When you are in the market to buy a pair of premium TWS earbuds, all you are looking for is the best of tech and innovation packed into a well-built package which warrants the price you are paying for it. If looked at closely, when it comes to audio, there is not much that brands can do, considering all the work that has already been done over the years. We have had ANC technology improving year on year and sound signatures being refined to the extent that they are accepted by individuals with varying tastes.
Also read: Digit Zero1 Awards and Best Buy Awards 2023: Best Performing Mid-Range Truly Wireless Earphones
Additionally, personalised tuning by understanding the users’ ear shape and size is something that we have seen a lot of brands do. Then, there is the regular stuff like spatial audio with head-tracking, support for lossless audio, and the whole shebang, which we will talk about in detail later. When testing earbuds for the Digit Zero1 Awards this year, given the innovation that all the brands in this space have mastered, it was difficult to pick a winner at first. However, as I kept on entering scores, the differences got clearer and in no time I had the winner of the Digit Zero1 Award and the Digit Best Buy Award…
Price: ₹24,990
The priciest earbuds in our list of contenders this year, at ₹24,990, the Sony WF-1000XM5 made for a great performing pair of earbuds and a package that brought in all that one could demand. Let’s start by looking at what won this pair of earbuds the Zero1 Award. The three main metrics that we are looking for when testing earbuds for Zero1 Awards are – sound signature, battery life, and ANC. These earbuds, with their well-rounded sound signature and ANC, both of which have seen an improvement over last year’s 1000XM4, outclassed the competition by a mile. The closest that a pair of earbuds came to these earbuds were the Jabra Elite 10. The ANC on the Sony WF-1000XM5,has set the bar high for the industry to match. The passive isolation as well, thanks to the foam eartips on these buds, is also on point.
Now coming to why these buds were crowned the winners of the Digit Best Buy Awards. The build quality of these headphones matches up to what we’ve come to expect. There’s no metal hinge on the buds which I think is something that could be added to earn some brownie points. However, the reduction in size of the buds giving them a better fit than the 1000XM4 while still retaining the performance, even making improvements, makes up for every complaint one would have. The Sony WF10000XM5 is also loaded with features, rounding up the user experience in the best ways possible. I have been a fan of the Sony Headphones Connect app and its integration with these buds allows for all the customisation you could ask for. I am honestly short on words to describe the experience that these buds provide despite their high price tag.
Runner up: Jabra Elite 10 (Buy now)
Price: ₹20,999
The Jabra Elite 10 came fairly close to the WF1000XM5 when it came to performance but couldn’t beat the ANC and the versatility of the sound signature produced by the 1000XM5. Hence they got the runners up spot in our list. The sound signature is well rounded no doubt. However, given the slight imbalance in the highs made these earbuds fall short by a slim margin in the sound signature department.
Also read: Digit Zero1 Awards and Best Buy Awards 2023: Best Performing Budget Truly Wireless Earphones
The ANC on these buds in isolation is also one of the best you could get your hands on. However, in comparison to the 1000XM5 it pales. In challenging scenarios like heavy traffic, these headphones fall short, letting in some of the sharper sounds which are held back by the 1000XM5. The Jabra Elite 10’s situation could be described as – “so close yet so far”.
For more information on Digit Zero1 Award winners across various categories of products, please visit: https://www.digit.in/zero1-awards
