Labs

Philips' SHE9700 earphones look like a fairly standard ear-canal set, and they don't offer anything extraordinary in terms of features. They use Philips' Angletube design, intended to create a secure fit and direct sound straight towards your eardrum, whatever size or shape your ears are. They come with three rubber sleeves in different sizes. Once we'd selected the correct one, the earphones were comfortable. This kind of angled design isn't unique to Philips' earphones, but this is one of the most affordable sets we've seen to use it.

The earphones' sound quality was crisp and focused, and we were pleased with the results on everything from overdriven guitars to delicate acoustic tracks. The bass was powerful without overwhelming the rest of the sound, and we were easily able to hear fine details in even the busiest passages of music.

Philips' SHE9700 earphones have a well-balanced sound, comfortable design and a very reasonable price. These in-ear earphones win a Best Buy award.