Short answer: the Unique Melody Maven II. It ranks #908 of 1369 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $1,799; the Fir Audio e12 ranks #974, rated 3.2/5, at $1,799. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
What the Unique Melody Maven II does well: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 66 against the Harman target. The tradeoff: Treble about 4 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones.
Why pick the Fir Audio e12: A big, energetic V shaped tuning in HypetheSonics’ measurement, with sub-bass about 4 dB and bass about 5.5 dB above target for heavy, physical kick drums and synth lines. The tradeoff: A 9.3 dB peak near 8.1 kHz and treble about 5 dB above target from 6 to 10 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sharp and fatiguing at higher volume.
Buy the Unique Melody Maven II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Fir Audio e12 at the same price, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 66 against the Harman target.
MusicTeck $1,799.00 eBay
A big, energetic V shaped tuning in HypetheSonics’ measurement, with sub-bass about 4 dB and bass about 5.5 dB above target for heavy, physical kick drums and synth lines.
Audio46 $1,799.00 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Unique Melody Maven II | Fir Audio e12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,799.00 | $1,799.00 |
| Ranked | #908 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #974 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 64 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.60 dB standard deviation | 2.66 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.84 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.62 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 10 drivers (2 dynamic drivers + 4 balanced armatures + 4 electrostatic drivers) | 1 x 12mm dynamic |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 70kHz | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Impedance | - | 16 ohms |
| 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 Unique Melody Maven II from aden, dchpgall, jaytiss and soundignity; the Fir Audio e12 from aftersound, eliseaudio, jaytiss, sl0the, tgx78, theaudiostore and treblewellxtended, all via squig.link.
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