Full disclosure: I got these earphones as a review unit from Gearbest.com.
Specific product page*: https://www.gearbest.com/earbud-headphones/pp_1512918.html?wid=21?lkid=10690141
*This link was not generated by me nor do i see any profit from you clicking on it.
Now on to the review:
Package\accessories:
The ZSR arrives in a cardboard box surrounded by white paper wrapping. Inside you can find the earphones, a 2-pin detachable cable and S/M/L sized silicone ear tips.
Sound:
Sound is a game of compromises. Consumers want Big Bass, they want every instrument and vocal part to sound rich and full and they want detailed, sizzling treble in one earphone, yet It's very hard to do all of that in one product – especially on a relatively small budget.
The ZSR is trying to play that game by showing you the big picture which includes every instrument, but it will not show you 100% of every specific instrument.
It seems as if the Dynamic Driver is acting as a subwoofer while the Armature Drivers are trying to include all the other instruments in a narrow, precise manner.
Bass:
The subwoofer effect…It seems as if the Dynamic driver is in charge of this section and acts as a separate subwoofer. This means that the ZSR are very fun for genres such as Hip-Hop or Trance, yet not much of the Bass bleeds into other frequencies in more traditional genres.
Grade: 5/5
Midrange (500hz-2.5K):
The Mids take a bit of a backseat to the Bass and Treble, this area sounds a bit dark on the ZSR, yet filled with a satisfactory representation of every instrument which is a clear step up from the ZS3.
It's important for me to emphasize that the ZSR are not one-dimensional basshead earphones.
In one of my favorite duets of all times, "Andrea Bocelli Featuring Sarah Brightman - Con Te Partiro" The ZSR does a fine job of representing these two amazing Vocalists without making them sound thin or harsh.
More Bass seems to bleed into the mids in the piece "Downton Abbey OST: The Suite", but of course this adds a bit of emotion to the piece and the overall sound quality makes up for everything.
Grade:4.8/5
Upper Midrange (~2.5khz-5.2khz):
This area is not harsh or cheap sounding so i'm giving it a near-perfect mark. Budget IEMs still have area to improve when it comes to performance at this region, but this is my standard until i'll do find a set of In-Ears with better midrange.
Grade: 4.9/5
Treble:
Pretty much the same Treble found on the ZS6 only lowered by about -1db. The treble is also a bit less 'airy' because the ZSR feature more of a closed design.
As stated before, the treble is at the front together with the bass and both of these regions create a nice synergy with each other.
This area I probably the biggest step up from the ZS3 model, the treble is much more present and although some percussion instruments sound a bit thin you can still hear them clearly and they complete a full picture of sound.
Grade: 4.8/5
Isolation and portability:
The ZSR make use of a design similar to the ZS3 and thus the isolation is almost as good.
This aspect makes the ZSR a better portable option than the ZS6 as it employs a sound quality which is similar to the ZS6 yet it leaks less sound and isolates much better.
The ZSR nozzle and overall shell "sticks" much better to one's ear than the ones found in the ZS6.
Verdict:
As with the ZS6, it's hard to believe we can get this kind of sound quality for only 18$.
I can listen to the ZSR for hours and I consider them to be my best portable set of wired earphones at the moment. The ZS6 are better sounding, but not as portable.
I think this product will be able to meet the demands of most consumers as almost every genre and song is enjoyable while using it.
The ZSR are truly an example of the phrase: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts".
Final Grade: 5/5
Specific product page*: https://www.gearbest.com/earbud-headphones/pp_1512918.html?wid=21?lkid=10690141
*This link was not generated by me nor do i see any profit from you clicking on it.
Now on to the review:
Package\accessories:
The ZSR arrives in a cardboard box surrounded by white paper wrapping. Inside you can find the earphones, a 2-pin detachable cable and S/M/L sized silicone ear tips.
Sound:
Sound is a game of compromises. Consumers want Big Bass, they want every instrument and vocal part to sound rich and full and they want detailed, sizzling treble in one earphone, yet It's very hard to do all of that in one product – especially on a relatively small budget.
The ZSR is trying to play that game by showing you the big picture which includes every instrument, but it will not show you 100% of every specific instrument.
It seems as if the Dynamic Driver is acting as a subwoofer while the Armature Drivers are trying to include all the other instruments in a narrow, precise manner.
Bass:
The subwoofer effect…It seems as if the Dynamic driver is in charge of this section and acts as a separate subwoofer. This means that the ZSR are very fun for genres such as Hip-Hop or Trance, yet not much of the Bass bleeds into other frequencies in more traditional genres.
Grade: 5/5
Midrange (500hz-2.5K):
The Mids take a bit of a backseat to the Bass and Treble, this area sounds a bit dark on the ZSR, yet filled with a satisfactory representation of every instrument which is a clear step up from the ZS3.
It's important for me to emphasize that the ZSR are not one-dimensional basshead earphones.
In one of my favorite duets of all times, "Andrea Bocelli Featuring Sarah Brightman - Con Te Partiro" The ZSR does a fine job of representing these two amazing Vocalists without making them sound thin or harsh.
More Bass seems to bleed into the mids in the piece "Downton Abbey OST: The Suite", but of course this adds a bit of emotion to the piece and the overall sound quality makes up for everything.
Grade:4.8/5
Upper Midrange (~2.5khz-5.2khz):
This area is not harsh or cheap sounding so i'm giving it a near-perfect mark. Budget IEMs still have area to improve when it comes to performance at this region, but this is my standard until i'll do find a set of In-Ears with better midrange.
Grade: 4.9/5
Treble:
Pretty much the same Treble found on the ZS6 only lowered by about -1db. The treble is also a bit less 'airy' because the ZSR feature more of a closed design.
As stated before, the treble is at the front together with the bass and both of these regions create a nice synergy with each other.
This area I probably the biggest step up from the ZS3 model, the treble is much more present and although some percussion instruments sound a bit thin you can still hear them clearly and they complete a full picture of sound.
Grade: 4.8/5
Isolation and portability:
The ZSR make use of a design similar to the ZS3 and thus the isolation is almost as good.
This aspect makes the ZSR a better portable option than the ZS6 as it employs a sound quality which is similar to the ZS6 yet it leaks less sound and isolates much better.
The ZSR nozzle and overall shell "sticks" much better to one's ear than the ones found in the ZS6.
Verdict:
As with the ZS6, it's hard to believe we can get this kind of sound quality for only 18$.
I can listen to the ZSR for hours and I consider them to be my best portable set of wired earphones at the moment. The ZS6 are better sounding, but not as portable.
I think this product will be able to meet the demands of most consumers as almost every genre and song is enjoyable while using it.
The ZSR are truly an example of the phrase: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts".
Final Grade: 5/5