CCA CCA-Xyrra

The CCA Xyrra delivers sound quality in the 90th percentile for around $25, thanks to a hybrid 10mm dynamic + balanced armature setup. Gaming performance is solid at 45.3 out of 100, with the 4-6kHz tuning helping tactical cues. Just don't buy these for calls, the mic is mediocre and calls score a rough 25.6 out of 100.

Let's talk about that 90th percentile sound score, because it's the reason these exist. The hybrid driver setup pairs a 10mm metal-composite dynamic driver with a custom 30118 balanced armature, and the result is a U-shaped signature that's punchy without completely burying the mids. Distortion is rated at under 0.3%, and the high-frequency extension reaches 40kHz, which is well beyond what most budget IEMs manage. In practice, that translates to crisp detail retrieval on cymbals and strings without the harshness that plagues cheaper single-driver designs.

Sensitivity comes in at 110 ± 3 dB with a 27Ω impedance, so these are easy to drive from basically anything, a phone, a laptop, a gaming controller. You don't need an amp to get them loud. The 4-6kHz emphasis is a deliberate choice for gaming, and it works. Environmental cues and subtle positional audio come through clearly. Just don't expect miracles from the mic. At the 40th percentile, it's serviceable for quick callouts but not much more.

Stacked against the Nothing Buds 2, the Xyrra wins on raw sound quality but loses badly on convenience. The Buds 2 are wireless with ANC and a proper app, while the Xyrra is a wired IEM with no battery to speak of and ANC at the 31st percentile. The Soundcore P31i and Anker Space A40 both offer better all-around packages if you need wireless freedom and decent mics for calls. But none of those touch the Xyrra's sound score. The JLab JBuds Pods ANC and EarFun Air Pro TW230B are similarly outclassed on audio fidelity. The trade-off is stark: you give up wireless, ANC, and call quality to get genuinely impressive sound at a rock-bottom price.

At $24 to $25 in the US and €29 across European listings, the Xyrra is priced like an impulse buy but performs like something twice the cost in the sound department. That 90th percentile sound score is the entire value proposition here, and it's a strong one. You're essentially paying for the drivers and the tuning, and accepting compromises everywhere else. The detachable OFC cable is a nice touch at this price, even if the stock cable itself feels cheap. If sound quality per dollar is your metric, this is hard to beat.

The CCA Xyrra lands in our database with a sound score sitting at the 90th percentile, which is frankly wild for a pair of IEMs hovering around the $25 mark. You're getting a hybrid setup here, a 10mm dynamic driver handling the low end and a 30118 balanced armature for the highs, with a claimed frequency response that stretches up to 40kHz. On paper, that's the kind of driver configuration you'd expect to pay significantly more for. The catch is that everything else about these feels very budget-conscious, from the cable to the packaging.

For gamers and musicians on a tight budget, the Xyrra makes a compelling argument. The wired connection means zero latency concerns, and the tuning emphasizes that 4-6kHz range where footsteps and tactical cues live. But our scores tell a more nuanced story. While sound is genuinely impressive, the mic quality sits at the 40th percentile and calls are the weakest area at 25.6 out of 100. If you're planning to use these for voice chat or phone calls, you'll want to temper expectations.

Skip the Xyrra if you take calls or use voice chat regularly. Calls are the weakest area at 25.6 out of 100, and the mic sits at the 40th percentile, which means your teammates will hear you, but they won't be impressed. Also skip if you want any kind of noise cancellation, ANC performance is at the 31st percentile, or if you need wireless freedom. These are wired, full stop. And if you're expecting a premium unboxing experience, the bare-bones packaging and budget cable will disappoint.

The CCA Xyrra is a specialist, not an all-rounder. If you want wired IEMs for music or gaming and you don't care about wireless convenience, this is one of the best sound-per-dollar buys in our database right now. That 90th percentile sound score at $25 is the kind of value that makes budget audiophiles grin. But if you need a mic for calls, any kind of noise cancellation, or the freedom of wireless, look elsewhere. The Xyrra knows exactly what it is, and it doesn't apologize for the rest.