Richard Goodwin 19/04/2017 - 2:59pm

What is the best pair of in-ear headphones for under 50 bucks?

Headphones are kind of a luxury. They’re something most people loathe spending money on, as most modern phones come with a free pair in the box. Most make do with these, though usually it isn’t pleasant.

However, if you're something of an audophile; if you value hearing all the work that has gone into the music you’re listening to, then this won't do. At all. You will need a better pair of headphones than those your phone shipped with.

But what if you ONLY want to spend £30/$50? Can you get a respectable pair of in-ear headphones for that much money? Yep – and they’re much better than just respectable.

Meet The Brainwavz S0


Yes, the name’s appalling; what were they thinking when they dreamed up that brand name? But once you get past this awful-sounding name things get a lot better very quickly.

For starters, the Brainwavz S0 headphones look very appealing with their red on black styling just like 2015’s McLaren F1 car. Mercifully, though, these headphones are a lot more reliable.

Now, Brainwavz are not a household brand by any stretch of the imagination but these headphones are very impressive. I kept hearing about them and reading about them on Reddit and in forums, so I decided to have a look myself.

I wasn’t expecting much, however. Not from a pair of sub-£30/$50 in-ear headphones. To be honest, I couldn’t see them being much better than the headphones that shipped with my last iPhone.

I was wrong.

The Brainwavz S0 produce excellent sound pretty much across the board. Everything is beautifully balanced, much more than I expected, and little details, the things that you only usually hear on very decent speakers or headphones, do, indeed, creep out.

I listen to a selection of styles of music from metal to jazz and folk. The Brainwavz S0’s handled pretty much everything with ease, delivering crisp, detailed sound. The only area I would say things aren’t 100% is in the mid-bass section – it’s a bit too heavy handed at times.

Still, for under £30/$50 the performance exhibited by these in-ear headphones is incredible. They’re as good as some £100/$150 in-ear headphones I’ve tested in the past – and that is quite a feat to pull off.

To make matters even better, Brainwavz include an extensive array of accessories with the S0 headphones. The complete package makes excellent value for money.

If you’re in the market for a decent pair of headphones, but don’t want to spend more than £30/$50, do yourself a favour and check these one’s out. You will not be disappointed.

If you're serious about getting a pair of these bad boys, eBay has the best prices for these headphones by a country mile!