Short answer: the AFUL Performer 8S. It ranks #647 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $399.99; the ZiiGaat Arcanis ranks #781, rated 3.5/5, at $399. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
Why pick the AFUL Performer 8S: The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 70 with a 2.16 dB spread. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 5.9 dB low with a 6.6 dB dip near 4.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the ZiiGaat Arcanis: Mids from 250 Hz to 3 kHz sit within 1 dB of target across 25 measurements, so vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Presence falls about 7 dB low with a 9.8 dB dip near 5.9 kHz, which strips detail and edge from instruments, and sub-bass is 2.1 dB short at 30 Hz.
Buy the AFUL Performer 8S. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $0.99 with the ZiiGaat Arcanis does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
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The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 70 with a 2.16 dB spread.
Amazon $399.99 eBay
Mids from 250 Hz to 3 kHz sit within 1 dB of target across 25 measurements, so vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural.
Amazon $399.00 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| AFUL Performer 8S | ZiiGaat Arcanis | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.99 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #647 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #781 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 6 x balanced armature + 1 x planar + 1 x passive radiator | 2 x 10mm dynamic (isobaric) + 5 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 26 ohms | 12 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 25 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.16 dB standard deviation | 2.46 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 106 dB/Vrms |
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 8S from aden, atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, hobbytalk, jaytiss, kazi, koi, practiphile, precog, soundcheck39, soundignity and superreview; the ZiiGaat Arcanis from aden, aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, avishai, bloomaudio, breampike, cqtek, dl, fernandagunsan, gadgetrytech, hbb, iemocean, jaytiss, joycesreview, kr0mka, kuping-sensi, lown-fi, pw, silicagel, soundcheck39, soundignity, superreview, timmyv and vortexreviews, all via squig.link.
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