Once upon a time, these small in-ear headphones were designed for use on the go with a Walkman or transistor radio, but they were tinny without much audio range or depth. That time has thankfully long passed, and now you can get pretty amazing sound with a pair of ear buds while running, bike-riding or working out. These four models are some of the best we’ve found.
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Bose SoundTrue Ultra
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/bose-soundtrue-ultra/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Bose SoundTrue is one of the most comfortable in-ear headphones available and also delivers clean, well-balanced sound. The headphones stay securely in your ears, and an integrated inline remote works well for making cell-phone calls. The headphones also come with a nice, compact carrying case.
The bad: They’re a little expensive.
The cost: $128.99 to $129.99
The bottom line: If you’re looking for a pair of clean-sounding, really comfortable in-ear noise-isolating headphones that stay in your ears, the Bose SoundTrue Ultra should be on your short list.
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Focal Sphear
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/focal-sphear/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Focal Sphear is a lightweight, comfortable in-ear headphone that stays in your ears and sounds impressive for the price, with full bass and pleasantly crisp treble. There’s an inline one-button remote and microphone for cell phone use and a carry case is included.
The bad: They let in a little more ambient noise than your typical noise-isolating headphone and the headphone’s added transparency magnifies the flaws in poorly produced tracks or heavily compressed recordings.
The cost: $146.00
The bottom line: The Focal Sphear is a relatively affordable audiophile-grade in-ear headphone that’s easy to listen to for long stretches.
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1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/1more-triple-driver-in-ear-headphones/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The terrific-sounding 1More Triple Driver is attractively designed, with nicely finished aluminum ear pieces and a Kevlar-reinforced cable. It has a three-button inline remote and microphone that’s compatible with both Android and iOS devices, comes with a variety of eartips, and includes a nice carrying case.
The bad: You can lose the tight seal if you’re walking around (not the best headphone for more active users).
The cost: $97.98
The bottom line: The 1More Triple Driver is a great-sounding in-ear headphone for its relatively modest price point.
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Beyerdynamic DX 160 IE
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/beyerdynamic-dx-160-ie-black/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Beyerdynamic DX160 iE features impressive sound for the money, with meaty, tight bass. A nice carrying case is included.
The bad: No inline remote or microphone for making cell-phone calls; treble clarity a tad lacking.
The cost: $65.63
The bottom line: While the Beyerdynamic DX160 iE has some small downsides, it’s a bona fide audiophile in-ear headphone at an invitingly affordable price.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Executive Editor David Carnoy, CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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