Articles by Becky Scarrott, Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor in 2024, but joined TechRadar in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things audio and hi-fi. Before joining the team, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing, reviewing and generally enjoying everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge, multi-product high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage.

When not writing, she is usually throwing shapes in a dance studio, spinning in the air to improve the tolerance of her inner ear to dizziness, drinking coffee, watching football or trying to surf in Cornwall with her other half; an irritatingly good surfer and an even better football writer.

Articles by: Becky Scarrott

Mur Mur speaker and AI ecosystem in green, with moss in the background, showing the eyepiece in the top

What if Sims and a smart speaker had a baby? Meet the bijou speaker with a ‘tiny world inside’ — just don’t expect it to play your Spotify playlists

By Becky Scarrott Published 14 August 26

Part Sims-style society, part AI-generated muzak?

Person holding Sony WH-1000XM6 and Sony WH-1000XM5

The best Sony headphones for all budgets, as tested and recommended by our audio experts

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 13 August 26

Updated Our pick of the best Sony wireless earbuds and over-ear headphones, however much you're able to spend.

What are the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy? I’ve tested more than 30 models, and these are my top picks for every budget

By Harry Padoan Last updated 12 August 26

Updated Looking for the best Bluetooth speaker money can buy? Here are the top portable speakers on the market right now, all TechRadar tested.

A selection of excellent over-ear headphones, on a red-brick background

The best over-ear headphones for any budget, all tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 11 August 26

Updated Looking for the best-sounding headphones? These are the cans you need to get more from your music.

A triple split-image, showing Nothing pink earbuds (a screengrab from the Nothing X app), Meta Ray-Ban 2nd Gen glasses on blue background, and a woman with short hair, wearing glasses and smiling

The great privacy revolt: people are pushing back against the glasses that record, the earbuds that eavesdrop and the TVs watching our lives — here’s what we can do about it, according to an AI research CEO and a digital rights advocate

By Becky Scarrott Published 8 August 26

'The chicification of surveillance is deeply concerning'

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ICYMI split image of Bose headphones, the GTA VI box art and Kojima holding a CD-player

ICYMI: here's the week's 7 biggest tech news stories from our Z Fold 8 Ultra review to GTA 6's Netflix partnership

By Hamish Hector Published 8 August 26

The week's biggest tech news stories from Samsung, Google, GTA, Netflix and more for August 7, 2026.

CMF's first clip-style open earbuds are here with a tempting price tag and, thankfully, none of Nothing's flagship surveillance tech

By Becky Scarrott Published 4 August 26

If the Nothing sub-brand's inaugural clip-style open earbuds can ace the ‘three point fit’ idea, I predict a class-leading set of LDAC-toting buds — especially for this crazy low price

The best wired earbuds, from cheap USB-C to audiophile-grade IEMs – all tested by TechRadar

By Matt Bolton Last updated 4 August 26

Still craving a reliable connection, high-end audio, and no battery life anxiety? Here are the best wired earbuds you can buy today.

A selection of wireless earbuds, in their cases, held in a woman's hands on a sunny day

The best earbuds we recommend for every budget, all TechRadar tried and tested

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 1 August 26

TechRadar's carefully considered pick of the best earbuds in the business – including one or two new models you might not be familiar with.

A split-screen image with Qobuz's managing director Dan Mackta and the Qobuz app on a smartphone, with TR's 'On the Record' franchise badge in the foreground

‘You'll notice I do not call it AI music, because I don't think it's music’: Qobuz’s Managing Director Dan Mackta on music streaming’s biggest problem, and how he hopes to tackle it

By Becky Scarrott Published 30 July 26

‘The whole thing is just a really, really big bummer’ — Qobuz’s Managing Director on the scourge of AI-generated audio in streaming, and why he still refuses to call it music

A man holding eight pairs of headphones in his hands, with models from Bose, Sony, Amazon, Soundcore, and Sonos, among others

I've picked the best noise cancelling headphones for all budgets, based on real-world testing of nearly 20 models

By Matt Bolton Last updated 29 July 26

We've tested and selected the best noise cancelling headphones to keep the world out and your music in.

A split-screen image with Deezer's screen depicting AI content on one side, Manuel Moussallam (Deezer's head of research) on the other, and TR's 'AV Insider' badge in the bottom left corner

‘What we're really fighting is people scripting computers to generate thousands of songs and uploading them in batches to overwhelm, flood and replace’: Deezer's Head of Research on that industry-leading AI-filter — and why we need it now more than ever

By Becky Scarrott Published 28 July 26

‘Just by relying on some plain signal processing and mathematical tools, we were able to actually detect these artifacts for most models out there’

A car's CD player and burned CDs, on a hot day

How the odd after-market CD player in my mom’s old car helped me deal with the grief of losing her — and why I can’t sell it now (even though I should)

By Becky Scarrott Published 27 July 26

A shock loss, an old car stuffed with CDs and the Sharpie I used to write the track names on: how recorded music always brings you closer

Nothing Ear (3a) on a floral background, with pink, red and yellow flowers

'Not the USP I wanted': Nothing’s new Ear (3a) earbuds sound good and the ANC is effective, but they hide a troublesome secret I found it hard to get past during testing

By Becky Scarrott Published 25 July 26

Is everything coming up roses for Nothing's new $99 / £99 noise-cancelling earbuds? Depends on whether the USP sits well with you, I think…

Status Audio Pro X GoldenSound, next to AirPods or held in a hand, with gold accents showing

‘We’ve actually been using the Harman Curve incorrectly’: GoldenSound's new Status earbuds aim to rewrite an industry standard and, having tried them against AirPods Pro, I like it… to a point

By Becky Scarrott Published 18 July 26

Status Audio and GoldenSound think we’ve been using the Harman Curve all wrong when it comes to earbuds, and their new collab will prove it

A split screen image showing CDs in their cases on one side and in sleeves in a book on the other

You can't deny it any more: physical music is back in a big way with new sales figures proving it... and no, this time it's not vinyl

By Tom Bedford Published 17 July 26

Stats prove that nostalgic CD-buying is even bigger than nostalgic vinyl-buying, which could prompt a sea change for some music lovers.

The best wired headphones, all tested by TechRadar's audio experts

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 17 July 26

We pick out the best wired headphones for big audio upgrades, no matter how much you want to spend.

The earbuds for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 held next to each other

The dream of AirPods with removable batteries is still seemingly out of reach, and it's all because of a new EU ruling

By Tom Bedford Published 16 July 26

Apple fans have been clamoring for AirPods with removable batteries to make them repairable, but it's likely not coming any time soon thanks to a new EU ruling.

Spotify managed accounts screengrabs on blue background

Spotify parents rejoice! KPop Demon Hunters need never cloud your Wrapped results again, thanks to Managed accounts launching on Spotify Free

By Becky Scarrott Published 15 July 26

Spotify just brought its Managed accounts service to its free tier, meaning your kids’ top track need never bag the top spot again

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong seated in front of a light blue amp, with his famous guitar, Blue

The American Dream is killing me — until I see Billie Joe Armstrong's new Marshall guitar amp (and then I'm as consumerist as they come)

By Becky Scarrott Published 14 July 26

It would be hard to walk the Boulevard of Broken Dreams carrying Marshall’s new signature amp, but Billie Joe Armstrong still thinks you should try

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and JLab JBuds Mini on a violet gradient background.

The best earbuds for small ears, all tested by a petite-eared audio expert

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 10 July 26

My pick of the best earbuds for those with a smaller ear canal, tragus or concha, however much you're able to spend.

A selection of earbuds held in two hands, above a Persian carpet

The best budget earbuds, all real-world tested by our expert audio team

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 9 July 26

The best budget wireless and wired earbuds you can buy today, with options from Sony, Nothing, EarFun, JLab and more.

Best MP3 player: top portable hi-res music players for any budget, all tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 7 July 26

Updated Looking for the best portable hi-res music player? Here's our pick of digital audio players from Astell & Kern, Sony and more.

Nothing Ear (3a) on a table with Nothing Headphone (a) below, both in pink to show the difference in colorways

'You could've given me 10 guesses, I wouldn't have gone for this': my favorite cheap Nothing earbuds finally have a successor, but the USP isn't my idea of 'joyful'

By Becky Scarrott Published 7 July 26

Nothing's new Ear (3a) don't just deal in the odd use of parentheses and new colorways; there's also on-ear chat recording and a host of new features

The best wireless speakers, all tested by us — from JBL, Sonos, Bose, and more

By Becky Scarrott Last updated 6 July 26

Updated Looking for the best wireless speaker? These are the top TechRadar-reviewed and approved buys to hear music throughout your home.

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