I’m ditching true wireless earbuds for these bargain Chinese IEMs in 2026 – here's why
If you think hi-fi brands have stopped caring about sound, it’s time to head to China – that's my plan for 2026, at least.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
For the last year or so I have mostly used just one pair of wireless earbuds, outside of the many pricey sets I've reviewed – the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.
For casual listening, running and the gym (plus blocking out the sound of nearby annoying people while trying to work), the Galaxy Buds FE have done the trick.
Shake it off
I’m doing this with a category of earphones that often goes by a colloquial name in online hi-fi communities that may sound like an insult: Chi-Fi. Many of you can probably guess what this stands for – it’s Chinese hi-fi.
A vast amount of hi-fi tech is made in China. Not the Galaxy Buds FE, apparently, which come from Vietnam, but a whole host of big-name pairs are. But this name refers to hi-fi kit made by actual Chinese brands.
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Open that box and you’ll find a whole pantheon of names most people haven’t heard of, but that light up enthusiast online spaces like Head-Fi and Reddit. It’s audio kit by nerds, for nerds.
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And they are really the only companies truly pushing things in areas most people think are dead, like the traditional wired IEM (in-ear monitor) earphone. In this part of the hi-fi world, things have never looked so vibrant.
The wild, wonderful world of Chinese hi-fi
Ever heard of Moondrop, 7Hz, Shanling or Letshuoer? These are some of the bright stars of the scene. And while most 'influencer' products seem to make the world worse, headphone YouTuber Crinacle even started his own brand this year, CrinEar, and is by all accounts coming up with awesome products.
These companies deserve your attention for one key reason: with them you’ll get the kind of sound per dollar that just isn’t available from Sony, Bose and co.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
The caveat is that for the very best deal you’re looking at classic, cabled IEMs. Dusty dinosaurs of the audio museum. Sure, lots of the most popular designs are available with a phone-friendly USB-C cable as well as a 3.5mm, but many of us now find the idea of having a cable dangling out of our phones a bit weird.
But you know what else you don't get with those earphones? The annoying need to keep yet another thing charged.
