Linsoul AS10

The Linsoul AS10 is a wired 5-driver balanced armature IEM that sounds shockingly good for its typical $60-$80 price. In our sound quality tests, it lands in the top 2% of all earbuds, delivering detail that humbles far pricier options. Just mind the mediocre noise isolation and cheap-feeling stock cable.

If you're poking around for the best wired earbuds under $100, the Linsoul AS10 (also called the KZ AS10) is probably staring you in the face. This is a five-driver balanced armature in-ear monitor that regularly sells for $60 to $80 on Amazon, though I've seen it listed elsewhere for wildly inflated prices up to $1,206, so pay attention to where you click. It's an ear-hook design with a detachable 2-pin cable, an inline mic, and a 3.5mm jack that plugs into just about anything with a headphone port. For the money, it's one of the most ambitious audio products we've come across. Five drivers per side, a 3D-printed internal acoustic structure, and a frequency range from 20Hz to 22kHz. On paper, it screams enthusiast bait.

The AS10 has built a cult following among budget audiophiles for good reason. Our sound quality measurements place it in the 98th percentile of all in-ear monitors we've tested. That means it competes with, and often beats, models costing several times as much. The tuning is lively, detailed, and surprisingly refined for a sub-$100 IEM. Pop, vocal, and acoustic tracks shine, but it's versatile enough for gaming or casual stage monitoring too. And because the cable is detachable, you can swap it for something braided or balanced down the road if the stock cable bothers you, and it might.

But the AS10 isn't perfect. Commute scores landed at a dismal 33.8 out of 100 in our database, mostly because noise isolation is just okay. The microphone is average, and the build, while functional, feels like corners were cut on the cable and accessories. Still, if you're after jaw-dropping sound on a tight budget and don't mind a wire, this is one of the most exciting IEMs you can buy right now.

Sound quality is where the AS10 earns its keep, and then some. In our database of hundreds of in-ear models, it lands in the top 2% for audio performance. That's not a typo. The five balanced armatures deliver a crisp, balanced signature with sparkly highs, forward mids, and a bass response that's punchy without bleeding into the rest of the mix. When I listened to Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams,' every pluck and vocal harmony felt distinct, and soundstage width impressed me for an IEM at this price. For $60, you're getting detail retrieval that humbles plenty of mainstream wireless buds in the $200 range.

On the technical side, the 32-ohm impedance and 20Hz-22kHz range mean you won't need a dedicated amp, but a decent DAC dongle will let these stretch their legs. The 3D-printed acoustic chamber does a nice job of keeping the drivers coherent, so you aren't hit with a disjointed mess of frequencies. Isolation, however, is mediocre, sitting around the 30th percentile. You'll hear subway rumble and office chatter creeping in, so these are best enjoyed in a quiet room. The inline mic clocks in at the 66th percentile, fine for quick calls but not a headset replacement.

Value is where the AS10 really throws a haymaker. The price spread across vendors is absurd, ranging from $60 to $1,206, but the real deal is on Amazon where it consistently sits under $80. At that price, the sheer audio performance you're getting feels like a pricing error. For comparison, many competitors that match its detail cost north of $200, and they're often wireless buds that can't match this level of clarity. If you see it priced anywhere near triple digits, shop around, but if you snag it around $60, you're getting one of the best budget audiophile IEMs ever made.

The AS10 sits in a weird spot because its direct competitors on paper are mostly true wireless earbuds. The Sony WF-1000XM5 and Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 are incredible for what they do, noise cancellation, app support, wireless convenience, but they cost $250-$300 and still can't match the sheer resolution of a well-driven wired set like this. The Technics EAH-AZ80 and Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro offer similar feature sets, but if pure sound quality for dollar value is your only metric, the AS10 laughs at them.

If you're willing to stay in the wired world, something like the Moondrop Aria or Tin HiFi T2 Plus are excellent rivals around the same price, though the AS10's five-driver setup gives it an edge in instrument separation. For stage use or monitoring, the Shure SE215 is a common recommendation, but it sounds veiled next to the AS10's sparkling highs. The EarFun Air Pro 4 isn't in the same league for raw audio fidelity. Ultimately, the AS10 is for the person who wants audiophile detail and can forgive the lack of features.

Skip the AS10 if you need wireless convenience for calls and travel. True wireless buds like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or AirPods Pro will serve you far better in noisy environments. Gym-goers should also be cautious, though the product claims water resistance, our fitness score for these is low, and the ear-hook design can still wobble during high-movement workouts. If you absolutely need strong noise cancellation or a rock-solid wireless connection, look elsewhere.

Should you buy the Linsoul AS10? If you care about music first and convenience second, absolutely. It's one of the best-sounding IEMs you can buy for under $100, period. The sound is crisp, detailed, and engaging enough to make you rediscover your favorite tracks. The detachable cable means you can tweak the fit and feel later, and the ear-hook design ensures they stay in place during a desk session or a commute. For anyone dipping their toes into high-fidelity audio, this is a fantastic starting point.

But if you spend your day on noisy trains, need wireless freedom for calls, or hit the gym regularly, the AS10 will let you down. The isolation isn't strong enough for loud environments, and the cable can snag. For those use cases, I'd point you toward a pair of good ANC true wireless earbuds. But for critical listening at home or in a quiet office, the AS10 is a steal.