Year in Review: Sony to Skullcandy, best in-ear headphones of 2019

Best in-ear headphones 2019: This year saw a shift from wired to completely wireless devices. But there exists a category in the middle that continues to thrive in this transition. The in-ear headphones provide a middle path to users not ready to quickly switch to true wireless earphones or bulky headphones that are difficult to carry.

Of the many launches this year, Business Standard lists top 5 in-earphones headphones that stood out in 2019:

Realme Buds Wireless earphones

Realme Buds Wireless, a pair of neckband-style Bluetooth earphones, offers a battery life of up to 12 hours. It has 11.2mm Bass boost drivers, with Bluetooth 5 and support for the SBC and AAC codecs. The set can also handle swat and drizzle. These earphones have perhaps the best tuning for everyday use in the sub-Rs 2,000 price range. It is true that the devil lies in the details — but when you look at these neckband-style Bluetooth earphones, you will be more than impressed.

Price: Rs 1,799.

Wings Infinity Bluetooth earphones

Wings Infinity Bluetooth earphones are a complete package in the mid-range space. It's not just about the looks; these earphones pack a clear sound output with non-intrusive bass. The earbuds are tiny and fit easily in the ear. Using them while lying down on the bed is also easy — something that is troublesome with most earphones. The best part is that you can use these during extensive workouts and they would still stick to the ear throughout.

The Wings Infinity earphones offer up to 8-hour playtime. And the earphones’ neodymium drivers are responsible for their clean sound.

Price: Rs 1,799

Sony WI-C310 earphones

When it comes to sound quality, Sony never disappoints. The Japanese audio-device manufacturer launched two earphones in the mid-range category this year and made it easy for people to pick an ideal device from the clutter.

Sony WI-C310 offers up to 15 hours of playback time on full charge. There is also a quick-charge feature, voice assistant function, etc, but what separates it from competition is its signature Sony sound. The bass on standard tuning is ideal for enjoying music and movies. The WI-C310 has a 9mm driver unit for a clean sound, and the bass is smooth and strong.

Price: Rs 2,990

Sony WI-C200 earphones

The Sony WI-C200 has features similar to those of Sony WI-C310. Both offer up to 15 hours of playback time on full charge, a quick-charge feature, voice assistant function, etc. But the Sony WI-C200 is slightly inferior in terms of bass. Even so, the treble is well in place and that makes it better than most sub-Rs 2,500 earphones.

Price: Rs 2,490

Skullcandy Method ANC

 

Skullcandy's newly launched Method ANC comes with active noise-cancellation and in-build Tile Bluetooth tracker to locate the earbuds when lost.

The earbuds offer up to six hours of battery life and support quick-charge technology that gives up to two hours of playtime from just a 10-minute charge. The device is really good for listening to music during workouts. It also supports virtual assistant (Siri or Google Assistant). In terms of sound quality, these in-ear headphones are not bass-heavy, but the overall sound output compensates for that.

Price: Rs 7,999