We've all gotten so used to buying the common and much available "gaming" products. We barely put in any effort trying find some worthy peripherals from a different category and market.
Don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of gaming products too, but I really can't deny that it's all overpriced and insanely hyped up. We sometimes tend to get lost in all the hype, we become blind and deaf, we then decide to just roam around that little corner of hyped up products.
Yes, there are some gaming peripherals which have no counterparts, no competition, and even I own such peripherals. Yet, most of these very rare and "innovative" peripherals do have a purpose, and I am willing to pay the premium for that purpose alone, for the compatibility it offers. But, if you do a proper bit of digging here and there, in different markets and categories, then the chances are that you'll stumble upon a hidden gem. The QKZ AK6 is just one of those very few underrated gems that I've managed to find.
Today we're going about this little cheapie and it's performance when it comes to gaming and music. We'll talk about the 1 year journey, and why I decided to ditch my "premium" $50 dollar Corsair gaming headset for this $4 dollar cheapie.
LOOKS & BUILD QUALITY:
I have absolutely no complaints when it comes this thing's looks, the looks are killer, and this exact color combo is the way to go I'd say. For the price that I had to pay, I really can't find anything to complain about. Starting from the cable design to the ear tips, everything is simple, yet quite distinct. Every person that has laid their eyes on this pair of earphones of mine have always asked for the model and price. Most of their reactions were just how I expected it to be, the answer to their questions usually leave them shocked. No one expects a Chinese brand to make such good looking and great performing products, but, what really shocks them is the price.
QKZ surely have outdone themselves with this one. They have a lot IEMs and earphones, but the AK6 and the VK4 are the only two IEMs that are in a league of their own. The VK4 is the bigger brother you can say, a bit more premium and featured packed, priced at $10 to $15.
The build quality is the most surprising aspect for me. I really thought that by the time I reach a year of using this thing, a part or attachment would surely break or go missing, but it's not even close to that stage. This thing is just as solid as day one. Yes, I do take good care of my gadgets, I try to be as gentle as possible, but once in a while they do go through a few rough hits and drops. So, if you take proper care of these products, then even the cheapies will last you a long long time.
The cable is what I really fell in love with. The headsets that I had in the past which costed double to ten times more actually had the worst cables. Every damn day I would have to untangle the cables of those things. Whereas I really can't remember a single time where I had to put in the effort to untangle the cables on the AK6. Quite funny really, it made me realize that all those "gaming" and "premium" tags were absolute crap. These tags were just used as an excuse to ask for higher prices and that's it.
On top of that, my previous headsets had issues with the volume buttons, a lot of connection issues, and overall they just had a bad build quality. They surely weren't made to last, not as a 100% at least.
PERFORMANCE & COMFORT:
Now, let's talk about the main two factors. Performance was and still is my top priority, I mainly use it for gaming, mostly competitive games, so the audio and precision surely does matter to me.
From a year back to present time, no matter the game, it has done a great job in terms of audio performance. I'd say it did better than my Corsair HS50 even. The only thing the HS50 did better was register a few distant audio queues, it had a bit more range and that's it.
Even the mic is too good. Compare it to a lot of the entry level headsets from big brands, which cost 10 to 20 times more, and I'm sure you'll like this one better. Yes, it doesn't have all the fancy noise cancellation and all, but if your surroundings are fairly quiet, then you can surely rock the AK6 with ease.
Even if we talk about music, from the many earphones, headphones and IEMs I've tried, this thing is surely one of the best for the price. It's not a 8 or 9 out of 10, but it's a solid 6 to 7 if you put it up against some fair competition.
The comfort is what really changed my views on headsets, IEMS and even some earphones are just so comfy. No matter for how long you have them inside your ears, you literally don't feel them at one point. Whereas headsets or headphones will just clamp on to both sides of your head, sometimes even the top. 3 to 4 hours of those chunky gizmos chomping on your head, and you'll probably end the session with a headache.
ᴵᵐᵃᵍᵉˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵒᵛᵉʳᵃˡˡ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ ᵃʳᵉ ᵐʸ ᵒʷⁿ ᵘⁿˡᵉˢˢ ᶦᵗ'ˢ ᵐᵉⁿᵗᶦᵒⁿᵉᵈ
CONCLUSION:
Now, I'm not saying you should ditch every headset and get these IEMs instead, it's all about preference at first, the rest comes in according to your end goal. What I'm saying is, you'd be better off going for a mid tier headset or even a studio headphone setup instead of going for these entry level "gaming" headsets. The only entry level headset that somewhat performs well for the price is the HyperX Cloud Stinger. That's what I've seen from all my tests and "research" at least.
Other than that, if you can afford it, then go for something mid-range instead, like the HyperX Cloud 2s, Cloud Alpha, maybe a studio headphone like the Philips SHP 9500. These are actually proper setups for precise audio, more suitable for competitive gaming. There are other worthy IEMs that are worth looking into as well, they too are a good bang for the buck, even if you compare them to some mid to top tier headsets/headphones. For example, the KZ ZS10 Pro, the Moondrop Arias, and if the budget isn't an issue, then maybe the Sennheiser IE300 even.
The KZ ZS10 Pro will probably be my next upgrade. Even though the ZS10 Pros costs 10 times more, I'm still having doubts that it will provide such a flawless experience like the QKZ AK6.
All things considered, while keeping it short, next time before buying a gaming headset or any hyped up "gaming" product, try to browse a little bit and take your time before making the purchase. Lots of worthy options are available nowadays, options that won't put a hole in your pockets or wallet.
So, go out there and explore, YouTube, Google and Reddit should be your bestfriends during the research phase. Figure out what works for you, talk to other users or enthusiasts, and the whole process will become a lot easier.
You people take care now, be seeing you folks on the next review.
Cheers & GG 🥃🥃