A wireless earbud system, comprising: a first earbud assembly and a second earbud assembly, each of the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly comprising: a housing (106. 108, 172, 202, 216); an audio driver disposed within the housing (106. 108, 172, 202, 216); and a wireless receiving unit operatively coupled to the audio driver, the wireless receiving unit configured to receive a wireless data signal and drive the audio driver based on audio data transmitted in the wireless data signal; the wireless earbud system additionally comprising a tether (110, 140, 152, 168, 182, 198, 214, 240) with a first end, a second end, and an electronic control unit (154, 222) located between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the tether (110,.. 240) is configured to removably couple to the first earbud assembly by a first detachable connector, (114, 115) wherein the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) is configured to removably couple to the second earbud assembly by a second detachable connector (114, 115), and wherein one of the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly is configured to operate as a master and communicate directly with a media device when the first end and the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) are disconnected from the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly, and wherein the electronic control unit (154, 222) is configured to communicate directly with the media device, with the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly communicating directly with the electronic control unit (154, 222), when the first end of the tether (110,.. 240) is connected to the first earbud assembly and the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) is connected to the second earbud assembly. a housing (106. 108, 172, 202, 216); an audio driver disposed within the housing (106. 108, 172, 202, 216); and a wireless receiving unit operatively coupled to the audio driver, the wireless receiving unit configured to receive a wireless data signal and drive the audio driver based on audio data transmitted in the wireless data signal; the wireless earbud system additionally comprising a tether (110, 140, 152, 168, 182, 198, 214, 240) with a first end, a second end, and an electronic control unit (154, 222) located between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the tether (110,.. 240) is configured to removably couple to the first earbud assembly by a first detachable connector, (114, 115) wherein the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) is configured to removably couple to the second earbud assembly by a second detachable connector (114, 115), and wherein one of the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly is configured to operate as a master and communicate directly with a media device when the first end and the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) are disconnected from the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly, and wherein the electronic control unit (154, 222) is configured to communicate directly with the media device, with the first earbud assembly and the second earbud assembly communicating directly with the electronic control unit (154, 222), when the first end of the tether (110,.. 240) is connected to the first earbud assembly and the second end of the tether (110,.. 240) is connected to the second earbud assembly.