Short answer: the Inawaken Dawn Mistwood. It ranks #317 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $69.99; the KZ ZAX ranks #326, rated 3.8/5, at $65.99. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
Why pick the KZ ZAX: Across hobbyist measurements on squig.link sub-bass sits within 0.2 dB of target down to 20 Hz, and a 3.2 dB bass lift adds warmth and punch for pop and electronic music. The catch: A 9 dB peak near 11.2 kHz lifts the top octave about 6 dB above target, which can make cymbals and sibilants sound sizzly on bright recordings, and a 3.8 dB dip near 3.4 kHz slightly recesses vocals.
Buy the Inawaken Dawn Mistwood. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $4 with the KZ ZAX does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Inawaken Dawn Mistwood | KZ ZAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $65.99 |
| Ranked | #317 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #326 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 72 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 71 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.88 dB standard deviation | 2.29 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.72 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 7 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 11.2mm dynamic | 1 x dynamic + 7 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB/mW | 113 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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- KZ ZAX vs Pula Unicrom
- EarFun Air Pro 4 vs KZ ZAX
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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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The Two Headphones In Full
Inawaken Dawn Mistwood: $69.99 Linsoul eBay
Full Inawaken Dawn Mistwood review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2026 (4 months ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 11.2mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 72 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.72 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
KZ ZAX: $65.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Across hobbyist measurements on squig.link sub-bass sits within 0.2 dB of target down to 20 Hz, and a 3.2 dB bass lift adds warmth and punch for pop and electronic music. Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 71. Its one dynamic and seven balanced armature hybrid runs at 24 ohms and 113 dB, so any phone or dongle drives it loud.
Cons: A 9 dB peak near 11.2 kHz lifts the top octave about 6 dB above target, which can make cymbals and sibilants sound sizzly on bright recordings, and a 3.8 dB dip near 3.4 kHz slightly recesses vocals. It costs more than the CCA C12 for the same rating, while the Tin HiFi T4 rates higher for a little more.
Full KZ ZAX review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.29 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 7 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 7 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 71 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 113 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 197 Hz | -3.9 dB | 0.41 |
| Peak | 639 Hz | +3.6 dB | 0.62 |
| Peak | 2,128 Hz | -6.0 dB | 1.80 |
| Peak | 4,125 Hz | +2.9 dB | 0.42 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,387 Hz | -3.1 dB | 5.67 |
| Peak | 9,739 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.42 |
| Peak | 3,351 Hz | +1.7 dB | 4.33 |
| Peak | 6,468 Hz | +2.5 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons