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

Noble Audio Vanguard review 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.