Short answer: the AME Raven. Both are rated 3.2/5 for sound quality (#1015 and #1009 of 1369 in-ear headphones), and the AME Raven costs $3,240 against $3,599 for the VOLK AUDIO ETOILE, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the AME Raven does well: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The catch: An uneven response, 2.6 dB standard deviation from target.
Why pick the VOLK AUDIO ETOILE: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The catch: Treble about 6 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the AME Raven. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $359 less than the VOLK AUDIO ETOILE.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
MusicTeck $3,240.00 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
Bloom Audio $3,599.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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
| AME Raven | VOLK AUDIO ETOILE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,240.00 | $3,599.00 |
| Ranked | #1015 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #1009 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 64 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.62 dB standard deviation | 2.72 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.57 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Quadbrid |
| Drivers | 4 EST + 8 BA (4 x Sonion electrostatic drivers, 8 x Sonion balanced armatures) | 1 DD + 4 BA + 4 EST + 1 MS (1 x 10mm dynamic driver, 4 x Sonion balanced armatures, 4 x Sonion electrostatic drivers, 1 x 8mm magnetostatic tweeter) |
| Impedance | 14 ohms | 8.8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 110.6 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 70kHz | 10Hz - 50kHz |
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 AME Raven from aden, dchpgall and eliseaudio; the VOLK AUDIO ETOILE from aden, audioamigo, bloomaudio, jaytiss and joycesreview, all via squig.link.
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