Short answer: the Etymotic ER4XR. Both are rated 3.0/5 for sound quality (#387 and #395 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the Etymotic ER4XR costs $299 against $399 for the Cayin Fantasy, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the Cayin Fantasy does well: Its single 10.3mm dynamic driver at 37 ohms and 108 dB runs from a phone without strain. Watch for: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of only 61.0, and squig.link hobbyist measurements show treble about 5.5 dB hot with a 12.4 dB peak near 11.2 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn harsh.
What the Etymotic ER4XR does well: Upper mids sit within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and low mids within 0.4 dB, so vocals and instruments come through clearly and naturally. The catch: Sub-bass is about 7.2 dB under target and bass is 2.6 dB low, so kick drums and bass lines lack weight and rumble.
Buy the Etymotic ER4XR. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $100 less than the Cayin Fantasy.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Cayin Fantasy | Etymotic ER4XR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #395 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #387 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 61 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 62 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.04 dB standard deviation | 3.06 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +1.05 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.61 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x 10.3mm dynamic | 1 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 37 ohms | 45 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Etymotic ER4XR compares with other leading options:
- Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 vs Etymotic ER4XR
- FiiO FH7S vs Etymotic ER4XR
- Etymotic ER4XR vs Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
- Fearless Audio S6Rui vs Cayin Fantasy
- Cayin Fantasy vs Jabra Evolve 75e
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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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The Two Headphones In Full
Cayin Fantasy: $399.00 HiFiGo eBay
Pros: Its single 10.3mm dynamic driver at 37 ohms and 108 dB runs from a phone without strain. Listeners who want a bright, detail-forward presentation will find treble well above target, and it costs less than the equally rated Fatfreq Reference Pro SE.
Cons: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of only 61.0, and squig.link hobbyist measurements show treble about 5.5 dB hot with a 12.4 dB peak near 11.2 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn harsh. Sub-bass sits about 3.8 dB below target, leaving the low end thin.
Full Cayin Fantasy review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.04 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10.3mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 61 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 37 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +1.05 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 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 | +7.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 767 Hz | +3.8 dB | 0.87 |
| Peak | 77 Hz | -3.3 dB | 0.34 |
| Peak | 5,276 Hz | -7.3 dB | 5.21 |
| Peak | 2,652 Hz | -3.2 dB | 3.85 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,867 Hz | +1.2 dB | 4.18 |
| Peak | 7,406 Hz | -1.6 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,488 Hz | +1.3 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 1,421 Hz | -0.3 dB | 3.75 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Etymotic ER4XR: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Upper mids sit within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and low mids within 0.4 dB, so vocals and instruments come through clearly and naturally. Oratory1990’s measurement gives a preference score of 62, and the single balanced armature driver suits listeners who want a neutral, analytical presentation without added bass.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 7.2 dB under target and bass is 2.6 dB low, so kick drums and bass lines lack weight and rumble. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is 5.4 dB low, with an 8.6 dB dip near 6.7 kHz, which dulls cymbals. A 45 ohm impedance makes it a bit harder to drive than most phone-friendly earphones, and the FiiO FH7S has a higher rating.
Full Etymotic ER4XR review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.06 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 45 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.61 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.0 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 | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,978 Hz | +6.4 dB | 1.06 |
| Peak | 1,623 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.52 |
| Peak | 164 Hz | -1.4 dB | 0.59 |
| Peak | 806 Hz | +2.6 dB | 1.14 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,344 Hz | -1.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,183 Hz | +1.0 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 4,894 Hz | -0.6 dB | 4.37 |
| Peak | 1,333 Hz | -0.2 dB | 4.02 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons