Short answer: the FiiO FH5s. Both are rated 4.1/5 for sound quality (#319 and #342 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the FiiO FH5s costs $212.88 against $239.99 for the AFUL Performer 5 Plus 2, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the AFUL Performer 5 Plus 2: The median of 19 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 75 with a 1.71 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.7 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 3.9 dB low with a 5 dB dip near 3.9 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the FiiO FH5s: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 75, and across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link every band from 20 Hz to 16 kHz lands within 2 dB of the Harman target. The catch: A 6.6 dB peak near 8 kHz in the squig.link measurements can make cymbals and sibilant vocals sharp, followed by a 4.3 dB dip near 11.9 kHz that trims some air.
Buy the FiiO FH5s. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $27.11 less than the AFUL Performer 5 Plus 2.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
The median of 19 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 75 with a 1.71 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.7 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $239.99 eBay
Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 75, and across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link every band from 20 Hz to 16 kHz lands within 2 dB of the Harman target.
Amazon $254.99 AliExpress $212.88 Lowest eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| AFUL Performer 5 Plus 2 | FiiO FH5s | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239.99 | $212.88 |
| Ranked | #342 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #319 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 2 x dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 1 x planar | 2 x dynamic (12mm + 6mm) + 2 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 15 ohms | 40 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (median of 19 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 75 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.71 dB standard deviation | 2.01 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 106 dB/mW |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (8.8 g) per earbud |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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 AFUL Performer 5 Plus 2 from aftersound, atechreviews, boizoff, bryaudioreviews, ducbloke, dvewlsh, flare, gadgetgenerations, gadgetrytech, hobbytalk, hu-fi, kuping-sensi, practiphile, pw, samreviews, silicagel, sl0the, soundcheck39, soundignity, superreview, theaudiostore and timmyv; the FiiO FH5s from dchpgall, jaytiss, precog, rg, superreview, tonedeafmonk and vsg, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
How FiiO FH5s compares with other leading options: