Bryn De KocksWireless earbuds are often remarkable in their sound quality, but many popular brands lack the microphone clarity needed for effective phone calls. We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to have a conversation with crackling, static, or hissing sounds on the other end. This list features earbuds that offer superior voice clarity and microphone quality, ensuring you won’t have to repeat yourself and reducing the stress of having bad sound quality during important conversations.
What Makes These Wireless Earbuds Good For Phone Calls?
- Noise-cancellation to reduce background back.
- Sound profile that gives preference to clear vocals.
- Balanced microphone sensitivity and good directionality.
- Wind noise reduction (some models include wind noise reduction for outdoor use).
- Efficient, modern Bluetooth codecs for low latency and reliable connection.
Having crisp audio is essential for any phone conversation, especially for important calls related to work or school. Since the pandemic, a lot more of us now work from home, and being able to engage clearly with clients or lecturers is vital. If you’re using your earbuds for professional purposes, having clear communication can directly impact how your customers or business partners see you and your brand. Even during casual conversations, low-quality audio can make phone calls frustrating.
We Recommend These Earbuds
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
– Balanced sound
– Excellent noise isolation
– App with EQ presets
– Active noise cancellation
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Shokz OpenFit
– Open design
– Stable fit
– Effective mic noise handling
– App with EQ control
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The Different Types Of Wireless Earbuds To Choose From
Wireless earbuds are available in several different design types, but the two most distinct options are over-ear and in-ear earbuds.
Over-Ear: Over-ear wireless earbuds are best for those who want added stability. They hook over the ear, making them a popular choice for gym and exercise where in-ear options may be prone to falling out.
In-Ear: In-ear earbuds are the most common style, and are better suited for general use. While they aren’t as stable as those that hook over the ear, they are still usually able to retain their position well during regular use and are a lot more discreet than over-ear alternatives.
Both styles frequently come with additional ear tips of varying sizes, improving compatibility with a broader array of ear shapes.
The Importance of ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)
A good microphone is one piece of the puzzle, it ensures the person on the other end of the call can hear clearly, but doesn’t influence how you hear them. Earbuds with ANC can help to reduce ambient noise, making the calls you’re in sound a lot clearer and easier to understand. Even earbuds with high-quality sound can lose clarity when they’re being overridden by the sounds of one’s environment.
ANC works by analyzing environmental noise, inverting the frequencies, and then playing it back to the listener in an inverted waveform. The result is an effective reduction of surrounding noise.
It must be noted that ANC is only important for in-ear designs and earbuds which have transparency as a feature are inherently going to offer lower noise isolation. After all, the whole purpose of an open-ear design is to allow for situational awareness.
Additional Considerations
Although great microphone quality is an essential feature of any earbud that’s being used to take calls, that doesn’t mean one should ignore the other important features wireless earbuds need to bring to the table. These are other essential features:
Battery Life: Since wireless earbuds use built-in batteries for power, taking battery life into account is vital. There are few things worse than having your earbuds die in the middle of a conversation. These days, a good battery life is generally between 6 to 8 hours of playtime or a total of 20+ hours with the charging station.
Sound Quality: Having a clear dialogue is great, but earbuds should also be able to produce high-quality sound without distortion and be able to produce enough bass. The models on this list all do exceptionally well in their sound quality, producing clarity, depth, and nuanced detail in songs.
Water Resistance: While less important for those who limit their earbud use to the indoors, waterproofing is an essential feature for athletes. It not only helps protect the earbuds from rainfall damage but also protects them from sweat.
There’s Only A Few Good Options
Finding a pair of wireless earbuds that manage to accurately reduce ambient noise, while also providing high-quality sound and a clear microphone is a challenging feat. There are only a few models I feel comfortable recommending, as the majority of earbuds fall short in either their call quality or how they sound when listening to music. These gems manage to perform well in all areas and won’t disappoint.
The Best Wireless In-Ear Earbuds For Calls
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE is an easy pick for the best in-ear option for phone calls. The microphone is very effective at removing environmental noise, meaning you can still take your calls in crowded spaces where noise may otherwise be a concern. Likewise, you won’t have problems hearing who’s on the other end, as the passive noise isolation and optional active noise cancellation are also effective at removing the noise around you, allowing you to concentrate on your conversation without distractions.
The tuning of the microphone will also improve your voice clarity as they have a bright sound that reduces lows while pushing up vocal frequencies.
You won’t need to sacrifice your music enjoyment either, as these earbuds have great sound quality. While they’re not the most bass-heavy option out there, they have an accurate bass with a little extra punch. Vocals also sound clear and accurate, even at high volume levels.
They feature touch-sensitive controls, which can take a little getting used to, but once you’re familiar with them they become easy to use. To cater to different ear sizes, the Galaxy Buds FE also comes with a couple of extra bud tips.
With around 6 hours of playtime on a charge (excluding the charging case), they can last you through most of the day without recharging. This is especially useful for those using their earbuds to take calls while moving.
The Best Wireless Over-Ear Earbuds For Calls
Shokz OpenFit
If you’re an active person and want to take calls while working out, performing labor, or running, the Shokz OpenFit is a reliable earbud with an open design. Open earbuds let you hear your environment, which is important for road runners where a lack of situational awareness can be dangerous. There is a trade-off to make between situational awareness and noise isolation, as the whole purpose of these earbuds is to give you that transparency.
Despite these limitations, the microphone quality on these earbuds is excellent, particularly in the way they separate one’s voice from ambient noise. This enhances the clarity for whoever you’re talking to.
Unlike the Galaxy Buds FE, the Shokz OpenFit has a more classic ‘old school’ earbud sound to them. What I mean by this, is that they have an accentuated bass. While this could be considered a negative trait, I believe that exercise headphones should be tuned more towards a fun sound signature that is heavy on the bass, as it really allows those classic EDM workout tracks to come through with power and drive us even harder.
The touch controls are a little limited when you first use them, but they can be customized, allowing you to set the controls how you find most easy to use.
Battery life is impressive with over 7 hours of playtime from a single charge. With the charging case, you’ll get a total playtime of closer to 30 hours.
Overall, if you’re a runner, gym-goer, or anyone else who wants a transparent earbud that sounds great with calls, but also performs well sonically – the Shokz OpenFit is a top choice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the wireless earbuds featured in this article have all the features needed for clear voice calls. Their incredible microphone performance is paired with high-quality sound, producing lively bass, nuanced detail, and pristine clarity. Whether you’re using them for professional purposes, casual calls, or school work – these earbuds are up to the task.
