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 ER3SE ranks #430, rated 2.0/5, and costs $149.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones, and the Truthear Nova, ranked #2 at $169.99, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The case for the 1MORE Penta Driver: 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. The tradeoff: 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.
What the Etymotic ER3SE does well: A single balanced armature at 22 ohms and 102 dB/mW reaches comfortable volume from any phone or laptop without an amp. Watch for: In oratory1990’s measurement sub-bass sits 9.9 dB below target and falls 6 dB short as high as 67 Hz, so bass lines sound thin and lack weight.
Buy the 1MORE Penta Driver. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Etymotic ER3SE and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| 1MORE Penta Driver | Etymotic ER3SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.99 | $149.99 |
| Ranked | #427 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #430 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 | 4.18 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.73 (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 67 Hz (-9.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 planar magnetic) | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x planar | 1 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 22 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW | 102 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
How 1MORE Penta Driver compares with other leading options:
- Master & Dynamic MW07 vs 1MORE Penta Driver
- 1MORE Penta Driver vs KZ ASX
- 1MORE Penta Driver vs Etymotic ER2SE
- Etymotic ER3SE 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 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Etymotic ER3SE: $149.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A single balanced armature at 22 ohms and 102 dB/mW reaches comfortable volume from any phone or laptop without an amp. Its tuning lines up best with listeners who lean toward a neutral or warm taste rather than a bass-heavy one. It carries a higher rating than the pricier Westone W10.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement sub-bass sits 9.9 dB below target and falls 6 dB short as high as 67 Hz, so bass lines sound thin and lack weight. The treble drops 9.5 dB under target from 6 to 10 kHz with a 13.8 dB dip near 11.8 kHz, leaving cymbals and detail dull, and a preference score of 49 with 4.18 dB of deviation means most listeners hear it as colored. There is no built-in microphone for calls.
Full Etymotic ER3SE review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.18 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 22 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 67 Hz (-9.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.73 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 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 | +6.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,528 Hz | +7.4 dB | 0.72 |
| Peak | 1,942 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.45 |
| Peak | 206 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.65 |
| Peak | 837 Hz | +1.9 dB | 1.72 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,498 Hz | -1.8 dB | 2.74 |
| Peak | 1,388 Hz | -0.3 dB | 3.82 |
| Peak | 6,000 Hz | +0.9 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,933 Hz | -0.6 dB | 3.44 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons