As an audiophile, I am always finding new and affordable ways to enjoy music while on the go. Small headphones are great for listening to music when you are away from your home or office. However, finding a great paid for under $100 can be difficult. We made our picks for best headphones under $100 based on price, sound reproduction, durability and overall style.
1. Bose In-Ear Headphones $89.99 (Link)
I received a pair of Bose around-ear headphones as a Christmas gift about two-years ago. Impressed with the sound quality for $130, I was curious to try the Bose in-ear headphones. The moderately priced ear buds have excellent sound reproduction, great bass for the size and come in different trims. The sound quality was excellent for bud style headphones; we tried them with a variety of music styles including rock, hip-hop and acoustic. The bass and clarity was excellent for rock and hip-hop songs and the sounds of guitars and the soft voice of the singer were enhanced on acoustic songs. The best feature? The cords are reinforced, which prevents fraying, even with heavy use.
2. Klipsch Image S4i $99.99 (Link)
Take the great sounding Klipsch Image S4 (featured below), add a convenient remote, and you have the S4i model. The ear buds feature excellent sound quality, various size ear tips, attached remote and an excellent portable design. The headphones are designed for reducing background noise, which is noticeable upon first use. However, keep in mind these are not noise reduction headphones. Overall, this pair of ear buds provides an excellent value, a convenient remove and excellent sound reproduction.
3. Shure Sound Isolating Earphones SE115-K $99.99 (Link)
Combine an excellent portable design, 1/8″ mini plug, 22Hz-17.5 KHz frequency response and a comfortable design and you get the Shure Sound ear buds. The sound quality is excellent and with various size ear tips, users will notice a comfortable fit. However, durability is often an issue with ear bud style headphones. The Shure Sound SE115-K has a heavy durable cord that is hard to break, even with moderate to heavy use. Overall, this pair of ear buds provides excellent sound and a durable design that goes above and beyond a majority of the competition.
4. Klipsch Image S4 $79.99 (Link)
The bud style Klipsch Image S4 headphones features a comfortable fit with a variety of included ear tips, portable design and excellent sound reproduction. The sound quality is excellent for a variety of different music genres; the sound reception provides noticeable improvements over less expensive models. Although these headphones provide an excellent value, they do have some drawbacks. The ear tips have a tendency to fall out and get lost during heavy use, however, this is problem with most headphones that have interchangeable tips.
5. Ultimate Ears – MetroFi 220 $69.99 (Link)
For a more affordable pair of ear buds, consider the excellent sounding Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220. This pair of ear buds features 16dB sound reproduction, 20Hz-20 kHz frequency, comfortable design and durable build. The bass quality is excellent, but the overstated bass does often interfere with sound quality of other sounds. The cord is thick, which makes it durable, but does not provide the same level of convenience as the other headphones features above. Overall, this pair is great for the consumer on a budget, but does sound or feel as good as the other headphones featured above.
Sources:
Personal experience
www.bestbuy.com
www.bose.com
