Short answer: the SoftEars RSV. It ranks #184 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $729. The ISN Audio EBC80 ranks #251, rated 4.0/5, at $699, $30 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the SoftEars RSV: Its preference score of 76 from crinacle’s measurement comes with just 1.76 dB of deviation, so tonal balance is smooth and natural. Watch for: Presence runs about 2.9 dB below target, giving vocals and guitars a slightly laid back edge, and a 4 dB dip near 10.3 kHz trims some sparkle.
Buy the SoftEars RSV. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $30 with the ISN Audio EBC80 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| SoftEars RSV | ISN Audio EBC80 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $729.00 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #184 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #251 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 76 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 74 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.76 dB standard deviation | 1.91 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.39 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic + 2 bone conduction) |
| Drivers | 5 x balanced armature | 2 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic + 2 x bone conduction |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 125 dB/Vrms | 106 dB |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How SoftEars RSV compares with other leading options:
- FlipEars Aisha Electri vs SoftEars RSV
- SoftEars RSV vs Shanling Regal
- SoftEars RSV vs DUNU Zen
- ISN Audio EBC80 vs DUNU Zen
- Shanling Regal vs ISN Audio EBC80
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
SoftEars RSV: $729.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Its preference score of 76 from crinacle’s measurement comes with just 1.76 dB of deviation, so tonal balance is smooth and natural. Across 21 hobbyist measurements on squig.link no band strays more than about 3 dB from target, and sub-bass stays within 6 dB down to 20 Hz. It is rated above the SoftEars Twilight, which costs more, and its 125 dB/Vrms sensitivity makes it easy to drive from a phone.
Cons: Presence runs about 2.9 dB below target, giving vocals and guitars a slightly laid back edge, and a 4 dB dip near 10.3 kHz trims some sparkle. The 8 ohm impedance is very low, so it pairs best with sources that have low output impedance to keep its tuning intact.
Full SoftEars RSV review and specifications →
| Released | 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.76 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 5 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 76 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 125 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.39 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.4 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 | +0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,429 Hz | +5.8 dB | 1.27 |
| Peak | 350 Hz | -1.4 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 862 Hz | +1.8 dB | 2.03 |
| Peak | 4,128 Hz | +1.5 dB | 4.48 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,856 Hz | -1.3 dB | 4.73 |
| Peak | 2,096 Hz | +0.9 dB | 3.23 |
| Peak | 40 Hz | -0.4 dB | 2.22 |
| Peak | 80 Hz | +0.3 dB | 1.97 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
ISN Audio EBC80: $699.00 Amazon eBay
Full ISN Audio EBC80 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.91 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic + 2 bone conduction) |
| Drivers | 2 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic + 2 x bone conduction |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons