The Little Engine That Could
NOTES
The Kbear Little Q is an unassuming little earphone very reminiscent of the Tanchjim Tanya due to its for factor and surprising sound, even though they are not tuned the same.
Sporting a single 6mm composite diaphragm housed in an aluminum shell, its a simple yet attractive little thing. For better or worse the cable is captive so no cable rolling here. I found the cable to resist tangles and generally stay out of the way. Tip selection does make a sizable difference here, so spending the time to get your tip rolling game correct can lead to some sonic gains. With respect to a source, the Little Q does sound best with a more capable source that is neutral and clean and tends to open up with more power.
There wasn't much hype around the little Q, probably due to all the other entries into the iem market at the time. Still the Little Q does deserve a mention and closer look as it sounds larger than its name would have you believe.
At an asking price of just around $15USD, the Little Q will not make a big dent in your wallet. Lets take a deeper dive and see what kind of dent it can make to your listening experience.
A word of note. I wrote this right after spending much time in auditioning the Salnotes Zero. Tough competition indeed, but I as usual will strive to be as objective as possible.
SPECS
Impedance: 32Ω
FR Range: 20-20KHz
Sensitivity: 118dB
Driver unit: 6mm Composite Diaphragm
Color: Black/Gun/Blue
Shell Material: Aluminum Alloy
Microphone: With mic/No mic
Plug type: 3.5mm Straight
Cable: 1.2m PVC material
EQUIPMENT
TempoTec E44 , Apogee Groove & Shanling UA2 Dongles
Eartips: Final Audio E Clear , Tanchjim T3-- T-A3B
Cable: Stock Captive Cable 3.5mm SE
Sources: Flac Files From my Personal Collection / Apple Music
BUILD, QUALITY & FIT
The Little Q is small, light but feels well built. The cable seems attached firmly enough and the housing is quite solid. There isn't really much to say except with respect to form and function, it's good.
Fit is going to really depend on the tips used. Both the Tanchjim T3-T-A3B tips and the Final Audio E clears allowed a good solid fit with a good seal.
The included accessories are scant but there is nothing to complain about at this price point.
:SOUND:
BASS:
The Little Q has a definite Bass emphasis, more so in the mid-bass as opposed to sub-bass. Bass is reasonably extended with an overall thick and thumpy character to it that is more fun than HiFi and can, depending on the track, be distracting at times. Detail, texture and speed are average, not in the same league as the $5usd more expensive Salnotes Zero for example or even the Moondrop CHU if looking squarely at the metric of "Quality". Still the little Q can be a fun listen and has more bass output than either of the two earphones just mentioned. There is some mid-bass bleed which also tended to thicken the mids.
MIDRANGE
The Kbear Little Q's midrange serves up smooth playback with some macro-details but falls short with respect to micro-details. Vocals sound full with either male or female voices being more immediate than recessed with good clarity. There is some mid-bass bleed which enhances the warmth factor but not to the point of clouding the mids. Detail and separation are good ,considering the price, but complex tracks can sound congested in particular at moderately high volume.
Note weight is commendable and the Little Q cannot be called thin. Transients have some softness in the leading and trailing edges but still serves up a pleasant listening experience when the user is not being so critical. Upper midrange is free of harshness and very easy to listen to.
We have hear a midrange presentation that will not offend most listeners while more demanding listeners will probably move up to the Salnotes or CHU. Timbre is ok but mucho better than some other super budget offerings I have had the displeasure of listening to.
Treble
Treble is safe and does not fatigue. Not as extended as some of the moderately more expensive items mentioned above, but well controlled and not offensive at all. Air and sparkle is really track dependent here and there have been some occasions where the Little Q really surprised me. For the most part though, this is a treble meant to not offend.
IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE
The Kbear Little Q, when looking at its price range, is above average throwing up a decent image with a more intimate soundstage. Still when moving just a few dollars higher it is bested by a few models. Still it's quite an achievement. Not holographic, but not "in a box" as well.
VERSUS
- Salnotes Zero
This is really no contest as with every metric, except bass output, the Zero bests the Little Q. Bass quality is clearly superior with the Salnotes Zero which also sounds more open and lively. The Zero has better extension at both ends of the frequency spectrum while being more engaging with better technicals.
- Moondrop CHU
The CHU's tuning is markedly different than the little Q. The CHU is a brighter more mid forward earphone with significantly lower bass output, but what is there is of better quality. The Little Q's tuning is safer with a less forward upper midrange which some may prefer. Detail retrieval is markedly better on the CHU though.
- Tanchjim Tanya
Similar in look but the Tanya is darker sounding and tuned differently. The Tanya is more organic in presentation with comparable if arguably better detail and technicalities. Still theLittle Q is more fun sounding.
CONCLUSION
The Kbear Little Q is an interesting product that given its asking price is impressive. That being said, for less than $5usd more, better sound can be had. The Salnotes Zero walks all of the the Little Q with the CHU taking a huge bite as well.
If the form factor is a main deciding point then the Little Q should be considered. It's a good and fun sounding earphone, still more accomplished competitors are just a stones throw away.
*Purchased at Keep HiFi (www.keephifi.com)
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