BQEYZ SPRING 2 Review (2) – Flying Too Close To The Sun On Wings On Wax And Feathers
After nailing its initial sub-$50 releases, BQEYZ went upmarket with the $120 Spring 1, which had many virtues but just missed stardom on account of its flabby bass.
Enter the $170 BQEYZ Spring 2, which utilizes a similar design and the same driver array as the Spring 1 but specifies a higher impedance (32ohm). I found the BQEYZ Spring 2 easy to drive with my mobile but it had more low end punch through my desktop setup. As with the Spring 1, the shells are heavy and protrude from the outer ear, which compromises long-term comfort; isolation is only average.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Hybrid, 1 BA+1 DD+9 Layers Piezo Electric
- Frequency Response: 7 Khz-40 Khz
- Sensitivity: 110 +/-3 dB
- Impedance: 32 ohms +/- 15%
- Connector type: 0.78 mm-2 PIN
- Earphone Jack: choice of 3.5 mm/2.5 mm/4.4 mm
Like its predecessor, the BQEYZ Spring 2 presents a rich mid-forward signature with a slight warmth and dense note texture. Soundstage is fairly narrow, but has good height and depth (think small concert hall), and imaging is accurate, although there’s not a ton of space between the performers. (The Spring 1 seemed larger-sounding). Timbre is definitely the strong suit here—natural and smooth yet highly resolving without sounding clinical–it’s one of the best implementations of the piezo driver I’ve heard and compares favorably to the tonality of single DDs like the Kanas Pro or JVC FDX1.
As Durwood notes, subbass quantity and depth is toned down on the BQEYZ Spring 2; it’s still punchy but the lowest octaves are missing. With the narrow-bore “Reference” tips, I hear a significant improvement in bass quality, with significantly less bloom and better articulation than on the Spring 1. I agree, however, that decay is still too slow, which gives an overall incoherence to the presentation (query whether the DD can’t keep up with the speed of the piezo).
Mids are beyond reproach—full-bodied, with a high level of resolution—and voices are presented clearly and forcefully. Treble isn’t hyper-extended, and more rounded than crisp or sparkly, but sufficiently detailed and wholly lacking in the artifacts and sharp edges of cheaper hybrids. Percussion and keyboards reproduced very accurately but not clinically.
At the end of the day, the BQEYZ Spring 2 would be a definite thumbs-up if they were $100, and they are significantly more refined than former favorites like the IT-01 and Pioneer SE-CH9T. At $170, however, I’m more equivocal—even overlooking their middlin’ comfort and isolation, as with the Spring 1 the low end remains something of an Achilles heel; especially on denser fare you remain conscious of hearing slightly disconnected parts, rather than an integrated whole. It is nonetheless a step up from the Spring 1 and a worthwhile platform to evolve from.
MY VERDICT
Uncertain!
DISCLAIMER
Loaner from Durwood.
Set provided by distributor Hifigo available @ $169 here.
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