Short answer: the QoA Matador. It ranks #432 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $235. The 7Hz Timeless II ranks #504, rated 3.9/5, at $229, $6 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the QoA Matador does well: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 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.
Why pick the 7Hz Timeless II: The median of 19 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 1.92 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The catch: Presence sits about 3.6 dB low with a 5 dB dip near 3.5 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the QoA Matador. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $6 with the 7Hz Timeless II does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 74 against the Harman target.
e-earphone (JP) eBay
The median of 19 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 1.92 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
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Specifications Side By Side
| QoA Matador | 7Hz Timeless II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $235 | $229.00 |
| Ranked | #432 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #504 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 72 (median of 19 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.94 dB standard deviation | 1.92 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.59 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic, 2 x balanced armature | 1 x 14.5mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | - | 15.2 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 108 dB/V |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (5 g) per earbud |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 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 QoA Matador from aftersound, bassaudio, soundcheck39 and tonedeafmonk; the 7Hz Timeless II from aden, atechreviews, audioamigo, avishai, csi-zone, dl, eliseaudio, hbb, hu-fi, jaytiss, koi, pw, silicagel, soundcheck39, soundignity, superreview, theaudiostore, treblewellxtended and zerostresslevel, all via squig.link.
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