Pros: Lots of potential after Tanchjim filter + PEQ
Great bass for a BA set
Vocal tonality
smooth treble, non-fatiguing
Great timbre
Soundstage (depth)
(my favorite BA iem as of this review)
Isolation
Comfort (VENTED SHELL!)
Cons: Recessed vocals
Needs mods
Shell not for human ears (can stab you)
Discontinued
No accessories
Disclaimer: I bought this at my own expense on AliExpress when it was at 20 usd. (Will judge it as if it was an 80 usd iem, since you do need the Tanchjim filters from the Tanya.)
Price: 60 usd as of this review (bought at 20)
Specifications:
Driver/Transducer: 5 Balanced Armatures
(1 Low Frequency + 1 Mid Frequency + 1 Mid/High Frequency + 2 High Frequency)
Sensitivity: 105 dB/mw
DC resistance: 14 ohms
Connection: 2-Pin 0.75mm diameter
Frequency response range: 20hz - 40KHz
Accessories:
None
Cable: 4-core cable, plastic divider/connectors, has ear-hooks instead of a memory wire like older KZ cables had. Is decent but does look cheap because of the plastic.
Build: Full metal shell, nozzle has a lip, is vented. Is pretty lightweight for a metal iem because it is hollow on the inside.
Fit: Slightly bigger than average, shouldn’t be a problem for most but the corners can a problem for comfort as they can stab you.
Comfort: VENTED SHELL! Almost no pressure builds up because of that, great comfort (the best) for a BA iem. BUT the shell corners CAN stab your ears depending on the position (and ears) so be aware of that, I didn’t have much problems with it though.
Isolation: Above average, not as good as regular BA iems with non-vented shell but a lot better than most iems.
Lows: Pretty good bass for a BA iem actually, has rumble and does extend pretty good as well. Is on the tighter and faster side along with elevated sub-bass focus and mid-bass. Texture is where it can be better though.
Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), pretty clean due to the speed and tightness, quantity is a bit elevated but lacking texture. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is clean but not that forward.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), quantity is a bit elevated and is on the tighter/faster side, tonally correct although texture could be better.
Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extension and rumble are pretty good for a BA, but still lacking. Punch quantity is decent, tight/fast but lacking texture.
Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), quantity is pretty elevated still clean due to the speed/tightness but lacking some texture.
Mids: Vocals are very good tonally and with good timbre, no bass bleed either so it is pretty clean. But is a bit recessed (both male/female).
Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is pretty good, clean as well but is a bit recessed, timbre is good. Instrument tonality, timbre and clarity are pretty good.
Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), vocal and instrument tonality are very good, a bit recessed vocals though, good clarity and timbre though.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), non-shouty vocals but a bit peaky treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), sharp treble and fatiguing.
Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are very good, good timbre and clarity, although the vocals are a bit recessed.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are good, decent timbre and clarity, a bit recessed vocal.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars aren’t sharp and pretty good tonally, timbre is decent.
Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), a bit peaky treble, chaotic due to the separation and imaging though.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre and clarity are pretty good although texture could be better. Violin tonality, timbre and clarity are good but treble-extension can be better.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality, timbre and clarity are good a bit peaky treble though.
Soundstage: pretty good width and depth
Tonality: Mild V-shaped, pretty balanced between warmth and bright, note-weight is slightly on the thicker side.
Details: pretty good macro-details, micro-details are pretty average though.
Instrument Separation: separation and imaging are slightly below average, does struggle on busier tracks.
Songs that highlight the IEM:
Good genres: Rock/metal, Hiroyuki Sawano, R&B, OST
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles more on the DQ6. Punch quantity is similar but a lot more texture and is a bit tighter and faster on the DQ6. Tonality and timbre are better on the DQ6.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), Similar quantity but a lot more textured as well as a bit tighter/faster on the DQ6. More tonally correct and better timbre on the DQ6.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the DQ6 due to the slightly lower quantity and faster/tighter but more textured on it.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, timbre, clarity, detail and forwardness are better on the DQ6. Instrument tonality is a bit better on the BA10 but more detailed, cleaner and better timbre on the DQ6.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shoutier and peakier treble on the DQ6.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are better on the BA10, similar timbre, cleaner and more detailed on the DQ6 but harsher treble.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are sharper on the DQ6 but a bit better timbre, treble is harsher on it though.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello timbre, texture, detail and clarity are better on the DQ6 but slightly better tonality on the BA10. Violin tonality, timbre, texture, treble-extension, detail and clarity are better on the DQ6.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality, timbre, detail and clarity are better on the DQ6.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot wider and airier on the DQ6 but a bit deeper on the BA10. Imaging and separation are a lot better on the DQ6, detail is also better on the DQ6. Timbre is pretty similar.
Overall: DQ6 is the overall better iem to me, but the BA10 is actually closer to my preference target and is very impressive for a BA iem.
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower on the DT600 but rumbles more on the BA10. Punch quantity is similar but a bit more textured and a lot faster/tighter on the DT600. Tonality and timbre are better on the BA10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity and more textured on the BA10 but cleaner because of the tighter and faster bass on the DT600. More tonally correct and better timbre on the BA10.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the DT600 due to the lower quantity and faster/tighter bass but more textured and better timbre on the BA10.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, clarity, detail and forwardness are better on the DT600 but much better timbre on the BA10. Instrument tonality and timbre are a lot better on the BA10 but much cleaner and more detailed on the DT600.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier vocals and sharper treble on the DT600.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are a lot better on the BA10, cleaner and more detailed on the DT600 but a bit more recessed vocal on the DT600.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper and has worse timbre on the DT600.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and timbre are much better on the BA10 but cleaner, more detailed and more textured on the DT600. Violin tonality, treble-extension, detail and clarity are a lot better on the DT600, timbre is a lot better on the BA10.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality and timbre on the BA10. A lot cleaner and more detailed on the DT600.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a bit wider on the DT600 but a lot deeper and more holographic on the BA10. Imaging, separation and detail are a lot better on the DT600. Timbre is a lot better on the BA10.
Overall: The BA10 is tuned better and has a lot better timbre than the DT600. The DT600 has better technicalities except soundstage though.
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles more on BA10. Punch quantity is higher on the BA10 but some more texture and a bit faster/tighter on the Bravery. More tonally correct and a bit better timbre on the BA10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity and texture on the BA10 but cleaner due to the faster/tighter bass on the Bravery. A bit better tonality and timbre on the BA10.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a bit more quantity on the BA10, similar texture but cleaner due to the faster and tighter bass on the Bravery.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is a bit better on the Bravery although shoutier, cleaner and more detailed on it as well as a bit more forward but timbre is better on the BA10. Instrument tonality and timbre are much better on the BA10, cleaner and more detailed on the Bravery.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier vocals and much peakier treble and more fatiguing on the Bravery.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are much better on the BA10, cleaner and more detailed on the Bravery.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper on the Bravery and has worse timbre on it.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and timbre are better on the BA10 but better texture, clarity and detail on the Bravery. Violin tonality, treble-extension, detail and clarity are better on the Bravery but better timbre on the BA10.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality and timbre are better on the BA10 but cleaner and more detailed on the Bravery.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), wider soundstage and airier on the Bravery but deeper on the BA10. Imaging, separation and detail are much better on the Bravery. Timbre is better on the BA10.
Overall: The BA10 is tuned better and has better timbre than the Bravery. The Bravery has better technicalities though.
BA10 (Tanchjim filter + PEQ)
Bravery
Sub-bass
+
-
Mid-bass
=
=
Lower-mids
+
-
Upper-mids
+
-
Treble
+
-
Upper-treble
-
+
Soundstage
-
+
Imaging
-
+
Separation
-
+
Macro-detail
-
+
Micro-detail
-
+
Timbre
+
-
Conclusion: Released in 2018, this old (for Chi-fi standard) BA iem is currently my favorite BA iem. Great iem after you have put Tanchjim filters and some PEQ, not really recommended otherwise though. Thanks for reading.
Pros: + Good price
+ Build quality is pretty much excellent
+ Nice aesthetics, good taste
+ Excellent sound quality for the price
Cons: - BA 10 is really uncomfortable due to the corner that cuts into the ear
- Both KZ ZSN and KZ ZSN PRO are pretty compressed sounding, you're much better off saving money and getting one of the Chifi IEMs at 50 USD you can find around
KZ Knowledge Budget-Fi IEMs - ZSN, BA10 and ZSN Pro Review
Today's review will focus on the latest releases from KZ, namely ZSN, Ba10 and ZSN Pro, all very close in terms of pricing to each other, trying to help you decide which, and if any will be a good fit for you as your main IEM, or as a backup IEM for music listening!
Introduction
Knowledge Zenith is known for designing outrageous IEMs in terms of drivers, or better said, in terms of how many drivers they include inside one IEM, for the price asked, BA10 being an excellent example of this insanity, with 10 drivers in total, or 5 per each ear, for just 75 USD. The samples for today's review were provided by Linsoul Audio, though, which is a large and well-known shop from China, being one of the best places to purchase all your Chi-Fi equipment from. Linsoul will always ensure excellent warranty and return conditions, along with a really friendly response, and although KZ doesn't feel like the kind of brand to offer much in terms of support, Linsoul for sure will make sure you have an excellent experience when you purchase from them.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with KZ or Linsoul, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. This review is not sponsored nor has been paid for by KZ or Linsoul or anyone else. I'd like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review. The sample was provided along with Linsoul's request for an honest and unbiased review. This review reflects my personal experience with KZ ZSN, BA10 and ZSN Pro. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in KZ ZSN, BA10 and ZSN Pro find their next music companion.
First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:
ZSN
BA10
ZSN Pro
All 3 IEMs come in a very minimalistic package, with almost nothing included in the package, besides the IEMs, the cables and one selection of tips. For the price, this is more than enough, and in line with what the competition provides.
What to look in when purchasing an entry-level or backup / emergency IEM.
Those two have exactly the same construction, at least as far as I can tell.
The build quality is pretty much excellent, those are 15 USD IEMs, each with 2 drivers per ear. They are made of plastic, but they are assembled nicely, there's no residue glue or leftover glue anywhere, everything feels in place.
The comfort is okay, they are on the large side, and may not fit smaller ears, if you're not careful you may experience some driver flex, and they are both over-the-ear only in style. This being said, the inner part of the IEM shell is quite ergonomic, and the industrial metallic place on the outside feels and looks very nice.
There is no microphonic noise, which is pretty awesome, and the cables are not overly tangle-prone, so you don't have to worry about them getting all tangled-up. You also get about 25 dB of passive noise isolation, so you won't have to hear literally anything while wearing them, I think that KZ delivers on the things they promise when it comes to the comfort and build of ZSN and ZSN Pro.
Overall, good build quality, and fair comfort for both. Both being pretty much the same IEM in terms of ergonomics.
BA10
BA10 s a different animal, with 5 drivers for each ear, all BA drivers. The build quality feels quite excellent, full metallic shell. Shockingly, there is no driver flex, and no void, they seem to have thought really well about how they designed BA10 to be comfortable.
This being said, KZ failed at making BA10 comfortable, because there is a pretty strong corner at the back of the IEM, which is there for design, but which really cuts into my ear, making BA10 uncomfortable to wear for more than 15 minutes in one listening session. If you ear shape doesn't mind that corner, you're set for fun with BA10, their cable is not microphonic, and their overall construction is solid.
The design is mostly industrial, with modern accents, and they fit well with a more urban style, rather than a casual or a grunge one.
Overall, BA10 is made just as good as most 75 USD IEMs, they are assembled together, they come with fairly good cables, and the only downside is their corner, which may cut and eat into your ear, as otherwise, they are really comfortable.
Sound Quality
KZ ZSN
The sonic quality of ZSN makes it a backup IEM, or an emergency solution rather than what I'd usually recommend as a IEM. I initially started being an audiophile, then reviewing, because I kept purchasing more and more expensive products, and ZSN reminds me quite well why I started doing that.
The overall sound of ZSN is thick, warm, relaxed, and rolled off and both ends, compressed in every direction possible. The soundstage feels really compressed and small, the dynamics are heavily compressed, and the instrument separation is almost non-existent, leaving you with a pretty mashed-up presentation of your music.
Of course, this is a 15 USD IEM, so this kind of is the sound you'd expect from them, and well, having BA10 on my desk, which sounds pretty darn impressive, I can't help but criticize ZSN, and not against some expensive IEMs from other companies, but against other KZ IEMs.
Th bass of ZSN is the focus of their tuning, with most of the energy being in the mid-bass area, with the sub-bass rolling off almost entirely below 50 Hz. The main focus being at about 85 Hz, you get both a decent impact, and a large amount of thickness. The good part is that the bass doesn't seem to be very slow or flabby, instead being pretty good in terms of speed and impact, especially compared to what exists in the ~20 USD price range.
The midrange of ZSN is recessed, distant, and may give you an itch to dial up the volume. The midrange gets some coloration from the bass, it the bass doesn't veil the midrange entirely, rather it simply warms it up a bit. Relaxing would be a good way to describe this kind of midrange, not forward, but actually sitting chill and warm in the back.
The treble is mostly focused in the upper midrange and lower treble, as KZ ZSN rolls off at 6-7kHz, after which there's little treble to talk about. This kind of treble is very good if you're sensitive to fatigue and if you want a really smooth and relaxed signature.
Overall, if you want a smooth, relaxed and warm, bassy IEM that you'll use most probably as an emergency or backup IEM, for 15 USD, KZ ZSN delivers rather well.
KZ BA10
KZ BA10 is pretty much the best KZ has to offer in terms of sound quality. They even beat AS10, which I reviewer previously, and they come with even better details, more instrument separation, and even better overall quality and coherency.
BA10's bass is well extended in the lows, but it is considerably faster than AS10, for example, which was natural-slow, leading to a pretty natural overall presentation on BA10. The mid bass is not bloated, and instead it delivers a very clear punch, and could be named pretty high-quality, being as good even as 200 USD IEMs.
The midrange of BA10 is probably the best of KZ's midrange to date. The timbre of each instrument is actually very natural and very clean, crisp, with great detail, and a lot of soundstage and instrument separation. If I didn't know, I probably couldn't tell that this is a 75 USD IEM. They are on the analytical side of things, rather than on the musical side, BA10's upper midrange being actually more natural than other KZ models, which would get either shouty or be thin and sibilant.
The treble of BA10 is crisp and clear, has a decent extension, and again, feels considerably less forced and less sibilant than other KZ IEMS, this time making me think that this is the treble you'd usually find on a 200 USD+ IEM.
Overall the sonic quality of BA10 is quite good, and I could easily recommend them for their sound alone.
KZ ZSN PRO
KZ ZSN PRO is very much the same IEM as the ZSN, if you make it more forward and add more sparkle in the upper midrange. This has some effects, as they are more open, slightly more bright, more airy, and achieve a better instrument separation. On the not-so-great list, they added more mid-bass, which colors the midrange more, making the PRO version stand out as "trying to sound more dynamic". In fact, this is how I'd describe the ZSN PRO, where the ZSN was more on the relaxed side of things, the PRO tries to be more balanced, by making the ZSN signature forward.
This doesn't work so well, as the bass is now a bit too enhanced, and doesn't keep up with the speed quite as well, making the original ZSN stand out as better in terms of resolution. The PRO version still rolls off below 45 Hz, so KZ mainly increased the quantity where the bass existed already, not necessarily the extension, and the quantity on ZSN was already pretty large.
The midrange now has considerably more upper midrange emphasis, which helps a lot with the clarity and instrument definition, but this is a 20 USD IEM's upper midrange, it is shouty, and sibilant a lot of times, making the original actually more enjoyable and fun. I usually prefer a more enhanced upper midrange and treble, but they need quality and refinement, and ZSN PRO's refinement goes pretty much as far as their rather pocket-friendly price tag does.
The treble has the same roll-off as the original ZSN, making the sound just peaky in the upper midrange and lower treble. This being said, the sound does get some more detail, air and instrument separation, but this is pretty much that kind of cheap instrument separation people talk about when they criticize entry-level Chifi IEMs.
As an emergency or backup IEM though, KZ ZSN PRO is pretty great, it can get you through an entire day, has good isolation and fairly good comfort. The sound is more exciting than the original ZSN, so if you listen to electronic and rock, it will be a better fit.
Comparisons
When it comes to comparisons, the list of IEMs I reviewed in the ~20 USD is really low, so I'll focus on comparing BA10 to some competitors, since there I have both a larger experience, and the results are more intriguing.
KZ BA10 vs Shozy Hibiki - Shozy Hibiki comes with pretty much the same package, but their comfort is considerably better than BA10, because they have both a smaller overall size and a better inner design. The sound is considerably more midrange-forward on Hibiki, more accurate and with better midrange, but less bass and treble amounts. BA10 may feel a bit cold compared to Hibiki, which is simply quite sweet. The soundstage is larger on BA10, and so is the overall instrument separation, but Hibiki is easier to listen to, especially for long periods of time.
KZ BA10 vs Flare Jet 2 - Flares Jet 2 come with a better package, because they come with a little carrying pouch. This being said, their cables are non detachable. The comfort of Jet 2 is similar to BA10, both IEMs have comfort issues, BA10 having that sharp corner that cuts into the ear, while Jet 2 has driver flex, microphonic cables, and a springy cable. The sound is better on BA10, with better overall resolution, more instrument separation, more clarity, more detail and better overall resolution and definition.
KZ BA10 vs FiiO F9 - FiiO F9 has a much much much more complete package, comes with more accessories, and is considerably more comfortable than BA10. F9 also has a better overall ergonomic design. The default cable is slightly better on BA10, despite being slightly tangle-prone. The sound is colder, more neutral on F9. Here, BA10 actually shows more instrument separation and a more refined treble presentation, being slightly more on equal ground with FiiO F9 Pro rather than F9, which is interesting, BA10 is able to hold its ground quite well in terms of sound. The bass is higher in quantity on BA10, and BA10 has more overall depth to its soundstage, although F9 has a wider soundstage.
Value and Conclusion
The IEMs of today are all an excellent value, and despite the fact that they all have shortcomings, and that it may feel like I've been a bit rough with them, we're talking about two 20 USD IEMs, that pretty much perform well for that price, and one 75 USD IEM, that performs really well for that price sonically, but has a comfort issue that makes it quite unpractical.
The build quality on KZ IEMs is pretty much always exceptional, with no leftover glue, good usual reliability, and excellent overall attention to details. This being said, the comfort is actually not the best on BA10, although both ZSN and ZSN PRO are better in that regard, and the fact that they are on the larger side makes both ZSN and ZSN PRO a bit uncomfortable, as otherwise, they'd both be pretty comfy.
The sound is pretty great for all of them, and in a few short words, ZSN is the thick and relaxed IEM, which although is pretty much compressed in every way possible, still manages to be a pretty good deal at its 20 USD price point. BA10 is the V-shaped IEM with what I could call the most solid sonic signature from KZ so far, with really excellent overall details and clarity, great midrange, and a pretty quick and punchy bass, and a pretty sparkly treble that's neither sibilant nor harsh, but actually quite good. KZ ZSN PRO is a tweak on ZSN, trying to have more dynamics, and to be more forward, but feeling a bit too hot in the treble, with a touch too much mid bass bloom compared to the original ZSN.
Overall, if you're looking for nice backup IEMs, you should totally consider ZSN and ZSN PRO, depending on whether you want a more relaxed IEM, or a more forward one, and if you're looking for a really good entry-level IEM, then KZ BA10 surely may be your next love, just make sure to test it, make sure if their design and shape fits your ears.
While we listened to considerably more songs than those named in this playlist, those are excellent for identifying certain aspects of the sound, like PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you're searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy.
Bats - Gamma Ray Burst: Second Date Eskimo Callboy - Frances
Incubus - Summer Romance
Electric Six - Dager! High Voltage
Kishida Cult - High School Of The Dead
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Infected Mushroom - Song Pong
Attack Attack - Kissed A Girl
Doctor P - Bulletproof
Maximum The Hormone - Rock n Roll Chainsaw
Rob Zombie - Werewolf, Baby!
Escape The Fate - Gorgeous Nightmare
SOAD - Chop Suey
Ken Ashcorp - Absolute Territory
Machinae Supremacy - Need For Steve
Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Wanna Stop
Crow'sclaw - Loudness War
Eminem - Rap God
Stromae - Humain À L'eau
Sonata Arctica - My Selene
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back
Metallica - Fuel
Veil Of Maya - Unbreakable
Masa Works - Golden Japang
REOL - Luvoratorrrrry
Dope - Addiction
Korn - Word Up!
Papa Roach - ... To be Loved
Fever The Ghost - Source
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Mindless Self Indulgence - London Bridge
A static Lullaby - Toxic
Royal Republic - Addictive
Astronautalis - The River, The Woods
We Came As Romans - My Love
Skillet - What I Believe
Man With A Mission - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Yasuda Rei - Mirror
Mojo Juju - Must Be Desire
Falling Up - Falling In Love
Manafest - Retro Love
Rodrigo Y Grabriela - Paris
Zomboy - Lights Out
Muse - Resistance
T.A.T.U & Rammstein - Mosaku
Grey Daze - Anything, Anything
Katy Perry - Who Am I Living For
Maroon 5 - Lucky Strike
Machinae Supremacy - Killer Instinct
Pendulum - Propane Nightmares
Sirenia - Lithium And A Lover
Saving Abel - Addicted
Hollywood Undead - Levitate
The Offspring - Special Delivery
Escape The Fate - Smooth
Samsara Blues Experiment - One With The Universe
Dope - Rebel Yell
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Silverstein - My Heroine
I bought the KZ BA10 last year after this very good comparison (above) and a few others. It's no longer on AliExpress but last year I paid $56 and on Amazon it is $77 https://www.amazon.com/Earphones-No...+kz+ba10&qid=1591179327&s=electronics&sr=1-20 I didn't buy it for noise isolation but it sure does isolate even at a soft volume. I am not using a DAC or amp. Don't go by my ears,I am no con-a-sewer .The treble seems not as bright as mentioned and the bass is very good but not for those who want heavy bass. About ear COMFORT: being an elderly Geezer my ears are bigger. I have not felt any discomfort even after many hours.
Pros: Typical good KZ sound.
Affordable.
Moving up the KZ food chain.
Good bass extension.
Good finish
Cons: Cannot get by that shape.
No case.
Fit.
Cable can tangle.
KZ-BA10-Not your ordinary Kryten ($89usd):
As per usual protocol when I receive something, I open the package and give a quick initial listen, to ensure that all is well. Then, the critter in question is placed most often on my Shanling M1 for 50-100hrs. This is done, because the unit purchased is only new once, and I believe the sound “down the road” should be represented.
Specs (from Amazon):
Gold-plated 0.75mm 2 pin cable;
Anti-pulling, anti-bending, anti-corrosion professional cable;
Professional acoustic structure design for three-stage airflow;
· IEM, 1.25m cable (typical length of KZ at this price, but 4-wire copper and nicer than other KZ in my mind)
· 2 sets of three each silicon tips (one regular and one with “articulations,” which to me allow for the tip to fit better in ear; think cuts on a paper, to make it fold into a circle better)
· Instruction “manual”
· Warranty card
Gear used/compared:
All prices in USD, unless noted otherwise
KZ AS10 ($63ish)
Simgot EN700 Pro ($119)
MEE Audio M6 Pro G2 ($50)
Thebit Opus #2
Shanling M5
Shanling M3s
Aune M1s
MBP/iFi Pro iDSD(!!)
Songs used:
Too bloody many to list all, but you want songs, so there you go:
Coldplay-All I Can think About Is You
Coldplay-A Message
Coldplay-White Shadows
Dona Onete-Sonos de Adolescente
Los Lonely Boys- Heaven (en Espanol)
twenty one pilots-Trees
twenty one pilots-Car Radio
twenty one pilots-Heathens
Damian Marley-Everybody Wants To Be Somebody
Damian Marley-So A Child May Follow
Damian Marley-The Struggle Discontinues
Ziggy Marley-Lighthouse
Ziggy Marely-See Dem Fake Leaders
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
The new twenty one pilots album, Trench
Unboxing:
In typical KZ fashion, you get a black box, which opens from the right. Inside you have the IEM’s label “L/R,” in case you forget. Plus, an engraved faceplate replete with serial number. A nice touch, but again…no case. Sigh. I wish they would include a case…but as we know, we are into the sound, not what is included…
Fit-n-Finish:
The BA10 looks like something, which Frankenstein would wear…seriously. Such a departure from the aesthetically pleasing shapes previous from KZ, that upon first glance, I really was taken aback. Shades of Kryten arose again in my mind (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dwarf#Characters_and_actors).
Made of an alloy, fitting the 5 BA’s inside the sample in-hand has a gold back and anodized red inside, including the nozzle. An inset hides the 2-pin connection well, and avoid stressing the connection. Something I like to see. A cable of 4-wire copper adds to the premium look, plus it is much less of a mess than other KZ’s I have had. This is a nice cable, with long braided wire above the Y-splitter, which could snag on things. I have not had a problem (unlike the darker copper KZ wire), but the possibility is there. Ending in a 90-degree plastic sheathed jack, the low profile is a nice touch. I will say that the sheer width of the plastic sheath is too much and can hinder fit into some cases or DAP’s.
With a long-curved plastic sheath for over-ear use, the fit is good providing good strain relief. Once set, the IEM holds its place within your ear, and despite that shape I found I could wear them for good longer sessions. Not entirely comfortable mind you, but decently long times. Isolation using the patterned tips is decent, but not the best. When music is playing the sound does cover outside noise, but not completely. I do like the way this tip represents the sound more than the other included tips.
When moving my head, the fit becomes less “stable” and does change the sound as well as isolation levels. There is a bit of microphonics as well. Not as bad as some lately, but clearly heard.
Sound:
With proper insertion, the bass is rich and taught. Underlying Charlie Musselwhite’s Cadillac Women, the bass guitar is as it should be. Support, giving the foundation of what you need. This is an excellent blues anyway, and the BA10 presents that bass line as one would expect. Solid, almost formal, but knowing that it has a job to do. Good stuff.
Charlie’s vocals sound crisp, deep and full of velvety smoothness. Throw in his harmonica and the mids sound almost succulent. An apt description for a raucous blues song. Not oozing with gooeyness, but like that smoky BBQ sauce you can only get in Kansas City. Of course, I am running it through the iFi Pro iDSD, on full tube setting, which helps. Man, the Pro is exceptional in its own right, and playing a $90 IEM through them is a treat not to be missed. Keeping the iFi on tube setting (not full on), the reach of treble is adequate, without being harsh. As per previous reviews, I am averse to harshness up top, and the combination here is quite pleasing. I turn the volume up looking for any tainting of that sound, and it simply does not happen. Historically with Chi-Fi, once the volume goes up, the harsh treble presents itself to me as a sound, which I do not care for. Here though, that does not happen. And as mentioned in other reviews of late, there seems to be a trend away from that harsh upper note and I do approve.
Sound stage is a funny pickle with which to crave. Sometimes you want that expansive sound, such as when listening to classical or concert hall-type music for that is the representation, which provides the closest to real depiction. Here though, there is better height than depth and width. In fact, I would call this a fairly shallow sound depth-wise. Not overly expansive in width, but slightly beyond the ears, there is decent 3-dimensiality, but not the best. This would be that almost intimate pair for commuting. It is good, but different.
From that above, the layering and separation is decent again, but not the best. On a complicated song such as Sonny Payne Special, you get the bass supporting as well as the drums, with harmonica front and foremost. But, there really isn’t that distinct definition I would prefer. It isn’t bad mind you, but I would have preferred a bit more definition. I can pretty easily pick out the layers, though so that is a positive aspect.
Comparisons:
KZ BA10 ($89) vs KZ AS10 ($63ish):
The BA10 moves up scale a bit from the AS10, but my first “indoctrination” to KZ was in fact the AS10. And I liked it. I liked it a lot. I still prefer the slightly warmer sound of it to the “refined” sound of the BA10, but either would be fine additions to your stable. Both are good, I simply prefer the slightly warmer sound of the AS10. End of story.
KZ BA10 ($89) vs Simgot EN700 Pro ($119):
The Simgot came my way through a collaborative effort with Simgot. The two compared here share a sameness “different” look about them. One, which does take time to get used to, it really does. But, get beyond looks (as well all should) and focus on the sound. While the BA10 provides a nice detailed sound, the EN700 Pro bests it pretty much all around, in my book. Better bass, better representation of mids, and a somewhat sparkly sound of treble. The sound stage is wider as well. You might think that this then becomes a total cover for the Pro, but you would be mistaken. The BA10 has that soul of sound going for it (as does the Simgot), but when you look at the price you see that they compete at different levels. Again, I prefer the Simgot. It is good.
KZ BA10 ($89) vs MEE Audio M6 Pro G2 ($50):
Moving back to a new old friend, the M6 Pro G2 is the offspring of the critter, which brought me in to this rabbit hole. The first gen M6 Pro had its qualities, but had a harshness to it, that was hard to overcome. Thankfully (and in talking to the engineers) they overcame that. The M6 Pro G2 is now one of my favorites again. Not as easy to drive as the BA10, you do not mind, because any chance you get to turn Charlie Musselwhite up is a good chance.
Having better control of the bass, but not the quantity, the M6 Pro provides a more even sound. With better treble presentation (without the harshness), the M6 Pro is a very fine $50 unit, and should warrant serious consideration compared to many at that price. But you do understand that the refinement of it cannot compete with a 5 BA unit specialist. The M6 Pro is very, very good for what it is meant: an active sport life. And it represents itself very well in that vein. But, the refinement of the BA10 is hard to look away from when you are considering a critter for something other than working out. I still very much like the M6 Pro, though.
Finale:
This is a hard critter to characterize, and as such I really am at a conundrum. I like the BA10, but maybe not as much as the AS06, or ZSN. Something about those drew me in. The AS10 is also an excellent superb representation of the KZ sound. Knowledge Zenith is on a definite roll, and I do like the BA10, but it isn’t my favorite of the lot. Maybe this is a more mature sound for them, and as such it surely fulfills that niche. But maybe I was expecting a more raucous sound.
Companies such as KZ move quickly. VERY quickly, lest they get left behind. It seems that they turn a new critter out about every other week. That is entirely not in jest either. The BA10 was almost flavor of the month when it came out early last fall. Time and new units have moved by this unit, but that should not take away from a quite good unit, because it is good. Just not my favorite of the KZ lineup. I like rooting for the underdog, and the BA10 would be known as the favorite in this set of rounders. That does not discount that it is good and shouldn’t.
I again thank Lillian from Linsoul Audio for the faith shown in my less-than-stellar review skills. The BA10 is worth a look if you like unique looking items that also present a pretty decent sound. It is worth the look.
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