Best headphones under Rs 2,000: Oppo Enco Buds, OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z, and more

The budget personal audio segment is among the most in-demand of all accessories categories in India, at all times. From budget, wired in-ear monitors that offer excellent audio quality thanks to high quality drivers, to workhorse wireless neckband earphones that offer super long battery life and a reliable, durable design – and even the recent influx of true wireless earphones in the lowest price category, audio products have an exciting range of options to choose from.

Naturally, each product focuses on a unique strength proposition, thereby catering to a different segment of buyers in the country. For users with smartphones that still retain the 3.5mm audio port, or those who have dedicated high resolution music players at hand, wired IEMs still play a key role in their everyday listening experience. Those with high-res music players will get highly attractive and good-sounding IEMs that not only deliver good sound, but can form an excellent part of a high resolution audio collective for everyday use – when carrying around flagship audiophile headphones is difficult.

At other times, the newly introduced truly wireless segment represents excellent value. Not only do they use the latest wireless music streaming technology at hand, but also offer great designs and the ultimate portability and usage ergonomics standards. On this note, we look at the best headphones under Rs 2,000 in India, here below.

Best headphones under Rs 2,000

ProductPrice
Oppo Enco BudsRs 1,799
OnePlus Bullets Wireless ZRs 1,999
KZ ZSN Pro XRs 1,899
Sony WI-C200Rs 1,799
Sennheiser CX120BTRs 1,490
Jays A-OneRs 1,999
Soundmagic E10CRs 1,599
Boat Rockerz 600Rs 1,916
Realme Buds Q2 NeoRs 1,599
boAt Airdopes 402Rs 1,999

Key things to look for in budget earphones

When it comes to buying the right pair of headphones under Rs 2,000, there is a specific set of parameters that you as a buyer need to consider. This includes tracking specifications that define the sound signature, connectivity standards, fit, and product design. Here's what you should look for in them.

Driver configuration

One of the most intrinsic factors of audio quality is audio driver configuration. In terms of the type of audio drivers used, earphones and headphones in the budget segment typically use dynamic audio drivers, which is the most common audio driver type used in earphones. A select range of niche audio brands also uses balanced armature drivers, which typically offer cleaner and a more balanced audio signature.

Connectivity

The next thing to consider is the parameter of connectivity. Depending on the device that you would mostly use to listen to music on, you may choose to go fully wireless -- or still bank on wired in-ear monitors. You should also check the Bluetooth version of earphones -- Bluetooth 5 or newer would give you higher quality playback. For wired IEMs, check for those with swappable cables so that you can upgrade their quality later.

Size of earbuds

One of the key things to keep in mind is that the overall audio quality would become highly underwhelming if you don't get the right fit with your earphones. Opt for headphones and earphones that offer you a range of earbud choices -- to help you get the best fit.

Design

While it isn't the first thing to strike, budget earphones may often overlook the design aspect to focus on audio -- or vice versa. Remember to choose this wisely — a good design can go a long way in making a pair of earphones feel usable over a longer span of time. Also opt for designs that are easily foldable and easy to carry around, all of which are factors that become important over time.

The right brand

In the personal audio space, the range of choices in brands is typically between the common, established ones — and those that you may not have heard of before. Don't go just by brand name — often, the smaller brands could deliver great audio and impressive value. Do ensure that you are well researched about a personal audio brand before you finalise your purchase.

FAQs on buying budget earphones

When it comes to choosing the right pair of budget headphones, it's also important to understand which type of earphones suit you. Here's what you need to keep in mind.

Are budget true wireless earbuds reliable?

True wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds are the most in-demand personal audio category, even in the budget segment. The latter has been boosted by smartphone brands offering products with great features at competitive prices. Even in the budget segment, they have become largely reliable.

Are wired earphones still worth buying?

Contrary to expectations, wired earphones still have a strong market. While many of them are chosen by those buying audio products at the most affordable price points, many others today use USB or wireless adapters to use wired earphones from lesser-known brands that promise a beginner audiophile experience.

How to connect wired IEMs wirelessly?

You can choose to buy a Bluetooth audio adapter to go with your wired earphones. The latter can be connected to the adapter using the 3.5mm port. Subsequently, the Bluetooth adapter is paired with the smartphone to relay music. Many adapters also offer high-resolution playback to cater to audiophiles.

Are neckband earphones better at this price?

Neckband earphones offer the advantage of letting you take your earphones off without needing to put them back in the case for short durations. While many don't prefer the extra wire and their overall style, they offer value to those who don't mind the neck wire.

Are lesser-known brands trustworthy?

Lesser known brands often have great products on offer, but may not give you after-sales support the way a mainstream brand would. Be sure to look up carefully at the brand whose product you are purchasing. If it is too obscure a brand, you might be better off buying something from a comparably less niche brand. That being said, most lesser-known audio brands that are today becoming more popular have set a good precedent.

Oppo Enco Buds

The Oppo Enco Buds have received critical acclaim from all quarters and are largely believed to be among the best budget headphones and earphones that users can buy at this price. The audio performance is balanced, with a hint of added bass. The sound signature is clean, and it has the true wireless advantage, too. Of all wireless earphones right now, the Oppo Enco Buds are the best at under Rs 2,000.

Buy: Amazon | Flipkart

Pros:
-Impressive audio quality
-Great bass
-Steady connectivity

Cons:
- No additional features
- Looks bleak

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z offers an affordable entry point to the brand's audio product portfolio and does a good job of it too. It offers amply loud and clear sound, good bass, decent balance for vocals, and good overall depth of sound, too. It also offers Dolby Atmos through OnePlus phones, and the neckband style isn't too bad altogether. For its price, the offering is quite a strong one — giving users a precursor to the company's true wireless portfolio.

Buy: Amazon | Flipkart

Pros:
-Dolby Atmos with OnePlus devices
-Decent sound

Cons:
-Neckband style looks dated

KZ ZSN Pro X

Chinese brand KZ falls in the lesser-known bracket of brands. However, it is possibly the best-sounding pair of earphones at this price range. With balanced armature and dynamic drivers combined to power the audio, the KZ ZSN Pro X produces impressively rich sound, with strong bass delivery without overpowering the rest of the frequency range. It offers one of the cleanest sound signatures in the budget audio segment, and even offers you the option to swap out its stock cable with a higher quality one — therefore being a stepping ground towards audiophile experiences.

Buy: Headphone Zone

Pros:
-Impressive sound quality
-Fantastic depth

Cons:
-Wired
-Earpiece size could be too large for many

Sony WI-C200

What the Sony WI-C200 really gets right is a clean, simple, and non-fussy user experience. You get a neckband pair that focuses clearly on bass when it comes to the sound experience but also delivers good overall clarity of sound. It is this that makes it a good purchase, and its easily collapsible neckband style further adds to its user experience. It also offers a decent battery to boot.

Buy: Amazon | Flipkart

Pros:
-Good strong bass
-Good battery life
-Easy to carry

Cons:
-Looks a bit flimsy
-Mic quality not the best

Sennheiser CX120BT

You don't often get earphones that emphasise more on the highs and mids, than bass. That's exactly where the Sennheiser CX120BT comes in. The pair produces good clarity and sounds really bright thanks to its focus on the highs and vocals. This makes it an interesting offering, particularly as an alternative to all the bass-focused choices in the market. Its light build is a boon, too.

Buy: Amazon | Flipkart

Pros:
-Good choice for fans of bright sound
-Light build
-Looks good

Cons:
-Lacks bass a bit too much
-Not the loudest
-Below-par battery life

Jays A-One

Jays has always produced fairly well-acclaimed earphones, and the wired A-One is in the same league, too. It offers an excellent overall design that is clearly among the best in the list of neckband IEMs. The sound signature favours bass and has good clarity and impressive depth of sound. On overall terms, it is one of the best budget earphones in the neckband range in terms of audio performance.

Buy: Headphone Zone

Pros:
-Good bass
-Clean sound
-Flat cable design

Cons:
-Not the easiest to fit in pocket

Soundmagic E10C

The Soundmagic E10C is one of the most reliable product portfolios in the wired, budget IEM range. The earbuds offer a balanced sound signature, which is impressive given its price point. The drivers also offer good clarity of sound, and also come with good depth as well. The earbuds also offer a comfortable fit for most users, therefore being a universal product that can be liked by most.

Buy: Amazon | Headphone Zone

Pros:
-Balanced audio delivery
-Good fit

Cons:
-Wired connectivity may not fit most modern phones

Boat Rockerz 600

The Boat Rockerz 600 is one of the most popular over-ear headphones in the budget segment. One of its key offerings is the Super Extra Bass sound signature, which produces slightly overpowering but clean bass. The overall audio quality is super tight, thereby making the headphones a highly recommended pair. It also has a robust and well-marked control panel on one of its ear cups, and a total of eight hours of battery life makes it a very well-rounded offering.

Buy: Flipkart | Amazon

Pros:
-Looks good
-Great bass
-Intuitive controls

Cons:
-Very bass-heavy sound may not suit all

Realme Buds Q2 Neo

The Realme Buds Q2 Neo is one of the most feature-rich offerings in the burger earphones segment. The 10mm drivers powering its sound offer a bass boost feature, which does make it clearly bass-biased. However, decent audio clarity and highs mean that it remains fairly versatile with its overall sound. You also get a low latency connection mode, which gamers would find useful when playing live esports tournaments. It also has 20 hours of overall battery life to boot.

Buy: Amazon | Flipkart

Pros:
-Good audio clarity
-Good for gamers
-Good battery life

Cons:
-Earbuds could be too large for everyone
-Bass biased

boAt Airdopes 402

The boAt Airdopes 402 pair of truly wireless earbuds are in the market as one of the most competitive, well priced products of its class. While it has almost entirely proliferated in the pricier, more expensive segments, the budget segment is also getting new products at increasingly more competitive price points – of which the Airdopes 402 is now one.

At the heart of the boAt true wireless earbuds are 10mm dynamic drivers, which is typical to this price range and in line with what users would expect here. This is combined with the company's typically strong bass line reproduction in its sound signature, which is warm and has a nice richness to it. The audio delivery is fairly clean, and there is little to no harmonic distortion for the most part.

The volume levels are also quite good here, making it a good pair of reliable TWS earbuds to use –particularly in crowded places. To suit their usage during workouts, boAt has also offered IPX4 durability rating on the earbuds as well. Other key features include touch based gesture control for playback adjustments, one touch access to the voice assistant on users' phones, Bluetooth 5.0 for seamless connectivity, fast pair for quickly connecting with phones, and USB-C for charging.

For the latter, while it is rated for 20 hours of playback time, a quick 5-minute charge cycle typically gives it 40 minutes of listening time – handy for when you forgot to charge it just ahead of a press conference.

Buy: boAt | Flipkart

Pros:
-Good, clean bass
-Warm and tight audio signature
-Durable build
-Good fast charging standard

Cons:
-A bit too bass heavy
-Looks clunky
-Can be too large for some ears