MX-21 Black and Gold Wireless Headphones 
Q2 Pro Purple Crystal In-Ear Monitors 
Purple Sleep Headband Headphones with Triangle Controls 
Cream Reflective-Stem Wireless Earbuds 
IN-01 White ANC Earbuds with Pale Blue Case Interior 
Silver Capsule Open-Ear Earbuds 
MN Rose-Metallic Detachable In-Ear Monitors 
Black ANC Earbuds with Four-Indicator Case 
Earbuds vs in ear monitors, on our listings, comes down to the cable. Our Brushed Gray pair lists a "Detachable two-pin cable" and our Turbine pair an "MMCX detachable connection," while the earbuds in our everyday wireless range have none. The fit is closer than the names suggest: 64 Audio, which builds in-ear monitors, says they "accomplish a seal with a component that extends into the ear canal," and our sealed earbuds with silicone tips do that too.
Two meanings of the word "earbuds"
The 64 Audio article sorts personal listening gear into three kinds. In its terms, in-ear monitors, "also called earphones or in-ear headphones," seal inside the canal: universal-fit pairs are "often fitted with foam or silicone cushions," and custom-fit pairs have the part that enters the canal "custom molded to the ear canal of the user." Earbuds, by the same article, are "open earphones" that are "held in place by the outer structures of the ear, primarily the concha," and "because they do not seal the ear, earbuds allow for much more ambient sound."
That is a manufacturer's vocabulary, written in 2017 by a company that sells in-ear monitors, and it is not how our own pages use the word. On our pages, a true wireless pair with silicone tips is called earbuds, even though it seals in the canal the way the article describes in-ear monitors. So when you compare the two, first settle which "earbuds" you mean: the open kind that rests in the outer ear, or the sealed kind with tips. If it is the sealed kind, the fit is already close; on our pages, what separates a pair sold as in-ear monitors is mostly in the cable.
Three lines to look for on a listing
On our in-ear monitor pages, the differences a buyer can confirm before ordering come down to three lines.
- Is the cable detachable? The Brushed Gray Two-Pin In-Ear Monitors page says "Detachable two-pin cable." A detachable cable can be unplugged from the earpieces, which is what lets you replace a damaged cable without replacing the pair.
- Which connector does it name? The same page names two-pin. The Turbine Metal MMCX In-Ear Monitors page says "MMCX detachable connection listed." Those are two different plug types, so a spare cable has to match the name on the page. One of our other listings shows why the name matters: its description says the display image shows a two-pin connection, but "connector size, acoustic measurements and device compatibility have not been verified." When a page says that, ask before you buy a replacement cable.
- How is the cable routed, and is there a cable at all? Several of our pages describe "over-ear cable routing," where the cable loops up and over the top of the ear. The Black Wireless Monitor Earbuds with Receiver page describes something else again: "small earbud bodies, charging case, receiver unit." That is a wireless design with a separate receiver, so the connector questions above do not apply to it.
A worked example: two listings read side by side
Reading two of these pages line by line shows how much the listing settles and how much it leaves open.
| Line on the listing | Brushed Gray Two-Pin | Turbine Metal MMCX |
|---|---|---|
| Price at the time of writing | $59.99 | $34.99 |
| Cable | "Detachable two-pin cable" | "MMCX detachable connection listed" |
| Routing | "Over-ear cable routing" | Not stated |
| Housing | "Brushed gray faceplate" | "Grooved metallic housings" |
| Tips | Not stated | "Removable ear tips" |
Both pages answer the cable question, and they answer it with different connectors. Only one states the routing, and only the other mentions tips. The $25 gap in price is not explained by anything either page says, so the table cannot tell you which one sounds better or seals better. It tells you what you can plan around: which spare cable fits, and whether the cable is meant to go over the ear.
What none of these listings tell you
- How either pair sounds, or how much outside noise it blocks. No isolation figure appears on these pages.
- Which phone, laptop or audio interface each one plugs into. The Turbine page says "Wired in-ear monitors listed"; the plug at the other end of the cable is not named.
- Whether a third-party cable fits. Match the connector name first, and ask us if the page only shows it in an image.
Where the three lines point you
If what you want is a sealed wireless pair for the commute, the ordinary sealed earbuds sold for everyday use already sit where the 64 Audio article puts in-ear monitors; the fit questions are the ones in semi-in-ear vs in-ear earbuds and the four seal checks. If you want a wired pair whose cable can be replaced, look for three lines on the listing: the word detachable, the connector name, and the routing. The trade-offs of keeping a cable at all are in wired vs wireless earbuds. Our wired monitors are grouped under in-ear monitors, and everyday sealed pairs under everyday wireless earbuds.
