Yes it is possible! Sometimes they are cheap because they use lousy materials, but other times they are cheap because there are lower cost of distribution. In other cases, they save on the design cost, because they kind of copied the ideas from established brands.
But would I actually buy those cheap earphones with unknown brands? No way, unless I have a chance to review them to hear for myself. Some unknown brands that I have reviewed includes Mixcder, Ausdom, Mpow, Alpha & Delta (Singapore brand), GoldTouch Asia (Singapore brand).
Now, unknown brand TO YOU doesn’t mean unknown brand globally, because some of the lesser known brands have quite a following in the audio community. They do put in effort to tune the audio quality to give good sound, but maintaining a niche offering instead of expanding into mainstream distribution because it can be very costly. Hence, you never get to hear of them casually.
Here are some considerations when buying unknown brand earphones:
- Quality. Will they last sufficiently long?
- Audio. How do they sound?
- Support. Is there after-sales support?
I have a friend who only buys cheap earphones. He buys a new pair regularly once the current one spoils. He does not have picky ears, just bright treble, strong bass, that’s all.
If you get a chance, like IT Show, go test these cheap earphones, and see if you like them.
Me? I would stick to known brands with budget-entry models. Sennheiser, Fischer Audio, Sony, Plantronics, all have earphones below S$100. They offer good after-sales support.
Recommend Earphones Below S$100
Here are some that I really like:
- Fischer Audio AlphaX FE-611BT: Bass-heavy neckband. Lightweight and easy to carry around and hang around the neck. Street price below S$100.
- Alpha & Delta D2M: Very comfortable around-ear wired earphones with generous accessories. Less than S$50.
Value Earphones (Special Mention)
These earphones are slightly more expensive, but they are extremely good value because of end-of-life price drops. Get it while they last.
- Jaybird Freedom: Thin earbuds, customisable sound. Replaced by Freedom 2, so many sites are selling at around S$159, even lower.
- Jabra Sport Coach: Great wireless earphones with built-in sensors that tracks workouts. Currently going for an amazing price of S$128. If you want heart-rate tracking, get Jabra Sport Pulse at S$168.