Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.7/5 (#337 and #335 of 450 in-ear headphones), so choose on features and fit.
Why pick the Fatfreq Sakura: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 70, a reasonably close match to the response most listeners prefer. The tradeoff: A 2.6 dB standard deviation from target means the response is noticeably uneven in places.
Why pick the FiiO FD5: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 70, and across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link bass rises about 4 dB above target with flat sub-bass extension to 20 Hz, giving bass guitar and kick drums a full, punchy body. The catch: The bass boost spills into the low mids by about 2 dB, which can thicken male vocals and make dense mixes sound slightly congested.
Buy the Fatfreq Sakura or the FiiO FD5 on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Fatfreq Sakura | FiiO FD5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | - | $505.28 |
| Ranked | #337 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #335 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 70 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.58 dB standard deviation | 2.40 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.45 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Driver Type | - | Dynamic |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 12mm dynamic |
| Impedance | - | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 109 dB/mW |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (11 g) per earbud |
| Frequency Response | - | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
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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
Fatfreq Sakura FATfreq eBay
Pros: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 70, a reasonably close match to the response most listeners prefer. It is a wired, closed in-ear design, so it blocks outside noise and needs no charging.
Cons: A 2.6 dB standard deviation from target means the response is noticeably uneven in places. There is no built-in microphone for calls.
Full Fatfreq Sakura review and specifications →
| Released | May 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.1 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 | +1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,951 Hz | +5.0 dB | 0.67 |
| Peak | 1,700 Hz | -4.1 dB | 1.72 |
| Peak | 201 Hz | -1.8 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 70 Hz | +0.8 dB | 1.12 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,296 Hz | -2.6 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 3,478 Hz | +1.6 dB | 4.53 |
| Peak | 6,201 Hz | +1.6 dB | 5.97 |
| Peak | 818 Hz | +0.5 dB | 2.49 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
FiiO FD5: $505.28 Amazon eBay
Pros: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 70, and across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link bass rises about 4 dB above target with flat sub-bass extension to 20 Hz, giving bass guitar and kick drums a full, punchy body. Its 109 dB/mW sensitivity and 32 ohm impedance mean a phone drives it easily. It rates higher than the similarly priced iBasso IT04, and the warm balance suits bass-leaning listeners.
Cons: The bass boost spills into the low mids by about 2 dB, which can thicken male vocals and make dense mixes sound slightly congested. Hobbyist measurements also show a 3.5 dB dip near 3.6 kHz and a 4.9 dB peak near 8.4 kHz, so vocals can sit a little back while cymbals and sibilants gain an edge.
Full FiiO FD5 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.40 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 12mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.45 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (11 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -3.8 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 | +1.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 155 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.58 |
| Peak | 815 Hz | +2.7 dB | 1.04 |
| Peak | 3,920 Hz | +3.3 dB | 2.56 |
| Peak | 5,234 Hz | -3.2 dB | 5.78 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 10,000 Hz | +3.6 dB | 1.21 |
| Peak | 2,540 Hz | -1.4 dB | 4.19 |
| Peak | 40 Hz | -0.4 dB | 2.74 |
| Peak | 5,496 Hz | -1.7 dB | 6.00 |
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