Short answer: the CVJ Kira. It ranks #968 of 1369 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $9.99; the Apos Rock Lobster ranks #990, rated 3.2/5, at $9.99. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
The case for the CVJ Kira: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The tradeoff: An uneven response, 2.5 dB standard deviation from target.
What the Apos Rock Lobster 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: Treble about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the CVJ Kira. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Apos Rock Lobster at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
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A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
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Specifications Side By Side
| CVJ Kira | Apos Rock Lobster | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 9.99 | 9.99 |
| Ranked | #968 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #990 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 64 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.47 dB standard deviation | 2.43 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.01 (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 (+0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm PET composite dynamic driver | 1 x 10mm liquid crystal polymer (LCP) dynamic driver |
| Impedance | 22 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW | 105 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Weight | 0 lbs (6 g) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
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 CVJ Kira from eplv, kuping-sensi and soundignity; the Apos Rock Lobster from aden, audioamigo, awsmdanny, boizoff, jaytiss, lestat and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
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