# What are the best in-ear wired earphones of all time?

> The IEM world rewards obsessives: budget ChiFi heroes, professional stage monitors, and multi-driver flagships that cost as much as a camera. Wired earphones reward commitment — which one is your gold standard?

*By YPB Team · Published April 12, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-are-the-best-in-ear-wired-earphones-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Shure SE846**
   A four-driver balanced armature flagship IEM with a rich, warm sound signature and detachable MMCX cables, long considered the gold standard for professional monitoring.
2. **Etymotic ER4XR**
   A precision-tuned single balanced armature IEM with industry-leading isolation and reference-accurate sound, beloved for its clinical detail retrieval.
3. **Campfire Audio Andromeda**
   A five balanced armature driver IEM with a massive, holographic soundstage and rich full-bodied signature, one of the most iconic IEMs since its 2017 launch.
4. **Sennheiser IE 900**
   Sennheiser's flagship single dynamic driver IEM featuring an X3R transducer in a precision-machined aluminum shell, delivering reference-class resolution and naturalness.
5. **Sennheiser IE 600**
   A single dynamic driver IEM housed in a zirconium alloy shell with audiophile-grade sound tuning at a more accessible flagship price point.
6. **Sony MDR-EX1000**
   A legendary single 16mm dynamic driver IEM from Sony featuring liquid crystal polymer diaphragms, revered for its lifelike, spacious sound despite being discontinued.
7. **Westone W80**
   An eight balanced armature driver IEM designed for professional stage musicians and audiophiles, offering exceptional detail, comfort, and a lush layered presentation.
8. **64 Audio U12t**
   A twelve balanced armature driver IEM with 64 Audio's proprietary APEX and tia technologies, celebrated for its wide soundstage and highly musical tuning.
9. **Moondrop Aria**
   A single dynamic driver IEM at ~$80 with near-Harman-accurate tuning and exceptional build quality, widely considered the definitive budget-audiophile recommendation.
10. **Moondrop KATO**
   A refined successor to the Aria featuring an ultra-linear dynamic driver and interchangeable nozzle system, praised for its neutral-bright tuning and technical performance.
11. **7Hz Timeless**
   A planar magnetic IEM that popularized the flat, ultra-thin planar driver form factor among budget audiophiles, delivering fast transients and excellent resolution.
12. **Tin HiFi T2**
   A dual dynamic driver IEM that became a cult classic in the ChiFi community for its neutral, reference tuning and all-metal build at a budget-friendly price.
13. **DUNU SA6**
   A six balanced armature driver IEM from DUNU with a smooth, musical signature and premium build including interchangeable plugs.
14. **FiiO FH9**
   FiiO's flagship hybrid IEM combining a 13.6mm dynamic driver with six balanced armatures for a grand, full-spectrum sound with audiophile-grade fit and finish.
15. **Truthear x Crinacle ZERO:RED**
   A tuner-collaboration dual dynamic driver IEM achieving near-perfect Harman compliance at under $50, widely considered the best budget IEM available.
16. **Meze Audio Alba**
   A single dynamic driver IEM from Romanian boutique manufacturer Meze, offering a warm, smooth signature with luxurious build quality.
17. **JVC FW10000**
   JVC's wood-bodied flagship single dynamic driver IEM using a hand-shaped Honduran Rosewood shell and carbon dome driver for an organic, natural sound.

Tags: music, headphones, audio, earphones