Short answer: the Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji. Both are rated 3.3/5 for sound quality (#956 and #943 of 1369 in-ear headphones), and the Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji costs $1.99 against $29.90 for the FiiO x JadeAudio JD1, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the FiiO x JadeAudio JD1 does well: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 65 against the Harman target. The catch: An uneven response, 2.4 dB standard deviation from target.
Why pick the Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The tradeoff: Treble about 5 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $27.91 less than the FiiO x JadeAudio JD1.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 65 against the Harman target.
Amazon $29.90 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
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Specifications Side By Side
| FiiO x JadeAudio JD1 | Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.90 | 1.99 |
| Ranked | #943 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #956 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 65 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.37 dB standard deviation | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.72 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.81 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) dynamic driver | 1 x 10mm PEEK+PU dynamic driver |
| Impedance | 24 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB/mW | 114 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20,000Hz | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Weight | 0 lbs (7 g) (per earpiece) | 0 lbs (3.9 g) |
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 FiiO x JadeAudio JD1 from boizoff, dchpgall, ianfann and jaytiss; the Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji from aftersound, bassaudio, csi-zone, dvewlsh, fernandagunsan, hbb and soundignity, all via squig.link.
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