Fifty quid doesn’t stretch far in the earphone aisle, and the cheap end is packed with pairs that sound fine in the shop and then die in the gig bag a month later. If you’re a musician, you’ve got a second problem on top: most consumer earbuds aren’t built to block out a drum kit or survive being yanked off a mic stand at the end of the night. So we’ve kept this list tight. The picks for best earphones under £50 below are based on published specs, current Thomann UK prices, customer ratings and what owners report after living with them, good and bad.
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In this guide
Best overall: Behringer SD251 CK
Price: around £25
The Behringer SD251 CK is a proper in ear monitor at a price that’s hard to argue with. It uses a 6.8 mm dynamic driver with 22 ohm impedance, a 20 to 20,000 Hz frequency response and a 1.6 m cable ending in a 3.5 mm jack. In the box you get a gold plated 6.3 mm adapter, foam and silicone tips in three sizes and a storage case.
The big win at this money is the detachable MMCX cable, so a broken lead doesn’t mean a broken pair. It’s worn over the ear like a stage IEM, which makes it a great first set for singers, guitarists and keys players moving off wedges, and a decent cheap pair for home listening too.
With a 4.1 out of 5 average from over a hundred Thomann ratings, owners keep coming back to two things: how well it blocks outside noise and how secure the fit feels, with a balanced sound that handles both lows and highs well for the price. The most common complaint is the cable, with a few owners having leads fail early. Since it’s removable, a replacement keeps them going for years. Telling left from right can be tricky, and the fit can be fiddly for small ears. If you want more detail for critical mixing, save up for something like the Shure SE215 instead.
Best on a budget: the t.bone EP 2
Price: around £9
The t.bone EP 2 is Thomann’s own brand earphone and it costs less than a round of drinks. You get a single dynamic driver, 16 ohm impedance, 100 dB sensitivity, a 20 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response, a fixed 1.5 m cable with a 3.5 mm jack, a selection of ear pieces and a storage bag. This is the pair to throw in the gig bag as a spare, hand to a dep who’s forgotten theirs, or use on the bus without worrying about losing them.
With more than 500 ratings averaging 3.9 out of 5, it’s one of the most popular cheap earphones going, and the general feeling is decent sound for the price with a heavy push in the bass. The biggest gripe is the cable layout, as one side is much longer than the other so it loops behind your neck, which puts extra strain on one earbud. Some owners also find the stock tips don’t seal well, so isolation is limited. If you need real isolation for loud gigs, spend the extra on the Behringer SD251 CK.
Best wireless: JVC HA A25T
Price: around £46
If you want to ditch the cable for listening on the move, the JVC HA A25T is the strongest wireless pick under £50. It’s a true wireless set with active noise cancelling, Bluetooth, roughly 10 metres of range, 6 mm neodymium drivers and a 20 to 20,000 Hz frequency response.
Battery life runs up to 7.5 hours from the earbuds, or around 6 hours with noise cancelling on, and up to 28 hours in total with the charging case. Each earbud weighs just 5.1 g. You get three pairs of silicone tips plus two pairs of memory foam tips, and either earbud works on its own. It’s for commuting, practising along to tracks and everyday listening, not for plugging into a stage monitor feed.
Owners rate it 4.1 out of 5, with comfort, battery life and sound for the money getting the most praise. The memory foam tips go down particularly well with anyone who has sensitive ears. The usual criticism is that the noise cancelling is good rather than great, and it can pick up wind noise outdoors. Musicians who need a wired monitor for gigs should look at the Behringer or LD Systems pairs instead, as Bluetooth isn’t built for stage monitoring.
Best for drummers and backup monitoring: LD Systems IEHP1
Price: around £34
The LD Systems IEHP1 is a simple single driver earpiece designed to work with any wired or wireless in ear system, including LD’s own MEI packs. It has a 30 to 20,000 Hz frequency range, 16 ohm impedance, a fixed 1.5 m cable with a 3.5 mm jack and a choice of ear pads. It suits drummers and anyone running an IEM pack who wants a sturdy spare pair, or a band kitting out several members without spending a fortune.
Owners give it 4.1 out of 5. Drummers in particular like how well it seals the ear while still delivering enough level to play loud, and the output is noticeably higher than older LD earphones. Long term owners report getting years of daily use out of a pair. The main complaint is tone, as the upper mids can sound bright and get tiring over a long set, and some wish it had a tactile left and right marker for dark stages. The cable isn’t removable, so if you’re rough on leads, the Behringer SD251 CK is the safer bet.
Sennheiser CX 80S
Price: around £22
The Sennheiser CX 80S is the pick if you want a decent everyday wired earphone from a big name for music, calls and video meetings. It’s a closed dynamic design with a 17 to 20,000 Hz frequency range, 28 ohm impedance, distortion under 0.5 percent and a 1.2 m cable with a right angled 3.5 mm jack. It weighs just 10 g and comes with ear tips in three sizes. If your phone doesn’t have a headphone socket, the CX 80U version swaps the jack for a USB C plug for around £34.
Owners rate it 3.8 out of 5, with praise for punchy bass at this price, solid build and a built in mic that callers say sounds clear. Opinions are more split than with the others here, though, so it’s less of a sure thing. It’s also a regular earbud rather than an over ear stage monitor, with a fixed cable. Musicians who need isolation on stage should go for the Behringer SD251 CK.
My verdict
For most people, and especially any musician taking a first step into in ear monitoring, the Behringer SD251 CK is the one to buy. It’s around £25, has a detachable cable, isolates well and has the best balance of price and owner ratings here. If you only need a spare or you’re kitting out a whole band on pennies, grab a few t.bone EP 2s at under £9 each and accept the odd cable.
Drummers and anyone running an IEM pack who wants more volume should look at the LD Systems IEHP1. If you mostly listen on your phone while out and about, spend the extra on the JVC HA A25T for wireless freedom and noise cancelling, or get the Sennheiser CX 80S if you just want a simple wired pair from a trusted name.
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