Prime Day is just around the corner, on July 16 and 17—but if headphones are on your wishlist, you may not have to wait that long. Early Prime Day deals are already in motion with discounts of up to 55% on brands like Bose, Beats, Apple, Sennheiser, and others. Here are the best headphones and earbuds deals I've found so far.
Best deal on noise-canceling earbuds ahead of Prime Day
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are not Bose's newest active noise-cancelation (ANC) earbuds (those are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra), but the Comfort Earbuds II are still some of the best ANC earbuds on the market. For $169.95 (originally $279) you get the same ANC as the QuietComfort Ultra for almost half the price, although there are a couple of caveats. There is no way to turn off the ANC with these earbuds, but you can always turn on "Aware mode" if you want to be able to hear your surroundings. You also only get between six and seven hours of juice with these earbuds, but the charging case can provide about 18 hours of additional battery life.
Best AirPod deals for early Prime Day
If you're looking for AirPods, consider the Apple AirPods Max, starting at about $449 (originally $549), depending on the color. That's still expensive, of course, but they rarely go on sale at all. Although they were cheaper at $399.99 not too long ago for a brief stint, their current price is still, historically, comparatively low.
If you're looking to spend less for your AirPods, consider the 2nd Generation Apple AirPods, currently going for $79.99 (originally $129). Yes, they're not the latest AirPods, but for $80, they're at one of the cheapest prices they have ever been.
Best over-ear headphone deal for early Prime Day
The best non-Apple over-ear headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 4, currently $250 (originally $379.95). These headphones came out in 2022 and were one of the top ANC headphones for that year, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. If you're looking for excellent audio with strong bass, detailed highs, codec support for your phone, and user-friendly controls, the Sennheiser Momentum 4, for its current price, is your best bet. It is less than $10 off its lowest price ever, so you'll be getting a good deal. These headphones have an impressive 60-hour battery life and the option to plug in a stereo 3.5mm cord.
Best budget earbuds
If you're looking to save some money for Prime Day but still need new earbuds, consider the Amazon Echo Buds with ANC for $34.99 (originally $119.99). These are the second generation Echo Buds from 2021, and as PCMag concluded in their review, they are "excellent" earbuds with a balanced sound and give you hands-free Alexa. If you don't care about ANC and want to save even more money, consider the newer third generation Amazon Echo Buds (without ANC) for $24.99 (originally $49.99).
Some other good deals to consider:
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 Earbuds: $173.70 (originally $279.95)
Beats Studio3: $159 (originally $349.95)
Beats Solo3: $119 (originally $199.95)