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QOA Aviation In-Ear Monitors Review

An in-ear monitor from QOA that lists a custom 8mm dynamic driver with Knowles 32873 BA and 33518 BA drivers, in Galaxy or Mirage at $169.15 with $199 shown crossed out. The listing text says nothing about a cable, impedance or sensitivity.

4.0Editorial rating: 4.0 out of 5Editorial rating · research-basedUpdated November 11, 2026
$169.15Price checked November 12, 2026
Check price at Linsoul

Our verdict

A fit for someone who wants an IEM with a listed 8mm dynamic driver and Knowles 32873 BA and 33518 BA drivers, in a choice of Galaxy or Mirage at $169.15. Look elsewhere if you need cable or plug facts, impedance or sensitivity, since the Aviation listing text gives none. The main caveat is that the page's sound descriptions and its aviation-themed story are the maker's words and were not checked here.

Best for
Someone who wants an IEM with listed Knowles 32873 BA and 33518 BA drivers and a choice of two colors.
Skip if
You need cable or plug details, impedance or sensitivity from the listing text.

Galaxy and Mirage are the two colors of the QOA Aviation, which the page lists with a custom 8mm dynamic driver, two Knowles 32873 BA drivers and one Knowles 33518 BA driver, arranged with a 3+1 crossover and frequency division. Both cost $169.15, and each earpiece has a translucent 3D-printed shell with a hand-painted faceplate. The listing text gives no cable, connector or plug details.

Options and pricing

Two orderable options are listed by color, Galaxy and Mirage, and both cost $169.15, so the page gives no difference between them besides color. The $199 shown crossed out is the store's own comparison, and we did not check it. The page says each earpiece has a translucent shell and a unique hand-painted faceplate, and the listing text gives no cable or plug choice.

How it compares

The Kiwi Ears KE4 starts at $169.15 and its listing text names 2DD, 2BA, 32257 BA and 33518 BA, while the ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia is $169.15 with hybrid mentioned. The SeeAudio Yume is $169 and carries no spec cue here. The Aviation costs $169.15 and its own text names 32873 BA and 33518 BA drivers with an 8mm dynamic driver.

Shipping

  • Methods and costs. The store's shipping page offers Standard Shipping (4PX, Yanwen or Yun Express), free for most countries, and Express Shipping (DHL Express, FedEx or SF Express) at 15-50 USD depending on the country, free for orders over 270 USD in most countries (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Delivery times. It says an in-stock order ships within 3 working days, Standard takes about 2 weeks after shipping out (up to 1-3 months for some countries, and the store makes no refund for that transit time) and Express takes about 3-7 days. Festive seasons and other circumstances can change the timing.
  • Taxes and fees. The buyer pays any customs, import or processing fees. The page says Standard via YunExpress is tax-inclusive for some countries, that remote areas can carry extra Express charges, and that a parcel refused or left uncollected over taxes is deducted two-way freight and may be destroyed with no refund.
  • Where it ships. The page says the store can generally ship to most countries by Express and many by Standard, and to confirm Standard with the team for your country. It cannot ship to PO boxes or APO/FPO addresses and can only use Express to Hawaii. It does not name the US, Canada, the UK, Australia or New Zealand, so confirm before you pay.
  • Lost parcels. If a parcel has been in transit for at least 3 months, the page offers a one-time reshipment or a full refund for orders under $50 and a 50% refund for orders above $50.

Returns and warranty

  • Returns. The return page allows returning any non-customized product that is still factory sealed within 30 days of receiving it, with the buyer paying the shipping. Email [email protected] within that period; the store asks for the return to be shipped within 5 working days of the RMA instructions and in most cases processes a refund within 5 business days of inspecting it (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Opened items. A product opened within the first 7 days after delivery can be returned for the price minus a restocking fee of 35% of its retail value, including when it still works properly.
  • Refund or credit. The buyer can choose a refund to the original payment method (PayPal or card) or store credit; with no answer within 48 hours of confirmation the default is store credit, which can also be prioritized during promotions, final-sale events and for items 40% or more off retail.
  • Not returnable. Customized products, including faceplate designs, are non-refundable, and the page says the same applies to carry cases, cables, ear tips and other accessories, "due to hygiene purposes". If one item in a package is defective, incorrect or missing, the refund or replacement covers only that item.
  • Warranty. The page gives a 1-year warranty on products, excluding carry cases, ear tips and other accessories, and 3 months on cables and adapters, from the date of purchase. It covers factory defects that affect proper function, not damage from human error, negligence, accidents, dismantling, water, abuse or modification (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Not covered or limited. It does not apply to items bought elsewhere (AliExpress, Amazon, local dealers and the like), prize or giveaway items, normal wear or colour change, commercial use, or items that were stolen or went missing. Coverage is limited for products 40% or more off retail, for review units and for items repaired or modified by anyone Linsoul has not authorized.
  • Claims. Email [email protected] with the order number, the issue and photos and videos of the fault. The store may ask for the unit back for a replacement. It covers shipping for some defects reported within 7 days of delivery if the fault can be shown on video or photo; after 7 days the buyer ships it back. For wrong or missing items an unboxing video of the whole sealed parcel is required.

Before you buy

Linsoul says it was founded in 2016 by the Crazy HiFi team to bring Chinese HiFi makers closer to listeners worldwide, and that it now sells other makers' products alongside four brands of its own, THIEAUDIO, Kiwi Ears, ZiiGaat and Tripowin (checked 2026-11-11).

We have not read any independent review of this product or of the store. Ratings and owner reviews shown on the store's own pages are the store's and were not verified.

What we liked

  • The page lists an 8mm dynamic driver with two Knowles 32873 BA drivers and one Knowles 33518 BA driver
  • Both colors, Galaxy and Mirage, are priced the same at $169.15
  • The page lists a translucent 3D-printed shell with a hand-painted faceplate on each earpiece
  • The page names a 3+1 crossover with frequency division

Worth noting

  • The Aviation listing text gives no cable, connector or plug details, whichever color is chosen
  • The Aviation listing text gives no impedance, sensitivity or frequency response
  • The sound descriptions (lush, detailed, crisp, free of sibilance) are the maker's wording and cannot be checked from the listing

Questions before you buy

What drivers does the QOA Aviation list?

The page lists a custom 8mm dynamic driver, two Knowles 32873 BA drivers and one Knowles 33518 BA driver, with a 3+1 crossover and frequency division.

What options does it come in?

The page lists two colors, Galaxy and Mirage, at the same $169.15. Each earpiece has a translucent shell and a hand-painted faceplate, per the page.

How is the shell made?

The page says the earpiece shell is made with high-precision 3D printing technology and is translucent, so the drivers can be seen faintly through it.

Can I return it if I change my mind?

The return page allows returning a non-customized product that is still factory sealed within 30 days of receiving it, with the buyer paying shipping. An opened product returned within 7 days carries a 35% restocking fee. Refunds go to the original payment method or to store credit, which is the default if you do not choose.

How long does shipping take?

The shipping page says in-stock orders ship within 3 working days. Standard Shipping takes about 2 weeks after shipping out, up to 1-3 months for some countries, and Express takes about 3-7 days. Standard is free for most countries; Express costs 15-50 USD and is free over 270 USD (over $499.99 for large items such as headphones and desktop DAC/AMPs).

Does Linsoul ship to the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand?

The page says Linsoul can generally ship to most countries by Express and many by Standard, and to ask the team about Standard for your country. It names no restriction for the US, Canada, the UK, Australia or New Zealand, but it does not list them either, and it can only use Express to Hawaii.

What warranty does it have?

The page gives a 1-year warranty on products from the purchase date for factory defects, not for human error, accidents or modification. Coverage is limited for items 40% or more off retail and for review units, and it does not apply to items bought from other sellers.

Sources & verification

What this review is based on and the day we last read it. Specs and claims from the maker are the maker’s own; the verdict and the rating are ours.

From the store

  • QOA Aviation product page: specs, options and price (the buy buttons go there)Specs, options and the listed priceRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul shipping pageStandard and Express shipping, costs and times, import taxes, lost parcels, couriers, trackingRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul return policy and warranty page30-day returns of sealed items, 35% restocking fee on opened ones, 1-year and 3-month warranties, exclusions, how to claimRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul support FAQThe same shipping, return and warranty rules in question form, plus order changes and cancellationsRead November 11, 2026
  • About LinsoulFounded in 2016 by the Crazy HiFi team; names its own brands; the awards listed there are the store's own accountRead November 11, 2026

What we couldn’t verify

  • The page says the sound is lush, detailed and free of sibilance, that the 8mm driver gives a full profile and that the treble has a crisp finish; these descriptions are the maker's claims and were not checked here.
  • The crossed-out $199 is the store's own comparison, and per the page the listing text gives no cable, connector, impedance, sensitivity, frequency response or weight details for the Aviation.
  • We have not read an independent review of this product or the store, and the store's own ratings were not verified. We read the store's catalog description only: a specification table or image shown just on the live page was not read.
  • The shipping page names no US, Canada, UK, Australia or New Zealand times or fees: its figures are general and we could not confirm them for these countries.

Spotted an error or something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it and update the date.

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