One of the biggest frustrations in owning a new iPhone is the lack of the traditional 3.5mm audio jack. Apple decided to remove it from its phones a year ago in order to make space for more internal components. The removal of the audio jack also enabled Apple to make its phone water and dust resistant too. Nonetheless, it’s still a frustration for many because wireless headphones are more pain than they’re worth: cost, rechargeable battery and connection over wireless are things you don’t need to deal with on wired headphones. For many of you, wired is still the best way to go, especially if you like to take calls while on the go. We got our hands on the budget-friendly Anker SoundBuds Digital IE10 earbuds and think they’re every bit worth the $20 price tag. They come with a Lightning plug that connects to the bottom of your iPhone in place of the 3.5mm audio jack.
Anker SoundBuds Digital IE10 Specs
- $19.99 at Amazon
- 3 equalizer settings: Balance, Clear HD, Super Bass
- 10mm drivers
- MiFi certified for Apple devices
- IPX5 Water resistance
- S/M/L soft silicone ear tips and memory foam ear tips included
- 18-month warranty
Sound and Build
The Anker SoundBuds are every part of Anker’s DNA of high-quality for a low price. Anker is well known to tech enthusiasts for being a brand you can trust. Its products are extremely reliable, well-built and always come with a price tag that is far lower than any OEM alternative. I probably have over a dozen separate Anker products (none of which were provided to me by Anker) and love them all. The SoundBuds fall into the love category of iPhone headphones for me as well. For $20, the SoundBuds are made of a metal alloy which houses the 10mm drivers, protects the Lightning plug and also protects the in-line remote and microphone as well. The cable is made from a soft and textured silicone which bends easily and doesn’t tangle. It’s pretty impressive at what Anker delivers on the build quality with the SoundBuds when you compare them to the free white plastic earbuds that come with the iPhone.
In terms of sound, the SoundBuds have three settings that are capable of suiting almost all types of listeners. With a press of a button on the side of the remote,
you can switch between balanced, super bass or clear voice audio eq settings. Super bass definitely will satisfy the most demanding bass heads as it completely pushes the low-end to the forefront. It does sound great on rap and Dubstep which is the music I listen to in the gym. When I’m not pumping iron, I usually switch the eq back to balanced for when I’m listening to pop, jazz or country. Balanced does offer a rich tone that sounds significantly better than the free earpods that come with the iPhone. I usually only use Clear Voice when I take phone calls with the earbuds as it does actually make calls sound clearer.
For $20, you get earbuds that come with a built-in eq which is a rarity amongst any headphones in any price range. I like this feature and find it useful, and honestly, think it’s crazy that more headphones don’t come with a built-in eq as well.
Overall, for $20 you’re getting a great set of Lightning earbuds from Anker. They have the sound output that will suit the vast majority of people,with exception to audiophiles who spend hundreds on earbuds, and the build quality should stand the test of time. If you want your own Anker SoundBuds IE10 earbuds, head on over to Amazon to learn more.
Anker SoundBuds IE10 Lightning Earbuds review
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