Short answer: the AKG N5005. It ranks #4 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.9/5, at $499.99; the Moondrop Meteor ranks #44, rated 4.6/5, and costs $549.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The AKG N5005 is the better-sounding choice. Bass, mids and presence all land within about 0.6 dB of the Harman target, giving a Harman score of 87 and a very smooth 1.11 dB deviation. Watch for: A 5.8 dB dip near 10 kHz and a 3.4 dB peak near 7.8 kHz leave the top end slightly uneven, taking some sparkle off cymbals and air.
What the Moondrop Meteor does well: Across 19 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it earns a preference score of 81.3 with a very even 1.37 dB deviation, so nothing in the midrange sticks out. The catch: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 3.4 dB under target and a 4.2 dB dip near 7.3 kHz follows, so guitars and cymbals lose some bite and detail can sound polite.
Buy the AKG N5005. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Moondrop Meteor and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| AKG N5005 | Moondrop Meteor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 | $549.99 |
| Ranked | #4 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #44 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 82 (median of 20 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.11 dB standard deviation | 1.36 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 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 balanced armature) | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 4 planar magnetic) |
| Drivers | 1 x 9.2mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x 13mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 4 x planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 18 ohms | 18.5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 116 dB SPL/V | 120 dB/Vrms |
| Weight | 0 lbs (11.4 g) per earbud | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 9Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to AKG N5005:
- AKG N5005 vs IOAudio Sogno
- AKG N5005 vs IOAudio Volare
- Moondrop Meteor vs Moritz Dragon
- IOAudio Volare vs Moondrop Meteor
- Moondrop Meteor vs TANGZU TianPeng
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The Two Headphones In Full
AKG N5005: $499.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass, mids and presence all land within about 0.6 dB of the Harman target, giving a Harman score of 87 and a very smooth 1.11 dB deviation. Sub-bass is essentially on target at 0.1 dB below, so kick drums and bass lines have natural weight without bloat. The five-driver hybrid layout and 18 ohm impedance with 116 dB per volt sensitivity run fine from a phone. At 11.4 g per earbud it is light in the ear.
Cons: A 5.8 dB dip near 10 kHz and a 3.4 dB peak near 7.8 kHz leave the top end slightly uneven, taking some sparkle off cymbals and air. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 0.6 dB under target, so it can sound a touch laid back. It costs far more than the Truthear x Crinacle Zero RED, which has the same rating, so the premium buys refinement rather than a better rating.
Full AKG N5005 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.11 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 9.2mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 18 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 116 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (11.4 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -1.8 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 | -0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,406 Hz | +3.0 dB | 1.31 |
| Peak | 892 Hz | +2.7 dB | 1.01 |
| Peak | 1,593 Hz | -1.4 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 77 Hz | +1.4 dB | 1.19 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,702 Hz | -2.0 dB | 5.51 |
| Peak | 3,571 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.99 |
| Peak | 6,150 Hz | +2.2 dB | 5.73 |
| Peak | 4,894 Hz | -0.7 dB | 4.27 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Moondrop Meteor: $549.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Across 19 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it earns a preference score of 81.3 with a very even 1.37 dB deviation, so nothing in the midrange sticks out. Bass holds within 2 dB of target down to 20 Hz, giving kick drums real weight without bloating vocals. The 120 dB/Vrms sensitivity and 18.5 ohm load make it easy to drive from a phone dongle, and it matches the IOAudio Volare in rating for a little less money.
Cons: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 3.4 dB under target and a 4.2 dB dip near 7.3 kHz follows, so guitars and cymbals lose some bite and detail can sound polite. The higher rated EPZ K9 and Moondrop Harmon both cost noticeably less.
Full Moondrop Meteor review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2024 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.36 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 4 planar magnetic) |
| Drivers | 1 x 13mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 4 x planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 9Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (median of 20 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 18.5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 120 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons