Short answer: the TRN VX. Both are rated 3.6/5 for sound quality (#769 and #709 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the TRN VX costs $72.99 against $77.99 for the Kiwi Ears Stardust, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the Kiwi Ears Stardust: The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 69 with a 2.42 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 1.4 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 5.3 dB low with an 8.1 dB dip near 5.8 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the TRN VX: A budget hybrid with one dynamic driver and six balanced armatures. The catch: Bass sits about 2.2 dB below target, so it sounds lean.
Buy the TRN VX. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $5 less than the Kiwi Ears Stardust.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
The median of 12 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 69 with a 2.42 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 1.4 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $77.99 eBay
A budget hybrid with one dynamic driver and six balanced armatures.
Shenzhenaudio $72.99 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
| Kiwi Ears Stardust | TRN VX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $77.99 | $72.99 |
| Ranked | #709 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #769 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 6 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 13 ohms | 22 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz | - |
| Weight | 0 lbs (20 g) | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 69 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.42 dB standard deviation | 2.38 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.45 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.52 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 107 dB/mW |
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 Stardust from aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, bedrock, faxepremium, hbb, jaytiss, kazi, kuping-sensi, practiphile and superreview; the TRN VX from bedrock, bryaudioreviews, eplv, melatonin, musicafe and pw, all via squig.link.
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