Noble Audio Vanguard review: excellent IEMs with one gap in their armor | Tech Radar

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Noble’s Vanguard audiophile wired earbuds deliver a tightly arranged wall of sound that hits like an advancing army, but there’s one gap in their armor

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The Noble Audio Vanguard sound phenomenal for IEMs in their price range, offering clean, balanced bass, textured mids, and especially articulate highs. They’re also built to an excellent standard and have a striking aesthetic that helps them to stand out in a competitive market. Why do they fall short of a five-star rating? Their rather broad, chunky build can feel a little odd in-use (and may not suit the smaller-eared audiophile), but they’re still strong enough elsewhere to earn an easy recommendation.

+Natural and textured sound across the frequency range

Natural and textured sound across the frequency range

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Right out of the box, the Noble Audio Vanguard look and feel unlike any other in-ear monitors (IEMs) that I've tried before. Their medieval-like outer casework, their shield-shaped ear tip case, and their ink-black cable all caught my eye in a way that few rivals have in my years testing audio gear.

The striking visuals are undeniable. But what of their sound? Well, Noble Audio says that the Vanguard are “designed for control, clarity, and balance,” aiming to deliver excellent clarity across the frequency range through their triple driver configuration.

But are the Vanguard actually able to compete with the very best wired earbuds around? Here’s my verdict after extensive testing and many an hour of listening.

Let’s start by taking a look under the hood. The Noble Audio Vanguard make use of three drivers — all of which are focused on specific roles. For the low frequencies, there’s a 10mm dynamic driver, but there are also two custom balanced armature drivers on board — one for the mid-high frequencies, and another for the ultra-high domain. You can connect to an audio device with the standard 4.4mm connector, although there’s also a USB-C adapter included if you want to listen to tracks on your phone or desktop PC, for instance. Unfortunately, there’s no 3.5mm option out of the box, so you’ll need to use an adapter if you need access to that.

The Vanguard also come with a shield-shaped case filled with an outrageous number of extra ear tips, including gel and foam options. And with the right seal, the Vanguard are able to offer very solid noise isolation, with sounds such as typing and chatter in my office subdued to great effect. As well as the shield case for ear tips, you also get a fabric pouch for the IEMs. It's a neat addition, although it's incredibly susceptible to picking up fibers from a pocket or bag.

One thing that I have to discuss is the actual shape of the IEMs. They’re very chunky, and stuck out from my ears a fair bit, creating a slightly odd feel in-use. Their broad construction meant that they weren’t the most comfortable wired in-ears I’ve ever used, but I still felt that they were secure and fine to keep in for an hour or so at a time.

From a purely aesthetic perspective, the Vanguard fare a bit better in my eyes. They appear to be inspired by medieval-style fantasy, with a shield on each bud containing a splash of gold deep black outer casing. The buds are also constructed from aluminium and a “precision-machined shell,” and they feel highly premium — perhaps even more than their price would suggest. The black, intertwined wire is also a thing of beauty, and I was never subjected to distracting cable noise.

But you want to know how they sound now, don’t you? Well, I’ve kept you waiting long enough. And it’s good news, because for the price you pay, these IEMs sound exceptional.

In All'Acqua Ghiacciata by Marco Castello, the Vanguard performed brilliantly across the board. Acoustic guitars occupied a distinct pocket, and came through with gorgeous tonality. They were well separated from the vocals, which sounded textured and natural. The real highlight, though, was the energetic drums, which came through with incredible clarity and precision, and sounded tastefully prominent without feeling overly bright. Smooth bass was also perfectly balanced in the mix, communicated with impact and warmth without overstepping.

More generally, bass is well-balanced on the Vanguard — though it can hit hard if needed. For instance, on First Night by Vitess, the kick came through with tremendous impact and power, really immersing me in the cosmic house banger. And this was never at the expense of spacey synths or animated drums, which were perfectly weighted in the mix.

As you may expect from the driver configuration — with one specifically tailored for upper treble, and another for mids-highs — the higher frequencies sound excellent on the Vanguard. I’d say they sound a little forward, but tastefully so, emphasizing excitement and detail in the upper echelons of the frequency range. This may not be ideal for those who want the most neutral monitoring solution, but for sheer music-listening enjoyment it’s a welcome decision.

While the Vanguard perhaps don’t provide the enveloping, super-expansive soundstage that some listeners may like, I personally love their dynamic, tight, and detailed approach. And they still provide impressive instrument separation, enabling each component of your favorite tracks to breathe. The dynamic drivers provide weighty yet controlled bass, and the duo of balanced armature drivers are fantastic at supplying textured vocals and clear mids, and especially talented in plating up expressive highs. So the Vanguard are a hit as far as sound quality is concerned.

At

Noble Audio Vanguard review: price & release date

At

For this money, their closest competition might be the Activo Q1, at

One thing: they may be a little hard to find online, with no planned availability on Amazon or other big third party retailers. But that does not mean I encourage you to stop searching — in fact, the opposite is true.

Good noise isolation, handy USB-C adapter, multiple eartips, no 3.5mm option out of the box.

Good noise isolation, handy USB-C adapter, multiple eartips, no 3.5mm option out of the box.

Excellent sound with controlled yet impactful bass, textured mids, and expressive highs.

Excellent sound with controlled yet impactful bass, textured mids, and expressive highs.

Unique aesthetic, high-quality build, but a bit chunky in-ear.

Unique aesthetic, high-quality build, but a bit chunky in-ear.

You want audiophile-grade sound at a modest price-point Although cheaper IEMs exist, I still think the Noble Audio Vanguard come in at a modest price-point given the quality they supply. With their triple-driver configuration, the Vanguard supply beautifully balanced bass, intricate mids, and insightful treble, making them an awesome option for audiophiles who don’t want to totally break the bank.

You’re looking for IEMs with a stand-out look Of course, when it comes to IEMs, you’re mainly looking for insightful, detailed sound, but the Vanguard pair match that with a brilliant design that really caught my eye. They’re also built to a fantastic standard, and come with a whole lot of eartips to help you find the perfect seal.

You want the most neutral studio monitors possible I love the way that the Vanguard sound, but they’re perhaps not the most neutral sounding, with slightly forward treble that adds a bit more bite up top.

You want a more low-key in-ear feel My main complaint with the Vanguard would be that they’re a bit chunky, and their sheer breadth won’t suit all audiophiles. More low-key options like the Meze Audio Alba below are worth checking out if you’re a fan of something more discreet.

Activo Q1 We had a great time with the Activo Q1 when we tested them in 2025. They offer excellent clarity and impressive instrument separation, with intricate detailing and excellent mid-range performance. We found them to be slightly light in the bass department, but at a similar price-point to the Vanguard, they’re well worth the investment. Read our Activo Q1 review.

Meze Audio Alba If you want to go even more affordable, then the Meze Audio Alba feel like a natural recommendation for me to make. Treble is relatively forward, but you also hear great low-end impact, and plenty of detail right across the frequency range. They’re more diminutive than the Vanguard, and are comfier in-ear, but they have a more basic driver configuration. Read our full Meze Audio Alba review.

I tested the Noble Audio Vanguard across multiple days and spent hours upon hours listening to music. Typically, I had the Vanguard hooked up to the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000 media player, though I did also try them out with my Windows laptop and Xiaomi 17 phone.

To begin with, I sifted through tracks in the Tech Radar reference playlist, which features tunes from a wide variety of genres, but I also bumped a bunch of songs from my personal library. I also made sure to compare the Vanguard to affordable IEM rivals like the Sennheiser IE 200.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at Tech Radar, where I serve as an in-house Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve covered everything from portable DACs through to premium wireless headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, and have reviewed a number of IEMs, meaning I know exactly what it takes for a model to stand out in a competitive market.

Harry is a Senior Reviews Writer for Tech Radar. He reviews everything from party speakers to wall chargers and has a particular interest in the worlds of audio and gaming. Harry has a background in business tech journalism, particularly around the telecoms industry.

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• Noble’s Vanguard audiophile wired earbuds deliver a tightly arranged wall of sound that hits like an advancing army, but there’s one gap in their armor

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission