Wired Earphones: Formats, Connections and a Buying Plan
Wired describes the connection, while earbud, IEM and over-ear describe the fit.
Wired describes the connection, while earbud, IEM and over-ear describe the fit. A sealed IEM uses tips; an open earbud rests around the ear opening; a headphone uses pads on or around the ear. None of those formats establishes a universal sound-quality ranking. The old article also incorrectly called KUNTEN and G3 BA+DD hybrids.
Check fit and comfort
Fit comes before a tuning verdict. Try the supplied sizes gently; left and right ears may need different sizes. If bass changes when you press an earpiece, reseat it and check the seal. Stop if a tip hurts or creates persistent pressure. More isolation is not always desirable when you need to hear traffic or announcements.
USB-C / 3.5mm
For a 3.5mm IEM, use a compatible digital USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter and check support for headset microphone input if calls matter. Direct USB-C IEM cables place conversion inside the cable or plug. A balanced 4.4mm cable requires a matching balanced output; it cannot plug into a 3.5mm adapter, and its presence is not evidence of an audible upgrade.
Moving-coil operation
A moving-coil dynamic driver converts current into force in a magnetic gap. The coil moves a diaphragm, which changes air pressure. Diaphragm area, mass, stiffness, suspension, magnetic field, enclosure and damping all affect its response; a material name alone cannot predict bass quality or transient behavior.
GK G3 / KUNTEN
GK's current G3 manufacturer page identifies a dynamic design. The previous BA+DD description and 3.5kHz crossover claim in this article were unsupported and are withdrawn. KUNTEN is a single dynamic design; Streak is described in GK's product material as KUN dynamic plus a micro-planar tweeter. None of these configurations establishes a listening winner.
Compare the total purchase cost
Set a total budget for the earphones, any required adapter, shipping and replaceable tips. A historical dollar price is not a current quote: currency, region, microphone option and seller can change the total. Compare like-for-like bundles and keep the return deadline visible while assessing comfort. A dearer driver configuration is not automatically an upgrade.