Looking for more? If you’re trying to level up your wardrobe, our guide to the best Prime Day clothing deals is the move. Then head to our massive list of the best Prime Day deals for everything else worth scooping up.
I’m no behavioral psychologist, but even I can trace the logic. When Apple first released the AirPods in 2016, I was already well into my Apple indoctrination. My iPhone was great, my MacBook never failed me—why wouldn’t the AirPods be another stroke of genius? So I bought in, and over the next nine years I marched up the rank to the present-day, noise-cancelling AirPods Pro. But this Prime Day, I’m running it all the way back. Wired headphones are on sale across the ‘Zon, and I’m plugging back in.
OK yes, I want to be one of the Wired It-Girls. But truly, this isn’t about style. It started at a Tokyo vinyl bar in May, where the music over the speakers—songs I thought I knew by heart, Thunder Road, Desolation Row—sounded deeper, richer, more alive than I’d ever heard them. Back home, I tossed a few CDs into the family player and felt the same jolt. Determined to improve my daily audio experience, I started checking out the quality of my current set-up, and learned a terrible truth: Bluetooth and AirPlay are two of the worst things you can do to a piece of music.
I won’t get into the weeds—partly because I don’t fully understand them—but essentially, to make the wireless connection seamless, the tracks are compressed, which flattens the sound. Wired headphones don’t need that trade-off. They transmit the full signal, uncompressed, which almost always means better clarity, dynamics, and depth—you know, greater audio fidelity (even if wired headphones costs $20 and the wireless ones cost $200).
And that’s not mentioning the other benefits! So I will now.
First: Wired headphones don’t need to be charged, which is one less thing to think about in this crazy life. Second: That little in-line mic? It works very well, and saves you from howling wind on your AirPod-powered power walks. Third: There’s an undeniable nostalgia factor to having a chewy cable hanging from your device. The world is spinning off its axis, AI is coming for us all. But me? I’m just trucking along, with some buds that could easily be attached to a cassette player—you don’t know! Fourth: The batteries required for wireless headphones have a much larger carbon footprint. A better audio environment and a better global environment? I’m sold.
Ready to take the plunge with me? This’ll make it an even softer landing: This Prime Day, some of Amazon’s best-rated wired headphones are plenty discounted, in both their USB-C and standard headphone jack editions. If you also want to use them with your computer—or on planes—I’d recommend taking the standard approach, and then just throwing a dongle into your cart too. Some of those, by the way, are discounted even more. You’ll find more below.
Prime Day FAQ
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is the retailer’s annual blowout sale. It typically happens across two days in the summer, but this year, it’ll last four days, between July 8 and 11. and features deals across every category you can imagine, from menswear basics and home goods, to kitchen appliances and electronics. The deals rival that of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and access to Prime Day is perhaps the best perks of having a Prime membership.
How long do the deals last?
In the past, Prime Day started on a Tuesday and ended at midnight the day after (with a handful of straggler deals staying live even after that), but this year, it’ll start Tuesday, July 8, and end on Friday, July 11. Deals are released throughout the day, including Lightning Deals, which run only for a limited time or until stock sells out. In addition to many deals rolling over into day two, expect a new set of deals to land every day until the event wraps up.
Do Prime Day deals change each day?
Yep, Prime Day deals definitely change each day, and sometimes even by the hour. Amazon rotates in new discounts each day across all categories (tech, clothing, home, you name it), so what’s here today might be gone tomorrow. Some deals only last 24 hours, and others sell out with a quickness. If you see something you like, it’s probably smart to grab it before it’s gone.
Do you need to be a Prime member to shop Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is reserved only for Prime members. In addition to free two-day shipping and same-day delivery, access to the two-day event is perhaps the best benefit of a Prime membership.
Word to the wise: If you’re not yet a Prime member, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial, which will give you access to the event. After Prime Day, there’s nothing stopping you from canceling your membership.
Are things actually cheaper on Prime Day?
A lot of things are cheaper on Prime Day—some at their lowest price all year, and a few at their lowest ever. But not every deal’s a no-brainer. Some discounts are minor, and occasionally, something was cheaper earlier in the year. To double-check, try CamelCamelCamel. It’s a price-tracking site that shows an item’s full Amazon price history, so you can see if today’s deal is actually a deal, or just looks like one. At the end of the day, though, a “good deal” is relative—if you need it now, it’s worth it; if you can wait, maybe wait.
Do other retailers participate in Prime Day?
Over the years, Prime Day has gotten so popular that it has forced the hand of many other retailers, and there are many competing sales—many of them with the same products available during Prime Day—to shop if you’re not a Prime member. And of course, there are many menswear deals worth scooping up now that are not on Amazon.
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