Moderators at OzBargain have decided to run yearly polls to decide the best products in popular categories that get asked repeatedly in the forum. Our aim is to have a central thread where users can vote on the items, suggest options and also change their vote throughout the year. The polls will end once the year is over.
Question
What is the best budget earphones (under $50) for the money in 2018?
Once again we revisit this topic of "Best Budget Earphones or Earbuds Under $50" for the year 2018. The results for last year's poll shows that the Xiaomi Mi IV Hybrid took the top spot as Ozbargain's preferred cheap earphones, while the KZ ZS3 and Meizu EP51 Bluetooth Sport earphones were 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
Earbuds sit just on the outside of your ear canal, and these are usually a one-size-fits-all affair, so they may not be the most comfortable to wear for some people. Most earbuds lack cushions (such as Apple's classic earbuds) and since they do not completely cover your ear canal they will allow ambient sounds to come through.
In-ear earphones, (or In-ear Monitors) have a protrusion that lets you lock the earphones into your ear canal, allowing for near-complete sound isolation. Materials such as foam, rubber or silicone lets you block sound from the outside while allowing the music you're listening to sound more pronounced and bassy. They'll typically have several exchangeable tips of various sizes to suit differently shaped ears.
Some of the things you need to consider apart from their sound quality:
- Wired or bluetooth
- Built in microphones for smartphone usage
- Active noise or passive noise isolation
- Water resistance (for sweaty workouts)
- iPhone or Android compatible controls
So what's your favourite sub-$50 Earphones for the year 2018? Make your suggestions below, and be sure to justify why it's the best buds for you.
- You are allowed to change your vote.
How to Suggest a Poll option? Simply type into the textbox above your Comment box and then submit your comment. Be sure to also click on the + next to your poll option, otherwise you won't have voted!
Been using Koss KSC-75 for over 10 years (currently on my second pair, as the wire disintegrated on the 1st pair)
The soundstage and depth is simply amazing for $25 phones.
I find it super comfy (YMMV) on ear hook, i can wear it for whole day and never felt a thing, almost forgot I have it on ears.
Having something stuck in my ear though, isn't really my thing hence i hate earbuds or IEM. (Same like having someones else finger stuck in your nose)