MoondropQuarks Earphone Closed Anterior Cavity Micro Dynamic Driver IEM Earphone (with mic)

Summary: it is an extremely affordable earphone, that sounds great, very portable, feels sturdy, and has better sound quality than what you can get at the gas station or at your local retailers.What is it? This is what is referred to as an IEM or in-ear-monitor. It is different from an earbud in that it goes in your ear rather than hang on the ear. The advantage to this is that sound doesn't leak, you can listen to your content (ie. music, movies, phone calls, podcasts) without worrying if the person next to you will hear it too.Where is this product coming from? This product is sold by a reputable Chinese company who ships it to you at no extra cost. I have bought other products from this company with an overall positive experience. Although, tracking is no up to date through Amazon the tracking number provided can be searched on many websites such as 4PX or ParcelApps.com. It takes time for it to be shipped, but it has never taken more than a few weeks once it does; which considering from where it is coming from it's impressive.Who are they? Moondrop is a company that specializes in Chi-Fi (Chinese Fidelity), they are a company primarily focused on audio quality. For this same reason even though the Quarks feels light and plasticky, the cable feels smooth and everything about its design is deliberate.Why buy these? As mentioned, Moondrop, is a Chi-Fi company, even so it is shocking how well they sound for the price. They have no business sounding as good as they do. The bass is well controlled and won't rattle your head, the mids (instruments) sound clear and the highs (vocals) do not feel harsh on your ear drums. Because they are light they are easy to carrying around and do not irritate the ear like some of the larger earphones do. For their price they make for a great stocking stuffer, or even as back up earphones if you already have a good pair.I have praised them long enough, but they do deserve it. Moondrop knew what they were doing and their 2 years of research and development for this product shows. My only complaint is that due to their size they will fall of my ears, to be fair it is mostly the left side and I might need to change the size of ear tip. The build also feels cheap, again they cost $13 or $15 (with a mic), but they also feel durable even if you were to throw it around (please don't).I ordered a second pair with the microphone, when I ordered the first time that wasn't available, to use with my phone which still has a headphone jack. It is a good gift, for others or yourself, it is a great value for the sound quality at this price. Again, even as a backup earphone you will not regret buying it.

3 MONTH UPDATE: After about 2.5 months of daily usage, the cable has gotten really tough and stiff. After keeping it in my pocket all day, the cable reaches around my ears (how I've always worn it), and touches my nose. It's really annoying. It also tangles easily. It went from one of the best cables I've used to the worst.It still sounds great, but I haven't quite gotten used to the slight lacking of bass.ORIGINAL REVIEW:I damaged the MMCX connector in my $130 FiiO FH3, so I wanted some cheap IEMs while I looked for a real replacement.Well, I'm not looking for a replacement anymore because I think these sound better than even the FH3 at 1/10 the price.SOUND: Other than a lack of bass texture, they sound incredible. I'd say they have the right amount of bass and sound very natural. They are incredibly spacious and immersive. They would be great for gaming.FIT: The isolation is pretty good. It might be just me, but it wasn't super intuitive to get them in properly. I recommend watching a YouTube video called "Etymotic Research - Earphone Insertion Video Guide".CABLE: Some people might see the non-replacable cable as a deal-breaker, but the cable is surprisingly high-quality.I put my IEMs in my pocket, and I haven't had bad tangles yet. The cable is also very "limp" which I see as a good thing. It doesn't kink or have a memory.CONCLUSION: I'm surprised that I've never heard of these before, especially at $13. I am curious about Moondrop's other IEMs, but I don't think I have any reason to upgrade. Even if you have a higher budget than $13, I'd recommend at least trying these out.

Pleasantly surprised by these little guys. None of IEMs would fit under my Shoei X-15 lid without tearing off my ears and straining cables. I was thinking of trying Chu IIs--but for motorcycling, glad I went with these instead since they're considerably smaller. A guy on Reddit recommended Quarks for motorcyclists, and the IEMs are so tiny that don't come into contact with the tight padding.My second concern after size was that these tiny drivers would sound anemic, but that's not the case. They're surprisingly full-sounding with punchy mid-bass and just enough sub-bass to warm up the tuning. I give them a little bass boost on my Apple Music app, or with my Qudelix EQ, and EDM/hip hop sounds fine. No sibilance or shoutiness. Quarks aren't going to be bass cannons, obviously, but they're punchy and deceptively outperform for their size. Good headroom, too. Also ideal for listening in bed.You decide on insertion depth and can control this with tip choice, but Qarks can be inserted very deep if you wear a helmet. With Comply foam tips, these things have THE best isolation of all my IEMs. Almost too good. My bike is loud, and I can barely hear anything.Nitpicks: I'd prefer a no-mic version, as well as a straight plug over a right-angle. Not a big deal.Bottom line, they offer surprisingly good sound quality, isolation, and convenience, and when you factor in the price, they're an easy 5 stars. Would recommend.