Skip to main content

Yamaha’s $100 TW-E3B true wireless earbuds are its smallest yet

Yamaha has a new set of true wireless earbuds that it claims are the smallest ones it has ever made. The $100 TW-E3B pick up where the TW-E3A left off, with tons of color options (black, green, gray, blue, pink, and purple) and a size and shape that the company says is 25% smaller than the previous model. You’ll be able to buy the TW-E3B in late October.

Other than the new color options and smaller size, there doesn’t appear to be much difference between the old and new models, which explains why Yamaha simply called the new edition “E3B,” instead of giving it a whole new model number. In fact, if the colors and size don’t matter to you, you can now buy the E3A at a significant discount — Yamaha has dropped the price on the older version from $130 to just $50, a savings that presumably will only stick around until all remaining E3A inventory is gone.

Yamaha's TW-E3B true wireless earbuds.
Yamaha

The TW-E3B offer SBC, AAC, and Qualcomm’s aptX Bluetooth codecs, which means that you’ll get slightly better sound quality if your phone is equipped with aptX (none of Apple’s smartphones offer Qualcomm codecs). You also get Yamaha’s Listening Care feature, which is designed to let you listen at lower volumes without losing any detail.

Battery life is a claimed six hours per charge, with a total of 24 hours of listening time when you include the charging case. To help protect against damage, the earbuds come with an IPX5 water resistance rating, which should give gym rats and those who like to run in the rain plenty of confidence. A nonslip coating on the earbuds should add to the workout-friendliness.

Yamaha says the E3B have exceptionally clear, dynamic, and realistic sound, and I seriously hope this isn’t just marketing speak. Considering their $100 price and their lack of features like active noise cancellation, wireless charging, or transparency mode, these earbuds are going to have to sound amazing in order to compete against Jabra’s new $80 Elite 3, and the tons of great earbuds that have recently arrived T well under $100.

We should know soon enough — Yamaha has kindly offered to send us a sample of the TW-E3B. Stay tuned!

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like…
Shure’s first true wireless earbuds focus on music and call quality
Shure Aonic Free in charging case.

After years of being the company that audio pros have looked to for their wired in-ear monitors, Shure has finally debuted its first set of genuine true wireless earbuds: The $199 Shure Aonic Free. They're available in a single color (graphite gray) starting November 4.

We say "genuine" true wireless earbuds, because technically speaking, the company's Shure Aonic 215, which it released in 2020 for $229, were also true wireless earbuds in the sense that each earbud had its own power source and wasn't connected with any kind of tether. But their over-the-ear loop design let you swap out the acoustic portion for a different earbud module and that made them far bigger than any other true wireless earbuds.

Read more
V-Moda’s first true wireless earbuds come with tons of fit options
V-Moda Hexamove Lite true wireless earbuds.

V-Moda has released its first true wireless earbuds, called the Hexamove. There are two versions of the earbuds, including the $170 Hexamove Pro, which come with a variety of accessories for customizing their fit, fashion, and function. Then there are the $130 Hexamove Lite, which are identical to the Pro, except that they don't come with the extra accessories. Both are available starting today, October 12, at Amazon and other retailers.

Unlike other brands of true wireless earbuds that have started to cram in every imaginable feature -- like active noise cancellation, in-ear detection, transparency mode, and wireless charging -- V-Moda appears to be trying to differentiate the Hexamove with a unique style and the ability to customize both the look and the fit.

Read more
Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro earbuds go after Sony’s wireless hi-res crown
Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro.

Anker's Soundcore brand of personal audio devices just released the latest in its Liberty line of true wireless earbuds, and the company seems to be throwing everything it has at them. The $170 Liberty 3 Pro feature a 30% smaller shape than their predecessor, the Liberty 2 Pro, plus they come equipped with active noise cancellation (ANC) and hi-res Bluetooth codecs, things the original version of the older model lacked. The Liberty 3 Pro come in four colors -- black, white, gray, and purple. If you buy them between today and October 14, you can save $20 at Amazon and at other retailers.

We were blown away by how great the Liberty 2 Pro performed. We only noted a few drawbacks -- a bulky design, and some fiddly buttons. Soundcore was apparently taking careful note -- the Liberty 3 Pro are notably smaller (though they'll likely still stick out from your ears a bit), and the tiny physical buttons have been ditched in favor of touch controls. They also look decidedly more high-end, with a mirrorlike finish and chrome accents. Soundcore says they'll feel more comfortable thanks to the shape of the redesigned silicon earwings.

Read more