Audiophile Earphones

Best In-canal earphones for audiophiles

If you can spend more than $100 on earphones, you have a lot more good choices.

Those looking to step up from budget earphones might consider Etymotic's ER-4P earphones (*Est. $170). Steven Guttenberg of CNET says they offer nearly the same audio quality as the less expensive ER-6i, but both reviewers on iLounge.com who tested these earphones were bowled over by the level of detail they produce. Many users who have had experience with both the ER-6i (or its predecessor, the ER-6) and the ER-4P notice a difference, especially in bass response, and they feel the ER-4P earphones are better built. A newer version of these earphones, the Etymotic ER-4S (*Est. $200), gets an Editors' Choice award from PCMag.com. Reviewer Tim Gideon notes that these earphones have slightly less volume and bass response than the ER-4P, but accuracy in all frequencies the ER-4S is unmatched in its price class.

Etymotic's mid-range earphone offerings also include the Etymotic hf2 Noise-Isolating Headset + Earphones (*Est. $180) and hf5 (*Est. $160). Jasmine France at CNET says that the hf2's sound is good, and its built-in microphone handy, but warns that it isn't compatible with all MP3 players. It will work with an iPod and Microsoft's Zune, but France reports trouble with Sandisk's Sansa Clip and Creative's ZEN. Tim Gideon at PCMag.com, on the other hand, is more enthusiastic about these earphones. He feels that audio performance beats similarly-priced earphones by Shure and Ultimate Ears, and names the Etymotic hf2 an Editors' Choice. TrustedReviews.com also gives them a Recommended label.

Best known for their AV cables, Monster has recently entered the earphones market with their Turbine In-Ear Speakers (*Est. $150) and Beats by Dr. Dre Tour High Resolution In-Ear Headphones (*Est. $150). Both earphones get favorable early press for their undeniable style and good-quality sound. CNET's testers say the Turbines' sound is very good for the price range, beating out competition from the Etymotic ER-4 series. But fit appears to fall below the standard of other earphones. PCMag.com says that the Beats headphones offer a better fit than the Turbines and look better, too, but the Turbines are brighter and crisper in higher frequencies.

Phonak, a Swiss company that makes hearing aids, has branched out into earphones with the Audeo Perfect Fit Earphones (*Est. $140) and the Audeo Perfect Fit Earphones with Microphone (*Est. $160). These earphones get an Editors' Choice award at CNET; Jasmine France says that the earphones' unique shape and included over-the-ear mount mean that the Perfect Fit's name isn't too much of an exaggeration. Sound quality is very good, although the bass may not be full enough for some listeners. Martin SŠgmŸller at AnythingButiPod.com is also impressed with the Perfect Fits, agreeing that the fit is indeed good (though not "perfect"). As for the Aud?o earphones' sound, the treble and dynamic midrange, as well as overall clarity, is described as exceptional for the price.

Earphones by Klipsch are also well-reviewed, if more upscale. Donald Bell of CNET notes that the Klipsch Custom 3 earphones (*Est. $300) produce good sound, but may not be quite the reference-quality experience claimed by the manufacturer. He likes the wire on the Custom 3's cord that allows them to hook around the ears, but finds the fit rather lacking. Jasmine France, also at CNET, determines that the somewhat-cheaper Klipsch Image X5 earphones (*Est. $250) are much better fitting, at least for smaller ears, and more portable. However, she notes that there's a trade-off: the cord is tangle-prone and doesn't seem particularly durable. She finds audio quality very good, on par with the Shure SE310, described below.

If you're willing to spend hundreds on a high-quality pair of in-ear headphones, the Shure SE530 (*Est. $450), formerly named the Shure E500PTH, gets nearly as many recommendations as the Etymotic ER-6i. Sound quality and detail is top-notch, thanks to a tweeter and two woofers. This gives the SE530 more bass response than the Etymotic ER-6i and Etymotic ER-4P. They're comfortable, though CNET editors complain that they tend to stick out. Some users report problems with the cord fraying, but this may have been an issue only with some earlier models. Shure updated the tweeter design when it renamed the E500PTH the SE530, but experts say that for all intents and purposes, the two are identical. For those on tighter budgets who like the SE530's sound, reviewers also recommend the single-driver Shure SE310 Sound Isolating Earphones (*Est. $200).

Ultimate Ears, now owned by Logitech, has a number of well-regarded earphone models on the market. The Ultimate Ears SuperFi line gets much praise, which includes the Super.Fi 4vi (*Est. $150) and Super.Fi 5vi (*Est. $175). Both have in-line microphones and call buttons and can double as headsets for the iPhone, BlackBerry or any phone that has a 3.5mm standard headphone jack. The two models differ in speaker construction and exterior shape -- the 5vi earphones have more of an L-shape, allowing listeners to wear them with the cord wrapped up around their ears, or hanging down. Ross Catanzariti of Good Gear Guide confirms that sound quality on the Super.Fi 5vi is excellent. Laptop names the Super.Fi 4vi earphones an Editors' Choice, praising its audio detail, though reviewer Meghan Clark McDonough does note some trouble with the small call button and "cable thump" while walking. Catanzariti is pleased to see that all the features of these earphones work with older iPhone models, unlike Apple's own In-Ear Headphones.

Ultimate Ears' TripleFi 10 earphones (*Est. $320) are much more expensive than many of the company's other consumer offerings, but may be worth the price for discerning listeners. Jasmine France at CNET likes the stylish housing, and calls the sound "stellar," thanks to dual-balanced armatures for the low- and mid-range frequencies and a precision-balanced armature for high ones. Response is equally good across musical genres. She feels the earphones may be a bit big for some, though. Jeremy Horwitz at iLounge.com agrees that the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 earphones are rather large, and also thinks that the housing may be a drawback, since it only comes in one style not everyone may like. But he concludes that these earphones' triple drivers give professional-quality sound at an (almost) affordable price.