Knowledge Zenith KZ ASX 10 BA Driver Earphone
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Rating: 7.1
Sound: 7
Intro
What is going on at Knowledge Zenith. I can basically copy the review from the ASF here, since both IEMs are only marginally different. The company's excursions into a more expensive price segment are always adventurous. Cobbler stick to your last. KZs budget models often represent a really good price-performance ratio, but as soon as it exceeds the 50 € mark, one asks not only about the added value, but also about the tuning philosophy.
Handling
I have actually already said everything at the ASF. The ASX is also a very voluminous IEM (same design as the ASF), but it fits surprisingly well and is very comfortable to wear. To me, the ASX looks more like a toy than a professional IEM, but that's a matter of taste.
The accessories are very manageable for $100. Silicone tips, 4-core cable (2-pin) and a small metal plate that you can't do anything with. KZ, exchange at least this plate (costs surely a few cents in production) into a small transport bag. For me, an IEM doesn't have to be delivered with tons of knick-knacks, I'm completely satisfied with the essentials if the IEM sounds convincing, but the ASX should probably focus more on its presentation because of its average sound performance and at this price, if it can't score on the most important thing for me. Since the content is the same as the ASF, I pay $40 more for 5 drivers (10 in total), which I can't even hear.
Isolation and wearing comfort is good to very good, as with almost all models of the company, depending on the space in the ear, which should not be too small, especially not with the ASX.
Sound
Why did it need the additional 5 drivers compared to the ASF? I'm not an owl, but I still dare to hear obvious differences, if there are any.
The bass is most convincing in this mixed-up signature. However, the upper bass tends to roar and it is certainly not the most stable BA bass I've heard. But it knows how to please on average, especially when less punch but a warm foundation is required. If it didn't have this great attention in the signature, it could certainly subordinate itself better and appear more qualitative.
I have to admit that the graph looks a bit worse than it sounds in the end, because the strongly raised area of the upper mids up to the highs can swallow the bass quantity a bit. Nevertheless, a big hole is created, which causes dullness and tristesse in the mids, as information is lost or better said, submerged. If you like to listen to vocal-oriented music, you won't get much use out of the voice presentation of the ASX. The mids do clear up towards the top, but they lose their naturalness due to this one-sided reproduction.
Basically, the two IEMs differ in the trebles, where the ASX loses a little more level and trumps the already unblessed ASF. For me the wrong step. While it would be advisable to lower the plateau between the upper mids and mid-range highs and push the mids and top-end instead, only a reduction of around 4 kHz is more likely to make the ASX go one step further in the "wrong" direction. The sibilants are a bit more accentuated, which is no enrichment either. But these changes are hard to hear and if you mix both IEMs, there is no difference. You might take a slight "channel imbalance" as a result, that's it.
Like the ASF, the stage is compressed, but not claustrophobic. Nevertheless, the arrangement of the individual musical information seems somewhat out of place and unrealistic. I imagine that the ASX might have a slightly wider stage, maybe through the openings on the faceplate, but be careful with this statement.
Outro
Which target group should be addressed by the ASX and why do the company's tuners hate the mids so much. V-signature or not, but the ASX is a little dubious tonal, at least if you want to compete with the competition in the price range. 10 drivers are more than given away here and in the end you have more fun with a 10 € model like the ZST X.
Not suitable for musicians, because the tuning is unrealistic and far away from neutral. The audiophile lacks mids, balance, resolution and top end. As a pure fun headphone the ASX may work, but then please don't do it at that price, because I can get that for a fifth. Maybe I'm a bit too hard on the ASF and ASX, because you can listen to music with both if the demands are within limits, but for me they are (if at all) average and overpriced.
___________________________________________________________
More reviews: CHI-FIEAR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHIFIEAR/
Sound: 7
Intro
What is going on at Knowledge Zenith. I can basically copy the review from the ASF here, since both IEMs are only marginally different. The company's excursions into a more expensive price segment are always adventurous. Cobbler stick to your last. KZs budget models often represent a really good price-performance ratio, but as soon as it exceeds the 50 € mark, one asks not only about the added value, but also about the tuning philosophy.
Handling
I have actually already said everything at the ASF. The ASX is also a very voluminous IEM (same design as the ASF), but it fits surprisingly well and is very comfortable to wear. To me, the ASX looks more like a toy than a professional IEM, but that's a matter of taste.
The accessories are very manageable for $100. Silicone tips, 4-core cable (2-pin) and a small metal plate that you can't do anything with. KZ, exchange at least this plate (costs surely a few cents in production) into a small transport bag. For me, an IEM doesn't have to be delivered with tons of knick-knacks, I'm completely satisfied with the essentials if the IEM sounds convincing, but the ASX should probably focus more on its presentation because of its average sound performance and at this price, if it can't score on the most important thing for me. Since the content is the same as the ASF, I pay $40 more for 5 drivers (10 in total), which I can't even hear.
Isolation and wearing comfort is good to very good, as with almost all models of the company, depending on the space in the ear, which should not be too small, especially not with the ASX.
Sound
Why did it need the additional 5 drivers compared to the ASF? I'm not an owl, but I still dare to hear obvious differences, if there are any.
The bass is most convincing in this mixed-up signature. However, the upper bass tends to roar and it is certainly not the most stable BA bass I've heard. But it knows how to please on average, especially when less punch but a warm foundation is required. If it didn't have this great attention in the signature, it could certainly subordinate itself better and appear more qualitative.
I have to admit that the graph looks a bit worse than it sounds in the end, because the strongly raised area of the upper mids up to the highs can swallow the bass quantity a bit. Nevertheless, a big hole is created, which causes dullness and tristesse in the mids, as information is lost or better said, submerged. If you like to listen to vocal-oriented music, you won't get much use out of the voice presentation of the ASX. The mids do clear up towards the top, but they lose their naturalness due to this one-sided reproduction.
Basically, the two IEMs differ in the trebles, where the ASX loses a little more level and trumps the already unblessed ASF. For me the wrong step. While it would be advisable to lower the plateau between the upper mids and mid-range highs and push the mids and top-end instead, only a reduction of around 4 kHz is more likely to make the ASX go one step further in the "wrong" direction. The sibilants are a bit more accentuated, which is no enrichment either. But these changes are hard to hear and if you mix both IEMs, there is no difference. You might take a slight "channel imbalance" as a result, that's it.
Like the ASF, the stage is compressed, but not claustrophobic. Nevertheless, the arrangement of the individual musical information seems somewhat out of place and unrealistic. I imagine that the ASX might have a slightly wider stage, maybe through the openings on the faceplate, but be careful with this statement.
Outro
Which target group should be addressed by the ASX and why do the company's tuners hate the mids so much. V-signature or not, but the ASX is a little dubious tonal, at least if you want to compete with the competition in the price range. 10 drivers are more than given away here and in the end you have more fun with a 10 € model like the ZST X.
Not suitable for musicians, because the tuning is unrealistic and far away from neutral. The audiophile lacks mids, balance, resolution and top end. As a pure fun headphone the ASX may work, but then please don't do it at that price, because I can get that for a fifth. Maybe I'm a bit too hard on the ASF and ASX, because you can listen to music with both if the demands are within limits, but for me they are (if at all) average and overpriced.
___________________________________________________________
More reviews: CHI-FIEAR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHIFIEAR/
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The KZ ASX earphone is the first super-budget earphone featuring 10 drivers. KZ hold on to a strong V-shaped tuning with the bassy side keeping the upper hand – and a weird, most irritating early treble rolloff.
I made a 9-10 minute video explaining the earphone's characteristics.
The KZ ASX earphone is the first super-budget earphone featuring 10 drivers. KZ hold on to a strong V-shaped tuning with the bassy side keeping the upper hand – and a weird, most irritating early treble rolloff.
I made a 9-10 minute video explaining the earphone's characteristics.
Otto Motor
Presently reviewing the KZ EDX. Excellent earphones: fast driver, organic sound, great staging and imaging. $10. But, unfortunately, this analysis has flaws, too...
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BubisUK
You see different ears and ear canals so different oppinions, I did not like edx at all and found them bloated and boring 
But your review on Tin T2 Plus was bang on 
But your review on Tin T2 Plus was bang on 