Short answer: the Shuoer S12. Both are rated 4.5/5 for sound quality (#62 and #88 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the Shuoer S12 costs $129 against $135 for the Kiwi Ears Ember, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Shuoer S12 does well: A planar magnetic driver is unusual in an in-ear and gives a Harman score of 80 with a smooth 1.62 dB deviation. The catch: A 4.2 dB peak near 8.2 kHz can make cymbals and sibilants slightly sharp, and treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 1.6 dB hot.
Buy the Shuoer S12. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $6 less than the Kiwi Ears Ember.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Kiwi Ears Ember | Shuoer S12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $135.00 | $129.00 |
| Ranked | #88 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #62 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.61 dB standard deviation | 1.62 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x 6mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x 14.8mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 19 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB/mW | 102 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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More top alternatives to Shuoer S12:
- Final Audio A4000 vs Shuoer S12
- Shuoer S12 vs Simgot EM6L
- Shuoer S12 vs Kefine Quatio
- Kiwi Ears Ember vs Moondrop Starfield 2
- Final Audio A4000 vs Kiwi Ears Ember
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
Kiwi Ears Ember: $135.00 Linsoul eBay
Full Kiwi Ears Ember review and specifications →
| Released | 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.61 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x 6mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 19 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Shuoer S12: $129.00 Amazon AliExpress eBay
Pros: A planar magnetic driver is unusual in an in-ear and gives a Harman score of 80 with a smooth 1.62 dB deviation. Bass is lifted about 1.9 dB, adding warmth and punch, while the upper mids and treble stay close to target. The 16 ohm impedance is easy to drive from a phone, and it matches the Final Audio A4000 on rating.
Cons: A 4.2 dB peak near 8.2 kHz can make cymbals and sibilants slightly sharp, and treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 1.6 dB hot. Presence from 3 to 6 kHz sits 2.4 dB under target with a 3.3 dB dip near 3.75 kHz, so vocals can lose some forwardness. The 102 dB per mW sensitivity asks for a bit more volume than efficient rivals.
Full Shuoer S12 review and specifications →
| Released | 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.62 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 14.8mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -2.5 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 | +0.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 776 Hz | +2.9 dB | 0.76 |
| Peak | 162 Hz | -2.3 dB | 0.89 |
| Peak | 2,097 Hz | -3.4 dB | 0.90 |
| Peak | 3,690 Hz | +3.8 dB | 1.44 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,122 Hz | +1.6 dB | 5.71 |
| Peak | 7,230 Hz | -0.7 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 37 Hz | -0.3 dB | 2.35 |
| Peak | 65 Hz | +0.2 dB | 2.13 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons