“Flagship wired headphones from Zhulinniao for $45? No way!” – I thought upon receiving two sets of Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 in-ear headphones in the mail. “Surely either‘Chinese‘ quality or ‘Chinese’ sound. Can quality dynamic headphones be so cheap?”
Believe me, these headphones will really surprise you with their sound and kit. But let’s take it one step at a time.
- I'll describe the sound in detail.
- I will tell about the subtleties of the sound of headphones with different filters.
- I will compare with competitors.
What does the manufacturer offers in wired headphones
Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4?
Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 Wired Headphones - Sound
Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 wired headphones came to me from our author Sasha Chernov in two copies. The first one is stock, the second one - with Sasha's modernized soundhole filter.
I will test both copies. Since Qingluan Z4 have an impedance of 32 ohms (in fact, I re-measured and got 29.2 ohms on the headphones themselves), I advise you to use a good player to fully realize their potential.
Z4 have a smooth sound with raised and detailed accentuated high frequencies. Especially well presented midrange, which sound expressive and distinct, and the overall sound is melodic.
- Bass – 7.5 : the Qingluan Z4 is more sub bass oriented than midbass oriented. The sub bass is precise, fast and with a short decay time, which gives the sound clarity and texture. In tracks that emphasize bass guitar or deep lows, such as slow rock or EDM compositions, the bass sounds deep and rich. However, for fans of bass-emphasized genres such as hip-hop or bass-heavy electronica, the Z4s may not seem powerful enough. Midbass is present, but it doesn’t dominate the sound spectrum, nor does it drown out the midrange. There is no audible bass breakthrough into the midrange, making the sound balanced. With a fine mesh filter, the bass sounds muted but without losing all the depth and richness, with a coarse mesh filter it sounds more open, clearer and more natural.
- Midrange is 8 : the strong point of the Z4. Vocals, both male and female, are the center of attention. Male voices sound a bit warmer, with a slight roughness, but no harshness. Female vocals sound smooth, with tenderness and detail. The upper midrange emphasizes the vocals, adding weight and highlighting details, especially in female voices and instruments such as flute and violin. Instruments sound natural and rich, but the overall dynamics could have been more pronounced. Attacks are fast and precise, which adds extra clarity and transparency to the vocals and instruments. With the fine-mesh filter, there is a feeling of slight damping in the midrange, while with the coarse-mesh filter it sounds more open and clear.
- High frequencies – 7.5 : with the Z4’s fine-mesh filter with white seal are controlled and restrained without harshness or peaks. They are accurate but not the most transparent, and they fade out quite early, which can affect airiness and brightness a bit. Still, the high frequencies don’t cause fatigue even with extended listening, making the Z4s comfortable for long sessions. When using a coarse-mesh filter, high frequencies become bright, adding extra energy and “sparkle”, but this can lead to a sense of overdrive and loss of clarity, and on HF tracks leading to the appearance of sibilants.
- Detail – 7.5 : the Qingluan Z4s are more sub bass-oriented than midbass-oriented. The sub bass is precise, fast and has a short decay time, which gives the sound clarity and texture. In tracks that emphasize bass guitar or deep lows, such as slow rock or EDM compositions, the bass sounds deep and rich. However, for fans of bass-emphasized genres such as hip-hop or bass-heavy electronica, the Z4s may not seem powerful enough. Midbass is present, but it doesn’t dominate the sound spectrum, nor does it drown out the midrange. There is no audible bass breakthrough into the midrange, making the sound balanced. With a fine mesh filter, the bass sounds muted but without losing all the depth and richness, with a coarse mesh filter it sounds more open and clearer, louder.
- Scene – 7: the soundstage of Z4 changes depending on the filters used, with coarse mesh filter it is wide and moderately deep, with fine mesh filter it loses both depth and width – it creates a feeling of tight, but not overloaded space.
- Conclusion: the Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 are great budget headphones for those who appreciate vocals and clean, detailed sound. These headphones are great for genres where midrange and vocals are important, such as soft pop, ACG (anime music), R&B, jazz, and acoustic music. Vocals are delivered smoothly and richly, and the sound is generally balanced. However, they may not be suitable for fans of bass-heavy genres such as hip-hop or EDM, as the midbass plays a secondary role here.
Users who prefer a brighter and more detailed sound can use a coarse-mesh filter to emphasize the high frequencies. But for longer listening sessions and a more natural sound, headphones with a fine-mesh filter are best.
Modifications with the installation of different filters:
- Fine mesh filter (default): the sound is balanced, with controlled treble and natural timbre. The sub bass is fast and textured, the midbass is restrained, and vocals are centered, sounding smooth and clean.
- Coarse Mesh Filter: adds emphasis to the upper frequencies, giving the sound extra sparkle and brightness. However, this can lead to an overly harsh and thin sound, especially in the upper midrange and treble regions. The timbre becomes more natural and vocals sound timbral and natural.
- Upgraded filter: is a fine mesh filter with an open soundhole without damping fabric inside it. The sound becomes even more open compared to the previous filter. The high frequencies become brighter and take on a sandy tint, shifting the emphasis from ts-c sounds to sh-sh hissing sounds. The midrange becomes a little more tonally natural and natural. Subbass and midbass become more embossed, but in terms of massiveness and volume are at the same level. Detail slightly increased, but the stage remained at the same level.
The conclusion is obvious: those who are not satisfied with the sound of the coarse-mesh filter, can resort to modernization by removing the damping fabric from the fine-mesh filter. The difference in sound between the filters appears, and my opinion is that the upgrade goes towards improving the sound quality.
Comparison with competitors
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- Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss
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- ARTTI R2
The Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 has few competitors in this sub-$50 price category. Among the models I've listened to, the Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss and the ARTTI R2. The Z4s, in my opinion, sound better.
The Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss loses across all frequency ranges, and their accessory set is sparse. ARTTI R2s, although they have a more linear response, sound less open and emotive; their bass and midrange are less defined and detailed, and their treble is less bright and clear. ARTTI R2 set is inferior to Z4 in terms of cable quality, lack of possibility to select sound from the available set.
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- Sivga Que
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- Kefine Delci
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- Intuaura Splender II
With more expensive models under $100, such as the SIVGA Que and Kefine Delci there is parity.
The SIVGA Que, as well as the R2, have a less open sound plus a narrow stage, and their sound customization and accessory kit is inferior to the Z4.
The Kefine Delci are a worthy competitor, offering a good array of sound and midrange quality, but the Z4 is superior in terms of treble quality and kit.
In the more expensive sub-$300 segment, for example, the Intuaura Splender II has a noticeably superior sound to the Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 in terms of emotionally engaging detail and musicality, providing a clear lead in sound quality. I rate the set as parity.
Design, kit and comfort - Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4
The headphones come in a matte black box with gold embossed Chinese characters, which gives the packaging a premium look and hints at the flagship content. The front side features large characters with the signature "Qing Luan". The back of the box has the technical data in two languages - Chinese and English. Opening the box, under the lid I find an envelope with cards - instructions in Chinese, a very interesting approach.
When you take the headphones in your hands for the first time, you can feel their unusual heavy weight of 12.6g, and the cold metal feels pleasantly cool against your skin. The compact housings are made of zinc alloy and have a matte chrome finish. Equipped with one compensation hole on the case. The filter soundhole is angled slightly more than standard, which caused me to have to adjust them for better sealing (-1 point). The metal filters have a serrated edge that helps untwist the filters while also preventing the ear cushions from sliding off.
The cable looks comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, it doesn’t spoil the sound and harmonizes with the overall style of the headphones.
The set comes with a large set of ear cushions: sticky latex ones with green middle part and wide soundhole, full gray ones with narrow throat and light silicone ones with wide throat. The sticky ear cushions were particularly well liked.
The case is small size roomy in gray leather inside glued velvet, there is an organizer. Branded case of good quality
Design - 10
Comfort - 9
Kit - 10
Specifications Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4
- Dynamic driver: 10mm high performance dual chamber.
- Diaphragm: 5th generation composite DLC (like diamond).
- Voice coil: CCAW (Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire) large voice coil (imported).
- Magnetic driver circuit: N52 neodymium magnet is used.
- Resistance: 32 ohms.
- Sensitivity: 106 dB (@ 1 kHz).
- Harmonic distortion: < 0.2% (@ 1 kHz).
- Frequency response range: 20-20 kHz.
- Cable: 102-conductor double-core high-purity oxygen-free copper wire with silver plating.
- Cable interface: to headphones 0.78 mm, 2-pin; to the source of choice at purchase: Jack 3.5 mm, Tpe-C or Lightning + choice of cable with or without microphone.
What's in the box Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4?
A commendable package:
- Headphones.
- Wire.
- Extra sound-filter cones.
- Extra set of o-rings for the sound-filter cones.
- Three types and three sizes of ear cushions (9 sets in total):
Bamboo (wide-mouth latex sticky),
Gray with narrow throat,
Silicone with wide throat. - Pouch.
- Envelope with instructions.
Conclusion Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4
I liked the Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 headphones very much. The midrange and treble sound beautiful without overshadowing the bass. They probably won't appeal to bass lovers, but those who like a lighter tone should definitely not pass them by. Very impressed by the detailing and the stage.
The design is beyond praise. I am pleasantly surprised by the attitude to details: both the envelope with instructions (though in Chinese), and replaceable filters plus an extensive set of quality ear cushions.
My opinion - this is the best offering for 2024 in this sub-$45 price segment.
It is a crime to pass by and not purchase!
P.S. Thanks to Sasha Chernov for providing the headphones and impressions.
