Best Earbuds Under 300 – If you’re about to spend $300 on earbuds, chances are you know what you’re looking for and you know how to find it. You don’t need us to tell you that there are trade offs in terms of audio quality even at the top end of the in-ear market, but it’s important to keep this in mind nonetheless.
Other than that, take your time before committing to your final choice. Remember that audio is a deeply personal experience, and try to get your hands (or ears) on a pair before buying. One person’s rich bass response is another person’s poorly defined mids.
ROUND UP
back to menu ↑1.Bose QuietComfort
Features
- Noise cancelling earbuds – Engineered with the world’s most effective noise cancelling. Bose controllable noise cancellation and full Transparency Mode allow you to eliminate distractions, let your surroundings in, or a little bit of each.
- High-fidelity audio – An exclusive acoustic architecture brings your music, podcasts, and videos to life, while Volume-optimized Active EQ keeps the sound crisp and balanced at any level.
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑2.Shure SE425-CL
Features
- SOUND ISOLATING TECHNOLOGY - Own your audio space with sound isolating design that eliminates noise and keeps your experience pristine. It’s the right way to listen and the only way to really hear.
- CUSTOMIZED FIT - Includes three sizes (S, M, L) of the flex and black foam sleeves. Experiment with the size and style that creates the best fit for you.
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑3.Grado GT220
Features
- Whats in the Box - GT220 in-ear headphones (L/R) - Charging case - USB cable (USB-C to USB-A) - Multiple silicon tips - Owner's guide
- True wireless Touch sensitive commands - Built in microphone - Twist to lock
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑4.Beats
Features
- TAKE YOUR WORKOUT ANYWHERE: Beats powerbeats2 bluetooth wireless headphones can connect upto 30 feet range to your bluetooth enabled devices. Its adjustable long wrap around cable lets you to move freely, take hand free calls and adjust music with no-slip grip remote talk controls.
- SWEAT RESISTANT & COMPACT DESIGN: Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Earphone is IPX4 sweat and water-resistant from the earbud to the tangle-free cable wrap around cable. It's designed with a flexible ear hook, providing a comfortable and secure fit.
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑5.Jabra Elite
Features
- SECURE ACTIVE FIT – We scanned thousands of ears to create the best-fitting earbuds for a sport that we’ve ever created, with a special grip coating to make sure they stay in while you move; Plus, they’re sweat proof and waterproof with IP57-rated protection
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION: With these noise cancelling earbuds, you can filter out the world and focus on your music; Use the Jabra Sound plus App to activate ANC the first time you use it and enable toggling between ANC and Hear Through via your Earbud button
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑6.Samsung Galaxy
Features
- SOUND THAT ROCKS: The AKG-tuned 12mm speaker and enhanced bass tone play everything in studio-quality sound.
- NEW STYLE, NEW SOUND: Equal parts earbud and ear bling, Galaxy Buds Live come in 4 colors you’ll want to rock all day.
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑7.EarFun Air
Features
- ⭐[CES 2020 Innovation Award & iF Design Award]⭐ EarFun Air is the only wireless earbuds that received the "2020 iF Design Award" and "CES 2020 Innovation Award" together. Great features and great design have been globally recognized. Each earbud is equipped with 2 microphones, together the 4 enhanced microphones provide noise-cancelling call technology to effectively block out 80% of background noise and make your voice 3 times clearer, to ensure you’re heard on the other side.
- [HI-FI SUPERIOR SOUND] EarFun Air Bluetooth earbuds feature dual 6mm composite drivers that produce rich, immersive sound. PEEK + PU high fidelity dynamic drivers deliver deep, resonant bass with authentic treble to match.
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑8.SENNHEISER
Features
- Enjoy unrivaled high-end stereo sound created by Sennheiser's unique 7 millimeter dynamic Earbud audio drivers. Frequency response (Microphone)-100 Hz to 10 kHz. Frequency response-5 - 21,000 Hz
- Switch off your surroundings and focus on the deep bass, the natural mids and the clear treble thanks to Active Noise Cancellation providing you with high-fidelity sound even in noisy environments
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑9.Sony WF-1000XM3
Features
- Digital noise canceling: Industry leading anc lends a personalized, virtually soundproof experience. Phone call: A built-in mic enables you to take hands-free calls
- 24bit Audio signal processing delivers dramatically improved sound quality
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑10.Klipsch XR8i
Features
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
- KG-2365 AcuPass(R) Two-Way Hybrid Driver
OUR TAKE
back to menu ↑Best Earbuds Under 300 – BUYER’S GUIDE
back to menu ↑Advanced Features
One thing worth mentioning is that most of these come with a some pretty advanced features. For the most part we are talking about high end driver designs, the majority of which are proprietary. Because of that, even two seemingly comparable models aren’t really comparable at all. Each brand has their own set of hardware which performs differently. Aside from drivers, one of the most interesting features you will run into is noise cancellation. Specifically, these earbuds will either have active or passive noise cancellation. Lets discuss each in detail.
back to menu ↑Active Noise Cancellation
Active noise cancellation is easily the more efficient of the two. The levels of noise reduction some of these earbuds offer can easily silence a room full of people talking among each other. Naturally, even the best active noise canceling system has its limits. However, chances are that you won’t find those limits anytime soon. The main drawback of active noise cancellation are the batteries. Having to constantly rely on batteries can be a nuisance if you want full independence. On the other hand, being able to enjoy your favorite music with additional detail is definitely worth the extra hassle.
back to menu ↑Passive Noise Cancellation
Passive noise cancellation is simpler and less effective, but effective enough in most cases. With this approach you are using 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 of the earbuds that feature passive noise cancellation work extremely well while others not so much. The benefit of going with this setup is the fact that you don’t have to carry batteries around with you. On top of that, the earbuds themselves are going to be a fair bit lighter compared to an active set. Additionally, passive noise canceling tech tends to reduce the price of a given set of earbuds making them more affordable.
back to menu ↑The Good
Look, if you’re paying for the best, you’re probably going to get the best. It’s as simple as that. Mostly. Obviously, not everything that’s priced this highly is worthy of the price tag, but you should be sure to read as many reviews as possible to ensure that your eventual choice doesn’t disappoint.
At this price range, you’re going to be able to do one of two things. Each has its use, and there’s no strictly better choice. It’s a personal thing. Either you can find a truly jack of all trades affair which delivers a solid amount of features, a good design, and decent audio quality, or you can choose which of those three aspects matters the most to you and specialize.
There are, for example, a whole host of sports eardbuds, wireless offerings, or just your standard ‘general use’ earphones to choose from at the $300 price point. The world is your audio oyster, whatever that means.
back to menu ↑The Bad
There are only two potential negatives worth discussing here and the main one is this: there is, no matter what brands would like you to believe, an absolute cap on the quality of an in-ear listening experience relative to other form factors.
Now, this needn’t be a bad thing. Earbuds have a lot going for them: they’re highly portable, they usually come with a ton of useful features, and they tend towards a kind of plug and play, ‘it just works’ user experience that a lot of equipment designed for audio purists does not. But it’s absolutely worth considering before you drop $300 on in-ear headphones if you specifically want an in-ear rather than over-ear experience.
The second negative, then, is aimed at audiophiles who, for whatever reason, have their hearts set on earbuds. At this price point, you’re going to be paying a lot of money for a form factor which can’t deliver the optimal listening experience. If audio is, above all else, your primary concern, you may want to look elsewhere.
back to menu ↑What to Look For
Decide which of the two archetypes you wish to pursue and run with it. Are you someone who appreciates a robust feature set, an attractive design, and a good listening experience? Then pick a pair of earphones which cover all those bases. But if you’re looking to prioritize one of the three, there’s plenty on offer for you to choose from as well.
back to menu ↑Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand has the best earbuds? That totally depends on what you’re looking for – but we’re careful with our lists. That means all of the earbud and in-ear headphones below come from brands we trust. Still, if you’re not sure where to start looking, respected brands like Sony, Apple, Cambridge Audio, JBL, and Optoma are good places to start.
What are the best cheap earbuds? At least half of the buds in this list are below the $80 / $80 mark, which makes them ideal for those who need a new set of headphones but can’t justify a splurge. We recommend the 1More Triple Drive In-Ear Headphones – but if they’re still too pricey for your current budget, then check out our guides to the best cheap headphones of 2021 and the best budget wireless earbuds.
Which is better, earbuds or headphones? It’s up to you. Some people love the feel and immersive sound experience of over-ear headphones, others prefer the freedom and compact size of in-ear headphones and earbuds. It all depends on what your priorities are.
How do I keep my earbuds from falling out? Although most of the high-end in-ear buds and headphones are designed to stay put, everyone’s ears are different. Which means there’s still a chance they’ll fall out – especially if you’re running or moving. If this keeps happening, we recommend opting for a pair built with sports in mind, these tend to have better support and even a different design that anchors them into your ear better.
back to menu ↑WRAP UP
As far as earbuds go, it looks like you are probably trying to hit the uppermost end of what’s on offer if you’re planning to buy at this price point.The premium in-ear headphones market began as something of a contradiction in terms with many brands opting to compete instead with the stock, pre-packaged models that consumers find alongside purchases of new devices.
But in the last few years, a real need has emerged for high quality, versatile devices which deliver an ‘as good as it gets’ audio experience while maintaining the portability, ease of use, and all round practicality of the earbud form factor. And companies, across the board, have delivered.
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