Disclaimer: I received the EPZ Q1 Pro as a loaner unit for review purpose from a friend, and this is not a review unit. I did not receive any discounts for writing this review. If you decide to buy this IEM based on my review and find that you disagree with the sound or assessment, that responsibility lies with you. I strongly discourage relying solely on a single review for purchasing decisions in the realm of audio quality, as preferences vary. You should conduct thorough research by exploring platforms such as YouTube, head-fi forums, and various Facebook audiophile groups before making a purchase decision.
Gears Used: I have used Cayin RU7 & Hiby R6 Gen III DAP as my sources for this review. And I have used a 3rd party cable, Moondrop LINE T 6N Single Crystal Copper cable and DIVINUS Velvet Silicone Eartips. I must emphasize that my choice of accessories and source might lead to a different sound experience than with stock accessories. As the copper cable relaxes the treble and extends the lower end. Cayin RU7 on Upscale to DSD 64 mode brings a good amount of warmth to the mix, while adding note weight and making the vocals thicker and forward. It also adds more mid-bass extension/punch which in general is missing from the Q1 Pro.
Accessories:
EPZ Q1 Pro
Soft carrying pouch
Standard selection of ear tip, 3 pairs of generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
3 pairs of generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
4-core Single Crystal Copper Wire
I found the accessories included in the box are somewhat generic and sub-par. I would have preferred an option to choose between 4.4/2.5/3.5 mm termination cable even if including a modular cable in the box was not possible. The included ear tips & pouch feels very cheap, sems like they provided these just for the sake of it, no effort to include better quality accessories was made from EPZ side, even the overall packaging quality felt cheap as well.
Sound Evaluation
Tuning: The EPZ Q1 Pro has a Harman inspired tunning and sounds neutral-bright overall. It’s a mid-centric sound profile but not sounding too thin or dry but rather more musical. As typical of the Harman tuning there is more of an emphasis on sub-bass and upper-treble.
Highs (3.5/5): The lower treble is well extended with the Q1 Pro while the brilliance part of the upper treble is somewhat lacking. Don’t expect too much air or sparkle in the brilliance region but overall treble is energetic and this is not a laid-back set. The treble is non-fatiguing and retains a smooth characteristic, this set is a safe choice for the treble sensitive folk.
Mids (4.0/5): The mids are definitely the high-light of the show, it has a clean presentation and maintains good resolution. The upper-mids takes precedence over the lower-mids. This is a very vocal forward set, but doesn’t get sibilant or shouty at any point. Paired with my Hiby R6 Gen III DAP, which is a neutral-bright source the Q1 Po did lack note weight and vocals sounded slightly thinner & harsher. But pairing the Q1 Pro with my Cayin RU7 using DSD 64 up-sampling mode, the note weight sounded denser, mids sounded thick and lush. Like most Harman tuned sets the Q1 Pro does female vocals masterfully while male vocals do lack body. Overall, a very enjoyable presentation while maintaining a natural timbre for instruments.
Bass (3.5/5): The EPZ Q1 Pro definitely isn’t a bass shy set but it neither is for bass-heads. Sub-bass has good extension and you can feel the rumble when it’s called for in the more bass heavy tracks. Mid-bass rolls off early and definitely lacks punch, but this again can be mitigated using a source like Cayin RU7 which adds to the mid-bass extension making it more pronounced in the mix. Overall, the bass has good texture and its speedy so bass quality is satisfactory for the asking price.
Technicalities (3/5): The Q1 Pro isn’t a very resolving set or it isn’t a master of detail retrieval but the good news is that EPZ hasn’t artificially boosted the treble to create an illusion of more resolution when really it isn’t there. Layering and imaging is just about average, soundstage gives more of an in your head impression rather than a wide holographic feeling. But using RU7 does boots the width of the soundstage compared to other sources. There aren’t a lot of micro-details or nuances being highlighted by the Q1 Pro, the tuning clearly leaning to a more musical aspect rather than the technical one.
Comparisons:
Moondrop Kato: I have tested this set in the past quite extensively so this comparison is solely based off of memory as I do not own the Kato right now. Given my personal preference I definitely prefer the Q1 Pro over the tuning of the Moondrop Kato, the Kato sounded more artificially boosted in the upper-treble, vocals sounding more shouty. Bass on the Kato is more rolled off, it felt the mids were overshadowing the bass and the treble. Note weight sounded thinner and dryer on the Kato and the overall tuning was noticeably brighter compared to the Q1 Pro. The saving grace of the Kato is its better upper treble extension with more air and sparkle in the brilliance region without sounding too harsh or fatiguing, also offering much better resolving capability and picking up more micro details compared to the Q1 Pro. Imaging and layering is also superior on the Kato. Given their price difference its no surprise that Moondrop Kato is pulling ahead in some aspects but overall, I prefer the fun and more musical sound of the Q1 Pro rather than the more analytical nature of the Kato.
Simgot EA1000: This again is not a fair comparison given the price difference, but as both are Harman tuned/inspired I wanted to a short comparison between these two sets. The EA1000 is significantly brighter and boosted in the upper-mids region, leading to more shouty vocals. Between the 3 sets, EA1000 has the shoutiest vocals which needs to be tamed with a warm source. Just like the Kato, EA1000 sounds more brighter, analytical and has a thinner note weight compared to the Q1 Pro. But the EA1000 absolutely destroys the Q1 pro when it comes to resolution, micro-detailing imaging, layering etc. It’s the technicalities champ although the upper treble region of the EA1000 sounds more artificially boosted to me and instruments do have a more natural timbre on the Q1 Po. Bass on the EA1000 is definitely better compared to the Q1 pro, mid bass has better extension while sub-bass rumble feels a bit rolled off, but the texture, the speed and resolution of the bass is clearly superior.
Conclusion: For $37 the EPZ Q1 Pro is a fun and musical sounding Harman set, which is definitely rare. If paired with the right source it scales quite nicely and if you are willing to invest in a good aftermarket cable & tips this can really bring out the potential of this IEM. However, those looking for a more analytical and more technical listen should look elsewhere. Q1 Pro provides excellent price to performance ratio and I wouldn’t mind recommending this one to the more budget oriented audiophiles.