Short answer: the Sony INZONE Buds. It ranks #964 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $238. The Etymotic ER4XR ranks #982, rated 3.0/5, at $229.99, $8.01 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the Sony INZONE Buds does well: Active noise cancelling, an IPX4 rating and a USB transceiver connection with up to 11 hours of battery (longer over Bluetooth LE Audio) make it a convenient gaming earbud. The tradeoff: Bluetooth is LE Audio only with the LC3 codec, so many older phones and laptops cannot use it without the dongle.
The case for the Etymotic ER4XR: Upper mids sit within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and low mids within 0.4 dB, so vocals and instruments come through clearly and naturally. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 7.2 dB under target and bass is 2.6 dB low, so kick drums and bass lines lack weight and rumble.
Buy the Sony INZONE Buds. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $8.01 saving on the Etymotic ER4XR is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Active noise cancelling, an IPX4 rating and a USB transceiver connection with up to 11 hours of battery (longer over Bluetooth LE Audio) make it a convenient gaming earbud.
Amazon $238.00 Lowest Sony $239.99 eBay
Upper mids sit within 0.5 dB of the Harman target and low mids within 0.4 dB, so vocals and instruments come through clearly and naturally.
Amazon $229.99 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sony INZONE Buds | Etymotic ER4XR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $238.00 | $229.99 |
| Ranked | #964 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #982 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 62 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.99 dB standard deviation | 3.06 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.61 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-6.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | True wireless | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x 8.4mm dynamic | 1 x balanced armature |
| Weight | 0 lbs (6.5 g) per earbud | - |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (12 with ANC off via USB transceiver; 18 / 24 via Bluetooth LE Audio, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LC3 (LE Audio only) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | - |
| Impedance | - | 45 ohms |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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 Sony INZONE Buds from gadgetrytech, melatonin and silicagel; the Etymotic ER4XR from aden, dchpgall, dentreviews, musicafe, precog and superreview, all via squig.link.
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