Since my Redmi Buds 4 Pro broke down and I currently find the sound quality of my KZ EDX Pro X IEMs quite sufficient, I started looking for a very low-budget daily earbud and came across this model. Even though I could have saved around 30% at current market prices and opted for the QCY T13 model, which also features ANC, I chose these earbuds out of curiosity regarding their sound quality and user experience. I hope this review will be helpful for users looking for a daily driver focused on specific music genres.
I would like to note that the tests were conducted with the earbuds on their out-of-the-box default settings, and the volume was kept at 50% on a Redmi phone.
General Sound Profile and Strong Genres
Broadly speaking, the first phrase I would use to describe the initial audio experience is "fun and gets the job done." While its success in the sub-bass is a standout feature for certain genres, it creates a muddy, cluttered sound in genres where prominent bass isn't the main goal. Unfortunately, treble and mids are pushed back in priority in any track that contains bass.
While the earbuds won't disappoint you in genres heavily featuring digital sounds like Psychedelic, Synthwave, and Techno, they will make you quite happy in Hip-Hop, Rap, digitally-backed rap tracks, and music referred to as Funk or Phonk. If these genres are your main focus, I can recommend these earbuds with an 8/10 rating.
Where It Falls Short
As successful as the earbuds are in digitally-backed productions, they lag equally behind in traditional and instrument-based tracks. In choir and orchestral pieces, instrument separation fails, and the vocals are also compromised, which negatively impacts the listening experience. This effect, which can also be seen in classic rock music, can cause unequal volume levels and balance between tracks, with some tracks getting too loud and others dropping to a muffled level. In non-digital and relatively older works, the volume balance might not even be successful within the song itself. (6/10)
I think the genres where I disliked the earbuds the most were Rock, Industrial Metal, and Metal. While the volume level isn't balanced even within a single track, this difference becomes extreme between different tracks. I must state that depending on the complexity of the song, the earbuds really struggle, which poorly affects my listening pleasure. (4/10)
I can say that productions like Turkish Classical Music, foreign/local classical pieces, and piano works are listenable. Besides, if you don't have CD rips and the pieces are very old, you face issues here that are quite different from the criteria above and are likely to be experienced with almost any earbud. (5/10 - 7/10)
Track-Based Performance Evaluation
A few tracks I enjoyed listening to within the first few hours of using the earbuds:
Kavinsky - Nightcall: While not top-tier in terms of cleanliness and clarity, it's quite sufficient. (7.5/10)
Perturbator - Death Squad: Surprisingly successful. (9/10)
Tame Impala - Dracula: Again, it offers an experience where you can easily get the general feel of the song. (7.5/10)
UZI - KRVN: Even though I don't love the song, the earbuds are genuinely successful in hip-hop music. (8/10)
I should note that my rating isn't flawless because the songs I mentioned above are ones I genuinely like. As for the songs that bothered me the most:
Arctic Monkeys - 505: I love the song, but the sound gets muffled, and the listening pleasure is not good at all. (4/10)
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise: A track where the volume level is never balanced. (5/10)
Ahmet Kaya - Most of his songs: The most extreme case of sound imbalance, and interestingly, it's present in most of the artist's works. (2/10)
I could add even more and different songs, but I chose better-known music genres that appeal to more people so that they can easily use them as a reference.
Ergonomics and Hardware
The earbuds' ergonomics are among the points I found most successful. At least for my own ears, despite sitting very securely, they feel neither heavy nor uncomfortable. The touch experience is at a "so-so" level. Of course, the lack of ANC is a major minus, and the earbuds don't block out outside noise all that much. But so far, this hasn't been an annoying issue for me.
Conclusion
That's about it. I won't give a score to the overall performance of the earbuds because it's a highly subjective matter. But in summary; it's a pair of earbuds that younger, new-generation listeners will enjoy, but friends who prefer more traditional music or are stuck in the past should be cautious before buying. If I take the sound quality of my KZ IEMs as the ceiling, these earbuds are perfectly fine to buy and use daily. Have a good day everyone, take care of yourselves.