Short answer: the Truthear Nova. It ranks #2 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.9/5, at $169.99; the SeeAudio Yume ranks #29, rated 4.7/5, at $169. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
Why pick the Truthear Nova: A Harman score of 90 puts it among the best-tuned in-ears measured, with every band from sub-bass to presence within about 1.5 dB of the target. The catch: A 2.7 dB peak near 8 kHz can make bright cymbals and sibilant vocals slightly edgy on poorly mastered tracks.
What the SeeAudio Yume does well: A preference score of 82 in HypetheSonics’ measurement with a smooth 1.49 dB standard deviation from target. Watch for: Presence sits about 3.2 dB below target from 3 to 6 kHz with a 4.3 dB dip near 4.3 kHz, so vocals and guitars lose a little bite, while a 4.7 dB peak near 8.5 kHz can make some cymbals stand out.
Buy the Truthear Nova. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.99 you would save on the SeeAudio Yume does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Truthear Nova | SeeAudio Yume | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169.99 | $169.00 |
| Ranked | #2 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #29 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Harman Preference Score | 90 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 82 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 0.86 dB standard deviation | 1.49 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.14 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 14.8 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 123 dB/Vrms @1kHz | 106 dB |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Truthear Nova:
- EPZ P40 vs Truthear Nova
- Truthear Nova vs Simgot SuperMix 4
- Truthear Nova vs Tin HiFi T7
- Simgot SuperMix 4 vs SeeAudio Yume
- SeeAudio Yume vs Truthear Hexa
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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
Truthear Nova: $169.99 Amazon AliExpress eBay
Pros: A Harman score of 90 puts it among the best-tuned in-ears measured, with every band from sub-bass to presence within about 1.5 dB of the target. The deviation of only 0.86 dB means vocals, guitars and drums sound natural and evenly balanced. The hybrid design pairs a dynamic driver with four balanced armatures, and the 14.8 ohm impedance with 123 dB sensitivity lets a phone drive it easily. Sub-bass sits about 1.5 dB above target, adding a touch of rumble without muddying the mids.
Cons: A 2.7 dB peak near 8 kHz can make bright cymbals and sibilant vocals slightly edgy on poorly mastered tracks. Treble and air run about 1.3 to 1.4 dB hot, so listeners sensitive to brightness may find extended sessions a little sharp. It is wired only, with no microphone or wireless features listed.
Full Truthear Nova review and specifications →
| Released | 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 0.86 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 90 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 14.8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 123 dB/Vrms @1kHz |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.14 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -1.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 313 Hz | +0.4 dB | 0.95 |
| Peak | 63 Hz | +3.6 dB | 0.80 |
| Peak | 4,404 Hz | -1.2 dB | 0.51 |
| Peak | 560 Hz | +1.1 dB | 0.85 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,390 Hz | +1.0 dB | 2.26 |
| Peak | 2,126 Hz | +1.1 dB | 3.14 |
| Peak | 2,987 Hz | -1.0 dB | 3.83 |
| Peak | 1,281 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.65 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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SeeAudio Yume: $169.00 Linsoul eBay
Pros: A preference score of 82 in HypetheSonics’ measurement with a smooth 1.49 dB standard deviation from target. Bass reaches 20 Hz within about 1 dB of target and the mids from 200 Hz to 3 kHz stay within 0.2 dB, so the sound is balanced and natural. Its hybrid of one dynamic driver and two balanced armatures rates above the Final Audio A4000 and Shuoer S12.
Cons: Presence sits about 3.2 dB below target from 3 to 6 kHz with a 4.3 dB dip near 4.3 kHz, so vocals and guitars lose a little bite, while a 4.7 dB peak near 8.5 kHz can make some cymbals stand out. The higher rated Truthear Nova sells at about the same price.
Full SeeAudio Yume review and specifications →
| Released | Jan 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.49 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -2.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -4.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,665 Hz | +2.4 dB | 1.70 |
| Peak | 63 Hz | +6.3 dB | 0.55 |
| Peak | 1,533 Hz | -1.1 dB | 1.58 |
| Peak | 181 Hz | -2.4 dB | 0.84 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 718 Hz | +0.7 dB | 2.29 |
| Peak | 6,483 Hz | +1.4 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 9,515 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.89 |
| Peak | 359 Hz | -0.3 dB | 1.76 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons