Short answer: the Apple EarPods, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #1135 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.2/5, at $19; the Sony MDR-EX10 ranks #1151, rated 2.1/5, and costs $24.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 1291 in-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the EPZ G10 instead, ranked #16 at $23.74.
Why pick the Apple EarPods: A simple wired earphone with a built-in microphone, so there is no battery to charge and no pairing to manage. The tradeoff: Sub-bass falls away below 40 Hz, landing about 8 dB under target at 30 Hz, so the deepest synth and kick drum notes lose their rumble.
What the Sony MDR-EX10 does well: Bass is lifted about 5.3 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: A 4.3 dB peak near 9.6 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
Buy the Apple EarPods. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony MDR-EX10 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
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A simple wired earphone with a built-in microphone, so there is no battery to charge and no pairing to manage.
Amazon $19.00 eBay
Bass is lifted about 5.3 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Amazon $24.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Apple EarPods | Sony MDR-EX10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.00 | $24.99 |
| Ranked | #1135 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1151 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 51 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.17 dB standard deviation | 3.37 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.22 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.49 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-8.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Driver Type | - | Dynamic |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 9mm dynamic |
| Impedance | - | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 100 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | - | 8Hz - 22kHz |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (3g) |
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