EPZ Q5 Review – Mini Advar
EPZ’s latest model Q5 comes with a 10mm dynamic driver with a dual cavity and dual magnetic circuit design. The dual-cavity design accurately separates and reconciles the frequency response to achieve a balanced presentation of the full frequency band. This design also optimizes the magnetic current to ensure the magnetic and thermal stability of the drive unit under high loads, thereby reducing harmonic distortion.
The combination of these two designs increases the width and depth of the sound field, enhances the dynamic range, and gives the tone a richer sense of layering. At the same time, it is more in line with the hearing habits of the human ear, making the authenticity of the music more three-dimensional.
With its hard and light characteristics, the self-developed ceramic carbon nano diaphragm promises fast response and high resolution, ensuring accurate reproduction of music materials. High hardness and strong stability, even under high-power drive, can reduce distortion and ensure pure and high-fidelity sound. The low internal resistance design makes it agile in current response, wide in dynamic range, full in tone, and distinct in layering.
EPZ Q5 comes with skin-friendly resin shells. EPZ used 3D printing technology and self-developed skin-friendly resin materials to build the IEM cavity. This cavity is ergonomically designed to ensure comfort for long-term wear, while its optimized structure further improves sound quality performance.
What’s in the box
Specs
- 10mm self-developed dual magnetic circuit dual cavity ceramic carbon nanocomposite diaphragm
- 3D-printed resin shells
- 3D-printed acoustic cavity
- Frequency response range: 20-20KHZ
- Sensitivity: 109db (±1db)
- Impedance: 26 0hm
- Plug diameter: 3.5mm
- Connector type: Mmcx
- Cable: 4-core single crystal copper silver plated
- Cable length: 1.2M
- Price: $49
I would like to thank EPZ Audio for providing me with the review sample of EPZ Q5.
Sound
The EPZ Q5 is an IEM that requires some power to perform well. You should use a device that can boost its signal, such as a dongle DAC, a DAP, or an amplifier for portable or desktop use.
The EPZ Q5 has a sound signature that slightly emphasizes the bass and treble while keeping the midrange clear and detailed. However, the midrange sounds a bit thin and lacks some warmth. The notes are crisp and airy, but they could use more weight.
Bass
EPZ Q5’s bass is textured and punchy and most of all it’s fast. The bass is boosted slightly north of neutral with an emphasis on sub-bass extension. Despite that, however, the bass is tame in terms of quantity and the Q5 is not a basshead IEM.
It’s a highly focused bass that’s clean and precise. Sub-bass has a light rumble and the mid-bass is tight and precise. It’s not exactly authoritative in terms of impact but it works well with the overall tuning.
Midrange
The midrange of the EPZ Q5 has excellent clarity and great resolution, with good detail and no congestion. The tonality is slightly on the leaner side of neutral, which means that the midrange is not overly warm or colored. While this can be great for some genres of music, male vocals may sound a little thin and not as robust as some listeners may prefer.
Despite this, the EPZ Q5 still offers a fairly accurate timbre, which means that instruments and voices sound natural and realistic. Overall, the midrange of the EPZ Q5 is well-balanced and offers great clarity and detail, making it a great choice for those who prioritize these qualities in an IEM.
Treble
The treble of the EPZ Q5 has a better extension compared to many IEMs in this price range, and it is smooth at the same time. It renders a good amount of detail, which means that instruments and sounds in the treble range are well-defined. The treble is crisp but not entirely precise, which means that it doesn’t have razor-sharp accuracy but still offers good clarity.
EPZ Q5’s treble sounds authentic and not overly colored or artificial. Importantly, the treble doesn’t have any harsh peaks and doesn’t cause sibilance, making it enjoyable to listen to for extended periods of time. Overall, the treble of the EPZ Q5 is well-balanced and offers good detail and extension without being harsh or fatiguing.
Souindstage & Imaging
The soundstage is not very wide or deep, but it has some extra height. The EPZ Q5 can position the sounds well, thanks to its fast and clean delivery and good separation. The layering is decent but not very complex, because of its limited stage depth.
Sum-Up
When it comes to audio quality, the EPZ Q5 IEM is a real standout. Despite its affordable price point, it delivers a well-balanced sound signature that slightly emphasizes the bass and treble while maintaining a clear and detailed midrange.
The EPZ Q5’s performance makes it a strong contender in the budget IEM market, giving listeners access to high-quality sound at a fraction of the cost of high-end IEMs. I can easily recommend the EPZ Q5.