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 qdc Emperor ranks #967, rated 3.3/5, and costs $2,831, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The case for the Unique Melody Maven II: 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.
The case for the qdc Emperor: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The catch: About 3 dB less bass than the Harman target below 150 Hz, which can sound thin on pop, hip hop and electronic music.
Buy the Unique Melody Maven II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the qdc Emperor 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.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 66 against the Harman target.
MusicTeck $1,799.00 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
Elise Audio $2,831.00 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Unique Melody Maven II | qdc Emperor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,799.00 | $2,831.00 |
| Ranked | #908 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #967 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) | 65 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.60 dB standard deviation | 2.92 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.84 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.10 (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 (-4.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Tribrid |
| Drivers | 10 drivers (2 dynamic drivers + 4 balanced armatures + 4 electrostatic drivers) | 15 drivers (1 dynamic driver + 10 balanced armatures + 4 electrostatic drivers) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 70kHz | 5Hz - 70kHz |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Impedance | - | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 106 dB SPL/mW |
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 qdc Emperor from dchpgall, eliseaudio and sl0the, all via squig.link.
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Unique Melody Maven II: