The BQEYZ Wind review sample was kindly provided free of charge. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price is $239 and can be ordered from BQEYZ AliExpress store.
BQEYZ
BQEYZ (pronounced BQ – eyes) is a popular earphones manufacturer from China. They are well known for a series of earphones named after the four seasons. The Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter are very popular among the portable audio community. Now they have launched a new series of earphones named after the weather elements. Wind is the first, to be followed by Cloud, Rain and Mist.
BQEYZ WIND Review
For the first time, BQEYZ incorporates a self-developed 10mm bass and medium-frequency bone conduction driver. The Copper BC shell, coupled with a high-toughness steel vibrating reed, ensures durability and performance.
After low-temperature laser welding, the screw is securely fixed on the CNC earphone shell, optimizing the transmission of bass and medium frequencies. When the bone conduction activates, it directly vibrates to the exterior of the earphone shell, allowing bass and medium-frequency sounds to be transmitted directly to the ear cartilage and surrounding areas. The result is a high-transient, immersive sound with distinct mid and bass frequencies.
BQEYZ informs us that featuring a 10mm LCP composite diaphragm and a self-developed coil BC driver for bass and medium frequency, the dual-cavity dynamic driver delivers a wide soundstage, rich brightness, and extended treble.
The addition of the self-developed coil BC enhances bass power and produces mellower human voices. The collaboration of DD and low-mid frequency BC creates a realistic and audible voice, offering a wider low-mid frequency dynamic range and horizontal sound stages.
The coil bone conduction unit excels in the middle and low frequencies, providing impactful and clear bass, resulting in a natural sound style.
Appearance and fit
Crafted with precision, the Wind boasts a light and wear-resistant metal shell created using German 5-axis CNC aluminum alloy cutting technology. The surface undergoes sandblasting, anodizing, oxidation, and hollowing cutting technologies, ensuring a combination of wear and corrosion resistance.
The faceplate features a Chinese character cut through as the main design element. Underneath there is a metallic mesh that protects the drivers from dust and debris. The BQEYZ is a semi-open design so there is some sound leakage and it isn’t that effective in blocking outside noise.
The anatomically shaped ear-shells are compact and lightweight, offering a stable and comfortable wearing experience. The nozzle though is too shallow so there is a chance that users with larger ear cavities might not get a good seal, at least with the included ear-tips. In such a case, some aftermarket, double flange, tips can help a lot.
Cable
The 2-pin detachable cable of the Wind is made from single crystal, copper-plated, silver wire. It is a braided cable with 2 branches, each one with 2 cores. You can order it with a 3.5mm, 4.4mm or 2.5mm plug of your choice. A modular plug would be a better choice at this price range and make the overall package more competitive.
The cable is well made with high quality aluminum plugs, it has extremely low microphonic noise and it doesn’t get tangled but it is a little thick and heavy.
Accessories
The retail package includes three sets of ear-tips in three sizes each (Atmosphere, Reference and Balanced), one pair of memory foam tips, a cleaning brush and a compact carrying case with a side zipper. The ear-tips are stored in a handy metallic tray and a small plastic case.
Power requirements
The impedance of the BQEYZ Wind is 16Ω with 105dB/mW of sensitivity so it is really easy to drive. You can use various portable sources, from high quality USB DACs, like the iFi Go bar to mid-range DAPs, like the FiiO M11S. As per usual practice the BQEYZ Wind was left playing music for about 80 hours before listening evaluation.
A few words about ear-tips
The sound of the BQEYZ Wind is very tip dependent. From the three sets of ear-tips that are included in the package, the “reference” and “balanced” have large bores and are also shallow and made from thin silicone. So it gets difficult to achieve a good seal and at the same time they enhance the treble a bit much. The sonic result is loss of low-end extension and a sound signature that is rather sharp and lean.
On the other hand, the “atmosphere” ear-tips are made from thicker silicone, they are also a little longer and have narrower bores that enhance the low-end perception. With these ear-tips you can achieve a firm and secure fit, with a tight seal that helps bring the bass back and listen to the intended frequency response of the earphones.
Last, but not least important, is to place the ear-shells in such a way that the bone conductor is always in a tight contact with your ears to make sure that it is effectively working.
Listening impressions
The highlight feature of the Wind is the bone conductor that lets you actually feel, rather than merely hear, the low-end frequencies. Don’t be afraid, it will not make your bones ache and it doesn’t hurt! It is a fascinating and unique listening experience that adds a greater perception of the low-end as it lets it stimulate your inner ear.
The Wind offers deep and impactful bass with great dynamic contrast and a punch that you can actually feel inside your head but it never sounds as overpowering over the rest of the frequencies. The low-end is slightly emphasized up to the lower mid-range but not as much to make the Wind unsuitable for listening to music with acoustic bass instruments.
The overall hue is warmish and slightly dark but not sacrificing clarity and definition. Actually, the Wind is impressively clear not only in the low-end but from the bottom to the top of the frequency range. The bass is tight and controlled with fast attack but not that well textured while it has a rather lean and dry nature despite the bone conduction effect.
The mid-range is transparent and crystal clear, present and well defined with plenty of harmonic saturation and deep engagement factor. The timbre is especially natural and organic, instruments and voices have an accurate tonality and are reproduced with a remarkable sense of authenticity. The upper mid-range is slightly forward but without causing fatigue of any sort, while it must be said that the Wind is surprisingly resolving and refined both in the mid-range and the treble.
The treble is moderately extended and luminous with just enough sparkle and energy to keep things fresh and alive without showcasing any sharpness and brightness. Micro-detail retrieval is good but you should remember that the Wind is not the most analytical and brilliant sounding earphone, not the most airy and energetic, unless you swap the “atmosphere” ear-tips for one of the other two variants.
Timbre
What should be emphasized for one more time is the timbral accuracy of the Wind which is constant from the upper top to the bottom, minus the aforementioned moderate and tasty bass emphasis.
The semi-open design of the BQEYZ Wind might not offer the best sound isolation but it is very effective in producing a wide and spacious soundstage with a surplus of air around the performers and excellent positioning accuracy for the category. Furthermore, depth layering is good enough and satisfying despite the overall perspective of the soundstage that is more horizontal than vertical.
Master of all trades
The tonal balance of the BQEYZ Wind is such that it makes for an earphone that is suitable for genres where some deep bass presence is always welcomed but without bloating things up. At the same time, it is also recommended for more critical listening since the low-end is not that emphasized as to sound tonally inaccurate. Solo piano can be very engaging and immersive with the Wind as it is reproduced with full low register, organic mids and crisply resonating highs.
Vs the Unique Melody Mext
The only other earphone in my collection with a bone conducting driver is the $1K Unique Melody MEXT and although such a comparison is rather unfair,bI decided to include it in order to emphasize how good the BQEYZ Wind is.
First things first, the Unique Melody Mext is considerably bulkier and not as comfortable and lightweight as the BQEYZ Wind.
Then, their tonality is considerably different. The Unique Melody Mext is way more emphasized in the sub-bass and bass, the low-end is getting the lion’s share, the treble and upper mid-range the female’s portion and the mid-range the leftovers. In this regard, the Wind has a more balanced tuning with much better timbral and tonal accuracy, making it more realistic sounding and better suited to a variety of music selections.
On the other hand, the technicalities of the Unique Melody Mext are undeniably better in every single aspect. Bone rattling and extremely punchy low end with visceral and layered texture, greater transparency and higher quality resolution, more energetic and extended treble.
But technicalities aren’t always the most important thing when listening to music and a lot of people are going to appreciate the more balanced and realistic tonality of the Wind.
In the end
The BQEYZ Wind is a remarkable earphone that delivers a harmonious sound with a pleasing focus on bass and a unique bone conduction feeling, creating an engaging and realistic listening journey.
With its open sound signature, this earphone is suitable for a wide range of music genres, and its compact and lightweight build guarantees comfort even during long periods of use. Moreover, it is effortless to power and showcases exceptional craftsmanship.
This exceptional earphone sets a high standard for the BQEYZ “Elements” series, leaving us eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2023.
+ Tonally balanced + Natural timbre + Impressive bass + Bone conductive experience + Resolving and refined + Expansive soundstage + Compact and lightweight + Comfortable + Excellent build quality + Well made cable + Plenty of accessories - Bass not that layered or textured - Rather lean and dry texture - Shallow fit / might need double flange ear-tips - Sound is tip dependent - Thick and heavy cable - Cable is not modular - Poor isolation
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