Bang & Olufsen's high-end earbuds are a-changing, with the Beoplay EX - that's "E 10" not "E ex" apparently - bringing an all-new design to replace the outgoing Beoplay EQ.

The key difference in the Beoplay EX is the use of a smaller in-ear section, with the tech components residing in the fin part of the design, enabling Bang & Olufsen's designers to deliver a 9.2mm driver per ear - which is large in earphone terms - for optimum sound quality. Qualcomm's Adaptive aptX features, to deliver Hi-Res Audio quality.

Bang & Olufsen tells us that feedback from EQ customers led to redesigning its flagship true wireless earphones to increase comfort - a common complaint regarding the EQ model - along with including six eartip sizes in the box to ensure an optimum fit for differing ear sizes and shapes.

The earphones deliver a total of 28 hours battery with the included case (20 hours with active noise-cancelling activated), so while that's not class-leading it's an acceptable byproduct of this all-new design keeping the physical scale down.

The case is smaller than in previous iterations, too, making it more conveniently portable. This can be charged via USB-C (cable included) or using a Qi wireless pad for your convenience (although you'll need to buy that separately).

In addition to the Black Anthracite and Anthracite Oxygen - a more blue with charcoal finish - there's also Gold Tone (as pictured) option. All feature Gorilla Glass to the exterior, glossily finished to encompass the B&O logo within. There's also IP57 dust/waster-resistance to ensure robustness.

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX will arrive in waves according to the colour in question, with Anthracite Oxygen on 5 May, Gold Tone on 27 May and Black Anthracite sometime in June. The earbuds are priced at £349/€399/$399. Not budget by any means, but for a product you'll likely be using for hours per day, if you want the best in terms of design, comfort and sound then it's a cost that we suspect is well worth paying.