AmericanSpirit
Member of the Trade: Night Oblivion
Interesting...qdc sees supertweeter as overtone key element.This is all I have. Don’t you have a brush, small frequency changer, at the other end?
QDC - Discussion and Impressions Thread
- Thread starter mtoc
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My sinuses feel much better, and the V14 now has about 200 hours of playtime, so I think I can begin talking about what I’m hearing and how it compares to the VX although this will be based on memory.
First, a graph comparing the two with all switches off:
Here’s another with only the bass switches on:
One of my initial impressions when I first listened to the V14 with all switches off is the bass seemed punchier than the VX. The graph comparison supports this. I do feel the bass texture has been improved on the V14, even when I use the bass switch. The midrange as one can see is quite similar, but perspective wise when using my SA700 balanced is the mids are a bit more forward, not necessarily a characteristic I look for usually preferring a more distant perspective in general. This characteristic reminds me a little of the Mason FS.
The trebles have been confusing for me. Initially, I found them silky sounding and even proclaimed those that found the VX bright would likely find the V14 less bright. With increased burn-in time, however, the trebles changed in character to a more detailed approach, bordering on them being too thin for me, hence my decision to give them more burn-in even though my experience has been BA drivers generally don’t require much time (not so with cables).
Last night I spent a couple hours listening to the V14, and the thinness improved so now the trebles have relaxed a bit, but there was still some peakiness, so I started playing with the eq and my final setting was a -3dB adjustment at 14kHz, and this is where I have left it. I am now happy with the V14’s overall performance.
More impressions to come …
First, a graph comparing the two with all switches off:
Here’s another with only the bass switches on:
One of my initial impressions when I first listened to the V14 with all switches off is the bass seemed punchier than the VX. The graph comparison supports this. I do feel the bass texture has been improved on the V14, even when I use the bass switch. The midrange as one can see is quite similar, but perspective wise when using my SA700 balanced is the mids are a bit more forward, not necessarily a characteristic I look for usually preferring a more distant perspective in general. This characteristic reminds me a little of the Mason FS.
The trebles have been confusing for me. Initially, I found them silky sounding and even proclaimed those that found the VX bright would likely find the V14 less bright. With increased burn-in time, however, the trebles changed in character to a more detailed approach, bordering on them being too thin for me, hence my decision to give them more burn-in even though my experience has been BA drivers generally don’t require much time (not so with cables).
Last night I spent a couple hours listening to the V14, and the thinness improved so now the trebles have relaxed a bit, but there was still some peakiness, so I started playing with the eq and my final setting was a -3dB adjustment at 14kHz, and this is where I have left it. I am now happy with the V14’s overall performance.
More impressions to come …
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Yes, that was my uptake after your earlier comment. The real takeaway I was trying to impress is that studios do not maintain absolute polarity due to the complexity of the environment with cables and recording gear. As such, our music media can be both in and out of absolute phase, and that is why many high end preamps have a polarity switch to account for this circumstance.
Just received these. Quick Q: where would I be able to read more about the switches? At this point in time, I am not even sure which way is on or off. Or even how to handle the switches? Is there a tool for the switches?
Apologies for the many noob questions. Thanks!
Up is on, down off. You can also use a toothpick to flip the switches … they’re a bit stiff when new, but they loosen up with use.
I’m having trouble with this. I just got back from a walk using the V14 since the sun is out today and I wanted to take the promised picture of the green faceplates, but I have to wait until it’s dark because that’s when they glow. I’ll get it and post it!
For you
…
I wanted to show how the shells glitter with multi-colored specs when out in the sun, really pretty! Sorry I couldn’t take better shots of the green faceplates, but I’m using my iPad mini as a camera.
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F me those are gorgeous. Cannot wait to see what you think compared to your other IEMs. I am a sucker for green, I legit want these just because of the plates. 
mmoderni
100+ Head-Fier
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My V14 with 1950 says hi 
About the soundstage I can say that with cayin n6mk2 and A01 mids are too forward and too intimate, not my taste.
With E01 things got better, it became wider and more backwards, but they really shine with T01.
Soundstage is really really big, wider, taller and with a excellent depth.
I am with standard switch position (all 4 off) and she really sounds wonderful. I love the bass, imo much better than UM DD driver in every aspect, trebles airy and smooth, male and female voices are always spot on and in the.right place.
To my ears the stock cable sound very congested in the mids and in soundstage.
About the soundstage I can say that with cayin n6mk2 and A01 mids are too forward and too intimate, not my taste.
With E01 things got better, it became wider and more backwards, but they really shine with T01.
Soundstage is really really big, wider, taller and with a excellent depth.
I am with standard switch position (all 4 off) and she really sounds wonderful. I love the bass, imo much better than UM DD driver in every aspect, trebles airy and smooth, male and female voices are always spot on and in the.right place.
To my ears the stock cable sound very congested in the mids and in soundstage.
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F me those are gorgeous. Cannot wait to see what you think compared to your other IEMs. I am a sucker for green, I legit want these just because of the plates.
I like green too, and this certainly appealed to me as well when I first saw the qdc brochure.
F me those are gorgeous. Cannot wait to see what you think compared to your other IEMs. I am a sucker for green, I legit want these just because of the plates.
Regarding a comparison, I’m going to put together a review titled, “My Audiophile Journey: How I Spent 20K on Flagship IEMs in One Year.”
Since my gut feeling is the Shichiku.Kangen is going to be my number one, my detailed review will begin with the S.K compared to each of my other 5 sets and then how they all compare to one another.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Absolute phase can be noted with a drum sound with a DD driver. Still ether way the phase is set still can’t be noted with strings or piano sounds. Also with complex music it is not noticeable. But remember correct phase is in relation to a DD driver moving the air “out” where in this case they are BA drivers which do not move the same way?
But is the phase actually reversed with a qdc cable?
Not by the cable, rather, the model’s pin configuration.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Right, what am saying is when I use aftermarket cables I reverse the polarization with my V3. The point I am making is if the polarity of the actual included qdc cable is (to make the connection) still accurate? Meaning yes the + and - are reversed on the IEM, but the cable means it’s still absolute polarity.
Because the (stock) cable are also switched?
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