The choice you get when looking for the best earphones for less than £100 is fantastic and really does include some of the very best earphones on the market. You can happily expect to get a set of in ear headphones that will both look great and sound amazing. This will include earphones from some of the best known and most respected audio brands around, giving you the benefit of products that have been developed using decades of experience.
Best Earphones Under £100 Comparison
| Model | Manufacturer | RRP (£) | Microphone | Available Colours | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MA750i | RHA | 89.95 | 5 | ||
|
A73 | FIDUE | 99.00 | 5 | ||
|
Pump | Pump Audio | 69.00 | 5 | ||
|
E80 | SoundMAGIC | 64.99 | 4.9 | ||
|
A65 | FIDUE | 49.99 | 4.9 | ||
|
Delta | Trinity | 90.00 | 4.9 | ||
|
E50S | SoundMAGIC | 49.95 | 4.7 | ||
|
Alpha Genus V2 | Rock Jaw | 44.95 | 4.6 | ||
|
Adagio III | Final Audio Design | 69.00 | 4.5 | ||
|
E10S | SoundMAGIC | 39.99 | 4.5 |
Best Earphones Under £100 – The Winners
The competition is stiff, but some of the cheaper offerings still just have it. Giving a bit more bang for you buck, they are very tough to beat!
Ei8htball EX811
The current king of the hill – the EX811 from UK based Ei8htball. Given a unique, mod like look these are a great choice for anyone wishing to upgrade their smartphone earphones.
The EX811 earphones are finished to a very high standard which compares to other earphones that cost twice the price. The lightweight metal earphones are incredibly comfortable to wear, even for extended periods of time. The cable is of the woven type and feels both lightweight and tough. The microphone and control button unit is finished to the same exacting standards – and is one of the most solid feeling ones that we’ve tested. Our only negative point is that there is no storage case included – we do recommend that you buy one yourself to help keep them tangle free.
The sound has an amazing level of depth and detail that sets them apart from the crowd. The bass isn’t overly big – and some may wish to enhance it using EQ, but it is punchy whilst retaining plenty of weight and detail. The mid range is great – it has a snap and punch that other simply don’t offer. The treble is open and spacious which allows the music to breathe.
The Ei8htball EX811 earphones are the ones to beat at the moment – we think they’re the bees knees & sound amazing. These make a perfect upgrade for any smartphone and they look stunning as well. All in all, they’re a great package. You can read more about them in our full Ei8htball EX811 review.
AKG K376
AKG are renowned for their award winning studio sound and high quality standards. The first thing you notice about these earphones is the stunning design. They are beautifully sleek & deceptively simple in appearance – making them a perfect replacement or upgrade for an iPhone, or any other smartphone for that matter
Aimed at the smartphone market, the AKG K376 in ear headphones have a microphone (mic) and ‘one button’ remote to give you easy control over incoming calls and music playback.
The included silicon ear adaptors are a little different to those that are provided with most earphones. They are significantly softer which makes them incredibly comfortable & perfect for wearing for extended periods of time.
As you’d expect, where these really stand out is how they sound. AKG have aimed for studio quality sound in a tiny package. The bass is sufficiently heavy but without being overpowering. The mid range and top end are smooth, nicely balanced and provide great sonic detail and imaging.
Overall these are simply brilliant. The combined lack of harshness in the mid range and the extra soft ear adaptors means that ear fatigue isn’t a problem. They are extremely comfortable allowing them to be worn comfortably for long periods. They isolate external noises very well indeed, whilst preventing your music from escaping at the same time – this makes them a great choice for commuting or for use in the office. We think that the AKG K376 earphones are a clear winner in the best earphones for less than £100 category and on top of that, they are possibly the best earphones for commuting as well. Read our full AKG K376 review.
SoundMAGIC E10
We have hi-lighted the SoundMAGIC E10 earphones numerous times due to their incredible value for money. Once again, they stand out even in this higher end price bracket. SoundMAGIC have produced an fantastic set of basic earphones that have turned heads and won awards whilst leaving other manufacturers wondering how they can compete.
The E10’s are a basic set of noise isolating earphones – in other words they don’t have a microphone or inline controls, but do block out external noises due to their tight fit. With a great range of eye catching colours to choose from, they make a great choice for everyday use.
The earphones, reinforced cable splitter and jack plug are all made from metal which helps to make them incredibly tough and long lasting.
As with all noise isolating earphones, the fit is critical to their comfort and performance. The SoundMAGIC E10 earphones come with an impressive 7 sets of ear adaptors meaning that you will get a great fit.
The sound is also impressive providing a rich, warm bottom end, nicely balanced mid range with a nice, light treble. They also pack a punch in the volume department, as they are quite loud when compared to other similar earphones on the market.
Whilst they don’t have the same overall design, build quality, or smartphone functionality of the significantly higher priced AKG K376 earphones, they do still hold their own in this proce bracket. The SoundMAGIC E10 earphones are a great sounding set of basic earphones that frankly, cannot be beaten for the money. Time after time we recommend the E10’s, and we feel, with good reason. They are simply stunning & incredibly value for money, not quite the best earphones for less than £100, but very close. Read our full SoundMAGIC E10 review.
So there you have it, the best earphones for less than £100 are for now, the Eightball EX811 – offering great value for money and fantastic sound, everyone should own a pair!
