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 KZ ASX ranks #431, rated 2.0/5, at $131.99, $8 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the Truthear Nova ranks #2 at $169.99.
Why pick 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. 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 KZ ASX: Ten balanced armature drivers per side run easily from a phone thanks to 20 ohm impedance and 106 dB/mW sensitivity. The tradeoff: A deep 13.2 dB dip near 7.3 kHz and treble about 5.9 dB below target leave cymbals and detail dull, while a 5.1 dB peak near 1.7 kHz can make vocals sound pushy and nasal.
Buy the 1MORE Penta Driver. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $8 with the KZ ASX does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| 1MORE Penta Driver | KZ ASX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.99 | $131.99 |
| Ranked | #427 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #431 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 crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.82 dB standard deviation | 3.75 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 planar magnetic) | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x planar | 10 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW | 106 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| 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 Etymotic ER3SE
- 1MORE Penta Driver vs Etymotic ER2SE
- Etymotic ER3SE vs KZ ASX
- Etymotic ER2SE vs KZ ASX
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
KZ ASX: $131.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Ten balanced armature drivers per side run easily from a phone thanks to 20 ohm impedance and 106 dB/mW sensitivity. Bass sits about 4.1 dB above target in the squig.link median, so listeners who want a bassy, warm signature get extra punch.
Cons: A deep 13.2 dB dip near 7.3 kHz and treble about 5.9 dB below target leave cymbals and detail dull, while a 5.1 dB peak near 1.7 kHz can make vocals sound pushy and nasal. The Zero Audio Duoza ZH-DWX10 rates slightly higher for less money.
Full KZ ASX review and specifications →
| Released | 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.75 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 10 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -8.1 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 | -0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,524 Hz | +7.0 dB | 2.10 |
| Peak | 170 Hz | -4.8 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 1,663 Hz | -7.0 dB | 1.97 |
| Peak | 715 Hz | +5.0 dB | 0.94 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,831 Hz | +2.7 dB | 2.15 |
| Peak | 5,171 Hz | -5.9 dB | 4.41 |
| Peak | 2,135 Hz | -1.9 dB | 5.06 |
| Peak | 2,688 Hz | +1.2 dB | 3.43 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons