Table of Contents
As far as Best Earbuds Under $300 are concerned, it seems that you are probably trying to reach the upper part of the offer if you plan to buy at this price. The premium earbud market began as a contradiction in the sense that many brands chose to compete with the stock, pre-packaged models that consumers find in addition to purchases of new devices.
But in the last couple of years, there has been a real need for high-quality, versatile devices that deliver an “as good as it’s” audio experience while maintaining the portability, ease of use and all-around functionality of the earbud form factor. And companies have delivered across the board. If you are about to spend $300 on earbuds, chances are you know what you’re looking for, and you know how to find it.
You do not have to tell us that even in the top segment of the in-ear market, compromises exist in terms of audio quality, but it is essential not to lose sight of this. Beyond that, you take the time before you make your final choice.
List of the best earbuds under $300
Remember that audio is a deeply personal experience and try to get your hands (or ears) on a few before you buy. One person’s productive bass response is another person’s poorly defined mids.
Bose QuietComfort 20
Bose products are regarded as the pinnacle of the consumer segment of the audio world. With that said, they are best known for their speakers and home theater solutions. Bose QuietComfort 20 Noise-canceling headphones can overwhelm many people. Earbuds themselves are quite simple, all taken together.
However, the sound they offer is pretty good. The majority of their performance quality comes from Bose with an active noise cancellation setting. This way, they have allowed you to enjoy their drivers fully. Here is the thing. Bose QuietComfort 20 has some tricks to his name. This will enable you to boost the environment and hear everything around you at the push of a button.
Pros:
- Ergonomic design.
- Great set of drivers.
- Active noise cancellation.
Cons:
- Not much durable
[content-egg module=Amazon template=list next=1]
Sennheiser IE80
I had both the IE80 and the previous IE8, and it is a beautiful earphone with a very nice weight behind the low level, resulting in a powerful bass. The design has been around for several years, and with good reason, they are still very high on their price, so there is no point in replacing them. An essential feature of the Sennheiser IE80 is that it has an adjustable bass post, which makes the earphones work well in different genres.
The cable is detachable, so you can replace it without having to replace the earphone yourself and ends in a sturdy right-angled jack that has to withstand a proper punishment. With a standard plastic coated cable design, Sennheiser did not make any noticeable movements to reduce tangles. Still, because the cable friction is reasonably low, we have not found this problem.
Pros:
- Excellent bass
- Great detail
Cons:
- A minor upgrade over IE 8
- Average looks
[content-egg module=Amazon template=list next=1]
Shure SE425
No list of earbuds of a higher level would be complete without Shure. This brand, which is best known for its great microphones, also offers some of the most impressive designs for earbuds on the market. Shure SE425 sound isolating headphones fit perfectly in the list of best earbuds under $300. It is no secret that Shure is not significant in terms of aesthetics, which explains the transparent chassis and the simple design. It is also true that someone rarely buys earbuds to look at it. When you enter it and play a song, you will notice several things. To begin with, the Shure solution for passive noise cancellation works reasonably well. Then we have Shure’s advanced drivers that deliver balanced, rich sound and saturation over the entire frequency range.
Pros:
- Great Optimization.
- Ergonomic design.
- Advanced driver design.
Cons:
- Bland and unimpressive aesthetics
[content-egg module=Amazon template=list next=1]
Klipsch XR8i
It is quite rare to see earbuds that contain so many great technical solutions, such as the Klipsch XR8i in-ear earbuds. Where most other brands look more like looks than hardware, Klipsch took things in a different direction. With that said, the aesthetics on these are pretty impressive, apart from the conservative selection of colors. However, this is secondary. What matters is the implementation. Klipsch XR8i comes with not one, two, but three drivers. You get a subwoofer, a hybrid with a dynamic range, and a luminaire tweeter. That means that every part of the frequency range has a particular driver that covers it. The moment you start using it, you will realize how good this is.
Pros:
- Extremely comfortable
- Thick, refined bass
- Excellent build quality
Cons:
- Not for all music genres
- Cable noise
- Expensive
[content-egg module=Amazon template=list next=1]
Shure E2c-n
Another Shure model that has crept into our list is the Shure E2c-n. As you can see, these are not that great to look at. However, there is a lot to reveal under the hood. At this point, we can safely say that Shure designs and produces some of the best earbuds under $300 that you can now find. The basis for the performance of E2c-n lies again in their drivers and how they work in combination with Shure’s noise cancellation technology. If you need something lightweight but sturdy, maybe this is it. During use, you will rarely notice them, not to mention the fact that they are good at minimizing fatigue. Because of all that, we find E2c-n quite amazing.
Pros:
- High ergonomic chassis.
- Shure’s proprietary driver.
- Passive noise-canceling technology.
Cons:
- It could have included more accessories.
[content-egg module=Amazon template=list next=1]
Are Best Earbuds Under $300 Worth It?
Given the type of investment that some of these earbuds require, this is a legitimate question. Not everyone can distribute this kind of money without doing enough research on the subject. To find the answer to the question from the head, we first have to think of a few things. You have to ask yourself what kind of sound you think is acceptable. Whether you need absolute quality or that average sound quality works for you?
We say this because the best earbuds under $300 are most certainly worth it, but you have to find out if they are worth it to you. If you are an audiophile who needs something portable and more compact than a full-size headset, investing in one of these can be the right decision. Similarly, if you’re traveling a lot and depending on earbuds as entertainment, some of the models mentioned above might prove to be the perfect match. Again, it all comes down to what you want from your earbuds.
Active Noise Cancellation
Active noise cancellation is easily the most efficient of the two. The levels of noise cancellation that some of these earbuds offers can quickly silence a room full of people talking to each other. Of course, even the best active noise cancellation system has its limits. The chances are that you will not easily find those limits. The most significant disadvantage of active noise cancellation is the batteries. Continually relying on batteries can be very annoying if you want to complete independence. On the other hand, it is definitely worth the extra effort to enjoy your favorite music with additional details.
Passive Noise Cancellation
Passive noise cancellation is more straightforward and less effective, but in most cases, capable enough. With this approach, you use the chassis of the earbud to drown out most of the noise. As such, it tends to have limited success depending on where you are and how noisy your environment is at the moment. Some earbuds with passive noise cancellation work exceptionally well, and others do not do so much. The advantage of this setup is that you do not have to carry batteries with you. Besides, the earbuds themselves will be a lot lighter compared to an active set. Also, passive noise cancellation technology tends to lower the price of a particular set of earbuds, making them cheaper.