Short answer: the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II. It ranks #72 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $296.65; the Etymotic EVO ranks #114, rated 4.4/5, and costs $298.98, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II: Seventeen hobbyist measurements on squig.link give its ten balanced armature drivers a preference score of 80.0, with bass, low mids and upper mids all within about 0.6 dB of target. The tradeoff: Presence and treble both sit roughly 3.5 dB below target with a 5.1 dB dip near 7.1 kHz, so attacks on piano and percussion can sound softened.
The case for the Etymotic EVO: Three balanced armature drivers deliver a flat, uncolored midrange, with the 1 to 3 kHz region within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and a preference score of 78. Watch for: Bass is lean, with sub-bass about 3.3 dB under target and the 60 to 200 Hz region 1.5 dB under, so kick drums and bass lines have less weight than most listeners prefer.
Buy the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Etymotic EVO and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Kiwi Ears Orchestra II | Etymotic EVO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $296.65 | $298.98 |
| Ranked | #72 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #114 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 80 (median of 19 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.38 dB standard deviation | 1.89 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.39 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.08 (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 (-2.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 10 x balanced armature | 3 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 15 ohms | 47 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/mW | 99 dB SPL at 0.1V, 1kHz |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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- Etymotic EVO vs Myer Audio SLIIVO SL-41 Pro
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 Orchestra II: $296.65 Amazon eBay
Pros: Seventeen hobbyist measurements on squig.link give its ten balanced armature drivers a preference score of 80.0, with bass, low mids and upper mids all within about 0.6 dB of target. The air band lifts about 4.3 dB above 10 kHz, adding openness and a sense of space to orchestral and acoustic recordings. At 15 ohms and 110 dB/mW it runs comfortably from a phone.
Cons: Presence and treble both sit roughly 3.5 dB below target with a 5.1 dB dip near 7.1 kHz, so attacks on piano and percussion can sound softened. Sub-bass trails target by 1.3 dB, so it lacks some of the deep rumble of a good dynamic driver.
Full Kiwi Ears Orchestra II review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2025 (11 months ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.38 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 10 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 80 (median of 19 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.39 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Etymotic EVO: $298.98 Amazon eBay
Pros: Three balanced armature drivers deliver a flat, uncolored midrange, with the 1 to 3 kHz region within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and a preference score of 78. Response is smooth, with a standard deviation of 1.89 dB around target. The deep-insertion wired design is passive noise isolating, and the 47 ohm impedance still works from a phone or dongle.
Cons: Bass is lean, with sub-bass about 3.3 dB under target and the 60 to 200 Hz region 1.5 dB under, so kick drums and bass lines have less weight than most listeners prefer. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 3.5 dB low and the response drops 7.4 dB near 11.9 kHz, which makes cymbals and air sound dull. Sensitivity of 99 dB at 0.1V is modest, so volume needs more headroom than the most efficient earphones.
Full Etymotic EVO review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.89 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 3 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 47 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB SPL at 0.1V, 1kHz |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.5 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 | +0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,788 Hz | -3.1 dB | 1.61 |
| Peak | 6,507 Hz | +4.6 dB | 1.49 |
| Peak | 197 Hz | -1.4 dB | 1.38 |
| Peak | 64 Hz | +1.9 dB | 0.98 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +4.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 819 Hz | +1.2 dB | 1.66 |
| Peak | 1,255 Hz | -0.9 dB | 3.19 |
| Peak | 4,378 Hz | -0.7 dB | 4.42 |
| Peak | 7,270 Hz | -1.7 dB | 5.95 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons