Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 4.4/5 (#108 and #115 of 450 in-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($199 vs $198), so choose on features and fit.
Why pick the Queen of Audio Aviation: Six hobbyist measurements on squig.link give the Aviation a preference score of 78.8, with a warm, bass forward tuning that lifts the 60 to 200 Hz range about 3.2 dB above target. Watch for: Presence between 3 and 6 kHz sits about 4.5 dB below target with a 6 dB dip near 3.5 kHz, so vocals and guitars can sound distant and veiled.
The case for the Sony WF-1000XM5: Mild bass emphasis, about 1.9 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, adds warmth without muddying the midrange, which stays within 0.8 dB of the target for a preference score of 78. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 2.2 dB low, with a 4.9 dB dip near 8 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance lose some bite.
Buy the Queen of Audio Aviation or the Sony WF-1000XM5 on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Queen of Audio Aviation | Sony WF-1000XM5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.00 | $198.00 |
| Ranked | #108 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #115 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.66 dB standard deviation | 1.87 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | True wireless |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 3 balanced armature) | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 8mm dynamic + 3 x balanced armature | 1 x 8.4mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 39 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (5.9 g) per earbud |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 8 hours (24 with case, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| IP Rating | - | IPX4 |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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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The Two Headphones In Full
Queen of Audio Aviation: $199.00 Linsoul eBay
Pros: Six hobbyist measurements on squig.link give the Aviation a preference score of 78.8, with a warm, bass forward tuning that lifts the 60 to 200 Hz range about 3.2 dB above target. That suits listeners who want full, punchy drums and thick rhythm sections. Its 118 dB sensitivity makes it very easy to drive from a phone.
Cons: Presence between 3 and 6 kHz sits about 4.5 dB below target with a 6 dB dip near 3.5 kHz, so vocals and guitars can sound distant and veiled. Air above 10 kHz is also 2.3 dB short, reducing sparkle, and a 5.5 dB peak near 8.1 kHz can make sibilance stand out against the otherwise dark treble.
Full Queen of Audio Aviation review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.66 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 3 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 8mm dynamic + 3 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 39 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony WF-1000XM5: $198.00 TWS Amazon eBay
Pros: Mild bass emphasis, about 1.9 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, adds warmth without muddying the midrange, which stays within 0.8 dB of the target for a preference score of 78. Active noise cancelling, LDAC, AAC and SBC support, Bluetooth 5.3 and an IPX4 rating make it a full-featured true wireless set. Battery lasts about 8 hours per charge, 24 with the case, and each bud weighs 5.9 g.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 2.2 dB low, with a 4.9 dB dip near 8 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance lose some bite. A 2.9 dB peak near 10.6 kHz can add a touch of artificial shimmer. Sub-bass sits about 1.9 dB below target, so the bass is punchy more than deep. The wired Sennheiser IE 200 matches its rating at a lower price and without charging.
Full Sony WF-1000XM5 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (24 with case, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | True wireless |
| Deviation From Target | 1.87 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 8.4mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.9 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -2.6 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 | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 68 Hz | -4.8 dB | 0.27 |
| Peak | 1,377 Hz | +2.6 dB | 0.31 |
| Peak | 1,806 Hz | -3.5 dB | 1.16 |
| Peak | 6,875 Hz | +1.8 dB | 3.49 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +2.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,757 Hz | +0.3 dB | 2.56 |
| Peak | 5,057 Hz | -0.7 dB | 5.70 |
| Peak | 449 Hz | +0.3 dB | 4.15 |
| Peak | 677 Hz | -0.2 dB | 2.75 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons