EPZ Q1 Pro: One of The Best Harman IEMs under $50

March 19, 2024

Pros

Amazing yet lightweight build
Decent cable inclusion
Bass is tight and well controlled
Clean midrange with a hint of warmth
Very engaging upper midrange
Treble is smooth and relaxing
Natural treble extension
Decent technicalities

Cons

Bass lacks impact and weight
Lower midrange lacks lushness
Upper midrange can get shouty
Treble can be too inoffensive
Slightly thin note weight

Disclaimer
Huge thanks to EPZ for providing a unit of the EPZ Q1 Pro for me to review. I really do appreciate it. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and are not influenced in any way.
Please take this review with only a grain of salt, as everyone's hearing, fit, and gears may differ, so our experience may be different.

Price(MSRP)

Source(s)

It is not hard to drive but also far from the easiest to drive. However, any cx dongle should work fine. When using them on my JM6 Pro, I never have to exceed 40%.

FiiO KA13
Truthear Shio
JCally JM6 Pro

Ear tips

Dunu S&S

Unboxing and Quick Summary

Packaging

EPZ Q1 Pro
Soft carrying pouch
Standard selection of ear tips.

3 pairs of generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)

Looks and feels like a 07 clone, which are pretty decent.

4-core single crystal copper wire

Stock cable build quality is decent for the price.
Doesn't tangle often and is very comfortable to use.
Connectors on the 3.5mm and the 2pin feels very cheap though.

Build Quality

Build quality is very good, shell is made entirely out of resin with the nozzle being metal. Lightweight yet very solid and sturdy.

Fit

Nozzle length is average but is on the thinner side.
Fits is excellent. Very lightweight and the shell is super comfortable.

Tonality

Harman

Bass

Sub bass is a bit more prominent compared to the mid bass.
Has a good, deep rumble to it and also good control.
However, it lacks a bit of slam and impact.
Furthermore, it can get a little thin as well due to the scooped mid bass.
Overall, the bass is decent, nothing too outstanding but not bad for the price either.
Quantity is just sufficient, just enough to be engaging but definitely not for bass heads.

Midrange

Lower midrange is very clean, slightly recessed, with only a hint of warmth to it.

Male vocals sounds a little bit on the thinner side, lacking some lushness and weight to them.

Upper midrange is very energetic and smooth.

Female vocals are very forward but they can be a little shouty to some.

Note weight is slightly on the thinner side, but not overly thin due to the slightly elevated mid bass.
Most instruments do sound great without any oddities, timbre is quite natural as well.

Treble

Treble is on the relaxing and smoother side without being overly dull.
Treble extension is mediocre but natural. Personally would still prefer a bit more air.
Not really sparkly or airy in anyway.
Details in the treble can be perceived somewhat fine but can be slightly hidden due to the relaxed treble presentation.

Technicalities

Resolution

Resolution and detail retrieval is quite good for the price.

Soundstage

Soundstage is decently wide and open, but not exactly expansive due to the average treble extension.

Imaging

Imaging and accuracy also decent.
While not holographic and not pinpoint, I can still approximately tell where the sound is coming from.

Separation

Separation and layering is good, I have no issues with congestion even on busier tracks.

Comparison

EPZ Q1 Pro vs Simgot EW200

The main differences between these 2 IEMs are the bass and treble region.

Bass

The EW200 slams a bit harder, thus sounding a bit punchier and weighted.
The EW200 easily takes the win here in my books.

Treble

The EW200 is noticeably brighter, airier but also harsher and more sibilant.
The totally depends on personal preference, but I prefer a smoother, more relaxing listen.

Technicalities

Due to the brighter signature of the EW200, details are immediately more perceivable on the EW200.

Driver quality on the EW200 is slightly better too in my opinion, other aspects such as imaging and layering is a clear cut above the Q1 Pro.

As a conclusion of this comparison, it all comes down to personal preference.

The Q1 Pro is easily more comfortable for longer listening session while the EW200 has a lot more excitement in the treble.

Personally, the EW200 is more "wowing" and impressive at first listen but it gets fatiguing fairly easily, and I somehow always go back to the Q1 Pro quite often, so the Q1 Pro is the pick for myself.

Conclusion

Overall, the EPZ Q1 Pro is a very solid, entry-level Harman style IEM that is fairly easy to listen to if you're used to the Harman signature. Although the accessories are not much, they are very useful in most cases and should be sufficient for the price.

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