WorkoutAudioHeadphonesEarphones

What are the best earphones for working out around $50?

5

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Considered

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Mar 10, 2018

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

5 Options Considered

Best earphones for working out around $50?	Price	Weight	Battery Life
89 JLab Epic2 Bluetooth	$99.99	15 g	12 hours
86 Koss KSC32P FitClips	$19.99	–	–
73 Zeus Outdoor	$35.75	–	8 Hours (Playback)
-- JLab JBuds EPIC	-	15g	15g
-- Zagg iFrogz inTone Wireless	$30	–	–

JLab Epic2 Bluetooth

Top Pro

Excellent battery life

You get 12 hours of playback off a single charge, which is better than most Bluetooth headphones. See More

Top Con

Mids may be too in-your-face

The boosted mids may make the music sound unnatural if this is a sound signature that you are not used to. Vocals may be too loud, and guitars, especially with distortion effects, can be abrasive. See More

Specs

Battery Life:12 hours

Frequency Response:N/A

Bluetooth version:Bluetooth 4.0

Top Pro

Clear, fairly balanced sound with forward mids

The highs and bass have good clarity. They do not stand out as amazing, but can easily be heard in the mix. The mids are quite forward so vocals sound great with these. See More

Top Con

Non-standard remote function activation

Activating the functions with the remote takes some getting used to as it's different from other remotes. For example, you need to hold down the volume button for 2 seconds instead of the usual double tap to skip to the next song. This can get annoying if you're used to the standard way. See More

Top Pro

Good accessory bundle

There is a carrying case as well as an assortment of ear tips and clips included. Not only does this add more value to the product, but this also gives you a lot of fit options when using these. See More

Top Pro

A variety of ear tips to choose from

Aside from the standard ear tip design in different sizes, you also get a pair of triple flange tips for added noise isolation. If you have smaller ears, JLab also includes their shallow-fit tips which may give you a more secure fit. See More

Top Pro

Universal remote

The in-line remote works fully for both Android and iOS devices. See More

Top Pro

Great for gym or running

The ear hook design has the cable wrapping around your ears, helping the earpieces stay secure. They won't fall out easily while exercising. See More

Top Pro

Very durable

The earpieces are made out of high quality, solid feeling plastic with minimal rattle. The cable has good thickness and does not feel flimsy. Its IPX5 rating minimizes the chances of liquid splashes damaging these. See More

Koss KSC32P FitClips

Top Pro

Bass-focused sound

The bass is pretty powerful and gives a lot of thump to the music. Listening to hip-hop, EDM and dance tracks with these will most certainly get you going as you work out or run. The highs and mids are clear, but recessed so the headphones will not be able to provide you the utmost in detail. See More

Top Con

Bass can overpower the other frequencies

Bass is quite powerful which is great if you really love bass. However, if you also want a good level of detail and clarity from your music, then these headphones may fall short. See More

Specs

Connectivity:3.5mm

Inline controls:Yes

Impedance:16 Ohms

Frequency Response :15 Hz - 20, 000 Hz

Top Pro

You can take calls with these headphones on

An in-line microphone along with a one button remote is integrated into the cable so you can easily answer/end calls when needed. See More

Top Pro

Won't easily get damaged by sweat or small amounts of liquid

Getting sweat or small splashes of rain or liquid won't damage these headphones as they are splash resistant. You will still want to make sure that they do not get soaking wet or get submerged in water, as such situations can still damage the headphones. See More

Top Pro

Ear hooks keep these snug in the ears

Flexible ear hooks are integrated into the design. You can twist and bend the hooks to conform to the shape of your ear, and will certainly help to keep the FitClips in place even when running or working out. See More

Zeus Outdoor

Top Pro

Combines wireless connectivity, noise cancelling, sweat resistance and powerful sound at a very affordable price

Despite being quite affordable, you get a host of very useful features like good sound quality, Bluetooth connectivity, active noise cancelling as well as IPX7 sweat resistance. This feature set is really hard to beat for the price. See More

Top Con

May sound quite muffled for some

The highs are quite recessed to give way to the powerful bass. This results in a sound that has a muffled feel which not everybody may like. See More

Specs

Connectivity:Bluetooth 4.1

Inline controls:Yes (on earpiece)

Battery Life:8 Hours (Playback)

Top Pro

Powerful bass

Bass hits are powerful and forward, which should complement the upbeat and thumping music that most people listen to when working out. Highs and mids are recessed though, so these are best for bass lovers. See More

Top Pro

No cable hassle as they're wireless

These connect to a sound source via Bluetooth, so only a very short cable connects the two earpieces. This can help improve your mobility and minimize cable-related distractions. See More

Top Pro

Snug and secure fit

Ear hooks are attached to the earpieces which provide extra grip over your ears, so these will not fall off easily. The short connecting cable also minimizes the weight that may pull down on the earpieces . See More

Top Pro

Won't easily get damaged by liquids

These have an IPX7 rating which makes them water resistant so they can be used while running, even when it's raining. Do take note that submerging these headphones beyond a certain depth will negate their water resistance. See More

Top Pro

Active noise cancelling minimizes ambient noise

Ambient sound leaking in to your music can be drastically reduced by the active noise cancelling feature. You can better focus on your music, as well as your run/work out. See More

Top Pro

Comes with a good assortment of accessories

You get a number of silicone ear tips in different sizes, some foam ear tips as well as a carrying case. See More

Top Pro

Good battery life

These can last up to 8 hours of continuous music playback. See More

JLab JBuds EPIC

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

Stays snug in the ears while you are active

Little rings called "Cush Fins" wrap around the earpieces, and give extra grip, and prevent the pieces from falling out. Also, these Cush Fins are quite soft and flexible so they do not have too much of a negative effect to comfort. See More

Top Con

Muddy mids

Due to the bass being quite prominent, the mids take a negative hit, as the bass gives the mids a muddy sound. Guitars and male vocals will not sound very clear at times. See More

Specs

Connectivity:3.5mm

Inline controls:Yes

Top Pro

Produces deep and forward lows complemented by detailed and airy highs

The low end frequencies are what stand out from the sound signature. Bass goes deep and is pretty forward too, so you can clearly hear and experience the thump from your music. The highs are also crisp and airy, giving a lot of detail. This combination results in these headphones having a fun sound. See More

Top Con

Wearing these while on the move can be distracting

When the wires move or brush on your clothes, the rattling sound can be transmitted to the earpieces. This can be quite annoying. See More

Top Pro

Fit can be customized using the included ear/wing tips

The EPIC comes with standard single flange as well as bi-flange ear-tips. Each type has three sizes: small, medium and large. There also are 4 pairs of Cush Fins in different sizes. With all these accessories, it should be easy for you to get the desired fit and seal that you want. See More

Top Pro

Included carrying case makes these easy to bring on the go

A fairly large, zip up carrying case comes included and should give these extra protection when taken on the go. You can just chuck this case into your bag without worrying about your headphones getting damaged. See More

Top Pro

In-line remote allows control of basic phone/player functions

There is a one-button remote which allows you to play/pause tracks as well as answer/end calls. This can be very convenient when used on the go. See More

Zagg iFrogz inTone Wireless

Top Pro

Okay battery-life

You get a decent playback time of 5 hours from the InTone Wireless, and should be more than enough for your short runs. See More

Top Con

May be too bass-light for your taste

If you love punchy bass, then these earphones may not be the ones for you. Bass reproduction is fairly week and you probably won’t get a satisfying oomph from bass hits. See More

Specs

Connectivity:Bluetooth

Top Pro

Magnetic in-line remote

You can easily control your music using the in-line remote. You can pause/play tracks, adjust volume as well as go to next or previous track. The in-line remote also has magnets, allowing you to mount the ear pieces to the remote to keep them in-place. See More

Top Con

Bluetooth only

These earphones do not have wired connectivity, so you'll need to charge them once the battery is out before they can be used. See More

Top Pro

Splash-resistant

These earphones won’t get damaged when splashed with liquid. These have an IPx2 rating, which makes them resistant to small splashes of liquid or sweat. Getting these drenched or submerging them may still cause damage though. See More

Top Con

They fall off the ears easily

The earpieces do not fit well inside the ears. Also, there are no rubber or foam coverings on the earpieces; just bare plastic. When you sweat, the earpieces are more likely to fall off. See More

Top Pro

Decent sound quality

The InTone Wireless delivers decent detail and okay mids. Vocals have good volume from these earphones, while you get okay levels of airiness and clarity from the treble and does not get harsh in any way. The bass is lacking though. You don’t get a lot of oomph from low-bass notes, so these are not the best earphones for bass lovers. Performance should be acceptable for general music use though. See More

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