Short answer: the 1MORE Penta Driver, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #427 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.1/5, at $139.99; the Etymotic ER2SE ranks #432, rated 2.0/5, and costs $149.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the Truthear Nova ranks #2 at $169.99.
What the 1MORE Penta Driver does well: Bass sits about 1 dB above target between 60 and 200 Hz while the treble is pulled well back, so listeners who like a warm, dark presentation will find little that sounds sharp. Watch for: A deep 13.5 dB dip at 6.6 kHz and a presence band nearly 8 dB below target leave vocals recessed and cymbals dull, which drags the preference score in HypetheSonics’ measurement down to 51.
Why pick the Etymotic ER2SE: Listeners who want a flat, diffuse field style sound get midrange that stays within about 1 dB of target from 200 Hz to 3 kHz, with no peak larger than 2.1 dB across the upper range. Watch for: In oratory1990’s measurement sub-bass is about 10 dB below target and falls 6 dB short by 71 Hz, so pop, hip hop and electronic music sound thin.
Buy the 1MORE Penta Driver. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Etymotic ER2SE and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| 1MORE Penta Driver | Etymotic ER2SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.99 | $149.99 |
| Ranked | #427 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #432 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 51 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.82 dB standard deviation | 3.93 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +1.16 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 71 Hz (-9.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 planar magnetic) | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x planar | 1 x dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW | 96 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0 lbs (3.5 g) per earbud | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to 1MORE Penta Driver:
- Master & Dynamic MW07 vs 1MORE Penta Driver
- 1MORE Penta Driver vs Etymotic ER3SE
- 1MORE Penta Driver vs KZ ASX
- Etymotic ER2SE vs KZ ASX
- Etymotic ER2SE vs Etymotic ER3SE
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
1MORE Penta Driver: $139.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass sits about 1 dB above target between 60 and 200 Hz while the treble is pulled well back, so listeners who like a warm, dark presentation will find little that sounds sharp. Sub-bass stays within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz, only 2.6 dB short at 30 Hz. At 32 ohms and 105 dB/mW it plays loud straight from a phone, and a built-in microphone handles calls.
Cons: A deep 13.5 dB dip at 6.6 kHz and a presence band nearly 8 dB below target leave vocals recessed and cymbals dull, which drags the preference score in HypetheSonics’ measurement down to 51. The Zero Audio Duoza ZH-DWX10 carries the same rating for considerably less money.
Full 1MORE Penta Driver review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.82 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 planar magnetic) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x planar |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 51 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (3.5 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 141 Hz | -4.1 dB | 0.58 |
| Peak | 7,515 Hz | +6.5 dB | 1.13 |
| Peak | 1,680 Hz | -5.4 dB | 1.73 |
| Peak | 3,040 Hz | +5.4 dB | 2.17 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -7.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,460 Hz | +3.7 dB | 2.61 |
| Peak | 652 Hz | +0.8 dB | 2.00 |
| Peak | 4,664 Hz | -2.0 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,733 Hz | +2.1 dB | 5.79 |
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Etymotic ER2SE: $149.99 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Listeners who want a flat, diffuse field style sound get midrange that stays within about 1 dB of target from 200 Hz to 3 kHz, with no peak larger than 2.1 dB across the upper range. That keeps voices and acoustic instruments uncolored and free of harshness. The 15 ohm dynamic driver is an easy load for a phone.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement sub-bass is about 10 dB below target and falls 6 dB short by 71 Hz, so pop, hip hop and electronic music sound thin. Treble also runs about 6 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz with a 9.5 dB dip near 11.8 kHz, which dulls air and sparkle.
Full Etymotic ER2SE review and specifications →
| Released | 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.93 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 96 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 71 Hz (-9.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +1.16 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,641 Hz | +7.2 dB | 0.59 |
| Peak | 1,757 Hz | -6.3 dB | 0.29 |
| Peak | 803 Hz | +5.2 dB | 0.92 |
| Peak | 3,742 Hz | +1.8 dB | 2.11 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | +0.6 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 185 Hz | -0.4 dB | 1.52 |
| Peak | 1,404 Hz | -0.4 dB | 3.73 |
| Peak | 399 Hz | +0.3 dB | 2.15 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons