“Inside the Mind of Z Reviews: The Making of the Defiant”
Introduction
The Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant isn’t just another IEM release—it’s one of those rare collabs that immediately grabs your attention. Z Reviews is known in the HiFi audio space for having strong, unfiltered opinions and a unique ear for gear that stands out. So when I heard he was teaming up with Juzear, I knew this wouldn’t be your usual cookie-cutter tuning.
Z Reviews is a well-known name in the audio community, with a track record of collaborations that often break away from mainstream expectations. The Defiant, co-developed with Juzear, reportedly went through six rounds of tuning refinements over six months. That kind of commitment already tells you they were chasing something precise—not just a product to sell, but a sound to believe in. And based on early buzz from Western reviewers and Z’s own community, it seems like they might’ve nailed it.
Juzear first caught my attention back in 2023 with the 41T. It was a budget release, but surprisingly competent. It didn’t sound like a “cheap set”—it had musicality, some soul. That moment made me start taking the brand seriously, and ever since then, I’ve kept them on my radar.
So now we have the Defiant—a name that sets expectations from the jump. This IEM doesn’t play it safe, and honestly, that’s refreshing. It’s not afraid to carve out its own lane in a sea of overly neutral or overly warm releases. The Defiant aims to strike a balance between musicality, technicality, and raw character. Whether it pulls that off? We'll break it down in the full review.
Disclosure: This unit was kindly provided by HiFiGO for review. I’m not affiliated with them, and I don’t earn anything from this. No sponsorship, no commission—just sharing my honest impressions based on what I actually hear.
Specifications
- Driver Configuration: 1 Dynamic Driver + 3 Balanced Armature Drivers
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 109dB
- Frequency Response: 20Hz–20kHz
- Cable Length: 1.2 meters
- Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-Pin
- Plug Type: Modular (3.5mm and 4.4mm included)
Whats inside the Box
· A pair of memory foam ear tips.
· Three (3) pairs of black-coloured narrow-bored silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
· Three (3) pairs of white-coloured balanced bore silicone ear tips in various standard sizes.
· Stock cable with modular termination plug feature.
· 3.5mm termination plug adapter.
· 4.4mm termination plug adapter.
· Hardbound PU-leather carrying case.
· Cleaning cloth.
· Small PC standee for IEM.
· Paperwork including user manual and warranty card.
Design and Build Quality
The Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant doesn't shout for attention—it commands it with subtlety. The shells are crafted using high-quality skin-friendly resin, achieved through high-precision DLP 3D printing. This process ensures an ergonomic fit and a polished finish that feels refined and comfortable during extended listening sessions .
The standout feature is the Jade Green color option. This variant utilizes seashell material as the base, layered with green coloring, resulting in a glossy, reflective surface that catches light beautifully. The faceplates are CNC-milled with nickel metal accents, adding a touch of elegance without being ostentatious .
In hand, the IEMs feel solid yet lightweight, with no sharp edges or pressure points. The ergonomic design ensures a comfortable fit, making them suitable for long listening sessions. The included Flare IEM upgrade cable features a hybrid 6N SPOCC+SCCW wire core, offering both 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs in the box. This modular system eliminates the need for additional adapters, providing flexibility for different setups .
Overall, the Defiant's design is a harmonious blend of aesthetics and functionality, reflecting a thoughtful approach to both form and user experience
.
Sound Signature and Timbre
Sound-wise, the Defiant leans mildly V-shaped, but in a tasteful and controlled way. The bass has a bit of extra presence, and the treble brings a nice touch of energy up top. What surprised me most is how
natural everything still sounds. It doesn’t feel boosted or artificial.
The tuning hits a sweet spot—fun and engaging, but still musical and relaxed. The timbre leans toward a HiFi style with a touch of warmth, which keeps things from sounding sterile. Instruments and vocals have clarity and weight. I honestly thought this was a single DD at first—that’s how smooth and coherent the mids are. I had to double-check the specs to remind myself it had BAs.
Vocals sit comfortably forward and sound musical across genres—from Norah Jones to IU’s “Blueming.” Despite the mild V-shape, nothing feels recessed or unnatural. That’s what makes the Defiant feel special—it delivers energy and clarity without losing emotional impact.
Technical Performance
I didn’t expect the Defiant to wow me in technicalities—but it did more than hold its own.
The soundstage isn’t massive, but it’s convincingly spacious. There’s enough air and layering to keep things realistic and immersive. It doesn’t fake the width or exaggerate space—it just feels
right.
Imaging is clean and intuitive. Instrument placement is easy to track, and there’s no guesswork involved. It just flows naturally. The detail retrieval is better than I expected—subtle textures, reverb trails, and breathy vocals are all rendered clearly, without sharpness or fatigue.
The dynamic range is another strength. Quiet passages feel intimate, while louder segments pack energy and presence. Whether it's mellow jazz or cinematic orchestration, the Defiant delivers with control and liveliness.
Is it a technical monster? No. But it’s technically capable in a way that supports the musicality. It doesn’t try too hard—it just works.
Connectivity
The Defiant includes a detachable modular cable with both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs, which I really appreciate. It works with all my gear—dongles, DAPs, amps, laptops, and even my phone.
Using the 3.5mm output already gives me a natural, balanced sound. But when I switch to the 4.4mm balanced, I get a wider soundstage, more bass impact, and better separation. Still, not all balanced sources sound better—some stretch the soundstage too much and lose that musical feel. In those cases, I actually prefer the 3.5mm for its more emotional and intimate sound.
User Experience
Wearing the Defiant feels effortless. The shells have a natural fit that just works with my ears—no awkward angles, no pressure spots. I can wear them for hours without discomfort, which says a lot. They're lightweight, and once they’re in, they stay in place. No fiddling or readjusting.
Putting them on and taking them off is easy, and I never feel like they’re about to fall out, even when I’m moving around. Isolation is decent—good enough for daily use without shutting the world out completely. Whether I'm at my desk, commuting, or just relaxing, the Defiant feels secure and comfortable the whole time. Simple and reliable
Bass
The bass on the Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant is tight, controlled, and full, offering just the right amount of depth without muddying the rest of the spectrum. It hits with purpose—never bloated, never shy. What really stands out is the definition. Each bass note is well-shaped, with a natural sense of attack and decay. There’s texture, grip, and clarity—you can hear the separation in every low-end element, whether it’s a kick drum, bass guitar, or electronic rumble.
Take
Hoobastank’s "The Reason" for example—the bass here is clean and articulate, with the low-end notes perfectly complementing the melodic structure. The Defiant handles the track with precision, offering a natural sense of space and depth without drowning out the mids.
Another great track to showcase the bass is
Maroon 5’s "She Will Be Loved". The bass in this track has a smooth, deep presence, but it never becomes overwhelming. The Defiant captures that controlled, yet rich, bass while keeping the other frequencies intact, making the track feel full but never cluttered.
Versatile, well-defined, and balanced—that’s the best way I can describe the bass here. It supports the music, never distracts from it. Whether I’m listening to punchy bass lines in jazz or the rumbling lows in electronic music, the Defiant handles every genre with finesse. The bass is finely tuned, delivering impact when it needs to but never overstepping its boundaries. You’ll notice it handles intricate bass passages with exceptional clarity, keeping everything distinct even in more complex tracks.
The bass performance here can be credited to the third-generation 10mm dynamic driver with PU composite diaphragm and a strong Neodymium magnet., which is part of the Defiant's overall design. This driver ensures a strong, precise low-end response, while the tuning refinements—six rounds of them, in fact—ensure that bass notes are impactful but still well-controlled with minimal distortion. Looking at the frequency response, you can see how well the low-end integrates into the overall tuning. The bass has a clean, controlled rise and falls off smoothly, with a 20Hz to 200Hz frequency range ensuring the low-end remains present without overpowering the mids and treble. The Defiant strikes a perfect balance, ensuring the bass doesn’t dominate but remains present in the mix.
Mids
The
Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant midrange really stands out for its natural, slightly forward presentation. The two balanced armature (BA) drivers responsible for the midrange frequencies do an impressive job here, ensuring vocals and instruments come through clearly and emotionally. Despite having a slight V-shaped signature, the mids are neither recessed nor overly warm. They’re perfectly positioned in the mix—slightly forward—so vocals and instruments take center stage without being overwhelming.
What I really appreciate is the tuning. Even though two BA drivers handle the mids, the attack and decay are more akin to what you’d expect from a dynamic driver. This is something that’s often difficult to achieve with BA drivers, but Z Reviews and Juzear have managed to pull it off. The mids feel alive—full, rich, and with just the right amount of presence that draws you into the music.
Whether it’s
Susan Wong’s "Make It With You" or
Julienne Taylor’s "I Knew I Loved You," the mids are engaging and natural, providing a sense of presence that makes the music feel intimate. There’s no metallic glare—just a smooth, full-bodied sound that makes every vocal and instrumental line shine. The mids really excel in their musicality, delivering an emotionally expressive experience that grabs you from the first note.
What’s even more impressive is how the mids hold up at low volumes. Even when you’re listening at quieter levels, the mids maintain their clarity and presence, so you’re never left with a feeling of something missing. The sound is full and engaging, even without cranking up the volume, offering an immersive experience that’s easy on the ears yet still full of emotion and depth.
With two BA drivers dedicated to the mids, the Defiant avoids distortion, giving you a cohesive, natural, and forward sound that never feels distant or recessed. The end result is a midrange that’s not just natural, but also incredibly musical.
Highs
The treble on the
Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant is smooth, natural, and well-extended—handled by a single
balanced armature (BA) driver that’s dedicated to the highs. And honestly, it’s impressive how refined it sounds. Some BA setups can come off as too sharp or artificial, but this one avoids all that. The treble here feels clean and controlled, with just the right amount of sparkle to keep things engaging.
Cymbals shimmer without sounding splashy. Acoustic instruments like violins and guitars have proper air and detail, but they never feel harsh or fatiguing. Even during long listening sessions, the treble stays easy on the ears. It gives you the clarity and resolution you'd expect from a good BA driver, but without pushing things too far.
What really stands out for me is how
natural and musical the treble feels. That one BA driver does its job really well—it doesn’t fight for attention but subtly lifts the whole sound. It brings in detail and space while keeping everything cohesive. It's not a treble that screams "listen to me," but it's the kind that makes the whole tuning feel complete and polished.
Pairing and Synergy
Ibasso Dc ELite
When I paired the Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant with the DC Elite, the difference was instantly noticeable. It’s like the Defiant finally stretched its legs—everything opened up, matured, and just sounded more premium overall. The DC Elite has this natural warmth and deep, full bass that really enhances the Defiant’s low-end, making it feel almost like I was listening to a pair of small Hi-Fi bookshelf speakers instead of IEMs.
The mids became more natural and emotionally engaging—vocals sounded clearer, and instruments had more presence without feeling too forward. Highs stayed smooth and airy, giving a sense of space without becoming sharp or fatiguing.
What I love most is that the DC Elite doesn’t just make the Defiant louder—it refines it. It reveals the IEM’s full character, the good and even the flaws, but in a way that still feels musical and enjoyable. For me, this pairing has that kind of synergy where both gears just bring out the best in each other.
Earmen Colibri
Pairing the Defiant with the Earmen Colibri brought out a different kind of magic. The Colibri has this slight touch of warmth—not the thick, syrupy warmth you’d get from AKM or R2R DACs, but more of a refined, high-fidelity warmth. It doesn’t color the sound too much; instead, it adds just the right amount of body, giving the Defiant a fuller, more grounded feel.
What really stood out to me was how it handled the mids. They sounded more alive—smooth, rich, and natural. Vocals had weight and presence without being too forward or recessed. It felt like the Colibri gave the Defiant just enough warmth to sound full, but still kept everything clean and transparent.
The treble smoothed out nicely too. It still had that air and clarity, but without any sharp edges. It was more polished—like it knew how to shine without stealing the spotlight.
In short, the synergy here felt effortless. The Colibri doesn’t try to dominate the pairing; it simply enhances what’s already good about the Defiant. It’s that kind of pairing that just sounds
right—easy on the ears, natural, and musical.
S9 Pro Martha
Now, the S9 Pro Martha is seriously underrated in the audio world. Not a lot of people talk about it, but when it comes to pure sound quality, it actually follows closely behind the DC Elite. It has that warm, emotional midrange that pulls you in — very musical, yet still keeps things clean and transparent.
Pairing the Defiant with the Martha felt like getting 60 to 70 percent of the DC Elite experience, which is impressive considering the price difference. It gave the Defiant a rich, slightly warm tone that added depth and soul to the mids. Vocals felt more intimate and expressive — that kind of presentation that makes you stop and just
listen.
The synergy really works here. It doesn’t overpower the Defiant, but instead complements its strengths — enhancing the bass subtly, adding body to the sound, and keeping the highs controlled but still airy.
For its price, the Martha brings out a surprisingly premium character in the Defiant. It’s one of those pairings where you feel like you’re getting far more than what you paid for.
Laptop & Phone Use
I also tried the Defiant directly with my laptop and phone, just to see how it performs without any dongle or external DAC. And honestly? I was impressed.
The sound quality was still very good — definitely usable even without pairing it with high-end gear. For non-critical listening like watching YouTube, Netflix, or just casually enjoying music, the Defiant still held its ground. It didn’t sound dull or lifeless at all.
There’s a certain charm in its standalone sound. Even when plugged straight into a basic source, the Defiant managed to retain its character — musical, engaging, and full-bodied enough to enjoy on its own. That makes it a pretty solid choice if you're looking for flexibility and convenience without sacrificing too much on sound.
Who is the Defiant For?
The Defiant is for people who like their music sounding natural but still a bit lively. It’s not too bassy or too bright—just a nice balance with a touch of energy. The bass hits well without being messy, treble is clear without being sharp, and the mids? That’s where it really shines. They sound smooth, emotional, and just really pleasant to listen to.
It’s a great choice whether you're just using your phone or plugging into something more serious. Even with basic gear, it sounds good. But if you have something better like a DC Elite or Earmen Colibri, you’ll hear even more detail and space.
If you’re after a clear, easy-to-enjoy sound with mids that really pull you in, the Defiant won’t disappoint.
IEM Comparison: Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant vs. AFUL Explorer vs. Kinera Celest Relentless
The Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant and the AFUL Explorer share a similar sound profile, but the Defiant takes it a step further. Both IEMs deliver a natural, musical sound, but the Defiant offers a more dynamic and engaging experience. It has a slight V-shape with fuller bass, richer mids, and smooth treble, with a clean background that enhances the overall listening experience. In comparison, the Explorer presents a more neutral, balanced sound, which makes it smoother but less exciting over extended sessions. While the Explorer is great for neutral listening, it lacks the energy and fullness of the Defiant, making it feel a bit flat after long periods. The Defiant’s sound feels like the Explorer on steroids—more vibrant, more musical, and with a stronger emotional pull. Its background is noticeably cleaner and more refined, contributing to a premium feel.
Compared to the Kinera Celest Relentless, the Defiant provides a more controlled and natural tuning. The Relentless, while energetic with punchy bass and extended treble, leans toward a brighter tonality that may cause fatigue during long sessions. The treble can feel too forward, and while it may appeal to those who enjoy a vivid presentation, it lacks the polish and musical coherence of the Defiant. In contrast, the Defiant manages to maintain clarity and sparkle without ever sounding harsh. It brings a sense of refinement and musicality that surpasses both the Explorer and Relentless, making it the most well-rounded and premium-sounding choice among the three. It's an IEM that effortlessly balances engagement and technicality, making it a top-tier pick for its price bracket.
Comparison Summary
| IEM | Sound Signature | Strengths | Weaknesses | Rating |
| Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant | Natural, Musical | Engaging, dynamic, sound | Not the Most Emotional Mids |  |
| AFUL Explorer | Neutral | Balanced, smooth, comfortable | less engaging and emotion | |
| Kinera Celest Relentless | Bright, Energetic | Punchy bass, extended treble, energetic | Fatiguing treble, less balanced | |
Final Verdict
If I had to sum up the Juzear x Z Reviews Defiant, I’d say it’s easily one of the most complete IEMs I’ve tried at this price point. The sound is engaging and full of life — deep bass that doesn’t overpower, mids that are clean and emotional, and treble that’s smooth and airy without any harshness. It strikes a great balance between musicality and clarity, with a black background that makes everything sound more refined and premium.
What really stands out for me is how well it pairs with different sources. Even from a basic setup, it already sounds great. But plug it into something like the DC Elite or Earmen Colibri, and it opens up even more — the soundstage expands, layering improves, and you really hear what it’s capable of.
At the end of the day, the Defiant just gets the music right. It’s a solid all-rounder that feels both polished and fun, whether you’re a casual listener or someone deep in the hobby.
