KB Ear Qinglong

General Info/Comfort/Build/Packaging
KBEAR has several new releases, QingLong is one of them and not gonna lie that their recent release has been a hit or miss. QingLong is a single dynamic driver IEM and the shell is made out of aluminium. The IEM’s build is very solid, it doesn’t have any issue staying in my ears.

Packaging wise, KBEAR decided to go fairly minimal this time around, still has the brown coloured storage pouch with magnetic flap, the wide and narrow bore eartips, this time it doesn’t come with the 07 eartips, which i am quite fond of.


Gears used for this review

• Topping DX1 + Topping NX7
• Hidizs XO Dongle
• Sony Walkman ZX300 with MrWalkman’s Firmware
• iPod Touch 5th Gen
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
QingLong to my ears is a very warm sounding set, with emphasis on the low end. Timbre here is natural and the note weight is good, however the treble does roll off a little too early, cymbals and high hats don't present themselves that forward and slightly lacking air as well. The perceived “brightness” is mostly derived from the upper mids. Let’s take a look at the breakdown below:

Bass

• Sub bass has satisfying and sufficient rumble to it, but the mid bass is more elevated compared to the sub bass
• Mid bass can come off as a little bloated when the track gets too busy in tracks like Slipknot’s Duality
• The bass is generally alright if i’m not listening to Slipknot’s or Metallica, listening to Jazz can be quite pleasant as well sometimes

Mids

• The mid range is slightly recessed to my ears
• Bass does bleed into the mid slightly
• Male vocal especially those with lower baritone sounded very pleasant due to the warmth carried over by from the lows
• Female vocal lacks a little energy
• The upper mids are not shouty to my ears (Your experience might vary depending on your sensitivity)

Treble

• The treble region is smooth and non offensive and certainly not sibilant, this is definitely a set for someone who are sensitive with treble
• Detail retrieval is not the star of the show here, they are okay but don’t expect them to be very analytical
• Treble is lacking air hence complex track will suffer a little

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is good enough, nothing out of your head, average width, depth and height
• Imaging does suffer a little due to lacking air, however depending on the track you are listening to, it doesn’t really perform well on complex track

Driveability

• QingLong is not hard to drive, can easily be driven via Apple’s Lightning Dongle
• It does scale with better source of course, using a neutral source does shows better synergy due to QingLong being a warm IEM in nature
• It doesn’t really need amplification, but giving it a bit more power does exhibit a better control in terms of bass and soundstaging (More open sounding)

Final Thoughts
With so many IEM releases lately, it is certainly very hard to keep up especially for consumers, so let me just point you to the right direction, if your preference is leaning towards analytical listening, QingLong is not for you, if you are someone who likes warm with a bit of bass and smooth top end, and also treble sensitive, QingLong is for you. QingLong is not a bad set, it is just the tuning that is targeted at different audiences I believe.

*I thank KeepHifi for providing me with this sample for the purpose of this review. I received no compensation to produce this review.

If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to KeepHifi’s webstore:

KBEAR QingLong - Non Affiliaited

Disclaimer: Keephifi provided me with a review unit. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Unaffiliated product link here.





Introduction & Packaging

Qinglong is a $69 single dynamic driver IEM from KBEAR (currently on sale for $59 at the time of writing), featuring PU+PEEK composite diaphragm material. Qinglong is also one of the Four Chinese Mythical Beasts, also known as the Azure Dragon of the East. You can see it is reflected in the cover art of the box, as well as some tasteful dragonscale pattern along the edge of the IEM housing. Talking about the housing, it is made out of aluminium alloy, polished to a shiny finish. While it looks stunning, unfortunately it is a major fingerprint magnet. However, since it is not painted, there won't be any peeling issues. There are 6 sets of eartips, comprising of 3 pairs of narrow bore tips (S/M/L) and 3 pairs of wide bore tips (S/M/L). The stock cable is a 4-core 5N OFC cable, which feels and sounds pretty good. There is a cleaning cloth and a small nozzle brush to keep the IEM in tip-top shape. Lastly, there is also a premium-feeling leather case, which happened to be my favourite among the accessories set (you can buy the case separately at $10). I'd rate the accessories set 10 out of 10, I've had more expensive sets not having the same kind of accessories.









Sound Impression

Listening setup:

• Topping D90SE/A90D stack (single-ended)
• Fiio M11S (single-ended)
• Questyle M15 (single-ended)
• Stock narrow bore eartips and stock 3.5mm cable
• Local FLAC, Tidal, Apple Music, or Spotify depending on the availability of the music

My musical library is mostly J-Pop, city pop, and jazz. Occasionally I'll listen to some EDM, movie/game soundtracks, and heavy metal.

The Qinglong has undergone a 24-hour burn-in prior to testing. I picked the narrow bore for the testing, as the shorter length of the wide bore doesn't give me a good seal. I did a couple of listening sessions with KBEAR 07 eartips as well.

Graphs are courtesy of Ian Fann. Listening was done prior to looking at the graphs.



I understand that with IEMs, the shape of the ear canals, fit, eartips choice, and personal preferences can greatly affect the impression of the IEMs. I try my best to describe my experiences, however your experience may vary depending on your listening setup. While I might add some measurements and graphs for a certain degree of objectivity, it is nevertheless a subjective opinion.

In short, Qinglong is a V-shaped tuned IEM with a decent bass extension, warm midbass, and slightly forward treble with an early roll-off. The mids are somewhat recessed, but the driver can still deliver some solid vocal performance. Qinglong's tuning is quite a departure from the recent tuning trends, I find the Qinglong to be closer to the more 'classical' sound of the older hi-fi gears, but executed with more finesse and better technicalities. It is not really my cup of tea, but it is still nevertheless enjoyable with some particular music library and taste. In busier tracks like heavy metal, it's just can't keep up, but something like a mellow, slow jazz, it's quite enjoyable.

Technicalities aren't Qinglong's strongest point, but also not the weakest too. Soundstage is quite spacious but the imaging isn't as precise due to the midbass bloominess. Detail retrieval is decent, I wish there are some more upper midrange details and bass texturing. I would say Qinglong's technicalities are still competitive against other recent IEMs in its price range.

I would also say that Qinglong scales pretty well to sources. With extra power, you get slightly better bass textures and improved treble details.

Bass: Smooth, warm, impactful, a bit slow
Midrange: Quite recessed, a bit distant, but still solid vocals
Treble: Early roll-off, smooth, non-sibilant
Technicalities: Wide soundstage, so-so imaging, decent resolution

Select Comparisons


Moondrop Aria ($80)
Aria's tuning is what I would classify as the more modern tuning direction with a more U-shaped tuning and relatively clean mids inspired by Harman's research. For my music library, I am more partial towards the Aria with its more agile driver and cleaner midrange. But as I go further away from my usual library and went into classical music or big orchestral pieces, I can understand the allure of the Qinglong.


Tripowin x HBB Mele ($50)
Although Mele is probably out of stock in most places right now, I find it to be similar in the transients. For sure, Mele is noticeably darker and smoother, with more energy in the subbass. Qinglong is more detailed, slightly brighter on the treble. The timbre is really similar to my ear, with a thick note weight noticeable with both sets. That said, I think fans of the Mele might be able to find enjoyment in Qinglong to a certain extent.


Tripowin x HBB Olina ($100)
The Olina graphs closer to the Qinglong from the bass to the mids, but still, the timbre is really different between them, most likely due to the differences in transient response between the driver materials. Olina with its more agile, faster CNT driver also gives it a tighter bass response and cleaner mids expression, especially in vocals. Olina also has more air and slightly better resolution. However, Qinglong has a better musical instruments reproduction. I would personally pick Olina based on my music library, but that's my personal opinion and circumstances. Overall, I'd say they're comparatively similar in value, so it is really down to preference and music library.


Conclusion

Qinglong is a pretty competent IEM overall, even though it is not really to my taste. At the current sale price, I would say it is still quite a good deal, especially if you're looking for something a bit different from the recent crop of Harman-tuned or neutral sets. With this solid set of accessories and solid build quality, I would give it a chance.

The packaging is the new KBear style with cool graphics, its smaller and more environmentally friendly. Inside is a good number of accessories. The QingLong or Blue Dragon is both well-made and comfortable. The cable is superb and one of my favorites in this price range. The tips are above average and provided a good seal and isolation was also above average for me.

Getting to the sound

Bass: was very well textured and full of good details and reasonable control; Sub-Bass has a good depth and rumble without being too muddy or slow. Mid-Bass has a nice punchy presence and is rich and detailed as well. I think this could please all but the most discerning Bass-Head.

Mids: Lower Mids are warm and have full body to them, there is little recession for a V-shaped signature, and male vocals sound very pleasant, Female vocals sound good but could use more energy in my opinoin. Midrange in general is good but more towards the smoother side and less analytical than some.

Treble: Is smooth and controlled but does roll off quickly, treble heads will be disappointed here, In my opinion it fits well in some kinds of music and falls short in others. perhaps the KAI does better here overall but these are still very enjoyable for rock and pop music.

Soundstage: The Qinglong does soundstage well, it is open and full, with above average details and separation. I would say its excellent.

Afterthoughts:
The KBear Qinglong is a good value for those looking for a fun bass driven IEM with reasonable technicalities and an enjoyable signature.



Specification:
Brand: KBEar
Model: Qinglong
FR Range: 20-40 kHz
Sensitivity: 108 db @1kHz
Impedance: 32Ω
Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated straight jack
Cavity Material: Aluminum
Driver: 10mm HD Double-layer Composite Diaphragm
Cable: 4-core Silver-plated Cable with coating in grey
Interface: Interchangeable 2 Pin 0.78mm gold-plated connector