Tech Gear for Musicians on Tour Portable Audio Interfaces Multi Effects Processors and In Ear Monitors

Best In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) 2024 Our Top 10

In-Ear monitors (IEMs), in-ear headphones or earphones are small headphones that are inserted into the ear canal. IEMs offer the best isolation from outside noise even when compared to noise-canceling headphones. Because of this, they are ideal for travelers and people who wish to enjoy their music in loud places. When properly designed, the sound quality of in-ear monitors can rival even the best of full-sized headphones. With the number of IEMs in the market, choosing a pair youll love can be a daunting task. Depending on your budget, were going to present the best in-ear monitors available. For lower budgets, check out our guide on best IEMs for less than $100.

In-Ear Monitors Buying Guide

What are In-Ear Monitors?

In-ear monitors, IEMs, Canal phones, closed-earphones, are a type of in-ear headphones created to give a user an immersive listening experience while keeping out most of the ambient noise out.

Astell & Kern AK100 II with Shure SE846

In the headphone market, IEMs (see also the best IEM systems) are considered the professional version of the earbuds.

In-ear monitors come with several advantages that make them a preferred choice by audiophiles, music lovers, recording engineers, or even musicians on stage.

First, it is noise isolation. Singers/musicians on stage often use IEMs because they allowed them and to hear themselves and fellow singers/musicians when performing. For live performers, In-ear monitors also deliver mixes into the performers ears. This, coupled with better isolation, makes it possible for a performer to hear themselves better, unlike performing with stage wedges.

For audiophile and music lovers, In-ear monitors are a preferred choice because they deliver better sound quality than conventional earbuds, have better noise isolation and are much more comfortable to wear for more extended periods without hurting.

Learn more about IEMs. Read our article on In-ear monitors vs. earbuds.

Straight or Over-Ear Design

In-ear monitors are more or less like our regular headphones. They are designed with the same concept in mind but for a different purpose.

FiiO FH5 IEM | Sound Gear Lab

There are two basic designs/styles when it comes to choosing an in-ear monitor. There are the ones that go into the ear and let the cable hang straight down, known as straight design and there are the ones that wrap over the back of the ear, known as over-ear design.

Choosing between a straight or over-ear design is a matter of taste and personal preference.

While straight IEM models are cheaper, there are very few models that deliver quality sound. Straight IEMs are also easier to put in your ear and also work well.

Over-ear IEMs are popular and remain a preferred model for audio enthusiasts and live performers. Like straight IEMs, over-ear IEMs have wires, but instead of the cables hanging loose they are designed to go over or behind the ear. By the wires going over-ear, the IEM is secure, and this also conceals the cables, so they are harder to spot.

With high-end IEMs or CIEMs, the straight design is rarely used. Though over-ear IEMs are a little expensive, they are worth it.

Wireless or Wired

Like headphones, IEMs are also available in wired and wireless designs.

Wired In-ear models are the popular option. Their design allows a user to connect to any playback device and use the IEM without a hitch. Wired IEMs are also cheaper and also come with better sound quality. However, unlike wireless IEMs, you will have a deal with the wires, which can be a hassle to control at times.

Wireless IEMs are convenient as you do not have to deal with wires. Wireless IEMs are better suited for musicians or live performers who move a lot, and a wired IEM would not suffice. Though they come with their convenience, wireless IEMs will cost extra, and you will more likely need to consider other features like; the battery life, connectivity, and sound quality.

Our advice would be to go wireless when it matters. For musicians and live performers, wireless IEMs are a convenience. However, for audio enthusiasts, if it will not make a difference, you better spend that extra money on getting better IEMs.

read more about wired and wireless headphones on our headphone buying guide.

Removable Cables in IEMs

If you have ever lost a pair of headphones because the cable was destroyed, then you will appreciate being able to swap old and defective wires for new ones. That is one benefit of IEMs that come with removable cables.

Another benefit with removable cables is being able to add more functionality and features to your IEMs. So, if you need a longer or a shorter cable, want to add an inline remote with mic, or make your earbuds wireless by adding a Bluetooth cable, there are a variety of removable wires to go with a set of IEM.

There are different removable cables that you can select in the market, depending on the type of connectors your IEM will have. The types of pin connectors in the market include 2-pin connectors, MMCX connectors, A2DC connectors, etc. It is worth noting that most of the modern removable cables are using MMCX connectors.

Driver Types

In-ear monitors come with different types of drivers that create the spectrum of sound. The drivers found in IEMs are the same as those found in speakers and headphones, but they are smaller. The type of driver that comes with an IEM helps in determining the quality of sound that will be produced.

The different types of headphone drivers that come in IEMs are; dynamic drivers, balanced armature drivers, planar magnetic drivers, and electrostatic drivers. All these drivers have their advantages and disadvantages. The drivers present in IEMs will also influence the price of the IEM. Electrostatic IEMs are the most expensive, followed by planar-magnetic IEMs. Dynamic and balanced armature IEMs are more popular, and most are budget-friendly.

To learn more about headphone drivers their advantages and disadvantages, read this post on the different headphone drivers.

How Many Drivers Are Enough?

Like studio monitors, having more drivers in an IEM generally means you will be getting better audio quality. This is because each driver present in the earpiece will handle a narrower frequency response, e.g., bass, treble, or midrange, and this will result in more efficiency and clarity.

While an IEM with one driver is not bad for starters, having or upgrading to an IEM with more drivers is better. Without getting technical about it, the more drivers you have, the better the efficiency. Even if the drivers cover the same frequency response range, each additional driver added shares the workload hence combined, and they function optimally. This results in clearer highs, more articulate mids, and a deeper low-end which is suitable especially for drummers and bass players.

Shure SE215 In-Ear Monitor

Foam vs. Silicone Ear Tips

The earbud part of an in-ear monitor that goes into the ear comes into direct contact with the ear canal. To increase comfort, improve audio quality, and offer better noise isolation, they are fitted with either foam or silicone ear tips.

Foam ear tips tend to be denser and offer a higher degree of noise isolation than silicone ear tips. However, foam ear tips place a lot of pressure on the canal, which makes them uncomfortable over time. To improve the comfort of foam ear tips, you can try foams made out memory foam. Foam ear tips also do not handle sweat very well, which leads to faster destruction when exposed to sweat. In the market, compared to silicone ear tips, foam tips are more expensive.

Silicone ear tips are the most common type and come at relatively lower prices. Silicone ear tips use suction to stay in place, and this makes them suitable for active performers. Though they are not great in noise isolation like foam tips, silicone tips are lighter, and its hypoallergenic properties make it a great choice for many people.

Our ears come in different shapes, so IEM manufacturers include a variety of ear tips you can choose from. You can test the different sizes and materials to find, which fits better to deliver optimum results.

IEM Fit Universal Vs. Custom IEMs

The fit of an in-ear monitor plays an essential role in use, comfort, and sound isolation. There are two types of IEMs you can choose for yourself universal fit or custom fit (CIEMs).

Audeze iSINE 10

Universal fit as the name suggests are IEMs that fit most of the users ears. Universal fit IEMs are cheaper but might not offer effective noise isolation.

Custom in-ear monitors or CIEMs for short are made according to an individuals ear shape. They are more expensive but are better at noise isolation and comfort. Check out our complied list of CIEM makers.

The choice between Universal or Custom IEMs comes down to what you need and the price you are willing to pay. Learn more about CIEMs and Universal IEMs.

Best In Ear Monitor Systems of 2024

A great in-ear monitoring system can make all the difference; gone are the days of relying on floor speakers to figure out how good the vocals and instruments are sounding on the screen. With a wired/wireless monitor system, you can ensure that the performers can freely listen to their monitor mix without interference.

So in this article, Ive listed some of the best wireless in-ear monitoring systems and a few wired options as well. Ive talked about their defining qualities, the different specs, and how each option would affect your purchase decisions.

In-Ear Monitors and Systems Buying Guide

But hey, before you mount up, lets take a closer look at some of the decision factors youll face when considering the best in-ear monitors and monitor system. If you dont consider aspects such as your budget, I/Os, sound quality, and many more, you wont be able to find the best system that matches your expectations.

So heres a quick overview of the basic decision factors you need to prioritize before deciding on an ear monitor system.

I/Os

This ones pretty simple: most In-ear monitoring systems come with either TS/TRS or XLR. Most compact receivers will usually side with 3.5mm (1/8) TS/TRS, whereas the transmitter of the ear monitor system tends to side with XLR.

Regardless, you can always use adapters; its only a matter of transporting these extra cables and making an even bigger mess near the monitor mix. (I always recommend keeping anXLR to 1/4 adapter, female to female.)

Most In-ear monitor systems will include 3.5mm to 1/4 adapters, so you wont have to worry about that receiver end (that much) whenever you need to plug in your compact monitors.

Budget

Lets face it: Wireless systems are not cheap and when you want to plug into a clean wireless channel (free from dropouts or static) you need to expand your budget because the more complicated the electronics are, the higher the cost.

Also, depending on the overall sound quality, natural frequency response, battery life, and range, the price of a decent in-ear monitor system can be twice that of most budget-friendly or wired-only models, so remember to consider your budget and spend wisely.

If youre a beginner, you can make do with a system thats under $1000, but if you want amenities such as multiple channel operation, one-touch frequency scan, a transmitter that can fit onto a rack, along with multiple compatible receivers, you might need to spend upwards of $1000.

Automatic Frequency Scan

More common among high-end wireless monitoring systems is the one-touch frequency scan feature; this allows the wireless monitoring system to scan the entire band of supported frequencies and pick the operating frequency with the least amount of interference.

Unfortunately, to carry out this one-touch frequency scan, you need to have complicated circuitry; hence, transmitters with this feature can be expensive. But, if you are playing for a larger crowd and need to transmit to the in-ear monitor system without any static or dropouts, a high-end transmitter/receiver with an automatic frequency scan will be a vital component.

For musicians who perform live, I highly recommend opting for a setup with an automatic frequency scan feature. On the flip side, if you are recording music in a studio or practicing, you can make do with an inexpensive wireless monitoring system thats limited to a few select channels.

Sound Quality

Frequency scanning is nice and all, but if the digital and analog signals passing through this in-ear monitoring system do not reproduce great sound with higher signal fidelity, then its all been for nothing.

Fundamentally, these wireless ear monitor systems operate on thesame level as a DAC or a headphone amplifiersince they are basically catching the signal from the operation frequency and converting and amplifying it into an analog signal to drive the in-ear monitor system.

If the DAC components or the in-ear monitors do not have well-designed drivers and components to reproduce the audio accurately, it will affect the performance of the musicians. So, whenever you pick out an in-ear monitor setup (especially wireless systems), make sure they have an acceptable frequency response, the option to pick between mono and stereo, and high-quality components powerful enough to drive the IEM systems.

Battery Life

Regardless of wired/wireless iems, you always need to provide external power to decode, amplify or duplicate the audio signals. This power usually comes from batteries since its clean and theres less cable management. (Even most wired IEM systems prefer batteries.)

The majority of in-ear monitor systems rely on consumable batteries (AA, AAA, or 9V), and they have operating times of around 6-10 hours. More high-end options come with built-in rechargeable batteries but are sized up to have the same amount of battery drain. (Although they may be a bit more compact.)

The thing about in-ear monitor systems requiring consumable batteries is that its easy to replace. You dont have to wait while its charging: pop in a fresh set of batteries, and youre good to go; hence, extremely useful in-between long gigs.

Because of this reason, I recommend going for an in-ear monitor system with consumable batteries. Also, its even better for you (and the environment) if you go for rechargeable AA and AAA batteries.

In-Ear Monitors

Lastly, you need to purchase a good pair of In-Ear monitors. Although there are hundreds of IEMs to choose from, I recommend considering IEMs based on the number of drivers, budget, and overall shape.

The more drivers you have, the better the frequency response across the entire band. More is always better, but they can be expensive, so I recommend sticking with three.

The shape of the monitors can also affect your listening experience. Most IEMs have an earbud design, allowing them to fit snugly inside your ear canal without falling and letting ambient sound leak in. On top of the earbuds, some IEMs come with an over-the-ear design, which makes them more stable.

I recommend going for inexpensive IEMs with an over-the-ear design. For a few examples, check outour list of the top ten IEMs.

Common Questions Regarding In-Ear Monitor Systems

What are the advantages of a Wireless IEM System over Floor Monitors?

There are several reasons why you would want to go for a wireless in-ear monitor system over floor speakers/wedges or wired systems.

For starters, with a wireless in-ear monitor setup, theres more freedom of movement. You can move around while still receiving a consistent audio output. I.e., the mix is the same no matter where you are on the stage. Apart from that, there are no feedback issues.

However, with a wireless system, you are more susceptible to dropouts and static.

Whats the difference between wired and wireless IEM Systems?

Wired systems will always have a physical connection (either via XLR or TRS) to the bodypack receiver/headphone amplifier. Meanwhile, wireless systems will transfer audio signals over 2.4GHz or UHF radio waves.

Wireless systems need extra circuitry to decode the frequency signals into analog; hence, they are more expensive. Regardless, both systems need external power for amplification via batteries or mains power.

Should I Output Mono or Stereo on an IEM system?

That depends on the IEM system and the mixes. If you want two separate mixes (one for the lead and the rest for the band), you can set up dual mono inputs for these two mixes and allow the musicians to control which mix they listen to. (Assigning either mix to the left and right of the stereo).

Unfortunately, most 2.4GHz systems and compact wired amplifiers may not allow this feature, so make sure to check for this beforehand.

Whats the range of a typical Wireless IEM system?

A 2.4GHz wireless in-ear monitor has a range of approximately 60ft, while a UHF system (dealing with the MHz frequency band) can reach further (330ft). So if you are playing on a larger stage, I recommend a UHF system.

UHF systems operate on a wider selection of channels, and their frequencies rarely run into interference. The 2.4GHz wavelength is used by a lot of devices such as Wi-Fi routers, wireless cameras, and smart gadgets; hence, theres a higher chance of causing dropouts and catching interference.