Short answer: the Kinera Skuld, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #1060 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.7/5, at $550; the Sony XBA-Z5 ranks #1097, rated 2.5/5, and costs $699.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 1291 in-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the Truthear Nova instead, ranked #2 at $169.99.
The case for the Kinera Skuld: Five balanced armatures and 120 dB sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels easily from a phone. Watch for: 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.
Why pick the Sony XBA-Z5: Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 3.5 dB low with an 8 dB dip near 7.1 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Kinera Skuld. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony XBA-Z5 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Five balanced armatures and 120 dB sensitivity mean it reaches loud levels easily from a phone.
Amazon $550.00 eBay
Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Acoustic Sounds $699.99 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
| Kinera Skuld | Sony XBA-Z5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $550.00 | $699.99 |
| Ranked | #1060 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1097 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 55 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.57 dB standard deviation | 3.35 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.85 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 5 x balanced armature | 1 x 16mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 23 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 120 dB | 107 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 3Hz - 40kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (11 g) (without cable) |
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 Kinera Skuld from aftersound, eliseaudio, hu-fi, iemworld, mmagtech and timmyv; the Sony XBA-Z5 from bassyalexander, hbb and rg, all via squig.link.
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