Cheap Headphones Buyers Guide
WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
As I mentioned above, there are many options for headphones in the sub $50 category. It seems to be the price that most people are comfortable with paying, but that doesn’t mean they should settle for whatever is cheap. Price at this market point does not reflect the sound or build quality.
Some headphone manufacturers can sell their headphones cheaply because of economies of scale. For example, Sony and JVC move many headphones in this price range, so production costs are less because of the competition due to large batch orders at the factories.
On the other hand, small companies that grow through word of mouth and have no marketing budget, that raise the price, can also be competitive.
It’s tough to ignore the rise of the Chinese HiFi market and talk about this a lot here at Audiophile On. In the past decade, generic brand Chinese companies have moved from producing low-quality tat to some outstanding value audio products such as headphones, earphones, and DAPs (Digital Audio Players).
With low production and design costs in China, they have become a real threat to the big brand audio companies and can offer cheap headphones that compete with those many times their price.
As a side note, if you are curious about what audiophile headphones are and the features you get when spending a lot more money, you can read our list of the best audiophile headphones. You might find it interesting that, despite the list’s focus being on the best-sounding headphones in the world, one of our budget models from this article also makes an appearance in there.
AVOID BUYING CHEAP HEADPHONES PURELY FOR FASHION
The biggest mistake I see when buying cheap headphones is purchasing the one that looks the best. I agree that this is important as the style of the headphones can match your style. There is, after all, a reason why the Beats headphones come in so many different colors.
However, if these are something you will use daily, there are three other areas to consider when purchasing new headphones.
Comfort, Build Quality, and Sound Quality. At under $50, you will have to make sacrifices in each area, but it tends to work out best in the long run if you consider what you want from your headphones regarding performance and how you are most likely to use them.
YOU DON’T ALWAYS NEED TO SHOP FOR KNOWN BRANDS
As mentioned above, one of the most amazing things in audio advancement over the past few years is what’s known as the “ChiFi” revolution (Chinese Hifi). Before, if you wanted quality, you would look for brands such as Sony, Bose, JVC, etc. Things have changed, and many companies have come out of China offering bang for your buck. Budget headphones are better than ever.
These Chinese companies offer incredible-sounding headphones at prices we could only dream of just a few years ago. Therefore, people in the know who are immersed in the audiophile headphone world have hunted high and low to find the best options for you under $50.
Sometimes, a sub $50 headphone from a relatively unknown company can sound better than a set of $200+ headphones from established brand names.
OVER-EAR HEADPHONES VS ON-EAR HEADPHONES
We will cover both on-ear and over-ear headphones for under $50 in this category. The reason to choose one over the other comes down to user preference. For example, if you want to use your headphones exclusively at home or in the office, you may be better with the added comfort of over-ear full-size headphones. However, if you travel a lot or are limited in space, you may prefer the more compact design of an on-ear headphone.
We have found that both headphones’ styles can sound very good during our testing over the past few years. As a result, we would generally advise you to once again look at how you intend to use your headphones and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Advantages of Over-ear Headphones
Usually more comfortable with less pressure on the outer ear
The larger size means the ability to house more significant drivers
Tend to isolate better from environmental noise
