Moondrop Quark2's Review - DSP Goodness!

 

General/Packaging/Comfort/Build

Moondrop is no stranger within the community, the brand has already successfully etched the brand into the community be it the new comer or seasoned audiophiles, so i’m not going to delve further into the brand itself, let’s talk about the Quark 2 which i have with me today, i reviewed the OG quark without the DSP version 2 years ago and have quite good impression with it other than it being slightly harder to drive.

The packaging of Quark 2 is minimal and this is to be expected for the asking price, not complaining much about it, comes with eartips and the IEM itself.

This time around, they have opted or a matte look on the shell and i personally like this colour scheme a lot, comfort wise, there really is nothing to complain about, it is small, lightweight and fits very well in the ear, the cable itself is also soft and supple and doesn’t tangle up easily.

Equipment and Software used

• iPhone 15 with Tidal

• Macbook Air M2

• Quark 2 with Penon Liquer Eartips (Stock tips doesn’t stay too well in my ears)

Foreword

My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impressions

The Quark 2 is natural sounding overall, i would say the tonality is neutral and slightly warmish, with good note weight overall and natural timbre. Although, some may not prefer the smooth nature of the Quark 2.

Bass

• Bass on the Quark2 is fast but slightly lacking in terms of texture and quantity

• The sub bass can be felt but roll off rather early

• I personally don’t have any issue with the bass’s rendition, but this is not something that basshead should be looking at if bass is the main thing that you’re looking for

• Mid bass is punchy but can be better, good thing is, it doesn’t bleed into the mids

Mids

• The vocal presentation here is not too intimate nor forward

• Upper mids rendition is also not offensive or shouty for me (subject to you tolerance and sensitivity on this region, but the Quark2 is generally safe)

• Male and female vocal have a good texture to it, not too thin nor overly thick sounding, but female vocal can have slightly better energy to it (purely nitpicking here)

• The mid range here has sufficient details

Treble

• The tuning of the treble is smooth and not aggressive 

• Just right to give enough sparkles and air at the top end, nothing sibilant nor harsh can be heard here

• I like to listen to jpop especially anime opening/ending songs to test the treble. Some tracks have very high pitched vocals and it can be quite harsh and sibilant if the treble is not well tuned, fortunately, none of that can be heard from Quark 2.

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is average and for the asking price, there isnt much to critique really, the expectation should be set correctly if you ask me, stage size is just slightly out of your head, good sense of width, and depth but lacking the height

• Imaging is good, instruments can be pinpointed easily

Comparison (7Hz Aero)

• 7hz’s Aero is also in similar price range but slightly cheaper

• Non detachable cable but in 3.5mm jack

• Sound wise the bass is punchier and has a bit more in terms of quantity, control wise both are more or less similar

• Aero is slightly more energetic on the top end, boasting a mild V shaped sound signature

• Mids are slightly recessed to my ears

• In terms of comfort and build quality, both are quite similar, but i prefer the cable on the Quark 2 rather than the Aero, because it gets tangled up very easily, also the lack of earhook makes it slightly hard to wear because the cable doesn’t shape itself and it is not bullet style

Final Thoughts

Quark2 is fairly competitive as a budget offering in my opinion, I personally look at it from the perspective of convenience rather than superior sound quality, this is not to say that the sound is bad, but we have to have the right expectation, the sound performance is good for the asking price if you ask me, coupled with an inline microphone for call, it’s good. I have used the Quark2 for online meetings and the call quality is generally good, the other party can hear me clearly, also, when we’re out and about and would like to have some listening time without carrying so many gears, Quark 2 definitely works(at least for me).
So yeah, i’m recommending Quark 2 for someone who are looking to replace their current daily beater or anyone who’s looking for convenience.

If you’re looking to purchase Quark 2, you may head to ShenZhen Audio’s website to purchase them. *Not affiliated.

*Once again, a big thanks ShenZhen Audio for sending me this unit in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I am not affiliated nor do i gain any monetary benefit in writing this review.