QKZ x HBB Review
🔥 Tight bass, clear vocals, good soundstage
🧐 Treble is diminished, bass heavy presentation, imaging isn’t the sharpest
Introduction
Earphones have come a long way since the days of single dynamic drivers. Balanced armatures, electrostatic and planar magnetic drivers have been added to the fray of technologies our hifi companies get to play with in the search of the ever-elusive perfect sound signature. Now, a new breed of innovation seems to be taking the ChiFi world by storm: Audiophile collaborations. One example is the very earphone we’ll be taking a look at today, the QKZ x HBB 10mm single dynamic driver earphone (in case it gets mistaken for the newer QKZ x HBB Khan).
Unboxing
These earphones come with a basic accessory package, a cable which looks better than it functions (for me anyway) and two types of eartips. One is presumably more bass-focused but neither set really fit me that well so I just used some ear tips from other earphones (the SpinFits provided with the Moondrop Chus specifically). Coming in at £19, this isn’t all that surprising and is decent enough.
In terms of build quality, the earphones offer resin housings and provide decent passive noise isolation. These are pretty comfortable earphones since they don’t weight too much so are good to wear for long listening periods. The nozzle is pretty long so a good seal shouldn’t be difficult to achieve.
Overall Listening Experience
Let’s start with what these earphones do best: Bass. It punches hard, is very clearly the star of the show. There is good sub bass attention in the QKZ, rounding out the bass signature of most songs really well. You get to feel the impact of bass drums and a good detail to the bass guitars without feeling too overwhelmed as the volume of bass is kept in tight reins.
Mids flow nicely but suffer slightly from the emphasized bass. Vocalists and instruments have good body and tonality. The overall presentation is more laid back, with the singers hanging around with the background, not front and centre.
Treble is probably the weak point for these earphones. They are definitely not sibilant, feeling a bit repressed. High notes decay too quickly and sound a bit murky. The very brightest of cymbals chime in quite well, but anything lower than that gets lost in the mix and don’t sound like they’ve truly been able to express their notes.
The QKZ x HBB offer decent soundstage and space for tracks to breathe, giving the user a good sense of space within the track. The resolution, on the other hand, isn't sharp and the imaging for busy tracks won’t blow you away, but this is to be expected at this price point. Just enjoy the expansive experience and worry a little less about the details and you’ll be all right.
Final Thoughts
These are a great budget consideration, especially for beginner audiophiles who want to venture into this ChiFi world. If you’re a big basshead, these are a no-brainer. If you’re into classical musical or more orchestral pieces, these might not be the best option.
Comparisons and Head 2 Heads
- Blon BL03: These are pretty competitive with the Blons. I’d say for pure bass, the QKZ actually has the upper hand here. The QKZ also wins in terms of soundstage, providing a more wide area as a listening platform. Despite this, I’d still prefer the Blons for the richer mids and vocals, better treble presentation and sharper resolution. Fit-wise though, the QKZ will give the Blons a run for your money