BLON Z200

BLON Z200 Review - Oppoty No More

Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary.

Specifications:
Connector Type: Fixed 4 Core OFC Cable
Driver Configuration: 10mm Carbon Diaphragm
Frequency Range: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Price: 21$ (Linsoul)

Sources Used:
Zishan U1 ES9038Q2M
Sony NW-A55 (MrWalkman CFW)
Colorfly CDA M1

Introduction:
BLON is one of the most anticipated in the past, with their BLON BL-03 as their greatest and most hyped IEM, and is still loved by many. However time passed and many BLON IEMs were released, and none of them reached the success that the BL-03 reached and was easily forgotten in the mind of many enthusiasts. Perhaps the reason for this is that the releases of BLON after its initial success is unimpressive, with only the good looks but lacking sound. The fame that BLON attained before slowly faded as none of their releases after the BL-03 caught the hype. Now we have here BLON latest offering, the BLON Z200. Will it re-ignite the hype once BLON was? Let's see.

Build Quality:

First thing that I notice with the packaging is that they have corrected their misspelling that is made fun of many times in the audio scene. Aside from that, its the standard BLON packaging that you'll see with their budget offerings around this price. Inside it contains the IEM, a set of ear tips, and a BLON pouch.

The Z200 looks like it has a detachable cable, but it does not. It is a fixed cable IEM. There are people who attempt to disconnect the earpieces from the cable without knowing it is fixed, and break the IEM in the process. Always remember that this has a FIXED CABLE.


The cable and plug it has is very basic. With the 4 core copper cable being soft which I like. I wish it had a chin slider though, because fitting with the Z200 is atrocious.


Now with the earpiece, they remind me of SHURE IEMs because of the size of the shell, but their nozzle is a normal looking one. The nozzle of the Z200 is short, along with the usual BLON ear tips, resulting in horrible fitting. None of the stock ear tips worked with my ears. Tip-rolling is required with this IEM, I personally use KZ reversed starlines as they help reach deeper inside my ears. You could also try using the O-ring method that is used in BL-03 before as the BL-03 have the same fit issues.

Sound Quality:
The ear tips that I used in this review is the KZ reversed starlines since I can't make it work with the stock ear tips as I can't fit it properly at any sizes because of its short nozzle stem.

I used to be a proud owner of BL-03 in its glory days before. What I like about it is the bass and the warm organic sound it has. Yes it is given that the bass bleeds and that it isn't really impressive in techs, it's the warm bassy tuning that makes people go nuts about it. Let's see if the Z200 is any similar to the BL-03.

The bass on the Z200 is one that stands out immediately once you try these on. The bass is punchy, more on the mid-bass with adequate sub-bass. Although I find them one-noted as the bass has poor texture. The bass of the Z200 bleeds to the already recessed mids given its V-shaped tuning. Regular bassheads may enjoy this kind of bass, but bassheads that want to hear better bass texture in their playlist may want to look somewhere else.

The mids are recessed as this IEM has a V-shaped tuning. There is nothing impressing me about the midrange as it is the typical midrange that you'll hear from IEMs with this tuning. But the bleeding of the bass is very noticeable especially at bass heavy tracks. It's ok when there's not much bass action going on.

As for the treble, it is smooth sounding with a decent amount of sparkle and extension. I think this is the best feature the Z200 has. It is not offensive compared to the treble that other V-shaped IEMs offer. It is on the safer side while being able to push out decent details.

Soundstage has an intimate presentation, combined with average imaging. And below average technical performance, especially in bass heavy tracks where the bass would bleed making it hard for me to pick out instrument separation on that track.

Conclusion:
Personally I can't really recommend the Z200, there are more options that are even cheaper (and some are even detachable), have better tuning and technical performance than the BLON Z200. The fit is horrendous and it is not detachable. I'd say that BLON yet again missed its shot in making a comeback on the audio scene. Thank you everyone for reading.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank KEEPHIFI for providing this review unit. The Z200 can be gotten here (no affiliate links): https://keephifi.com/products/blon-z200.





SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10 mm carbon diaphragm single DD
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20000 Hz
• Impedance: 32 Ohms
• Sensitivity: 102 dB (no units provided)
• Cable: non detachable, no mention of material of cable
• Tested at $19.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:

- Sackcloth pouch
- 3 pairs of silicone eartips - S/M/L

Well for an ultra-budget 20 buck IEM, I guess the accessories are par for the course. However, I've definitely seen other $20 competitors that gave a better spread of accessories (eg Tanchjim Tanya).



The usual packaging with the usual BLON tips and sackcloth pouch are here to greet us. It seems BLON has finally learned how to spell "Opportunity" correctly LOL. Their usual adage of "Belief", "Let Music Burn" and "Never Give Up" adorns the outer packaging.




The cable is unfortunately not detachable, despite it looking like it is from photos. Said cable is very thin and tangly. Surprisingly, there are minimal microphonics. There's no mention in the marketing materials of the what the cable is made of, but well we are stuck with this cable on this IEM, so I guess that point is moot.

It has to be said that compared to other $20 fare, the lack of a detachable cable is pretty disappointing, as rivals like the Salnotes Zero, and even their older sibling the BLON BL-03, have a detachable cable. It is not just about a non-detachable cable being a point of failure down the line, but some would like to pair aftermarket cables with it, eg balanced cables or even BT adapters.

You can opt for a mic or non-mic version during ordering.

The rest of this review was done with the stock tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The Z200's shells are fashioned from zinc alloy. A moon steam punk motif is adorned on the housings. Build is actually very good for a $20 IEM, and the shells are quite small in profile, similar to the bean-shaped types in the Westones and Shures. Hence, ergonomics and comfort are pretty good.

Considering some of the other predecessor BLONs had weird shell designs or sub-optimal fit, the good fit of the Z200 is a welcomed refreshing change.

I didn't have any driver flex on my set, but this may be related to ear anatomy and type of eartips used, so YMMV.


ISOLATION

Isolation is below average on the Z200. It is vented.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Z200 with:
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Tempotec Sonata HD Pro dongle (BHD firmware)
- Smartphone

This set is easy to drive, amplification is not compulsory, but it may allow the Z200 to scale slightly.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The Z200 sports a deep V-shaped tuning, reminiscent of the old-school CHIFI tuning of a few years' back.


Frequency response graph of the BLON Z200 via IEC711 compliant coupler. The 8 kHz area is a coupler artefact peak.

Bass is mid-bass focused, contrary to the graphs. There is moderate sub-bass extension with a good rumble. The bass is north of neutral but a level shy of true basshead levels.

In terms of quality, the mid-bass does bleed and eat into the midrange. The bass speed is on the slower side, with below-average texturing. During complex bass riffs, the basslines may smear. This bloated bass gives the Z200 a "fun" sounding signature, and perhaps it will be suitable for hip-hop and EDM, but for other music genres, the intrusive bass may be unwanted.

As per the V-shaped tonality, the midrange is recsessed. Coupled with the aforementioned mid-bass bleed, this obscures a lot of instruments and activity in the midrange. The lower midrange is warmed by the mid-bass bleed, but mid and vocal lovers might need to look elsewhere. Upper mids are boosted without being shouty.

The lower treble has a 5 kHz spike, and for folks sensitive to this area, they may find it disconcerting. This adds a metallic colouration to the timbre for instruments that play around this region. The rest of the upper treble is relatively smooth with mild sibilance and not the most extended treble.

In technicalities, the Z200 fares pretty badly. Imaging is more than decent for the price, but micro-details, instrument separation, transients, clarity and soundstage are all below average compared to $20 rivals.

The Z200 hence is more analoguish than analytical. But even so, timbre has a slight metallic glean (as alluded to above), and the Z200 isn't as natural sounding as their predecessor, the BLON BL-03.


COMPARISONS

The Z200 will be compared against other ultra-budget single DD sets. BAs/hybrids and other driver type IEMs were left out of the comparison, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.


7Hz Salnotes Zero

The Salnotes Zero is tuned more neutral, with a thinner note weight and less bass.

The Zero is a league or two ahead in technicalities. Transients, clarity, micro-detailing, instrument separation and bass tightness are much improved on the Zero. The Zero has a detachable cable too, though perhaps its fit is a bit more iffy.


BLON BL-03

The venerable BLON BL-03 is a harmanish set with a mid-bass bump. Both sets have a bloated boomy mid-bass, but the BL-03 has better timbral accuracy.

Tonally, the BL-03 sounds more organic. Both BLON siblings won't win awards in technicalities, but it has to be said the BL-03 actually fares a hair better in soundstage, clarity and micro-detailing than the newer Z200! So new is not always better!

The BL-03 has a detachable cable, although its fit is worse due to a very short nozzle.


Tanchjim Tanya

The Tanya is another harmanish set. It is a bullet shaped IEM, and like the Z200, the Tanya also has a thick note weight and embraces good tonality/timbre over outright technicalities.

Tonality and timbre are more natural on the Tanya. The Tanya is much harder to drive. But when fed proper juice, the Tanya has better technicalities in soundstage, clarity, imaging, instrument separation and micro-details.

The Tanya has better accessories, though it is also not detachable.


CONCLUSIONS

To be honest, BLON has been trying to recapture lightning in a bottle since the success of the legendary BLON BL-03. Other than the BL-03 (and perhaps to some extent, the BLON BL-05S), the rest of the released BLONs have arguably been flops or at best, sidegrades.

A good gauge if a CHIFI is worth consideration, is if the IEM is still talked about months after release, and the proof is in the pudding: other than the BL-03, there's huge radio silence regarding the other BLON models on audio forums after the initial few weeks of hype at launch.

I'm sad to say, that this is also the case with the Z200. The Z200 seems to be another generic old-school deep V-shaped set of yesteryears, which doesn't bring much to the ultra-budget table. Although the fit is good and the Z200 cost about the same as a restaurant meal, its middling technicalities, a non-detachable cable and metallic timbre do not allow the Z200 to stand out from other luminaries such as the Salnotes Zero, or even their older sibling, the BLON BL-03.

Greetings!

This is a review of the Blon Z200, which Linsoul has provided me to review.



DISCLAIMER: I WAS PROVIDED THE UNIT IN EXCHANGE FOR A NO-FRILLS, UNBIASED REVIEW. I AM NEITHER PAID NOR COMMISSIONED TO PROVIDE A SKEWED REVIEW.

The Blon Z200 promises to be the true successor to the company’s hit IEM, the BL03. It Indeed continues the legacy that its predecessor has laid down, along with some sound improvements along the way to ensure its worth. The end product is indeed Blon’s nicest sounding set out from its lineup. But those expecting it to be competitive in the current market in terms of sound will be extremely disappointed, for it leans more into the listener’s nostalgia for the era of fun-sounding v-shaped IEMs. Together with a surprisingly and deceptively non-detachable cable, it’s truly a missed opportunity for Blon to step out of the shadows of the Blon BL03 to create something that is exceptional for today’s more nuanced listeners.

𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚
$19.99 (USD)
~₱1000 (PhP)

𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱: Carbon Diaphragm Dynamic Driver (1)
𝗣𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: n/a (non-detachable)
𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗴 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: 3.5mm unbalanced
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 32 Ω
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: 20Hz – 20KHz
𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: 102dB/Vrms

𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 (out of 5)

Presentation
The packaging is almost identical to its predecessor’s: a rectangular shaped box with a small window on top of it, displaying the IEMs themselves. In a humorous yet welcome improvement, the legendary “oppoty” word that graced the boxes of the BL03 has been replaced with the correct “opportunity” one. The backside of the packaging features the technical specifications of the IEM in different languages. Overall, the graphics and layout are pretty much the same for your regular Blon release, with the exception of the improved grammar.





Product
As described earlier, we are given first glimpse of the IEM as it is displayed out front through an acrylic window. Getting it off the box reveals the IEM, which is emblazoned with a celestial-like design. I personally got the black variant of the Z200, but there is also a violet/blue one available. It’s a nice aesthetic when looked at front, but loses its charm when viewed from afar. The “plug” on the IEM deceives the viewer, as it can imply that it is detachable. It is not, and I will further comment on that in the build quality segment.


Particulars
With the particulars, it comes with the standard extra eartips and instruction manual/paperwork that are almost 100% sure to be found in any Chi-Fi product. What sets it apart is the inclusion of a small baggie case of an appearance that is almost synonymous to Blon: beige colored with Blon’s logo stamped at the lower center of the case. This baggie case is included in almost every Blon product and is a very welcome addition in the ultra-budget segment. Not every company in this price bracket does this, so I will have to give extra points for Blon acknowledging this. Cases are an often overlooked aspect in the Chi-Fi market, and must be looked upon further as it offers extra protection for their products when stood against the regular usage of its owner.



𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 & 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 (out of 5)

✳ Build Quality
The Z200 boasts some material heft, a box that is definitely ticked in terms of my preferences in an IEM. It has a weighty sturdiness to it that assures the owner that it can take some of the beating that it shall experience in its lifetime. The paint used all over the IEM and in its graphical design seems to be of good quality, as I have experienced no chipping in the weeks that I have used and handled the IEM. The cable is average at most, but I can’t put much negativity to it because of the price it comes at. The only flaw that I can see in the Z200 build-wise is its deceptive appearance in relation to its plug. I have read and seen multiple reports of Z200 users breaking their sets because of this, as they thought they can remove the IEM from its plug due to its appearance. These reasons are justifiable, as the terminating plugs in the IEM end are definitely designed to LOOK LIKE that they can be detached, but the truth lies otherwise. This is definitely a no-no move for Blon and should be avoided in the future.




✳ Comfort
The Blon Z200 is almost EXACTLY shaped as a Shure IEM (SE215 and so on). This results in a mostly comfortable experience when put in the ear. The main IEM body does not fight with the natural shape of my ear, but this is all subjective and depends on the natural make up of its listener’s ear. The problem with the fit is the length of the nozzle and the quality of eartips that it included in it. Tip-rolling is an absolute must before fully enjoying this IEM, as its fit inside your ears can definitely be finicky at first. The nozzle extends too far out into the IEM, and is at a weird angle that results in an uneven fit that can cause environmental sound from the outside to creep into your listening experience. In reviewing this IEM, I sometimes needed to push the IEM deeper into my ear so that I can make the most out of the sound it produces, which is definitely a hassle when it comes to general comfort.

𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 (out of 5)

𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗: (𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘊 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵, 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 24𝘣𝘪𝘵/48𝘬𝘏𝘻 𝘰𝘳 24𝘣𝘪𝘵/96𝘬𝘏𝘻)

𝘋𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘯𝘬 - 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘶𝘢 𝘓𝘪𝘱𝘢 -𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘢 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦 - 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 & 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦 - 𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯 - 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 – 𝘛𝘖𝘛𝘈𝘓 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 - 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 - 𝘐𝘯 𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 - 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 - 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘖𝘮 - 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴 - 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 - 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳 - 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘧𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 - 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘧𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 - 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘒𝘰𝘳𝘯 - 𝘒𝘰𝘳𝘯 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘒𝘰𝘳𝘯 - 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘐𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘛𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦 - 𝘕𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘳 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 - 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 - 𝘚𝘺𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 - 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 [𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥] (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 - 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 - 𝘖𝘱𝘷𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘷𝘳𝘢𝘮 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 - 𝘐 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘈𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘴𝘵 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 – 𝘌𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 – 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘥 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 - 𝘡𝘰𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘢 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢 - ...𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘭𝘭 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢 - 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 – 𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯
𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 - 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘹 𝘖𝘮𝘦𝘨𝘢

𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗: 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘹𝘺 𝘚8+; 𝘍𝘪𝘪𝘰 𝘟3 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘐𝘐𝘐

Signature
The Z200 is a reaction to what the reviews said about its legendary predecessor, the Blon BL03. All the criticism about that IEM has been ironed out in this release, while still maintaining the general sound signature from its famed brother. This equates to a generally fun listening experience that will satisfy both the quench of those looking for a guilty pleasure and casual listeners that are not too invested into the audiophile hobby. This means that the Z200 falls prey into the fad of v-shaped IEMs that has long since passed, for almost every IEM release right now seems to be driven towards the Harman target. However, if you're feeling nostalgic for that past era of IEM tuning, the Z200 will surely take you there without the extremities it entailed back then.
✳ The bass is what you expect from a v-shaped tuning. It’s very punchy and meaty, which results in a fun experience especially if you're into beat and rhythm-oriented music. Sub-bass isn't that well extended, so rumble is left out in preference to a punchy bass sound. Attack and decay in every bass hit are very slow too, so they really linger out every time you listen to a bass heavy song. I'm very sure that bassheads will enjoy listening to the Z200 on hours for end, as it will surely quench their thirst for some fat and heavy beats. Just don't expect the skull-rumbling sub-bass that usually goes with bass-heavy IEMs.
✳ I honestly almost have no significant sentiments for the midrange. It's v-shaped alright; a v-shape gonna do what it gonna do: be lean in its midrange presentation and have veiled instrumentation + vocals. However, it is worth noting that it has improved from the BL03's almost-patented brand of exhorbitant amounts of bass bleed. It solves its predecessor's tendencies for an extremely warm timbre, as it presents itself as a more natural version of that. Bass bleed still exists in some extent, but not as much as the BL03 did. And for that, I still have to give props to Blon even if it’s still veiled as its 2017-era competition.
✳ The treble, again, is what you expect from a v-shaped IEM. It's focused more on the shimmer and the shine rather than body. 2018 Goji would have gleamed at the hifi-ness of how this one sounds, but that time has already passed. Despite my laments for how bland this v-shaped IEM sounds in its presentation of the frequencies, I still must give props where it is due. It is not as peaky and shrill as what I expect from an IEM coming from that era. Yes, it still shines like a diamond in its treble presentation, but it has a level of nuance and control that I have to take note of. Yes, it’s still objectively v-shaped sounding, but it’s better than what you expect from it.
Soundstage
This is another aspect wherein it improves upon its predecessor's footsteps. Due to its "cooler" sound signature, the Z200 gives away more aural space for its listener to indulge him/herself into compared to the BL03. Although offering more soundstage and width than its predecessor, it still presents itself as a very in-your-face IEM, especially when compared with the peers it has right now. This intimate experience is still complemented though, as bass hits are more defined and smack you more in the face than what the sound intrinsically offers. Imaging is below average though, as instruments can sometimes get mashed with one another due to its intimate presentation. Couple that with a very punchy sound, and you got a mixed salad of instruments and vocals coming your way.

𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩:
Packaging:
Build Quality & Comfort:
Sound:

You can get your own Blon Z200 at the link below (unaffiliated): https://www.linsoul.com/search?options[prefix]=last&q=blon