Short answer: the QoA Matador. Both are rated 4.0/5 for sound quality (#432 and #438 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the QoA Matador costs $235 against $249 for the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 against the Harman target. The catch: The rating reflects sound quality only; comfort, build and noise isolation are not part of the score.
Why pick the QoA Matador: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 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.
Buy the QoA Matador. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $14 less than the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 against the Harman target.
Amazon $249 eBay
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 against the Harman target.
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Specifications Side By Side
| HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 | QoA Matador | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $235 |
| Ranked | #438 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #432 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 74 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.73 dB standard deviation | 1.94 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.60 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | True Wireless | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (dual driver: dynamic + planar tweeter) | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 11mm dynamic + 1 x planar tweeter (per ear) | 1 x dynamic, 2 x balanced armature |
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 HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 from boizoff, dhrme and regancipher; the QoA Matador from aftersound, bassaudio, soundcheck39 and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
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