KZ x HBB PR2

General Information

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  • Product Name:KZxHBB PR2
  • Impedance:15±3Ω
  • Sensitivity:94±3dB
  • Frequency : 20-40000Hz
  • Plug: 3.5MM
  • Pin: 0.75MM
  • Cable type: silver-plated cable
  • Cable length: 120±5cm

Latest reviews

Half Note

Member of the Trade: Tangzu
KZ PR2 : I'd give it 0.5 stars if I could
Pros: - Marks the all time low pricewise for planars

- Can't think of any other pros
Cons: - Build is horrendous

- Packaging is a joke at this point

- Tuning is very far from usual HHB tastes

# Intro/disclaimer :​


- This product has been bought on my own, without any incentive from any party to write this review.
- I write this after writing the main body of the article, brace yourselves folks. It's rare I get this rowdy when writing, and my language will stray from the usual form I try to stick to, but we have some serious work to do.

-Here are the photos, still not possible to embed them for some reason : https://imgur.com/a/QugYXpw

# First Impressions :​

- The KZ unboxing is a meme at this point. Asking twice the price of a regular entry level product like a Tangzu Wan'er or Truthear Hola, you get so little in the box : the worse cable KZ ever made, from horrible outer plastic and connectors (I rate it worse than the old twisted brown cable, that says a lot) to a **single** pair of foam tips too small to be useful. No silicones, no small bore/wide bore choice, nothing.
Finally you get the IEMs themselves, which as you can see through the shell is unnecessarily large. The shell itself is one of the worst constructions KZ made in a long time, the plastic nozzle being the final spit on your face. It only reminds me of the OG ZS10, before the ZS10 Pro came out. So, just to say I'm not impressed. Oh, and there's quite the channel imbalance on my unit.

- You kinda have to change everything to use these. Dunu S&S tips seem to help the most. I went and ripped the cable from the now ancient CRN (one year in the real world is a decade in IEM world). So, even though the PR2 is quite cheap for a planar, plan the extra expenses left and right if you wanna use them. Oh, did I mention you're gonna need an amp ?

# Sound :​

- Stock tuning confuses me to no end. Here I am presented with an HBB logo, so I have expectations. I already reviewed the Kai eons ago, so I know Chris' tastes. But the PR2 is way off from the HBB signature. The sub bass is pushed way too much, and that's coming from someone who daily drives an IE900. The midrange is recessed to an excessive degree, and the treble is is a chaotic mess with excess energy starting from the upper mids, finishing by a huge spike in the ultra highs. Not a pleasant listen, no matter the genre.
- I'll get to the technicalities later, but for the price of the PR2 there are much, much better options out there. Especially if you don't have adequate amplification already, the PR2 is looking even worse for consideration.

# Tonality :​

- There is so much sub bass. Too much sub bass. Way too much. To the point where you loose the midbass, and instead of hearing the note played on the bass you hear the flub of the speaker cone. It's that bad, and overshadows the low mids because of the, yes, 12dB boost @36dB.
- Mids have seemingly been forgotten when designing, producing or anything else you can do when you make an IEM. Even with EQ (more on that later) there's no subtlety to the mids, no warmth or life or nuance, so imagine now if I tell you to listen to these without.
On the stock configuration, god forbid you use the stock tips, you simply lack any midrange characteristics.
- Treble : the root of all evil. Not only for budget sets, not only for IEMs, but boy do we have a combo here. Remember I mentioned a 5-6 years old budget IEM earlier, the ZS10 ? Yeah, well get that instead. It's not nearly as bad as the PR2. More sibilant than the equally old AS16 way back then, but with the new twist of the IEM planar sauce, so now you get a notch at 12kHz so deep you loose most of the nuances and details you expect to hear in music, only to be kicked in the teeth by a massive and unnerving spike at 15-16kHz. This rollercoaster effect does not cause nausea, but "chalk on blackboard" types of discontent, only replace the chalk with steel nails and the board with a sheet of metal. Yeah, seems like paradise doesn't it.

# Technicalities :​


- Soundstage :​

Weirdly enough the stage is diffuse and confused to a degree I didn't think possible. Admittedly this is my first plaanr IEM experience so I didn't know what to expect, but when you have the Timeless being held in such high regards, and Chris stating "here is the best version of a planar IEM the market is able to produce" in his introductory video for the PR2, you'd expect some of the planar qualities to come through. The short of it is you don't. Depth is okay but width is mediocre, and the combination of both is wonky if I'm being polite.

- Detail retrieval :

Again, very letdown when I compare this to even 15 dollars IEMs. This was supposed to be the S12 for 50 dollars, the Timeless on a budget, the Dioko killer or the P1 Max but good ! Save yourself the trouble and go grab a Kiwi Ears Cadenza, there you'll find good details. Hell I just reviewed the Tangzu Chang Le, it had better details than this.

- Transients :
I liked it a lot. For all the mud of the bass region, the hollowness of the mids, the unbearable treble, this is one fast driver. The illusion of speed in audio is just that, an illusion, but I cannot fault the PR2 in this regard. Synth bass, snare hits, washboards, all instruments where you expect challenges have adequate transients here.

# Conclusion :​

- Rarely have I been this casual and punishing in a review, but I feel like I have to if I'm to convey my opinions about this set. I know what KZ is capable of making, and I know of Chris' ideals and standards. This product falls short of everyone's standards. I can't expect anyone having this same set in their hands to publish a good review.

# EQ :​

Preamp: -0.13 dB
PK 800 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 0.4
PK 1200 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 1.6
PK 2300 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2
HSQ 3500 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 0.5
PK 4200 Hz Gain -7 dB Q 0.7
PK 8400 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3
PK 11500 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 3
PK 15500 Hz Gain -8 dB Q 1

Okay, so after much trial and error I've come up with an EQ profile where I can listen to this thing for extended periods of time. This profile is absolutely subject to changes in the future, so whatever you're seeing may be a revision of the EQ.

Once you fix the tonality yourself, it's true that the PR2 can be really enjoyable for its price point. The soundstage and details are still nothing to marvel at, but the fast transients you get on high amplification are unique at this price point, so if you enjoy the "speed" in IEMs, if you listen to a lot of electronic music and have access to EQ, it's a fun buy. The comparisons to the OG ZS10 keep coming back it seems. I'll even raise the rating to 1.5 stars because of this.


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K
Kamano
Mine don't sound like yours, nor all the wining about contents, as they are adequate enough but the denigrating of a product so badly makes one wonder something wrong. You should have talked to the manufacturer about it maybe first. The last review I read on the product was done in a professional manor. Wow?
G
Gifting
There seems to have been a silent revision done by KZ. The one I got had no black foam in front of the planar driver, it's bare. There's only a black filter on the vent hole.
That might account for the differing sound perceptions.
Mrcrunch08
Mrcrunch08
While there's a lot here I disagree with and think may be an exaggeration I do find the rating potentially valid. Coincidentally it seems all good reviews either come from those who got it free or a small handful of people who got it early and are most likely fans. I've been let down by a couple HBB collab but this one might be the worst for me. I expected a nice cheap fun planar but got pain and bad performance all around. Unfortunately mine is the unadvertised revision version and not a single tip I own makes it worth the $50 I spent. Filters helped but even then I thought the S12 and even Dioko performed leagues better. I think the Mele is the only HBB collab I have that I didn't get the "bad" version of. Thanks for trying to balance out the "paid" reviews.

suicideup

New Head-Fier
KZ X HBB PR2 Review!
Pros: Better than previous KZ Planar IEMs while being relatively cheap.

All-rounder, well-done bassy sound signature.

Clean, elevated bass.

“Natural”, detailed mids.

Non-fatiguing upper frequencies.

Greatly reduced planar timbre.

Clean, quick, detailed transients.

Excellent overall technical performance under 50USD (as it should, it’s a planar)

Very good build quality.

Very good fit, comfort, and isolation.

Finally, a softer starline eartips!

Aesthetically pleasing design language (subjective)
Cons: While the soundstage is somewhat “pseudo-immersive”, it isn’t the widest-sounding planar under 100USD in my book.

Critically minimal accessories. A braided cable or even a case would’ve been a very good treat to anybody.

2pin QDC port (subjective)

Needs a fair amount of power to sound the best (This isn’t really a con tbh because of course, this is a Planar magnetic IEM. I just like to put it here).
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KZ X HBB PR2 Review!
Good day! After 5 days of casual and critical listening, here’s my written review for the KZ X HBB PR2. Speed devil, revamped!

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), PC.
  • Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.
IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: stock medium starline eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, low gain and high gain.


=====================================================================================================
Sound signature:
  • The KZ PR2 is a warm-neutral sounding IEM. It can be perceived as a mild-v/u-shaped sounding IEM by most, depending on the setup used. Just like any other planar-magnetic IEMs existing in today’s market, it exhibits excellent technical performance. What sets it apart is it is cheaper and has less planar timbre when compared.
Lows:
  • The lows are definitely elevated but never sounded overwhelming. The bass focuses more on the subbass than the midbass, making things rumble rather than punchy. Subbass really goes deep and thick whenever the track needs it. Despite being tuned that way, it is clean, and quick in attack and decay. Being tuned by HBB, bassheads on a budget may expect its bass to suffice on most bass heavy or EDM tracks.
Mids:
  • “Clean and natural” is what I would describe the PR2’s mids. It never sounded recessed, or even drowned even on busiest tracks due to its midbass bleed-free mids, while keeping a tinge of warmth to the mids for a smooth listening experience. Lower mids are textured and exhibit a good amount of thickness and texture. Upper mids are slightly elevated, particularly on the female vocals. It is sparkly, airy, and clear. Sibilance, peaks, and harshness are absent on this IEM, which means this IEM can be recommended for those people who are sensitive to upper frequencies.
Highs:
  • Moving on to the highs, it is well extended and detailed, with a good amount of air. I did not find it to be “lacking” or “rolled off”, but it may depend on the pairing used with the PR2. There is a bit of “planar timbre” present but definitely minimal when compared to most planar-magnetic IEMs I have encountered under 100 USD. This has better handling on planar timbre when compared to the KZ PR1 Pro, Letshuoer S12, 7Hz Dioko, and Moondrop Stellaris when compared.
Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:
  • Of course, KZ PR2 is a planar magnetic IEM doing “planar things” - it is excellent in technical performance under 100 USD. Soundstage leans to the “pseudo-holographic” side wherein “you” are “immersed” in the music rather than just watching things in front of you. It is a bit taller than being wide, with a good amount of depth. Separation and layering are excellent as instruments and other elements in music never sounded overlapping even on heavy passages.

=====================================================================================================
Comparisons!
VS Tangzu Zetian Wu:
  • The Zetian Wu is a bassier, thicker, lusher, warmer sounding IEM. The KZ PR2 is less warmer and thicker, but sounds more open when compared. Treble on the Zetian Wu is less extended when compared to the PR2. Technical performance is also better on the PR2, but not by a mile. When compared, the PR2 tried to balance both technicality and tonal quality, while the Zetian Wu aimed for a musical, listening experience. It is also slightly harder to drive and has more planar timbre when compared.
VS 7Hz Dioko:
  • Planar timbre are more obvious and apparent on the Dioko. It is also brighter and exhibits sibilance, pierce, and peaks most of the the times. Detail retrieval is slightly better on the Dioko, while the bass is better on the PR2. The rest is more or less the same.
VS Letshuoer S12:
  • The S12 exhibits more recession of the mids when compared to the PR2. The bass is not as controlled when compared to the PR2 but hits harder. Treble is brighter and introduces more planar timbre and harshness compared to the PR2. The soundstage lacks a little bit of depth on the S12 when compared. The rest is more or less the same.
VS Moondrop Stellaris
  • The Stellaris simply burned too hot and too soon. PR2 is better overall.
VS KZ PR1, PR1 Hi-Fi, and PR1 Pro
  • The aforementioned 3 IEMs do share the same characteristics: all of them are more or less midbass-focused IEMs. The PR2 is subbass-focused. Mids on the three KZ Planar IEMs are a tad bit recessed when compared. The planar timbre are also more apparent on the three KZ Planar IEMs when compared to the PR2. The rest are nearly the same.
=====================================================================================================
Pros:
  • Better than previous KZ Planar IEMs while being relatively cheap.
  • All-rounder, well-done bassy sound signature.
  • Clean, elevated bass.
  • “Natural”, detailed mids.
  • Non-fatiguing upper frequencies.
  • Greatly reduced planar timbre.
  • Clean, quick, detailed transients.
  • Excellent overall technical performance under 50USD (as it should, it’s a planar)
  • Very good build quality.
  • Very good fit, comfort, and isolation.
  • Finally, a softer starline eartips!
  • Aesthetically pleasing design language (subjective)
Cons:
  • While the soundstage is somewhat “pseudo-immersive”, it isn’t the widest-sounding planar under 100USD in my book.
  • Critically minimal accessories. A braided cable or even a case would’ve been a very good treat to anybody.
  • 2pin QDC port (subjective)
  • Needs a fair amount of power to sound the best (This isn’t really a con tbh because of course, this is a Planar magnetic IEM. I just like to put it here).

=====================================================================================================
Verdict

The KZ X HBB PR2 is definitely one my recommended IEM for those people who seek a good-sounding planar-magnetic IEM under 100USD. As long as you pair this with a fairly powerful source (since it is a planar, of course) it sings well and is easily an all-rounder sounding unit. I will put this on my top recommendations under 100USD along with the Simgot EA500, Etymotic ER2SE, Celest Pandamon, and NF Audio NM2 if you are looking for a technically-capable IEM in this Chi-Fi market full of tonality-focused IEMs. KZ sure is an advocate of IEM cannibalism!


Pairing recommendation/s:

  • Source: As all planars do, the KZ PR2 needs a fairly powerful source to shine. Fosi Audio DS1, IBasso DC05, Xduoo Link2bal, and FiiO KA3 are some of the examples. Or maybe, your Hiby R3 Pro Saber in high gain mode will do.
  • Eartips: Eartips included are soft and good in quality, but you may always use your preferred eartips
  • Cable: Cable is as good and basic as it gets. You may use your preferred cable as always.

Thank you for reading!

Additional photos here:

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A
AudioNewbie76
I'm aware neither of these sets are Planars, but how does the PR2 compare against the EA500 and ER2SE, espescially in technical performance?
A
adrianmmiller
It case it helps anyone else who got hoodwinked into buying these IEMS (ill never buy into a youtuber collab again) and are unusable out of the box without inetrvention (worst headphones ive heard out of box), i created both an Equalizer APO (windows) and Viper 4 Android VDC using the EQ settings garciously shared in the main article/review by @Half Note - thanks mate, made these usable!

Direct downloads forfm my dropbox:

Equalizer APO: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wc1f..._APO.txt?rlkey=v9m2cbyemb8cdzthz4j9ay2jv&dl=1
Viper4Android VDC: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b941...-PR2.vdc?rlkey=fkj4kdmclgbdvm8moqnwvszed&dl=1

Comments

Radic

New Head-Fier
It can’t go wrong with this driver and HBB tuning.Already ordered.Price is ridiculously low for planar IEM with this tuning.
 

Kamano

New Head-Fier
I've had the PR2 for a couple months, I have the FIIO K7 that I'm running through balanced and sounds nice. Lots of headroom, even without gain and just need to order myself longer cord next time lol. However have the 09bluetooth hooked up and I'm even more floored that they this good. Like they didn't have a right to. Ya I'm old school, still have my dad's Yamaha headphones hiding in storage, from around 1978 lol. Ya I thought you'd laugh to.
Long story short, bottom end, and the right sound on top. Details, cool.
 

kadinh

1000+ Head-Fier
I just ordered one too. Can’t go wrong for the price and I have missed having a planar IEM in my collection since selling the Timeless and S12.
 

gourab1995

100+ Head-Fier
I've had the PR2 for a couple months, I have the FIIO K7 that I'm running through balanced and sounds nice. Lots of headroom, even without gain and just need to order myself longer cord next time lol. However have the 09bluetooth hooked up and I'm even more floored that they this good. Like they didn't have a right to. Ya I'm old school, still have my dad's Yamaha headphones hiding in storage, from around 1978 lol. Ya I thought you'd laugh to.
Long story short, bottom end, and the right sound on top. Details, cool.
A couple of months? This just got released In April 2023 month end. 🤔
 

Kamano

New Head-Fier
Really, well it's been here, infact I bought it used so go figure. I bought it off Canuck Audiomart and seller out of Vancouver.
 

gourab1995

100+ Head-Fier
He's just an effing forum liar, trying to flesh out an argument thread. It's impossible for him to have had it "used" or even new for 2 month. Complete waste of energy.
Let's not start off on a sour note and ignore this weirdness.

You've worked on this! that's cool. What was the main focus when designing/tuning the driver? Apart from of course matching HBB's target.
 
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Kamano

New Head-Fier
I just ordered one too. Can’t go wrong for the price and I have missed having a planar IEM in my collection since selling the Timeless and S12.
Well I'm not interested in proving to you, have been in the audio business for over 30yrs and it's a Fiio k7.
 

Kamano

New Head-Fier
A forum liar, wow sounds like you need a political forum to get your obsessive woke tendencies out. This is for people enjoying music.
 
I've had the PR2 for a couple months, I have the FIIO K7 that I'm running through balanced and sounds nice. Lots of headroom, even without gain and just need to order myself longer cord next time lol. However have the 09bluetooth hooked up and I'm even more floored that they this good. Like they didn't have a right to. Ya I'm old school, still have my dad's Yamaha headphones hiding in storage, from around 1978 lol. Ya I thought you'd laugh to.
Long story short, bottom end, and the right sound on top. Details, cool.
🤔🤨🧐 Mmm
 
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