Earphone Review: Battle of sub $80 in-ears earphones plus others!

[Griever-]

Is this thread still alive? Need a recommendation for earphones/IEM. Preferably open back, for listening to music (classical, jazz, pop etc need good balance) and gaming. Good balance and not overtly bass/treble heavy. Can list options up to $300 and $500

 

[fool1988]

Hi, I need recommendation :

- rig: Android Oppo N5, Macbook Air
- What type of usage: Music, Conference call
- File format used in your source: Doesn't matter.
- Genre of music you listen to: mainly rock, r&b (chinese/kpop), a bit of EDM
- Headphone / earphone type: Open ear or something small, portable, comfort
- Budget (in figures): 100-200$

I'm looking for a wireless headset primarily for long hours of conference calls and music. I typically wear it for at least six hours a day, mainly for calls, and switch to YouTube music when not in meetings. I need a headset with a high-quality microphone and strong noise cancellation to effectively block out background noise, especially in busy environments like shopping malls.

I've found in-ear headsets uncomfortable for extended use, and while I’ve tried open-ear models, the noise cancellation on the one I used wasn’t great.

Currently, I own:

• Soundcore 4NC (in-ear, decent but battery life is weak)
• SoundPeats Breezy (open-ear, good battery but poor noise cancellation)
• AirPods 2 (rarely used due to weak noise cancellation and poor battery life)
• Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 (one side’s battery is dead, the other is weak)

I'm looking for a better alternative that balances comfort, battery life, and strong microphone noise cancellation.

 

[Nakedtoes]

Hi, I need recommendation :

- rig: Android Oppo N5, Macbook Air
- What type of usage: Music, Conference call
- File format used in your source: Doesn't matter.
- Genre of music you listen to: mainly rock, r&b (chinese/kpop), a bit of EDM
- Headphone / earphone type: Open ear or something small, portable, comfort
- Budget (in figures): 100-200$

I'm looking for a wireless headset primarily for long hours of conference calls and music. I typically wear it for at least six hours a day, mainly for calls, and switch to YouTube music when not in meetings. I need a headset with a high-quality microphone and strong noise cancellation to effectively block out background noise, especially in busy environments like shopping malls.

I've found in-ear headsets uncomfortable for extended use, and while I’ve tried open-ear models, the noise cancellation on the one I used wasn’t great.

Currently, I own:

• Soundcore 4NC (in-ear, decent but battery life is weak)
• SoundPeats Breezy (open-ear, good battery but poor noise cancellation)
• AirPods 2 (rarely used due to weak noise cancellation and poor battery life)
• Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 (one side’s battery is dead, the other is weak)

I'm looking for a better alternative that balances comfort, battery life, and strong microphone noise cancellation.

Recently I got a set of ugreen max5c at $28.99 from Lazada for my kid... Superb build with soft ear cups sponges.. above average sound, effective ANC, LDAC high res audio... What can u ask for...

 

[Parka]

Some reviews for earphones I received from companies

Sony WF-C710N: Good audio quality. Long battery life with ANC. Has proximity sensor. Good value for money compared to the Sony wf-1000xm5 because of it's much lower price point.

Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro+ : Good budget earphones with decent audio. ANC works well. Battery life with ANC around 4hr. No proximity sensor

Soundpeats Air5 Pro: Good budget earphones with decent audio but Capsule 3 Pro+ sounds better. ANC works well. Battery life with ANC around 4hr. No proximity sensor

Soundpeats H3: Still considered a budget earphones but sound quality is great. There's good treble, mid and bass. Battery life just 4hr with ANC. No proximity sensor. Physical design is quite different from most earphones and it feels weird wearing them.