Top ear buds for smartphones
The SoundMagic E10Ms are all about isolation and one of the most balanced soundscapes available for this price. With plenty of detail within a rich, nuanced and powerfully bass-heavy sound, the E10Ms' tips create an excellent seal against outside noise, though the use of metallic drivers can make them feel cold when donned first thing in the morning.
Elsewhere it's a relatively generous package, with no less than six choices of tips as well as a posh drawstring bag for storage. Add a useful splitter and an in-line remote that, again, works only for iPhones, and the SoundMagic E10Ms are among the best performing in-earphones at this low price.
Sennheiser MM 30i
| Price: | 3,739.00 |
It might have a shrunken 3.5mm connector and a super-slim cable, but the Sennheiser MM 30i produces a sound much bigger than we'd expected at this price. It's primarily low-frequency prowess that makes these a standout option for the money, though the in-line remote is another factor. It works well, though its volume toggle and call answering button only work with iPhones and iPads.
Three pairs of tips are supplied in the box, and though even the middle-sized pair take the MM 30is deep into the ear, the flip-side is excellent noise isolation that works well on city streets. Easy to travel with, our only bugbear about these super Sennheisers is that they get tangled rather too easily.
| Price: | 5,565.00 |
Use a pair of in-ears every day and they soon begin to show signs of wear. Which is why Klipsch came up with the S5i Rugged, a well built pair of in-ears that might sound a tad outdoorsy, but in reality behave very well on the daily commute. Firstly, they're rain-proof, while sound quality is excellent and well primed for both podcasts and music.
However, the S5i Ruggeds are all about ease of use and comfort (there's a huge choice of tips to choose from), and even the in-line remote controls - for iPhone only - have been given some thought, with both volume and playback controls raised from a tactile base. The result is that they're easy to find and operate through touch alone, so changing your tune doesn't require awkward downward glances. Now officially discontinued, these are are an absolute steal online.
Denon AH-C400
Better known for its larger, home-centric and audiophile-grade headphones, Japanese audio brand Denon here makes an attempt at street wear. The AH-C400s are clever stuff, boasting a 'tangle-free' cable design that for once lives up to its name. The plastic-covered cable is sturdier than most and might even survive being run over by a chair (the most common means of earphone death in our house). That covering also means that when unfurled from a pocket they're easy to arrange.
The earpieces themselves are rather large, though lightweight enough to stay in position. Effectively cutting out ambient noise, they offer sparkling detail and plenty of bass, too, though it's not overdone. The in-line remote is rather long, though slender, and buttons are raised just enough to locate with touch alone. Not surprisingly, those in-line controls only work with iPhones.
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