Short answer: the KBEAR KS2. It ranks #1001 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $24.99. The HIFIMAN RE400 ranks #1015, rated 2.9/5, at $19.99, $5 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The case for the KBEAR KS2: Bass is lifted about 5.9 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The catch: A 10.1 dB peak near 7.9 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
The case for the HIFIMAN RE400: A very low price makes it an easy spare pair or first wired earphone. The catch: Across hobbyist measurements on squig.link sub-bass sits 7.5 dB below target and falls 6 dB short by 53 Hz, while presence drops 5.8 dB and a 9.4 dB dip near 11.9 kHz dulls the top end, so music sounds lean down low and muted up high.
Buy the KBEAR KS2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $5 you would save on the HIFIMAN RE400 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Bass is lifted about 5.9 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Amazon $24.99 eBay
A very low price makes it an easy spare pair or first wired earphone.
Amazon $19.99 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
| KBEAR KS2 | HIFIMAN RE400 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | $19.99 |
| Ranked | #1001 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1015 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x balanced armature | 1 x 8.5mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 16 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 61 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 60 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.66 dB standard deviation | 3.29 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.67 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.63 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 53 Hz (-8.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 102 dB/mW |
| 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 KBEAR KS2 from aftersound, bedrock, bryaudioreviews, cqtek, dchpgall, hbb, ianfann, pw, rg, superreview and vortexreviews; the HIFIMAN RE400 from aftersound, digaoreviews, fahryst and iemworld, all via squig.link.
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