The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.In-ear headphones are for the social listener. They're lighter, smaller, and altogether more portable than their over- or on-ear cousins, while their placement in the ear canals gives them natural noise-isolating abilities. As a result, they're most in their element when used on the go, whether that's on a morning commute, a red eye flight, or arun atthe gym.Perhaps more than anything else, in-ears are convenient. There's a reason they're usually the type of headphones that come bundled with other devices: They're easy to replace, easy to pack, and easy to carry on your person. They're commonly the most affordable type of headphones that you'll find, too.Naturally, those positives beget a set of negatives. For one, it's difficult to maintain a high level of sound quality when you shrink the speakers that sound is coming through. Especially on the budget end, in-ear headphones generally lack the fullness and definition of roomier cans.Since these things are made to be jammed into your ears, it's also difficult to find a pair of in-ears that are totally comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They're more prone to shoddier builds as well, and their dual wires are quicker to tangle.You can bypass most of those downsides, however, if you know where to look. There are thousands ofin-ear headphones vying for your internet dollars these days, but only a select few have that magic combination of portability, comfort, rich sound quality, respectable build quality, and overall value for their price.After scouring dozens of expert reviews across the web and sorting through a few hundred candidates, we think we've found those select few. We've also given them a "BI Rating," which blends our opinions with those of fellow headphone reviewers across the web. (Read more about that here.) Hereare our picks for the best in-ear headphones you can pick up today, for any price range.Update (3/10/16): We've addedMaster & Dynamic ME05 to the "For Premium Performance" section, and theRHA S500(i) to the "For Budget Buyers" section. The latter replaces the MEE Audio A151, which has become more difficult to find.FOR BUDGET BUYERSPanasonic RP-TCM125$10.63BI Rating: 8/10The Panasonic RP-TCM125 Ergo Fits are one of those rare tech jewels that are both good and cheap. Hovering around a comically low $10, the RP-TCM125s have a remarkably balanced sound that works across genres, in a design that rarely gets loose in your ears. You can't expect the world for $10, but the performance here is well above the price point.They aren't much to look at, but they come in a range of colors, and they include an inline remote (sans volume control) and microphone for added utility. The Verge, The Wirecutter, Tom's Guide, and virtually any other review outlet we could find have sung the RP-TCM125's praises as well. This is simply an outstanding bargain.Pros:Super affordableGood, bass-forward sound for the priceLight and snugCons:Bland designCan only get so much performance at this priceSony MDR-XB50$28.76BI Rating: 8/10We could've gone many ways with our final budget-level recommendation, but in the end we didn't want to leave the bassheads out in the cold. The MDR-XB50s are bass specialists, so they're best suited for hip-hop and electronic tracks, but those lows are both strong and satisfying without muddying up everything around it. Build wise, the MDR-XB50s are large, but well-made, with a durable, tangle-resistant cable, and earpieces that don't slip easily.They're fantastic thumpers, and at $35, they aren't much of a risk either. They also come backed by stellar user reviews across retailers. If you'd like a more sonically balanced alternative to our two choices above, however, have a look at the Brainwavz Delta just be warned of the many build quality complaints that have been directed towards itor the Sol Republic Relays Sport which don't sound as great but are superbly comfortable for active use.Pros:Good, heavy bassComfortable in the earCons:Large for an IEMMids and highs take a back seatRHA S500$39.95BI Rating: 8/10(Read our full review here.)As of this writing, the RHA S500s are our favorite budget earphones. Their metallic earpieces are well-cut, tiny, and super lightweight, which makes them both good-looking and generally comfortable over longer periods of time. We didnt have much issue finding a comfortable fit and tight seal, but RHA packs a heaving seven sets of eartips to help if you need to experiment. The Kevlar-infused cable is well-made, too, though it can get a bit noisy if youre not careful. And while there are no inline controls by default, there is an S500i model that adds a three-button remote for another $10. (Just know that it'stailoredtoiOS.)Its all good value either way, and that sentiment carries over into the S500s performance. Treble and high-mids are the focal points here, making for a sound thats pleasantly bright and crisp. Those highs are complemented by tight, robust bass, which lets the earphones work well across genres. Its clean, airy, and articulate in a way that just feels beyond a $40 earphone. The onlypotential hangupsare that its obviously sculptedthe mids are good, but a bit glossed overand that it can get too bright at higher, more harmful volumes. Taken as a whole, though, it's as nice a sound, in as well-rounded a headphone, as youll find for less than $50.Pros:Bright, crisp sound with good detailComes with seven eartips and three-year warrantyLightweight, elegant designCons:Can sound harsh at high volumesNeed to use larger eartips to hear significant bassFOR THE MID-RANGESony XBA-H1$148BI Rating: 8/10Like any kindof tech, in-ear headphones noticeably improve in quality the higher you go up the price scale. That much is evident as we highlight the XBA-H1s, a higher-end pair of Sonys that best the aforementioned XB50s in every way.These are The Wirecutter's pick for best $200 in-ear headphones, but what's great about them is that they don't even cost that much. For $150, they offer supremely accurate and well-balanced sound across frequencies and musical genres, along with a svelte design and various eartips that aren't uncomfortable in the ear. TechRadar has kind words to say about them, too. The one notable downside here is the XBA-H1's lack of inline controls, but that's easy to forgive when you get a sound profile with so few weaknesses.Pros:Superbly balanced and clear soundStylish and finely craftedIncludes lots of ear tipsCons:No built-in remote or micRHA MA-750$119.95BI Rating: 9/10Reid and Heath Acoustics isn't as big of a name as some of the other entries on our shortlist, but the Glasgow-based company has been pumping out refined, high-performing in-ears for years now. The $120 MA-750s get our attention here for a few reasons: They're beautiful, for one, with a sturdy stainless steel finish that gives off a high-class look and feel. They also sound wonderful for the moneyspacious and detailed, with highs and lows that are noticeably forceful. There's a good bit of noise isolation here, too.The only trip up comes with actually getting the things on, since their copper cable swings around the ear and the buds themselves are a little weighty. RHA provides a truckload of tips for you to choose from, however, and once they're on they're quite comfortable. Countless reviews across the web have lauded the MA-750s; combine that with their included three-year warranty, and you have one of the surest bets on our list.Pros:Powerful sound with rich lowsStainless steel designGood noise isolationCons:HeavyCan be awkward to put onMids could be a little more definedSennheiser Momentum In-Ear$86.48BI Rating: 8/10This entry in Sennheiser's bass-centric Momentum line isn't quite as spectacular as some of the German manufacturer's past effortsfor $100, though, it provides a reliable and affordable way for fans of the low-end to get their fix. It throws a truckload of powerful yet clear bass at everything it touches, which is glorious for the crowd it's aiming at. That comes at the expense some of sharpness in the mids, but its treble is crisp enough, and nothing ever really gets close to being unbearable.Again, it's great for what it is, but it's worth knowing what you're getting into. Either way, the Momentum's buds are stylish despite their largely plastic build, and the whole thing comes with a functional inline mic and control set for either iOS or Android devices. It fits well, too. Virtually every review we've found forthe Momentum has been positive.Pros:Thunderous yet clear bassLightweight and good lookingCons:Mids get swallowed a bitMade of plasticFOR PREMIUM PERFORMANCEBose QuietComfort 20$299BI Rating: 9/10Although they lack the sonic qualities of fellow $250 buds, Bose's QuietComfort 20s are the king of noise-cancelling in-ear headphones. They hold a stellar 4.5 user rating on Amazon after more than 1,600 reviews, and professional testersarejustasapproving.While all in-ears can quiet external noises to an extent, few, if any, competitors in this category can hush the outside world as deeply as the QC20s can. At the same time, the buds also come with a feature Bose calls "Aware Mode," which tones down the noise-cancelling tech at the press of a button to help you hear your surroundings without muting your music.Although the QC20s are noticeably comfortable in the ear, you should only pay for them if you need that noise-cancelling tech. The actual sound quality of the buds is good, but nothing special. It lacks in bass and is generally not as expressive as a $250 pair of headphones should be.As noise-cancelling headphones, the QC20s also come with a small built-in battery pack, which is a pain to lug around even if it gets you up around 15 hours of near-silence on a single charge. That said, if you need the peace and quiet, the QC20s are far and away the go-to pick.Pros:Best in class noise cancellationRemarkably compact and comfortableCons:Sound quality is decent, but not on level of others in price rangeBattery isn't replaceableHiFiMan RE-600$148.96BI Rating: 10/10HiFiMan's RE-600s aren't the flashiest looking pair of in-ears in the world, but they more than make up for that blandness by providing some of the clearest reproduction on this side of the market. They specialize in being as faithful to a given recording as possible. Neither the high-end nor the low-end is particularly boosted here; instead, every type of track is just laid out as it is, clean and neutral.There's no inline mic or phone controls, but the RE-600s' aluminum earpieces are tiny and light, even by typical in-ear standards. From both a comfort and a sonic standpoint, they're easy to slip in and forget about. Formerly priced around $400, the audiophile-focused buds now go for less than $150. Once again, reviews across the webare favorable.Pros:Wonderfully transparent soundVery light and tinyCons:No inline controlsNot particularly stylishBowers & Wilkins C5 S2$179.99BI Rating: 9/10The follow-up to Bowers & Wilkins' popular C5 earbuds, the $160 C5 Series 2 are a bountiful high-end option for bass lovers. Like their predecessors, the C5 S2s can sound absolutely massive without distorting sounds on any end, even at higher decibel levels. Full, lively bass is definitely the focal point, but the highs here are still bright and clear as the lows thump away. All of that's aided by a remote and microphone combo that's specifically tailored towards iPhone users. (Sorry, Android and Windows Phone fans.)Most reviews of the C5 S2s tend to agree on its sound quality, but responses are more mixed when it comes to its design. What's there looks slick, but it's not totally practical. The in-ears use a loop design that's meant to stick within your earbut they could either have a hard time staying still if your ears are too big, or just give you some soreness if your ears are too small. You'll definitely want to make sure everything fits before committing; thankfully, B&W gives you a 2-year warranty with any purchase. If everything checks out, you'll have plenty of rich lows to bump to.Pros:Strong, bass-forward yet balanced soundStriking looksCons:Might be a difficult fitInline controls leave non-iOS users in the coldMaster & Dynamic ME05$199BI Rating: 8/10(Read our full review here.)Master & Dynamic is onlya couple years old, but in that time its earned a spot at the big kids table by melding upmarket design with performance that more than holds its own. Thatwas the case with the full-size MH40 and on-ear MH30, and so it goes with the in-ear ME05. Here, that taste for the chicmanifests itself in the form of brass earphones, which indeed qualify as high-end. Style matters less when the headphones are stuffed in your ear canals, but theres a sort of intangible pleasantness to seeing and holding something this ritzy. It helps that the ME05s are comfortableyoud expect that brass to be a bit too heavy, but, while they arent exactly light, they balanced their materials very well. We had no problem getting them to fit snugly, either, though there are four sets of eartips in the box if you have trouble. Once theyre in, they also isolate an impressive amount of external noise. The only major complaints are that the cables a bit short, and that the eartips have a weird habit of coming undone when removed. Its a good sign when those nitpicks are the worst we can come up with, though.Still, any $200 earphonethat isnt noise-cancellinghas to sound great to justify the cost. Thankfully, the ME05 does. It puts clear emphasis on the bass and low-mids, but its more lively and full than it is boomy or overly geared toward bassheads. Theres good detail, the soundstage is fairly wide, and, generally speaking, the mids are expressive. The highs are clear and present enough to keep the whole thing balanced, too, though they can feel a bit pushed back by comparison, and we noticed a hair of sibilance at points. Nevertheless, most non-purists wont feel shortchanged here. Add in the laudable comfort and aesthetics, and you have the kind of total package youd want from this price range.Pros:Full, bass-forward soundHandsome and comfortableIsolates noise wellCons:ExpensiveHighs could be a little more presentEartips have a tendency to come offMORE HEADPHONES:These are the best headphones for working outSEE ALSO:7 great cases for your new iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S PlusIN CASE YOU MISSED IT:25 laptop bags that are stylish and professionalJoin the conversation about this story
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