Short answer: the Ultimate Ears UE5, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #1150 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.1/5, at $549; the Symphonium Meteor ranks #1160, rated 2.0/5, and costs $599, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 1291 in-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the Truthear Nova instead, ranked #2 at $169.99.
What the Ultimate Ears UE5 does well: Its tonal tilt of -0.65 sits close to the target, so the overall balance is neither dark nor bright. The tradeoff: A Harman score of 50 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
The case for the Symphonium Meteor: Bass is lifted about 2.3 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 8.5 dB low with a 12.7 dB dip near 5.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Ultimate Ears UE5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Symphonium Meteor and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Its tonal tilt of -0.65 sits close to the target, so the overall balance is neither dark nor bright.
Ultimate Ears $549.00 eBay
Bass is lifted about 2.3 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears UE5 | Symphonium Meteor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 | $599 |
| Ranked | #1150 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1160 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 x balanced armature | 4 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 21 ohms | 9.7 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 119 dB/mW | 111 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 22kHz | 12Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 50 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 49 (median of 17 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.85 dB standard deviation | 3.54 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.52 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Back | - | Closed |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
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