Knowledge Zenith (KZ) ZES
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Oi mates, welcome to my another IEM review and what I have here is another product from Knowledge Zenith also known as KZ, The KZ ZES. I’ll already review many KZ products so I’ll cut the chase on the introduction of their company.
KZ ZES is one of the latest product that is part of new generation of hybrid drivers line-up with a magnetostatic driver. I’ve done some reviews on other KZ's with the similar implementation such as KZ ZEX and KZ ZEX Pro/ KZ CRN and I find them as an improvement over most of previous products.
Once again, KZ try to put something new ideas when it regards of the implementation on their KZ ZES as they replaced the typical 10mm dynamic driver with a newer and larger 12mm one along with the proven magnetostatic driver. These drivers then encapsulated on an inner polycarbonate shell with an outer metal shell.
The overall aesthetics of KZ ZES reminds me of their previous products like KZ ZSNs and KZ ZS10 pros. The size of the shell are on the larger side but they still give a good fitting and snug properly in my lug holes as don’t feel any discomfort and soreness in my cochlea and tragus part of my ears. As expected, they still implemented a QDC-type connector on this one.
Another noticeable improvement on KZ ZES was the inclusion of a stock cable (mine has with mic version on it). It is an 8-core SPC cable which is a quite a contrast to a typical KZ cable that we are familiar with. Good job, KZ!
The packaging box of KZ ZES is still similar to most current releases of KZ products. It retains a small white square box with a simple illustration of the product at the front and some basic specification at the back.
Here are the following included contents and accessories:
- KZ ZES IEM shells
- 8-core SPC cable in a 3.5mm termination plug
- Three (3) pairs of white-coloured ear tips of different sizes.
- Instruction manual.
On scalability to its source, Like most KZ products, they are easy to drive as decent power is enough to give a proper required amplification to powered this set. Laptops, tablets and smartphones has a sufficient power to drive the KZ ZES but a better sources like dedicated DAPs, smartphones like LG G and V series and Desktop amps will make listening experience even better as they put a a cleaner output and a more fuller dynamic sounding.
As for tonality, like most its predecessor, it still follow a typical KZ sound signature that we are familiar with. A V-shape tuning as it has more prominent bass and treble with a scooped midrange.
Here are some of my observations on how I describe its character of each frequency range region.
LOWS/BASS:
When it comes to bass profile, it is punchy on a side with good impact. Certainly not the most articulate lows that I’ve heard but it done its job decently.
For its sub bass quality, It has a good presence of rumble if some tracks like EDM and other modern genre demands to provide it. Its does fairly reach the sub bass depth. As for its mid bass, it has sufficient texture to give a weighty note on some instruments like bass guitar, bass kicks and some male vocals.
My gripe on the bass quality was its some instances of bass bleeds towards mids as it didn’t control it properly but in general it is still acceptable and probably you can give it a pass despite on this issue.
MIDS:
Like most KZ products, the midrange is always scooped and recessed as a midcentric like myself, it is always my concern on KZ’s tuning as I find it less refined and need more fine-tuning . Of all things that I said, it has warmth, a sufficient texture and dense that it give more prominence on male vocals and snares over female guitars and some percussive instruments. Male vocals is more deep and has stronger emphasis while female vocals is less energetic and clarity is just an average.
As for instruments, guitars like rhythm and acoustics are more on a balanced to dark sounding that it has this more emphasis more on a lows rather than treble as it has a meager of crispness and shimmer that I want. Piano tone is more on warmer and prolific sounding while snare strikes is more on shuffling and a tad dry. And as for woodwinds like flute and clarinet and brass like saxophone, trumpets and horns, the former instruments that I’ve mention were being sound being tad dull and hollow that make its more profuse sounding while the latter were more on leaning to be more darker timbre but it gives more a fuller sound.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
Even the treble is secondly emphasis on the overall audio frequency spectrum after the bass. I find it treble quality is sufficient. Its registers a slight peak upper mids/lower treble that I hear a discernable sibilance un some sibilant tracks despite of a more calmer and smoother deliver on treble.
Treble extension is just decent that it deliver an enough airiness and sparkle on its harmonics. Cymbals strikes on this one has this lack of glistening and sizzling that I want but hi hats has that shorted soughing sound that I find it passable.
Certainly that treble was handled by magnetostatic driver of the KZ ZES which it performs very passable and likable to some treble sensitives out there. Resolution capability is acceptable but not my ideal when it comes to on such detail retrieval performance and clarity.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
I’ll be straight and frank on this matter, soundstage is overall pretty average. It gives more significant on wideness and tallness rather than depth. It has an average soundstage width, a less depth that feels a bit farther than ideal and more emphasis on height reach that I find them has an odd proportion.
Imaging is pretty much more of a two-dimensional that it gives a typical stereo panning which left and right channel has an ample sweeping and transition performance if the tracks demanded Separation is just an average as it gave slight gap on each instruments and singers and layering of this one is decent but in some tracks, they performs a bit congested and feels compact.
As for coherency of drivers, it performs and match well as both DD and magnetostatic driver seems to have this good compatibility that delivers a more rounded and moderate transients. Timbre quality is more on balanced with a hint of warmth in general.
To put a conclusion on this review, where do I place the KZ ZES in my own category. Surely, that I put this one as a slight improvement on KZ ZEX but I place it on a just average level as believe that there still refinement needed when it regards on tuning and overall tonality. Some listener will find this product as a pleasant sounding due to its less fatiguing nature but in my opinion based on my standard, it still need some rectification to make it sound even better.
KZ ZES is currently available at around $32-35/£25-27. Just check it out on your preferred e-commerce sites and your trusted local audio shops.
Checkout my other reviews on other KZ products:
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: KZ ZES
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 113dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNITS: (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER & (1) MAGNETOSTATIC DRIVER.
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 *'*
Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
P.S.
I am not affiliated to KNOWLEDGE ZENITH(KZ) 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 thank Jeffrey Yang for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on his generosity towards me and other reviewers.
Disclaimer
- I like to thank KZ/CCA for providing me a review unit of KZ ZES
- This review will somehow be biased towards my taste in music and my target sound signature.
- As always, since our ears have different shapes and resonances, your mileage may always vary.
- As always don't forget to take my review with salt and always cross reference
- I’ve used the ZES for over 1 week with different sources and tips, played different tracks ranging from pop to bossa nova (except Metal).
- I also tested the ZES with stock cable, Sony EP EX11 eartips, and Abigail as the source.
I mostly listen to this artists/group of artists, arranged from frequently to least played:
ShibayanRecords, Mitsukiyo, Nagi Yanagi, Yorushika, Kenshi Yonezu, Yoasobi, Ito Kashitaro, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Sawano Hiroyuki, ChouCho, Weaver, Turnover, The Script and Hoyo-Mix.
I also love to listen to symphonic tracks or tracks with relaxing/magical/nostalgic vibe to it.
My Target Sound Signature
My target sound signature is crinacle’s IEF neutral with sub-bass boost or Harman 2019 v2 with reduced upper mids gain. However, V-shaped or U-shaped will also work as long as there are sufficient technicalities. Congestion, bass bloat, and muddiness are a big no for me.
Equipment
- CX-31993
- Avani (ALC-5686)
- Abigail (CX-31993) “Main Source”
- LG V20
- Xiaomi Mi 4
Bass: 5/5
The bass on the ZES has this certain spice factor that is quite hard to explain. It isn’t like any KZ bass I’ve heard before; the bass has this dominating and open feel that isn’t bleeding or making the midrange fuzzy whatsoever, it’s isn’t like the DQ6S where it hits you with rumble and slam, the bass on ZES has this specific definition and presence that gives bass guitars and drums a lot of punch while also being airy (the said instruments seem to have air between each notes). Our fellow audiophile Practiphile, call this bass characteristic as “bass air”, which I quietly agree. If you like a unique bass flavor then get the ZES, this is the only KZ IEM that does the bass like what I’ve said above.
On to the boring stuff, like other KZ sets, ZES also has a (10 dB) significant sub-bass boost that makes the bass notes quite rumbly, making the ZES very good with EDM and bass heavy tracks. There’s also a midbass hump which stops gliding at 400 Hz, this midbass quantity gives an authoritative slam to the mix and a warm tint to the vocals without masking the details on the midrange that much. (if you don’t like this coloration, kindly check other IEMs)
Midrange: 4/5
Male vocals are forward in the mix, while female vocals are recessed and soft sounding. Instrument fundamentals are well-bodied and never feels lean. Drums, pianos, and guitars are well defined and never feels fuzzy or blunted. However, what I don’t like about the midrange is there are some occasions where the vocals tend to be chesty (this specifically applies to the female vocals.). Female vocals also lack the clarity and sparkle that their other sets offer (CRA and ZEX Pro). Male vocals on the other hand, closely resembles how ZEX presents male vocals, it has this nice lushness that is quite eargasmic with alternative rock or indies (e.g Turnover). Another thing that makes the ZES well-tuned is that there’s no shoutiness in the female vocals and they are kept at bay at all times, the midrange just sounds smooth and safe and I think many people will quite be surprised that this is how KZ presents their midrange now.
Treble: 5/5
For the treble, think of DQ6S or ZEX but with sparkly yet fatigue free treble. The boost of the treble is highly concentrated at the upper regions which makes guitars and violins not too strident or sharp. Moreover, the dips at 3kHz and 6kHz also contributes to the treble not being too harsh nor bright. The upper treble boost gives this dimensionality to the overall sound, instrument feels like they have distance within the stage and they can easily be located without forcing you to do it.
Very matured and nicely done treble presentation by KZ, my library quietly like it, 5 you go.
Technicalities
- The coherency between the dynamic driver and magnetostat is quite noticeable, the magnetostat seems to start to take over around 5 kHz, making the treble a bit digital sounding. However, this characteristic makes the overall sound wide, spacious and a little speedy.
- Soundstage size is similar to a small studio room. It has an above average width and height (wider than the ZEX Pros and CRA). However, depth is mediocre, since all of the instrument are placed in front and there’s not that much dimensionality at the back of my head.
- Separation, imaging and staging are decent but not quite at the level of ZEX Pros. However, ZES is more competent in this area compared to the DQ6S. Instrument in the ZES are not placed too close to me like the DQ6S, all instrument has this distance and physicality to them and never feels intrusive or unpleasant. Separation is average as there are some times where instruments smear each other and some microdetails cannot be separated that well (e.g Asterhythm by Nagi Yanagi).
- Driver speed is decent, attack and decay of notes feels organic however higher notes may sound too fast or a bit digitalish. The drivers can also handle complex tracks, however midbass bleed may occur in some heavy-bass tracks.
Figure A: ZEX Pro vs. ZES. ZEX Pro has a more 360-degree / 3D-feel.
While ZES has a wider stage and vocals are more in your face than the ZEX Pros.
Music Analysis
Kindly, click the title of the section to listen to the tracks
1. Hamu Test “Multiple tracks arranged by Hamu” (Played in HibyMusic)
Yeay! The bass isn’t too forward like the DQ6S. The bass on the ZES is the bass response I’m looking for my Hamu (Bossa Nova) tracks, dominant yet clean, the bass of ZES does not hit hard like the DQ6S but its presence are kept at the back of my head and the rumble and slam feels so open making the overall soundscape airy and spacious, fudging love how the ZES presents the bass of my Hamu tracks, I still like my ZEX Pro overall, but maan, the unique presentation of ZES bass just pulls me in everytime.
As for the timbre of the instruments with these tracks. Percussion and wind instruments sound a bit muted and lacking of clarity, but strings and drums has a nice body making them organic sounding while the later instrument sound a bit digitalish and unengaging. However even if there’s an issue with the timbre. Just how the ZES presents the overall soundscape is a big win for me, it’s just wide, airy and full of details, quite addicting.
Replay Rating: Superb
2. Asterhythm by Nagi Yanagi (Played in Apple Music)
This song test how fast or how resolving the drivers of the ZES is. But before going to the timestamp let me share how Nagi sounded like. Nagi’s voice throughout the track is clear and defined, however I can’t hear the echoes of her voice at 00:24. Moreover, the lushness of her voice throughout the track is quite lovable and engaging, but it’s quite chesty in some parts of the track (chorus part). As the chorus came in, the track starts to get complicated and bass starts to be enthusiastic, thankfully, ZES handles the chorus quitely nicely, it isn’t as clean as the Yume: Midnight per say, but Nagi’s voice is still audible even with the starry night like background, bass rumble, synthesizer and piano jamming as hard as they can at the chorus. At 02:49, the most complex part of the track, ZES bass remains clean and punchy, however some nuances and microdetails starts to be masked by the treble, and unfortunately the resolution starts to degrade and vocals became more recessed. Generally, this is a common phenomenon in most KZ sets (exception: ZEX Pro) and even my Hzsound Heart Mirror can’t retrieve that time stamp that well, however what I liked is that the bass never lose its tightness and texture throughout the track and that time stamp.
Replay Rating: Excellent
3. Hibernation (Toumin) by Yorushika (Played in HibyMusic)
The drums and guitars at the start are well-weighted and sounds organic. Each instrument feels like they are within my left and right headspace and does not feel to close or too far away from me. Suis’ voice is lacking a bit of energy at the start and the chorus, but it’s definitely much clearer sounding than the DQ6S. Suis voice also lacks the nuances and echoes within the stage and sounds a bit flat compared to the instrument within the track. Bass guitars are excellently defined and you can hear each note changing up and down to the rhythm, it never loses it details throughout the track.
Replay Rating: Above Average
4. The Boy and Magic Robot by Ito Kashitaro (Played in Apple Music)
The wind instrument that makes the nostalgic tune at the start is replayed quite naturally by the ZES. Ito Kashitaro voice is also lush and warm, it never feels shouty or harsh.
Kashi-san voice hates IEMs that boosts the 2 kHz and IEMs that does not have a midbass hump, since his voice is switching back and forth between tenor and baritone.
Ahhmm..Let’s talk about how ZES presents the soundstage of this track…oh maann..it’s quite wide, like really wide, it feels like I’m in a concert watching Ito Kashitaro at the top of the stage. I’m just in awe while listening to this track. Plus, the instrument (guitars, synthesizer and drums) has their own position on that stage and their timbre is also in the organic side. I can’t quite analyze this track anymore, if you have ZES just listen to this track and be in awe.
Replay Rating: Superb
Comparison
ZEX vs ZES
The ZES should be the upgrade to the ZEX and not the ZEX Pro, like listening from ZEX to ZES is just an upgrade. With ZEX Pro I need to adjust my ears for some time (assuming that I came from ZEX), since ZEX just sounds too different compared to ZEX Pro. ZES on the other hand feels like a clean and refined version of the ZEX, like everything I wish that ZEX has, wide stage, less bass and safer treble is all with the ZES. Just think of ZES as an upgraded ZEX. ZES wins obviously.
ZEX Pro vs ZES
ZEX Pro has lesser bass, more details in the midrange, more transparent female and male vocals, and better imaging. ZES has a unique bass response, lusher vocals, wider stage but mushier staging, and less transparent overall sound. ZEX Pro wins due to my library, but ZES gives a good fight.
CRA vs ZES
CRA is brighter, more aggressive, harsher, and more digital sounding. ZES is more organic, warmer, has wider soundstage, and more natural vocals. I really don’t understand the CRA hype truth to be told, it sounds too artificial for me and the treble sounds somehow distorted the longer I use it. That’s why ZES wins, CRA will be downgraded to A- rank in my ranking list.
DQ6S vs ZES
DQ6S is more organic, has a more correct timbre and has an enthusiastic and rumbly bass. ZES on the other hand is just a DQ6S but with lesser bass rumble, wider soundstage, better imaging and has a more competent detail retrieval. For my Japanese library, ZES works like wonder, DQ6S on the other hand specifically just works for my western stuffs.
Due to the inflexibility of DQ6S to my daily playlist. ZES wins.
Mods
Stock cable will work fine for the KZ ZES, however there’s also some noticeable improvement when using different eartips.
1. Stock Starline Tips (a.k.a KZ Starlines Reborn)
No, it sounds harsh with this the stock tips, change the stock tips with whatever tips you have.
2. Sony EP-EX11
Yes! Recommended, the sony tips will remove the treble harshness significantly, making your ZES sound more organic without affecting the wide soundstage that much.
3. Kbear KB07
Recommended! Will not cut the treble harshness that much like the Sony, but will make the ZES more balanced and the darkish tint to the overall sound will be greatly reduced.
Tested Synergies
Odd Synergy
(Avani + ZES with Sony tips and stock cable)
Mediocre pair, not recommended, it somehow makes the ZES more dark and female vocals became chestier and less transparent. Go with the second synergy, if you somehow like vocals that are too lush and chesty then go.
The Studio-feel Synergy
(Abigail + ZES with Sony tips and stock cable)
Excellent pairing, Abigail will extract more soundstage with the ZES, making it more spacious and airy sounding that the Odd Synergy. Treble is also more controlled with the Abigail making the whole sound safe with a little bit spice on the upper treble. Vocals are unaffected and bass are tighter and more controlled.
Details Extraction
(OG CX-31993 + ZES with Sony tips and cable)
Same as the second synergy but the treble is less controlled (noticeable with sibilance prone tracks / poorly mastered tracks). However, female vocals are more transparent with this synergy.
Technical Aspects
Shown in this section are the frequency response of the DQ6s. The measurements are taken by a Dayton IMM-6 Mic with a DIY Tube Coupler, so assume that this measurements are not that accurate compared to the graphs released by the reviewers who have an IEC-711 coupler. Suggestions about this section are always welcome.
Figure B: ZES Frequency Response and Distortion Graph
Figure C: ZES Cumulative Spectral Delay
Recommend Tracks/GenresJrock/Jpop, Rock, Modern Pop, Old Pop, RnB, Trance / EDM, Hip-hop, Rap, Bossa Nova, Jazz
“Not that good” Tracks
Orchestra (Off timbre with some instruments), Some female vocal centric tracks.
Non-affiliate Links
KZ Official Website：KZ ZES
Shopee PH: KZ ZES
Overall Rating
See my ranking list here
S (Relative to my IEMs) (Superseding DQ6S)
A (Relative to Price)
Recommended!
Final Words
The ZES for me is just a DQ6S but with ZEX flavor thrown into the mix. I’ve titled the ZEX as the monochrome of the night in my review as it gives you this certain spice factor in the treble that makes the bloaty nature of the sound have this speedy yet controlled sparkle. On the other hand, DQ6S is my swallowtail of rock and roll, because it literally replays my rock and roll tracks like an ultra giga chad.
For that reason, my ZES review is titled as “A Swallowtail Scrawled with Monochrome Dye” because it is literally a DQ6S with ZEX treble response. Plus the title sounds good and catching hehe.
Aaanndd! Don’t forget the 8-core cable included in the box, like woah this is included now in their budget offerings? I hope this retains in their $30 offering, because tbh, I don’t like their stock silver flimsy cables, it also makes the sound worse in most of my IEMs.
Thanks for reaching this part! Hope you enjoy the read, even if it is pretty long.
G777
Great review!
U shaped
The test unit of this review was provided by KZ in return for an honest review of the ZES. All of the impressions on this review is mine alone. Take my word as a grain of salt as your experience with the iems may vary with the conditions you will subject it into. This review's rating has also taken into consideration the pricing of the IEM to its performance.
Inclusions and ergonomics
These pair has a metal shell and supplied with a different cable that the usual cables supplied with the KZ IEMs. It also includes the improved starline tips that started with the DQ6s x HBB which performs good and doesn't need replacing. What comes in the box is again pretty barebones with the differenced as I stated above from the previous KZ IEMs I have reviewed. The metal has a nice matte finish with transluscent aqua green accents that gives it a futuristic vibe. The pair is light and can be worn for long hours without much fatigue.
Bass
Sub bass has a nice rumble, a little pronounced but not excessive. midbass is detailed and tight with a tad being punchy. it has a slight midbass bleed and a fast decay. The bass of these pair is clean and well tuned.
Mids
Mids is a bit recessed but clear and has a smooth rendering of the midcentric instruments. Pianos and guitars sound proper, while backup instruments can be heard well. The vocals are good and renders echoes and sustains when needed in a track. The vocal rendering could capture the intended mood/atmosphere of the track.
Highs
The treble well presented, there are slight sibilance in higher volumes on some tracks but overall the treble is well controlled and is easy on the ears. If sparkles or instruments such as wind instruments are needed to be rendered, it is reproduced beautifully and well controlled.
Clarity, Soundstage, and Rendering
Rendering has good layers and sound stage is wide that could be compared to a cinema or theatre. The clarity is great, main details can be cleanly heard and some smaller details that can be muddied or disappear from the rendering. Separation is ok, the instruments sometimes can sound close together but overall good enough for a budget pair.
Overall, these pair could be the plus version of the well revered DQ6s x HBB. And if the budget permits, this is one of my recommendations for a bang for buck iems.
interested? get yours here; https://ph.xiapibuy.com/product/345922933/17002163698
The test unit of this review was provided by KZ in return for an honest review of the ZES. All of the impressions on this review is mine alone. Take my word as a grain of salt as your experience with the iems may vary with the conditions you will subject it into. This review's rating has also taken into consideration the pricing of the IEM to its performance.
Inclusions and ergonomics
These pair has a metal shell and supplied with a different cable that the usual cables supplied with the KZ IEMs. It also includes the improved starline tips that started with the DQ6s x HBB which performs good and doesn't need replacing. What comes in the box is again pretty barebones with the differenced as I stated above from the previous KZ IEMs I have reviewed. The metal has a nice matte finish with transluscent aqua green accents that gives it a futuristic vibe. The pair is light and can be worn for long hours without much fatigue.
Bass
Sub bass has a nice rumble, a little pronounced but not excessive. midbass is detailed and tight with a tad being punchy. it has a slight midbass bleed and a fast decay. The bass of these pair is clean and well tuned.
Mids
Mids is a bit recessed but clear and has a smooth rendering of the midcentric instruments. Pianos and guitars sound proper, while backup instruments can be heard well. The vocals are good and renders echoes and sustains when needed in a track. The vocal rendering could capture the intended mood/atmosphere of the track.
Highs
The treble well presented, there are slight sibilance in higher volumes on some tracks but overall the treble is well controlled and is easy on the ears. If sparkles or instruments such as wind instruments are needed to be rendered, it is reproduced beautifully and well controlled.
Clarity, Soundstage, and Rendering
Rendering has good layers and sound stage is wide that could be compared to a cinema or theatre. The clarity is great, main details can be cleanly heard and some smaller details that can be muddied or disappear from the rendering. Separation is ok, the instruments sometimes can sound close together but overall good enough for a budget pair.
Overall, these pair could be the plus version of the well revered DQ6s x HBB. And if the budget permits, this is one of my recommendations for a bang for buck iems.
interested? get yours here; https://ph.xiapibuy.com/product/345922933/17002163698
Attachments
Introduction:
Knowledge Zenith, or simply KZ, doesn't really need an introduction at this point. They are, by now, pretty much well-known by long-term audiophiles and newbies alike. With the past few years, KZ has been continuously launching a ton of IEMs. The ZES is the third IEM from KZ to be equipped with what they call an "electrostatic" driver, with their ZEX and ZEX Pro being the first and second one respectively. The ZES currently retails for 32 USD, and was provided to me for free by KZ in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 12 mm dynamic + 6.8 mm electrostatic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 113 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ZES comes in a small, white sleeved box that is what KZ commonly uses in their budget lineup. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the earphones inserted in a molded plastic film. Right below it is another, smaller box that contains the cable, instruction manual, small and large eartips with the medium already attached to the earphones.
Build:
The shells are mostly made of metal with green plastic accents. The faceplate has this design that is very similar to the ZSN and ZSN Pro. The top portion of the shell has a translucent window where you can see the dynamic and electrostatic drivers. At the rear side there is a single vent hole. The nozzles are also made of metal and has a fine mesh filter and a lip for the eartips to hold on to.
The cable is a braided 8-core silver plated copper. The cable itself is soft and light but the bulky plug gives it a little more weight. Slight microphonics can also be heard. The angled 0.75 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and drops with authority. Subbass has an average depth alongside a decay that should be more than enough for many. Midbass has great texture. It is partially more forward than the subbass with a slightly above average weight.
Overall, the lows of the ZES surprised me in two ways. First, even though the lows have huge impact and can sometimes feel out of control, it has surprisingly good texture. Second, it has minimal impact to the mids compared to KZ's previous models.
Mids:
The mids are slightly recessed, as expected from KZ. Male and female vocals are linear in position with great clarity and articulation, also slightly leans on the thin side but stays within comfortable levels. Instruments have adequate note weight and reproduced with good transparency.
Overall, the mids of the ZES are colored to some extent but still feels natural. Even though it is a bit thin, lower mids never felt lacking in substance and there was not a hint of aggressiveness or shoutiness in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are forward and vibrant sounding. Treble reach is very good with a decay that is slightly above average. Instruments are sparkly but cymbals can sound too splashy and aggressive that may induce fatigue especially for treble sensitive people.
Overall, the highs are right up there with the lows. Cymbals tend to sound shouty at times but sibilance was very minimal even on notoriously sibilant tracks which, for KZ, is a very notable improvement.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficient in size. The height and the width are just about equal in space. The clarity in the imaging is great, better than most KZs in any price range. Instruments have adequate space and air between them and have good layering. Congestion can be perceived every now and then especially in genres like metal.
Comparisons:
KZ ZES (1 DD + 1 electrostatic, 32 USD) vs. BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD)
Lows on the ZES are bigger sounding. BL-07 has deeper subbass but the ZES has stronger rumble and marginally longer decay. BL-07's midbass is more boomy and packs a heavier punch, but it also bleeds to the mids more than the ZES. Mids on the ZES are slightly thinner while it's almost neutral in terms of position and weight with the BL-07. Clarity in the mids is just about equal. Highs are more forward, has more presence, and has better reach with the ZES. Decay is longer in the ZES as well, but the highs of the BL-07 are more comfortable for extended periods of listening. With the soundstage, ZES has a bit more expansion in the width, while the BL-07 has more expansion in the height by just a tiny margin. Imaging is definitely clearer in the ZES, as well as better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
KZ has been steadily improving over the years in both build and sound quality. What used to feel flimsy, now feels more solid, what felt too overwhelming and ear piercing, now feels under control to some degree. The ZES is one of the better options from KZ in my opinion, while still equipped with KZ's house sound; the V-shaped signature. KZ was able to show incremental improvements, but at this point, their sound signature really feels dragging and very redundant.
Knowledge Zenith, or simply KZ, doesn't really need an introduction at this point. They are, by now, pretty much well-known by long-term audiophiles and newbies alike. With the past few years, KZ has been continuously launching a ton of IEMs. The ZES is the third IEM from KZ to be equipped with what they call an "electrostatic" driver, with their ZEX and ZEX Pro being the first and second one respectively. The ZES currently retails for 32 USD, and was provided to me for free by KZ in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 12 mm dynamic + 6.8 mm electrostatic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 113 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ZES comes in a small, white sleeved box that is what KZ commonly uses in their budget lineup. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the earphones inserted in a molded plastic film. Right below it is another, smaller box that contains the cable, instruction manual, small and large eartips with the medium already attached to the earphones.
Build:
The shells are mostly made of metal with green plastic accents. The faceplate has this design that is very similar to the ZSN and ZSN Pro. The top portion of the shell has a translucent window where you can see the dynamic and electrostatic drivers. At the rear side there is a single vent hole. The nozzles are also made of metal and has a fine mesh filter and a lip for the eartips to hold on to.
The cable is a braided 8-core silver plated copper. The cable itself is soft and light but the bulky plug gives it a little more weight. Slight microphonics can also be heard. The angled 0.75 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and drops with authority. Subbass has an average depth alongside a decay that should be more than enough for many. Midbass has great texture. It is partially more forward than the subbass with a slightly above average weight.
Overall, the lows of the ZES surprised me in two ways. First, even though the lows have huge impact and can sometimes feel out of control, it has surprisingly good texture. Second, it has minimal impact to the mids compared to KZ's previous models.
Mids:
The mids are slightly recessed, as expected from KZ. Male and female vocals are linear in position with great clarity and articulation, also slightly leans on the thin side but stays within comfortable levels. Instruments have adequate note weight and reproduced with good transparency.
Overall, the mids of the ZES are colored to some extent but still feels natural. Even though it is a bit thin, lower mids never felt lacking in substance and there was not a hint of aggressiveness or shoutiness in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are forward and vibrant sounding. Treble reach is very good with a decay that is slightly above average. Instruments are sparkly but cymbals can sound too splashy and aggressive that may induce fatigue especially for treble sensitive people.
Overall, the highs are right up there with the lows. Cymbals tend to sound shouty at times but sibilance was very minimal even on notoriously sibilant tracks which, for KZ, is a very notable improvement.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficient in size. The height and the width are just about equal in space. The clarity in the imaging is great, better than most KZs in any price range. Instruments have adequate space and air between them and have good layering. Congestion can be perceived every now and then especially in genres like metal.
Comparisons:
KZ ZES (1 DD + 1 electrostatic, 32 USD) vs. BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD)
Lows on the ZES are bigger sounding. BL-07 has deeper subbass but the ZES has stronger rumble and marginally longer decay. BL-07's midbass is more boomy and packs a heavier punch, but it also bleeds to the mids more than the ZES. Mids on the ZES are slightly thinner while it's almost neutral in terms of position and weight with the BL-07. Clarity in the mids is just about equal. Highs are more forward, has more presence, and has better reach with the ZES. Decay is longer in the ZES as well, but the highs of the BL-07 are more comfortable for extended periods of listening. With the soundstage, ZES has a bit more expansion in the width, while the BL-07 has more expansion in the height by just a tiny margin. Imaging is definitely clearer in the ZES, as well as better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
KZ has been steadily improving over the years in both build and sound quality. What used to feel flimsy, now feels more solid, what felt too overwhelming and ear piercing, now feels under control to some degree. The ZES is one of the better options from KZ in my opinion, while still equipped with KZ's house sound; the V-shaped signature. KZ was able to show incremental improvements, but at this point, their sound signature really feels dragging and very redundant.
Disclaimer: I received this review unit for free from KZ, thank you very much.
Price: 33 usd (pre-sale price, not sure about MSRP)
Specifications:
N/A
DD + MST
Accessories:
S/M/L silicone tips
Cable: 8-core cable, no chin-slider, has a metal 3.5mm connector but plastic 2pin connectors.
Fit: Great fit for me, very good shape and does not have the wing that some of their other iems have.
Comfort: Very good for me due to the size and shape.
Isolation: Average, nothing special.
Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 8 o´clock), stock tips L, stock cable 3.5mm
Lows: Sub-bass focused with a lot of elevation, decent extension and does rumble, is tight and fast but it is lacking in texture and doesn’t sound too clean (treble is a bit dark and does affect the overall clarity). Mid-bass is also elevated a bit but still fast/tight, better textured than the sub-bass.
Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), pretty clean due to the fast/tight bass but lacking a lot of texture, decent quantity. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is hearable but not very clean.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), quantity is pretty good and tight/fast but texture could be better and overall cleaner sounding.
Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), decent extension and rumbles. Punch quantity is high and also tight/fast but lacking in texture.
Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), high quantity, tight and fast but texture could be better.
Mids: Decent vocal tonality, but both male and female vocals lack clarity, its not very clean and the timbre is unnatural. The vocals are recessed as well.
Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is decent, but lacking in clarity, has unnatural timbre and recessed. Instrument tonality is good but with unnatural timbre and lacking clarity.
Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), vocal and instrument tonality needs to be brighter and with more clarity, has poor timbre as well.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), vocals aren’t shouty nor peaky treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), vocals aren’t shouty but the treble is peaky.
Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), good vocal and instrument tonality but lacking in clarity and has poor timbre, recessed vocals.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality is lacking some warmth and clarity, recessed vocals and poor timbre.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars aren’t sharp but lacking in texture and clarity, timbre is unnatural.
Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), separation and imaging can’t handle it and it sounds chaotic.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is good but lacking in texture, clarity and has a bit unnatural timbre. Violin tonality is decent, but lacking clarity, treble-extension and has unnatural timbre.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), decent tonality but lacking in clarity and timbre is poor
Soundstage: Average, nothing special.
Tonality: V-shaped, a bit on the darker side due to the treble (upper-treble roll-off). Note-weight is slightly on the thicker side, it is a pretty versatile tonality for my library but it has poor timbre so that is a bottleneck.
Details: Macro-details is decent, but lacking in micro-details.
Instrument Separation: Separation and imaging are below average.
Songs that highlight the IEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zz5X1uwKcM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYRFL5asv4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdgvEulj0LU
Good genres: good match for my library, but Trance and EDM works the best.
Bad genres: good match for my library, but Hip-hop and R&B are the weaker genres due to the fast/tight bass and acoustic/vocal stuff due to the timbre.
Comparisons:
IEM: CCA CRA (500 mesh + Sony General Foam), stock tips L, stock cable 3.5mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), similar extension but more rumble on the ZES. Punch quantity is similar but a lot more textured, faster and tighter on the CRA. A bit more tonally correct on the ZES but better timbre on the CRA.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity on the ZES but more textured, faster and tighter on the CRA. More tonally correct, cleaner, more detailed and better timbre on the CRA.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner and more detailed on the CRA due to the much faster/tighter and a bit lower bass quantity. More textured on the CRA.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, clarity and detail are a lot better on the CRA as well as a bit more forward and with better timbre. Instrument tonality is better on the ZES but better timbre, detail and clarity on the CRA.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shoutier on the CRA and peakier and more fatiguing treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are better on the ZES but cleaner, more detailed and better timbre on the CRA.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are sharper and more fatiguing on the CRA but better timbre on it.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is better on the ZES but better timbre, texture, detail and clarity on the CRA. Violin tonality, timbre, treble-extension, clarity and detail are all a lot better on the CRA.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, timbre and detail on the CRA.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), wider and airier on the CRA with similar depth. Imaging, separation, detail and timbre are a lot better on the CRA.
Overall: Male vocals are tuned better and treble is safer, that’s all the ZES does better than the CRA, the CRA stomps pretty hard. Just get the CRA instead, they are both trying to do the same thing, but the CRA is much better.
| ZES | CRA (500 mesh + Sony General Foam) | |
| Sub-bass | - | + |
| Mid-bass | - | + |
| Lower-mids | + | - |
| Upper-mids | - | + |
| Treble | - | + |
| Upper-treble | - | + |
| Soundstage | - | + |
| Imaging | - | + |
| Separation | - | + |
| Macro-detail | - | + |
| Micro-detail | - | + |
| Timbre | - | + |
Conclusion: The build quality is a step up from usual KZs, but just get the CCA CRA instead…
Graph:
Cable source:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063
Reference/test songs:
KZ ZES Review!
Good day! After 4 days of casual and critical listening, here’s my written review for the KZ ZES. This is the current peak KZ IEM, I think!
(Non-Affiliate product link here!: click me!)
Disclaimer:
- Sir Jeff Yang of KZ Earphones sent over this unit to me in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that the following observations and findings will be away from bias/es as much as possible.
- As far as I know, this is still a prototype/test unit. The sound, design, and packaging may change/vary from the final product.
- 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, 4 days.
Source/s used:
- Hidizs AP80
- Not-By-VE Avani Realtek Dongle
- Zishan U1 USB DAC (AKM Variant)
- Samsung Galaxy S3 (WM1811 DAC)
- Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i)
- Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.
IEM and configuration: Stock medium eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, both high and low gain.
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Sound signature:
- Mild-V-shaped sound signature. Mids may recess more, depending on the pairing or setup paired with it. Unlike the DQ6s, this has lesser and much more controlled bass when compared.
- Lows are elevated and controlled. Subbass is elevated in a greater quantity than the midbass. Subbass goes deep when needed. Bass is punchy and leans to a faster side of decay. For the most part, the lows on the ZES are controlled, nearly clean, and can manage bass-heavy and EDM tracks with ease. I like the lows of this as it does not presents the bass too much to my liking.
- The mids are slightly recessed on my observations but will recess even further when paired with a non-hifi source such as a smartphone, for example. Instances of midbass bleed are still present on the lower mids, but just adds a bit of warmth to give the sound some body or depth rather than “muddying” up the sound. Upper mids are elevated, clear, and airy, with some peaks on sibilant prone tracks, or turning up the volume rather than usual. Overall, the mids are serviceable and can cater any music from any genre at a satisfactory level for its rumored price.
- As for the treble, it is elevated and well extended. It is much more extended compared to the KZ X HBB DQ6s but not by a very big margin. The ZES has a bit airier treble which also satisfies higher vocals when listened side-by-side. Detail retrieval is also slightly above average for its rumored price as I can hear the nuances clearer.
- The soundstage is still just average, but with an above-average expansion. It is noticeably much wider compared to the DQ6s with also more depth. Separation is also very good but will get haywire when listened with very busy tracks. Imaging is also accurate for its rumored price but not technical.
Pros:
- Controlled overall bass response without any instances of lacking.
- “Nearly balanced” sound signature.
- Rumbly sub-bass
- Clear mids for its rumored price.
- Sparkly and clear upper mids
- Good enough treble extension
- As any KZ IEM existed, this is very easy to be driven properly.
- Improved soundstage compared to the DQ6s
- Metal shelled IEMs with quite exquisite coating/finish.
- Design still has that “ZS” trademark to it, but better (subjective)
- 8-core stock cable.
- Decent imaging.
Cons:
- Instances of upper mids peaks and slight sibilance will still appear on very sibilant prone tracks and on higher than usual volumes.
- Midbass bleed presence.
- Separation is already decent for its asking price, but could be better to stand up against the competition.
- Packaging and accessories could be better but might be improved on the final product.
Verdict
KZ truly stayed true to their slogan printed in the box which says “Don’t forget the original intention of using earphones is to enjoy music”, as the KZ ZES is a budget IEM meant to be an all-rounder for current genres. The KZ ZES appears to be on the right track in terms of manufacturing more competitive IEMs, especially on the budget side of audio, since not just KZ, but most companies in this price range tend to cannibalize their earlier products, rendering them outdated in a short period of time. The sound of the KZ ZES rendered prior models, notably the ZS5 through ZSX, and maybe even their much higher-priced offerings, such as the ASX, ASF, and AS16, to mention a few, outdated. If KZ continues to enhance their IEMs, particularly in terms of lowering peaks and sibilance, they will be able to attract more customers.
Thank you for reading!
Additional Photos:
