QKZ x HBB Hades – Sounds From the Depths of Hades – Honest Audiophile Impressions



HBB has a lot of collabs and several have focused on bass but is the Hades the best bass IEM from HBB? A BIG thanks to Linsoul for providing the QKZ x HBB Hades for review.

Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCIw1An1OUp4XIv_h6si2etQ

Purchase:
https://www.linsoul.com/products/qkz-x-hbb-hades?_pos=1&_psq=hades&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction/Specs/Box/Hi-Res Sticker
01:30 Contents/Cable
02:45 Build/Comfort/Isolation
04:08 Source Pairings
05:15 Bass
06:43 Mids
07:35 Treble
09:20 Technical Abilities
11:30 Possible ways to Improve listening experience/Conclusion
12:50 Exiting

I am not a professional sound engineer, producer, musician, or vocalist, etc. I have not done any scientific research, measurements, or in-depth testing of any kind; just my own listening, comparing and internet reading/research. I have limited, real-life experience with recording, mixing and mastering gear. I have been involved since my teenage years with various churches as an amateur sound booth technician.

Please take these thoughts, opinions and reasonings as just that, my honest audiophile thoughts, opinions and reasonings.

Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehonestaudiophile
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4LG7Kqp_7f/?igshid=1pj7fm78gz0h2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TalkDbs @TalkDbs
Website: https://www.thehonestaudiophile.com
Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/theHonestAudiophile
YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMj7xJ1SDxGqqxZ5l3g_jg/join
The Honest Audiophile research/review process: https://youtu.be/UkSnoZZNyYc Tierlist:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing
Audio Terms/Definitions: https://www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/the-honest-audiophile-s-terms-and-definitions-guide
Test Tracks: https://www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/does-your-music-preference-impact-your-sound-impressions
Amazon playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/afb5506483ba4ae3be17c2184797ebb6sune?ref=dm_sh_ycUHvBw1lOkeqCrwPFcc45NAl
Recommended Gear:
Audeze LCD-5: https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-5
Rosson Audio Design RAD-0: http://www.rossonaudiodesign.com/
Meze Empyrean: https://mezeaudio.com/products/meze-empyrean
Hifiman Ananda: https://hifiman.com/products/detail/290
Sennheiser HD600: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/best-audio-headphones-high-end-stereo-hifi-hd-600
Sennheiser HD660s: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-660-s
Austrian Audio Hi-X60: https://austrian.audio/headphones/hi-x60/
Audeze LCD 2 Closed: LCD-2 Closed Back (audeze.com)
ADV. M5-12D: https://www.adv-sound.com/collections/pro-audio/products/m5-12d-universal
CTM Da Vinci X: https://cleartunemonitors.com/products/da-vinci-x-universal
Tin Hifi T2: https://www.linsoul.com/products/tinhifi-t2?_pos=1&_sid=7cddd72dc&_ss=r&variant=34447375302811
Sony NW-A105: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders/walkman-mp3-players/p/nwa105-b
Sony NW-WM-1a: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders/walkman-mp3-players/p/nwwm1a
Mytek Liberty DAC ii: https://mytek.audio/shop/lbrt-dac-ii-287#attr=
HeadAmp GSX-Mini: https://www.headamp.com/products/gs-x-mini
Tor Audio Roger: https://toraudio.com/main.html#
Schiit Audio BiFrost 2: https://schiit.com/products/bi-frost-1
Massdrop THX AAA 789:
https://drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-789-linear-amplifier?utm_source=linkshare&referer=FTSS2S
Massdrop THX AAA One Linear: https://drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-one-linear-amplifier?utm_source=linkshare&referer=FTSS2S
If you like the content of this channel and want to see more like this in the future, please
consider donating. All funds donated to the channel will be used to purchase headphones and audio gear for the channel.
Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/dbsylvia
Venmo: @David-Sylvia-6
Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/theHonestAudiophile
If you would like to contact the channel please send an email to: [email protected]

Affiliate links:
Drop: https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4pEFW3GzSkg&offerid=1325730.4&type=3&subid=0
Apos Audio: https://apos.audio?sca_ref=45218.8XN5h6dArS
ADV-Sound: https://adv-sound.com/?mct=8ENJK5lB promo code: DavidS10
HifiGo: https://hifigo.com/?rfsn=5772588.cbfbb66
Linsoul: https://www.linsoul.com?sca_ref=910677.dpweP21PzL

source

42 thoughts on “QKZ x HBB Hades – Sounds From the Depths of Hades – Honest Audiophile Impressions”

  1. Better look out Dave, the HBB fanboys are coming for your 🍑! How dare you roast a HBB product in this manner.

    Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for bringing to light the HBB collab and how 💩it is. Most of these reviewer collabs are just money grabs and not focusedon quality sound. I wish that you would get opportunity for a collab and show up all these other reviewers.

    Reply
  2. Thanks for review! It will depend on the pricing I guess. For me personally, 49$ it's a hard skip. If it will be in 20$ range or less it could be considered.
    I have a weird perception of QKZ as a brand – on the one hand they sell cheapest stuff like those 1.5$ QKZ-AKX which doesn't even have detachable cables but have "Hi-res audio" sticker on the box, on the other hand they release Hades with this pricing and mediocre contents and hope to be taken seriously. It's almost the same white carrying case from 1.5$ QKZ-AKX btw and when I see it, I really question the real price of QKZ x HBB Hades.

    Reply
  3. thanks for you honest review! i was looking forward to these and i hoped for a nice budged basshead set for those who cant afford the Fatfreq stuff but i knew from the beginning that its too good to be true, that FR graph look pretty wonky. I guess the search continues…

    Reply
  4. The frequency response on this thing is beyond horrific lol. what an embarrassing product I would be ashamed to have that much bloat on any set. Skip this and get some skullcandy jibs instead for 10$ if you really want insanely bassy nonsensically tuned crap.

    Reply
  5. I really love the aesthetic box and all! The shells reminds me of "aether" from Call of duty zombie mode lol. I really thought you were gonna say "It's all about the bass… no treble" lol

    Reply
  6. Badly tuned, muddy and with bass fatigue. I don't understand why some of these companies go to guys like HBB. If you want a budget IEM with big bass, just get something like a KBEAR Rosefinch and save money. Also tried Blon x Z Jojo. That is also not worth its price. x HBB, x Crinacle, x Z, these guys are not doing any magic here. Don't fall for blind hype and end up paying a lot more for those collab IEMs

    Reply
  7. I am looking forward to these, they seem like a more fun version of the original QKZxHBB, which is great warm set that was way better than its price point. I think "way too much bass" was the goal.

    Reply
  8. I thought this was gonna be the bassier truthear zero from the config, but kinda not expecting that the bass would be muddy by hbb collab, i think i might reconsider buying this after watch other reviewers

    Reply
  9. I don't think these are meant to care anything at all about resolution or detail or balance. This is the definition of "basshead" set. Basshead doesn't mean "almost balanced with a ton of bass"… it means, "only bass." Like huge woofers in the other room.

    A bass oriented IEM would be the MELE., which is no where near basshead.

    Reply
  10. This is clearly not your thing. But reviewing it from a hifi audiophile perspective is kind of moot.
    This review is like… A fine dining food critic going into a fast food joint called "The Super Spicy Hot chicken wing" and putting down the resturant because they dont have white starched table cloth and no red whine on the menu. "The ball pit really destroys the ambiance of the resturant and makes for a bad dining experience". I mean.. no shit? 😂I expect this is for people who listen to hyper techno and rave, crank the volume to 11 and rather "experience" the music more than listen to it.

    It feels like you completely missed who the target audience is, why this was made, and completely failed to take it into consideration .¯⁠⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯
    And then.. it wasnt even up for preorder when this video came up, and yet you mention "if you already preordered this". Makes it seem even more like you haven't done any checking up on what it is you're reviewing.

    This is a critique of the review btw. Nothing against you or your opinions ofc. Audio is subjective. 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Comment