Today, inexpensive in-ear dynamic headphones are the most affordable way to enjoy high-quality sound. At a very low price, they demonstrate a surprisingly mature and balanced sound – this level was much more expensive just a few years ago. Fashion in this segment has long been set by Chinese manufacturers who have accumulated solid experience in creating inexpensive and good-sounding in-ear models.
In our rating, we have collected wired headphones priced from $12 to $109.
7. TRN MT1 MAX
Despite the extremely low price, this model boasts the ability to adjust the sound to your taste. Each earbud has three DIP switches that give you four different sound settings – flat, high-end, bass-high, and high-end bass. The model is equipped with dynamic drivers with a 10 mm diaphragm, N52 neodymium magnet system and semi-open acoustic design. The cases are made of synthetic resin and magnesium alloy and are available in two colors – transparent and black. The bundled cable has 0.78 mm jacks for connecting to headphones and a 3.5 mm minijack for connecting to a signal source. The sensitivity of the model is 108 dB, the impedance is 22 ohms.
Pros – adjusting the return to your taste, high-quality cases and emitters
Cons: None at this price
Verdict: Lots of sound for next to nothing
6. Moondrop Jiu
The USB-C dynamic headphones are housed in zinc alloy housings calculated by finite element analysis. The used connection option made it possible to build a signal processor into the connector, which provides processing of the incoming digital signal and approximates the resulting frequency response of the headphones to the proprietary VDSF curve. Each earbud has a proprietary dynamic driver with a 10mm titanium-coated diaphragm. The diaphragm is formed by deposition of titanium molecules on a polymer substrate through vacuum deposition. The magnetic system is made of N52 neodymium, the voice coil is wound with copper-plated aluminum wire. Headphone sensitivity is 110 dB, the cable is equipped with a built-in microphone and remote control.
Pros – USB-C connectivity, zinc alloy housings, signal processor
Cons – too low price?
Verdict: Original solutions and high-quality sound at an affordable price
5. KZ D-FI
The new headphones from KZ Acoustics are equipped with a built-in equalizer, giving the user the ability to switch between 16 different correction curves. They have four on-off switches, three of which allow you to change the return in the low-frequency range, and the fourth provides overall balancing of the frequency response. The acoustic part includes a 10 mm dynamic transducer with a double magnet system and a double chamber. The housings are made of metal alloy, and a 0.75 mm two-pole connector is used to connect the cable. The cable has silver-plated copper conductors and is equipped with a 3.5 mm mini-jack. The earphones come with several sizes of memory foam ear pads. The model is available in two versions. The former has no recoil adjustment and is offered for $22 and has a nominal resistance of 23.5 ohms. The switch version is more expensive at $28, and its resistance ranges from 29 to 48 ohms. The sensitivity of the two versions is the same – 110 dB.
Pros – low price, built-in equalizer, high-quality emitters
Cons – except perhaps the design
Verdict: Ability to buy several different headphones for the price of one
4. KBEAR Xuanwu
The shells of these earphones are made of zinc alloy, plated by galvanization, two colors are available to choose from. The outer panel is covered with a transparent light-curing plastic, under which a pattern in the form of a honeycomb is made. Each earpiece has an 8mm carbon/polyurethane composite diaphragm driver. The included detachable cable with 0.78 mm connectors has silver-plated oxygen-free copper conductors, a 3.5 mm minijack is installed to connect to the signal source. The sensitivity of the headphones is 106 dB, the impedance is 16 ohms.
Pros – Composite diaphragm driver, low impedance
Cons – design for an amateur
Verdict: Vibrant design and sound
3. FiiO FD11
The model is built on a dynamic emitter of the company’s own design. It is equipped with a double asymmetric neodymium magnet system, a double chamber, and a 10 mm carbon diaphragm. The cases are made of die-cast zinc alloy and polished to a mirror finish. The detachable cable has a 0.78 mm jack for connecting to headphones and a 3.5 mm minijack for connecting to a signal source; the cores are made of oxygen-free copper. The sensitivity of the model is 111 dB, the impedance is 24 ohms.
Pros – Carbon diaphragm driver, zinc alloy housings
Cons – too shiny?
Verdict: Excellent budget headphones from a well-known brand
2. Whizzer Kylin HE10
The development of the appearance of these headphones was entrusted to the design bureau J.IDEA +, and this is immediately noticeable. The cases are CNC-machined from a metal alloy and anodized in gray and gold. The dynamic drivers installed in the headphones received graphene diaphragms with a diameter of 10.2 mm and high-quality copper-clad aluminum voice coils. The magnetic system provides tension in the gap at the level of 1.6 Tesla. The internal volume of the headphones is calculated by finite element analysis, and it uses the MDBS damping system. Detachable cable with strands of high purity silver-plated copper is equipped with 0.78 mm plugs and a 3.5 mm mini-jack. The sensitivity of the model is 119 dB, the impedance is 36 ohms. The kit comes with a set of three types of silicone ear tips – EasyTips ET100, SS20 and VC20.
Pros – excellent design, graphene diaphragms, quality ear pads
Cons – none
Verdict: Beautiful and good-sounding headphones at an affordable price
1. DUNU Kima Classic
A redesigned version of last year’s Kima with the Classic suffix. In the process of refinement, the engineers sought to make the sound more weighty in the low-frequency range and more transparent and legible in the high-frequency range. The DUNU Kima Classic cases made of metal alloy received coffee colors, the same applies to the complete detachable cable with silver-plated single-crystal copper cores. The acoustic part of the headphones remained unchanged – a dynamic driver with a diamond-like carbon diaphragm and an N52 neodymium magnetic system was used. The sensitivity is 108 dB, the nominal impedance is 32 ohms.
Pros – high-quality emitter, improved sound tuning, nice design
Cons: The price is slightly higher than competitors.
Verdict: Popular headphones just got better