Earphones as gifts

An earphone can make for a great holiday gift for yourself or another. Ditching stock earbuds or upgrading from a lesser model can make a huge difference in musical enjoyment while additional features such as noise isolation or built-in headset functionality can make a commute much more comfortable and convenient. For many users it makes sense to own multiple sets of headphones for different purposes.

These days you really don’t have to spend a fortune to give the gift of great sound with an in-ear earphone – in the past year or two there have been quite a few fantastic releases costing less than $50.

Great – which ones do I get?

There are thousands of earphones out there and choosing between them can be tough. That’s where The Headphone List comes in. As usual, we have simplified things with just a few top picks out of the 100s of earphones we have tested for each of five different criteria – sound quality, noise isolation, durability, fit appropriate for small ears, and sports use. If you need a recommendation with another purpose in mind, just let us know in the comments below.

Willing to spend more or looking for a particular sound? Check out our more expansive earphone buyer’s guide, which groups sets by sound signature and offers options across different budgets.

Lastly, keep in mind the importance of a good fit with your earphones. Most in-ears were designed to maintain a tight seal with the ear canal and their sound quality will suffer tremendously with a poor fit. Check out our earphone fit guide for tips on wearing your in-ear headphones properly.

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Sound Quality

The most important selection criteria, and with good reason. Our picks here are earphones that blew us away with their sound and, at <$50, their value for money as well.

Top Pick: VSonic VSD1S

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VSonic’s brand recognition stateside leaves a lot to be desired but the name is very familiar to audiophiles in Asia, and deservingly so.

Their newest earphone, the VSD1S, offers an accurate, yet energetic sound with good bass impact, fantastic clarity, and a spacious soundstage. It even incorporates an articulating nozzle feature never before seen on an earphone in this price range. I prefer the VSD1S to its sister earphone, the VSD1, for its smoother treble.

Overall, the VSD1S offers 90% of the performance of VSonic’s highly-regarded GR07 Bass Edition model at 1/4 the price. Enough said.

Read ljokerl’s full review on InnerFidelity here.

Best Earphones With Mic/Remote: SteelSeries Flux In-Ear

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This in-ear earphone from gaming peripheral manufacturer SteelSeries took me by surprise with its audio quality, which easily puts it among the very best earphones in its class. It’s a great all-rounder with a warm tonal character, punchy and extended bass, good treble energy, and excellent clarity.

The small, comfortable form factor, good noise isolation, and an inline microphone and single-button remote for smartphones and other devices make these one of the best values in portable audio.

Read full review here.

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Budget Option: Philips SHE3590 / SHE3580



Small and comfortable, these Philips earphones fit almost any ear size and cost less than a good lunch. They may look like dollar-store buds but the sound tells a completely different story, easily holding its own against earphones costing many times more with excellent presence across the frequency spectrum, enhanced bass, and crisp, clean treble. Sometimes called “Music Colors”, they come in several color combinations and are the perfect stocking stuffer for music fans of all ages.

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Basshead Option: JVC HA-FX101

JVC’s “Xtreme Xplosives” earphones are a bargain find for the bass-obsessed, combining deep and powerful bass with prominent treble. The sound is competent on the whole, if slightly harsh compared to pricier sets, but one thing is certain – the bass is fantastic for the price.

The newer FX101 model uses a smaller driver than the original FX1X and fits more ears comfortably. It comes in several colors and a version with a built-in microphone and remote, the FR201, is also available.

Read full review here.

Noise Isolation

When using earphones outside, External noise is killer not only for listening enjoyment, but hearing safety as well. Hearing damage occurs due to a combination of volume and exposure, and noisy environments can encourage listening at dangerously high volumes. A well-isolating in-ear earphone can do a better job of blocking out noise than an Active Noise-Canceling headphone at a much lower price.

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Etymotic Research ETY-Kids

This is a simple one – there’s nothing that isolates like an Etymotic, and in this price range that means the ETY-Kids. This particular model promotes hearing safety with a combination of immense noise isolation and volume-limiting impedance.

The earphones are also well-built and stay true to the Etymotic brand with sound that is clear, accurate, and neutral, though for some listeners perhaps lacking in desired bass presence.

The ETY-Kids name itself may be off-putting to some but there is nothing childish about the design – or sound – of these earphones. Volume-limiting aside, the ETY-Kids are simply a great option for keeping music in and noise out.

The ETY-Kids 5 is a stereo earphone while the ETY-Kids 3 is a headset model with microphone and 3-button remote.

Read full review here.

Durability

Admittedly, we are not always as careful with our electronics as we would like to be, and while it’s always a good idea to treat earphones with care, a little extra durability can be worth a premium to many listeners. Here are a few sets that we think will survive abuse better than the competition.

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RHA MA350

Hailing from Scotland, the MA350 by RHA is built to take a beating. From the from aircraft grade aluminium housings to the fabric-sheathed cable, the MA350 is rock solid.

The earphone is no slouch in the sound department, either, delivering deep, impactful bass akin to that of the $100 Monster Turbines at a fraction of the price. Add to that RHA’s 3-year warranty and the MA350 is a winner all around.

The MA450i, a similar-sounding earphone with microphone and 3-button remote, is also available.

Read full review here.

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Philips O’Neill SHO2200 Tread

The Philips O’Neill product line is designed for active use, and the SHO2200 Tread model was built from the ground up for the sole purpose of withstanding abuse.

The Tread delivers exactly what it promises – a bulletproof construction that puts most other earphones to shame. It may not sound as rich and full as the less expensive Philips SHE3590 or the RHA MA-350 mentioned above, but the Tread is sure to be a hit with those who are fed up with replacing broken earphones.

Read full review here.

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Dunu DN-22M Detonator

In the few years Dunu has been in business, their earphones have become synonymous with great attention to detail – the packaging, accessories, and design consistently surpass expectations at every price point.

The Detonator model boasts the fantastic build quality Dunu has become known for while producing sound that is warm and smooth. Underpinned by appropriately explosive bass response, it is an easy sound to enjoy and a difficult one to dislike.

The Detonator also boasts an inline microphone and remote, and the packaging makes it an excellent $50 gift. As a bulletproof entry-level smartphone headset, it’s a tough one to beat.

For those who don’t need a microphone, the less expensive DN-12 Trident model is also worthy of recommendation.

Read full review here.

Small Ears

Perhaps a less well-defined category, but still a question that gets asked over and over – which in-ears best fit small ears? There are many that may work, but our picks in this category are especially tiny and should fit nearly all ear shapes and sizes.

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Soundmagic PL50

Soundmagic has been in the earphone business for many years, consistently delivering products that offer solid performance for the price. The PL50 model in particular is notable for two things. First, it uses balanced armature drivers, which are pricier and rarely found at this price point. This gives the PL50 a balanced, smooth sound with a focus on the midrange in place of the more conventional bass focus of most other entry-level sets.

Second, the PL50 is tiny – the balanced armature drivers, originally developed for use in hearing aids, weigh very little and take up no room at all, permitting the ergonomic shape and low profile of the earphones. The PL50 is worn “over-the-ear” style, with the cable looped up over the ear, and is one of the most unobtrusive earphones we’ve tried.

Read full review here.

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Spider TinyEar

Designed from the ground up for those with small ears, the TinyEar comes with a selection of smaller eartips and utilizes a smooth, tapered design. Tiny and lightweight, it will fit pretty much anyone comfortably.

With a bright tonal character, the TinyEar is not the best-sounding earphone in the price range, but clarity is good and the design simply works for smaller ears. After all, what good is a great-sounding earphone that doesn’t fit?

An EMic version with a mic + remote is also available.

Read full review here.

Sports

In a sports earphone we look mostly for comfort and a secure fit. Sound that is not dull or boring is important as well – a bit of extra audio quality can go a long way towards making that last mile easier to push through.

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MEElectronics M6

The MEElectronics M6 has undergone quite a few changes of the past several years but underneath it’s still the same earphone I fell in love with back in 2009.

The combination of an over-the-ear form factor and flexible memory wire keeps the earphones in place. It may take a day or two to get the hang of wearing the M6 but once fitted correctly it provides a comfortable, secure fit and robust sound with good bass punch and crisp treble. It’s not the most refined-sounding set, but it’s definitely the best sports earphone we’ve heard in this price range.

Available in seven colors, the M6 is sure to be a hit with joggers, gym-goers, and anyone else who values an earphone that stays in place. A headset version with microphone and remote, the M6P, is also available.

Read full review here.

That rounds out 11 of the best <$50 earphones for every need. For in-depth reviews and additional recommendations in other price ranges, check out our sortable review list and out our more expansive earphone buyer’s guide.

Questions or comments? Leave them below.