Queen Of Audio Vesper 2 Review

The original Vesper was my introduction to Queen of Audio, and it’s remained one of my favorite IEMs you can get for less than a hundred dollars. There have been a few selections from the brand that I’ve enjoyed, including the Aviation which I recently reviewed. However, I think the Vesper was still my personal choice, so I’m happy that QoA is continuing this product line. Let’s see if the Vesper 2 can improve upon the original.

What You Get

• One pair of QoA Vesper 2 In-ear monitors.
• One 5N copper with silver-plated Cable.
• Six pairs of Custom ear tips.
• PU Case with inner velvet protection.
• User Manual

Look & Feel

Queen of Audio’s cocktail theme returns with the Vesper 2, featuring new blue and yellow variations. I used the blue version for this review, as I felt it was the prettiest of the two. Although it’s a different color, the artwork of the Vesper 2 is very similar to the first, featuring the same swirl pattern. I have no issue with this, as it’s still a beautiful design with a cool theme. The shell size is also mostly unchanged, which I also have no problem with since I found the first Vesper easy and comfortable to wear.

Design 

The Vesper 2 has a hybrid driver configuration, featuring a 10mm PET dynamic driver, and a single balanced armature from Knowles. 2-way acoustic tubes are implemented in order to distribute the signal from these drivers evenly. You should be able to use the Vesper 2 with any standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

Soundstage

There are some IEMs with great soundstages for less than a hundred bucks, and I’d say the Vesper 2 comfortably fits in with them. It’s quite linear but spans wide with a significant wingspan. It tries to avoid being a flat plain of sound, but its depth is too insufficient to scratch it. What does come through though is nice and accurate, displaying instruments with fine separation. You can localize everything well enough, with the Vesper 2’s spatial imaging showcasing impressive movement and positioning. The presentation of the soundstage and imaging culminates in a fairly wide and semi-holographic stereo field that is very clear and enjoyable.

Low End

There’s a prominent bass in the Vesper 2’s sound signature, focusing on a bodied response. Its main tone resonates in a thickness that emanates from the top of the sub-bass and takes form when centered in the mid-bass. While the frequencies seem elevated, there’s a balance that stacks them nicely for the most articulation possible. The more time you spend with the Vesper 2, the more the bass starts to feel like it has some finesse. I grew to appreciate its softer characteristics compared to some of its more bombastic elements that this bass can be sometimes capable of. It shows some nice dynamics but doesn’t share the same level of consistency throughout.

Mids

Despite a few notable notches in the midrange, there are areas of good texture and roominess shown here. My main critique of the mids is that sometimes the warmth of the low mids can be overbearing and bloated. Luckily, this warm timbre doesn’t cause any fogginess throughout the frequency response, but it does tend to crowd the mix. With some of the other frequencies in the middle section getting recessed, the opportunity for detail becomes limited. Thankfully, there’s still some room for clarity and musicality with the Vesper 2. The upper mids showcase a clean presentation and let the instruments take a breath when set apart from the bottom end of the mids. You won’t get much out of individual notes, but sound elements still appear full and complete.

Highs

The highs add a natural and balanced tail end to the Vesper 2. It might not seem like it accomplishes much, but the highs provide some of the most elegant details on the Vesper 2. The frequencies might not receive as much gain as the lows and mids, but the highs feel the most naturally distributed in the sound signature. They show the most grace with how they spark and dissipate with the lightest inkling of brightness. The response here adds some nice height, as well as a texture that gives your tracks a blissful feeling.

Summary

The Queen of Audio Vepser 2 had to grow on me a bit over time, but it was worth it to be able to hear that kind of sound at that price. I still think the low mids take up too much of the spotlight, and there are some issues with some sections of frequencies being too veiled, but the bass, highs, and spatial imaging are all very strong. I appreciate the new color variants, and I’m mostly okay with the fact that they didn’t change too much about the Vesper’s artwork. If you don’t want to spend more than a hundred dollars on an IEM, the Vesper 2 is totally worth giving a shot.

The Queen of Audio Vesaper 2 is available at Audio46.