Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.5/5 (#843 and #820 of 1291 in-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($2,499 vs $2,499), so choose on features and fit.
Why pick 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 qdc Anole VX: Ten balanced armatures keep bass close to target, within about 1.4 dB from 20 Hz to 200 Hz in squig.link measurements, so low end is clean and controlled rather than boomy. The catch: Across hobbyist measurements a deep 10.7 dB dip near 5.4 kHz leaves the presence band 6.2 dB low, so vocals, snare and guitars lose clarity and attack.
Buy the Flipears Arion or the qdc Anole VX on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target.
Bloom Audio $2,499 eBay
Ten balanced armatures keep bass close to target, within about 1.4 dB from 20 Hz to 200 Hz in squig.link measurements, so low end is clean and controlled rather than boomy.
Shenzhenaudio $2,499.00 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 | qdc Anole VX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499 | $2,499.00 |
| Ranked | #843 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #820 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 67 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.21 dB standard deviation | 2.81 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.71 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.34 (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 (-1.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 Dynamic, 4 Balanced Armature, 2 Electrostatic | 10 x balanced armature |
| Sensitivity | - | 110-113 dB SPL/mW |
| Frequency Response | - | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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 qdc Anole VX from aden, breampike, bukanaudiophile, dchpgall, dl, eliseaudio, iemocean, nymz, precog, sl0the and superreview, all via squig.link.
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