Short answer: the Fearless Audio S8Z. It ranks #247 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $589; the DUNU Zen ranks #303, rated 3.9/5, and costs $699.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the Fearless Audio S8Z: Eight balanced armatures earn a preference score of 74 in crinacle’s measurement, a solid result against the Harman target. The catch: The Oriolus Isabellae and SoftEars RSV both rate higher at a similar price.
Why pick the DUNU Zen: Crinacle’s measurement earns it a preference score of 72, and squig.link measurements show a warm, slightly bass-lifted tuning with bass about 1.6 dB above target that suits warm and bassy tastes. The catch: Air above 10 kHz falls about 8 dB short of target, with an 11 dB hole near 11.9 kHz, so the top end sounds rolled off and lacks shimmer.
Buy the Fearless Audio S8Z. It is rated higher for sound quality than the DUNU Zen 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Fearless Audio S8Z | DUNU Zen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $589.00 | $699.99 |
| Ranked | #247 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #303 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 72 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.32 dB standard deviation | 2.48 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.01 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.21 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature | 1 x dynamic |
| Impedance | 26 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 113 dB/mW | 112 dB |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Fearless Audio S8Z:
- Oriolus Isabellae vs Fearless Audio S8Z
- Fearless Audio S8Z vs Hisenior Mega5EST 7th Anniversary Edition
- Fearless Audio S8Z vs ISN Audio EBC80
- ISN Audio EBC80 vs DUNU Zen
- SoftEars RSV vs DUNU Zen
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
Fearless Audio S8Z: $589.00 Linsoul eBay
Pros: Eight balanced armatures earn a preference score of 74 in crinacle’s measurement, a solid result against the Harman target. At 26 ohms and 113 dB/mW sensitivity it gets loud from a phone without a dedicated amp, and it rates higher than the DUNU Zen and Unique Melody MEXT, both of which cost more.
Cons: The Oriolus Isabellae and SoftEars RSV both rate higher at a similar price. An all balanced armature design with no dynamic driver may not satisfy listeners who want the most physical bass impact.
Full Fearless Audio S8Z review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2019 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.32 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 26 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 113 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.01 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -3.1 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 | +3.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 170 Hz | -3.3 dB | 0.47 |
| Peak | 798 Hz | +3.1 dB | 1.05 |
| Peak | 2,781 Hz | +2.8 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 1,658 Hz | -2.0 dB | 1.90 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,915 Hz | -1.7 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,256 Hz | +1.9 dB | 5.97 |
| Peak | 4,544 Hz | -0.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 42 Hz | -0.2 dB | 2.50 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
DUNU Zen: $699.99 Shenzhenaudio eBay
Pros: Crinacle’s measurement earns it a preference score of 72, and squig.link measurements show a warm, slightly bass-lifted tuning with bass about 1.6 dB above target that suits warm and bassy tastes. A single dynamic driver at 16 ohms and 112 dB sensitivity plays loudly from a phone. It matches the rating of the Unique Melody MEXT while costing less.
Cons: Air above 10 kHz falls about 8 dB short of target, with an 11 dB hole near 11.9 kHz, so the top end sounds rolled off and lacks shimmer. A 6 dB peak near 8.1 kHz sits right before that drop and can make some cymbal hits and sibilants stand out. The Fearless Audio S8Z is rated higher for less money.
Full DUNU Zen review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2020 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.48 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 72 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 112 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.21 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | +10.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,937 Hz | -5.1 dB | 0.78 |
| Peak | 44 Hz | -8.2 dB | 0.33 |
| Peak | 900 Hz | +3.5 dB | 0.58 |
| Peak | 6,107 Hz | +6.5 dB | 1.54 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +6.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,456 Hz | -2.8 dB | 4.76 |
| Peak | 4,201 Hz | -1.7 dB | 4.97 |
| Peak | 3,114 Hz | +1.5 dB | 3.87 |
| Peak | 2,317 Hz | -0.9 dB | 4.50 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons