KZ Krila

KZ Krila: the IEM king?

Intro

KZ, following a formula similar to previous releases (D-FI and AS24) and backed by a fairly aggressive marketing campaign claiming that these IEMs have no rivals under $1000 USD, launched the Krila, which are currently available for $19 USD. How did they fare following the trend of switches?

If you wish to read this review in Spanish, click here

Check out previous reviews here (or in spanish here)


Disclaimers:

• Many thanks to the folks at KZ (especially Kate) for sending me this product to provide my honest opinion. You can find the Krila here: https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-krila?_pos=1&_sid=a865e9638&_ss=r&variant=44688778952955 (Official KZ Website)
• Analysis over 4 days - Sessions of approximately 2 to 4 hours
• All music is lossless (Qobuz > 16bit - 44.1kHz).
• Gear Used: IFI Zen Air Can (AMP) + Fiio E10K (DAC) / TempoTec Sonata HD PRO (dongle)

Unboxing, Build & Comfort

To be honest, there isn't much to say in this section, as my opinions and comments are exactly the same as those I wrote for the KZ D-FI, since the housing, switches, cable, and eartips are identical.





In summary: These IEMs have a faceplate constructed with a metallic alloy and a transparent resin body. They feature a QDC-type connector and come with a generic KZ silver-plated copper cable (which I immediately replaced). The package includes three pairs of Starline tips and one pair of foam tips, along with a tool for adjusting the switches.





What changes in the Krila is that it implements a second-generation 10mm XUN dynamic driver and a 30005 balanced armature (abbreviated as BA) for the high frequencies.



Sound Description

Once again, just like the KZ D-FI, the Krila offers 16 sound configurations. As I found with the previous iteration I reviewed, several configurations are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Therefore, I chose to analyze three configurations that provided distinct presentations:


Credits: Ian Fann

(Switches turned on are denoted by the letter "U", while switches turned off are denoted by the letter "D").

DDDD: Stock signature, nearly neutral, closely following the new "IEF Neutral 2023" curve with a very subtle bass lift.

DUDU: A configuration with slightly more bass elevation than DDDD, primarily focused on the sub-bass region, aiming to provide a well-balanced full-spectrum sound.

UUUU: The configuration with the most bass, where it has the greatest presence but still falls far from being at a basshead level that would negatively impact the overall signature.


Gaming

It's been a while since I delved into the gaming segment, and I thought of trying out the Krila in their DDDD configuration while playing Battlefield I to evaluate their soundstage and accuracy.



Since it's a rather chaotic video game, it's challenging for almost any headphones to pinpoint the exact source of each shot, explosion, or shout, so I won't blame the Krila for that situation.

In Verdun Heights, it demonstrated the spacious soundstage it can create, extending well in a two-dimensional manner to each side. In more confined maps like Fort De Vaux, the image becomes somewhat blurred amidst all the simultaneous gunfire. However, in situations where you're alone, and the enemy is approaching from another room, you can reasonably determine the direction of those approaching footsteps and how close you are to a face-to-face encounter with the opponent.

The depth and height of the soundstage are decent for the price, on par with what other IEMs in this price range achieve. It was more than sufficient for me to discern the positions of the other players.


Music

Albums used:

“30” – Adele

“Frank” – Amy Winehouse

“Romanza” – Andrea Bocelli

“Antonio Vivaldi : Les quatre saisons” – Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante

“Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op.20, TH.12” – Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

“Take Me Back To Eden” – Sleep Token

“Drive” – Tiesto

“Dirt Femme” – Tove Lo

“Alta Suciedad” – Andrés Calamaro

“Live After Death” – Iron Maiden



DDDD

The bass drum is usually perceived with a mild presence. For subbass lovers, this tuning is not recommended at all. It focuses on the bass, but since the signature follows a fairly neutral target, the bass doesn't stand out either. That's why I wouldn't recommend this configuration for current genres like pop or any subgenre of electronic music. The driver is fast enough to deliver the subtle bass without losing the rhythm in the music I listened to.

Female and male voices that belong to a similar vocal range, close to what is considered less sharp registers, have a smoother reproduction and may go somewhat unnoticed, while tenors and higher-pitched vocal registers shine a bit more when played.

The configuration in which I'll focus more on the mids: when listening to orchestras like the Boston Symphony, strings and wind instruments like the flute and oboes maintain a smooth and silky quality, while trumpets can have a hint of aggressiveness (a timbre issue from the BA). I've heard better string definition in other IEMs, but this prevents any particular instrument from taking a dominant role, resulting in better harmony within the ensemble. Overall, the perceived level of detail is slightly better than the average $20 USD earphones.

The tactile sensation of each note from electric guitars has moments of clarity, although it can feel a bit blurred at times.

There is good air and extension in the highs, bringing detail to the forefront. However, the use of a BA makes bells and cymbals sound somewhat metallic in their reproduction. Personally, I didn't find them piercing at low to moderate volume levels. The 8kHz peak can be found in certain passages where soloists sing a capella (or with soft instrumental accompaniment), slightly elongating the "S" or "T" sounds, but it's not a significant issue.


UUUU

The subbass takes a noticeable lead in the signature. There is a slight improvement in the differentiation between subbass and bass, which is noticeable when both are played simultaneously (e.g., in the chorus of “All Nighter”).

Regarding the mids and highs, two scenarios exist:

1 If the song has abundant low frequencies, the voices/instruments can feel somewhat overwhelmed by the bass. Honestly, this didn't cause conflicts in my enjoyment of the music because the boost in the bass wasn't excessive, merely adding a warm tint to the signature. Cymbals tend to sound somewhat more subdued in situations like this, which can be favorable. It alleviates the issues of "S" and "T" sibilance.

2 For songs with few or no bass, I noticed significant similarity in this mode to the DDDD mode. The vocals are quite prominent, with some instruments like strings or drum toms standing out slightly more than the vocals in their reproduction (DDDD places instruments and vocals on a more equal footing in comparison). Highs are similar, if not the same.


DUDU

The distinction between subbass and bass is "subtly worse" (in quotes because the difference is very slim) than in the UUUU configuration, which may be due to a less aggressive focus in that range.

In fact, taking the last words of the previous sentence, the DUDU configuration strikes a good balance across the entire frequency spectrum. This doesn't mean that the issues with the highs are entirely resolved with this configuration, but they tend to be slightly more subdued than in the stock signature (DDDD). Furthermore, the achieved balance allows a wide range of music genres to sound pleasing to the ear without the need to switch between configurations.

In terms of the mids, the bass takes a backseat to vocals and is on par or slightly behind instruments depending on the situation (in songs like "Flaca" and "Con te partirò", bassists are just slightly behind guitarists). As expected, the clarity of mid-range instruments is somewhat reduced compared to DDDD (for example, it's a bit more challenging to find the guitars at 1:30 in "Vivo per lei" behind the drums and bass).


Soundstage & Imaging

The Krila is an IEM that manages to create a fairly wide soundstage (even slightly wider than the 7Hz Zero), effectively conveying the sensations of a real stage. Like other IEMs in this price range, it doesn't achieve significant depth in the album "Live After Death," resulting in the drums having an unrepresentative distance from the singer (this aspect is better polished in the 7Hz Zero).

Furthermore, the width of the soundstage allows for above-average imaging and separation in this price range (an aspect where the Krila clearly outperforms the Zero).



Comparisons

To be completely transparent, KZ asked me to make comparisons with higher-priced IEMs so that you can understand how the Krila competes against them (for those who may not know, the KZ Krila was promoted as the IEM that would dethrone any IEM under $1000 USD, according to KZ...).


vs LETSHUOER S12 PRO ($135 USD)



For this comparison, I used the UUUU configuration of the Krila since that's the closest to the tuning of the S12 PRO.


Credits: Ian Fann

I typically provide insights on each frequency and how each IEM performs against the other. However, in this case, that's not necessary. The only advantage I can give to the Krila is a smoother transition with less bleed between bass and mids. Other than that, there's no need for discussion: the S12 PRO's details are superior, not by leaps and bounds but enough to justify its price of $135 USD. It offers a wider and deeper soundstage, creating an almost realistic stage for live albums, which leads to exceptional separation and imaging, thanks to the beautiful planar magnetic driver. The treble is less aggressive but with more extension and air. However, I believe the Krila does a good job in microdynamics, although it doesn't achieve the natural timbre of the high registers that the S12 PRO has.

In conclusion, the difference is noticeable, and switching from one to the other is essentially an upgrade, so in my opinion, the Krila doesn't pose much competition.


vs Ikko Opal OH2 ($80 USD)



A more equitable comparison is with Ikko Audio's OH2, using the stock configuration (DDDD) of the Krila.


Credits: soundcheck39

• It's noticeable that the bass bleed is much more pronounced in the OH2, making it more invasive in the signature. In contrast, the Krila focuses on subbass and not so much on the bass in the lower end of the spectrum, allowing voices and instruments to shine with greater clarity.
• The impact of kick drums and basslines has a more significant presence in the OH2, making them suitable for bass-focused music. However, this comes with the issue I mentioned earlier in other songs.
• Details in the subbass department go to the Krila, while in the bass section, it's a tie.
• Both IEMs achieve a level of naturalness, but they are not without their flaws. As I mentioned earlier, the Krila exhibits a metallic tonality in wind instruments like trumpets, whereas the OH2 doesn't have what I would call detailed mids for its price. So, the perception of details and perhaps naturalness (due to having less pronounced bass) goes to the Krila, while the OH2 delivers more realistic and upfront vocal reproduction, which also avoids the metallic timbre in the upper mids.
• The treble offers two completely different presentations, with the OH2's treble appearing "darker" in comparison. While it's enjoyable to extract details from a variety of songs when listening with the Krila, I preferred the relaxed and more natural reproduction of the OH2.
• The soundstage is wider in the Krila, while the depth is slightly less than that of the OH2. Image accuracy, overall, is decent in both, with the OH2 suffering more in my opinion as instruments from both sides tend to compact in the scene.

In general, this was a closer match, and I would say that the Krila is a good choice for those seeking a more analytical listening experience. On the other hand, the OH2 offers a relaxed presentation and doesn't exhibit that artificial timbre in the high frequencies which the Krila sadly has.



Conclusion

I've already discussed this with other people, but I'm not a fan of the implementation of multiple sound signatures, especially in this case where I doubt an average user would spend their time cycling through the 16 possible configurations. Nevertheless, the sonic capabilities of the IEM are well executed, and it feels like a small upgrade compared to the KZ D-FI in terms of treble extension. I can't overlook the metallic timbre in the high mids and highs, but in my opinion, this is an IEM that excels at being analytical and detailed for its attractive price, without being boring for the listener.

KZ Krila

Teddy Roosevelt is a badass. This is a great quote by him, and feel free to skip past it if you don’t want to read it.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Personally, I live my life by this. Any dumb dumb can criticize and say some raunchy things about another company. But we need to look at what others are doing and respect them for the survival for the efforts put in. KZ does make a lot, and I mean a lot of iems, not just in product but different types. This isn’t a once-a-season iem producer but a company that has so many iems like a new one every week. I'm impressed by their volume of iems, and feel they have great value in manufacturing and surviving especially at their insane prices often times a third of similarly driver iems.

As someone fairly new to the hobby I want to experience everything that I can, but as my funds for new gear go low and my shelves go high, I like many of us need to watch out what I have and gain for gear. KZ has been on my radar for a while, while I’ve tried a fair amount of their gear I don’t own anything from KZ as many reviewers have said poor things about them. Audio for me is about finding what I personally like and enjoy. So the challenge of reviewing a $1 dollar iem seems like a good deal. I spend a lot more than 1 dollar a month on audio, so 1 dollar is a fun amount of money as it might pay for the shipping costs of the iem. So a dollar to me is of no consequence to own a product that may or may not be enjoyable.
This iem took 8 days to get to me from California. (Note this is not the stock cable or tips, as I often test with a different cable to focus on the quality of the transducer, and I hate QDC connectors with the fire of a thousand suns.)




Song Choice: Tidal list here:
I listen to a wide variety of music. I pick the songs because of various reasons. But I picture myself locked away like Andy Dufresne from Shawshank blasting music and shut off from the world. It’s a blissful image.
The Marriage of Figaro -The opera song from Shawshank Redemption, terrible recording but fun and gets me in the mood to listen to music.
O mio Babino caro -This is a modern less operatic version but a song with great female vocals.
Video Rigoletto - “La donna e mobile” Sung by one of the three Tenors, great song for high-performing male vocals. Pavarotti is the greatest classic singer maybe ever. Fight me!
Iron man - The sound at the beginning is hard to make sound great, great drums, and cymbals, and if done right it feels like an old-school band.
I Will Survive (1981 recording, I like her voice, and the old vocals, the drums, and various natural instruments really make this a favorite for me.
There is a light That never goes out - Smiths ( A classic, I just love it. It’s mellow, and I can tell a lot of the tuning if this song is done right.)
Jump (I like how the sound effects are in this!)
Star Child Someone recommended this song to me, and I like how funky it sounds and has nice vocals and a mix of music and things going on.
Dicke Titten Ramstein The beginning is amazing and the bass hits hard. Great song. I love rock and metal. The German language fascinates me
Master of Puppets: Very fast song. Helps me determine if the driver can keep up.

Bass (20-60 Sub Bass, 60-250 Hz Mid Base)

The base tuning is pretty good. The quality of the base isn’t amazing but the tuning of it is fine. I do plan to try burn-in and such over the next few days.


Midrange (250 HZ to 800 HZ Low Mids, 600-200 Hz Mids, 2000-5000Hz Upper Mids)

The mids are tuned well and music sounds great on the KZ Krilla. Podcasts are great on this with no issues.


Treble (5000- 10000 Trebble/Highs, 10000 ++ HZ Upper Trebble & Air)

The treble is the worst part of this set, I feel it needs some help. No issues here. I’m able to game, listen to music, and a podcast all at once with this iem. It has incredible details that come across in the treble. Looking at the frequency response I thought that I would enjoy it more, but lacks a bit in the treble for me.

Gaming
This is a fine iem for gaming. While not extremely resolving, I would recommend it to many people. The technicalities and tuning are very strong for what it is at the price.

Shell -
The shell is solid, and clear with a black face plate. It fits well and doesn’t cause any fatigue. I think it has one of the better shells that I’ve encountered and the design isn’t perfect but it’s very strong and not boring for the price. It doesn’t stand out or bother me in any sense. This is a good shell with a good fit. My only complaint is the QDC connection and lack of a design motif.

Case- There is no case for the Krilla, which is somewhat disappointing, I think given the price it is understandable. The 7hz Zero doesn’t have a case or even a pouch.

Cable- It’s pretty average and just okay. I didn’t use it and used a different cable as I normally do when I use an iem as I feel it gives the iem the best chance to succeed and unbiased review a cable. While not a huge believer in the sonic quality of cable, I do find a bad cable frustrating and annoying. The cable pictured is an Altalune

Tip Selection - The tip selection is really nice! It has foam tips on it and two pairs of silicon tips with it. I used Divinius tips to give every iem a fair shake in comparison to other more expensive iems to test.


Quick-Fire Comparisons

In this section, I'll quickly compare the

Truthear: KZ Krilla VS. Hola (20 dollars)
Overall Tuning: KZ Krilla
Details: KZ Krilla

KZ Krilla VS. Truthear: Zero: Blue (50 dollars)
Overall Tuning: KZ Krilla
Details: Maybe a slight edge to Krilla


KZ Krilla VS. Hexa
Overall Tuning: Krilla in the base, Hexa in the treble, very on par with each other
Details: Hexa


Graph:


Sound - Final Impressions

This is a solid tuned iem. It’s very nice and strong for the price. The tuning is exceptionally done, but it lacks technicalities. But it is very nice. It has a similar tuning to the Kiwi Ears Quintet which I consider an amazing iem. Details and sparkles aren’t as good, but mids and base are basically perfect. It’s exceedingly enjoyable on most tracks and does very well. The quality of the base could be better. While this iem isn’t the say-all end of all, it has reasonable technicalities and comfort, especially for the price. I’m giving a recommendation and a solid 4 stars as an iem. I find it an excellent value at the price with a 3-star recommendation at a Tuning of an A and a technical grade of a B. It’s really solid and enjoyable, especially with the listed EQ below.

Recommended EQ: This iem is tolerable as far as quality goes. This EQ brings the pinna gain of the 3-4k region down a little and the 8k spike down a tiny bit as well. This also adds a significant base shelf to the Krilla. I find since the Krilla’s base seems a little less impactful the extra base increases the quality of the iem overall and I enjoy it a bit more. With EQ, this iem is a banger. The quality of the base just needs more. I didn’t really mess with the tuning switches.

Preamp: -4.8 dB
Preamp: -4.8 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 2.000
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 34 Hz Gain 4.6 dB Q 0.500
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 960 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 1.800
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3700 Hz Gain -3.4 dB Q 1.800
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5700 Hz Gain -3.8 dB Q 2.000
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 6100 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 1.300
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 11000 Hz Gain -12.0 dB Q 2.000
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 13000 Hz Gain 5.4 dB Q 0.500
Filter 9: OFF PK Fc 0 Hz Gain 0.0 dB Q 0.000
Filter 10: OFF PK Fc 0 Hz Gain 0.0 dB Q 0.000





Gifting/Who is it for: Due to its current price, I’d highly recommend this as a cheap iem to get started in the hobby. It is functional, cute, and practical. Great for a niece, nephew, or cousin who you don’t really see that often but want to give a nice little present to. It’s not the greatest gift iem from a presentation standpoint, but it sounds good and has a great shell design making it, not the worst either.


Pairing: I used a Quidelix 5k for mobile, my dongle dac iBasso DC04 for my laptop, and my JDS labs Element III MK2 Boosted for my Desktop PC. I also tried the iem briefly on the apple dongle as well.

Thanks for reading. Any feedback is welcome.