They say that you get what you pay for, and that’s true about an awful lot of things, including earbuds. You can pick up a pair of earbuds for as little as $5 to $10, but what you’ll get is something that will sound terrible, and with a wire that will fray or snap after just a few weeks of heavy usage. If you want crystal clear audio and earbuds that won’t break easily, then you need to pay a little bit more.
There are some earbuds out there that are astoundingly expensive. A lot of the time, what you’re paying for there is the brand name and little more. The sweet spot for well designed, top quality earbuds seems to be around $50. Here, in no particular order, is our top picks of earbuds that are around that price range.
1 – Shure S112-GR
We chose these earbuds because of the quality of the cable. The wire is heavy duty and the jack is well made and looks like it would be very hard to break. The earbuds max out at 105dB, which is satisfyingly loud. They are designed with an over-the-ear fitting, which some people may dislike, but there are some benefits to that style. Some in-ear style earbuds are susceptible to a phenomenon known as microphonics, where vibrations from the cable impair the sound quality.
Once you get used to the over the ear style, you should find that these are a great pair of earbuds. They will stay in well, and the sound they produce is loud, clear, and good enough to drown out any distractions around you. Priced at $49, these are at the upper end of our stated budget, but they are worth every penny. They come with a small protective bag for you to keep them in when they’re not in use, and they also have some replacement earbud tips, just in case yours happen to come loose. It truly does appear that Shure thought of everything when they were putting this awesome little package together for us all.
2 – Brainwavz So
There’s a lot to like about the Brainwavz SO. These earbuds look stunning and they are feature-packed too, with a microphone and a remote control as well as great sound quality.
The build quality of these is hard to dispute. They feature metal casing and flat cables, so they’ll stay tangle-free. They do a good job of noise isolation, too, thanks to the foam ear tips that come with them.
These earbuds do have an old-school driver design that puts a lot of emphasis on mid-bass, but the sound quality overall is very good and quite balanced. Since this is a ‘mature’ design most potential issues with it were ironed out long ago, making these earbuds a dependable choice and superior to the majority of other earbuds that are offered around this price point. If you’re looking for in-ear headphones with a wired connection, a mic, and in-line controls, then it’s hard to go wrong with the Brainwavz So. There may be better options for those who are happy to do without having the microphone, but these are by far and away the most versatile of the earbuds that you’ll find at this end of the market.
3 – Sennheiser CX 300-II
If you put a lot of emphasis on bass, then you will love these earbuds. Sennheiser is well known as being a top quality brand overall, and they have not disappointed with this particular set of earbuds. The build quality is of the level that you would expect from such a good brand and they have went to great pains to reinforce the bud connections and the 3.5mm jack, which are the two areas that are usually most likely to have issues during day to day use.
The plug is gold-plated to ensure best sound quality, and the earbuds are designed to fit comfortably in your ears. The set comes with a carrying bag, too. The only downside is that the buds themselves are made entirely of plastic. They are still well-made, but they feel a little more fragile than some other beefier metal designs. That’s a small sacrifice if you’re buying these for the sound quality, though. The selling point of these is the top quality bass, and in that respect, they will not let you down. The bass is so strong that it can sometimes overpower other sounds, no matter what genre you are listening to.
There are some other great bass-focused earbuds on the market, but these are probably the best overall if you’re looking for something that will produce nice overall sound quality for your regular morning commute.
4 – Yurbuds Inspire 400
These earbuds are quite squarely aimed at runners. They have a very snug in-ear fit, with silicon that grips inside your ear, ensuring that the earbuds will not come out even if you’re moving around a lot. This makes them great for people who are very active and don’t want to constantly have to fuss around with their earbuds.
The Yurbuds sound great, too. The bass is very strong. Some people may find the bass a little overpowering because it can overpower midrange. However, if you like music that puts a lot of emphasis on bass you will love them. The noise-isolating properties are great too, and make the earbuds sound nice and loud even when you don’t have the volume turned up high. That’s a particularly nice feature because at higher volumes the audio can start to sound a little distorted.
The earbuds clip together magnetically for storage, and they come with an extra set of silicon tips in a different size so that you can pick the ones that fit best. The tips are nicely sweat resistant. The cable has a nice funky design with interesting buds and a chunky audio control that is sure to be a conversation starter. If you’re looking for great value for money and for earbuds that have nice bass and that also fit comfortably in your ears, and stay put, then these are a very good option.
5 – HiFiMan RE-400
If you are looking for a good all-round pair of earbuds that has neutral sound, is affordably priced, is comfortable to wear, and has good build quality, then it’s well worth looking at some of the lesser-known brands. HiFiMan is not a mainstream brand, but they offer some very good products, and they discount their older models when they bring out newer models. The RE-400 is an example of an old but still reliable product that is available for a very good price.
The Re-400 is noteworthy because it has very good passive noise isolation. There are some flaws. You’ll notice some microphonics if you wear these earbuds ‘the normal way’, but if you use them over-the-ear that should mitigate any such issue. The basic model does not come with a microphone or a remote control, however, if you want those features there are other earbuds in this list that can provide them. What you’re getting here is good neutral sound and good build quality. This is great for people who want faithful, non-fatiguing audio that is easy to listen to. These earbuds used to cost $100, but are now on the market for $50 because HiFiMan has released a newer model. It’s hard to argue with that kind of discount from any brand, and these are undoubtedly great value for money.
1. Phaiser BHS-790
The Phaiser BHS-790 is an engineering masterpiece. Every aspect of this earphones has been intricately designed to ensure that it is the best possible design for active individuals. For instance, on the comfort front, the Phaiser BHS-790 is a market leader. It uses a combination of advanced materials and an intricate design to ensure that even after using the earphones for hours on end, you are not tired at all.
However, it does not excel on the matter of comfort alone. The Phaiser BHS-790 uses some of the most advanced materials to produce high-quality sound with exceptional clarity. These earphones produce the perfect blend between treble, midrange, and base, yielding a sound experience like no other. For a better understanding of what the Phaiser BHS-790 offers, let’s delve into the features and the unique benefits each feature yields
Features And Their Benefits
Dual Graphene Speakers (8mm) and AptX – These two features combine to produce high-quality HD sound with powerful yet comfortable bass. The speakers and other drives have been fine-tuned to accord users with exceptional sound clarity akin to listening to live music.
Bullet-Shaped Tips – The Phaiser BHS-790 comes with bullet-shape eartips made of T-400 M memory foam. Unlike other materials, the memory foam used to make the tips reduce the surrounding noise to yield total surround noise insolation. The earbuds are also exceptionally comfortable, supporting the earphones while in your ears.
Hydrophobic Nano Coating – The earbuds are coated with a Hydrophobic Nano Coating. This coating can withstand a wide variety of liquids, including water, snow, sweat, and much more. This gives the Phaiser BHS-790 the ability to withstand a sweaty workout, a job in the rain or snow, and even a minor accidental fall in the water.
Winged Earphone Tips – The Phaiser BHS-790 has patented winged earphone tips that hold the buds securely in place even under rigorous movements such as a hard workout.
Bluetooth 5.0 – It has Bluetooth 5.0 which provides strong signal reception and extensive signal coverage. This bodes well for clarity of music and range, which can be as far as 30 to 40 ft. depending on your environment.
Other features include a 110mAh Lithium-ion Polymer battery with 5-hour battery life and a micro USB charging port that charges the earphones in 1 or 2 hours.
2. Linner NC25 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
Linner NC25 is designed around the philosophy of lightweight is better. In fact, it was designed to meet the challenge of making the lightest active noise cancellation headphones. However, being lightweight is not its only forte; it excels on the design front, bearing one of the most unique and user-friendly designs of any earphones. The Linner NC25 also features sturdy construction. The earphones have been made using machines aluminum, which gives it the study and lightweight characteristics.
But what about what really matters – the music quality? It also excels on this front. The Linner NC25 active noise cancellation system allows you to block ambient noise, providing your ears with a quieter space to listen to your favorite tracks. Below is the full list of its features and what the features have to offer you.
Features And Their Benefits
Active Noise Cancellation – The Linner NC25 comes with an advanced noise cancellation technology that blocks as much as 28 dB of noise from your ears. This feature is capable of filtering our airplane noise, city traffic noise, and any other noise for peaceful and distraction-free music experience.
Enhanced Battery Life – The Linner NC25 is capable of providing up to 20 hours of Active Noise Cancellation music or voice chat experience on a single charge. Importantly, you get this performance from a meager 2 hours charge time.
Awareness Monitor Mode – Although the Linner NC25 has been designed with active noise cancellation as its main selling point, the designers of this earphone do recognize that you will need to listen to your surroundings. With that in mind, they have incorporated the monitoring mode, which you activate by pressing the “M” button on the round control. With this mode active, you can clearly hear everything around
Hands-Free Control – This earphones come with a 3 buttons remote control that allows you to control play/pause function, track selection, and volume adjustment. You need not remove your phone from your pocket to control audio playback.
3. Letscom True Wireless Earbuds
If you are looking for truly wireless earphones, look no further than the Letscom True Wireless Earbuds. These earphones have a true wireless design that features the earbuds only. As such, you do not have to worry about any wire entangling in your pockets or your bag. Importantly, though, the Letscom True Wireless Earbuds are incredibly ergonomic, fitting perfectly in your ear, for a comfortable music listening experience.
Being earphone, it is the quality of music that the earphones produce that matters the most. The Letscom True Wireless Earbuds produce high-quality clear HD sound for the perfect music experience. The earphones also produce stereo sound, which enhances your music experience. In fact, the quality level of your music experience when using the Letscom True Wireless Earbuds is akin to some of the wired earphones. You will not sacrifice your music experience. Below are some of the features that the True Wireless Earbuds come with.
Features And Their Benefits
HD Stereo Sound – As mentioned above, the True Wireless Earbuds features high-definition sound for utmost sound clarity and unparalleled music experience. However, the earbuds are capable of producing mono sound if you need that capability.
Ergonomic Design – It has an ergonomic design that allows the earbuds to snuggly fit into your ears all day. The lightweight earbuds eartips come in large, medium, and small sizes. As such, you will find a pair of eartips that suit your ear size, allowing the earbuds to fit perfectly.
Splash Ans Sweat Resistant – The earbuds are sweat and splash resistant. As such, they can withstand a sweaty workout or some splash of water whilst you are engaging in outdoor activities.
Bluetooth 5.0 Connection – The True Wireless Earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 connection. This technology allows the earbuds to have a seamless, strong connection with your phone. The end result is crisp clear music and voice call experience.
Easy Controls – The earbuds come with a set of controls which allow users to increase volume, take, reject, or end calls, and skip tracks without ever reach out for your phone.
!7.5 Battery Life – The earbuds have a 60 mAh battery life while the case has 500 mAh battery life. The combined work time of the earbuds and the case charge is 17.5 hours. Both batteries are li-polymer batteries
Built-Mic – They also comes with built-in mics to for hand-free calls.