In-Ear Wireless Earphone Sound Quality Comparison | A Thorough Explanation of Sound Differences by Manufacturer Model
*This article contains advertisements (Amazon Associates).
With less pressure on the ears and a lightweight fit,
in-ear (open-ear) earphones remain popular as the perfect choice for
"listening while doing other things," housework, walks, and background music while working.
In this article, we focus solely on sound quality differences, not features, and provide an easy-to-understand comparison of the sound quality trends of current models.
Evaluations are summarized using treble, midrange, bass, resolution, and overall performance based on
a relative evaluation (10-point scale) within this article plus a star rating.
Sound Quality Structure of In-Ear Earphones
(First, the big picture)
The direction of sound quality is clear for each series.
Apple AirPods 4 → Balanced and natural
Anker K20i → Light and standard
Sennheiser ACCENTUM Open → High sound quality and clear
SONY LinkBuds Open → Ultra-natural and light
JBL Tune Flex 2 → Bass-oriented (can also be used as canal-type)
Marshall Minor IV → Rock-oriented
SOUNDPEATS Air6 HS / Air5 Lite → High sound quality-oriented and cost-effective
AVIOT TE-Y1 → Multi-functional and balanced
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 8 Active → Light and low-priced
EDIFIER X1 Lite → Standard and lightweight
Moondrop Block → Beauty of the mid-to-high range
If you choose by usage × series, you can instantly understand the direction of the sound quality.
Sound quality comparison by model
▼ Apple (Good compatibility with iPhone)
AirPods 4 | The standard in-ear × balanced type
Treble: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Overall performance: 7 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound characteristics
Natural without any quirks.
An all-rounder that can be enjoyed with consistent quality across any genre.
▼ Anker (Affordable and easy to use)
Soundcore K20i | Light and easy × everyday use
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 5 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Light and bright sound.
Standard sound quality perfect for casual listening.
▼ Sennheiser (High-Quality Open-Ear)
ACCENTUM Open | Clear × High-Quality × Natural Ambient Sound
Highs: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Mids: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Lows: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 7 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Achieves both natural sound and high audio quality.
Top-class clarity for an open-type model.
▼ SONY (A New Standard for Fully Open-Ear)
LinkBuds Open (WF-L910) | Ultra-Natural × Light
Highs: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Mids: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Lows: 4 (★★☆☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Ultra-natural sound because it doesn't block the ears.
The sound quality is light and specialized for casual listening.
▼ JBL (Abundant options for fit)
Tune Flex 2 | 2-WAY × Bass-oriented
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 7 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Characteristics
Bass is stronger when worn as canal-type.
Light and easy to handle when worn as in-ear.
▼ Marshall (Rock-oriented sound)
Minor IV | Rock-oriented × Light
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 5 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Characteristics
Rock-oriented tuning typical of Marshall.
Light and suitable for background music while working.
▼ SOUNDPEATS (Good cost-performance)
Air6 HS | LDAC × High sound quality-oriented
Highs: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Mids: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Lows: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 7 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 7 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Characteristics
Clear with LDAC support.
High sound quality for the price.
Air5 Lite | Lightweight × Standard Sound Quality
Highs: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Mids: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Lows: 5 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Characteristics
Light, easy-to-use standard sound quality.
▼ AVIOT (Multifunctional In-Ear)
TE-Y1 | Multifunctional × Balanced Type
Highs: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Mids: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Lows: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Balanced sound quality despite being multifunctional.
Perfect for everyday use.
▼ Xiaomi (Lightweight & Low Price)
Redmi Buds 8 Active | Lightweight × Low Price
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 5 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Lightweight and easy to handle.
Sufficient sound quality for the low price range.
▼ EDIFIER (Lightweight and Easy to Handle)
X1 Lite | Lightweight × Standard Sound Quality
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 5 (★★★☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
Lightweight and suitable for everyday use.
Standard sound quality.
▼ Moondrop (Sound Quality Focused)
Block | Mid-High Range × Clear
Treble: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Midrange: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Bass: 4 (★★☆☆☆)
Resolution: 6 (★★★☆☆)
Overall Performance: 6 (★★★☆☆)
● Sound Quality Characteristics
The mid-high range is beautiful, but appropriate for the price point.
The bass is restrained and leans towards clear.
It has that "Moondrop feel," but lacks the extension of higher-end models.
In-Ear Earphone Sound Quality Comparison
Overall Sound Quality Ranking
Sennheiser ACCENTUM Open
SOUNDPEATS Air6 HS
Apple AirPods 4
JBL Tune Flex 2
SOUNDPEATS Air5 Lite
Marshall Minor IV
Anker Soundcore K20i
AVIOT TE-Y1
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 8 Active
EDIFIER X1 Lite
Moondrop Block
Recommended Sound Quality by Use Case
High Sound Quality → ACCENTUM Open / SOUNDPEATS Air6 HS / Apple AirPods 4
Casual Listening → SONY LinkBuds Open / AirPods 4
Bass-Oriented → JBL Tune Flex 2
Lightweight × Comfortable → EDIFIER X1 Lite / Anker K20i
Multifunctional → AVIOT TE-Y1 / JBL Tune Flex 2
Budget-Friendly → Xiaomi Redmi Buds 8 Active / EDIFIER X1 Lite
Design-Focused → Moondrop Block / Marshall Minor IV
Summary
Open-ear/in-ear models have the strengths of being "non-obstructive, lightweight, and comfortable," and the sound quality direction is clear for each model.
High Sound Quality → Sennheiser / SOUNDPEATS / Apple
Lightweight → Apple / Anker
Sports → SONY
Low Price → Xiaomi / EDIFIER
Design → Moondrop / Marshall
Once you understand the differences in sound quality,
you will instantly know which model suits your needs.
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