BQEYZ Winter IEM Review

BQEYZ Winter is a $239 IEM which is the final product of the BQEYZ season series of in-ear monitors.

Disclaimer: This is my first review on this website so bear with me as I have mentioned on my About page, I am not an acclaimed “audiophile” so these are just my short and rookie impressions about this product. As always, Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV).

Summary

Pros:

• Forward mids
• Great CNC aluminum housing build
• Lightweight
• Rightfully priced
• Good overall technicalities
• Relaxed listening

Cons:

• Fit is not snug, you might need to tip roll for these to stay still in your ears
• Could use a little more treble energy
• The cable is on the stiff side
• Not for bass heads or people who love rumbly sub-bass
• Bass somehow bleeds into the mids

About the BQEYZ Winter

Company Overview

BQEYZ (Best Quality Earphones For You), a company based in China, is not a newcomer to this hobby. They have been releasing various IEMs such as their Season line-up starting with Spring 1 (which I previously owned), Spring 2, Summer, Autumn, and now Winter, KC2 (their most popular set as far as I know), Topaz, and lots more.

Specifications

• Impedance: 38Ω
• Sensitivity: 113dB
• Frequency: 5-40KHz
• Cable Length: 1.2m
• Connector Type: 0.78mm-2 Pin
• Plug Type: 2.5/3.5/4.4mm available (4.4mm is what I currently have)
• Driver Units: 1 Dynamic Driver + 1 Bone Conduction Driver

What’s Inside the Box

• Hard carrying case
• Cable
• Cleaning brush
• Eartips (Generic, Atmosphere, & Reference)
• Foam Eartips
• IEMs

Review

The source I used for this test is my Cayin N6ii Digital Audio Player (DAP). I used the Winter with the Tri Clarion ear tips (M) as they are the only tips that make the set stay comfortable in my ears.

Frequency Graph

Frequency response courtesy of Practiphile.

Experience

I tried various ear tips on this set including its stock offering but I find them uncomfortable. The only ear tips that worked for me are the Tri Clarion which I can now wear the Winter all day. Plus these sets have an inoffensive sound signature which is ideal for long listening sessions. I find the cable to be stiffer than I want it to be but that’s just a nitpick. The cable is well-made.

Music

The BQEYZ Winter has a noticeable roll-off in the sub-bass region, which may be perceived as lacking in depth. The primary focus of this IEM is on the mid-bass. If you prefer IEMs with powerful and well-extended sub-bass, you might want to consider alternatives like the Aful Performer 5.

While listening to Taylor Swift’s “State of Grace (Taylor’s Version)”, the mid-bass delivers a punchy response. However, it becomes apparent that there is some noticeable bleed into the lower mids due to a lack of control resulting in a slight muddiness in the track.

Mids are where the Winter shines. Vocals especially in the Jazz genre such as Laufey’s are intimate, clear, and well-separated. The mids are forward in the mix, it’s as if the vocalist is right beside you singing. There’s not much I could say in this department, I have always loved BQEYZ’s way of presenting their mids.

Vocal lovers, rejoice!

On the treble side, I’d say it is on the tamed side. I myself love some more extension, sparkle, and air but the benefit is that you can wear these IEMs throughout your 8-hour shift with no fatigue, thanks to the smooth treble response. You won’t hear sibilance on this set.

The soundstage of the Winter is average. There’s enough room for each instrument so they won’t sound congested. Even listening to Deathcore tracks like Lorna Shore’s “To The Hellfire”, each instrument can still be pinpointed and not overlap each other.

Gaming

Imaging in the Winter is just average. Playing Overwatch with these sets I can still pinpoint the direction of the opposing team but not at the same level as the Softears Studio 4 which is kinda understandable as it costs twice the price of the Winter.

It’s also not as good as the SeeAudio Bravery AE which is by far the best in terms of imaging and vertical performance.

Conclusion

All in all, I love listening to these inoffensive-sounding IEMs. The BQEYZ Winter would be great for vocal-centric genres such as Vocal Jazz. Despite the noticeable bleed in the lower mids, I still pick these IEMs because I find their intimate mids special and overall relaxed listening due to their somewhat neutral tuning with no emphasis on bass or treble. The note weight on this is also thick partly due to the mid-bass bleed.

I do not have firsthand experience with bone conductors so I cannot comment in that regard.