Short answer: the EPZ K9. It ranks #34 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.7/5, at $349.99; the Inawaken Twilight-DS ranks #113, rated 4.4/5, at $349. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
What the EPZ K9 does well: In the median of 19 hobbyist measurements on squig.link, the K9 earns a preference score of 82 with a low 1.26 dB deviation, so its eight balanced armatures and dynamic woofer blend into a cohesive, gently warm tuning. The tradeoff: Air above 10 kHz runs about 3.4 dB above target and a 4 dB peak sits near 8.1 kHz, which can add a slightly bright edge to cymbals.
Buy the EPZ K9. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.99 saving on the Inawaken Twilight-DS is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| EPZ K9 | Inawaken Twilight-DS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.99 | $349.00 |
| Ranked | #34 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #113 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (median of 20 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.25 dB standard deviation | 1.36 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 8 balanced armature) | Hybrid (4 dynamic + 8 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 8 x balanced armature | 4 x dynamic + 8 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 14 ohms | 17 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | 106 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (8.15 g) per earbud |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How EPZ K9 compares with other leading options:
- IOAudio Sogno vs EPZ K9
- EPZ K9 vs Tanchjim Soda
- EPZ K9 vs Moondrop Harmon
- Moondrop Harmon vs Inawaken Twilight-DS
- Inawaken Twilight-DS vs Moondrop Blessing 3
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
EPZ K9: $349.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: In the median of 19 hobbyist measurements on squig.link, the K9 earns a preference score of 82 with a low 1.26 dB deviation, so its eight balanced armatures and dynamic woofer blend into a cohesive, gently warm tuning. Sub-bass is within half a decibel of target and bass about 1.9 dB above it, giving a full low end without boom. The 14 ohm, 108 dB sensitivity rating means it plays loud from a phone.
Cons: Air above 10 kHz runs about 3.4 dB above target and a 4 dB peak sits near 8.1 kHz, which can add a slightly bright edge to cymbals. It is rated below the similarly priced AKG N5005 and IOAudio Sogno, which makes it a harder sell at this price. The very low 14 ohm impedance can make the tuning shift on sources with high output impedance.
Full EPZ K9 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.25 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 8 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 8 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (median of 20 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 14 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Inawaken Twilight-DS: $349.00 Linsoul eBay
Full Inawaken Twilight-DS review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.36 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (4 dynamic + 8 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 4 x dynamic + 8 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 17 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (8.15 g) per earbud |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons