Sleeping
Concerts
Motorcycle
Swimming
Work
Kids
On stage
In the studio
Rehearsals
Writing music
Mixing at home
Daily commute
Long journeys
Listening at home⏱️ Estimated reading time: 11 min
On this page: Overview
Key Takeaways
Yes. Universal-fit IEMs such as From The Start, 2HT and Stardust work as everyday earphones with a phone. The trade-offs are a wired cable, an adapter on phones without a headphone jack, no microphone on the stock cable and a case to carry them in.
Not with the stock Unique Melody cables, because none of the cables in the box has a microphone. Some IEM makers sell 2-pin cables with an in-line mic and a 3.5 mm TRRS plug. Check that the connector matches your IEM and the plug works with your phone or adapter before you buy one.
Yes, if you look after the cable. IEMs isolate passively, the way earplugs do, which Shure says works on a plane, a train or walking down the street. A good seal lets you listen at a lower volume. Take one out or pause the music when you cross a road.
Yes. On an iPhone without a headphone jack, a 3.5 mm IEM such as the 2HT plugs into Apple’s USB-C or Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter. IEMs that ship with a 4.4 mm balanced plug only, such as From The Start, need a 4.4 mm dongle DAC instead.
Buy a pair of in-ear monitors for the sound, and the next question is whether they can come on the train too. IEMs for everyday listening work well, but they are wired listening gear first. The phone set-up changes, calls need a plan, and the cable wants a little care.
The pair you wear every day is often called your daily driver. If you are new to them, start with our explainer, what are in-ear monitors. If you are choosing between a sealed wired pair and wireless buds, read IEMs vs earbuds vs earphones first.
At Bollsen, we are a family-owned hearing company from Ljubljana and the official UK & EU partner of Unique Melody, so the set-up advice below uses the real plugs, cables and cases of that range.
Can you use IEMs as everyday earphones?
Yes, you can use universal-fit IEMs as everyday earphones with a phone, a laptop or a music player, as long as you accept four trade-offs: a wired cable, an adapter on phones without a headphone jack, no microphone on the stock cable and a case for when they are not in your ears.
In return you get a sealed fit and drivers tuned for music rather than calls. If the cable wears out, you replace the cable, not the IEMs. The 2HT product page lists “Commuting” next to “Every genre” and “First IEM”, which is the everyday use we have in mind here.
How do you connect IEMs to a phone without a headphone jack?
On a phone without a headphone jack, you connect IEMs through a USB-C or Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter if the cable ends in a 3.5 mm plug, or through a 4.4 mm dongle DAC if it ends in a 4.4 mm balanced plug. Check the plug first. It decides everything else.
Apple says its USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter “lets you connect 3.5-mm headphones and other audio devices to a USB-C port”, with a Lightning version for older iPhones (Apple Support, Use Apple wired headphones). For the theory behind adapters, amps and hiss, see do you need a DAC for IEMs.
The 2HT ships with a 3.5 mm cable, and its product page answers “Will it work with my phone?” with “Yes. A phone with a USB-C dongle or any music player will drive it.” The From The Start comes with a 4.4 mm balanced cable only, and its page answers the phone question plainly: “Use a small 4.4 mm dongle DAC between phone and cable”.
With the Stardust you choose the plug when you order, 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm or 2.5 mm, at the same price. Its page sums up 3.5 mm as “phone dongles, laptops and most music players”, so pick that one if your phone is your main source.
| Model | Price | Drivers per side | Plug in the box | Connector (as stated) | Phone without a jack needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From The Start | £179 | 1 dynamic | 4.4 mm balanced only | 2-pin | A 4.4 mm dongle DAC |
| 2HT | £279 | 2: 1 × 10 mm dynamic + 1 balanced armature | 3.5 mm | Flat 0.78 mm 2-pin | A USB-C or Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter |
| Stardust | £719 | 6: 2 dynamic + 4 balanced armature | Your choice: 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm or 2.5 mm | 2-pin | 3.5 mm: a basic adapter · 4.4 mm: a 4.4 mm dongle DAC |
Across the rest of the range, the 3DT also ships with 3.5 mm, while the MEXT, MEST MKII, MEST MKIII CF Blue and MEST Jet Black offer the same three-plug choice as the Stardust. The Maven III Moonshard, MEST Fortune, The Multiverse Mentor and Mason FS come with 4.4 mm only, like the From The Start.
Can you get IEMs with a mic for phone calls?
The Unique Melody range ships with plain audio cables, and none of the cables in the box has a microphone or remote. To take calls, you swap in a separate 2-pin cable with an in-line mic, use a wireless adapter that includes a mic, or take the call on another device.
Mic cables for IEMs do exist. 64 Audio, for example, describes “our 2-pin cable with an in line microphone” with a “four-conductor TRRS 3.5mm audio jack” and three buttons for volume, music and calls (64 Audio, In-Line Mic Cable). Other makers sell similar cables, and wireless adapters for 2-pin IEMs exist too; we do not recommend a specific one.
Two checks come before you buy. The connector has to match your IEM: the 2HT page names a flat 0.78 mm 2-pin connector, while the From The Start and Stardust pages say 2-pin without a size. The TRRS plug also has to suit your phone or adapter, because a mic wired to a different standard may not work. Our guide to IEM cables and connectors covers the connector side.
Are IEMs good for commuting on trains and planes?
IEMs suit commuting because they block outside sound with passive isolation: the ear tip seals the ear canal, so engine rumble and carriage chatter reach you more quietly without any battery or noise-cancelling circuit. How much they block depends on the fit of the tip.
Shure explains that “sound isolation earphones work passively, the same way that earplugs do”, and that this “works in all kinds of environments whether you’re sitting on a plane, a train or walking down the street” (Shure, Noise Cancellation or Sound Isolation). The same article adds that “the fit is very important”, and notes that active noise cancelling works best on steady noise below about a thousand hertz.
A good seal lets you listen at a lower volume, which is the main reason a well-fitted pair suits a noisy carriage. On foot, the seal works against you at kerbs. The Highway Code tells pedestrians to “listen as well, because you can sometimes hear traffic before you see it” (The Highway Code, Rule 7), so pause the music or take one IEM out before you cross.
How do you carry and look after IEMs day to day?
Carry IEMs in their case, never loose in a pocket, and think of the cable as the part most likely to wear. Every Unique Melody IEM comes with a case: a carry case with the From The Start and 2HT, and a leather carry case with the Stardust.
Coil the cable in loose loops rather than wrapping it tightly round your fingers or the phone, and unplug by gripping the plug, not the wire. Leave the cable attached to the IEMs day to day; the 2-pin sockets are small, and there is no need to unplug them after every journey.
On the move you may hear microphonics, the thump or rustle that travels up the cable when it rubs on a coat or bag strap. Routing the cable up and over the ear keeps it from swinging against your clothes, so less of that noise reaches you. Wipe the nozzles after a long day; how to clean IEMs has the full routine.
How loud should you listen to IEMs on the go?
Listen at a moderate volume, and when the train gets noisy, check the fit of the tips before you reach for the volume button. Everyday listening is where the volume habit forms.
For the numbers and the warning signs, read our guide to safe headphone volume and the checklist on how to tell if it’s too loud before you settle on a daily level. The NHS tinnitus page says to see a GP if you have tinnitus regularly or constantly.
For the hearing question in full, read our answer to “do in-ear monitors protect your hearing?“
What should you take to gigs and festivals?
For a loud venue, leave the listening gear at home and take our Music SoundPRO earplugs, rated at a passive SNR of 24 dB, at £29.95. They are built for gigs, festivals and rehearsals, which is a different job from playing music into your ears on the way home.
Are IEMs worth it as your everyday pair?
Yes, if those trade-offs suit you. If your phone is the main source, a 3.5 mm model is the simplest start. A 4.4 mm-only model works just as well on the commute, but the dongle has to come with you every day.
You can compare the full range of Unique Melody in-ear monitors (UK) by plug, driver count and price. Every pair comes with a 2-year BOLLSEN warranty, and universal-fit models can be returned within 14 days with the hygiene seal unbroken.
