34 Best Black Friday Headphone and Speaker Deals (2022): AirPods Pro, Sonos, and Record Players

0

Apple, Sonos, Sony, and more of our favorite audio brands are having huge sales this cyber weekend. We’ve even found discounts…

I’m the anti-hero Taylor Swift sings about. I listen to the same song over and over and over again, scratching that part of my brain that just loves every moment of it. Luckily for me, this Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, there are speaker deals from Sonos and Google that will sound good with every replay. Luckily for my husband, friends, and anyone else in my vicinity, there are also plenty of deals on headphones from our favorite brands, like Jabra, Apple, and Beats, to drown my tunes out. If you’re looking to listen to whatever you want with the best sound possible, we’ve assembled all the best Black Friday headphone and speaker deals here.

Updated November 26: We’ve added new deals like Sony’s LinkBuds and a few record players.

We test products year-round and handpicked these deals. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out. We’ll update this guide throughout the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Headphone Deals

AirPods Pro 2nd Generation with earbuds rising out of the charging case

Apple Airpods Pro (2nd Gen)

Photograph: Apple

These earbuds may seem like the AirPods Pro you bought a few years back, but the second generation (9/10 WIRED recommends) come with some much-needed upgrades, including longer battery life and better overall sound quality. Plus, the noise cancelation is top-notch in the industry right now, giving you all the opportunity to drown out the rest of the world and binge that new true-crime podcast you’ve been dying to start.

Sometimes, you just gotta drown out the rest of the world. The Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds (7/10 WIRED Recommends) offer up great noise cancelation and eight hours of battery life. They sound great and are a great option for folks trying to focus during work calls, listen to their favorite audiobook, or stream the entire Taylor Swift discography before the Eras tour

The Sony WH-1000XM5 (9/10 WIRED Recommends) may sound like a mishmash of letters, but they also hold high regard amongst the WIRED staff. This pair of wireless headphones consistently ranks as our top choice in the category, offering great sound, good looks, and 30 hours of battery life. That means I could listen to “Karma” 514 times before my fixation or battery life give out. 

Beats Flex Headphones

Beats Flex

Photograph: Beats

Neckband earbuds are convenient. You don’t need to quickly find a place to store them once you pop ’em out of your ear. Just let them dangle loose! The Beats Flex offer quick pairing with iPhones, access to Siri, and feature long 12-hour battery life. They sound great too. These charge via USB-C, and will work perfectly fine with Android devices.

The Pixel Buds Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are super comfortable wireless earbuds to wear, have great sound (especially bass), and sit in an egg-shaped case that supports wireless charging. Battery life is solid—seven hours—and the active noise canceling does a decent job of silencing the outside world. There’s also a good transparent mode to let ambient sounds in so you’re more aware of your surroundings. 

The Linkbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have an eye-catching design—they have a tiny donut in the center to let ambient noise in through the bud. These earbuds are great for anyone constantly worried about missing out on all the surrounding noise when riding a bike or going for a run. This design works better than any other bud that WIRED editor and resident AV expert Parker Hall has tried.

Beats Fit Pro wireless headphones in charging case

Beats Fit Pro

Photograph: Beats

A good soundtrack can set the tone for your workout sesh, and the Beats Fit Pro Wireless (9/10 WIRED Recommends) are some of our favorite earbuds for exercising, especially for iPhone users. These are comfortable to wear, the battery lasts a while, and the noise cancelation is perfect for tuning out any huffing and puffing going on on the treadmill next to you.

If you’re looking for earbuds that fit a smidge more securely, the Beats Powerbeats Pro (8/10 WIRED Recommends) fasten over your ears for a snug grip. They’re great for workouts, or even for someone who’s on the go and doesn’t want to worry about a bud breaking free while they power walk down Fifth Avenue. Unfortunately, the case isn’t pocketable, but the Powerbeats Pros still create great sound and noise isolation with a battery that lasts nine hours.

Former WIRED editor Jeffrey Van Camp couldn’t help it—he loved the Beats Studio3 Over-Ear Wireless Headphones (8/10 WIRED Recommends). Though they bordered on being too bass-heavy, the headphones still sounded great no matter what he listened to. The Beats Studio3 pair easily with your iPhone, look really good, and offer noticeably good noise cancelation.

Jabra Elite 7 Active Earbuds

Jabra Elite 7 Wireless Earbuds

Photograph: Jabra

Our top workout earbuds, the Jabra Elite 7 Wireless Earbuds are a pair of great-sounding noise-canceling buds. What really makes them great for the gym are the silicone tips, molding to fit your inner ear and stay comfortably in place. Recently, these were as low as $75, but for $20 more we still think they’re worth it.

One of the only things we didn’t like about the Jabra Elite 85T (9/10, WIRED Recommends) was the high price. With this sale, they’re nearly perfect. They have a comfortable design, physical buttons for controls, a wireless charging case, and great noise canceling. You even get a two-year warranty against water damage.

Some of our favorite cheap headphones are even less expensive. Coming in at $15, the Jlab Go Air Pop headphones last for up to eight hours before needing a charge, and they sound good enough. Unlike many cheap headphones, they actually have a ton of cute colors to choose from, so you can listen in style while you’re at it.

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro with case

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Photograph: Samsung

Samsung users take note—the Galaxy Buds2 Pro (9/10 WIRED Recommends) give you the best experience with your phone, and they’re on sale right now. With unique Samsung app integration, dynamic sound, and great noise cancellation, these are some of our favorite wireless earbuds. You even get two mics for making better phone calls—extremely helpful for juggling work, friends, and family.

We have historically not been fans of bone-conduction headphones, but WIRED senior reviews associate editor Adrienne So and reviewer Eric Ravenscraft are big fans of the Shokz OpenRun Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends). The controls are simpler, the headphones are smaller, and above all—no skull buzzing!

The Amazon Echo Buds (8/10 WIRED Recommends) are a nifty little pair of earbuds with Alexa inside, so you can ask the voice assistant anything you’d ask an Echo speaker. The audio quality is solid, the fit is customizable, and they even come with a wireless charging case. They may not have the best of the best noise cancelation, but this pair will satisfy at this price.

Back Bay Tempo 30 wireless earbuds

Back Bay Tempo 30 Wireless Earbuds

Photograph: Back Bay

Don’t put the Back Bay Tempo 30 Wireless Earbuds on the back burner. This pair performs well and is so affordable that WIRED editor Adrienne So feels bad recommending any other workout earbuds. The Tempo 30s are waterproof, feature noise canceling, and last for eight hours. 

The 1More Colorbuds (8/10 WIRED Recommends) are a cute pair of earbuds that sound great, fit comfortably, and have aptX and ACC compatibility. They’re usually pretty affordable, and this sale knocks the cost down even more. These stylish earbuds come in four different colors, but as of now the green and black pairs have the best price.

We don’t like Apple’s basic AirPods, and this is the older second-generation version, so we like ‘em even less. Still, maybe your kids have been clamoring for AirPods or maybe you want a spare pair. They’re uncomfortable due to the plasticky design and know that you can do better at this price.

Bose QuietComfort Buds II in charging case next to iPhone

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Photograph: Bose

These earbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) live up to their name. The noise cancelation is almost supernatural, the sound is pretty good, and they’re more lightweight than ever before, making them comfortable in your ears for long periods of time. 

The holidays bring plenty of houseguests and hubbubs. The Bose Sleepbuds 2 can help you catch some z’s when your favorite aunt pours just one more glass of sherry to talk about the good ol’ days. Not only do they passively cancel the noise around you without completely blocking it out, but they also play peaceful sounds like rain and white noise to help you drift off. 

Speaker Deals

sonos one speakers

Sonos One

Photograph: Sonos 

Sonos is good at speakers. Like really, really good. The Sonos One is a voice-controlled speaker with some of the best sound quality around, seamless setup and integration in your Sonos app, and sleek styling. If voice control isn’t for you, the Sonos One SL is $159 ($49 off) and gives you all the goodness without any of the microphone mania. 

A portable Bluetooth speaker adds a little extra fun to your picnics and parties. We love the regular Roam (9/10 WIRED Recommends), and we think the Roam SL is just as good without voice control. The only downside is that the wireless charging pad ($49) isn’t included.

Though we haven’t tested this exact model, the Sony SRS-XB12 Bluetooth Speaker is similar to our favorite pocket-sized portable speaker. It features 16 hours of battery life, an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, and a detachable strap. It does come in three colors—unfortunately, only the black version is on sale today, though. 

Shower Power Pro hydropowered speaker

Shower Power Pro

Photograph: Ampere

Anyone who knows me knows one thing: this former theatre kid loves to belt out her favorite broadway tunes in the shower. While I usually DJ in my own head, my personal karaoke power hour would be much better with the Shower Power Bluetooth Speaker in the shower. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says this speaker sounds just OK, but what really rocks is how loud you can crank your tunes and how convenient it is to play them from your shower. Guess what? It’s hydro-powered, so you never need to recharge it.

I’ve had a JBL Bluetooth speaker for years, and it’s yet to fail when my friends are over, or when I’m just jamming out by myself. The Flip 6 isn’t in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers, but its cousin the Clip 4 is. Regardless, JBL produces great sound across the board, so we think this is a great deal. If you’re looking to save a little extra, the JBL Flip 5 is also on sale for $70 ($30 off).

Anker’s big ol’ boombox gets shockingly loud. The 80-watt stereo sound is nice and bassy without sacrificing too much clarity. The speaker itself is relatively hefty at just over five pounds, but it still should be what most folks consider “portable”. The waterproof housing, built-in power bank, and 20-hour battery capacity ensure the party can go for a long time, wherever you’re at. There’s also an app that lets you tweak audio settings if that’s your thing.

marshall stockwell speaker with strap

Marshall Stockwell II

Photograph: Marshall

If you took the School of Rock quote, “One great rock show could change the world,” then Marshall Bluetooth Speakers may be your best bet. The Stockwell II delivers great sound, includes a battery gauge, and has a stylish look. If you’re wanting to rock out on the go, the Marshall Emberton is also on sale for $100 ($50 off) at Amazon and Target

This elegant, petite portable Bluetooth speaker is more than just a pretty face. The first-generation Beosound A1 is one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers, so we imagine the second generation would be just as good. With its leather strap and excellent controls, we love how dainty yet durable this audio accessory is. Usually, it’s pretty pricey, so this is a good opportunity to level up.

Google’s Nest Audio smart speaker (8/10 WIRED Recommends) can start a timer, play your favorite song, and answer your burning questions about capybaras without missing a beat. But it’s a great speaker too. Ask Google Assistant to start your tunes and rock out. You can pair two for stereo sound.

echo speaker 4th gen

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

Photograph: Amazon

If Google’s not your thing, the fourth-generation Amazon Echo (8/10 WIRED Recommends) is also $50 off right now. Not only does the Echo sound good and fill up the space, but it also has a 3.5mm output that lets you connect it to any of your larger sound systems. We think it’s the best overall in the Echo lineup, with its unique, spherical shape. 

Sometimes you want to know what the weather is, the latest headlines, and answers to any other queries first thing in the morning. The Echo Dot (5th Gen), the newest version of our favorite Alexa device for the bedroom, is perfect for this. And if your curious kids wake up with more questions than you can answer, the Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen) is also on sale for $30 ($30 off).

Record Player Deals

Check out our Best Turntables guide for more.

ProJect T1

Pro-Ject T1

Photograph: Pro-Ject Audio

We’ve tried the Pro-Ject T1 BT (7/10, WIRED Recommends) and this model on sale doesn’t include Bluetooth connectivity. That might not be an issue though since it’s gorgeous, minimalist, and well-built. The setup is really easy, the tonearm doesn’t wobble, and there’s a built-in phono preamp so it’ll work with most speakers with little effort.  

Corrine Bailey Rae once said, “Girl put your records on.” But what happens when you don’t have anything to actually put your records…on? The Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT Turntable is a great starter solution for you. It costs less than others and it sounds just fine for anyone testing the turntable waters. It also pairs with Bluetooth speakers, so you can listen in any room. I definitely think Corrine would approve.

This pretty turntable is just one of many discounts you’ll find from Fluance right now. It’s a little chunky in its design and takes up a good amount of room, but it includes a phono preamp so it doesn’t take much to get started. 


Retailer Sale Pages

Want to browse the sales yourself? Here are a few top retailers participating in Black Friday weekend deals.

Source

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *