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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a zero-latency wired set you can wear all day without ear fatigue, choose MAS CARNEY Earbuds; if you need sharper positional audio and a deeper, bass-forward sound for competitive play, choose Jacuate IEM Earbuds.
• MAS CARNEY — biggest strength: a semi-in-ear, ultra-light shell (0.02 kg) with no silicone tips pressing into your canal, so long gaming or work sessions stay comfortable.
• MAS CARNEY — biggest trade-off: it's a straightforward 3.5mm plug-and-play design with sound isolation only, so don't expect deep bass tuning or a detachable cable.
• Jacuate — biggest strength: a 10mm dynamic driver, semi-open rear cavity and grooved ear caps aimed squarely at soundstage and pinpoint in-game positioning, plus a detachable cable.
• Jacuate — biggest trade-off: the in-ear fit with TPE tips and ear fins is more involved to seat properly, and the metal/TPE build is heavier at 16 g.
• Who each is for: MAS CARNEY suits marathon sessions, calls and travel; Jacuate suits competitive gamers and musicians who want an IEM-style monitor.
The MAS CARNEY WH9 is built around one idea: get out of your way. It's a wired 3.5mm earbud with a semi-in-ear ergonomic shape, meaning it rests gently at the edge of your ear instead of plugging the canal with a silicone tip. The whole thing weighs 0.02 kg, which is about as close to "barely there" as a wired earbud gets. For gaming, that matters more than people admit — pressure and stuffiness are what make you rip earbuds out after an hour, and this design avoids both.
Under the hood you get a dynamic driver, a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range and a 120 ohm impedance. That higher impedance is worth flagging: it generally wants a bit more drive than a low-impedance set, so it pairs best with a laptop, desktop, controller or console jack rather than a whisper-quiet phone output. The in-line remote handles media control, and the omnidirectional mic is aimed at video calls and virtual classrooms. Because it's wired, there's no pairing, no charging and no dropped-signal anxiety mid-match or mid-meeting — you just plug in and go.
Buy it if you game for hours, take a lot of calls, travel with a laptop, or want a backup set that works on a plane's seatback screen without thinking about batteries. Note that iPhone 15/16/17 users need a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, and the fit is a rounded-tip in-ear shape rather than a sealed monitor. Skip it if you specifically want a detachable cable, a metal build, or a bass-tuned, soundstage-focused IEM.
The Jacuate S28 is the more purpose-built gaming tool of the two. Its marketing language is unusually specific for this category: a semi-open rear cavity to expand soundstage, grooved ear caps to boost stereo separation, short sound tubes to cut audio loss, and a 10mm dynamic driver for deep bass. Whether or not every one of those claims lands exactly as described, the design intent is clear — this is an in-ear monitor tuned to help you hear where things are coming from, not just to play music pleasantly in the background.
The fit is the classic IEM approach: TPE ear tips plus ear fins, with CD-textured metal faceplates on a metal/TPE body. At 16 g it's noticeably more substantial than the MAS CARNEY set, and the 16 ohm impedance means it's easy to drive from basically anything with a 3.5mm jack — phone, handheld, laptop, controller. You also get a detachable cable, which is a genuine long-term advantage: if the cable fails, you replace the cable, not the earbuds.
Communication is handled by an omnidirectional HD mic with noise cancellation, positioned just below the jaw, plus push-button in-line controls for calls, track skipping and volume. Jacuate backs it with a 2-year manufacturer warranty and a 5-item package, versus the MAS CARNEY set's single item and Amazon Standard Warranty.
Buy it if you play competitive shooters, want footstep and directional cues to read clearly, or you're a musician or singer who wants an affordable in-ear monitor with a replaceable cable. Skip it if you hate fussing with ear tips and ear fins, or you want the lightest, least-invasive thing you can shove in your ears.
• Best for positional audio in games → Jacuate IEM Earbuds, thanks to the semi-open cavity, grooved ear caps and 10mm driver tuned for soundstage.
• Best for all-day comfort → MAS CARNEY Earbuds, because the semi-in-ear shape and 0.02 kg weight avoid canal pressure entirely.
• Best for deep bass → Jacuate IEM Earbuds. The 10mm dynamic driver and sealed in-ear fit are designed for low-end presence; MAS CARNEY lists sound isolation only.
• Best for easy drive from any device → Jacuate IEM Earbuds at 16 ohm, versus MAS CARNEY at 120 ohm, which prefers a stronger output.
• Best for long-term durability → Jacuate IEM Earbuds, with a detachable cable, metal faceplates and a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
• Best for travel and no-charging reliability → MAS CARNEY Earbuds. Wired, no battery, works with in-flight entertainment and legacy devices.
• Best for calls and remote work → a toss-up. MAS CARNEY targets Zoom/Meet-style conferencing explicitly; Jacuate counters with a noise-cancelling mic and push-button call controls.
• Best for musicians and singers → Jacuate IEM Earbuds, since that's literally who the product is named for.
If I were buying one set for gaming specifically, I'd take the Jacuate IEM Earbuds. In my opinion, the 10mm driver, semi-open cavity, grooved ear caps and detachable cable are the more meaningful package for someone who cares about hearing footsteps and directional cues, and the 16 ohm impedance means it works from almost any jack. The 2-year manufacturer warranty is the kind of thing I like seeing on a wired product that gets yanked around.
That said, if comfort is your dealbreaker, or you want something for calls, flights and study sessions as much as for play, the MAS CARNEY Earbuds are the safer pick — just budget for an adapter if you're on a newer iPhone.
FAQ
what is gaming earbuds
what is best gaming earbuds
There's no single answer, because "best" depends on what you value. In my opinion, if you want soundstage and directionality, the Jacuate IEM Earbuds are the stronger pick; if you want something light enough to wear for a six-hour session without discomfort, the MAS CARNEY Earbuds win on comfort.
what gaming earbuds are good
Good ones share a few traits: a stable fit, a working mic, and controls you can reach without alt-tabbing. The Jacuate S28 covers all three with ear fins, a noise-cancelling mic and push-button controls; the MAS CARNEY WH9 covers them with a semi-in-ear fit, an omnidirectional mic and an in-line remote.
what is the best gaming earbuds for pc
For PC, I'd lean Jacuate IEM Earbuds — the 16 ohm impedance is easy for a motherboard or controller jack to drive, and the detachable cable is handy if your cable snags on a desk. The MAS CARNEY set works on PC too, but at 120 ohm it benefits from a stronger output. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
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See also: Audiovance Vibes 202M vs Jacuate IEM Earbuds: Gaming Earbuds, ZUKUMU Headset vs MAS CARNEY Earbuds: Headphones For All, CuiSuto Open Ear Earbuds vs MAS CARNEY Over Ear Headphones