Some things just take you by the name, either effectively or ineffectively depends on the individual’s personality towards a particular name. I was lucky enough to grow when the digital age started developing and advancing at a frantic pace. I can clearly remember the 1st time I was asked by Yahoo Mail to create an email username and password and one of the numerous things that popped on my mind was using QWERTY, it’s easy to spot on a keyboard and I thought, yeah, that could work. Until I found out most of my peers used the same password as well. It then made the QWERTY tagline in my mind of being associated with average, ordinary and common. Imagine what I was thinking when I heard about BQEYZ as a company name for an audio brand, no need to guess, you’d know by now what I was thinking.
BQEYZ, as of the moment has no official website but instead uses AliExpress for their official store which also supports all the other BQEYZ products such their other IEM offerings, the K1, KB1, K2 and KC2. What we have now to realview is their current flagship, the BQ3, along with BQEYZ C2 8-core(4-core single crystal copper and 4-core silver plated copper) upgrade cable which BQEYZ both sent as a sample unit in exchange for an honest review, no monetary factors were involved in the agreement. Priced at $68.99 for the BQEYZ BQ3 and the BQEYZ C3 upgrade cable for $35 can be checked and grabbed off their official BQEYZ AliExpress store front and BQEYZ Amazon store front.
The BQEYZ BQ3 is a hybrid type IEM featuring dual dynamic drivers and 3 balanced armatures per side. It is spec’d out with a 7-40 kHz Frequency Response, 22 Ohm Impedance and a 95dB Sensitivity. An option for either black or blue faceplate designs are offered by BQEYZ for the BQ3 and we have the black one for realview. The BQ3 stays departs BQEYZ’s known product naming scheme of using the “K” character which was according to BQEYZ, was their old factory’s 1st name. Does this mean that the BQ3 is the start of a new line of BQEYZ products coming off a newer factory production line? If that’s the case, it better deliver the goods or else it might hinder BQEYZ’s plant for a 3rd production factory.
Packaging and Build Quality
BQ3
The BQ3 comes in a black sleeved box with just the BQ3 IEM snapshot on the front and minor product description details. Removing the sleeve showcases the BQ3 in a black foam cutout with 2 pairs of translucent gray eartips (S and L, with M being pre-installed on the BQ3), a small box with the BQEYZ brand is placed just below the foam cutout which contains the dark gray velvet storage pouch and the stock cable inside. It’s nice to find a storage pouch being included by BQEYZ since the BQ3 is for now, their flagship offering.
The BQ3’s housing makes use of an all-aluminum alloy build with an overall ovoid shape. The faceplate where the color option sets in can either be black or blue which both features metallic silver chamfered edges and the inscription “Hybrid technology”. The underside of the IEM housing features 3 vents with both placed flatly and is sized a tad wider than the single vent placed on the base of the BQ3’s nozzle. The BQ3’s nozzle is a separate piece and I’d guess it is some kind of hard plastic although it terminates to a metallic silver showerhead type cap. As with all metal build IEMs, the BQ3 is prone to scratches and feels cold to the ears when used on a fully air-conditioned room. It doesn’t feel totally uncomfortable for my ears although I can’t use it for more than 3 hours as the upper portion of the BQ3 tends to touch my ears way too much causing eventual discomfort (that’s at 3 hours usage).
The BQ3’s stock cable is a 4-core copper wire with black shielding and either comes with mic controls (1 button control for play/pause and answer/drop functions) or not. There is sufficient strain relief on both the gold-plated right angle 3.5mm jack and the black metal Y-split with the BQEYZ brand printed on it.
The BQ3 also utilizes removable cables with a recessed .78mm 2pin female connection on the IEM and a gold-plated .78mm 2pin male connector housed in black hard plastic with L-R markings and a clear plastic memory guide for over ear use.
C3 upgrade cable
BQEYZ decided to include one of their upgrade cables for the BQ3 and I was already expecting it to be packaged in either a small plastic or cardboard box so I was surprised when it came with a matte silver zip case which is lined with black velvet on the inside, it immediately became my go to storage case for the BQ3 since not only does it have enough space to store the upgrade cable and the BQ3 but also because it has quite a sturdiness to it which doesn’t easily compress when stored in a very tight bag.
The BQEYZ C3 upgrade cable is made of 8-core (4-core single crystal copper and 4-core silver plated copper) utilizing the usual round braid and is finished/sheathed with silver as well as copper making it an easy eye-candy. There is sufficient tension on the braid making it easy enough for storage and stiff enough to resist tangles. The gold-plated 3.5mm straight plug housing, y-split and chin slider are all made of aluminum as well with a matte silver finish, only the 3.5mm housing has ample strain relief though. The 2pin .78mm female housing uses clear plastic which has a memory wire guide as well for over ear use. Only a slight hint of microphonic noise was present when using the C3 upgrade cable, not enough to be annoying or disrupt your listening session.
Tonality
The BQ3 comes off as a overall balanced sounding set of IEMs with a touch of emphasis on both the low-end and the treble yet not enough to say it’s boosted on the said frequencies. I decided to use the stock M ear tips along with the Sony CAS-1 off my MSI GF62-8RE laptop and the Sony A46HN music player outputting various FLAC files which would be mentioned along in the realview. The BQ3 also underwent the recommended “100 hour burn-in” period for those that advocate it.
Lows
Lady Gaga came in strutting for the low end performance test of the BQ3, singing her Starstruck track in 24/44 FLAC. Sub-bass hits has great depth to them which creates a rather powerful atmosphere. The occasional bass drops are full-bodied and resonates in a subtly lingering passion which doesn’t struggle when tracks get bass heavy, speedy bass came to play. The BQ3 handles the low end well and doesn’t disregard the fact that it needs a nice foundation towards the succeeding frequencies.
Midrange
The BQ3’s midrange is where all the improvements should be made for their next iteration. I called on Lea Salonga to serenade me with her I Can’t Make You Love Me in 16/44 FLAC. The BQ3 renders the midrange in a smooth and soft manner. The lower midrange delivery is clear enough but comes short of providing a fuller sounding experience creating a somewhat lackluster lower midrange performance. The midrange rendition also follows suit, acceptable but far from engaging. The upper midrange is where it starts to grasp that it lacks on the prior frequencies by adding a much needed clarity and attack on the notes which although non-fatiguing, is already too late to save the midrange.
Highs
Tackling the highs of the BQ3 was a relief from the rather mediocre midrange performance it gave out. Lady Gaga’s The Fame in 24/44 FLAC gave out stellar clarity and definition of the treble hits, enough to put a smirk on a treblehead’s face. There is a noticeable emphasis on this frequency which I personally prefer, it gives instrumental hits a quick and clean snap. The BQ3 also reports to the higher frequencies without any sibilance and disorienting sudden peaks.
Soundstage and Imaging
The BQEYZ BQ3 is comparable to the collection of friends you’d probably have upon reaching an older age, small but intimate. It renders the instrumental presence to emanate a narrow sounding soundstage with the imaging somewhat on point, not with great accuracy though. There is also mediocre layering observed but is equalized with great left to right and right to left panning.
C3 Upgrade Cable
While the BQ3’s stock cables worked great, it’s always a welcome option to have an upgrade cable within one’s reach and I personally am a believer that cables do create and offer sonic changes and sometimes improvements, at a tiny fraction of the IEMs overall tonality that is. What the C3 offers for the BQ3 is an overall tighter presentation for the low frequency, with the bass drops benefiting the most, would have loved it if the C3 improved the BQ3’s midrange though.
Conclusion
The BQEYZ BQ3 makes me think that the BQEYZ brand name was indeed what I initially believed it to be, odd but unique and so far not underperforming. The BQ naming scheme could be meaning Best Quality which although doesn’t exactly fit BQ3, it also doesn’t stray way too far from it. The BQ3 glides across the various sound frequencies, leaving nothing exceptional and nothing unsatisfying along the way. The low-end performance is rendered with sufficient thump and power and the high frequency devoid of sharp peaky highs with just a tinge of kick. The midrange would certainly love some more care and revision which gives BQEYZ both a challenge and opportunity to outdo themselves with the BQ4 (Just guessing). And if you have some spare funds, the C3 upgrade cable while lacking the much needed midrange bump the BQ3 needs, does indeed worked better for both aesthetic function and portability for the BQ3.
