With music in life: TOP 5 in-ear headphones for portable sound

The low-cost wired model KE7 from the American manufacturer of headphones and headsets KOSS was created for those who often use headphones, but do not put forward high demands on the quality of their sound, and are generally not ready to spend a lot of money on such a thing as headphones.

KE7, first of all, are attractive because they are incredibly cheap. For the price of 8 USD, you get two pairs of headphones at once — black and white. Two couples, Carl! For 4 dollars a piece! Of course, they are made of cheap, albeit anti-allergic plastic, which tactilely does not cause any positive emotions, however, negative ones too. The wire has a comfortable length of 1.2 m, but coarse insulation, which will deform and tan in the cold. We did not find any ear pads in the kit, so we highly recommend trying on the headphones before buying so that they fit the inner shape of your ear. Otherwise, they will press or fall out, or both.

But the sound for $ 4, we expected worse. Of course, there are no low frequencies, which, in fact, the manufacturer warns about, indicating the operating range of 60 – 20,000 Hz, but the high and upper mids are implemented very well. For those who like to listen to classical music or audio books — just right.

I would like to advise KE7 and those who like to chat on the phone in hands free mode, but the microphone and remote control are not provided in the model. Although, maybe it would be worth it, instead of the second pair.

The German brand Sennheiser is famous for its headphones, so no matter what price point they are in, these are definitely quality pieces. The MX 365 is a wired model with signature Sinnheiser sound, priced at just $20.

Headphones are made of inexpensive plastic and are offered in 6 colours to choose from: dark grey, orange, red, white, blue and gold. The form factor is close to sporty: corrugated wavy shape of the legs, a silver insert in the spirit of "hi-tech". It looks nice, feels cheap, feels comfortable in the ear. Includes ear pads for a snug fit. The standard length of 1.2 m cable is rubberized, but rather rigid, which suggests that it will tan in the cold. I didn’t like the lack of rubber casings at the junction of the earpiece with the cable, which protect the latter from breaking. But the pill was sweetened by an L-shaped plug with a gold-plated connector.

In general, I liked the sound throughout the frequency response, given the quite predictable dip in the lower range. The bass in the mix sounds weak and inexpressive, without dynamics and power. In addition, at high volume, and its reserve is more than enough (110 dB), they begin to wheeze. There are not the slightest complaints about the middle, everything is legible and clean here, as well as on the upper ones. HF cut through the mix quite clearly, but do not cut the ear. Ideally, the MX 365 is best listened to at a volume of 60 – 80%, so that the scene is as transparent and realistic as possible.

Of course, it would not be superfluous to use headphones as a headset, but the manufacturer did not provide such an opportunity in this model.

If we cross out this drawback, we can safely recommend the Sennheiser MX 365 to those who want to have high-quality headphones for a smartphone or player, but are not ready to pay a lot of money for them.

The Chinese brand Meizu continues to delight us with headphones that are balanced in quality and price. Next in line is EP2X — a wired model that looks slightly reminiscent of the legendary Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic Price from 599 up to 1 595 ₴.

Headphones are made of white or black plastic. They have smooth shapes, and a rubber cap that protects the membrane grille, due to which the sound penetrates deeper into the ear, almost like in-ear models. However this nozzle is quite hard and can cause discomfort if you try to shove the earpiece deeper into the sink. But due to the convenient form, it is held in it securely and does not fall out.

The Kevlar-coated round cable has increased kink resistance and is virtually tangle-free. At the junction with the legs, the wire has additional rubber protection, and at the opposite end there is an L-shaped plug. There is a remote control on the cable, that is, the headphones can be used as a headset. What is however the buttons on it are small and very tight to press. In general, it is inconvenient, neither to adjust the volume, nor to manage calls.

The sound of the EP2X was not surprising. Bass is nominally present, but not pumping. The mids are slightly compressed, and many will want to play with the EQ in this range to add density. The top ones are just right. In general, the sound is quite soft and pleasant, but lacks dynamics and attack.

The headphones come with a plastic transparent case with a silicone insert, in which they are neatly folded, and the cable is wound into a special groove, again, according to the EarPods principle. It is difficult to call this device a full-fledged case, rather for long-term storage than everyday.

In general, as for the price of 20 USD, the model turned out to be quite good. We recommend to fans of the brand and those who want nice inexpensive headphones.

The SHQ6500 headset from Phillips is a typical wireless in-ear headphone for athletes.

The catchy colours in black-grey-light green tones, the level of protection against sweat IPX 2, ear hooks, durable cable with a Kevlar braid — everything speaks of the model's sports orientation. However, there are some nuances here. On the cable, the remote control is located separately under the left hand and the battery pack in the centre. And if the earbuds themselves sit tightly in the ears due to the fasteners and do not fall out, then the battery pack, which is too bulky relative to the thickness of the cable, dangles heavily during active movement, which can create some discomfort during training.

The model connects to any gadget with Bluetooth support. Pairing is established quickly, but it is not always maintained stably, especially when there is a large accumulation of other Bluetooth devices or physical interference. The distance between devices up to 6 metres is considered optimal for a stable connection.

The battery life of the headphones in the mode of talking and listening to music is 4 – 4.5 hours, at a volume level of 60 – 70%. The louder you listen to music, the faster they sit down, and it takes 2 hours to fully charge. In principle, the claimed battery life is quite enough for a 2-hour workout or jog, and the way to the gym or to the stadium and back.

It would seem that our model has everything for good sound: 14 mm neodymium drivers, and a frequency range of 15 – 22000 Hz and a good volume margin (107 dB). You will not hear a thick bulk of bass, as in most earbud models, but in the overall composition it will be audible and even legible. Everything is fine with the mids, they sound wide and open, and the upper ones add brightness and juiciness. In general, the sound is not bad, but for the same 45 USD you can find better ones, however, among vacuum plugs. For example, Philips SHB5850 .

As a result, we have a mid-range sports headset in the face of the SHQ 6500, which will suit a wide range of active users.

The American company Plantronics has been producing all kinds of headphones for over 55 years. BackBeat Fit is a model for those who like to play sports with music.

Let's say right away that the headphones are quite massive and in small auricles can create discomfort. So, be sure to try on the model before buying. If she sat down like a glove, then these are your headphones.

Comfortable behind-the-ear hooks and a dense rubberized headband firmly fix the headphones on the head, so that even active movements will not budge them. By the way, the shackle, as it were, is not a shackle at all, but such a thick cable that bends freely.

The model is offered in several colour options: yellow, blue, pink. A special coating creates a reflective effect, which not only increases safety on the street in the evening and at night, but also looks spectacular in the dark.

Since the BackBeat Fit is a sports model, it has an IP57 level nano-coating, which allows you to immerse the headphones in water to a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes. Why, however, it is not clear to do this, but the fact that nothing will happen to them if they get wet is a fact.

Incredibly pleased with the case included. Moreover, if you turn it inside out, you can attach it to your forearm and carry a smartphone in it. The solution is great, but with a small minus — a limited size. Anything larger than the iPhone 6 will no longer fit in it.

BackBeat Fit supports Bluetooth 3.0 technology, moreover, in Multipoint mode, as well as software updates for IOS and Android. They charge in just 2 hours, and work as much as 8. In addition, the model can switch to Deep Sleep mode, which saves battery power when the device is out of the pairing zone. In this mode, the headphones can keep a charge up to 180 days! And the voice prompts will help you find out about the need for recharging.

I also liked the ease of use of the device. The buttons on the outside of both earbuds have different functions. On the left is the player controls. Right — calls.

The microphone for conversations, despite its diminutiveness and remoteness from the mouth, perfectly catches the voice in a quiet environment. Interlocutors do not complain about the quality of communication.

Having reached the quality of sound reproduction, I would like to note that BackBeat Fit did not let us down here either. The frequency response is quite even, the mids are transparent and open, the highs are bright. The amount of bass can be adjusted by the depth of the earpiece in the ear. The closer the membrane is to the membrane, the more low frequencies appear in the overall mix.

Plantronics, however, does not rely on perfect sound, which, among other things, is provided by good isolation from external noise. On the contrary, the manufacturer emphasizes the "openness" of their headphones, so that in addition to music, their owner can hear what is happening on the street in them and be safe.

Concluding the review of the BackBeat Fit, we have to name its only drawback — a considerable cost, $ 130.