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Many areas of consumer electronics hardware, and music and video enjoyment, have leaped forward tremendously in the past few decades. The picture quality of a good TV in 2023 is stunningly better than it was just a few years ago. Wireless streaming used to be synonymous with poor sound quality. In 2023, services like Qobuz and Tidal that offer high-res streaming allow you to enjoy your favorite music in better-than-CD quality - amazing! 

Today we focus on a specific product category that did not exist at the turn of the century: high-quality, affordable wireless earbuds. We’ll also take up the specific examples of two top contenders for your budget, the Denon PerL and Denon PerL Pro wireless earbuds. 

In considering wired vs wireless, what are the differences? The choice comes down to four factors; sound quality, reliability, convenience, and cost. No doubt, wired headphones offer the best combination of sound quality and reliability for the money. But the wire that connects your headphones to your audio system translates into a lack of portability. That’s no big deal…unless you leave the room, and still want to enjoy music!

That lack of portability may not be much of a drawback for you. Over-ear products like the Audeze LCD-X and HiFi Man’s HE 1000 V2 offer amazing sound quality, especially when paired with a good headphone amp / DAC and are comfortable as well. 

But there is an undeniable convenience factor in being able to listen to your favorite music while walking in the park, waiting in an airport, exercising, or sipping a coffee at your preferred java stop. Wireless earbuds can sound great and offer music enjoyment wherever and whenever you wish.  

Some considerations with wireless headphones (over-ear) and earbuds (in-ear) are as follows. Battery life, and a good charging case, can vary a lot, and make a big difference in your satisfaction with the product. Sound quality tends to go up significantly in better models - but price alone does not guarantee better performance. Noise cancellation is also a key factor; some are far better than others at letting you focus on your music, despite the hectic pace around you. Wireless headphones and earbuds are also more costly than their wired counterparts, due to the wireless technology built-in. 

Let’s look at Denon’s PerL Pro Wireless @ $349. Along with the more budget-friendly Denon PerL Wireless @ $199, these are fine examples of what you can enjoy in wireless listening at relatively affordable prices. 

One difference is that, for the extra dollars, the PerL Pro Wireless features better sound. CD-qQualcomm aptX lossless technology and spatial audio from Dirac Virto make for an outstanding listening experience. The PerL lacks spatial audio, multi-point Bluetooth, and Bluetooth version 5.3 of PerL Pro. They still sound great - but are not able to perform at the same level as the PerL Pros. Both products share an excellent feature in Masimo’s Adaptive Acoustic Technology™ (AAT™), which enables you to create a customized or personalized sound profile for the way you want to listen. 

Getting a good fit is critical with in-ear products. Both Denon PerL and the PerL Pro Wireless fit almost any size or shape of the ear. Both models ship with 4 sizes of interchangeable silicone ear tips, 2 sets of wings, and 1 set of medium-sized foam-style ear tips. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to earbud fit, so this generous array of customization is really helpful. Both products are weather and sweat-resistant, so they stay comfortable even during a hard workout. 

Both models run on the same Denon headphone mobile app, which works great with either Android or iOS platforms. You can download it free of charge on both app stores, so both non-Apple and Apple mobile device fans are happy.  

A substantial 10 mm driver is featured in each model. That’s the part of the earbud that actually makes the music, analogous to the woofers and tweeters in a bookshelf speaker. PerL Pro Wireless has a slightly heavier driver.  That more robust driver enables better sonic performance, especially in the bass. Although it is not quite as lightweight and comfortable as the PerL, the PerL Pro is still quite comfortable.

Both PerL Pro and PerL ship with the same size re-charging case, but PerL’s case is lighter, at just 47 grams vs 55 grams for PerL Pro. But one downside of that improved portability is that the battery life per full charge goes down somewhat, from 24 hours with PerL Pro to 18 hours with PerL. Additionally, there is no wireless charging feature with the PerL case; the PerL Pro does have wireless charging.   

Sonically, the PerL Pro Wireless and PerL are both excellent performers, and both are comfortable, too. Denon PerL Pro and Denon PerL Wireless earbuds are a couple of terrific options to consider when looking at the wireless earbud options that exist. If you haven’t tried wireless, now is a great time to jump in. You’ll be impressed with the comfort, portability, and great sound that is available to you.