The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Best deals on headphones and earbuds in the January sales, from Sony to Beats
Tune into the New Year sales and save big on flagship cans and in-ear models
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The January sales have officially started. The shopping bonanza serves as the perfect opportunity to save big on home and kitchen gadgets, clothes and, yes, tech. Here at IndyBest, we’re particularly interested in finding you the best deals on headphones and earbuds in the January sales.
Noise-cancelling cans and in-ear buds from Sony, Beats and Bose have been slashed in price. We’ve spotted savings of more than £100 on some seriously punchy new kit, so you can immerse yourself in sound like you’ve never experienced before.
We’ve been covering the January sales for years, so we know how to spot a good deal within the glut. Alongside headphone deals, the IndyBest team are also scouring the likes of Amazon, Argos, Currys and John Lewis for the best deals on everything from air fryers, dehumidifiers and mattresses to fashion, PS5s and more.
You’ll find the best discounts on headphones and earbuds right here on this page, so you won’t have to go searching yourself.
Follow live: The best deals in the January sales
The best headphones and earbuds deals in the January sales
Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones: Was £316.67, now £279, Amazon.co.uk
Sony’s flagship over ear wireless headphones were released earlier this year and comfortably hold the top spot in our review of the best wireless headphones. Now, they’ve been discounted by nearly £40. With next-generation features and impressive noise cancellation, we can attest to their quality. “Whether it’s orchestral music, rap, podcasts or your favourite pop tracks, the WH-1000XM5 handle it all with poise and gumption,” our writer said in their review. “They never miss a beat”.
Beats Studio pro: Was £349.99, now £279, Amazon.co.uk
The Beats Studio pro headphones offer up to 24 hours of battery life with adaptive noise-cancellation switched on, and a whopping 40 hours when it’s switched off. Performing well enough to land a spot in our review of the best wireless headphones, the cans offer head-tracked spatial audio, which makes you “feel like you’re in your own little three-dimensional soundscape, with music enveloping you” our tester said. They added that the sound was “enjoyable”, with vocals on Lorde’s “Mood Ring” coming through “crisp and clear”.
Marshall major IV on-ear Bluetooth headphones: Was £129.99, now £89, Amazon.co.uk
Settle in for a staggering 80 hours of playback time, with these cans from Marshall, which can be snapped up with a hefty discount at Amazon. While we haven’t tested these at IndyBest, they are billed as having an ergonomic design, with comfort in mind. Plus, if you need to re-charge them before the morning commute but only have minutes to spare, you can charge them up for 15 minutes and have the next 15 hours of playback covered.
Google Pixel buds pro: Was £179, now £139, Very.co.uk
Android users looking for top-tier noise-cancellation, the Google Pixel buds pro need to be on your radar, particularly now they’re on sale. Praised for having “tremendous” noise-cancellation in our review of the best wireless earbuds, they offered “quickly intuitive” touch controls that worked well, according to our tester. Three sizes of silicone tip are included, while the eartip seal test “plays music to help you ensure you have the right one in place”.
Panasonic RZ-S500WE-K true wireless earbuds: Was £149.99, now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
For wireless earbuds (with noise cancellation) that don’t break the bank, Panasonic’s true wireless earbuds landed a spot in our review of the best earbuds, where they were praised for their “noise cancelling at a keen price”. Currently reduced by a colossal 60 per cent, they make use of technology from the sister brand Technics at a much lower price, our tester noted. They also noted the audio quality, which was “strong with a powerful, direct sound”, while the design is “elegant and simple”. Our tester also added that as they come with “five different sizes of ear tips to choose from, you can be sure of the perfect fit”.
JBL Tune 660NC wireless Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones: Was £68.99, now £49.99, Currys.co.uk
These headphones were dubbed the best under £80 when we reviewed them, and they’re now even more of a steal with this discount at Currys. When putting them through their paces, our tester praised the headphones for their sound, which is great for the price: “If you’re a bass hunter, you’ll absolutely love the tone, with punchy lows and expressive-sounding pop tracks.” They added. “The active noise cancellation is also pretty solid, tuning out a fair amount of the low frequencies.”
Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones: Was £299.99, now £200.58, Amazon.co.uk
Our reviewer sang the praises of these headphones, saying they were “as premium as a pair of headphones come”. Naturally, they landed in our round-up of the best wireless headphones, where they were dubbed the best for high-res audio. The earpads were said to be “nice and soft”, and didn’t make our tester’s ears overheat. Once the cans are completely charged, you can look forward to a whopping 30 hours of playback with noise cancellation switched on, and this will double if you listen without it.
Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless noise-cancelling earbuds: Was £259, now £219, Amazon.co.uk
Sony’s excellent WF-1000XM5 boast the best noise-cancellation of any earbuds we’ve tested. As well as sounding great, they include some clever features, such as voice-assistant controls and speak-to-chat, where the earbuds automatically pause your audio and amplify voices when they detect you’ve started speaking.
Bose QuietComfort 2 wireless earbuds: Was £279.95, now £199, Amazon.co.uk
A firm favourite among the tech team is the Bose QC2 wireless earbuds, which you can snap up for just £199 ahead of the January sales – the same lowest price we saw during the Black Friday sales. “They sound better than almost every competitive pair of earbuds we’ve tested,” our reviewer said, adding the “audio quality here is exceptional across the board, strong, detailed sound that’s rich and faithful”. The noise-cancelling was also praised for being “astonishing”, with our tester finding that the “loudest of background sounds silenced effortlessly.”
Sennheiser momentum true wireless 3 earbuds: Was £229.99, now £190, Amazon.co.uk
As the earbuds boast seven hours of battery life, and the charging case 28 hours, the wireless buds were named the best for battery life in our review. The touch controls on the earbuds were said to be “straightforward, intuitive and effective”, according to our tester. Crucially, the audio was praised for being “outstanding”, thanks to “rich clarity for excellent vocals and mid tones,” though the bass can dominate slightly. With this deal, you can save 20 per cent on a pair.
Belkin SoundForm inspire wireless over-ear kids’ headset: Was £39.99, now £29.99, Amazon.co.uk
Should you be looking for a pair of headphones suitable for young ears, these wireless over-ear cans from Belkin earned a spot in our review of the best headphones for kids. Our tester noted they’re “engineered to deliver the crispest audio possible, specifically for kids”, and have a volume limit of 85dB. Ideal for gamers and learning, they also come with a boom mic, and won’t run out of juice for 35 hours, so there’s plenty of fun to be had.
Beats Fit Pro: Was £219.99, now £189, Amazon.co.uk
Right now, you can save over £30 on Beats’ workout earbuds. In our review of the Beats Fit Pro, our writer said they were like AirPods but cheaper. “If you find the AirPods slipping out of your ears, you’ll appreciate the more secure fit, and the controls are just a joy to use,” they said. “With active noise cancellation, decent sound and a sweat-proof design, we’ll be leaving our AirPods Pros at home and taking the Beats Fit Pro to the gym instead.”
Samsung Galaxy buds 2 pro wireless bluetooth noise-cancelling earbuds: Was £219, now £159, Currys.co.uk
In our review of these buds, our tester said they “sound incredible, with supposed support for 24-bit audio and 360-degree sound, they’re light in the ear and so small no one will notice you wearing them.” What more could you want from a pair of headphones? Even better, they are currently on sale with £60 off at Currys.
When will the best deals on headphones and earbuds begin in the January sales 2024?
The January sales began today (no surprises here) on 1 January 2024.
When will the best deals on headphones and earbuds end?
The January sales will come to an end on 31 January 2024, which is when most of the headphones and earbuds deals cease to exist. There will still be some hanging around, but you’ll mostly find the best discounts during the month of January itself.
Voucher codes
For the latest offers on tech and more, try the links below:
Want more bargains? Read our cheat sheet to the January sales