It does seem like it’s a fast moving target in IEM-land.
Thanks for the names, I can read about those to get a feel for the landscape.
I used the HD-600 as an example because I thought most people would be familiar with it. I’m not looking to replicate the exact sound necessarily, rather to express the idea of a fairly balanced frequency response and no glaring faults.
Fit notwithstanding, the Etymotic series reminds me of the Sennheisers. Neutral tuning with slightly forward mids and slightly limp bass, unimpressive but serviceable soundstage, no major sonic faults and probably all you’ll ever need but still you’ll keep looking for more.
I have experience with the HD-600, and use it regularly. I also have experience with the Moondrop Kanas Pro (discontinued, similar to the Starfield), Drop X Noble, and Etymotic ER4XR.
I sold the Drop X Noble and ER4XR, but still have the Kanas Pro. Specific comments:
Drop X Noble ($125 today) – I wrote a scathing review on Drop at $250. It has literally no bass, and is hard to fit because of its fat body and stubby shaft. I’d recommend it for (1) people who like the Grado tone profile, plus (2) have ears shaped like dog or horse ears. It’s a fair deal at $125 if it fits you.
Etymotic ER4XR – This one never clicked because I always heard bad sibilance. The build is good and the accessory kit is strong. They have an uncanny ability to isolate, and the fit is normal/fine if you use the included foam tips. The sound tube is extremely long and thin, which seems to emphasize hiss. I sold it only because of the sibilance, but that made it less pleasant than the $50 CCA C10.
Moondrop Kanas Pro (originally $150+) – I still have it and use it as my primary non-sports IEM. However, I avoid IEMs if possible. The dynamic driver has a bit of distortion, especially on a single-ended cable. It’s the only IEM I’ve owned that honestly improved on a balanced cable. The overall tone is ‘roughly’ like the HD-600, but the high-end is truncated. This makes them easy on the ears, but not airy or spacious. In addition, vent holes are next to the head and therefore picky about placement (they go from neutral to boomy per placement).
If I used IEMs regularly I’d probably try the hyped-product-of-the-day: Moondrop Blessing 2.
Bullet to the heart: can NiceHCK X49 get the job done with one BA?
I had somehow come to believe that single-driver bullet-style IEMs are inherently inferior to multi-driver IEMs with their bigger housings, mix of driver types, crossover circuits etc. Then I found the tiny bullet-style Hifiman RE600s V2, which despite my growing earphone collection remains a favorite. Hmm. My first tentative step into the audiophile world a few years ago was the SoundMAGIC E10C, a bullet-style IEM with a single dynamic driver. I set it aside when I started exploring more sophisticated options, but it did serve me well for a while.
I had also convinced myself that a single balanced-armature driver is bound to struggle covering the necessary frequency range - isn’t that why you see so many multi-driver IEMs out there? I recently treated myself to the Dunu SA3 (super nice folks at Dunu, BTW) and I was shocked at how much I liked it. I thought I was a dynamic-driver person. But was it multiple BA drivers that made the SA3 so sweet?
I saw some reviews of the NiceHCK X49, a low-priced single balanced-armature bullet-style IEM - so I got the idea of picking one up to do a bake-off. I wanted to see if I could detect how driver type affects the sound of otherwise similar earphones. The X49 and the E10C are both in the $20-30 range - one with a single BA driver, the other with a single dynamic driver. I purchased these earphones myself through the usual retail channels, got no discount and had no communication with the manufacturers or vendors.
The two earphones are externally similar, typical bullet style: medium-sized metal cylinders, with a thin, black non-removable cable that was just “Ok”. X49 is smaller-diameter and chrome, E10C bulkier and more gun-metal. Rubbery cable on X49, plasticky on E10C. Both had moderate cable noise if I moved around too much. In-ear comfort was about the same for me - X49 slightly easier to insert, but neither got bothersome over time. I left the stock M silicone tips on both earphones.
For this test I used the Qobuz app on a Macbook Air, sending the 1’s and 0’s out via USB to a Schiit Fulla 3 DAC/amp. I had to do a little informal volume-matching, since the E10C seemed to need the knob turned up a bit more. Ok - off we go! Over a few evenings, I did some back-to-back listening, using songs that I thought would test the earphones’ abilities or expose their weaknesses. I’m still not really capable of producing the kind of detailed review you see elsewhere here, so I’ll lump my observations into what I see as two basic categories.
One big dimension of performance is how well an earphone covers the frequency spectrum. For me and the way my ears currently function, I don’t care that much about the ultra low or ultra high ends of the audio spectrum. But I do want an earphone to present the bass, midrange and treble in a natural way, so nothing seems either missing or over-emphasized. For bass, I used familiar rock songs from the past - Boston’s Peace of Mind and Steve Miller’s The Joker, and I threw in Propellerheads’ Take California for grins. I wouldn’t say either of these earphones produced a big visceral thump, but E10C was clearly the loser here. Its bass notes were present, but failed to dominate the mix the way they’re supposed to in these songs. While X49 wasn’t really stronger, it was better in the way low notes were clearly present. An interesting start, considering SoundMAGIC pitches the E10C as having “powerful bass”.
For mids & treble testing, I listened to a few songs that let me focus on vocals - Kate & Anna McGarrigle’s Swimming Song, Jake Owen’s Beachin’ and Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic. (Yes - I watched Away.) Female voices and harmonies were well represented by both, but backing vocals in the McGarrigle song stood out nicely with X49. Male vocals were also pretty much a tie - the tone of these singers’ voices sounding pleasing with the E10C. So perhaps the E10C picked up a point here. But the other elements of these songs were muddier with E10C than they were with X49. Next I listened to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew for some horns, and Van Halen’s You Really Got Me for a piercing guitar solo. The E10C did fine on the jazz - that song has a pretty spare mix of instruments, and it sounded like it should. Van Halen wasn’t actually all that piercing on X49. I don’t like my ears to get zapped by high notes, but neither should Van Halen sound tame! A mixed result here, with clarity again being a differentiator for me.
Which brings me to that other dimension of performance: positioning of the music, presence of micro-details, and detectability of soft and loud elements that overlay each other. I listened to 2Pac’s California Love - not actually focusing on its bass line, but on the other instruments that can easily get lost in the mix. I also tried Led Zeppelin’s When the Levee Breaks for a complex mix of instruments. Well, both of these just tripped the E10C up - all the instruments seemed piled up on top of each other. I found the X49 stage to be wider - particularly noticeable in the Van Morrison song. Truth be told, the sound of the E10C seemed like it was not just inside my head but actually confined to the drivers themselves! And I’ve already said above that X49 was much better at bringing out small details in the music - something I myself really enjoy hearing when I listen to music.
So, the X49 impressed me more than I thought it would. When I first popped it in after spending a bunch of time with the Dunu SA3, it did seem kind of … thin. Of course X49 is not at all in the SA3’s league. But in its own league, I think it’s a winner. It clearly beat out the E10C for me, and I learned that a single BA IEM can have pretty decent overall response. You could say the X49 has weak bass and treble, but what it does have you can actually hear clearly. For me, anyway, that’s a good tradeoff. I’d say X49 passes the test. I pull it out of the proverbial drawer and listen to music with it pretty often - and it proves a single BA can get the job done.
Thanks to all for the detailed and useful information.
A quick look shows the Moondrop Starfield at $109 and the Dunu SA3 at $139 so it looks like there should be some good choices in the $100-$150 range.
I’ll see what else I find by reading about IEMs in this range, and maybe try the X49 while I’m at it.
Excellent writeup @brian. It’s a really good read.
I’d argue that treble is hard to nail at any price bracket. I can count on one hand how many IEMs I’ve tried where I’d say the treble meets my standards. Typically I find that IEMs either mess it up completely with random peaks, manage to get part of the treble right but compromise with the other half, or just ignore treble and not even try to tackle it. And it doesn’t help that the instrument I associate most with treble are the hats/cymbals which have all kinds of challenges when it comes to recording/mastering them and capturing their complexities.
Hi @Fc-Construct. I am a big fan of your reviews. I think I have a higher tolerance for treble than you may have. You’ve probably have a far better ear than I aswell. I say this because I recently purchased the EE Hero and whilst I do find the treble to be a little hot its only really a problem for me on one of my Dap’s. Specifically the Pioneer XDP-300r which I find to be a bright sounding Dap. When using my Cayiin N6ii its Synergy is far better.
You will have far more extensive experience and as a reviewer you have access to a far wider range of iem’s. This I find very useful in a reviewer. I wholeheartedly agree with the challenges of hats and cymbals. This is also one of my favoured ways of listening out for problems in this area too.
Haha don’t sell yourself short! Actually I like to think I have very high treble tolerance. I’ve mixed live for a number of years and I adore the unrestrained sound of the crash or the delicate shimmer of the ride… that is, if played by a good drummer!
Which of the IEMs you’ve heard do treble well?
Of the top of my head, the Thieaudio Monarch and M9 do an excellent job with treble, though in different ways. On the low end of the spectrum, I like the Tin Audio T2 Plus’ take on it. I did have a chance to hear the Fearless S6 Pro a while back and I thought it rather decent too but may be too aggressive for some people.
If I take the price as a basis, these Reecho-Peacock Spring earphones would be my first choice for clear, clean heights (which do not go one bit over the top), a wonderfully staggered stage, and for this price class extraordinarily good “openness” and airiness.
The entire tonal tuning is absolutely my taste.
PS .: I like Sennheiser headphones very much, this hint may help you to assess my statements 
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If you are lucky and buy one of these Urbanfun that has no quality problems, then this is a price-performance hit, which is fun and well-balanced.
If you want to be absolutely sure that your eardrum is not irritated, then this iBasso would be my choice, it is so “nuisance-free” that it sounds almost too boring for my personal taste.
Others love this one for that!
Am I the only one who found the IBasso IT00 uncomfortable? The lower edge irritated my ear–couldn’t wear them for more than 30-40 minutes. Also found the treble way rolled off. And unless I used foam tips–with more treble roll-off–I got frequent crackly driver flex, even after insertion. I liked the cushy bass and midrange but they just didn’t fit my particular ears.
I’m slowly finding it harder and harder to convince people who are new to the audiophile in-ear world to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars when simple “entry-level” in-ears are of such quality.
I’m just listening to Muddy Waters: My captain
Everything happens “outside” my head, no feeling of tight or annoying intensity “in” my skull.
Apart from the initial small problems with the fit (these Tripowin TC-01s are really small),
which I was able to solve with a “washer” in front of the tips,
this in-ear is just good and, frankly, more fun than some Highly praised Thieaudio in the 700 - 800 € range.
These upper end models may sound “technically” more precise, possibly even cleaner, but the question I keep asking myself with these plugs is:
Do they also pick me up personally?
The TC-01 do this without any question marks 
I leave the detailed “disassembly” of these plugs to the professionals here,
My judgment is; Tonally and emotionally, they catch you 
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I really like the TC-01 as well. It was something I got as part of a large package of review units, so i didnt get to it til the very end, but surprised how nice it is for how much it cost. 
This, my last review of 2020, is available as usual on Youtube (in Spanish) and on my blog (both in Spanish and English). The liks to these can be found in my profile. However, for some reason, the camera was having a bad day with autofocus and brightness adjustment, so anyone who would lke to avoid epileptic seizures may want to stick to the written review 
Saying that, the images I have included in the written review are also pretty awful (maybe it wasn’t the camera after all…). I promise to do better next year 
Intro…
The Blon BL-01 is the latest IEM release from the company that made their name with the BL-03 and have released a few models since then.
Just as a quick bit of background in case anyone hasn’t read or watched any of my other Blon reviews, I started off by reviewing the BL-03 as the first IEM on the Acho Reviews channel. The BL-03 got a lot of praise by a lot of people, except for the fit which was an issue for many. For me personally, it had a few issues that I couldn’t really ignore, although I didn’t have any personal issues with fit.
Then came the BL-05 which supposedly fixed the comfort issue of the BL-03 but was tuned in a different way. I skipped the BL-05, however, I did review the BL-05s which followed and supposedly fixed some of the issues with the BL-05 tuning.
Now comes the BL-01, which is marketed as a successor to the BL-03, so I am not quite sure how these numbering schemes work, but anyways, let’s talk BL-01.
Presentation…
The first thing that struck me was the packaging, which has changed in comparison to the previous Blon models, removing their marketing phrase that has become even more famous than their IEMs. In the case of the BL-01 we no longer get “Oppoty”, nor do we “nevergiveup”, they even managed to change “Driams” to “Dreams”…
However, do not despair, all is not lost! Upon opening the box (which is now a smaller all white box without the transparent plastic lid) we find the IEMs along with the same crappy cable and tips that Blon are also known for!
One final change seems to be that they now show the brand as WGZBLON rather than just Blon, although the WGZ has always been there, just that it was written in small letter above Blon on the logo.
Build and aesthetics…
As I just said, the included cable and tips are the usual Blon affair, so I won’t bother going over them again in this review, let’s just say that replacements are recommended.
As far as the IEMs themselves, I am not quite sure what thought went into the process of these IEMs. As noted, the original BL-03 were a difficult fit for many people, although I personally didn’t have an issue. Then the BL-05 and 05s were a completely different shape, something that seemed to fit more people better. Although I wasn’t a fan of the colour of the BL-05s, I did find them comfortable and the looks weren’t too bad, I would have just opted for something other than turquoise and gold.
The BL-01 are neither of the above. The shape is more of a curved tear shape, which is actually a very comfortable shape, if it wasn’t for the fact that they seem to have opted for an even shorter insertion than the BL-03.
I have had to go through all kinds of tips before finding something that would both fit, offering a decent seal, and not affect the sound in a negative way. My usual foam tips made the fit comfortable but the sound was lifeless. Multiple silicone tips proved to be impossible to get a decent seal on, due to the IEMs not sitting far enough into my ear canal. In the end, the largest set of silicone tips that I found on hand, which I believe came with a set of Tin Hifi IEMs were the only ones that managed to fit me correctly and give a decent sound.
Even now, the IEMs do fit and seal properly but the weight and extra smooth shape make me constantly feel like they are going to move and fall out (although they don’t).
Fit and comfort is obviously a very personal thing and seeing that the majority of people had issues with the BL-03 and I didn’t, it could be something that is limited to myself only.
As far as the aesthetics, they are not bad. I am not overly impressed with the looks of them but the general shape looks ok (I think it is the small text on them that makes them look cheap, which they are). They are completely made of metal, as is usual with Blon, so as far as build quality I don’t have any complaints, except maybe for the weight but that could be because I was using very light IEMs recently.
Sound…
Let me start out by saying that I don’t think Blon has done a bad job with the BL-01 but they still haven’t nailed it. I still feel that other models of theirs do certain things better but more on that later.
In the sub-bass regions there is plenty of extension and it gives plenty of rumble to the tracks that need those low frequencies, such as “No Mercy” or just about any other song that decides it wants to venture into the lowest regions. The problem I find with the sub-bass is that it is not very tight and can be overpowering on tracks such as “Bury a Friend” by Billie Eilish or “Way Down Deep” by Jennifer Warnes.
Moving on to other tracks that are not so heavy on the lowest of frequencies, the remaining bass frequencies are at a more acceptable level, although they are still not as defined and tight as one would hope. While “Long After You’re Gone” by Chris Jones is not overpowered by the bass, it does make the lower end seem dirty.
Another additional problem is that there is some bleed from these lower frequencies into the lower mids. The bleed is not terrible but due to the lack of cleanliness in the lower regions, it does seem more exaggerated than it actually is, depending on the choice of music.
The mid range has the typical center mids drop that a great number of IEMs in this price bracket do. To be honest, based on the quantity of bass (and treble that we will talk about in a moment), I expected much more absence in the center of the mids but the majority of vocal root notes are there without issue, only when there is a lot of sub-bass in the song do they seem to get buried behind the lower rumble. For example “Royals” by Lorde, which has plenty of sub-bass, can seem congested but “Crazy” by Daniela Andrade, which has more in the general bass realm, comes across clear and without feeling that her voice is fighting darkness.
Moving up to the higher mids, there is the typical climb which helps with the presence of vocals but without the drop off directly after the peak, something that is found on many IEMs. In the case of the BL-01, the elevation is maintained from the higher mids into the lower highs, spanning from somewhere around 2.5kHz up to somewhere around 4kHz. This does stop things from sounding too shouty but does get a little too close to the sibilance region for comfort.
In fact, talking of sibilance, the usual “Code Cool” test does come back with more sibilance than I would like. It is not every “S” of the song (there are plenty) but the more exaggerated “S” can be piercing and would be something I would tame down with EQ.
Going higher into the treble, the roll off is not quite as steep as I have come to expect from many IEMs. Yes, there is room for a little more air up top but it isn’t something that I would point out as a fault.
As far as speed and definition, personally I don’t think that the BL-01 does a bad job, except for those lower regions where things can sound bloated and dirty due to the sub-bass. On fast guitar passages, they hold their own and things do refrain from getting too blurry but don’t expect planar magnetic speed.
As far as timbre, this is one of the things that I liked about the BL-03, at least with acoustic instruments, as it gave them plenty of body and warmth and while it wasn’t the most natural sounding IEM ever made, it did do it in a way that I thought was pretty darn good for a 30€ IEM. In the case of the BL-01, I don’t think it is quite there. It is not bad but it is not excellent either. On some songs I feel like the acoustic guitars are missing a little body and warmth (such as “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton) and then on other tracks I feel that the low end of the acoustic guitar is overly exaggerated (such as “Far Too Good” by John Smith).
Finally, on the stage width and image placement, I would say that the width is pretty much the average for IEMs in its class with placement that isn’t terrible but is far from “pin-point”.
Conclusion…
I feel like this review has come across a little more negative than I intend it to. Being totally honest, I don’t dislike the Blon BL-01 and think that it does quite a decent job for a set of IEMs that can be purchased for less than 20€, even without any sales.
The fit is not good for me personally but that is obviously something that is very personal, everybody has a slightly different anatomy and will experience issues with different products. The aesthetics are a similar story.
As far as sound, there are issues that are noticeable but I don’t think they are deal breakers in this price bracket. I think there are plenty of people who will enjoy the sound signature and the overall presentation of the BL-01 sound.
In comparison to the BL-03, I am not sure which I would choose. The timbre I feel was better on the 03 and timbre is something that is important to me with a lot of the music I listen to, however, I do listen to other kinds of music where it is not quite as important and the BL-01 is not terrible in this regard. For those who like a lot of sub-bass, I don’t think they will find the BL-01 lacking but I do feel that the BL-03 has better control over the lower notes.
As far as the comparison with the BL-05s (sorry but I haven’t heard the 05 so I can’t comment there), I personally prefer the 05s. While the low end is again not as controlled as on the 03, I find the 05s higher ranges to be more pleasing to my ear. They are also more comfortable for me personally.
Under 20€ there seem to be quite a few new arrivals lately, from various companies, and while none of them are perfect, many of them are more than adequate for the price bracket they sit in. I would class the BL-01 being another of these acceptable options in the ultra economic price bracket.
Great review to end the year on @SenyorC.
This will be a short and sweet look at the Tripowin TC-01 in-ear monitor, which was released at the very end of 2020. It is priced at $50 USD and was provided to me by Linsoul for review.
The TC-01 is packaged with a carrying case, a set of tips, a braided cable, and the IEMs. The cable is black-colored and is well-built and easy to use. It’s one of the rare cables that come with the IEMs that I would plan on using at this price range. The hard nylon case is also a nice zippered variety and would also serve its purpose and work well in pockets or a bag.
The IEM shells are fully metal and have a mirrored look. They feel great and fit very well in my ears. The connectors are 2-pin 0.78mm and should be compatible with many aftermarket cables if need be.
I have no complaints about the accessories, build or comfort for this one. It’s really nice for this price point overall.
The TC-01 has somewhat of a generic V-shaped sound signature that’s milder than what a mass-market consumer signature would be. It’s driven by a 10mm single dynamic driver and is generally well balanced, with a deep bass line that can hit hard, and slightly recessed mid-range, and a treble that is decently extended, though sometimes a little shrill.
For $50, I am really liking what I hear. When you compare this to its contemporaries in this price point from sister-company (??) KZ, TFZ, and other budget V-shapers, this one really stands out. This is due to very clean clarity, fast and quick transient response, and surprisingly good resolution. I also find its imaging and soundstage to be rather impressive for this price.
There isn’t just width, but also well defined height with the TC-01, and I hear it when I’m listening to bluegrass tracks from Nickel Creek and harder rock music from Tool.
Overall timbre is surprisingly solid, though it does have a bit of a metallic sound to it mostly due to a brighter treble range that can be occasionally piercing or jarring.
I mostly like that it has a good amount of kick, and doesn’t sound like its lost, which I can’t say for many IEMs around this price point, and it can compete with things in the $100 or even more range.
I think I may have said this before but… this review is also available in Spanish (and English) on my blog, to which the link can be found in my profile. It is also available in Spanish on YouTube here: Ep.38 - KZ DQ6 - No son los típicos KZ…
Let me start out by saying that the KZ DQ6 was sent to me free of charge by LuckLZ, they have not requested anything specific except for an honest review, but as always, it is good to be aware of the fact that it hasn’t cost me anything to try these IEMs.
Intro…
Something new from KZ is not a surprise, however, something from KZ that is different to anything I have tried from the brand before is!
The DQ6 is the latest release from KZ (unless they have released anything since I received them, which is also possible) and is not the usual KZ hybrid offering. This is a multi-driver IEM, 3 drivers to be exact, it just so happens that all three are Dynamic Drivers, rather than the usual DD+BA that we see on KZ multi-driver models.
I am someone who really likes DD, especially for the bass and lower mids, and some of the best timbre I have heard in IEMs has come from Dynamic Drivers. This means that I was actually excited to try out this new offering from KZ, I mean, if 1x DD is good, 3x must be better no??
Also, as another break from the usual KZ, the shape and style of the shell has changed, making these a set of IEMs that I certainly wouldn’t recognize as KZ upon first glance.
Anyway, let’s look at them one step at a time and see whether they are something to get excited about or not.
Presentation…
The presentation of the DQ6 is not one of the things that has changed. They arrive in the typical KZ fashion, in a small and simple white box. Inside the box we find the IEMs in the typical plastic moulded shape, along with the cable and a selection of tips.
So, it really isn’t any different to the usual KZ packaging.
Build and aesthetics…
Here is where the DQ6 stand out as being different. Instead of the usual KZ shape with either a metal or plastic faceplate (depending on model), they have kept it similar but with a redesign to the shape.
The font plate is smaller and of a different shape than usual, made of metal, with the KZ logo stamped into it (not printed) and a small vent at the bottom.
The rest of the shell is clear, on this set, and has what seems to be a more ergonomic shape to it. On the part of the shell that fits into your ears, KZ has shaped it with a protrusion that helps hold the IEM in place and make sure it is always positioned the same.
This is very similar to the way custom IEMs are made, using the shape of one ear to position and hold the IEM correctly. Now, in my case, this is actually quite comfortable. The protrusion did irritate me for a short while but once I got used to it, I actually liked it. However, I can see this being very different for people with different anatomies, so you would really need to try these out to find out if they are comfortable for you. Luckily, KZ seems to have experimented with this shape on a budget model first.
I don’t see any glaring faults with the build quality, so I have no reason to believe that it will last any less than other KZ models.
Another thing that has changed are the included tips. Due to the redesign of the shape, the insertion is less than before, meaning that tips are shorter and seem to aim to create the seal right at the beginning of your ear canal. In my case, I didn’t get along with this very well.
When using the included tips, I had to opt for a large in one ear and a medium in the other, something that I have never found with any other IEMs or tips (that I can remember). I also got the sensation that they could move at any time (not something that can really happen but they gave me the sensation). In the end, after working through multiple types of tips, I settled on some large silicone tips with a rigid core and not as shallow as those included with the DQ6.
Sound…
As I said at the beginning, I am a fan of Dynamic Drivers, therefore a triple DD set up is something that intrigued me. It also means that KZ should be able to avoid that slightly metallic timbre up top that appears in their hybrid models, although, being honest, they have improved a huge amount in that regard anyway. But BA are not the subject here, the triple DDs are.
In the subbass category, songs like “Way Down Deep” by Jennifer Warnes or “No Mercy” by Gustavo Santaolalla prove that there is plenty of extension and a fair bit of presence in the lowest regions. Anyone who has been following my reviews will know by now that I am not really a bass head but I do like it to be there when needed, and in the case of the DQ6, it is certainly there when needed.
That probably makes sound like it is highly boosted in the lowest of regions but that is not really the case. There does seem to be a bit of an elevation in the subbass as it doesn’t show any signs of roll off and at the same time provides the sub-bass rumble that is needed, be it the songs above or others. I really enjoyed the low end rumble on “Royals” with these IEMs.
The remaining bass frequencies are also slightly boosted over the mids but again, not too much, or at least not too much for my personal tastes with most music. If the track does have a large bass boost in its recording, then the DQ6 can present this as too much bass, but that is not really the fault of the DQ6.
The transition into the mids is decent, without much of a bleed, except in cases like those mentioned above, where the track has too much bass in its recording. In those cases, it is not really bleed but more of an excess that overshadows the lower mids.
In the case of well recorded music, or at least music that is not overly boosted, the lower mids are actually quite pleasurable, with a nice tonality to them. There is a nice body to the lower end of acoustic guitars and the like, without overshadowing the vocals. For example, “Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton (Live Version) I found to be pretty well balanced.
Moving through the mids, I don’t really have any complaints at all. They seem to be nicely balanced and with good presence throughout. They are not as lush as the mids on other alternatives but they are far from offensive in any way.
In fact, my first real complaint comes when we reach the sibilance range, as the DQ6 is a little hot for my tastes in this range. After playing around with tips and settling on those that I mentioned above, the sibilance is reduced to a level that is just slightly too hot for my tastes but I can cope with.
The highest of frequencies do roll off slightly and I would prefer them to extend slightly more and present a little more air up top, but to be honest, they don’t do a bad job and certainly don’t leave me with the feeling that a LPF has been added (which some other models do).
As far as speed and definition, again, the DQ6 do a pretty decent job. They are not detail monsters, nor do they push it at you, but they do have more than enough to present you with the feeling that the music is complete, there seems to be nothing missing. The speed with which they do this is also quite decent, even on complex passages, the dynamic drivers hold their posture and don’t fall apart. Again, these are not IEMs that are going to leave you open mouthed with their speed and definition, but they won’t leave you complaining either.
Conclusion…
The DQ6 are something that risks being different from the rest, and I like that. It is nice to see KZ trying other things lately rather than just their hybrid designs with more and more drivers.
Personally, I am a fan of the looks (they resemble IEMs found on many stages) with the fit and comfort suiting me quite well. This is obviously something different for each and every person.
As far as sound, I think they do a good job for their price, which is around 20€. I am a fan of dynamic drivers and this one has 3, so I should be happy right? I mean, the sound is not perfect and there is room for improvement in various places, but in general the sound is pleasant and more than acceptable for the price range.
The only real part of the sound that irritated me was the sibilance I found excessive with the majority of tips but with the ones I ended up using, it is lowered to an acceptable (although still not great) level.
At the end of the day, I think that the DQ6 are a good buy at their 20€ price range and I am happy to have spent some time with them.
Nice review!
Would you rather listen to these, or the EDX?
