KZ LingLong XUN-6 external magnetic dynamic unit IEM

DESCRIPTION
XUN-6 external magnetic dynamic unit | 0.15MM Magnetic gap | 4-layer thickened voice coil.
XUN-6 dynamic unit is equipped with a high-order magnetic circuit system that is imitated in the industry. About 0.15MM magnetic gap process, four layers of thickened voice coil, high tension copper aluminum mixed voice coil wire. It lays the foundation for the overall excellent acoustic performance of Ling Long.
Like its name, its appearance adopts a minimalist aesthetic design, and the earphone chamber is made of pure aluminum alloy. Its net weight is only 18g and can be worn in various ways.

Specification:
Model: KZ-Linglong
Brand: KZ
Specification: without mic or with mic (optional)
Color: Silver
Sound production principle: dynamic
Wearing method: In ear type
Material: Metal
Frequency response range: 20-40000 Hz
Impedance: 25 Ω
Sensitivity: 103dB
Plug type: 3.5mm
Line length: 120cm ± 3cm
Type: Wired
Weight: 88g ± 5g
Package size: about 90 * 70 * 42mm/3.54 * 2.75 * 1.65inch

Sound;
Sub-Bass has more prominence than Mid-Bass, because of this there is very little bleed into the mids. The Bass in general is good but the KBear Little-Q and Dumpling produce a much better-quality bass.
Mids: are thin and forward but there's not too much energy there. Female vocals sound better than male.
Clarity and separation are good.
Treble: Is smooth and lackluster with a few peaks and a tiny bit of sparkle on top.
Soundstage: is open and wide, seems accurate for most uses.

Conclusion: This is a decent IEM but there are better options, although the cost is worth the tips and case perhaps.
Its not horrible it performs well just not up to the hype generated.

Source(s)

• Truthear Shio
  • Adds some warmth and body to vocals, making them sound a little fuller.

Ear tips

• AET07
  • Fairly neutral ear tips with a decently hard stem for a comfortable fit.

Packaging

• Comes with a decent amount of accessories

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2598816374113975871/4430422938345300151#





Build Quality

• Lightweight.
• Aluminium alloy body.
• Overall, solid build quality.

Fit

• Nozzle is quite narrow and short.
• Some tips like the CP145 and S&S tips did not fit well and will slip out easily.
• Eventually, I managed to get a comfortable fit with AET07, stock tips fits well too but a little too stiff and uncomfortable.
• Overall, it fits quite well into my ears without me feeling anything throughout my listening sessions.
• Also, do note that whenever I put these in my ears, it creates a pop and cracking noise which I assume is from driver flex, it happens almost every single time I insert it.

Tonality

• V shape with an extra sub bass boost.

Bass

• Sub bass is more prominent compared to the mid bass.
• Tight and well controlled, no bass bleeds into the midrange.
• The bass has a good amount of rumble, slam and depth.
• However, the quality of the bass is subpar, and not very well textured.
• The quantity of bass is very sufficient, makes everything exciting but bass lovers may want a little more.

Midrange

• Midrange is clean, with a little bit of warmth which makes it sound quite natural.
• Male vocals may sound a bit lean and lacking a little bit of lushness but within the range of realistic.
• Female vocals sounds engaging and quite forward, but not to the point of being shouty and fatiguing even after long listening sessions.
• Instruments sound organic and natural, and texture is surprisingly decent, without sounding too congested or blended.

Treble

• Treble is quite smooth, with decent extension.
• Treble has a touch of sparkle to add some excitement and prevent it from sounding too dull.
• Details in the treble are surprisingly decent.... for the price, at least.
• Overall, the treble is not harsh, with only minimal peaks/sibilance.

Technicalities

Detail Retrieval

• Resolution is decent overall, but I do find the midrange is a little less detailed than desired. However, it is overall fairly decent for the price, and is certainly good enough for everyday casual listening.

Soundstage

• Soundstage is decently wide, but is a little average when it comes to height and depth. Personally, I do not hear a significant difference for soundstage with the added advantage of the open back design.

Imaging

• Imaging and accuracy is fairly average, I am able to tell where the instruments and vocals come from but only very roughly,
• Gaming:
  • Apex Legends: Sound of footsteps and gunfire can be judged vaguely, left or right, far or near, but not exact.

Separation

• Separation and layering is decent.
• However, don't expect it to perform way above its price point, it's just decently above average for the price.
• Runs busy tracks fine, but it does sounds congested if it gets very busy sometimes.

Conclusion

• Quite worthy of $15, suitable to be used as a beater or short term replacement set.
  • If there is a sale for this, I would say that it is very worth to buy even if it is just for the hard case only.
• Fairly well tuned with actually decent technicalities (for the price).
• Recommended if you're looking for a cheap, well tuned and engaging bullet style IEM.

Thanks for reading!

Ling Long: 玲珑 means either delicate, intricate or exquisite according to the online Chinese-English dictionary.


And what I have here is the KZ Ling Long, It is KZ's own take on a bullet style earphone. As far as I know, they released a bullet-style earphone before. No need to introduce Knowledge Zenith or KZ as we already know their reputation and their still dominant position in the ultra-budget/ entry-level segment in the audio market.



KZ Ling Long has a single 6mm dynamic PET (polyethylene terephthalate) diaphragm dynamic driver and chambered into high quality magnetic structure to give a improve its performance of its electric flux on its drivers to deliver a more organic, more transparent and less distortion on its sound quality. It was housed in a light aluminium alloy shell of semi-opened back design which gives a less heft and its overall ergonomic design is more of a utilitarian and minimalist approach. KZ claims that its nozzles undergo a CNC-milling process to give the best possible insertion inside our ears. This earphone is a non-detachable OFC cable with a L-shaped termination plug of 3.5 mm SE.



This set is quite comfortable as it rests well into my lug holes without any issues unlike some more expensive sets which has similar form factor and has a decent sealing as it blocks some external noises coming from the surroundings. This bullet-style design even gives us more options on how we will wear them, either like a wired earbud or the cables behind our ear just like an IEM.



Like most KZ products, KZ Ling Long product packing is simple. It has packed in small, light brown-coloured box with basic inclusion but this is quite different as KZ decided to include an earphone case.



Here are the contents inside the box:


■ KZ Ling Long in-ear earphones

■ a hard PVC plastic IEM case.

■ 2 pairs of narrow-bored, white-coloured ear tips of different standard sizes. (small and large)

■ Instruction manual.



As for amplification and scalability rating, KZ Ling Long can be driven decently but you need to crank up a volume level a bit to achieve better dynamics and fuller range sonic quality so that we can enjoy its engaging and enveloping sound. It can be amplified with decent power output from either smartphone, tablet or laptop but putting them into better sources like DAPs and desktop Amp/DAC will even show KZ Ling Long's full potential.



The tonality of KZ Ling Long is leaning towards having a balanced-warmish tuning and takes a more U-shaped sonic profile. It has an elevated bass and treble and then a neutral midrange.


LOWS/BASS:


Initially, on my first impression about its bass quality, KZ Ling Long has a good punch with decent depth and quite precise on its delivery. It has a good balance on both sub bass and mid bass.


It has an adequate rumbling sound and reverberation produced from sub bass-focus tracks that I've tested from synth-pop to electronica. It has a sufficient texture on its mid bass as it gives an ample, balanced note weight on specific instruments such as bass kick drums, bass guitars and bass-baritone vocals. Bass kick drums have a sustaining and thudding sound on them while bass guitars have an earthy and broad sound of every growl and roar from either riffs, fills or solos. And bass-baritone vocals have an ample dense and dark sound quality on how they project their guttural voices.


MIDRANGE:


The midrange presentation of the Ling Long has noticeably slight recession in the overall frequency range spectrum but it has a sufficient warmth to provide some textured, balanced and decent clarity on both instruments and vocals.


Both male and female vocals are well-balanced and have a good consistency on their respective texture. On male vocals, baritones have its an ample warmth and smoothness on them, countertenor have their distinctively pleasant sounding characters due to their agile and light vocals while tenors have its enough fullness and energetic to deliver that juicy sound but I do some nitpicking on this one, probably it has a bit lacking of brassy and spiciness that I really want on this particular vocal type. As for female vocals, it gives that rich and throaty quality on contraltos, a mildly fiery and tangy sound on mezzo-sopranos. And then on sopranos, it fares better on lyrical ones rather than dramatic and coloratura types due to lack of energy and range but at least it gives that silky sound on the lyrical-types. Instruments on this one seems sounds quite balanced too that it gives buttery sound on guitars, vibrant and luscious sound on violins, a substantial and velvety sound on toms , a mellow and shuffling sound on snares, a warmer and soft tone on a piano, a smoother and darker sound on trombones and a mellow and even more sombre sound on saxophones.



HIGHS/TREBLE:


The treble quality of KZ Ling Long is very balanced, smooth and somehow linear. There is a peak on the upper mids area but that one gives enough boost on vocals and percussions. Sibilance is well-controlled and there is no hint of harshness on them.


On the presence range, it has a sufficient shimmer to give enough clarity and details on how it gives a rather lustrous yet resonant sound on cymbals. It also has a decent sparkle on the KZ Ling Long to give an average extension on its air.



SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:


I can assure you that the technical performance of this set isn't its strongest asset based on my observations for long listening session


On its overall sonic field dimensions, it has an average to above-average sound/speaker stage width, a decent height reach and decent depth from front to back which gives a decent head room within my aural spatiality.


Imaging is rather a typical two-dimensional, stereo panning presentation as I hear the placements of vocals and instruments on both sides of each channel but it doesnt give an exact position as the presentation itself is rather hazy. It has a decent separation as it give a decent gap but layering is a challenging one that it doesn't give a distinction on both frequency and dynamic layering of each tone from instrument which might be problematic on more complex tracks like orchestras, jazz and movie scores.


On resolution capabilities, it focuses more on macro-dynamics rather than micro details. Macro-dynamics is more dominant as it shows a more physicality on its note definition while resolving on details and nuances from an audio track isn't particularly impressive.


As for coherency of its drivers, it has a very fast , better handling on its transient note and not a hint of distortion. The timbre of this set was natural and balanced sound with just slightly warmth on it.



PEER COMPARISONS:


SOUNDMAGIC E10

■ I've tested this one as a demo unit a long time ago in a local HiFi Store around 2018. It also has a similar form factor but more bulkier and also made of high quality aluminium alloy and it has more solid cable in my opinion.

■ It has a more V-shaped sound signature with punchy and precise bass response and even cleaner, a more recessed midrange but it has a better clarity and definition and treble is a bit brighter that it has that detail and sharpness.

■ On technicalities, it is actually more decent compared to Ling Long, a tad more spacious soundstage, better separation and more improvement on layering those it still struggles on complex tracks and better detail retrieval.


ETYMOTIC MC3

■ To be honest, almost all Etymotics give me a very unpleasant fit and a discomfort on my ear canals including this model as I can't take a long listening session on them. But Etys can give you the possible sound isolation like the MC3

■ As for tuning, they are rather more on "balanced-neutral" tuning. Its has tighter bass, more neutral and too linear midrange up to treble which gives a more boring, dry and almost lifeless sound from MC3. Treble is subdued, too laidback and doesn't have a sparkle.

■ Technicalities isn't MC3's asset, as it has a narrower sound/speaker stage, a glutinous and compression of elements which gives a dismal separation and layering aspect.



To sum up my conclusion about this product, It looks like KZ is finally upping their game when it comes to tuning, which leaves a good impression on me. A non-detachable cable is indeed the unfavourable feature of this set as I really prefer a removable cable in my all ear/head gears. But with its mature tuning and natural tonality, I won't mind its primary con and I will definitely recommend this one to budget-conscious audio enthusiasts out there.


It's a laudable achievement for KZ that they really fulfilled their promise to deliver some well-tuned products at a cheap and affordable price.


KZ Ling Long is now available at KZ's official store at Shopee. Check the link below.

◆◆SHOPEE◆◆





SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: KZ LING LONG
IMPEDANCE: 25Ω
SENSITIVITY: 103dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: NON-DETACHABLE
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC 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 *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*


P.S.

I am not affiliated to KNOWLEDGE ZENITH 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 send my gratitude to KZ especially to TYVAN LAM for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate his generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Before I even begin this review, first let me apologize for my weird English and grammatical mistakes.

The KZ Ling Long is sent directly from KZ but rest assured, this review is 100% my subjective opinion.
just in case you want to purchase the Ling Long, you can find them directly on the KZ Website below
https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-ling-long

KZ Ling Long
1DD


let's start this from the Packaging and Unboxing

The Build of the IEM, first thing that I noticed is that the cable used is just your generic entry level KZ Cable, and its non detachable. as for the IEM itself, its very small and build from metal, but its very lightweight, besides that there are vents on the side, though I still notice there are some driver flex if I put the Ling Long to deep into my ears.

Fitting
The Ling Long is very comfortable because its light weight and how small the shape is.
The fitting model is not over the ear but you can still roll the cable behind your ears to make it wears like standard over the ear model if that's your preference.
Without further ado, lets talk about the Sound

Sound tested using Apple Dongle and LP W2-131
Music is mostly from Apple Music Lossless
Genre : J-POP, J-Rock, Anisong, EDM, Metal, RAP, Jazz
Tonality in general its more to the Harman neutral with extra sub-bass boost.

Bass : the Sub-bass is deep, have decent punch and rumble but NOT the most rumbliest / punchiest IEM that I've ever heard. The bass is very neat, no masking effect to midrange, as for the speed, its speedy enough to be used for metal genre (tested on Trivium - Catasthropist), as for the bass quantity, its not on basshead level but its still usable for EDM.

MID : forward and lean, not thin, just lean, vocal is free from shoutiness and sibilance, for instrument its also more to the leaner sounding and forward, but never too forward (tested on Violet Evergarden OST)

Treble : smooth, airy, non offensive treble presentation

Decay : overall decay of the Ling Long (bass, mid, treble) is rather "Long"

Timbre : is OK, I cant find anything to fault on the timbre side

Technicalities :

Stage : spacious, but without any exact wall placement, it sounds like wide space of void, its symmetrical in width and depth, also usable for gaming (tested on Valorant)

Imaging : Average, it's decent but nothing special, its not 2D sounding but for sure not holographic.

Separation and Positioning : Separation is decent, no masking effect, no overlapping, left and right positioning is also very good, not razor sharp but its very good.


Comparation:

Moondrop Quarks OG : Quarks OG shell is from plastic, same non detachable cable, the Quarks build quality feels rather cheap compared to the Ling Long, as for the sound, Quarks OG has more punchy bass, bass is more focused on the mid bass rather than sub bass, but the transition between bass and mid on Quarks is not that great, it masked some of the midrange content, but on the same time Quarks OG has a very forward and even shouty midrange, too forward presentation probably to compensate the bass masking effect. As for the treble, both are smooth sounding.
Technicalities side, both is very close to each other.

KZ ZVX : Build of the ZVX is from heavy metal, to be honest its too heavy for my personal use, though it has detachable cable.
As for the sound, the ZVX is more fun compared to Ling Long, more punchy bass, more dense and weighty overall presentation. treble is more sparkly compared to the Ling Long as for technicalities, ZVX beats Ling Long in all aspects.

Conclusion
IMO the Ling Long is one of ultra budget IEM that can be used for your ultra budget EDC item, you can use it while working your job without getting distracted by the sound.
It has rather non-offensive, and not demanding any attention when you listen to it, so you can still multi-task while listening to your favorite tracks.

KZ Ling Long is recommended if :

• You're on a Tight budget
• Need IEM for multitasking / EDC Item
• Want an IEM with non-offensive tuning

KZ Ling Long is NOT so recommended if :

• You want an IEM that demands your attention when listening to it
• Want more fun sounding IEM
• Want more flatter sounding IEM
• Want the most technical prowess IEM
• You overthink about non detachable cable

Just in case you're Indonesian or somehow understand Bahasa Indonesia, here is my video review in Bahasa Indonesia


thats all from me for now,
I will probably edit this later to fix my weird English

-littlenezt

Introduction‎​

I was casually scrolling through Facebook one day and I saw a post from the ChiFi Audio group with the IEM named "Linglong". I thought to myself: "Huh. Does KZ, a Chinese brand not know that it is a racial slur used against Asian people (including myself)? That is amusing. " Eventually after my ADHD brain settled down I realized that it is a bullet-styled IEM, a design that I prefer. I then proceed to check on how much they cost at my local marketplace.

$8!?

I promptly made the purchase (impulsively) despite the fact that I don't listen to music due headaches I get thanks to ADHD, and decided to give the Ling Long a chance anyways. Boy was that a good decision.
‎

*Professional* audio analysis​

yes

Bass​

Don't be intimidated by the bass from the graph, because it does not sound as 'in your face' as it looks. The sub-bass boost is most present in hip-hop tracks. If you are a bass-head these will likely not satisfy you due to the lack of mid-bass.

Mids​

Lower mids are slightly recessed but males vocal sounds great. The boost somewhere between the 1khz - 2khz region suits my preference and makes vocals and instruments sound lush.

Treble​

There is added treble to make it sound crispy - the smooth kind. Treble is perfect when paired with a neutral source. Female vocal sounds amazing. Symbal crashes sound sparkly enough. These are prone to sibilance and some tracks are harsh to my ears as I am extremely treble sensitive. SICKO MODE by Travis Scott absolutely destroyed my eardrums.

Technicalities​

Soundstage is the widest among the bullet-style iem I have tried, but lacks depth. Seperation is average. Detail retrieval is average, does not help by the dip in upper mids. Staging is average for $6, but poor at $15.

Conclusion​

If the KZ brand does not offend you then you should definitely try these out.

Tips to reduce Driver Flex/Pressure build-up​

• Wear these like how you would wear regular IEMs
• Use eartips that has less/poor seal
• Make sure your earholes are dry
• Open your mouth while inserting (it really helps)
• Drill a hole in the housing? :LUL:

Configuration used in review​

DAC - CX-Pro CX31993, VE Odyssey HD & JCALLY AP7
Eartips - Stock eartips, Acoustune AET07, Dunu S&S

Price & Links​

Ranges from $6.5 to $14.99

(Random Fun Fact: The Ling Long is a Chinese name/word which means clink of jewels / exquisite / detailed and fine / clever / nimble).
Disclaimer:

• I don’t read and read FR graphs. I only use my ears, as how earphones should be used.
• KZ sent this unit to me in an exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will do its best to devoid from any bias/es as much as possible.
• 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: 4-8 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• Fosi Audio DS1
• Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96), Laptop.
• Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: stock small eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, low gain and high gain,with and without extra amplification.

========================================================================
Sound signature:

• One may say that the KZ Ling Long exhibits a warm-v-shaped sound, a u-shaped sound, or even a neutral-bass boosted sound signature as well. All of those are somewhat correct and are within the common ground. The KZ Ling Long to my ears sounds L-shaped. It sure is bassy, and exhibits smooth, non-fatiguing upper frequencies.

Lows:

• The lows are definitely present and elevated here, and they may be the highlight of this IEM. Because of its rumbly presentation, it is subbass dominant. To my liking, the speed and decay are average, and they improve as you feed it more power (using it with high gain). Some people may describe the bass as "slow" and "soft," especially on bass-heavy tracks. Budget-conscious bassheads may enjoy this IEM and use it as their daily beater for commuting.

Mids:

• Moving on to the mids, it sounds "perfectly placed" to me. However, when underpowered, it may experience a slight recession (like pairing it with a non-LG smartphone). The lower mids are warm and have a lot of texture and thickness, which is especially noticeable on the main vocals. Upper mids are also well-positioned in terms of presence, though they may be slightly elevated depending on the track and setup. Despite the lack of sibilance, peaks, or harshness, the Ling Long managed to provide adequate clarity and sparkle for the majority of users, but will be described as "lacking or lifeless" by some due to its "unelevated" presence most of the time.

Highs:

• The treble is well-extended here, with no harshness or noticeable peaks. I wouldn't call it rolled off because it extends well and smoothly, but it can be described as "lifeless or flat" by those who prefer an engaging, fun sound, just like its mids. Detail retrieval is adequate, as it captures the majority of details fairly well.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• In a nutshell, the technical performance of the Ling Long is average for its price. It has no negative or underwhelming qualities, but it isn't the "best IEM under 15USD" or anything along those lines. Because of its "semi/open-back" design, the soundstage here is above average in terms of width, depth, and height. Separation and layering are average and will suffer from congestion on extremely busy tracks, especially heavy metal tracks. Imaging is average, at best, as it accurately presents vocal and instrument positions.

Sound Comparison/s:

• Vs the KZ EDA Balanced
  
  • The KZ EDA Balanced is more “neutral” and lighter when compared, in terms of sound quality and presentation. It is less bassy and has more upper frequency presence. Both are really good for its price but you should only choose one if we’re being practical.
• Vs the Tanchjim Zero
  
  • They are literally the complete opposite in terms of sound as the Zero is bass-light, neutral, and will somewhat sound “dry” when compared to the Ling Long. Technicalities is where the Zero excels at within this price range, but the Ling Long takes the cake in the soundstage department.
• Vs the Tanchjim Tanya
  
  • Hard to drive, rolled off treble. Ling Long is better.
• Vs the Moondrop Quarks
  
  • Hard to drive, generic Moondrop sound. Ling Long is better, price-to performance-wise.
• Vs the Final Audio E3000
  
  • Man, that’s old. Brings me back to my newbie days, 2017 era. It is better tonally but still has rolled off treble and definitely harder to drive. The Ling Long is about 80% the same in terms of sound quality when compared while being cheaper.

Pros:

• One of KZ’s “better” budget options. A bassier alternative to the EDA Balanced (subjective).
• All-rounder, bassy sound.
• One of their smoothest-sounding IEMs as well.
• Rumbly, fairly-controlled bass.
• Well-positioned mids in terms of presence (subjective)
• Fatigue-free upper frequencies without sounding rolled off.
• Decent-good technical performance for its price point.
• Easy to drive and scales well depending on the setup paired.
• Very good build quality for a budget IEM.
• Very good fit and comfort.
• Decent quality of accessories. The included hard case is a very good treat!

Cons:

• Bass presentation and quality may improve depending on how much power you pair with the IEM, particularly in its speed.
• Vocals and instruments may come off as “lifeless” or “boring” to some. (subjective).
• Separation and layering may degrade on very busy tracks (nitpick).
• Driver flex is present on this IEM due to lack of a/some pressure vent/s. Eartip rolling may help.
• Cable microphonics is slightly present on this IEM. They could’ve included a shirt clip to lessen that.
• L/R indicators are a bit too small and hard to be seen at a glance. Colored/dotted markings would’ve helped.

KZ hasn't released a bullet-type IEM in a long time. The KZ Ling Long reminded me of their older model, the ED9, which was considered "revolutionary" by some at the time due to its interchangeable nozzles and very good sound quality for the price. Despite not having any gimmicks like the latter, or most earphones released and available in the saturated "audiophile" market, the KZ Ling Long managed to impress me in that regard. No, it isn't the "best" or a "killer" in its price range, but it does provide very good sound quality and is designed as a daily driver IEM to cater to most people, including non-audiophiles who simply want a decent sounding set of earphones - and sometimes, that is enough!


Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: It is easy to drive, but pair it with a neutral source if possible, for better results.
• Eartips: The eartips are soft and comfy enough for daily usage. However, you may use your preferred third party eartips. Eartip rolling may also lessen the driver flex of the IEM.

Thank you for reading!

Non-affiliated link here: https://kz-audio.com/kz-ling-long.html

Additional Photos here:

INTRODUCTION:

KZ, an underdog brand based out of China is a well established brand among the audiophiles known for their extensive collection of earphones in the ultra budget category. Though they tend to have some midrange priced earphones, their budget category always ruled the market for some time. To freshen up their budget lineup the Linlong has been released with a new mature tuning and in this review let's check out them in detail.



SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: XUN-6 Dynamic Driver

Impedance: 25±3Ω

Earphone Sensitivity: 103±3dB/mW

Frequency Range: 20-40000 Hz

Connector Type: 0.75mm 2 Pin

Plug Type: 3.5mm Straight Plug

Microphone: Yes

Cable: OFC Oxygen-free copper cable

DESIGN AND FIT:

Construction: Metal housing with fixed cable and comes with a functional open back design.

Fit: Bullet shaped hence the fit is snug and comfortable.

DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been purchased by me hence the whole views are based on my observations with this product and not influenced by the brand to manipulate this review. The views might differ from person to person based on the sources and pairings along with the product.

SOUND:

The sound profile of the Linlong based on the graph does follow a nice W shaped curve but in reality they sound pretty balanced overall. The tone and timbre is kept pretty natural and organic as possible thus no colouration had been seen making them a very different KZ. A very transparent, dynamic and open sound making them one of a blind buy in this segment and will discuss about the sound in detail through the following sections.

BASS:

The Linlong has been tuned to produce more sub bass over the mid bass to make them appear more clean, open and well separated.

The sub bass is pronounced well with marker elevation making their reach one of the best in the segment. It does provide those subtle rumbles in the low end providing a nice ethereal environment. Even the bass heads would get satisfied by the sub bass presence in the Linlong. A clean and controlled sub bass has been presented in the Linlong.

The mid bass section is made cleaner by reducing their warmth. The fullness is adequate but definitely the bass heads would appreciate a little more presence. The bass can be termed here as mature and controlled. The kick drums are clearly separated out and this handles the complex bass tracks without any issues.



MID SECTION:

The mid section even though appears recessed on the graph, in reality they sound nice and engaging with pleasing placement in the staging. The placement of the vocals are neither laidback nor too forward; rather , it's in a very appropriate position making them more engaging.

The lower mid section is presented very clean since the mid bass is not that overly warm. The bleed is negligible making them sound more cleaner and well separated. The male vocals do have a nice body to it and the engaging placement of them made it even more charming.

The upper mid section is elevated in a controlled fashion yet keeping the sibilance out of subject. Unlike other KZ’s, the linlong has a beautiful upper mid presentation making the female vocals sound smoother yet crisp enough.

The instruments in the background are neatly brought out without any congestion and thanks to the bigger staging of the Linlong due to its semi-open back nature. The notes are widely spaced out making them to provide a nice grand presentation.

TREBLE:

The treble in the Linlong has been tuned masterfully which sounds very open and airy. Due to its semi open back nature the treble seems to contain vast amounts of air making them sound more transparent and open. The shimmer and brilliance in the top end is pretty great for the price and no sort of congestion or crushing of the notes has been observed.

The cymbal crashes and the trumpets sounds natural and has that hint of organic timbre. The attack and decay of the percussion instruments are precise and don't leave that after the splash effect.

The detail retrieval in the treble section is really above average for the price where most of the nuanced notes and instruments are brought out well with adequate brightness. The sibilance is kept under control hence making them a good pair for longer listening sessions.



TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The biggest star show of this IEM is the staging where this feels very wide due to its open back nature. The back vent is actually functional since closing them made the staging a bit closed during listening. The wider staging helped in providing a grand presentation with immense space for the placement of the instruments and the vocals. The height is adequate and the depth sensation is made deep enough since the sub bass is on the deeper side.

IMAGING AND LAYERING: Since the staging is wider the imaging felt effortless where the placement of the notes are precise enough. The layering is pretty good in the Linlong due to a very open and transparent sound. Notes of different depths and weights are neatly differentiated out without any disturbances.

VERDICT:

Linlong, the ultra budget offering from the house of KZ is an excellent all rounder in this price segment. KZ really nailed this time with the Linlong even starting from the package where instead of giving a conventional type of cardboard boxes for the contents, they provided a nice hard case storage box in which all the contents are packed. This is definitely a praise worthy act from the KZ and hope they continue it in their next releases too. The earphone itself is completely made out of metal which makes them premium and sturdier, however the cable is fixed.

The Linlong adopts a XUN-6 Dynamic Driver in it thus sounding open and transparent which is pretty unusual from the KZ but they did it this time in a well fashioned way. The timbre and tone is organic making them sound more natural and realistic. The more concentration here is towards the sub bass which sounds fantastic for the price and in fact it's one of the cleanest bass responses I have seen in this price segment. The mid bass has warmth but not overly done making them sound more clean and well separated.

The mid range has an engaging presence with a good amount of detail retrieval. Both the upper and lower mid section are concentrated equally. The vocals are placed in a pleasing position and the organic tone makes them sound richer. The sibilance is kept under control and even while playing harsh tracks the earphones tend to smoothen them out elegantly.

The treble feels open, airy and detailed enough, thanks to the open back design. Has adequate brightness hence the percussion instruments to sound upfront and clear. The technical aspects are above average for the price and the staging and layering tends to be the superior aspects.

Overall, the Linlong is a solid earphone and a blind recommendation to anyone looking for an absolute value for money earphone in the budget range. After seeing tons of earphones with KZ’s usual V shaped sibilant prone tuning the Linlong feels like a fresh new package with a mature tuning overall. An UNEXPECTED WONDER from the house of KZ indeed!

Disclaimer: Thank you and kudos to KZ for arranging this review unit, all herewith are based on own observation with no affiliation nor obligation, noob observation - please enjoy.

Low Cost Value Performer with Low Sub Bass, Good Mid Vocal and Treble details

Packaging / Presentation :

Packaging is in small brown box. IEMs are metal alloy built, sturdy looking with open back vent hole. Comes with 3 white silicon tips in S M and L. Bonus with a solid looking storage box.

Equipment used / Music choices :

ASUS Laptop WIN 11 with Spotify Connect to

• ifi UNO DAC to FSA Beyond HD Amplifier 6.35SE and Supplier HD Linear Supply
• Topping DX3PRO DAC to Topping Amplifier L30 6.35SE
• ifi Zen Dac v2.0 interconnected to ifi Zen Can 3.5SE/4.4BAL

Sony walkman A55 with Fiio A5 Portable Amplifier 3.5SE
LG G7+ 3.5mm SE with Shangling UP5 2.5bal/3.5SE/4.4bal BT LDAC

Music Tracks - variety of EDM, pop, rock, jazz, country, instrumental, classical, audiophile male/female, chinese / cantonese favourites.

Some of tracks used -
Need you tonight - INXS,
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp,
I'm Good - David Guetta and Bebe Rexha,
Dancing in the Dark - LOLO,
Snow Throwing – Lose Again,
IntroOooOoo – Kidkanevil, Daisuke Tanabe,
Camomile - Fields of Gold,
Brydshot and Bye - Dimlite,
Mushroom Picker Dance - Floex,
Ed Sheeran - I Don't Care,
Glass Tiger - Thin Red Line,
Symphony No.5 in C Minor by Beethoven,
Bubbles – Yosi Horikawa,
Ageispolis – Aphex Twin,
Original remastered – Leftfield, etc..

Sound Impression :

Overall Tonality and Timbre - sounds organic and natural and smooth. The 6mm single dynamic driver deliver Low Sub Bass with rumble, mid bass slams hard and deep, is fast and snappy. The treble is good in imaging, instrument separation and adequate micro details.

Bass – can deliver Low Sub Bass with Rumble, the bass transient speed is fast and snappy. The bass is actually well controlled and accurate, kick drum and strikes are quite precise.

Mids – female vocals are natural and forward sounding with good weight tone. Male vocal sounds a bit nasal.

Treble - instruments separation and imaging are clear and concise, accurate and precise, cymbals and high hats are good, have adequate micro details.

Soundstage is considered good average in width, average in depth and height.

All testing are done using the stock tips.

KZ Ling Long Comparison to

Tanchjim Tanya as compared is a warmer sounding set, thicker sounding weight tone in vocal, background music and darker tonality in overall presentation.

Final Audio E1000 as compared is a more neutral sounding set without the Low Sub Bass Rumble, same quality in bright and clear sound with wide soundstage.

Final Thoughts

This is a good tuning set for those that enjoy Low Sub Bass, fast and snappy Bass that hits hard and deep. Mid Vocal are represented well, crisp and clear, bright and organic. I prefer the Female Vocal more than the Male. Treble highs are good with adequate micro details and resolution. In terms of Value over Performance, play most music genre well, this is a no brainer, for those without such a set in their collection.