kramer5150
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2004
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I have been holding back my comments and impressions, but I think I have now spent a long enough time with them (3.5 weeks) to finally post some impressions.
First off, I would like to commend JAYS for going out on a limb in this collaborative effort, and acquire end-user feedback, and feed that information back into the final design. They are the only headphone/IEM manufacturer (I am aware of) to proceed in this route in designing their products.
The other thing I want to clarify, is that my evaluation sample is an engineering prorotype. (REV 01 sample for the record). It was most likely built by hand, using soft tooled or machined prototype manufacturing processes. My sample has a little glue oozing out the side and other little cosmetic imperfections. So this IEM is not a fair representation of the final production version. So... I have been instructed by JAYS not release pictures of these bad-boys.
For the record I am dieing to show you guys these little gems. They are SUPER tiny. Imagine an ER4 that does NOT stick out of your ear.
So Lets Rock!!...
Sonic impressions-
Compared to the d-JAYS they are a step-up in just about every way. It is clearly obvious that JAYS engineering fielded all the d-JAYS impressions we posted here and designed an IEM to meet the customer requirements. If you take the d-JAYS and add sub-bass extension/impact and extend the treble thats the q-JAYS sound. The q-JAYS mids are spaced out, more ambiently. They have the ability to project a greater sense of space and distance. They are less in the head sounding (at times), and do not project forward all the time like the d-JAYS. At first I was like, WOW... what happened to the mids?... They are there, just not in your face (so to speak), all the time. The soundstage is noticeably bigger as a result. Mids are spread out and open up much farther left and right.
Of course all the positive aspects about the d-JAYS are retained. The vocal clarity, definition and tightness of the sound remain present.
Overall the q-JAYS are just a much more relaxing listen. The entire image is less "hot" and aggressive. A very spacious and articulate kind of sound compared to the d-JAYS. They are pretty balanced across the spectrum too. They don't seem to accentuate any particular frequency. If anything, the treble is maybe boosted just a little over the mids, but its not glaring or severe enough for me to consider them sibilant. It provides for some nice treble articulation and detail resolution.
The most open sounding IEM I have is a modded MDR-ex90. The q-JAYS headstage is similar to the EX90. Although, it adds a LOT more detail resolution and the bass is much tighter and better defined. The sound over-all is much more defined and controlled than the EX90.
I was listening to some live Joe Satriani the other night after putting the kids to sleep. I got up out of my chair, to go see what my daughter was crying about, down the hall in her room. Turns out, it was some crowd cheering off in the distance. I have never encountered this level of soundstage and image separation form an IEM. So, the q-JAYS certainly has the ability to project sounds outward, and accurately replicate the spatial separation presented in the recording. They still however are IEMs, so the "in-the head" feel is still there.
A note about synnergy..
I spent most of my time listening to the q-JAYS with my D335 PCDP line out as source. I also have a Larocco PPA, misterX pimeta and a new amp from sweetpig audio out of thailand. I also am using my MuVo V100 for portable tunes. The q-JAYS are a high sensitivity, low impedence dual balanced armature IEM, so they reveal a lot of detail... hence those who scale up amplification will be rewarded. I find them to be pretty balanced across the spectrum, with a little treble and bass boost. So, for the most part, they are going to sound like what you amp and source them with. They are NOT like a Grado (for example) that will impose its own sonic signature over everything.
Unamped with my MuVo V100, they are certainly loud enough. Being highly sensitive, I found them unlistenably loud at volume settings higher than ~10/25. Although they lack midrange clarity. Mids sounded a little "thick". Although the treble and bass response was very nice.
Amping with my OPA2132 govibeII (cmoy with tele rail splitter for power and vishay-dale resistors) sounded worse than listening to them unamped, as it congested the bass too much for my liking. Swapping it for an OPA2227 really opened up the sound and increased overall clarity, although the mids were still a little too recessed. I dropped in an OPA2107 and that pulled it all together nicely. Nice bass presence/definition and the mids are detailed and a little more forward. Groovy!! Very nice how a $45 amp can sound this good with the q-JAYS.
Plugging it into my OPA2107 Pimeta added some pretty intense bass impact and midrange presence, while slightly closing in the soundstage. (something the pimeta is noted for). A noticeable step up from the 2107 govibe IMHO.
I have to say, my OPA627 amps sound best with the q-JAYS. Both the Sweetpig audio and Larocco PPA use the 627, and they both further opened up the clarity, soundstage, and detail resolution without loosing bass impact/detail. The midrange is most articulate and clear with these amps. Snare tones are tight and snappy, guitar strings are very detailed and textured.
Isolation, microphonics...
They isolate very well, on par with the d-JAYS. IMHO their isolation is partially frequency dependent. They seem to isolate ambient sound below ~5000Hz a little more. So, the sound of a running water faucet, wind through the trees, and my keyboard clicks as I type this are more easily heard than a thumping car stereo, or the airplane overhead.
Being an isolating IEM, they do suffer from body microphonics. Although its no more or less than any other isolating IEM I have tried. I have found an alligator shirt clip helps a lot in this regard, since it prevents the weight of the cord from pulling at the IEM body.
I will continue to post further comments and impressions throughout the weeks.
Hasta!!
Garrett
First off, I would like to commend JAYS for going out on a limb in this collaborative effort, and acquire end-user feedback, and feed that information back into the final design. They are the only headphone/IEM manufacturer (I am aware of) to proceed in this route in designing their products.
The other thing I want to clarify, is that my evaluation sample is an engineering prorotype. (REV 01 sample for the record). It was most likely built by hand, using soft tooled or machined prototype manufacturing processes. My sample has a little glue oozing out the side and other little cosmetic imperfections. So this IEM is not a fair representation of the final production version. So... I have been instructed by JAYS not release pictures of these bad-boys.
For the record I am dieing to show you guys these little gems. They are SUPER tiny. Imagine an ER4 that does NOT stick out of your ear.
So Lets Rock!!...
Sonic impressions-
Compared to the d-JAYS they are a step-up in just about every way. It is clearly obvious that JAYS engineering fielded all the d-JAYS impressions we posted here and designed an IEM to meet the customer requirements. If you take the d-JAYS and add sub-bass extension/impact and extend the treble thats the q-JAYS sound. The q-JAYS mids are spaced out, more ambiently. They have the ability to project a greater sense of space and distance. They are less in the head sounding (at times), and do not project forward all the time like the d-JAYS. At first I was like, WOW... what happened to the mids?... They are there, just not in your face (so to speak), all the time. The soundstage is noticeably bigger as a result. Mids are spread out and open up much farther left and right.
Of course all the positive aspects about the d-JAYS are retained. The vocal clarity, definition and tightness of the sound remain present.
Overall the q-JAYS are just a much more relaxing listen. The entire image is less "hot" and aggressive. A very spacious and articulate kind of sound compared to the d-JAYS. They are pretty balanced across the spectrum too. They don't seem to accentuate any particular frequency. If anything, the treble is maybe boosted just a little over the mids, but its not glaring or severe enough for me to consider them sibilant. It provides for some nice treble articulation and detail resolution.
The most open sounding IEM I have is a modded MDR-ex90. The q-JAYS headstage is similar to the EX90. Although, it adds a LOT more detail resolution and the bass is much tighter and better defined. The sound over-all is much more defined and controlled than the EX90.
I was listening to some live Joe Satriani the other night after putting the kids to sleep. I got up out of my chair, to go see what my daughter was crying about, down the hall in her room. Turns out, it was some crowd cheering off in the distance. I have never encountered this level of soundstage and image separation form an IEM. So, the q-JAYS certainly has the ability to project sounds outward, and accurately replicate the spatial separation presented in the recording. They still however are IEMs, so the "in-the head" feel is still there.
A note about synnergy..
I spent most of my time listening to the q-JAYS with my D335 PCDP line out as source. I also have a Larocco PPA, misterX pimeta and a new amp from sweetpig audio out of thailand. I also am using my MuVo V100 for portable tunes. The q-JAYS are a high sensitivity, low impedence dual balanced armature IEM, so they reveal a lot of detail... hence those who scale up amplification will be rewarded. I find them to be pretty balanced across the spectrum, with a little treble and bass boost. So, for the most part, they are going to sound like what you amp and source them with. They are NOT like a Grado (for example) that will impose its own sonic signature over everything.
Unamped with my MuVo V100, they are certainly loud enough. Being highly sensitive, I found them unlistenably loud at volume settings higher than ~10/25. Although they lack midrange clarity. Mids sounded a little "thick". Although the treble and bass response was very nice.
Amping with my OPA2132 govibeII (cmoy with tele rail splitter for power and vishay-dale resistors) sounded worse than listening to them unamped, as it congested the bass too much for my liking. Swapping it for an OPA2227 really opened up the sound and increased overall clarity, although the mids were still a little too recessed. I dropped in an OPA2107 and that pulled it all together nicely. Nice bass presence/definition and the mids are detailed and a little more forward. Groovy!! Very nice how a $45 amp can sound this good with the q-JAYS.
Plugging it into my OPA2107 Pimeta added some pretty intense bass impact and midrange presence, while slightly closing in the soundstage. (something the pimeta is noted for). A noticeable step up from the 2107 govibe IMHO.
I have to say, my OPA627 amps sound best with the q-JAYS. Both the Sweetpig audio and Larocco PPA use the 627, and they both further opened up the clarity, soundstage, and detail resolution without loosing bass impact/detail. The midrange is most articulate and clear with these amps. Snare tones are tight and snappy, guitar strings are very detailed and textured.
Isolation, microphonics...
They isolate very well, on par with the d-JAYS. IMHO their isolation is partially frequency dependent. They seem to isolate ambient sound below ~5000Hz a little more. So, the sound of a running water faucet, wind through the trees, and my keyboard clicks as I type this are more easily heard than a thumping car stereo, or the airplane overhead.
Being an isolating IEM, they do suffer from body microphonics. Although its no more or less than any other isolating IEM I have tried. I have found an alligator shirt clip helps a lot in this regard, since it prevents the weight of the cord from pulling at the IEM body.
I will continue to post further comments and impressions throughout the weeks.
Hasta!!
Garrett
