Avantree E171

The Avantree E171 nails comfort with ear hooks that stay put, but the sound quality is among the worst we've tested. At USD 20 to USD 38, it's a cheap wired option for workouts and calls. Only buy it if you don't care about music.

The 12mm dynamic drivers push sound through a 32Ω impedance, and the frequency range is a standard 20Hz to 20kHz. On paper that's fine. In practice, the audio is muddy and flat, and our sound score of 20.3 out of 100 backs that up. The mic is serviceable for calls but lands in the 39th percentile, so don't expect crystal clear voice pickup. The ear hooks and soft tips are the real stars here, keeping the 28g earbuds locked in place even when you're moving. Battery isn't a factor since these are wired, but the 120cm cable gives you decent slack.

Stacked against the Nothing Buds 2, Soundcore P31i, or Anker Space A40, the E171 looks ancient. Those competitors are wireless, sound dramatically better, and offer features like ANC that this wired pair can't touch. The Baseus Bass BP1 Pro and TOZO Crystal Pods also outclass it on audio and build quality. The E171's only real advantage is the ear hook design and the fact that it never needs charging. If you're buying for a kid, a gym bag, or a backup pair, that might be enough. For daily listening, any of those competitors is a better call.

At USD 20 to USD 38 across five US listings, these are cheap enough to treat as disposable. The best deal in our data is on Amazon, where you can grab them at the lower end of that range. In Europe, prices run EUR 16 to EUR 20, which is also reasonable for what you get. But value isn't just about price. You're paying for comfort and convenience, not audio quality. If that's the trade-off you want, fine. Just know you're not getting a hidden gem here.

The Avantree E171 is a wired sports earbud for people who still have a 3.5mm jack and don't want to deal with charging or Bluetooth pairing. The ear hooks do their job, and our comfort score puts these at the 95th percentile, which is genuinely impressive for a budget pair. They stay put during runs and workouts, and the inline controls are handy for skipping tracks without digging out your phone.

But the sound is rough. Our database puts these at the 2nd percentile for audio quality, which is about as bad as it gets. If you just need something to hear podcasts or take calls while you sweat, fine. If you actually care about music, keep scrolling.

Skip these if you have a phone without a 3.5mm jack, since there's no USB-C or Lightning support. Also skip them if you care about music quality at all, because the sound is genuinely bad. And if you need something durable, look elsewhere, the build quality won't survive daily abuse for long.

Buy these if you need cheap wired earbuds that won't fall out during exercise and you don't care about sound quality. They're fine for podcasts, audiobooks, and phone calls in a pinch. The comfort is genuinely great, and the price is hard to argue with. But if music matters to you even a little, spend a bit more on something that doesn't sound like it's playing through a tin can.