Short answer: the Truthear x Crinacle Zero. It ranks #127 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $67.49; the Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao ranks #238, rated 4.3/5, and costs $69, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Oratory1990’s measurement gives it a preference score of 79 with a 1.61 dB deviation, and its two dynamic drivers stay within about 1.3 dB of target from 60 Hz up to 10 kHz. The catch: A 4.5 dB peak near 8 kHz and 2.4 dB of extra air above 10 kHz give it a brighter tilt than target, so sibilant vocals and cymbals can sound edgy.
What the Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao does well: A semi-open single dynamic IEM that measures very close to the Harman target (score 77 across seven measurements), with bass and treble each within 1.4 dB of it. The tradeoff: The semi-open design leaks sound and isolates less than sealed IEMs, so it is a poor choice for commuting or noisy places.
Buy the Truthear x Crinacle Zero. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Oratory1990’s measurement gives it a preference score of 79 with a 1.61 dB deviation, and its two dynamic drivers stay within about 1.3 dB of target from 60 Hz up to 10 kHz.
AliExpress $67.49 eBay
A semi-open single dynamic IEM that measures very close to the Harman target (score 77 across seven measurements), with bass and treble each within 1.4 dB of it.
Amazon $69.00 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Truthear x Crinacle Zero | Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $67.49 | $69.00 |
| Ranked | #127 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #238 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 77 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.61 dB standard deviation | 1.60 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.41 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x 7.8mm dynamic | 1 x 10mm graphene dynamic |
| Impedance | 10 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 117.5 dB | 111 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 39.5kHz (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 Truthear x Crinacle Zero from aden, atechreviews, audioamigo, csi-zone, fahryst, gadgetrytech, hbb, iemworld, jacstone, koi, lown-fi, melatonin, nymz, obodio, precog, sl0the, soundignity, superreview, suporsalad, theaudiostore, treblewellxtended and vsg; the Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao from aden, aftersound, audioamigo, bassaudio, csi-zone, soundcheck39 and soundignity, all via squig.link.
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