qdc Anole V6 vs Sennheiser IE 900

Short answer: the qdc Anole V6. It ranks #369 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $1,298; the Sennheiser IE 900 ranks #383, rated 3.1/5, and costs $1,299.95, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.

The case for the qdc Anole V6: Six balanced armature drivers per side earn a preference score of 65 in crinacle’s measurement with a warm leaning balance. The tradeoff: An average deviation of about 2.9 dB from target makes the tuning uneven, with some bands noticeably louder or quieter than others.

Why pick the Sennheiser IE 900: Oratory1990 measured sub-bass and bass within about 1.2 dB of target, so the low end is tidy and controlled. Watch for: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 6.7 dB below the Harman target, with an 8.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, which recesses vocals and removes some bite.

Buy the qdc Anole V6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sennheiser IE 900 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

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

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

More worthwhile head-to-heads for qdc Anole V6:

• Unique Melody MEST Mk2 vs qdc Anole V6
• SeeAudio Neo vs qdc Anole V6
• Sennheiser IE 900 vs Westone MACH 80
• Sennheiser IE 900 vs FiiO FH5
• Sennheiser IE 600 vs Sennheiser IE 900

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The Two Headphones In Full

qdc Anole V6: $1,298.00 Shenzhenaudio eBay

Pros: Six balanced armature drivers per side earn a preference score of 65 in crinacle’s measurement with a warm leaning balance. It matches the rating of the 64 Audio A12t for considerably less money, and its 106 to 109 dB/mW sensitivity makes it easy to drive from a phone.

Cons: An average deviation of about 2.9 dB from target makes the tuning uneven, with some bands noticeably louder or quieter than others. Better rated in-ears are available for far less money.

Full qdc Anole V6 review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Built-in Microphone	No
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.85 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Balanced armature
Drivers	6 x balanced armature
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	65 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ)
Sensitivity	106 - 109 dB SPL/mW
Tonal Tilt	-0.62 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.0 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	-0.2 dB	0.70
Peak	5,865 Hz	+5.5 dB	1.25
Peak	167 Hz	-2.7 dB	0.91
Peak	1,494 Hz	-2.8 dB	1.71
Peak	761 Hz	+0.9 dB	1.13
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-8.1 dB	0.70
Peak	9,096 Hz	+3.7 dB	0.91
Peak	4,218 Hz	-2.5 dB	5.80
Peak	3,087 Hz	+0.7 dB	3.79
Peak	6,799 Hz	-3.0 dB	5.99

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the qdc Anole V6 (crinacle measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • qdc Anole V6 vs SeeAudio Neo
  • qdc Anole V6 vs Unique Melody MEST Mk2

Sennheiser IE 900: $1,299.95 Amazon eBay

Pros: Oratory1990 measured sub-bass and bass within about 1.2 dB of target, so the low end is tidy and controlled. Sensitivity of 123 dB SPL/V and a 16 ohm impedance make it easy to drive from a phone, and the 7mm dynamic driver is rated to reach from 5 Hz to 48 kHz. Top-octave air sits about 3.6 dB above target for an open, detailed treble.

Cons: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 6.7 dB below the Harman target, with an 8.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, which recesses vocals and removes some bite. A preference score of 63 is modest for such a premium product, and the HIFIMAN RE2000 has a higher rating at a lower price.

Full Sennheiser IE 900 review and specifications →

Released	2021 (5 years ago)
Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.82 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 7mm dynamic
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 48kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	16 ohms
Sensitivity	123 dB SPL/V
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.92 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.3 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	-2.3 dB	0.70
Peak	4,081 Hz	+5.0 dB	2.86
Peak	204 Hz	-2.6 dB	1.13
Peak	1,472 Hz	-2.7 dB	2.33
Peak	2,956 Hz	+5.2 dB	2.42
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-4.4 dB	0.70
Peak	67 Hz	+0.6 dB	1.76
Peak	26 Hz	-0.9 dB	3.19
Peak	729 Hz	+0.4 dB	2.54
Peak	376 Hz	-0.4 dB	2.69

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Sennheiser IE 900 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs FiiO FH5
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Westone MACH 80
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 600
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 4
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 200