Vots DQ100
| 8 mm Driver | 5.8mm Driver |
? We have already reviewed other earphones from Vots , the very good Vots QT100 hybrid and the Vots J1. Vots might not be the most famous brand but is a manufacturer specialized in earphones and headphones only, they offer a fair variety of models nowadays. The Vots DQ100 is a dual dynamic driver earphone with an 8mm dynamic driver + a 5.8mm dynamic driver, the dual DD configuration is meant to offer better sound quality having the 8mm DD take care of bass response and the smaller 5.8mm DD for the mid and high frequencies.
the 8mm DD take care of bass response and the smaller 5.8mm DD for the mid and high frequencies
Usually the logical thinking is that having specialized drivers for different frequencies has to give a stronger bass response and clearer mids and highs than a regular iem that has only one dynamic driver taking care of everything. Things not always go as planned as you can see on our review of the dual dynamic driver KZ ZS2 for example, in this review we will see how the Vots DQ100 performs. The Vots DQ100 is made entirely of plastic, not the toughest plastic you can get nor the worst one either, an acceptable level of quality. The cable is rounded and slightly rubberized that offers some resistance to tangling, very similar to the cable of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini iem or the Sony MDR-7550/800ST. The DQ100 has a sporty wear style (cable going above and around the ear) with a sort of memory wire that has a pre-molded form that cannot be customly shaped. The cable holds an inline microphone and 1-button control. Vots sells them in 4 different colors: white, black, translucent blue or translucent purplish.
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Accessories & Packaging
The packaging of the Vots DQ100 is identical to the one of the Vots QT100, same size and with a magnetized closure. Inside, though, there are less accessories provided; basically you get 2 extra couple of eartips.
6/10
B
Bass & Sub Bass
The dual dynamic drivers share a very similar size to those inside the KZ ZS2, which as you can read on our review is an excellent performer regarding bass response. So, will the Vots DQ100 deliver similar bass levels? Right out of the box we clearly noticed a dark, warm and boomy sound signature which may be just too much to some. Mid bass is clearly present but is not punchy, sub-bass lacks depth and has no impact. We tried giving them a hand by equalizing and sub-bass gained some depth but it overall increased the dark, boomy sound signature.
we could feel that the 8mm driver could had handled some more power
Amplifying them with a Fiio E12 (high gain + bass boost on) and equalizing with a custom basshead eq, the Vots DQ100 was able to handle 30% to 33% of Fiio’s maximum power. Mid-bass and sub-bass improved drastically and much more depth was delivered but it has no chance of being near any basshead level, there is no impact at all coming from them. The 5.8mm driver started to distort badly and was ready to break when we pushed them slightly over 33% power, meanwhile we could feel that the 8mm driver could had handled some more power but there is no way to know how much more unless you are planning to burst the 5.8mm driver. Mid-bass and sub-bass rumble, depth and impact are inferior to what the Remax RM-565i can achieve with its tiny 6mm microdriver.
4/10
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M
Mids & Vocals
Mids are generally recessed and muffled and at the same time peaks on higher mids can get harsh. Being overall very laid back they are not particularly fatiguing but the slight harshness level could get annoying depending on each song. Applying a custom eq can help to gain some mid presence without an excessive quantity of boxy sound.
5/10
H
Highs & Treble
The highs do not present sibilance and are very rolled off and de-emphasized, they lack detail and definition is almost non existent. Eq brings up some high frequency response but can become piercing.
4/10
Vots DQ100SL
Sound Leak
Sound leakage is outstanding, a very diminished level of sound can be barely heard. The king here is the KZ ATE with almost 0 level of sound leaking and although the Vots DQ100 do not own the crown they are not very far from it.
9.75/10
SI
Sound Isolation
Noise reduction is very good, perceived ambient sound is reduced noticeably allowing to isolate from the environment without utilizing excessive volume levels.
8/10
C
Comfort
The Vots DQ100 have a sport wearing style with the cable going around the ear, if not used to this style you might find that putting them on can be less straightforward than a traditional earphone. Regardless of this, the DQ100 offers an exceptional fit that holds its place like almost no other iem on our database; they can be safely used for very high intensity activities and they will hold their place and fit without a single problem. At the same time, they are amazingly comfortable.
exceptional fit that holds its place like almost no other iem on our database
Having a shallow housing design plus a deep fit they sit flush with the ear so they can be used while resting your head sideways on a pillow and will not produce any discomfort, pressure or soreness.
10/10
EQ
Response to Equalization
The Vots DQ100 are able to respond fairly to some frequencies and poorly to others. Highs can be equalized to try to obtain some high frequency response and surprisingly some highs were obtained after equalizing but may quickly become piercing. Lower to middle mids can be pushed to gain presence and will respond without introducing boxy sound; on the other hand, higher mids do not respond well when trying to get rid of the slight harshness that they have. Bass gains some depth when equalizing but there is not a radical transformation nor a great resulting performance.
5/10
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Scores- Accesories - 6/106/10
- Design - 9/109/10
- Bass - 4/104/10
- Mids - 5/105/10
- Highs - 4/104/10
- Sound Leak - 9.75/109.8/10
- Sound Isolation - 8/108/10
- Comfort - 10/1010/10
- Response to EQ - 5/105/10
- Value for Money - 3.5/103.5/10
Summary
Superb comfort- Flat fitting is useful to use on bed
- Outstanding performance regarding sound leakage, perfect for library use
- Fit is very tight and stable, ideal for high intensity activities
Superb comfort- Highs and mids are too recessed and suffer from harshness at the same time
- Does not excel at any particular sound frequency
Highs and mids are too recessed and suffer from harshness at the same timeNotes
- The double DD of the Vots DQ100 sounded promising but it fell short delivering a worthy sound quality because of a bad mixture of muffleness, harshness, lack of bass impact and overall dark laid back sound signature. Nevertheless the exceptional comfort, secure fit and outstanding sound leakage can make them a good choice for people searching for an iem that can be used comfortably in very diverse activities but do not care much about sound quality.
Thank to their ergonomics and fit the Vots DQ100 have a place in the Sports Earphones Chart.
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Vots DQ100| Type | Dual Dynamic Driver |
|---|---|
| Driver Unit | 8mm + 5.8mm |
| Sensitivity | 96dB/mW |
| Power Capacity | 5mW |
| Impedance | 9 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20-20,000Hz |
| Diaphragm | Unknown |
| Magnet | Neodymium |
| Cord | Y-type, round cord |
| Cord Length | 1.2m |
| Plug | 45 degree shaped stereo mini plug |
| Weight (Without Cord) | Unknown |
| Supplied Accessories | 2x Earphone tips |
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DISCLAIMER:
We highly discourage you to try to apply our testings to your own earphones, the risk of damaging or permanently breaking your iems is absolutely probable to happen.
With our standardized equalization and amplification tests we push the limits of the earphones to the extreme.
If anyway you decide to do so, we cannot be held responsible of the damage done to your equipment. Do it at your own risk.
Vots DQ100
