Best Ear Buds $61-$120

Best Less Than $60 | Best $61-$120 | Best $121-$200 | Best $201-$349 | Best $350 +

How we do it | Updated on April 5th 2012

The Shure SE215 is simply an awesome accomplishment in terms of incorporating design found in their $500 flagship model SE535. This is the first high-end in ear headphones under $100 with removable cables. The dynamic microdrivers push a ton of air. The fit and comfort are unbeatable and Shure's solid 2 year warranty (when you have an invoice from Earphone Solutions) is the best. The support provided by Shure is top notch. The Denon AHC-560R came back strong to a very solid second spot. At this price it includes an iPhone inline mic, music control and volume control making this the first choice for iPhone owners on a budget. The Swiss designed Audeo PFE012 by Phonak comes in third place. These 3 sub-$100 earphones gave us a surprisingly great sound, comfort and build quality along with great warranty and support (you must have an invoice from an authorized dealer such as Earphone Solutions).

For 2012 we picked 12 songs to test and rank the best earphones by price range: Cello Concerto in A Minor, Gymnopedie No.3, Take Five (Dave Brubeck), It's a Beautiful Day (U2), Paradise (Coldplay), Good Girl (Carrie Underwood), Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash), Feel So Close (Calvin Harris), Wild Ones (Flo Rida), What a Wonderful World ( Louis Armstrong), Shadow Days (John Mayer) and Bully (Shinedown).

12 people (4 females and 8 males) among employees, friends and family members, voted, on each price range, for the earphones that sounded and fitted their best.