If you are looking for something that is literally worth every penny, look these best IEM under $150. They boast natural tone, fast and tight bass, and a neutral, bright tuning.
For $150, the technical aspects of these cheap IEMs are satisfactory enough, the highs are relatively well extended, and the clarity is good.
Top 7 Best IEM Under $150
1. LETSHUOER S12 Pro
For those looking to enter the Best IEM Under $150 on the market, the LETSHUOER S12 Pro is definitely a competitive choice.
The V-shaped design boasts above-average performance, fast transients, solid construction, and relatively easy driving force.
LETSHUOER also includes a modular cable in the package, allowing you to match it with a variety of balanced and unbalanced source devices.
Thanks to the V-shaped tuning, the S12 Pro delivers “fun” bass and rich airiness in the highs, as well as sparkling sound.
Trebleheads will be satisfied with the detail and clarity that the S12 Pro delivers. However, users who are sensitive to highs may find the S12 Pro too bright.
Nevertheless, the S12 Pro offers better value for money than the 7Hz Timeless.
In my opinion, the Timeless has slightly better resolution, but it is more expensive, has poor tonal accuracy, has noticeably shallower soundstage depth, and is less comfortable to wear.
2. Truthear x Crinacle Zero
Truthear x Crinacle Zero – Red.jpg In my first IEM review, I reviewed the original Truthear x Crinacle Zero.
It gained recognition through its partnership with popular IEM mega-reviewer Crinacle, who now runs a relatively informative English-language website.
Aside from Crinacle’s involvement, the biggest selling point of the original Zero was its perfect adherence to Harman’s (somewhat controversial) consumer-preference-based IEM frequency response curve.
As one Harman-curve-adherent wrote in my Zero review: “Buy this! It doesn’t matter if you don’t normally listen to IEMs.
Buy these IEMs to get a sense of the exact tone you hear when listening to them on other devices like headphones or speakers. Think of them as a tuning fork used by musicians! These IEMs should be in your arsenal.”
However, my experience with the Zero was decidedly less ecstatic. The Zero sounded very V-shaped to my ears, with sharp highs and bloated lows.
I thought the technical performance was decent for the price, but the tuning was so unpleasant that it was hard to analyze features like the soundstage in detail.
In fact, I didn’t want to wear the Zero for a long time. There might be hidden potential in the poor tuning.
3. Tin Hifi P1
Yes, I see. They’re no longer available. So, you should definitely check out these great earphones on the used market.
This isn’t a technical writer trying to sell you, but if you can get your hands on one, I highly recommend giving them a try, except that you’ll need an amp or DAP to get the most out of them.
I still consider these to be the best earphones under $150. There are a ton of new planar earphones on the market, but none have come close to the charm of the P1 and P1 Plus.
When we reviewed the Tin Hifi P1, we knew we had found something special.
These little earphones were one of the first planar earphones to really deliver, and the sound quality was so good that we immediately dubbed them “the big killer.”
The outstanding detail reproduction and imaging that rivals that of high-end earphones is exactly what we’re looking for, and there’s nothing better at this price point.
The only downside is that you’ll need a powerful enough amp or DAP to get the most out of them.
4. SIMGOT EA500
SIMGOT EA500 Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Shenzhen, Simgot is poised to become one of the most established Chinese IEM brands in the US, following the likes of Moondrop and FiiO.
With a detailed English website and a striking design style, Simgot is working hard to establish its brand identity.
While many other IEM companies rely on (explicit or implicit) warranties from each retailer, Simgot offers a one-year warranty on its IEMs.
The EA500 is based on a single 10mm DLC dynamic driver. Simgot has detailed the development of the EA500 on their website.
According to Simgot, the EA500’s “dual magnetic circuit and dual cavity driver” is a technology that has been inherited from their flagship EA2000 IEM.
The EA500 has an impedance of 16 ohms and a sensitivity of 123-124 dB.
The design of the EA500 is quite impressive for this price range. The entire body is made of a solid metal alloy with a glossy silver finish. The exterior is completely smooth, with only a small Simgot logo.
The interior is double-curved for comfort, with the hex screws for assembly and small vents cleverly hidden in a small recessed space above the left and right labels.
5. Final Audio E3000
The E3000 is part of the bullet-shaped E series from the Japanese brand Final Audio.
It boasts rich lows and rolled-off highs with L-shaped tuning. It also comes with Final Type-E black tips, which are very popular among audiophiles. These tips are useful for smoothing out the highs and solidifying the lows.
When the E3000 is powerful, it delivers a wide soundstage with excellent imaging and layering for a sub-$50 price range. The E3000’s midrange is rich and well-balanced, and its tonal accuracy is also excellent.
This set is great for those who are sensitive to highs, and the tuning is dark without being tiring. It can be used for long periods of time, and can also be used as a sleeping IEM.
The rich bass will satisfy most bassheads. Do you find it hard to believe? Check out the bass shelf in the graph below!
6. FiiO JD7
FiiO JD7 Founded in 2007, FiiO aims to “enhance the reputation of ‘Made in China’”. There’s no denying that FiiO hasn’t quite hit the mark.
FiiO’s stylish products are found almost everywhere, especially in the IEM and portable hi-fi markets.
Even though FiiO has been around for about 15 years, many Western consumers might not realize that FiiO is a Chinese company.
Like the EA500, the JD7 comes with FiiO’s one-year warranty in addition to the warranty offered by the retailer.
The JD7 is based on a 10mm single dynamic driver with a PU gasket and polymer diaphragm.
According to FiiO, the JD7 driver “significantly improves the magnetic flux density through internal and external magnetic circuit configurations, allowing the driver to push more air for a more natural sound.”
FiiO advertises the JD7 as following the Harman IEM curve, but as we’ll see shortly, FiiO’s interpretation is quite different from Truthear’s. The JD7 has an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 108dB.
As mentioned above, both the Kai and EA500 boast impressive designs, but the JD7 may just outdo them both. The JD7’s case is made from injection-molded 316L stainless steel.
The outer faceplate of the case is rounded and tapers towards the center. It is punctuated by three vents reminiscent of the flux capacitors from the Back to the Future movie.
Inside the vents are blue-tinted metal perforations, giving the JD7 a striking and cool look.
7. Kiwi Quartet
The Quartet is a new addition to Kiwi’s small but growing lineup of IEMs.
Partnering with renowned Chinese audio retailer Linsoul, Kiwi says its IEMs are designed “specifically with musicians and studio engineers in mind.
The Kiwi IEMs are backed by Linsoul’s one-year warranty and (in my experience) prompt customer service.
As the IEM name suggests, the Quartet features four drivers: two dynamic drivers and two balanced armature drivers.
According to the Linsoul website, the Quartet “features two innovative 10mm titanium diaphragm drivers that independently drive each other to deliver a very extended sub-bass kick, while the custom balanced armature drivers, tuned to match the Quartet’s dynamic drivers, deliver clear, clean tones and detailed highs without any sharpness or fatigue.
The dynamic drivers handle the lows. The dynamic drivers are crossover-processed using a passive low-pass network at 350Hz to deliver rich, thick lows, while the midrange from 350 to 1kHz is perfectly flat.”
Meanwhile, the BA drivers handle the upper half of the frequency spectrum.
Also Read: Best IEM Under $200 in 2025