The Kiwi ears Quintet Thread:

[Bop]

I'll take this to heart because while I appreciate the Blessing 2 Dusk I agree something always felt off in it, for me. Not that it's bad but it did lack something. A feeling I would not have even with much cheaper sets.
While I do understand more stuff of the hobby than when I started, I must admit I can't pull me head around "treble extension". I'd love to know because I'm one of those people that really enjoys some treble sparkle and knowing more what it means could be the answer to a lot of stuff.

Just for some closure on the Quintet, I decided to grab the Blessing 3. With current sale at some sites I managed to get it for about $269 new. I even considered the Softears Studio 4 but I was afraid it might be too tame in the treble for me.

Generally most people use treble extension to describe the upper treble regions and "sparkle" but the B2Dusk just falls off hard after 8Khz (https://hbb.squig.link/?share=Bad_Guy_2022_Target,IEF_Comp_Target,Moondrop_Blessing_3,Moondrop_Dusk) -15dB and you just lose so much of that region - (deaf not dusk).

While I do prefer the crinacle dusk tuning over the blessing 3 (definitely worth the $20 premium but maybe not an extra $100), you could probably get very close to it with EQ.
I would recommend using EqualizerAPO for PC and PowerAmp EQ for mobile devices and here's a short video from Crin on how to use autoeq with squiglink:



These were the settings I had used with the Blessing 3 before listening to the new Dusk: Just a bass boost to make the tonal balance a little warmer
(All peaking filters)
Device: all
Filter: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 1.8
Filter: ON PK Fc 45 Hz Gain 6.7 dB Q 0.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 46 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 1.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 81 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 1.4

Enjoy your new pair , it's definitely a step-up.

 

[DiMenezes]

Thanks for the explanation, it made much more sense now. Also, thanks for the EQ adjustments as well, I'll save them here in case I opt more a little more low end in the future.
In the end, like you said, $100 was too much of a difference for me to justify the Dusk, specially since I already have a FreeDSP cable.

 

[Knale]

I'm curious if anyone in this thread has also had the opportunity to try the Simgot SM4? It seems to be quite similar to the Quintet based on both FR and the descriptions of people who have tried it.

 

[baskingshark]

I'm curious if anyone in this thread has also had the opportunity to try the Simgot SM4? It seems to be quite similar to the Quintet based on both FR and the descriptions of people who have tried it.

Quintet is more technical and brighter in the treble (may be sibilant and more fatiguing as such). Quintet has a thinner note weight and more metallic timbre than the SM4.

 

[Redcarmoose]

My take on the new Kiwi ears KE4:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiwi-ears-ke4.27504/reviews#review-35561

Kiwi ears KE4 for the win!

Comparisons:
Top row: Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite 10BA. The 2X 10mm DD x 2BA KE4
Bottom row: TANGZU Fudu Verse 1 1DD x 2BA, SHOZY P20 14.5mm Planar and the Kiwi ears Quintet 1DD +2 BA + 1Planar + 1PZT

The Kiwi ears Quintet 1DD +2 BA + 1Planar + 1PZT:
Any one that knows me knows I have pushed this Quintet as the second coming of Jesus. I mean for $219.00 it really is a lot of music for the dollar. As a Hybrid using four methodologies of drivers, Kiwi ears are really throwing a lot out at you. For a while, especially before 2019 there was kind of a ceiling to where brands didn’t offer as much treble detail and involvement till you spent at least $500.00 or over. Sure there were some examples of treble detail but they didn’t give you a kicking bass with it. To me and in my humble opinion the Quintet made progress to change all that. And when I reviewed it there were no other reviews, I just wrote about what I thought. Since I made a July 2023 thread to help celebrate the Quintet I have come to read others' impressions and of course when that happens you learn more. The main difference between the two is the KE4 is way more relaxed than the hyper treble and upper midrange encountered with the Quintet. So what is on offer is a safer tune, yet also not holding quite the separation or cut itemization held as fireworks upon encountering the Quintet. Studying graphs here you could be forgiven for not seeing the Quintet bass speed and sculpturing….because that is special, a special Hybrid ability. It is this separation in the mid-bass from the lower mids that brings about the feeling of more detail and vividness…….not to mention the almost edgy upper midrange and treble. To where really if you simply ignore the upper half, the Quintet makes the lower half of the KE4 sound almost congested? And until this point in the review that wasn’t an issue that I noticed? It may look like the KE4 has slightly more bass on paper, except this is a case of better Quintet defined bass sounding like more bass than it is.

Then:
Except here the KE4 does huge amounts better in the timbre department, and depending who you are and the style of listening you do, that single factor could in-fact mean the world?

Good things:
Some of the best timbre put out of any IEM produced by Kiwi ears, and better than much of the similar priced competition
Great fitting (read comfortable) and superior noise occlusion
Scales up to a grand event with your best gear
Even, complete and correct tune
Balanced and smooth, slightly warm yet detailed
Great Hybrid separation and sculpturing of items in the stage, better than you would guess
Comes with a full set of new Kiwi ears Flex ear-tips
2X 10mm isobaric DDs
Custom RAB 32257 BA for those mids
Knowles RAD 33518 BA for treble
Comes with Allegro Mini DAC/Amp for just $10.00 more

Stuff of concern:
A slight issue of mid-bass interfering with lower-midrange clarity
Could have possibly added a tad more vocal energy into the tune........as there was room for it

New thread for those that want more information.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kiwi-ears-ke4-guitar-god-universal-iem.974254/

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Quintet + Coreir Brass tips + XINHS G88 4.4mm cable + Hiby R4.

This combo absolutely scales up the Quintet and elevates it. It actually surprised me because with just a little MSEB tweaking it sounded better then all my other sets with this specific DAP. I would say with carefully using MSEB you can get a super detailed treble response you rarely get in that price range.

 

[inscythe]

Kinda late review of the Quintet from me:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiwiears-quintet.26582/reviews#review-37065

Crazy how well it holds up even today....