Yeah. Technicalities, detail retrieval, resolution, transparency, etc. None of which have a precise definition. These earphones are very technical in that it retrieves detail from the musician's garage transparently. 🤣

From the graph, it appears the difference is below 80 Hz and only 3dB. I am not sure whether we could even feel it if the fit isn't tight. Looks like TWS has taken over the world, and wired headphones manufacturers don't know what to do. And they come up with these outrageous doodahs. What's...

KZ must not know that parametric equalizers are free and that every smartphone has a very advanced DSP inside. The Onkyo HF player makes it very easy to setup an EQ curve. Instead of EQing in hardware, it could be done easily using PEQ without any loss of fidelity.

Because most people have moved on to TWS. You can buy an average TWS for $20. The average person favors convenience over sound quality. If KZ wants to sell them, they have to reduce their price.

Thanks for the graphs, but in all of them that 10 dB rise still exists. I am very sensitive to treble peaks at 2 kHz and 6 kHz. The +5dB at 2kHz sound shouty. One headphone with such a peak is AKG K701/702 which I don't like. 😬

I don't know. From the FR graph that is on AE, about 10dB rise from 1 kHz to 2 kHz sounds harsh. That should be about 5dB only.

The ED9 in the back is the best KZ I have owned and it is actually undervalued. Brass enclosure with replaceable nozzles for $10. I think Panasonic or JVC was selling a similar model for $180 something.

The music players from TEAC/Onkyo have graphic PEQ. Very easy to use. Yes. The source issue remains, but I have started using just the smartphone as it is very convenient to carry all music in a single MicroSD card.

Why not just use a PEQ?

What is so special about these over the 1000s on AliExpress?

From the article posted below SBC at 328 kbps has very little difference with AptX that it can't be distinguished by most people in ABX testing. Codec Df Only AptX HD at around 529 kbps is better, but how many headphones support AptX HD?

If you read the paper that you referenced, it clearly states what HRTF stands for. With an IEM, the only component that is individually variable is the length/width of the ear canal left in front of the ear drum to transducer. This mainly affects the resonant frequency (varies anywhere from...

That is not published research. That is just a blog.

With IEMs? Nope. Any research to back that up?

After buying around 40 IEMs, I have given up on IEMs. The best is over ear headphones😜 Our outer ear, ear canal length and width and the unique ridges inside of it are unique to us. All of it modifies the sound which our brain perceives as natural. If you bypass that by directly injecting sound...