• The Best Earphones Under $50: Dunu DN-12
• The Best Earphones Under $100: VSonic GR07
• The Bear Earphones Under $300: Etymotic Research ER4P-T

The Details

I’ve tested many earphones at Reactual over the last two years — probably about 30 earphones in total. Overall, I’ve been underwhelmed by most earphones on the market — even those that are recommended by magazines and blog (brands such as Beats, Audio-Technica, JVC, Sennheiser, MEElectronics, Sony, Symphonized and Westone).

My top issue with most earphones is a lack of sound quality — I’m very fond of rich sound with well represented bass. I also like my earphones to be comfortable and durable. I eventually found some earphones that were worthy of purchase —  here are my picks:

The Best Earphones Under $50: Dunu DN-12 Noise-Isolation Earphones

These $33 Dunu DN-12 earphones are very comfortable to wear and quite good looking too. In your hand, the DN-12’s body feels solid. More importantly, these are the best sounding earphones I’ve heard for under $50. The bass is very well represented, and the mid-range is warm and prominent. The treble is just right too — there is no sibilance at all — which makes for fatigue-free listening. Overall, the sound clarity is wonderful, especially for the price.

These are not sports headphones however — while walking or running these earphones tend to fall out your ear, due to their metal body.

The Dunu DN-12 is available on Amazon for about $33.

The Best Earphones Under $100: VSonic GR07

The VSonic GR07 earphones have excellent fidelity and a very balanced sound. If you read the Amazon reviews on this earphone — you’ll find almost everyone raves about the sound quality. Also, this is one of most comfortable earphones I’ve tested (my wife agrees — she loves these earphones).

If you are a bass enthusiast, check the Bass Edition of these earphones.

The VSonic GR07 is available on Amazon for about $99.

The Best Earphones Under $300: Etymotic Research ER4P-T

The Etymotic Research ER4P-T is significantly more expensive then the previous two earphones I’ve highlighted. But if you want audiophile quality from earphones, you’ll get it from these $264 Etymotic earphones. Basically, you are paying about $150 more than the VSonic GR07 for another level of sound clarity.

The people at Head-Fi reviews (who obsess about headphones) have this to say about the ER4P-T:

The ER4P-T is also very comfortable to wear.

The Etymotic Research ER4P-T is available on Amazon for about $264.

Average Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (from 329+ reviewers)

These M6 Earbuds by MEElectronics are more durable and provide better sound that comparable earphones in their price range. CNET rated them 3.5 out of 4 stars saying “A great value for bass addicts”. These earphones incorporate a “memory wire” and an angled ear tip, making them good earphones wear while  engaged in sports.

You can get the MEElectronics M6 at Amazon for about $20.

Sleek Audio SA1 High Fidelity Earbuds ($79)

Top Review Sources:

• Engadget: “At $79.99, it has few contemporaries that offer as much flexibility.”
• Gear Diary: “Sounds excellent, Looks gorgeous”
• Amazon: Average 3.9 out of 5 stars based on 16 reviews

Sleek Audio set the standard of a flexible listening experience with their SA6 earphones that offered interchangeable tuners and wires. Now they’ve released the much more affordable SA1 model which delivers the same award-winning sound quality and adaptable features. The SA1 cable is lightweight and won’t pull out during activities and is for those who don’t like the ones that go around the top of the ear.

The Sleek Audio SA1 earphones are available on Amazon.

Klipsch Image S5i Rugged Earbuds

Average Amazon Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (from 50+ reviewers)

Klipsch has released a ruggedized headphone, the Image S5i. The earphones are weather resistant and feature extra large buttons which can be operated while wearing gloves. So far, they are getting good reviews on Amazon.

The Klipsch Image S5i Rugged Earbuds are available on Amazon for about $100.

Etymotic HF5 Earphones

Average Amazon Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (from 52+ reviewers)

One of the best sports earphones available. Etymotic succeeds in creating a balanced realistic sound. Bass-enthusiasts may be disappointed with the thin reproduction of low-frequencies. CNET rates them “Very Good” and iLounge gave them a “A-” rating.

The Etymotic hf5 earphones are sold on Amazon — they are available in Red, Blue, and Black. They sell for about $95.

If you looking for an Etymotic with iPod/iPhone/iPad controls included, consider the Etymotic ER23-HF3.

Monster iSport Immersion Earphones

Average Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (from 131+ reviewers)

The iSport Immersion Headphone by Monster is designed to be used while engaged in activities like snowboarding, running and working out at the gym. They are durably built and completely sweatproof. In fact, they can even be put in the wash for cleaning.

Available at Amazon for about $150.

Shure SE425 Sound-Isolating Earbuds ($299)

Pros:

• Accurate sound quality that lives up to the price, Bass is balanced, not heavy
• Detachable cord for replacement
• Lightweight, durable design
• Ergonomic eartip design sits inside the outer ear; cord goes over top of the ear

Top Review Sources:

• GadgetMac: 4 out of 5 stars: “For those who truly want to experience the music as it was produced”
• CNET: 4 out of 5 stars, overall score- 8.0, Excellent: “An excellent choice for eclectic listeners who demand stellar audio and a high-quality design”
• Amazon: Average 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 18 reviews

In business for over 80 years, Shure has long been the go-to audio electronic company for both professionals and amateur audiophiles. Those who use earphones during strenuous activities may tend to wear out their cords before the speakers go, so the detachable, replacement cable feature is alluring. Included are three sizes of the flex and black foam sleeves as well as 1 pair of triple flange and 1 pair of universal fit foam sleeves. With a tweeter and woofer in each ear, both the sound-isolation and sound quality are excellent providing a true sound for a broad range of music styles.

The Shure SE425 sound-isolating earphones are sold on Amazon.