Short answer: the Unique Melody Maven III. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#807 and #820 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the Unique Melody Maven III costs $2,199 against $2,499 for the qdc Anole VX, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
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.
The case for the Unique Melody Maven III: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target. The catch: Treble about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the Unique Melody Maven III. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $300 less than the qdc Anole VX.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
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 eBay
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target.
MusicTeck $2,199 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| qdc Anole VX | Unique Melody Maven III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499.00 | $2,199 |
| Ranked | #820 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #807 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.81 dB standard deviation | 2.49 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.66 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Tribrid |
| Drivers | 10 x balanced armature | 2 Dynamic, 4 Balanced Armature, 4 Electrostatic, 1 Bone Conduction |
| Sensitivity | 110-113 dB SPL/mW | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| 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 qdc Anole VX from aden, breampike, bukanaudiophile, dchpgall, dl, eliseaudio, iemocean, nymz, precog, sl0the and superreview; the Unique Melody Maven III from dl, hbb, joycesreview and takeitslow7, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Unique Melody Maven III: