Compared with the best over-ear headphones, which can look and feel big and bulky, the best in-ear headphones offer a more discreet listening experience, while the use of ear tips tends to deliver decent levels of isolation from the outside world. Rest assured, we have tested all the in-ear headphones mentioned above, which is why you can be confident they are all up to the job.

I'm doubtful because no one ever mentions that Etymotic aren’t great in terms of image and soundstage, and apparently don’t sound “3D” compared to even my cheap Shure. Midrange is deft and loaded with detail, while there's plenty of dynamic expression to keep you hooked on every song in your playlist. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine.

Sony hasn’t been shy in making some changes to its winning formula for the WF-1000XM5 – but they all add up to yet another five-star performer from the Sony WF stable.

The interchangeable design is clever, but the Shure AONIC 215 isn’t quite as convenient as other, more affordable earbuds. This is great for safety purposes—it lets you hear your surroundings—but I would have preferred the ability to skip tracks.With weight, detail and a good dose of dynamic subtlety, they really are accomplished in-ears – not as good as the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QC Ultra further up this list, but not miles away, either. That said the AONIC4 have also a less exciting upper-mids in the lineup, and overall flatter, less exciting (more towards an L-shaped signature).

They fit my ears extremely well and are accompanied by different ear tips so that anyone can achieve a comfortable fit. In today’s world that is a tricky question as there are a variety of different form factors and technologies on offer. As an added layer of complexity, having tested more in-ear headphones than can easily be counted, we can safely say not all the sets doing the rounds are worth your time or investment. You can hear this in the song Generator Listeners who want a more versatile pair of true wireless earbuds may want to consider options from Sony, Apple, or Jabra.

Audiophiles on the other hand will care more about getting a premium set of earbuds focused on audio quality above all else. Shure has plenty of experience with wired in-ear headphones, and it shines through in the multiple Award-winning Aonic 3. We try a wide range of music and music file types, and if the earbuds offer extra features such as noise-cancelling, we also test this and use them in different environments to make sure it's up to scratch. Battery life is 10 hours from the buds and another 20 from the carry case, and like Sony's pricier buds, they work with the Headphones Connect app, giving you greater control without crowding the buds with buttons. There’s a certain knack to getting the swivelling eartips in place, but once you’ve nailed the technique down and slotted them in, you’ll have excellent isolation.