Short answer: the KINERA URD. It ranks #1007 of 1369 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.2/5, at $650; the Softears RSV MKII ranks #1033, rated 3.1/5, and costs $699, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the KINERA URD: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The catch: Treble about 4 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Why pick the Softears RSV MKII: Five balanced armature drivers at 7 ohms and 122 dB/Vrms make it very easy to drive from a phone or dongle. The tradeoff: The bass lift spills into the low mids at 1.4 dB over target while presence sits 3.0 dB down with a 4.7 dB dip near 6.1 kHz, so the sound leans thick and vocals lose some clarity, for a preference score of 63.2 across 13 squig.link measurements.
Buy the KINERA URD. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Softears RSV MKII and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
Kinera $650.00 eBay
Five balanced armature drivers at 7 ohms and 122 dB/Vrms make it very easy to drive from a phone or dongle.
Amazon $699.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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 URD | Softears RSV MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $650.00 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #1007 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #1033 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 63 (median of 13 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.56 dB standard deviation | 2.46 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 DD + 1 BA + 2 EST (2 x 8mm coaxial dynamic drivers, 1 x Kinera customized 11021 balanced armature, 2 x Sonion EST65DB01 electrostatic drivers) | 5 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 20 ohms | 7 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107 dB | 122 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.5 g) (per earbud) | - |
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 URD from adri-n, hbb, hu-fi, ianfann, listener, musicafe, practiphile and zerostresslevel; the Softears RSV MKII from aftersound, animagus, atechreviews, audioamigo, cammyfi, jaytiss, listener, precog, silicagel, sl0the, soundignity, superreview and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
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