PORTABLE HEADPHONES

BIN THE BUNDLED BUDS AND INVEST IN BETTER SOUND

Soundmagic E11C £40

Best wired in-ear headphones under £50, Awards 2021 ★★★★★ The latest version of Soundmagic’s budget in-ears continues to impress with a full-bodied, energetic and informative sound. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m

Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd £69

April 2019 ★★★★★

You’ll struggle to find a better pair of in-ear headphones costing less than £70 than these Beyerdynamics.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m

Sennheiser Momentum M2 IEI £70

Best in-ears £50-£100, Awards 2017 ★★★★★

You wouldn’t think anything so small could sound quite so good – not for just £70. But they are wonderfully smooth, expressive and balanced. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m

Klipsch T5M Wired £70

Best wired in-ear headphones £50-£100, Awards 2021 ★★★★★ Not only do they have some of the most comfortable tips around, but these T5M Wireds also show a maturity that’s rare at this price. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m

Shure Aonic 3 £190

Best wired in-ear headphones over £100, Awards 2021 ★★★★★ Breathtakingly musical and comfy to wear, the Shure Aonic 3s set a new benchmark for in-ear headphones at this level.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m

Sony WI-1000X £206

February 2018 ★★★★★

The best of both worlds thanks to great sound and fine noise-cancelling capabilities. Absolutely worth your time and money.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1m

AKG N40 £249

Best in-ears £300+, Awards 2018 ★★★★★

These sound great, but you’ll need a decent portable DAC and hi-res tracks to make the most of them, so they’re not for the casual user. In-line controls No Cable length 1.2m

Shure KSE1500 £2549

November 2016 ★★★★★

At this price they won’t be for everyone, but they are the finest in-ears we’ve heard and arguably one of the best headphones money can buy. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m