This may be OT since strictly speaking it’s about hardware… I trust it is ok to post it given the spirit of the community, but have my apologies and feel free to remove it if it’s not.
I’m looking to replace my old Bose QC25, since they have recently died (after a long a fulfilling life), but it seems everything nowadays is bluetooth (which I don’t mind) and require some proprietary app to turn ANC on/off (which I do mind… are physical buttons/switches become too expensive to include in your overpriced earbuds?).
Anyway… do you know of any headphones/earbuds that meet the following?
- can be powered via wire or have batteries that last 12+hrs (long-haul flights)
- have decent noise cancelling
- don’t require me to install a apps or can be used with some open source app (possibly with full functionality and straightforward to setup)
- are not overly expensive (I have to buy 2 pairs and I’ll only use them a few times a year when I fly)
Holy crap! Thanks for making this thread, I learned that GadgetBridge works with my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. Confirmed that all the same settings from the Sony app are in there, and I can turn ANC on and off. I’d argue that you should probably install the official app sometimes (maybe once a year) to check for firmware updates, and then just uninstall it after updating. But this GadgetBridge app seems perfect to me.
I recommend you also check out the Sony LinkBuds S. Cheaper than the 1000XM3 and usually a better fit for people as they are smaller and lighter while still offering ANC.
Hard disagree. ANC of earbuds just isn’t in the same league as a nice set of big over-ear cans. And earbuds that go inside your ear canal may or may not fit well depending on how your ear canal is shaped. Also, my big headphones are VERY repairable, unlike little earbuds. I bought these things used and have replaced a faulty power board and the battery in them that eventually went bad, all with a screwdriver. No soldering required.
I’m sure the LinkBuds are nice, but I want to push back hard on the idea that earbuds are inherently better. There are pros and cons.
I thought you were talking about the WF-1000XM3, which ARE earbuds (but I had to look up the difference, WF-1000 or WH-1000). Thanks Sony for naming things almost the same.
Yeah their naming scheme is stupid
The wf-1000mx3 are earbuds, and they have some of the best noise cancelling on the market… or did when they came out. I guess they are a few years old now, but it’s significantly better than any non-Sony ANC I’ve ever used, headphone or earbud.
I’m sure they compare favorably to other earbuds. But their form factor means they’re inevitably going to have inferior ANC to the flagship over-ear headphones from Bose and Sony. Those would be the QC-45 and WH-1000XM5 headphones at the moment.
It’s why you don’t see them directly compared very often; they’re in different leagues and there’s really no contest.
The list of supported devices is there (and too short, none of my wireless devices work).
Big sad, it looks like they’re focused mostly on Amazfit devices. But they do allow requests: https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Support-for-a-new-Device
If you request a device and tell them you’re willing to be a guinea pig, MAYBE they’ll add yours. Your chances are better if it’s a device that’s already popular and they’ve received multiple requests.
I’ve looked if I could do it myself as well, but there’s basically nothing but “look at how it’s done on similar devices”. It’s fantastic to build an app to support all those devices, but it’s a bit of a shame not to provide guides so others can contribute to support it.