Short answer: the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro. Both are rated 3.2/5 for sound quality (#986 and #1001 of 1369 in-ear headphones), and the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro costs $169.99 against $189 for the Zuo Drum String Phanta, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro does well: These true wireless earbuds have bass about 2 to 3 dB above target and extend flat to 20 Hz, giving a warm, punchy sound that suits bassy and warm listeners. Watch for: Hobbyist measurements give it a Harman preference score of 64.2 with 2.5 dB of deviation, a fairly colored tuning.
The case for the Zuo Drum String Phanta: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. Watch for: An uneven response, 2.8 dB standard deviation from target.
Buy the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $19.01 less than the Zuo Drum String Phanta.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
These true wireless earbuds have bass about 2 to 3 dB above target and extend flat to 20 Hz, giving a warm, punchy sound that suits bassy and warm listeners.
Amazon $169.99 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
AliExpress $189.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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
| Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro | Zuo Drum String Phanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169.99 | $189.00 |
| Ranked | #986 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #1001 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 64 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.51 dB standard deviation | 2.75 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.79 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.58 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | True wireless | Wired |
| Driver Type | - | Dynamic |
| Drivers | - | 3 x dynamic drivers (1 x 10mm graphene full-range + 2 x 8mm coaxial dual dynamic bass) |
| Impedance | - | 11 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 101 dB |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 20kHz |
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