The Activo Scoop ranks #171 out of 1448 total In-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Activo
Prices on this page were last checked October 20, 2026 at 10:35 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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#171 Activo Scoop: $80.00 Amazon $101.06 B&H Photo $80.00 eBay
Pros: A hybrid with three dynamic drivers and two balanced armatures whose sub bass through the lower mids stays within about 1.4 dB of target. The low end is full and well extended to 20 Hz.
Cons: Treble is uneven: presence and the 5 to 8 kHz range sit about 2 to 3 dB low with dips near 4.2 and 6.9 kHz, then a 9 dB peak near 11.2 kHz adds glare. Low 10 ohm impedance can change the sound on sources with high output impedance, and the score rests on a single measurement.
Is the Activo Scoop right for you?
Buy it if
- you want the tuning most listeners prefer in blind tests out of the box (Harman score 79).
- you are sensitive to bright or sharp treble (treble sits 2.0 dB below target).
- you want sub-bass rumble that reaches down to 20 Hz.
Skip it if
- you want the best value: the higher-rated QCY HT05 MeloBuds ANC costs about $46 less.
| Released | 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (3 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 8mm dynamic + 2 x 6mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (1 squig.link measurement, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 10 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ Presets
Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Harman match with this EQ: 88 out of 100, up from 79.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 163 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.05 |
| Peak | 675 Hz | +1.7 dB | 2.42 |
| Peak | 1,566 Hz | -2.2 dB | 3.37 |
| Peak | 2,389 Hz | +2.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,274 Hz | +6.0 dB | 4.57 |
| Peak | 6,734 Hz | +2.1 dB | 3.82 |
Neutral target
Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Neutral match with this EQ: 90 out of 100, up from 47.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -7.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 144 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.95 |
| Peak | 643 Hz | +1.7 dB | 1.81 |
| Peak | 1,567 Hz | -2.2 dB | 3.38 |
| Peak | 2,389 Hz | +2.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,274 Hz | +6.0 dB | 4.56 |
| Peak | 6,734 Hz | +2.1 dB | 3.82 |
Studio flat target
Set a preamp of -4.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Studio flat match with this EQ: 90 out of 100, up from 30.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -9.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 166 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.94 |
| Peak | 673 Hz | +1.5 dB | 2.44 |
| Peak | 1,551 Hz | -2.3 dB | 3.41 |
| Peak | 2,408 Hz | +3.4 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 3,654 Hz | +3.2 dB | 1.11 |
| Peak | 5,330 Hz | -2.9 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 7,124 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.87 |
Warm target
Set a preamp of -3.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Warm match with this EQ: 83 out of 100, up from 77.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,593 Hz | -2.6 dB | 3.73 |
| Peak | 4,254 Hz | +3.9 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,939 Hz | +2.0 dB | 6.00 |
Bass target
Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bass match with this EQ: 88 out of 100, up from 68.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 170 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 675 Hz | +1.7 dB | 2.41 |
| Peak | 1,566 Hz | -2.2 dB | 3.36 |
| Peak | 2,389 Hz | +2.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,274 Hz | +6.0 dB | 4.58 |
| Peak | 6,734 Hz | +2.1 dB | 3.82 |
Bright target
Set a preamp of -5.8 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bright match with this EQ: 76 out of 100, up from 36.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -7.1 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,557 Hz | +5.7 dB | 1.68 |
V-shaped target
Set a preamp of -5.9 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted V-shaped match with this EQ: 78 out of 100, up from 66.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,543 Hz | +5.8 dB | 1.44 |
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Frequency Response
How the Activo Scoop measures across the audible range, against the Harman in-ear target that most listeners prefer in blind tests. Where the line sits above the target that range sounds louder (more bass, brighter treble), below it quieter. The curve is a single measurement, and both lines are shifted so their 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB.
Measurement data: a single measurement from the squig.link database of soundignity. Thanks to them for publishing their work.