analysis of their sound and features. 

All of these true wireless earbuds have vastly different styles and builds, making them unique just by the look. The JVC earbuds are the only ones with a stem, but the buds themselves are quite large. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 is the smallest of the three, with the Rex5 earbuds falling in the middle of the scale. All of them come with an assortment of eartips, so you are sure to find a fit that best suits you no matter which you choose. The nozzles do vary in size, so getting third-party options for any of them may take an additional step of precaution. You want to make sure the eartips fit securely on the nozzle and also fit inside the charging case. 

The Kenwood Glass earbuds live up to their name with the style they display. The reflective glass on the charging case and the earbuds themselves make the device look sleek and clean. Albeit bulky, the Kenwood Glass earbuds actually have a snug fit in the ear. The stem part doesn't protrude awkwardly or have any impact on the in-ear fit. In fact, it helps the Kenwood Glass flush against your head and provides that classic earbud shape that people know and love. It's a nice changeup from the smaller earbud shape that the other two models take on. 

As for the earbuds, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 and the Noble Rex5 take a stylish approach. The Pi8 has a small, compact shell that has many color variations and metallic accents. Classic black is a popular choice for consumers, but the dark burgundy, midnight blue, and upgraded McLaren edition are standouts in the rainbow lineup. Despite the Pi8 having more colors to choose from, the Rex5 takes on the loudest of designs with an emerald green charging case and main body. The gold accents and black details are nice complements to the design, and if the green is too flashy for your taste, there is a black color variation that is a bit more subtle. The shape of the Rex5 is ergonomic and concaves inward slightly to adapt to the curve of your ear. 

Of the three, it was hard to choose one that I found the most comfortable. The smaller shell of the Pi8 earbuds was a better fit for my ears, but I did like the complete seal from the Kenwood Glass and the Rex5. Depending on your preferred shape and style, you may find that one set of earbuds has an edge over the others. 

Among the Kenwood Glass, Pi8, and Rex5, many of the included features are the same. ANC, in-app customization, and crystal-clear phone call quality: these have become standards in true wireless earbuds. With each pair of earbuds, you have access to an app that you can use to customize your listening and user experience. The Bowers & Wilkins app requires you to make an account, but the other two are easy to just download and start using once it recognizes the device you have connected to your phone. In the app for all three earbuds, you have control over EQ, control customization, and easy toggling of noise cancellation. The EQ is pretty simple on the Pi8, but you can adjust it more precisely on the Kenwood Glass or the Rex5. If you like to really get exact with your sound, the latter two may be better options as opposed to the simpler controls of the Pi8. 

However, while the features show a lot of overlap, their basic functionality is a key difference. Where the Pi8 and Rex5 have touch sensors that allow you to tap and navigate through your controls, the Kenwood Glass earbuds have a physical button on the stem. At first, this threw me off because the buttons were so subtle along the stem, I almost didn't realize they were there. While wearing the Kenwood Glass earbuds, it was easy to find them and press down to access controls. For the touch sensor controls, you have a pretty sensitive plane to work with on both the Pi8 and the Rex5. I found the touch controls a bit simpler and easier to navigate than the buttons on the Kenwood Glass earbuds, though I could see how someone may prefer the physical buttons to ensure no accidental skips or pausing if you adjust them. 

Noise cancellation on all of the earbuds is strong and effective. With the right eartip, you can find good passive isolation even without the ANC being active, which is a great starting point. The ANC on the Kenwood Glass is the strongest of the three; I found that while wearing these, I was completely lost in my listening and the isolation was superior to what I experienced in the other earbuds. The Pi8 earbuds also had a decent seal and strong isolation because of how loud the sound reproduction was, and the Rex5 had very sensitive microphones to really cancel out the sound effectively. 

As far as battery life goes, all the earbuds are equipped to give you all-day high-quality listening. The Kenwood Glass gives you the longest battery life with up to 14.5 hours on a single charge, plus an extra two charges from the case. The Rex5 earbuds have the least, with only 5 hours per charge, and the Pi8 only just pulls ahead with 6.5. Still, the latter two give you plenty of additional charges with the case, so you are set to listen all day. 

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

Now for the real test: what do all of these earbuds sound like side-by-side? For starters, we can look at the general signatures and how well they present the sound in the stereo field. Upon a first listen, each had a very distinct sound that made them easy to categorize. The Kenwood Glass had a very immersive soundstage, where the sound wrapped around you. The Rex5 had a similar presentation in the way it felt balanced and immersive, but stayed more frontal than the Kenwood Glass. The Pi8 had a forward picture that was focused on the bass, making the signature take a heavier quality that made everything seem more grounded. The imaging on the Pi8 was probably the most cohesive, where track elements worked in harmony and played off each other closer to the center of the soundstage. 

The Kenwood Glass had very clear separation in its instrumentation, and the Rex5 did, too. The Rex5 earbuds were great for finding small details and hidden gems in your favorite tracks. The space on them was impressive, transporting you directly to the center of your tracks so you felt immersed in your listening. You could feel how these two earbuds had clearer and more distinct separation than the Pi8, which kept elements relatively close together. The Kenwood Glass earbuds created a realistic picture that favored depth and warmth, while the Rex5 created a very realistic and honest picture for listeners. All three earbuds were entertaining and engaging during listening, though I found that I preferred the Rex5 for the most analytical and detailed tracks and the Kenwood Glass for something smoother and more relaxed. 

In terms of their sonic signatures, you'll find that the Pi8 comes out to be the bassiest and the Rex5 is the heaviest in the treble. The Kenwood Glass earbuds lie in between but closer to the signature of the Pi8 earbuds, where the bass is slightly more prominent and controlling in the overall profile. For analytical listening, I would find myself reaching for the Pi8 or the Rex5 earbuds because of their attention to detail and reproduction of space in their soundstages. The Kenwood Glassd lends itself to more engaging, casual listening, where the detail still comes across but doesn't fatigue you. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

Across all three earbuds, the bass response is nothing short of impressive. With a good seal from the eartip and active noise cancellation, the bass becomes quite strong in all three earbuds. The bass is the strongest in the Pi8. It is punchy and thick, really driving forward in high-energy tracks. Even at more relaxed paces, you have a grounded, weighted bass that makes its presence no secret. Though the bass is very thick and full-bodied, it is not without its detail. You still can pick apart textures and tonal clarity in the Pi8 to aid in the analytical quality they have. The fullness of the bass is most closely seen in the Kenwood Glass earbuds, which hold a distinctly smoother quality that isn't as punchy. It is smoother and flows more openly in the sound field, so you have a soft foundation for everything to build up from. With the low end being this relaxed, it isn't without its flaws: the Kenwood Glass earbuds lose a bit of clarity in the sub-bass region, where the Pi8 keeps its detail and sharp precision throughout.

With the heaviness of the other two, it's a refreshing change to have the Noble Rex5 be less forward with the bass. It is the most natural bass of the three, and likely the most recessed. This doesn't mean the bass is any less impactful; as a matter of fact, it has a brighter punch than the other two earbuds that were mentioned previously. It feels more controlled and tighter as opposed to something softer and languid like in the Kenwood Glass, looking to take up space. The Rex5 can be tuned to make the bass more forward, but I found myself appreciating how it took a backseat approach to support the higher frequencies and lay the groundwork for other instruments to live comfortably. With the space the Rex5 provided, this bass response was not at all overwhelming, and the frequencies expanded outwards to make the sound more realistic.

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

Looking at the midrange, you'll find the most detailed and forward reproduction in the Noble Rex5. In these earbuds, timbres and textures are highlighted exceptionally well to pull them to the front of the signature. I was able to appreciate all the main melodies with stunning clarity, and even as more elements populated this region, the Rex5 did a great job in giving space to let all the instruments live together comfortably. The depth of the soundstage was heard more clearly in this range, and with the Rex5 being one of the more expansive models, you do get a lot of space for these instruments to live. I liked the color and naturalness of the timbres in the Rex5, something similarly heard in the Kenwood Glass. The Kenwood Glass earbuds produced a more dynamic and colorful midrange, though the elements feel more cohesive in the center as opposed to separated out like in the Rex5. 

The B&W Pi8 is also good for producing midrange sound, though it does lean towards the bass again. The lower mids jump out most notably as extra punchy, especially when compared against the Rex5 and Kenwood Glass earbuds. The Kenwood Glass earbuds and the Pi8 share a similar punchiness for their midrange reproduction, keeping things very frontal and forward so you are engaged in the detail it reproduces. I liked how the midrange on the Pi8 was very dynamic and kept vocals as a main feature, something the Kenwood Glass and Rex5 also did exceptionally well. It pulls you into the listening even deeper, and while the depth of the Pi8 wasn't as much as that of the Rex5, it was still entertaining to listen to all those elements in the center of the midrange. The Pi8's soundstage was utilized the most in this range, expanding outwards horizontally to make space for all the different elements. It was very similar to the way the Kenwood Glass earbuds reproduced sound as well. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

As far as the treble goes, the three earbuds produce fairly even top-end responses. In true wireless earbuds, it can sometimes be hard to balance the bass and noise cancelling with one treble range, but the Rex5, Pi8, and Kenwood Glass earbuds do an exceptional job in making sure the top end gets heard with clarity and color. Of the three, the Rex5 had the brightest treble response that was the most noticeable in the signature. The airy quality of the Rex5's treble response makes the space in the sound signature much more prominent, and it makes the listening experience of these earbuds less fatiguing. The brightness didn't get too shrill or piercing as you continued to listen; instead, the Rex5's treble response was controlled but precise in its detail. 

Similarly, the Kenwood Glass earbuds have a very bright treble response that balances with the heavy bass quite well. The two sit fairly evenly in the soundstage, and the Kenwood Glass highlights both to make the signature sound dynamic and engaging. The Kenwood Glass didn't open up as much space as the Rex5, and the Pi8 even less. The Pi8 had a very bright and forward treble response, one that makes the top end feel less compressed. It is very sharp in its detail, much like the Rex5 earbuds, but it doesn't expand backwards in the same way the Rex5 does. Instead, it stays very up front and adds to the wall of sound. If you are looking for sharp detail, the Pi8 and Rex5 have you covered for that kind of treble response. If you prefer your earbuds to be a bit softer and clamer in the treble, the Kenwood Glass is a better choice. 

As we look at these three earbuds, it would be easy to introduce any number of other true wireless earbuds as another direct comparison. Sony, Sennheiser, and even Noble and JVC have more options at lower price points. But can they even compare to the quality you get when you spend a little more money? 

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 5 and the Sony WF-1000XM6 are both great for their many features and optimal customization. Out of the box, they may seem underwhelming and not give the same pristine quality as the Noble Rex5 or the JVC Kenwood Glass. Still, they offer a lot of customization features that make integrating the devices into your everyday routine much easier. If you're after very technical and exact customization features, something like Sony or Sennheiser is a great choice; however, you may find the Kenwood Glass earbuds and the Rex5 are great upgrades that give you just as much customization and high sound quality. 

Even the Pi8 does show a meaningful upgrade from the cheaper Pi6. The Pi6 from Bowers & Wilkins is a great earphone that focuses on sound quality more than features, though you can see how the Pi8 refines the sound to make it cleaner, more precise, and all-around more dynamic. You can appreciate more detail in the upgraded earbuds by spending a little more, and you have a wider range of customization in the Pi8 than the Pi6. If you don't care much for customization, the Pi6 may be a good choice, but you may notice the difference in sound quality from one pair of earbuds to the next. 

Which true wireless earbuds are the best for under $500? With three contenders in front of us, it seems almost impossible to choose which is the best. All three earbuds have their individual perks and shortcomings, though depending on how you like to listen, you'll be able to choose one with ease. 

Choose the JVC Kenwood Glass earbuds if you want strong noise cancellation and a smooth sonic profile. You'll get fully immersed in your listening and be able to block out any noise around you, and with the balanced sound reproduction, you are sure to enjoy any genre that comes your way. The detail may not be as sharp, but the openness of the sound signature makes these earbuds easy to wear for hours. 

Choose the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds if you want strong bass and compactness. The low-end is a highlight in these earbuds, and you'll be able to adjust it to your liking with the B&W app. The small shell is perfect for any ear size, and the color choices make these a fashion statement just as much as a sonic masterpiece. 

Choose the Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 earbuds if you value balance in your listening and analytical detail. For the audiophile who needs high-quality listening on the go, you are sure to enjoy the Rex5's honest sound signature and the evenness in the stock sound. The Noble FoKus app allows you to fully customize your listening so you can really tune the profile to your liking. 

At the end of the day, your ears are the best judge; you can try all of these earbuds (and more!) at Audio46 to see what you like the best. No matter where you listen or what you listen to, you'll be able to find great high-quality sound without breaking the bank.

You can get all these true wireless earbuds and more at Audio46.