Into
Moondrop is a brand that needs no further introduction among audiophiles.
Most of their recent releases are hot topics among audiophiles. Quarks is their latest model in the budget space. Let’s take a look at how it fares. The closest competitor of Quarks that i can think of is Tanchjim’s Tanya, although it is priced slightly higher
Packaging
The packaging of Quarks is very minimal. No “waifu” on the cover this time. Which is refreshing, as I'm not really a fan of it, though there are a lot of people who like them tho.
Opening up the box, you will see Quarks within the box, a pack of stock silicon tips, and a cloth carrying/storage case, also the manuals. That’s about it, pretty minimal nothing to be expected here given the price.
Build/Comfort
The build is average and it is to be expected at this price point. If you are expecting a better build, look elsewhere, don’t get me wrong, the build is not bad, you get what you paid for. I am not sure what the material of the cable is, it is quite tangle prone to me, and yeah it does look cheap, but functionality over form right?
Comfort wise, they are above average, and feel pretty weightless when they’re in my ears. No discomfort even after several hours. Comfort is A+ here! You can even fall asleep with them without any issue.
Source
Cayin N3 Pro (Solid State) -> Moondrop Quarks (stock eartips)
Foobar2k -> Jcally’s JA21 Dongle -> Moondrop Quarks (stock eartips)
Iphone11 -> Atom 2 Lightning Version -> Moondrop Quarks (stock eartips)
Sound
I’m not a fan of Tanya, don’t get me wrong, they’re not bad, it’s just not my preferred signature. They are dark and veiled, a little too warm to my taste. Putting on and listening to Quarks out of the box, I told myself this is it, this is my preferred signature, and I definitely like this more than Tanya. They’re energetic and fun to listen to. I am really surprised given the price. It definitely punches above its weight. I would describe the tonality here as neutral, paired well with a slight warm source, but definitely not something lean and bright such as CX-PRO 31993.
Bass
The bass of Quarks is punchy and the amount of punch is also decent. The bass’s texture is pretty good for the price. Sub bass extension is pretty good,it can be heard rather than felt, very evident in Why So Serious by Hans Zimmer at minute 3.55 onwards. Bass is well tuned and not being emphasized, bass head please look elsewhere, Quarks is not for you. If you like tight and controlled bass with just enough quantity to enjoy most of the songs, this is it.
Mids
The vocal presentation here is not too intimate nor forward, gives the feeling of slightly in front of your face. If you are a graph person, you will notice the peak at 3k, that will immediately signal you into thinking that, oh damn, it must be shouty as hell. Well, put it on, try it out, not shouty at all. NONE. Aggressive? Not at all, but your mileage might vary, as this is very subjective. It is not aggressive in terms of my own preference. Decent details for its price point.
Treble
The tuning of the treble is smooth and not aggressive. Just right to give enough sparkles and air at the top end. Nothing sibilant nor harsh can be heard here. I like to listen to jpop especially anime opening/ending songs to test the treble. Some tracks have very high pitched vocals and it can be quite harsh and sibilant if the treble is not well tuned. Fortunately, none of that can be heard from Quarks.
Soundstage/Imaging
Another track that I like to use to test out the soundstage/imaging is Toto’s Africa(Live) and Eagles’s Hotel California Live on MTV. First thing that i want to mention is, the source does affect the soundstage’s rendition, take Jcally’s JA21’s dongle for example, the soundstage feels pretty big to my ears. Moving on to Atom 2, the soundstage got smaller which gives the feeling of “in your head”. Soundstage of Quarks with N3 Pro is more or less similar as JA21. Instruments separation and layering is not class leading, but you can definitely tell its limitation in Toto’s Africa Live on the ending part, where it sounded kinda mushy when many instruments started to play at the same thing. Quarks held up pretty well when the track is not so busy.
Comparison
Tanchjim’s Tanya
-Quark’s bass is leaner and sub bass extension is better compared to Tanya
-Tanya is dark and warm compared to Quarks. (Not really a bad thing, more of a personal preference)
-Warm mids and bass on Tanya,Quarks’s mids feels very crisp and engaging
-Quarks is more aggressive compared to Tanya
-I would say both are different in terms of sound signature, so in the end it all boils down to personal preference
Final Thoughts
My thoughts? If you don’t like Tanya, get this. If you like Tanya, don’t get this. If you got extra to spend, get it, the price is no brainer anyway. The performance of Quarks punches above its weight. This is not to say that it's out to kill your 1000$ IEM or Cans, no, nothing like that. It is a good sounding unit for the price it’s asking for. If you are a seasoned audiophile and you’re looking for a daily beater, this might be it. Or, if you are new to this audiophile thingy, grab a pair of this, and start looking from here onwards. Very good starter kit in my opinion.
If you’re looking to purchase Quarks, you may head to ShenZhen Audio’s website to purchase them. *Not affiliated.
*Once again, a big thanks to Cloris from ShenZhen Audio for sending me this unit in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I am not affiliated nor do i gain any monetary benefit in writing this review.
Comentários