Short answer: the SymphonyEars Hexad II. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#842 and #781 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the SymphonyEars Hexad II costs $379 against $399 for the ZiiGaat Arcanis, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
Why pick the SymphonyEars Hexad II: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 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.
The case for the ZiiGaat Arcanis: Mids from 250 Hz to 3 kHz sit within 1 dB of target across 25 measurements, so vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Presence falls about 7 dB low with a 9.8 dB dip near 5.9 kHz, which strips detail and edge from instruments, and sub-bass is 2.1 dB short at 30 Hz.
Buy the SymphonyEars Hexad II. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $20 less than the ZiiGaat Arcanis.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 67 against the Harman target.
SymphonyEars $379 eBay
Mids from 250 Hz to 3 kHz sit within 1 dB of target across 25 measurements, so vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural.
Amazon $399.00 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| SymphonyEars Hexad II | ZiiGaat Arcanis | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $379 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #842 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #781 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 25 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.01 dB standard deviation | 2.46 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.43 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired (3.5mm / 4.4mm) | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced Armature | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 6 Balanced Armature | 2 x 10mm dynamic (isobaric) + 5 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | - | 12 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 106 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 25kHz (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 SymphonyEars Hexad II from audioamigo, isaiahse, jaytiss and superreview; the ZiiGaat Arcanis from aden, aftersound, atechreviews, audioamigo, avishai, bloomaudio, breampike, cqtek, dl, fernandagunsan, gadgetrytech, hbb, iemocean, jaytiss, joycesreview, kr0mka, kuping-sensi, lown-fi, pw, silicagel, soundcheck39, soundignity, superreview, timmyv and vortexreviews, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for ZiiGaat Arcanis: