[digivate]

I don't want to insult anyone who has q-Jays, and loves them, but I've had mine a month and have finally realised that no matter how much I try and convince myself of their brilliance I'm actually never going to like them.

There are lots of good things with which to recommend them - tiny size and discreet styling, good build quality, lots of accessories, etc. ... I've been clinically impressed with them, but not once have I actually enjoying the music I've listended to.

The q-Jays have plenty of detail in the upper frequencies (possibly too much for me) but for a dual armiture I just can't believe how lacking the lower end is. The upper frequencies seems to be 150% louder than everything else, so whilst the lower-end is present and detailed, it's a struggle to pick it out.

I listen mainly to classical music, so I'm not a bass-head by any means, but I just don't get a sense of there being any "light" and "shade" with the q-Jays. They convey no sense of warmth, ambience or atmosphere, and I always feel fatigued after listening to them for any period of time.

I've temporarily returned to some Sennheiser CX95s and, whilst I'm well aware that the clarity isn't there anymore, it's a joy to hear a more lush, warm sound. I've also ordered some Denon AH-C700 as I think these should provide the warm lower end I prefer, but with a bit more clarity at the top end.

As I say, I don't want to insult those of you who own and enjoy q-Jays, but I'm interested to see whether anyone else shares my views on them?

 

[Scott549]

I had a similar opinion. A bit too analytical for me. Also, I had trouble getting a good fit.

 

[rodaballo]

I found the qJays very good.

I have compared them with: SA6, e-500, E4P, Triple Fi 10 Pro, RE1 plus PK1 and Ok1 and the qJay sound very exciting.

It will all depend on your kind of music, source, amp (or not) and the compression of your files.

Our ear are different so...

 

[ajmiarka]

I just didn't like how you had to change the filters ever 2-4 weeks. The first time it happened, I though I had broken the left headphone. Turns out that the filter needed to be replaced.

 

[Nuwidol]

Have a look here then digivate :d

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuwidol /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have a look here then digivate :d

Thanks for the tip-off Nuwidol.

I intend to add them to the "Headphones For Sale / Trade" forum as soon as I can, but as I'm in the UK I really hope to find a UK buyer.

I need to have posted 50 comments before I can add a new thread in the "Headphones For Sale / Trade" forum, so I'm a few posts short at the moment, and I also need to take some photos to prove that I've got them and that they're in good condition.

 

[_Toki_]

I suggest you to make a comparison of your impressions with the SA6. They are very close to q-Jays in SQ, but have somewhat better represented mids so perhaps they suit the classical music better. If you will find their bass to be lacking too - then it just appears to be not your kind of things... I may suggest you to try Atrio as Denons have quite harsh highs (at least before extensive burn-in) - much more sibilant than the one in q-Jays.
Btw I have found my q-Jays to be both very warm and at the same time analytical, so I may suspect that you have either a fit issue or a malfunctioning pair of earphones...

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Toki_ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I suggest you to make a comparison of your impressions with the SA6. They are very close to q-Jays in SQ, but have somewhat better represented mids so perhaps they suit the classical music better. If you will find their bass to be lacking too - then it just appears to be not your kind of things... I may suggest you to try Atrio as Denons have quite harsh highs (at least before extensive burn-in) - much more sibilant than the one in q-Jays. Btw I have found my q-Jays to be both very warm and at the same time analytical, so I may suspect that you have either a fit issue or a malfunctioning pair of earphones...

I haven't heard the SA6s so I wouldn't be able to make a comparison. I've been tempted to get some, but having just forked out £125 for the q-Jays I'm a little bit wary of spending that kind of money on something I've never heard and can't return if I don't like. I know most people are raving about the SA6 at the moment, but I've also heard one or two comments about them having a perceived lack of bass.

As I say, I listen to classical and opera, rather than hip-hop and dance, so I wouldn't have considered myself a bass head but I'm beginning to wonder if that's what I am.

I've had the Denon AH-C551s before, and did indeed find them a bit harsh at times, but I've heard that the C700s have clearer high frequencies than the C551s at the expense of a little bit of bass, plus I can get them at a very good price (less than half the price of the q-Jays) so I've decided to give them a try.

I've considered the Atrios but I'm put off by the awful plastic design ... I know that sounds fickle, but they are a £100 pair of headphones that look like the should cost about £5. I also wonder about how resilient they are ... do they still come with a memory wire or not?

The fact that you describe the q-Jays as warm, which is the exact polar opposite of my impression of them, does make me wonder if I had a faulty pair, but I've just come to the conclusion that they've just not got the right sound signature for my tastes.

 

[PeterDLai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digivate /img/forum/go_quote.gif I also wonder about how resilient they are ... do they still come with a memory wire or not?

I believe the latest revision of the Atrio m5 does not have a memory wire.

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe the latest revision of the Atrio m5 does not have a memory wire.

Oh, well that slighty puts me off the M5s then. They look like the wires might be a bit fragile, and though I don't think I treat my IENs that harshly I do quite often have a problem with bad connections after a few months.

 

[roxxor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digivate /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't heard the SA6s so I wouldn't be able to make a comparison. I've been tempted to get some, but having just forked out £125 for the q-Jays I'm a little bit wary of spending that kind of money on something I've never heard and can't return if I don't like.

Why wouldn't you be able to return them?

 

[digivate]

My experience of buying IEMs in the UK is that retailers do not have to and generally don't accept earphones once the packaging has been opened and they have been tried. I think it's got something to do with hygiene.

That's fair enough really, as they can''t sell them as new if someone else has already stuck them into their ears, but it does make buying expensive IEMs a bit of a risk.

Every IEM/canalphone that I've bought (q-Jays, Denons, Shures, Sennheisers) have come in packaging that is eather vacuum sealed or in a box that had a glued seal so it's not possible to carefully open them and then repackage them as new if you want to return them.

 

[Szat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digivate /img/forum/go_quote.gif My experience of buying IEMs in the UK is that retailers do not have to and generally don't accept earphones once the packaging has been opened and they have been tried. I think it's got something to do with hygiene. That's fair enough really, as they can''t sell them as new if someone else has already stuck them into their ears, but it does make buying expensive IEMs a bit of a risk. Every IEM/canalphone that I've bought (q-Jays, Denons, Shures, Sennheisers) have come in packaging that is eather vacuum sealed or in a box that had a glued seal so it's not possible to carefully open them and then repackage them as new if you want to return them.

I had almost exactly the same problems with my q-jays as yourself. Painful, piercing sound and lack of bass. I did not understand, how could these earphones gained their good reputation.
I bought them from a UK retailer and returned them as faulty, explaining that my ears were ringing after using them on a normal volume (which was true) and got refunded promptly, which makes me believe that they had the same complaints before.
I got the IM716 after that, a lot cheaper, and after getting rid of the pod and using 62ohm resistors it sounds really good with classical (it sounds a lot better than q-jays even with the pod).

 

[evilmerlin]

I've been using the q-JAYS for a while now and am enjoying it thoroughly. I'm not sure about the lack of bass but I find it sufficient for me.

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by evilmerlin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been using the q-JAYS for a while now and am enjoying it thoroughly. I'm not sure about the lack of bass but I find it sufficient for me.

I'm glad you enjoy them ... I don't want to knock other people's enjoyment of the q-Jays, but I just haven't had the same impression myself. The vast majority of feedback I've seen is REALLy positive, so it came as a surprise to me that I've just not been able to enjoy them over the past month.

I'm not so sure whether there is a real lack of bass, or whether it's just that the treble is so forward and dominant ... it just doesn't sound like a realistic and balanced reproduction. I'm not saying that the treble is harsh or sibilant, but just too much.

I've just received some Denon AH-C700 and straight out of the box with no burn-in, while the detail isn't quite the same at the top end, the overall impression is more balanced and enjoyable IMO.