Denon Denon True Wireless Earbuds (Black) Review

Get these for the sound, skip them for the battery. Denon's tuning is fantastic, but 4.5 hours of playtime feels stuck in 2019.

The Denon True Wireless Earbuds are a solid pair of buds that get the fundamentals right, but they're not here to win any feature wars. The one thing you need to know is that you're buying them for the sound and the fit, not for battery life or fancy noise cancellation. They're comfortable, they connect reliably, and Denon's tuning gives you a balanced, detailed listen that punches above its price tag. If you're looking for a no-frills, audio-first experience from a reputable brand, these are worth a look.

The sound quality is the star here, landing in the 84th percentile in our database. That's impressive for a $99 pair of buds. The 10.2mm dynamic drivers deliver a clean, well-tuned sound that's more refined than you'd expect. The real surprise, though, is the comfort and build, which rank even higher in the 86th and 88th percentiles. They feel premium and stay put. The battery life, however, is a letdown at just 4.5 hours per charge, putting it in the bottom third of all buds we track.

At $99, it's a fair price for the sound and comfort you get, but it's not a steal. You're paying for Denon's audio expertise in a well-built shell, but you're missing out on modern staples like ANC and class-leading battery life. It's worth it if sound and fit are your absolute top priorities, but you can find more feature-packed buds at this price.

The most direct competitor is the Jabra Elite 4 or 5, which often hover around the same price and offer similar reliable performance, sometimes with ANC. If you can stretch your budget, the Sony WF-C700N adds effective noise cancellation for not much more. The Denon buds will likely sound better than both, but they lose hard on features. Against giants like the AirPods Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5, there's no contest on tech, but the Denons offer a purist, audio-focused alternative if you hate paying for bells and whistles you won't use.

If you're looking for a feature-packed daily driver with noise cancellation and all-day battery, this isn't it. Go get the Sony WF-C700N instead. Also, if you take a lot of calls on the go, the microphone performance here is a weak spot.

We recommend the Denon True Wireless Earbuds with a caveat. They are an excellent choice for the listener who values sound quality and comfort above all else and doesn't care about noise cancellation. If your daily routine involves short commutes, focused listening sessions, or workouts where you just want great audio and a secure fit, these deliver. But if you need all-day battery, top-tier call quality, or to block out the world, you should look elsewhere.