Short answer: the 64 Audio A12t. It ranks #374 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $1,999; the SoftEars Cerberus ranks #377, rated 3.2/5, and costs $2,099.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the 64 Audio A12t does well: Bass is on target down to 20 Hz with a slight 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz, so low end feels full and solid without boom. The tradeoff: In the two hobbyist measurements on squig.link, treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 10 dB below target with a 13.7 dB dip near 8.7 kHz, and presence is 7.3 dB low, so cymbals, strings and vocal clarity sound noticeably dark and muffled.
What the SoftEars Cerberus does well: A seven driver hybrid with a dynamic woofer, four balanced armatures and two electrostatic tweeters, tuned with a warm, relaxed balance. Watch for: Treble runs about 4 to 6 dB below target from 3 to 16 kHz, with a 9.8 dB dip near 6.1 kHz, so cymbals, string texture and vocal consonants sound dim and distant.
Buy the 64 Audio A12t. It is rated higher for sound quality than the SoftEars Cerberus and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| 64 Audio A12t | SoftEars Cerberus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,999.00 | $2,099.99 |
| Ranked | #374 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #377 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.50 dB standard deviation | 2.89 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 12 x balanced armature (incl. 1 tia high driver) | 1 x dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic |
| Impedance | 12.6 ohms | 5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB/mW | 104 dB/100mV |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 80kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for 64 Audio A12t:
- 64 Audio A12t vs 64 Audio Tia Trio
- 64 Audio A12t vs Fir Audio e12
- 64 Audio A12t vs 64 Audio U12t
- 64 Audio A12t vs HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro
- 64 Audio U12t vs SoftEars Cerberus
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
64 Audio A12t: $1,999.00 64 Audio eBay
Pros: Bass is on target down to 20 Hz with a slight 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz, so low end feels full and solid without boom. That warm balance suits listeners who prefer a relaxed, bass rich sound for long sessions. At 12.6 ohms and 108 dB/mW it runs easily from a phone.
Cons: In the two hobbyist measurements on squig.link, treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 10 dB below target with a 13.7 dB dip near 8.7 kHz, and presence is 7.3 dB low, so cymbals, strings and vocal clarity sound noticeably dark and muffled. The qdc Anole V6 earns the same rating for considerably less.
Full 64 Audio A12t review and specifications →
| Released | Mar 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.50 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 12 x balanced armature (incl. 1 tia high driver) |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 12.6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.8 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 | 206 Hz | -2.2 dB | 0.47 |
| Peak | 9,038 Hz | +5.2 dB | 1.59 |
| Peak | 3,244 Hz | +5.1 dB | 2.01 |
| Peak | 2,134 Hz | -2.6 dB | 2.47 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,789 Hz | +2.4 dB | 5.93 |
| Peak | 599 Hz | -0.7 dB | 2.55 |
| Peak | 951 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.06 |
| Peak | 5,061 Hz | -1.6 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
SoftEars Cerberus: $2,099.99 HiFiGo eBay
Pros: A seven driver hybrid with a dynamic woofer, four balanced armatures and two electrostatic tweeters, tuned with a warm, relaxed balance. Across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link, bass sits within a decibel of target from 60 to 200 Hz and sub-bass stays within 6 dB down to 20 Hz, so low notes keep their weight. The subdued top end suits listeners who find most in-ears fatiguing. Its 5 ohm impedance and 104 dB per 100 mV sensitivity mean a phone drives it easily.
Cons: Treble runs about 4 to 6 dB below target from 3 to 16 kHz, with a 9.8 dB dip near 6.1 kHz, so cymbals, string texture and vocal consonants sound dim and distant. The 64 Audio A12t rates higher for slightly less money. A preference score of 64 from crinacle and a 2.9 dB standard deviation point to an uneven overall response.
Full SoftEars Cerberus review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.89 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 80kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 104 dB/100mV |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.11 (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 | -0.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,728 Hz | +6.5 dB | 0.79 |
| Peak | 262 Hz | -2.4 dB | 0.44 |
| Peak | 1,896 Hz | -2.8 dB | 1.34 |
| Peak | 62 Hz | +4.2 dB | 0.67 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,226 Hz | -2.4 dB | 5.45 |
| Peak | 5,402 Hz | +2.0 dB | 4.97 |
| Peak | 989 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.73 |
| Peak | 662 Hz | -0.4 dB | 2.16 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons