We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-19 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a wired sport earbud that clamps onto small ears and refuses to fall out mid-run, choose Joysico Sport Running Headphones; if you need a wired in-ear monitor built for gaming, video and music listening with a lightweight, detail-forward sound, choose Piluyaa Gaming Headphones IEM.
• Joysico's biggest strength: the wrap-around earhook plus smaller-than-normal earbud bodies make it one of the few wired options genuinely aimed at kids, petite women and anyone who can't keep a standard earbud seated — and it's sweatproof with a thicker-than-usual cord.
• Joysico's biggest trade-off: it's a 3.5 mm wired bud with no noise cancellation (sound isolation only) and a lightning or USB-C adapter is needed for newer phones.
• Piluyaa's biggest strength: a proper IEM build — 11 mm dynamic driver, PC cavity with UV varnish, TPE ear tips and ear fins — at a claimed 2.3 g per earpiece, which is remarkably light for an in-ear monitor.
• Piluyaa's biggest trade-off: no volume control on the remote and no noise control at all, so it's a listening tool, not a gym tool.
• Pick Joysico if you're running, working out, or buying for a child or small-eared adult.
• Pick Piluyaa if you're gaming, watching video, or chasing a cleaner, more transparent sound from a wired IEM.
The Joysico is designed around a very specific problem: earbuds that won't stay in. The earpieces are deliberately smaller than a normal bud, and instead of pushing deep into the ear canal, they nestle at the opening and get held there by a flexible earhook wire. That's the whole trick. If you've ever given up on earbuds because they pop out the moment you start jogging, or because your ear canals are simply too small for a standard tip, this is the design that addresses it head-on. The spec sheet even lists the target audience as age 8+ school kids, boys, girls and petite women.
On the move, the details line up with the pitch. The earhook is soft and thin enough that the brand says you can wear glasses over it, there's a cable clip to stop the wire flapping around, and a hard carrying case is included so the buds don't get crushed in a backpack. The cord is thicker than a typical earbud cable, the buds are sweatproof, and the plug is gold-plated 3.5 mm. For audio, you get a 16 ohm dynamic driver covering 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz, described as loud and clear with strong bass and no distortion at high volume — plus extra memory foam tips if you want better isolation and a fuller sound.
The in-line remote handles answer/end, pause/play/skip, voice assistant activation and volume, and the mic sits just below the jaw to keep calls clear. Note the word "Touch" appears in the control field, but the feature list describes physical remote buttons — go by the buttons.
Who should skip it: anyone who needs active noise cancellation, anyone on a USB-C-only or Lightning-only phone without an adapter, and anyone who wants a premium, audiophile-grade tuning. This is a practical, comfort-first sport bud, not a critical-listening tool.
The Piluyaa is a different animal entirely. It's an in-ear monitor built around a new 11 mm dynamic driver, with a PC cavity finished in UV varnish and a groove design at the ear cap that the brand says widens the sound stage and pulls out detail. The short sound guide tubes are there to reduce sound loss between driver and ear. Translation for a buyer: the housing is doing real acoustic work, not just holding a driver.
Comfort gets unusual attention here. A single earpiece is listed at just 2.3 g, the ear tips are soft TPE, and there are three sets of tips to fit different ear sizes. There's also a soft TPE ear fin behind the cavity and a memory ear hook that holds its shape around the ear — so despite being an IEM, it stays put during movement. The cable is a 4-core 4N OFC wire, which is a genuinely nice spec for this class, and it terminates in a standard 3.5 mm plug that works with Android and Windows phones, MP3/MP4 players and speakers.
Sound is described as bright, clear and transparent, with deep bass and crisp treble — a signature that suits gaming footsteps and positional cues, video, and music alike. The in-line mic sits below the jaw for calls, and the remote handles answer/end and pause/play/skip. One catch worth knowing before you buy: volume control is not supported on the remote, and there is no noise control at all. You'll adjust volume on the device.
Who should skip it: runners who want sweat protection spelled out and a hard case in the box, kids (the age range is listed as adult), and anyone who relies on the headset remote for volume.
• Best for running and gym work → Joysico. Sweatproof build, thicker cord, cable clip, earhook retention and an included case.
• Best for small ears and kids → Joysico. Smaller-than-standard buds, no deep canal insertion, and an age range starting at 8+.
• Best for gaming and positional audio → Piluyaa. The 11 mm driver, groove-designed ear cap and short sound tubes are all aimed at detail and sound stage.
• Best for lightweight comfort → Piluyaa. 2.3 g per earpiece with three tip sizes, TPE fins and a memory ear hook.
• Best for cable quality → Piluyaa. 4-core 4N OFC wire versus Joysico's thicker-but-unspecified sport cord.
• Best for on-the-fly volume control → Joysico. Its remote includes volume; the Piluyaa remote does not.
• Best for noise blocking → Joysico. It lists sound isolation and ships memory foam tips; Piluyaa lists no noise control.
• Best for mixed music, podcasts and calls on a budget-friendly wired setup → either, but Joysico's tuning is explicitly pitched at music, audiobooks, podcasts and radio.
If I had to buy one, I'd buy the Piluyaa Gaming Headphones IEM — in my opinion it's the more interesting product, because a 2.3 g IEM with a real 11 mm driver, a 4-core OFC cable, three tip sizes and ear fins covers gaming, video and music without asking you to compromise on comfort. I'd only switch to the Joysico Sport Running Headphones if my priority were sweat, movement and small ears, because that's the one job it's clearly engineered to win. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in the budget wired category.
FAQ
No. The remote supports answer/end calls and pause/play/skip tracks, but volume control is not supported — you'll change volume on your phone, PC or console controller.
Yes, that's their core design goal. The buds are smaller than normal earbuds, they sit at the ear opening rather than deep in the canal, and the listed age range starts at 8+. The brand positions them for kids, petite women and anyone who struggles with standard earbuds.
Both use a standard 3.5 mm jack, so they work directly with devices that still have that port. For iPhones from the 7 onward you'll need a Lightning adapter, and for many newer Android phones you'll need a USB-C adapter. Neither includes one.
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