Full Review: https://audiorambles.com/qdc-anole-v3/
Packaging and Accessories
The packaging of the Anole V3 is very well presented. The outer shell of the box is solid, hard cardboard, maintaining a turquoise-black aesthetic. Open flipping the cover open, the IEMs are nested in a malleable yet hard foam. The turquoise cardboard below it hides the generous spread of accessories provided by QDC.
Accessories provided include:
– A rectangular hard leather case
– Earphone Cleaning/Tuning Tool
-Myriad pairs of silicone tips
-Airplane adapter
-3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter
It’s a fantastic haul of accessories, and I especially need to talk about the absolutely gorgeous leather (perhaps pleather?) flip-case QDC provides. The case feels and looks premium, coloured a beautiful shade of brown, and is above all, functional given its compact size and rugged build quality. It’s a premium experience all round.
Build Quality, Fit, Comfort and Isolation
Aesthetics (9.5/10): The Anole V3 is simply beautiful. A brilliant shade of dark blue treated with gold flakes and sparkles throughout the shell. On the faceplates, “QDC” and an artistic impression of “V3″are plated in shiny gold. Simply breathtaking to look at. They also come in various other designs upon requesting customisation, which I’m sure will turn out just as pretty.
Build Quality (9.5/10): The build quality of the Anole V3 is stellar. Tough, resilient shells that look like they can withstand quite the beating. Tuning switches which are negatively profiled so as to avoid unnecessary avoidable surface damage. QDC has also implemented their proprietary cable sockets, which are sturdy and not easily made loose. My only gripe might be the black braided cable provided by QDC in most of their IEM lineup which could be made tougher, but that’s just nitpicking as they are satisfactory for most users.
Fit and Comfort (9.5/10): The custom-universal shape the Anole V3 takes enable them to sit flush and comfortably inside the ear, and from that moment on they’re practically glued in. As a result, you’d often forget they’re in there. Exemplary fit and comfort, perhaps only second to custom-fit in ear monitors. They’re just slightly bigger than average size though, so if you have small ears your mileage may vary.
Isolation (9.5/10): Unvented, sit perfectly flush in the ears, and block out A LOT of sound. Once again, second only to custom-fit in ear monitors.
Sound
The Anole V3 manages to be resolving, yet natural and smooth. It’s not class leading sound at $500 USD, but it’s very capable. The slight U-shaped sound profile of the V3 makes it an extremely relaxing listen for hours on end, although I would never consider the V3 anywhere near bright. It’s a fun and enjoyable listen.
Bass (7.5/10): BA timbre does come across here, and there are noticeable problems especially regarding subbass extension. It goes low, but lacks real sufficient rumble on the lowest registers , as most BA set-ups suffer from. It does try, and it’s audible, but there isn’t enough of it, especially on tracks like Lorde’s “Royals”. Texture and decay is sufficiently natural, and it delivers good impact when called upon. The slam is still lacking compared what a competent dynamic driver can produce as it moves more air, but is more than needed to get your toes tapping. Good detail and control, never sounding overtly loose and bloated (in the default tuning). It’s slightly subbass focused, though a very balanced presentation overall.
The frequency is just mildly emphasised, enough to get you in the rhythm, but will not satisfy any hardcore bassheads. It’s find it a very pleasant amount of low end, enough to make it fun-sounding, yet restrained enough to avoid fatigue.
Mids (7.5/10): The midrange of the V3 can be thought to be just slightly recessed, but not in terms of resolution, detail nor clarity – it just sits a little bit behind the bass and lower treble in terms of placement and emphasis, but is still very very compentent.
On initial listens, the slightly warm tint on the midrange caused me to perceive a thin veil upon the midrange, hampering resolution. As I spent more time with the V3, the clarity became more apparent, especially on acoustical tracks on “Boyce Avenue” playlists. Details are quietly there for you to pick out, though they’re not particularly apparent or in-your-face.
Male and female vocals both sound great, with a greater emphasis on the upper midrange compared to the lower. Vocals are natural, airy, and carry good note weight, with male vocals textured, and female vocals sweet sounding. The slight pushback on the midrange while maintaining it’s quality lends itself to make the midrange of the Anole V3 an unfatiguing and relaxing listen.
Highs (7.5/10): There’s a hump present at lower treble on the Anole V3, but it is never sibilant nor harsh, maintaining smoothness all the way into the upper treble, hitting my personal treble target curve beautifully. It adds a bit of excitement and air to the sound, as well as improves perceived detail. It’s wonderfully tuned, though the upper treble is a little bit rolled-off, but it’s detailed and natural in quality. Hi-hats and cymbals on Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” have great decay and air, and are a joy to listen to.
Soundstage, Imaging, Seperation and Timbre (8.5/10): There’s great width to the soundstage, and depth is fantastic, giving the Anole V3 a very holographic presentation especially on live recordings. Instrument placement is very well replicated on tracks like “Killing in the Name” by RATM”. In terms of seperation, despite the relatively slower speed of the Anole V3’s midrange due to its warmer tint, it handles complicated tracks like “Little Talks” competently. Timbre is fantastic on the V3, with a very natural and realistic from top to bottom.
Tuning System Impressions
Strong Bass Mode (1,0): Reduces lower treble quantity, pumps up the midbass and thickens the lower midrange. Bass can be a bit bloated, but it works for just a bit of added fun.
Smooth Vocals Mode (0,1): Brings the entire midrange forward in placement, but in particular the upper midrange. Lower midrange can sound comparatively hollow as a result.
High Sensitivity Mode (1,1): Essentially a treble boost. Upper treble especially becomes more prominent, lower treble becomes a bit more prone to sibilance, though definitely tolerable. Adds a significant amount of airiness to the soundscape, at the expense of timbre as the sound becomes a little thin.
Conclusions
I really like the QDC Anole V3. They score top marks everywhere on the board, and sound great to boot. Easy to listen to for hours on end due to their smooth signature, and look drop dead gorgeous while doing so. The USD $500 price tag is a lot to ask for, however. The asking price range is in a bit of a dead-zone for IEMs – not cheap enough to compete with very good offerings lower than that, yet not amazing enough to compete with IEMs at the top. Try them before you buy them, and if their signature sits well with you, they’ll definitely be a keeper.
Packaging and Accessories
The packaging of the Anole V3 is very well presented. The outer shell of the box is solid, hard cardboard, maintaining a turquoise-black aesthetic. Open flipping the cover open, the IEMs are nested in a malleable yet hard foam. The turquoise cardboard below it hides the generous spread of accessories provided by QDC.
Accessories provided include:
– A rectangular hard leather case
– Earphone Cleaning/Tuning Tool
-Myriad pairs of silicone tips
-Airplane adapter
-3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter
It’s a fantastic haul of accessories, and I especially need to talk about the absolutely gorgeous leather (perhaps pleather?) flip-case QDC provides. The case feels and looks premium, coloured a beautiful shade of brown, and is above all, functional given its compact size and rugged build quality. It’s a premium experience all round.
Build Quality, Fit, Comfort and Isolation
Aesthetics (9.5/10): The Anole V3 is simply beautiful. A brilliant shade of dark blue treated with gold flakes and sparkles throughout the shell. On the faceplates, “QDC” and an artistic impression of “V3″are plated in shiny gold. Simply breathtaking to look at. They also come in various other designs upon requesting customisation, which I’m sure will turn out just as pretty.
Build Quality (9.5/10): The build quality of the Anole V3 is stellar. Tough, resilient shells that look like they can withstand quite the beating. Tuning switches which are negatively profiled so as to avoid unnecessary avoidable surface damage. QDC has also implemented their proprietary cable sockets, which are sturdy and not easily made loose. My only gripe might be the black braided cable provided by QDC in most of their IEM lineup which could be made tougher, but that’s just nitpicking as they are satisfactory for most users.
Fit and Comfort (9.5/10): The custom-universal shape the Anole V3 takes enable them to sit flush and comfortably inside the ear, and from that moment on they’re practically glued in. As a result, you’d often forget they’re in there. Exemplary fit and comfort, perhaps only second to custom-fit in ear monitors. They’re just slightly bigger than average size though, so if you have small ears your mileage may vary.
Isolation (9.5/10): Unvented, sit perfectly flush in the ears, and block out A LOT of sound. Once again, second only to custom-fit in ear monitors.
Sound
The Anole V3 manages to be resolving, yet natural and smooth. It’s not class leading sound at $500 USD, but it’s very capable. The slight U-shaped sound profile of the V3 makes it an extremely relaxing listen for hours on end, although I would never consider the V3 anywhere near bright. It’s a fun and enjoyable listen.
Bass (7.5/10): BA timbre does come across here, and there are noticeable problems especially regarding subbass extension. It goes low, but lacks real sufficient rumble on the lowest registers , as most BA set-ups suffer from. It does try, and it’s audible, but there isn’t enough of it, especially on tracks like Lorde’s “Royals”. Texture and decay is sufficiently natural, and it delivers good impact when called upon. The slam is still lacking compared what a competent dynamic driver can produce as it moves more air, but is more than needed to get your toes tapping. Good detail and control, never sounding overtly loose and bloated (in the default tuning). It’s slightly subbass focused, though a very balanced presentation overall.
The frequency is just mildly emphasised, enough to get you in the rhythm, but will not satisfy any hardcore bassheads. It’s find it a very pleasant amount of low end, enough to make it fun-sounding, yet restrained enough to avoid fatigue.
Mids (7.5/10): The midrange of the V3 can be thought to be just slightly recessed, but not in terms of resolution, detail nor clarity – it just sits a little bit behind the bass and lower treble in terms of placement and emphasis, but is still very very compentent.
On initial listens, the slightly warm tint on the midrange caused me to perceive a thin veil upon the midrange, hampering resolution. As I spent more time with the V3, the clarity became more apparent, especially on acoustical tracks on “Boyce Avenue” playlists. Details are quietly there for you to pick out, though they’re not particularly apparent or in-your-face.
Male and female vocals both sound great, with a greater emphasis on the upper midrange compared to the lower. Vocals are natural, airy, and carry good note weight, with male vocals textured, and female vocals sweet sounding. The slight pushback on the midrange while maintaining it’s quality lends itself to make the midrange of the Anole V3 an unfatiguing and relaxing listen.
Highs (7.5/10): There’s a hump present at lower treble on the Anole V3, but it is never sibilant nor harsh, maintaining smoothness all the way into the upper treble, hitting my personal treble target curve beautifully. It adds a bit of excitement and air to the sound, as well as improves perceived detail. It’s wonderfully tuned, though the upper treble is a little bit rolled-off, but it’s detailed and natural in quality. Hi-hats and cymbals on Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” have great decay and air, and are a joy to listen to.
Soundstage, Imaging, Seperation and Timbre (8.5/10): There’s great width to the soundstage, and depth is fantastic, giving the Anole V3 a very holographic presentation especially on live recordings. Instrument placement is very well replicated on tracks like “Killing in the Name” by RATM”. In terms of seperation, despite the relatively slower speed of the Anole V3’s midrange due to its warmer tint, it handles complicated tracks like “Little Talks” competently. Timbre is fantastic on the V3, with a very natural and realistic from top to bottom.
Tuning System Impressions
Strong Bass Mode (1,0): Reduces lower treble quantity, pumps up the midbass and thickens the lower midrange. Bass can be a bit bloated, but it works for just a bit of added fun.
Smooth Vocals Mode (0,1): Brings the entire midrange forward in placement, but in particular the upper midrange. Lower midrange can sound comparatively hollow as a result.
High Sensitivity Mode (1,1): Essentially a treble boost. Upper treble especially becomes more prominent, lower treble becomes a bit more prone to sibilance, though definitely tolerable. Adds a significant amount of airiness to the soundscape, at the expense of timbre as the sound becomes a little thin.
Conclusions
I really like the QDC Anole V3. They score top marks everywhere on the board, and sound great to boot. Easy to listen to for hours on end due to their smooth signature, and look drop dead gorgeous while doing so. The USD $500 price tag is a lot to ask for, however. The asking price range is in a bit of a dead-zone for IEMs – not cheap enough to compete with very good offerings lower than that, yet not amazing enough to compete with IEMs at the top. Try them before you buy them, and if their signature sits well with you, they’ll definitely be a keeper.
