Short answer: the Yanyin Mahina. It ranks #388 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $551.65. The FiiO FA9 ranks #403, rated 2.8/5, at $499.99, $51.66 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the Yanyin Mahina does well: A seven driver hybrid with a 10mm dynamic woofer, four balanced armatures and two electrostatic tweeters, tuned dark and relaxed for listeners who dislike bright treble. Watch for: Squig.link measurements show presence about 7.3 dB below target with a 10.3 dB dip near 5.4 kHz, so vocals, strings and percussion lose clarity and attack.
Why pick the FiiO FA9: Six balanced armatures per side and sensitivity of 110 to 113 dB/mW make it easy to drive from a phone, with an impedance switch between 16 and 32 ohms to tune the match with a source. The catch: oratory1990’s measurement shows presence averaging 6.8 dB below target with a 9.6 dB dip near 3.4 kHz, so vocals and lead instruments sound pushed back and lack clarity.
Buy the Yanyin Mahina. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $51.66 with the FiiO FA9 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Yanyin Mahina | FiiO FA9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $551.65 | $499.99 |
| Ranked | #388 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #403 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 59 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation | 3.22 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.05 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.61 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic) | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic | 6 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 16 ohms (switchable to 32 ohms) |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB | 110/113 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 15Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (6.2 g) per earpiece |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Yanyin Mahina compares with other leading options:
- Shanling ME700 vs Yanyin Mahina
- HiBy Crystal 6 vs Yanyin Mahina
- Fatfreq Reference Pro SE vs Yanyin Mahina
- Yanyin Mahina vs Kinera Skuld
- FiiO FA9 vs Kinera Skuld
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
Yanyin Mahina: $551.65 Linsoul eBay
Pros: A seven driver hybrid with a 10mm dynamic woofer, four balanced armatures and two electrostatic tweeters, tuned dark and relaxed for listeners who dislike bright treble. From 60 Hz to 1 kHz it sits within half a decibel of target, so bass and lower mids sound even and natural. At 118 dB sensitivity it plays loud from any phone. It rates above the Audio-Technica ATH-CK2000Ti for less money and matches the InEar StageDiver SD5 for considerably less.
Cons: Squig.link measurements show presence about 7.3 dB below target with a 10.3 dB dip near 5.4 kHz, so vocals, strings and percussion lose clarity and attack. Sub-bass sits about 2.5 dB under target below 60 Hz, softening rumble. The HiBy Crystal 6 earns the same rating for less money.
Full Yanyin Mahina review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.05 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.8 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 | -1.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,493 Hz | +4.7 dB | 0.21 |
| Peak | 213 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.77 |
| Peak | 1,633 Hz | -6.5 dB | 1.15 |
| Peak | 9,800 Hz | -0.2 dB | 1.87 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.64 |
| Peak | 4,343 Hz | -1.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 7,760 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.43 |
| Peak | 132 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.19 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
FiiO FA9: $499.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Six balanced armatures per side and sensitivity of 110 to 113 dB/mW make it easy to drive from a phone, with an impedance switch between 16 and 32 ohms to tune the match with a source. Each earpiece weighs just 6.2 g. Bass and low mids sit at or slightly above target, which suits listeners who like a warm, smooth balance, and it is rated above the pricier Kinera Skuld.
Cons: oratory1990’s measurement shows presence averaging 6.8 dB below target with a 9.6 dB dip near 3.4 kHz, so vocals and lead instruments sound pushed back and lack clarity. Sub-bass runs about 3.7 dB under target, so electronic music has less low rumble than the specs suggest.
Full FiiO FA9 review and specifications →
| Released | 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.22 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 6 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 59 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms (switchable to 32 ohms) |
| Sensitivity | 110/113 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.61 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (6.2 g) per earpiece |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.6 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 | +2.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 182 Hz | -3.9 dB | 0.55 |
| Peak | 2,946 Hz | +5.3 dB | 1.88 |
| Peak | 1,302 Hz | -2.0 dB | 1.48 |
| Peak | 7,001 Hz | +2.9 dB | 0.83 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,655 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.14 |
| Peak | 4,276 Hz | -2.3 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,231 Hz | +3.0 dB | 5.93 |
| Peak | 6,241 Hz | -1.8 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons