Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ - Active Noise Review

For $24, the B&O Beoplay EQ are a steal for call quality and sound detail. Their microphone is in the top 5% of all earbuds, and the noise cancellation is excellent. Just know the battery life is below average and the fit can be bulky for some. If you can live with those trade-offs at this price, grab them. If all-day comfort is your main goal, keep looking.

Let's talk about the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ. These are premium wireless earbuds from a brand known for high-end audio design, and they're currently sitting at a frankly bizarre price of $24. That's not a typo. For context, these launched at a much higher price point, so we're looking at either a clearance sale or a pricing error that creates a unique situation.

If you've ever wanted to try B&O's signature sound without the usual luxury tax, this is your chance. They're built like little pieces of jewelry, with spacecraft-grade aluminum and a solid feel that lands in the 85th percentile for build quality in our database. The target here is someone who prioritizes audio fidelity and call clarity in a compact, good-looking package, and who doesn't mind some trade-offs in comfort and battery life for that premium feel.

What makes them interesting right now is the sheer value proposition at this price. You're getting ANC that scores in the 85th percentile and a microphone array that's in the 95th percentile. For $24, that's unheard of. The question isn't whether they're good—it's whether their specific strengths align with how you'll use them, and whether you can live with their weaker points now that the cost barrier is virtually gone.

The performance story here is a classic case of peaks and valleys. Let's start with the highs: that 95th percentile microphone performance is real. With six mics and beam-forming tech, these are arguably some of the best earbuds for calls you can get, full stop. People on the other end will hear you clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. The ANC is also strong, sitting comfortably in the top 15% of buds we've tested. It does a great job muting constant low-end rumble like airplane engines or bus noise.

Sound quality is good, landing in the 79th percentile. The balanced armature drivers deliver detailed, crisp audio, especially in the mids and highs. They respond really well to tweaking in the B&O app, too. But the numbers tell another story: battery life is at the 24th percentile. You get about 6.5 hours with ANC on, which is fine for a workday but lags behind modern competitors that push 8-10 hours. Comfort is the other big caveat, scoring only in the 35th percentile. The fit is secure thanks to the ear fins, but some find the earbuds themselves a bit bulky for all-day wear.

At their original MSRP, the Beoplay EQ were a tough sell against giants like Sony and Apple. At $24? That changes everything. This price is an absolute anomaly. You are getting 85th-percentile ANC, 95th-percentile mic quality, and B&O's design language for less than the cost of a basic pair of wired earbuds.

The value proposition here is insane, but with a caveat. You're accepting compromises in comfort and battery life that you might not tolerate in a $250 pair. For $24, those compromises become much easier to swallow. If this price holds, they represent perhaps the highest audio-quality-to-dollar ratio we've seen in wireless earbuds. Just don't expect them to match the all-day endurance or featherweight comfort of newer models designed from the ground up for those things.

The most direct competitor is the Sony WF-1000XM5. The Sony buds beat the Beoplay EQ in almost every objective metric: they have better ANC, significantly longer battery life (8hrs+), and are generally more comfortable. But they also cost over ten times more at this moment. The trade-off is clear: pay a premium for a no-compromise experience with Sony, or get 80% of the core audio/call performance for a fraction of the price with B&O.

Another interesting comp is the CMF Buds Pro 2. These are also budget-friendly but offer a more modern feature set like a smart dial control and potentially better comfort scores. Their sound signature might be more consumer-friendly (bass-heavy) compared to B&O's more balanced, detailed tuning. If you value novel controls and a likely slimmer fit over brand prestige and call quality, the CMF buds are worth a look. The Nothing Ear (a) is another in this price bracket, often praised for its fun sound and clear app, but it likely can't touch the Beoplay EQ's microphone performance.

Skip the Beoplay EQ if you need earbuds for marathon listening sessions or long-haul travel. That 24th-percentile battery life and the larger case mean you'll be hunting for outlets on a cross-country flight. Also, if you've had issues with earbuds feeling too big or heavy in the past, the 35th-percentile comfort score is a red flag. Your ears will likely get sore.

Instead, travelers should look at the Sony WF-1000XM5 for top-tier battery and ANC, or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for legendary comfort. If you just want reliable, all-day buds and don't care about premium materials, something like the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC offers great battery and solid ANC for a reasonable price, and it'll probably fit more ears comfortably.

If you're on calls constantly, appreciate detailed sound, and want a taste of luxury build quality without spending luxury money, buy the Beoplay EQ immediately at $24. This is a no-brainer for commuters, remote workers, or audiophiles on a tight budget. The call quality alone is worth the price of admission.

However, if your top priority is all-day, forget-they're-in comfort, or you need buds to last through a long international flight without a charge, you should look elsewhere. The comfort score doesn't lie, and the battery life, while adequate for a workday, is below par. In those cases, saving up for a Sony WF-1000XM5 or even a mid-range option from Soundcore would be a better fit for your lifestyle.