QDC King
Apologies for the long silence — ever since CanJam New York, I’ve been busy and haven’t had much time to properly sit down and enjoy music or trying out new products . Most of the gear I own now has kept me satisfied, so I haven’t felt the urge to add anything new. Recently, I finally had some downtime and asked Andrew if he had any recommendations. Aside from the Satin (which I already pre-ordered and have heard most of the prototype ), he recommended the QDC King — supposedly a retuned version of the Emperor and retuned by Musicteck Leo himself and collab back with QDC.
To be honest, I wasn’t particularly impressed by the original Emperor. It felt like a monitor strictly designed for musicians: extremely reference-focused and very treble-forward. However, once I tried the QDC King, my impression shifted completely. After a week of testing, I was deeply impressed by its price-to-performance ratio, tuning, and versatility. Especially considering its price, it left me thinking — in today’s IEM market, where prices often exceed $5,000, it’s rare to find something with such high value. While I do collect flagship IEMs, I have to admit that over the past couple of years, there’s been little real technological advancement — just inflated prices and constant product refreshes. Flagships used to refresh every 2–3 years; now it feels like every 6 months.
That’s why I find IEMs like the QDC King and Satin to represent a healthy direction for the industry. Both come in under $3,000 but offer excellent tuning and flagship-tier technology. They take different approaches, but owning both feels complementary, not redundant. More importantly, they challenge the narrative that high-end sound must come with excessive markup — something many audiophiles are growing tired of.
Sound Impressions & Comparisons
Setup Used:
- DAPs: SP3000 Gold, LP6 Ti 7AE, P6 Pro 10AE Gold
- Amps: Tsuranagi SC, OE
- Various cable pairings tested
QDC King is a reference-style IEM with very balanced tuning, excellent treble (sparkly but not fatiguing), and smooth mids — warmer and fuller than the Emperor, which had thinner mids not suited for all genres. Bass has good extension and enough texture, though it’s not the centerpiece of the tuning. The soundstage is wide and deep, at a true flagship level, and the resolution is one of the King’s biggest strengths.
King is very easy to drive — even a dongle works well — but if you pair it with something like the Tsuranagi or C9, it scales without sounding over-pushed. It works across all genres and makes for a fantastic daily IEM. I’ve genuinely enjoyed my time with it — it’s been a while since an IEM left me this satisfied. Even with the stock cable, the King sounds complete.
Comparison: QDC Emperor vs. King
( Left is the king prototype faceplate design) ( Right is QDC emperor )
I was never a huge fan of the original Emperor — it leaned too bright and thin, making it good for specific genres like violin concertos but not versatile enough. Vocals (male or female) lacked weight and smoothness, even if the treble itself was technically solid.
King, however, is a complete revision. According to Andrew and Leo at MusicTeck,
Leo personally worked on the retuning of the QDC King and collaborated directly with QDC for the final release. This partnership clearly paid off. King retains the excellent resolution and treble of the Emperor but adds smoother, more holographic mids and noticeably improved bass — both in quantity and extension.
or $2,900 USD ( early bird price, retail is 3200), King is a fantastic value — easily one of the best IEMs at its price point. While musicians might still prefer the Emperor as a pure monitor, King is far more enjoyable and balanced for audiophile listening.
Comparison: QDC King vs. Satin
This is an interesting one. Both are in a similar price range but cater to different users.
Satin has extremely high potential — it shines with powerful sources, upgraded cables, and high-end amps like Tsuranagi or EA4. It’s for enthusiasts chasing the absolute best, with complex driver tech (7 crossovers, including dynamic and planar drivers). But it demands good source gear to unlock its full potential.
King, on the other hand, sounds great right out of the box — with a dongle, portable DAP, or basic cable. It’s perfect for those who want top-tier sound with minimal setup. For me, King is the ideal travel IEM — I can get high-end sound with minimal baggage. Satin and King are tuned differently: Satin focuses more on mids and deep bass, with a massive soundstage (but needs power for optimal treble). King leans more balanced and reference-style but remains musical and engaging.
If I had to name IEMs that remind me of the King, I’d say it shares some traits with the Dio (which I demoed at CanJam) and Chronicle (which is my personal own).
Comparison: QDC King vs. UM Jet Black
( Left is the king prototype faceplate design)
Jet Black is a more affordable IEM at $1,699, but it deserves mention. It’s received great feedback both on Head-Fi and at CanJam. UM’s new tuning direction is clear — Jet Black has more exciting treble than older warm UM models, and still retains their signature holographic bass.
Jet Black is definitely more V-shaped, and while it sounds amazing for the price (possibly outperforming many $2K IEMs), it doesn’t reach the refinement or density of the King. King has more polish, better resolution, and works across all genres. If I had to choose between the two, King would be my pick.
Cable Pairings with King ( comparing with the stock cable from QDC)
- Hansound Kunpeng: Improves resolution and treble excitement; soundstage expands. However, mids lose a bit of smoothness compared to stock.
- Brise Shirogane 8 wires: One of the best pairings. Smooth, holographic, and expansive — especially enhances mids.
- Vortex Nadia and Eliana: Great portable upgrade from the stock cable. Balanced, detailed, and maintains smooth mids with added density.
- Noble Audio Magnus 8: Boosts treble and bass, creating a more V-shaped signature. Fun for shorter sessions.
- Hansound Danta: A copper-gold alloy two-wire cable. Great for portable use and adds warmth and bass.
- Brise Orochi 4 wires: Works with most TOTL IEMs. Balanced with massive soundstage and great detail. Similar to the stock cable but with noticeable enhancements.
Conclusion
QDC King is one of the rare IEMs that finds the sweet spot between reference-level technicality and musical enjoyment. It’s easy to drive, highly versatile, and competitively priced. In a market oversaturated with overpriced flagships, King stands out for delivering a truly flagship experience around and under $3,000.
What makes it even more special is the
dedicated involvement from Leo of MusicTeck, who collaborated closely with QDC to fine-tune the final product. This level of thoughtful, enthusiast-driven tuning shows in the result — a top-tier IEM that feels purpose-built for real listeners.
Whether you’re a seasoned audiophile or just stepping into high-end portable audio, King offers something genuinely rewarding. It’s not only one of the best IEMs in its price class — it’s also a reminder that great tuning, sincere collaboration, and honest pricing can still win hearts in the high-end game.
