Short answer: the Fosi Audio i5. It ranks #149 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $589.99. The Edifier STAX Spirit S5 ranks #200, rated 3.7/5, at $569.99, $20 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the Fosi Audio i5 does well: A 97mm planar magnetic driver in an open back design lands a preference score of 78 in squig.link hobbyist measurements, with the bass and low mids sitting within about 1 dB of target so voices and instruments keep a natural body. Watch for: Sub-bass falls about 6.5 dB below target under 60 Hz and is down 7.5 dB at 30 Hz, so kick drums and synth bass lose their deepest rumble.
The case for the Edifier STAX Spirit S5: A planar magnetic headphone that works wirelessly, with an 80 hour rated battery, Bluetooth 5.4 and an unusually broad codec list including LDAC, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive and LHDC, plus a wired option. The tradeoff: There is no active noise cancelling, so the closed back is the only defense against commuter noise.
Buy the Fosi Audio i5. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $20 saving on the Edifier STAX Spirit S5 is not enough to make up the difference.
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A 97mm planar magnetic driver in an open back design lands a preference score of 78 in squig.link hobbyist measurements, with the bass and low mids sitting within about 1 dB of target so voices and instruments keep a natural body.
Amazon $589.99 eBay
A planar magnetic headphone that works wirelessly, with an 80 hour rated battery, Bluetooth 5.4 and an unusually broad codec list including LDAC, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive and LHDC, plus a wired option.
Amazon $569.99 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
| Fosi Audio i5 | Edifier STAX Spirit S5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $589.99 | $569.99 |
| Ranked | #149 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #200 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 75 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.35 dB standard deviation | 2.72 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.26 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 97mm planar magnetic | - |
| Impedance | 28 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | - |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) | 0.8 lbs (347 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | No |
| Battery Life | - | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LHDC |
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