The Best Wireless Earbuds for Music under $100
The Best Budget Audiophile TWS
Welcome to the Scarbir.com Supreme Stash :)
- These are the best wireless earphones for sound quality under $100, $50 and $30 - after 455 models tested
- These are rankings on sound quality only. See links for complete reviews
- Quick help: Choose from the $100 category for the best sound, from $50 and $30 for budget options. $150 is added below as they offer some other sound characters - but they don't sound better perse than the $100 category. Release years added for convenience, doesn't affect the sound quality.
- Updated May 2025
Best Sounding Earbuds under $100
These earphones sound fantastic, for their price and in general
Redmi Buds 6 Pro (2025 | ~ $80)
THE MUSICAL - Focuses on mids rather than treble, making a full, warm yet balanced sound that feels incredibly fluent. A kicking deep mid-bass, sweet sub-bass and juicy lower mids. While full, it leaves all the room for an great detail retrieval around you. Very musical, highly entertaining.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE (2023 | ~ $80)
THE IMPROVED - Fantastic, balanced yet engaging musical presentation with excellent tonality and separation. Superb mid-tones, with subtly lifted center-mids that deliver lively vocals and textured instruments. Deep, tight, impactful bass, and boosted lower-mid-tones, marking the biggest difference from the Galaxy Buds 2. Detailed AND comfortable.
SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ (2024 | ~ $90)
THE CLEAR - Impressive clarity, air and outstanding separation, with lots of space for individual instruments and frequencies, combined with pleasant smoothness. Deep, dark, somewhat loose mid-bass thumps, capable sub-bass, lean lower mid-tones, and natural center-mids. The amount of clarity can be overbearing on the highest volumes.
Hifiman Svanar Jr (2024 | ~ $90)
THE BIG - ‘Amplifier inside’ - that's how Hifiman announces the big and everywhere-ish sound of the Svanar Jr. Bathes you in warmth and smoothness. Strong lower-mids, rolled-off treble, warm and grounded yet forward enough vocals, supporting bass. Not big on precision. Something else entirely - and deeply recommended.
Realme Buds Air 6 Pro (2024 | ~ $90)
THE TWEAKER - Strong yet controlled bass, full lower-mids, rich center-mids with a warm undertone and clear and lovely nuanced vocals. Very tweakable too. The Golden Sound hearing loss test can boost otherwise tamed treble to great, lively heights - and the Spatial Audio actually immerses. Needs volume to excel.
Earfun Air Pro 4 (2024 | ~ $80)
THE FRIEND - Swings with a thumping and pleasant mid-bass, warm and smooth lower tones that don’t color the music too much, and rich center-mids. Treble is controlled yet lively. Countless customisation options. Excellent on lower and moderate volumes, but avoid the flatter highest listening volumes. A friend indeed.
Redmi Buds 5 Pro (2023 | ~ $80)
THE CRYSTAL - Crystal clear vocals take center stage in this treble-forward signature, capable of delivering spine-tingling clarity on higher volumes. Great on low volumes as well, with natural center mid-tones and tight, clean bass performance - that gracefully increases in punchiness with the Bass EQ.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 (2021 | ~ $100)
THE SCIENTIST - Takes the scientifical Harman sound signature and increases warmth a little by lifting mid- and sub-bass lightly. Accentuated and clear yet tempered upper-mids, nuanced and natural vocals and center-mids, excellent left-right separation and detail. Clean bass with depth and texture. Could be louder.
Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro (2021 | ~ $100)
THE BASS MONSTER - Incredibly hard-hitting bass with unparalleled speed, separation, texture and depth. Capable of heavy thumps and fierce rumblings. Articulates all frequencies so well it can feel a bit manufactured, with slightly metallic treble - yet very immersive.
SoundPEATS Engine4 (2023 | ~ $70)
THE STAGE - Shines with tight and deep bass, boosted yet clean lower mid-tones, clear mids and an impressive stage with space in between instruments and details coming from your left and right. Bass can fall a bit flat on highest volumes; best enjoyed on moderate volume levels.
Nothing Ear (a) (2024 | ~ $100)
THE LOWS - Accentuates the lows, and manages to put a lot of detail in them - even on low volume. Impactful bass kicks, full yet textured lower-mids, and convincing instrumental separation. Warm. Treble rolls off early, making higher vocals a bit thin. Can give a stadium-feeling on high volume.
Tanchjim Mino (2025 | ~ $60)
THE EQUALIZERS DREAM - Clear, natural and flat… and everything you want it to be with the Tanchjim app on iPhone (not Android!). Comes with incredible EQ-ing options and a EQ Forum with terrific equalizers from other users. Deep bass? Cave-like soundstage? Crystal clarity? Tap and apply. Everything is possible.
The Best Sounding Earbuds under $50
Great sounding earbuds for a smashing price
Moondrop Moca (2024 | ~ $50)
THE BALANCE KING - Likely the flattest wireless earbuds under $50 - even $100. Beautifully spread-out, with smooth transitions between all frequencies. Clear and pronounced vocals and instruments, with still a wonderful warm underlining. Clean lower mid-tones, highly adjustable sub-bass; mid-bass can lack a bit of thump.
Oppo Enco Air3 (2023 | ~ $40)
THE HALF-IN-EARS - Balanced and entertaining, with gently thumping and nicely kicking mid-bass, lifted lower-mids for a smooth undertone and forward vocals supported by open treble that always refrains from harshness. Natural center-mids with solid instrumental separation - sounds better than Apple's $200 AirPods Pro 3.
Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 (2023 | ~ $40)
THE VOCALISTS - More half-in-ears so good they make this list, combining richly nuanced and extremely forward vocals with great clarity and openness. Mids have a natural tonality, while slightly lifted lower-mids, and slim mid-bass thumps provide a smooth, warm underlining. More expensive in the US.
KZ Carol (2024 | ~ $40)
THE CLEAR TREATMENT - Leans a bit toward the higher frequencies; presents a very clear and open sound with impressive instrumental separation and upfront vocals. Still has enough lower-mid weight to provide warmth. Solid mid-bass, and the textured sub-bass underneath is the icing on the cake.
QCY MeloBuds Pro (2024 | ~ $50)
THE RETURN - Marks the return of one of the cheap TWS pioneers, with mid-bass thumps that can be felt, a rumbling sub-bass, some lower-mid overflowing, and a great focus on vocals. Treble can be a bit edgy on the highest volumes. Engaging.
Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 (2023 | ~ $50)
THE ENERGIZER - Energetic mid-bass that throws out strong and quick punches, but it doesn't dictate the sound character as treble is accentuated in a great way as well. Vocals are forward and full of nuances, instrumental treble is energetic without becoming sharp. Nor warm nor cold - great clear tonality.
The Best Sounding Earbuds under $30
Surprisingly good sounding wireless earbuds for everyone on a tight budget
Moondrop Space Travel (2023 | ~ $30)
THE ENTRY CHOICE - A wonderful surprise. Clean and balanced sound with a subtle warm undertone. Presents vocals moderately forward and clear, even throws in some air. Keeps it cool in more challenging compositions and comes with a Bass EQ that increases warmth and comfort. May have been a tad louder.
Redmi Buds 6 Play ( 2024 | ~ $20)
THE WHOAH - The Redmi Buds 5 Pro on an even tighter budget. Crystal clear vocals and mids, controlled treble, clean lows and bass. Even more engaging with the Bass EQ from the Xiaomi Earbuds app. Can show SBC codec limit on the highest volumes. This for so little money? Whoah.
Tinhifi Tinbuds1 (2024 | ~ $25)
THE BASS PARTY - A warm and bassy sound that feels big on high volumes, thanks to a good sense of space. Boosted lower-mids, punchy mid-bass and stretched out sub-bass rumbles make an unbalanced but engaging presentation, while the warmly underlined vocals still take the most prominent position.
Review | Linsoul | AliExpress
Soundcore A20i (2023 | ~ $25)
THE CROWD PLEASER - A warm and smooth sound with an impactful bass that doesn't overstay its welcome. Forward vocals stand out from laidback mid-tones, and treble is rolled-off before it becomes harsh or tiring. Mid-bass punch increases on higher volume levels; and with it energy and fun.
Bonus: Best Sounding Earbuds under $150
These earbuds don't necessairily sound better than the $100 recommendations, but they do offer interesting sound characters other than the ones above
Edifier NeoDots ( 2024 | ~ $130)
THE TIE - A tie to the Galaxy Buds FE. Nuanced and forward vocals, natural mid-tones with a warm undertone, subtly lifted lower mid-tones and balanced treble. Has air and great separation, even on lower volumes, but a bit of sibilance on the very highest.
Sony Linkbuds S (2022 | ~ $130)
THE LUSH - Near-perfect balance between clarity and detail on one hand, and a soothing warmth on the other. Great and lush mid-tones, full and dynamic vocals with a warm undertone, treble without sharpness. Bass appears deep, but lacks a bit of impact.
FinalAudio ZE3000 (2022 | ~ $150)
THE WIDE & BRIGHT - Clean, natural and airy, a tad brighter than mainstream tuning. Accompanied by a soundstage that's not so much around you, but is most definitely wide. An abundance of room between instruments. Easy on lower-mids; controlled sub-bass, and a slim yet tight, rapid-firing mid-bass.
Nuarl N6 Pro2 (2021 | ~ $140)
THE NATURAL - Clear and balanced sound with fluent transitions between frequencies. Clarity without any traces of harshness, neutral tonality and texture, above-average sub-bass depth. Also comes with a flat equalizer in the app, trading treble for warmth while keeping naturality. Next to no soundstage.
Which sound signature to pick?
Looking for TWS wireless earphones with the best sound quality, but still don't know what to choose? Here are a few guidelines for specific music genres:
For electronic music/ dance/ hip-hop/ pop, look for powerful mid-bass and forward vocals; they give the most energetic sound.
For rock/ jazz/ blues/ soul/ acoustic, look for notes on center-mids and tonality; they ensure the most lifelike representation of instruments. Good soundstage and separation help in hearing instruments around you.
For heavy metal, look for center-mids (beneficial for guitars and male vocals) and quick and tight mid-bass, which makes drums sound natural and speedy.
For classical music, look for soundstage, instrument placement, and tonality, they help to give a sensation of live performances.
For all music lovers, look for notes on soundstage (the sense of music being around you) and sub-bass depth (the deepest bass strikes and rumbles you can feel as much as hear): they make music feel more immersive.
About this guide
Thousand of hours went into reviewing and comparing the 375+ wireless earphones tested on Scarbir.com. This guide is my personal, ultimate comparison on sound quality, and always updated.
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