Short answer: the Softears Studio 4. It ranks #298 of 657 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $449. The Softears Studio 2 ranks #645, rated 1.2/5, at $152, $297 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the Softears Studio 2: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 12.6 dB low with a 15.6 dB dip near 5.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
The Softears Studio 4 is the better-sounding option. The median of 27 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 74 with a 1.88 dB spread. Watch for: Presence sits about 4.7 dB low with a 7.2 dB dip near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Softears Studio 4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $297 with the Softears Studio 2 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Softears Studio 2 | Softears Studio 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $152.00 | $449.00 |
| Ranked | #645 of 657 in In-Ear Headphones | #298 of 657 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 x balanced armature | 4 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 86 ohms | 12 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 127 dB/Vrms | 123 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 40 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 74 (median of 27 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.68 dB standard deviation | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.78 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.25 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-7.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 Studio 2: $152.00 Amazon $152.00 eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 2 x balanced armature.
Cons: Presence sits about 12.6 dB low with a 15.6 dB dip near 5.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 7.1 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 40 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
Full Softears Studio 2 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.68 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 40 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 86 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 127 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-7.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.78 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
Softears Studio 4: $449.00 Amazon $449.00 eBay
Pros: The median of 27 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 74 with a 1.88 dB spread. It uses 4 x balanced armature with an easy 12 ohm load.
Cons: Presence sits about 4.7 dB low with a 7.2 dB dip near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 3 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble.
Full Softears Studio 4 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 4 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 27 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 12 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 123 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.25 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons