Since the introduction of the Apple’s iPod and then the iPhone, the earbuds have been a useful little addition on all these products.
The earbuds are convenient, easy to use and are very portable.
With the introduction of the iPhone, the quality of earbuds skyrocketed. Nowadays, we can all enjoy top quality audio with any of the following earbuds.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Sony MDR-XB50AP/L Extra Bass Earbud Headset | Best Overall |  |
| Betron BS10 Earphones | Budget Pick |  |
| Bose SoundSport Free | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Sony MDR-XB50AP/L Extra Bass Earbud Headset
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Powerful bass tones
- Central mic for calls
- Stylish design
- Excellent sound for the price range
Cons:
- Plastic construction
- Bass is boomy
- Single button in-line remote.
These Sony earbuds are one of the best earbuds for anyone concerned with sound quality looking for a reasonable price. Their design is pretty trendy, as they tend to be a bit on the funky side.
However, the sound quality is worth the look. The bass is very powerful, and the mids and highs are clear and accurate. Sony has used their Extra Bass technology to provide a very solid bass through these earbuds, which is rare to find in a quality earbud set.
Fortunately, the mids and highs are not sacrificed in the process. Sound quality is usually adjusted to emphasize bass, but the sound is well balanced to please most users. Sound quality is only matched by a few costly earphones on the market, which is quite a feat for earbuds.
2. Jabra Elite 65t Earbuds
Pros:
- Great sound quality
- Very secure. They fit nicely into ear and stay put
- Very convenient in-line controls
- Alexa Allows for voice controls and additional apps
- Comes with a charging case that can go up to 24 hours (depending on usage)
- Very comfortable
- Has a nice long (almost one-foot) cord
- Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- Reasonably priced
- Customizable ear tips, wingtips, and ear fins
Cons:
- Not waterproof
- Pricier than average earbuds
- Can’t control music
- Sound quality is not the best when separated, but that’s to be expected from true wireless earbuds
- Considerably lighter than competing earbuds
If offers top quality Bose sound and service. Sound quality and noise cancellation are amazing and they stay in your ears nicely when working out.
3. Apple AirPods
The Best Sound Quality Earbuds in 2016 is Apple AirPods. Apple has proved in the last few years that it has very good sound quality. And its new product, Apple AirPods, lives up to the expectation.
Reviews show that Apple AirPods has good sound quality. Two people can talk on their phone and listen to music without needing to hold an array of different devices. It does a decent job in noise cancelling and many users even think it’s better than many competitors.
Apple AirPods features a decent 5 hours talk time and 3 hours music time per charge. Plus, it only takes a short time to charge up to three hours of talk or music. The charge case gives 24 hours talk time or 15 hours of music time, so you can enjoy a week of battery life with them before you need to charge them up.
4. Betron BS10 Earphones
Pros:
- Good sound
- Active noise cancellation
- Affordable
- Comfortable ear hooks
- Three sizes of flexible rubber ear tips
- Durable design
Cons:
- Cords don’t tangle-free
- Canal is on the small side
- Built in remote control for phones might be a bit difficult to use
1 Year Warranty.
This model of earbud includes a built in remote control that offers many functions so you get more than your money’s worth. You can adjust the volume and even play, pause, and skip music. The sound quality is good for the price, making these earbuds a solid option for those who are looking for the best cheap earbuds available.
This model offers active noise cancellation in addition to a solid sound quality for the price. It may not be for all ears, as some have noticed a little discomfort when wearing these. If you find they do not work for you, you may want to consider another model to find the best earbuds for the money.
5. Bose SoundSport
Pros:
- Comfortable to wear
- Sweat proof
- Sturdy carrying case
- Sound quality is exceptional
Cons:
- These headphones are not noise cancelling
- There are no volume controls on the earbuds
- You cannot use wired earbuds in case the battery runs out
You can opt for either Apple or Android devices and this model is compatible with the leading digital music players.
This pair has an exceptional battery life. The company provides you with a one-year warranty. The earbuds are available in two colors: classic aqua and black.
The Bose earbuds features a microphone and a skip-ahead button. The good thing about these earphones is that you don’t always have to be connected to your device for music. You can choose to connect via Bluetooth or wired mode.
6. Bose SoundSport Free
Pros:
- Sweatproof
- Good battery
- Good sound
- Comfortable
- Track selection can be skipped directly
- Good design
- Lightweight
- Connects to more than one device
Cons:
- Battery runs out quick
- Occasional issues with pairing
- Connectivity can be an issue
- Mids not as good as high or lows
- Earpieces tend to be big for small ears
(Discontinued by Manufacturer)
These Bose earbuds are great for exercise and working out. It is not supposed to be the best sounding earbud, about even with a good pair of headphones. I have some now. The sound is very good, and they do cancel out sound well enough. I have not tested them extensively for use with music, but when I tested them briefly they sounded very good.
For everyday use, they are great. Battery lasts long enough for me to run errands and such, and I don't care about how I look or how much I hear, all I care about is that I can hear and be aware of my surroundings.
7. KZ ES3 Dynamic Hybrid Dual Driver in Ear Headphones
Pros:
- Incredibly lightweight
- Slim, attractive design
- Great quality for the price, sturdy build
- Sound quality is better than most earbuds cost more
- Great option for those who want a good set of in-ear headphones but don’t want to break the bank
- Comes with 2 sizes of silicone caps as well as the removable comply foam option
- Has a microphone for phone calls, but it’s not the highest quality
- Earbud headphones stay in ears quite well because of how lightweight they are
- Good for all kinds of music genres, not just bass heavy ones
Cons:
- Build quality is decent but there are no fancy features that will make an audiophile drool
- Bass could be a little better
These headphones from an up and coming Chinese company are designed to be lightweight but powerful. You get a driver configuration of 11mm neodymium + 4mm tweeter inside of the plastic casing that sits at the end of a long flexible cable. We found that they were able to put out plenty of volume, so you can enjoy some music even in a crowded environment.
8. Samsung Gear IconX
Pros:
- Affordable
- Long battery life (up to five hours)
- Highly comfortable
- Excellent sound quality
- Connects to your smartphone
Cons:
- Clip-based design isn’t secure, making it easy to lose the buds while working out
- You can’t track calories with the earbuds since they lack a heart-rate sensor
If you’re looking for the best earbuds without a cord, the Samsung Gear IconX are one of the best options to consider. These sports earbuds are both sweat- and water-resistant, and have a five-hour battery life, which is much longer than in most options.
You can listen to music and take calls on the IconX using your Bluetooth connected smartphone. To improve their stability, both ear buds come with silicone ear tips that also give them a secure fit so you don’t have to worry about them falling out during a tough workout. Plus, there’s a special touchpad on one of the earbuds that allows to control your music or accept calls. However, some users have reported having trouble with the touchpad feature on the earbuds.
9. Wireless Headphones
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the best earbuds for sound quality?
Donʼt cheap out with the speakers when you consider earbuds. The speaker design, especially the size and the quality of the speaker drivers, directly translate into the quality of sound you will hear.
Only true audiophiles should be using earbuds because even though they can’t match earphones or headphones that rest over the ear, you can still feel the bass better with earbuds. Any earbuds with a flat profile should have the best bass response and overall frequency range. Those that sit in the ear canal may simulate the bass response more than actually provide it.
What are the best earbuds for 2022?
While it may not be a commonly used feature in sport earbuds, a lot of users are beginning to understand the benefits of extra bass.
If you are an active listener who likes to blast your favorite songs on the way to the gym, a few extra bassy beats in your ear is going to help you power through that last set. Some earbuds come with extra bass built-in, but if your earbuds don’t have it, don’t worry as you can always purchase an external beat enhancement system.
Do earbuds affect sound quality?
The physical structure of earbuds directly affects sound quality. Unfortunately, they do it in a way that is unfavorable to most.
When listening to earbuds it is common to experience a muffled sound, especially when there is ambient noise. This is to be expected. Earbuds can only function as well as the structures from which they are being transmitted: your ear canal.
The shifting of sound waves within the outer and inner ear structures can make noise sound muddy, blurry, or otherwise bad. It can also affect the volume of any music playback. Because of this, we have to admit that even great quality earbuds are not that superb.
Conclusion
For this list, we bought a couple of extremely popular earphones from some of the most popular earphones brands. We set out to see if we can find earphones that are not just popular, but ranks highly in terms of both performance and value.
We looked for the earbuds that offers the best sound quality for its price, and ones that have consistently received good ratings from owners and professional reviewers.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Sony MDR-XB50AP/L Extra Bass Earbud Headset | Best Overall | |
| Betron BS10 Earphones | Budget Pick | |
| Bose SoundSport Free | Upgrade Pick | |