QOA Adonis New
Intro
Well hello everyone, I have with me today one of the latest hybrid iems from the audio brand QOA or “Queen of Audio” named the QOA Adonis New. I was very excited to try out this set as part of the Audio Geeks United States Tour as I was never able to listen to the OG QOA Adonis and so it really was a special thing to see in the mail. So, thank you Audio Geeks and thank you to Queen of Audio & Kinera! I am utterly impressed by the design, the accessories, the build and very happy with the sound. This is one of the only times that I wrote my intro while in the process of review as this set is time sensitive and must keep moving down the line of reviewers. So, it is a bittersweet time I’ve had with it. I suppose that’s just how tours go. Of course, there are much worse problems to have. Lol.
Kinera/QOA/Celest
Friends, if anyone has spent any time reading any of my Kinera, QOA, or Celest reviews then you would have noticed a common theme within my reviews. That theme being the favoritism I afford these three brands or sister companies. Hey, these are my reviews and I do get excited and for whatever reason Kinera simply strikes that happy place within me. I think it’s the effort and care they put into their creations. I’m telling you people; I respect that so much. I have this vision in my mind of a group of people working hard on a common goal, a theme, determined to see their creation succeed and then sending their little creation out into the market. To be honest, I’m a romantic about everything but somehow, I feel I’m not too far off on this vision.
Love affair
I think my love affair with Kinera came at my first review of the Kinera Hodur (Hodur Review). Reading about it I found that Kinera went as far as to give this set a personality, a storyline, a theme, and they actually tuned that set in accordance with the name and the theme that went along with the Hodur. As I moved along reviewing other Kinera, QOA or Celest sets I of course noticed the theme spread out to all of their iems. Every one of them. Each had a story, a concept, or a premise by which each set was built, designed, and tuned to. I find this fascinating friends. What a brilliant set of minds, so creative, so artistic and so willing to impress. You gotta wonder how unified a unit of people must need to be to coordinate each set in this way. Another thing, Kinera never puts anything to market unless it is finished. They don’t seem to rush, they don’t need a million sets out a year, and they seem to do it all just to bring the best possible product to market. The funny thing is that not everyone even notices. They don’t always notice the work (some do), the craftiness, inventiveness, imagination, and the cohesion it takes for a team to bring it all together.
Adonis
The Adonis New is the successor to the original Adonis from QOA which came out a little while ago. At any rate, who’s Adonis? I’m glad you asked. Adonis happens to be the Greek god of beauty & desire and a favorite of the goddess Aphrodite. The main idea behind Adonis is wrapped up in the meaning behind his death and resurrection, which ultimately is represented by the decay of nature in the winter and then the restoration of life at Spring. Hence the color of the Adonis New, the pinecone, the purples, the shades of pink. It all represents that quickening or rebirth of new life. C’mon folks, only Kinera/QOA/Celest thinks of this stuff. However, I’ve also heard a few slightly grimmer thoughts that Adonis symbolizes the joy and sunshine of spring & summer as well as the doom & gloom of winter. I suppose we’ll focus on the sunshine portion of that representation. The actual story (ultra-condensed version) is that Adonis was once a normal human being, all flesh & flawed. However, while out in a hunt, Adonis actually was wounded by a wild boar and bled out in the arms of a distraught Aphrodite. Next, Aphrodite pleads to Zeus to spare his life. Zeus obliged and instead of simply giving him life back, Zeus turned Adonis into a god. So, death and rebirth. The cool thing is that QOA saw to it to build, design, and tune the Adonis New with this story in mind. It’s very cool and I applaud QOA for doing so.
Impressed
I haven’t tried out as many of this brand’s iems as I would like. I’ve reviewed a handful of them and each time I come away impressed. Sets like the Kinera Hodur (Hodur Review), QOA Aviation (Aviation Review), Celest Wyvern Pro (Wyvern Pro Review), Celest Pandamon (Pandamon Review), Celest Pandamon 2.0 (Pandamon 2.0 Review), Celest Phoenixcall (Phoenixcall Review), Kinera X-Effect Orlog (Orlog Review) and the Celest Relentless (Relentless Review) among a few others. The point is, each of these products are extremely well done for their respective prices and each certainly contends with similarly tuned or similarly configured sets within their price points. One of these days I’ll try out some of Kinera’s pricier sets. However, no complaints here, I’ve had a joy with their products thus far.
Well folks, I’ve already been listening to the Adonis New for a little over a week and I think I’ve spent enough time to give a good assessment of this set. I suppose I have little to no choice as the tour gives us a week with the product. Is that enough time to properly assess an iem? It’s on the low side. Eh, I’ll make it work. So, without further ado, the QOA Adonis New…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing links:
Disclaimer:
I received the QOA Adonis New from Audio Geeks United States Tour and from Kinera as a loaned tour sample. In exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com as well as Audio Geek. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. Again, this set is a tour unit. Kinera has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Audio Geek/Kinera and thanks for reading.
Adonis New Pros
-The build is beyond awesome
-Pinecone & Resin, who thinks of this? Also, amazing
-Very nice unboxing
-Accessories are all premium
-Beautiful pink/blue/purple modular cable
-Great musicality
-Beefy note weight
-Bass reaches deep
-Musical Midrange, very engaging
-Nice depth of stage
Adonis New Cons
-Not everyone will like this look
-Bass may be too emphasized for some
-Not the most technically inclined iem
-Could use a bit more treble energy & extension
-Not the best note definition
-Details
-Separation of instruments
Gear used for testing
–Ifi Go Blu
–EPZ TP50
–Simgot Dew4x
–Aful SnowyNight
–Fiio Q15
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
–Shanling M6 Ultra
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
QOA knows who they are selling their products to. They know what we like to see. We don’t want plain stuff with plain accessories. No sir, we want that luxurious and accessory filled unboxing. Of course. So, the QOA Adonis New arrived at my home in a slightly longer than usual rectangular box. This box I’m referring has a sleeve covering with a very nice design that is very colorful showing off some of the colors you’ll see in the Adonis New earphones. There’re some specs on the back as well. So, take the sleeve off what you get is the actual box with a very artistic rendering of what looks like beautifully colored water worn caverns and the name “Adonis” imposed in the center. Open the box and many of the accessories are laid out in a very clean way. All of the eartips sit within evenly spaced foam cut-outs, in a line. In between the two rows of eartips is the Adonis New earphones which are gorgeous to look at. Next to all of that is the carrying case looking all dapper. Open that case and you’ll find the modular cable as well as the adapters that come with the cable. This is a very nice unboxing and I love the preparation and care that went into the look and lay-out. Of course, this is a QOA/Kinera design and unboxing.
Eartips
QOA decided upon six pairs of eartips and two different styles of those eartips. You get three sizes of each style (S, M, L). The first set is what appears to be identical to the KBear 07 tips. Those being semi-wide bore white silicone tips with rigid flanges and a very stiff inner stem. These are the tips that I chose to use as they seemed to bring out the upper mids a hair more and add a slight bit more energy. However, QOA also added in some shallower fit wide-bore silicone eartips. I didn’t quite get the fit I wanted with those tips, but they are nice to have for any collection. Both sets if tips make sense for the earphones as this is something that QOA seems to get right. They provide eartips which work with the tonal properties of the Adonis New. What a novel thought. I certainly wish more brands would take a hair more time with choosing the eartips but, not everyone can be a Kinera.
Carrying case
The carrying case is a really striking all purple open top case with what appears to be leather or a nice feeling faux leather. I usually don’t ever use carrying cases, but I could see myself rocking this one. It’s a nicely designed case. Nice stitching all the way around. It opens and shuts easily but stays closed. I can easily fit the Adonis New into the case along with its cable and maybe a dongle dac if I tried hard enough. It’s a nice inclusion into the packaging and that’s probably all I have to say about that, time to keep moving… shall we.
Cable
Okay, now we’re talking. Friends, listen, I get it that not everyone is into an effeminate design. I get it if you are too much of a dude for purples and pinks. I get it. I’m a dude through and through. Drive a huge Chevy truck and carry big pocketknives everywhere I go. I’m a dude. 1000%. But how can anyone (no matter your sex) tell me that the cable that comes with the Adonis New is not 100% dope? How? Look at this cable! What a perfect match with the Adonis New! To be exact the cable is a 4-core silver-plated 5N copper cable which has modular connections of 3.5 and 4.4 balanced jacks. Obviously, this allows the listener to swap out jacks per their needs. I for one didn’t use anything other than the 4.4 and it works very well. Not everyone makes good modular connectors. Anyways, the cable is purple in color with strands of light blues and pinks with a Litz style braiding. All of the fittings attached to the cable are made of pure aluminum and colored to contrast the purplish color of the cable. I’m telling you, attached to the Adonis New the cable is absolutely perfectly matched and aesthetically very pleasing to the eye. Great job Queen of Audio.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
This takes us to the actual build of the QOA Adonis New. QOA decided upon an all-resin design with actual pinecones mixed into the resin and then honed out using CNC machining. They literally carve out the inside to form the acoustic cavity and then polish the Adonis New to a gorgeous shine. Premium all the way folks. There’s no other way to put it. It’s premium. This build and artistic ingenuity should be reserved for much more expensive sets. Yet here it is on a $180 iem. Truly a special build. Now, the nozzles are medium length and don’t reach too far into the ear while the nozzle width is an industry standard of about 6mm or 5.9mm to be exact. One priceless feature of this set’s build is the actual weight of the Adonis New. Weighing in at only 3.8 grams it will certainly be one of the lighter sets you put into your ears. QOA really nailed this build friends.
Design
The design follows the same trajectory as the build… it’s premium. The colors simply POP on this set. Meanwhile you have these little pieces of brown pinecone mixed in with the spring colors. Like I said, the Adonis New has mixed and swirled around colors of purples and pinks and right in the center of the faceplate area you’ll notice the name “Adonis” in silver cursive lettering. Straight up elegance in every way. The nozzle takes on a brass color which contrasts the floral design so very well. I’m just impressed, and I do feel that the people of QOA deserve their flowers for this one. Friends, there are only so many ways to design a set of earphones. We’ve seen it all haven’t we? What is there left to create? I feel one of the most difficult parts of making an earphone is coming up with a fresh and new design language against the trillions of sets within the known Audioverse. Think about it. QOA pulled a very nice design out of their hat, and they did so in a very fresh way. Kudos to Queen of Audio.
Internals
The Adonis New is a three-driver hybrid iem consisting of one 9.2mm copper ring titanium diaphragm dynamic driver handling the low-end. Next QOA went with a Knowles balanced armature driver for the midrange and one QOA customized balanced armature to cover the highs. QOA states that they went with a 3-way frequency division architecture while also using two tubes to help on that division. This isn’t some super complicated set and to be honest, it’s kinda refreshing. We don’t need a thousand drivers; we simply need the right number of drivers tuned well. That’s what QOA did and to me that’s classy and done in a way that cohesiveness is paramount, musicality is key, and each area of the mix is well accounted for.
Fit / Isolation
The actual fit of the Adonis New is quite awesome for this guy. Like I state in every review I complete… I have absolutely no clue how this set will fit you. I can tell you this; if you get a good seal and the fit isn’t totally cattywampus, it’ll feel really good in your ear. Remember, the Adonis New only weighs 3.8 grams. If you didn’t know, 3.8 grams is next to nothing, and I’d say that is exactly how this set feels. They’re light, they are ergonomic, and they should seat well in the great majority of hobbyists’ ears. Also, isolation is good too. Probably not better than most sets, but good. Certainly not bad. I’d say that translates to… about average, which is good.
Drivability / Pairings
Looking at the promotional material for the QOA Adonis New, it says that it’s rated at an impedance of 16 ohms and a sensitivity of 105 db’s. Basically, the Adonis New is very easy to drive from most any source you’ll have at your disposal. I always check every option I have for every review. But, since this was a tour set and I only had a week, I didn’t have as much time with it and I had to “get the show on the road” (so to speak). So, I couldn’t test it with all of my sources. I’d assume that a phone would drive the Adonis New just fine. I used about four dongle dacs here and there and they all drove it very easily. Of course, I mainly used the 4.4 connection for all of my listening, going with a 3.5 at times simply to check the difference. From my findings, adding some additional power does help to a slight degree as it ups the dynamic energy, macro-dynamics, dynamic range and seems to just tighten everything up. If that makes sense.
Mobile Listening
The Adonis New leans warmer and so I first paired this set with closer to neutral sources. Of course, these pairings made sense. However, even slightly warmer source devices sounded perfectly fine. Except the Roseselsa RS9039. That one simply didn’t bring the Adonis New to its best place sonically with even more obvious rolled off treble. I much more enjoyed the Aful SnowyNight, EPZ TP50, Simgot Dew4x, Hidizs S9 Pro Plus, even the Moondrop Dawn 4.4 was a very nice pairing. Devices closer to neutral or slightly warm/neutral in tonality. Now, this doesn’t always hold true as you’ll see with my dap situation.
Daps
I truly enjoy the Shanling M6 Ultra with the Adonis New. Now, the M6 Ultra leans slightly warmer, but it is very resolving, tight, and very clean sounding. So, I do think its resolving ability made a nice difference because man those two pair nicely together. I also used the iBasso DX240 which worked seamlessly with its ES9038Pro dac chip which comes across as highly dynamic and neutral in tonality. However, out of everything I used, the Fiio Q15 stole the show. The Adonis New really created nice synergy with the Q15 and its AK4499EX+AK4191 dac chips. Again, closer to neutral, highly dynamic, well controlled. The Q15 really brought the best out of the Adonis New.
What do you need?
If it was me, I’d at least want a nice dongle dac, preferably something closer to neutral and very dynamic in presentation. That’s just me though. I’m sure most any dongle dac will sound nice. I feel the only caveat would be source devices that have an early roll-off up top. The Adonis New is already warm and the treble isn’t the most energetic I’ve ever heard so providing a bit of extra energy in the treble from the source device is helpful. Power wise, again, at least a dongle dac and if you have a better source than I think you’ll be good to go.
Sound Impressions
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
The QOA Adonis New is one of those sets which teeter “more-so” in one direction, but doing so in a very clean way is the best way to put it, I think. In this case I find the Adonis New to be more of an L-shaped sound with a boosted bass region, a very “present” and nicely rendered midrange as well as a completely non-offensive treble region that layers notes nicely with good note body but doesn’t provide a whole lot of energy or brilliance. So ya, L-shaped with a meaty bass that delivers deep yet rounded notes and heavy impact. The midrange is perhaps a bit tame for some folks, but not relegated to the back of the sound field. Just not overly energetic. Vocals are actually very nice. “Like butta baby”! Forgive me, but these are the first words which sprang to mind upon hearing Dermot Kennedy emotionally sing his feelings in “Rome”. Lastly, the treble isn’t the most luminous and there’s no forced resolution. It simply plays its part providing great cohesion to the overall character of this set.
Smooth
Anyways, the sound is smooth, smooth, and… smooth. However, it’s not smooth as in… “plush”, but rather smooth like… “buttery or syrupy”. Smooth like a higher viscosity oil rather than wooly or fuzzy. There’re also no jagged edges folks. In my opinion, the timbre is very nice, with a taught-richness and nicely resolved even with its thicker note body. Maybe not “resolving” in the same vein as something like the Simgot EA1000 is resolving. That’s more like lean-muscle mass, ultra tight, neutral canvas, brighter, more illuminated. No sir. The Adonis New is generally robust, weighted, and the Adonis New makes its presence felt with a more clean lined yet resplendent density and creamy note rhythm. The bass is emphasized quite a bit as the Adonis New definitely leans to the left and so there’s this prevailing warmth which caters to the more emotionally gripping tracks, yet I find the Adonis New is great for many genres.
It’s L-shaped
Now, the Adonis New isn’t the most sprightly or quick sound you’ll ever hear. Decay is on the “natural” side permitting secondary harmonics to perceivably reach their natural release point, as each note will decay till its perceived completion. Basically, this isn’t the most transient-quick and peppy sound I’ve ever heard. Certainly not slow or laggy, but again, it’s also not some snappy, zippy and peppy set either. As far as timbre is concerned, I find the Adonis New to lean organic, almost natural, yet with some bass coloration. If organic means to you… less intense brightness, warm, melodic, with an emotionally gratifying natural timbre, cadence, tone and realistically weighted inflections to both voices and instruments. To be completely honest, “organic” can be something different for everyone. I did read a comment somewhere that the Adonis New has a neutral tinge to it, which I personally wouldn’t agree with, but everyone perceives sound a bit differently. To me this set is warm and L-shaped through and through yet with this dynamism that keeps it from being veiled or bogged down.
Bass Region
The bass region is emphasized a good portion above the rest of the mix and so it does sound full and weighted. I’ve seen more of these types of tunings lately than I’ve seen in a long time. Emphasized and colored bass regions, less energy at the top of the spectrum. It’s fun, it hits hard, and it goes deep with great density. This is the type of bass which does color the rest of the mix to a degree. You will hear and sense an overarching warmth instead of open and airy and that has a lot to do with the amount of low-end tuned into the Adonis New’s signature. However, this also makes this set a hint polarizing in the respect that not everyone yearns for a bass-boi type replay all the time. It can be an acquired taste. There are tracks which will feel stuffy and less defined at times, but for the most part the Adonis New has a well-managed bigger bass section for the quantity. Having said that, separation of the bass region may be a bit more blurred so be aware. The bass has girth to it and it sits closer to the listener. I think of it not like a bull in a China shop. It’s definitely bullish. However, it’s more like a bull who knows its way around a China shop. It still has some essence of good agility. Not so flat and wide but rounded with a forward presence.
Sub-bass
Looking at the sub-bass the Adonis New reaches a very deep and low pitch and it does so with bulbous girth and can become flat-out guttural when called upon to do so. The sub-bass will slightly infuse with the mid-bass sounding a bit one-noted. Having said that, the sub-bass is very dense. It has a palpable feel to my music. “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush vibrates the back sides of my eyeball’s folks. At the beginning of that track a deep, vibration-riddled bassline reverbs with a kinetic feeling and deep drone. This is a sub-bass that most certainly encroaches on the mid-bass stealing some texture from that region. Perhaps not 100% concrete at the note outline or on attack with a slightly softer note edge. However, underlying that soft perimeter is a rock-hard solid foundation. I’ve always likened it to a hammer wrapped in a sock, a rock covered in insulation, Beachwood adorned with feathers. Okay that last one was pretty stupid, but you get the point. Well, maybe they were all pretty stupid, but the analogy holds true in my mind. I get that from many bass drops, feathered kick drums with a raucous hollow boom. Not as tacky on attack. Still well defined and still clean for its quantity. I don’t want you getting the wrong idea. It’s just thick and it makes its presence felt in any sub-bass-oriented track as well as any other track as it colors the other frequencies. Again, this is an acquired taste. You have to want a heavier, meatier sub-bass.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass has a ton of boom to it. It too is forward (obviously) and it too has a heavy presence. Waxahatchee has many tracks with some fuller bass guitar and drums and in the track “Right Back to It” there’s a foundational bass guitar that quite literally sets the tone of this track. The first thing I notice is that it simply groans with some real fullness. The mid-bass is pronounced in such a way that stuff like bass guitar can reach such a darkened depth it needs from the sub-bass, but also all the realistic fullness from the mid-bass as well. The thing is, the Adonis New is tuned very nicely for a bassier set as the bass guitar doesn’t pounce all over the strumming guitar to my right, or the vocalist in the center. In this way there is nice separation. Yes, it’s big and yes, it’s full, but it doesn’t straight up mask over the midrange to the point of veil. Now, this is not the quickest bass region, but it has a nice slam and a full impact. Maybe not the best for complicated bass sections within my music but for the size, it’s not bad at all.
Downsides to the Bass Region
The downside here is pretty obvious. The bass region is pretty thick, yet it’s probably the focal point of this iem. The midrange may have a thing or two to say about that. I personally feel the bass is awesome for a bigger low-end. Still, there will be those who definitely don’t desire an elevated bass. Especially to the degree that the Adonis New is elevated. The bass can squeeze its way into other regions and definitely creeps into the midrange. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for you? The bass can at times come across a hint one-noted and it can seem a bit less separated than some would like. Maybe it’s a hair soft on attack too. However, these are minor gripes for how nice this lower end can be. I feel QOA did a very nice job crafting a fun sound and ultimately a very musical sound. But more on that later.
Midrange
The QOA Adonis New comes across with a certain richness to its midrange. Milky, creamy, syrupy, and any other descriptive word identifying something moist, rich, luscious or viscous. That’s the Adonis New in a nutshell. Well, there’s actually quite a lot more. There will be those who decide that the Adonis New isn’t energetic enough, or shimmery enough. Maybe not open enough for their liking and I completely understand. Maybe the casual listening side of the audio world has become used to some rendition of a Harman sound, and the Adonis New is not that. This is a midrange which trades fine lines, crispness and lustery-vibrance for a warm version of musicality that is well able to hit all the emotional receptors in the brain. The Adonis New is a very nicely done set which has a very distinct flavor. Again, an organic and earthy sound which carries a different sort of dynamism. Energetic within the bounds of a warm canopy yet still vibrant… even in that warmth.
Musical?
The one word which comes to mind when listening to the Adonis New is perhaps the choice word for a midrange. That being “musical”. To me musicality comes from a certain something that I don’t feel has ever really been defined all that great in this hobby. It’s a subjective word which can never be quantified or measured. There’s no correct way to describe it other than what it means to you. I’ve spoken of this before but it’s all the more relevant when the set I’m describing just so happens to be musical inside and out. My opinion of course, because that’s all this word will ever be conceived from… an opinion. My interpretation of “musical” that is. It’s an odd word… musical. We throw it around so easily and yet never justly pinpoint what exactly it is that makes something so whimsically-musical. I poke fun at all of us folks. Without question I am one of the worst offenders in this. Anyways, now that I’ve said all of that, I think musicality in a set should evoke some sort of emotion. It should be tuned in such a way that couples realistic note weight, with realistic dynamics, throupled with a certain indescribable mellifluence. It should have a certain subjective charm to it, or an endearing quality which I doubt that a thin, dry or analytical approach would be able to convey. Maybe that’s why we usually associate musicality with subtle warmth, or organic weight and timbre. Who knows, the point is that the Adonis New has been able to convey to me and for me that canorous and appreciably tuneful… musicality.
Some blending
With the Adonis New in my ears there’s some weighted thrust in that smooth attack, some roundness in the body of its notes and it’s clean even with its velvet style. However, there’s also a natural decay to each note. A hearty attack followed by a decay that finally releases when all harmonics have run their course. This type of sound certainly can blend a bit, especially with more complicated tracks, multiple instruments and moving parts, or tracks with more of that forward bass region woomp-woomping in your ears. There’s some instrumental overlap there which isn’t uncommon to real life. Many bands have multiple instruments in concert with each other. The only difference is that with earphones, all of those sounds come out of a 6mm nozzle (on average). The other subjective issue surrounding this set is that the Adonis New doesn’t really have any perceived air or openness from too-little treble energy, coupled with a rich note body. But wow does it sound nice. It all comes together well with this set. No, it isn’t the picture of technical perfection and no, the Adonis New isn’t going to wow anyone with its detailed prowess. What it may do is hit that sweet spot of melodic gratification. If you can rewire your brain a bit, then you may agree with me… QOA did a solid on this one folks.
Lower-midrange
I always break up the midrange between low and upper midranges. I don’t know why I do this, other than the low-end seems to affect the low-mids quite a lot whereas the treble seems to affect the upper-mids a lot and breaking them up makes the most sense. At any rate, the same holds true for the Adonis New as the bass certainly does have some effect in the lower midrange. Males hit my ear with a velvet authority. They are weighted, dense and bold, but they’re also malleable, with some agility and some depth to the sound. Take Audioslave‘s lead vocalist Chris Cornell in the track “I Am the Highway”. He has that raspy abrasive voice that is somehow very compelling, even charming. I like how the Adonis New takes that voice and adds body to the fundamental tone of his voice but doesn’t exaggerate the edginess. Many iems will make his voice sound unnatural, almost metallic at times. His voice is front and center and with a very nice presence in the mix. As though it pops a bit. Definitely not recessed to the background of the sound field. Another example is Zach Bryan in the song “28”. The velvet of the Adonis New works seamlessly with Zach’s vocals. The Adonis New also gives fullness to the lightly strumming guitar which begins the track. Similarly, the swell of the violin which cuts through any heaviness is silvery, knife-edged, yet completely mellifluous and it shares the sound field very well with his vocals. I could keep going with examples but that would push me past my word count goal. Basically, males come across very well. Men sound like men, they’re robust, full, and generally very clean for such a smooth sound.
Upper-Midrange
Now this is an area where some may find a slight issue. Most sets give females a bit more brilliance to work with. Maybe a hair more shimmer to embellish or furnish a female voice. Like shimmery garland. That’s not exactly what the Adonis New does. Instead, women’s voices have a certain moistness to the note structure. The same goes for instruments in this region. Maybe not as energetic and lifted as some may enjoy but I also wouldn’t call them dull. Vibrance doesn’t have to be bright. Sometimes vibrance will simply be a forward instrument or voice which sits in front, or on a pedestal. In the case of the Adonis New, I’d call it just that. Only that forward voice has this layer of warmth which covers it to a slight degree. There is some treble spill over, but it isn’t so much that it elevates the upper-mids with luminance. So, there will most certainly be those folks who will not jive with the Adonis New. Like I said, for some it’ll be an acquired taste. I’ve done many reviews of late with a more L-shaped hue to the sound and I feel that the pinnacle of that sound thus far has been using the Adonis New. Females and instruments have a liveliness to them, but it simply isn’t all that bright.
Females shine
Adele in the track “Hello” really comes alive and shows off her amazing voice when listening to the Adonis New. She comes across very naturally weighted to my ears with just enough moisture to her sound. She sounds forward, but not so much that she sounds unnatural. It is really a very strong timbre which reacts nicely with a strong woman voice. The inflections in her voice have a subdued vibrance and energy which really adds dimension to her voice. I find that almost all females come across in this way to varying degrees. No, they aren’t ultra bright and sparkly, but they are another version of wonderful. The Adonis New is simply a good vocal set. So much so that it has taken me a bit by surprise.
Downsides to the Midrange
The biggest drawback for most people will definitely be the fact that there isn’t a huge amount of lift in the pinna rise. This area is a bit warmer than some may like. It isn’t very open, airy, separated and it isn’t the most detailed midrange. Anyone who is more of a technical listener who enjoys the subtleties brought forth to the surface will most likely want to keep looking. Granted, for a rich sound the Adonis New is actually nicely resolved. The Adonis New isn’t transient quick and the outer layer of each note is smoothed over with all the rough edges sanded down to a smooth surface. So, on one hand the Adonis New won’t feel snappy and complicated songs or songs which feature a bigger bass section will be prone to some masking or blending. That said, I honestly don’t feel this is a real problem because as smooth as the Adonis New is, details are actually pretty nice. Let’s put it this way, you aren’t missing much. Of course, sets tuned for the purpose of detail retrieval will unquestionably be better in that regard.
But I like em’
I assume that you already know if this set is up your alley and like most reviews it’s about at this point that readers will stop… reading. Maybe. I grew to greatly enjoy the milky vocals, the non-offensive and easy listen. In the midrange I’ve had zero moments of shout, glare, peaks, and sibilance is very rare. I enjoy that any vocals (male or female) sound just forward enough and emboldened in a very nice way. I hear zero BA timbre or any metallic tinge to the sound and cohesion between drivers is perfect. The mids are full in body, rich and musical above all else, which is a nice thing to be if you’re a midrange.
Treble Region
Is this the weak point of this set? To me the answer is maybe and most definitely the answer is a yes to some. In fact, unquestionably to some people the treble region will be a head scratcher. You have this boosted bass, big and extended sub-bass followed by a big downhill ride into the mids while the pinna rise is a short hill, maybe a couple speed bumps in the lower treble but nothing which really offsets the bass region. That is where the warmth comes from. Of course that warmth is followed by a moderately boosted and almost linear ride through the treble with good extension. People generally like balance and the Adonis New is far from that. It isn’t balanced, it’s bass heavy. Something tells me that this is exactly what QOA was shooting for. So, to those who yearn for a brighter sound, or even those who simply want more of a balance, this tuning may be a head scratcher.
It fits the overall signature
Some reviewers are going to say it’s a badly tuned set because of this less radiant treble. I somewhat disagree, but they will still say it. If balance or brightness is what you are after, then yes, the treble would not be tuned for your personal target. Completely disregarding that this tuning is exactly what QOA was going for. We can’t forget that! It’s an important piece of the pie. After all, how should we judge a set if not to the mark that the brand was trying to achieve. That’s the standard. Did they tune their iem in a solid way to the signature they were hoping to achieve? Not if we (reviewers) like it or not. Who cares about that. People aren’t usually reading to find out what we like, they want to know if they will like it. It’s their money that our opinions help veer one way or another. So, in that vein I can definitely say that the treble region on the Adonis New fits the overall signature wonderfully. It fits. The treble doesn’t illuminate or thin out any of that warmth and richness for a brighter hue. I feel it’s just enough. Now, personally I would usually gravitate towards sets with a bit more levity to the sound, but boy have I been bewitched by the sound of the Adonis New and the treble (or lack thereof) is a reason for that.
Treble cont…
So, the treble doesn’t leap off the graph with bright energetic brilliance and it doesn’t have that good airy and open sound which would help to open up the midrange, which would also help to create perceived separation of instruments and vocals. It also doesn’t add any of that sprightly shimmer to the midrange. Maybe it’s a bit dull in comparison to other sets, but I don’t feel it’s dull per se. The treble just isn’t the type which is going to uplift and generate energy in that way.
A bit apologetic
However, the treble does have good body, like the rest of the mix. It also has better extension than I figured it would have. I still get some good info out past 8-10k. Much better than many sets, except the Adonis New does so in a way that doesn’t distort or color the timbre. It won’t come across artificial or forced. Stuff like cymbals don’t even try to sound splashy on this set. Each note is smooth and won’t even dream of offending. I want to get across (as best I can) that there is some talented treble on this set but it’s just not very forward and it isn’t a focal point. Details actually are good with the right tracks and the treble has good note definition. Resolution doesn’t come across as hi-res as some sets are tuned with, but there’s some punch up top when needed and you can listen for hours without needing a break or turning the volume down. I know I’m coming across a bit apologetic over the treble, but I honestly like how it fits in the overall tuning. I feel it’s just enough emphasis to take on a good supporting role and just enough emphasis to not come across as too dark, boring, lifeless or lackluster.
Downsides to the Treble Region
I feel we’ve covered this. The obvious answer is the lack of energy afforded to the treble. For many this will be a point of contention, but for fans of a musical and non-offending sound I think that would be a non-point. But if I were to pile on the obvious answer above, I could also say that the treble lacks crunch and bite. It doesn’t come across as airy and the treble will lack brilliance. Resolution isn’t going to wow anyone, and details won’t be illuminated to the surface as easily as some sets. Still, in the end it all comes down to how each of the sections fit together and as far as I can tell the cohesiveness is wonderful. Really a very well done iem from QOA.
Technicalities
Soundstage
Listening with the Adonis New has been a very nice experience. Part of that reason has to do with the depth of field. It gives this set a 3D quality which is nice to hear. Stage width is about average I’d say, and height is about the same. However, I personally don’t feel a set reaches its pinnacle because of the vastness of an imaginary psycho-acoustically rendered stage. I think a good stage helps but a good stage doesn’t necessarily mean big, wide, tall, and deep. What I can say for sure is that the stage is full in this set. It fills all the areas of the sound field every time I listen. It is somewhat closer to the listener and is intimate in that way, but it’s also got that depth to give it some dimensionality.
Separation / Imaging
The separation of elements within the stage on the QOA Adonis New isn’t its best quality. Now, one of its best qualities is that thicker and richer note body. Of course, it also plays into why the Adonis New isn’t the best at separating instruments all the time. Along with a few other attributes that make this set a little less transparent. I don’t feel that this is a problem by any stretch of the imagination as the upside of this set is much greater than its technical woes. However, there are moments of exceptions, like less complicated and congested tracks but by-and-large the Adonis New will likely not take your breath away with its ability to cleanly define each instrument. The same goes for imaging. While I’d say imaging is probably about average for a $180 set, it’s still not perfectly clear all the time. You have that bass presence fuddling things up in some situations which does blur the lines a bit. That said, I think we know what we are getting with this set. Musical, casual, easy, non-offensive, and fun.
Detail Retrieval
Despite all that I’ve spoken of this far, I still don’t feel the Adonis New is necessarily bad in the detail department. Just not some detail monster. This is another area where a bigger bass section will slightly cloud over the rest of the mix from letting the subtleties through. You have a thicker note body, the sound is smoother than it is crisp, the bass is raised quite a bit above the other frequencies, separation isn’t perfect either. All of these slight issues take away from the resolving ability of the Adonis New. Of course, this is all to be expected. Also, I’d hate to lose the musicality of this set for a few more details. I think it’s great just how it is.
Is it worth the asking price?
The QOA Adonis New can be purchased at most places for about $180 MSRP. To be totally honest, I don’t see a huge number of sets tuned similarly within its price point. There is the Aful Explorer (Explorer Review) which is priced at $119 and very similar in tuning but the price increase in my opinion is justified. Also, the Explorer is a hair less warm. A very nice set though. I can tell you this, I most definitely feel the Adonis New is worth every penny and is a very good buy at that price. If you’re into that kind of tuning that is. Of course, by now in this review, the only people which should still be here are those who enjoy this type of tuning. I would think anyway. Folks, reviews can be somewhat deceptive. I say that because all of my reviews cover the same areas, same sections. If you read through just the Technicalities section you’d probably think this set is just a waste of loot. However, the Adonis New is so good at being what it is. Yes it’s polarizing to an extent and yes $180 is a lot of money for a lot of people. However, against the field of bass heavy iems in this relative price bracket, the Adonis New is my current favorite. Read that again please. I said out of bass heavy iems close to the same price. I definitely have a different all-around favorite but that’s not for this review. This review is for those who love rich, weighted, warm/L-shaped iems that produce a heavy bass response. Very few sets can say that.
Sea of sets
That said, if you enjoy that more balanced, Harman, or more universally praised type sound then the Adonis New is out of its element against those and it would likely not be worth the money to those folks. There are some seriously great hybrid sets for the money in that range alone. Sets like the Juzear 61T Butterfly (61T Review), Seeaudio Yume II, Slivio SL41 MK2, Letshuoer Cadenza 4 (Cadenza 4 Review), Binary Chopin (Mahir’s Chopin Review), Aful Performer 5 (Mahir’s P5 Review) Kinera Idun Golden, Juzear Flame, Juzear 41T, QOA Aviation (Aviation Review), Celest Relentless (Relentless Review), Geekwold GK100, ISN H40, Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (QT9 MK2S Review), Rose Technics QT9 Mk3 (QT9 MK3 Review), Tanchjim Kara (Mahir’s Kara Review), Kiwi Ears Quintet and on and on it goes. That made me dizzy. That’s just to name a few folks. Please believe me there’s about fifty more. And that’s not counting single DD sets or planars. So, there’s some real fantastic iems that aren’t tuned to the same style and would put up a bigger fight against the Adonis New. However, for me the Adonis New is worth it against any set in that range.
The Why
Because… my word… look at that build, the comfort, the fit. Next look at how gorgeous this set is. Also, find me another pinecone embedded resin iem with colors that pop quite like this one. Let me know when you find one. Look at all the accessories, the case and the modular cable, and finally, listen to the Adonis New. Remember, I’m talking to those who “want” an L-shaped bass heavy sound… moving on. The sound is this intoxicating blend of cohesion, depth, bodied note structure, density, emotional, skillfully agile, along with some of the better timbre I’ve heard in this price range. The bass is deep, extended, meaty and wholly forceful. Yet it’s quick when it needs to be, it has some ductility, and maneuvers through all of my music very well for a bigger and more emphasized bass. And wow, that midrange. That milky, creamy and buttery style midrange that begs an emotional connection to happen every time I listen. It’s warm, wetted, and melodic to the core, and I love the forward nature of it. Vocals are on a pedestal, out front, and they never scream at you. Instead, they’re held in check by a very nice tuning. Yes, the treble isn’t very uplifted, brilliant or punchy. But it is non-offensive, not aggressive, and great for long listening along with better extension into the upper treble than I ever would’ve thought. 100% the Adonis New is worth every penny. If… you favor this type of sound.
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the QOA Adonis New ratings below, that would be $150-$200 hybrid style iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $150-$200 US hybrid iems is a decent sized scope of iems, and it’s also extremely competitive. It should mean something pretty special to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 9.7 Built well, all- resin, very nice.
–Look: 9.9 Stunning & pleasing to the eye.
–Fit/Comfort: 9.3 Fit and comfort is great for me.
–Accessories: 9.5 Great case, great cable, nice presentation.
–Overall: 9.6🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 9.4 Organic, natural, warm, robust.
–Bass: 9.1 Big, extended, authoritative, meaty.
–Midrange: 9.3 Musical and engaging.
–Treble: 7.1 Less emphasis than I’d like.
–Technicalities: 7.3 It’s a musical set, not interested in details.
–Musicality: 9.7 Very musical sound.
–Overall: 8.7🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
I cannot begin to explain how special a price range this is for hybrid sets. In the notes above I stated that I’m rating the Adonis New against all hybrid sets between $150 and $200. There are so many iems to choose from that it’d take some effort to read or watch all of the reviews. However, the bonus of the Adonis New is that it is an L-shaped bass-boi style set which only really would entertain those who enjoy a bass heavy sound. It’d be the same if it was a treble heavy set for treble heads. However, I couldn’t exactly narrow the ratings down to only bass heavy sets in that price range. There’d be about five of them and the Adonis New would get all ratings above a 9.5! I just can’t do that. I’m telling you folks, for this type of sound the Adonis New is numero-uno in its price range. Really special. If you have $180 burning a hole in your pocket and you want the most skilled basshead type set, you can find for your money… I have the set for you. In comes Adonis New.
I Know, I Know
In spite of that last statement, again, I extended the range to “all hybrid iems between $150 and $200”. I know, I know, I don’t like it either, it makes very little sense… but that’s what we are doing. So, feel free to fly right on by these ridiculous ratings. Basically, the majority of hobbyists are going to want something more balanced. Let’s just get that out of the way. By default, the Adonis New is almost going to get looked past and so I realize how these ratings don’t do it justice. Still, an “8.7” overall against the entire field in this range is pretty special for this type of sound. Also, don’t waste the digital ink emailing or messaging me about how I went about these ratings. Please trust me, I get it. Oh brother, I can hear the keys being punched right now by the peanut gallery… Lol.
Explain Yourself!
How do I explain this one? Well, I suppose I already have to an extent. The Adonis New is up against some real baddies, some beasts, and I have many on hand to quickly compare against which is a nice thing to have. I feel the only rating which would need at least some explaining is the “Bass” rating. As you can see, I gave the Adonis New a lofty “9.1” even though it isn’t the most intricately detailed bass I’ve ever heard. I just feel that for the amount, or quantity, that the Adonis New’s bass region is very skilled. Couple that with how rumbly, dense, impactful and even punchy this set is, and you got yourself a winner. If I was rating this on quantity alone the Adonis New would have a “9.9”. Honestly, I feel that each rating is pretty fair. “Technicalities” is 1-2 points above average which was saved by the soundstage. The “9.7” in “Musicality” is most certainly true. Unless of course your version of musicality isn’t warmly weighted and engaging. Remember, it can mean something different to everyone. I don’t feel there’s much to explain here. Let me know what you think.
Conclusion
To conclude my full review and feature of the Queen of Audio Adonis New, I’d really like to thank the good people of Kinera and of course a big shout out to the “Audio Geeks US Tours” for making this tour set happen. I was more than thrilled to do this review and spend time with this set and that wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Audio Geek. So, thank you very much!
And thank you
I also want to thank you, the reader. You mean the most here. It’s you that I do any of this. Nothing fills me up more than knowing I’ve played any part in helping one of you to find the perfect set for you. So that you can listen to your music and enjoy. That is a great feeling for me, and I hope I can help you. Now, it is also especially nice when you click that link and visit mobileaudiophile.com to read any of our reviews. Clicks matter. Spending time reading matters. So, thank you, I hope this helped, even a little bit.
Other perspectives
Now that you’ve read this review please go and read, watch, or listen to other perspectives about the QOA Adonis New. No two of us are alike friends. We all have our own personal ways of hearing and perceiving these audio devices. I could love this set and the dude next to me could hate it. The diversity of subjective likes and dislikes are more apparent and distinct in this hobby than any other in my opinion. So please check out other thoughts, it’ll help you to make an educated decision folks. With that, I’m done in this one. It’s been fun. Take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!
