Short answer: the DUNU SA6 EST. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#810 and #783 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the DUNU SA6 EST costs $619 against $649 for the Tangzu Xuanwu Gate, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the DUNU SA6 EST: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target. The tradeoff: Treble about 6 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
What the Tangzu Xuanwu Gate does well: Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat. The catch: Presence sits about 5.5 dB low with an 8.1 dB dip near 6.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the DUNU SA6 EST. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $30 less than the Tangzu Xuanwu Gate.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target.
Amazon $619 eBay
Bass sits close to target and holds down to 20 Hz, so low end sounds full without bloat.
Linsoul $649 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 SA6 EST | Tangzu Xuanwu Gate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $619 | $649 |
| Ranked | #810 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #783 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 10 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.55 dB standard deviation | 2.28 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.41 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.51 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm modular) | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Tribrid |
| Drivers | 6 Balanced Armature, 2 Electrostatic | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x Sonion electrostatic |
| Impedance | - | 10.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response | - | 7Hz - 20kHz |
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 SA6 EST from atechreviews, ducbloke, eliseaudio, kazi, precog, soundignity and superreview; the Tangzu Xuanwu Gate from audioamigo, breampike, dl, eliseaudio, hbb, iemocean, koi, lown-fi, scboy and therollo9, all via squig.link.
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