How SoundGuys grades
Across 50 products that SoundGuys and at least one other outlet scored, SoundGuys's score sits 0.28 below the consensus on average, on a 5-point scale. That makes it number 3 of 17 from toughest to most generous among the outlets we track.
-0.28
average gap from the consensus
3.79
average score, of 5
41
products scored below the others
7
scored above (2 level)
Where SoundGuys was toughest
| Product | Printed | Of 5 | Consensus | Gap | Outlets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X | 7.2/10 | 3.60 | 4.44 | -0.84 | 7 |
| AKG K-712 Pro | 5.7/10 | 2.90 | 3.63 | -0.73 | 3 |
| Bose SoundLink Max | 7.4/10 | 3.70 | 4.43 | -0.72 | 4 |
| Edifier R1280T | 6.2/10 | 3.10 | 3.80 | -0.70 | 2 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 2 | 7.6/10 | 3.80 | 4.46 | -0.66 | 5 |
Where SoundGuys was most generous
| Product | Printed | Of 5 | Consensus | Gap | Outlets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundcore Boom 3i | 8.4/10 | 4.20 | 3.85 | +0.35 | 2 |
| Nothing Ear (Open) | 7.3/10 | 3.70 | 3.52 | +0.18 | 5 |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | 8.3/10 | 4.15 | 4.05 | +0.10 | 3 |
| JBL Clip 5 | 7.9/10 | 3.95 | 3.85 | +0.10 | 2 |
| Logitech G733 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset | 7.4/10 | 3.70 | 3.60 | +0.10 | 2 |
By category
Categories where SoundGuys scored 3 or more products.
- Best Over-ear Headphones-0.39 · 8 products
- Best Wireless Earbuds-0.37 · 5 products
- Best Noise Cancelling Headphones-0.26 · 5 products
- Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers-0.48 · 4 products
- Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers-0.18 · 4 products
- Best Wireless Running Headphones Under $200-0.33 · 4 products
- Best Open-ear Headphones-0.19 · 4 products
- Best Earbuds for Small Ears-0.08 · 4 products
- Best Open-back Headphones For Mixing-0.33 · 3 products
- Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers Under $100-0.23 · 3 products
Every comparison
Sorted from toughest to most generous. The printed score links to SoundGuys's review. The consensus is the average of every printed score on that product, SoundGuys's included.
Updated Nov 8, 2026. Only scores SoundGuys printed on its own page count; numbers read out of article text or video by software are left out. We don't test products. How we measured this.