QKZ W1 Pro - In-ear sport headphone

I was interested to try these for the price, but alas the lack of a good ear seal makes them almost unusable.
 
I ordered some other 3rd party tips, and still can't get a good seal. Bass response just dies without a good seal. When I press on the earpieces to make them seal, the sound is tantalizingly good.
 
I'm frustrated - need to try and find some tips that can work with these to get any good out of them.
 
The over-ear design is not really my cup of tea, but I could live with that if the sealing was improved.
 
Other products I like for the money: Sennheiser HD 414 (vintage), MEE M9 (cheapie earbud for working out), VSonic VSD 1S (higher end earbud - really like these)
 
QKZ should boot the plastic box and put the $ into supplying a decent range of tips that work with more ears!

Knowledge Zenith QKZ W1 PRO IEM


Review 09/09/16 by Redcarmoose

When it gets down to it, what's important in an IEM purchase?

1) Build Quality
2) Sound Signature Quality
3) Affordability
4) Fit

If that's the quest, then it may just be found right here with the QKZ W1 Pro IEM? Still at only $8 bucks with free shipping many are just going to look the other way. At Head-Fi at times, a low price is a thing to sometimes caution! Lol

Get em here. https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32558937246.html





The Introduction Of Budget IEMs:
The reality is that truly times have changed. Before we would have to spend $70, just to get an enjoyable IEM. In 2012 almost everything below $70 sounded like the free IEMs you received with your new phone.

Slowly the market became different and there has never been a better time than now to take a chance on finding a low cost, but still audiophile, IEM headphone. A few companies started to show up with amazing sonic values for personal music listening in 2013. By 2015 there were already more manufactures from China than you could keep track of. It's just that a number of special products now have raised the bar as to what can be expected. Way out in front has been Knowledge Zenith.

Due to about 99.9% of Head-Fi not living in China, these low-cost Chinese IEMs still carry an air of mystery and intrigue. The fact that the manufacturer descriptions found on-line don't really compute and always come with broken English. Even the best information is conflicting and hard to understand thus making any purchase a slight gamble.
 
 
 


This Is The Fun Part:
Most of these import IEMs can't be heard beforehand, adding to the mystery and intrigue! Much of the time this stuff is made in batches and will change from batch to batch. In the end, the threads at Head-Fi can be valuable for quality descriptions or sound signature reviews. Of course your never in the know until you get the monitors, burn them in, and use them with your very own gear.

When it all comes down it, if you don't like a product's sound then it doesn't matter if it costs $10 or $1000, it's useless to purchase and own, right? Still the fun of this hobby IS finding some rare unknown IEM, and have it turn out to be a keeper.


Still much of the time these Chinese IEMs end up sounding way different than previously thought. Changes can take place by changing the upstream gear, and or learning to get the best tips to fit.

I'm not going to review the QKZ W1 Pro as the greatest things ever, they simply are not. What they are though, is an added set of IEMs which offer a true value, plus a different color to have in your collection of IEMs. And for just $8.00 dollars, it's actually amazing that the W1 Pro responds to different DACs, somehow showing much of the character of the source, further showing how these are not your everyday $8.00 drugstore IEMs. They need a little exploration with different tips as they can actually come off as thin sounding with the wrong tips. They also require experimenting with a wide range of tips before finding the best combination of joining the monitor to your ear canal, thus discovering the best obtainable sound possible.

This review will go into what's great about the W1 Pros as well as some thoughts about how the signature is not without faults.
 


So let's get going!
 
 
 
 
 

Extra Included Stuff:
Other than the single cable and two sets of tips, your given a small plastic treasure chest style plastic box, which works just perfect.


The Single Included Cable:
This is an $8 dollar IEM with a detachable cable. Just that in itself is pretty cool. Still the best part is the cable is nice. The cable comes off as non-microphonic, flexible and strong. So right out of the gate, we are in the win zone. Add the price to build-quality ratio at hand, and we are now entering the Twilight Zone? The cable has a phone control and a fairly robust 45 degree plug. Our single-pin connectors, on the other end are confidence building, simple and easy to use. We find right and left markings at the plug tips. One complaint I have read, which I agree with, is our over ear wire. The wire-supports really don't go the extra mile to stay in form. I have a very similar aftermarket cable but with stronger over ear internal shape creating wires and no phone control, which I use as an aftermarket cable for this IEM. Still all and all, the included cable is light, strong and works really well for what it is. The clear coated internal-twisted cable seems to resist tangles and is much-preferred in daily use than the rubber wiggly KZ-ATE non-detachable cable. As noted in the photographs the Y connections and plug ends up being of superior quality than most if not all the $10 IEMs on the market today. I can't even think of anyone not liking the cable, once they get passed the over ear wire guides.
 

 

 

 

 
The IEM Construction:
We find the IEMs themselves being a two piece clam-shell affair with an interesting channel along the shaft of the nozzle. Noted in the photographs this canal runs into an actual port at the base of the nozzle. I have seen many other IEMs which seem to have a stronger nozzle as here it's without extra support of any kind. It really makes you wonder if the thin nozzle construction was one of the engineering factors for making the nozzles so short. Much of the time members almost need to rely on the longer construction of the tips just to get an actual fit with such a short nozzle IEM. In the end though, the smaller size seems to offer more chances of getting a good fit. These are in the group of smaller IEMs with this size of giant 10mm dynamic driver. The right and left markings are embossed into the inner plastic shells and end up being useful in daily placement. Probably the feather-weight design is why these are referred to as sport IEMs. They are also sold as waterproof IEMs. They really stay in place, still I would guess the wire guides are imperative to keeping these in place correct? These come in red, blue and black. If you purchased two pair you could actually change the color of each side of the IEMs your using.

Tips:
The two sets of tips that came in the package were both on the small size, though they seemed like standard silicone IEM rubber tips. One size small and one size medium. I would suggest anyone try a wide range of tips as finding the correct size, shape and construction material is imperative to arriving at getting all the bass response.

 
 
 
 



The Sound:

Disclaimer:
These were burned in for 50 hours. It was noticed that the bass improved as well as sound-stage and smoothness. How much change was simply mental adjustment, I don't know?

The Bass:
Interestingly it's just about enough. Enough to support a more forward than normal mid signature. Yep, getting all the bass possible is important to overcome a forward mid. Still walking that dangerous line it's just enough bass. It's not a ton of muddy-warm all encompassing bass, but bass will be produced when placed into the music. It's actually refreshing to find a bass that ends up being musical and not dominating the whole signature. I primarily listen to bass centered IEMs, so if these were bass shy, I would really end up with an issue. Still finding your DAC or amp with the warmer signature is really recommended here. Combine these with the correct upstream gear and they become a fairly fun listen. With the wrong gear there is actually a slight tendency for the mids to get shouty.

The Mid-range:
There is a detailed sound-stage and if anything goes to describe these it's forward mids in a moderate sound-stage. There is defiantly a ton of forward mid-range along with a fairly detailed treble. Still I don't think using the word "airy" is ever needed in this review. Everything is clear, and you can go loud with these, but they are just not as airy as some IEMs. So to really place a description here it would be that this style of signature could seek improvement with added air and a slightly pulled mid. There is a slight compression in the mids which keep these from being all they could be. After spending days with them there is a tendency to switch IEMs, wanting something veiled, with lush darker smoothness. In ending the mids are both forward and slightly compressed in character. Still for the money they are fantastic. Amazingly too, they overcome much of that sloppy bass which challenges to make the KZ-ATE Copper Driver IEM as clear as it could be.

The Highs:
These actually beg for your warmest gear. Still they are going to have adequate bass even with using your thinnest sounding gear. It's just that the W1s complement any warm gear you have. That complement could be from their detail, the complement could be just because these IEMs come off as slightly sterile at times and need a little to flesh the signature out. They are not totally treble centered but would be trouble for those who are treble sensitive at higher volumes. The redeeming thing is the treble is fairly fast and detailed. It's just like the bass as far as being extended but holds a backseat to the mid-range emphasis. You could call the mids and treble slightly cold here.

Music and Equipment Used:
I've used Spotify and listened to the QKZ W1 Pro for maybe a total of 16 hours listening to every genre from New Wave to Electronic to Metal to Classical. I have listened to a number of 16 bit- 44.1 FLAC files played with the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus with the Schiit Asgard One.
I have used the IEMs with IPods and IPhones, IPads and the Kogan mid-centered ultra-budget DAP. Amazingly the Kogan turned out to be the worst combination just being thin and mid centered in playback style. So in review the IEMs are maybe not ending up being the best all rounder and seems to be very source dependent in order to bring out the best sound possible. Anything, be it equipment or music that can add warmth is going to help results.

The W1 Pros are actually super efficient and easy to drive, never needing an extra amplifier and waking up well to the output of the Woo 3 tube amp. The IEMs probably did best running FLAC files out of a Samsung Tablet with a Wolfson DAC chip supplying the extra warmth needed to take these IEMs to the next level. Being so easy to drive gives the owner simply a ton of choices on how to play them. It's also never an issue with having them be under-powered affecting the bass response at hand.


In Ending:
Priced even as little as even $7 bucks, it's hard to imagine another detachable cable IEM in this price point. Most detachable cable IEMs start at $20, so in that regard they are special. Even though super detailed they don't have all the romance in tone that some of the other ultra-budget IEMs are able to convey. Still relatively easy to listen to with the right genres and equipment, they are easy to wear for long periods with little sound fatigue. So we find a signature which is both slightly sterile and fast and clear. Our bass finds itself in a detailed and adequate fashion though it makes you wonder if even more bass could, in the end, go to war against our never ending mid-range? There are other IEMs in this character but they seem to progress onward with the use of more air in the mids and treble areas. Of course we then have the perfect sound for some which consists of both more bass and more air.


Against The Rest:
It's really hard to judge these, still when you compare the Piston 3s as being double the money, then things start to fall into perspective.

The Piston Youth Edition being priced equal really makes you wonder which is better? For my money I'm taking the QKZ-W1 Pro. The cable is better than the Piston Youth and they sound more mature, despite the shortcomings. That said, the perfect ultra-budget IEM would be one that sounded like a cross between the KZ-ATE and QKZ-W1 Pro? Maybe it's out there? There are a ton of IEMs, I have only heard a few.
 
 
 
 













 
Disclaimer:
As with all reviews, personal experiences may vary. The QKZ W1 Pro is a strange IEM to get tip placement on. Though after using the correct tips and gear, many may find the IEMs to offer a special value. The midrange can be difficult and surprisingly new to some, as many of the products today seem to offer a pulled midrange with pronounced bass and treble.

Click the link below to listen to Bride Of The Bread Pill by redcarmoose-249
https://open.spotify.com/user/redcarmoose-249/playlist/3QjrmNLkpojl4EcNvpt0zm

Edit/Update
12/03/2016

Turns out that newer editions now have basically the same cable but with stiffened clear over ear cable guides. Nice to get an updated model with QKZ changing the only thing they needed to improve on.

So if you notice two slightly different cables to choose from the newer clear over ear cable guides are the latest and improved W1 Pro model. Cheers!



Update 3-30-2017

Well it's been awhile and just like most things the QKZ W1Pro has changed slightly in use and in product. As noted QKZ added clear cable guides thus fixing any issues with the original cables you received being too weak. Next up I found it didn't matter if you used long silicone tips to extend the nozzle length. Now using short stubby tips with the nozzle almost at the end works fine, as long as the diameter gets you fit, and holds them in place.

And finally member "slaterlovesspam" came up with a port idea. His idea listed below was taking the IEMs apart and then drilling three holes under the name. I simply started cutting under the nameplate using the lower edge as a knife guide. After the plastic was made thin enough, I used the knife tip to cut a slit under the entire nameplate. The results are really really great with a natural open soundstage resulting and increased smoothness. They sound like $100 IEMs now.

Greetings Head-fi,
 
Today, we are going to be taking a look at the QKZ W1 Pro. This is a budget-minded, sports-focused, earphone that offers some great value for those looking to purchase something in the sub-10 USD, hyper-budget segment.
 
Disclaimer:
 
I purchased the W1 Pro through AliExpress and am not affiliated with QKZ or any online sellers. This review contains my personal opinions and feelings about this product. I hope you find this helpful when looking to purchase your new earphone.
 
Edit (Oct 7, 2016): I purchased a second pair of W1 Pro in the red/blue color scheme after reading so many comments about them being quite bassy. After spending a week with them, it seems there have been some changes made to the way they sound. My new pair seems to be have more pronounced bass and treble, and are not as well balanced as the original pair used for this review. The memory wire also seems to have been updated and works a little better. A couple quick pics and back to the review;
 

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A little about me:
 
Over the last couple years I decided to dive head first into the world of portable audio. After reading pretty much the entirety of IjokerI's multi-earphone review thread and being greatly inspired, I took a chance and started writing my own reviews. Fast forward a couple years and I've had the opportunity to write about some great products for wonderful companies like RHA, Havi, FiiO, NarMoo, Brainwavz, and Meze. I don't do it for money or free stuff, but because I enjoy it. If I can help guide someone to an earphone that makes them happy, I'll consider that a job well done. My gear used for testing is pretty basic composing of the HTC One M8 cellphone, the Topping NX1 portable amplifier, and my aging Asus G73 gaming laptop paired with the Plantronics Rig USB amp.
 

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Build, Accessories, Comfort:
 
Build quality of the W1 Pro is solid for an earphone in this price range with durable if uninspiring plastics, just like the design. The cable is the star of the show. It's supple, not at all sticky, resistant to holding any particular shape, and removable which is quite rare at this price.
 
As an additional aside to the cable, I was lucky it was removable. This review would never had been written were this feature not implemented. While washing dishes it caught on the drawer handle, damaging it with a mighty tug. It still works if you play around with the positioning but not consistently. If it wasn't so well relieved, I'm sure it would have snapped or be completely non-functional following such an aggressive tug.
 
The W1 Pro comes with a small plastic carrying case, similar in design to the one provided with the JVC FX1X and FX3X, just larger in size and made from lower quality plastic. It works well, easily holding the W1 Pro and it's included silicone eartips (sizes s/m/l).
 
After performing some tip-rolling and settling on the large silicone tips from the RHA S500i, the W1 Pro ended up being a comfortable earphone. Eartips from the UE600 also worked well. The cable runs over ear courtesy of memory wire ear guides and is mostly absent of cable noise. Those with glasses may hear some muted thumps. The design sits flush with your outer ear, making lying on your side while listening to your favorite music a pleasant experience. Wind noise is thankfully kept to a minimum. Isolation is above average for a dynamic driver, mostly due to the lack of vents. To my surprise, driver flex was also absent.
 
The inline mic works well for phone calls and is the same as the one found on the VJJB K2 . Your callers won't be stunned by the quality of your voice, but at the same time they won't be asking you to continually repeat yourself. The single button controller worked flawlessly with the HTC One M8 allowing me to answer and hang up calls, skip back and forth through music tracks, and even fast forward or rewind.
 

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Sound:
 
The W1 Pro surprised me with the quality of sound their 10 mm dynamic driver produced. In my experience, earphones in this price range are often bassy to a fault, especially so for those intended for sports use. The W1 Pro greets your ears to a wonderfully balanced sound, avoiding excessive boosting of any particular frequencies. How refreshing.
 
The W1 Pro won't win any awards for it's treble presentation, coming across only as competent. It's crisp, verging on brittle, and as a result can occasionally sound rough or edgy, most especially with low quality tracks. Detail is not outstanding, but unless I was listening to particularly complicated tracks they never felt like they were smearing over any important information.
 
Mids on the W1 Pro are pleasant. I would go as far as to say that they are slightly boosted, as voices are always clearly present even on even the most bass heavy of tracks. I wouldn't call the W1 Pro a warm sounding earphone, but they do present some warm qualities, especially in the lower mids transitioning into the mid-bass.
 
Bass on the W1 Pro is one of my favorite aspects. They'll never please a basshead, but those looking for a sports earphone without a ton of bass should be pleased. It digs deep enough (deep insertion required for increased quantity) to provide some comfortable sub-bass rumble and is free of mid-bass coloration or bloat. Polite is a word I would use to describe the W1 Pro's bass presentation.
 
Overall detail throughout all frequencies is good, but not mind blowing. Soundstage is airy and spacious, but won't be giving you the sort of 3D or out-of-head experience that something like the Dunu Titan 1 would. Then again, expecting something like that from such an inexpensive product isn't entirely realistic now is it?
 

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Quick Comparison:
 
Prior to receiving the W1 Pro I reviewed the Brainwavz XFit XF-200. Their overall design is shockingly similar, and as a result fit on both is equally fiddly and tip-dependent. Sound quality is also very similar, with the XF-200 being the more aggressive of the two. In comparison, the XF-200 is bassier and brighter, appealing to those wanting a more "fun" sound. The W1 Pro costs less than half as much and while it lacks the excellent three button remote and accessory package of the XF-200 you instead get the freedom of a removable cable. The tug that damaged the cable of my W1 Pro may have ended the XF-200 for good.
 
Both earphones are excellent at their respective prices. If looking for a more balanced, spacious sound and can forego higher quality accessories, the W1 Pro is a great alternative to the XF-200.
 
Overall:
 
I came away from the W1 Pro quite happy with it's performance. They were comfortable (after tip-rolling), well-built (if you excuse my clumsy destruction of the cable), and feature-rich. While they'll never win any awards for their sound quality, they are a good sounding product and to my ears, unique among their similarly-priced, sports-focused peers. They genuinely gave me the impression of money well-spent.
 
For someone looking for a new earphone that they can use and abuse for exercise, the W1 Pro would be a solid choice and the only one of can think of that would provide such a well-rounded signature. They're cheap enough to not worry about, and should you have spare cables with the same connector lying around, should last a very long time. Well done QKZ.
 
Thanks for reading!
 
- B9Scramber
 
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
 
Test tracks:
 
Aesop Rock - Cook It Up
Batmang - Holy mang, Batmang!
Gorillaz - All Alone
Gorillaz - Empire Ants ft. Little Dragon
Between the Buried and Me - Three of a Perfect Pair (King Crimson cover)
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black
King Crimson - Night Watch (live)
Gramatik - Bluestep (Album Version)
Skindred - Death to all Spies
Steely Dan - Haitian Divorce
Supertramp - Rudy
Haywyre - Sculpted
Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place