The Emperor is the latest flagship from QDC, which was created in collaboration with Aiuto. The year 2024 is the year of the dragon in the lunar calendar. This is closely associated with the first emperor of China. This is how the name Emperor came about for the new IEM from QDC.
Most of QDC's models use BA drivers exclusively. The Emperor takes a different approach with the aim of achieving an even more musical tuning without completely abandoning the path of neutrality. A total of 15 drivers are accommodated in one housing!
The finish of the IEM is fantastic. The faceplate looks insanely good with its bright colors. The majestic appearance is underlined by the gold-plated edges. A very ergonomic design ensures that the Emperor can be worn comfortably despite its size.
The unboxing experience also has that certain something you would expect from an IEM with an RRP of USD 2900. When the box is opened, the interior folds up at an angle to reveal the Emperor in all its glory. The scope of delivery includes a round storage box, a range of different ear tips, a cleaning brush and interchangeable plugs for the cable. The Emperor can therefore be operated directly unbalanced (via 3.5mm) and balanced (2.5mm + 4.4mm). Even an adapter to 6.35mm is included. The cable used is very soft, light and comfortable to wear. In this price range, I would have liked something of higher quality. I think this is the same cable that comes with the 8 Pro.
For the sound test, my M15s from FiiO is used, once solo and once in combination with the iBasso PB5 amplifier based on the Korg tube. With an impedance of 15 ohms and a sensitivity of 106 dB/mW, the Emperor is very easy to drive, so that only the lowest gain level is required for the M15s and PB5.
The first few songs of the new Emperor make one thing clear: this is in a different league to the in-house 8 Pro! Tonally, it is most comparable to the hi-fi position of the 8 Pro. However, the bass range and treble range are clearly a league above. The Emperor's 10mm DD driver produces the more tangible bass kick that the 8 Pro's BA driver cannot offer. The bass range of the Emperor also goes a long way in terms of quality. What the 8 Pro has to offer in return is speed, which the Emperor doesn't quite achieve. However, it must also be made clear that the BA bass range of the 8 Pro is certainly one of the best implementations ever and is only surpassed by the Multiverse Mentor and AME Custom Raven that I know of. All IEMs that are significantly more expensive than the 8 Pro! All in all, the Emperor offers a very solid bass range that doesn't make any mistakes. The low and mid-bass ranges are evenly balanced. Neither area stands out. The beautifully bouncy and detached bass range is a lot of fun with modern genres such as rock, pop and metal.
The transition to the mids is seamless. The mids are rather neutrally tuned and designed for maximum separation instead of a fuller presentation. This also demonstrates the Emperor's fabulous technical skills, which conjure up a very holographic stage image on which I can effortlessly locate every sound event. The stage is somewhat larger than that of the 8 Pro and is only surpassed by a Multiverse Mentor or AME Custom Raven.
The biggest highlight of the Emperor for me is clearly the treble range. Here you can directly hear the timbre of the EST drivers. If the tuning is done well, and other EST IEMs such as an AME Custom Raven or Gaia show this, then you get this absolutely silky tuning and yet resolution without end down to the smallest corners of the recording. And that's exactly what the Emperor produces. With its bright tuning and yet never harsh highs, I can use it at higher volumes without any problems and without anything getting on my nerves. You also have the option of using different eartips to influence the tuning. My favorites are the AZLA Clears. But the SpiralDots also suit the Emperor well in terms of sound and comfort. In terms of sound, it then moves into somewhat warmer spheres. It's not just the eartips that play a role, but also the players. The M15s is a rather bright DAP and, with the Emperor, offers a very lively and fast firework display. If you then add a PB5, the sound becomes more spacious, the mids warmer and fuller and the bass range gains a little more low end. My favorite combination!
With the Emperor, an IEM has been created which, for me, is the best-sounding from QDC to date. With a hybrid design that gets a lot of things right tonally and operates at the very highest technical level. As a multi-talent for all common music genres, the Emperor is not a special talent, but a generalist with which you can sit back and relax and no longer have to look left or right for other IEMs. With a price of 2900 USD, it is certainly not cheap, but it is certainly appropriate for the quality level and price structure of the competition.
Full review on https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/qdc-emperor.27448/reviews#rev...
