The BQEYZ Winter Ultra is a $279 IEM which is a follow-up and a collaboration with Angelears (an audio store) variant of the BQEYZ Winter, which I previously covered on this website.
Disclaimer: Reviewing audio gear is highly subjective. There are many factors that influence the sound characteristics of a product, such as ear tips, fit, music choice, prior experience, and more. What I experience may not reflect what you experience, and vice versa. So please take everything I say here with a grain of salt, and always cross-reference reviews. So now, let’s proceed.
Summary
Pros:
- Still have that lovely forward mids
- Beautiful royal blue CNC aluminum housing build
- Lightweight
- Good overall technicalities
- Relaxed listening
- Midbass bleed remedied on this variant
- Improved treble response
Cons:
- Fit is not snug, you might need to tip roll for these to stay still in your ears
- Not for bass heads or people who love rumbly sub-bass
- Slightly expensive than the original Winter
About the BQEYZ Winter Ultra
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 Winter, KC2 (their most popular set as far as I know), Topaz, and lots more.
Specifications
- Impedance: 38Ω
- Sensitivity: 113db
- Frequency Response: 5hz – 40khz
- Cable Length: 1.2m
- Pin Type: 2-pin Connector
- Plug Type: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm
- Driver Unit(S): (1) Dynamic Driver + (1) Bone Conduction Driver
What’s Inside the Box
- Hard carrying case
- Rime Cable (3.5mm & 4.4mm interchangeable jacks)
- Cleaning brush
- Eartips (Generic, Atmosphere, & Reference)
- Manuals
- Cable Organizer
- IEMs
Review
This is going to be a shorter than usual review as I already reviewed the original BQEYZ Winter variant which shares 95% of its characteristics.
The source I used for this test is my Cayin N6ii Digital Audio Player (DAP). I used the Winter Ultra with Tri Clarion ear tips size M due to the fit of the IEMs, which isn’t the best. I also used it with my iFi Zen Can amplifier hooked to a Venture Electronics Abigail Pro Dongle DAC.
The only thing that changed appearance-wise is the vent. The original BQEYZ Winter has a kind of flower vent design, whereas the Ultra has a more linear vent. Also, the mesh on the Ultra appears to be thinner than on the original. And of course, there are these beautiful royal blue shells!
But overall, the Ultra weighs pretty much the same as the original – they share the same pattern and form factor. So if you didn’t like the fit of the original BQEYZ Winter, you can expect the same with the Ultra.
Frequency Graph
Comparison between the OG Winter and the Winter Ultra. Frequency response courtesy of Practiphile.
Experience
Similar to the OG Winter but with the exception of better cable. This comes with their Rime cable which has an interchangeable jack.
Music
As for the sound, it’s the same tuning but a more refined version of the original BQEYZ Winter. The bass region is where most of the changes occurred – the bass is cleaner.
My main gripe about the original was that it somehow muddled the lower mids due to bass bleed, but this has been sorted out in the Ultra release.
Gaming
Gaming with the Ultra gave me a similar experience as the original BQEYZ Winter. However, the Ultra resolves better due to its cleaner lower end and somewhat improved treble.
Conclusion
Should you upgrade to the Ultra if you already have the original BQEYZ Winter? In my honest opinion, no, it would be redundant unless you love the new color and you love the Winter so much that you want to collect both versions.
If you are still contemplating getting the BQEYZ Winter, I’d say the extra money is worth it! You’ll get a refined version in the form of the BQEYZ x AngelEars Winter Ultra.
As always, thank you for reading my review! Stay tuned for more.
Read my BQEYZ Winter review here.
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