HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR IN-EAR HEADPHONES (Basic) IN 2023
A good knight rides a good horse. Having the right pair of headphones can greatly improve your quality of life, allowing you to enter a world that is uniquely yours and help you escape from crowded commutes, noisy streets, and mundane work. Having the right pair of headphones can greatly improve your quality of life, allowing you to enter a world that is uniquely yours and help you escape from crowded commutes, noisy streets, and mundane work🥰
1. Classification of IEMs
🧐Before considering how to choose in-ear headphones, you should understand the classification of headphones at first. In-ear headphones are one of the most common headphone styles nowadays. They have three advantages: comfortable to wear (earplugs can be customized based on the size and shape of the user's ear canal), good noise isolation (using physical isolation between earplugs and ear canals, it can effectively block external noise interference), and excellent sound quality (using driver units that are more separated and detailed than traditional headphones). In addition, in-ear headphones are also convenient to carry because they are small and lightweight, making them ideal for travel and outdoor activities.
🤓According to the different driver types of headphones, they can be divided into the following categories: DYNAMIC DRIVER、ELECTROSTATIC、BALANCED ARMATURE、PLANAR DIAPHRAGM、HYBRID、AIR MOTION TRANSFORMER. If you want to learn more about the differences between them, you can read this blog that we wrote before <The Different Types of Earphone Drivers>. Most of the products we recommend to you this time belong to the three categories of PLANAR DIAPHRAGM, HYBRID, and BALANCED ARMATURE. Therefore, we will focus on the characteristics of these three types of driver headphones.
BALANCED ARMATURE
- High frequency response and high resolution: BA drivers typically respond faster and more accurately;
- Compact unit: BA driver unit is smaller than dynamic driver unit, so it can create lighter, more comfortable earphones;
- Multi-unit design: High-end dynamic driver earphones use a multi-BA unit design to more accurately reproduce different sounds;
- Excellent sound isolation: BA driver units typically require a sealed earplug to fully realize their advantages, which makes the earplug have a certain sound isolation effect;
- BA driver units also have drawbacks, such as poor low frequency performance, etc
PLANAR DIAPHRAGM
- More responsive: Lighter and faster response than traditional moving-iron or moving-coil drivers.
- More transparent sound: PLANAR DIAPHRAGM can reproduce the relationship between the position of each sound source in the music sound field in three dimensions.
- High clarity: PLANAR DIAPHRAGM is able to reproduce the detailed levels and error-prone parts of the sound more accurately when outputting sound.
- Lower harmonic distortion: The stability of the sound is maintained.
- More stable magnetic system: PLANAR DIAPHRAGM, on the other hand, uses a uniform magnetic system, a large area of wire, and other means to achieve a reliable and stable load.
HYBRID
- The sound exhibits high fidelity and integrity, with outstanding performance in mid and treble.
- Multiple balanced armature drivers make audio output more detailed and accurate.
- Dynamic driver provides strong bass, producing fuller and more powerful low-frequency effects.
- The soundstage shows a wide and clear sense of hierarchy.
- The price is relatively high, generally more expensive than headphones that solely use dynamic or other types of drivers.
2. What is Your Expected Price?
😎Through the previous introduction, I believe you have an understanding of the main types of headphone drivers we recommend. The next step is to consider your expected price range. Remember, there is no best In-Ear Headphones, only the most suitable IEMs.
The following are our recommended earphones in the $1-$100 and $100-$200 price ranges:
（1）“I just want to try” ($1-$100):
At this price point, my dear friend, the difference in performance between them is not significant. We are not highly recommended spending too much time comparing the audio quality. Maybe you can take a look and choose a design that you like.
① TRN XUANWU (HYBRID)：
The Xuanwu is one of the four mythical creatures in Chinese mythology. Known for its longevity and ability to travel between yin and yang, it represents the northern direction and winter. TRNXuanWu uses a combination of black and gold color scheme. The body of the earphone has a pattern of scales and seven pieces of turtle nails, full of mystery. Yes, I think it's cool😏
② KINERA GUMIHO (HYBRID)：
Spend $49 to buy two singing nine-tailed foxes (one left, one right). Come on, it's two nine-tailed foxes! 🤩 It has four different styles and also sends beautiful packaging. If you like the nine-tailed fox, do not miss it🦊
③ KZ PR1 (PLANAR DIAPHRAGM)：
This set of headphones is a fantastic choice, with excellent metal face cover and professional tuning. Among the three products mentioned above that cost less than 100 dollars, it has the best overall performance.
④ TINHIFI P1 MAX (PLANAR DIAPHRAGM)：
Strictly speaking, this product doesn't belong to this price range because its original price is $169, and it's currently on sale for $99. The P1 offers a quality that surpasses the $100 price range but is available for under $100. With a 14.2mm planar driver and high-quality earphone cable, I have to say it's the most competitive product among the under $100 earphones we are recommending today.
（2）“I would like more”($101-$200):
Congratulations to HiFi warriors, we are out of the newbie village🤠. At this price point, you will start to meet some real challenging opponents and you will need to try to make choices based on your needs.
① TRN KIRIN (PLANAR DIAPHRAGM)：
14.5mm Planar Magnetic Driver, The balancing Act Pressure Relief Vent and 8-Core Silve-plated OFC Cable&Swappable Plugs. All in all, it will be a good try.
② LETSHUOER S12 PRO (PLANAR DIAPHRAGM)：
Ergonomic design, the Pro version has new ventilation holes, making the comfort level improved.
- 8mm Planar Magnetic Driver
- Minimalist Industrial Design
- High-Purity Silver-Plated Cable
- Ergonomics Design
③ DUNU TALOS (HYBRID)：
Talos designed the switch for easy switching between planar drive mode and planar + BA hybrid drive mode. Each mode features a different sound signature due to different driver confirmations. In Planar Mode, the sound is more natural and soft, gentle and warm, which is suitable for most genres while in hybrid driver mode, Talos has better resolution and dynamics, which is suitable for string music and female vocals.
④ GOLDPLANAR GL12 (HYBRID)：
The Goldplanar GL12 is equipped with a variety of connectors, including a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a flat XLR jack and a 2.5mm flat battery power jack.The semi-open style provides balanced three frequencies, broad sound stage, excellent details while also being full of layers.
⑤ 7HZ TIMELESS：
Adopts Double-sided Array N52 Magnet and Ultra-thin Diaphragm. The earbud weighs only 5 grams each. You feel nothing heavy on your ear even after long time wearing. Ergonomic design provides ultimate comfort all the time. This pair of earphone could be an ideal choice for work and home.
SeekReal Dawn Pro adopts the new generation 10*14mm Square Planar Driver, complemented with a Knowles Balanced Armature. You will enjoy a speaker-like loose，clear vocals, natural sound with texture, volume, and transient response.
3.Summarize
We have provided a brief description and assessment, but everyone has their own unique preferences for sound.
Remember to choose what you like rather than going for the "best" choice,
because what you like is what's best💖
-Explore music like never before with Linsoul Audio-
