In-ear headphones with dynamic transducers and an unconventional sound tuning system are BQEYZ Autumn in-ear headphones. The manufacturer promises high ergonomics, a large soundstage, and the ability to tune to any music.
BQEYZ has already been featured twice on the dot. Audio – I took care of the Spring II model (EURO 155), and we tested the Summer model (EURO 120). Both headphones deserved recommendations, sounded great in the context of the price, and did not disappoint in other aspects. After all, we are talking about three-driver hybrids, not ordinary ones, because they are equipped with dynamic, armature, and piezoelectric drivers.
The title Autumn raises some doubts because they look similar to the other models of the series, but they are equipped only with dynamic converters. Despite this, the headphones are positioned higher than Summer or Spring II, because they were priced at PLN 799. In return, however, we get the opportunity to retune the headphones with magnetic filters, which makes Autumn stand out from other BQEYZ in-ear headphones. I checked whether the headphones are worth the extra payment compared to Spring II and how they compare to Letshuoer S12.
Equipment
Included are:
- 3 pairs of tips with narrower outlets (S, M, L);
- 3 pairs of tips with wider mouths (S, M, L);
- 3 pairs of acoustic filters (BASS, NORMAL, TREBLE);
- case;
- filter replacement tool;
- filter organizer;
- 2-pin cable 0.78 mm > 3.5 mm (approx. 120 cm);
- cleaning tool;
- user manual.
The equipment is, therefore, rich, and the accessories do not disappoint with quality. For example, the filter organizer is a metal and thick plate with milled holes that have been signed. The device for replacing them, i.e. an elongated gripper with magnets on both sides, is also made of metal.
The case resembles the one from the Spring II model but has a different shape. The cable was also modified because, this time, the copper was silver-plated. Compared to Spring II, there were no tips mold and thermoactive foams. It is a pity that the latter was abandoned, but the set of the lower model included only one pair of foams in a small size, so it’s a small loss.
Construction
Autumn is the most beautiful headphones in this line. This is due to the simplified design because the shiny edges and prints on the lids, known from Spring II, have been abandoned in favor of delicate recesses resembling waves. For this reason, the Autumn model is closer to Summer, with the difference that the housings are metal, not plastic. The uniform color scheme also catches the eye – the navy blue model looks phenomenal! The color is deep, dark, and slightly metallic, so still universal.
The housings are three-part: external covers, chambers, and sleeves. On the first element, there are only the mentioned waves, and on the second, we also find 2-pin 0.78 mm sockets on the top and a white marking of the series on the bottom. On the inside, there are vent holes, hollow channel markings, and slots for acoustic filters. The sleeves resemble those from the Spring II model because they are metal strainers with precisely drilled holes.
The four-core cable resembles the one from Spring II, but it differs greatly in color because the copper has been silver-plated, and the metal elements are not silver but graphite. With 2-pin plugs, there is no shortage of temples, and next to the distribution cable, there is a slider, but this time small and also metal, so more interesting than the plastic ball from Spring II. The test piece has a simple 3.5 mm plug at the end of the cable, but the manufacturer also offers 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm variants.
The workmanship of the headphones is exemplary. The housings were cut using a five-axis milling machine, and the result is flawless – no imperfections are visible. The finish also impresses because the metal is smooth and pleasant. The cable also does not fall apart because the wires are protected with smooth and flexible insulation. In my opinion, the BQEYZ Autumn looks more expensive than they are.
Ergonomics and use
The sleeves are again quite wide and long, so Autumn requires a proper application. Again, I had to open my mouth to stretch my ear canals, allowing the sleeves to go deeper. However, it was unnecessary because the tips filled the channels correctly when I put on the headphones shallower. However, with deeper insulation, the housings filled the earlobes better and protruded less, and it was no different in the case of the Spring II.
Unfortunately, despite the rather deep application, noise insulation is average. Sounds from the outside reached my eardrums, and the degree of attenuation depended largely on the repertoire – in light music, the surroundings did not bother me, but in quieter pieces with high dynamics, I felt a certain insufficiency. I could easily hear, for example, the clatter of an already quite quiet mechanical keyboard. It is similar to the Spring II, which also does not spoil with the degree of damping, so there was no progress in this aspect.
Replacing the filters is trivially simple and satisfying. Instead of unscrewed bushings or nuts on the bushings, plugs on the vent holes of the chamber are replaced. These are small metal discs in gray, gold, and silver. The filters attract to the device with a nice click, and to install them, just put the filter into the slot in the headphones and slightly move the tip to the side to disconnect the elements. Therefore, the sound tuning is instant, and the replacement of filters does not tire the fingers, which I appreciated during the tests.
Again, I have no complaints about the cable. The earrings do not have wires inside, so we cannot give them any shape, but they are optimally deformed, pleasant to the touch, and flexible. The earrings fit perfectly around my ears and did not cut into the skin. In addition, the cable fits perfectly because it is heavy and flowing, and the earbuds can be freely shortened because the slider holds the selected position. You should also not worry about the microphone effect – you can’t hear the tapping or scraping of the cable at all.
Specification
- drivers: dynamic 13 mm
- frequency response: 7Hz-40kHz
- impedance: 46 ohms
- sensitivity: 110 dB
- cable: 2-pin 0.78 mm > 3.5 mm, copper + silver-plated copper, 120 cm
- weight: 6.1 g (single earphone); 32 g (both headphones with cable and tips)
Sound
- Headphones: Campfire Audio Ara, Dorado 2020 and Solaris 2020, FiiO FD5, FH5s, Meze Advar, IKKO OH1S, BQEYZ Spring II, Letshuoer S12
- Sources: FiiO M17, M11 Plus ESS, Cayin N3Pro, FiiO BTR5 2021, Qudelix-5K, Cayin RU-6
BQEYZ Autumn does not disappoint – the sound is again at a high level. You can also hear that single dynamic drivers are used. This time the construction is not hybrid. As a result, Autumn sounds completely different from Spring II, regardless of the filters used. The latter affect the sound; they are a useful sound tuning tool.
As a starting point, I chose NORMAL filters, i.e. gold ones. They will serve as an introduction to the descriptions of the BASS (gray) and TREBLE (silver) filters. I also checked how the headphones sound without filters, but it quickly turned out that it resulted in a complete cut of the bass and lower midrange. During the tests, I also used darker tips with narrower outlets, which, in my opinion, provided a fuller message.
BQEYZ Autumn – NORMAL (gold)
Autumn filters in this standard; balanced configuration is excellent! They sound natural, i.e. slightly warm and optimally smooth, but the sound is still contoured, i.e. quite hard and outlined, so the music does not seem fuzzy or bland. The headphones are musical but so resolving and precise in transmission that they are also suitable for more critical listening sessions. In addition, the headphones work great with various music genres – I could freely switch from jazz to electronic or rock. However, with gold filters, live instruments take the lead.
The lows are full – the headphones hit the sub-bass, producing a massive mid-bass and a more punctual upper bass. The bottom end fills the music with a dense, massive foundation but does not overwhelm the instruments operating in the higher ranges. I was pleased with the sound of synthesizers, digital samples, basses, double basses, and pianos. Low tones can hit dynamically, smoothly fade out or slowly overflow. Maybe the texture of the instruments is not perfectly differentiated, but this is enhanced by the musical character of the headphones – the details are present but not presented intrusively.
The midrange is close; it is not overwhelmed by low tones and provides a direct transmission of vocals, drums, strings, or guitars. There is a certain smoothness and natural warmth in the midrange, but the upper sub-range has not been cut, so the sound remains expressive, clear, and outlined. There is something characteristic in the sound of the midrange, something archaic and organic, because it is not clinical but slightly grainy, which is an advantage. Thanks to this, Autumn does not sound sterile or laboratory; it perfectly reflects the character of older jazz or rock recordings. It can be heard that headphones with gold filters are best suited for live instruments and classic electronics. We can still listen to modern pieces, but they don’t sound as impressive as on V-ear headphones.
The treble was calmed down but not darkened yet. It’s just that the treble is not perfectly stretched, but you shouldn’t be afraid of hissing. I didn’t think the music was muted or veiled, the drum cymbals still sounded strong and metallic, and the high-pitched vocals didn’t seem clipped. Fans of a strong, super-easy treble may not be delighted, but those looking for a non-aggressive, accessible presentation will be fully satisfied. Autumn relaxed me; I relaxed listening to music because the sound did not tire me for a moment. I could also listen to weaker recordings because those sharper or full of sibilants did not cause teeth grinding.
The soundstage is another advantage of the Autumn model. The separation of the channels is contrasting, and the stage is strongly stretched to the sides, which is a positive surprise because I tested the variant with a 3.5 mm plug. In addition, the stage is spherical because the height and depth are only slightly inferior to the width. So much is going on in every plane; the sound is three-dimensional, separated, and holographic because the instruments are big and shapely. It is worth knowing that the foreground is close to the listener. Hence the stage is still intimate, not a concert. The music isn’t far away, but the space still feels open and layered.
BQEYZ Autumn – BASS Filters (gray)
Bass filters… enhance the bass. I know it’s trivial, but the names of filters or tips are not always confirmed in practice. In the case of Autumn, there is no doubt that there is more bass – the sub-bass and mid-bass are accentuated, which, however, does not involve cutting out the treble. As a result, the midrange moves away, the headphones start to V-evoke, and the Autumn starts to sound more impressive and modern. Changes can also be heard in the midrange, which is cleaner, clearer, and more effective.
With gray filters, the sound becomes much denser, more vibrating, and even more massive, which improves the harmony with electronics, rap, or popular music, if we care about such an effect. This “retro” coating also disappears; the sound is not so natural anymore, but in this case, it is difficult to treat it as a disadvantage, but rather an advantage, because it enhances the effectiveness of the sound. Although I prefer the default configuration, I still enjoyed listening to Autumn with gray filters – smooth and fat bass worked great with electronics or metal.
Boosting the bass slightly limits the sound stage and worsens the aeration, a natural phenomenon. I still didn’t feel hemmed in by the sound, I wouldn’t say the stage with the bass filters is small, but the presentation is tighter than the gold filters.
BQEYZ Autumn – TREBLE filters (silver)
Soprano filters also have an adequate name, although the effect is quite subtle in this case. The sound does not become razor-sharp; the treble is still not remarkably extended because the brightening was achieved by cutting the sub-bass. The low tones become more punctual and compact, as if slightly clogged, crystallizing the sound. However, Autumn with soprano filters does not become sharp, does not hiss, prick ears, and does not tire. Rather, there is a transition from a musical and natural presentation (gold filters) or V-shaped (gray filters) to a more analytical one.
I bet I wouldn’t like the sound with the silver filters, but I was wrong. Electronics still sounded good to me; jazz convinced me because the music became clearer and more direct. It can be heard, however, that the soprano filters expose some shortcomings of the treble, which can sometimes rustle slightly, and is not perfectly controlled or natural. However, silver filters are still useful, as they allow for more critical listening or improve synergy with darker sources.
Because there is less bass, the space seems wider and freer, and the instruments are more separated because shallower bass positively affects aeration. At the same time, the presentation becomes more sketchy – the instruments still appear in various places, but they are not so shapely but rather more punctual. Fans of contrasting sound separation and high aeration will appreciate it.
BQEYZ Autumn – filters in a nutshell
- NORMAL filters (gold) – natural, balanced sound with full bass, close midrange, and gentle treble. The free and controlled bass has a pleasant, grainy, organic character of the midrange and direct treble, but not sharp. Spherical soundstage with 3D holography.
- BASS filters (gray) – strong sub-bass and mid-bass, shifted midrange, direct and clear treble. A large dose of vibrating bass, a clear midrange character, outlined, and more modern treble. Tighter soundstage due to enhanced bass.
- TREBLE filters (silver) – shallower sub-bass, present mid-bass, clear and more analytical midrange, stronger, but not razor-sharp treble. A bit more technical, direct, and slightly sharper but still accessible and engaging. Open soundstage and strong instrument separation.
My favorite: balanced filters. They provide the most natural and universal sound, convince with midrange, and satisfy bass and treble. Nevertheless, I also enjoyed using the other filters, depending on the sources’ music, mood, or signature.
BQEYZ Autumn – synergy
Headphones are not problematic synergistically. In my opinion, Autumn gains when connected to neutral or brighter sources over darker, warmer, or milder ones. Nevertheless, the effects are very good in various configurations, and the headphones themselves can be tuned with filters in case of unsuccessful connections, which is rather difficult. I connected the headphones to adapters and players from various price levels, and the effects were always satisfactory.
However, one aspect is worth noting. In theory, Autumn is not demanding – the impedance of 46 Ω is not the lowest, but the efficiency is as much as 110 dB. Headphones don’t need a lot of power to sound loud, but they benefit from more amplification. Don’t worry; you don’t have to go crazy; turn on the midrange instead of a low boost – then the bass fills up, and the dynamics increase. No need to worry about noise either because Autumn is not sensitive to signal purity.
Conclusion
BQEYZ Autumn are headphones with impressive capabilities. They look beautiful but universal and were made perfectly – I did not notice any flaws. The ergonomics are pretty good, the cable drapes great, and is not susceptible to the microphone effect. I liked the filter replacement mechanism; quick and convenient, which is not always the case. The sound is excellent, and the filters affect the sound, and each is worth attention.
The ergonomics could have been better, as was the damping from the environment – in these aspects, there is no progress compared to the older Spring II. A slightly freer, extended treble would be welcome, if only with soprano filters.
BQEYS Autumn cost PLN 799. If we fear the top of the piezoelectric, it is worth paying extra for this model – the sound is milder than the Spring II. However, Spring II may be better if we like a clear and more technical sound. In turn, the Letshuoer S12 sound not so hard, they generate smoother bands, but they extend the treble more. So each model has strengths and weaknesses, but an excellent quality-price ratio characterizes all.
Advantages:
+ rich equipment
+ great design
+ solid workmanship
+ magnetic filters
+ decent ergonomics
+ 3-in-1 sound
+ holographic soundstage
Disadvantages:
– some ergonomic shortcomings
– average attenuation
– treble could be freer
