q-Jays Review:
All of this is out of my 6G 160 GB iPod classic, unamped. Most of my audio test tracks are 256 AAC, high quality. I did add a couple that are not, just to see how forgiving a set of phones are. I'm using the Etymotic tri-flange tips for ease of insertion and removal, since I'm doing this at work, and because I've been playing with these things for a week or two and like these tips about the best of any that I've tried (the Comply foamies are as good or better, but more of a pain for insertion).
Screenwriters Blues [Soul Coughing] -- The bass doesn't have as much impact as the Atrios I've been using, but the mids are nice and sweet and there's a very nice sense of clarity to the music. The articulation of the bass is very good as well, it just doesn't quite hit as hard.
Hero of the Day [Metallica, S&M recording] -- Wow, the strings sound really sharp. Everything sounds really clean -- the upper region on these sounds about as clean and fast as my Etymotic ER-4P were. Again, the bass has a good sound but just doesn't quite have the impact of the Atrio M5s. I will say that the cleanliness breaks down a bit when the song gets really busy -- the articulation definitely isn't quite as good as the ER-4P were. Hard to tell how they compare to my Atrios, the sound signature is quite a bit different -- these are much more up front, and so the presentation feels quite a bit different.
The New Messiah [Philosopher Kings] -- The bass at the begining of this actually sounds very good... it goes nice and low, I feel it in the back of my brain, where I'm supposed to. Vocals are clear and up-front, which is a nice break from my Atrios. The background strings that I really liked with the Atrios are sublimated a bit with these, but the piano, vocals, and bass are all coming through very well.
When the Saints Come Marching In [Oscar Peterson Trio with Lionel Hampton] -- Very nicely balanced. Again, the bass isn't as strong as with the Atrios, but the vibrophones sound really good, and it's really easy to pull out all of the instruments. If anything, the snare might sound just a touch bright. The voices come through very nicely though with more detail than I'm used to hearing.
Moten Swing [Oscar Peterson Trio] -- Ah, that's nice. Very intimate feel to the song. The bass sounds really good, and I can hear the shimmer on the drums really well.
Concrete Schoolyard [Jurassic 5] -- Intro is almost a little too bright, then the bass line comes in and it sounds okay. Once the song gets going, though, it still sounds a high-heavy. Again, very good detail, but the bass just doesn't quite hit hard enough. It's definitely there, and the extension is good, but the impact isn't there. It should be said that the bass detail is really nice, though.
Frankie and Johnnie [Sam Cooke] -- Oh man does this song sound nice. The bass is background again, like it's supposed to be, and Sam's angelic voice is clear and sweet. The only knock I have is that the high hat on the drums sounds almost too sharp -- it's not a natural sound.
They Don't Want Music [Black Eyed Peas] -- Ah, that early bass hits pretty hard. Better than any phones other than the Atrios, definitely. Again, although the highs are nice and clear, they are just a bit bright on a song as hotly mastered as this one is. I do have to say that as the song has gone on, my ears have acclimated a bit, but it's still a little fatiguing.
Check On It [Beyonce] -- Ironic that the two poppiest songs come on right after each other. Same thing as the last -- they're recorded hot. The high end detail is great, but the energy is actually a bit much.
Broken Bridge [Daughter Darling] -- Thank goodness. This song has a very dark tone and is recorded such. The piano sounds beautiful, and the bass is just present enough to be there and solid. Her voice sounds beautifully ethereal.
Sacred Stones [The Samples] -- Sean Kelly's voice is definitely forward in this song, and it's a pretty good place for it. I really like the clarity of the backup vocals, and the bass drum has enough presence that the song doesn't sound overly bright.
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free [Nina Simone] -- Good lord, does her voice sound great. The piano is really clear as well, and the instrument separation is good. The bass is a little hard to make out compared to the piano, guitar, and horns, though.
Fette's Vette [MC Chris] -- This song just soudns good. The midrange detail makes the lyrics come through really clear, and the layers of music are really well represented.
Dancing with Kadafi [Infected Mushroom] -- This is a really tough song. One of my favorite songs, and it's got a huge variety of sounds, from quiet solo passages through hugely layered driving electronic beats. The clarity sounds amazing here, because the song is so well recorded in the first place. The bass texture is really good, and although it doesn't exactly have slam, there is some good impact to the bass-centric portions of the song.
Memphis Soul Stew [King Curtis] -- Another tough song. On my Shures and my Audio Technica 700s, this song has SWEET separation. You can hear where every player is. The soundstage isn't quite as good on these, but when I'm nice and finicky with the fit, the musical balance is really good.
Makin' Bread Again [The Three Sounds] -- The bass is a bit indistinct on this recording to begin with and these phones don't really do that any favors. It's a live recording and not the best fidelity -- this is definitely apparent with phones that are as resolving as these.
Whenever I Say Your Name [Sting Feat. Mary J. Blige] -- For some reason, the phones sound oddly peaky on this song. I get the feeling like some notes are falling in and out of focus, it's a very strange sound. Turning up the volume fixed that, but the sound is almost uncomfortablky loud to my ears now (although removing my phones shows that it's not that loud compared to ambient)
Moten Swing [Bennie Moten Orchestra] -- Yeah, this is a recording from the 30s. It's had a good attempt at remastering, but it's still from the 30s. That means the range isn't that good, and the separation just isn't there at all. That said, it sounds pretty decent. Not quite as good as the Shure SE310s sounded on this song, but about on par with the Atrios, and better than the LiveWires or ER-4P.
Wade in the Water [Soul Stirrers] -- Now this is a song that I ordinarily love, but for some reason, it sounds really flat. Again, this is an older recording, but I don't recall having this problem with any other headphones.
I Want You Back (Z-Trip remix) [Jackson 5] -- Intro guitar is bright and articulate, when the bass comes in, it's got great quality. As the song progresses, the brightness takes over just a bit. The bass stays strong throughout the song, but it's just not as fun as it sounds on the Atrio. There isn't a ton of extra detail to get in this song, so I think the q-Jays don't have much more to give than the Atrios do.
Everloving [Moby] -- The q-Jays are shining a bit on this one. Very bright, sharp guitar against the backdrop of a bold bass line is just up their alley.
Beautiful People [Rusted Root] -- Another song that can have great separation, but which is a little gimped by the q-Jays soundstage. That said, the clarity on the various voices is very nice. This is a very very good recording, and the q-Jays do a really good job with it.
Mount Normal [Blues Traveler] -- This song is mastered a bit louder than most. Nonetheless, it has a great sound with these. The bass actually slams a bit, and John Popper's voice is awesome. Plenty of energy, no matter how much else is going on.
Beautiful People [UPenn Off the Beat] -- This is a low fi, off-the-net recording of an a capella song. It's an interesting test. I have to say that these phones do very well with separating voices. They're definitely well-resolving phones. Although the mids and highs sound good, and the sound is well balanced, I have to say that there's some indefinable feeling that these phones are lacking that my Atrios and Shures had. There was a certain sweetness to the Shure mids that these just don't have. I might have to say that these are almost exhibiting the clinical sound that Ety-haters often describe.
Desert Rose [Sting] -- Another well recorded song, great balance of highs mids and lows. This song is pretty darn good on these headphones. Sting's voice comes out well, but I can listen for whatever else I want and the bass had plenty of juice on it.
Bus to Beelzebub [Soul Coughing] -- Strangely, on this song, the bass gets a bit overpowering at times. That might be because I've turned the volume down a bit. I think I'm getting a little fatigued with these phones.
Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) [Parliament] -- Again, still have the volume set a bit low from the last song and the bass is a little strong. Turn it up a bit, and things are great. Except for my ears being a bit tired. I've been listening to these phones for a couple of weeks, so I'm not sure this is something that will just go away with time.
Wade In The Water [Eva Cassiday] -- Just the kind of song that makes these puppies sound great. Very well recorded, with a really pretty female voice as the main element. Her voice really soars, and there isn't enough other high-range stuff to really cloud it or bother my now-sensitive ears.
Down in the River to Pray [Alison Krauss] -- I had never noticed that the other female singers are faintly humming behind the initial solo singer before. That's pretty impressive. This track shows up very nicely, being primarily mids and highs, and having a very delicate sound. I suspect these phones would be very good for classical, especially strings. I do recall being a little disappointed with their rendition of the 1812, though.
Everybody Knows [Leonard Cohen] -- Cohen's voice actually sounds really warm on this recording. The mandolin sideline sounds great, and the female chorus singers come in very clearly.
Living [Moby] -- This is another song with a strong string background and mostly guitar for melody. The q-Jays rather shine on all of the above. The only problem is that I find myself fiddling with the volume a lot.
ABC (Salaam Remy Krunk-A-Delic Mix) [Jackson 5] -- First off, the bass beat that can rock my socks with my Atrios or in my car is just dull. The vocals are fine, if a touch bright. I feel like these phones aren't staying in very well for some reason. If I adjust them so that htey're just right, the sound is much much better, but a few minutes later they've shifted position on me.
Pretty Angry (For J. Sheehan) [Blues Traveler] -- I think I'm getting tired of listening to these phones. I always feel like i have to keep them a little uncomfortably loud to like the sound. I have to give them props for revealing some new details in the background vocals that I don't recall having heard before. When turned up a bit, the sound balance is really good, too. It's very strange, because when I take one phone out and compare the one that's still in to ambient, I really don't have it turned up that loud. It just feels that way to my ears.
First We Take Manhattan [Leonard Cohen] -- Yup. These phones are detailed. You can hear every nuance of Cohen's voice, and the whole song sounds kind of lush.
Leaving New York [REM] -- I'm debating switching back to the Comply foamies. They stayed in the ear better, and I feel like I keep losing the good seal for some reason. I switched to the Ety tri-flanges because they tend to give a little more bass to the sound without going boomy. The Comply tips do the same thing, maybe even better, but are more of a PITA in terms of usability.
In summary -- these phones were really hard for me to quantify. They seem very very sensitive to placement and fit (even more so than the many other IEMs I've used). When the bass was strong, it was quite strong, but had a little bit of bloat. When the bass was lean, I felt like it was really detailed. They often struck me as just a little on the bright side. That said, I'd almost certainly recommend them as an upgrade to an Ety ER-4 listener who wants more bass. I definitely felt like it was important to use tips that enhance the low end. If I'd gone to these after the ER-4P, I would have loved 'em. If I'd gone to them after the Shure SE310, I probably would have liked them. After the Atrios, which are quite a bit cheaper to boot, they don't really impress.
All of this is out of my 6G 160 GB iPod classic, unamped. Most of my audio test tracks are 256 AAC, high quality. I did add a couple that are not, just to see how forgiving a set of phones are. I'm using the Etymotic tri-flange tips for ease of insertion and removal, since I'm doing this at work, and because I've been playing with these things for a week or two and like these tips about the best of any that I've tried (the Comply foamies are as good or better, but more of a pain for insertion).
Screenwriters Blues [Soul Coughing] -- The bass doesn't have as much impact as the Atrios I've been using, but the mids are nice and sweet and there's a very nice sense of clarity to the music. The articulation of the bass is very good as well, it just doesn't quite hit as hard.
Hero of the Day [Metallica, S&M recording] -- Wow, the strings sound really sharp. Everything sounds really clean -- the upper region on these sounds about as clean and fast as my Etymotic ER-4P were. Again, the bass has a good sound but just doesn't quite have the impact of the Atrio M5s. I will say that the cleanliness breaks down a bit when the song gets really busy -- the articulation definitely isn't quite as good as the ER-4P were. Hard to tell how they compare to my Atrios, the sound signature is quite a bit different -- these are much more up front, and so the presentation feels quite a bit different.
The New Messiah [Philosopher Kings] -- The bass at the begining of this actually sounds very good... it goes nice and low, I feel it in the back of my brain, where I'm supposed to. Vocals are clear and up-front, which is a nice break from my Atrios. The background strings that I really liked with the Atrios are sublimated a bit with these, but the piano, vocals, and bass are all coming through very well.
When the Saints Come Marching In [Oscar Peterson Trio with Lionel Hampton] -- Very nicely balanced. Again, the bass isn't as strong as with the Atrios, but the vibrophones sound really good, and it's really easy to pull out all of the instruments. If anything, the snare might sound just a touch bright. The voices come through very nicely though with more detail than I'm used to hearing.
Moten Swing [Oscar Peterson Trio] -- Ah, that's nice. Very intimate feel to the song. The bass sounds really good, and I can hear the shimmer on the drums really well.
Concrete Schoolyard [Jurassic 5] -- Intro is almost a little too bright, then the bass line comes in and it sounds okay. Once the song gets going, though, it still sounds a high-heavy. Again, very good detail, but the bass just doesn't quite hit hard enough. It's definitely there, and the extension is good, but the impact isn't there. It should be said that the bass detail is really nice, though.
Frankie and Johnnie [Sam Cooke] -- Oh man does this song sound nice. The bass is background again, like it's supposed to be, and Sam's angelic voice is clear and sweet. The only knock I have is that the high hat on the drums sounds almost too sharp -- it's not a natural sound.
They Don't Want Music [Black Eyed Peas] -- Ah, that early bass hits pretty hard. Better than any phones other than the Atrios, definitely. Again, although the highs are nice and clear, they are just a bit bright on a song as hotly mastered as this one is. I do have to say that as the song has gone on, my ears have acclimated a bit, but it's still a little fatiguing.
Check On It [Beyonce] -- Ironic that the two poppiest songs come on right after each other. Same thing as the last -- they're recorded hot. The high end detail is great, but the energy is actually a bit much.
Broken Bridge [Daughter Darling] -- Thank goodness. This song has a very dark tone and is recorded such. The piano sounds beautiful, and the bass is just present enough to be there and solid. Her voice sounds beautifully ethereal.
Sacred Stones [The Samples] -- Sean Kelly's voice is definitely forward in this song, and it's a pretty good place for it. I really like the clarity of the backup vocals, and the bass drum has enough presence that the song doesn't sound overly bright.
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free [Nina Simone] -- Good lord, does her voice sound great. The piano is really clear as well, and the instrument separation is good. The bass is a little hard to make out compared to the piano, guitar, and horns, though.
Fette's Vette [MC Chris] -- This song just soudns good. The midrange detail makes the lyrics come through really clear, and the layers of music are really well represented.
Dancing with Kadafi [Infected Mushroom] -- This is a really tough song. One of my favorite songs, and it's got a huge variety of sounds, from quiet solo passages through hugely layered driving electronic beats. The clarity sounds amazing here, because the song is so well recorded in the first place. The bass texture is really good, and although it doesn't exactly have slam, there is some good impact to the bass-centric portions of the song.
Memphis Soul Stew [King Curtis] -- Another tough song. On my Shures and my Audio Technica 700s, this song has SWEET separation. You can hear where every player is. The soundstage isn't quite as good on these, but when I'm nice and finicky with the fit, the musical balance is really good.
Makin' Bread Again [The Three Sounds] -- The bass is a bit indistinct on this recording to begin with and these phones don't really do that any favors. It's a live recording and not the best fidelity -- this is definitely apparent with phones that are as resolving as these.
Whenever I Say Your Name [Sting Feat. Mary J. Blige] -- For some reason, the phones sound oddly peaky on this song. I get the feeling like some notes are falling in and out of focus, it's a very strange sound. Turning up the volume fixed that, but the sound is almost uncomfortablky loud to my ears now (although removing my phones shows that it's not that loud compared to ambient)
Moten Swing [Bennie Moten Orchestra] -- Yeah, this is a recording from the 30s. It's had a good attempt at remastering, but it's still from the 30s. That means the range isn't that good, and the separation just isn't there at all. That said, it sounds pretty decent. Not quite as good as the Shure SE310s sounded on this song, but about on par with the Atrios, and better than the LiveWires or ER-4P.
Wade in the Water [Soul Stirrers] -- Now this is a song that I ordinarily love, but for some reason, it sounds really flat. Again, this is an older recording, but I don't recall having this problem with any other headphones.
I Want You Back (Z-Trip remix) [Jackson 5] -- Intro guitar is bright and articulate, when the bass comes in, it's got great quality. As the song progresses, the brightness takes over just a bit. The bass stays strong throughout the song, but it's just not as fun as it sounds on the Atrio. There isn't a ton of extra detail to get in this song, so I think the q-Jays don't have much more to give than the Atrios do.
Everloving [Moby] -- The q-Jays are shining a bit on this one. Very bright, sharp guitar against the backdrop of a bold bass line is just up their alley.
Beautiful People [Rusted Root] -- Another song that can have great separation, but which is a little gimped by the q-Jays soundstage. That said, the clarity on the various voices is very nice. This is a very very good recording, and the q-Jays do a really good job with it.
Mount Normal [Blues Traveler] -- This song is mastered a bit louder than most. Nonetheless, it has a great sound with these. The bass actually slams a bit, and John Popper's voice is awesome. Plenty of energy, no matter how much else is going on.
Beautiful People [UPenn Off the Beat] -- This is a low fi, off-the-net recording of an a capella song. It's an interesting test. I have to say that these phones do very well with separating voices. They're definitely well-resolving phones. Although the mids and highs sound good, and the sound is well balanced, I have to say that there's some indefinable feeling that these phones are lacking that my Atrios and Shures had. There was a certain sweetness to the Shure mids that these just don't have. I might have to say that these are almost exhibiting the clinical sound that Ety-haters often describe.
Desert Rose [Sting] -- Another well recorded song, great balance of highs mids and lows. This song is pretty darn good on these headphones. Sting's voice comes out well, but I can listen for whatever else I want and the bass had plenty of juice on it.
Bus to Beelzebub [Soul Coughing] -- Strangely, on this song, the bass gets a bit overpowering at times. That might be because I've turned the volume down a bit. I think I'm getting a little fatigued with these phones.
Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) [Parliament] -- Again, still have the volume set a bit low from the last song and the bass is a little strong. Turn it up a bit, and things are great. Except for my ears being a bit tired. I've been listening to these phones for a couple of weeks, so I'm not sure this is something that will just go away with time.
Wade In The Water [Eva Cassiday] -- Just the kind of song that makes these puppies sound great. Very well recorded, with a really pretty female voice as the main element. Her voice really soars, and there isn't enough other high-range stuff to really cloud it or bother my now-sensitive ears.
Down in the River to Pray [Alison Krauss] -- I had never noticed that the other female singers are faintly humming behind the initial solo singer before. That's pretty impressive. This track shows up very nicely, being primarily mids and highs, and having a very delicate sound. I suspect these phones would be very good for classical, especially strings. I do recall being a little disappointed with their rendition of the 1812, though.
Everybody Knows [Leonard Cohen] -- Cohen's voice actually sounds really warm on this recording. The mandolin sideline sounds great, and the female chorus singers come in very clearly.
Living [Moby] -- This is another song with a strong string background and mostly guitar for melody. The q-Jays rather shine on all of the above. The only problem is that I find myself fiddling with the volume a lot.
ABC (Salaam Remy Krunk-A-Delic Mix) [Jackson 5] -- First off, the bass beat that can rock my socks with my Atrios or in my car is just dull. The vocals are fine, if a touch bright. I feel like these phones aren't staying in very well for some reason. If I adjust them so that htey're just right, the sound is much much better, but a few minutes later they've shifted position on me.
Pretty Angry (For J. Sheehan) [Blues Traveler] -- I think I'm getting tired of listening to these phones. I always feel like i have to keep them a little uncomfortably loud to like the sound. I have to give them props for revealing some new details in the background vocals that I don't recall having heard before. When turned up a bit, the sound balance is really good, too. It's very strange, because when I take one phone out and compare the one that's still in to ambient, I really don't have it turned up that loud. It just feels that way to my ears.
First We Take Manhattan [Leonard Cohen] -- Yup. These phones are detailed. You can hear every nuance of Cohen's voice, and the whole song sounds kind of lush.
Leaving New York [REM] -- I'm debating switching back to the Comply foamies. They stayed in the ear better, and I feel like I keep losing the good seal for some reason. I switched to the Ety tri-flanges because they tend to give a little more bass to the sound without going boomy. The Comply tips do the same thing, maybe even better, but are more of a PITA in terms of usability.
In summary -- these phones were really hard for me to quantify. They seem very very sensitive to placement and fit (even more so than the many other IEMs I've used). When the bass was strong, it was quite strong, but had a little bit of bloat. When the bass was lean, I felt like it was really detailed. They often struck me as just a little on the bright side. That said, I'd almost certainly recommend them as an upgrade to an Ety ER-4 listener who wants more bass. I definitely felt like it was important to use tips that enhance the low end. If I'd gone to these after the ER-4P, I would have loved 'em. If I'd gone to them after the Shure SE310, I probably would have liked them. After the Atrios, which are quite a bit cheaper to boot, they don't really impress.
