QoA Aviation

Packaging & Accessories

The box art is really really nice. I'm not someone to really care for box art nor presentation but I can't lie this unboxing experience is very pleasant.

Comes with a black box with pretty good stock eartips although there's not many different sizes with the eartips. There mostly bigger eartipsso someone with small ears may need to tip roll. (I apologize I didn't take a pic)

The case is extremely nice and very premium looking & feeling. It's a pretty big case with a big mesh compartment on this inside. You can essentially Carry any iem with extra tips, qudelix and a bunch of accessories in here and have a do it all case. Really well done from kinera imo.


Build & Design & Comfort

The shell is very very eye catching and its simply gorgeous. We all know kinera makes very nice designs for there iems but I feel like they didn't really bring all that effort to there sister brand. Not saying that in a rude way but I felt as if they weren't as nice looking...until now!

Isolation is very good on these and luckily they aren't too tip dependent and you should get a good seal everytime. You won't hear voices and low frequency sounds get blocked out nearly completely. All in all they're ****kn comfortable


Sound Quality
Ok so this iem is a very different sounding iem imo, it's not the typical Harman sounding chifi iem at least to me.

Bass is well done on this set to my ears the sub bass while present doesn't overpower the bass but that doesn't mean with the sub is bad of weak by any means, it just needs a decent source and of course a good fit. When powered nicely the sub can hit real low and isn't one note sounding so stuff like rap music and edm is a real joy. Overall the sub is satisfying although it can lack a bit of Detail at times compared to its midbass
Midbass is super well done, it's textured, punchy, and has great control. Simply put it's very very good midbass

Mids
Mids are the star of the show. The vocals are very very natural sounding and the note weight is amazing. Both male and female vocals are perfectly balanced to me and this midrange is very very addicting. Instruments again have a crazy good timbre and the note weight is fantastic You will hear a lot of notes that you've never heard before with these, the mids regardless of price range is nearly S tier.

Treble
This is where it can get a little less correct sounding, while it's still GOOD it's not great like it's midrange. Some songs I found it to get weird peaks with certain eartips and some songs. Not sure where this flaw is in its FR but just keep in mind it can show up on some poorly recorded songs or very bright
songs. But of course we live in a world where EQ exists so yeah you're chillin

Overall I find this to be a nearly fantastic iem. It's midrange is super detailed and natural. Bass again is well done with a great sub and midbass that really punches above its price. for 200 bucks (USD) this is a great offering from kinera and I can see this set pleasing many audio nutjobs like myself.

Queen Of Audio - AVIATION : Elevated Music Experience!



Summary:

Launched in Sep'2023, QoA launched their newest hybrid IEM which comes with 1DD+3BA architecture. The Aviation looks great and also provides a great musical performance. Coming at a price range $198, the AVIATION comes with resin shells which are very lightweight, ergonomic and comfortable. The sound experience is just great for the price range which we will see from the details below.



Introduction:

Let's quickly dive into the details without making the introduction very lengthy. The AVIATION features 1 Dynamic Driver + 3 Knowles BAs. It comes with a great modular cable and a good case. The overall presentation is indeed praiseworthy.
The QoA AVIATION is priced at $198.





Design & Build:

The shells are very lightweight and ergonomic and made of some resin based material and is 3D printed. The paint & design is superb and can be easily compared with some $500 IEMs. The shells are quite light-weight and very comfortable. I have found them very comfortable throughout long listening sessions.
It is described as the following on the website:





Specifications:



The AVIATION comes at $198 price tag and the specifications are as below:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805743432769.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa



The Box & Accessories:

The following are found in the box:

• AVIATION IEM
• Cable: 0.78mm 2pin, 3.5mm+4.4mm (interchangeable plug), 5N OCC cable X1
• Eartips: Balanced Eartips X3 (S/M/L), Vocal Eartips X3(S/M/L),
• Premium Storage Case X1

The Cables:

Default:

AVIATION comes with a 2 Pin 0.78mm 5N OCC based cable with 3.5mm & 44mm interchangeable plugs. The cable looks good, the fit and weight is also the right amount and is just amazing for this price range!


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Whiskey (Optional buy):

In the website, there is also option to buy with an optional cable named Whiskey. This cable follows Litz multi-stranded structure, with 4 core double parallel twisted 5N OCC with silver plated + alloy copper with silver plated copper. The cable comes with 126 strands/core, total 504 strands and 1.7mm/core.
Also, it comes with the 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable plug system. Switching from the default cable to Whiskey cable results in significantly scaled up performance from the IEM mainly owing to the better conductivity and higher thread count ensuring better power flow to the IEM. The price of this cable as a separate buy is $78. However, it can come as part of the bundle for extra $58 only ($257 total).




Ear Tips:


I have tried many different ear-tips with the AVIATION, starting from Spinfit W1, CP500, CP100+, JVC Spiral Dots+, Final Audio Black & Transparent ones.
But the best fit and isolation for my ears had been AZLA SednaFit ones. I have hence used them for majority of the review.



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NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....



Items Used for this Review:

DAC/AMP & Dongles: @Questyle M15 Dongle DAC/AMP, @MOONDROP DAWN PRO
Portable Players / Sources : @Cayin N7, Astell & Kern SE300, @Questyle QP2R
Streaming Source: QOBUZ




Tracks Used:

The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews...






Pairing Performance with different sources:

Dongle DAC/AMPs:

AVIATION had the best pairing with @Questyle M15 & @MOONDROP DAWN PRO dongles. But, I have found that it pairs well with other dongles like @iFi audio Go Link, etc.




Portable Players:

Obviously the AVIATION had the best pairing with the Cayin N7, N30LE, @Questyle QP2R & specially Astell & Kern SE300 since that comes with Class-A amplification! The BEST pairing however came with Cayin C9 + Astell&Kern SE300 with Class-A amplification enabled. That just took the performance of the AVIATION to the next level.




AVIATION Sound Impressions in Short:


The BASS:

The bass performance of AVIATION is amazing. The Bass overall feels very enjoyable with good speed and muscle. The details of the sub-bass region can also be felt and is very enjoyable. The attack & decay were both very enjoyable. Tracks like: "Hotel California (Live on MTV 1994) – Eagles" and "Fluid - Yosi Horikawa" are quite immersive.


The MIDS:

The midrange of the AVIATION is quite open and clear with ample amount of texture and details. There's no bass bleed and the midrange is quite textured and full-bodied. Vocals are very immersive and both male and female vocals come with good texture and feel very real. Instruments felt very natural and real with high accuracy and the separation between them is also great. The transients were accurate & adequate and very very enjoyable. In tracks like: "Anchor - Trace Bundy", "A dog named Freedom – Kinky Friedman" and "Ruby Tuesday – Franco Battiato" it’s really easy to get lost into the music as it comes with ample detailed transients, texture, excellent vocals and details.


The TREBLE:

The Treble is quite smooth and non-peaky on the AVIATION. It has the right amount of details and energy and is in no way harsh or peaky. Treble in tracks like: "Paradise Circus – Massive Attack", "Mambo for Roy – Roy Hargrove” and "Saints and Angels – Sharon Shannon" feel very immersive and enjoyable from the treble perspective.



The SOUNDSTAGE:

The Staging capabilities of the AVIATION is quite wide and balanced. It comes with the right amount of width, height, depth and is well defined and just as much as the track requires. Tracks like: “The Secret Drawer – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” or “She Don’t know – Melody Gardot” or “Bohemian Rhapsody (live aid) – Queen” sound amazing & enjoyable.

Imaging & Timbre:


The Imaging & instrument separation performance on the AVIATION is also great for the price range. The separation however feels quite average. Tracks like: “Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South “or “Hello Again - Howard Carpendale & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” just shine through. The Timbrealso feels very natural.




Comparisons:

Please note that I have to make comparisons based on the similar price range. And hence I have compared the QoA AVIATION Hybrid IEM against QDC DMAGIC Solo which is a single DD. Point here being that a customer on a budget will always compare similar priced gears before making the purchase - and this comparison is aimed towards them.



QoA AVIATION vs QDC DMAGIC SOLO:

Price: Prices of both IEMs are very similar. The AVIATION comes at $198 while DMAGIC Solo comes at $186.

Build, Comfort & Features: Both IEMs are identical form build & comfort perspective. AVIATION comes with a much better cable though while both cables support modular plug systems.



Bass: I felt that despite being a Single DD, the DMAGIC Solo bass was not as impactful and textured like the AVIATION.

Mids: The midrange DMAGIC solo is a bit recessed and sometimes feels a bit thin. The AVIATION slays here with superior details, texture and vocal performances.

Treble: The treble experience seemed similar on both.

Soundstage, Imaging and Separation: Staging wise AVIATION stage seemed a bit wider. DMAGIC Solo not lacking here though.



Conclusion:

The AVIATION experience is great and also feels effortless. the overall musical experience is very enjoyable and amazing and in a word feels elevated like in the air. This is an easy recommendation given the value it bring in for such a competitive price range.

NOTES:

QOA is yet another offshoot brand of Kinera. They join Celeste in this regard in bringing to market quality products with careful attention to both form and function.

Tuning wise the Aviation is blessed with a sound that bucks the prevailing Harmon based trend yet does not stray far enough away to alienate those who have become accustomed to that type of sound.

The Aviation boasts a driver compliment of three Knowles Balanced Armature drivers and a single 8mm Dynamic Driver. That’s some quality hardware to begin with but is not a guarantee of good sound. Implementation and tuning are where the rubber hits the road regardless of the perceived driver quality and the Aviation does not disappoint in this regard.

Fairly easy to drive, the QOA Aviation really shines when driven by a quality source. I used the Ifi Hip-Dac 3 for most of my listening and was very satisfied with the synergy. Moving up to my Topping a50s/SMSL Sanskrit 10th stack afforded a touch more resolution at most not affecting the overall musicality. Tip selection is critical with the Aviation to help extract the best sound potential. In listening I went with a wide bore, shallow tip with good results.

Regardless of being the house or sister brand, Kinera has once again produced an iem with good sound paired with a great presentation. The reality though is that at its asking price of $199usd there is lots of competition. Read on to see how the QoA Aviation fared according to this opinionated music lover.

SPECS:

Drivers: 1x 8mm Dynamic, 2x Knowles 3287, 1x Knowles 33518
Impedance: 38ohm
Frequency Response: 20hz-20khz
Cable: 2-pin



BUILD, FIT & QUALITY:

The QoA Aviation is a beautiful iem. Pictures really don’t do it justice. The looks are matched by the build quality which is also excellent. The Aviation is on the larger side of medium and fit was snug and secure in my ears.

Quality of the included accessories was again, top notch. From the versatile multi-connector copper cable, above average tips to the included and posh case, the attention to quality and detail were unmistakable. QoA obviously paid lots of attention to the








SOUND:

BASS:

The QoA Aviation offers a bass presentation that goes deep with a moderate mid-bass prominence over sub-bass. The low end is powerful yet smooth with good speed and control. This is far from a bass shy iem yet not what I would call one of the “Basshead” variety, although there is ample low end on tap.

Bass impact is commendable offering good slam and rumble with an organic decay following. The low end has a pleasant weight or thickness to it that I find pleasing. On “Angel” by Massive Attack, the power of the driving bassline was front and center with a fair amount of the texture coming through. On “Manix!” by Intelligent Hoodlum the bass drops were palpable yet still controlled.

If there are any negatives to the bass it would be the level of detail which at times could be wanting. This can be heard in reproduction of the double bass on the track “No Worries” by the Robert Glasper trio. The incredible bass work was clearly audible but lacked the detail that exposed enough of the character of this instrument. Such it seems may be the trade-off made by QoA to achieve this level of note weight given the driver used.

Overall, the QoA Aviation brings to the table a powerful and expressive bass that serves as a solid foundation to the rest of the frequency range.

MIDRANGE:

The midrange of the QoA Aviation is more vocal forward than recessed and offers a rich and vibrant presentation with good clarity. There is admirable balance of details, macro over micro in quantity. There is ample energy but it does not come off as overdone or become tiring despite the presence uplift noted. More musical than analytical, the Aviation, despite its energy, offers a smooth playback with little to no harshness.

Vocals are clear and expressive and there is a noticeable touch of warmth imparted to the lower midrange from the mid-bass that does not cloud the mids. The vocal on “Change Your Mind” by Moonchild came through with a lushness that was enjoyable yet retaining a high level of clarity. On “Tenderhearted Lover” by John Stoddart, the vocalist’s emotional delivery was not only heard but felt.

Note weight is satisfactory with the Aviation not sounding thin. Timbre is good and the mids do come of as organic. The sound is non-congested even when pushed. I found myself on more than one occasion playing music at higher than typical volume levels attesting to the Aviation’s ability to stay composed and clean even when pushed. Layering and separation is fine, again staying composed even when the music gets loud.

The handling of dynamics is very well sounding unrestrained with the playback of transients following suit in quality with sharp leading edges and natural decay.

I would say that the midrange of the QoA is a winner. A combination of vibrant playback with a smooth & natural delivery that I believe many will find alluring.

TREBLE:

The treble of the QoA Aviation is fairly well extended and follows the prevailing trend of the midrange. Here we have a treble with good clarity, detail and vibrancy yet still delivered in a smooth and controlled manner.

There is ample sparkle and air but it is not overdone, rather it adds to the overall feeling of space, not hanging around long enough to sound harsh neither overdone.

The treble here follows closely the midrange sonics and does its job quite well.




IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE:

The QoA Aviation throws up a moderately large soundstage with good width and balanced quantities of depth and height. Instrument placement is solid overall. The image never sounds like it has gaps nor do the musical elements appear as being on top of each other. There is space to breath but it is offered in a more organic way rather than being overblown or artificial.

VERSUS:

-Hisenior T4-

The T4 is a 4x BA per side iem with no dynamic driver in sight.

Bass power and slam are obviously more prominent on the Aviation but detail retrieval, texturing and speed are a win for the T4.

Midrange clarity, detail retrieval and separation are a win for the T4 while metrics such as note weight have the Aviation taking the lead. Both offer an organic playback but the T4 is more balanced and controlled vs the more energetic presentation heard on the Aviation.

Treble quality is closer and both offer fairly good extension with ample air and sparkle. As for detail retrieval the T4 gets the nod but each offers an enjoyable treble.

The T4 is my personal benchmark iem in the $200usd range and even above. The T4 also offers tuning switches, which I usually am not a fan of, but their implementation is done very well for added versatility. If I had to only keep one, it would still be the T4, but I would miss the Aviation.



CONCLUSION:

The QoA Aviation is a good iem. From the time it is unboxed to the first listen, the Aviation satisfies. This is a vibrant yet full sounding iem from top to bottom offering a smooth organic playback.

The $200usd price range is a competitive one and does include my personal benchmark iem the Hisenior T4. Still the Aviation deserves serious consideration by anyone looking to buck the boring trend of common tunings and who can also appreciate and iem that looks as good as it sounds.

The QoA Aviation gets a recommendation.