In-Ear Monitors

The Meze Alba are an interesting pair of earbuds, especially if you're looking for a refined bass experience. It feels like a huge step up in terms of sound compared to general consumer earbuds. However, it doesn't have general consumer-facing features such as a microphone.

If you are looking for high-quality IEMs for a premium music listening experience, the Kiwi Ears Septet deliver.

The Truthear Hexa is an inexpensive, higher-quality IEM that should satisfy creators and music listeners alike. Wired IEMs have seen a lot of really awesome models released in the last 5 years, and the Truthear Hexa is a standout among the under-$100 crowd.

If you're getting into IEMs as a hobby, the Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red is a good place to start. It sounds good, it offers a slew of customization options, and looks slick to boot. It's just gravy that it's also affordable.

The Tangzu Wan'er S.G. are competent in-ear monitors at a meager price. These IEMs exemplify why the bargain in-ear market has such ardent fans.

The Etymotic ER2SE is a great piece of hardware for enthusiasts. As with all Etymotic IEMs, you’re paying for sheer performance rather than gimmicks. The detachable housings elongate the ER2SE lifespan as listeners can easily replace the cable if it frays.

The Moondrop Chu III is a fully metal IEM under $30 with a slightly vocal-forward sound that works well for music and casual gaming. However, the isolation is below average for IEMs, and it isn't great in competitive FPS gaming.

If you like earbuds, but you're looking to grab a decent set of wired in-ear monitors: the KZ ZS10 Pro aren't a bad buy by any means. Though the space has gotten crowded in the last five years, these earbuds are still pretty decent for what they do.

The Linsoul 7Hz Salnotes Zero are incredibly inexpensive, decently-performing in-ear monitors. Though wired earbuds have fallen out of vogue with the mass market, dedicated wired enthusiasts can enjoy very low-cost earbuds if they're okay with a cable.

The Shure SE215 sound pretty good, look the part, and isolate like a champ. You don't need any additional purchases to make them work for most applications, and they are priced competitively for what they do. While universal fit IEMs are rarely "universal," the SE215 stay put without discomfort.

The 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear has its faults but remains a great pair of earbuds, and a steal for less than $100 USD. The durable cable and solid audio quality make these earbuds a must-have for anyone who wants a plug-and-play solution.

A satisfactory upgrade over the Moondrop Chu, the Moondrop Chu II now fit better and ship with a removable cable. They're reasonably comfortable and sound good. Plus, they're cheap!

If all you care about is sound quality and want to ditch the wires, Shure's earbuds sound great. Still, the AONIC 215 comes up short in almost every other aspect of what you'd want from a pair of portable buds.

Sennheiser really nails it on excellent isolation, proving that you don't need apps and noise cancellation to quiet the world. In a highly digital world, the aluminum housing reminds us that humans still like nicely made objects.

If you know how to EQ, the Moondrop Space Travel 2 can be worth it for the EQ tools alone. If you want to have an enjoyable pair of earbuds out of the box, get the previous version instead.

With 10 balanced armature drivers, the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II are powerful in-ear monitors for professionals and enthusiasts.

A complete redesign from the original THIEAUDIO Hype, from the drivers to the solid CNC aluminum body.