These in-ear monitors perfectly match my first-ever hi-res audio player

Astell&Kern has doubled down on its sub-brand Activo recently, after a few years in which it didn't get many products to speak of. In 2024 the brand launched the P1 player, as a more affordable digital audio player than it has ever made before – and the brand didn't wait long to follow that up with some new in-ear monitors (IEMs) to pair with it.

The Q1 in-ears are designed in partnership with the Singaporean audio brand Dita, with the same broad aim as the P1. They're intended to lower the price of entry for audiophile-grade equipment, without compromise on quality. After a few weeks of listening, I'm impressed with how they've fared.

How much do Activo's Q1 in-ears cost?

The Q1 are priced at £299 in the UK, while customers in the US can get them for $349, and Europeans for €399.

That makes for a really interesting price point – they're comparable in price to newly launched flagship true wireless earbuds like the Technics EAH-AZ100, for example. Of course, they lack any wireless functionality, but make up for that with a more detailed and highly-designed sound signature, in theory.

I'd assume that anyone considering some audiophile IEMs will already have their daily carry wireless needs sorted, so the comparison doesn't really hold much water. Rather, it's worth underlining that these are on the affordable end of the scale for IEMs, particularly compared to Astell&Kern's often phenomenally expensive wired options.

What's special about the Activo Q1?

Perhaps taking a leaf out of Nothing's playbook, the key inspiration behind Activo and Dita's design work on the Q1 appears to be transparency. These are IEMs that instantly stand out for their use of transparent materials, firstly on the earbuds themselves, but also in some other ways.

Each earbud almost looks like a melting ice cube, albeit a very pure and clear one, with an Activo logo suspended inside some clear plastic that has been shaped into the concha-friendly fit that makes IEM so snug. When you first unbox them they're separated out from their cables, but it's simple to get them hooked up, with a range of five different ear tips to choose from, each frosted and semi-transparent too.

Each earbud hides one of Dita's custom PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic drivers with a brass housing, along with a Knowles balanced armature driver, making them hybrid. You can't actually see much of that tech through the plastic, though, as it's hidden within an internal enclosure. But what you can see does look really cool.

The included cable has its own pedigree, too – it's the Mocca2 cable from Cardas, and similarly has an outer frosted plastic coating around its internal white wires. Finally, the connector for either a 3.5mm or 4.4mm jack (which you can swap out at will since both come in the package) also has frosting to let you see the wires within. I found this did occasionally get tangled a little easier than I'd like, but it feels harsh to lay that at Activo's feet when it's a fact of the wired life.

This all adds up to an incredibly futuristic-looking package and one that manages to feel impressively premium while technically cutting down on the sort of materials that more expensive IEMs use (namely, precious metals). They're also pretty chunky, which again is usual for IEMs but might still look offputting until you find the ear tips that fit best for you.

A really nice touch given the price is that Activo throws in a couple of extras that it would certainly get away with missing out. Principally, the Q1s come with a hard-shell Systainer carrying case by Tanos, with a custom design in light grey and some rubber inserts for cushioning. This has enough space to hold your IEMs and their cable and is durable enough to genuinely protect them in a bag, especially given a lock mechanism to keep it shut. You even get a plastic case for your unused ear tips, in case you want to store them safely, too.

All in all, the unboxing process confirms that these are really nicely thought-out earbuds, aimed at making you feel like you didn't cut corners by choosing them over alternatives that might cost twice the price.

Is the Activo Q1 genuinely audiophile grade?

Before we get to sound, I'll just touch on comfort levels quickly – and the Activo Q1 earbuds feel like they do a very solid job on this front. I've got pretty spacious ears (to avoid calling them big), and rarely have many issues with earbuds feeling uncomfortable, so as always your mileage may vary.

Still, with the right ear tips selected, I found the Q1 easy to fit and get comfortable for multi-hour, multi-album listening sessions. Their plastic housing actually makes for quite a soft feeling against your skin, too, compared to some metal alternatives. Each IEM has a section of more rigid hooked section of cable just as it joins the earbud, which lets you hook the wire behind your ear easily, as you'll see in most IEM designs. This works a treat, while the oversized jack at the other end of the cable doesn't feel fragile or easily bashed out of its housing.

On the sound side, for those who are interested in the techy details – frequency response is from 20Hz to 20kHz, sensitivity is 109dB/mW @ 1kHz, and impedance is 31ohms. Whether that means a lot to you or not will have already informed your thoughts on the Q1 ahead of time, but the good news is that it translates to some excellent audio performance.

I took delivery of the Q1 IEMs at the same time as the P1 player, and used the two in tandem for a number of weeks to build up a sense of these IEMs' character (and to burn them in, diligently). I used local FLAC files, in addition to MP3s, downloaded hi-res Apple Music tracks, and streamed music – all to get a sense of how each impacted the overall sound quality of the earbuds (and the player).

That process left me really impressed with some earbuds that feel to me like they punch well above their weight. Activo says that it concentrated its designs on ensuring that the Q1 reflect mids and lows really accurately and smoothly, without any perceptible distortion or over-dominance, with the Knowles driver taking care of the highs.

This arrangement makes for a really nice sense of balance, but especially once they're burnt in after a good amount of listening, you'll get a very welcome warmth from the Q1 that gives some character. These aren't neutral to the point of slavish devotion, with plenty of other IEMs on the market if that's what you're craving. Rather, they're great all-rounders that feel well-judged to impress newcomers to audiophile gear, and to avoid the impression that you'd need to upgrade fairly soon after getting them.

Of course, they do best in a quiet environment given their lack of any noise-cancelling or similar tech (which is again normal for IEMs), but their passive isolation is really quite strong with the right ear tip. It makes for a listening experience that can feel transcendent if paired with the right tracks for your mood. Brubeck's Take Five has tremendous balance and detail, while louder material from The Beatles fizzes with energy. Frankly, nothing I've thrown at the Q1 has disappointed me at all.

Still, it's worth knowing that these aren't the bassiest IEMs out there, and if your taste lingers on particularly heavy tracks then you might find them somewhat dainty. I like this balance, and it typically impresses me, but those who value oomph should bear it in mind.

Activo Q1 review: Verdict

If you're looking for a way into the world of IEMs without the crazy costs typical of high-end options, Activo has certainly crafted a pretty compelling option in the Q1. In fact, they're an extremely well-judged offering in light of the P1 player, and have indeed caused some perked ears on audiophile forums.

Like the player before them, the Q1 IEMs become an automatic contender for anyone looking to get really accurate, great sound without investing quadruple figures into their first pair of IEMs. I love their design, too, while accepting they might not be up everyone's street.

Also consider

If you want some of the most affordable IEMs that you can get your hands on from a reputable audio brand, then think about Sennheiser's IE200, which come in at less than half the price of the Activo Q1. They're also much smaller, although they can't match the oomph of the Q1's delivery.

Alternatively, Sennheiser also offers the IE600 for a bit more than the Q1, which might be a great step-up option if you fancy investing a little more. They're extremely detailed and look lovely, with basically the same silhouette as the cheaper IE200.