Headphones Cheap – A Guide to Buying Headphones and Earbuds in China

There are plenty of headphones cheap, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they sound cheap or are a poor buy. In fact, some of the best budget earbuds can rival high-end models in terms of quality and performance. And that’s especially true of some Chinese brands that have made a big impact in this space thanks to low production and design costs.

That’s why we put together this list of the very best headphones under £100 – from big-name brands like Sony, Bose and Beats to more niche names such as Monoprice and Sennheiser. Each pair has been carefully considered and tested to make sure they’re worth your hard-earned cash.

As with most things audio, sound is highly subjective and can vary greatly from person to person. However, a good set of headphones or earbuds will produce crisp and clear music with well-defined bass and treble. Some will also have noise cancellation to cut out ambient sound, making them ideal for travelling and working.

Choosing the right pair of headphones should ultimately come down to your intended use case and whether you want or need noise cancelling, Bluetooth and/or multipoint connectivity, or extra features. Some headphones and earbuds will have built-in buttons or touch interfaces for skipping backwards and forwards, adjusting the volume, pausing and playing music, as well as offering a range of customisation options within a companion app. Others will be a little more basic but will offer you a solid and reliable product that will serve you for many years to come.

Most of the headphones and earbuds in this guide are wireless, which means you’ll be able to connect them via Bluetooth to your phone or music player. To do so, put your device in pairing mode and follow the on-screen instructions to pair your headphones or earbuds. There are some exceptions, however – for example, the Apple AirPods have to be paired using the included charging case and your phone.

Most of the headphones in this guide have a microphone that can be used to answer calls, so you’ll need to have your smartphone close at hand. However, there are some pairs – such as the Monoprice BT-600ANC – that only have a single speaker and no microphone. These are a great option if you don’t need to take your phone out of your pocket to answer calls, or you simply don’t have a need for this feature at all. They’re also a little more lightweight and portable.