While noise-canceling headphones provide active noise cancellation and good sound, IEMs on the other hand, bring crystal-clear sound and superb noise isolation. Not to mention, IEMs have offerings at all price points so you get Hi-Fi audio experience with decent noise suppression at a relatively low price. So to make things easier for you, we have curated a list of the 10 best budget IEMs in India under Rs. 5000 that have plenty of features and compatibility with Android and iOS smartphones. So without any delay, let’s jump to the list.
Here, we have put together the 10 best affordable in-ear monitors in India under Rs. 5000. In case you are not familiar with IEMs then you can go through our explainer right below.
- What are IEMs and How are They Different From Normal Earphones?Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying In-ear Monitors (IEMs)Best Budget In Ear Monitors You Can Buy in India
What are IEMs and How are They Different From Normal Earphones?
First off, if you are not familiar with the whole IEM thing then no need to worry. Here is a brief explainer. IEMs or In-ear monitors are audio devices just like earbuds or earphones but are primarily used by professional musicians. It allows artists to hear a clear, pristine sound of each instrument or simply hear a particular sound from the mix. The reason it’s called a monitor because traditionally, it lets a musician monitor audio sources coming from various devices. That said, audio purists prefer using monitor headphones and earphones to listen to music for their better flat response curve, without being heavy on bass response, or anything.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying In-ear Monitors (IEMs)
Before you invest in an in-ear monitor, make sure to follow these points. First of all, check the sound profile of the IEM you are buying. Based on your sound preference, look for a balanced sound profile or a V-shaped sound signature. The former lets you enjoy all kinds of music genres whereas a V-shaped sound profile lets you enjoy music that have high bass and energetic treble.
Find Affordable IEMs in India at All Price Points
One of the most affordable IEMs in India
10mm dynamic driver
Flat, copper cable
Electrostatic + Magnetic driver setup
Detachable cable
Built-in mic
Dual driver set up
Inline mic
Dual drivers
Ultra thin diaphragm
Detachable cable
Five balanced armature drivers
Chi-Fi rated
Elevated bass and treble
Four balanced armature drivers
Detachable 2-pin cable
Balanced sound response
Beryllium-plated polyurethane diaphragm
Detachable cable with A2DC connectors
Dual-phase push pull drivers
1DD driver
Detachable cable
Swappable tuning nozzles
1DD + 1BA driver
KZ EDC IEM
KZ ZEX IEM
Another offering in the budget IEM segment from KZ — the ZEX in-ear monitors come in at just Rs. 2,199 and bring quite a bang for your buck. The earphones come with a dual driver set up, so you get a 10mm dual magnetic dynamic driver along with a 6.8mm electrostatic unit. The electrostatic unit offers better sensitivity in the high-frequency range (trebles), allowing for clear, detailed sound.
The body of the earphones is made out of Zinc-alloy, and the detachable cable comes with gold-plated pins for better longevity along with a layer of silver plating which, according to KZ, allows for better resolution, lower distortion, and overall high quality sound output through the earphones.
TRN ST2 In-ear Monitors
Another pair of in-ear monitors that you can consider buying in the budget segment in India, the TRN ST2 bring a dual magnet dynamic driver which includes a dynamic driver and a balanced armature 10mm high flux driver for better resolution audio. The earphone’s balanced armature consists of a magnesium diaphragm and copper coil for improved treble performance as well as natural tones.
CCA CRA IEM
The CRA in-ear monitors from CCA are another pair of budget IEMs that you can consider buying in India. The earphones come with an ultra-thin 3.8 micron diaphragm for better details. There are two drivers here, for better reproduction of sound in low-frequencies as well as in the middle and high-frequency ranges.
The earphones come with the standard two pin detachable cable, which means you can easily replace the cable, or use the cable for other IEMs that you may have. You can also use a different cable if needed.
CCA C12
CCA – C12 is another IEM that has gotten quite popular among audiophiles in India. Apart from the stylish look, it offers five balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver. The IEM has been tuned properly for all three frequencies so you can enjoy the music of all kinds with this in-ear monitor. What I particularly like is that the highs are quite detailed which is pretty impressive.
CCA C10
Similar to CCA – C12, C10 is another offering at a considerably lower price with deeper bass. The IEM features a V-Shaped Sound Signature which means you are going to experience elevated bass and enhanced treble. So unlike the C12, the C10 is well-tuned for genres like EDM, Rock, Hip-Hop, and Pop. And you do get four balanced armature and a dynamic driver.
Moondrop SSR
Moondrop – SSR has an uncharacteristic spaceship design, featuring a metal build that promises to produce studio-quality sound. It has a balanced sound profile which is good for people who don’t want to manually finetune their music. The Moondrop SSR IEM has put special attention to bass and mid-high response. If you want to experience natural-sounding treble and bass then Moondrop SSR does a commendable job.
Audio Technica ATH-E40
If your budget is slightly higher than Rs. 5000, I would recommend that you definitely take a look at the Audio Technica ATH-E40 IEM earphones for your needs. The ATH-E40 comes with specially designed housings that not only help with a better fit in your ears, but also helps with noise isolation. Moreover, the earphones have a detachable cable that comes with A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) connecters at the ends.
