Bass Wave

Ratings

Pros

• Possibly the most Bass-Heads oriented IEMS model in this price range.
• Remarkable ergonomics.

Cons

• A profile with such a high bass level is a far cry from realistic and natural listening, almost escaping from high fidelity.
• The accessory level is very simple.
• It needs a good power level to work.

Purchase Link

https://www.linsoul.com/products/qkz-x-hbb-hades

Link to the Store

https://www.linsoul.com/

Introduction

Again QKZ, ‘Quality Know for Zero Defect’, again HBB (HawaiiBadBoy from «Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews») and again a special tuning. And the name of the model is Hades, a dual dynamic driver with a high performance 9mm LCP diaphragm. According to the brand itself, «Hades effectively increases output across the entire frequency spectrum while minimising the total harmonic distortion of each speaker unit. In particular, the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm enables excellent audio reproduction due to its high rigidity and responsiveness compared to traditional dynamic drivers. By dividing the frequency spectrum across two drivers, each speaker unit can be adjusted to better target its respective frequency range, improving audio quality and texture. On the other hand, this new model has been tuned with extremely powerful bass response and treble that delivers crisp, clear articulation of instruments and vocals through natural, fatigue-free curvature in the upper harmonics.
These are truly IEMS for bass heads. But let’s see what else these specialised IEMS have to offer.

Specifications

• Driver Type: Dual dynamic driver with 9mm PU+LCP diaphragm.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 95dB
• Impedance: 16Ω ± 15%.
• Distortion Ratio: 1% at 1kHz.
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5mm gold-plated.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Cable: Oxygen-free copper.
• Price: $49.99.

Packaging

The QKZ x HBB Hades come in a square box decorated like a comic book on its main side, whose dimensions are 183x183x47mm. At the top left is the brand logo and slogan. To its right, in the centre, is the Hades logo, while in the top right corner is the HBB logo. In the centre is a realistic photo of the capsules, under the drawn cartoon. At the bottom, the model name in bright purple letters.
On the back is the frequency response, an exploded view of the capsule, the specifications, some logos of the specifications it meets, the brand name and importers. After removing the cardboard, a black box simulating scales with the triangular logo of the brand inverted and in gold is revealed. After lifting the lid there is a sheet of onion paper with the same logo with holographic lines in various colours. The lid has a foam sheet, while the product is contained in a foam mould. The contents are well protected and consist of:

• The two capsules QKZ x HBB Hades.
• A white plastic box with clip closure.
• One gold coin with HBB logo.
• Three pairs of white silicone tips with black core, sizes SxMxL.
• One black, four-stranded, oxygen-free copper conductor, microphone and 2Pin 0.78mm interface cable.

The case is made of rigid white plastic, very generic. With the clip fastener, it could be hooked to the cable, as its size is a bit tight. The cable is classic, very generic and the silicone tips are just enough. You would expect more for 50$, but QKZ doesn’t make an effort to improve a very basic accessory.

Construction and Design

The capsules have been built in resin using 3D printing technology on a fourth-generation industrial DLP machine. The outer face has a transparent plate that reveals a kind of blue glitter dune inside. The rest is a dark translucent colour. The inner face is made of one integral piece with a subtly rounded shape, with the nozzles slightly inclined. There is no step in the nozzles and their bore is protected by a metal grille. There is a hole on the inner side, close to the edge of the capsule. They are thick, the connection interface is flat and integrated into the capsule. There is an oval hole at the adjacent apex. Next to it, on the right capsule is the channel lettering and the HBB logo, while on the left capsule is also the channel lettering, but next to the brand logo, all in gold ink. The diameter of the mouthpieces, at their outermost part, exceeds 6mm.
The cable is the classic 4-strand black coiled cable, with semi-rigid plastic over the ear. It has a microphone and control. It is the typical basic cable that comes with the vast majority of IEMS in this price range. Fortunately, this time it’s a 2Pin 0.78mm visible cable, and superior cables can be found at a fraction of the price. The plug sleeve is metal with diagonal notches in the shape of moving water droplets. The splitter is a cylinder with a bevelled base. There is no adjustment pin, but there is a control with a button and a microphone. The over-ear guides are somewhat closed, but the connector sleeve is cylindrical, metallic, with coloured grooves to identify the channel. It’s still a really basic cable with microphone and control. There doesn’t seem to be much effort put into upgrading the accessories. Will the vast majority of the money be spent on the sound?

Adjustment and Ergonomics

Although the capsules are relatively large, there is no shape to the mouthpieces, their slope is subtle and the inside face is relatively flat, and the thickness is high, the ergonomics are better than expected. The over-ear guides can be annoying and the 6mm thickness of the mouthpiece, in combination with some tips, can be too thick. Luckily, my ear canals are wide and with my homemade foam-filled tips I get a fairly occlusive fit, albeit shallow and very free. There is hardly any rotation and the lack of shape of the inner side is not a bad thing. The size of the capsule makes the fit just right for my ears, but these are not small capsules. But, all in all, this is a very light set with a thick canal that feels tight inside the canal, or rather at its entrance. The level of isolation can be good and with the durable fit it can be suitable for everyday use and in noisy environments such as the street or public transport.

Sound

Profile

The QKZ HBB Hades has a clear Bass-Head profile. You could say that it is a decreasing V tuning, where the first peak is broad and high and the second peak is softer, but shifted. Normally, V-profiles have a more energetic treble. However, in the Hades the treble is very soft and it is the energy of the upper midrange that brings clarity to the ensemble. The second peak of the V is in those upper midranges, but with a softer character. The result is a clear and largely bass-centred tuning, quite dark, with the midrange sinking and then rising very quickly. Finally, the treble is distinctly depressed and not overly extended.
As usual with QKZs, a good reserve of energy is needed to get them moving.

Bass

The bass is thick, dark, very powerful. It dominates the ambience, takes up a lot of space and stays there. There is a lot of energy in the hit and that is hard to dissipate, it is not the fastest bass, although it is relatively compact and tight. Again, it is quite dark and deep. Going straight to the very low frequency pure tone test, the Hades performs the lower notes in an audible but well behaved way. There is a good sensory character that makes it deep and powerful, but the audible part persists. Certainly, the energy is felt from very low, mixed with a rather dark timbre. This is how the very low frequency notes come across quite well. As you move up the hertz the sonority becomes more predominant and you feel that overwhelming power. The behaviour in real music is almost straightforward: the energy level goes hand in hand with darkness and power, while volume and space increase with the midrange bass. The bass extension is wide towards the midrange and intrudes into it, especially in the first half.
In the unfiltered and dirty bass reproduction test, there is relative control when the frequencies are very low. As the bass gets higher in hertz, the behaviour can become more critical and uncontrolled, taking on an unrealistic, even overwhelming, sonority. Admittedly, I expected worse behaviour, with less technical ability. But so much volume, presence and energy, as well as such a wide low range, can lead to exaggerated sonorities and situations that are not too realistic or natural. Despite all this, the Hades manage not to muddle, mix or clump all the bass and have some control in layering and distinguishing bass lines. But, I still think their technique is better in the sub-bass area, while in the midrange the result can be more unpredictable or excessive.

Mids

The midrange is dominated by darkness and an overly warm, even muddy feeling. The absence of treble does not help to add light to the first part of the midrange. In that sense, this initial phase is too thick, nuanced, muffled. It even feels louder because of the intrusion of the bass in the central range. The base of the male voices is broad, though they don’t feel on a close plane. There is a clear imbalance between their fundamental and the rest of the harmonics, showing themselves in a poorly defined, rather nuanced way, lacking detail and brilliance. The darkness engulfs the instruments, the timbre is not natural, nor realistic, and a sense of suffocation predominates, from which it is difficult to escape. The female voices do not escape this sensation either, although they come out somewhat more favoured by the enhancement of the second half of the midrange. But the midrange as a whole is unbalanced, dark, almost muddy, lacking in detail and very nuanced. In terms of distances, it is not clear either. There is a little more proximity in the female voices, but if the music has bass, the feeling of drowning in the ambience returns. On the other hand, the informative level of the midranges is low, all detail feels nuanced, even macro-detail.

Treble

The treble is very soft, not very extended, nuanced and thick. There is hardly a trace of sparkle and brilliance. No energy is perceived and the high notes linger very little in the atmosphere. The high notes are unnatural, they feel drowned out, too shallow or poorly defined. There is hardly any sense of air.

Soundstage, Separation

The scene feels deep in the bass and somewhat open towards the sides. However, many elements are in the middle distance, while the bass does seem to travel from a point close to the background.
Micro detail is not perceived, macro detail is nuanced, without sparkle. There is little clarity, low transparency, as well as a low level of information and description. With so much depth, the feeling of the image is somewhat diffuse, vague. With hardly any definition and light, the level of resolution feels low. As a result, the sound is clumped and not separated.

Conclusion

The QKZ HBB Hades are specialist IEMS, totally focused on bass. In the lower range their qualities are power, punch, darkness and depth. The lower range is very voluminous and the behaviour improves the lower the frequencies. On the other hand, the midrange and treble seem to move away from a more natural or realistic level, being relegated to second and third place. The midrange is unbalanced, while the upper range is too soft. The levels of sparkle, brightness, sense of clarity or transparency are low. All in all, the Hades are a far cry from the other IEMS I own, and certainly a model to consider if you’re looking for a sound that is so heavily weighted towards the bass, where the other bands are almost less important. On the other hand, this is just my humble personal opinion and, no doubt, the Hades will certainly appeal to those who see these features as major advantages.

Sources Used During the Analysis

• Burson Audio Playmate.
• EPZ TP50.
• Hidizs S8 Pro Robin.
• Tempotec V3.