Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.3/5 (#945 and #962 of 1369 in-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($79.99 vs $80), so choose on features and fit.
The case for the Activo Volcano: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 65 against the Harman target. The catch: Treble about 4 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Why pick the Snowy Axis: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. Watch for: Treble about 4 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the Activo Volcano or the Snowy Axis on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 65 against the Harman target.
B&H Photo Video $79.99 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Activo Volcano | Snowy Axis | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | 80.00 |
| Ranked | #945 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #962 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 65 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.02 dB standard deviation | 2.55 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.35 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 3 dynamic drivers (1 x 8mm DD + 2 x 6mm DD) | 1 dynamic driver + balanced armatures with bass tuning switch |
| Impedance | 16 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW | 106 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz | - |
| Weight | Lightweight PC shell | - |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Activo Volcano from aden, audioamigo and digaoreviews; the Snowy Axis from boizoff, iemocean and scboy, all via squig.link.
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