Against the background of plugs (vacuum headphones), the demand for earbuds is gradually falling. Of course, the headset that we will consider this time does not have as much noise insulation as we would like. In addition, inserts, drops, or tablets, as they are also called, are less convenient in their form factor. However, in our ranking of the best in-ear headphones of 2022, you can find a headset that still holds its own. Of course, Apple and other popular giant companies play a significant role in this, supporting the segment with simply amazing products, despite their, frankly speaking, weaknesses. As you understand, speakers, characteristics and options can eliminate many form factor nuances. In the budget segment, earbuds even have advantages compared to plugs, but we’ll talk about everything in order in our list of worthy models.
Best Cheap In-Ear Headphones
No matter what anyone says, the overwhelming majority of budget earbuds are superior in bass level to their inexpensive vacuum counterparts. Yes, in terms of noise insulation they are inferior to their competitors, but for a wide target audience they are still considered an effective solution. We tried to make a selection of good models, taking into account the weaknesses of a budget headset in this class. Naturally, we are talking about wired headphones, because we are considering solutions in the entry-level price category.
Panasonic RP-HV094
Our Top 10 In-Ear Headphones opens with the entry-level model of the Panasonic RP-HV094 series, which is suitable for a huge number of gadgets. Of course, it would be strange to use such a headset to connect to an Apple smartphone, but still. The headset has the most advanced dynamic drivers in its price category and a good design. Support for a frequency range from 20 to 20 thousand Hz is provided. Among the strengths we can note is good volume, which partly offsets poor sound insulation. Connection is made using a double-sided cable and a 3.5 mm Jack connector.
Pros:
- good volume;
- sensitivity level;
- probably the best speakers for this price;
- good design.
Minuses:
- sound insulation.
HUAWEI AM115
If you are looking for inexpensive earbuds with a good microphone, you should pay attention to the iconic HUAWEI AM115 model. This headset has a neat, aesthetic design. On each earcup you can find sound guides, compensation holes and metal meshes. The controls were placed on a wire leading to the right earpiece. With its help, you can adjust the volume, you can receive/end calls, and move on to the next song. In terms of control and sound quality, the model is only inferior to a couple of lines from its South Korean competitor. But they are more expensive.
Pros:
- good microphone;
- excellent control;
- good sound;
- low price.
Minuses:
- Ergonomics are not for everyone.
Samsung EO-EG920
Another model of affordable but good in-ear headphones that appealed to a huge target audience. In general, this is not surprising, because the developer is a South Korean electronics manufacturer. The developer himself positions this headset as an entry-level product with basic functionality and good dynamic drivers for this class. The diameter of the speakers is 12 mm with an impedance of 32 Ohms. Judging by customer reviews, this headset allows you to enjoy good volume even with low output stage power due to frequency amplification. This is a huge advantage of the Samsung EO-EG920 compared to its analogues, which cannot do anything when connected to weak phones. In addition, the manufacturer made sure to have a long cable of 1.2 meters with a durable straight plug.
Pros:
- sound amplification;
- good speakers;
- resistance level;
- build quality.
Minuses:
- not found.
Xiaomi Dual-Unit
If you have not yet decided which good earbuds to choose at a low cost, you should probably pay attention to the Xiaomi Dual-Unit model. This headset is Hi-Res Audio certified, indicating high-quality sound. In addition, the earbuds operate in the frequency range from 20 to 40 thousand Hz. According to customer reviews, the device perfectly reproduces high and smooth frequencies. For convenience, there is a good control panel, as well as a built-in microphone. Thanks to the L-shaped plug, maximum operating comfort is achieved. The design does not cause any complaints.
Pros:
- frequency range;
- smooth bottoms;
- build quality;
- Hi-Res Audio certificate.
Minuses:
- not found.
JBL T205
The best budget in-ear headphones of 2022 are the JBL T205 model, which is not surprising, knowing the reputation of this manufacturer. Despite its affordable price, this headset boasts support for JBL Pure Bass technology, a flat cable and a protective case included. The manufacturer offers four headset design options for users to choose from. The design of this headset has 12.5 mm emitters. Judging by the frequency response of actual tests, the headphones are excellent for modern electronic and club music. We are pleased with the robust design, as well as thoughtful controls: only one multimedia button is used to play music, stop and switch music tracks.
Pros:
- Pure Bass support;
- large speakers;
- the cable does not get tangled;
- simple controls.
Minuses:
- not found.
Full size
The rating includes the best monitor headphones from four brands.
V-Moda Crossfade M-100
A device with great sound and plenty of bass. It is distinguished by an abundance of leather and a minimum of plastic in its design.
The headphones can be folded, resulting in a semicircular shape and compactness.
The cable is single-sided, so it connects to any cup. The leather ear pads are pleasant to the touch, sealed, and have good noise insulation. There is only one button on the remote control that allows you to answer a call or record a speech.
Advantages:
- “bass” sound;
- compactness;
- original design.
Flaws:
- fragility;
- high cost - 17886 rubles.
Prices for V-Moda Crossfade M-100:
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Plantronics BackBeat Pro
Wireless full-size headphones designed for listening to music indoors. The device is universal in terms of operation and copes equally well with playing music and games. Produces excellent sound, dominated by rich deep bass, driving highs and smooth mids.
They can work day and night without a wire, and a wired connection is also possible.
Advantages:
- the sound is velvety and pleasant;
- unlimited functionality;
- fit comfortably on the ears.
Flaws:
- quite massive;
- expensive (13,990 rubles).
Plantronics BackBeat Pro prices:
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Sennheiser HD 215 II
A device with excellent sound and a number of other useful functions.
One of the best of its kind, ideal for listening at home.
It has a minimalist design; the elegance of the headphones was not in the first place when created. These headphones will last a long time and sit comfortably on your head. Good for DJs.
Advantages:
- excellent detailed sound;
- the wire is removed;
- good sound insulation;
- acceptable cost - 4490 rubles.
Flaws:
- dimensions.
Prices for Sennheiser HD 215 II:
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The best in-ear headphones for price and quality
This section presents TWS headphones (no wires), which, both in price and quality, are not inferior to many vacuum analogues. Consequently, an excellent noise reduction system is implemented.
JBL Tune 225TWS Ghost Edition
The mid-price model from JBL Tune 225TWS Ghost Edition series with a good bass level and a capacious 85 mAh battery completes the rating of in-ear headphones. The case, in turn, has 850 mAh. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge the headset. Autonomous operation without a case reaches 6-7 hours, depending on the intensity of use. One of the disadvantages is the noticeable pressure in the ear when pressing the buttons. However, this is a common phenomenon for this type of headphones. The main highlight of this series is JBL Pure Bass technology. It feels like it’s extremely difficult to understand exactly what genre the product was created for listening to. In our opinion, this is a great option for pop music, considering the price.
Pros:
- JBL Pure Bass technology;
- good case;
- good brand;
- price-quality ratio.
Minuses:
- pressure by pressing buttons.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
When looking for good wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones, many buyers prefer a simplified version of the famous Samsung Galaxy Buds line, which has a more affordable price tag, but essentially the same sound quality. The headset from the South Korean brand has 12mm dynamic drivers that deliver amazing high and low frequencies. There is support for the AAC codec, and the noise reduction system is good. In addition, the manufacturer paid due attention to the quality of the microphone. If you believe customer comments, the battery life easily reaches 6 hours. Fast charging is provided (5 minutes for 1 hour of autonomy).
Pros:
- autonomy time;
- fast charging;
- excellent lows;
- AAC codec support.
Minuses:
- middle (pop) notes.
HUAWEI FreeBuds 3
It is unlikely that this model needs presentation among music lovers, because TWS in-ear headphones HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 have excellent noise reduction and good sound of different frequencies. To transmit sound, speakers that are quite large for this class are used, the size of which is 14.2 millimeters. At the same time, the powerful Bluetooth 5.1 standard is implemented, which effectively transmits music at a distance of up to 10 meters from the sound source. The battery capacity is only 4 hours, as a compact 30 mAh battery is implemented. But thanks to the 410 mAh case, you can extend the battery life, up to 20 hours. A USB-C charging cable is provided to charge the battery. There are no complaints about the active noise reduction system.
Pros:
- large speakers;
- new Bluetooth 5.1 standard;
- active noise cancellation;
- autonomy with a case.
Minuses:
- Autonomous operation without a case.
Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2S
We are talking about new high-quality in-ear headphones, which are positioned as a universal headset. The Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic model has an ergonomic design, which indicates that the device is securely placed in the ear. The diameter of the speakers is 14.2 mm with a resistance of 32 ohms. The balanced sound can also be attributed to the support of a wide frequency range: from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The headphones operate based on the current Bluetooth 5.0 module. It is worth emphasizing the support for AAC codecs, as well as SBC. The declared range of action reaches 20 meters. The microphone has an excellent noise reduction system. Without a case, this headset can work for about 5 hours.
Pros:
- support for different codecs;
- balanced sound;
- speaker size;
- autonomy time;
- Bluetooth 5.0 support.
Minuses:
- not found.
Apple AirPods 2
The best in-ear headphones of 2022 are the premium model Apple AirPods 2. The updated version of the already legendary line is powered by an energy-efficient Apple H1 proprietary processor. Indeed, this is one of the most stable and powerful headsets on the market. Autonomous operation has not actually changed compared to its predecessor. As before, the gadget can work up to 5 hours with an active level of listening to your favorite musical compositions. During a conversation, it reaches 3 hours of autonomy. Talking about frequency response in this case is useless, because the sound quality of these headphones has no compromise. Let's note more options. In particular, voice commands are now available through the intelligent assistant Siri.
Pros:
- improved functionality;
- good stable chip;
- amazing sound;
- excellent ergonomics;
- stable performance over time.
Minuses:
- not found.
Earin M-1 Wireless – the smallest vacuum wireless headphones
The Earin M-1 Wireless are considered small wireless headphones themselves, the body of which manages to accommodate not only speakers, but also a battery that lasts for 3 hours with continuous playback. The narrow body, only 14 mm wide, makes the earbuds practically invisible in the ear, and the anatomical shape of the ear pads contributes to a strong fit, even during running or other active movements.
Advantages:
- The headphones come with a metal case. It serves both for storage and transportation, and for charging them;
- the case allows you to fully charge the headphones at least 3 times;
- built-in reinforcement drivers with a balanced Knowles SR-Siren armature, which are distinguished by sound accuracy;
- Bluetooth 4.0 technology with AptX support;
- protection from water and dust;
- three pairs of additional ear pads.
Flaws:
- high price considering that the headphones do not have a microphone or any additional functions. These are just headphones and that’s it, for which you will have to pay almost 15 thousand rubles;
- lacks bass.
How to choose the right in-ear headphones?
It’s worth noting right away that you need to start directly from the price tag if you don’t know how to choose good in-ear headphones. At the same time, there is no point in buying an expensive headset if the sound source is an old or inexpensive smartphone without support for modern codecs, including aptX HD or LDAC. Among other things, it is necessary to take into account the frequency response (you can watch reviews of headsets, where bloggers share actual tests when listening to different types of compositions). You can also pay attention to the technical specifications:
- Resistance (Ohm);
- Frequency range (Hz);
- Sensitivity (dB).
Which connection is better: wired or wireless?
Today, high-cost wired models are rare. In this sense, they have an advantage over Bluetooth headsets. Previously, many experts believed that a wireless network could not achieve the same sound, but this is no longer true. Models with support for the aptX codec are in no way inferior.
What sensitivity indicator is optimal for earbuds?
Here we must start from the fact that the human ear perceives frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, so it is clearly not worth trusting brand marketing and indicators higher than stated. You simply won't feel the difference. It is optimal for headphones to support frequencies as close as possible to the perceptual capabilities of our ears.
Which noise reduction should you choose?
Actually, choosing between passive and active noise reduction technology is not difficult. Obviously, passive isolation in the form of seals is inferior to a more advanced active system if you want to enjoy clear sound. But such pleasure costs more.
