Short answer: the qdc Anole VX. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#820 and #787 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the qdc Anole VX costs $2,499 against $2,599 for the Noble Audio Kublai Khan, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Noble Audio Kublai Khan does well: Upper treble lifts about 2.8 dB for extra air and sparkle. Watch for: Presence sits about 7.7 dB low with a 9.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
The case for the qdc Anole VX: Ten balanced armatures keep bass close to target, within about 1.4 dB from 20 Hz to 200 Hz in squig.link measurements, so low end is clean and controlled rather than boomy. The catch: Across hobbyist measurements a deep 10.7 dB dip near 5.4 kHz leaves the presence band 6.2 dB low, so vocals, snare and guitars lose clarity and attack.
Buy the qdc Anole VX. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $100 less than the Noble Audio Kublai Khan.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Upper treble lifts about 2.8 dB for extra air and sparkle.
Bloom Audio $2,599.00 eBay
Ten balanced armatures keep bass close to target, within about 1.4 dB from 20 Hz to 200 Hz in squig.link measurements, so low end is clean and controlled rather than boomy.
Shenzhenaudio $2,499.00 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
| Noble Audio Kublai Khan | qdc Anole VX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,599.00 | $2,499.00 |
| Ranked | #787 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #820 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 1 x 10mm piezoelectric + 1 x bone conduction | 10 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 15.4 ohms | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 25kHz | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) | 67 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.51 dB standard deviation | 2.81 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Back | - | Closed |
| Sensitivity | - | 110-113 dB SPL/mW |
| 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 Noble Audio Kublai Khan from aden, bloomaudio, dchpgall and hbb; the qdc Anole VX from aden, breampike, bukanaudiophile, dchpgall, dl, eliseaudio, iemocean, nymz, precog, sl0the and superreview, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Noble Audio Kublai Khan: