Short answer: the QoA Adonis. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#796 and #780 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the QoA Adonis costs $181 against $199 for the Apple AirPods Pro 3, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Apple AirPods Pro 3 does well: Sub-bass sits about 3 dB above the Harman target in hobbyist measurements on squig.link and still reaches 30 Hz with a slight lift, so bass lines and electronic drops carry real rumble. The catch: A 6.4 dB dip near 3.4 kHz pulls vocals and guitars back, while a 6.3 dB peak near 8 kHz and about 6 dB of extra air above 10 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound splashy.
What the QoA Adonis does well: A hybrid with a 9.2mm dynamic driver and two balanced armatures. Watch for: A 2.44 dB spread from the target shows peaks and dips that better tuned sets avoid.
Buy the QoA Adonis. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $18 less than the Apple AirPods Pro 3.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Sub-bass sits about 3 dB above the Harman target in hobbyist measurements on squig.link and still reaches 30 Hz with a slight lift, so bass lines and electronic drops carry real rumble.
Amazon $199.00 eBay
A hybrid with a 9.2mm dynamic driver and two balanced armatures.
Linsoul $181.00 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
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | QoA Adonis | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.00 | $181.00 |
| Ranked | #780 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #796 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.43 dB standard deviation | 2.44 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.58 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.39 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | True wireless | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Hybrid |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.55 g) per earbud | - |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (24 with case, ANC on, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP57 | - |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 9.2mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
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 Apple AirPods Pro 3 from digaoreviews, ducbloke, listener, silicagel and superreview; the QoA Adonis from practiphile, soundcheck39 and timmyv, all via squig.link.
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