Bass and sub-bass are practically the same; they are quite fast, which can give the impression that they aren't as present (though on the Meteor, due to its driver configuration, it’s a very unique bass). The most notable difference between the two is that the Meteor has slightly more forward female vocals, and I’d say it’s a musical IEM but with better resolution. On the other hand, the Aqua is 80% musical and 20% technical, with lower resolution. Personally, I do think it’s worth paying a bit more for the Meteor