EarSonics ES2 vs Westone W20

Short answer: the Westone W20, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 1.0/5 for sound quality (#447 and #448 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the Westone W20 costs $249.95 against $289.99 for the EarSonics ES2, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the Truthear Nova ranks #2 at $169.99.

What the EarSonics ES2 does well: Two balanced armature drivers and a very high 119 dB/mW sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels from any phone or dongle with little effort. The tradeoff: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of only 29, one of the furthest from the Harman target among in-ears, so its tonal balance will sound off to most listeners without EQ.

What the Westone W20 does well: Two balanced armature drivers and a 117 dB/mW sensitivity make it easy to drive loud from a phone. Watch for: A preference score of 35 in crinacle’s measurement puts its tuning far from the Harman target, so it will sound colored to most listeners without EQ.

Buy the Westone W20. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $40.04 less than the EarSonics ES2.

Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Westone W20:

• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 vs Westone W20
• Oriolus Finschi Hifi vs Westone W20
• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 vs EarSonics ES2
• Etymotic ER4SR vs EarSonics ES2
• EarSonics ES2 vs Westone Pro X50

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

EarSonics ES2: $289.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: Two balanced armature drivers and a very high 119 dB/mW sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels from any phone or dongle with little effort. The closed in-ear design isolates well from outside noise.

Cons: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of only 29, one of the furthest from the Harman target among in-ears, so its tonal balance will sound off to most listeners without EQ. The Oriolus Finschi Hifi rates higher and costs less, and the Westone W20 matches its rating for less money.

Full EarSonics ES2 review and specifications →

Released	2016 (10 years ago)
Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	6.14 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Balanced armature
Drivers	2 x balanced armature
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	29 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	26.5 ohms
Sensitivity	119 dB/mW
Tonal Tilt	-0.01 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.8 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	+6.9 dB	0.70
Peak	231 Hz	-6.1 dB	0.40
Peak	4,946 Hz	+6.9 dB	0.22
Peak	1,862 Hz	-9.7 dB	1.06
Peak	2,685 Hz	+5.9 dB	2.30
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.5 dB	0.70
Peak	49 Hz	+0.7 dB	3.05
Peak	1,238 Hz	-0.5 dB	4.83
Peak	940 Hz	+0.3 dB	3.33
Peak	81 Hz	-0.4 dB	4.68

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the EarSonics ES2 (crinacle measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • EarSonics ES2 vs Final Audio F3100
  • EarSonics ES2 vs Westone Pro X50
  • EarSonics ES2 vs Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
  • EarSonics ES2 vs Etymotic ER4SR

Westone W20: $249.95 Amazon eBay

Pros: Two balanced armature drivers and a 117 dB/mW sensitivity make it easy to drive loud from a phone. It includes a built in microphone for calls, and the closed in-ear design blocks outside noise.

Cons: A preference score of 35 in crinacle’s measurement puts its tuning far from the Harman target, so it will sound colored to most listeners without EQ. The claimed response stops at 18 kHz, and the Oriolus Finschi Hifi rates higher and costs less.

Full Westone W20 review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	4.78 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Balanced armature
Drivers	2 x balanced armature
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	35 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	33 ohms
Sensitivity	117 dB/mW
Tonal Tilt	-1.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.2 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	+2.4 dB	0.70
Peak	5,068 Hz	+6.7 dB	0.18
Peak	248 Hz	-6.0 dB	0.43
Peak	1,958 Hz	-6.5 dB	0.82
Peak	3,230 Hz	+3.4 dB	2.23
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.3 dB	0.70
Peak	68 Hz	+0.3 dB	2.33
Peak	969 Hz	+0.5 dB	3.46
Peak	1,285 Hz	-0.5 dB	3.87
Peak	132 Hz	-0.2 dB	2.19

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Westone W20 (crinacle measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Westone W20 vs Oriolus Finschi Hifi
  • Westone W20 vs Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2