In past Android Audio Weekly features, we’ve looked at lossless music, streamed straight to your phone, whether a headphone amplifier is a smart purchase, and some of the best full-size headphones you can buy. While you can take a full-size set of cans with you pretty much everywhere you go, they’re far from ideal, and you can’t put them in jacket pocket. As such, this week we’ll be focusing on five of the best in-ear headphones you can buy. Covering a number of different price points, this isn’t a list of “affordable” in-ears, instead we’re going for quality here, and these are five of the best in-ear headphones you can buy for listening on the go, regardless of whether you’re a casual listener or someone who wants something a little more precise. So, let’s get started, shall we?
Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
The Momentum brand has been around for a long time now for Sennheiser, and it’s something many of us have come to go hand-in-hand with both sound quality and good looks. The In-Ear version of the Momentums are fairly self-explanatory, these are good-looking earbuds that just pop in and out of your ears whenever you need them. They sound pretty decent, and at this price they’re a good buy for a set of Sennheiser’s. They come with a carrying pouch and two versions – one for iOS and another for ‘Galaxy’ and Android phones – to make sure you get the experience you’re looking for.
Buy the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear from Amazon.
RHA T10
So you’re looking for something “special”, something designed for those that really care about their music? Well, the RHA T10’s are an excellent set to consider. I recently reviewed these and I was very, very impressed with them. They’re great value for money as well, with the ability to morph into a bassier pair, or a more neutral pair with tuning filters included. There’s a nice looking carrying pouch and enough ear tips to suit even the most sensitive of ear canals. At this sort of price, they’re a great option for someone looking for a set of in-ear monitors without spending the extra or turning to the usual suspects. There are two versions of this as well, the one I recommend is the T10, over the T10i, as even though you lose controls and the microphone, they work with everything and they’re so good you’d be crazy to just use them with only your smartphone.
Bose SoundTrue In-Ear Headphones
Bose headphones seem to be a polarizing brand, people either love them or they hate them. I’ve never been quite sure why that is, I’m not a massive fan, but it’s hard to argue that they make some of the most comfortable – and great sounding – in-ear headphones out there. The SoundTrue is the in-ear pair for those that don’t like in-ear headphones. If you’ve had bad experiences in the past, these should help. They don’t go too far into your ear, the hook keeps them in place without causing any discomfort and as the cherry on top, they sound pretty good as well. They’re not cheap, but they’re not that expensive either, and Bose has a decent record of hard-wearing, and long-lasting products.
Master & Dynamic ME03
While not as spectacular as the Master & Dynamic MH40, the ME03 are a well-crafted pair of in-ear headphones that are hassle free. They come with a very nice sort of Hockey Puck that will look nice on anyone’s desk as well as a canvas pouch to throw in your jacket. The sound signature of these might not blow you away, but it always sounds good, and there really easy to use, just plug them in and play. These are a great compromise between sound quality and looks. If you’re tired of breaking in-ear headphones and you just want a great pair to plug in without the hassle, these are a good option. You read our review here.
Buy the Master & Dynamic ME03 from Amazon.
Soundmagic E10S
Okay, so you want a decent pair of in-ear headphones to take with you, but you don’t want to spend a huge amount of money? That’s understandable, and one of the best ways to do that is to buy the Soundmagic E10S. A decent pair of earphones that punch well above their weight, the Soundmagics aren’t anything fancy, but if you want a pair of in-ear headphones that don’t cost a lot and sound great, then these are the way to go.
