The best IEMs for drummers in 2025, tested and reviewed

If you’re a performing drummer, you already know the importance of being able to hear your fellow musicians. The age of the stage wedge is over, which means you’ll need a great pair of in-ear monitors. The very best—whether pricey custom-molded like the Ultimate Ears Premiere or affordable universals such as the Westone Audio Pro X30—offer comfort, isolation, a rich low-end with a realistic sense of impact, and the ability to hear as much, or as little, of your bandmates as you need. They’re also a great way to put on your favorite tracks and air drum along when not performing or recording (and way easier to carry around than full-sized headphones). 

How we chose the best IEMs for drummers

In addition to having a passion for technology and helping people make the best choices with their limited budgets, I’ve been a musician for the past 25 years and have played on live stages for more than a decade. I’ve gone through the era of the stage wedge to the modern standard of in-ear monitors and personalized mixers and have learned what frequencies matter most to different musicians. Just like no two players are exactly the same, there’s no single in-ear monitor that’s going to deliver what every band member needs.

Drummers need bass and impact. They need viscerality. At the same time, it’s important that they’re still able to hear fine details, like the texture of their cymbals, the gradients of roll-off, and the fine tonal differences that resonate from different locations on each drum head. They also need to be able to hear as much or as little of each bandmate as they desire at any given time, so they can drive the dynamics of the performance—playing off the bass player, but also the guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist in turns. 

I’ve been testing and writing about audio gear professionally for years, and through my personal love of audio, I’ve allowed it to blossom into a genuine hobby of my own. I have more than 100 pairs of IEMs in my personal collection, and more than two dozen pairs of headphones. Pulling together this list, I considered all of the sets I’ve reviewed over the last year, as well as those that have come in years before (just because something is older doesn’t mean it isn’t great). I also considered the IEMs my colleagues in this space have fallen in love with, that perhaps I haven’t tested on my own. In that way, this list is also collaborative and a meeting of the minds between people who love listening to music and making it as well (such as my editor at PopSci, Tony Ware). I’ve done the research and testing to offer the best picks for different types of listeners, so you can save time shopping and spend more time doing what you love: jamming out, creating new beats, and getting lost in the rhythm and flow of music.

Best overall: Ultimate Ears Premier

See It

Pros

• Custom fit offers security and top-tier isolation
• 21 EQ-friendly BA drivers with a stock tuning that emphasizes bass and lower mids
• Optional Ambient feature allows you to balance isolation with hearing the audience

Cons

• Professional (read multi-thousand) price point, not including cost of ear molds

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Specs

• 
  Price:

  
  $2,999.99 (plus cost of ear molds)

• 
  Frequency Response:

  
  5Hz – 40,000Hz

• 
  Drivers:

  
  21 x Knowles balanced armatures

• 
  Connectivity:

  
  Wired, 3.5mm (IPX/T2 cable)

Why it made the cut: A custom fit, customizable sound signature, great details, and a comfortable fit, the UE Premier is tops for serious road warriors. 

Few brands are as well-known and highly esteemed among performing musicians as Ultimate Ears. The UE Premier is its flagship pair of in-ear monitors, and they are jam-packed with technology and fine-tuning to ensure that you have all of the isolation and detail you need to perform your best. These earphones don’t come cheap, but I think you’ll agree that they are a professional-tier product that pushes the envelope in what you should expect. 

Beginning from the inside out, the UE Premier uses 21 balanced armatures per side, each custom-tuned to focus on a certain frequency band or acoustic property. Using this driver array, it’s able to offer dedicated drivers to each register and a single True Tone Plus driver that is dedicated entirely to harmonics and overtones. In audiophile terms, the Premier offers excellent technicalities. In normie terms, it’s a tonal powerhouse. 

In truth, the Premier has received a bit of criticism for the sheer number of drivers the manufacturer has packed in there, but each one serves a purpose. Consisting of all balanced armatures, two dual drivers are dedicated to the rumbling sub-bass, and four dual drivers are dedicated to the middle lows. One quad driver is dedicated to the mids, and an additional quad driver is dedicated to the highs. The True Tone Plus driver focuses on the super highs, a.k.a. the air frequencies, to give your mix a lifelike ambiance.

One of the things that makes this such a good choice for drummers, however, is that its stock tuning emphasizes the low end more than most other studio monitors do. While it’s possible to use EQ and tailor it to any musician’s taste, by default, you’ll be able to enjoy powerful bass that reaches low and has a punchy sense of impact. Because of its wide array of drivers focusing on the mids and highs, you won’t miss out on any of the higher frequencies that give toms their particular sound and texture or cymbals their sizzle and decay.

Importantly, these IEMs are about as isolating as they come. They can only be purchased with a custom ear mold. While that does mean you’ll need to make a trip to the audiologist to have those molds done, the final product will match your ear perfectly. It’s able to block out up to 26dB of stage noise and offers an incredibly secure fit so you can play freely without worrying about either earpiece coming loose. (Additionally, if you pay an extra $50 for the Ambient feature, a small port with a clear plastic plug allows you to select up to 12dB of stage bleed.)

Because each pair is so uniquely matched to its listener, there aren’t many real cons to speak of outside of subjective listening preferences. Its price is surely one of them, and custom ear molds typically run a minimum of $100 to $150 per ear before the multi-thousands Premier is even constructed for you. They’re also a bit large and may stick out of the ears of smaller listeners a bit, but because of the custom molding process, this is an aesthetic consideration and not a concern for the earpieces falling out mid-performance. In addition, the sweat-resistant IPX/T2 cable is built for durability and reliability.

While certainly luxurious, there’s no question that the UE Premier is a professional’s tool. It’s the kind of set that you work toward, not what you begin with. In that category, it’s a veritable showpiece of what a great pair of stage monitors can offer.

Best entry-level: Shure SE215 Pro

Why it made the cut: An ultra-affordable standard, these IEMs are as good today as they were when they debuted in 2011. 

The Shure SE215 Pro has been an audio industry standard for more than a decade (from microphones to monitoring solutions). In fact, it was my own first pair of stage monitors back when I exclusively played guitar. I wasn’t as deep into the audio hobby at the time and didn’t have as much experience with what made a great pair of IEMs versus a normal pair of headphones. However, everywhere I looked when I was speaking with professionals I trusted, the SE215 Pro kept showing up in ears and recommendations when it came to a starter set of stage monitors. 

If $100 seems too budget to trust at real gigs, believe me, I hear you. But there’s a reason why these are the affordable recommendation. To get better audio performance from a dedicated stage IEM, you can expect to pay significantly more. Viewed from another angle, it’s also fair to say that until you reach monitors that are twice the price or even higher, you won’t notice nearly as much of an improvement as these offer coming from a normal pair of consumer earphones. 

The Shure SE215 Pro is a standard setter. It uses a single 9.2mm dynamic driver, which allows it to be small and low profile, perfect for wrapping behind and down your back to hide its presence. They’re repairable, featuring a detachable cable that ends in a standard 3.5mm termination. If anything should happen to it, you can simply source another at a much lower cost than buying a whole new pair of IEMs. And it can be swapped out for a microphone cable (sold separately) if you plan to use these as a communication device to check in from the road … assuming your phone still has a headphone jack.

Its presentation of sound is fitting for its price. These earphones offer decent layering, allowing you to hear each element within the mix. That’s a critically important quality for any pair of stage monitors, so you can always hear any fellow musician you need to in the moment. Its soundstage isn’t very expansive, and its detail retrieval for fine acoustic textures is only average, but it provides everything you need to get started and play live shows for years to come. In fact, I know musicians who still use the SE215 Pro even though they could easily afford a better set. For the money, it does its job well. 

The biggest drawback, in addition to its relatively small soundstage, is fit. While this obviously varies from user to user and the shape of your ear, I found that these had a tendency to come loose while not fully coming out during performances. This caused me to lose a complete seal, reducing bass and negatively impacting isolation. This could be remedied with a good pair of foam ear tips, however, which also stand to enhance its bass response (which is also acceptable for a beginning live drummer).

Build quality is another area where this set is only average. While it doesn’t feel especially cheap, it also doesn’t feel especially robust. This isn’t a set that you’ll want to be particularly hard on if you want them to last through many shows. Treat them kindly, however, and they certainly can, as my musician buddies can testify. 

The Shure SE215 Pro is a staple recommendation for a reason. At $100, it isn’t the absolute cheapest pair of IEMs you can find, but it is one of the best values and is worth the investment for any drummer working to up their game without breaking the bank. I’ve still got a pair around here somewhere, it’s just too grungy to share.

Best for gigging on a budget: Westone Audio Pro X30

Why it made the cut: Clarity, stage-proven fit, and a tough Linum BaX T2 cable make these IEMs that you can gig with through hot lights and sweaty clubs, and they’ll never flinch.

The Pro X30 is the IEM to toss in your stick bag when you need something reliable that can survive the road but won’t wreck the budget. Westone’s pedigree shows—they were building hearing solutions and musician monitors long before in-ears were standard on small stages, and the Pro X line feels designed by people who’ve actually loaded in and soundchecked night after night on a few hours of sleep (like our X30 model above, Alex Kuldell of Celtic-Americana band Scythian).

The Pro X30 plays nice with your belt pack, and the sound is classic triple-BA: fast, tidy, and easy to read under pressure. Balanced armatures are tiny, sealed drivers originally born for hearing aids; they don’t move tons of air, but they’re lightning-quick and efficient. Split across a 3-way crossover, the X30’s lows keep kick and floor tom tight, while the mids and highs give you the transient snap to track ghost notes, stick attack, and cymbal decay without cranking dangerous volumes. Resolution won’t reach double-digit drivers but if you’re used to consumer buds, the jump in separation and intelligibility is immediate—your click sits right where it should, and you can keep vocals in your periphery instead of drowning the mix.

Ergonomics are where these win night after night. The shells are small and disappear in the ear; the over-ear fit never fights your headset mic or glasses; and the included foam tips make it simple to dial a seal that blocks bleed from side fills and that one guitarist who won’t turn down. You can keep them in for two-hour sets without hotspots and “is my left side slipping?” anxiety.

The unsung hero is the Linum BaX T2 cable. It’s sweat-resistant, featherlight, doesn’t kink, and resists microphonics when it brushes a collar—huge if you move around the kit. The T2 connector locks in more securely than most, and it’s the same style you’ll find on high-end customs (think the UE Premier’s IPX cable above), so you’re getting tour-grade pull-force stability on a working player’s budget. It’s a cable that could snag on a drum throne and survive without a cutout—try that with a bargain MMCX.

Are there trade-offs? Sure. If you crave chesty sub-bass, you’ll need a perfect foam seal and/or a touch of EQ. And if you’re a serial cable-swapper, the T2 ecosystem isn’t as crowded as 2-pin. But for drummers who need crisp timing cues, reliable isolation, and gear that can handle weeknight rehearsals and weekend runs, the Pro X30 is a no-drama, built-for-the-grind workhorse that earns its keep show after show and will remain a staple in pits and fly-packs.

Also worth considering

So while the above three picks are special highlights on this list, there are plenty more that are worth considering, depending on what you’re looking for. For example, if you were also looking for the best possible music listening experience alongside your stage performances, the Thieaudio Divinity V16 is a fantastic pick. It doesn’t come cheap at $1,500, but if you’re using it for both, that value goes up quite a bit since you won’t have to buy a second pair to use offstage. 

The Thieaudio Divinity V16 features 16 high-end Sonion balanced armatures per side. It’s tuned to deliver outstanding crispness and detail with a powerful, textured, and impactful bass. It’s very well-rounded and highly regarded among audiophiles and drummers alike, at least among drummers in the know. Since Thieaudio is still an up-and-coming brand in the United States, it doesn’t quite have the same name recognition as brands like Ultimate Ears, Westone, or Shure. But make no mistake, they are absolutely worth considering, even if you step significantly down in price.

In fact, if you’re looking for an affordable all-rounder, the Thieaudio Hype 4 is one of my recommendations under $500. This set features two dynamic drivers and four Sonion balanced armatures to deliver a high-resolution but impactful listening experience. It’s not as expansive as the Thieaudio Divinity V16, but you wouldn’t expect it to be at less than a quarter of the price. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sound great. I’ve used this set for monitoring drums, guitar, listening to music, and even gaming. The tuning is safe but fun, allowing it to function well in a wide variety of circumstances without sacrificing the details and layering that a great pair of in-ear monitors needs. 

Looking for next-level ergonomics and isolation without paying extra for custom-molded shells? Campfire Audio has you covered with the $499 Cascara. This pair of full-bodied IEMs is about as close as a universal fit pair of monitors can be to a custom mold without actually requiring a trip to the audiologist. Part of the company’s Chromatic series, it’s available in black or light blue and has a contoured concha-filling shape with a nozzle that, when topped off with a properly sized ear tip, seals out the outside world so you can focus on the music and rhythm. Campfire Audio may have built its reputation on the crystalline details of the Andromeda Emerald Sea, but make no mistake, the Cascara is a fun pair of IEMs with a great sense of impact and thickness, perfect for drums. Also, it’s made entirely in the USA and ships out of Portland, Oregon. It includes U.S.-based support, should you ever need it. 

Finally, for the bass-starved or the bass-enamored, we have the Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch. This pair of $450 IEMs was tuned by popular earphone Hawaii Bad Boy (HBB), the host of the Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews YouTube channel. He left no question that this was a set being designed for bassheads. It offers powerful sub-bass for a pronounced rumble that, frankly, might take a little getting used to. For floor toms and kick drums, as well as thick, reverberating bass, it’s excellent. Unlike a lot of bass-focused sets, however, HBB made a point of ensuring that the rest of the frequency spectrum doesn’t sound muddled as a result. There’s a clear cutoff from the bass into the mids to keep the rest of the range clean. Since it uses a combination of a single 10mm dynamic driver, two open-vent balanced armatures, and two Sonion electrostatic drivers, it’s able to offer all of the details, layering, and soundstage you need for drum performances or practice sessions that are as fun as they are locked in. 

Final thoughts on the best IEMs for drummers

Choosing a great pair of IEMs for drumming can be surprisingly complicated. But once you find the right set for your tastes and needs, all of that management goes out the window. You can focus on playing, not on struggling to hear the musicians around you. And with that lower apprehension comes a sense of freedom that inspires the very best performances. With that in mind, I hope this list allowed you to find your next pair of in-ear monitors so you can bang on, four on the floor, paradiddle, or throw all of that out with creative fills and tom solos that will leave your audience in awe.

 

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The PopSci team has tested hundreds of products and spent thousands of hours trying to find the best gear and gadgets you can buy.