Pros:
Underneath the foam, there is the carrying case with the cable, velcro strap and cleaning tool inside. There are also 2 sets of small, medium and large eartips with normal and wide bore sizes, quality control certificate, and the instruction manual.
- Excellent build quality
- Splendid resolution
- Above average soundstage
- Replaceable tuning filters for a total of three different sound signatures
Cons:
- Mediocre noise isolation
Introduction:
BQEYZ is a Chinese company that produces in-ear monitors. Right now, they are naming their top products after the names of the seasons, with their Spring and Summer both utilizing a tribrid single balanced armature, single dynamic, and single piezoelectric ceramic driver setup. They shifted gears with the Autumn which is using just a single dynamic driver but with replaceable tuning filters, giving it a total of three different sound signatures. The Autumn currently retails for 199 USD, and was provided to me at a discounted price by BQEYZ in exchange for this review.
Specifications:
Driver unit: 13 mm dynamic
Impedance: 46 ohms
Sensitivity: 110 dB
Frequency response range: 7 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Autumn comes in a medium sized black and orange sleeved box. Upon removing the sleeve you will see the earphones inserted in a dense foam. Below the earphones are the metal card that holds the tuning filters, and the magnetic tool that is used to remove and replace the filters.
Build:
The shells are made of metal with a matte finish. There is some weight to it but not to the point where it feels heavy. The faceplate has this ripple-like design. At the other side of the shell there are three adjacent vents that are recessed. I don't see any reason why BQEYZ decided to design the vents this way, but dust and other particles might accumulate in there. Right next to the vents are L and R side indicators, and below it is the hole where the filters are placed. The magnets that BQEYZ used were strong enough so that the filters does not fall off on its own unless the dedicated tool was used. The nozzles are made of metal, having filters with rather large holes, and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a braided 4-core silver plated copper and copper hybrid. It is a bit thick but very soft and lightweight. The 2 pin connectors, splitter, chin slider, and the 4.4 mm gold plated balanced plug are all made of metal.
I will be using the Normal filters for the sound impressions, and then compare it later against the Bass and Treble filters.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are full-bodied yet well-controlled. Subbass drops hard, and has excellent depth with a slightly extended decay. Midbass has just the right amount of thickness, and is positioned the same as the subbass with a smooth, clean texture.
Overall, Autumn has that very dynamic lows. The rumble and impact is powerful when the song demands for it, and goes back to a more balanced state when not needed.
Mids:
The mids are presented in a neutral and transparent manner. Male and female vocals are identical in terms of weight, timbre and position. The mids also have an excellent amount of clarity and each note is reproduced with great accuracy. Each instrument sounds very natural, lively and organic. And even in high volumes, the mids never sounded harsh nor aggressive.
Overall, this is, I think, the strongest point of the Autumn in Normal filters. Vocals and instruments are articulated nicely and fairly balanced all around, together with an above average level of transparency.
Highs:
The highs are slightly boosted just like the lows. Treble reach is above average but is able to showcase good control, therefore never reaching uncomfortable levels. The decay is elevated as well, but just enough so as to give instruments like cymbals some extra highlight. Minute details in each track can be noticed and appreciated with ease.
Overall, the highs of the Autumn does a very good job of reproducing the minor details in each track. Instruments also sound solid and crisp, without inducing fatigue in long listening sessions.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has an above average expansion. Width and height are given equal focus. Instruments are greatly separated, feel very spacious and gives off that holographic feel with every note. The clarity in the imaging is excellent, vocals are airy and layered nicely with the instruments. Congestion is very, very minimal even in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
with the Bass filter
The Bass filters increase the subbass substantially. The depth stayed the same but both the amount of rumble, and the length of decay was increased. The weight of the midbass was slightly increased as well. In the mids, there was a noticeable decrease with the clarity. Vocals were pushed back by just a tiny bit. The highs didn't have notable changes. The width of the stage became a tad smaller, but the height was just identical. Imaging retained its clarity but the layering and instrument separation were definitely affected, albeit rather only nominal.
with the Treble filter
The Treble filter reduced the depth and the impact of the subbass by just a tiny margin. The weight of the midbass did not change. Vocals became a bit forward but are now slightly cold sounding especially female vocals. The highs are evidently more forward now. The reach and decay in the treble stayed the same but instruments like lead guitars, cymbals and hi-hats sound more upfront and a little louder. Stage expansion stayed the same but the imaging became slightly clearer.
Conclusion:
The BQEYZ Autumn is one of the most versatile in-ear monitors in its price range. With the Normal filters, the Autumn has that clinical yet fun sound signature where the lows are sufficiently energetic, the mids are crystal clear, and highs that are sparkly but not over the top. But with the additional Bass and Treble filters, the Autumn takes the word "versatility" to a different level.
Tags:
In-Ear Monitors