The 6 Best Earbuds For Bass — Summer 2023 Reviews
If you consider yourself a bass-head and love the thump and rumble of genres like hip-hop or EDM, picking the right headphones for your listening experience is important. You want headphones with deep bass that packs enough punch to be enjoyable without overpowering the rest of the mix. Headphones with great bass can help keep you pumped during your workouts, but bulky over-ears usually aren’t the best choice. Earbuds or in-ears are more portable and breathable, making them better suited for working out.
We’ve bought and tested over 285 earbuds and in-ears, and below are our picks for the best wireless earbuds with bass. These picks aren’t necessarily the ones that scored highest in the bass category but rather the ones with the most enjoyable bass performance overall. Even if their bass is over our target curve, they don’t sacrifice too much detail or clarity. For more product recommendations, check out the best earbuds, the best wireless earbuds, and the best earbuds with a mic.
Best Earbuds For Bass
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 are the best earbuds for bass we’ve tested. Their bass-heavy sound profile delivers extra thump, warmth, and boom to mixes. Although their treble is recessed, vocals and lead instruments are still clear and present in mixes. You can also use the companion app’s 3-band graphic EQ and presets to add even more bass or personalize the audio to your liking. While the square shape of the stability fins isn’t the most comfortable, they come in three different sizes to help you find the right fit for your ears. These buds last eight hours continuously, and their carrying case holds three extra charges. They also have a great active noise-canceling (ANC) system that cuts down the low rumble of engines during a commute. That said, if you prioritize an even higher level of noise isolation, you’ll want to consider the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless. These top-of-the-line buds do a fantastic job of reducing background noise, but they don’t feel as well-built or last as long on a single charge.
Best Upper Mid-Range Earbuds For Bass
JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless
For those craving a bass-heavy sound at a lower price point than our premium top pick, check out the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. These headphones have a bass-heavy sound profile that delivers intense boom and warmth. However, they sound muddier than the higher-end Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3, which have a more neutral sound profile. Luckily, they have a parametric EQ and presets to help you fine-tune their sound. They also have high Bluetooth latency on PCs, Android, and iOS devices, meaning your audio and visuals will be out of sync. These headphones are comfortable. With various tip sizes included, it’s easy to find one that makes a tight seal with your ear canal, meaning people won’t hear what you’re listening to, even at a moderately high volume. Their active noise cancelling (ANC) system also does a great job of blocking out the low rumble of bus engines you’d typically hear while commuting. With their ANC on, they last just under seven hours continuously, and their carrying case holds three extra charges.
Best Mid-Range Earbuds For Bass
Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless
The best wireless earbuds for bass that we’ve tested in the mid-range are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. These feature-packed in-ears have a warm sound profile, and the extra high-bass adds fullness and boom to your audio. They don’t reproduce low bass as well as the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless, but they have a companion app that includes a graphic EQ and presets. Not only that, but they support LDAC, Sony’s codec for high-res audio over Bluetooth, which is a nice feature if sound quality is your priority. You can set their adaptive ANC system to different levels, and at the highest setting, it blocks out much more noise than the JBL, including bass-range noise like rumbling engines. They last around eight hours of continuous use with ANC on and come with a case with about four extra charges. They even support multi-device pairing, which is nice if you must simultaneously stay connected to your phone and computer.
Best Budget Earbuds For Bass
Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless
Looking for something more wallet-friendly but that still packs a punch? Try the Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless . Out of the box, these affordable buds deliver whopping thump, rumble, and boom, which is excellent for genres like EDM and hip-hop with heavy basslines. While their bass-tilted sound means that vocals and instruments are veiled, their companion app offers a couple of EQ presets to help you adjust their sound. They also have a Personal Sound feature, which allows the buds to optimize their sound to your unique hearing capabilities. They have an ANC system for those noisy commutes or busy days at the office. Even though it doesn’t perform quite as well as the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, it still helps reduce a good amount of noise around you. If you have the ANC on, they last just a bit over five hours continuously, though their carrying case supplies you with an extra three charges in a pinch. They’re well-built, too, and have stability fins to hold them in place during tough workouts, but the buds protrude from your ears, which can cause their fit to become fatiguing over time.
Best Cheap Earbuds For Bass
JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless
If you’re looking for the cheapest possible buds with a good bass response, check out the JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless. These inexpensive earbuds aren’t as bare-bones as you might expect since they have a few EQ presets you can choose from with the onboard controls. With the default EQ, they have a rumbly, punchy sound profile to suit fans of a bass-rich sound. They’re decently comfortable and well-built, especially for the price. They have a stable fit and an IPX4 rating for water resistance, so they aren’t a bad choice for workouts. They have a long continuous battery life of about nine hours, meaning they can last through a long flight or workday. The portable charging case holds another three charges, so you can always top them up. Unlike the Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless, they lack an ANC feature, so they aren’t ideal if you want to cut out engine noise during a flight or bus ride. That said, they’ll still cut out a good amount of higher-pitched sounds, like background conversations at the office or the hum of an A/C unit.
Best Sports Earbuds For Bass
Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless
Extra bass can help keep you pumped up during tough workouts, so if you’re looking for buds that pack in thump and rumble, try the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless. They have a higher certification of IP55 than the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, so they’re resistant to dust and water exposure, and their in-ear fit is more stable, thanks to their ear hook design, which keeps them locked in place. They also have a bass-rich sound that delivers extra boom, but their graphic EQ and presets let you fine-tune them. These buds last beyond nine hours continuously, and their carrying case holds over three charges. However, they lack ANC and have a mediocre noise isolation performance, which can be annoying if you want to reduce ambient sound at the gym. If you want to cut down noise, try the Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless. They have an ANC system, and although it performs similarly to the buds’ passive capabilities, the ANC can still cut down a very good amount of background noise. That said, their in-ear fit isn’t as stable, and they’re lighter on bass, so you may want to use their app’s sound customization features to add in more thump and punch.
Notable Mentions
- Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless: The Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless are premium buds with a warm and boomy sound profile. They lack a thumpy low-bass, and their ANC performance is weaker than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3. See our review
- Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless: The Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless are well-built headphones with a thumpy and punchy sound. The sound profile isn’t as balanced as our upper mid-range pick, the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless, meaning your mix is less clear. Also, their mic has mediocre noise handling, which can be frustrating if you’re taking a call from a busy street. See our review
- Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless: The Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless are bass-heavy earbuds with a similar level of customization as the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. However, they don’t support multi-device pairing, and their continuous battery life isn’t as good. See our review
- 1More Triple Driver: The 1More Triple Driver are wired earbuds with a bare-bones design and a well-balanced sound profile that delivers punchy, boomy bass. They’re a solid wired alternative to the Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless, but users have reported receiving electric shocks from their units. See our review
- Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless: The Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless are a bit more neutral than the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless when it comes to their bass, but are still a great set of buds for fitness. They’re very comfortable but don’t have any customization options to fine-tune their sound. See our review
Recent Updates
- May 24, 2023: We’ve replaced the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless with the Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless and the Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless with the Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless, as both Sony headphones are out of stock.
- Mar 22, 2023: Made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are relevant and in stock.
- Jan 23, 2023: We’ve added the JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless as ‘Best Cheap Earbuds For Bass’ and replaced the Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless with the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless.
- Nov 15, 2022: Overhauled the categories and Notable Mentions of this article to better align with user needs.
- Jul 26, 2022: We’ve replaced the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 as the Sennheiser offer a more versatile overall performance. We’ve revamped the titles of our picks for clarity and added the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless to Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best bassy-heavy earbuds to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn’t worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for earbuds and in-ear headphones. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.