Soundbrenner Wave vs. AirPods Pro: Why This $99 Wired Wonder Just Made My AirPods Collect Dust
We tested both through weeks of commuting, work calls, music sessions, and daily life. One left us readjusting and reconnecting all day. The other just... worked.
If you've been living in Apple's wireless ecosystem thinking "this is as good as it gets," this might be the wake-up call you didn't know you needed.
Look, I get it. You love your AirPods Pro. They're convenient, they connect easily to your iPhone, and everyone has them. But after spending three weeks comparing them head-to-head with something many people have never even heard of — In-Ear Monitors, specifically the Soundbrenner Wave — I've got some thoughts.
And honestly? My AirPods have been sitting in their case for two weeks straight.
Before you roll your eyes and click away thinking this is another "wires are better" rant from an audio snob, hear me out. This isn't about becoming an audiophile or ditching your Apple ecosystem. This is about getting dramatically better sound for less money, while actually protecting your hearing in the process.
What the Hell Are IEMs? (And Why Should You Care?)
Let's start with the basics, because if you're like most people, "IEM" sounds like some kind of medical procedure.
In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) are basically professional earphones. Think of them as the gear your favorite musicians use on stage to hear themselves clearly above screaming crowds and blasting instruments. They're designed to create a perfect seal in your ear canal, blocking out the world so you can hear every detail without cranking the volume.
The key difference? While your AirPods sit in your outer ear like fancy earbuds, IEMs actually go into your ear canal with specialized tips that create an airtight seal. This isn't just about sound quality (though we'll get to that) — it's about not destroying your hearing by turning up the volume to compete with subway noise, office chatter, or traffic.
Here's what most people don't realize: If you're constantly maxing out your AirPods' volume to hear over background noise, you're slowly (but surely) damaging your ears. IEMs solve this by blocking that noise naturally, so you can listen at healthy volumes and actually hear more detail.
The Real-World Test: Three Weeks of Side-by-Side Use
I'm not an audio engineer. I'm not going to bore you with frequency response charts or driver specifications. I'm just someone who uses earphones daily — for calls, music, podcasts, and the occasional Netflix binge — who wanted to see if this "IEM thing" was worth the hype.
The setup was simple: AirPods Pro ($249) vs. Soundbrenner Wave ($99 when on sale). Same phone, same music, same daily routine. Here's what happened.
Day 1: First Impressions
AirPods Pro: Familiar territory. Quick pairing, transparency mode, everything I'm used to. Comfortable enough, though they start feeling loose quite quickly.
Soundbrenner Wave: Weird at first. The cable feels retro (not necessarily bad), and figuring out the right ear tips takes a few tries. But once I found the right fit... holy crap. It's like someone cleaned my ears and installed better speakers.
Week 1: The Commute Test
This is where things got interesting.
On the subway with AirPods: Noise cancellation works, but I'm still turning the volume to 70-80% to hear clearly over train noise. Podcasts sound muddy. Music lacks detail. The constant volume adjustment is annoying.
On the subway with the Wave: First thing I noticed? I could hear everything at 40% volume. The passive noise isolation (fancy term for "these tips block sound really well") was so effective that I didn't need noise cancellation at all. Suddenly I'm hearing guitar strings I never noticed, podcast details that were buried before, and bass that actually has texture instead of just... boom.
Week 2: The Battery Reality Check
Here's where the convenience factor gets complicated.
AirPods Pro: Tuesday morning, dead battery. I forgot to charge the case. Wednesday afternoon, one earbud dies mid-call. Thursday, scrambling to find a charging cable because the case is at 12%.
Soundbrenner Wave: Just... works. No charging. No battery anxiety. No "sorry, can you repeat that? My earbud just died" moments during important calls (Soundbrenner has an optional microphone add-on and longer cable available as well).
Plot twist: The cable I initially thought would be annoying? Turns out "always working" beats "wireless convenience" when your wireless gear is dead.
Week 3: The Comfort Marathon
Long listening sessions revealed the biggest surprise.
AirPods Pro: After 2-3 hours, my ears feel tired. There's pressure — borderline pain. Sometimes they slip out if I look over my shoulder. The active noise cancellation starts feeling overwhelming.
Soundbrenner Wave: Four-hour work session with music? No problem. Video call marathon? Comfortable the entire time. The foam tips create this cozy seal that feels secure without being intrusive.
Where AirPods Win (Because Let's Be Honest)
I'm not about to pretend the Wave beats AirPods in every category. Apple didn't build a $249 wireless empire by accident.
Phone calls: The beam-forming microphones and noise isolation for your voice are excellent when you’re in extra noisy environments.
Workouts: No cable to get in the way, sweat resistance, and they won't fall out during burpees (depending on how intensely you work out).
Where the Wave Absolutely Destroys AirPods
But here's where things get one-sided fast.
Sound Quality: Not Even Close
This isn't subtle. We're talking about night-and-day differences that are immediately obvious, not tiny improvements you need golden ears to detect. Want to enjoy Spotify’s new lossless audio? No chance you’re doing that with AirPods.
Bass: AirPods have bass. The Wave has bass with texture. You can hear the difference between a bass guitar and a synthesizer. You can feel the room space around a kick drum.
Vocals: Singers sound like they're in the room with you instead of speaking through a phone from the next room.
Detail: Those subtle guitar parts buried in the mix? The quiet background vocals? The room reverb that adds atmosphere? All suddenly audible without turning up the volume.
Why this matters: It's not about becoming an audio snob. It's about actually enjoying your music instead of fighting to hear it clearly.
Noise Isolation: Physics Beats Electronics
Active noise cancellation is impressive technology. But physics is physics.
The Wave's passive isolation (the foam tips creating an airtight seal) blocks more noise than AirPods' ANC, uses no battery power, and doesn't create that "pressure" feeling some people hate about noise cancellation.
Real-world impact: You listen at lower, healthier volumes. Your music sounds cleaner because there's no background noise to compete with. You're not constantly adjusting volume based on your environment.
I handed the Wave to a colleague for five minutes, and his reaction said it all:
“Dude… why do these sound so much clearer than my AirPods?”
Value: $99 vs. $249
Let's talk money.
AirPods Pro at $249 get you wireless convenience, good sound, decent noise cancellation, and seamless Apple integration.
Wave at $99 gets you significantly better sound quality, superior noise isolation, no battery worries, and professional-grade comfort.
The math is simple: You're paying 2.5x more for AirPods and getting worse audio performance. You're paying for the wireless convenience and ecosystem integration.
Longevity: Batteries Die, Wires Don't
Here's the uncomfortable truth about wireless earbuds: they're designed to be replaced.
AirPods' batteries degrade after 2-3 years of regular use. When they start dying after 2 hours instead of 6, your options are expensive battery replacement or buying new ones.
The Wave has no battery to degrade. The detachable cable means if something breaks, you replace a $15 cable instead of $249 earbuds. People use the same IEMs for 5-10 years without issues.
Environmental bonus: Less electronic waste, fewer charging cables, and no lithium batteries to dispose of.
Overview:
Feature
Soundbrenner Wave
AirPods Pro
Price
$99
$249
Sound Quality
Exceptional detail and clarity
Good, but compressed
Noise Isolation
Superior passive isolation
Active cancellation
Battery Life
No battery needed
6 hours + case
Comfort
All-day comfort
Good for 2-3 hours
Setup
Plug-and-play
Bluetooth pairing
Durability
Years of use
2-3 year battery lifespan
What's in the box: Wave in-ear monitors, detachable over-ear 3.5mm audio cable, 3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter, foam ear tips in 6 variations, and a carrying case.
Who Should Stick with AirPods?
Gym warriors: If your primary use is workouts, wireless wins. Cables and burpees don't mix.
Apple ecosystem addicts: If seamless device switching and Siri integration are non-negotiable, AirPods make sense.
Cable haters: Some people genuinely can't stand wires. That's fine. Preference matters.
Who Should Try the Wave?
Music lovers: If you actually care about how your music sounds and want to hear details you're currently missing.
Heavy listeners: People who use earphones for hours daily will appreciate the comfort and lack of battery anxiety.
Value seekers: Getting better sound for less money is appealing to most humans.
Hearing-health conscious: If you're tired of cranking volume to compete with noise, passive isolation lets you listen at healthy levels.
Students/workers: Long study sessions or work calls benefit from comfort and reliability over flashy features.
The Verdict: Why I'm Not Going Back
After three weeks of testing, here's the bottom line: the Soundbrenner Wave make music sound like music again.
I didn't realize how much I was missing until I heard it clearly. Those AirPods I thought sounded "pretty good"? They sound muffled and distant now. Like listening through a wall.
Is the Wave perfect? No (but it’s close). The cable takes getting used to. There's no Siri integration. You can't use them for workouts without looking like you time-traveled from 2015.
But for listening to music, taking calls, or any situation where sound quality matters more than cutting-edge convenience, it's not even close.
The Wave costs $99. AirPods Pro cost $249. The Wave sounds significantly better, blocks more noise, works forever without charging, and comes with professional-grade comfort.
Math is math.
Ready to Hear What You've Been Missing?
Look, I'm not trying to convert you into an audiophile. I'm not suggesting you ditch your entire Apple ecosystem. I'm just saying: if you care about how your music actually sounds, and you want to stop destroying your hearing with high volumes, there's a better way.
The Soundbrenner Wave is currently $99 (down from $179) with free shipping and a 30-day return policy. That's less than replacing one lost AirPod.
Try them for a week. Listen to your favorite songs. Play video games. Watch your favorite show. See if you notice the difference.
Worst case scenario: You return them and go back to your AirPods, knowing you tried something new.
Best case scenario: You discover that great sound doesn't require a $249 investment or daily battery management. You start hearing details in songs you've listened to hundreds of times. You stop fighting with volume controls on the subway.
Your ears might thank you.
Get the Soundbrenner Wave for $99 →
30-day money-back guarantee • Free shipping • No questions asked returns
Simon P
23 hours ago
I can't remember the last time I used a wired heaphone… 2012? lol but Wave looks cool, just ordered it.
Catherine
2 days ago
I literally just lost one of my airpods and I was looking at the new one but it's so expensive :((
Liam
3 days ago
How does Wave feel with continuous use? Like if I work with them in for 6-7 hours at a time
Marvin Cavanaugh
1 day ago
Hey Liam - while wearing literally anything for such a prolonged time will leave you a little fatigues, Wave is probably the most comfortable option I've found!
Trevor
3 days ago
I actually already own Wave and I promise anybody who is on the fence, you won't be disappointed!! The price is unreal, they feel like they should be much, much more expensive.
Denis
2 days ago
Thanks Trevor I'm giving them a go I've decided
