Denon launches its first true wireless earbuds – but should you buy them?

Japanese audio brand Denon has just launched its first ever line-up of true wireless earbuds. The Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds and the Denon Wireless Earbuds are both available to buy now directly from the company's online store.

The Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds will cost you $159 / £139, while the Denon Wireless Earbuds are a cheaper alternative at just $99 / £89. Both include a charging case with a different finish based on which pair you buy, with the Noise Cancelling Earbuds sporting a glossy finish while the Wireless Earbuds opt for matte.

In a press release for the earbuds, Denon claims that the devices will make use of large-diameter dynamic drivers to deliver a "lifelike sound," which could mean the earbuds may feature the exceptionally high quality of sound we've come to expect from the brand.

(Image credit: Denon)

Both pairs of earbuds do feature differing specs, with the more expensive Noise Cancelling Earbuds predictably coming out on top. These have slightly larger drivers, and feature the namesake active noise cancellation. The Wireless Earbuds model seems to lack noise cancelling, which likely contributes to the lower price point.

Sadly, battery life is far from class-leading on either pair. The Noise Cancelling Earbuds have 6 hours of charge, with up to 24 being provided by the charging case. That's knocked down to roughly 4.8 hours per charge with noise cancellation turned on. The Wireless Earbuds fare worse, at just 4 hours per charge with up to 18 hours provided by the case.

Hopefully, Denon's penchant for excellent sound can make up for the shortcomings that we've noticed so far.

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Analysis: Could I grab a pair on Black Friday?

Minor inconveniences aside in regards to relatively low battery life and the lack of noise cancellation on the base earbuds, both pairs of Denon's new true wireless earbuds might just be able to deliver high quality sound at surprisingly affordable prices. 

That's especially so when you pair them up to the astronomical price points of the competition, including Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4s or the AirPods Pro, both of which we consider to be some of the best earbuds you can buy.

Now that Black Friday 2021 is fast approaching on November 26, you might have these new Denon wireless earbuds earmarked for a good deal. However, given that both pairs of these Denon wireless earbuds are fresh off the factory line, we unfortunately don't expect them to receive significant discounts anywhere, let alone on Denon's own storefront.

At best, the earbuds might see a discount of about $5 / £5 off retail price, but even that is unlikely considering they've only just launched. If earbuds are still on the list for you during the sales period, we'd recommend checking out our Black Friday earbuds buying guide, or our best Black Friday headphones guide if you're after a pair of over-ears. 

For more specific recommendations, we have buying guides for Beats Black Friday deals, Sony WH-1000XM4 Black Friday deals and AirPods Black Friday deals among many others, so if a discount's in your plans, we've got your back with professional, tested advice.

• The best budget wireless earbuds

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