Want to listen to your favorite tunes on the way to work? Try in-ear headphones, which are lighter than headphones and offer excellent isolation, for a rich and powerful sound. Wired or wireless, there's something for everyone (jogging, streaming, transportation...). Here is our guide to the best in-ear headphones today.
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Our selection
"The CX 300S in-ear headphones deliver rich sound for any style of music. Lightweight, they're the perfect accessory for joggers."
"The JBL Tune110 headphones offer a decent sound thanks to the JBL Pure Bass, with a strong bass. With the remote control, you'll be in…"
"Check out the editor's favorite: the Jabra Elite 75T wireless headphones. You'll love the sleek, stylish design and the many attractive features."
"These new Powerbeats feature the Apple H1 chip for improved audio performance and connectivity. The design has also been redesigned so that it doesn't get…"
The CX 300S in-ear headphones deliver rich sound for any style of music. Lightweight, they're the perfect accessory for joggers.
See priceWith the Sennheiser CX 300S, you'll have a pair of wired, in-ear headphones that are comfortable thanks to the 4 different sized eartips: XS, S, M, L. You can experiment to find the best fit and passive isolation to enjoy rich, clear sound: XS, S, M, L. You can experiment to find the best fit and passive isolation to enjoy a rich and clear sound.
Each earpiece has dynamic drivers with an 18-ohm impedance and a frequency range of 17 to 21,000 Hz, with an emphasis on bass. On the 1.2 m cable, you'll find a microphone integrated into a remote control that allows you to take calls, mute or take control of your music: Play and Pause.
The JBL Tune110 headphones offer a decent sound thanks to the JBL Pure Bass, with a strong bass. With the remote control, you'll be in control of your playlist.
See priceThe JBL Tune110 headphones manage to offer a lively and powerful sound, which tends towards a more pronounced bass and a good balance on the mid/bass ratio. A big thanks to the JBL Pure Bass, with an impedance of 16 ohms and a frequency range, less provided in treble, from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz. These wired headphones use flat cables of 1.1 m, which prevents them from getting tangled.
Weighing only 12.7 grams, the JBL Tune110 headphones are also compact, offering a good fit thanks to the silicone tips. The remote control, conveniently located on the cable, gives you control over your MP3 playback. One touch of the one-touch button lets you take calls without taking out your smartphone.
Check out the editor's favorite: the Jabra Elite 75T wireless headphones. You'll love the sleek, stylish design and the many attractive features.
See priceAt first glance, the sleek and elegant design of the Jabra wireless earphones will not leave you indifferent. The earpieces fit easily into the ear canal for remarkable comfort. The 3 silicone tips that come with the device allow you to adjust your earbuds to the size of your ear canal.
Comfortable and convenient, they fit perfectly and the volume control can be done directly from the earphones, by a simple pressure on either side. You can easily isolate yourself from noise with the device's passive noise reduction feature, and Bluetooth 5.0 technology ensures a stable connection with a range of up to 10 meters. The autonomy is more than satisfactory (7h30) and the sound is pleasant. The only drawback: the bass lacks sharpness.
These new Powerbeats feature the Apple H1 chip for improved audio performance and connectivity. The design has also been redesigned so that it doesn't get in the way during use.
120 £ on RakutenThe H1 chip from Apple that equips these Beats headphones ensures better pairing and access to Siri. These headphones are therefore compatible with iOS but also Android. The comfort of use has been rethought compared to the Powerbeats Pro, with the wires that cross the sides of the earphones in the form of hoops. This offers greater freedom from the cable that connects the two speakers. To take advantage of all these new features, the Powerbeats have a battery life of about 15 hours.
The fast charging gives up to 1 hour of autonomy for 5 minutes of charging. On the technical side, we immediately recognize the audio signature of Beats, with a predominance of bass. Perfect for sports, but does not drown your ears thanks to a medium passive isolation. The two specially filtered microphones clearly pick up your voice, with noise reduction, for clear and crisp phone conversations.
Any specific needs?
The best in-ear monitors in 2021
The best entry-level in-ear monitors
The best high-end in-ear monitors
Your guide :
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| TOP OF THE LINE | CHEAP | TOP OF THE LINE | EXCELLENT | |
In accordance with our commitment, this buying guide does not contain any sponsored products. |
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| OUR SELECTION |
In-Ear Headphones - Sennheiser CX 300S
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JBL Tune110
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Jabra Elite 75T
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Beats Powerbeat
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The CX 300S in-ear headphones deliver rich sound for any style of music. Lightweight, they're the perfect accessory for joggers.
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The JBL Tune110 headphones offer a decent sound thanks to the JBL Pure Bass, with a strong bass. With the remote control, you'll be in control of your playlist.
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Check out the editor's favorite: the Jabra Elite 75T wireless headphones. You'll love the sleek, stylish design and the many attractive features.
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These new Powerbeats feature the Apple H1 chip for improved audio performance and connectivity. The design has also been redesigned so that it doesn't get in the way during use.
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Sound quality
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Compatible with voice assistants Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant
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Comfort
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Equalizer via the Jabra Sound+ app
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Microphone
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Advanced 4-microphone technology
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Weight
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12 g
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13 g
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26,3 g
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Insulation
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Passive
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Passive
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Passive
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Currently, the majority of in-ear headphone manufacturers include different types of ear tips with their headphones. They do this because they understand the importance of fit and listening comfort for their users. After your purchase, you can now try out your devices at home and if the fit is not to your liking, simply change the tip to find your optimal listening comfort. For more flexibility, it is also possible to find tips, of different qualities, in stores or on online platforms that will fit perfectly with the different existing models.
There are two kinds of in-ear earphones on the market: the good old models without control, just the sound, and the new ones with a microphone and a remote control either on the cable or on the earbuds. Nowadays, headphones with a microphone are more convenient, because they allow you to make calls without having to remove your earphones. In addition, the good models have advanced functions that allow the device to recognize the type of phone. When it comes to sound quality, there is no longer a noticeable difference between the two types of headphones.
In order to evaluate the sound quality of the headphones, you need to take into account the frequency response, or frequency range, and the impedance, or resistance.
For short, it's the ability of the device to reproduce a sound, including bass, treble, and midrange, in all their complexities. Theoretically, humans can perceive sounds from 20 Hz, the lowest value, to 20,000 Hz, the maximum. To make your choice, it will be wise to look at the quality of the music source you are used to listening to. Moreover, it is necessary to know how to decipher these two values, because you will be able to find models with a frequency of 4 Hz to 14 000 Hz more powerful than another with 15 Hz to 20 000 Hz. The value quoted first represents a particular frequency spectrum and the second another frequency. For a headphone to be considered Hi-fi, it will have to respect this specific range: from 15 Hz to 25,000 Hz. That's a nice way to start, but if you want more definition, choose a headphone with 5 Hz to 40,000 Hz. Next, you need to consider the encoding quality of your MP3s. An MP3 with 128 kbps quality will obscure some frequencies beyond 14 kHz, and you won't be able to improve your listening quality even with better headphones without better encoding quality.
This is the amount of current that must flow through an earphone for it to reproduce the frequency range sound spectrum. Impedance is extremely related to frequency response and is expressed in ohms. The required value for a good in-ear monitor is between 16 and 32 ohms. However, you should know that connecting a conventional headphone with a higher impedance to your smartphone will not improve the sound quality, the volume will be low. This will result in increased consumption of your battery, only.
The last feature to consider will be the shape of your headphones. The hooped models, which wrap around your ears, have a better fit, regardless of your activities. The small downside will be the isolation quality, as you won't be able to place your devices better inside your ears. Traditional in-ear monitors, which fit directly into the ear, have better isolation. But they can cause discomfort after long listening sessions and can fall out if not placed properly.
A lot of people who want to buy in-ear headphones do so to allow them to listen to music while jogging. The problem with wired models is that the cables can quickly become annoying. It's ideal for accompanying you when you're reading a book or streaming in front of your PC.
For sports, we recommend you turn to TWS headphones. When using them, you have complete freedom of movement, without any constraints. However, choose models with IPX certification, as you need to protect your device from sweat and dust.
There are different types of in-ear monitors to suit your tastes and usage. For example, the presence of wire may annoy some, while others will appreciate. We present to you, below, the 3 most common types on the market.
Wired in-ear earphones
are the most common type of earphones on the market. On these types of devices, there is almost no loss of sound, as frequencies and electricity flow through the cable for better sound reliability. They are also the cheapest on the market and you can find them with rubber or plastic wires. The disadvantage is the presence of the wires when playing sports or doing outdoor activities. They become a nuisance.
Bluetooth models, also called wireless, are becoming more and more the norm. These in-ear models don't require any wires, but they work through the Bluetooth function
of your devices. Just pair them up and you're set! Thanks to Bluetooth 4.2, these devices now reproduce a rich sound with little cut-off when playing your MP3s. Unlike a wired model, which is completely self-contained, wireless devices depend on their battery life.
True Wireless headphones or TWS are new and it's the new rage among young people. Here, neither wire nor any material connects the two earbuds. The Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi, system is directly implanted in each piece of earbuds. Even though the sound quality of these devices now rivals that of other types of in-ear monitors, you should definitely opt for models with a Bluetooth 5.0 version. Otherwise, many users report cases of untimely deactivation.
Passive isolation is the basic isolation provided by the shape and tips of the earphones. On in-ear headphones, this type of isolation works well because the earpiece fits snugly inside your ears and is quite deep. It is the listening comfort that will be lacking here, as some manufacturers equip their product with low-end materials. This causes discomfort during prolonged listening.
Active isolation is more technical, because it is a technological function and not due to the quality of the earmolds. Its function will be to limit the noises thanks to a mini component which will carry out what is called phase inversion. After analyzing the noise, the component diffuses a sound to muffle the nuisance. As examples, we can quote the QuietComfort technologies of Bose or Ath of Audio-Technica.
When choosing your speakers, it is wise to buy models that combine both features. Active isolation can be disabled if you find that passive isolation is doing a good job. However, if your earphones only have passive isolation, you will not be able to install any other noise cancelling mechanism.
Maintenance
An earphone is made up of electronic components that are sensitive to dirt that can accumulate on them after several uses. This can damage it. It is therefore important to clean it regularly. First, you should remove the nozzle and clean it with clear, soapy water. If there is any dirt debris on the earpiece, brush it gently with a toothbrush or a conventional brush.
Wires
When
you have wired headphones, the biggest problem is tidying the wires. If they get too tangled up, it can damage your wiring. So, when you use it and there is too much wire, you can fold it into a figure of 8 and store it in your pocket. In case you don't plan to use it for a long time, you can fold it into a figure 8 and hold it with a hair clip.
The left or the right!
It's
probably happened to everyone, and more than once, to wonder if it's the right or left earpiece you're holding in your hand. There is a simple trick, just put different colored tips on each earpiece.
Use an equalizer
It
happens that we are not satisfied with the sound produced by our earphones. Sometimes this is directly related to the audio performance of the device, smartphone or tablet. In order to correct this, you can get an equalizer from Play Store, for example. Bluetooth and TWS models, in general, come with a native app with an equalizer.
Recharge your batteries
If
you have wireless headphones, remember to charge them overnight. That way, you can enjoy them during the day. In addition, the TWS, True Wireless headphones case also serves as a battery backup that can extend the life of your headphones.
The best in-ear headphones depend on your needs and budget. Read our buying guide to find the best products out there.
Yes, the in-ear monitor is a type of monitor that fits and conforms perfectly to the inside of your ear. This way, the isolation of the device is almost complete. For your information, there are 3 types of earphones: button, in-ear and semi-in-ear.
The average battery life of a wireless headset is between 4 and 10 hours and you can double that with the case on the TWS models.
For less than €20, you can get one, like the cheap model we offer in our recommended products. If you want to buy a more powerful device, it will cost you 50 euros and it can reach 100 euros, and more, for the top-of-the-range models.
Some smartphone manufacturers no longer equip their products with a jack plug. If this is your case, you should opt for the wireless models.
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