KZ x HBB DQ6S – Bad Guy Good Tunes

Introduction

In the world of affordable audio, KZ (Knowledge Zenith) is one if not the most well-known brand to be considered in its class. Lately KZ had taken a leap by opening themselves to collaborate with well-known audio reviewers, giving reviewers a chance to tune their IEMs (In-ear monitors). First, they collaborate with Crinacle and today what we have here is the KZ x HBB DQ6S (will be referred as DQ6S in this article), a collaboration with HBB (Hawaiian Bad Boy) from Bad Guy Good Audio Review. Before heading into further details, we would like to give KZ a big thanks for giving us a chance to review this IEM.

Functions & Specifications

Frequency: 20-40000Hz

Sensitivity: 116dB

Plug type: 3.5mm

Pin type: 2PIN 0.75mm

Product weight: 82±3g

Cable length: 120±5cm

Color: Rose gold, Graphite color

Drivers Type: 6mm single magnetic dynamic drivers x2, 10mm dual magnetic dynamic drivers x1

Retail Price & Where to Get

Get your own KZ x HBB DQ6S from KZ Acoustics’ official store

Official store:

https://www.kztws.com/products/hbbxkzdq6s

Aliexpress:
https://invol.co/cl9abcp

Shopee:

PH :   https://ph.xiapibuy.com/product/345922933/14442655006/
MY：https://invol.co/cl9abms
SG ：https://sg.xiapibuy.com/product/432274181/14442655020/
MX :   https://mx.xiapibuy.com/product/514675696/15942655506/

Lazada:

PH : https://bit.ly/3rCKOM7
TH : https://bit.ly/3AjDWXW
SG : https://bit.ly/3tQcHmy
MY : https://invol.co/cl9abqd
ID :   https://bit.ly/3qMHrTC

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for the DQ6S is rather simple, most KZ fans would be rather familiar with this packaging design that had been used with many other KZ IEMs. Apart from the earphone unit itself, it comes with a silver-plated cable with gold plated 3.5mm, 0.75 dual pin connector and 3 pairs of tips. What KZ had provided here are only the basic essentials, no more, no less.

Design

Overall, the DQ6S is well built at its price point. It has a custom IEM like ear mold to it similar to KEX Pro, at first glance it might not look comfy but to my ears at least it fits really well, it wasn’t too sharp and it is rather comfy to wear it for long hours. It is like a well relaxed fitted T-shirt. It doesn’t hug you too tightly and it does the job hold itself on to you. Although it looks the same as the KEX Pro, they have a different inner ear body construction, the plastic molding lines are different compared to the KEX Pro, this could be due to the different drivers used in these 2 IEMs.

The nozzle of the DQ6S is made of metal so you don’t need to worry about breaking the nozzle while swapping your favorite tips. There are a couple of ventilation holes (one beside the nozzle and one on the faceplate) to provides ventilation for the 3 dynamic drives in unit. For the graphite color that we have here, the inner IEM body is a smoked transparent plastic, showcasing the drivers arrangement, the internal wiring are well tucked under the faceplate so everything looks tidy.

On top of the IEM is the KZ designed detachable 0.75 dual pin socket to give it a more solid structure. For those who have the standard 0.75 pin cable should able to still use it with KZ earphones. Personally, the 0.75 dual pin connector wasn’t my favorite connector, but due to its pricing I would let it slide as this connector is much more cost efficient to produce and implement. The only thing that I don’t really like about the cable is the ear guides, perhaps my ears are a bit huge and the ear guides tends to grabs my ears too tightly, I find it much better if KZ didn’t include the ear guides, but that is just me.

The ear tips that KZ provided are soft and rather comfortable to wear, there are some grooves on the ear tips which I suppose it will give a better fitment, but I don’t feel much different compare to other brands stock tips.

Gears Used for Comparisons

• Ifi Zen DAC

• ddHifi TC35i (2019)

• Fiio uBTR

• Fiio KA3

• KZ ZEX Pro

• Astrotec Vesna Evo

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

According to HBB, the DQ6S tuning derived from the original DQ6, which also have the similar hardware but with some HBB magic flavors to it. Unfortunately, today we don’t have a DQ6 to compare with.

The DQ6S have a warm-ish L shaped sound signature. Even though that this IEM is tuned by HBB, the signature of DQ6S is not far off from the usual KZ/CCA (KZ sub brand) IEMs that I had tried so far, which means most KZ fans would be able to appreciate this IEM like other KZ/CCA releases. At this price point, the DQ6S performs fairly decent. Musical details are well presented, at times it may struggle a bit on fast tempo tracks that have multiple instruments playing at the same time, but it works really well with laidback tracks.

Soundstage

The soundstage presentation from the DQ6S wasn’t the widest nor deepest at its class, instruments and vocals are tends to surround closely around you as if you are within the band. However, the bass instruments on most of the pop genre tracks are mostly presented right upfront in your face while pushing the vocals slightly to its rear. The same issue applies to orchestra tracks as well. The staging may feel unnatural as the lower frequencies instruments percussions will leap forward in front of the strings instrument.

Separation and Timbre

Paganini’s La Campanella is one of my favorite orchestra tracks to test out instrumental separation. With the DQ6S, the instrument identification tends to struggle a bit with the triangle and xylophone, when they are being played together, they tend to clump up into a single tone as if they are a single instrument. Same goes with tracks with multiple instruments that playing at the same time, I find it a tad difficult to identify the instruments apart, but at this price point it is rather usual.

Drivability

Even though the DQ6S have 3 drivers, it is very easy to drive its volume. With ddHifi TC35i, personally volume at 30% is sufficient for normal listening level. Plugging it into the ifi Zen DAC tends to be a bit over powered, it is great for those who wants a fuss free IEM that does not require an amplifier on the go and good news for those who want do not wish to break their bank for an amplifier.

The Bass

This would be the star of DQ6S, there is a noticeably boost on the bass region of this IEM. Despite the boost, most of the tracks I listen it does not affect the clarity and the mids. Bass are presented with an upfront presence with strong impact while still retains the smooth texture, plus it will also produce decent amount of rumbles and exposes micro details on the upper bass frequencies. Personally, I would prefer if it can be tighter and faster decay. That aside, after some long session with pop and EDM tracks, personally I find it can be rather fatiguing from the boosted bass.

The Mids

Mids are presented smoothly and quite natural at mid low range, but when it gets to the upper mids, there is a hint of laidback. Upper frequencies for vocals especially on female vocal tracks take a hit for the DQ6S due to the slight laidback on the upper mids, often the middle and upper mid frequencies vocals will get push back by the lower mids and bass. On Orianthi’s “According to You” track, the lead guitar’s will get forward and over power her vocals. The same applies to Avril Lavinge’s “When You’re Gone”, the bass violin tends to stands out to the foreground a bit more than usual as if it is trying to steal the spotlight from the vocal. With male vocal tracks like Imagine Dragons’ “Follow You” the mids and lows seems to work out quite well.

The Highs

One of the biggest advantages of using dynamic driver is the ability to present smooth highs and this is what the DQ6S is offering here, buttery smoothness on highs. There are some sparkles on the highs, but I felt it lacks of presence. when the cymbals hits while all the other instruments played at the same time it tends to hides way back in the background, this same goes to keyboard playing on the higher notes, triangle and xylophones.

Comparisons

KZ x Crinacle ZEX Pro

The ZEX Pro being a hybrid IEM here has a bigger advantage to produce better highs. Besides, the ZEX Pro has quite a different tuning compared to the DQ6S. The bass on the ZEX Pro is much tighter and have a faster decay, there are not much rumble being produced but the bass presence is good enough to bring some fun to the listening experience. Female vocals are much more forward and the highs sparkles and decays are better defined on the KEX Pro. However, there are some shouty effect on the upper midrange which can be unnatural at times for female vocals especially with Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted” track, but it does give vocals better energy in compare to the DQ6S. Soundstage on the ZEX Pro is wider and deeper and orchestra instrument placement presentation is much more accurate.

Astrotec Vesna Evo

The Vesna Evo, the detachable cable version of the original Vesna, has a totally day and night difference in tuning compared to the DQ6S, it is like they are created to fulfill totally different market taste. DQ6S has a boosted bass and lower mids section? Vesna has almost flat bass and mids. DQ6S lacks presence highs? Vesna here offers a better presence of highs. Throughout the whole frequencies, they both presented smoothly with almost no harshness. Soundstage wise, the Vesna Evo seems to have a better sense of width and depth.

Synergy

The DQ6S works fine by its own, it doesn’t require high amplification for normal listening. But with a proper DAC it could potentially bring the DQ6S to a different listening experience. With the Fiio uBTR, there are not much different other than the bass gets more bloated. However, pairing it with the Fiio KA3, soundstage gets slightly wider, presence on the higher frequencies gets much better extension, the bass gets tighter and it expose more micro musical details. That being said, although this setup is great but the price Fiio KA3 could get you 2 units of the DQ6S.

Who Is It For?

If you are an existing owner of KZ entry level IEMs, this would be a step up from the usual KZ V shaped tuning. If you prefer something what is almost buttery smooth on all frequencies with a bump on the bass section, this definitely something you may want to try. I personally find that the DQ6S most suited with slower paced with male vocal tracks.

Final words

The KZ x HBB collaboration does resulted an interesting tuning approach on sound signature in compared to KZ typical house sound. No, it certainly doesn’t stand out like what ZEX Pro offers but it still gives KZ fans something to look forward to.

It is quite exciting to see KZ is collaborating with more audio reviewers to tune their products, this gives advantages to KZ, the audio reviewer and us, the consumer. For one, this allows KZ to produce differently tuned product rather than based on their usual house tuning signature. Secondly, this allows us to get an idea what musical taste these audio reviewers have. I do hope that KZ would continue such collaboration in future.