The Gateway Drug to the Never-Ending Rabbit Hole
Pros: Smooth and organic sounding
Big and boomy bass
Mids are awesome for their price
Very comfortable
VERY CHEAP!!!
Cons: Early treble roll-off
Maybe too much bass
Technicalities
Introduction:
At 9 USD, this is the second-cheapest IEM with removable cables (EDX is cheapest at 6 USD). This was the first-ever “earphones” I bought, if I don’t include the atrocious Xiaomi Airdots.
A plasticky, candy-colored shell started it all – and the rest was history. Here’s my take on the much-acclaimed, legendary QKZ VK4…
These were plugged to my phones (Oppo Reno 4, iPhone 5s) and laptop (Asus X409). I still do not have a dedicated DAC/Amp and thus cannot test scalability with more power but I am considering buying an Apple Dongle and/or a cheap amplifier (Topping NX1s).
Build and comfort: Typical universal CIEM shape, reminiscent of some of KZ’s offerings, which is understandable as from what I’ve read, they
are sister companies. Definitely “cheap-feeling” – light, toy-like, but with a wonderful advantage. Due to the plastic-build, they disappear in your ears. Cable’s serviceable – typical cheap stock cable (plasticky, tangly, and sticky). I switched to a 4 USD JCally 8-core cable.
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I feel like I’ve used the word "typical" quite a few times, and all of that ends here. Sound is what sets these apart from the rest.
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I’ve had these for quite a few months now, and while I am still skeptical in burn-in, I can tell that these improve over time, in that it became smoother and more controlled.
Sound:
Bass – Goes deep. Bassheads will like this. Lots of quantity, a bit more boom than oomph. These are engaging, without reaching fatigue-territory. However, it isn’t the most tight or detailed. So, there’s that.
Mids – Organic and smooth as butter. Placed right smack in the middle. Not overly recessed where you have to focus/pinpoint just to hear it. It’s also not that elevated where you wince every now and then when things start to get shouty. It’s placed just right. Definitely influenced by the bass, having this warmish sound to it.
Highs – Previously had this peak that was annoying in some songs but disappeared over time. If you’re a treblehead, these aren’t for you. They’re not extended, a bit splashy, and aren’t detailed. However, for it’s purpose, these do the job. Just enough to provide a bit of sparkle in my life.
Timbre – I still don’t know how to fully describe timbre. I am a hobby musician, playing quite a few instruments, and to my ears, nothing sounds wrong with these.
Soundstage and Imaging – Definitely not like earbuds, which extend to the nether but aren’t congested as well. I’d say decent. Panning sounds aren’t
that defined, where you feel like your head is spinning with the song (listened to 40 Layers for this), but they manage and get stuff done.
Separation – Does the job. However, due to the elevated bass, instruments don’t have that much space to move, which tend to sound congested in complex tracks.
Detail-retrieval – Due to the smooth mids and slightly early rolled-off treble, these end in the relaxed listen rather than critical listen. They do sometimes show here and there, but usually non-existent.
Conclusion:
These started it all for me and if I didn’t buy these, I wouldn’t have known the audio world. They have a special place in my heart and I won’t ever let go of these. A 9 USD IEM that graphs surprisingly similar to the 64Audio N8 Universal, Moondrop Starfield, and the AKG N5005 – what more can you ask for?
