EPZ Q5

Introduction

EPZ is a new brand to me, established in 2019. It's not a new brand to the public though, as it has a good catalogue of IEMS, cables, TWS, even dongles to its credit. And that's not a one day thing. Although it is true that it is now becoming better known to the general public. Manufactured by Shenzhen Jiuzhou Electronics, EPZ has its own shop on AliExpress and it is there where you can corroborate what I have said and see the number of models they already have. It is true that there is not much more information about it and that is why I will focus on the model to review in this article. This is the EPZ Q5, an IEM that uses a dual-cavity dual magnetic circuit and a self-developed carbon nanocomposite ceramic diaphragm. Its ergonomic design is reminiscent of another famous model. It is made of skin-friendly resin and uses MMCX interface. It is priced at around $80, although it is currently available at a slightly lower price. Let's take a closer look at this promising new model called EPZ Q5.



Specifications

• Dynamic driver: Dual-cavity nano piezoelectric carbon ceramic diaphragm and dual 10MM magnetic circuit.
• Frequency range: 20-20kHz.
• Capsule: 3D printed resin cavity.
• Sensitivity: 109db(±1db).
• Impedance: 26Ω.
• Jack: 3.5mm SE.
• Connection interface: MMCX.
• Cable: 4-core silver-plated monocrystalline copper.
• Cable length: 1.2m.

Packaging

The EPZ Q5 comes in a relatively large, matt black box with dimensions 192x132x60mm. All lettering and inscriptions are done in gold ink. On the main side there is a circle with strands forming a kind of spiral. In the centre is the name of the model and surrounding it is a phrase that refers to the fact that the brand started in 2019. At the top left is the brand logo and at the bottom is the brand slogan. On the rear face, at the top are the characteristics of the model. In the centre is the frequency response. It is quite similar to my measurement, but without the peak at 5kHz. At the bottom is the brand name and to the right a sticker indicating the model, i.e. black, MMCX interface and 3.5mm SE plug. It is also available in white, but I don't think a balanced connection is available. The box has no protective outer cardboard and opens like a sealed box. The inside is separated into two parts: the left part is a black foam mould containing the IEMS with the cable in place. On the right side is a small black cardboard box with gold concentric circles, which contains the accessories. The complete contents are as follows:

• The IEMS EPZ Q5.
• One cable with silver-plated 4-core monocrystalline copper conductor.
• Three pairs of black silicon tips.
• Three pairs of white silicon tips with black core.
• One zippered carrying case.
• One black cleaning cloth.
• One instruction manual in several languages, including English.
• One certificate of guarantee.

The box is relatively large for the contents. The case is classic but with a very nice dark grey faux-leather surface finish. There are two sets of silicone tips, one black, flatter and cylindrical. The other is more conventional and larger. The cable has a quite acceptable quality and I find that the accessories are in accordance with the price of the product.



Construction and Design

The EPZ Q5 is made of skin-friendly resin and uses MMCX interface. I have to say that I am not a big fan of the MMCX connection and clearly prefer the 2Pin connectors. But I have to say that I have no complaints about the MMCX connection during the time I have used them during this review.
The capsule design is oval with a spiral connection interface. It has a concave, gold-plated disc on one side of the outer face. This shape is undoubtedly reminiscent of another famous model. In the centre of the golden disc is a hole with a grille at the bottom. Around it is the same legend as on the lid of the case. The surface of the capsule is smooth and polished. The inner face is inscribed with gold lettering indicating the model name, the channel lettering and the numbering 0307. The base of the mouthpieces is slightly inclined and at the very source there is a small hole in the base. The nozzles themselves are metallic and gold-plated and have two diameters. The lower one is 5mm and the upper-outer one is 5.7mm. Each is protected by a perforated metal plate. Finally, the MMCX interface is gold-plated.
The cable is 1.2m long and consists of a silver-plated 4-core monocrystalline copper conductor. It consists of two strands twisted together, which are shielded with transparent plastic. The connector is gold-plated and is a 3.5mm SE connector. Its sleeve is gold-plated, matching the outer concave disc of the capsules. It is a cylinder with a metal housing depressed in the centre. The splitter is the same, but shorter. The same design is repeated for the sleeves of the MMCX connectors, with the difference that they have a white lettering to indicate the channel. The fitting piece is a ring with two holes joined in the middle, through which the two cables pass. The cable has a Velcro strap with the brand name on it to hold it in place.
As already mentioned, the design of the capsules is not original. The cable is slightly stiff and has a subtle tendency to get a shape. In my opinion, I would have preferred a copper cable for the sound profile of the Q5s. On the other hand, I would have liked to be able to choose a balanced connector. Finally, the model in this review is black, but it is also available with white capsules.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The capsules are relatively small and their weight is very low. The shape fits very well in my pinna. The inclination of the nozzles is quite appropriate. They have a length that could allow a medium insertion, but their diameter may prevent this. As usual, I have used my large silicone tips filled with foam that I make myself. With them, the insertion is shallow and the insulation is quite good. The diameter of the mouthpieces and their length means that the insertion is deeper and this means that, despite the good ergonomic shape of the capsules, they are not as comfortable for my morphology. On this occasion, I require a less thick foam padding to make the whole thing more comfortable. Even so, I don't get the same comfort as with other IEMS, despite the low weight and the good shape of the capsules. Although, I insist that it may be due to my own ergonomics.



Sound

Profile

The EZP Q5s have a V-profile with a dual tendency towards sub-bass and initial brightness. The peak is between the high-midrange and early treble, with a peak at 5khz that can be abrupt, insistent and persistent, depending on the music being listened to. The midrange feels contrasted, due to the unevenness between the first and second half of this range. The transition between bass and midrange is relatively clean, although the general tendency is towards thinness of sound.



Bass

The lower end feels emancipated although it has some colour. It is not perceived as completely deep or dark, but has more of a sonorous than a sensory behaviour. It loses some realism and naturalness. But it also suffers from a certain physical bulk because it is more compact and faster. On the upside, its execution is precise and concise, the hit is fast and there is hardly any aftertaste. It has a certain roughness, albeit slight on its surface, not too noticeable throughout its curve, but enough to counterbalance the colour by means of that light texture that gives it realism. All this is reinforced by the pure tone test. The lower tone is more audible than perceptible. In this way, the colouring is noticeable from the beginning of the audible tones. Having less physical sensation and more vibrational than sensory behaviour, the end result becomes more obvious. And the translation of this way of proceeding to real music is as I said: more audible, without too much power, volume or punch, yet clean, strict, dry, slightly rough, but with good descriptive capacity.
Overall, I'd say its level of presence is above neutral, but it doesn't quite satisfy my bass-lover's demands, lacking personality, power, punch, volume and depth. Despite this, it is good on the technical aspects, able to follow complex, unfiltered bass lines accurately, quickly and efficiently. It is not very adept at creating layers and stratifying bass, though, because it feels a bit thin and not very voluminous. In fact, the bass it demonstrates doesn't produce much volume, remaining borderline neutral and somewhat bland despite the good technical performance.



Mids

The transition to the midrange is clean, the product of a bass that does not overreach or cross the border. I would even say that sometimes it doesn't even go as far as that. But that's usually good news for the midrange. In this sense, the first half of the midrange feels very limpid, without a hint of haze and far removed from any muddy feel. On the contrary, the appearance of this first phase is rather thin. It suffers from a certain groundedness and there is no perceived warmth, but instead brightness and high nuances are more predominant. The male vocals are lean, though they feel very clear, even evident. I thought they would be presented in a more distant way, but they have a certain vigour that projects them. Or, rather, that projects their edges, nuances and details. In this respect, the timbre veers towards brightness, while the body is wiry and the physicality low.
The transition to the second half is more abrupt, it is the change that unequalises the sound and splits it in two. This generates a sense of hollowness in the first part, as well as a sonic preference that gives more importance to high notes, nuances, details and harmonics. As a result, the sibilances are more evident and the sound takes on a vivid, splashy, persistent, more piercing nuance, which can counteract the musicality of the whole, even though the first half of the sound is relatively good, on the whole.
I still miss body and base even in the female vocals, where hisses are more prominent. But also in the rest of the instrumentation. The Q5s manage to make the mix clear, polished, relatively pure and transparent, at the cost of losing the physical part of the midranges. In this way, it seems that the music is sustained on a thin and thin base, which is not badly developed, but which is projected more than necessary, loaded with an energy that can be tiring due to its predominance and the lack of balance with a more testimonial first half.



Treble

The treble begins excited and sharp, and then immediately relaxes slightly. Even so, the sum is concentrated and energetic. The high notes are perceived as close, present, vigorous, fine, even piercing. Yes, they are crisp and sparkling, but they work quickly. It's not a lingering glare, but it can be lacerating over time, to sensitive ears, due to its predominant character. As I mentioned, despite the moderation in successive frequencies, the energy level enters a plateau phase where the build-up makes the range feel extended, even into the air zone. Moreover, this aspect is distinctly elevated, becoming slightly surprising for a single dynamic driver. In this way, the sensation of air is perceived in every sound.



Soundstage, Separation

With such a clean and transparent sound, the scene feels open, steamy and gauzy. Details are evident and the thin base makes the sound feel more fluid, dynamic and with more movement. The size of the soundstage has good headroom, it is wider than it is deep, and this aspect is perceived more by the distance ratio between the nuances and the base, than by the depth provided by the shallow bass. It is true that the low end has a certain roundness, texture and a punch that goes beyond neutrality. But the result does not counterbalance the presence and energy in the second half of the frequency range.
The remarkable definition of the notes, as well as their level of separation, finesse and thinness, creates a clean, clear, discernible, descriptive and richly nuanced sound. The edge of the sounds is evident and in the foreground. In this way, the macro detail is accentuated, but the micro detail is relegated to a background that can be barely perceptible.
The image is not dispersed, but this sensation of volatility, together with the lack of a base, makes the origin of the weaker elements more perceptible, leaving the musical mass, which should be more corporeal and physical, on a freer plane. Even so, the image is correct despite this light positioning.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that the music never feels congested, unless the treble presence is too abundant. This can be useful as monitor headphones for observing obvious details in the foreground, without the timbre suffering too much.



Comparisons

NS Audio NS3

I like to compare IEMS similar in price, performance and FR. On this occasion I thought that the NS Audio NS3 could be a good rival for the EPZ Q5. By no means are the NS3s new, I reviewed them in September 2019. Do they still make sense? In my opinion they do. They may not be the highest resolution IEMS at the moment, but for $70 I still think they have a special charm, both for their stabilised wood outer panel and for their smooth, warm and musical analogue sound. In terms of construction, the NS3s stand out for the wooden panel placed on their external face. Internally, the capsules have a very ergonomic shape, although the mouthpiece is somewhat short, which may limit the best fit or insertion. In my opinion and despite the good shape and size of the Q5s, the NS3s are more comfortable in the long run. Their size and shape fits better in my ear. In terms of accessories, the NS3s do not come with a zippered case, but with a cloth pouch. Both cables are silver plated, but the NS3 cable has 4 coiled strands, while the Q5 has two and is thicker overall. But the NS3 cable is less stiff and more manageable.
In terms of sensitivity, the Q5s are easier to move around with.
In terms of sound, despite the similarity in the graphs up to 2khz, the big difference is in the peak at 5khz that the Q5s have, while the NS3s have a marked valley right at those frequencies. On the other hand, that higher energy difference at 3.5kHz is not noticeable for clarity. The NS3s have a bit more bass overall, they feel warmer, but also darker and softer. And that bass is also more natural, deeper, realistic and better executed. It is free of colouration and in the very low frequency pure tone test its behaviour is more natural and sensory. The Q5s have that more vibratory colour and behaviour that elevates the reproduced frequency result. The punch is somewhat superior in the NS3s, with a rounder bass, more volume, better texture and a more pleasant and realistic behaviour. It is not as dry, clean and fast with the Q5s, but more enjoyable, even lush in its development. In the overall sound of both, the bass and midrange are more predominant in the NS3s, while the mid-highs and highs are the protagonists in the EPZs.
In the midrange the Q5s have more clarity and transparency, their notes are lighter, thinner, but also more defined and separated. Notes have more weight and thickness in the lower midranges of the NS3s. This gives the base of the instruments and voices a fleshier, more physical and voluminous body. That gives it that point of lushness and fullness, which pushes the midrange to a closer, more present and elevated stage than the Q5s. Above all, the male voices take on a much more elaborate and emphatic presential physicality, as well as possessing a richer and more descriptive texture. The thinness of the male voices contrasts with the greater presence of the high-pitched nuances, as well as their hiss. But there is no trace of the flesh, of the body of the base, something that limits its enjoyment and its resemblance to reality. On the other hand, the smoothness and that distinctly darker spot does not detract from the NS3 midranges. They clearly don't have that transparency. But listening to vocal music with the NS3s is a much more evocative experience than with the Q5s.
Female vocals are not as clear and evident on the NS3s, they are also thicker. Perhaps here one could argue the naturalness of the timbre in favour of the EPZs. But I still think the greater energy of detail and hiss works against them.
Instrumentation is distinctly thicker and smoother on the NS3s, while on the Q5s it is leaner, even piercing in more cases.
The big difference is in the treble. Whereas the NS3s almost start out omitted or nuanced, the Q5s have much more energy, extension and air. It's clear that all this gives more explicit macro detail, more light, transparency, clarity, but also more separation, thanks to the better resolution and finer notes. The scene is more open and volatile in the EPZs. Whereas the NS3 has more depth, but also more closeness and proximity, a somewhat more intimate scene, which allows the details to feel close. Not as high resolution as the Q5s, macro detail is not as evident. At the micro level, though, neither is too explicit. It seems that the Q5 allows more of it to be glimpsed, although, at times, the macro detail covers up the micro detail, obscuring it.



Conclusion

The EPZ Q5 has an excited V-profile that veers towards brightness, placing the emphasis on the nuances rather than on its base, although it is quite resolute and correct in the first half of the frequency range. In this initial phase it is technical, efficient, relatively neutral, descriptive, even moderate. But, from this point on, the energy level rises more than necessary, generating a lot of clarity and transparency, although with side effects that can be unpleasant for delicate ears. Despite this, it has remarkable presence and extension in the upper area, as well as a high level of separation and distance between elements, creating an open, gaseous and volatile scene, where macro details are evident.
The Q5 is based on a design inspired by an existing model and takes up its ergonomic quality, although it is necessary to emphasise the search for the most suitable tips to make the most of these aspects.
The accessories package is quite adequate, including a customised zipped case and a silver-plated cable with gold-plated sleeves that match the capsules.
Although, for the initial price the Q5s are in a price range with too much competition to rival other established models, the current offerings allow their price/performance ratio to improve thanks to their technical abilities and accessories.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• ifi hip dac 3.
• Aune Yuki.
• Burson Audio Playmate II.
• Tempotec V3.
• MUSE HiFi M3 II.
• Hidizs SD2.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + EarMen ST-Amp.

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

The EPZ Q5 Universal IEM
Redcarmoose Labs March 9th, 2024

Manufacturer Specification:

• Brand: EPZ
• Model: Q5
• Driver: 10mm self-developed dual-magnetic circuit, dual-cavity ceramic carbon nano-composite diaphragm
• IEM Weight: 4.17g
• IEM Dimensions: 18mm (height) x 20.3mm (width) x 20.3mm (max depth)
• Shell: 3D printed resin shell & acoustic cavity
• Impedance: 26Ω±15%(@1kHz)
• Sensitivity: 109dB/Vrms(@1kHz)
• Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-50kHz
• Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Cable: 1.2m 4-core single crystal copper silver plated cable
• Connector: MMCX Single Pin with 3.5mm jack

$77.70 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/products/epz-q5

The EPZ Q5 comes in a nice box opening experience, and is really on the smaller and lighter side as far as weight and size goes. The thing is it does scale really well and will go to show you the quality of file and source components you are using. That said, the Q5 can come off un-involving and thin in regular phone use.

If I could suggest some things?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7hz-salnotes-zero-universal-iem.25980/reviews#review-28978


https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7hz-x-crinacle-zero-2.26878/reviews#review-32694


You see there are other offerings which still go to get better well roundedness at a lesser price point.

The peak intensity here with the EPZ Q5:
Don’t get me wrong here. Except notice that spike between 3.5kHz to 7.5kHz? Where the Zero 1 and Zero 2 avoid these intensities and I seemly find them smoother. Due to such smoothness I find them more enjoyable, despite any drawbacks. Yet to be real here, comparing the Q5 to the Zero 1 and Zero 2 with all three using the same aftermarket cable (MMCX and 2Pin) and my regular wide-bore ear-tips and Sony WM1Z DAP. That while more aggressive the Q5 did show its value in performance beating out the lower priced rivals in detail and bigger imaging. Now there is one point I really want to drive home here. If you think you're going to get the Q5 and simply use the provided 3.5mm MMCX cable to quickly attach it to your phone, you’re probably not going to be thoroughly impressed. Meaning the Q5 has the ability to replay whatever is upstream. This is so very surprising to me as I was to rate the Q5 much lower until I looked through my equipment and discovered truly what it would do. This side-by-side with the Zero 1,2 was part of that discovery. As sure tuning would have you believe that I would like the Zero Twins better, and in that regard we have a more balanced example of the tuning art.

Not going by sonic memory, but doing direct comparisons (in-real-time) is the best way I know to explain sound signatures. As sure there is that Q5 peak and if you look carefully it rises above even the total amount of bass energy. As such I matched it with a 4.4mm aftermarket cable and took it to the very V shaped WM1Z with MrWalkmans firmware installed.

Results:
Sure that spiciness bump is going to be always there. It in itself goes to add to the proclamation of clarity here. Yet there is more, more bass definition and imaging into a better, more realistic idea of bass replay, than the Zero 2 and miles better than the Zero1. Some may even question why I’m using these for comparison?

Two reasons to compare to the Zero Twins:
Two reasons, one they are a known commodity, and two........they help delineate the real reason I think people should take caution when choosing the Q5? So that kinda becomes a double edged sword in that yes, this brightness helps make the Q5 seem more vivid and it really scapes the ceiling of what peak areas would even be acceptable. Though what this gets you is soundstage width and size. Yep, there is a trick sound engineers use to add to the soundstage width and overall size by enlarging the midrange frequencies. Still even with the energy the soundstage is only slightly above average.

Can you take it, the peak I mean?
I mean that’s the only thing here, that yes there are all kinds of benefits to a tune like this, yet I can’t help but think it limits the genres and sources you need to choose to run through the Q5? Now that doesn’t mean there are avenues that you can travel to seemingly down-tune this peak if you get your pair and start to notice it. One way I worked with this peak issue was to switch DAPs and change ear-tips. So going with the dual density (SONY HYBRID EP-EX11 Japan Version) was the correct way to reach a special tune. Added to the mid centric Sony WM1A provided a less contrasty way to interpret the Q5. Now while there was no real way of totally changing the overall character here, this reduction in peak was kind of blending the tone all together to find less peaky vividness. As such different sources and ear-tip nozzle diameter size are our friends and useful tools in finding a way into Q5 enjoyment. Anything to combat the dryness and lack of note-weight.

Results from a phone:
Here is where I really find issue with the Q5, seemly adding to the thinness that is regularly found with simple phone use. You see this dryness and lack of real deep end is then compounded to come-off as the poster child for standard 3.5mm phone playback. Where some IEMs use bass emphasis too counteract the thinness and add note-weight, here we are in a style of trouble compounded by the 3.5kHz to 7.5kHz peak. If I was to use a phone any number of Dongles and 4.4mm add-ons would help smooth-out the party.

Balanced:
I can’t help but think this use of balanced 4.4mm output changed the sonic landscape. Making an IEM I almost didn’t know how to review became a somewhat enjoyable experience. I say this that if you find the Q5 thin out of the box, simply burn-it-in for a few days and try to locate a copper cable in 4.4mm to join it with. Really the cable I used was not dark in any way, but is renowned for letting the pure character of an IEM through.

Music Tests:
Using a hybrid Orange ear-tip seemed to do the trick of getting both the Q5 charter and staging transferred here. I’m using the Walkman WM1A with no EQ.





Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Finding this as my regular testing track should be of no surprise. I choose this for a few reasons, though one of the main reasons here is if the piano comes off too forward or too intense. This style of tune no matter what asks for slightly lesser volume. And with that stated at what I would call slightly less than normal the piano starting at 00:09 comes off both correct sounding and not too bright, but going that direction. Though I will say get timbre here, and separation, very natural. I would call the stage about medium, maybe on the border of medium large. While there is decent width as well as forward to back thickness. Really the top to bottom placement is average with the primarily spectacle being width. As such the real second level of the song promotes a soft next level feeling at 00:42. This somehow is not that contrasty or promoted with density of bass, but rather a complete but maybe too smooth of rendition? Showing the details and adding a nice noticeable completeness, yet withholding some of the dynamics which will often pull on the heart stings. It’s not boring, and way way better than out-of-the-box with 3.5mm single ended, even single ended 3.5mm from an audiophile DAP. Yet I would say I have heard this better for less money………..of course maybe it is all simply the volume needed to be reduced……..reduce the volume and reduce the emotional factor!



Hans Zimmer
Inception OST
Old Souls
44.1 kHz - 16 bit
Amazingly the opening is almost just right, with a free open space which finds the piano played inside. Yet when the bass hits there is nothing really dramatic or of incidence to it, making me wonder why we are even here? While yes, all is playback, only there is very little excitement to a song that should have excitement dripping? We are only going through the motions, and while technically correct there is something left out and I’m not sure I know what it is………….though to start with the word soul comes to mind…….it is missing the soul here, no pun intended?



Gdanian
Induction
Shield Emitter (feat. Tineidae)
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Balanced is how I hear this interpretation, while seemingly everything has its place, this is not exactly boring though I have heard it with more spice at times, where here everything has been homogenized……..flowing together as one, typical of DDs at times. I mean sure the fun aspect is finding where the bass in this chooses to position itself, and sure there is a careful and correct way about how the song is replayed…….almost too careful?

Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Academy Race
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Seemingly smaller stage than expected? Yet when the bass hits even at the start at 00:11 in we are met with decent technicalities and tune. While this song is again asking for a slightly lower volume to be used to deal with the midrange peak. There is nice cohesive playback and well done separation here. As such the upper midrange still asks for carefulness in volume use? Well itemized and entertaining nonetheless, some of the attacks are thin and refuse to hold note weight.

Packaging:
6 pairs of ear-tips and a nice cleaning cloth. A full-size branded zipper case and some paperwork.







Build:
Coming in at only 4 grams each the Q5 excels at wearability. While on the smaller side of small it is a jot to wear, even when jogging or involved with outdoor sports. Where MMCX can be unreliable and limit your cable rolling choices, it does seem to work well with the form factor present. As such we are offered a 3D resin shell with a vent surrounded by an aluminum piece. And really the nozzle works well to both hold on any style of ear-tip, and reach a level of ergonomics which is correctly angles and just long enough, without being on the longer side.

Conclusion:
Well there you have it. The EPZ Q5, a copy of another more expensive IEM, the Meze Advar. While doing to terms with sound replay probably the bass weight is what threw me off the most emotionally, I mean I need a certain amount of density to really feel the music. Now even if they won’t give me that, give me some bass attack edge and we will be fine, but no the Q5 is stingy there too. There is always that slight fear of sibilance no matter what tip we use or what source is put into play. And finally there is a level of dryness that permeates all, a dryness that will counteract musicality in its steps. While sure the openness of the stage did the amount of footwork so that it wasn’t all bad, but I have to ask myself, am I truly judging this compared to IEMs at the same price, and I am. While in many ways it is better than the 7Hz Salnotes Zero and Zero 2, the tuning seems to be too hot in areas where the Zero 2 especially beats it. To where of course the Q5 is more detailed and offers better technicalities as far as separation and sculpturing, though it just shows how important a good tune like the Zero and Zero 2 can be in the end. While the Q5 does great imaging and an airy crisp detail orientated treble and midrange, there is more to the equation, and things that matter more in the end……………..

$77.70 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/products/epz-q5

Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Kareena from Linsoul for the love and EPZ Q5 review sample.

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Samsung Phone 3.5mm
HiBy R3 II 3.5mm/4.4mm output

As you can see they are on the smaller side of the street.

Review Of The EPZ Audio Q5​

Introduction​

EPZ Audio, a Chinese business, has recently gained a reputation in the audiophile world for its budget-friendly yet value-for-money IEMs, allowing budget-conscious audiophiles to experience fantastic sounding IEMs regardless of quality or quantity. There are several inexpensive IEMs such as the G10, K1, Q5, and others, and I was fortunate enough to evaluate the EPZ Audio Q5, but before we go any further, I'd want to clarify some things up.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the kind people at Linsoul, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as “Q5.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Q5 based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

The Q5 features a single dynamic driver with a self-developed 10mm ceramic carbon nano composite diaphragm. The shells resemble the world-famous Maze Advar, however the material quality is subpar. The shells feel hefty in your hands, but they also appear to be of high quality for the price. The shells feature a bas port on their faceplate. The comfort and fit were not an issue; in fact, the IEMs were quite comfortable even after wearing them for an extended amount of time.The cable has mmcx connectors on one end and a 3.5mm straight termination plug on the other. The cables appears to be a standard wire that comes with other IEMs in this price range, despite the fact that it is a four-core single-silver-plated crystal copper cable.Other accessories include six sets of eartips in two kinds and three sizes, as well as a carrying case. According to the technical specs, the impedance is 26Ohms and the sensitivity is 109dB. The frequency response ranges from 20Hz to 20kHz.

Sound​

The Q5 sounds above its price point; in fact, it has some similarities to how Simgot tunes their IEMs. The Q5 responds with a milder V-shape tuning, allowing for a vivid treble and a meatier and weightier bass. To be honest, when I paired it with my WM1A, I wasn't impressed since the high frequencies sounded metallic and lifeless, the voices sounded compressed as if they were locked in a box, and the bass seemed a touch light on note weight and at times muffled. I wasn't a fan of this IEM at first, but after trying the V6, I saw more characteristics and quality in the notes, which is when I realized they certainly needed power. When I combined my WM1A and V6 with my Aunt X7S amp, it sounded far better than before, and I believed the tuning sounded like the EA500 or EA1000, with the vocals being more prominent in the mix without being interrupted by instrumentation. Let's go deeper into the sound to learn more.

Treble​

Not that I am not impressed by this response, but I find it to be far better tonally than the EA500, despite the fact that I feel the EA500 has far more technical skill, whether in the upper mid range or lower treble. The high treble extends beautifully, making the voices seem bigger and more complete, while the instruments sound sparkly and exciting to listen to. The notes have decent control and never go off in terms of offensive reaction, however I suppose the lower treble breaks the boundary somewhat, sounding metallic but not harsh. The notes have a solid detailed response and come over well due to the effective energy in the mix, particularly in the upper midrange and lower treble. The voices seem more energetic and upfront, with a crisp and sophisticated response, and the instruments sound alive yet lean, introducing artificial timbre. As a result, the overall presentation of the treble area is broad, light, and lively.

Mid Range​

When it comes to the midrange, it sounds more stunning tonally, with greater note weight and solidity than the EA500's. The quality of the notes in this region is duller, yet more natural to listen to. The upper midrange resonates with the same vigor as the lower treble, but it provides a more heavy response, making it more enjoyable to listen to. The voices sound fuller and more forward than the lower treble, which helps to maintain note integrity by preventing any extreme or intimate forwardness. The instrumentation, on the other hand, sounds as pristine as the vocals, but they complement them well. The notes do not sound ambiguous but lack contrast, which I feel the EA500 accomplishes better. The lower midrange has strong note weight and depth, making the response warmer and allowing the top frequencies to sound as tonally agreeable as possible. The vocals and instruments seem deep and muttering, which is a good thing since it helps to make the notes sound more real. As a result, the midrange region's overall presentation is broader, more pleasant tones, and more forward in the mix.

Bass​

When it comes to the bass, the balance between the mid-bass and sub-bass regions improves the tone quality, with appropriate nuances and warmth in the mix. In reality, the amount is not overemphasized or dominant in the mix, and while the bass area has an established presence in the mix, the control over the note is excellent. The emphasis is on the subbass area, which reaches sufficiently deep and aids in rumbling in the ear canals. Although the punches are not particularly hard hitting, they are heard with enough power. However, due to increased sub bass presence, the mid bass does not produce overwhelming slams and thumps and is well controlled; as a result, the slams and thumps have a good impact but do not last long, allowing for a more natural and organic response without interfering with the overall response, even though the mid bass does leak into the lower mid range. The bass nuances and textures aren't as impressive as the EA500, but the notes are warmer and thicker. Overall, the bass area is presented in a pretty controlled, warm, and organic manner.

Technical Performance​

In terms of technological features, the Q5 excels, although it is not superior than the EA500. It does, however, perform well when compared to IEMs such as Ziigaat Cinno, PR2, Forteza, and so on. Let's get into the specifics.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The stage is beautifully distributed, allowing for a wide reception, but it is not well defined in depth and forwardness in the surround response, where I see the stage as more elliptical in presence. The imaging is acceptable, though it might have been crisper and clearer, but the separation is excellent, with a definite difference between the notes that aids in determining where a given sound is originating from.

Speed & Resolution​

The resolution is fairly detailed, with expressive macro features but modest micro details. The assault and fade of the notes are also adequately controlled, preventing a muddy or messed-up reaction and instead allowing for a decently resolved one.

Sound Impressions​

Sources​

Sony WM1A + Aune X7S - With this pairing, the Q5 sounded more open and expansive, with improved voice and instrument separation, making the vocals sound richer and clearer. The bass sounded louder but had little effect, whilst the treble sounded more controlled and smoother.

Tempotec V6 + Aune X7S - With this pairing, the Q5 sounded more near in the midrange response, with the treble also upfront but the midrange receiving more focus in the mix; in other words, the midrange became more forward and full. The bass sounded more controlled, making the whole reaction more reactive to the simulation and more fun to listen to rather than restful.

Tracks Used​

Luna Haruna - Glory days
Luna Haruna - Overfly
Rokudenashi - The Flame of Love
LMYK - 0 (zero)
ORESKABAND - Jitensya
Marina Horiuchi - Mizukagami no Sekai
RADWIMPS - Suzume
Indila - Love Story
Indila - Tourner dans le vide
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Blue Oyester Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Gojira - Amazonia
TV on the radio - Wolf Like Me
Bring Me To The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart
Bring Me To The Horizon - sTraNgeRs
Avril Lavigne - Dare To Love Me
Travis - Love Will Come Through
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
DJ Shadows - Six Days (Remix) [feat. Mos Def]
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Flo Rida - Low
Sebastian Lopez & Flug - Electronic Measures
Federico Mecozzi - Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Wayve - Not Enough
Kai Wachi & TeZATalks - Ghost
NGHTMRE, Zeds Dead & Tori Levett - Shady Intentions
Zeds Dead, DNMO & GG Magree - Save My Grave
Skrillex, Noisia, josh pan & Dylan Brady - Supersonic
Skrillex & Nai Barghouti - Xena
Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
Kaifi Khalil, Eva B & Wahab Bugti - Kana Yaari
A.R. Rahman, Javed Ali & Mohit Chauhan - Kun Faya Kun

Conclusion​

To summarize this evaluation, I see why people like the Q5 response; the quality and quantity are reasonable for the price. People on a tight budget who want tuning similar to the EA1000 or EA500 without sacrificing technical specifications might consider the Q5. The Q5's sound is stunning and gratifying, but be aware that they require power to open out and sound their best. These are my heartfelt recommendations.

Introduction:-


Hello guys, today I will be reviewing the EPZ Q5. So epz has been in the audio game for a long time, but its recently they have started making iem an dother products under them own name. Before they were purely an ODM/OEM brand making parts or iems for other brands.

So the Q5 is a sort of a new iem from them.

I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.


Before I start the review I would like to say thanks to EPZ for sending me the review unit, but all the thoughts and opinions you are about to hear are my own.

You can buy them here (Unaffiliated link) :- https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805604304671

I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.

So lets start the review!

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Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories :-



1. The packaging for its price of $50 or even less when during the sale is absolutely fantastic



2. It comes with the iem which looks like the meze advar, the mmcx cable which is very supple and nice, 3 pairs of small bore and 3 pairs of wide bore tips, a fantastic carrying case and also a cleaning cloth.



3. I don’t mind the MMCX connector but a 2 pin might have been better here. Also the build quality for its price is really good



4. The carrying case is absolutely perfect size when using it daily.



5. I have the black colour, and then are very comfortable to wear and I can wear them for 5-6 hours easy.



6. They have a quite a bit of driver flex and also they are quite easy to drive



7. They have a 10 mm ceramic carbon nano dynamic driver

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Sound Signature:-



1. I would say the overall sound signature is V with leaning towards the bright



2. I have used the narrow bore tips as that gives me tad more bass although it does narrow the soundstage a bit.



3. It has great tonality and timbre



4. I will be using the Hiby FC6, Fiio BTR5, IFI Hip Dac 3, IFI Go Blu, Colorfly CDA M1, Colorlfy CDA M2, Muse Hifi M4, Fosi Audio N3, Aune Yuki, Hiby M300, Akliam PD4 Plus, Kinera Usb C dongle dac, Razer Usb c dongle dac & My smartphone



Bass-



1. The overall bass is very light, although the quality of it is quite decent for the price.


2. The bass is more sub-bass focused than mid-bass focused.


3. There is no mid-bass bleed, hence the instruments from my test tracks sounds really clean and well controlled for the price.


4. Where it does fall is when listening to songs like crack crack crackle like classy, while the bass has a great quality it lacks that overall punch and thump I would need to enjoy the sound.


5. When using the Xbass mode of the ifi hip dac 3 it sounds really good and doesn’t distort.



Mids-



1. The mids overall is quite ok and takes a back seat


2. The male vocals from Chris Cornell, Bill withers etc. doesn't have that richness and thickness I would like. Although lighter sounding male vocals like the ones from Flumpool, Spitz etc. sounds quite good


3. The female vocals is where it shines at plays very well here.


4. Although again this could get a bit spicy when listening to it at higher volumes or if you are very sensitive to it. But at low volume level it does sound very good and clean with the right song



Treble-



1. The overall treble is kind surprising as to how good it is


2. It has this very clean representation here


3. If you are a treblehead you will like this very much


4. It could get a bit sibilant for some, so I wouldn't suggest this to people who are sensitive to this.



Technicalities -

For this price range I could say it probably is the best out there, it reminds me a bit of the geekwold Gk20. When listening to the live album of Casiopea from 1985, the instrument separation was really good.


Soundstage -

This is surprisingly good, I was quite shocked as to how good these were it has equal amounts of depth and width giving it a very well rounded soundstage for this price.



Imaging -

This to is very good, and the left and right transition when watching any movies was great. Listening to yumeji by Nano. Ripe the initial few seconds sounded really good with the awesome imaging.



Gaming test -

1. Now with the great soundstage and imaging you would expect a great gaming experience, well yes and no


2. While these does help in most aspects of the game, but while playing if the situation got too busy it did sounded shrilly and it became to piercy.


3. Although these are ok for occasional gaming, I wouldn't suggest them buying just for gaming.

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Comparison & Recommendations :-



1. V/S Ew200 – They are both very similar but I feel at this price point the Ew200 makes a better case with the bass having a better texture. Although the Q5 has better female vocals and more treble extension uptop, those who find the EW200 to be thin or sparkly the Q5 takes it few notches above.



2. V/S BGVP P05 – The p05 is exact opposite and it is a great warm sounding iem with much greater bass. They both have similar soundstage, while the imaging on the Q5 is better. If you like a more darker signature then the P05 should be your option



3. V/S Aoshida E20 – The e20 follows the harman target quite closely. The E20 has a larger soundstage but the Q5 has better imagine. When wearing them the E20 is much lighter while the Q5 is much more smaller. But overall I prefer the presentation of the E20 a bit better, although the packaging of the Q5 for under 50 is much better than the E20



4. Well overall I do think the Q5 is very clean sounding iem. If you want a very clean sounding iem and listen to lot of live J-pop performance this is a great choice.



5. But If you listen to any genre where bass is needed I would advice you not to buy and look at other option, although this iem appreciates the treblehead it could be quite too much for many.



6. This was my review of the Q5, I hope you liked it.

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If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and also if you have any issues regarding this format of review please do comment I will try to mend it. Also sorry to those who are used to reading long paragraphs of review in headfi. I hope my review was upto the mark, I appreciate any feedback.

Again a big thanks to EPZ for making this review possible.

Have a great day ahead

How I review: (See Previous Reviews)
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Model: EPZ G10
Price: £46.91 - AliExpress
Review Reference: RC119

Manufacturer Specification:

• Brand: EPZ
• Model: Q5
• Driver: 10mm self-developed dual-magnetic circuit, dual-cavity ceramic carbon nano-composite diaphragm
• IEM Weight: 4.17g
• IEM Dimensions: 18mm (height) x 20.3mm (width) x 20.3mm (max depth)
• Shell: 3D printed resin shell & acoustic cavity
• Impedance: 26Ω±15%(@1kHz)
• Sensitivity: 109dB/Vrms(@1kHz)
• Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-50kHz
• Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Cable: 1.2m 4-core single crystal copper silver plated cable
• Connector: MMCX Single Pin with 3.5mm jack

Includes:

1 x Pair IEM
1 x Detachable 4-core single crystal copper silver plated (no mic)
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty Card
6 x Pair spare tips (3 x flat style SML, 3 x medium bore SML)
1 x Carry Case
1 x Microfiber cleaning cloth

YouTube Review:



Introduction

EPZ have had quite the year, raising their heads above the parapet of relative Chifi obscurity to elevate their profile enough to force the usual suspects into raising their game substantially if they hope to maintain market share going into 2024. I recently reviewed their G10, and was wowed with what I encountered - EPZ don't just deliver good audio hardware, but they make the whole consumer experience enjoyable, with themed unboxing experiences and relatively decent accessories given their price bracket.

The 5 in Q5 I'm sure represents the 'Five Years of Glory and Prosperity' that have followed EPZ building their brand out in 2019. Whilst they are relative newcomers to the market - they aren't strangers to the scene, having been originally founded much earlier, focusing mostly on OEM manufacture of shells and audio components. Realising that they could probably carve themselves a niche in this saturated marketplace - that's exactly what they've done - and we're now seeing the fruits of their labour, with high quality products thanks to their experience and expertise, with nicely engineered shells and the use of their own in-house drivers delivering excellent value for money and audio that belies the relatively lowly price tag.

The Q5 are another Harman-diffuse-field set with a slight w-shape sound, and great build quality and ergonomics, albeit with more than a hint of homage paid to Meze Audio's Advar. If you can get over the stylistics, you're left with a very technically capable IEM that excels with some genres in particular. Whilst it perhaps isn't quite up there with the G10 in terms of bang-for-buck, the Q5 are one of my favourite sets of 2023 for their straightforward driveability, excellent comfort and mature, natural sound.

Unboxing

Theming is something we've grown somewhat accustomed to with Chifi releases throughout 2023. It isn't enough any more to deliver a Harman sound without a story - and with EPZ here, it manifests in quite the unboxing, which takes the unravelling of a few layers to get access to the goodies. Eventually, you're greeted with the first of a few accessories - the EPZ carry case. It's fairly unremarkable, measuring 100mm wide, 72mm high and 36mm deep, but there's enough room for the sleek shells of the Q5 and their cable, as well as room in the side pocket for the array of spare tips.



And it is quite the array. EPZ have included a SML selection in both flat and NiceHCK 7-style rounder, medium-bore tips. The latter are similar to those included with the G10, and whilst they worked on that model, they don't jive well with the Q5, for me at least. I'll talk about their positional sensitivity later, but the experience initially wasn't great for me until I switched the tips to the Azla Sednaearfit Crystal ones - this mitigated the driver flex I was experiencing with the former, and ill-fit and comfort with the latter. Don't take my word for it though - tips are a very subjective experience, and at least EPZ have given you a couple of options here.



Also in the box are a somewhat hard-to-read manual, a QC approval card and an EPZ-branded microfibre cleaning cloth, which helps no end with the inevitable finger-marks which plague the black version I'm testing here.



Finally, there's a 1.2m MMCX 4-core single crystal copper silver plated cable, and it's a good one too. Overall, a pretty nice package for those who don't have boxes and boxes of this stuff already - if you're entering this hobby and you're looking for a set that can get you up and running quickly, EPZ are a brand that you can't really go wrong with.

Design and Build Quality

The Q5 are very slim-profile, stage-style IEMs that feature a high-quality glossy piano-black finish and concave funnel-style void with a tuning aperture in the centre. Sure it's a homage to the Advar, but they're $600 IEMs - whilst they may look similar on paper, and maybe even on the screen, in reality, an homage is really all it is. Despite that, the Q5 do possess their own impressive build quality and finish, although as you would expect, it's a long way from the precision engineering on its look-a-like.



The Q5 are a low profile, slimline IEM, measuring 20.3mm wide, around 18mm high and around 20.3mm in depth. There's a nice curvature to the outside, and the macro shot here reveals the persistence in underlining the 5 year anniversary theming, with the message 'EPZ AUDIO - STARTED IN 2019' circling the tuning hole. They're lightweight too - weighing in at just over 4g, which is slightly below average for 3d printed resin shells, no doubt aided by the carbon drivers.



Here's evidence of where the cleaning cloth comes in handy! The inside of the dermatologically-friendly 3d printed resin shell has very subtle curves, but despite this, it ensures a snug, comfy fit with decent isolation, matching up with the antihelix area quite well.



As mentioned previously, it's a single pin MMCX connector which marries the cable and the IEM, which is kinda expected being a stage-style IEM. MMCX ensures a little more flexibility in the wearing, but you do have the rather tiresome 5-20 minute spell the first few times you connect (and remove them) where you 'find the bite' and are able to get them to click into place rather than pretend they're connected and then suddenly release. Once connected, they work well with a more active user.



The nozzles and MMCX connector have a matching brassy finish. The nozzle is medium insertion, so not too invasive, but sufficient isolation with good noise cancelling properties without feeling too stuffy.



The connectors display the L (or R) on the outside to denote which is which. As you see here, it's an ultra-ergonomic design that in truth probably fits Kemar better than it does me! The ear hooks are super comfy, although I did notice they had a habit of coming loose the first few times I wore them. After getting used to them, they have remained in place ever since.



Overall, it is a super-comfy, lightweight, ergonomic IEM with good fit for prolonged use. Isolation is also good enough to ensure that the Q5 are a versatile, go-to set which work well for both home and active use.

Audio & Sound Signature

The Q5 sport a dual cavity, dual magnet 10mm dynamic driver, developed in-house by EPZ. The back of the box shows the frequency response - a mild W shaped sound that, like the G10 and many others in its price category, follows the Harman 2019 target curve, however it has enough nuances to the sound to stamp its own authority and position it for some music styles more than others. For vocal jazz, opera, blues, movie soundtracks, and particularly melodic techno, the Q5 are very well positioned. For rock and metal, they're perhaps not quite so well suited, and when we look at the graphs, there are plenty of hints as to why that might be.



As I mentioned in my review of the G10, the Q5 has a moreish sound that does bring me back to it quite often. Its sound signature aligns to my preferred music style - Anjunabeats - with a slightly elevated lower frequency response, warmth and natural tonality and solid texture to the midbass. The subtle boost at 80JHz injects warmth and body, and as with the G10 steers clear of one-note thump. Kick drums are clean and tight, fast and punchy. The bass is tactile and tangible, and not coloured or blurred, leaning into midbass rhythm over subbass rumble. Its mix of mid bass punch and top-end air produce a sound with momentum and spaciousness. You still get full lows to anchor the sound, but details shine through with the Q5's fast transient response. For deep, progressive vocal house from the likes of Eli & Fur, the Q5 are really in their element - bass conveys power more than prominence. They aren't basshead IEMs, but the texture is above average in its bracket.

Through the midrange, the Q5 captivate - for the most part. Lower mids accentuate 300Hz for male vocals, which sound natural and buttery. Move over to opera, and tenors in particular resonate emotion with expression, power and weight. The Q5 are a very musical set, endowed with transparency- strings receive added spice and detail and synths have a rounder attack. As the response ascends, so does the energy - the upper mid lift places female vocals brightly atop mixes. Mostly, female vocals are silky in their presentation, augmented by the warm, organic, immersive sound signature.

Where the Q5 don't excel is rock. The peak at 5k can result in perception of low treble sibilance. Whilst the Q5 don't wilt at a congested arrangement, more complex, energetic rock tracks don't flex the Q5's surprisingly excellent imaging. Guitars can have a metallic overtone - the only real blot on the copybook of an otherwise believable, honest-to-the-source presentation. The trebles are otherwise slightly-south-of-neutral, dialling back brilliance in favour of realism with a graceful triangle decay of sparkle and space without fatigue. Its a polite treble response that gives sufficient attack and texture to percussion and sizzle to cymbals to offer a happy medium of detail and energy that makes prolonged listening enjoyable, and rarely fatiguing.

Imaging on the Q5 is a particular highlight. Layering and coherency impress for a single DD budget set - they're a smooth, musical IEM with accurate and precise placement and good width to the soundstage. Resolution here is much better than I'm used to experiencing at sub £50. The Q5 are a real gem, with technicalities that make a mockery of their price and are a real statement of intent from EPZ in this respect.

However, their positionally-sensitive nature is worthy of a mention here. It takes a while to organise the Q5 into optimum position, with optimum tips too. There is a slight brightness to the Q5 that is more detectable with more simple styles of music. This is amplified unless the Q5 are pointed in their prime position. It took me quite a while to work out what that was. It also took quite a bit of tip rolling to get the sound spot on too. This is quite subjective, but is reflective of my own experience with the Q5.



Comparing them to the G10, the Q5 are a more lively listen. Thanks to the increased lower mid-focus, male vocals exude more creaminess, and are unmatched by their more linear little sister. The G10 is smooth, but the Q5 have crisper note presentation. Strings have more rosiny bite and cymbals more shimmer than the G10, but on rock and 80s the G10 offer slightly greater versatility, negating the metallic overtone on more congested performances.

The Q5 cost a bit more than the G10, and whilst musically the Q5 are superior, the G10 will appeal to those on a strict budget with their excellent bang-for-buck.



The Zero2 are the darling of reviewers across Headfi and YouTube, but it didn't really tickle my fancy. It feels a bit like they went too far the other way from the Zero, and the result is a coarser, boomier, less-resolving affair with more rumble but inferior staging and technicalities. Next to the thunderously bass-soaked Zero2, the Q5 may underwhelm for those who feel the need for low-end power. Listening to thumping hip hop or aggressive EDM, the Zero 2 stomps mightily thanks to the boosted 40Hz slam, whilst synth growls shudder, but switching genres quickly reveals the Zero2's weaknesses. Ambient electronica loses its glistening atmosphere, smothered in blurry echo. The Q5 by comparison projecting clear and true, with its euphonic, more accurate and faithful midband reproduction, augmented by added air and vastly superior microdetail.

The Zero2 cost quite a bit less than the Q5, but the Q5 are worth every extra penny a far better value proposition.



The Simgot EA500LM are even warmer than the Q5, with a little more subbass rumble and thump, whilst delivering great texture and depth within their price category. The subbass extension makes them a more discerning basshead set than the Zero2, with a thicker note weight than the Q5. From a treble perspective, the LM sharing a similarly bright yet natural presentation to the Q5, rarely teetering on the fatiguing. The staging is more intimate on the EA500LM, but their improved technical performance means they cope slightly better with more congested arrangements, making up for the notably inferior width with slightly superior depth and height. The LM also offer some added versatility by including additional nozzles for alternative tunings.

Summary

This is the second EPZ set I've been testing over the last few weeks, and again, it doesn't fail to impress. Both of EPZ's single DD releases in 2023 have showcased their abilities to deliver modern, Harman-df tuning with above average technicalities, whilst also projecting what buyers want in terms of the ergonomics and overall package. Both the G10 and Q5 are ideal for newcomers feeling their way into the hobby, with build quality and overall package that offer great value for money and longevity.

Due to the way the stock tips engaged with my ears, it took a little tip rolling to mitigate driver flex and maximise comfort and audio delivery, but once I did I was extremely happy with the Q5. Some will no doubt take exception to the Advar-homage appearance and MMCX cable, but these are very minor quibbles as far as I'm concerned. The Q5 is a very solid choice in the sub £50 category, and outperforms many IEMs priced much higher by the names we know, but perhaps are falling out of love with.

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - EPZ Q5

The EPZ Q5 have been sent to me directly by EPZ for me to try them out and to share my opinions in this review. EPZ have made no requests and understand that I publish my honest opinions, good or bad, where I try to stay as unbiased as humanly possible.

The Q5 are available from the official EPZ store on Aliexpress, you can find a link to them by visiting the version of this review published on my blog (link at the end of this post).

As with all links I share, it is a non-affiliate link.

To avoid being repetetive in my reviews, you can find all the info about how I create the reviews, equipment used, how I receive the products and how to interpret my reviews by visiting: About my reviews



Intro…

EPZ are a company that I really didn’t know anything about except for having seen a few images of the actual IEM I am reviewing today. I have not read any reviews of their products, nor seen any measurements, and when they reached out to me to offer to send a couple of models, saying that I had been recommended by a friend in Spain, I honestly didn’t know who they were.

I am always interested in trying out things I know nothing about, as long as it doesn’t involve any drama from the people who want to send it. This is something that happens more than you can guess, with people requesting all kinds of things that I just politely decline. I do this for fun and if I can’t review something on my own terms and be totally honest about it, well, there are plenty of other things out there to try out. I am not anyone special as a reviewer, I don’t have tens of thousands of followers, but the one thing I do have is a job that is nothing to do with my reviews (although it is audio related), so I don’t need to make any income from the reviews (in fact, I actually lose money) and I certainly don’t need any more stress than my real job brings me. So if I can’t have fun, then I’ll do something else.

But anyway, as always, I am rambling on about nothing of value to this review and the only reason I started on this tangent is because EPZ reached out to me and I knew nothing about them but as they were very easy going and just wanted me to check out their stuff, I was happy to do so.

The Q5 that I am reviewing today (yes, this is an actual review, not just me going on about irrelevant things) is available on their Aliexpress store for around 55€ at the time of putting this review together. Their listing says that it is a “10mm dual magnetic circuit dual cavity ceramic carbon nano piezoelectric horn”, it is actually a 10mm dynamic driver, so I am not sure where the piezoelectric horn comes into play. Other specs are listed as having a 109db sensitivity with a 26 Ohm impedance.

My search on Google didn’t actually bring back any stores that seem to carry the Q5 other than Aliexpress and Amazon Japan, although I may be missing something.

So, let’s take a look at this set of IEMs that falls outside the ultra-budget category of sub 50€, but only just.



Presentation…

As always, I like to point out when something is different in the presentation side of things and the box of the Q5 is actually quite unique, at least in comparison to IEMs that I have received.

The outer cardboard sleeve is nothing unusual, although it does feature a largish design in bronze, with the model, make and information that EPZ started in 2019 (so they are not new). There is also a slogan that reads “Sound for the custom pleasure in it”, which is the usual case of something that is probably a very nice phrase in Chinese losing elegance once translated.

On the sides there are some basic specs and also a 5th anniversary logo, while on the back we get the graph and more detailed specs. All of these are in the same bronze colour.

Upon removing the outer sleeve is where things get interesting with the box. Rather than a lift off lid, or some kind of sliding system, the box actually hinges in the middle, with the two halves of the top dropping to the sides and the center popping up. This reveals the a small card cover that opens like the front of a booklet, which shows Q5 in the center and reads “Five years of prosperity and glory” underneath, again, all in the same bronze colour.

I find the way the box opens to be rather unique, although it doesn’t make it too easy to access the contents. The main part of the box reveals the IEMs in their foam cutouts, with a semirigid storage case beneath with the cable and 6 sets of tips. In the bottom of the box, an accessories box if included that contains the documentation, user manual and a microfiber cloth.



Build and aesthetics…

The first time I came across a photo of these IEMs, they were the black version and it was in the Meze Advar thread on Head-Fi where somebody pointed out how blatantly similar to the Advar they are. There is no denying that the aesthetics are almost identical to those of the Advar, which means they are a very good looking set of IEMs.

The EPZ are well built, with a 3D printed resin shell that honestly looks like ceramic, with that same bronze look in the center circle. They even use the same text around that center circle in this case reading “EPZ Audio started in 2019”.

The version I received is the white one which I personally think looks even better than the black one, with bronze coloured hardware on the white cable that matches the IEMs.

Honestly, these IEMs look great, seem to be very well built and give an impression of being of a much higher price point than they actually are, it is such a shame that they decided to copy the Advar aesthetics as they seem to be capable of making high build quality. I know that they are certainly not the only company that does this but it doesn’t make it any better.



Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

Getting past the negativity of the copying of the Advar in the aesthetics department, we can forget all references to the Romanian brand and judge the Q5 on their own merits. They are not similar in sound to the Meze in any way (or in price point), but that does not mean that are not a good set of IEMs for what they bring to the table at their price point.

As always, let’s start off with a look at the graph comparing them to my usual preference:



The subbass is present at a level that I find more than adequate, with a performance in the lower ranges that is very respectable for a set of IEMs at this price point. It may not be the most amazing subbass out there but it is difficult to really pick faults with it. “Chameleon” shows the lower notes to be fairly quick and controlled, with the low ranges not affecting the overall performance of the IEM.

The midbass is similar in its performance, with a clean response that has just enough body to give a little bit extra to the lower notes of the acoustic instruments that I enjoy. “Crazy” being my usual fatigue test for midbass does not come across as overly present and is well controlled, meaning that this frequency range does not become fatiguing for me.

The transition into the mids is clean, however, there is a slight lack of presence in mids that can leave certain vocals a little hollow, especially due to the response we get as we climb into the higher mids and lower treble.

The upper mids range is just a touch too high but it would not really be an issue is it wasn’t for the peak at 5kHz as we go above it.

Yes, my dreaded 5k peak! It has been a while since I listened to a set of IEMs with such an emphasis on 5kHz and I’m afraid I find it very uncomfortable. The higher notes of electric guitars, vocals and even percussion comes across as very harsh and it is something that I find I am allergic to. It really makes the Q5 a difficult listen for me.

Moving past the 5kHz mark, there is also quite a bit of presence in the upper treble, which does add air and brilliance to the sound but at the same time it sums up to the upper mids and 5k peak, putting a large emphasis on these ranges and making things come across as very bright.

While I wouldn’t say that the lower range is lacking, at least not for my preferences, it is not enough to counteract the upper ranges and these lead to a tuning that can make the result harsh and even quite thin.



Conclusion…

I have said it in the past many times, I am someone who suffers a lot from 5kHz peaks and the Q5 puts a lot of emphasis on that exact frequency, maybe it could be called the Q5K

This means that I have a major issue in being able to enjoy these IEMs, which I feel is a shame, because I think they are a well built and good performing set of IEMs, even if I am not keen on what they have done with the aethetics (not because I don’t like them, I love them, just that they are not original).

I do have another set of EPZ IEMs that I haven’t listened to yet and I hope that the things that stop me from enjoying this set are resolved on that set, but I guess I will let you know when I find out.

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

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

DISCLAIMER

I bought the Q5 at a discounted price from Aliexpress.
It can be gotten here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005790619423.html (no affiliate links).




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10 mm ceramic carbon nano dynamic driver
• Impedance: 26 Ω
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 109 dB
• Cable: MMCX; 4-core single crystal copper silver-plated cable; 3.5 mm termination
• Tested at $54 USD (frequently on sale for cheaper)

ACCESSORIES



Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Carrying case
- Cleaning cloth

For a set retailing around $50ish USD - and even cheaper than that on sales - the accessories are par for the course.




No foam tips are included. However, we have 2 variants of silicone tips - the wide-bore ones boost soundstage and treble, whereas the narrow-bore ones compress soundstage but tame the treble slightly.




Included is a 4-core single crystal copper silver-plated cable. This is on the tangly and thinner side. There's a chin cinch for added grip. Sadly, it is an MMCX cable, which in my experience, may be less robust than 2-pin ones with frequent cable swapping.

A rectangular semi-rigid zipper case graces the packaging. The innards have a soft material and webbing to cushion the contents. Lastly, we have a velvety cleaning cloth.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock narrow-bore silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



Fashioned from dermatological-friendly 3D-printed resin, the housings suspiciously look like the (more expensive) Meze Advar's shells. While CHIFI may understandably be not so robust with regards to patents and licensing, it would have been more respectable if EPZ could have sourced for a more individually unique design for the Q5.

Thankfully, the housings are light and ergonomic, no complaints with fitting on my end. The inner aspects are smooth without any protuberances. EPZ has nicely added serial numbers to each IEM, which adds a whiff of exclusivity.



When placing an order, one can opt for a black or white design.



As discussed above, the Q5 utilizes MMCX connectors, which are not my preferred ports. Nevertheless, on this model, the cables connect and disconnect off quite easily, with no overly loose or tight connectors. Hopefully, it will last a long time.

Despite being vented, isolation is above average. Unfortunately, I found driver flex on my set, but this is partially dependent on ear anatomy and type of tips used, so YMMV.


INTERNALS

The Q5's engine is a dual magnetic dual cavity 10 mm ceramic carbon nano dynamic driver.




DRIVABILITY

I tested the Q5 with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Fiio K11 DAC/amp
- Fiio KA13 dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is relatively easy to drive, and amplification isn't 100% required.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the EPZ Q5 via IEC711 coupler.

Tonally, the Q5 is tuned to a bright V-shape.

This IEM is sub-bass focused. Sub-bass extension is not the deepest though, and quantity is just north of neutral but not at true basshead levels. Laudably, the bass quality is solid, and we hear a fast and clean bass with no mid-bass bleed. Texturing is quite decent for the coin.

The lower midrange is a tad recessed. With no big mid-bass to bleed into this area, it is on the thinner side for note weight. However, we get a very transparent and clean midrange, and the Q5 allows instruments to be nicely layered on a dark background. The upper mids sport about 8 dB of ear gain, and vocals are in the forefront, and are just at the edge between shoutiness and forwardness (as per the Fletcher Munson curve, at louder volumes, this region might be fatiguing, but should be manageable at low to moderate volume levels).

The lower treble continues on from the upper mids peak, and climaxes at around 5 kHz, bringing lots of clarity and resolution to the table. Trebleheads will like this tuning choice, though treble-sensitive folks might need to look elsewhere. We have a lot of micro-details showcased, but there admittedly are instances of sibilance.

Timbral accuracy is quite decently portrayed, as per its single DD roots.

In technicalities, the Q5 shines for a $50ish single DD. Soundstage is above average in all directions. Micro-details and clarity - as alluded to - are very good. Imaging and instrument separation belies its price point. Along a spectrum between musicality and analyticity, the Q5 definitely sings towards the latter.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made with other budget single DD sets. BAs, hybrids and planars were left out of the comparisons as the different driver types have their pros and cons.




Dunu Kima Classic

The Kima Classic is more V-shaped, with greater bass and upper mids on show.

The Kima Classic has inferior technicalities, losing to the Q5 in soundstage, imaging, micro-detailing and layering. Timbre is a bit less natural on the Kima Classic, and it has a more recessed midrange.

The Kima Classic is however, better accessorized.


Simgot EA500

The EA500 has 2 tuning nozzles to furnish a Harmanish tone versus a neutralish bright lilt. Thus, it is more versatile as such.

The EA500 is more subdued in the sub-bass but more zealous in the upper mids on both tuning nozzles. Thus, the EA500 can come across tonally as brighter and more fatiguing/sibilant.

Both are technical sets, but the EA500 is a hair ahead in technicalities, boasting of better imaging, instrument separation and micro-details.


CONCLUSIONS



In a nutshell, the EPZ Q5 is a solid entrant to the budget single DD game. It features a bright V-shape tuning with excellent technical chops. Ergonomics, accessories and drivability are its strong suits, in addition to a fast and clean bass, with nice resolution.

Some areas are a letdown, specifically to do with its façade - namely the MMCX connectors, driver flex and the glaringly obvious Meze doppelganger looks. Additionally, the Q5's tuning lies on the brighter side, and may not be the cup of tea for our treble sensitive brethren. Consumers wanting a lush and thick note weight might also have to consider alternatives.

By and large, the Q5's forte is its technicalities, and it is relatively affordable for an introductory transducer for those new to the hobby. It is definitely one to consider in the conversation for users looking for a bright analytical budget single DD.

"Music is life itself"

~~Louis Armstrong


The portable audio market is now populated with myriads of audio companies since its renaissance from the previous decade due to globalisation. And some of these products became more accessible to the people who wants a product that is cheap and affordable yet it could give a good performance for its asking price. The rise of Chinese audio companies shouldn't be ignore of their presence in audio/visual market segment as they became a force to be reckoned with.

About this audio company that produces this set to be featured on this product review, EPZ became an independent company in 2019 and under their portfolio, they have an over a decade of extensive experience on research and development and manufacturing process as they were once part of OEM company that was a technology-based that produces and supply certain acoustic parts and some hardware components to other audio brands. They specialise on acoustic technology and 3D-printing processing that became staple factor and feature of their products.



This is EPZ Q5, its their latest model for the entry-level segment. It has single dynamic driver and it is of a fine quality as it has a circumference of 10mm with a diaphragm made of ceramic carbon nano that makes unusual to be implemented in a product in this price range segment. With this type of driver, it offers a better tensile strength and quite fairly light that it is able to deliver a more responsive sound vibrations with lower distortion for richer, more accurate, better resolution and coherent sound quality.



The drivers were encapsulated in a medical-grade, skin friendly resin shell housing which underwent via 3D-printed process that was meticulously design for better performance with its acoustic chamber that will handle the resonance and able to dampened and releases some excessive air pressure from the sound waves generated from it. If we look upon its design cues, we will instantly notice that it takes some inspiration from other established audio brands like Meze, Westone and Shure. On its faceplate, it has a similar aesthetics with Meze Advar while on its cavity base, it takes some form factor from Westones and Shure IEMs albeit it has a thicker stem on its nozzle. EPZ uses a MMCX connector as its interlocking mechanism for better flexibility and proper ergonomic design on its shell chassis.



As for fitting and comfort, EPZ Q5 sits comfortably well in my lugholes that I don't experience any discomfort during my long listening session or even on my daily physical activity. It has a good passive noise isolation as it was able to block a substantial amount of noise coming from the outside surroundings. There is one thing that I should address on this, in a stock eartips with balanced bore, there's a slight driver flex on every insertion to my lugholes but when I change its stock ear tips to other types of stock ear tips which are smaller and with flatter profile, I don't experience it anymore.



Regarding its stock cable, it has a 2-core of mono crystalline silver-plated copper wiring that were insulated in a clear PVC coating with a gold-plated 3.5mm termination plug at its end. Upon ordering this product, you can choose a termination plug of your choice either a 3.5mm SE, 4.4mm balanced or 2.5mm balanced.



As for its product packaging and its unboxing presentation, it has a black-coloured square-shaped box with a copper hue on its print to give that elegant and minimalist design cues. The presentation itself on how we will open is quite unique as it has split-style opening although the execution of its functionality is pretty flawed due to lack of clearance of some of its proportion that causes some minor obstruction.



These are the following contents that we will find inside:

■ Pair of EPZ Q5 IEMs

■ Stock cable

■ Oval-shaped zippered IEM storage case

■ Three (3) pairs of flat ear tips in different standard sizes.

■ Two (2) pairs of balanced bore ear tips in different standard sizes.

■ Paperwork like Q.C. stub and instruction manual.



Power scaling-wise, this set is pretty easy to amplify that we only need a decent volume level from our multimedia portable device sources like smartphones, tablets and DAPs. A medium amplitude level in a normal gain mode will be enough to deliver a dynamic and a full-range sound that was quite satisfying to our hearing.



When it comes to its tonal aspect, EPZ Q5 has a U to V-shaped sound profile depends on the ear tips that I'm using as they have some noticeable variable sound output particularly on some emphasis of its bass presence and upper-mids. This tuning is quite uncommon nowadays and yet it is quite a pleasing sound that has a warmth on it and at the same, it has an energetic sound.


(This graph was provided by @baskingshark , thanks to his effort)




LOWS/BASS

As I mentioned about its warm and energetic tonality, some part of its warmth quality is in the low frequencies as it has a little emphasis on mid-bass part but it is still on the balanced side of tactility and on the punchy side. And this is not definitely a basshead's bass quantity as it doesn't have an enough slam, volume and depth to have that boomy sound.

It has a good sub-bass presence as I evidently felt those reverberations and rumbling sound from instruments like synthesisers, octabasses, low tone bass guitars and drum machines from the tracks of my favoured music genres like synth-pop. old school hip-hop, RnB and classic rock. Mid-bass has a substantial texture to give a bit more body on bass guitars, bass kick drums, cellos and bass-baritone vocals.

Here are some of the sound characteristics of each instrument and vocal in regards to tonal colour.

Bass guitars - resonant, sombre and has a decent weight on every pluck of its strings.

Bass kick drum - sustaining, resonant and thudding sound. Capable of projecting a fast double bass kick drums from extreme metal tracks.

Cellos - warm, rounded and lustrous sound. Its notation is usually range mainly on bass clef.

Bass-baritone vocals - simply espresso-like as it maintains a balanced sound but it seems that it has a less darker tone and not depth enough.



MIDRANGE:

No matter what I do some ear-tip rolling on this set, It still has a noticeable recessed presentation in this particular frequency part on how most instruments and vocals were presented in the mix. But at least, it doesn't sound too lean as it has some semblance of texture on them while maintaining a translucent, clean and crisp sound.

It is given that EPZ Q5 favours more on female vocals and instruments like strings, woodwinds and some percussives. Male voices sound fairly decent on this one as it has a enough note weight to give depth and density to their vocal qualities though a tad leaner in my liking.

Here are some of my observations of sound characteristics of each vocal types and instruments:

Vocals:

Baritones - they have smooth and velvety sound which is more suitable to light and lyric baritones which have milder and sweet tone, while the more deeper ones like Kavalier baritone, Verdi, dramatic and noble baritones, they are quite a tad mellow, and less powered sounding in contrast of their natural timbre and tonality but it has a sufficient depth and volume.

Tenors - they have a dazzling and spiciness sound. Lyric tenors like Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras will have their distinctive warm, shimmering and graceful sound. Lightweight or Leggero tenors fare even better on this set. Spinto and dramatic tenors have those ringing and emotive sounds but their tones were less darker and a tad lighter.

Countertenors - they actually sounds great in this one has it has tender and coppery sound on this set as I enjoy to listen Andreas Scholl, Philippe Jaroussky, King Diamond of Mercyful Fate, Daron Malakian of System of a Down and Geddy Lee of Rush.

Contraltos - As they have these husky and smoky vocal qualities but I also noticed that they have somewhat lack of richness and lush vocal texture as it is borderline to be a lean sounding as I listen to Anggun, Annie Lennox and Toni Braxton.

Mezzo-Sopranos - They have a tender, fiery, light and glowing sound that makes them more captivating and comforting to listen.

Sopranos - Due to the energetic nature of this set. It gives a more expressive and brighter vocal quality of this particular voice type. Dramatic sopranos have powerful and more emotive with sufficient texture, lyric sopranos have some fullness with added brightness on them, soubrette sopranos have its tender and sweetness on their vocal characteristics and coloratura sopranos have a silvery and shimmering sound as they execute their agile vocal passage.


Instruments:

Guitars (acoustic/electric) - They have a crisp, bright and a more emphasis on presence tone.

Violins - Bright, metallic and shrilly sounding on every bow strokes.

Trumpets - Brilliant, vivid and penetrating sound characteristics.

Trombones - Metallic and intense sounding.

Flutes - Penetrating, clear and bright sounding

Piccolos - Intense, brilliant and light sounding.

Field drums - Hard, sonorous and penetrating sound on every stroke.

Snare drums - Sharp, precise and dry sounding.

Kettle drums - Deep, resonant and mellow sound.

Pianos - they sound bright, clear and lively.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

EPZ Q5's treble response is on the brighter side as it has a noticeable upper-mids and presence range boost to give a sense of clarity and detail, sharper attacks of percussion and rhythm instruments and better vocal lucidity but at expense of having an occasional shrilly and tad piercing at the vocal tails. Sibilance is somehow well-controlled and jarring was kept minimal.

For a single DD set, it has a good amount of air and is well-sparkled on its harmonics. Cymbals have a shimmering, metallic and sizzling sound while hi-hats has rather bright and buzzing sound. Glockenspiels have shrilly and penetrating sound and celestas have a glistening and glassy sound from them.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

This is one of its strongest assets and it is quite uncommon to see a single DD set with good technical capabilities especially in the entry-level segment. it has an above-average size of its overall dimensions which give me a moderately spacious head stage as it has fairly natural wide span, a good height reach and satisfactory depth and distance between from and row.

As for imaging, it projects a concave, two-dimensional stereo presentation as I was able to panned out the placements of instruments and vocals in a sonic canvas. Separation is good for single DD as all the elements have a good spacing on each other and it also decent layering of frequencies and tones of each instrument and vocals in the mix that even some of the complex tracks are well-played and it doesn't sound congested and disorganised.

It has an excellent coherency of its driver performance as it was able deliver a fast transient response and a very crisp and clear sound output.

Resolution capabilities is quite remarkable as it has solid note texture along with sharp definition on retrieving some nuances and detail from an audio track.


PEER COMPARISONS:

QOA GIMLET

■ GIMLET has a 10mm LCP driver and it was encased in a metal alloy. Its shell design has a UIEM-style form factor and also has a classy look like the Q5 (even the colourway of both sets are similar). This uses a proven 0.78mm 2-pin connector as its interlocking mechanism.

■ As for tonality, GIMLET has a warmish, mild u-shape sound profile. It has more punchy and tactual bass response, less recessed and more warmer and lusher midrange, and then on treble part, it has more smoother and less brighter response and treble air is tad limited. As for technicalities, it has a good sound/speaker stage but imaging and layering isn't particularly impressive compare to Q5.


TINHIFI C3

■ Like the Q5, C3 is also a single DD albeit its dynamic driver is made of composite materials. It was encapsulated in an acrylic UIEM-style resin shell and it uses a 0.78mm 2-pin connector as its detachable mechanism.

■ TINHIFI C3 has a U-shaped sound signature which follows a Harman target curve with some slight modification particularly on the low frequency to make it a bit warm. It has good sub-bass presence while maintaining a substantially textured mid-bass. It has a tad recession on the midrange but still fairly balanced as it has an ample warmth while maintaining a crisp and glint quality. It has a noticeable boost upper-mids while maintaining a smoother treble response although it has a meagre treble air compared to Q5. Technical capability-wise, If I compare both sets, Q5 is a bit more refined between them but C3 was able to perform pretty decently as it has a good sound/speaker staging and up to par separation and layering capabilities.


SIMGOT EA500

■ EA500 is a phenomenal set on its own right and it was considered as the "gold standard" of proper implementation of a good single DD set. Its shells chassis are entirely made of metal alloy and it has a detachable tuning nozzles for different sound profile to choose from.

■ As for tonality, EA500 offers two types of tuning, a more familiar typical Harman tuning and a SIMGOT "in-house" tuning that these sonic profiles align with a U-shaped sound. On the Harman tuning mode, it has more emphasis on sub-bass and a less textured mid-bass, a leaner midrange which sounds less expressive and lack of emotive on vocals and less airy and a bit dull treble response. The SIMGOT tuning mode is a bit more texture, more dynamic and very vivid sound but at the expense of slight sibilance. On technicalities, both EA500 and Q5 are quite comparable in that matter as they can trade blows on one another especially in resolution capabilities. EA500 has a more solid macro-dynamics while Q5 has sharper definition on detail retrieval.


As I conclude my review on EPZ Q5, despite of soms controversies that thrown at this set due to its uncanny resemblance of a certain product from a more establishes brand, EPZ did a good job on this set on how they tuned this one to have engaging sound which is likeable enough for casual listeners who wants an engaging and fun sounding and a budding audio enthusiast who wants a clarity and details with capable technical capabilities for their listening leisures.

This set is definitely a good recommendation for listeners who want a more coloured tonality as it has an sufficient warmth while having a bright sound.


This product is now available in EPZ Official Store on ALIEXPRESS, there's an unaffiliated link down below.

Link :

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805604304671.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: EPZ Q5
IMPEDANCE: 26Ω
SENSITIVITY: 109dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m
PIN TYPE: MMCX CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER


Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to EPZ nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to EPZ for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

EPZ Q5 Review​

EPZ Q5 Review ​

Intro​

Hello, this is my full review of the EPZ Q5 which comes fresh from one of the newer up & coming audio brands… EPZ. If I’m being completely honest, I knew very little about EPZ and frankly didn’t really know that they created as many products as they have. Apparently EPZ is quite well known in China. Well, here in the States we don’t always get the latest and greatest within the audio game. I saw that the Q5 was on sale and was able to pick it up for the low cost of $45-$47.

EPZ​

Located in Shenzen China, the original company was actually founded way back in 2008! That took me by surprise. They specialize in R&D, 3D Resin printing of both universal and custom high-res earphones & true wireless, among other ventures and specialties. Apparently, they have their own independent R&D team and production towards micro-speakers, military earphones, and work closely with many well-known brands for production, supplying finished designs as well as acoustic components. Their team has many years under their belt and expertise in acoustic structure, acoustic device selection, calibration and tuning as well.
However, it wasn’t until 2019 that the audio brand “EPZ” was actually founded & established. Since then, they have been really doing a fantastic job by the looks of their website in creating unique designs, all 3D printed and gorgeous in my opinion. This is a very condensed view of a company which has been in this game for quite some time and now I am very interested in learning more about them.

Similar but not the same​

I do have to add one little blurb before I move on. It has gone around the audio community that the Q5 has stolen the design of the Meze Advar. I just want to squash this ridiculous gripe before we move on. Basically… I don’t care and really it doesn’t matter much. This is a very common occurrence to which if you are actually paying attention happens all the time. The truth is, it’s a good design friends. Also, it isn’t exactly the same, just similar in many regards. Actually, it’s pretty darn close… Lol. Still, it’s different enough to easily overlook. Also, again… I don’t care, at all. Okay, can we move on now? Oh, one more thing, I wouldn’t write any of that if the Q5 wasn’t a very nice set. Let’s just get that out of the way and get on with the review. The EPZ Q5 everyone…

Gear used for testing​

–Fiio UTWS5

–Ifi Go Blu

–Hidizs S9 Pro

–Moondrop Dawn 4.4

–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

–Shanling M6 Ultra

​

Packaging / Accessories​

Unboxing​

I have to say, EPZ gives a pretty damn impressive unboxing for $50! I mean, the box alone is impressive. At first, I was wondering how to work it to even open it all up. Thankfully I stepped back before I gorilla-tore the whole thing up. So, the box itself is very impressive as you open from the inside out by pulling both inner halves outward. This will bring the underneath contents to the forefront. Very cool and ridiculously unique at these prices.

The box is rather large, black and has golden colored writing with a cool looking design (see pictures). Inside you’ll see the slender box containing the reading material with the phrase “Five years of prosperity and glory“. This obviously alludes to the five years that EPZ has been an audio enterprise. Next to the earphones you’ll see the earphones themselves in cardboard cut-outs along with the case underneath that. Inside you’ll see the eartips as well as the cable. Under the earphones there is a smaller box with reading material and a plastic baggy containing a nice cleaning cloth. All in all, the unboxing is much better than I would have thought at this price. Definitely a “pro”… Nice work EPZ!


6.6x

6.6x

< 1x

Eartips​

Included are two sets (S, M, L) of eartips. Both sets are of nice quality I would say. One of the sets is a head scratcher but still nice. I’ll start with the head scratcher. These tips are some ultra-tiny black silicone tips that feel very soft to the touch. The black tips have a semi-wide bore and have an odd shape. They are shallow fit eartip with a flat face to them, or a blunted face. The flange is decently firm, but I wish EPZ would’ve added some larger versions of these tips. They are very small. The other tip set is a white silicone tip with a semi-wide bore, firm stem, & firm flange. It’s much like KBear 07 tips and are actually quite nice. I use the large size white silicone tips and I feel they do well with the EPZ Q5.

However, after many rounds of going through every eartip in my collection I found some that work. I actually ended up using the KBear 07 large yellow tips. I simply couldn’t get a perfect seal with the white silicone tips without playing with them and fiddling around with them for a while. Using the 07’s I got a seal right away. I just felt the need to bring that up.

Cable​

The cable that EPZ added to the accessory count is a very elegant cable. It is also pretty thin and light with a glossy white color and golden accents on the hardware. Truly a gorgeous little cable. There isn’t much info regarding this cable other than its a 1.2m MMCX Silver-plated Copper cable. Certainly, this is a great cable for stage purposes. It’s very lightweight and won’t pull on the earphones during use. Also, the sound is great with it, and it looks very nice attached to the Q5. However, I decided to use a different cable for balanced purposes. The cable I chose is a 4.4 Balanced FAAEAL MMCX cable which is 4-Cores of OFC Copper. It’s really pleasant looking paired with the Q5 with its nicely braided cloth covering. Perfect for use with balanced sources and looks dope with the Q5 attached. What’s best is the sound is great with the FAAEAL cable.

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Build / Design / Internals / Fit / Drivability​

Build Quality ​

The Q5 resembles a nicely ergonomical iem for stage purposes as they’re perfectly built for the human ear. Made completely of “self-developed” skin friendly resin by way of 3D Printing. You’ll notice the trend of “self-developed” when referring to EPZ’s earphones. EPZ actually develops much of their products in-house and they provide the patent #’s as well. The build is very solid friends. EPZ did a very nice job of creating earphones which don’t feel cheap or weak. Instead, they have a robust feel to them with very nice faceplate areas which I’ll explain later. The nozzles are made with a nice bronze colored alloy and finish with an all-metal grill. The nozzles are of medium length as well. I’m impressed by the build.

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Design ​

Now is where we get into the weeds a bit. I’ve already mentioned this, but I will again. Many on social media have commented on the distinct look of the Q5. They happen to resemble a very popular iem, the Meze Advar. Let it be known that… I could care less. Truly. This is a common occurrence in chifi as this wasn’t the first time an earphone resembled another. Also, it certainly won’t be the last. Who cares?! Okay, for the second time… Moving on.

Anyways, the look is pretty dope. The Q5 has that tight fitting design that sits perfectly in the ear. All black except for a very slick looking golden faceplate which features a concave alloy circle which has a vent port in the middle and “EPZ Audio-Started in 2019” imposed around the vent. The contrast is awesome, and the look is all class. Really a well-designed unit that looks good on the ear. No, it won’t win any design awards but it’s nice. Again, good job EPZ!

Internals​

During the process of review, I have come to really respect this company. They develop many of their own materials and the Driver is no exception. In fact, under Chinese utility Patent #: CN201920080514.0 you will see that they developed this driver in-house. The Driver in question is a 10mm Ceramic Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil with a Dual-Cavity & Dual Magnetic design. By all accounts it appears that EPZ knows what they are doing. I find the driver to be of good quality. You don’t hear any distortion or weird artifacts in the edges of music. Again, this is a dual-cavity design which was 3D printed using both resin and metal materials.

SPECIALLY DEVELOPED DUAL MAGNETIC & DUAL CAVITY DYNAMIC DRIVER
EPZ Q5 adopts a specially developed 10mm dynamic driver unit that features a dual-magnetic circuit and dual-cavity design. This dual-magnetic system of Q5 provides both internal and external magnetic circuits. They are made up of high-quality Carbon-Nano composite (CNT) diaphragm. The dual-Cavity design manages the air-pressure buildup inside the cavity and helps the pair to produce a clean sound with wide extensions and lower distortion.
EPZ Promotional​

Click to expand...

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Fit​

The fit is flat-out great. At least for me. Of course, I have to imagine that the Q5 would likely fit the great majority of hobbyists quite well. The shape alone is perfect to sit inside of an ear and does so very snuggly. Isolation is also very good with the Q5 in my ears. Obviously, this may not be the same for you. So, speaking for myself, I have zero issues at all with isolation, sound leakage or fit. Really EPZ nailed this design and build.

Drivability​

I honestly didn’t have a problem driving the Q5 with any source I used. With an impedence of 26 ohms and a sensitivity of 109 dbs; driving them is really no issue. Perhaps my iPad was a bit weak, but it still drove this set well. Even using the Fiio UTWS5 with MMCX adapters I found the driving power to be more than enough. Listening with the Ifi Go Blu was a treat for my ears as they have nice synergy. Not that lesser powerful sources are bad sounding. It’s just that the Q5 reacts great with the warmer and more lush presentation of the Go Blu making this pair fantastic for mobile listening. Especially using 4.4 balanced.

Dongle Dacs ​

As far as Dongle dacs are concerned I really think everyone should give the Moondrop Dawn 4.4 a chance. Boy does it sound wonderful with the Q5 and truthfully it sounds pretty great with anything attached to it. Truly one of the highly underappreciated dongles. I find the synergy between the Q5 really matches well with the Dawn which uses the Cirrus Logic CS43131 dac chip which also happens to be the same chip within the Go Blu. I used the Q5 with a couple other dongle dacs and had somewhat similar results, but the Dawn certainly brought upon a great listening session.

Daps​

I would have thought that the iBasso DX240 with its amazing ES9038 Pro dac chip and the iBasso Amp8 Mk2 attached would’ve melded better with the Q5, but I did hear some slightly processed timbre up top for whatever reason. So, pairing with the Shanling M6 Ultra was easily my favorite listening method for just lounging and soaking in the music. That velvet chip, the AK4493SEQ is a flagship level chip that is utterly smooth yet completely resolving which is perfect for the Q5. Also, more power seems to bring out the best in the Q5, though it isn’t required.

In the end​

Like most sets, a little more juice helps (to a degree) but like most sensitive iems in this range it isn’t necessarily needed and there is a power-cap to what you will hear. Using a moderately powerful dongle dac is perfectly fine. In fact, I’m sure most mobile phones would do the trick so long as they have at least a decent level of juice or driving power. If the Fiio UTWS5 can drive this set well at 50mw @32 ohms than I’m sure most any dongle will suffice. Still, if you can get your hands on a nicely organic dongle like the Dawn 4.4 then you are in business and also in for a treat.

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Sound Impressions​

Note: I just want to preface this entire sound impressions portion of the review with a few things. First, I burned the Q5 in for roughly 50-60 hours. I don’t always hear a valid difference, but for this set I certainly did. The upper mids had a slight glare prior to burn-in that was all but gone after. I kept checking periodically with the same song (as I do) and the moment I noticed the sound leveling out I stopped the process. Also, I primarily listen using flac or better files which are stored on my devices. I usually listen using UAPP but sometimes with Hiby Player and I do occasionally also use Poweramp as well.

Condensed Sound report​

Now this is where the Q5 earns its stripes folks. Of course, the Q5 will not be a favorable tuning for everyone, let’s just get that out of the way. Still, I do think that anyone who is a fan of a more airy and transparent sound will likely enjoy what EPZ has created in the Q5. What I hear is a mostly U-shaped sound and some may even consider it to be W-shape to a degree as well. One thing is for sure… EPZ knows how to tune a set of earphones with very nice tonal qualities. The timbre is pretty nice as well, though not completely organic, I’d call it “off-natural”. There are slight timbral issues within the midrange, but they are peanuts in the face of the overall tuning.

Honestly, it’s very pleasant-sounding earphone to my ears with a “technically musical” sound in that the Q5 does have a sense of musicality while not skimping on the finer details. In fact, the technicalities are very well done for a single DD at this price. You have an energetic sound with an unfatty, yet rich note weight and slightly thinner but also full macro-dynamics. I realize these descriptions sound dissimilar and contradictory, but I sat for quite a while trying my best to explain what I hear, and I stand by my words. Let’s put it this way, the sound is certainly not dull, thin, or dry to my ears, but it also isn’t super thick and warmly weighted.

Between the 20’s​

As far as what I hear between the 20’s; I happen to really enjoy the sound of the Q5 in each 3rd of the spectrum, though each 3rd also has some subjective qualms. Predominantly, the bass is tight and brisk with a punchy and nimble type of dynamism. This isn’t an ultra-guttural or ultra-deep, dark or ultra-bellowing type of bass but there is nice density and texture. The bass certainly isn’t devoid of presence as I don’t feel it lacks at all to my ears. More mature than basshead but also not bass lite. The midrange has a forward and ubiquitous presence for both male and females. However, there is the slightest tinge of that processed metallic sound at the note outlines of more energetic passages of music. This is more a rarity and not the norm. For the most part vocals come across sounding nicely represented. The midrange has nice detail retrieval and great transient speed as well with good separation. The treble has pretty nice clarity and also offers a nicely detailed replay with good note definition and a smooth overall body. Not the most pinpoint yet still has decent bite up top.

If this is all the further you read just know that the EPZ Q5 is not a basshead set, not a treble head earphone, and it isn’t entirely mid centric either. Instead, the Q5 strikes a nice balance across the mix and doesn’t entirely favor any one area. Closer to neutral than anything with some shades of warmth, the Q5 has a breathable sound with air in the mix. Macro-dynamics aren’t going to blow you away but the Q5 still comes across musical while balancing its very well composed technical abilities. This set sounds nice folks.

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Bass Region​

The bass is altogether tidy and pretty stout & not at all overly boosted. You won’t feel the Q5 bumping in the backs of your eyelids. It isn’t made for that type of fun. That said, the Q5 isn’t without some thump. It just hedges more on the side of speed and punch. Clearly the bass is not the focus on this set and clearly EPZ wanted a bass that did its job and got out of the way. For instance, you won’t hear this bass muddying up the midrange. In the same breath you also won’t feel some instrumentation the same as some more emphasized sets down low and won’t get the same fullness of notes as some sets. I feel it’s a nice trade-off but that is just me. If we are simply talking timbre in the nether regions, then I’d say that the Q5 is well to do. There is an evident distinction between sub & mid bass with a layered and macro-detailed approach.

Sub-bass ​

The sub-bass is definitely the focus of the low-end tuning, but it isn’t 100% evident through listening all the time. Listening to the track (that I always use) “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard, I certainly hear a dense enough drone to the bassline which carries this track. It’s decently weighted and there is some haptic feel that is rather nice. Understand that this isn’t a bass that is over elevated. However, I’ve read reports that this is a very light bass. Friends, I really don’t hear that. It just isn’t an ultra-thick Bass-Boi caliber low-end. It’s actually very well emphasized in a mature way. “2040” by Lil Baby & Lil Durk flat out bumps with the Q5. It hits very well. No doubt about it. Granted this track hits hard with most any set, but still… the Q5 certainly doesn’t lack in sub-bass authority and tactile rumble. Again, it isn’t the focus and I think it’s paramount that we understand the distinction before buying.

Mid-bass ​

The mid-bass carries slightly less authority than the sub-bass, but I will repeat just about everything I’ve said in the “sub-bass” category. However, the mid-bass is slightly leaner with a soft leading edge of attack and quicker decay to my ears. Not at all hollow and not fuzzy either. Actually, the Q5 really doesn’t disappoint. I think you begin to see the slight lack in some tracks with some usually beefy bass guitars which may come across a hair less full on the Q5. Again, I think the trade-off is worth it though as the Q5 is tight enough to offer a punchy yet defined sound that handles quicker bass passages really well. Still, I don’t feel the Q5 lacks and on blatantly heavy bass jams the Q5 can rise to the occasion and offer some head-bobbing fun.

“On Melancholy Hill” by the Gorillaz begins with an energetic bassline that comes across with moderate levels of oomph listening with the Q5. Not as assertive and swollen as some sets but the sound comes across very clean and prominent enough to carry this track nicely. Let me repeat that I am not let down with the bass quantity here. It’s simply not so protrusive and obese as some earphone’s bass. I enjoy that the mid-bass stays in its lane and lets the rest of the mix thrive without drowning the entire spectrum in veil or the inflated plump of too much mid-bass. “All My Life” by Lil Durk actually hits with authority on the Q5, straight out the gate. This track actually hits hard on most sets, but again, the Q5 does this Hip-Hop track justice with a nice boom.

Downsides to the bass-region​

If I were to pick apart the bass region, the clear issue would be with bass head types who want that overtly dominant bass. The Q5 is not that but instead the bass is a part to a nicely tuned whole. Also, I would say that the Q5 could use a bit more concrete density whether it has an emphasized bass region or not. I could say that extension down low could be a bit more extended and robust but that is really a subjective matter for the listener. However, to counter all of that, the bass is not one-noted, it is fast enough for quick basslines yet atmospheric enough too. The bass can slam yet it gets out of its own way and works great for multiple genres.

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Midrange​

The midrange comes across pretty crisp with very nice resolution in that it has a clean note edge throughout the midrange, for the price that is. I feel that EPZ tuned the Q5 in a very open and clean manner without the slightest of veil and very nice energy. We have lush-lean & clean macro-dynamics. The sound has air to it. The midrange comes across mostly neutral with a hair more warmth toward the low-mids. I also find the midrange to have very nice separation between instruments and voices while having good note definition for the price. For the most part the Q5 is capable of producing clean vocals that aren’t super recessed and aren’t congested sounding either. Perhaps a hint too thin for some and if I’m really stretching, I’d say some slight metallic timbre in more energetic tracks in the upper-mids.

Lower-midrange ​

Beginning with male vocals I think these can go either way. You’ll either enjoy them or not. Now, I’m not the type who needs ultra thick and weighted male vocals. It’s nice to hear but I can look past it so long as some measures are taken to produce a nicely highlighted and defined male voice. This happens to be the case for the Q5. The sound is mostly uncolored and isn’t really warm or thick in note weight but also…they aren’t thin either. Somewhere in the middle is where the Q5 resides. Thankfully the lower-mids aren’t hazy from bass bleed and don’t sound artificial either. On the track “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (U2 acapella cover) by Home Free I can quite literally hear every type of male voice. Baritones are firm and deep enough and tenors sound eloquent with a bit more levity to them. Both sound great and not thin or dry to my ears. They come across “lean-lush” to me.

To be honest I find no real issues with males as I personally enjoy them listening with the Q5. There is a richness, even in the leaner note structure and the sound is actually close to natural as far as the cadence and dictation of a male voice. Perhaps on some higher pitched males within ballad type songs you may get some very slight coarseness or a metallic type of note edge, but this is in no way something that I’d label a con. Also, for the price this is not out of the ordinary. Honestly, I would probably say that the lower mids are pretty much organic in timbre. Most instruments in this area come across just fine without any exaggerated coloration to my ears.

Upper-Midrange ​

The upper-mids are basically where female vocalists reside, though this isn’t necessarily a constant. You will find female voices range across the midrange. On the Q5, for the most part, I find females more forward than lower-mid males by a pinch and there is more of a shimmer to most females. I find good note cleanliness which can sound soft and honeyed, yet just as easily come across symphonic or elegantly golden & resounding in ballad style tracks. “High” by Caitlyn Smith is one song which covers both. Her voice goes from softly feathery or even velvety as the track gains life to powerful and bold in the chorus section. At the same time there is a ton of commotion in the melody which surrounds her voice. The instrumentation is relatively clean with nice separation while the inflections and modulations in her voice sound very distinct and defined.

Instruments in the midrange​

Most instruments come across fairly naturally except those which reside closer to the upper-mid range, and it depends upon the instrument as well. Generally, the Q5 does a very nice job of recreating instrumentation. Also be aware that my comments about instruments using the Q5 are gross generalizations. So many things may impact the sound and alter your perspective including the type of music, quality of the recording, the source I’m using, heck even the eartips I’m using make a big difference. Again, these are very general blanket thoughts. This review would be much larger if I broke everything down further.

I find piano plays well and sounds very tuneful and melodious when needed. Strings sound relaxed with nice harmonics to my ears though I could use a bit more of that sharpness and bite. Violin is a hint thin but also edgy and satisfying. Percussion has good punch & pang for stuff like snares, tambourine, timpani and cymbals which attack with a nice wet-edged clang & pap. The Q5 does percussion well in my opinion. Cymbals for instance, I don’t hear anything that comes across splashy or anything odd in timbre & nothing stands out as blatantly bad or artificial or glaring. It stands to reason that a more balanced tuning would have a better chance at a more realistic sound and the Q5 does that. There is some brightness and the Q5 could use a bit more mid-bass rise but in general the Q5 does instruments very well.

Downsides to the midrange​

Some of the gripes I could see folks having about the midrange on the Q5 would be that it can come across thinner in body across the midrange than some may be used to. I’ve already expressed that I think the note weight is fine but I’m sure others may not always enjoy it. Like I said before, I find the Q5 almost “lean-lush”… if that makes any sense. Also, timbre may not be perfectly natural as you climb the midrange. Perhaps a hair more warmth would be a bit closer to organic but honestly folks, we all have different interpretations of what “Organic” or “Natural” is so… Just pretend I didn’t write that. I don’t hear any horrible peaks or glaring areas of shoutiness. I don’t hear any real pronounced sibilance either. It sounds nice.

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Treble Region​

Benefits the tuning​

I find the treble region to really benefit the overall tuning of the Q5. It balances very well with the other areas of the mix while uplifting the entire spectrum. I wouldn’t call the treble extremely emphasized but it makes its presence felt and isn’t underwhelming. It isn’t emphasized in a “treble head” way or in an overtly “over-saturated” or “forced resolution” type of manner either. It comes off pretty naturally (there’s that natural word again) and easy on the ears while in the same breath there is some bite to treble notes and a forward presence. There is outstanding detail retrieval for a budget single Dynamic Driver iem. At the same time, it’s also not analytical or dry. There is some wet mixed in there, some tackiness, some bright punch and a good sheen to the upper portions of the mix. To keep perspective, we are talking about a budget set but based on other sets in the price point… EPZ did a very nice job up top.

Air & Separation ​

The treble region has actual separation and air which permeates other areas of the frequency and like I said, it uplifts the rest of the frequency as well. Resolution is pretty good for what it is, but it doesn’t have perfectly knife edged definition as the overall experience is smoother than anything. There is very nice shimmer and shine which adds a different element to the sound. On top of that I hear pretty nice extension past 10k which can be heard in the secondary harmonics of cymbals which don’t come across splashy or tinsley. Trumpet sounds forward and pretty robust or full. Listening to electric guitar is not a wincing affair as the bite and texture in the sound is accompanied by decent weight to notes and not an ear-killer. However, as I said in the beginning of this paragraph, there is air and separation which helps these instruments to not sound like a fuzzy mishmash of treble sheen.

Examples ​

I usually listen to Billy Strings tracks as his banjo play, fiddle, acoustic guitar and mandolin play can all resonate within the treble arena and usually do so at crazy speeds. Take either of the tracks “Ice Bridges” or “Secrets” (among many others, these are the two I mainly used from him) while listening with the Q5 and a decent source and I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the speed at which the Q5 is able to attack & decay at. Granted this is a single DD treble and won’t compete with the likes of some planars or BAs for speed but the combo of agility and timbre is pretty nice to hear. “Bishop School” by Yusef Lateef is another track littered with treble activity and for the most part the Q5 is able to replay everything with good separation and imaging while not blending sounds.

What you won’t hear is anything truly harsh. I should say that I don’t hear anything that I consider harsh as there aren’t any undue peaks that throw off the overall timbre and tuning. You shouldn’t hear any really egregiously obvious sibilance either. For the most part the treble is pretty smooth in body. It’s crisp when it needs to be and is altogether a non-offensive treble… for me.

Downsides of the treble region ​

If there were some downsides, then I would say that some folks may want even less treble emphasis for a warmer overall sound. We are all very much different and I’m sure that there will be those who would like less brightness up top. Also, in more complicated tracks the Q5 can lose a little bit of its resolution but of course we should expect this. Honestly there isn’t much to complain about, the treble is airy, it sparkles at times, it isn’t too bright or fatiguing, it has a smoother overall sound, and it offers nice details. EPZ did a nice job.

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Technicalities​

Soundstage ​

Listening to “Hook” by Blues Traveler it is instantly noticeable that the soundstage of the Q5 has good width with a sense of space and openness. Certainly, above average in that regard. Height is about average I’d say (whatever that means) and there is some depth for layering. Overall, the stage is presented nicely with an open feel which is very well done for a single DD at this price. You have nice separation of elements in that stage, decent to good extension in all directions, with all the sound emphasis in the right places within the frequency to create a psycho-acoustic stage that doesn’t feel congested… at all. Even on complicated tracks I don’t feel the claustrophobia of a small stage.

Separation / Imaging ​

Separation is very well done within any track that isn’t ultra congested. There are obviously limitations to any set, even the good ones. I’d say that the Q5 can handle more than most and can fend-off blending of sounds like instruments & vocals better than most. Again, you have a perceivably tight transient attack & decay, a clean and resolute sound, a good-sized stage and it isn’t the thickest note weight in the world. These attributes do help to add some separation of instrumentation while creating pretty nice distinctions providing the recording is of decent quality and the source is adequate. Imaging is the same, as everything (instruments) is where it should be. I would actually consider imaging a “Pro” of the Q5. There’s nice layering brought on by a nice depth of field, good width of stage and very good control for the price. Except in ultra busy tracks.

Details​

The detail retrieval of the Q5 is extremely good for a single Dynamic Driver earphone at this price. I have zero problem hearing the subtleties within my music. Both macro & micro details are able to become illuminated within this very well controlled replay. Whether it be fingers on an instrument, breath in a mic or the person coughing 10 rows back in my favorite live track, the EPZ Q5 does an admirable job at presenting those small details. The Q5 has a nice balance and there isn’t really any one frequency acting as the major. You don’t have bass covering over the mix or treble sheen cascading over everything else. Possibly in extra bass heavy tracks you’ll obviously not hear everything else, but honestly, who cares about detail retrieval in ultra bass heavy songs? For the tracks that really matter, or the tracks that generally attract those who enjoy the finer details… the Q5 will surprise some people.

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Is it worth the asking price? ​

For the awesome sale price of under $50 (at the moment) and the MSRP of $77, the EPZ Q5 is priced very competitively to pretty competitively. In truth I don’t feel there are many sets which are similarly tuned that can outright render the Q5 obsolete. Obviously, if you enjoy a different tuning then this is a moot point and the Q5 probably isn’t worth it for you. However, for those who like a warm/neutral technically savvy iem with a penchant for musicality and a great balance… the Q5 may just be the set to get.

Of course, there are quite a few iems within the price point that challenge the need for a set like the Q5. Sets like the Simgot EA500 (EA500 Review HERE), Fiio JD7 (JD7 Review HERE), Truthear Hexa (Hexa Review HERE), Letshuoer DZ4 (DZ4 Review HERE), Celeste Pandamon (Pandamon Review HERE) and these are just to name a few around the original MSRP of $77. Trust me there are many more. If we are talking about the sale price ($48) then this is a no brainer, I truly don’t think there is much competition around the $50 price point. Being that the price has been around $50 for a long time now, I think this is the price point to judge this set by. Also, obviously the Q5 will not be for everyone, and it does have some drawbacks but ultimately it is a good option among some of the better iems it is priced around.

The Why… ​

Why? Well, first off, the Q5 is a well-built iem that is very ergonomically shaped, featherlight weight with a very appealing and understated appearance that looks dope in the ear and will likely seat well in most anyone’s ears. The unboxing is really creative, and you receive nice accessories too. However, these are just figurative “Icing on the cake” because the true reason the Q5 is worth the cost to own them is that the sound is really well tuned.

Nothing sounds exactly like the Q5 as the balance across the mix is great with a very organic warm/neutral sound that is just as musical as it is technical. Nothing is left out within this tuning as every area of the mix has representation. Detail retrieval is top notch for what the Q5 is, the soundstage is better than I would’ve expected, imaging is spot on, separation is great, it’s clean, resolute and nothing jumps out as offensive or fatiguing. There are things that could be better and subjective little gripes which won’t jive with everyone but as far as I’m concerned… the Q5 is worth every last penny. In fact, if you can… Buy two.

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Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the EPZ Q5 ratings below, that would be $40-$80 iems of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $40-$80 US is a decent sized scope of iems and so seeing a 9 should probably be pretty special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings it will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic ​

-Build Quality: 8.2

-Look: 8.9

-Accessories: 9.7

–Overall: 8.9

Sound Rating​

-Timbre: 8.9

-Bass: 9.1

-Midrange: 9.1

-Treble: 9.5

-Technicalities: 9.7

–Overall: 9.3

Ratings Summary:​

You should all know how I feel about ratings by now, if ever you have read my reviews, then you know I don’t 100% agree with the efficacy of ratings. So much is left to broad interpretation as nuance, context, and the intricate spirit of my review may be lost to… some numbers. I spend a large amount of time on “ratings” and probably waste too much time debating against myself over a handful of judgments ranging from 0 to 10. Please remember that these are solely my thoughts, based against sets that I’ve actually heard and gotten to know well enough to make an opinionated judgment. With that said, I should at least explain why I gave the Q5 what I did.

Questionable​

First off, the pool of $40 to $80 iems is a large one. This is easily one of the most competitive price brackets in all of audio. That said, one area I may have to explain myself is the “Build” category. I expressed how well built the Q5 is in my review and surely, I believe so. Still, at these prices there are better built sets, even though an 8.2 is still very good. However, for those who take ergonomics into play (which is part of the build), perhaps I could’ve given the Q5 a higher score. Basically, I left out comfort and fit and mostly gauged the “Build” by the actual structural integrity of the Q5. Either way the Q5 build is solid.

The next thing which I could argue against is the “Bass” category. Honestly for many this could be far too high, and others may say it’s a bit low. If you are a basshead then this might as well be a 2.0. If you love a tight and mature bass with just enough slam, extension, clarity and speed then the score of 9.1 is probably a bit shy in comparison to what is out there. I honestly feel that “Treble” & “Technicalities” are right where the Q5 needs to be. Possibly “Timbre” & “Midrange” could be a few points higher but there is some thinness and metallic artifacts at notes edge in the midrange but a 9.1 is pretty damn good if you ask me. I could see raising the “Timbre” category a bit as well.

The whole, not the parts…​

In the case of the Q5, I think one of the Key metrics that doesn’t get represented in the ratings is the most important thing of all concerning the Q5. If you ask me, its main selling point is just how well the Q5 pulls all the parts together as one coherent and melodious whole. Breaking the Q5 down to individual parts is not the best way to judge this set. This is a set which truly needs to be heard as a whole. It’s the whole audio salad my friends, and it’s all the parts brought together in a mellifluous coherency of sound which is the real way the Q5 should be judged against its peers. This is what I mean about the efficacy of ratings, they don’t tell you the whole story and this is something I want to try my best at getting right.

​

Conclusion​

To conclude my full written review of the EPZ Q5, I have enjoyed my time with this set and feel it’s a good option within the price point. I am very curious to see what else this audio brand has to offer if one of their budget-oriented sets sounds like this. So, thank you to some of my friends in the community for Introducing this brand to me and hopefully I was able to Introduce EPZ to some more folks in the in the hobby too.

One thing that I always make sure to mention is to please check out other reviews of the Q5. Do not just read mine and stop there. We all have differing opinions, and we all are very much different in how we perceive the auditory abilities of these audio devices. We don’t all have the same gear and sources, we don’t all have the same taste in music and taste in sound and we all haven’t been down the same audio journey, which really matters. Heck, we don’t all have the same hearing abilities. So, it makes sense to read, listen to, or watch other reviews and try to get a firm understanding of what you are getting. In fact, at Mobileaudiophile.com we usually have different “takes” over multiple sets. Pietro also reviewed the Q5 HERE. With that, I thank you, the reader, for clicking onto this review. It always means a lot and my greatest hope is that it helps you. Take care and God Bless!

TONALITY: 7.2/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 6.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10

INTRO

EPZ is an IEM company from China, rather new and obscure they do dongle and IEMs.

Their prime goal is to offer product with competitive sound value.

Today I will review their single dynamic driver IEM call Q5.

Priced 52$, the Q5 use special carbon and ceramic nano coating diaphragm dynamic driver.

Let see in this review if these offer impressive sound quality for the price, both tonaly and technicaly wise!


CONSTRUCTION-ACCESSORIES




If the design of Q5 seem familiar to you, this is because you are knowlegeable of other audio companies than chifi one, especially Meze. It's litteral copy cat of the Meze Advar, but with cheaper craftmanship all made of plastic. We have a back vent with alluminium metal plate as well as metal nozzle. The built isn't bad for the price, my qualm being more about the design. Plastic seem thick, nozzle is long enougn and overall comfort and fit is good.
It use MMCX connector, which might be a concern for some.



Included cable is basic but not bad too, its soft and flexible, good looking silver plated 2 strands cable. Way better than basic KZ cable for ex. No complaint for the price.



The packaging presentation as well as generous amount of accessories is very impressive at this price point....even overwhelming. The box have a unique way to open that make it a bit hard to extract it's content, but it's original and luxurious looking.
Then we have cleaning cloath, nice quality carrying case and 6 pairs of silicone eartips. We can't expect more for 50$ and it's quite a rewarding unboxing experience for those that give credit to that.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The tonality of Q5 is a crisp, open and airy W shape, with a mellow U shape Harman target influence. It feel like a brigther, crisper and bassier Moondrop Aria. One thing certain: the Q5 isn't mid centric, nor warm sounding, it's a details beast with a technical sound but not 100% clinical tonality.

The bass offer a thin resonant boom with boosted presence texture and bite, mid bass isn't very weighty nor round and sub bass don't rumble, it resonante or slam, without lot of bass bleed into lower mid range which stay thin and feel scooped for better bass and upper mids separation.
Bass line attack is well resolve, it have abrasieve bite and texture so double bass higher harmonic is more fowards, then lower harmonic sustain-release is thin and distant, which affect a bit tone diversity but improve imaging capacity.
Kick drum feel blunted and dry, we dont have extra mid bass energy so the punch feel diffuse and lacking physicality.
Cello too sound thin, dry and all about presence, which make me confuse it for violin some time.
While attack speed is fast, it's not a tight bass, it's loose in resonance and lack fullness of both hit and rumble.

The mids are very crisp and open, slightly bright and rarely prompt to shoutyness, for sibilance we have some but it's not always intense. Timbre is thin and bright, we have some texture artefact that I found displeasant, slight metallic timbre going on too, it's not lush or thick and both male and female vocal feel a bit compressed and artificial. It's my main qualm about Q5: the harsh uneven timbre, female vocal are raspy, male vocal are bodied and grunty but presence is overly boosted and sibililance is even more evident than with female vocal, very wrong tone wise.
So this is evident the mids range is all about bright presence boost here, clarity is great as well as imaging cue but acoustic instrument like violin and saxophone shoud rough and thin, excited in attack and lacking naturalness, definition isn't cleanly delimitate and feel brightly brushed.


The treble is center of the show, as well as both the highlight and drawback of whole tonal balance. It's very fast and snappy, very open and crisp as well as very generous in micro details retrieval, sometime to the cost of adding unwanted texture boost.
Percussions are very fowards and will be more upfront than both double bass and piano in a jazz trio, they aren't splashy and lacking in snap and their fast attack is very engaging in a vivid, treble head way.
For budgt audiophile, the Q5 might deliver micro details they never heard before.
This treble add air and sparkle on top, and explain why i consider the Q5 W shape, because we have boost in sub-mid bass intersection, boost in upper mids-lower treble and boost in ultra highs around 15khz section, which is where we get extra air, extra brilliant edge and airy decay.
This isn't delivered in a very refined nor balanced way, but for the price it's to be expected.
One thing that surprise me, is how god clavichord sound, it's more dynamic and textured than piano and the brilliance had an open decay to it which make the instrument sound wide and open, not dry and distant like lot of other harman IEM I've heard.
Electric guitar sound texture and realist enough, but the dynamic is lean here, nontheless rendering is clean and with this extra analytical percussions rendering and good electric bass line presence I feel Q5 is good for complex rock track.

Soundstage is quite good in term of tallness and deepness but not extremely wide, Still, its airy and don't feel stock in your head.

Imaging is good for high pitch instrument, especially for percussions. Mids has monitor like rendering with good positioning cue too. Good transparency help for sound layering too.



COMPARISONS


VS SIMGOT EW200

These 2 are very similar in tonal balance, though the EW200 is smoother and more cohesive in balance, dig deeper in sub bass with a more vibrant and dense rumble and fuller thicker mids as well as less spiky and fowards ultra highs.
So, we can say Q5 sound more open and W shape, offer brighter treble and thinner bass not and impact, it have ess lower mids than EW200 too, and ultimately a more artificial and grainy timbre.
Yet, both these IEM share some Harman target similarities, one being better balanced than the other: EW200.
Bass is better rounded and hint more mellow in punch but with more rumble sustain, less artificial resonance and better sub tone for proper bass line fullness and pitch accuracy. Q5 sub bass is more about presence, it's thinner and can get lost, but it doesn't have as warmed lower mid range.
So mids are crisper, more open and airy with the Q5, yet thinner in timbre and presence is more boosted, female vocal are more recessed as well as male vocal, both are less well balanced in timbre texture so more prompt to sibilance. Vocal are very bad with Q5, as well as overall instrument timbre, presence feel more centered and compressed.
Treble is notably more fowards with the Q5, percussions jump at you way more than EW200 which has more even balance, this tend to extract more micro details and add even more air on top than EW200. It sound more metallic and rough, yet it's better separated and attack speed seem even faster, though less controlled than EW200 it's very captivating and while dirtier in sustain, the sparkle release is longer and airier with Q5.
Yes i do feel Q5 has faster attack speed and more snappy and open treble and it's quite incredible even if part of tonal issue.
Soundstage is wider, taller and deeper as well as more holographic with Q5, EW200 feel quite flat and unidimentional compared to them.
Imaging is superior with the Q5, which are like monitor on steroid, sound layers are more transparent and has wider space separation, but realism of imaging is affected by overaly fowards high pitch instruments (mostly percussions)

All in all, i do prefer tonality and timbre of EW200 and technical performance are 99% on par, yet treble head and audiophile that are addict to sparkle and percussions snap will get more wow effect with the Q5.

VS QOA GIMLET

Now, these sound less similar. Gimlet is warmer and a bit more mid centric, notably smoother and free of upper mids sudden brightness.
Bass have more slam, it's rounder, weightier and thicker, rumble is notably longer in extension and vibrancy, less thin and boomy than Q5.
Mids are lusher, fuller and not as clean and open, they are less recessed, both male and female vocal are more natural in timbre and softer in presence definition.Piano note is weightier, saxophone denser and wider, your less distant from music with Gimlet.
Then the treble is less articulate and clean, less snappy and sparkly, it'smore organic in balance and less edgy in attack so sustain-release is more compressed, we have less clean decay than airier crisper Q5.
Soundstage is again is similar in wideness, taller with Gimlet but notably less deep and airy.
Imaging is superior with Q5, due to darker micro definition and overall warmer macro dynamic of Gimlet.

All in all, Q5 is superior technicaly but more trebly tonaly than Gimlet


CONCLUSION



EPZ seem to be a promising IEM company that worth the following. Potential is there and quite high in term of sound value promise. Sure, their improvment to do in term of dynamic rendering, timbre and mid range naturalness, but it's something I can say for pricier earphones too.

If you love you musicality with sparkle and you treble attack snappy and crisp, the Q5 will please you, if you like airy and deep clean soundstage, you'll love those, if you like technical rendering that we rarely find under 50$, this is another winner to bet on.

All in all, apart the questionable design choice, I have no real complaint to do for the price.

EPZ Q5 are among best sub-50$ IEM in term of plain technical performance, and this is something worthy of your attention.

Recommended!

---------



PS: I want to thanks EPZ for sending me this revie sample. As always, those are my independant minded audio impressions and opinion.


You can order the Q5 for 52$ directly from EPZ Aliexpress store here (non affiliated link):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005790619423.html

EPZ is a new name recently emerging into the audiophile industry. The brand introduced a bunch of products ranging from USB DAC/AMPs to IEMs. I was mainly intrigued by one of their IEMs, the EPZ Q5. What intrigued me the most is its identical looks to a famous premium single DD IEM. By all the positive feedbacks all around, I was kinda getting more and more intrigued every single day. But the primary issue was that the pair was only available on Aliexpress and Aliexpress doesn’t ship to my country. So I messaged the brand on their Aliexpress store, and requested them to ship to me in India. They agreed and I placed an order, fast forward a week and I got the pair in my hands. I have spent a good week period with the set, Let’s check how the EPZ Q5 fairs for its usual price which is around 50-60$(I paid approx 45$ using some coupons available on Aliexpress).

Short Disclaimer Before I Begin:-

I bought the EPZ Q5 out of curiosity for its design from the EPZ Official Store Aliexpress store. All thoughts in this blog are my own based on my own experience with the pair, I am not affiliated with EPZ or any other entity for any monetary benefit. If you are interested, you can check out the technical information and other stuff or can also purchase the EPZ Q5 from the official Aliexpress store from the link below(Again non-affiliated).
https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005790619423.html

Also, good news, while writing this review, I also saw that the Q5 is now available in India via Concept Kart as well, so I am attaching their link below as well.
https://conceptkart.com/products/epz-q5-iem

About EPZ Q5:-

The Q5 is a single-dynamic driver IEM that houses a 10mm dual-magnetic and dual-cavity dynamic driver unit. It falls in a highly competitive market with a retail price of close to 50-60$. The pair features standard MMCX connectors and lightweight, compact ear shells. The shells are identical to Meze Advar in terms of looks, but these have resin material build structure. The face panel have a horn-shaped pattern. It comes packed in a black cardboard box that opens up in quite a 3D pattern, We pull the sides and the centre main portion of the package comes up. We have the pair along with a simple zipper carry case, a cleaning cloth, and a bunch of eartips as the stock accessories.

Design & Build Quality:-

EPZ Q5 has a small and compact footprint. Yes the pair looks identical to Meze Advar, but it doesn’t look like a cheap copy, it has a unibody resin material build structure for its ear shells. The face covers have a horn-shaped pattern. Its compact design helps the pair to fit perfectly, I get proper isolation as well. Will attach an image of me wearing the pair below to give an idea about its fit(I am using stock eartips in M size).

The stock cable is simple in looks, it has a simple 2-wire hand-braided design with standard MMCX connectors(which are quite tight btw), an orange-coloured Y-splitter, a chin slider, and termination plug coating.

Driving The EPZ Q5:-

EPZ Q5 is very easy to power, you can enjoy it with simple sources such as Smartphones, Laptops, etc. I have used the set extensively with my Wm1A MK2(sold now), Macbook Pro(M2 with high-impedance Output), and smartphone(nothing Phone 1) with a generic USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter). The EPZ Q5 works well with all these sources showing no signs of any lag in performance even with simple sources such as smartphones.

Sound Quality:-

EPZ Q5 has a smooth, musical. and inoffensive sound signature with a U-shaped tuning profile. I personally find the set to have a buttery smooth lower end, it is smooth, not very quick or snappy, and isn’t very slamming or hard-hitting either but maintains a richness in the signature. The lower-end has a good balance between mid-bass and sub-bass, I feel mid-bass is a little more prominent when noticed carefully. Bass drums and drum kicks are a little more pronounced. The transition to the midrange is smooth showcasing good coherency between the frequencies. It has a musical midrange, although the mids are recessed, Instruments and vocals don’t hold back their performance. They showcase good clarity and clearer resolution in the midrange and especially in the upper mids section. Treble section has intricate details, it is smooth and nicely controlled for an inoffensive presentation while retaining a decent level of detail retrieval in the treble. Will discuss the sound in different frequencies next, but to summarise in a few words about the EPZ Q5 sound, I would say that the EPZ Q5 is a cute little IEM that packs a smooth and delicate sound output.

Lower-End, Bass Response:-

Bass response is smooth and showcases a clean lower-end response. As I stated earlier in this review, I feel the lower end has a good balance between the mid-bass and sub-bass region although the mid-bass is a little more, just a little bit more prominent when noticed carefully. I would like to nitpick here, although the pair has a decent lower-end response, I would personally love some more punch and slam, it would make the pair feel livelier and more energetic.

Midrange:-

Even though the midrange is slightly recessed on the EPZ Q5, it maintains a clean and crispy presentation for vocals and instruments. The upper mids are slightly forwarded bringing the vocals a little on the front side. But they are not into the face kinds front and maintain a clear U-shape profile. The tone and Timbre for vocals and instruments in the mid-range are smooth and musical. Vocals feel a little thinner than natural or thick warm level, Feels more like Harman tuning vocals to me that have a slightly thinner presentation.

Treble:-

EPZ has tuned the Q5 to have a very smooth treble presentation. It sounds lovely with no signs or harshness or sibilance at all. The pair doesn’t sound dark or lifeless, please don’t get me wrong here. It has enough energy to maintain a well-balanced profile in the output. Treble has decent air and clarity for instruments as well. Overall, a smooth, inoffensive treble awaits on the EPZ Q5.

Tone & Timbre:-

EPZ Q5 has a slightly thinner note definition. It maintains a clean yet a little dry timbre throughout the frequency band. The instruments sound precise and are nicely detailed. I can’t call the set a super detailed or analytical one, but it retains enough details to have a musical presentation.

Technical Performance:-

EPZ Q5 has a decent enough technical performance level to keep it nice and tight with the competition in its respective price bracket. The pair has excellent imaging and layering characteristics, It’s a solid IEM for gaming. I love how precisely it helped me note my enemies. Great one in imaging regard. Soundstage-wise, it’s more on the immersive side, maintaining a good 3D feel.

Final Words:-

I purchased the EPZ Q5 out of curiosity only, I had no expectations for the sound. I was just hoping it to sound decent as it would be a great companion for me to my gym every day, but the pair literally caught me off-guard with its smooth butter sound signature. It sounds lovely and has a clear and musical presentation that complements my playlist nicely. I feel that it is an amazing set which serves well for the price point. Well, that’s about the EPZ Q5 from my side, I hope you guys enjoyed reading my review. If you have any questions or queries, feel free to ask me in the comments section below.

EPZ Q5 is the brand's newest IEM that is aimed at the budget market. As far as I know it is only sold on Aliexpress and the price is not constant. However for convenience’s sake I will say it is a 50 usd IEM which is very competitive.


EPZ is not a new brand but it looks like they are getting noticed by more and more people recently. Earlier I reviewed their 1+4 Hybrid K5 and acknowledged what they did with it. It was well built and accessorized. In that sense Q5 is no different.

Pros​

• Great build and comfort
• Premium packaging
• Very balanced tuning
• Pretty good technicalities

Cons​

• MMCX Connectors (Subjective)
• A little dry and dull timbre
• Questionable design choice

Disclaimers​

EPZ Q5 was provided to me by EPZ for a fraction of its price. As I always say, everyone is biased one way or another so take everything you read with a grain of salt. Also I will try to be more concise and to the point in my reviews from now on without worrying about the word count etc. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities.

Build and Accessories of EPZ Q5​

When Q5 first came into the daylight, it was mocked by the community for plagiarizing Meze’s design of Advar and rightfully so. Even the packaging is similar. Well, actually Q5’s box has a gimmick that Advar’s doesn’t have so it comes out on top! Instead of a lid, it splits open and you are greeted with the IEMs. To be honest I don’t think anyone would expect such a presentation from a 50 IEM!



Gimmicks aside, you are provided with 2 sets of decent eartips, a nice 3.5 mm SPC cable that is in line with IEMs’ design, an eva carrying case, a cloth for wiping IEMs and some literature. IEMs are made out of 3D printed resin. They are very small, light and comfortable for my ears and believe me most of the IEMs aren’t. On that note, brands should really make their IEMs smaller or in at least two sizes. You can’t just assume every audiophile has ears like Dumbo. It gets even more ridiculous when they use female models to promote their products.



Anyway, the look of the IEMs is like I said earlier, pretty much the same with Meze Advar. Which might be intentional, seeing EPZ got to be recognized by more people after this. The only thing I don’t like is the usage of MMCX connector but that is subjective of course.

Sound of EPZ Q5​

Tonality​

There is really not much to say about Q5 without comparing it to other IEMs. They have a very balanced tuning with a satisfying but not overpowering amount of bass. Mids are not too forward nor too laid back. Treble is mostly smooth but has just enough sparkle. They don’t get splashy at all unless they are pushed too much. You can say they almost lack character, emphasizing the word: “almost.”

Technicalities​

Technically they are very proficient to say the least. They don’t set the world on fire but for a budget single DD they aren’t behind their competitors. As you would read in the comparisons section, they are decently resolving and detailed, fairly wide. Timbre is pretty good like any well tuned single DD, although not the best out there. It might come as a little dry or cold if you are used to a warmer sound but by itself I have no complaints.

For more context I urge you to read the comparisons.

Comparisons​

EPZ Q5 vs. Simgot EA500​

For many of the enthusiasts out there, Simgot EA500 is the reigning king of the sub $100 IEMs so it is only natural that I would compare these two.



Right off the bat, EA500 sounds livelier, Q5 is slightly darker and more closed in.
Q5, as graphs indicate, is more prominent in the subbass area and rumbles more.
Still, EA500 has a satisfying thump, just not enough rumble. Q5 is slightly superior in the bass for my taste. Bass guitar however, steals the spotlight on EA500 due to its warmer tuning.

Both Male and Female vocals are closer to you in EA500. Also they reverberate more and feel more emotional, almost magical, so are the strings, guitars, piano and so on. EA500 might be slightly edgier on upper mids and lower treble but they are really very close.

EA500 is noticeably livelier, sparklier and airier in the treble but also slightly harsher if you are sensitive to treble. As I said in the beginning of the comparison, Q5 feels more closed in. On the other hand, Q5 still feels on point without showing off. Treble is satisfying without getting fatiguing. If you listen to it in a vacuum, you wouldn’t find anything wrong at all.



EA500 technically, no doubt is superior, although Q5 is no slouch. EA500 is more resolving and detailed. Timbre is also slightly more lifelike. Compared to that, Q5 sounds slightly duller and drier. Also EA500 feels airier and more spacious. EA500 doesn’t lose its composure easily but Q5 did in a few cases.

I really wanted Q5 to beat EA500. That would have been a very exciting experience. It did well enough considering the price difference but EA500 still reigns supreme.

EPZ Q5 vs. BLON x HBB Z300​

The Z300 was one of the best purchases for me this year. Although they are mostly overshadowed by other IEMs in its price range, when you consider the great build and nice cable it comes with, I'd put the Z300 higher on my recommendations list. At some point I will definitely review these as well.



Z300 has a more satisfying thump in the bass. Also it feels fuller and rumbles slightly more in the subbass. The bass on Z300 is more prone to bleed into the mids while Q5 sounds tighter, cleaner and clearer.

Mids are warmer and wetter on Z300, maybe a little too wet. Vocals are also closer to you on Z300. They don’t get particularly shouty but they can pop or hint sibilance occasionally. Q5 doesn’t really have this kind of quirk.

Although the graph shows otherwise, upper mids on the Z300 is not that far behind. Compared to that, Q5 is again duller and drier while Z300 is more emotional.

Neither is particularly too prominent in the treble. But Z300 is a little more splashy, Q5 is slightly smoother compared to that.



Technically they mostly trade blows. Q5 sounds more spacious. Also imaging, layering and instrument placement on the Q5 is better in this bigger sound field. On the other hand, Z300 might be a little bit more resolving but tuning makes it hide most of the nuances it resolves. In this sense Q5 is more detailed.

Conclusion​

EPZ Q5 is a very solid choice in its price range. Let’s be honest. Most of the IEMs in the budget category are more or less tuned to adhere to a similar target. The choice now depends on which one is technically more proficient, which one has a better build, which one is more comfortable or which one comes with a better cable. I think Q5 ticks these boxes more than almost all of the others. I actually had Truthear x Crinacle Zero and Zero: Red for a while during my evaluation of the Q5 and I’d rather get the Q5 instead of both for subjective reasons. (Issues with comfort and weird imaging) I’m not saying go get yourself a Q5 asap but I urge you to check out other reviews to see if they are to your liking and also look out for other releases from EPZ as they know what they are doing in my opinion.

Introduction​

The first time I saw these, I had only one thought: “well, a Meze Advar carbon-copy set”.
But my friend Akros told me to have faith and try them, and in fact I didn’t regret it.
EPZ may not be the most popular company you’ve heard about (many didn’t even know about its existence) but the Q5 are a very interesting set and I invite you to read the review carefully since there are a lot of things to say about these babies.

Disclaimer: the EPZ Q5 were sent by my friend Akros (visit his Youtube channel for many other reviews if you need some honest content) free of charge as a review tour sample in order to write some impressions. I do not represent EPZ in any way and this is not promotional content.
At the time of the review, the EPZ Q5 were on sale for 54$ at Aliexpress.

Technical Specifications​

• Configuration → 1 x DD
• Sensitivity → 109 dB
• Impedance → 26 Ω
• Frequency Response → 20 Hz – 20000 Hz
• Cable → 1,2m copper silver-plated cable with MMCX connectors
• Plug Type → Straight gold plated 3,5mm jack

Packaging​

The box in which the earphones arrive shows a lot of care and effort put in the presentation of the product. It contains:

• The EPZ Q5
• The cable
• 6 pairs of tips (3 pairs of wide bore tips and 3 pairs of shallow bore tips)
• The carrying case
• A cleaning cloth
• User manual

Design and Build Quality​

The EPZ Q5 really look like the Meze Advar, and I honestly don’t feel like it’s an issue: instead, the build quality is very good, the shells are sturdy and they are also pretty lightweight. Plus, the design is simple, very appealing and elegant.
Sure, one may think that these are sort-of clones by looking at the photos online, but one really needs to overlook this concept and try them: the shells and the design are only the cover of the book. And just to say, this kind of shell already existed before the Meze Advar, so are we sure that the design of the Advar was already “unique”?

Cable​

The cable is flexible and lightweight, it has a chin slider and the MMCX connectors don’t have headroom to move diagonally into the connectors, which is good news.

Comfort and Isolation​

Comfort is good once the right tips are found, but to reach that point one could maybe need some tip rolling. I find the stock wide bore tips to be very good, but I suggest using longer and bigger tips since the shell is thinner than average.

Sound​

GEAR USED FOR THE TEST
DAC: Topping E30
AMP: Topping L30
Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Truthear SHIO
Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE

Do they need an amplifier?
The EPZ Q5 don’t need an amplifier.

Sound signature
The EPZ Q5 mildly V-shaped set and lean on the brighter side.

Lows: the sub-bass has pretty good extension but it’s very controlled and it’s present in the right quantity. The bass has good slam and punch, and still has good speed and enough textures even though not the fastest I have heard in this price range.
It’s not a basshead set, but it has a very satisfying low-end that provides solid foundations for almost every genre without boosting excessively the lower frequencies in order to achieve that.

Mids: the midrange is clean, detailed with good layering, and even though it’s recessed it doesn’t sound very distant.
Male vocals sound a bit thin at times and with less depth and warmth than average, whereas female vocals sound energetic and forward. Acoustic instruments sound very clean and natural but lack a slight touch of body at times.
Overall the EPZ Q5 don’t sacrifice a lot in the midrange, especially if we compare them to other V-shaped sets that have extremely overwhelming bass and treble.
Highs: the treble is airy and detailed, but it won't fit treble sensitive people for sure. This is not an annoyingly bright or harsh set, instead it's a well done bright pair, but it's very subjective and mostly a love-or-hate situation. Overall, the treble is clear and clean, and even though the extension is not the best on the market there's still a good amount of air, so the EPZ Q5 very rarely sound congested.

Soundstage has good width and average depth and height. Imaging is very good most of the time, except for cases that involve very complex and busy tracks in which multiple instruments and vocals are being reproduced altogether. For example, in some live orchestral tracks the Q5 show their limits, but this is to be expected: at the end it’s a budget set, which is very well tuned for sure but that still uses an entry level driver.

Some comparisons​

EPZ Q5 vs CCA Duo​

The EP5 Q5 are significantly warmer, more musical and less analytical, whereas the CCA Duo are brighter, more detailed and resolving.
The lows are much more engaging, rich and textured on the EPZ, while the Duo lack some bass authority and slam, thus leading to a speedy bass that feels too linear.
The midrange is more forward on the Duo, which also happen to have better layering, but the Q5 are more pleasant to listen to. Vocals are good on both but female vocals sound better on the Duo, even if they can become slightly hot (and sibilant in a few cases), whereas male vocals have a better timbre on the Q5 even though they could be thin at times (just like on the Duo).
To sum-up the tuning differences, the EPZ Q5 are much more musical and smoother than the Duo, which instead focus on the raw performance and are less engaging and fun to listen to.
The Duo perform better when it comes to technical performance with better imaging and separation, whereas the EPZ Q5 have slightly better soundstage width.
Both are built well but the EPZ Q5 are sturdier, both are comfortable and have similar isolation. The EPZ Q5 come with a better cable though.

EPZ Q5 vs KBEAR Ink MKII​

The price of these is different, but some could ask for a comparison with another “traditional” single DD V-shaped set.
Both are V-shaped but the Ink MKII have a more recessed midrange, a weightier and more emphasized low-end and a slightly less open yet similarly detailed treble.
Technical performance is slightly better on the Ink MKII, which also sound warmer overall, especially in the lower mids where the EPZ Q5 usually miss some depth and body. The Q5, however, sound more musical and intriguing than the Ink MKII, which is a bit penalized by the more recessed midrange.
Soundstage is bigger on the Ink MKII, imaging is better on the Ink MKII and so are layering and separation.
Build quality, isolation and comfort are similar, while cable is a bit different: the Ink MKII’s cable is stiffer and thicker whereas the EPZ Q5 come with a softer and thinner cable.

EPZ Q5 vs Celest Gumiho​

The Gumiho was one of the most interesting sets of 2022’s second half.
There is no comparison when it comes to bass, as the Gumiho have a crazy good bass with proper slam, authority and also nice texturing. The midrange is recessed, so no big difference with the EPZ Q5, but there’s a difference when it comes to vocals reproduction: the Gumiho sound better when it comes to vocals, even though female singers can become sibilant sometimes if they’re prone to. This difference mainly exists because the EPZ Q5 have thinner lower mids and a less authoritative bass.
The treble is where there are other differences, but this time the EPZ Q5 win thanks to their tuning: the Gumiho are slightly more detailed and resolving, but the Q5 are tuned very well and there’s no splashiness or harshness in the treble, something that instead happens with the Gumiho sometimes.
Overall the EPZ Q5 sounds more musical and smoother than the Gumiho and this is a big plus for them, but the technical performance of the Gumiho is no joke too.
Technical performance is better on the Gumiho that sounds in a bigger stage and with better imaging and instrument separation.
Build quality, cable, comfort and isolation, instead, see the EPZ Q5 as a winner.

Final Thoughts​

If we scroll through the comparisons, we really understand the potential of these EPZ Q5: a very musical and well rounded set which is probably only held back by the brand name (which is still pretty unknown to most people) and by the Advar-like design that makes people think these are a sort of “clone”.
The tuning is very well done (apart from the thin lower midrange), they are very musical and smooth and even though the technical performance is not mindblowing, the overall listening experience is definitely great.
Not only are they more mature than other sets in their price bracket, but they are also comfortable, easy to drive, and enjoyable with no particular efforts nor tip rolling and the technicalities are in-line with the price range.
The EPZ Q5 are a keeper and are now part of my weekly rotation, and I seriously cannot wait to try new stuff from this company.

Disclaimer:​

The EPZ Q5 was sent to me with a discount from EPZ, for which I am grateful!

However, the review will still be 100% honest and in no way biased.

After reviewing their DACs, I wanted to give their headphones a new chance. With the Epz Q1, I was unlucky.

I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.

So I’m not going to use super technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.

EPZ Q5 Tech Specs:​

• 10mm self-developed dual magnetic circuit, dual cavity ceramic carbon nano-composite diaphragm
• 3D-printed resin shells
• 3D-printed acoustic cavity
• Frequency response range: 20–20 KHZ
• Sensitivity: 109db (±1db)
• Impedance: 26 ohm
• Plug diameter: 3.5mm
• Connector type: MMCX
• Cable: 4-core single crystal copper silver plated
• Cable length: 1.2M
• Price: 50 USD

EPZ Q5 Packaging:​

Holy crap, this EPZ Q5 has crazy packaging! The box looks like a much more expensive product. This is a new unboxing experience. It has such elaborate packaging that it is hard to believe this headphone is slightly above 50 USD!


Inside, we find various accessories, such as:

• Nice hard case
• QDC 4 Core Cable
• 2 sets of tips (1 Set seems to be like Kbear 07 tips)
• Microfiber cloth
• Manual+ Warranty

Sometimes, not even headphones that cost around 80 USD have such a nice and complete package. I was really surprised, but the surprises are not limited to a beautiful representation of the product.

EPZ Q5 Design/Build Quality:​

The EPZ Q5 also has a respectable build quality! The shell is 3D printed and is really well done; however, some could say that the design is inspired by some famous brand. Its design reminds me of a turbo. The orange parts are metal, and the fusion with the shell is perfect. In the middle of what we can call the “faceplate”, we find a tuning filter, visible only via macro. In my opinion, this EPZ Q5 is far from a copy, but something almost unique! Thinking about the price at which it is positioned, you cannot find rivals with such high quality. The driver used seems to be high-quality, with a nano-ceramic diagram. The magnets are so strong that they repel each other easily.


As far as comfort is concerned, it is crazy comfortable! It vaguely resembles the fit you get with the Whizzer HE01 and HE10, which are the tops.

Initial sound impression:​

Yes! This is another Harman Tuned IEM, a well-tuned one actually!




This single driver seems to be made with black magic. At this price and quality, it makes you forget about significantly more expensive sets. I would have no trouble choosing them in everyday use over the Whizzer HE10 or Hidizs MS3. They are IEMs that don’t let you miss anything from the track; every detail is clearly audible, not being too neutral but tending towards warmth; the bass is full-bodied (not for bassheads); it has a certain weight as well as every note. Vocals sound extremely natural in both male and female voices and are not at all recessed. The highs are extremely accurate but never sibilant or harsh. The soundstage seems to be wide; there is definitely air.

EPZ Q5 Final sound impression:​

Equipment used for testing above.




Device:

• iMac
• Redmi Note 7 (MIUI-Based)

Software:

• Foobar2000 24bit 192khz (iMac)
• Amazon music UHD 24bit 96khz (Both)

DAC:

• LessFox Da1 (AK4493EQ)
• EPZ TP30 (Dual ESS)
• F.Audio KS01 3.5mm (ESS ES9038Q2M)
• EPZ TP20 3.5 mm (Dual Cirrus 43131)
• Hidizs XO 3.5mm (Dual ESS ES9219C)

I settled on listening to the Billie Eilish tracks, as there is a mix of everything and the recordings seem to be of quality.




My impressions are given using the original accessories.

I confirm my first impressions: this set is absurd for the price!

The EPZ Q5 after more than a week continues to make me smile. I paired it with the LessFox Da1 DAC most of the time, and the synergy between them is absolute. If I think that together they cost just over 100 USD and you can enjoy such high quality, it’s really crazy.

The EPZ Q5 has a decidedly neutral sound signature with an emphasis on bass and treble. The mids remain clear and not recessed, letting you enjoy every detail to the fullest.

Treble​

Finally, a good treble region with air and sparkle but without being harsh or sibilant I would say it is one of the most pleasant in this price range. The highs are precise, smooth, and detailed. All instruments sound coherent and pleasant. Despite their precision, they are extremely comfortable, even after several hours of continuous listening.

Mids​

The mids sound decidedly clean and detailed; the warm notes here are not very audible, but they are particularly natural. The voices, for my taste, are really very nice. Female voices have that silkiness that many headphones lack; even males do well. Even on very complex tracks, I struggle to feel congestion, and when I hear some, I doubt it could be the track. If you consider the price range, I struggle to criticize them.

Bass​

There is emphasis on the low frequencies, and the bass is well defined, quite fast, and impactful. Good sub-bass extension! In the tracks where it is required, the bass is decidedly powerful. So its neutrality ends when you enter the bass region, but I have to admit that the result is excellent.

Soundstage and Imaging​

The soundstage is quite good (above average), maybe more developed in height. Imaging is good but limited. Good layering. They are certainly very good for their price range. I have listened to Jazz, R&B, Pop, EDM, & Chill music, and I think it is also the most suitable for this IEM.

Comparison:​

vs Whizzer HE10



Both are very good sets. but Whizzer HE10s cost twice as much as EPZ Q5s. We are dealing with two different construction qualities, or rather, I would say, different materials. They are both IEMs of undisputed quality. The Whizzer HE10 has much more present and dominant bass with a much warmer overall timbre. Although the detail remains high, the EPZ Q5 is better across the range.


vs Hidizs MS3



The comparison with the Hidizs MS3 is a bit of a stretch because they are definitely better than the EPZ Q5, but exactly how much better? The MS3s have a much wider soundstage, very respectable layering, and a very detailed image. We are talking about 3 times the cost of the Epz Q5, but the transition from one to another is not traumatic at all. If, after several hours with MS3, I switch to the Q5 and am left with a smile, it means that they sound very good indeed.


vs BGVP P05



Same prices, but different souls The BGVP P05 is absolutely well built. We have premium materials and interchangeable nozzles, but the cable is cheaper. Sound-wise, it’s more natural, the bass is less present, and it seems to have a bigger soundstage.

The vocals and instruments are much better on the EPZs.

Obviously, things improve if both silver nozzles are used. They are more versatile.

Honestly, I much prefer the EPZ Q5 if I have to talk about personal tastes.

The shell of the BGVP P05 will definitely be premium, but I think the driver of the EPZ Q5 is better.

Conclusion:​

In conclusion, the EPZ Q5 has an unbeatable quality-price ratio. The accessories and general build quality are very high. With a negligible expense, you can enjoy a true Hi-Res experience, at half the price. For a similar quality, you have to spend at least double, if not triple.

There is no doubt that this brand and, more importantly, this model require attention. I also wish for positive hype about EPZ Q5.

I feel like recommending them to you with my eyes closed.