Short answer: the Penon Vortex. It ranks #754 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $199; the Hisenior T4 ranks #804, rated 3.5/5, at $199. Close enough in price that the sound-quality gap is the deciding factor.
The case for the Penon Vortex: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 69 against the Harman target. The catch: Treble about 2 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
What the Hisenior T4 does well: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target. The tradeoff: Treble about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the Penon Vortex. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Hisenior T4 at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 69 against the Harman target.
Penon Audio $199 eBay
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target.
Amazon $199 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
| Penon Vortex | Hisenior T4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $199 |
| Ranked | #754 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #804 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 69 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.54 dB standard deviation | 2.66 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.13 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Balanced Armature |
| Drivers | 1 Dynamic (10mm DLC & beryllium-plated) | 4 Balanced Armature |
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 Penon Vortex from harpo, jaytiss and tgx78; the Hisenior T4 from digaoreviews, ducbloke, flare, iemocean, sl0the and soundcheck39, all via squig.link.
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