Short answer: the DUNU DN142. Both are rated 3.8/5 for sound quality (#544 and #576 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the DUNU DN142 costs $249.99 against $259 for the Kiwi Ears Halcyon, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
What the DUNU DN142 does well: The median of 11 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 1.89 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 1 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 3.4 dB low with a 6.4 dB dip near 6.7 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the Kiwi Ears Halcyon: The median of 16 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 71 with a 2.07 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The catch: Presence sits about 3.4 dB low with a 6.5 dB dip near 6.1 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the DUNU DN142. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $9.01 less than the Kiwi Ears Halcyon.
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The median of 11 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 1.89 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 1 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $249.99 eBay
The median of 16 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 71 with a 2.07 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $259.00 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
| DUNU DN142 | Kiwi Ears Halcyon | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 | $259.00 |
| Ranked | #544 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #576 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 72 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 71 (median of 16 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.89 dB standard deviation | 2.07 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.89 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.70 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 2 planar) | Tribrid |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x micro planar | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 3 x balanced armature + 1 x MEMS |
| Impedance | 37 ohms | 29 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107 dB/mW | 109 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.6 g) per earbud | - |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 42kHz (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 DUNU DN142 from atechreviews, audioamigo, awsmdanny, bassaudio, jaytiss, practiphile, precog, pw, sl0the, soundignity and tonedeafmonk; the Kiwi Ears Halcyon from aden, aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, avishai, bassaudio, dchpgall, dl, ducbloke, elrics, flare, hobbytalk, lumerion, silicagel, soundcheck39 and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
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