Short answer: a tie on sound quality, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 2.3/5 (#422 and #425 of 450 in-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($88 vs $89), so choose on features and fit. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones, and the Intuaura Reference 2019, ranked #5 at $34.99, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
What the CCA PLA13 does well: A 13.2mm planar magnetic driver at 16 ohms and 100 dB sensitivity makes it easy to drive straight from a phone. The catch: The top octave is pushed hard, with air about 9.3 dB above target and a 9 dB peak near 10.7 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn splashy and fatiguing.
The case for the Sennheiser IE 4: Sub-bass and bass both sit more than 6 dB above target and extend fully to 20 Hz, a good match for listeners who want big, rumbling bass and a V shaped sound. The tradeoff: A huge 15.3 dB peak near 5.1 kHz and presence about 10 dB above target make vocals and snares sound shouty and fatiguing.
Buy the CCA PLA13 or the Sennheiser IE 4 on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| CCA PLA13 | Sennheiser IE 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $88.00 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #422 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #425 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 53 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 53 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.19 dB standard deviation | 3.59 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+5.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 13.2mm planar magnetic | 1 x dynamic |
| Impedance | 16 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 106 dB SPL/V |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to CCA PLA13:
- KZ ZAS vs CCA PLA13
- CCA PLA13 vs Zero Audio Duoza ZH-DWX10
- CCA PLA13 vs BASN Bmaster
- Questyle NHB12 vs Sennheiser IE 4
- Sennheiser IE 4 vs Zero Audio Duoza ZH-DWX10
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
CCA PLA13: $88.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A 13.2mm planar magnetic driver at 16 ohms and 100 dB sensitivity makes it easy to drive straight from a phone. Across eleven hobbyist measurements on squig.link both sub-bass and bass sit about 3.4 dB above target and extend fully to 20 Hz, which suits listeners who want a bassy, warm profile with plenty of rumble.
Cons: The top octave is pushed hard, with air about 9.3 dB above target and a 9 dB peak near 10.7 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn splashy and fatiguing. A 6.3 dB dip near 6.9 kHz sits right below that peak, making the treble uneven rather than smoothly bright. The iBasso IT01 rates higher and costs less.
Full CCA PLA13 review and specifications →
| Released | 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.19 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 13.2mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 53 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 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 | -4.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 177 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.99 |
| Peak | 6,104 Hz | +5.3 dB | 1.40 |
| Peak | 775 Hz | +2.9 dB | 1.35 |
| Peak | 2,329 Hz | -3.1 dB | 3.29 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -10.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,390 Hz | +3.5 dB | 1.15 |
| Peak | 3,939 Hz | +1.8 dB | 4.32 |
| Peak | 64 Hz | +0.6 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 4,998 Hz | -2.3 dB | 5.93 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sennheiser IE 4: $89.00 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Sub-bass and bass both sit more than 6 dB above target and extend fully to 20 Hz, a good match for listeners who want big, rumbling bass and a V shaped sound. The 16 ohm impedance and 106 dB/V sensitivity let it run fine from a phone. It is rated level with the CCA PLA13 at a similar price.
Cons: A huge 15.3 dB peak near 5.1 kHz and presence about 10 dB above target make vocals and snares sound shouty and fatiguing. The KZ ZAS is rated higher and costs less.
Full Sennheiser IE 4 review and specifications →
| Released | 2005 (21 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.59 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 53 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+5.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.2 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 | -3.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,393 Hz | +6.5 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 4,512 Hz | -13.3 dB | 0.97 |
| Peak | 8,609 Hz | +6.4 dB | 1.20 |
| Peak | 200 Hz | -2.3 dB | 1.14 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,324 Hz | +2.4 dB | 3.14 |
| Peak | 3,227 Hz | -4.2 dB | 4.39 |
| Peak | 64 Hz | +0.9 dB | 2.17 |
| Peak | 4,107 Hz | +2.7 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons