All of the five on test have one thing in common -- they’re flexible silicone buds designed to form an air-tight seal inside your ear. The benefit of this approach is that it provides a good degree of noise isolation, effectively blocking out background sounds.
The downside of noise isolation is a phenomenon called cable phonics. Much like the old toy made out of two tin cans and a piece of string, in-ear headphones tend to amplify the sound of the cable rubbing on clothes, which can be fairly distracting. All models attempt to minimise this effect, some more successfully than others.
First up are two models from Swedish company Jays. The mid-range j-JAYS model (around £35) offers good noise isolation and rich, detailed audio, while the top-of-the-range q-JAYS (around £139) offers a lot more of the same and packs two speakers into each ear bud, giving deeper bass and crisper treble performance.
One slight criticism of both Jays models is the length of the cable. The standard wire is very short so it’s only suitable if you carry your music player in a shirt pocket. They also come with an extension, but conversely this is a bit too long. Surely the distance from everyone’s ears to their trouser pocket, Simon Cowell excepted, is about the same?
Next up is the Radiopaq Flex (around £25), the only model on test to feature an iPhone-compatible microphone and volume control on the cable. Sound quality is decent and they’re reasonably comfortable to wear. They’re not pretty, but their chunky rubber ear loops clearly have a function -- of all the models tested they were by far the best at minimising cable phonics.
The final two models come from Ultimate Ears, the Californian headphone firm founded by rock drummer Alex Van Halen. Its entry-level model, Ultimate Ears 100 (£14.99), offers audio which is clear and composed if a little flat. Build quality is excellent and they feel like they’d stand up well to the rigours of travel.
The mid-range model, Ultimate Ears 300 (£34.99), offers a jump in sound quality that clearly justifies the difference in price. But perhaps more importantly, the cleverly designed flexible ear loops make this already-light model feel virtually weightless.
Conclusion
The Ultimate Ears 300 is a great all-rounder, or consider the q-JAYS if you want the highest audio quality.
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