KZ ZS10 Pro

Intro


Disclaimer: I purchased the KZ ZS10 Pro and this review is written of my own accord. For more reviews like these, drop by our site at www.perrivanaudio.com

The KZ ZS10 Pro is a hybrid IEM by Knowledge Zenith with 5 drivers on each side (1DD+4BA). These have been released a while back but remains as one of the most popular selling KZ earphones to date. This review looks at how it fares now in the current market.

Accessories and Build Quality (Score: 6.5/10)



Accessories are the usual as you'd expect of KZ. Nothing new or out of the ordinary. Yes, same old scrummy brown cable. Build quality is quite good, with a stainless-steel faceplate with a mirror polish. However, this is an extreme scratch magnet, and they pick up scuffs from almost anything. Not very OCD-friendly certainly. Not the most creative design, but at $35, I have no complaints.

Fit (Score: 7/10)

The fit is surprisingly poor for an IEM with this shape and form. They lack the curves in the right places and don't sit snugly in the ear. That said, they still fit securely enough for use while commuting and travelling. The nozzle is on the wide side.

Sound (Score: 7.1/10)


The Sound signature is big V-shape, which isn't much of a surprise given KZ's "house sound"

Sources Used

• Hiby R5
• Lotoo Paw S1

Albums and Tracks tested with

• Boston Symphony Orchestra - The Nutcracker Suite
• Scary Pockets - Nu Funk
• MCR - Danger Days
• Imagine Dragons - Smoke + Mirrors
• Elton John - Rocket Man, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
• NEEDTOBREATHE - Out of Body
• Michael Buble - To Be Loved

Bass (Score: 7.5/10)

Bass is pronounced and powerful, as expected of a KZ IEM. The sub-bass extends quite well and has a very satisfying rumble when the situation calls for it. There also isn't too much bloating in the midbass, which makes the bass and overall tuning quite enjoyable. The biggest problem in the bass would be that the midbass punch and attack is a little too blunted and doesn't help with the resolution in the bass. Bass is layered well and is very nice on Scary Pockets' rendition "Always Be My Baby" despite the complicated and fast bassline.

Mids (Score: 6.5/10)

Mids don't have anything special to them and are a little too recessed for my liking. However, I was never a fan of such big V-shape so that may explain it. My biggest praise for the mids would be that nothing sounds weird and tonality is pretty decent. Vocals sound a little too small and in tracks from My Chemical Romance's, things get a little messy and grainy in the mids. Upper mids are quite pleasant, and I especially like the tonality and airiness of the flutes when listening to "The Nutcracker Suite".

Treble (Score: 7/10)

Lower treble is quite prominent. Resolution and detail retrieval is surprisingly good, as I really wasn't expecting a lot at this price point. It still is audibly not stellar and lacks the finer details. However, the treble is inoffensive and dodges sibilant peaks while still imparting a decent amount of air and sparkle to the treble. A good way to end of the V-shape tuning. Things can get grainy in the treble on tracks with a lot of cymbals and Hihats.

Overall

The sound signature is quite enjoyable for casual listening while on the go and there isn't any issues with tonality and sounds rather coherent. Imaging is quite decent for the price.

Conclusion



The KZ ZS10 Pro is the culmination of many reiterations of the ZS series. There have been many problems plaguing the tuning of this driver-packed series. However, KZ seems to be getting the hang of things judging from the tuning of these. Of course, there is much to be improved on, and hopefully, KZ only improves from here.

These won't be my go-to recommendation to anyone, not even to Bassheads as there are many new additions at its current price point that bests it. However, out of the few KZ earphones I have tried, these seem to have the most listenable V-shape tuning and the best price-to-performance ratio. If you are ever curious about KZ, these would be the ones to get ... for now, at least.

The ZS10 Pro is one of the latest models in a new series of IEMs from KZ (Knowledge Zenith) featuring metal faceplates, revised drive units and a new type of connector. It is an update to the original ZS10 and like the earlier model, is a five-driver hybrid (1DD + 4BA). The dynamic driver is a new 10mm dual magnet design which is claimed to be equivalent to a 14-15mm unit. It is the same as that used in the new KZ ZSN Pro and the CCA CA4 and has a field strength of 1 Tesla. Two 50060 balanced armatures cover the midrange frequencies and two of the familiar 30095 units are employed for the treble region. The BAs are revised versions of the originals. This configuration is similar to that in the original ZS10 and the CCA C10, but with updated drivers.

The packaging is the usual KZ small white box with an outline drawing of the IEMs on the front and some specifications printed on the back. Inside, the earphones are presented in a cut-out with the words “10 Units Hybrid Technology Earphone” printed below. Under this cut-out you will find the detachable cable, a set of three Starline-type tips and documentation. A further set of soft silicone tips is pre-fitted on the IEMs.

The ZS10 Pro has a polished stainless steel faceplate which has three screws and three indented chevrons on its surface and is very well made. The shape is similar to that of the CCA C10 and ZSN Pro and the body of the earphone is made of a clear acrylic through which the components can be seen. The words “10 Hybrid Technology” appear on the edge of the earpieces. My particular example came in the purple option which contrasted well with the polished metal faceplates. The words “stunning hifi configuration” are printed on the side of the shells. The overall apperance is really cool.

The detachable cable is the new design, initially adopted on the above-mentioned ZSN. It has a clear plastic connector (known as “Type C”) with the pins covered in a plastic shield. It is still possible to use other cables, which just plug into the protruding sockets on the IEMs. The cable itself is the usual KZ type of braided copper and has a very long section between the chunky Y-split and the earpieces and as a result is somewhat prone to tangling. It would be nice to see an improvement in this area. The plug is a right-angled plastic 3.5mm TRS type.

The earphones were left burning in for over 50 hours before testing and included tracks of white and pink noise, glide tones and other audio conditioning tracks. After this I used a Hifi Walker H2 DAP with a Fiio A5 amplifier for evaluation.

The ZS10 Pro was tested using the pre-fitted tips and a 16 core silver plated cable which provided improved comfort. Used like this, the seal and isolation were above average. The fit was very comfortable, allowing me to forget that I had earphones in my ears! I experienced a good volume level on various devices, including a Sony NWZ-A15, the above-menioned Hifi Walker H2 and a Moto G3 smartphone. However, I found the sound balance preferable when run through the DAP via line out with a headphone amplifier.

The ZSN10 Pro displayed a V-shaped response, in traditional KZ style. In this respect the sound resembled that of the earlier ZS7 model with strong but not too dominant bass. The lower mids were slightly recessed but remained articulate, and the treble was bright and largely free of peaks or other artefacts. The sub-bass showed good extension and texture and the mid bass had plenty of impact but did bleed a little into the mids. The midrange itself was clean, clear and well-detailed with a wide but not so deep soundstage. The treble was brighter that of the ZS7 with good extension and plenty of detail and sparkle. The 50060 and 30095 BAs have been tuned with a bright tonality and certainly produce a more preferable sound to the original ZS10 and the CCA C10, which use the same drivers. The overall effect was dynamic and lively and quite forward. To be more specific:

Bass

The bass resembled that of the KZS7 but had more of a mid-bass, rather than a sub-bass emphasis. It sounded tight and immediate. The new double magnetic driver seems to be particularly well implemented here and improves upon the CCA CA4 and KZ ZSN Pro, which use the same unit. The bass drum and timpani in “Castilla”, the first movement of the “Suite Espanola” by Albeniz, had superb impact and life, with a very natural timbre. This created a perfect foundation for the fast-paced rhythm of the piece. The deep bass accompaniment in Jonn Serrie’s “Flow of Time’s Arrow” from his album “Thousand Star” took the same role, creating a solid foundation for the synth patches and sparkly electronic effects floating over the top in impressive fashion. The bass section in “The Cello’s Song” by Kostia and David Arkenstone had good timbre and presence. The natural tone of the cello and the string accompaniment completed a very satisfying performance.

Mids

There was some bass bleed from the strong mid-bass which tended to make the lower mids somewhat recessed and gave a little extra warmth, but due to the gradual rise into the treble region, a fairly balanced picture emerged. There was plenty of detail on offer here and the clean nature of the presentation allowed all the different layers to be heard clearly. This came to the fore in Vangelis’s “Celestial Whispers” from his “Rosetta” album. The stately melody progressed attractively, accompanied by clear percussive elements, all set within an attractive acoustic. The wide soundstage also showed its merits in the first movement of Roy Harris’s Symphony No.6, performed by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra conducted by Keith Clark. The orchestra was spread beautifully across the stereo image and the tonality of the various instruments was depicted very well. However, in more energetic pieces, the perspective tended to flatten and the higher frequencies tended to dominate. Very occasionally there were some more strident elements.

Treble

The treble continued where the mids left off with a bright, energetic presentation. The sharp and immediate nature of the upper frequencies was very effective in Mark Dwane’s “Planetary Rulers” from his album “Astrology”. Mark is a master of the MIDI guitar and his recordings are of audiophile quality. Percussion strikes were fast and incisive with good detail and guitars displayed impressive attack. This kind of material was perfect for the ZS10 Pro, which revelled in the complex arrangement. The bright string sonorities of Rossini’s “String Sonata No.1” performed by the Orchestra of the Enlightenment were clean and crisp and possessed an attractive timbre with the rhythmic qualities of the piece being preserved very well. As with the midrange, sometimes a harsher tonality emerged but this only occurred infrequently.

Soundstage

As mentioned above, the soundstage displayed good width and height, but a less well-delineated depth. The stereo presentation was very good, especially the left to right spread which helped with effects which moved around the image. A good example of this was in “Time” from Pink Floyd’s seminal “Dark Side of the Moon”. The tuned tom-toms danced around the image very effectively. All the elements of Alan Parsons’s excellent production could be heard clearly with good separation. It was only in more complex and energetic passages that the image condensed a little and there was a flattening of perspective. In general though, the ZS10 put in a good performance here.

Conclusion

The ZS10 Pro is the third IEM from KZ and CCA featuring a dynamic driver coupled with two 50060 BAs and two 30095 BAs. The CCA C10 has a more balanced, safe tuning with a gently rolled-off treble, a warm but well-textured bass and a clear more neutral midrange. The original ZS10 was a true V-shaped IEM with powerful bass which occasionally became dominant, a recessed midrange which sometimes displayed an odd tonality, and a bright treble in traditional KZ style with the tendency to display peaks. The ZS10 Pro addresses these issues and has a punchy mid-bass, and a clean upper register with few artefacts, resulting in a more balanced sound which is entertaining as well. It is quite full-on, however, grabbing you by the lapels, and sometimes forgetting to let go! This “full throttle” approach was occasionally fatiguing on more lively material.

It is tempting to compare the ZS10 Pro with KZ’s earlier ZS7 model. It has a different driver configuration, employing a 10mm DD coupled with a 29689 mid range BA, a 31005 mid/high BA and two 30095 treble units. The ZS7 has a superb sub-bass region and a flatter mid-bass with no bleed. The midrange is more subdued but still displays great detail. The treble is gentler but still shows sparkle and life. It also has a more three-dimensional soundstage, due to the vented earpieces, and is a more relaxing listen. The two earphones offer a real alternative in the “fun” tuning category. Both have their merits and advocates. For a lively brighter sound with a mid-bass emphasis, the ZS10 Pro is for you. If you prefer a sub-bass presentation and an overall “darker” sound, then choose the ZS7.

KZ ZS10 PRO Review :



SOUND: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
VALUE: 9/10

I’m quite know fromaudio community as a KZ hater, but that wasn’t always the case as I was a KZ praiser at the begining of my budget audiophile journey. EDR1, ED9, KZ ATE was all praised by me (and lot of other too). And then, supreme joy happen, the KZ ZS5V1 appear and man, was I impress as ever! This is where I begin dreaming about incredible sound value potential of Chifi and begin to be neurotically active on headfi, creating the ‘’Best SUB-100$ budget earphones’’ thread and having for goal to create a reference list that will help people without money to make the best choice possible.

Then, KZ ZS5V2 stole the place of V1 and I hate it, then ZS6 appear and it was pure peaky violence to my ears and then ZS10 and I was out. I say : i’m done with KZ, they don’t know how to achieve a natural musicality and just love to throw BA in bigger and bigger housing, they are mad.

But i’m back on the KZ track! Is it because my expectation was abysally low that I find the ZS10 PRO quite great? No, because I still can hear some KZ ackwardness there and there, but they are way less problematic than before and at this price, I see one of the greatest Chifi achievment in term of price value since the Tinaudio T2. Well, T2 still kick the ass of the PRO, but they are 2 very different sounding iem that can complete eachother (why not mix them please?).

So, there you go, KZ ZS10 PRO is another multi drivers Hybrid with 1 dynamic drivers and 4 balanced armature in its body. It is extremely competitively priced and can be found for around 35$ on Aliexpress and such. There is a bunch of ackward sound chifi multi BA hybrid out there,will the ZS10PRO be an exception? Let's see in this review!



You can buy the KZ ZS10PRO from AMAZON or Aliexpress if you wanna wait 2 months.

As well, I use the TRIPOWIN C8 upgrade cable for most of this review, this is an excellent silver copper mixed cable and I really suggest you upragde you PRO or other new KZ model with it.

DISCLAIMER: As one would think, i do not buy KZ earphones anymore (this might change tough), so I wanna thanks TRIPOWIN for giving me the chance to review and appreciate these nice ZS10PRO. This came out of the blue, and I have no affiliation with Tripowin or anyone on this planet earth. My views are fully objective in their subjectivity.


ACCESSORIES, CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :




UNBOXING is as boring as every KZ earphones I have, well, presentation is nicer than 2 years before where it was just throw in a cheap box. Still, you have nothing more than 4 pairs of cheap silicone eartips (i do not use them) and a cheap cable (i do not use it). I would prefer KZ to just sold the earphones without cable to be honnest, as we always need to upgrade it anyway...but the price is so cheap that I only complaint about the fact i’m invade with vain coppers KZ cable that take dust, please make a recyclable version at least!




CONSTRUCTION is very similar to the CCA C10, with a more futuristic metal plate design wich have the benifit to make them more singular and appealing to the eyes, but have the drawback of being easily scratched due a fragile mirror aluminium back plate. In fact. Mine even came pre-scratched, so it say alot about how prompt to scratch they are. But I don’t really care as im not very coquettish with budget earphones anyway, this little issue do not interfer with durability and the ZS10PRO feel very sturdy due to the thick plastic of other part or housing (again, the same as ZSN or C10). As well, its pretty small for a 5 drivers iem, wich is surely better for fit than proper sound rendering (how can air flow in this overcrowned shell?). MMCX connector will piss off some people as its the same as ZSN and the cable of CCA will not fit the ZS10PRO, in fact, for perfect fit you really need the very same type of mmcx female connector.

DESIGN is very comfy and will fit most ears, its near 2 times smaller than the KZ ZS10-AS10 or CCA C16. This is a uiem that is made to be wear over ear. The nozzle are righly done and long enough to go deep for good fit. As well, there no hard angle or corner that will make the ZS10PRO uncomfortable for long listening session.

ISOLATION is average and will cut enough noise relatively to volume level you listen to, but the sound leakage is quite notable due to 3 hole in back venting. Anyway, i never consider this as a big downer for my personal use.

DRIVEABILIY is super easy, making the PRO a good choice for those not having powerfull DAP or portable amp, the PRO are fully pushed whatever sound source I use, wich include Audirect BEAM dac-’’amp’’ that isnt powerfull at all. In all my more than 50 earphones collection, the one that are very easy to drive are very rare (PMV A01 MK2, Zhiyin Z5000, Brainwavz B400), so to me this is a Big plus.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS :



So, out of the box I like how the ZS10PRO sound, what hit me first in all sens of the term its the thick punchy mid bass and fowards mid range, sure, it wasn’t particularly refined in its timbre and a big grainy, but the clarity and separation was there. KZ choose a very muscular sound presentation where everything is throw with weight and hurry, we aren’t in delicate and gentle territory here, wich perhaps its why they sound that good with abrasive rock too.

One could think it is ironical that a PRO version sound that much entertaining, its because while the W sound of KZ is well balanced as a whole, its sure is very coloured and pround of it.

CABLES have used for the PRO aren't the original one but the Tripowin 8cores balanced cable, wich pair very well with my Xduoo X20 and give clearer tigher sound, even if subtle, its notable. It kinda do the same with the Vsonic 4 cores SPC cable (3.5mm) I use, but balanced way make it little more clear in the background.



SOUNDSTAGE is wide but still quite intimate, but do not feel stock in your head even if it do not have lot of deepnest to it. Were in ‘’stereo tapestry’’ like spaciality here due to warmish low and mid range of the KZ.

IMAGING too isn’t the best, but a sens of close layerings compensate the lack of air in the KZ body overcrowded with 5 drivers. Instrument placement are not very precise and will benifit from super clear audio source.

BASS extend well and have great control, the lower end is less emphased than mid bass wich is very well rounded and proeminent, what impress here its that it do not overly warm the mid range and just add a hint of extra body to it. Sub bass have good texture too, for the price range, because in term of tonality it isn’t particularly accurate and little shadowed by authoritative mid bass presence.

MID RANGE is nicely fowarded, slightly bright but without the upper mids sibilance one would expect from that level of clarity in a bassy earphones. Timbre is a little rough, but I think KZ achieve to extract the best that cheap Bellsing balanced armature could give, it do not sound overly shouty or unatural, just with some THD in its timbre ADN. Nonetheless, the mid range is rich and have smooth brightness wich lean towards dryness, but how say, in a okay way! The attack and decay is fats and give good definition to violin, less so for piano that lack some body but still have a clear presentation. When it come to vocal, perhaps it isn’t the more natural one, but again, level of presence is quite high wich make never sound recessed the signers.

TREBLE is very extended and coloured, in the sense its not particularly linear and have little push in low-mid-upper highs, nevr in a too sharp way tough. This make the ZS10 very detailed without sound too harsh, even if the highs ar emore crunchy than super crisp or sparkly and lack decay due to small soundstahe and lack of air. Again, the limit of balanced armature potential used is show here and lack of refinment in timbre of instrument will disappoint hardcore critical listener….but I do not review a TOTL earphones here and I consider layering of all this details quite nice and most importantly immersive.

SUB : 7.5/10
MID BASS : 8.5/10
MID RANGE : 8/10
TREBLE : 7.5/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 8/10
CLARITY : 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 7/10
IMAGING : 7.5/10
TIMBRE : 6.5/10


COMPARAISONS :

VS TIN AUDIO T2 (30-50$) :



Considered by a lot of budget audiophile like the unbeatable SUB-50$ earphones, the T2 are dual dynamic drivers with incredibly well balanced musicality that show all what it got in its lush mid range and wide imaging. Could the KZ ZS10 beat this legend?

Well ZS10PRO is a very different beast, that sacrifice some musicality for energic technicalities, one thing sure, level of clarity and imaging is better with the PRO even if SOUNDSTAGE of T2 is way wider and feel more airy too.

SOUNDSIGNATURE of T2 is more linear towards neutral than W shape of the PRO, this make it for a more laid back and musical rendering that sound less fatiguing as the vivid and fowards PRO. As well, brighter is the pro, smoother is the T2 even if both have rather rich timbre.

This is due to BASS of T2 wich is more sloppy in lower end and lack attack and grip in mid bass, while the PRO is very tigh (and bassy) in both even is less elevated in sub bass than T2. KZ is way punchier and lively in bass region than more relaxed, thick and warm bass of T2, wich perhaps extend lower but not in a controled way. This elastic bass presentation of T2 make it good for jazz and classical, while the PRO win in anything else, should it be electro, rock or pop.

MID RANGE now is very luscious, transparent and wide sounding with the T2, while the PRO have a fowards and intimate vocal presentation with brighter timbre that can give unatural presentation. With T2, vocal are star of the show when they need to, taking front seat and presenting themself with grandeur that do not interfer that much with layering due to transparence. PRO have perhaps clearer and more (artificialy) fowarded vocal, but with more grainy texture and unpleasant sharpness.

TREBLE is more extended with the PRO and dig more micro details as well as high give more sparkle and brilliance, this help for better accuracy of imaging where the T2 feel more delicate with extra presence in lower and mid treble. This make the T2 smoother and less peaky, wich to me is a plus as it give natural musicality while the PRO can sometime sound overly agressive as well as harsh with percussion being fowarded too much wich can result in splashiness.

One thing to note is the fact ZS10PRO are easier to drive, making them more versatile with low output source.

All in all, here, we have two excellent value iem, ZS10PRO win in term of details, imaging, bass and liveliness, while T2 win in soundstage, vocal rendering and musical cohesion as a whole.

VS CCA C10 (22-30$) :



Another well seen budget iem, the CCA C10 score same number of drivers and look pretty similar to the ZS10PRO as well, but the C10 is about 10 dollars less than the PRO. If you look closely, you’ll see the drivers aren’t implemented exactly the same as well as the housing of CCA C10 is a little larger at nozzle end. Now let’s see how these compare.

SOUNDSIGNATURE is pretty similar, both have a W approach but the C10 is overall smoother and have less mid bass emphasis than PRO.

BASS is way punchier and lively with the PRO wich help to have a less boomy approach than C10 mixed up bass response, the accuracy is better and impact faster, wich surely confirm they do not use both same dynamic drivers. C10 bass being warmer and thicker, it will stole some clarity to the MIDRANGE, wich is more recessed than ZS10PRO.

Vocal of thePRO are more fowards as well as slitghly brighter, timbre have more textured to it and make the vocal feel veiled for the C10. Whole PRO midrange is energic and lively with fast attack and tigh (too tigh) decay, while C10 lack in imaging accuracy, but still do a good job in term of tonality and (dryish) transparence.

TREBLE is more extended and crispier with the PRO, while C10 is more unbalanced with highs, with slight extra mid highs presence that help to dig some details but without any sparkle or decay, its soft, and it begin to drop after its 12Khz peak.

All in all, ZS10PRO is more like a CCA C10 upgrade than a ZS10 upgrade (wich is a very different earphones that donot worth your attention), its a more energic, lively, punchy and accurate version of C10.

VS KBear F1 (30-40$):


Yeah, sorry Kbear, thats kind of crual comparaisons I do here, but your really the iem in same price range that fall in my hands. I mean, I SEE your potential, really, there something here but its not ready to be lauch in the sun. KZ ZS10 PRO have some similarity with the F1, in timbre, wich perhaps confirm they use same bellsing drivers…..but man, KZ have 4 of them plus a dynamic too! And its well tuned in a fun, punchy cohesive way! So, yeah, BASS dig way deeper, have better separation and mid bass slam is incredibly lively and weighty compared to dry, shy, congested one of F1. MIDRANGE is a little similar in timbre but have better clarity, imaging and energy with the ZS10PRO. TREBLE extend further with the PRO and offer plenty of details that are well layered and have their own singularity even if the crunchy timbre of percussion or some instrument can sound slightly off. All in all, the PRO is from another league far above the F1 here and the punchy dynamic it have make it like comparing an hyperactive and muscular (but little primitive) athlete to a…..dead body.

CONCLUSION :


With KZ we never know what is due to luck or talent with their audio implementation and tuning, sometime it can be a disaster other time great audio value. In all case, the drivers used make it for compromise in overall musicality, especially in timbre and tonality, but when your able to balance nicely as much drivers than the numbers we can found in the ZS10PRO and making the whole sound cohesive yet entertaining, energic and clear as well, I think we got here a great achievment.

Sure die hard audiophile and critical listener will find ZS10PRO lacking in refinement, and surely consider the tuning as immature and too bassy. Well, if so, why did they love Campfire basshead iem then? Perhaps because of lower harmonic distortion in timbre or more vivid sharpness of treble, still, at about 35$ I can say without a doubt that the KZ ZS10PRO is among best budget buy you can make if you are a music enthusiast that listen to pop, rock, rap, electronic and even jazz to some extend. This earphones will make you became a head banger as soon as drum kick begin and the bass will not drown you favorite signer even if bass is authoritative, nope, this type of sound isn’t possible with single dynamic driver.