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I’ve been reviewing gadgets at TechRadar for years now, and it’s pretty rare that something stops me in my tracks and so violently defies my expectations. But sometimes, a special product comes along and totally stuns me: and that was well and truly the case with the Sennheiser CX 80U.Now you might be thinking: really? A pair of wired earbuds? But yes, they really were that impressive. See it all comes down to quality vs price, and these earbuds genuinely sound way, way better than I expected given their typical cost of $39.95 / £34.99. If you want rich, detailed sound at a highly-accessible price-point, the CX 80U are all you need.I’ll drill into the beauty of this product more down below, but the bottom line is: the CX 80U are what I’d recommend to anyone looking to go back to wired earbuds in 2026. Low risk, high reward(Image credit: Future)I’ve already touched on the Sennheiser CX 80U’s low price (and they’re occasionally discounted for even less), but let’s discuss what exactly makes them so special.These buds use a USB-C connector with a built-in DAC, opening up lossless audio — something that’s not truly possible over Bluetooth, which is an inherently lossy technology. By using USB-C as a connectivity method, the CX 80U aren’t only optimized for modern smartphones, tablets, and laptops, but they also won’t need to be charged like their Bluetooth counterparts — and I often keep them with me in case I forget to juice up my Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones or LG Tone Free T90S earbuds. But as practical as the CX 80U are, the real highlight is their performance. They show impeccable attention to detail, and can easily illuminate elements such as subtle percussion or delicate vocal intricacies. However, they also nail the fundamentals, with well-balanced, agile bass, clear mids, and vivid treble. Speaking of treble, I found this to be a real highlight on the CX 80U — highs have an impressive sense of space, and often sound as if they’re operating in a well-defined pocket, giving percussion in particular plenty of space to express itself. But during my time testing the CX 80U, I was impressed with their quality right across the frequency range, and regardless of what genre I threw at them, they delivered an enjoyable and entertaining listen each time.As well as sounding great, the CX 80U manage to provide surprisingly substantial passive noise cancellation, and they come with various-sized eartips, so you can find the perfect seal. Whenever I use them, I also find that cable noise is pretty muted, and they’re comfortable to wear, even for longer listening sessions.One more thing I love about the CX 80U is their build quality. They look more premium than their price suggests, and I’m drawn to their rounded buds, slim wires, and enticing silver details. Classy. So, if you’re on a budget but looking to get into the wired earbuds game, then it really doesn’t get much better than the Sennheiser CX 80U. Go on, give ‘em a go!