CCZ Warrior

Greetings!

This is a review of the CCZ Warrior, which KeepHifi have 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 CCZ Warrior is one of the most promising IEMs that I have heard in its price range. All its efforts in displacing itself among its peers (unique earfin implementation, patented eartips, beautiful transparent faceplate, and unique overall colorway) pays off, as it is a unique set that isn’t afraid of showing its identity amidst a saturated crowd. It stays true to its name sonically by being a strong set in terms of bass quality, while retaining its “humanity” through the natural timbre that it sets for the listener. With the budget IEM market being more and more saturated by the second, the CCZ Warrior strived to tread that road with eagerness and energy, that of which successfully does so.

𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚
$32.99 (USD)
~₱1800 (PhP)

𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱: 10mm PET Diaphragm Dynamic Driver (1), Balanced Armature (3)
𝗣𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: TFZ 0.78mm 2-Pin
𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗴 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: 3.5mm unbalanced
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 18 Ω
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: 20Hz – 20KHz
𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: 108dB/Vrms

𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 (out of 5)

Presentation
The box presents itself in a way that we’ve seen already for a million times when it comes to budget IEMs. The rectangular, white box can easily be crowned as the absolute staple in the budget IEM range; The Warrior surely follows on that note. Nitpicking aside, its very much understandable as for the reasons why companies do this: to keep costs down for a cheaper product. Though in a layout perspective, it steps slightly out of way from its usual peers by having different placement areas in terms of the IEM name, pictures, and other wordy mumbo-jumbos. It also flexes on the sides of the box through the two “patented” implementations they did for the Warrior: the eartips and the earfin. It perceives it as a nice inclusion rather than a conceited one because it is truly a unique aspect of the IEM that’s worth mentioning. Rather than that, everything falls into place when it comes to usual budget IEM packaging.




Product
The CCZ Warrior displays itself in the same way we’ve seen other budget IEMs like KZs and KBEars: the clear acrylic plastic that protects the IEMs and its content. But what lies underneath is what’s important: the CCZ Warrior looks very clean and interesting from the faceplate alone. One can clearly see the inner workings of the Warrior at a single glance: an aspect which I truly love as an appreciator of any see-through tech gear. Another plus is that every component inside (drivers and wiring) is organized, which is important if you want to go with the see-through route in designing tech.

Particulars
The CCZ Warrior comes with a very spartan number of particulars that is usually found in IEMs priced around its range. Extra eartips, cable, and some paperwork are all that you will find here. It is a modest presentation, but you get what you pay for.

𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 & 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 (out of 5)

✳ Build Quality
The build quality of the IEM itself is very impressive, considering the price that it comes at and the overall look it has compared to its peers. Even though it has a mostly plastic build, it brings confidence with the type of plastic used: it feels and looks very sturdy. It would take on some harsh everyday usage, which I can be capable of doing during the busy days of schooling and commute that I had while reviewing the Warrior. The earfin added to the overall sturdiness that it had, as it is made of a thick, rubbery plastic that bulks up and pads the Warrior by a good amount. When it comes to the cable, it’s the tried and trusted black & braided cable we’ve seen in the likes of KBEar and old TRN releases, which is a step above from the lowest of the lows cables we’ve seen from other budget IEM companies.




✳ Comfort
Earfins. That’s it. That’s the review for comfort. But in all seriousness, the earfins that CCZ was proud of mentioning whenever marketing material was seen in the Warrior. It may be a simple addition, but it brings a whole level of comfort and fit. It is excellent to the point that I can say it is the most comfortable IEM that I have tried, and yes, even more than that of bullet-style ones. It just fits so perfectly on my ears, and it just sits there with an immaculate feel; all without the intrusive and “violating” feel of smaller IEMs that fit deeply. The nice fit also complements the warm and bassy nature of the IEM, as it keeps all the bass frequencies trapped inside your ear, which is excellent for some grooving and headbanging sessions. This is excellent stuff that should be continued.



𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 .5 (out of 5)

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

𝘋𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘯𝘬 - 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘯𝘬 - 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 2007 (𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮)
𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘦 - 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 (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 ; 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘔15

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘: 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦-𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘈𝘓𝘞𝘈𝘠𝘚 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 & 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘐𝘌𝘔 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵.



Signature
The CCZ Warrior is very warm sounding from the get-go, it emphasizes mid-bass to lower midrange mostly in its presentation. Due to this, it is very comfortable to listen to, akin to a warm blanket enveloping you in your listening sessions. The amount of warmth and punch that it has is enough that it can be classified as a basshead IEM: the bass response is very impactful while not sacrificing the midrange like V-shaped IEMs do. Although a great IEM throughout, the CCZ Warrior lacks some refinement in layering and resolution here and there but is only apparent in busier genres. Overall, it is yet another exciting entry in the budget range, and it shows that the Chi-Fi space is indeed maturing in their tuning styles, leaving behind some of the stereotypes placed upon them through the years.


✳ The bass is clearly the main focal point and foundation of the general sound signature of the Warrior. It truly lives up to its namesake: the bass performance feels like a genuine warrior in terms of its authority and power in every song that you throw at it. The "patented earfins" absolutely help with its bass performance through a snugger fit, resulting in bass frequencies being preserved inside the ear. The CCZ Warrior’s bass performance is definitely mid-bass focused, it has the signature punch and boominess that attentive listeners will recognize at the first go. Slower attack and decay to really solidify each bass hit; bassheads will get their money's worth with the Warrior with how it can satisfy their booming needs. As seen from these, it definitely has some bass bleed in the midrange especially in the transition to the lower midrange area, but is part of its unique warm sound signature that it cannot be defaulted to the subtraction of points.
✳ The midrange has a warmer timbre that favors lower pitched instruments and, naturally, male vocals. The CCZ Warrior outputs surprisingly rich and well-presented midrange despite the bassy nature of the IEM, resulting in a very comfortable and natural tone to every song you throw at it. The thickness of the midrange can sometimes throw it off, as the Warrior lacks some refinement and layering to how the midrange is presented to the listener; add the bassy signature to the mix, and it results to at-times sloppy presentation. At the end, how matter how well the midrange is presented is appreciated, but it can use some tweaks here and there to be considered as excellent in my books.
✳ The treble is clearly not the focus in the CCZ Warrior. It falls prey to the typical tuning decisions of the v-shaped past, resulting in an uneven and incoherent experience when compared to the more natural overall timbre. It has obvious hints of sibilance and tinniness in the cymbals, which can be sometimes shrill in modern production songs. Its definitely focused on the shimmer side of treble presentation rather than the body, which highlights the unevenness of the region. All of these are also partnered with an inadequate extension over the extreme upper treble regions, which does it no favors in balancing out the peaks present in the overall presentation of the treble. Overall, I hope that CCZ works more towards improving the treble response in their next releases, as it can bring their future IEMs to the next level when done right.

Soundstage/Imaging
The warmer and bass focused presentation of the CCZ Warrior results in it having a very forward and intimate feel when it comes to its soundstage. It renders all instruments at the absolute front of the listener, no matter what instrument it is. This favors rhythm and/or beat-oriented genres, as one can truly enjoy the pulse of the music in one, solid aural package. However, this negatively impacts the lack of nuances brought upon by the overall tonal presentation of the CCZ Warrior. It has average to below average levels of layering and imaging capabilities, resulting in some more concentration and attention needed to point out the different instruments in every song that you throw at it. Overall, if you’re just looking for a coherent and solid presentation without any expectations of incredible soundstage/imaging capabilities, the CCZ Warrior is a good choice.



𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩:
Packaging:
Build Quality & Comfort:
Sound: .5

Get your own CCZ Warrior over at this link (non-affiliated): https://keephifi.com/products/ccz-warrior?_pos=1&_sid=8a11e28b9&_ss=r

The CCZ Warrior have been sent to me by KeepHiFi in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not made any specific requests and I will aim to be as unbiased and sincere as always, although you should always consider the fact that these IEMs were sent to me free of charge.

You can find a non-affiliate link to the Warrior via KeepHiFi by visiting the version of this review published on my blog (link at the end of this post).



Intro…

Last year I reviewed two sets of IEMs by a brand called CCZ, the Emerald and the Melody. Both sets featured a 10mm dynamic driver with a custom knowles BA driver and both came in at less than 20€. They both sounded very similar with the Emerald just being slightly more enjoyable for me personally.

A year later, KeepHiFi has kindly sent me the new model from the company, this time named the Warrior. A simple glance shows that these are very similar to the previous models, using the same shell, however, this time the driver count has been increased to feature a 10mm dynamic driver this time paired with 3x balanced armature driver.

The price has also increased slightly, with the Warrior coming in at slightly less than 35€. This still places them well inside the sub 50€ limit that I set as an extreme budget, but is a 75% price increase over the previous models.

So let’s see what advances have been made from their previous offerings.



Presentation…

The packaging has not changed and the presentation is exactly the same as it was with the Emerald and Melody. A simple white box that reveals the IEMs sitting in a card and foam cut out, with the accessories underneath.

The accessories are 3 sets of silicone tips (one installed and the other two in the typical white bag) and the cable, which just so happens to be the same as the cable included with the other two models.

I am not one to complain about accessories or packaging in this budget range but as I have noted with other brands that still use similar presentations, there are models out there that are doing much better in this regard.

Again, no complaints, the accessories are enough to pull out the IEMs and get straight into using them.



Build and aesthetics…

This is something that has also remained the same. CCZ have stayed true to their shell shape with their patented “Earfins” which is to provide a more “comfortable, light and stable” experience. The only issue with this is that I had issues with the Earfins on the previous models and the Warrior creates the same issues for me. The Earfin rests in just the wrong place for me and causes me pain after a short while. This means that I can’t wear them for extended periods and my listening sessions are limited to brief 10 to 15 minute stints before I need to take a break.

Obviously comfort is a very personal thing and I am sure that others will not have this problem with discomfort but in my case it limits the use of the IEMs.

The build is lightweight and doesn’t have any specific flaws to highlight. They use a semi transparent shell, allowing you to see the inside and count the drivers, which is surrounded by a gold coloured trim on the face plate. Not my favourite combination as far as aethetics but I have seen much worse.



Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Spotify, etc.)

Not a whole lot has changed in the sound department either. There have been a few tweaks as far as tuning but nothing dramatic.

Here is a graph that shows the Warrior in comparison to the previous two CCZ models I reviewed, along with my usual preference curve for reference:



Starting off with the subbass, this is very similar to the subbass on the other two. I am not sure if the same dynamic driver is being used but it certainly sounds very similar. There is plenty of rumble in the lowest notes of my usual “Chameleon” test, although it is not the cleanest of performances.

“No Sanctuary Here” also has plenty going on in the low end, with the midbass being above my preferences in this regard. I have said many times that if a set has an elevated bass range but is clean and detailed, I usually enjoy it. Unfortunately the midbass range is not that clean or detailed on the Warrior. I can’t say it produces fatigue as the discomfort from the shell kicks in before this point, but it is not something that I consider that clean in these ranges.

There is also some bleed from the lower notes into the low mids which is not terrible but doesn’t help with the sensation of the low end being rather bloated and out of control. This is highlighted on many tracks, such as “Crazy”, where the low end of the guitar has body to it but is just a little too boomy, giving the impression of exaggerated room reverb in the upper bass and lower mids.

In the center of the mids there is a which is not as exaggerated as on the older models, however, as the upper mids don’t have as much presence as said models, the Warrior doesn’t really bring vocals back enough for them to counteract that boominess in the low end. I find that this is the case with both male and female vocals.

There is also quite a bit of roll off in the higher areas that wasn’t as apparent on the Melody for example. This creates a high end that is lacking air and comes across as a little claustrophobic at times. This does avoid sibilance however, with “Code Cool” coming across quite subdued in the sibilance ranges, even the intro to “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing” shows a lot less sibilance than on so many other sets.

Details are also affected by the overall presentation of the sound signature. Here CCZ haven’t used the high range peak trick that many other brands use to give a false sense of detail. Unfortunately, this leaves the Warrior without much sense of detail at all.

Soundstage is below average, again affected by that darker treble and lack of detail, which works against image placement and gives the sensation of an overly blunted response.



Finally, isolation is also below average until we make it up to the higher mids, where it does improve.



Conclusion…

There is some fierce competition in the 20€ range, with many sets offering a lot of performance for very little money. While the Melody and the Emerald weren’t ground breaking, I would have said that they were still pretty competent in that 20€ bracket.

I am sorry to say that the Warrior takes the base of the Emerald, removes performance and increases the price. Yes, there are 2 more BA’s in the Warrior than either of the previous models, but the result is not a positive experience, at least for me.

Things are very tough at the moment in the extreme budget section and CCZ will need to do more than this in order to stand out and make themselves a space.

_______________________________________________________
This review is also available (as are all of my reviews) in Spanish both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

First of all, I would like to thank Keephifi for sending in a pair of CCZ Warrior for my honest review. I am not in any way affiliated with Keephifi, and you can find the link below for the review unit on their website below if you would like to support on this new product by CCZ.

Product link:
https://keephifi.com/products/ccz-warrior



CCZ is a fairly new 'Chifi' company in the field, and is well known for their previous releases such as CCZ Coffee Bean, Melody, Emerald, and their expensive flagship level CCZ Plume (which I still use it till today). Recently, CCZ introduced their all new CCZ Warrior which shares the same 1DD+3BA crossover system technology with CCZ Plume.

Packaging/Design:
For the packaging, it is similar to the CCZ Coffee Bean which is simple and basic. The unit comes with cavity that adopts UV light curing PC material, which has a solid build and is wear and scratch resistance. The package comes with a 4 Core OFC Copper cable of fairly good quality, and can be upgraded with better cables. The overall size is not too big, it comes with own patented earfins & eartips, therefore fits comfortably & easily inside the ear without causing pain and pressure after prolonged use. The unit also comes The IEM specifications are somewhat similar to the CCZ Plume released last year, and the cosmetic design can be compared in the image attached below:



Specification:
Brand & Model: CCZ Warrior
Interface: TFZ 0.78mm (2Pin)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
Sensitivity: 108 ± 2dB
Impedance: 18±2Ω
Plug: 3.5mm
Cable material: 4 Core 4N OFC



Sound Performance:
After reviewing for some time, my opinion is that CCZ Warrior definitely outperformed its older models, namely CCZ Coffee Bean, Emerald & Melody in terms of overall sound performance. It has V-shaped sound signature tuning with one 10mm Dual Magnetic Curcuit Dynamic Driver (bass) + three Balanced Armatures (1 mids & 2 highs) hybrid drivers configuration, reminding me of the familiar sound signature of previous flagship level CCZ Plume. The unit is tuned such that its bass is stong, thick & punchy, elastic and textured, suitable for basshead. Meanwhile, the mids are solid, cohesive and smooth where both male & female vocals are clear and detailed as compared to its predecessors. The treble is bright, energetic & airy and is not too fatiguing. Soundstage wise is considered wide and acceptable for most of the average users.

Conclusion:
CCZ Warrior is quite a decent product with improved overall sound performance from its previous family products. I would gladly recommend it to anyone who has a limited budget but is in need of a goos performing IEM for everyday usage, considering its price of just $32.99 and is quite affordable for most of us.

General Info/Build/Comfort/Packaging
To start off, I wouldn't say CCZ is a new brand, rather they re-emerge after staying silent for a little while. Their last release was Emerald and Melody, which wasn’t bad but doesn’t really stand out. I also reviewed their debut IEM which was CCZ Plume. Plume was good, but the pricing is on the higher side. Today we have the Warrior, which is a 3BA + 1DD config priced at 35$.

The build quality is average for the asking price, plastic and lightweight, it also came with the fin that can be found on all CCZ IEM. The purpose of the fin is for better fit on the ear. Packaging is fairly standard and minimal, IEM, eartips, and cable, a carrying case would be nice though.

Gears used for this review

• Topping DX1 + iFi Zen Air Can
• Hidizs XO Dongle
• Aune M2, Cayin N5
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Warrior sounds a little warm to my ears and in terms of tuning, it is V shaped sounding with obvious boost on the low and highs, and slightly recessed mids. A fun sounding set for sure and not a set for someone whose preference is leaning towards neutral or brighter sounding.



Bass

• Bass is punchy and has good impact, the quantity is definitely there but quality can be better, in terms of more controlled and cleaner bass, it sounds “loose” if that word make sense
• Good bass texture and note weight, the warmth from the bass does add some sense to the overall presentation to made it sound more musical
• The bass does bleed into the mids occasionally on a more busy track
• Speed is not bad as it is able to handle Slipknot’s track quite well, but to me i find that the bass is a little too much to listen to Slipknot, but on EDM its fine

Mids

• Mids are forward but not to the point where it’s in your face, good note weight
• At times it sounded a little veil due to the bass bleed
• Vocal positioning is neither too laid back nor too forward, just nice to my ears (your mileage might vary due to your preference)
• Male’s vocal has sufficient note weight and good texture to it, low baritone voice such as Zhao Peng’s vocal sounded very nice and thick
• Female’s vocal on the other hand could use some extra bite, nonetheless, still sounded good to my ears, Florence’s vocal in King sounded thick and have equally good texture as male vocal, although, i personally would prefer a slight boost on the upper mids to give the female vocal extra lift

Treble

• The treble on Warrior is smooth, never once it felt offensive nor sibilant
• Detail retrieval is average and you shouldn’t expect to be able to hear every micro details in the track, if yes then Warrior is definitely not for you
• Lacking a little air and brilliance causing the whole treble range to sound a little less energetic
• Nothing really stand out in terms of treble, treble sensitive folks will definitely be fine with this set

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is rather centre and lacking depth and height, pretty much in your head kind of feeling?
• Imaging is sub par, everything is mushy and it’s hard to pinpoint the instruments during busy tracks, but on easy going track, it’s totally fine, i’m just being critical here

Driveability

• Warrior is easy to drive, standard 3.5 out from your smartphone is good enough to drive to decent listenable volume level
• Most dongles are enough to properly drive and feed Warrior, a more neutral/cool source is preferred over warm source due to Warrior being a warm IEM
• Amplification is not required as i find it doesn’t really improve anything in terms of sonic performance

Final Thoughts
So, is CCZ’s Warrior a re-emerging warrior? I wouldn't say so, this is not to say that it’s a bad set, for the price point, it does everything alright, but it just doesn’t stand out among the competitions. I will recommend this set for someone who likes warm and bassy IEM, for others who prefer a neutral or balanced tuning, Warrior is not for you.
A 3.5/5 for overall value and sonic performance.

*CCZ’s Warrior is sent over by KeepHifi F.O.C in exchange for this review. Not affiliated nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Head over to the following link if you’re interested to get a pair, do take advantage of the current Black Friday sale at the time of writing
KeepHifi’s Store
CCZ Warrior’s Purchase Link - Non affiliated

Disclaimer:

• This unit was sent to me by Keephifi in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will be free from any bias/es as much as possible.
• The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• Tempotec Sonata HD V
• VE Megatron
• Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96 Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018))
• Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: medium white semi-translucent eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, low gain, without extra amplification.

===============================================================Sound signature:

• The CCZ warrior never came across as aggressive-sounding to me, despite its name. The exact reverse was true, in fact. It is a more versatile, smooth, mildly v-shaped IEM with a sound similar to the combination of the CCZ Coffee Bean, Emerald, and Melody, but with higher technical performance and control over the frequencies. When listened to at lower volumes, it does sound "neutral" with a little bit of enhanced lows.

Lows:

• Here in the CCZ Warrior, the lows are regulated, dense, and just a little bit elevated. It was able to maintain a clear distance between itself and other frequencies. Midbass and subbass presence are typically equal, with certain songs having midbass dominance when necessary. As a result of the decay leaning slightly to the faster side, the lows become more polished and clean. Budget-conscious bassheads might love the punch and rumble the Warrior possesses, but if they would rather have a bit of that deep, luscious bass, they might want to choose the KBEAR Rosefinch or maybe another model.

Mids:

• The Warrior had a slight recession to it and kept the presence of the lower mids from being too recessed or thin at all at the same time. The lower mids are smooth, well-textured, and have great thickness, especially on male vocals like Sam Smith's or Ed Sheeran's. The upper mids are slightly elevated with a very good amount of clarity, air, and sparkle. The Warrior avoided any peaks, pierces, harshness, or sibilance in this region. However, I would like to note that the mids and the treble in general are quite "laid back" or "linear" to my liking when listened to at lower volume levels. It isn't really a negative point, to be honest, but should be taken as a "heads up" for those people who want a "spice" to their listening experience. During my tests paired with my Hiby R3 Pro Saber, there was a noticeable difference when I listened to the Warrior with 40% volume in low gain compared to 40% volume in high gain. It is more noticeable to my ears when compared to the other IEMs I reviewed recently.

Highs:

• The treble has the same level or amount of elevation when compared to the upper mids. It is well-extended, has a good amount of air, and still manages to avoid any harshness. But as I have said before, at lower volumes, the treble may sound "laid back" or "lifeless" to some people, especially whenever the cymbals show up in a track. Detail retrieval is above average on my tests as it reveals a good amount of macro and microdetails easily.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• Technical performance is where the CCZ Warrior kicked it up a notch when compared to its older triplet siblings. I first noticed the separation and imaging as it is cleaner, precise, and finessed my busy test tracks fairly well, based on my realistic expectations for its price point. The soundstage is more or less the same in terms of height, width, and depth when compared to the CCZ Emerald, Coffee Bean, and Melody: average in size with average expansion.

===============================================================
Pros:

• Another safe, all-rounder IEM from CCZ.
• Smooth, warm sound signature.
• Managed to improve the technical performance compared to their first triplet budget IEMs.
• Controlled, impactful lows.
• Smooth, “organic” mids.
• Non-fatiguing, well-extended treble.
• Above average technical performance under 35 USD.
• Excellent fit, comfort, and isolation.
• Easy to be driven to its full potential.
• It has a slight scaling capability depending on the source paired with the IEM.

Cons:

• At lower volumes, the vocals up to the treble region may sound "lifeless" to some.
• Barebone accessories for its price. A pouch, case, or extra ear tips would be a treat for anybody (subjective)

I find it pretty surprising that CCZ would launch a new product at this time in the "audiophile" IEM market, where planar and other unusual configurations are the name of the game. Most individuals, including myself, who favor more clinical-sounding equipment, find it appealing due to its warmer, all-rounder sound signature. Regardless of the source you pair it with, I suggest this IEM to folks who just want to enjoy listening to a vast library of music without worrying about any cutting corners or poor technical performance. I also prefer to use it when I'm traveling to work!


Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: The CCZ Warrior is very easy to drive. It does, however, "change" in character or sound profile at lower volumes. It can be a bad or a good thing depending on your preferences, but a neutral or warm source should justify its full potential for sure.
• Eartips: The included eartips are more than fine for the most part, but you may always use your preferred eartips.
• Cable: The cable is more than usable but you may always choose the cable of your choice.

Thank you for reading!

Non-affiliated link here: https://keephifi.com/products/ccz-warrior?_pos=1&_sid=a007ce80d&_ss=r

Additional Photos:

Intro
This is the first time I encountered the brand CCZ (amongst the flock of alphabet brands in the market) which is situated in Shenzhen, China as with most ChiFi brands. Thanks to Keephifi for giving me the opportunity to experience their latest product which is aptly named the Warrior. Seems like a contender in its price bracket especially given its quad driver configuration at $32.



Packaging and Contents
As with every similar majority KBear, KZ, and CCA entry - it's within a similar white box formfactor without much fancy front layout design. In it is the IEMs themselves, 3 pairs of eartips (S, M attached, L), the cable and manual. Nothing else. No frills. I guess it's to keep costs down but a pouch would always be appreciated. In my case, I used my own L size eartips as they made quite a difference regarding the fit especially with large ears than the stock ones. The IEMs themselves feels light but somewhat solid and durable with the subtle silver accents to give it a distinguished look than just the usual faceplate+resin build though without the flashiness.



Sound
I used the following to test the Warrior with different genres of music:
AK SR25
Dragonfly Cobalt
iPad via direct 3.5mm

For a $32 quad driver hybrid set, the Warrior immediately impressed me with its lows and bass response. Very pleasing and the rumble feels nice without being overblown or exaggerated as with most V-shaped sets in this tier. Also, its tuning is very safe, being a tad warm and caters to most genres whether pop, acoustic, classical or R&B without the peaks and sharpness which is very welcome and a breath of fresh air compared to its competitors.


It does somehow sounds a bit too lean especially with female-vocal heavy tracks but overall none too offensive especially with the treble being smooth and just right. It also has difficulty in handling busy tracks at times, with its separation of instruments and resolving ability leaves some room for improvement but it is expected with 90% of the sets in this price bracket and you do have to go higher than the $80 if you want a major difference in resolution and naturalness.

In comparison to other 'fun' sets at the similar price, I do find it as a better alternative if you find the KZ x HBB DQ6S too bassy+colored and the KZ CRN too harsh and bright. The CCA CRA may have a better tuning overall than the other two but is still sibilant at times and does find itself very difficult in handling technical tracks such as Daft Punk and various rock/metal recordings. It's somewhat the great balance of strengths of these sets without the glaring weaknesses, all the while still maintaining just the right (albeit average) detail handling without muddying up the track.



Verdict
The Warrior does have a battle in its price-tier bracket but it somehow sets itself apart from the other contenders by being a safe, non-offensive versatile set in a battle royale of V-shaped lively sound products. Don't get it wrong and don't let its no-frills package fool you - despite the safe warm tuning, it does impress with its bass response and energy that goes along well with its smooth treble giving the final overall result. A worthy contender indeed!

"Shine, shine on, through the darkness and the pain.
Shine, shine on, Warrior.
Shine, shine on, through the wind and the rain.
Shine, shine on, Warrior."

~Excerpt from lyrics of "Warrior" by Riot V~


The word "Warrior" have a strong connotation to me as I am avid fan of History and art of warfare throughout the chronological events is one of the subject that really peaks my interest on how history of humanity was marred with bloodshed and terror through political manoeuvring or simply an unjustified ego of a megalomaniac personality/tyrant. The mind of tactical brilliance of some historical warlords like Julius Caesar, Hannibal, Genghis Khan, Oda Nobunaga, Frederick The Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Heinz Guderian and Georgy Zhukov really defines the outcome in the battlefield with their flexibility and keen observation on commanding a such number of warriors in the midst on a chaotic fighting. But I digress in this subject as I do a review on an audio product rather than chattering about war history.



CCZ Warrior is a new product released by CCZ Hi-fi. CCZ Hi-fi is an audio company situated in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China which is known to be the innovation hub and manufacturing powerhouse in the world. This company has strong ties with other popular brands with the likes of KB Ear and TRI (still doesn't have a review product from them).


CCZ Hi-fi released some previous products like the CCZ Plume and CCZ Coffee Bean and it received some positive feedback from its users. And CCZ Warrior will be reviewed thoroughly with my own methodology if it really delivers a good sound quality.




The driver set up on CCZ Warrior is of a hybrid one as it has one (1) 10mm polyester resin diaphragm dynamic driver for bass response with three (3) custom balanced armature drivers to handle mids and treble. These transducers were encapsulated in a polycarbonate plastic shell and the build quality is somehow durable. There is an innovative approach that CCZ implemented was a rubberised stabilising fin that will be conducive for best fitting in the cochlea in the best possible manner. Another good thing is that it uses a 2-pin TFZ-type connector rather than a QDC-type connector which is quite different to its contemporary products in the same price range.




As for fitting, CCZ Warrior is now in my list as one of the best comfortable IEM in the under £30/US$35 price range. It snugly and rest well to my lug holes without any pain and irritation even in a long listening session with its innovative rubberised stabilising fin.


When it comes to product packaging, CCZ Warrior has very similar inclusions with budget/entry-level contemporaries. A small, simple white coloured rectangular box with the product illustration at the front and basic specs and company address at the back.


Here are some of the contents included in the box.

■ CCZ Warrior IEM.

■ A black 4-core OFC stock cable.

■ Extra pair of ear tips in different sizes.(Small, Large)

■ Instruction manual.




As for scalability and amplification, CCZ Warrior performs well with flying colours as it can be easily driven by devices with decent power out like smartphones, tablets and laptops due to 18 ohms resistance rating and an amplitude of 108dB.




The tonality of this set is more of a V-shaped sound signature with added warmth on it as it try to exhibit a more equipoise sound between treble and bass regions.


Here are some of my observations on its sound characteristics within its frequency range spectrum.



LOWS/BASS:

The moment I listen to this set, this is the particular frequency that really stands out. The bass is very impactful, corporeal and boomy that it really hits hard with good depth.

Sub bass is commendable on this one as I discerningly feel those reverberations and rumble if I play some of my sub bass-laden tracks. Mid bass is more of a focus on this one as it has a well-textured that gives a more boomy response especially on bass-baritones, bass guitars, bass trumpets and bass kick drums. Bass-baritone has broader and guttural sound, bass guitars growl are very authoritative that I hear those weighty and mighty sounds, bass trumpets has fuller and sombre characteristics and lastly, bass kick drums sound very thunderous and resonant that gives the powerful thud.

There is some slight bass bleed on this one but for most uber bass heads who want a rigid and imposing bass quality, they will absolutely love this one.



MIDRANGE:

Considerably, it has a V-shaped sound signature that we should expect a recessed and drawn back midrange presentation. Yes, it is scoop one but it is warm, sleek and has an organic presentation.

Due to the added warmth, it has an ample body that gives male vocals more voluminous with adequate deep and gruff. Female vocal has a decent texture to give a comforting and soothing feel to give a very pleasant listening experience.

Instruments seem to have at least a natural sounding especially on percussives like snare drum, tom and timpani. Snare drums has this hard and penetrating sound, toms have this booming sound and a thunderous and deep sound on timpanis. Strings like guitars and violins has this warmer sounding as guitars are more on a "buttery" tone with warm, well-texture tones rather than being crisp and bright. Violins have this sweet and lustrous sound as I want a more lively and vibrant sound on every strike in the bowstring. Brass like trumpets and tubas seems to have a darker, rounded and robust sound. Piano has a warmer and richer tone which is if you are a fan of European-made antique pianos, you will absolutely like it.



HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble is presented in a smooth manner with decent details, ample scintillation and moderately airy. Upper mids to presence treble seems to have some elevation but not to the point of being peaky that might cause some jarring and stridency. Sibilance is well-inhibited that hissing is practically non-existent upon testing on my sibilance-laden tracks.

Crashing of cymbals seems to have a good shimmer, resonant and with good sizzle extension. Hi-hats sound very life-like with its dry, shortened metallic nature that gives off that "chicky" sound. Treble air is passable with its moderate range to give a good amount of harmonics.



SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

This is actually my concern and somewhat a reservation regarding its soundstage proportion. It has only an average width that give me some sense of being crammed in my headstage but it has a good height ceiling and an engrossing depth. Imaging, separation and layering is quite impressive on this one within its price range. Imaging is presented in a concave manner where I can fairly locate the placements of each instrument and vocal in a spatial field with a good gap and distances on it. Layering of each specific frequency and dynamics of the elements is noteworthy that they are presented in a decent manner with its own distinct overlay but in some cases like some complex multi-instrumental tracks, it does exhibit some moderate muddleness and indistinction of some instruments.

Furthermore, with the coherency of its drivers, It performs decently as it is presented in a homogeneous manner but the dynamic driver seems to have a moderate speed that affects the attack, decay and transients but at least it tries to follow the speedy performance with the balanced armatures.

For its resolution capabilities, CCZ Warrior has good solid macro-dynamics and satisfactory detail retrieval that I can hear those nuances and subtleties with its sonic canvas. Timbre of this set is more on being organic with a hint of warmth.



PEER COMPARISONS:


KZ DQ6s(£29/US$34)

● Both have similarities regarding its form factor but CCZ Warrior has fresher and classy look. Instead of BA drivers, DQ6s has added more dynamic drivers for other frequency ranges.

● With its tonality aspect, they have a similar approach on targeted sound signature with a warmish, V-shaped sounding. Bass on these set are comparable as they present in an authoritative and tactile manner. Both mids on these sets are recessed but female vocals are better on Warrior. Treble is more airy and more detailed in CCZ Warrior compare to a less airy and prone to sibilance of DQ6s.

● Technicalities are also comparable on both sets like average soundstage width but layering, separation and imaging is better on the CCZ Warrior as DQ6S has a more typical linear stereo panning and less gaps on the elements. Detail retrieval is not the least important point of the DQs as it has mere average exhibiting on subtleties.




TKZK WAVE(£34/US$39)

● It has a similar driver set-up like CCZ Warrior albeit it has lesser driver count. Both have decent-looking shells in their own right (beauty is a subjective one, its up to you which you prefer). Its uses a QDC-type 2 pin connector.

● TKZK Wave has a bright U-shaped sound signature, with sufficient punch, mids are more forward in presentation compared to CCZ Warrior and has more details and crisper on female vocals. Treble is even more shimmering and detail on TKZK Wave but it is prone to sibilance and less airier too.

●TKZK Wave has a better proportion on the overall sound stage as it has wider, possesses a good depth and height and equally decent imaging, separation and layering. It has also a decent detail retrieval and its dynamic drivers performs better decay and attack as it has faster transient speed.



My afterthoughts in this review is what will be CCZ Warrior's value in the eyes and ears to its customers. Agreeable and pleasant tonality? Aye. Decent and attractive shell design? Yes. Affordability? Certainly. For sure that it is a very solid performer despite some inadequate technicalities that I've noticed.


Nevertheless with its performance, CCZ Warrior is a must have if you are a bass head who wants some decent details on mids and highs without compromising your preferred frequency range.


CCZ Warrior is now available to KEEPHIFI and I'll provide two links below this description for those interested parties.


◁◆KEEPHIFI◆▷

◁■AMAZON■▷

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: CCZ Warrior
IMPEDANCE: 18Ω
SENSITIVITY: 108dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M
PIN TYPE: TFZ-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (3) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS



Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)


Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

Lauren Christy – Steep *




P.S.

I am not affiliated to CCZ-HIFI nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to KEEPHIFI for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity towards me and other reviewers.

The CCZ warrior is a budget IEM offering three Balanced Armatures and one Dynamic Driver, the simple box has 3 sizes of ear tips and a cable made of 4 strands of 4N oxygen-free copper wire. The build is good and light weight, so they are very comfortable for me. The isolation is average, and the cable and tips work well.

Sound these offer the same configuration and crossover as the CCZ Plume, an IEM I still like to this day.

Sound:
Bass:
The lows on these are good in the way they don't overpower the mids but still are enjoyable, Sub-Bass has a good texture and lower rumble but is more controlled than bloaty, Mid and upper-Bass present more prominently giving a nice, controlled punch with good speed. The Bass overall is smooth and these a good transition to the Mids.

Mids:
The Midrange presents with decent details, the vocals and instruments sound natural and have a fair amount of separation, even though this is similar to the plume the Mids are slightly thinner, and it has good timbre and tonality to it in general.

Treble:
The Highs are airy and open with a moderate amount of detail retrieval and good resolution but does lack some energy up top. It never reaches harshness levels for me, and I like that.

Soundstage:
Is above average in both depth and width, good separation and accurate positioning is quite pleasing for something in this price range.

After thoughts: I like this because it offers up good overall sound with details and technicalities but still retains and smooth and fun signature that is never harsh or boring.

Equipment: For these I used a variety of different things. Including a portable CD player, my venerable Creative Zen and new stuff like the TempoTec V6 , Hidizs AP80 proX , Dethonray SG1 and ifi Gryphon to name a few.