Short answer: the Kinera Skuld, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #411 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.7/5, at $550. The Shure SE535 ranks #421, rated 2.4/5, at $499, $51 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the Truthear Nova ranks #2 at $169.99.
The Kinera Skuld is the better-sounding pick. Five balanced armatures and 120 dB sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels easily from a phone. The catch: Hobbyist measurements on squig.link show the presence region about 7.5 dB under target with a 9.7 dB dip near 5.5 kHz, which makes vocals and guitars recessed and dull.
The case for the Shure SE535: Its very high 119 dB/mW sensitivity means it gets loud from any phone or laptop with little effort. The tradeoff: In oratory1990’s measurement presence runs about 8.6 dB low and air about 8 dB low, with a 12.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so detail and sparkle are subdued and the sound turns dark.
Buy the Kinera Skuld. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $51 you would save on the Shure SE535 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Kinera Skuld | Shure SE535 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $550.00 | $499.00 |
| Ranked | #411 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #421 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 54 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.57 dB standard deviation | 3.86 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 60 Hz (-8.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 5 x balanced armature | 3 x balanced armature (2 woofers + 1 tweeter) |
| Impedance | 23 ohms | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 120 dB | 119 dB SPL/mW |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 18Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Kinera Skuld:
- Yanyin Mahina vs Kinera Skuld
- Shanling ME700 vs Kinera Skuld
- FiiO FA9 vs Kinera Skuld
- Jabra Evolve 75e vs Kinera Skuld
- FiiO FA9 vs Shure SE535
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
Kinera Skuld: $550.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Five balanced armatures and 120 dB sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels easily from a phone. Bass and low mids sit within about 1 dB of target, giving a full, warm midrange that suits listeners who prefer a dark, relaxed sound. The closed in-ear design isolates well from outside noise.
Cons: Hobbyist measurements on squig.link show the presence region about 7.5 dB under target with a 9.7 dB dip near 5.5 kHz, which makes vocals and guitars recessed and dull. Sub-bass also falls about 4 dB short, so electronic music lacks rumble. The FiiO FA9 carries a higher rating for less money.
Full Kinera Skuld review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.57 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 5 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 23 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 120 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.9 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 | +5.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,986 Hz | +5.8 dB | 0.19 |
| Peak | 151 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 1,435 Hz | -5.0 dB | 2.04 |
| Peak | 3,102 Hz | -3.4 dB | 4.12 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 697 Hz | +0.5 dB | 1.91 |
| Peak | 294 Hz | -0.3 dB | 1.56 |
| Peak | 4,766 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,372 Hz | +1.6 dB | 5.99 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Shure SE535: $499.00 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Its very high 119 dB/mW sensitivity means it gets loud from any phone or laptop with little effort. Low mids sit slightly above target, so listeners who like a warm, relaxed tone may find it easy to listen to. Three balanced armature drivers split the work between two woofers and a tweeter.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement presence runs about 8.6 dB low and air about 8 dB low, with a 12.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so detail and sparkle are subdued and the sound turns dark. Sub-bass is about 7 dB below target and falls 6 dB short at 60 Hz. The FiiO FA9 is rated higher at a similar price.
Full Shure SE535 review and specifications →
| Released | 2010 (16 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.86 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 3 x balanced armature (2 woofers + 1 tweeter) |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 18Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 54 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 119 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 60 Hz (-8.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | +5.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 276 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 5,384 Hz | +6.6 dB | 0.84 |
| Peak | 9,692 Hz | +0.7 dB | 5.96 |
| Peak | 24 Hz | -0.7 dB | 2.86 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,376 Hz | -2.9 dB | 4.07 |
| Peak | 730 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.50 |
| Peak | 223 Hz | -0.3 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 1,223 Hz | -0.7 dB | 2.44 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons