Short answer: the Symphonium Audio Triton. It ranks #779 of 1369 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $899; the Unique Melody MEST MKIII ranks #903, rated 3.4/5, and costs $1,919, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the Symphonium Audio Triton: The hybrid of one dynamic driver and two balanced armatures keeps the bass and midrange close to target, with the bass band within 0.5 dB and the upper mids within 0.9 dB in squig.link measurements. The tradeoff: Across hobbyist measurements the presence band sits 5.1 dB low with a 6.6 dB dip near 6.3 kHz, which dulls vocal edge, cymbals and fine detail.
What the Unique Melody MEST MKIII does well: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 66 against the Harman target. Watch for: Treble about 4 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Buy the Symphonium Audio Triton. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Unique Melody MEST MKIII and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
The hybrid of one dynamic driver and two balanced armatures keeps the bass and midrange close to target, with the bass band within 0.5 dB and the upper mids within 0.9 dB in squig.link measurements.
Headphones.com $899.00 eBay
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 66 against the Harman target.
MusicTeck $1,919.00 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Symphonium Audio Triton | Unique Melody MEST MKIII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899.00 | $1,919.00 |
| Ranked | #779 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #903 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 66 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.43 dB standard deviation | 2.64 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.63 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) | Quadbrid |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature | 10 drivers (1 dynamic driver + 4 balanced armatures + 4 electrostatic + 1 bone conduction driver) |
| Impedance | 8.3 ohms | 14 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107 dB SPL/V | 104 dB |
| Frequency Response | 11Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 70kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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 Symphonium Audio Triton from aden, animagus, eliseaudio, harutohiroki, listener, precog, superreview and vortexreviews; the Unique Melody MEST MKIII from aden, dl, harutohiroki, hbb, kazi, musicafe, practiphile and precog, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Symphonium Audio Triton compares with other leading options: