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These days, the majority of small electronic products are created in China, therefore it makes sense that you might question if there are earbuds made exclusively in the USA.
Sadly, not many; only a small number of them continue to produce in the USA and maintain their legacy. Although the majority of well-known earbud companies are based in the United States, the manufacturing is still done in China, and I don’t really blame them.
China is referred to as “the world’s factory” in addition to its low labor costs due to the country’s strong business environment, lack of regulatory compliance, low taxes and customs, and competitive currency practices.
What I’ve noticed is that some businesses produce their earphones in China but conduct all of their testing and design work in the United States in order to maintain their high standards.
I still can’t really say whether products made in China are better than those made in the USA, though I’d bet on the latter one.
After spending several hours researching, I was able to identify three well-known manufacturers that are still operating in the United States. They were:
Audeze
Grado Labs
Westone
So without wasting time further, let’s jump and see some of their earbuds offering.
In order to give you every option possible, I chose to include two earbuds from each U.S. company on today’s list.
Best USA Earbuds from Audeze
When it comes to audio headphones, Audeze is not a new name. It is actually reputable for producing high-end headphones.
That’s it though. It is a name that you will see in the high-end spectrum. While their offerings come at a really painful price, their performance somehow covers it.
What I like about them is that they are not a century-old brand like many big names out there, but they were established in 2009, and they have grown from a garage-based startup.
This is insane when you think of their high-end products right now.
1. Audeze Euclid
I have no doubt that Audeze significantly altered the headphone industry—just look at the Euclid wireless earbuds, for instance.
Euclid is an IEM with planar magnetic technology.
In contrast to dynamic drivers, which use membranes with typical cone or dome shapes like those seen in ordinary headphones, planar magnetic drivers or transducers use a flat diaphragm.
Although planar magnetic headphones cost more than their dynamic driver counterparts, the superior audio quality is unquestionably worth the extra cost.
I won’t lie; those true wireless earbuds are outrageously pricey, and to compensate, their design is luxurious in every aspect.
Each monitor on the Audeze Euclid has a stylish matte black finish and a sleek aluminum housing. They come with silicone ear tips and Comply, so you can choose whichever you like.
Each monitor on the Audeze Euclid has a stylish matte black finish and a sleek aluminum housing.
They certainly aren’t your normal true wireless earbuds; the edges are smooth and understated, and the logo is embedded in a gold letter “A” in the center, and this adds a great touch. The shells are also wrapped in gold rings, which adds to the premium quality even more. Definitely one of the best earbuds made in USA.
Style: In-ear, closed-back
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 50kHz
Sensitivity: 105 dB/1mW
Why Should You Buy It?
I would recommend those true wireless earbuds to anyone who has the money to purchase them and wants something different from the basic earbuds.
Yet another pair of unique shaped earbuds from Audeze, despite their “weird” looks they sure sound good.
The iSine 10 employs planar magnetic drivers, which provide sound that is exceptionally coherent, spacious, and low in distortion, similar to its sibling.
At first glance, they certainly have the appearance of some cheaply constructed futuristic earbuds—you know, one of those Chinese brand knockoffs.
The truth is that while I think their design to be very bizarre, some individuals actually find it to be pretty cool.
To be honest, it’s not the design shape that concerns me so much here; it’s the extra weight and the bulk.
The iSine 10’s exterior is entirely made of black plastic, with the recognizable metal mesh hidden beneath the housing. There is no need to be concerned about driver-flex because this design is completely open-back.
Unfortunately, the all-plastic construction doesn’t justify the huge price tag. I wish Audeze would put more of its attention on this department.
As for comfort and isolation they are both decent, nothing great, nothing awful either.
Style: In-ear, Universal Fit
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 50kHz
Sensitivity: 100 dB/1mW
Why Should You Buy It?
In a word, the iSine 10 is one of those headphones that encourages you to listen to music even more than you already are. Moreover, instrumental music, especially in tracks with more complex arrangements since it separates them so well. Audio quality is a pass for sure but for design, well let’s not go there.
If you are an audiophile on a budget, there is only one manufacturer that will always be there for you, and that’s none other than Grado Labs.
Those American giants were founded in 1953 in Brooklyn, New York.
What made them so famous, besides their unbeatable value offering, was one of their headsets, the Grado Labs SR80X.
On top of all the good performance and comfort they offered, they were very reasonably priced, which was essentially a dream for audiophiles on a budget.
They pretty much do that with most of their products, so yeah, Grado Labs is really something.
1. GRADO GR10e
The GR10E is the in-ear headphone you have been looking for if you want impressive sound quality.
The Gr10e has a wonderfully attractive exterior; the body is a metallic green, while the tip of the earphones is cooper. Although I dislike garish colors, this color combination is undeniably excellent.
The GR10e earphones are light, barely noticeable, and barely uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
The Grados’ very bright and slightly forceful sound gradually opens out to become incredibly enlightening and pleasurable.
So while the incredible sound quality is undoubtedly top-notch, the price is, um, reasonable.
Style:In-ear
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Sensitivity: 113 dB/mW
Why Should You Buy It?
To be honest, I am put in a hard spot here. Yes, they sound good for sure, but if you were to ask me, I don’t know, not quite. The price is a bit high while they offer nothing in return besides the superior sound quality, if that’s what you care only about go on.
Grado is known for keeping things retro and vintage, but the GT220 brings about certain changes to that, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t prepared for this.
The Grado GT220 mark a significant step outside of its comfort zone as they are its first step into the world of truly wireless earbuds.
Although Grado often sells affordable headphones, it’s also crucial to note that the GT2200 is among the more expensive earbuds. However, it makes up for this cost with a lot of features you’d expect from a set of high-end earbuds.
In terms of design, these true wireless earbuds are made of lightweight polycarbonate material. I really appreciate this design approach since they have a professional, sleek appearance without being over the top.
The housing has a fantastic form. Pure smoothness without any edges or other features. Even after extended listening sessions, there is no discomfort in the ears.
Regarding sound quality, these true wireless earbuds have pretty great sound. But if you’re looking for the recognisable sound signature that distinguishes Grado wireless earbuds, you won’t find it here.
Nevertheless, it still has a soundstage that feels nice and detailed.
Style: Wireless In-ear
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Battery: 6H – Battery Case 30H
Charging Time: 2 Hours
Why Should You Buy It?
Fan of Grado? Fan of true wireless earbuds? Want wireless charging? Look no more you just found your earbuds, if you can bypass the price that’s it. Those are not that cheap but looking at the bright side they are feature-packed. Definitely a great pair of wireless earbuds.
This might not be a name that you will hear quite often, but that doesn’t change the fact that Westone is a great American manufacturer.
Westone is a manufacturer of bespoke earpieces for the hearing healthcare industry, in-ear monitors for audiophiles and professional musicians, hearing protection for musicians, and custom communications earpieces.
So yeah, with all that being said, we come to the realization that this brand means business and it mostly targets the professional spectrum.
It was established in 1959 outside of Divide, Colorado.
You might be interested to know that Westone produced the E1 and E5 for Shure and contributed to the creation of the renowned Ultimate Ears brand.
1. Westone UM Pro30
We have a set of Westrone in-ear monitors here.
The UM Pro 30 is mostly renowned for its incredible comfort. The UM Pro 30 offers the maximum level of IEM comfort. They are hassle-free since they are lightweight, incredibly ergonomic, and simple to put on and take off.
Additionally, they appear to be highly durable. However, I won’t deny that there are some light finish problems.
One of the best-braided cables in the business, it feels sturdy but is very light and flexible at the same time, and there is almost no microphonics.
What can I say about the sound quality of a company that specializes in professional IEMs? They certainly sound good.
It offers a warm, smooth sound profile that allows you to feel the bass in your throat thanks to balanced armatures.
The bass is what I appreciate since it makes me hum and move my leg to it, whereas the mids are present and detailed.
Why Should You Buy It?
These IEMs are quite comfortable, long periods of time listening to them will be quite enjoyable and the music is dynamic, energetic, and convincingly real.
Watch out folks, every product with Pro and X to their name means business.
Westone has updated one of their most widely used UM Pro Series Earphones and now calls it the Pro X.
Although they have switched to IPX connectors with a Linum Bax T2 cable, the build quality is identical to that of the previous UM Pro series, with plastic shells that feel incredibly lightweight.
The Linum wires are extraordinarily thin and light, and they are quite well known, for good.
The Westone UM Pro series has long been recognized as some of the most comfortable earbuds available. Thankfully, the Pro X series shares a lot of similarities in terms of shape and inherited the same comfort since they perfectly fit in your ears, making you feel like there’s nothing inside and your brain is streaming music.
Aesthetically speaking, there is nothing to see. They are simple IEMs with a transparent casing so you can see the internal parts.
When it comes to sound quality, it’s simply a dream for professionals.
If you are a professional in need of IEMs, please do yourself a favor and get the PRO X. The neutral and balanced sound signature they offer is great for general monitoring purposes.
You will hear the music as it is recorded, with no coloration or anything like that. Not only that, but they also seem excellent when listening to midrange music like acoustic.
The sound quality has undoubtedly improved since its predecessor, but the Pro X is superior here, as it should be.
One thing i would like to mention is that they don’t have any active noise cancellation features. Most earbuds made in the USA don’t have any active noise canceling technology built in, but these earbuds offer some great sound isolation which should be more than enough!
Why Should You Buy It?
Those earbuds are something that should not be overlooked if you are a professional in need of IEMs for monitoring. The balanced sound and the insanely good comfort they offer are just unrivaled.
When selecting headphones, there are two crucial factors that you must ensure that the earbuds you are going to purchase have, regardless of whether they are manufactured in China or the United States, this is a thumb rule.
Sound Quality
Sound quality is the primary thing every audio device should have. If the earbuds we are about to buy don’t sound good, what’s the point of buying them in the first place?
So yes, when you buy a pair of earbuds, you want to know how they sound, read reviews on how they sound, and so on.
Lucky for you, all the above-mentioned earbuds sound good since they come from manufacturers that are popular among audiophiles and professionals.
An audiophile can easily tell exceptional sound quality from the bad sound quality. On the other hand, an average person who just likes to listen to music will have it hard to determine.
Still, what matters, in the end, is that all of the listed earbuds sound good.
Design and Comfort
Second, to sound quality, we have how well the headphones are made or their design.
No, we don’t look at this part for the colors and if they look cool. Instead, we seek durability and comfort when it comes to design. Although some cool flashy design didn’t hurt anybody, right?
Anyway, if you are an audiophile, there is no doubt that the earbuds will stay in your ears for long periods of time, and that is why you need them to keep you as comfortable as possible.
As for durability, you want something that will be with you for a long time. We are not buying earbuds every day, so somehow being able to withstand some knocks and bumps will be nice.
Price
As for price, it is not something important that has to do with earbuds, but at the same time, it kinda has.
For example, we all know that good and valuable things cost. I know that there are many products that look good on paper and come at a cheap price, but the end results of those products are awful.
So what I want to say is that indeed, expensive wireless earbuds will hurt your bank account, but they will surely reward you.
Sadly, the above-mentioned earbuds are crazy expensive, besides Grado Labs, which mostly operates on the budget spectrum.
Some prices are just too high for people to afford, and I won’t ask you to break your bank just to get them. You can still find something else in the market.
As for those of you who have money to burn, no one is stopping you from purchasing some high-end wireless earbuds from a reputable brand. They will surely deliver for that price.
Final Words
As my parting words to you, I think that at the end of the day, it all matters that the earbuds you are buying are good quality.
No, it doesn’t matter whether they were made in China or the United States; what counts is that they are useful and a good investment.
Some wireless earbuds tend to cost a lot, and a wrong purchase can definitely make a hole in your pocket, so never make any hasty purchase without making sure.
Further Reading
If you liked what you read so far, you can continue to do some further reading. There are some interesting blogs that I wrote.
Whether you’re looking for information on audio equipment, looking to learn more about how things work in the music field, or looking for reviews of products, we got you covered!
