In-ear headphones test 2024: The best devices in comparison.
A life without headphones? Unimaginable. Whether in a Zoom meeting, listening to music and podcasts or simply making a phone call: life without headphones is possible, but inconvenient. In-ear headphones are particularly practical because they are different from their big sister, take up hardly any space and in most cases can now be loaded in a small case while on the go. But which are the best in-ear headphones? We have summarized for you how the individual models differ in our large in-ear headphone comparison.
What are in-ear headphones?
In-ear headphones are plugged directly into the ear and held in place by the ear canal. However, if they don't stay in your ear properly, they fall out and, in the worst case scenario (because they are often very small), are gone. In addition, if the tip (the silicone part at the end of the headphones) fits incorrectly, the sound can change because the ear canal is not completely sealed and therefore, for example, deep sounds are lost. However, if they are held correctly, the sound is directly at the eardrum, and the passive noise insulation ensures that outside noise is hardly noticeable.
In Ears oder Earbuds?
A distinction must also be made between in-ear headphones and earbuds, which are also called button headphones.
Earbuds are “hooked” into the ear, for example with a small bracket that is placed behind the ear and holds the headphones. Because they don't sit directly in the ear canal, they don't have much passive noise insulation, but are better on a bike, for example, because road noise comes through and at the same time they sit relatively firmly behind the ears. However, the sound quality can also suffer as a result.
What types of in-ear headphones are there?
Wireless headphones are not the same as wireless headphones: You have to differentiate between true wireless models and wireless headphones (e.g. neckband in-ears). Both versions are connected to the device of your choice via Bluetooth, so you no longer need a cable. However, wireless headphones can be interconnected with a cable, which means that the earbuds are connected with a cable - useful when doing sports or if you are afraid that an earbud will become loose and get lost.
True wireless headphones, on the other hand, allow completely free movement: They are not connected to each other, but rather two earplugs that are connected to each other and to a cell phone or laptop via Bluetooth. But there is never any risk of getting caught on the cable - but the in-ear headphones have to fit really well so that they stay in your ear. For our test of the best in-ear headphones, we only tested true wireless models. But they also had to be able to endure our sporting activities.
Advantages of in-ear headphones
Whether someone prefers in-ear, over-ear or on-ear headphones depends entirely on the person and the context. One person may prefer over-ear headphones on the subway, but in-ear headphones may be more practical when doing sports. We have put together a few advantages of in-ear headphones here:
- maximum flexibilityand freedom of movement
- small and light, fit in every handbag
- gutes Noise Cancellingby proximity to the eardrum
- You don't sweat under the headphones
In-ear headphones comparison
Stiftung Warentest also tested the best headphones in 2024 and declared the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE and the Technics EAH-AZ80 as the two test winners. Both were less convincing when it came to battery, but they were convincing in the categories of sound quality, ANC, durability and pollutants. You can find out which in-ear headphones convinced the GLAMOR editorial team in the personal test below!
Most headphones will be discounted on Black Friday 2024 (or the week before).
“Beats Solo Buds”: Kleine True-Wireless-Headphones, großer Beat
The contents of the package are relatively manageable. There is no cable, which is a positive point for me because I already have too many USB-C cables. Plus the case with the magnetically attracted headphones.
Pairing is super easy - even if it is a bit irritating that there are no LEDs anywhere. You hear a tone and then the little buds are ready to pair. This was easy with my Google Phone - but my MacBook gave me quite a bit of trouble. You don't need an app for general use, you can get started straight away. Unfortunately, I'm a boomer when it comes to that and I love it when you can just get started with something, without an app. Of course, there is still an app for custom settings.
