KZ PR1 vs Sennheiser IE 40 Pro

Short answer: the KZ PR1. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#354 and #355 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the KZ PR1 costs $87.99 against $109 for the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.

Why pick the KZ PR1: Its 13.2 mm planar magnetic driver is rare at this price, and crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 67. The tradeoff: The squig.link measurements show a 10.5 dB peak near 11.2 kHz and air almost 12 dB above target, which can add glare and sizzle to cymbals.

The case for the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro: Oratory1990’s measurement shows bass 1.0 dB and low mids 1.4 dB above target, a gentle warmth that suits relaxed listening, and the preference score of 67 is acceptable. The tradeoff: Presence is 4.5 dB under target across 3 to 6 kHz, with a 6.4 dB dip near 3.1 kHz, so vocals and guitars sound recessed and detail is dulled.

Buy the KZ PR1. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $21.01 less than the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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• Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs Shure SE215

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

KZ PR1: $87.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: Its 13.2 mm planar magnetic driver is rare at this price, and crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 67. Across six hobbyist measurements on squig.link the bass sits about 4 dB above the Harman target down to 20 Hz, giving electronic and hip hop tracks a solid, rumbling foundation. It rates above the iBasso IT01S at about the same price.

Cons: The squig.link measurements show a 10.5 dB peak near 11.2 kHz and air almost 12 dB above target, which can add glare and sizzle to cymbals. Sensitivity of 96 dB is low for an in-ear, so a phone may need to run near full volume. The TFZ T2 Galaxy rates higher and costs less.

Full KZ PR1 review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.36 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Drivers	1 x 13.2mm planar magnetic
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	67 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	16 ohms
Sensitivity	96 dB
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.5 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -3.4 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	-1.7 dB	0.70
Peak	171 Hz	-3.5 dB	0.86
Peak	819 Hz	+3.1 dB	1.02
Peak	4,351 Hz	+4.0 dB	1.33
Peak	2,387 Hz	-2.6 dB	1.15
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-15.5 dB	0.70
Peak	6,790 Hz	+4.5 dB	2.11
Peak	5,647 Hz	-2.4 dB	4.34
Peak	9,447 Hz	+3.7 dB	2.87
Peak	65 Hz	+0.2 dB	2.39

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the KZ PR1 (crinacle measurement)
  • Frequency response measurements of the KZ PR1 by 6 squig.link measurers
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • KZ PR1 vs iBasso IT01S
  • KZ PR1 vs BGVP DN3
  • KZ PR1 vs Tin HiFi T4

Sennheiser IE 40 Pro: $109.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: Oratory1990’s measurement shows bass 1.0 dB and low mids 1.4 dB above target, a gentle warmth that suits relaxed listening, and the preference score of 67 is acceptable. A 20 ohm impedance and 115 dB SPL/V sensitivity mean a phone drives it with ease, which suits monitoring and portable use. The balance leans toward warm and V-shaped tastes.

Cons: Presence is 4.5 dB under target across 3 to 6 kHz, with a 6.4 dB dip near 3.1 kHz, so vocals and guitars sound recessed and detail is dulled. Sub-bass is 3.6 dB light, so deep rumble is absent. Then the top end swings the opposite way, with a peak of 8.3 dB at 11.9 kHz and air 5.7 dB over target, which can add a brittle sheen. Tonal balance is clearly uneven, with a deviation of 2.94 dB.

Full Sennheiser IE 40 Pro review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.94 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 10mm dynamic
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	20 ohms
Sensitivity	115 dB SPL/V
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.1 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -5.6 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	+5.6 dB	0.70
Peak	2,997 Hz	+5.7 dB	1.48
Peak	75 Hz	-4.1 dB	0.38
Peak	1,267 Hz	-0.8 dB	2.09
Peak	261 Hz	-1.1 dB	1.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.7 dB	0.70
Peak	9,787 Hz	-3.3 dB	1.71
Peak	4,341 Hz	+1.1 dB	3.77
Peak	6,644 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.97
Peak	7,958 Hz	-1.2 dB	5.41

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs iBasso IT01S
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs FiiO FH3
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs Shure SE215