Review: JAYS QJAYS

FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION

I have one ear canal slightly different to the other one (my right is very slightly smaller) – so I tend to find that usually single silicon flanges don’t fit overly well.  I initially tried the included large silicone tips, and whilst they fit OK, and I was able to maintain an easy seal, I didn’t personally find them comfortable for my anatomy – so immediately switched to the included T100 foams.  Instant gratification and a wonderful fit.

Because of their diminutively sized nozzle, I did find that a lot of my aftermarket tips simply would not fit the nozzle properly – but two that I had no problems with were spin-fits and also my trust Sony Isolation tips. I’m looking forward to eventually trying some Shure Olives as they should fit nicely also.

The angle of the nozzle and design of the housing create the perfect angle for my ears, and I could (and have) used these for hours at a time. With their diminutive size and extremely light weight, they seem to just disappear while I’m wearing them. I have no issues with wearing them while lying down, and have nodded off a few times with them in situ already.

Isolation with the q-Jays is very good, and I’d envisage no problems with using them on public transport, or during long haul flights.

SOUND QUALITY

The following is what I hear from the q-Jays.  YMMV – and probably will – as my tastes are likely different to yours (read the preamble I gave earlier for a baseline).  Most of the testing at this point (unless otherwise stated) was done with my Fiio X5ii. Tracks used were across a variety of genres

Thoughts on Default Signature

As I hinted at earlier, when I first listened to the q-Jays, I wasn’t wowed.  My first thought was “where’s the bass extension”, and “where’s my preferred brighter top-end”. What I did like though was the crystal clear mid-range, and it was this that had me persevering with the q-Jays in the first couple of days.

I’m really glad I did, because the one quality I’ve come to appreciate with them is the effortless balance in their signature. Jays promised a reference earphone, and to me this is what they have delivered.

Once I adjusted to the bass, I simply realised that what it missed in overall impact, it more than made up for in speed and overall quality.  And although it didn’t quite have the overt presentation of upper end detail, it definitely was still there – just not put under a spotlight like some of the earphones I own.

Overall Detail / Clarity

To test this, I always use both Steely Dan’s “Gaucho” and Dire Strait’s “Sultans of Swing” as there is a lot of micro detail in both tracks, and the recording quality for both is excellent.

The more I listened to these reference tracks, the more I realised how adept the q-Jays are at presenting overall detail. Cymbals aren’t particularly highlighted, but you can hear their natural decay when struck, and snares are crisp and clear. The sax intro on Gaucho has natural sounding tonality and the bass guitar is a nice accompaniment without being over bearing.

Sultans of Swing is more of the same, great balance – but this time really dynamic and fast.  There is some excellent detail coming through with cymbals and the click of drum sticks, and Knopfler’s guitar has good edge. One of the things that is immediately noticeable with the q-Jays is how good his vocals are presented.  There is great cohesion between upper and lower mid-range.

Sound-stage & Imaging

It’s usually difficult to get a reasonable stage size from an inner ear monitor.  The stage is often quite small / close – with an average impression of space.  So I usually begin testing with Amber Rubarth’s binaural recording “Tundra” to see if I can get an out of head impression. The q-Jays have a really nice sense of width and height for an IEM, and although it’s not overly expansive, there is enough with the track to give the impression of instruments playing around me. Imaging is extremely clear and very consistent, and I am enjoying this presentation.

Switching to “Dante’s Prayer” and this time the q-Jays are a lot more intimate. Once again I’m struck by the overall tonality of the presentation. The q-Jays captured Loreena’s vocals beautifully, and the whole performance was intimate but enjoyable (especially the combination of cello and piano). In this track, the applause at the end is so well presented that with some headphones (HD600) I can actually close my eyes and imagine myself in the crowd.  With the q-Jays, I was getting some immersion which is a great sign for an IEM.

I finished with Amanda Marshall’s “Let It Rain” – and this track is a good one because it has a naturally holographic feel about it, and can convey an amazing sense of space with the right headphones.  That holographic quality was very good with the q-Jays, and the only negative I noticed was a slight issue with sibilance – but only at higher volumes.

Bass Quantity and Quality

My usual track to evaluate bass quality is Mark Lanegan’s “Muddy Waters”. This blues rock track is quite dark and brooding, and usually exposes any muddiness or bass bleed. There was no danger of that with the q-Jays. The bass was very clean and well defined.  There wasn’t the usual visceral impact I’d expect from my triple hybrids, but Mark’s voice was presented well, and the performance was still enjoyable, but definitely different (I missed some of the usual atmosphere of a dynamic driver).

Next to see how low the bass would go – so I switched to Lorde’s “Royals” – and once again the q-Jays were subdued.  Normally when the bass guitar kicks in, you can almost feel the rumble. With the q-Jays it was audible but very distant, and once again the impact wasn’t there. On the positive side, Ella’s vocals remained crystal clear.  But I think anyone who really likes their bass impact might struggle a bit with the q-Jays presentation.

I did also try the q-Jays with some Trance (AVB), Trip Hop (Little Dragon), Hip Hop (Eminem) and EDM (Lindsay Stirling).  I really enjoyed the overall tonality, speed, and clarity – but the biggest thing missing was impact.

Female Vocals

A lot of my music revolves around female vocals – jazz, pop, rock, electronic, or even opera.  I’m an unabashed fan.  For me personally, the sign of a good IEM (for my personal tastes) is how successfully it conveys emotion and timbre with my female vocalists. My early litmus test is usually queuing Agnes Obel – as some of her recordings can become quite strident or shouty if the mids aren’t quite right.  The q-Jays were good with this track, but not quite as euphonic as my DN2000J.  The track was still very enjoyable though – just not the best I’d heard.  As I moved through some of my other artists (London Grammar, Angus & Julia Stone, Christina Perri, Gabriella Cilmi, Feist, Florence and the Machine, Lianne La Havas and Norah Jones),  I got a similar feeling, but also a better appreciation of the strengths of the q-Jays. It is a smoother more relaxed presentation than I’m used to – but the clarity and overall tonality still had me tapping my toes under my desk. Standouts for me were Cilmi’s “Safer”, and anything from Norah.  Velvet for the ears!

Male Vocals

Switching to male vocalists meant queueing my rock and grunge genres. 3 Doors Down was smooth and enjoyable but missing just a little of the bass dynamics I’m normally used to hearing. Alter Bridge being more guitar based was excellent, and the combination of Myles’ vocals and Mark’s guitar was really enjoyable. A bit of acoustic from the Eagles, Seether (unplugged), and Nils Lofgren, and one of the strengths of the q-Jays really became apparent. It really does have a magical mid-range for stringed instruments, and an extremely good presentation of male vocals.

My usual litmus test for male vocals is always Pearl Jam. Vedder’s voice is really good with the q-Jays – just the right amount of timbre and tonality. Cymbals once again are rendered very well, with really nice decay.  An easy listening experience.

Genre Specific Notes

I tried the q-Jays on a little of everything from alt-rock (Porcupine Tree) to classical and even some opera. I thought it was very good particularly with jazz (Portico Quartet was excellent) and blues (great with Bonamassa).

I also listen to a lot of Indie artists, which can tend to be pitched a little higher, and often involve a lot of acoustic guitar. Again the q-Jays absolutely excelled with the artists I played (Band of Horses, Yesper, Wildlight), and although there may not have been the same dynamics I’m used to from my triple hybrids, for a relaxing session the q-Jays have their own appeal.

I finished with some Vivaldi (thoroughly enjoyable), Kempff’s rendition of “Moonlight Sonata” (conveyed great tonality), and Netrebko and Garanca’s “Flower Duet” (stunning – spatial imaging was fantastic).  I’d have no issues recommending these for classical.

Oh yes, there’s even more on Page 4, after the click!

4.2/5 - (26 votes)
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Paul is a Kiwi from Down Under (New Zealand) and spends his time selling Lamb by day, and playing round with audio gear by night. He's a self confessed music junkie, with wide musical tastes and a penchant for female vocalists. He is not a golden eared listener, prefers to review armed with an SPL meter and objective measurements, and does his best to balance objectivity and subjectivity. Mostly though, he can be found with headphones on his head, and a smile on his face - lost in the moment.

7 Comments

  • Reply September 24, 2015

    ohm image

    Trance fans: this earphone has a hell of a lot of room to move. In fact, it is a glorious, if somewhat raspy, love child of the CK10 and GR10.

    • Reply September 26, 2015

      Brooko

      Yes – despite the lack of comparative impact that some of my triple hybrids have, the quality and speed of the bass is what hooks you with the q-Jays

  • Reply September 24, 2015

    Pade

    Whoa! Excellent review, very detailed and with extensive list of songs used to boot! I had to listen again to Royals to check if there’s bass guitar in it. I thought all that rumble was distorted floor tom samples.

    • Reply September 26, 2015

      Brooko

      Thanks – definitely the bass guitar. Reaches quite low too. It’s a really good track for testing low bass and impact.

  • Reply September 28, 2015

    Mochamad Zakky Hidayat

    Hey, I hope you can make review about portable over-ear closed headphones like ATH-MSR7, Sony MDR-1A, Denon AH-MM400, etc.

    • Reply September 28, 2015

      dalethorn

      What kind of sound are you after, and what kind of earpiece fit to ear are you looking for?

  • Reply October 3, 2015

    Rasmus Horn

    I had a chance to borrow the q-Jays for a week and I can only agree to what is written in this review. q-Jays is a very addicting and minimalistic IEM. Truly captivating, highly resolving and open sounding. Reminds me a lot of my trusty old Heir Audio Tzar 350 but with a bit more bite and air in the midrange.

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