Short answer: the Westone MACH 80, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #406 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.8/5, at $1,299.99. The Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 ranks #420, rated 2.4/5, at $1,200, $99.99 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones, and the ThieAudio Monarch MKIII, ranked #1 at $999, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The Westone MACH 80 is the better-sounding pick. Eight balanced armature drivers split across two low, two mid and four high units, with a 104 dB sensitivity that works from a phone. The catch: A preference score of 59 in crinacle’s measurement means most listeners will hear a noticeably colored sound for the money.
What the Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 does well: A hybrid design pairing two dynamic drivers with two balanced armatures, and its 102 dB/mW sensitivity makes it easy to drive from a phone. The catch: A preference score of 54 in crinacle’s measurement places its tuning far from what most listeners prefer, a weak result for a flagship in ear.
Buy the Westone MACH 80. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $99.99 with the Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Westone MACH 80 | Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,299.99 | $1,200.00 |
| Ranked | #406 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #420 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 59 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 54 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.46 dB standard deviation | 3.30 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature (2 low, 2 mid, 4 high) | 1 x 9.8mm dynamic + 1 x 8.8mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 66 ohms | 5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 104 dB (1 kHz) | 102 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Westone MACH 80 compares with other leading options:
- Sennheiser IE 900 vs Westone MACH 80
- FiiO FH5 vs Westone MACH 80
- FiiO FH5 vs Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1
- Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 vs FiiO FA7S
- Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 vs Fidue A91 Sirius
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
Westone MACH 80: $1,299.99 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Eight balanced armature drivers split across two low, two mid and four high units, with a 104 dB sensitivity that works from a phone. It is rated higher than the Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 and Fidue A91 Sirius.
Cons: A preference score of 59 in crinacle’s measurement means most listeners will hear a noticeably colored sound for the money. The Sennheiser IE 900 is rated higher at about the same price.
Full Westone MACH 80 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.46 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature (2 low, 2 mid, 4 high) |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 59 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 66 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 104 dB (1 kHz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.1 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 | +4.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 207 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.45 |
| Peak | 4,083 Hz | +6.0 dB | 3.18 |
| Peak | 2,033 Hz | +1.1 dB | 3.24 |
| Peak | 871 Hz | +0.8 dB | 2.51 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +3.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,776 Hz | +3.7 dB | 1.58 |
| Peak | 5,653 Hz | -3.6 dB | 5.91 |
| Peak | 6,697 Hz | +1.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 3,034 Hz | -1.0 dB | 5.63 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1: $1,200.00 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A hybrid design pairing two dynamic drivers with two balanced armatures, and its 102 dB/mW sensitivity makes it easy to drive from a phone. It is rated above the Fidue A91 Sirius and FiiO FA7S.
Cons: A preference score of 54 in crinacle’s measurement places its tuning far from what most listeners prefer, a weak result for a flagship in ear. The Audio-Technica ATH-CK2000Ti is rated higher and costs less.
Full Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2019 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.30 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 9.8mm dynamic + 1 x 8.8mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 54 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 5 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.9 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 | -2.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 641 Hz | +5.0 dB | 1.22 |
| Peak | 1,454 Hz | -7.5 dB | 1.77 |
| Peak | 5,117 Hz | +7.4 dB | 1.56 |
| Peak | 3,198 Hz | -6.2 dB | 3.37 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 154 Hz | -2.2 dB | 1.07 |
| Peak | 67 Hz | +1.0 dB | 1.34 |
| Peak | 373 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.14 |
| Peak | 6,320 Hz | +0.9 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons