Short answer: the Kiwi Ears Aether. It ranks #447 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $169.99; the Pula PA02 ranks #483, rated 3.9/5, and costs $170.10, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the Kiwi Ears Aether: The median of 27 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 2.10 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 4.6 dB low with a 5.8 dB dip near 4.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the Pula PA02: The median of 17 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 1.93 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.8 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 4.8 dB low with a 7.4 dB dip near 5.8 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Kiwi Ears Aether. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Pula PA02 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
The median of 27 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 2.10 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $169.99 eBay
The median of 17 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 1.93 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.8 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
HiFiGo $170.10 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Kiwi Ears Aether | Pula PA02 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169.99 | $170.10 |
| Ranked | #447 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #483 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 73 (median of 27 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 73 (median of 17 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation | 1.93 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.24 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 15.3mm planar magnetic | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 14 ohms | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 Kiwi Ears Aether from aden, aftersound, arn, atechreviews, audioamigo, avishai, boizoff, cqtek, dl, ducbloke, gadgetrytech, hbb, jaytiss, joycesreview, kazi, koi, kuping-sensi, obodio, pw, silicagel, soundcheck39, soundignity, superreview, timmyv, tonedeafmonk, treblewellxtended and vortexreviews; the Pula PA02 from aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, breampike, dchpgall, fernandagunsan, gadgetgenerations, harpo, iemocean, jaytiss, mmagtech, riz, silicagel, sl0the, soundignity, tgx78, timmyv and tonedeafmonk, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Kiwi Ears Aether compares with other leading options: