Short answer: the Flipears Arion. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#843 and #787 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the Flipears Arion costs $2,499 against $2,599 for the Noble Audio Kublai Khan, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
The case for the Flipears Arion: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target. Watch for: Treble about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
The case for the Noble Audio Kublai Khan: Upper treble lifts about 2.8 dB for extra air and sparkle. Watch for: Presence sits about 7.7 dB low with a 9.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Flipears Arion. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $100 less than the Noble Audio Kublai Khan.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target.
Bloom Audio $2,499 eBay
Upper treble lifts about 2.8 dB for extra air and sparkle.
Bloom Audio $2,599.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Flipears Arion | Noble Audio Kublai Khan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499 | $2,599.00 |
| Ranked | #843 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #787 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.21 dB standard deviation | 2.51 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.71 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 Dynamic, 4 Balanced Armature, 2 Electrostatic | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 1 x 10mm piezoelectric + 1 x bone conduction |
| Impedance | - | 15.4 ohms |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 25kHz |
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 Flipears Arion from aden, bloomaudio, dl and ducbloke; the Noble Audio Kublai Khan from aden, bloomaudio, dchpgall and hbb, all via squig.link.
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