Short answer: the KBEAR Storm. It ranks #947 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.2/5, at $18.04; the KBEAR KS1 ranks #1012, rated 2.9/5, at $17.09. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
The KBEAR Storm is the better-sounding option. Bass is lifted about 5.1 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: An 8.2 dB peak near 8.2 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
What the KBEAR KS1 does well: Bass is lifted about 4.9 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: An 8.2 dB peak near 7.9 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
Buy the KBEAR Storm. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.95 saving on the KBEAR KS1 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Bass is lifted about 5.1 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Amazon $18.04 eBay
Bass is lifted about 4.9 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Amazon $17.09 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 Storm | KBEAR KS1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $18.04 | $17.09 |
| Ranked | #947 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1012 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic | 1 x 10mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 61 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.72 dB standard deviation | 2.92 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.23 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.59 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 109 dB/mW |
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 Storm from aftersound, audioamigo, cammyfi, eplv, hobbytalk, hore, ianfann, kazi, mmagtech, tdl and zerostresslevel; the KBEAR KS1 from aftersound, audioamigo, dchpgall, eplv, hbb, hu-fi, ianfann, jacstone, practiphile, pw, regancipher and vortexreviews, all via squig.link.
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