[ktks1]

Letshuoer Galileo has a very similar tuning to the Quintet (but with some treble rolloff that makes it more forgiving of bad recordings). Resolution isn't as good, but the timbre is very natural. It's smaller and has no ridges. Very comfortable.

Raptgo Bridge (with the E filters and switch 1 on) would also be a good alternative if you want a smaller shape.

Thank you for suggesting the Raptgo Bridge. Considering that they're $70 or so less than these, how close are they to the Quintets in terms of overall performance?

Concur. The Bridge is a similar set but with richer, more detailed bass. It’s generally a bit more transparent than the Quintet too.

I was told that the Bridge is open back. If so, how come it has better bass compared to the Quintet which is closed back?

 

[Surf Monkey]

I was told that the Bridge is open back. If so, how come it has better bass compared to the Quintet which is closed back?

It looks open back but it isn’t. The grill is fake.

 

[morphon]

Thank you for suggesting the Raptgo Bridge. Considering that they're $70 or so less than these, how close are they to the Quintets in terms of overall performance?


I was told that the Bridge is open back. If so, how come it has better bass compared to the Quintet which is closed back?

I think the Bridge is a step down in detail retrieval and naturalness. You get a bigger soundstage, but it is a bit exaggerated. Also - the Bridge has a LOT more treble out of the box. I think the out of the box experience makes it seem like it actually has more detail just because the treble is emphasized the way it is. Fortunately, they include their balanced "Equilibrium" filters and the first dip switch lessens the treble slightly. The combo of those two gets you in the same overall tuning ballpark as the Quintet.

That said, the Bridge is very good. Much better than one would think given its price. For many they will be a great endgame set (tunable, easy to drive, comfortable, plenty of detail even though there is more out there to be had).

 

[Bop]

Resolution is top notch on the quintet. If you like the way a planar sounds of course. It's not like your typical BA sound. Micro details stay in the background.

I use convolution filters to equalize this IEM to sound like the MEST MK3. Pretty easy to achieve with this stock tuning.

For convolution filters do you use MorphIt, the IEM EQ tool from Squiglink, or something else?

 

[ExTubeGamer]

For convolution filters do you use MorphIt, the IEM EQ tool from Squiglink, or something else?

I created the filter using the Autoeq.app website.

Today I gave my Quintet another 10 hours of burn-in. Just again listening to them they are really good. You need to use big tips for this IEM to make it stay proper in your ears. Using latex H570 Large tips now. Even SpinFit Cp100 plus L size do not seal properly.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I think the Bridge is a step down in detail retrieval and naturalness. You get a bigger soundstage, but it is a bit exaggerated. Also - the Bridge has a LOT more treble out of the box. I think the out of the box experience makes it seem like it actually has more detail just because the treble is emphasized the way it is. Fortunately, they include their balanced "Equilibrium" filters and the first dip switch lessens the treble slightly. The combo of those two gets you in the same overall tuning ballpark as the Quintet.

That said, the Bridge is very good. Much better than one would think given its price. For many they will be a great endgame set (tunable, easy to drive, comfortable, plenty of detail even though there is more out there to be had).

Interesting comparison.

I think you’re correct that Bridge is bright out of the box. Mine seemed to “calm down” over the first few hours though and now I wouldn’t call it too aggressive or crisp at all. I’ll have to do some more A/B with Bridge and Quintet to see if I can nail down the differences in treble. But I’m fairly confident that you’re right that it’s brighter than Quintet and I think you’re on to something when you suggest that the brightness tends to expand the soundstage in a somewhat artificial way.

It’s all pretty subjective when it comes to similarly tuned sets. One thing I can say about Bridge is that I prefer its bass to what Quintet is doing. Bridge has that sculpted, visceral bass that first appeared in the Hook-X.

Both really great sets for sure. I’m still tilted towards the Bridge overall, but the Quintet is right there with it. They’re both notable achievements in terms of driver configurations and in the respective companies ability to make them all work together harmoniously.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I created the filter using the Autoeq.app website.

Today I gave my Quintet another 10 hours of burn-in. Just again listening to them they are really good. You need to use big tips for this IEM to make it stay proper in your ears. Using latex H570 Large tips now. Even SpinFit Cp100 plus L size do not seal properly.

I’m using XL DUNU S&S tips on mine and it’s a great match.

 

[skeeb23]

I must say that I do not care for the included tips at all for the Quintet. I feel like for the price they should have included a better set, more variety or perhaps a balanced cable.
With that, my impression of the Quintet has been over all very positive. I admit when I first unboxed them I was underwhelmed but I think that was more because I had just unboxed the new Dunu Falcon Ultra. It's going to be very hard to compete with the accessory package of that one!

I found the Quintet to be an interesting mix of both detailed and warm at the same time. That's not the easiest thing to do. I do think the 4 different driver's they implemented work very well together and you can tell they took time to ensure it all worked out. Bass hits but doesn't over power the rest of the mix. Mids are lively yet not offensive. Treble is sparkly yet not sibilant. Also I enjoy the stage and spacious imaging you get! I still love the Falcon Ultra, but I think the Quintet is a nice option to contrast with. A bit boring aesthetically, but I think they grew on me a bit over time too. The nozzles did invade my ears a bit more then I was used to, ha!

I need to try the Dunu cylinder tips on the Quintet to see if I like that any better. I was able to get a seal after messing a bit with the stock tips. I think the black stock tips are a bit odd. They are short and I couldn't get any of those sizes to seal. Everyone has different ears though, so there is that.

My take on the Quintet can be found in full length here if anyone wants to know a bit more of my thoughts:

 

[morphon]

Interesting comparison.

I think you’re correct that Bridge is bright out of the box. Mine seemed to “calm down” over the first few hours though and now I wouldn’t call it too aggressive or crisp at all. I’ll have to do some more A/B with Bridge and Quintet to see if I can nail down the differences in treble. But I’m fairly confident that you’re right that it’s brighter than Quintet and I think you’re on to something when you suggest that the brightness tends to expand the soundstage in a somewhat artificial way.

It’s all pretty subjective when it comes to similarly tuned sets. One thing I can say about Bridge is that I prefer its bass to what Quintet is doing. Bridge has that sculpted, visceral bass that first appeared in the Hook-X.

Both really great sets for sure. I’m still tilted towards the Bridge overall, but the Quintet is right there with it. They’re both notable achievements in terms of driver configurations and in the respective companies ability to make them all work together harmoniously.

That's funny - I think the Quintet has deeper, punchier bass than the Bridge! So much of this boils down to the individual person's experience, it seems.

Anyway - I don't want to be too faint in my praise for the Bridge. It has, by far, the widest soundstage of any IEM I own, and that's quite impressive. It has a pleasing tone, with lots of options for tuning it (3 sets of included filters, two switches, two different sets of tips). It definitely gets my recommendation for someone trying to get some legit gear in the $150 range (probably, for me, tied with the Letshuoer S12 in its price bracket since they are doing such different things).

I also think that the extra $50 for the Kiwi Quintet is justified in terms of sound quality mainly due to the greater delicacy of its treble detail and bass impact down low.

 

[ExTubeGamer]

As I am writing this, my Quintet has more then twenty hours of burn-in under it's belt. The sounds has kept improving and is perfect for my needs. I don't need any better IEM. The driver choice turned out to be correct. I like this IEM more then my DD+BA sets or DD only in ears. I never enjoyed full BA sets so I decided to go for a hybrid and this one nailed it.

Just what I want. If you own a Quintet try listening to Deftones with it. The electric guitars sound vastly different then they sound with BA drivers.

 

[skeeb23]

As I am writing this, my Quintet has more then twenty hours of burn-in under it's belt. The sounds has kept improving and is perfect for my needs. I don't need any better IEM. The driver choice turned out to be correct. I like this IEM more then my DD+BA sets or DD only in ears. I never enjoyed full BA sets so I decided to go for a hybrid and this one nailed it.

Just what I want. If you own a Quintet try listening to Deftones with it. The electric guitars sound vastly different then they sound with BA drivers.

Yep, blues sound very good on the Quintet with those electric guitars. I do see the Quintet as a fierce competitor in this price range.

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Good idea to keep my ISN S16 cable. This cable enhances technicalities greatly and improves my Quintet a lot. After applying my convolution filter the Quintet sounds perfect. No need for upgrades. The Quintet is improving with burn in and sounding better and better. This will be my final IEM for the desktop.

 

[Bop]

Interesting comparison.

I think you’re correct that Bridge is bright out of the box. Mine seemed to “calm down” over the first few hours though and now I wouldn’t call it too aggressive or crisp at all. I’ll have to do some more A/B with Bridge and Quintet to see if I can nail down the differences in treble. But I’m fairly confident that you’re right that it’s brighter than Quintet and I think you’re on to something when you suggest that the brightness tends to expand the soundstage in a somewhat artificial way.

It’s all pretty subjective when it comes to similarly tuned sets. One thing I can say about Bridge is that I prefer its bass to what Quintet is doing. Bridge has that sculpted, visceral bass that first appeared in the Hook-X.

Both really great sets for sure. I’m still tilted towards the Bridge overall, but the Quintet is right there with it. They’re both notable achievements in terms of driver configurations and in the respective companies ability to make them all work together harmoniously.

I apologize if I obliquely asked this before but did you prefer the bridge over the hook-x? The tonality of the latter seemed to have more of an analog charm but I'm limited to only my auditory memory. (Currently using the equilibrium filters + 0/1 configuration for the bridge)

 

[Surf Monkey]

I apologize if I obliquely asked this before but did you prefer the bridge over the hook-x? The tonality of the latter seemed to have more of an analog charm but I'm limited to only my auditory memory. (Currently using the equilibrium filters + 0/1 configuration for the bridge)

It’s a tough comparison. Hook-X is primarily planar but augmented with a PZT. Bridge is primarily dual dynamics with a PZT and 2x BAs. So the Hook-X has a different sound to it. It’s more neutral and a little more cohesive (though the Bridge is remarkably cohesive given the wild driver configuration.) The Bridge has more treble and more treble detail the mids are roughly comparable. The bass on the Bridge is like the Hook-X bass only amped up. It has a unique kind of physicality to it. It purports to be a BCD, but who knows.

So I guess my assessment wold be that tonally the Hook-X is more accurate. The Bridge has more dynamic sounding bass with a longer decay. But overall the Hook-X is the more natural/analogue sounding set. The Bridge does have some metallic ring to it (but not much) and you can tell that it’s a hybrid while the Hook-X sounds like a pure planar, even with the PZT added in.

Helps?

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Many people say the Quintet has good technicalities. To my ears the technicalities are insanely good. No DD+BA set I heard can compete. A Tansio Mirai Sands has way more artificial loud sounding treble details but not the speed and easy resolving ability my Quintet has. In fact the technicalities are so good that they outclass my hifiman HE-4XX by magnitudes.

The reason could be that I use an R2R dac and a tube pre amp. The 3d immersion of the sound is so incredible. My personal TOTL set.