The Ultra Cheap IEM Thread

Blon Fat Girl


The Blon Fat Girl have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested that I say or do anything specific, however it is always worth considering the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything, no matter how unbiased I try to be.

As always, I will leave a (non-affiliate) link to these IEMs via Linsoul on my blog, as it’s the least I can do.


Intro…

I really can’t start this review any other way than with the name of the IEMs. I haven’t read any reviews or comments about these IEMs but I am guessing that this is something that has already been commented on by many, all I am going to say is that I don’t think the name is a very good choice, no matter how much you want it to be remembered. Yes, there are probably a lot worse names out there but still, I’m sure Blon could have come up with something better. Let’s just call them FG.

I just said that I haven’t read anything about these, which is true, but I do remember them being launched recently as an ultra budget set, coming in at around 10€, which is probably within the top 5 of the cheapest IEMs I have ever reviewed.

So let’s see if they are any good for such an extremely cheap price.


Presentation…

There is not a lot to say in this section, I mean, what can you expect for this price?

A simple box containing the IEMs with their fixed cable and a couple of spare tips. That is it, but again, we can’t ask for more.


Build and aesthetics…

The build of these is actually not bad. It’s not stellar (did I mention 10€?) but it is completely made of metal and the attached cable is not the worst you can get, even in higher price brackets.

The size and shape are going for a smaller bullet type style, similar to something like the Quarks or the Tanya, but a little bit bigger then either of those. They are sort of reminiscent of the Koss KEB90 but without the angled nozzle.

As far as comfort, they are not bad either. They aren’t small enough to disappear inside the ear but aren’t overly large either, so I really don’t have too much to complain about at this price.


Sound…

Before getting into my opinion of the sound, let’s look at a graph of the FG compared to my personal preference target. Also, at the same time let’s add the BL03, Blon’s most successful model, to the graph.


(all IEM measurements can be found on achoreviews.squig.link)

Ok, now, for those of you that know what to look at on a graph, I don’t think that you will be surprised at what is coming. For those that prefer my subjective findings…

There is an elevated bass range that is something that I don’t personally care for. Usually I would break this section down into subbass and midbass but I feel that there is no real need here because the IEMs don’t do a great job of distinguishing between them.

Looking at the graph, you can see that there really isn’t much difference in the bass zone between the FG and BL03, in fact, the BL03 has slightly more. However, the big difference is in the quality of the bass. The whole low end just seems to merge into a large… I’m actually looking for a word to best describe this here… maybe “blob” would be a valid description.

There is just an overall lack of definition and clarity in the bass section, making things feel congested.

As we move into the mids, we have the opposite problem. Instead of a large blob, we have a large hole. There is a space in the center of the tuning which is where the mids should be, and they are just not there. I can’t say the mids sound bad, in fact, I played some simple mid focused tests and the mids aren’t terrible, but bring back anything that has lows or highs (we are getting to the highs!) and the mids just fade away into the shadows.

And the highs. The highs are over elevated and not elevated enough, all at the same time. There is a mismatch of frequencies happening in the upper ranges that can really create a weird sensation with instruments in these frequencies. There are peaks, including a fairly large one at my dreaded 5kHz range, which just present a treble that sounds… again searching for words… wonky?

Sound stage and image placement is very difficult to judge, well, actually it’s quite easy to judge negatively, as the mass of bass, lack of mids and random treble, all contribute to things not sounding like they should nor where they should.

Details… Well, I imagine you can guess.


Conclusion…

Blon really made a name for themselves with the BL03, a set of IEMs that was loved by a lot of people. I don’t mind the BL03 even though they are not something I highly praise as I preferred the BL05s, but that is a personal opinion. Since then they have released quite a few models, some quite “off the wall”, but none have really had the success of their first model.

I’m afraid that I can not relate anything from the FG to the BL03. While I may not have been the biggest fan of the tuning of the BL03, it’s performance is fairly decent, whereas I have struggled to not be more negative in this review towards the FG.

I really don’t like leaving negative reviews, as I feel that this hobby is so subjective that somebody is always going to like things that I don’t. That might also be the case with the FG, who knows, but there are just so many good alternatives out there, even at the same price (and sometimes even cheaper), that I really can’t see the point in owning these IEMs.

(As always, this review is also available in Spanish on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

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I would have thought that in view of the name you might have tested them with a certain famous Queen song.

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That treble + Freddy Mercury… :hear_no_evil:

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The CCA CRA+ is an in-ear monitor which uses a single 10mm dynamic driver per housing. The CRA+ retails for $33.

The CRA+ is perhaps the best IEM to emerge from under the KZ umbrella and is one of the best IEMs at this price point from any manufacturer.

My full review, which includes measurements, is available on my blog:

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At least with a single driver, you know it is actually connected to something.

The Truthear Zero has been a pleasure to listen to, but frustrating to review. It is an unqualified recommendation at $50, but it easily could have been even more groundbreaking with some minor tweaks.

My full review is up on my blog:

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7Hz Salnotes Zero


The 7Hz Salnotes Zero have been sent to mby Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested anything specific and I will, as always, aim to be as unbiased as possible. However, you should always consider the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

You can find a non-affiliate link to the Zero by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.


Intro…

When I received the Zero, they were not yet on sale and I had no idea what the price was. Since then, they have become available on Linosul at a price of less than 20€, placing them firmly inside the sub 50€ bracket that I consider ultra-budget orientated.

7Hz are a brand that have made quite a name for themselves recently, with the 7Hz Timeless, a breakthrough in the planar IEM market, and the recent Dioko (in collaboration with Crinacle), amongst a couple of other models. The Zero I believe is their attempt at entering this ultra-budget IEM market with a single dynamic driver set of IEMs.


Presentation…

As is to be expected for less than 20€, the presentation is rather basic. Arriving in a plain box that a plastic covered tray slides out of, these are very reminiscent of some of the KZ presentations.

Inside the box we get the IEMs, the cable, the user manual and the same collection of multicoloured tips that were included with the Dioko that I reviewed recently.

I really can’t see any reason to complain here, as I would much rather IEMs in this price range have as much budget put towards the actual IEMs as possible.


Build and aesthetics…

The Zero are available in various colour options, these being black, blue and white. The version I have received are the blue ones, a colour that I would actually refer to as “smurf blue”.

I have to say that I have not had a set of IEMs come across my desk in this colour, so bonus points for originality, even if I do find them to look a bit like a toy (especially with the red tips that they arrive with).

The build is a combination of a plastic shell along with a metal faceplate. The shape is also original, with the use of plenty of straight lines, forming a shape that I really wouldn’t know what to call. This may mean that for some people with smaller ears, the square corners may result in some discomfort but I haven’t personally noticed any.

To be honest, I am not quite sure what to say about build quality. As I said, they do look a bit like toys and there is a clear seam where the shells are fixed together but at the same time, I really can spot anything that shouts “this is going to break”.

The included cable is nice enough, although a little stiff. It does refrain from tangling though and in general does its job, so I don’t have any complaints either. Yes, the cable included with the Dioko was much nicer (at 5 times the price) but this is still far better than many other cables included with ultra budget sets.

At the end of the day, aesthetics are very personal and while I am not a huge fan, I am also not going to put too much into how a set of 20€ IEMs look.


Sound…

(Note: As always, tracks mentioned are clickable links that will open the referenced track in the streaming service of your choice)

This is the category that is “make or break” for an ultra-budget set of IEMs in my opinion. I mean, sound is obviously the most important part of any IEM (maybe along with comfort) but in this price range, if something manages to sound good, it is 99% of teh way there (in my opinion of course).

So, here is the usual graph comparing them to my personal preference target:

I have said it before but I will say it again, my target is just a guide, I don’t always like things that are very close to it and I don’t always dislike things that aren’t. Saying that, on paper, we are off to a good start with the Zero tuning.

Starting off with the subbass frequencies, there is enough for my tastes, giving a nice sensation of rumble when the track calls for it, such as in the case of my usual test track, “Chameleon”. They also stay fairly clean and articulated in these lower ranges, without giving a sensation of muddying up the low end.

I am not sure if these IEMs were developed after the Crinacle collaboration but I must say that the bass in general is very reminiscent (in quantity) of the Dioko, something that I find very positive.

Midbass is more of the same story, not overly done and staying out of the way of the lower mids. This makes for a very clean bass region in general, allowing me to appreciate what is going on in the low ranges, even in complex songs. Ok, the speed may not be up to that of certain planar models, or other dynamic drivers in higher categories, but is is still pretty good, better than a lot of models I have heard coming in at many times the price of the Zero.

As with the low end of the Dioko, this tuning may sometimes give the impression that the lower notes of guitars are missing a little bit of body, maybe the guitar of Johnny Cash in “Hurt” being a good example, yet I would much rather take this presentation over something that is too bloated.

The mids are very well balanced and follow my preferences almost exactly. This, in my opinion, gives just the right amount of presence and balance to vocals and instruments located in these frequencies. There is no huge dip in the mids, nor is there a huge spike at the top of the mids that is needed to compensate for any lack of lower midrange. The presence between 2kHz and 4kHz is almost perfect (again, in my opinion), starting to roll off before we hit 5kHz, a range that I am very sensitive to.

This is actually something that I equalized the Dioko to while I was testing it and it resulted in things becoming rather harsh in this area, that does not seem to be the case with the Zero. In the track “Don’t You Worry Child” by Beth, her voice can become very harsh and almost unlistenable on many set that have too much in the higher mids, in the case of the Zero, she is still harsh (the recording is harsh itself) yet listenable.

Moving into the upper ranges is where I find the issue with the Zero. There is plenty of extension and feeling of air, yet there is also a spike that does make these upper ranges a little brutal on occasions. This peak does not actually create too much sibilance as “Code Cool” is a little hot but not painful (which can certainly be the case), yet there is a bit of a metallic shine to the upper range, making it not feel natural.

My guess is that 7Hz have used this extra presence in the upper ranges to make the Zero seem like it has more details than it actually does. This is something that many brands have done with various models to give that impression of detail. This is something that can make a set of IEMs sound very impressive during the initial listening phase, yet can be fatiguing on longer listening sessions.

My take on this is that the Zero don’t really have a huge amount of detail. I mean, they are not bad, certainly more than acceptable for the price range that they sit in, but they are not as detailed as that upper range peak would like you to think. To be honest, this does give the sensation that they extend much better in the treble than other dynamic driver sets, yet they really don’t, it is more of an illusion created by that peak.

Soundstage is not bad but is another thing that is conditioned a little by that upper peak. That sensation of more air does sometimes add to the sensation of more space, yet when isolating certain instruments and sounds (such as in “Bubbles”), the soundstage is actually around average for a set of IEMs.


Conclusion…

Everything was going so well with the Zero until that upper peak. Now, that does not mean that they are a bad set of IEMs, far from it, they are a great set of IEMs for their price (and could could probably compete with sets priced quite a bit higher), I think it is more of me finding so many good things about the tuning that the one error, or maybe that is not the correct word, let’s say that one “choice”, is something that was probably more of a let down due to everything else being so surprisingly good.

Obviously this can be corrected (again, maybe corrected is not the right term) with a little eq, but I actually feel that maybe it is simpler than that and it can be corrected with a filter that just tames those highest ranges a little. When I get a chance (I have quite a list of backlogged items) I will certainly try a couple of things because I feel that these IEMs are almost perfect as far as tuning in their price bracket.

Again, please do not take this as a negative review, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero do almost everything much better than can be expected for their price.


As always, you can find this review in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews
My IEM FR measurements are available on achoreviews.squig.link and my IEM isolation measurements can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

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KBEAR Little Q


The KBEAR Little Q have been sent to me by KeepHifi in exchange for the publication of this review. They have never requested anything specific and I will do my best to be as unbiased as possible, always reminding you that these IEMs did not cost me anything.

You can find a non-affiliate link to KBEAR Little Q via KeepHifi by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.

Intro…

I have reviewed quite a few of these small bullet style IEMs but I have to say that I think the Little Q are the smallest of all of them. When I first opened the package, I was very surprised at how tiny these IEMs really are.

Coming in at around 15€, these are another set that are competing for the ultra budget category but do they do anything that so many other models don’t?


Presentation…

The presentation of the Little Q is about as basic as you can get, with a white box that contains the IEMs and a few set of spare silicone tips.

Not a lot to really talk about here but as I have repeated many times, in this price range I don’t want to see a lot of accessories.


Build & aesthetics…

I already mentioned how tiny these are, so again, there is not really much to say. They opt for an elongated cylinder type shape, very similar to the shape used by Final Audio on their E series, yet slightly smaller.

They are available with or without a microphone, with a 1€ difference, in black grey and blue. As KeepHifi asked which version I would like, I opted for the blue version with a microphone and I am glad I did. As these are so small and compact, they are a perfect candidate to store in a pocket or even a small container on a keyring, allowing you to always have a set of IEMs (with mic) available.

The build quality is all plastic (at least I think its plastic) yet is is well constructed and the finish is very well done. There is the KBEAR logo down one side in black and the back of the IEMs has a small honeycomb design printed on in white (something that could also be reminiscent of the Final Audio logo on the back of their IEMs).

Even though I say that aesthetics are not really something I care about in these price ranges, I am actually quite fond of them and they are very comfortable, even when laying on my side.


Sound…

So, the important part, sound. Let’s start off as usual with the graph of the Little Q compared to my personal preference target:

Ok, maybe we are not off to a great start here, as far as my personal preferences go, but all is not lost!

Down at the lowest frequencies, the Little Q are pretty elevated, giving quite a bit of presence to those lower notes. Now, if you remember (for those of you that follow my reviews), I recently reviewed the Blon FG which had less presence down low than the Little Q and I said it was not good. Well, the Little Q has something that saves it, it’s this thing called definition. Even though there is a fair amount of elevation in the lowest ranges, it doesn’t fall apart and become a huge… “blob” I think was the word I used.

This goes for the midbass too, which is also way above my preferences in this area but, as it actually has some clarity and definition, I don’t hate it. In fact, I actually find it kind of fun. I think those that like a lot of bass and are looking for something that is very cheap will have no problems with the low end of the Little Q.

I am not saying that it is amazing in the low end, nor that it is as clear and defined as higher range IEMs, I am saying that it is surprisingly good for the price and I find it enjoyable, which is quite a compliment from me for something with this amount of bass.

As we move into the mids, the tuning is again very similar to the FG, yet the Little Q actually performs rather well in these frequencies. Yes, there is a noticeable dip in the center of the mids but at least it stays defined, even if it does lean towards (or rather point towards) the warm side of things.

I found acoustic music to be quite enjoyable and while I wouldn’t pick these as my reference IEMs, “Crazy” by Daniela Andrade had nice warmth and clarity in the mid range, as did Caro Emerald in “Back It Up”. Vocals were easily appreciated and overall fun to listen to.

A lot of this presence is due to the boost as we get up to the 2500Hz range. This climb is actually quite smooth and does a decent job of making sure vocals get the spotlight they deserve. Voices certainly don’t get pushed up front, there is too much going on in the lower ranges for that to happen, but there is enough presence to be pleasant.

There is another peak around 6kHz before they upper ranges start to roll off and this is something that does help brighten things up a little but can be a little hot on certain tracks, along with some presence of sibilance, especially when elevating the volume level.

Soundstage is not huge, as is to be expected with such a deep fitting set, but it is not terrible either, with image placement that helps make things seem a bit better distributed.


Isolation…

This is something that I haven’t really mentioned much in reviews over the years but I have been working on putting together a collection of isolation measurements of the IEMs I have reviewed. The photo above is the isolation measurement of the Little Q but you can compare it with other isolation measurements by visiting achoreviews.squig.link/isolation (its the same address as my FR measurements but with /isolation on the end).


Conclusion…

The KBEAR Little Q are a set of IEMs that I have grown quite fond of while trying them out. They are not highly detailed, nor are they going to win any awards for amazing sound, yet they are a pleasant listen that work great as a cheap “out and about” set.

Due to the size of them, plus the fact that they have a mic, they are a great option to store in a tiny case that can be easily kept in a pocket or even on a keyring. This means that you have a set of IEMs that you can pull out at any time and plug them straight into your phone (if you have a headphone jack of course, if not, you can add an Apple dongle for another 10€), enjoy some music and make some calls, without worrying about them being damaged or lost.

They might not be the best isolating IEMs (although that will depend on the tips used of course) but as they have that elevation in the lower ranges, they should also work pretty well in noisy environments.

All I can say is that, for 15€, I think the Little Q are more than worthy of their price tag.

(As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

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So @SenyorC (or others), do you have a favorite in the under $25 range? I’ve never had IEMs, and wouldn’t mind dipping my toe in the water for something to use on the go.

@SenyorC has much more experience, but I abandoned the ultra cheap IEM realm a long time ago. They just involve too many compromises. The treble usually becomes far less scratchy, harsh, and painful in the $100 class.

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I’ll take a $100 recommendation too! Since it will be awhile before I can pull the trigger on my future Atrium purchase, I need some new toys to play with.

In that range, sometimes seen for about $79 is the

A few of us on here have them. Pretty nice for the price range. Designed for stage/pro sound market, not the audiophile market. But they are not objectionable and have a balanced sound.

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In the sub 25€ bracket, depending on your tuning preferences, I would personally say that the ones worth trying out would be the 7hz Zero, the CCA CRA, the CCA CRA+ or maybe the Moondrop Chu.

In the sub 100€, again depending on personal tuning preferences, the Dunu Titan S, the Moondrop Aria or the 7hz Dioko if you want to try out the new planar hype.

My personal picks in both categories would probably be the 7hz options but, again, it will depend on what kind of music you listen to and what kind of tuning you prefer.

There are a few other sets, such as the Olina, that are highly praised and recommended but I haven’t tried them personally.

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The ultra economic range is really improving a lot recently but as with anything in this hobby, if you already have what you like, then there really isn’t much point in catching them like Pokemon (unless of course that is part of the hobby that you enjoy, which it seems to be for many).

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Second the recommendation for the Aria at under $100, especially if they are to be used with less than ideal sources, like a phone direct (at least a cheap pos like mine), lousy recordings, or lower rate bt. They are very forgiving, and their flaws are mostly errors of omission rather than commission.

Don’t know if I’m man enough to walk around with those Dioko in my ears. A little too much like giant earrings… :rofl:

I did order a Moondrop Chu last night to at least try something out. Definitely appreciate the recommendations, and will check them all out.

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You’d surely look like a Diok.

Yea! I have their old Kanas Pro (discontinued) and still use it sometimes.

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I don’t have SenyorC’s vast iem experience, nor his iem review prowess. However, I do own both the CCA CRA and the Moondrop Chu from his listed recommendations. I can vouch for the extreme fun value of either one. I favor the Moondrop Chu by a large margin over the CCA CRA treble sizzle. I carry them to work every day just incase I need an emergency listen. Moondrop Chu has also been my recommendation to my non audio enthusiast friends when asked which IEMs to purchase.

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I recently received the KBEAR Little Q for review. I would like to thank Ann of Keephifi.com for supplying this unit.

KBEAR Little Q

Description
The KBEAR Little Q is a wired earbud featuring an all-metal construction, compact enclosure and micro driver. It comes in minimalist packaging, a white cardboard box containing the earbuds fitted in a card cut-out below which are stored the three sizes of eartips and documentation.

The enclosures are solidly built from a gunmetal coloured alloy and are “bullet” shaped with KBEAR branding on the outer face. There is a prominent lip on the nozzle which helps to keep the eartips secure. The rear of the enclosure has a pattern of interlocking hexagons with a pinhole vent in the centre and there is a further pinhole vent on the underside by the cable. Channel identification is provided by embossed lettering “L” and “R” on the rear of the cable exit. Colour coding here would have been helpful as the lettering is difficult to read. The drive unit is a 6mm dynamic type with a composite diaphragm.

The Little Q was principally tested with a Hidizs AP80 Pro X DAP with a Huawei smartphone and CD player also employed. The largest size of the supplied tips were used which resulted in a comfortable fit with a fairly deep insertion, producing excellent isolation and solid bass. A burn in period of 100 hours was used to settle down the dynamic driver. After this the sound quality improved significantly so I would suggest that with the Little Q burning in is mandatory. Adequate volume was obtained from all equipment and the Little Q was adept enough to show a noticeable improvement with a higher quality source, although I did find the sound varied noticeably with different devices.

Sound Quality
The Little Q impressed with a powerful sound belying its size with an impressive bass presentation from the micro-driver. Sub bass had a satisfying rumble, mid bass provided a good kick and the tonality was warm and natural. There was a little bass bleed and the transient response could have been a little more incisive. Midrange was a little recessed with the lower region showing additional warmth from the bass and gradually becoming brighter with frequency. The upper region sounded clear and natural with no sign of peaks. Treble was relaxed and smooth with no harshness or sibilance, but it did roll off a little early. Overall this resulted in a well balanced and relaxing mild V shaping. Soundstage was just a bit above average in dimension with a little more width than height and depth.

Bass
The powerful bass response provided a solid foundation with a deep sub bass response and an elevated mid bass. The first part of “Inhaling Green” by Nick Magnus features wordless female vocals set against a synth/pomp rock instrumental backdrop and the Little Q produced an impressive and expansive sound picture. The warmth of the tonality did affect the detail and resolution and the bass occasionally became dominant, but the overall impression was of a “fun” tuning with good impact.

The deep bass drums in Sibelius’s beautiful “The Swan of Tuonela” came across with the requisite menacing feeling in the superb performance by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra under Osmo Vanska’s baton. Set against hushed strings and a haunting cor anglais solo, the Little Q created a spacious sound world with a healthy rumble and plenty of atmosphere, although a little more detail and resolution was wanting. The balance here was more natural between the bass and the rest of the orchestra.

Mids
The Little Q’s midrange was warm and somewhat recessed, but retained good timbre throughout. With some bleed from the bass, transients were a little blunted but there were no harsh peaks and smoothness was the keyword. The upper region was clearer and more defined and detail retrieval was acceptable but could have been more precise.

The lush synth washes supporting the lead voice in Davol’s “Mystic Waters” were very attractively presented with good atmosphere, whilst being just a little distant in the mix. There was a good sense of height in the lead synth voice in the middle of the piece and overall the Little Q turned in a very enjoyable performance.

“It must be Love” in the entertaining version by Madness sounded very good. Set against an infectious reggae backing and imaginative string parts, the Little Q rose to the occasion admirably. Suggs’ lead vocal was well projected and was nicely balanced with the rhythmic accompaniment which came over with clarity and attack. The sax solo in the bridge displayed a believable timbre as did the ensuing electric guitar solo, producing an enjoyable rendition. The balance in this production was very much to the Little Q’s liking.

Treble
The treble was generally smooth, relaxing and free of disturbing peaks. There was some loss of detail due to a gentle roll off in the upper region and I would have preferred a little more sparkle and resolution here.

In “Blue Saloon” from “Tubular Bells II” by Mike Oldfield, the bass guitar is accompanied by delicate high electronic percussion effects. These just lost some detail and were set back a little more than ideal. The timbre and tonality of the guitars and percussion were accurate and were musically satisfying and the rhythmic elements were well rendered.

Jacques Loussier’s superb 1960 recording of Bach’s “Air on a G string” recently remastered, features piano, double bass and percussion. The fine details in the brush cymbal work were somewhat distant and subdued, but the piano in the more dynamic passages showed excellent speed and timbre. A little more brightness here would have been perfect. The ambience of the recording venue came over well.

Soundstage
The Little Q produced a stage of average dimension, with the width being greater than the depth, and a decent impression of height. Layering was above average and imaging also of a good standard. Stereo movement and effects were very well portrayed making the Little Q ideal for gaming and movie soundtracks.

“The Fairy Garden” is part of the “Mother Goose Suite” by Ravel. In the electronic version by Isao Tomita from “The Ravel Album”, the movement of the electronic effects was impressively conveyed with the deep bass parts sweeping across the image while the high pitched sounds sparkled and danced above them.

“On Air” is an album by the Alan Parsons Project. In the opening track, “Blue Blue Sky” we are greeted by birdsong all around us. A close miked vocal accompanied by acoustic guitar follows and this was exceptionally clear. Finally, towards the end of the piece, two jet aircraft speed across the image from right to left and the effect was very convincing and exciting with a natural and realistic “airy” feel as the sound faded.

Comparisons
The Little Q joins a number of similar models appearing recently, amongst which are the two below that I have chosen for comparison, the Fiio x Jade Audio JD3 and the Moondrop Chu.

Fiio x Jade Audio JD3
The JD3, like the Little Q, is a fixed cable-down IEM. It features a stainless steel “bullet” style housing containing a 9.2mm dynamic driver, a powerful neodymium magnet assembly, a CCAW voice coil and dual cavity construction. It also has a sound reflection absorbing device. The earpieces are vented to increase the soundstage and the build quality is excellent as expected from Fiio.

The JD3 has a fairly standard V shaping with a powerful and rather dominant bass with some bleed into the midrange which is a little recessed. There is good timbre as befits a dynamic driver and the treble is generally smooth with an emphasis in the lower presence region and a roll-off in the upper frequencies. This tuning helps to avoid undue harshness and sibilance. The soundstage is average in dimension. Overall, it displays a warm, easy-going, amenable sound suiting many genres.

In fact, the Little Q and JD3 do sound quite similar, both having a powerful bass, recessed mids and relaxed treble. However, the Little Q has a bit more liveliness in its presentation than the JD3 and its treble is smoother and more natural.

Moondrop Chu
The Chu has a 10mm dynamic driver and fixed cable worn over the ear. It retails for around $20. The compact earpieces are built from zinc alloy and the non-detachable cable is rubbery. The packaging and accessories are excellent at the price and the IEMs themselves are solidly built.

The Moondrop Chu has a neutral bass, somewhat forward midrange and a bright and detailed treble. Due to the forward nature of the midrange, the staging is fairly intimate but the excellent imaging and separation gives the impression of a larger stage. With a bright, clear and immediate sound and an overall well balanced profile, the Chu engages the listener in a lively entertaining way.

Compared to the Little Q, it presents a brighter and more immediate sound with improved detail, and is not as V-shaped as the KBEAR. The Little Q is warmer and more relaxing to listen to but the Chu has better technicalities.

Conclusion
The Little Q surprised me with the scale of its sound, especially in the bass, the 6mm driver really moving the air. The midrange was pleasantly tuned with a warm, natural timbre and to complete the picture, there was a relaxed high frequency range perfect for the treble-sensitive amongst us. Technicalities were not its strong suit with the emphasis being more on musicality, and I felt a little more urgency and sparkle would have been welcome with improved treble extension. However, at the price, these criticisms can be forgiven and some improvements can be obtained with a brighter source. I employed an Xduoo X20 DAP for this purpose with excellent results.

Overall, KBEAR have produced another successful product which performs well above its price. It has a “fun” tuning and is easily driven from a smartphone, making it ideal for music on the move. The Little Q certainly holds its own against the competition in its sector and is a welcome addition to the KBEAR inventory.





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Here is the product link for the KBEAR Little Q: