Earbuds are great for just about any application; from going to the gym, on the plane or at the office, there’s a pair of earbuds that will match your needs. The biggest appeal of in-ear headphones is their size. While on-ear and over-ear headphones can be bulky and heavy, a pair of earbuds takes up next to no space and weighs even less. This makes them great travel companions. Despite their size, earbuds rarely sacrifice sound quality in comparison to their on-ear and over-ear counterparts and can even outperform them. Finding the right pair for you can be a tricky proposition, so we’ve created this list of our 5 favorite in-ear headphones.

Westone W40

Westone W40

  • 4-way quad balanced armature driver in-ear monitors
  • Unique detachable cable design
  • Outstanding sound quality
  • Lightweight earpiece design for maximum comfort
  • Comes with secondary cable with in-line controls for iOS devices
  • Current Price: $499.99

 


“Westone’s W40 offer supreme clarity, ravishing detail, and astonishing dynamic expression, placing them in meager company within the hi-fi landscape. – Ryan Waniata, Digital Trends

 


 

Phiaton BT 220 NC

Phiaton BT 220 NC

  • Bluetooth 4.0 in-ear headphones with aptX and NFC
  • Built-in active noise cancelling
  • Full in-line controls with microphone
  • Clear Voice Capture for crystal clear hands-free phone calls
  • Everplay-X technology allows for listening to music after the battery dies
  • Current Price: $159.00

 


“For the price, the BT 220 NC delivers a quality level of noise cancellation that is better than expected.” – Tim Gideon, PC Mag


 

SMS Audio BioSport

SMS Audio BioSport

  • In-ear athletic headphones
  • Biometric heart rate monitor tracks your workout
  • Compatible with most leading fitness apps through your smartphone
  • IPX sweat and water resistance rating perfect for gym use
  • Powered by your phone; no batteries required
  • Current Price: $149.95

 


“If heart-rate monitoring is important to you, SMS Audio’s BioSport earbuds are more convenient than you might think. Not only do you not have to wear something on your wrist or around your chest, but you also don’t have to worry about running out of batteries.” – Sarah Purewal, Techhive.com

 


 

NVX EX10S

NVX EX10S

  • Premium in-ear monitors
  • Large 11mm high fidelity drivers produce outstanding sound quality
  • Unique pivoting eartips for comfortable fit for any ear type
  • Three dimensional audio reproduction for the ultimate listening experience
  • Coated cable for convenient tangle-free operation
  • Current Price: $39.99

 


“Vocals have a great sound to them having a clean sound that’s placed well in the soundstage being center but not too forward. Guitars sound clean as well with every string able to be heard separately.” – Keanex, User Review – Head-Fi.org

 


 

Sennheiser IE 80

Sennheiser IE 80

  • Luxurious wired in-ear headphone monitors
  • Special neodymium magnets ensure outstanding sound quality
  • Unique bass tuning screws allow you to precisely adjust the bass in each earpiece
  • Sleek design for both comfort and durability
  • Excellent sound isolation
  • Current Price: $329.99

 


“The iE80s have excellent separation and clarity. They dig out a serious amount of detail, which you’d arguably be expecting at this kind of money; Arcade Fire’s Ready To Start ticks along nicely with rhythmic, punchy drum kicks and zingy guitar, while the very natural-sounding vocals shine through.What Hi-Fi?

 


 

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