Best In-Ear Monitors: The Music for Your Ears

A lot of music professionals will tell you one thing - you can never go wrong with Shure. The Chicago-based audio equipment manufacturer has been in this business for nearly a century, creating the most popular in-ear monitors around, so it’s safe to say its engineers know what they’re doing. In the case of SE215 IEMs, they hit it out of the park, as they are not only affordable but sound pretty good, too.

These are some of the lightest in-ear monitors around and also the most comfortable. The earpieces can be rotated in 360 degrees, you get several sets of ear tips, and the cable is very flexible but also durable since it’s kevlar-reinforced. This is also a very portable set of in-ear monitors, as the cable is detachable, and you get a handy carrying case that stores everything you get in the box. 

But, how do these professional earbuds sound? The sound is pretty good, but not the best you’ll ever find. Shure’s IEMs are on the bassy side, which makes them great for casual listening. Still, if you’re looking for a pair of reference monitors for studio monitoring and music production, you might end up disappointed. Their frequency range isn’t huge compared to more premium offerings. Don’t get us wrong; the sound is still precise; it’s just not the pure audiophile experience one expects from a set of high-end monitors.

Our biggest surprise was the price of this system. Shure decided to set the SE215’s price just under $100, making it an incredible value proposition and the best in-ear monitors for musicians on a budget. Definitely a purchase you won’t regret, staying true to the brand’s reputation.

We’ve talked about in-ear monitors you can buy when you’re on a budget. But, what if money’s not an issue and you can splurge more than $1,000 on a pair of buds? Well, look no further than products by InEar. This is a German company specialized in creating the absolute best in-ear monitors around. Not only are its monitors perfect for music production, but each set is handcrafted using the highest quality materials. These IEMs are the ultimate premium offering on the market.

While we’re on the topic, let’s address the elephant in the room. These earbuds are expensive. To be more precise, they’re $1,499, or 15 times the price of Shure’s model that we’ve also reviewed here. Obviously, this is well beyond the budget of amateur musicians and music listeners. You buy these if you know you’ll return your investment. That is if you’re a successful music producer or artist.

So, what’s the secret behind some of the best studio in-ear monitors that money can buy? The impressive sound quality of these earbuds is achieved by having no less than eight drivers in each earpiece, sporting a high-frequency range, and having a lot of power “under the hood.” On top of that, there are switches for changing sound signatures and boosting highs or lows when you need them the most. Producers will be able to achieve pitch-perfect audio reference with the InEar ProPhile-8, while performers can hear all the subtleties in their sound.

Aside from the high price point, there really aren’t any downsides to these in-ear monitors. They’ll fit pretty much any ear thanks to 7 interchangeable ear tips and will keep their brilliant audio quality for many years to come due to the impeccable manufacturing. There really isn’t anything like these buds out there. They are the ultimate professional in-ear monitors with a price tag to match.

Many DJs and live performers swear on audio equipment by Japanese manufacturers. Among the many companies that produce earphones, Audio-Technica stands out because it makes top-of-the-line hardware that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Such a prominent manufacturer, of course, has produced its fair share of top-rated earbuds. Today, we’ll be looking at ATH-E70, the professional-grade monitors and flagship product from Audio-Technica.

Like many similar products, the ATH-E70s are semi-transparent and don’t really give out the impression that you’re holding a piece of high-end tech. But, the moment you put them in your ears, you’ll know you’re experiencing something special. Wearing these will feel like they were made just for you. The “magic” lies within the cable itself, which is made out of a memory material that keeps the shape customized to your earlobe. Even the ear tips adapt on the go, so once you’ve put them on, it will feel like you’ve always worn them. The unmatched comfort level is why these are the best wired in-ear monitors to bring onto the stage.

Audio Technica achieved reference sound by using three drivers per earpiece, one driver each for low, mid, and high tones. The monitors also provide a lot of power, which is especially useful for live performers during loud concerts, not to mention preventing damage to the monitors when they’re connected to an amp.

Granted, these don’t come cheap, but they’re at the middle of the price spectrum in our review lineup, and you’ll get much more than you’ve paid for. If you’re looking for the best IEM under 500, the Audio-Technica ATH-E70 is the way to go.

We couldn’t make a list that includes Japanese audio brands without mentioning Sony. The tech giant is well known in the world of professional audio, whether through its revolutionary noise-canceling headphones, hi-fi systems, or in-ear monitors. Among several high-end models in Sony’s current lineup, the IER-M9s stand out as the best earbuds that the company has to offer.

Touted as the best choice for vocalists, these IEMs offer an impressive frequency range, beating even some more expensive models such as the InEar ProPhile-8. Sony has built a custom 5-driver setup for these monitors called Balanced Armature. The company used magnesium for most parts, including its super tweeter, designed to provide clear and crisp high notes. Even the shape helps the sound reach the performer’s ear in a linear motion, ensuring all the sounds come out as intended. 

Sound quality is, in short, superb. The fantastic clarity, especially in the highs and mids, makes them some of the best in-ear monitors for singers on the market. They’re also very lightweight and made from durable materials. One thing that might not click with everyone is their shape. Sony has opted to prefabricate the ear hangers in hopes of improving comfort, but such a solution obviously won’t fit everyone’s ear perfectly. Luckily, you get 13 ear tips in two materials and lots of shapes, so at least the sound isolation and in-ear fit are top-notch. Another factor that may be discomforting is the price. To be fair, costing nearly a grand hasn’t stopped these earbuds from selling out of stock numerous times, so Sony clearly knows their value.

Stepping down from the ultra-premium to the ultra-affordable, we found some big surprises and excellent deals. Since not everyone can shell out hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on their first in-ear monitors, smaller manufacturers have found a perfect niche for entering this saturated market. One of them is Knowledge Zenith or KZ for short.

The Chinese manufacturer offers more than a dozen affordable earbuds, but the KZ ZST is definitely its most popular one. It is the ultimate budget choice for people that want to try out an in-ear monitoring system without breaking the bank. A pair of these shiny buds will cost you just under $20, which is a steal considering their performance. They also come in several colors and with an optional mic, so they’re handy for everyday use, not just for music performances.

Even though these can be considered “cheap” monitors, they don’t compromise on too many design aspects. The cable is detachable and has gold-plated connectors, you get three sets of silicone ear tips, and these affordable IEMs also have “Hybrid Balance Armature” drivers for improved sound quality. That being said, the casing is all plastic, so these feel like they may break at any time, and we’re sure that they won’t be able to handle rougher care on stage. Again, the KZ ZST is almost unbeatable for this price, and you can grab a few pairs as a backup. That makes them a no-brainer for beginners and people looking to get a decent pair of IEMs for a pittance.

When talking about audio hardware, specifically the best wireless in-ear monitors, we cannot forget one of the brands synonymous with high-quality audio. The brand is Sennheiser, of course, a legendary German manufacturer of everything sound-related. It has recently unveiled the IE 100 PRO in-ear monitors, an upgrade from the very successful IE 40 PRO model.

Let’s start with the basics. Sound quality is something that never disappoints with this manufacturer. Sennheiser is well known for its signature warm sound, but without compromising any detail in the sound stage. These Bluetooth in-ear monitors are on par with what we’ve got accustomed to, making them ideal for both everyday and professional use. That being said, the frequency range is more on the bassy side, so the guitar and bass players, as well as drummers, will find more use of these IEMs than choir singers.

We’ve chosen the wireless model for our list as it’s just slightly more expensive but brings Bluetooth capabilities into the mix, making this already versatile pair of earbuds even better. You can also go with the $99 version that’s fully wired and upgrade later on by purchasing a Bluetooth kit from Sennheiser. As with the best IEM solutions around, battery life is excellent. Fully charged, the battery should last you about 10 hours, which is more than enough for any gig, including long DJ sessions at festivals. And, since it uses Bluetooth, you won’t have to worry about compatibility with other hardware.

One grievance with these in-ear monitors is the lack of a carrying case. Sennheiser gives out just a cloth bag, forcing customers to spend more money on a more secure storage solution. Even though these earbuds are highly durable, you still need a proper carry case to ensure that they won’t get damaged in transport. Quality-wise, buds may be the best in-ear monitors for live performance in their price range. With that in mind, omitting the carry case is a major misstep in our book.

Some concerts and festivals boast such massive stages that your band might have difficulty connecting IEMs and keeping everything running smoothly. This is especially problematic if you have people running around the stage, diving into the crowd, or you simply don’t want a river of cables cluttering up the stage. The solution? A wireless in-ear monitor system for a band, such as the Shure PSM 300.

The system comes as a three-part set. You get the in-ear monitors, of course, a belt pack that the earbuds connect to, and a transmitter device. Shure allows for mixing and matching of components when ordering this set, so you can easily upgrade it. It covers the 500 MHz band, and Shure’s website has a handy tool for checking which frequencies aren’t used in your area by entering your ZIP code. 

The PSM 300 allows two performers to sync their IEMs to the transmitter, and each of them gets their own settings on the belt pack. So, if you were looking for the best in-ear monitors for bass players that can’t stay put during a gig, this is it. Your performers can set up the mix on the fly, too. For example, the singer can boost the vocal track, or the bass player can isolate the guitars for better audio monitoring. Setting this all up, and we can’t emphasize that enough, is incredibly simple, and Shure’s system is unbeatable when it comes to ease of use. You don’t need to be a sound engineer to operate the PSM 300.

This system uses AA batteries for its belt packs, and they, unfortunately, don’t last as long as batteries on other top earbuds. On average, a pair of alkaline batteries will provide power for up to five hours, so either have multiple batteries on-hand or get a rechargeable pack from Shure. That’s the only significant downside of this otherwise exceptional kit.

It’s hard to find the best in-ear monitors for drummers, but these earbuds are definitely a solid budget consideration. The second edition of MEE Audio’s M6 PRO monitors improves on an already solid piece of audio tech. Best of all, the affordable price point was maintained even with the upgrades, making it one of the best purchases that an aspiring musician can make. While M6 PRO can’t really match the more expensive premium systems, it does manage to punch above its class.

A lot of musicians were already impressed by the previous model, but for MEE Audio, it simply wasn’t enough. The company’s engineers further refined the audio formula, emphasizing mid and high tones, thus improving the precision of audio reproduction in MEE’s most popular earbuds. The bass is also a bit punchier but not quite at the level found on good consumer headphones. You’ll still hear the music as intended by the artist, not the overblown audio meant to impress the casual listeners.

The most pleasant surprise comes from the packaging. In a neat hard case, you’ll find an additional cable with an inline mic for using these IEMs with your smartphone. There are also many additional silicone ear tips in various sizes, a pair of noise-canceling foam tips, and a ¼” adapter for sound systems and DJ mixers. The latter is something we’re not used to seeing among even the best in-ear monitors under $200, so big props to MEE Audio here. Durability-wise, these are really great. While we recommend against smashing these to check whether they’re broken, you can rest assured the earpieces will stay in one piece (see what we did there?) even if dropped on concrete. The cable is also sweat-proof.

While there aren’t any glaring issues with the M6 PRO, its price falls into tricky territory. Spending just a bit more lets you enter the “big boy” SE215 territory. Likewise, you can spend less and get KZ ZST as entry/backup in-ear monitoring for drummers. The $30 price difference can’t be really felt in sound quality. You’re just paying more for a nicer package.