Short answer: the Etymotic ER3XR, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #1032 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.8/5, at $149.99; the 7Hz x Crinacle Diablo ranks #1092, rated 2.6/5, and costs $159, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 1291 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the Truthear Nova ranks #2 at $169.99.
Why pick the Etymotic ER3XR: At 22 ohms and 102 dB/mW it runs fine from a phone, and its single balanced armature design keeps things simple. The tradeoff: In oratory1990’s measurement treble falls about 8.5 dB below target from 6 to 16 kHz, with a 13.1 dB dip near 11.9 kHz, so cymbals sound dull and fine detail fades.
The case for the 7Hz x Crinacle Diablo: The single 14.5mm planar driver holds its output down to 20 Hz, sitting about 1 dB above target at 30 Hz, so deep synth lines and kick drums keep their weight. The catch: Across 16 hobbyist measurements it earns a preference score of only 56, with a 7 dB dip near 6.3 kHz and presence about 3 dB shy of target that dull vocals, guitars and cymbal attack.
Buy the Etymotic ER3XR. It is rated higher for sound quality than the 7Hz x Crinacle Diablo and costs less, 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.
At 22 ohms and 102 dB/mW it runs fine from a phone, and its single balanced armature design keeps things simple.
Amazon $149.99 eBay
The single 14.5mm planar driver holds its output down to 20 Hz, sitting about 1 dB above target at 30 Hz, so deep synth lines and kick drums keep their weight.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Etymotic ER3XR | 7Hz x Crinacle Diablo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.99 | $159.00 |
| Ranked | #1032 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1092 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 59 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 56 (median of 16 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.48 dB standard deviation | 2.98 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.22 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.26 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 30 Hz (-6.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x balanced armature | 1 x 14.5mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 22 ohms | 18 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW | 107 dB/V @ 1kHz |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | 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 Etymotic ER3XR from ankramutt, dchpgall, fahryst, loomynarty, recode, therollo9 and zerostresslevel; the 7Hz x Crinacle Diablo from aden, aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, csi-zone, dl, fernandagunsan, hadoe, hbb, jaytiss, joycesreview, lestat, practiphile, pw, soundignity, superreview and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
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