Knowledge Zenith (KZ) X Crinacle CRN/ZEX PRO

Summary

Budget End Game……oh? you need more?..okay…
The best IEM I’ve own so far, the sound signature is neutral with sub-bass boost you can hear every detail in the music, there’s no discernible frequency that is too much or lacking, everything is laid out naturally. Excellent soundstage and imaging, imagine as if you’re in the studio with the singer, the instruments can be easily pinpointed and has enough note weight to them, it’s like they are physically around. Bass is tight, clean and fast, there’s no mid-bass bleed, rendering vocals with enough definition and clarity, it’s quite lovable. Moreover, I can’t detect any driver incoherency, its smooth as butter for a tri-bid, the three-drivers are all fast making the ZEX Pro quite enjoyable with fast and complex tracks.

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Finally, I’d like to congratulate KZ for this IEM, they really outdone their selves. Thank you for bringing this IEM to the budget section.

Disclaimer

• I like to thank KZ for providing me a review unit of the ZEX Pro.
• Jeff from KZ sent this unit for my honest opinion and assessment.
• Rest assured that this review will be bias-free.
• As always, since our ears have different shapes and resonances, your mileage may always vary.
• You can also visit my site for the nicer version of my reviews: XerusKun Archives
• This review will be quite long, apologies in advance. hehe
• And don't forget to take my review with salt and always cross reference

Preliminary I __φ(．．

• Unlike my other IEM reviews, I didn’t test the ZEX Pro (ZP) for at least 1 week, this is due to the reason that it sounded near perfect for my ears, I love ZP so much that I want to share my thoughts to other people immediately.
• I tested the ZP with Nicehck 8-core OFC cable and Sony-ex 11 tips, cable rolling is a must for ZP, so please before trying the ZP read the Preliminary II first. Cause, I’ve seen some people not enjoying their ZP and I kinda experience the same when I first tried it out of the box.
• My library mainly consists of Japanese music, so if you’re a fan of them like me, then we might have the same taste. I also listen to various genre like hiphop, rap, orchestra etc. but not that often compared to the Japanese ones.

Preliminary II __φ(．．
My experience with ZP is a roller coaster, out of the box (stock cable and eartips). ZP sounds lifeless, un-engaging and flat. I tried to understand its signature for an hour but I just can’t seem to like it. The sound is hazy, peaky and just MEH out of the box, its like I’m missing something. I also thought that the OG ZEX is better than the ZP at that point (like what other users also reported in Facebook).
However, as I replace the stock cable with my Nicehck 8-core cable, magic happens…everything became vibrant, dynamic and engaging while also retaining the neutral signature, like what?? Am I still listening to ZEX Pro?? With that I recommend the buyers of the ZP to do the following.

• Change the stock cable and throw it in the trashcan (just kidding..hhahaa), treat the ZEX Pro with love and it will sing with poise and finesse, put a nice cable to it, any high-quality cable will work 4-core, 8-core or even 16-core (I highly recommend a Nicehck cable).
• If the upper treble is somehow peaky specially at the 8kHz region, use narrow bore tips like Sony EX-11 to reduce it. Wide-bore will intensify that region but will also give more sparkle to ZP, the choice is yours.

Epilogue to Preliminary II ___〆(・∀・)

(This section will contain a lot of hopium so skip this part if you don’t want to hear some BS. However if you’re interested with my experience then continue reading..)

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After my honeymoon with the ZP, I’ve tried to test the stock cable again and from that something bizarre happen. I can’t detect any differences between my stock cable and my 8-core cable anymore, like wth. My theory (take this with a bucket of salt) is that the 8-core cable energizes something in the ZEX Pro that makes it sound more dynamic and energetic, like the stock cable is not enough to drive that certain driver. I think, the driver in fault is the magnetostat driver, it seems that the stock cable can’t charge it properly making the out of the box experience kinda MEH since there’s no dynamics and energy that should be provided by the fast magnetostat, I think the 8-core cable awakens the magnetostat making the ZEX Pro dynamic and just plain amazing. After waking up the magnetostat you can use any cable you want even the stock one.

My Target Sound Signature
My target sound is the ZEX Pro…ahhh. I mean I like IEMs with neutral leaning to bright or Harman 2019 signature. However, V-shaped or U-shaped will also work as long as there are sufficient technicalities. Congestion, bass bloat, and muddiness are a big no for me.

Equipment

• Avani DAC (Realtek ALC5686)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9
• CX-31993

Thy Frequency Spectrum
This is the best IEM I have tried to date, if this is what TOTL tuning is, then thank you very much KZ-sama for bringing this blessing to us, peasants. That’s it! No introductions needed for this part.

Bass: 5/5
Fast, clean and tight, midbass bleed is non-existent. Bass rumble is still audible and isn’t overtaking any of the melodic frequencies. Bass is also full of texture, the tapping of the drums, bass riffs, kick drums, etc. like every instrument that lies within the bass region is clearly audible, defined and replayed with poise. This is the cleanest bass I’ve heard in an IEM so far. Superb.

Midrange: 5/5
I’m in love with how ZP portrays the midrange, like the fundamentals of the instruments are clearly defined and nicely weighted. Like they are physically within my headspace, I’m exaggerating but to me it feels like I can touch them. The vocals…hmmmm..how can I describe the vocals….its freaking fantasticccc!!! I can’t…..am I listening to a KZ IEM anymore? The male and female vocals are just replayed with smoothness, nuance, weight, naturalness and sparkle, like everything I want with the vocals is portrayed by the ZP, the vocals are also not too forward nor recessed, like wth. If I have to nitpick, the female alto voices needs more push since they are kind of recessed, but for the asking price this type of midrange performance is in another level.

Treble: 4.75/5
Organic, natural and sparkly. The lower treble is tuned so well that I can’t detect any harshness in the treble region, instruments like piano and strings are not that bright like Heart Mirror but still properly nuanced and is very detailed. ZP also has enough 10k above energy to contribute to its wide staging. I didn’t rate it as high as 5 since there’s a peak at 8kHz making cymbals crashes unnaturally forward at times. Fortunately, the 8kHz peak can be reduced with a narrow silicon eartips like Sony EX-11.

Technicalities

• The coherency between the Magnetostat, Dynamic and Balanced armature are quite smooth; truth to be told I can’t detect where the BA actually plays in the frequency spectrum, like is it even turned on? There’s still a magnetostat flavor but not as noticeable as the ZEX.
• Soundstage is impressive and feels so natural, imagine as if you’re in a studio with the artist, the stage has an above average height and width, while the depth is below average. It isn’t holographic like what other people may prefer, but it’s so natural and real…. like this soundstage is something you will only hear in higher end gears.
• Separation is superb. Instruments have their own space in that natural soundstage and is portrayed with physicality. Instruments are easy to pinpoint while vocals are centered. Instruments does not bother the vocals whatsoever and each music element has their own space in that wide soundstage. If you’ve watched a live band performing, the experience is kind of the same.
• Driver speed is fast, like real fast. ZP can handle my complex metal and trance songs with finesse and accuracy like what? I can’t detect any congestion even with the bass hitting as hard as it can, vocals are still clear and well-defined.

The Radar Chart

The charts below show how ZP performs, this is still a subjective approach but the chart can give you a bigger picture of what you're trying to purchase. Moreover, the chart only takes into consideration all of the IEMs I have tried so far which is around the price range of $10 to $80. If you want to see a comparison to higher priced gears kindly check other reviews.

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Music Analysis


1. Pale Blue by Kenshi Yonezu (Played in Tidal Masters)
[Male Vocals, Staging, Imaging]
Kenshi voice at the start is so weighted and feels so real. The “zutto” is quite sharp in some iems like Heart Mirror but reproduced quite naturally by the ZP. The piano at 0:15 is so detailed and nuanced, I can’t detect any over-sharpening or harshness, the instruments are also placed properly on that wide stage and I can easily differentiate each of them. The fundamentals of the drums, piano and guitar throughout the track are so natural, it feels like I can touch them. Moreover, Kenshi’s voice throughout the track remain poise and finesse even with the hard-hitting bass appearing frequently in the track. Amazing Replay.
Replay Rating: Superb


2. The Clouds and the Ghost by Yorushika (Played in Tidal Masters)
[Female Vocals, Staging, Harmonics, Bass Response]
One of the tracks that made me fall in love with ZP. The replay is quite unreal. The clock, chime, bells, guitars, gentle whisper and water droplets at the start and throughout the track feels so real, like I can clearly locate them one by one without any efforts at all, plus the harmonics (echoes) decays so naturally like arrggghhh,, its so beautiful. Don’t forget Suis’ voice, it’s not that sharp like Heart Mirror but, like, it’s very natural I can’t explain it, I freaking love how ZP plays this track, I’m speechless……
Replay Rating: Superb


3. Afire Love by Ed Sheeran (Played in Tidal Masters)
[Male Vocals, Stage, Treble Quality, Bass]
The piano arrrghhh, so beautifully portrayed by the ZP, like the attack of the piano keys, the decays I can clearly hear them. The lower frequency instruments like drums and bass guitar also retains its tightness and cleanliness throughout the track, very good punch and texture. Ed Sheeran’s voice is also lovely, it never feels lean or lacking, it’s quite emotional to say the least. The staging of this track is also quite good, it feels like I’m in the studio where Ed is singing in front of me and the instruments are placed around me. The violin also sounds so natural like, it never feels too sharpened or too muted. Again, another superb replay by the ZP.
Replay Rating: Superb


4. Sololique by ShibayanRecords feat Milka (Played in HibyMusic)
[Female Vocals, Treble Quality, and Imaging]
The..the piano again…like it’s so detailed I can’t explain it… And also daamnn, Milka's voice in this track is soooo natural. Quite in-love with her voice like arrrghhhh. The bass is also textured and clean, it rumbles but it does not overshadow the melodic frequencies. Moreover, the stage in this track is also wide but not too wide like CA16 Pro. The flute, drums, and piano are weighted and nuanced and like they are physically within the stage. The macrodetails and dynamics are just unreal…Why does it feel like I’m watching a studio performance, like what the….No comment, I can’t explain it even more…
Replay Rating: Superb


5. Binary Star by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] feat Tielle (Played in HibyMusic)
[Guitar Timbre, Female Vocals, Treble Quality, Staging]
Come on ZP, you can’t do this to me, its already the 5th track like why can’t you stop being too good like wth?! The starry night atmosphere at the start is so detailed and clear, the fundamental details of the guitars and piano are so good and properly nuanced..The vocals are properly weighted and has enough sparkle. The bass remains clean even if the kick drums hit so hard…and..and..This is just witchery at this point. ZP needs to be stopped.
Replay Rating: Superb


6. Just Be Friends by prkr feat Nagi Yanagi (Played in HibyMusic)
[Guitar Timbre, Female Vocals, Lo-fi Test]
The replay is still acceptable, the guitars and cymbal crashes are still rendered wonderfully with details, even if the track has a foggy atmosphere to it. Nagi’s voice remains controlled throughout the track and does not show any harshness or shrillness whatsoever. The drums and bass guitar are still quite punchy and detailed even if the mastering is not that clean. However, the cymbal crashes are too much with the stock tips, with sony ex-11 its quite bearable.
Replay Rating: Excellent


7. Camomille Moody Afternoon by ShibayanRecords (Played in HibyMusic)
[Timbre, Imaging, Staging]
The ultimate test for timbre, staging, and imaging by the legendary ハム (Hamu). This the first KZ that I’ve tried that handles this track with naturality and finesse. The instruments are so natural-sounding I can almost touch them. The warmish atmosphere is also fantastically portrayed by the ZP, it feels so real….. like the instruments never mushed together instead they have their own spaces/layers on the stage and just blends wonderfully to create a fantastic melody. The bass also retains its tightness and somehow rumbly nature while being clean and poise. The upper frequency instruments also sound so detailed and clear, there’s no harshness or over-sharpening happening, quite unreal replay by ZP. Can’t explain it even more. This is an END Game material for my music taste, it’s a bold statement, I know, but this ZP is just in another league, it does not belong to the $35 range truth to be told..
Replay Rating: Superb

Comparison
ZEX Pro vs ZEX
These are two different beasts; one will give you clean and natural replay while the other one will give you a unique warmish flavor to your music. As for me I like my music to be as natural as possible and that’s why I liked Harman tuned iems, the unique warmth that the OG ZEX provides is just unnecessary for certain type of tracks. ZEX Pro is just cleaner, more natural and lovable to listen to. ZEX Pro also portrays my library so well that its quite unreal. OG ZEX in my opinion only works for certain genres and the midbass bloat is just quite irritating sometimes. For this reason, ZEX Pro wins, because of my library and how I like my music to be replayed.

ZEX Pro vs CA16 Pro
Finesse vs Fun. If you want an upgrade to the KZ sound signature or you’re one of the persons who like bassy energetic sound, just go for the CA16 Pro and be contented. However, if you’re like me who like poise and naturalness in their music, then look no further and buy the ZEX Pro, it’s a no brainer for people who like to hear the proper tone of the instruments. ZEX Pro wins.

ZEX Pro vs Blon BL-03
BL-03 is already obsolete when the Heart Mirror arrives, the only thing that the 03 has is its timbre and natural midrange. However, ZEX Pro takes that timbre and refine it even further while also giving you above average technicalities. No competition. ZEX Pro wins.

ZEX Pro vs KZ EDX
Same comment with the CA16 Pro, if you’re tight in budget and you need a bassy energetic set just then go for EDX, it still has that KZ DNA. ZEX Pro is nothing like the other KZs, its tuning is made to replay music as natural as it can be while also retaining the staging of their old offerings. ZEX Pro wins.

ZEX Pro vs Heart Mirror
This is the hardest decision I have to make, I love both of them, but I’m leaning more toward the ZEX Pro, like think of ZEX Pro as a refined Heart Mirror, with lesser upper treble energy and sub-bass extension. Like all of the things I want in my Heart Mirror is already in the ZEX Pro. However, HM still has that sparkle and enticing female vocals that’s just hard to ignore. The thing I hate with my HM is that it sounds thin in some genres like rock and lo-fi tracks, and the instrument fundamentals are not portrayed properly at times, like its weightless and just harmonics.

Unlike HM, ZEX Pro balances the female vocals and makes it more natural and weighted, male vocals are also a delight compared to HM. ZP is also friendly to all genres unlike HM. There’s also a proper sub-bass boost with the ZP which is lacking in the HM.

Overall ZEX Pro is just an anomaly that crushes the HM in some areas. With the improvements that ZP provides I’m kind of wanting its signature more compared to HM. Let’s just use the analogy that HM just became the girlfriend of the ZEX Pro. ZEX Pro wins.

Mods
Treat the ZEX Pro with a nice cable and it will show you its prowess immediately. Any high-quality cable will work, just please treat him right and he will give you the sound that you want. For the tips, listed below are the ones I’ve tried.

1. Sony EP-EX11
Best eartips for me, removes the 8kHz peak while retaining the neutrality of the ZP.

1.5. KZ ZEX Default Eartips

Seen someone saying that the 8kHz peak can be offset to 10kHz by deep inserting the IEM, the default ZEX tips does that.

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On par with 1, but brighter by a bit.

2. Generic White Wide Bore Tips
Will give ZP more sparkle, however 8kHz will became more intense. Kind of recommended if you think that ZP lacks clarity or sparkle.

3. KZ Starline Tips
Average, shows the 8kHz peak, most balanced eartips for the ZP.

4. Reverse Starline Tips
More treble, don’t….

5. Foam Tips
Removes the sub-bass, makes the male vocals leaner, not recommended.

Cables
Any nice cable will work. Just, let the stock cable have its peace.

Source
Stock Smartphone: There’s some fuzziness and the sub-bass are more audible than Avani and CX31193. Staging is also smaller and much more compressed.
Avani (Recommended): The most dynamic pairing so far, cleans out the fuzziness while also providing sufficient details in the vocals and instruments. Stage is also wider and taller by a bit.
Abigail (CX31993) (Recommended): Makes the ZEX Pro separate instruments more distinctly while also having the same stage as Avani.
CX31993: Cleanest pairing, extracts more details from the ZP. Stage is smaller than Avani but sparkles are more nuanced.

Tested Synergies

1. ZEX Pro + Avani (ALC5686) + Sony EP EX-11 tips (The Pleasure Set)
Favorite synergy so far, Avani widens the stage and adds more midrange weight and nuance to the ZEX Pro. Cymbal crashes are still compressed but still passable due to the warmish nature of the source. Very pleasing pairing if you're looking for a smooth and organic sound. Sony EP EX-11 tips also makes sure that the somehow compressed cymbals is tamed down and will not bother you throughout your entire listening session.

2. ZEX Pro + Avani (ALC5686) + OG ZEX Default Tips (The Balancer)
Same with 1, with the OG ZEX Default tips making the tonality a little colder than the sony tips. 8kHz or the cymbals crashes are still subdued but vocals specially male vocals are more leaner than 1. If you think that the ZEX Pro is too sub-bass focused or lacks the bite, this synergy is a good option.

3. ZEX Pro + Abigail (CX-31993) + Sony EP EX-11 tips (Technicalities Enabler)
This is my most recommended synergy if you want more details and separation with your ZEX Pro. Abigail makes the whole ZEX Pro tonality colder than Avani. Bass will be more tight and controlled, highs will be more sparkly and vocals will be less intimate than 1. Moreover, instrument separation will also be more distinct and harmonics will pop out more often than Avani. The staging is almost the same as 1. Sony tips are recommended in this synergy, since Abigail makes the cymbal crashes more defined, sony tips will make sure that cymbals crashes are still palatable even if its compressed.


Recommend Tracks/Genres

1. Anything...except tracks that contains a lot of cymbals and non properly mastered tracks.

Shop Links
Official Website：https://www.kztws.com/products/zexproxcrinclecrn

Overall Rating
S (Currently one of my tops)

See my rankings here : My IEM Rankings

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A (Relative to Price)
Recommended.

Final Words
Hey, thanks for reaching this part! Hope you enjoy the read, even if it is quite long....
Also, I'm so proud with KZ..this..this IEM is just beautiful..

Addendum
Crinacle Treble and Bass Equalization Preset for Wavelet
If you think that your ZEX Pro lacks the treble bite or the cymbals are too thin or it lacks the mid-bass. You can refer to the drive link below to download the converted Wavelet preset (GraphicEQ) for the treble fix and bass boost PEQ recommended by crinacle at official KZ discord.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nGDUU28HM-A6R364E-kYCY8wnDOHe_nG?usp=sharing



crinaclefix - default treble fix
crinacle fix + palatable air - default treble fix but 12kHz is reduced to 6dB
crinacle fix + bass - default treble fix with bass boost at 150 Hz.

Honeymoon Phase
This is the only IEM, where as soon I insert it to my ears, my dopamine levels immediately go up, because I just can’t believe what I’m hearing, like is this real?? For $35 dollars??? The replay is just so natural I’m speechless….

PS: 3rd Week of using the ZEX Pro, yeap still inlove with it. Superb replay with japanese music with magical or symphonic vibe to it.

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Accessories
Barebone, which is okay since you’ll get a semi-end game IEM. However, I hope KZ release a version with an 8-core cable cause the stock cable won’t cut it.

KZ x Crinacle CRN (ZEX Pro) Review!​

Product and shop link: Click me!

Disclaimer:

• KZearphones.ph / Sir Jeff Yang /KZ provided me this review unit free of charge in exchange for an honest clear review. Rest assured that this review will be free 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: 5-10 hours per day, 3 days.

Source/s used:

• Hidizs AP80
• Not-By-VE Avani Realtek Dongle
• Samsung Galaxy S3 (WM1811 DAC)
• Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i)
• Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM and setup configuration: stock tips, stock cable, any form of EQ and MSEB off, 40-60% volume.

Sound signature:

• Mild V/U-shaped sound signature depending on the setup, but this time it leans to the brighter side. Sparkly, bright upper mids and treble. There are instances of peaks and sibilance on upper frequencies. Wide soundstage. This IEM does not forgive poorly-mastered or lower bitrate tracks and files.

Lows:

• Lows are present and slightly elevated. Subbass presence is dominant over midbass. Bass may lack texture on busy tracks due to its smooth character, even smoother compared to the CA16 Pro. Average decay, not too fast or too slow/boomy. Very good control. Bassheads may find the ZEX-Pro’s bass lacking, particularly on the midbass. Overall, the bass is controlled and exhibits sub-bass dominance.

Mids:

• Mids are slightly recessed with some little to no bleed at all. Lower mids may sound thin depending on the track’s mastering and file bitrate. Upper mids are elevated, bright with above-average clarity. Instances of sibilance and peaks are present, particularly on sibilant prone tracks. Overall, the mids are slightly recessed and never got drowned even on busy tracks, but can get hot and peaky on sibilant prone, poorly mastered, and low—bitrate tracks.

Highs:

• Highs are bright and extended. It is also airy and sparkly but can introduce pierce occasionally on bright tracks. Above-average detail retrieval. This has by far been the most detailed KZ IEM I have owned and auditioned. Overall, the treble is bright with very good detail retrieval for its asking price, but will not please treble-sensitive people.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• The soundstage is above-average, even wider than the ED16 I used to own. It is wider than deep. Separation is also average and showed very slight congestion on busy tracks. Imaging is also surprisingly precise on most tracks I play with it with a very good sense of space and position of instruments and vocals.

Pros:

• Very good, flush-fit to most ears
• Above-Average detail retrieval, the most detailed KZ IEM I have owned and auditioned so far.
• Little to no midbass bleed
• Well-defined, sparkly upper frequencies.
• Good stock ear tips, not too soft nor hard
• Wide soundstage
• Above-average imaging and separation.

Cons:

• Definitely not for bass heads (subjective)
• Instances of sibilance on sibilant prone tracks are present
• Upper frequencies may sound thin at times
• Not forgiving on poorly mastered/low bitrate tracks.
• Bass may lack texture
• Accessories could be better
• There may be better alternatives for its asking price (30USD)

Thank you for reading!



#KZ #KnowledgeZenith #ZEXPro #KZZEXPRO #chifi #Hifi