Short answer: the Fearless Audio S8Z. Both are rated 4.0/5 for sound quality (#247 and #251 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the Fearless Audio S8Z costs $589 against $699 for the ISN Audio EBC80, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for 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 tradeoff: The Oriolus Isabellae and SoftEars RSV both rate higher at a similar price.
Buy the Fearless Audio S8Z. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $110 less than the ISN Audio EBC80.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Fearless Audio S8Z | ISN Audio EBC80 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $589.00 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #247 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #251 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 74 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.32 dB standard deviation | 1.91 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.01 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic + 2 bone conduction) |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature | 2 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic + 2 x bone conduction |
| Impedance | 26 ohms | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 113 dB/mW | 106 dB |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 20kHz (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 worthwhile head-to-heads for Fearless Audio S8Z:
- Oriolus Isabellae vs Fearless Audio S8Z
- Fearless Audio S8Z vs Hisenior Mega5EST 7th Anniversary Edition
- Fearless Audio S8Z vs DUNU Zen
- ISN Audio EBC80 vs DUNU Zen
- SoftEars RSV vs ISN Audio EBC80
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
ISN Audio EBC80: $699.00 Amazon eBay
Full ISN Audio EBC80 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.91 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic + 2 bone conduction) |
| Drivers | 2 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic + 2 x bone conduction |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons