Short answer: the Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited. It ranks #858 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $1,620. The FiiO FX17 ranks #921, rated 3.3/5, at $1,499.99, $120.01 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target. The tradeoff: Treble about 2 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
What the FiiO FX17 does well: A hybrid of one dynamic driver, four balanced armatures and eight electrostatic drivers, it extends to 20 Hz within 6 dB of target and adds about 2.5 dB of mid-bass for a warm, full sound that suits bassy tastes. The tradeoff: Hobbyist measurements give it a Harman preference score of only 65.3 despite its flagship price, largely because the 3 to 6 kHz presence band sits about 4 dB low with a 5.4 dB dip near 4 kHz that recesses vocals and instrument attack.
Buy the Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $120.01 you would save on the FiiO FX17 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target.
Custom Art $1,620.00 eBay
A hybrid of one dynamic driver, four balanced armatures and eight electrostatic drivers, it extends to 20 Hz within 6 dB of target and adds about 2.5 dB of mid-bass for a warm, full sound that suits bassy tastes.
HiFiGo $1,499.99 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
| Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited | FiiO FX17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,620.00 | $1,499.99 |
| Ranked | #858 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #921 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 65 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.49 dB standard deviation | 2.63 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced Armature | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 8 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 7 x balanced armature (2 sub-low, 1 low-mid, 2 mid-high, 1 high, 1 super high) | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 8 x electrostatic |
| Impedance | 12 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 122 dB | 104 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 21kHz | 8Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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 Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited from dl, harutohiroki, hbb and precog; the FiiO FX17 from aden, atechreviews, dl, jaytiss, practiphile and superreview, all via squig.link.
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