Driver - 6mm
Frequency Response 20-20,00 hz
Sensitivity 93+-3dB
Resistance - 10 omh
I decided to write this review on the BYZ K17 because I have been unable to find any other reviews on it. I have had it for several months now and even though the honeymoon is over, I still find this to be a very enjoyable earphone. I am not someone who normally writes reviews and this is actually my first review in Head-Fi. Making my job more difficult is that the BYZ K17's sound signature is different from all my other earphones. I own and really like the JVC HA-FRD60 and JVC HA-FXH30. These both have tip-mounted micro-drivers like the K17. I also have the KZ HDS2 which also has a tip-mounted micro-driver but I found it lacked clarity. Other earphones that I own are Sony XBA 3, ATH im50, Rock Zircon, DZAT DF10, Joyroom E107,UiiSii HM7 and BYZ K30. My source is a Fiio X5 with Fiio E12a amp. I listen to a variety of genres including Rock, Metal, Symphonic Metal and Electronic.
The K17s are a budget earphone, I paid $16.00 Canadian (approx. $12.50 us) and purchased them from Banggood. Even though these are budget earphones I find I keep returning to them so I want to let you know how I perceive them and why I think that some of you might enjoy their sound signature.
Build Quality, Design and Comfort:
First I must tell you that these are really great looking earphones. I purchased the black model and the Zirconia Ceramic body appears silvery as the light reflects off them. BYZ appears to be laser etched on one side of the Ceramic body. The tip is made of a bright chrome coloured metal and has a red line on the right earphone and blue on the left. These lines are recessed into the metal so they should not wear off. I was surprised by the weight of these earphones, this weight gives them a quality feel. The cable seems to be of very good quality. It resists tangles and I have noticed minimal microphonics as it rubs against clothing. Strain relief is very good on the earphone themselves and the 3.5 mm jack but are non-existent on the y splitter and one button control/microphone unit. Over all the cable appears to be of good quality and more durable than found on many earphones in this budget category. I was concerned whether the weight would affect the comfort level of these earphones, however once I found the right tip size from the tips provided, I found they have a snug fit and great seal making them extremely comfortable allowing you to easily focus on the music without any comfort issues. A proper seal is very important with micro-driver earphones and I think it is even more critical with tip mount micro-drivers like the K17 and JVCs. I was able to easily obtain a good seal with the wide bore tips provided. The K17s design allows for deep insertion into the ear canal.
Sound:
When I first listen to a new pair of earphones I am looking for something better or different and occasionally I get a wow moment when I realize I am hearing something that I find special. I got this feeling the first time I listened to the JVC HA-FRD60 and I found the FXH30 improved on this. I also had this wow moment when I first listened to the BYZ K17 along with this wow moment I also had a sense of familiarity.
The treble produced by the K17 is very clear and detailed. The treble drops off a little sooner than either of the JVCs but this eliminates the harshness and edginess that can be found on some tracks with the JVCs. The K17s are still able to provide the sparkle I like but avoids the edginess that brighter earphones can cause on female vocals.
The mids are also very clear and detailed. The mids of the K17 are more forward than the JVC-FRD60 resulting in a more balanced signature. The mids have the same crispness found in the treble. I am only making an assumption here but I think this is a result of the speed of this micro-driver. I prefer female vocals and in my opinion these earphones do a very good job with female vocals.
The bass is where things get more difficult to describe. The bass is strong and punchy. It is also very clear, detailed and crisp. Crisp is not a term I would use with the bass on any of my other earphones but I feel it fits with the K17. The bass does not go to sub bass levels but does dig deep but in the same crisp manner. You really can't evaluate the bass on the K17 without comparison. When I first listened to the K17 I really liked the bass and still do. When I started doing comparisons I listened to the first part of a track, paused went back to the first of the track switched earphones and started listening again. At first I thought I had gone to the wrong track but no it was the same track. Switching between these earphones had completely changed the nature and feel of the track. With K17 the bass was strong and punchy the mids were very present and the treble was clear and detailed. When I switched to any of my other earphones I found the bass to more dominant and fuller. It competed with the mids that I was enjoying so much with K17. I went through all my earphones and found to varying degrees the same was true with all them.
Head-Stage:
If you have read this far you might be wondering why someone who does not like writing reviews has written so much about a budget set of earphones that he feels has good treble and mids and bass that probably will not be satisfying to some. I like to think of myself as a critical listener and will listen to albums I enjoy many times looking for things I have missed during previous times I listened. I have mentioned several times the crispness that the K17 achieves across the entire range. With this crispness you get a great deal or air and sense of space. With the K17 your focus can be on individual instruments or the vocals. There is a sense of distance between the instruments and vocalists that I could not find on any of my other earphones.
I mentioned that I had a sense of familiarity when I first listened to K17. I listened to all my earphones even going back to some I have not listened to in years but could not find a similar sound signature. I had received several new earphones so had not listened to my headphones for some time. I decided to listen to my headphones one day and decided on my AKG Q701s I did not listen very long and realized why the K17 sounded familiar. I realize that comparing a headphone to an earphone is like comparing apples and oranges and I have read other reviews were reviewers were criticized for such comparisons. The similarity is in the sound signature, the relationship that the treble, mids and bass have in the K17, I find similar to the Q701. Also the nature of the bass is similar and the openness and sense of space is similar. Not everyone likes the sound signature of the Q701s, but if you do you are likely to like the sound signature of the BYZ K17s,
Conclusion:
The BYZ K17 is a budget earphone that does not have the typical V shaped sound signature. The flat or neutral sound signature of the K17 combined with speed and accuracy of the tip-mounted micro-driver results in an accurate and transparent presentation. The comfortable fit and non fatiguing nature of the K17s sound signature makes it enjoyable to listen to for extended periods
So if you are in the market for a budget earphone that is different from the common V shaped sound signature or if you are interested in seeing what a tip-mount micro-driver can do you should consider this earphone. I also know that there are those out there that have a preference for earphones that let the mids compete equally with the bass and treble and I think this would be a good earphone for you.
You should not expect this to be your typical budget earphone and I hope I have been able to provide the information you need to decide whether this is an earphone you should have in your collection.
BYZ K17
JVC HA-FRD60
JVC HA-FXH30
KZ HDS2
Frequency Response 20-20,00 hz
Sensitivity 93+-3dB
Resistance - 10 omh
I decided to write this review on the BYZ K17 because I have been unable to find any other reviews on it. I have had it for several months now and even though the honeymoon is over, I still find this to be a very enjoyable earphone. I am not someone who normally writes reviews and this is actually my first review in Head-Fi. Making my job more difficult is that the BYZ K17's sound signature is different from all my other earphones. I own and really like the JVC HA-FRD60 and JVC HA-FXH30. These both have tip-mounted micro-drivers like the K17. I also have the KZ HDS2 which also has a tip-mounted micro-driver but I found it lacked clarity. Other earphones that I own are Sony XBA 3, ATH im50, Rock Zircon, DZAT DF10, Joyroom E107,UiiSii HM7 and BYZ K30. My source is a Fiio X5 with Fiio E12a amp. I listen to a variety of genres including Rock, Metal, Symphonic Metal and Electronic.
The K17s are a budget earphone, I paid $16.00 Canadian (approx. $12.50 us) and purchased them from Banggood. Even though these are budget earphones I find I keep returning to them so I want to let you know how I perceive them and why I think that some of you might enjoy their sound signature.
Build Quality, Design and Comfort:
First I must tell you that these are really great looking earphones. I purchased the black model and the Zirconia Ceramic body appears silvery as the light reflects off them. BYZ appears to be laser etched on one side of the Ceramic body. The tip is made of a bright chrome coloured metal and has a red line on the right earphone and blue on the left. These lines are recessed into the metal so they should not wear off. I was surprised by the weight of these earphones, this weight gives them a quality feel. The cable seems to be of very good quality. It resists tangles and I have noticed minimal microphonics as it rubs against clothing. Strain relief is very good on the earphone themselves and the 3.5 mm jack but are non-existent on the y splitter and one button control/microphone unit. Over all the cable appears to be of good quality and more durable than found on many earphones in this budget category. I was concerned whether the weight would affect the comfort level of these earphones, however once I found the right tip size from the tips provided, I found they have a snug fit and great seal making them extremely comfortable allowing you to easily focus on the music without any comfort issues. A proper seal is very important with micro-driver earphones and I think it is even more critical with tip mount micro-drivers like the K17 and JVCs. I was able to easily obtain a good seal with the wide bore tips provided. The K17s design allows for deep insertion into the ear canal.
Sound:
When I first listen to a new pair of earphones I am looking for something better or different and occasionally I get a wow moment when I realize I am hearing something that I find special. I got this feeling the first time I listened to the JVC HA-FRD60 and I found the FXH30 improved on this. I also had this wow moment when I first listened to the BYZ K17 along with this wow moment I also had a sense of familiarity.
The treble produced by the K17 is very clear and detailed. The treble drops off a little sooner than either of the JVCs but this eliminates the harshness and edginess that can be found on some tracks with the JVCs. The K17s are still able to provide the sparkle I like but avoids the edginess that brighter earphones can cause on female vocals.
The mids are also very clear and detailed. The mids of the K17 are more forward than the JVC-FRD60 resulting in a more balanced signature. The mids have the same crispness found in the treble. I am only making an assumption here but I think this is a result of the speed of this micro-driver. I prefer female vocals and in my opinion these earphones do a very good job with female vocals.
The bass is where things get more difficult to describe. The bass is strong and punchy. It is also very clear, detailed and crisp. Crisp is not a term I would use with the bass on any of my other earphones but I feel it fits with the K17. The bass does not go to sub bass levels but does dig deep but in the same crisp manner. You really can't evaluate the bass on the K17 without comparison. When I first listened to the K17 I really liked the bass and still do. When I started doing comparisons I listened to the first part of a track, paused went back to the first of the track switched earphones and started listening again. At first I thought I had gone to the wrong track but no it was the same track. Switching between these earphones had completely changed the nature and feel of the track. With K17 the bass was strong and punchy the mids were very present and the treble was clear and detailed. When I switched to any of my other earphones I found the bass to more dominant and fuller. It competed with the mids that I was enjoying so much with K17. I went through all my earphones and found to varying degrees the same was true with all them.
Head-Stage:
If you have read this far you might be wondering why someone who does not like writing reviews has written so much about a budget set of earphones that he feels has good treble and mids and bass that probably will not be satisfying to some. I like to think of myself as a critical listener and will listen to albums I enjoy many times looking for things I have missed during previous times I listened. I have mentioned several times the crispness that the K17 achieves across the entire range. With this crispness you get a great deal or air and sense of space. With the K17 your focus can be on individual instruments or the vocals. There is a sense of distance between the instruments and vocalists that I could not find on any of my other earphones.
I mentioned that I had a sense of familiarity when I first listened to K17. I listened to all my earphones even going back to some I have not listened to in years but could not find a similar sound signature. I had received several new earphones so had not listened to my headphones for some time. I decided to listen to my headphones one day and decided on my AKG Q701s I did not listen very long and realized why the K17 sounded familiar. I realize that comparing a headphone to an earphone is like comparing apples and oranges and I have read other reviews were reviewers were criticized for such comparisons. The similarity is in the sound signature, the relationship that the treble, mids and bass have in the K17, I find similar to the Q701. Also the nature of the bass is similar and the openness and sense of space is similar. Not everyone likes the sound signature of the Q701s, but if you do you are likely to like the sound signature of the BYZ K17s,
Conclusion:
The BYZ K17 is a budget earphone that does not have the typical V shaped sound signature. The flat or neutral sound signature of the K17 combined with speed and accuracy of the tip-mounted micro-driver results in an accurate and transparent presentation. The comfortable fit and non fatiguing nature of the K17s sound signature makes it enjoyable to listen to for extended periods
So if you are in the market for a budget earphone that is different from the common V shaped sound signature or if you are interested in seeing what a tip-mount micro-driver can do you should consider this earphone. I also know that there are those out there that have a preference for earphones that let the mids compete equally with the bass and treble and I think this would be a good earphone for you.
You should not expect this to be your typical budget earphone and I hope I have been able to provide the information you need to decide whether this is an earphone you should have in your collection.
BYZ K17
JVC HA-FRD60
JVC HA-FXH30
KZ HDS2
