Latest upload1:05:515K views · 28 Oct 2026
PICKY
BY DESIGN.
James — the ears behind Picky Audio
135K subscribers · 613 video reviews
Earbuds, headphones and speaker reviews with an honest, picky approach. This is the written home of the Picky Audio channel: every video, distilled into reviews you can search, skim and trust.
Latest verdicts
Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen): Comfort Comes FirstRoseselsa Ceramics Ultra Review: The Best Sound Under $50 — 78.5/100Tough Competition! Bose Ultra Open Earbuds 2nd Gen & Sport OpenNothing Headphone (1) Pro Review: Up Their With The Best! — 90.35/100 — #4Technics A1000 Review: NEW Number 1AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 3Anker soundcore Liberty Buds 2: Compared to the BEST — #7 of 67Call Quality King! Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 Review — 89.4/100 — #4 of 47
Fresh from the channel
Now playing
Synced daily from @pickyaudio
Latest upload1:05:51
11:47Bose QuietComfort Headphones 2nd Gen (VS the BEST)
17K views · 24 Oct 2026
13:54Best Sound Under $50! Roseselsa Ceramics Ultra (RANKED)
15K views · 20 Oct 2026
13:03NEW! Bose Ultra Open 2nd Gen & Sport Open (RANKED)
42K views · 15 Oct 2026
16:59Nothing Headphone (1) Pro (RANKED against 36 Headphones)
29K views · 13 Oct 2026
Shorts
All Shorts
Best Sound under $50! ROSESELSA Ceramics Ultra
3K views
Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 vs Shokz OpenDots 2
49K views
Budget Clip on King! Bauses MC2 #BaseusEarbuds #BaseusMC2 #BaseusCloudComfort #grammy
26K views
Top 10 Earbuds RANKED #huawei #freebudspro5 #earbuds
37K views
Top 10 Earbuds RANKED #sony #sonywf1000xm6 #earbuds
23K views
Top 10 Earbuds RANKED #apple #airpodspro3 #earbuds
11K views
Method · Tools · Results
Inside
the score.
The method, the spreadsheets, and the ranked results — together in one place.
Consistent · Weighted · Comparable
How I score
Every set of earbuds and headphones is scored across ten categories for a total out of 100, then weighted so the things that matter most count for more.
Ten categories, every time
Each review type is scored across the same ten categories, out of ten each. That gives every product a total score out of 100, and two products of the same type are always judged on the same terms.
Weighted for what matters
Those scores go into a spreadsheet that multiplies the categories that matter more. Sound quality counts ten times over; call quality, battery, controls and noise cancelling count five — and the total is rescaled so it stays out of 100.
Ranked against everything else
Because the scoring is consistent, any product can be compared against previous generations, its strongest competitors, or a cheaper alternative — at any price.
Speakers work differently. Speaker reviews have no scoring system. Each one is still tested vigorously, with a range of sound samples compared against speakers of a similar price or size. See how it all works.
The data behind the scores
Every score, in a spreadsheet
We all have slightly different preferences. Change the importance of any category and its weight updates across every product, so the spreadsheet builds a new ranking around what you actually care about.
- Downloads
- 210,000+downloads
- Spreadsheets
- 12spreadsheets
Scored · Ranked · Side by side
The leaderboard
The highest scores on the site, each one on the scale it was given.
- 93.00/100
Shokz OpenFit Pro Review: Open Ear ANC?!
- 92.70/100
Sony 1000X Collexion review: my scores and final ranking
- 92.25/100
HUAWEI FreeClip 2 Review: My New Best Open Earbud
- 91.50/100
Baseus Inspire XC1 Review: A Big Leap in Clip-On Sound
- 91.20/100
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 Review: My New Top-Ranked Earbuds
Each measure is a score as a share of its own maximum — which is how a 9.5/10 and a 95/100 land in the same place.
Browse the archive
Find your sound
Every written review, organised by the kind of listening it was made for.
Who gets tested
Every brand on the bench
From flagship over-ears to budget buds, these are the makers whose gear ends up on the bench. Pick a name to read every review of it.
Searchable · Skimmable · Honest