DISCLAIMER: I am KZ hater...I very much dislike the KZ house sound with its treble boosted to 11, its lackluster hollow mids and boomy bass. My extreme negativity towards KZ got me banned from the KZ forum on head-fi. They know me as the Marshall Mode guy. I much prefer darker, more forgiving earphones.
Build & Comfort:
The ES4 is made out of a hard plastic shell and comes with a removable cable. These earphones feel pretty solid, but with such a hollow and large casing I would be afraid to step on them. Comfort is rather good, I especially like the ergonomic shape and the lighter weight of the plastic casing compared to metal earphones that often fall out.
Sound:
The overall sound is very reminiscent of the Koss Porta Pro. You get elevated bass and treble, but the mids aren't too recessed. The soundstage is quite narrow and instrument separation won't blow you away. In fact, the ES4 gets kinda confused on busier tracks. The bass is definitely boomy and bleeds into the midrange. But it's a fun kind of bass and forgivable considering the rock-bottom price. The mids are so-so. On some tracks I feel like the vocals are singing through a paper cup but it's very subtle. On other tracks it's less noticeable. The highs are in my opinion the ES4's weakest point. It's kind of tinny but nowhere near as bad as other KZ earphones with lethal amounts of treble like the ZS5 (V2). In rock tunes for example, the cymbal crashes take over the entire song and that gets annoying. There's definitely an emphasis on the "T"s and the "S"s, leading to sibilant vocals. Let's be honest, the treble ain't smooth, it's quite grainy. This is when you realize that you paid less than $20 for these earphones. At the very least the ES4 provides an enjoyable and fun listening experience (especially with electronic music and prog rock) without stupid murderous amounts of treble (coming from KZ...). And none of the flaws are immediate dealbreakers, just a reflection of the rock-bottom price. If you want cleaner bass, more forward vocals and buttery smooth treble you'll have to pay more. How much exactly? $50~$100 probably... I am looking at the KEF M100 specifically...
Build & Comfort:
The ES4 is made out of a hard plastic shell and comes with a removable cable. These earphones feel pretty solid, but with such a hollow and large casing I would be afraid to step on them. Comfort is rather good, I especially like the ergonomic shape and the lighter weight of the plastic casing compared to metal earphones that often fall out.
Sound:
The overall sound is very reminiscent of the Koss Porta Pro. You get elevated bass and treble, but the mids aren't too recessed. The soundstage is quite narrow and instrument separation won't blow you away. In fact, the ES4 gets kinda confused on busier tracks. The bass is definitely boomy and bleeds into the midrange. But it's a fun kind of bass and forgivable considering the rock-bottom price. The mids are so-so. On some tracks I feel like the vocals are singing through a paper cup but it's very subtle. On other tracks it's less noticeable. The highs are in my opinion the ES4's weakest point. It's kind of tinny but nowhere near as bad as other KZ earphones with lethal amounts of treble like the ZS5 (V2). In rock tunes for example, the cymbal crashes take over the entire song and that gets annoying. There's definitely an emphasis on the "T"s and the "S"s, leading to sibilant vocals. Let's be honest, the treble ain't smooth, it's quite grainy. This is when you realize that you paid less than $20 for these earphones. At the very least the ES4 provides an enjoyable and fun listening experience (especially with electronic music and prog rock) without stupid murderous amounts of treble (coming from KZ...). And none of the flaws are immediate dealbreakers, just a reflection of the rock-bottom price. If you want cleaner bass, more forward vocals and buttery smooth treble you'll have to pay more. How much exactly? $50~$100 probably... I am looking at the KEF M100 specifically...
I stopped listening to them because the pads are kind of awkward. I need to try the HD-681 EVO. Had the HD-668B but hated it's V-shaped signature. For the price it was a steal though, but I prefer better mids and a little more warmth.
One other headphone in the $60 range that's quite good is the Beyerdynamic DT-235. Too bad it's supra-aural. You can mod it with over ear HD-202 pads, but then it has too much bass!
I remember when I was modding the UR-55 I felt it sounded better than even the Grado SR-80 as long as you removed the outer grill fabric.