Earbuds have always been around but have been popularized by hand-held music devices. They were seen somewhat frequently when portable cassette players came out, but really became popular when mp3 players and iPods were released. In terms of audio quality, ear buds don’t rank very high among over-ear headphones, and nearly all audiophiles will tell you to go over-ear. However there are a few earbuds out there which posses excellent sound quality while remaining slim and sleek, but most of these are very expensive. We are going to take a brief look at the most expensive earbuds out today.
5. Sennheiser IE 800 – $799
First up on our list are the Sennheiser IE 800’s. These are some of the nicest earbuds that you can purchase for under $1,000 dollars. The headphones feature a XWB transducer high fidelity system, 16 ohms impedance, and a sensitive rating of 125dB providing the user with a crisp and beautiful listening experience.
4. JH16 Pro by JH Audio – $1,100+
The JH16 Pro’s are custom made, in-ear monitors. These earbuds have a variety of different uses depending on the consumers needs. If you want to purchase these buds you need a mold of you ear to be taken. These earbuds also have 8 different drivers per ear, while most earbuds typically only have 1.
3. AKG K3003 Ear Buds – $1,300
With a price tag of $1,300 the Austrian made AKG K3003 Ear Buds take the number 3 spot on our list. These high-quality earbuds have a frequency range of 10Hz to 30Hz, and utilize a 3-way Hybrid Driver System which was invented by AKG. These headphones are actually the smallest real 3-way reference-quality earbuds, allowing them to deliver incredible sound quality.
2. Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors – $2,000
At $2,000 dollars the Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors take the number 2 spot on our list. Like the JH16’s these custom earbuds are personally made based on a mold taken from both of your ears. You can also customize the appearance of the monitors, and the sound quality that they deliver (i.e. higher bass, lower mid, etc.).
1. iDiamonds – $6,400
The iDiamonds take our number 1 spot with an unbelievable price tag of $6,400 dollars. The earbuds themselves are made of 18-carat gold and are encased with 200 diamonds. Norwegian jeweler and designer Thomas Heyerdahl came up with these headphones. While these headphones have a crazy price-tag, the offer around the same sound quality as your average earbuds making them entirely a vanity item.
Photo by Ian Waldie
