Heyo! I’m back and I’ve got some stuff I’d like to share my first impressions on the Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4. This is a brand that I’ve been aware of for quite a while but with a somewhat negative perspective due to the peculiarity of their sets. But the Z4 seems to be a departure from their usual sound, so let’s see how my first experience with Zhulinniao goes!
So first and foremost, I have to say that the unboxing experience of this is both fantastic and somewhat lackluster. It has a ludicrous set of inclusions for $40. Seriously, you get a bunch of eartips, which even includes their Zhu Rythme or “Bamboo” eartips on top of the silicones, you get a carrying pouch and you even get interchangeable nozzles! Companies nowadays are really pushing the level of value to the extreme with how insane their inclusion set is.
But it doesn’t stop there, the build of this is just insane. It’s full metal, but it’s neither glossy nor matte. It’s a powdered finish! It also has a very unique overall design and shape, and apparently, the Qingluan is based on a bird, but I’ll still have to confirm that.
Fit isn’t as stellar, though. Using the bamboo tips, the fit is super shallow and I ended up using my trusted Dunu S&S tips instead.
As for the sound, this is a neutral bright sound signature with a lot of upper mids to treble energy. This thing is a vocal BEAST. The vocal jazz playlist on Spotify played super well with the Z4 and my J-Pop playlist sounded absolutely fantastic. If you’re used to low-end impact or tactility, this is unfortunately not the set for you as it is deadpan neutral to my ears. Heck, I think this could use a little bit more midbass and it would be absolutely perfect! But as is, it’s very well tuned for vocal-centric tracks.
As for technicalities, the stage isn’t really that immersive due to the lack of low end but separation is genuinely impressive for the price. This could be attributed to the upper midrange to treble focus, but I think the 5th gen DLC driver is doing a little bit of magic. Don’t expect top-tier resolving ability, however. Despite its brighter learning nature, it’s really not the most resolving set to listen to.
I briefly tried the red nozzle and while I loved how much more vibrant vocals became, it also sounded more unnatural. So if you don’t like that kind of stuff, stick to the stock nozzle.
Overal though, a genuinely awesome vocal-centric set that competes with other sets twice or even 3 times its price. Is it worth the blind? If you’re a vocal lover, absolutely. I haven’t heard a set that does upper mids like these and it’s perfect if you listen to a lot of female vocals or instrumentals. Male vocals aren’t as stellar, but this set excels perfectly where it specializes. And for that, I think it’s worth a blind!
FULL REVIEW COMING SOON!
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