KZ AS24

How are you? How are they? In this current written review we talk about a brand that surely sounds familiar to you. KZ. Specifically, we will talk about the KZ As24, more precisely its purest version... the one that does not have switches. An iem full of balanced armor that is sold, according to the brand, as its flagship to date, being the most expensive kz iem so far. Even so, this product represents one of the best price qualities that I have been able to test in a product, offering certain sonic characteristics well above its price, especially at a spatial level.
KZ is entering a new era of maturity in developing and fine-tuning its products to appeal to audio's most discerning audience...those who regularly add new IEMs to their collections like you and me.
Why review the standard version?
I understand that for hobbyists, tuning switches will provide countless hours of fun. Flipping switches on and off is engaging, entertaining and satisfying.
But for others, like me this would be an irritating task that could be accomplished more quickly using a software-based equalizer. That's why I prefer to review the standard version and test, as always, with different amps, tips and songs.



The in ear is presented very fairly in the box. Kz does not usually offer as many accessories as other brands. We only have the pairs of small, medium and large size tips, the cable, the iem and a pair of memory tips which are the ones that come stock with the product.
So we have a simple little black box that is basically functional and efficient. There is no more or less. A small, simple and efficient unboxing.
Perhaps what is missing beyond more sets of tips or a more premium presentation is the typical carrying case, which is conspicuous by its absence. Considering the price of this product I think it is something that could have been taken into account.
Regarding the included cable, we have a 1.2 m high-purity silver-plated OFC. Quite attractive, lightweight. The 2-pin connection fits perfectly and is secure. However, and as you can see in the video when testing this iem I noticed very interesting sonic peculiarities so I decided to give it a cable with more of a premium feel. A cable that they had saved with 8 cores from the tripowin brand.



As for the design and construction, what can I say... it feels well made and the fit and finish are excellent. There is no discomfort despite its large size. I think the ergonomic shape helps compensate for the size. If it seems too big or if you don't like this, think about it...there are 12 balanced armors inside...12...and their weight is quite standard.
The look of the AS24 is attractive. At least I love it. It's like jewelry or precious stones. One of the nicest iems I've tried regardless of the price. The body of the AS24 is composed of several main parts: a lightweight, DLP-printed resin body, a high-precision integrated acoustic filtering nozzle, a diamond-cut bright stand, and a lightweight metal front cover.



This product has 12 balanced armature drivers inside. 2 for the mid frequencies, 8 only for the highest frequencies, 1 for the high frequencies and one for the bass...in other words, we have a configuration of 1 bass, 2 mids and 1 treble...the other 8 are used only filler for air which, as we will see, is a hallmark of the product.
The sound signature is mature and balanced. The sound of the AS24 offers lean detail with quite interesting clarity... a detail superior to any product under €100 in both hybrid and dynamic driver iems. Of course there are higher value iems which have less noticeable detail, such as, for example, the Ikko Oh5 although the latter offers more texture.
The transitions remain fluid and basically the resulting general coherence is really good, giving a very natural sound, but at the same time attractive...and not precisely because it has a shocking bass but because of its excellent dynamics with nuances. In addition, the soundstage is spacious and the images are precise for me its strongest point; making an ideal set for classical music sessions.

In terms of amplification, this product does not stand out for needing a huge amount of energy but we will always find a small improvement if it is amplified. In this case the improvement goes to the low and low midrange giving a slightly better impact. Its values are a sensitivity of 109 decibels for the customizable version and 112 for the one you see on the screen and just 20 ohms of impedance. Values that allow my laptop to extract practically 100% and with the Sonata HD Pro at half power (60mw at 32 ohms) it already sounds really good.
Therefore, it is an efficient iem that allows it to be used in a more portable way...a compelling reason why they would have included the carrying case.



SOUND SECTION – BASS
For a BA driver, bass reproduction is authoritative and rich, while remaining clean and well defined. The resolution and texture are good for natural instruments such as cello, double bass... I still consider the weight of the notes to be slightly thin if you are looking for warm, thick sound signatures with intense bass. It is not a bass comparable to other dynamic drivers but it delivers.
The bass delivery is satisfactory and appropriate for almost all genres except electronic or for sessions where you just want to enjoy and move your head.
Basically the bass extension is deep and without attenuation. I didn't hear any distortion when listening, to test, at moderate to high volumes.

SOUND SECTION – MIDS
The midrange section sounds natural to me, clear and full-bodied throughout the music. It doesn't feel like the body of the ikko oh5 but I do consider that it offers a very interesting body and doesn't feel thin at all. Let's say they are not too thin nor too thick. Its tonality is on par with the midranges of more expensive products because it exhibits an attractive, natural but well-layered sound.
You will be delighted with the AS24 if you mainly listen to vocal-focused music because female vocals in particular sound very attractive and present to me. Despite what the chart may suggest, the media never shy away from the back end. They are soft and do not give the impression of screaming.
So, like the technical-spatial part, the voices seem to me to be another great strong point of this product.

SOUND SECTION – TREBLE
I'm happy with the tuning and treble capability. Notice that they are not the cleanest and purest but they are sharp, revealing and detailed without causing great fatigue. I have not yet noticed a sibilance that bothers me but I have been able to find that strange sensation with some songs with a timbre that is somewhat characteristic of BA armature.
What is clear is that the treble provides a perfect balance to the rich and musical bass.
Basically the AS24 has a clean and clear sound. It has good extension up to the higher treble registers and the air or spacious sound feeling is evident as it has 8 key signatures for this purpose.

SOUND SECTION – TECHNIQUES
For me, the biggest strength of the KZ AS24 is the depth of the stage and the layers. He manages to display all the instruments very carefully, placing them with good distinction. The As24's soundstage may not be the widest or loudest, but in depth, it's one of the best so far I've tested regardless of price. On the x-axis of the soundstage I consider it to be not too far from the fiio fh9.
The new flagship therefore has a great sense of space and separates the instruments very well. Taking this into account, it might work better in terms of contrast between the instruments and the background.



The AS24s are really excellent. If you like genres more focused on classical music, soundtracks and even playing video games, they are an easy recommendation, especially as I said with such a favorable price-performance ratio that it is difficult for me not to recommend this product. For the price of the aforementioned fiio fh9 you can buy 4 Kz AS24…
Looking for a large, highly three-dimensional soundstage? I recommend you try it because it may satisfy you.
Are you looking for a natural and attractive sound? This is your iem.

Do you want the highest resolution for less than €150? This is your iem. I would say a greater range...to the point that it is not very far from the Quintet...but recently I was able to test an iem that is really interesting and that we will see soon, the mp145, which gives a neater sound.
I can only find those bassheads who are not very satisfied with this product because of its somewhat more reserved sound...or those with a smaller ear. This iem is really big although its fit is very good.
One thing must be made clear, it is a great iem but don't expect superior performance compared to iems well above its price. We have to be realist. It is very competitive, but up to the range of €300-€400 maximum. Still, it seems amazing to me.
The AS24 are mature, balanced and very flexible if you have the version with switches with which you will need time and patience to experiment with countless possibilities the subtle differences in sound.
If you liked it, give it a like, share the video and subscribe to support the channel and bring more and more products. See you in future written reviews and videos.

All the best.

The AS24 is a flagship all BA IEM from KZ

Product Information

Product model- KZ AS24
Frequency- 20-40000Hz
Sensitivity- Standard Version 112±3dB
Tuning Version 109±5dB
Impedance- Standard Version 20Ω
Tuning Version 20Ω~50Ω
Plug type- 3.5mm
Pin type- 0.75mm
Cable type- Silver-plated cable
Cable length- 120±5cm

1-Lightweight metal front cover
2-Sparkling diamond-cut bracket
3-2 Pin connector
4-Frequency division board
5-12 Customized BAs
6-3D-printed chamber
7-Metal acoustic filter
8-Memory foam ear tip

The box is typical and so is the cable unfortunately. While KZ has come a long way since that awful striped tangly mess of a cable that came with my ZST pro, I would have liked to see the Zar cable or JoyOdio cable come with the flagships. KZ for the most part have 4 basic tips, the White, The classic Starline, foam and those new spirally things. So, let's talk about the build quality, this is a solid design. There is excellent isolation and while they are big, they fit me comfortable. The look is a cool 3D design and I do like that.

Sound:
The Bass on the AS24 is neutral/ Balanced to boosted just a little, it has good speed in both Sub and Mid and excellent details. It works well with speed metal, Jazz and EDM.
The Midrange is balanced with good body and separation. Vocals are forward and clear as bass bleeds very little.
The Treble is open and airy with rich details and just enough sparkle and extension.
Soundstage: Is phenomenal, offering a wide-open sound with accurate placement and separation that can handle the busiest recordings.
Conclusion: The KZ AS24 is both technically proficient and enjoyable for a large variety of music, it's made well and sounds great.

DISLCAIMER

I would like to thank KZ for providing this unit. The AS24 can be gotten here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C88VYDB7



SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 12 balanced armature drivers - 4 x dual 31736 BAs, 2 x 29689 BAs, 1 x 30019 BA, 1 x 22955 BA
• Impedance: 20 - 50 Ohms (tunable version); 20 Ohms (non-tunable version)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 109 (tunable version); 112 (non-tunable version)
• Cable: 2-pin 3.5 mm, 0.75 mm silver-plated OFC cable
• Tested at $124 USD (tunable version); $114 USD (non-tunable version)

Do note that there is a tunable and non-tunable variant available. The one that we are reviewing today is the tunable version.


ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of KZ starline silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of foam tips
- Cable
- Tuning switch card pin



For something retailing at > $100 USD, the accessories are a mega disappointment; gear at this price range usually comes with a wider array of eartips, in addition to a case at least. There are even competitors that grace the packaging with modular cables or cleaning brushes once we hit the $100 mark. All these are absent in the AS24's packaging, and that is really not acceptable for the retail price.

The foam tips are suerpb for isolation and taming the treble, whereas the regular KZ starline silicone tips will boost the higher end and provide more clarity/soundstage.

Unfortunately, in addition to a lack of quantity of accessories, there is a sub-par quality too. The provided OFC silver-plated cable is thin and tangly, with microphonics. It does not even have a chin cinch! This is once again a far cry from the usual $100 fare, where we frequently see modular cables of much better haptic quality. During ordering, one can opt for a mic or non-mic version for this cable.

Lastly, we have the card pin to flick the switches, which we will talk about in detail in the following sections.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock starline silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The shells are made of dermatologically friendly resin, with some pseudo-diamond like faceplate. DLP 3D printed technology was utilized in the fashioning of the AS24's shells, to assist in providing strength and ironing out QC issues.



The earpieces themselves are pretty light. However, they are very large, which isn't unexpected considering the need to squeeze 12 balanced armature drivers inside. KZ advertises that they designed the housings after incorporating data of a myriad ear anatomies, but I found that the ergonomics was pretty hit or miss due to the huge shells. They protrude out of the ears quite a lot, and may be fatiguing for longer listening sessions.



Being an all -BA set, we won't talk about driver flex. Interestingly, the BA bass seems to be vented, which isn't common for an all-BA IEM. However, as a result of the venting, isolation is about above average, but not as solid as other unvented BA types.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the AS24 with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is relatively easily driven, but the impedance of the IEM does depend on what switch settings are flicked into play. Generally though, amplification is not required for the AS24.


INTERNALS/TUNING SWITCHES

This 12 BA behemoth houses the following drivers:
- 4 x dual 31736 array-design BAs handle the lower and upper treble frequencies
- 1 x 30019 BA is responsible for the upper midrange/lower treble
- 2 x customized 29689 BAs settle the midrange
- 1 x 22955 BA (vented) takes care of the bass.



On the bottom and back of each shell, we each have 1 tuning switch board (a main and an auxiliary one), with 4 tuning configurations for each board. The switches are extremely tiny, and those with poor eyesight or dexterity issues may have difficulty manipulating the switches. The switches seem to be of good QC and flick easily - I encountered other tuning switch IEMs that had stuck switches in the past, so thankfully the ones of the AS24 seem properly implemented.



These are what the switches do, according to KZ's marketing materials:




Potentially, we will have a mind-boggling 256 tuning permutations with the AS24!

From independent graphing of the most extreme of tuning switches, these are the potential graphs of what the KZ AS24 can sound like. This monster can sound like a bassy V-shaped set, to something more neutralish/U-shaped, to something neutral bright. The rest of the other 256 options fall somewhere in between these tunings. The versatility is really excellent, and is one of the feathers on the cap of this IEM. Indeed, I don't think there is an IEM out there that can boast of 256 tuning options haha.


Graphs of the KZ AS24 with the most extreme of tuning switches. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

For the rest of this review, we will be utilizing the all switches up config, which confers a V-shaped tuning.

On this setting, the AS24 is a sub-bass focused set, with quantity just north of neutral. While not exactly sounding identical to DD bass, the AS24's vented design does allow the bass to sound more natural than other all-BA sets in terms of bass decay and movement of air. We have decent sub-bass extension and some rumble. Bass texturing is average - and may sound one-noted at times - though the speed is fast, with minimal mid-bass bleed.

The lower midrange is recessed on this configuration, but without big bass to encroach here, it is quite transparent and clear, allowing instruments to be easily pinpointed. The upper mids are forwards without overt shoutiness, unless used at very loud volumes (Fletcher Munson curve).

With this setup, the treble is quite bright, with moderate air and sparkle. There is marked sibilance and some harshness noted in the lower treble region, with overemphasized high hats and cymbals. Treble-sensitive folk might want to experiment with foam tips, or perhaps check out the least bright switch settings.

The AS24 sounds very metallic in terms of timbral accuracy, and this is arguably one of the major weaknesses of this IEM. Vocals sound nasal, and acoustic instruments like strings, woodwinds and brasses sound artificial. This IEM may not be the best option for timbre freaks or for genres like jazz, vocals or classical as such.

Where the KZ AS24 aces (and redeems itself), is in the technicalities department. Resolution, clarity and micro-detailing are very good for a low $100ish set, with solid instrument separation and imaging. Soundstage is about average in width, but has good depth and height.


COMPARISONS

Some $100ish USD tunable gear will be taken out for comparisons against the AS24.




Hidizs MS3

The MS3 has 3 tuning options via nozzles, from a warmish bassy tone to a neutral bright signature. On the gold (balanced) nozzle, which is the mid-point tuning of the 3 options, the MS3 is brighter than the AS24, with greater air and sparkle, though it is probably more fatiguing than the AS24.

The MS3 has similar instrument separation, but has better micro-detailing, soundstage width and imaging. The AS24 is better in soundstage depth.


Kiwi Ears Quartet

The Kiwi Ears Quartet has 4 tuning options via switches. Across all tuning switches, the Quartet is darker in the treble, with a thicker note weight and a more natural timbre.

Unfortunately, the Quartet is leagues behind the AS24 in technical chops, with inferior soundstage, micro-detailing, imaging and instrument separation.


TRI Starsea

The Starsea has 4 tuning options via switches, but they are all quite similar tonally. So from a versatility point of view, the AS24 is superior.

The Starsea has slightly better imaging, but otherwise loses to the AS24 in other technical areas such as soundstage, instrument separation and micro-detailing.

The Starsea has a bad pressure suction effect on the ears, plus driver flex, which may be deal breakers for some users.


CONCLUSIONS



KZ and TRN are famous (or perhaps infamous?) for their multi-driver nuclear race, and KZ has upped the ante with 8 tuning switches to provide a possible 256 tuning permutations in the AS24!!! KZ is quite extravagant to say the least! Unlike other "tunable" rivals which have minimal or very subtle changes in sonics, the AS24 does have quite marked tonal differences on graphing.

The AS24 also sports good build and easy drivability, and technicalities-wise, it is one of the better sets at the low $100ish range. Despite packing BA drivers for the bass, the bass does not sound as anemic as some BA bass IEMs due to the addition of venting.

Well, considering that one can get multiple pokemon - 256 to be exact - to evolve out of this primary KZ pokemon, the versatility is really overwhelming (and may be an overkill). On the flip side (no pun intended), some lay consumers may be confused as to what the tuning switches do, especially if they do not have graphing rigs.

There are some other areas where the AS24 loses marks in my book. Firstly, the accessories are horrible, and I've seen sets at 1/3 the price which pack way more goodies. Comfort is also hit or miss due to the large shells needing to accommodate 12 drivers per side, and the tuning switches are really miniscule - folks with eyesight or dexterity issues might find it problematic to toggle the switches. One major bugbear of mine is the artificial timbre, and this IEM may be a bit peakish for our treble sensitive brethren on some settings.

Nevertheless, the above average isolation, versatility and technical prowess does make this IEM a suitable option for audio work or stage use, and analytical heads and folks wanting something for critical listening will not be disappointed here. Listeners who prefer something more natural or organic sounding might want to look elsewhere though.

Knowledge Zenith AS24 Universal IEM
Redcarmoose July 10th, 2023

Hello!
Welcome to another Knowledge Zenith review. Back in mid July of 2016 I reviewed my first KZ, the KZ-ATE Copper Driver RQ:016NBM IEM. Such a review was also my very first front page exposure here at Head-Fi. Nowadays I wish I still had the old KZ-ATE, but I gave it away and it was subsequently damaged in a skateboarding mishap. Luckily my friend wasn’t hurt, but the KZ-ATE with its non-removable cables was.

You see I had no way of knowing (then) that this particular brand would evolve to the extent that it has today. In fact for the longest time I simply didn’t give the brand much notice or respect. In 2018 I would laugh at a few of the KZ designs, and only give them so much as a minute or two of listening before disqualifying them. They simply seemed cheap, because they were fairly cheap. But more than that, the Knowledge Zenith designs seemed strange and different? And not in an enchanting different way, but more in a toy-like fashion. They didn’t seem like real audiophile IEMs? Also at the same time my personal taste for ear-phones was evolving, I had more experience and was slightly more critical. So as far as the Chinese IEM market place, there needs to be winners and losers. Also with-in our own personal buying trajectory there are the winners and the losers. There needs to be ones that sound better, and the IEMs that (due to their performance) get left on store shelves.

The 2022 driver scandal:
In March of 2022 there was also the fake driver scandal, which I won’t get into, except there is room for redemption here, I mean when Knowledge Zenith puts out so many models and replicates so many units per month, there is a good chance at controversy. Somehow I have bypassed most of this heat. Meaning I hold Knowledge Zenith in good light as my personal experience with the manufacture (while not obtaining that many) has been parallel to their goals. Don’t quote me on this, but their goals are to offer a normally expensive product at reasonable prices. And in so many ways that has been my experience? A couple of the last few Knowledge Zenith IEMs have been high level review items. The KZ ZS10 PRO X I reviewed back on October 23rd of 2022 and received a full 5 stars. The KZ AS16 Pro also received the full 5 star treatment from me on August 2nd, 2022! This new-boost in performance basically stated that KZ was somehow new and improved? Improved because a lot has happened to the value budget IEM market in the last 2 years and somehow Knowledge Zenith has been riding that wave too?

Don’t be negative kids!
That is my motto for Knowledge Zenith products, as in my experience you get more than you pay for. So maybe here we have a little redemption with the AS24? Knowledge Zenith producing an unheard of TOTL Flagship product for us!

Redemption:

1. 1) The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil."God's plans for the redemption of his world"
   • a thing that saves someone from error or evil."his marginalization from the Hollywood jungle proved to be his redemption"
2. 2) The action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt."the peasants found the terms of redemption unattractive"

Redemption:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-ate-in-ear-monitors.21174/reviews#review-16455
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/the-new-kz-zs10-pro-x-universal-iem.26128/reviews#review-29430
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/knowledge-zenith-kz-as16-pro.25953/reviews#review-28967

So that means I’m really not an expert when it comes to judging KZ IEMs. Over the years there have been countless models, more KZs that you (or I) can remember, and there have been more models of KZs since the AS24..........to come out since, and the AS24 is fairly recent? Also let's not forget the sub brand of Joyodio, for which I found incredibly enjoyable, if you’ll pardon the phrase.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/jo...-switch-tuning-iem.26302/reviews#review-30530
https://www.linsoul.com/products/joyodio-shine?variant=43700641824985

With the Joyodio Shine costing $79.99 it shows KZ walking into new territory. And if I can, in my own humble way I see KZ adding more sophistication to these IEMs, that is why I want the old KZ ATE from 2016…..for reference. And while this new AS24 doesn’t have 24 drivers per-side……..that reality is maybe just a year off? Lol


AS24 Sound:
Music tests:



John Williams
Star Wars: The Force Awakens OST
The Scavenger
96kHz - 24bit
So it’s not going to surprise you when I talk about what the AS24 does well! A big and roomy stage for all to take place. Cellos find a lower midrange we didn’t even know was there. To back track here, at 00:40 the flute sounds overall correct and alive. Right before the harp strings accented and were found to be full and accurate? Really this style of playback is where the money is. And if someone was always going to listen to this style of playback……all day long, this would be paradise. At 1:38 there is a lot going on, more than I want to take the effort to describe for you. But rest assured it is well done, all in place and decent in timbre. At 02:40 a harp strum takes place only into also have you notice a slight faint synth background. The delicacy and smoothness are of value here, and combine as one of the most redeeming qualities of this playback. The trick that putting all these BAs in is that they create size, size of playback. Size of soundstage, and size of each and every one of these instruments replayed. Simply spread-out and wide, offering a vista to view it all, to take it all in. Also this style of music somehow makes BA bass fun. The bass is more focused than DD bass, way faster than DD bass, becoming polite in a way. The speedy change-ups and transients take place adding to the sonic charms.



Hans Zimmer
The Dark Knight Rises OST
On Thin Ice
192 kHz - 24 bit
Here we are met with classic broad stage, though not too deep, or even really that reaching that far up or down. Still the separation here is what makes the AS24 a spectacle and a value for the money asked. Also the distinct ability for BAs in a group to finite focus each and every frequency present. Now this song is typically one I would use to test bass, and in a way I am testing how the bass transfers sound. They are given an exotic display of detail which makes-up for the lack of authority. Yep, lesser on the authority and maximum detail. The bass notes here are different from your typical rock song as the sound is really a composite of sorts, made up of many instruments following along…….at the 01:50 mark the added bass of cellos start to approach. At 02:16 the next level hits with drums added to reinforce the bass. While all this is really farther out in placement. Meaning Classical and OSTs take to this style of grandeur yet everything is farther away than the upfront 3D Kiwi ears Quintet IEM gives you……….the information at times is at a distance, the softness resulting………….is either wanted or despised depending on the listener.



T. Rex
1972 (Greatest Hits)
The Slider
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
This album is partially the reason I put these music reviews at the start of the review. A remastered version of the late Marc Bolan’s hits. Here we are gifted with one of Marc’s greatest and lasting musical statements. The Slider was also of immense surprise when reviewing the KZ AS24. While modern Rock is often felt not as complete due to the tailored low-end, this style of music comes alive. The surprise here was I didn’t land on this album until my second day of listening with the AS24. To you the consumer, that previous statement means you should really give the AS24 a few days to understand. This absolutely is one IEM you can’t judge by a 5 minute listening test……its charms are elusive and hidden yet potent and real. While not that well rounded, when you do hit gold, it’s solid gold….as to follow!

What makes this tick is the spatialization of items found taking their life segregated and alone unto themselves in the stage. This separation must be from the sheer number of drivers used, as each has a job to do and when heard in a pack, the number of drivers tells a story. Ridiculously I was contemplating writing a mini-review of each and every song on this greatest hits package. I could if I wanted to, who would stop me? And such a description would serve a purpose showing the AS24 has the ability to showcase an entire album of hits, nonchalantly grabbing full-realism in playback. Now when this review continues we will be getting to why I gave the only four stars instead of five. We will be delving into why and how the AS24 only has limited uses. Now though at this point in time none of that matters. Why? Because really the AS24 does some music perfect, that's why.

At 00:04 the bass groove joins in. And while not as deep or physically daunting as in other replays, it’s the imaging and spacial fireworks that make this work. There is a wonderful balance in this rhythm metronome including each and every one of these musical elements. The pace, the instrument tone, the definition…..and of course the vocals! There is this watch-works syncopation at hand where each and every element is both needed and essential, yet heard in its BA glory due to the pace offered by the AS24. It is the attack and decay, and the imaging placement that makes this entire song special………………..and replay with the AS24 a personal event!



T. Rex
1972 (Greatest Hits)
Telegram Sam
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
While maybe different in overall vibe here, due to the lacking lows, we are still gifted with entertaining and listenable replay. The bass is still heard but actuates a rhythm by almost touching the emphasis instead of dominating the frequency band. BAs have a way of doing this where the tone gets in……..and gets out just as fast. And while of course this is not a modern Pop/Rock recording, which means that often maybe the vocals will not be as forward or showing a physique kin to reality. So in a way this is musical excavation here, the unearthing and digging-up of sonics. And in so many ways that’s the message here……the clearness and romance found in a digital extraction.

Already at the 00:06 mark we can hear two separate guitars. One echoing off to the behind left, and a more treble mixed upfront one, just as Marc supplies the oooooos. In reality there are a few guitar tracks and at the 00:28 section we are surrounded by them, encased in the rhythm they promote. If this was the first time a listener was hearing this song, the bass may actually seem proper. And while I have obviously heard this with a thicker low-end, just having this experience is rewarding. When the chorus takes place at 00:52 it’s fine with the bass guitar still adding just the necessities.



KMFDM
IN DUB
SUPERHERO DUB
44.1 kHZ - 24 bit
It’s super important that this demonstration song gets included here.....and for that reason I’m putting it at the end of the music reviews. Dub music uses bass as the theme to almost all of its character. This can be a challenge for the bass deficit IEMs……in just that there is no movement forward. Also this particular album in general sends a message to readers that there is sub-bass found, more than mid-bass…..which in essence makes this style of music work. Now you may be thinking I’m placing this number here out of desperation to make a point……to make a point about the bass character……when I in-fact have pretty much commented on everything already. In the IEM comparison section you’re going to read, I’m using comparisons with other IEMs to get more of that same point across. The point? Simply that the KZ AS24 is not well rounded, yet offers a spectacular window into possibly 50% of your music, you just have to pick which albums to listen to. I still look at it as a total value except take away one star due to these deficiencies. Oh, and if that 50% of music is all you listen to 100% of the time, you win here.

I have tried to cover a few examples of different musical genres, playing OSTs, Rock and Dub. I even went and tried EDM which at times was really really good, despite your understandable fears on the subject.

IN DUB:
At 00:00 the toms kick this number off, being big, fast and fun. At exactly 00:01 the bass drops…..yep, all of it. And at that exact moment you come to realize the sub-bass present, well at least enough of it to move this little number along. And this brings us to another concept in the understanding of IEM replay. That often IEMs that lack bass tone will get it from the music file to come-off more complete. In reality it’s a gargantuan amount of bass in the song, adding a utilitarian amount of bass to seemingly add balance. And in many ways that is what is going on here. Except when it’s good it’s good and we are getting the needed tones. So am I desperate to make a point? No, I just like the replay so I’m listening for my own enjoyment.

Disclamer:
All music testing was done with the Sony WM1Z and OSG cable in 4.4mm.

KZ AS24 Universal IEM
Specifications:
12 BA High-end Tunable In-Ear Monitor

• Four 31736 Balanced Armatures Hybrid Drivers & Two 29689 Balanced Armatures Drivers
• 22955 Balanced Armatures Driver & 30019 Balanced Armatures Driver
• Two Versions Available, Main & Auxiliary Turners
• Medical-grade Materials 3D Printed Housing
• Silver-plated OFC Cable

Product Model
AS24(Standard Version/Tunable Version)

Frequency
20Hz-40kHz

Sensitivity
Standard Version: 112±3dB
Tunable Version: 109±5dB

Impedance
Standard Version: 112±3dB
Tunable Version: 109±5dB

Plug Type 3.5mm
Pin Type 0.78mm
Cable Type Silver-Plated Cable
Cable Length 120±5CM

12 drivers a side:
There are 12 drivers per side, and that is a lot. But to simplify things, yes the sound of the AS24 is slightly bigger than the AS16 Pro and ZS10ProX, and while it doesn’t have the smooth low-end of the ZS10ProX, it’s nice and adequate nonetheless.

Inside:
31736 X 4
29689 X 2
22955 X1
30019 X1

The end results here are actually fairly sophisticated and refined? I mean the first question you ask yourself is………is this correct and nice sounding? Where the AS24 responds with almost overly subtle and detailed demeanor. Especially with Orchestral Music……the sound is complete, expensive sounding and well filled-in. Though keep in mind the AS24 may not be the very best at times for genres like Rock or EDM. Where it takes a little choosing in the Rock genre to find synergy, what you’re given still borders on a style of overly precise midrange energy. Such a double-edged sword goes ahead and shows refined edge harmonics and clarity in guitar, but leaves a little down-home thickness and even sloppiness (to be) desired. Yep, you are gifted with razor sharp technicalities, only those tones are what the BA experience has always delivered. Fast attacks and instant fall-offs……..where echos are the ones from the room the music was recorded in, and shown for accurate spatial positioning with-out an ounce of error.

Yep, the stage is big, really big afforded by the mid-range emphasis as well as 12 miniature sound making devices all firing-off at once. While bass is both detailed and holding softer edges in finite correctness, there is none of that woody bounce normally accounted for in Rock tracks.....instead we are witnessing clinical refinement.

Still these sound like money, a lot of money. I keep trying to find a hole where they leave something out? But still as somewhat disclosed prior, Rock tracks may leave some people out in the cold, so to speak.

Build:
The promotional drawings don't show the bubbles next to the drivers. Now I don’t count that as a huge deal, but studying the pictures here should give you a realistic view of both the good and bad features of the build. Gone are some of the older ideas to sound tubes. Now exiting the drivers are real 3D printed sound tubes. KZ calls the process making an internal cavity structure, as it is all one.

Now each (of the 3) bands has both an electronic crossover network and tubing made into the actual shell of the IEM. Prior to these (pre-formed) 3D tubes, there was in-place actual tubing made of a different material, having to placed around the exit ports of the individual drivers, or at times joining whole groupings of drivers. So in a way this design bypasses the use of those tubes, possibly streamlining production. There is also an acoustic chamber area which has been fogged over with a semitransparent treatment. Such an area gives clues to its use with the foggy view of wires. There is a single air-vent placed in contact with this chamber of secrets, as maybe the drivers or sounds vent into this fogged-over area? With such specific venting the KZ AS24 shows great outside noise occlusion and no pressure build-up like from (as an example) the Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite un-vented model.





Packaging:

Cable:
Here is once again the standard silver-plated oxygen-free copper affair. And while we are reaching the level of cost that we start to wonder if Knowledge Zenith will ever introduce a different cable? While there is nothing wrong with it, the primary part of my tests used 4.4mm, which means I needed to change cables. Really at this price we see competitors offer 2.5mm balanced, and 4.4mm balanced as an option.

Call me spoiled......but most competitors will offer a nicer more elaborate cable with a $112.00 IEM. At least make it seem to look better than the typical cable that comes with a $20.00 IEM.

Ear-tips:
While the regular Knowledge Zenith S/M/L ear-tips were nicely included, a special single set of foams were mounted directly onto the IEMs. Such ear-tips can at times create the ultimate bass and soundstage experience by giving the listener a better air-tight fit. Out of curiosity I tried the foams..........just to learn about them. They worked......but nothing too far out of the ordinary. Still this kind-of started me on a foam mission of sorts………….finding and pulling out the Sony Hybrid tips. Such a novel tip uses a silicone core surrounded by a style of foam, yet shaped like a regular IEM ear-tip, with simply thick foam walls. Once I got them Into place I could tell something was a little different. Very, very nice. One reason I don’t use the Sony Hybrids regularly is due to the narrow exit nozzle port which can diminish soundstage. The other reason is they are not long lasting, needing to be cleaned and maintained, opposed to regular silicone ear-tips. Yet in this situation the Sony Hybrids offered a more focused bass, where it was slightly condensed, along with a different style of imaging, that would be hard to explain. But what was found was better separation and less BA-ness. The more I use the Hybrid tips the more I realized that the bass is slightly better? I also used a random pair of yellow medium-bore silicones for a big part of testing.......reason being they offered slightly more bass and a better fit than my regular wide-bore silicones.

Top row left to right: KZ AS16 Pro and KZ ZS10ProX
Bottom row left to right: KZ AS24 and Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite

Comparisons:
1) KZ ZS10ProX
2) KZ AS16 Pro
3) Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite

Grabbing the ZS10ProX just to see if Rock tracks were given a warmer light? Well, well………it is instantly noted why the ZS10ProX got such a fantastic review. While seemingly incomplete in a way, there is a definite midrange smoothness that is the Yin to the AS24’s yang. While the incompleteness is ever so apparent in the KZ ZS10ProX’s playback, but still? The bass drops are way bigger and of greater intensity than the AS24 ever dreamed of............due to the single 10mm DD. And while yes, you can hear that everything is slightly underwater and not as forward..............I just may like parts of this playback better? I mean on paper the AS24 is clearly the superior IEM, and there is even a slight togetherness arrived at with the (all BA) similar AS24 driver methodology? It’s just that maybe the KZ ZS10ProX has a tad more musicality, despite it not being totally filled-out? Is this a question of taste? I will say if someone was specifically listening to classical or OSTs.............and wanted more completeness and viewed the incomplete playback of the ZS10ProX as wrong, then yes, the AS24 is the better choice.


The KZ ZS10ProX

The ZS10ProX is only $39.00 compared to the $112.00 of the basic AS24 model. Prices climb on the AS24 as you add a microphone to the basic model priced at $114.00, then an additional price for the black tunable model at $122.00, or $124.00 with microphone. So it may be a curiosity as to why I would even be comparing the ZS10ProX to the AS24? Reason being there is a pathway to understanding KZ, for myself anyway, and maybe you too? Where the ZS10ProX was not perfect, the AS24 is not perfect either. In case you don’t know Hybrids are my favorite way to go. But all BA IEMs take a quick second with Muti-DDs starting to possibly overcome BA methods (in my personal choice) of design. So with Hybrids as my favorite, I’m basically basking in the simple ability of the DD being able to do a darn good job at the lows combined with BAs to add that instantaneous treble and midrange attacks. Yep, full fast fall-off of those midrange notes and well done itemizations followed through with the treble.

Cable changes:
As at times a cable change can align a response to more of a wanted tone…..seemingly adding almost (the) perfection. Then at other times the playback is still relatively the same with the IEM character un-moveable.

But to get to my point, there seemed to be an effect of the ISN G4 cable that seemed to really be everything for the KZ ZS10ProX……... Yes, I’m combining a $39.00 IEM purchase with a $99.50 aftermarket cable purchase. Reason being is the G4 just seems to get the most out of what the KZ ZS10ProX is trying to do. So imagine with me for a second, as to why I’m drawn to the ZS10ProX. It’s a Hybrid, it’s not complete and showing almost full-on holes in playback, only with this Graphene cable, the most is found. Better airy midrange and better specialized treble itemizations. A bigger stage than the included cable, even somehow apparent timbre improvements. The reason for the improvements are adding energy to a regularly slightly too warm and underachieving treble and midrange, somehow dialing them into almost perfection? I don’t want to make this a cable review, except I just want to put down how I’m getting to the places I’m at, that I have a reason for falling in love with what the ZS10ProX does, that I’m not crazy for liking this $39.00 IEM, except I have also matched it with the Sony WM1Z to finish this effect-off.

KZ ZS10ProX v KZ AS24:
As mentioned earlier in the review the KZ ZS10ProX offers a slightly different response centering around a more buried BA profile. That’s right kids, burying the BA treble and midrange to come about a smoother and slightly less bright idea. Now the thing is the AS24 is more complete and possibly technically superior, except bass is way different between the models. BA bass, just can’t compete with DDs, no matter which review I’m writing. Is that a deal breaker for the KZ AS24? My idea is it’s just something to think about, and possibly makes the KZ AS24 not as well rounded. Because if you were to happen to land on Orchestra playback or a nicely recorded OST, with a bunch of room reverberations and violins going off, you very well could choose the KZ AS24, because the added fullness and technicalities are real. The stage is different to between the two IEMs, with the KZ AS24 offering a fuller experience, and not found is the slight reaching found in disjointed Hybrid playback………….the AS24 with all those BA…….sounds like brothers and sisters, all being of the same BA methodology and all.

AS24 BA togetherness:
Apparent when Orchestra music comes on, and the bass is less bombastic than the KZ ZS10ProX. The AS24 seems to go with the refined bass found in OSTs and Orchestra music? Even violins can achieve a wash of splendor, hearing small bells impeded in playback, something the KZ ZS10ProX could never do. The KZ ZS10ProX wouldn't offer the size and majesty found.

Still on Rock tracks there can be something the AS24 leaves out, and that’s where the musicality over technical abilities of the KZ ZS10ProX really shines. I mean to come down to it, the bump and groove of rock is of lesser refinement and needs that mid-bass bump to grab some pace and sway. Where the attention of the AS24 seems to forget about those needs, as they are just not there as a quality. Less grooves, less bounce, even less musicality to be found.........replaced by a specific completeness of playback, more for certain musical genres.


The KZ AS16 Pro

KZ AS16 Pro v KZ AS24:
This is going to be good! Fun anyway you choose to look at it. First off, I’m in love with what the AS16 Pro does. It’s darker than what the AS24 is doing, and consequently becomes more well rounded. Once more KZ is burying the BA metallic timbre here. And with the KZ AS16 Pro, it could almost be an example of more drivers not meaning schiss. That’s German for crap. The KZ AS16 Pro is another favorite that got an incredible review from me. The BA bass of the KZ AS16 Pro almost seems like more.......as it’s not competing with a huge grouping of middle and top-end treble drivers. The downside here is yes, the KZ AS16 Pro is slightly rudimentary in stance, but believe it or not that stance does Rock better? Not as filled in as the AS24, not offering the stage and size of the AS24, but I totally understand why the KZ AS16 Pro got the review it did from me. I still feel the same way about it. The KZ AS16 Pro is about 25% smaller too, and fits better. At $56.00 it is half the price of the AS24.....and while still all BA, I almost like the overall tone even better than what the AS24 has on offer. Why? Simply smoother and while not offering every detail, there is a likable demeanor that goes with more styles of music.

Still in defense of the AS24, there is a more full response that with the right music becomes truly captivating. Bigger more spread-out size and stage, bigger imaging and authority. Going to Rock tracks once more I’m hearing AS24 guitars more forward and sizzling, yet also hearing more BA timbre? Where both IEMs are all BA driver models, this all makes me wonder what a more filled out and replicated tune like the KZ AS16 Pro sound would have been? Would it have been possible to tune all these drivers to make a KZ AS16 Pro response? Would it be a waist of drivers……I don’t think so?


The Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite

Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite v KZ AS24:
At $249.00 and famous, the Orchestra Lite may be just the wrong comparison, as some have exclaimed (the Lite) was in a totally different league altogether. Well they are both mid-focused all BA affairs..........and quite possibly (the Lite) would be a choice as to the person who wants to double his expenditure. The Lite really gets into a more developed example of the IEM art. At times I choose these battles by instinct, but also curiosity, as I simply want to hear a back-to-back just for the results!

Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite v KZ AS24:
The Lite is smoother and bigger and more finessed. Those guys were right saying the Lite was in a different league altogether. Only 8 BAs a side, opposed to the KZ AS24's 12. But to salvage any usable information from this arranged bloodbath, there still are a few shared commonalities to behold. If anything the Lite can go ahead and lead by example as to the tuning here. And in many ways this side by side has helped me personally come to a style of enlightenment as to the issues with the KZ AS24. Maybe I should have gotten the tunable model instead? This criticism was started-off way earlier with the other older KZ production models compared to the AS24. The fact that while big and beautiful in replay, there can be a slight intensity to the midrange that the more laidback KZ AS16 Pro and KZ ZS10ProX benefit from not offering?

When in reality I have selected IEMs to both outline the KZ AS24’s demeanor and to show fault when present. Now the difference between the mid-energy of the Lite and the mid energy of the AS24 is not that much different, yet that difference displays a thinness that is simply not found with the Orchestra Lite. Once more it is simply making our playback of such that is less well rounded. Yet when you do find the files the KZ AS24 relates with, a kind of budget paradise is found.

Comparison conclusion:
To be real here, maybe most of what is going on surrounds the use of BAs……I mean the exact model of BAs chosen by KZ to use in the AS24. Going back and forth between all these IEMs then changing songs and switching IEMs again has led me to understand it’s really an issue with tonality (BA timbre) and maybe not so much the intensity of the midrange levels. Where with the prior IEMs from KZ (KZ ZS10ProX and KZ AS16 Pro) showed a calculated lackluster which just by the tune seemed to let the BA timbre fall into a better tone. Not so out front, and not so nude. The Lite also quickly showed that it was possible that it was a timbre issue and maybe not (all-together) a volume level thing. But keep in mind the two KZs prior did show a more natural integration, while still being slightly incomplete. I mean, I knew this was how the KZ ZS10ProX and KZ AS16 Pro were to begin with, that they selected to included some tone without making a high profile fuss out of timbre quality.



In Conclusion:

Theory:
The engineers in the back office must be following through with the requests of the upper management. I can hear them saying.....we need more drivers to get a more thorough sound, bigger, more robust realization of vocals and instruments. Our order from management was a memo that read……..put more drivers in, make it bigger and make it beautiful. Half the models will have all kinds of dip switches, the other half will cost slightly less and have none. At the bottom the memo reads…….find a balance of sound and cost that will let us move forward with a TOTL Flagship.

Reality:
While in truth the AS24 is a little big and weighty at 8 grams each, though maybe not too cumbersome in use......still there is no understating the size here. The AS24 has many of those natural qualities found in all BA IEMs. The exquisite pace, the separation of sonic items, the positioning elements into the stage, a far-away-ness and softness which is simply the character of the AS24.

Yet with-in that softness is found detail and texture, that while subtle…..is maybe the true magic found here?

Subtle outlines and clear definitions:
Other times there is a wonderful show of particular subjects outlined and filled into the playback, an up-front and personal (midrange and treble) playback…….that becomes endearing and involving. The reality is the AS24 is not perfect, yet it IS showing what is possible with 12 BAs a side, a sophistication and a character of expression.

12 BAs v 8 BAs:
Look I compared the AS24 to the 8 BAs a side KZ AS16 Pro, and while they are tuned differently, there is a noticeable difference in a style of filled-in evenness to having the extra 4 BAs added. Yet the darker and more even tempered KZ AS16 Pro was more well rounded, playing with every DAP and music file, a more popular kid on the block. Yet if you have a few genres that you’re into, the singleness of purpose actually becomes a value ordering a higher level of playback found with-in those few favorites, seemingly looking down and laughing at KZ AS16 Pro playback.

This review was different at Redcarmoose Labs being the AS24 is one of the very few IEMs I have asked for. You see I was so smitten with the found abilities of both the KZ AS16 Pro and KZ ZS10ProX that my curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know if adding more drivers was better. Yet Knowledge Zenith had other tuning ideas in store, always attempting to improve, never resting. And while not quite as good as the Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite, interfacing the two helped into the realization of how Knowledge Zenith arrived at a tune. Probably it could be the tune and the quality of BAs used that gives the Orchestra Lite a push up-to-the-next-level? And while both IEMs could be considered midrange focused, there is still a difference in character (enough) to make owning both interesting and rewarding. Should you get all the switches model instead? I really can’t say as I’ve never heard it.

The Knowledge Zenith AS24 is a very special example of the current IEM state-of-the-art. Nothing I know of does just what the AS24 does, and if you think it may do the genres you’re into, then you have nothing to lose, order yours today!

As tested $112.00
https://www.linsoul.com/products/kz-as24?variant=43955627098329

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kareena of Linsoul for the love and the Knowledge Zenith AS24 review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one persons ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 3.5mm and 4.4mm

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 narrowbore eartips, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 3.5 SE plug, 40-60% volume, low gain and high gain.
Additional Note:
I’ll be reviewing the AS24 first on its stock form (0000/0000) then base the differences of switch alterations from there.

Sound signature:

• The KZ AS24 in its stock form is currently the most neutral, clean-sounding KZ I have heard, with some slight biases towards presence, but not too bright. This is also the most technical sounding KZ IEM and is one of the best IEM in terms of technical performance in its price category, in my book.

Lows:

• The lows are definitely clean, controlled, well balanced and never lacked for neutral aficionados. It never bled or smeared to the other frequencies. It is a bit midbass dominant but is definitely bodied or thick sounding to my ears.This will never be a bassheads’ dream IEM, but its bass is somewhat sufficient for bassy or EDM tracks, especially when you cranked up the switches (more into that later).

Mids:

• With the lows behaving and “ballin controllably”, the mids never suffered any form of warmth, bleed, or bloat when paired with a neutral source. However, I do find that pairing it with a warm source adds a bit of the warmth to the lower mids, making things more lush without sacrificing any detail. Male vocals, and the instruments present in this region exhibit good thickness and texture despite this IEM being an all-BA driver set. Moving on to the upper mids, it is mildly elevated than neutral, airy, sparkly, and has an above average amount of presence. In a nutshell, there isn’t really any harshness present on this IEM. However, slight peaks will be apparent depending on the track and source paired with it.

Highs:

• To me, this area isn’t that much elevated, but it may be perceived like so due to its controlled lower frequencies. However, it is well extended, airy and detailed. Cymbals and hi hats are satisfying in this IEM. Detail retrieval is excellent for its price, as it should. Microdetails are easily picked up by the AS24. With this in return, this IEM isn’t forgiving on poorly recorded and mastered tracks.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• This is the part where I am pumped up with the KZ AS24. It managed to hit my technical preferences so well. The perceived soundstage is expansive - I can even say that this IEM sounds “immersive” to my ears. Separation and layering are excellent for its price and will handle busy tracks with ease. Imaging is precise and everything is on point.

KZ AS24 Switches, Explained:

• (Upper)Main Tuner, Switch #1: adds sensitivity to the overall frequencies of the IEM. In a nutshell, it will be perceived as “sensitive” or “more easy to drive” when switched on.
• (Upper) Main Tuner, Switch #2,3,4: Adds a few decibel to the lower frequencies to your liking.
• (Lower) Auxiliary Tuner, Switch #1,2: Adds a few decibel to the mids frequency to your liking.
• (Lower) Auxiliary Tuner, Switch #3,4: Adds a few decibel to the treble frequencies to your liking.

Some notable switch configurations:

• 1000/0000 (makes this IEM easier to drive and is a tad bit bright brighter)
• 1000/1100 (makes the mids more forward)
• 1000/1000 (makes the lower mids more forward )
• 1110/0000 (adds bass quantity)
• 1100/0000 (adds a slight bass quantity)
• 1111/1111 (makes the whole sound more boosted, w-shaped, but reveals more metallic, BA Timbre in return)

Pros:

• - The most “neutral” KZ as of today.
• - Clean, neutral sound.
• - Quick, clean, detailed bass response.
• - Open, detailed, relatively neutral mids.
• - Airy, open highs.
• - Highly technical sounding IEM under 150 USD.
• - Very good isolation.
• - Very good build quality.
• - Very good stock eartips. It is softer compared to their early version of stock eartips.
• - Easy to be driven to its full potential, but scales well on a better source.
• - Highly customizable sound signature to your liking. 8 switches per side!

Cons:

• - BA Timbre is not for everyone.
• - Very unforgiving on poorly recorded and mastered tracks (not a con for me, but some may find it so).
• - Slight upper mids peaks can be heard on some tracks (subjective).
• - Lacks a manual on how to operate the switches.
• - Definitely not for smaller ears.
• - Might get heavy on ears for longer usage on some ears.
• - Might be too sensitive on some source (more on that later).
• - Critically lacking accessories. A case, more than one set of eartips, and a decent cable is a necessity for this price point.

The KZ AS24 is the newest pinnacle IEM of the brand. Sound wise, KZ did really well tuning on this IEM as their first IEM stepping in the 100+USD IEM market, in my opinion. I really love how their recent IEMs are technically capable and sometimes even outperforms other brands in terms of technical performance on their own respective price point. The AS24 is the top example of KZ doing their homework really well, especially on how they implemented their tuning switch feature. Despite the said compromises they made with this IEM, I still recommend the KZ AS24 if you have a large set of ears and you really prefer a neutral-sounding, technically capable IEM with a lot of tuning switches to be customized to your liking. Well done, KZ!

Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: This sounds just fine when plugged straight to a phone, but is vastly better when used with a proper source. I suggest using a warmer source for this one, preferably a not-powerful source such as an apple dongle, or a Musehifi M1. You may always use a neutral-sounding source, but pairing it with the AS24 will exhibit BA Timbre more. You do you.
• Eartips: Eartips included are soft and good in quality, but you may still use your preferred eartips.
• Cable is alright, but the heatshrink guide is kinda tight on my ears, causing a bit of fatigue during longer listening sessions. I removed the heatshrink guides on my cable, but you may always use your preferred 2 pin cable.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos Here:

KZ AS24
$114
(12BA /side)

thanks to KZ for sending the KZ AS24, rest assured this review is 100% my personal opinion and KZ has no input at all of this review.

Unboxing

What You Get Inside the Box :

• IEM
• Cable
• Sim Ejector ?
• KZ Starline SML
• Manual & Warranty Card

Build Quality


Shell Build quality is mostly made of resin / plastic / acrylic.
The faceplate has unique design though the transparent part I believe is made from Acrylic, and it can scratch easily.
I scratched my faceplate on the day 1 after wiping it with clean microfibre cloth.

As for the cable, it is pretty underwhelming for the price of $114, the cable is exact same like what you get from something like EDX ($10USD IEM) and it looks like bihun though it is still functional.

Fitting
KZ AS24 is very large and chunky, it looks massive even on my big ears.
The fitting might be challenging for individual with smaller ears.

SOUND

Tested using Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, iFi Go Blu, Hidizs AP80 PRO-X, stock eartips and stock cable.
Music is mostly from Apple Music and some offline FLAC files (J-POP, J-Rock, Anisong, EDM, Jazz, Metal)

Tonality itself is pretty dependent on what tuning switches configuration is activated, it has 8 (yes you read that right, 8) tuning switches.

The tuning switches itself is divided by 2 tuner, Main tuner and Auxiliary tuner.

MAIN

Auxiliary


The Main tuner function is to tuned area around Bass and the Auxiliary tuner function is tuning the Upper Midrange and Treble.

As for the sound part, I will only explain it based on my favorite configuration (Main tuner 1 OFF, 2,3,4 ON, ALL Auxiliary tuner OFF)
because if I do all configuration, this review would be too long and boring to read.

The overall tonality using this switch configuration is pretty much like your standard Harman target tuning with extra midbass, forward and intimate vocals and smooth treble.

BASS : The bass is pretty satisfying, natural and even organic I would say for a BA configuration.
Bass on the AS24 has a good punch, good rumble and very good humming quality, though not the deepest that I've ever heard.
Bass speed is also speedy enough to be used for double pedal and metal genre (tested on Trivium, KORN, Plini)

Midrange : Intimate, forward, has decent note weight.
Vocal on this set is actually very good, out of the box trying the AS24, I got pretty hyped because it has a pleasing sounding vocal to my ears.
Not only vocal, instrument on this set also rendered to be pretty intimate, intense but not overly done.
Violin such as from Violet Evergarden OST sounds pretty realistic and is very good for set of this price.

Treble : Smooth, detailed, airy, and laidback.

Probably one of the selling point of the AS24 is that it has a very good musicality character to it and is very easy to listen for long listening session.

I also found myself to always grab the AS24 every time I play video games (Valorant, Apex Legends, HSR) thanks to its liquid smooth sound presentation.

Technicalities

Stage : Average, not the widest but it just enough, it also has exact wall placement and I do found for gaming the stage to be symmetrical both in width and depth.

Imaging : One of the strong point of AS24.
If you want an IEM with a $100USD price bracket with good imaging, this probably it. You can easily feels and discern different layers of music with this set.

Detail Retrieval : Both macro and micro details are highlighted pretty good.
The overall presentation of detail is more laidback and it is there for you to search and hear by yourself, in other words, its presentation is not thrown into your face kind of detail.

Separation - Positioning - Cohesiveness : VERY GOOD, all separated but still very cohesive, it is rather crazy KZ can present 12 driver with this kind of cohesiveness.

Comparations

Hidizs MS3 : Built like a tank, accessories, and unboxing experience is better with the Hidizs MS3, especially its cable, very premium quality.
As for the sound, the MS3 is much more aggresive sounding compared to the laidback AS24.
Detail with MS3 is like thrown into your face.
As for overall technicalities it is very close but it is different on how the overall sound presented to you.

Truthear Hexa : Both build are a bit questionable, Hexa has a rubberized coating that personally myself don't know how long the rubber will last or will it be sticky after some time.
Hexa also has better accessories especially the cable (or probably its just AS24 has a very underwhelming cable for its price)
As for the sound, Hexa bass focus is on the sub bass region, overall note weight is leaner on Hexa, I do found layering and imaging better on the AS24, but stage is wider with Hexa, both are smooth sounding IEM and its detail retrieval is pretty close.

Conclusion

Do I recommend the AS24?
AS24 with tuning switches offers a pretty good musicality with abilities to tune its sound to more of your liking, as for the technicalities, I don't found the AS24 to be lacking in that department as well.

It depends, if what you read on my review is in line with your preference then yes the AS24 is recommended.
The only cons I found with the AS24 is the easily scratched faceplate and pretty underwhelming cable, that's all.

probably that's all from me for now, thanks for reading this far.

Just in case you're Indonesian or understand Bahasa Indonesia, here is my video review of the AS24 in Bahasa Indonesia


-littlenezt.

KZ AS24 "Tunable Version" Review ​

KZ AS24 “Tunable Version” ($112)​

Intro​

Hello, this is my full review of KZ’s latest all BA iem… The KZ AS24 “Tunable Version”. KZ created both a Standard Version as well as a Tunable Version which employs tuning switches, similar to what they had done with the KZ D-Fi. Only the AS24 has EIGHT OF THEM! The AS24 is actually the successor to last year’s AS16 Pro which had some mixed reviews. As for myself I really enjoyed the AS16 Pro, and frankly still do (AS16 Pro Review) as it has a very dynamic and forwardly energetic sound. It wasn’t the cookie cutter tuning and complimented my collection well. To be perfectly honest I was more than surprised to see the AS24 arrive at my door. Many thanks go out to Tyvan Lam as well as KZ for providing this all-BA set for a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com.

Rapid fire beasts​

I don’t have to mention it, but it bears repeating that KZ has been on an absolute tear through the budget sector. From $12 to $50 they have owned the budget space. However, the AS24 just crests over the $100 price barrier, which hasn’t really worked in KZ’s favor in the past. I also don’t have to mention the absolute beasts which reside in this price point. The $100 space is absolutely chock full of fantastic iems. Still, as far as budget sets are concerned, and for the sake of this review, I will remind some of the readers that the KZ EDXS, KZ ZVX, KZ D-Fi and the KZ X-HBB PR2 have all been phenomenal in their respective price points, my opinion. I will also remind everyone that each of these sets have come out at a rapid-fire pace. So, KZ has been hot and it’s no wonder that they decided to try to keep this streak alive and release the AS24. Heck, they even waited a couple weeks. Things are looking good for KZ, let’s see how they did on the latest KZ AS24 Tuning Version, and is the AS24 asking price worth it? I can at least answer this for myself and hopefully it is of some help to some of you…

KZ AS24 purchase link: KZ AS24
Full review: HERE


Gear used for testing

–Ifi Go Blu
–Moondrop Dawn 4.4
–IBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
–Shanling M6 Ultra

Packaging​

The AS24 arrived at my home unannounced, which was a great surprise. It arrived in an unassuming and rather refreshing simple black box with a glossy KZ logo imprinted in the center. As always you have some specs on the back as well. Inside the box KZ added the eartips, cable and a switch pin tool. You get no carrying case which I would’ve liked to see but if the money all goes into the earphones, I’m fine with that. Plus, I lied, I could care less about a carrying case. Just create the best earphones for the money.

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Cable​

The cable is the same cable that we’ve seen for countless KZ sets. Now, this really should have been a nicer cable. Really. If you are paying over $100 for a set of earphones than you shouldn’t be getting the same cable as the one provided with the $12 EDXS. Upgrade cables can be found at $10 that would be a nice upgrade to the cable provided. However, with that said I’m not complaining, it’s simply a “con” in my book. It wouldn’t be anything which would keep me from purchasing the AS24. The provided cable is a 3.5 single ended Silver-Plated Copper wire with an opaque colorway and a right angle 3.5 jack. Same as all the others. I of course swapped cables right away for a balanced cable and the one I’m using is a beautiful white 16 core Fedai SPC cable that looks absolutely perfect alongside the AS24.

Truthfully, if you simply cannot spend another dime on your audio gear then the included cable works perfectly fine. There truly is no real sonic benefit from upgrading. Obviously if you listen on balanced sources then you must upgrade to a balanced cable but other than that it isn’t a must to swap it out.

Upgrade that cable!​

I would like to offer some advice to KZ and really to any earphone maker. Cables matter! A nice cable is the icing on the cake and brings an earphone to another level. I really mean this. It doesn’t cost much for a nicer type of upgrade cable and to me a nice thick cable shows that you mean business. Using the same KZ opaque cable seems much more like a “budget-oriented” company is just trying their hand at the more expensive target demographic. I promise, if a nice aesthetically pleasing cable was packaged with the AS24 it would really take it to the next level. My Father always would tell me on the football field “Son, act like you’ve been there!!”. The same sentiment can be said for this situation. I realize that it may be a money saving tactic and yes, many people simply purchase their own upgrade cables but even TRN adds in finer modular cables with their under $50 iems. Despite this little blurb, I don’t think it’s the biggest deal and for what you are getting with the earphones themselves…I suppose it’s fine.

Eartips​

The eartips that you will find wrapped up in those annoying white baggies are some of my all-time favorite eartips… The KZ Starlines tips! KZ added three pairs (s, m, l) as well as one medium sized pair of foam tips. I love seeing these and I get a tiny little blip of joy course through my audio dork heart. Starlines are firm-flanged and tacky enough to seal and most importantly they are comfortable for me. So, I did not tip roll with the AS24 and used the Starlines. I should add that I did have to use a size smaller than usual with the AS24 as the nozzle length is a bit longer which required smaller tips to fit snuggly. This will likely be the same for you.

Build / Design / Internals / Fit / Drivability ​

Build Quality​

As far as build is concerned, the AS24 is crafted with seemingly quality materials of construction. The Shells were actually 3D printed with a “new generation DLP 3D printing technology” which is good for a very detailed design such as the AS24. The lower shell chamber has a complicated tubed design which is very involved as you can see the intricate system of 3D printed tubes all converging internally to the nozzle from each of the drivers. Really very cool looking in my opinion and very well laid out.

The Faceplate has what KZ refers to as a “Sparkling Diamond Cut Bracket”. Obviously, this is not an actual diamond, or even cut from anything formed from the Earth, but instead it is an ornately designed and very hard type plastic (I’m assuming) which is held together by an Aluminum cover. If you look at the back side of the Shells, you’ll see the “main tuner” switch panel, and if you rotate to the bottom, you’ll notice the “auxiliary” switch panel. To be honest I think this is one of the best builds that KZ has ever put together. Everything feels very robust and solid in hand. Nothing chinsy or cheap feeling here. As always you get QDC style female 2-Pin connectors as in all KZ iems. All in all, the build is rather good, no issues to note.

They’re Big​

One more thing, the AS24 is a large set of earphones, obviously they have to be larger to accommodate TWELVE BA Drivers per earphone as well as 3D printed sound tubes etc. Please keep this in mind before purchasing. On top of that, the insertion depth of the nozzle is also longer than most and so take that into account. I would say that the AS24 is about the same in nozzle length to the As16 Pro, if that helps. However, for myself the size is great, and it fits like a glove.

Design​

The design may not be for everyone. Perhaps the AS24 design leans a bit effeminate but I think they can honestly go either way and look pretty nice. The Diamond looking faceplate is a dope touch with the aluminum cover adding a sleek contrast as well. Again, not everyone will jive with the look of the AS24, but I do think the greatest majority of hobbyists will appreciate the overall aesthetic and design. I actually think they look sweet, fresh and different from other sets which are out there, but I’m not everyone else. I do like being able to see all of the tech housed within as KZ did a remarkable job placing the drivers exactly so tightly, which is very neat. Truthfully, the AS24 has a different look, slightly blingy but not overtly so. I honestly think this is one of the better designed sets in the price point.

Internals​

This is where we begin to get into the meat of the AS24. First off, the AS24 comes equipped with a whopping twelve Balanced Armature Drivers, each covering different parts of the frequency range. One thing to point out is that KZ made some adjustments in their design of some of the BA’s housed within the AS24. As far as I know the low-end BA “22955” as well as their “29689” BAs went through a restructuring of the “reed” from the old style to a new “Trident reed” which centers it between the magnets better. It’s proposed that this restructuring will provide better transient response, enhance sound density and reduce distortion. Also, like I mentioned earlier, the entire sound cavity has been intricately 3D printed to allow tubes for each Balanced Armature.

Tuning Switches​

One thing which caught me wholly off-guard was the fact that the AS24 has an astounding 8 switches. This drew some ire from some hobbyists yet there were many who were elated. I simply saw it as daunting thinking I’d have to review so many variations. Thankfully KZ has made it pretty easy on me as the principle behind the switches is fairly easy to understand. It’s honestly easier to explain with the product picture:

What do the switches do? ​

So, as you can see the switches are really more of a progression of certain frequencies. You have a “Main Tuner” which controls overall sensitivity with switch #1 and the rest of the three switches are simply one decibel progressions of the entire bass region between 20hz to 200hz. The Main Tuner Switch Pad can give you an overall increase of sensitivity as well as a three decibel rise of the entire bass region. Or whatever suits your listening style.

The switch pad located at the bottom of each earphone is called the “Auxiliary Tuner”. The auxiliary tuner provides increases in the midrange and the lower treble region between 500hz to 2khz. To break it down, the first two switches have an increase of one decibel per switch #1 & #2. Switch #3 & #4 operates the upper treble and increases it two decibels per switch in the 8khz to 20khz region.

Pretty simple​

So, as you can see the switches have a logical progression which is simple to follow. It was mentioned in different audio groups that there are “256 different variations!!“… when in reality it is much simpler than that. It only looks crazy my friends. To be totally honest I think that KZ handled having 8 switches very well. As for myself, I enjoy all switches down (0000/0000) or (1110/1000) a couple bass switches raised as well as the full spectrum raised and just a spike of midrange to liven things up.

One thing that I have to mention is that the switches are some of the most difficult to operate in terms of “ease of use”. Meaning, the switches are damn tiny! You have to concentrate to make sure the pin tool has a bite on the switches before pushing them on or off. Not really an issue but something to note. It would have been nice for a slightly longer switch that wasn’t as difficult to actually operate. Also, the switch pads themselves are rather small. I suppose I understand why they are so small, but it should be noted. In truth, it isn’t a big deal. However, once you get your sound dialed in it is likely that you won’t touch the switches much afterwards.

Just so the reader is aware, I will refer to switches in this way. On= 1 and off= 0. So, all down on both switches would be “0000/0000”. The first set being the main tuner and the second being the auxiliary. All on would be “1111/1111”. Simple enough?

Fit​

The fit may be a problem for some, but I can say with assurance that the AS24 fit me very well. Of course, the nozzle is a bit longer and so I did have to size down my tips for a deeper insertion. Perhaps, smaller ears may have a slightly bigger problem as the size of the AS24 is a larger iem. Now, once I got my tips right, I had zero issues whatsoever with fit. In fact, the AS24 fit so snug that they really block out a considerable amount of ambient noise. More so than most iems. Also, there is almost zero sound leakage from the AS24. Fit is obviously a supremely subjective and personal experience… me relaying to you how they fit me doesn’t do you much justice. That said, the fit is nice.

Drivability​

Now we come to the section of the review where we discuss briefly what it takes to drive the AS24. In my opinion I think that all you really need is a nice dongle dac and you’re in business. Really it doesn’t take much. The AS24 “Tunable Version” is rated at 20-50 ohms depending on your switch orientation and they also have a sensitivity of 109 dB’s. I don’t necessarily think they “need” added power either. I didn’t find some huge scalability with more juice. Perhaps things tighten up some… maybe? I would more liken the “fidelity upgrade” or “hi-res sound upgrade” to simply using better sounding gear. Not really scaling because of the output power. I will very briefly go into detail with how well the AS24 responds to each of my sources but in truth, I think the AS24 is somewhat of a chameleon and adapts nicely to each source I have for listening.

Devices and pairings​

Listening with the IFi Go Blu is a fantastic mobile solution as the warmer sound of the CS43131 dac chip pairs nicely with the AS24 and obviously it has plenty of output power. The Moondrop Dawn 4.4 (which also uses a CS43131 dac chip) and a 4.4 balanced cable sounds majestic. It has this snappy type of tonality with punchy treble and punchy bass and really accentuated the air between instrumentation.

Moving up to the iBasso DX240, it is basically a Dawn on steroids. Everything is upgraded. Tighter, speedier, punchier, cleaner. The DX240 has some impressive tech inside as the dac chip is a ES9038Pro flagship chip which is a beast at the price of the DX240. The two pair very well. Last by not least is my Shanling M6 Ultra which I deem one of the best DAPs under $1000. At least that I have heard. Ooh is it smooth using the velvet sound technology with the amazing AK4493SEQ flagship dac chip and a bunch of output power. The AS24 is lusher with the M6 Ultra and so resolving, with a bigger and more dynamic bass section and silky mids. It’s a great marraige.

Decent Dongle dac​

Truthfully, I just want to help you guys out and I don’t think you need much to drive the AS24 to good fidelity. Get a decent Dongle Dac. I’m assuming if you can afford the $112 for the AS24 then more than likely you have at least a semi-powerful dac/amp of some sort. I think you’ll find that the AS24 adapts well to different sources as I have.

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Sound Impressions​

Note: I want to preface that I did all critical listening using “0000/0000” on the switches. I may remark on my findings when adjusting the switches but predominantly I used all down simply for ease of review and to provide you with a benchmark. I figured that you could play around with the switch orientation that you desire, but this is a good baseline. Also, all listening was done using flac files stored in my devices.

Listening to the KZ AS24​

Listening to the KZ AS24 there is one common theme that I can’t help but think of… Cleanliness. The AS24 is clean my friends. It’s clean, crisp, smooth, resolving, detailed, punchy, airy… Should I keep going? Okay maybe I should actually break this down for you all. The sound signature that I hear is a very light V-shape to a U-shaped tuning. With the switches you can make this a stronger V-shape to even a W-shape tuning as well depending on what switch settings you go with. However, in the stock format it is closer to a U-shaped or light V-shape. The AS24 has a very good balance and also has plenty of macro-dynamics which make the overall sound pretty big and full sounding. I’d say there is a good dynamic balance. No one area of the mix stands out as the dynamic emphasis. It’s not bass heavy, mid-centric or a treble Heads dream. It’s just clean and energetic without inducing fatigue.

Engrossing​

The tonal color on stock comes across mostly neutral with a titch of warmth. When I say a titch, I mean a hair of warmth. “Mostly neutral” is what I’ll call it. The bass is punchy with moderate BA rumble, not quite like a Dynamic Driver but very good. The midrange is not very recessed at all and comes across detailed and airy with good energy. The mids are simply clean and crisp with smooth overtones. The treble region is non-offensive and actually pretty safe while keeping great timbre for a BA. I find the treble pretty engaging and not even remotely peaky. Technically the AS24 is a beast my friends. It is a detail monster and will pick up on all the small stuff in your music. The stage size is larger than I thought it’d be and is pretty engrossing.

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Bass Region​

The bass on the KZ AS24 in the stock condition comes across very clean. You will probably see the word “clean” repeated often because that is the overarching theme of the AS24. It is so clean; it has a bite to the bass and a deft punch to it. It isn’t quite like a Dynamic Driver, but it does have some nice thump. I say not like a DD, but it isn’t like a normal BA either. KZ did a phenomenal job tuning the AS24’s bass region. The awesome thing is that you can add more bass and warmth to the low-end and the AS24 does begin to rumble pretty good.

Sub-bass​

The sub-bass does have a tactile feel and sound to it, but like I’ve stated, it isn’t quite that DD type of tactility. There is something special about a Dynamic Driver that is incarnate, authentic and corporeal. Having said that, the #22955 Balanced Armatures controlling the low-end have nice density to the fundamental tones in the sub-bass, even more so the mid-bass. The sub-bass on the AS24 is very resolving with a quick attack and defined leading edge with a sharp and controlled decay. The bass is fast and can keep up with any test track I throw at it. I don’t consider this set “bass head” in any switch orientation.

As far as sub-bass haptic rumble, the AS24 has enough for most genres and certainly has enough with a few switches raised. Now, it won’t give you that guttural type sound down low, but it does have a very low droning buzz when called upon. Take the track “Paradigm” by The Head and Heart. In this track, basically every iem on planet earth will give a good reverberant growl but what the AS24 does is gives it a knife edge bite which caps off that guttural vibration. You can feel the buzz and it sounds very resolute and very focused.

Mid-bass​

The greatest emphasis in the low-end comes from the mid-bass. The mid-bass has a good slam to it providing some very crisp and rounded kick drums which come across as a clean thud. Take the track “Billie Jean” by Weezer. This song begins right out the gate with many subsequent booms from some expressive kick-drums quickly followed by satisfying snare “pangs”. The AS24 doesn’t have that fullness of a bass-head type set, but even on stock settings the sub-bass can be sonorous and deep when called upon. Add some dB’s from the main tuner and the sound comes across more fully. However, with that fullness it isn’t the most concrete. I wouldn’t call it hollow, but it isn’t booming either. It’s quick and efficient.

The song “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard has some gritty and dirty bass guitar play that is straight up abrasive in its sound. The AS24 on stock has plenty of mid-bass to replay this track in a satisfying way. There is a depth to the sound and there is meat to this track when listening with the AS24. My favorite way to listen to this set is “1110/1000” and when I do the sound just jumps out at you and becomes more energetic. So, if you’d like, you can bump things up to embellish certain aspects of the AS24’s sound signature. “Rich Off Pain” by Lil Baby sounds almost DD like when the bass drops on the AS24. Almost. To be perfectly honest I really enjoy the sound as the rest of the melody and beat sound so fresh and resolute with great pacing and timing.

Downsides to the bass​

The bass region of the AS24 is very well done for a Balanced Armature low-end. I actually really enjoy the punch or that tightly controlled slam that they can provide. I find the bass to carry nice macro-details with evident and clear separation between the basses with some nice layering of the bass region as well. still, If I were to point out a weakness it would certainly be the fact that there are other iems in the price point which can offer better slam, deeper and more authentic and organic timbre. There are iems in the price point which specialize in the bass region whereas the bass on the AS24 is a solid part to a solid whole.

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Midrange​

The midrange is only the slightest bit recessed on stock settings. In fact, I don’t even like reporting that, as there is still a very lively and precise energy throughout the midrange and calling it “recessed” simply doesn’t tell the story. There’s a good presence or liveliness which can be pretty vivid. This is a musical midrange; it can be smooth and when it needs to the midrange has some tackiness to it. There is an end-to-end mellifluous theme which is demonstrated from the lower mids to the lower treble. This all-BA sound can even come across emotional and slightly atmospheric in its own way. The AS24 mids aren’t thick, not really lush either, but they are saturated. In their leaner stature they still have moderate density. They just aren’t overly warm. I suppose what makes them leaner is the neutral type of playback along with the very tight transient response and airy and clean approach.

The AS24 midrange is flush with distinct detail retrieval, nice depth and layering to the sound, especially when the first switch and even when some added bass is switched on. However, even stock sounds nice. Is it for everyone? C’mon… nothing is for everyone. However, for what it is, the AS24 can flat out play ball. You won’t hear anything grainy or digital sounding. You won’t hear any sibilance as KZ made sure to keep that in check. The sound is pretty organic, at least as much as an all-BA can sound… Organic. KZ did a nice job on the midrange.

Lower-midrange​

The lower midrange is the place we find most male vocals. On the AS24 you won’t hear that super warm and thick male sound. What I hear is this semi-warm and semi-organic but poised and transparent male vocal. There is a good structure and note definition which gives males a leading edge that is coarse but clean with smoother sounding overtones. Take “Dreamer” by Dermot Kennedy. His voice has an emotional sense to it listening with the AS24. It isn’t dry at all like one would think for a leaner and analytically adept iem. The AS24 doesn’t replay dry friends. There is a moist or bodied sound to Dermot’s voice on this track. In fact, the lower midrange does have “some” warmth provided by the mid-bass. It isn’t even close to sounding veiled, not in thee slightest. It’s polished, precise, and there’s an openness to Dermot’s voice which sounds slightly lean but also bold.

Deeper male voices which hang around the transition from bass to lower-mid like Josh Turner’s in “Would You Go With Me” actually play back pretty good on the AS24. His voice isn’t the most resonant like some iems, but the AS24 replays the up and down intonations of his country baritone voice with a sonorous and taut delivery. Or if you jump up the register to tenors like The Arkells in the song “Knocking At The Door (Acoustic Version)“. The lead vocalist has a sharpness to his sound when listening with the AS24. Not sharp in a bad or peaky way either. The inflection in the lead singer’s vocals and note outlines are chiseled and prominent, almost forward, but not like an AS16 Pro comes across. There is simply a clarity and energy which is nice to hear.

Upper-Midrange​

The upper-mids have an expressive energy to them without coming across “in your face”, to me anyways. I’m sure some of you will disagree. I find females to be more forward in the stage, more so than males come across. They sound pointed and highlighted. In “Everything I Didn’t Say” by Ella Henderson, she has a slightly more uplifted sound to her voice with the AS24 compared to some sets. With the AS24 her voice catches the emotion while still having a controlled sheen or shimmer. Which, by the way, doesn’t sound unnatural to me. She doesn’t have that balanced armature type timbre or metallic tizziness which can sometimes show up.

Listening to Madison McFerrin in the track “God Herself” there is most certainly a smooth shimmer to her vocals. She has good body to her sound as well. Perhaps things become slightly too bright but that is a subjective matter. I certainly wouldn’t say that her voice has anything glaring or peaky. It just has some additional luster. The thing that I enjoy is that there is added energy and sparkle but also the breath in her vocals is picked up and the tenderness and intimacy of her voice is not lost.

Instruments​

The midrange of the AS24 is so close to mid-centric that it’s tapping on the door of the moniker, yet it falls just short. What we are left with is a nice balance. There is a musical nature to the sound which can be emphasized in different ways depending on what switch orientation you use. Instrumentation sounds separated and detailed while maintaining a smooth, melodic and nearly natural sound. Strings sound tight with all the little secondary harmonics showing up very nicely. Piano could use a bit more body in some areas of its long frequency range, but for the most part piano has an abounding tonal depth. Most percussion has a replete thwack, boom, clash or pang to it. Percussion sounds physical and whetted which is nicely gratifying. Snares slam nicely with that agile and brisk pang to them. The AS24 can also have a nice bite to it which compliments the abrasiveness of electric guitar. The fundamental frequency of a cymbal strike is not flat or pushed to the background and depending on the recording they can sound solid edged & enameled with a solid “chisk” sound without splashy harmonics. Secondary harmonics may fade a bit too quickly but it’s not too bothersome.

Downsides to the midrange​

If I were to find a downside to the AS24 midrange it would surely be note weight and the fact that things can get bright on the right tracks. For a more realistic replay I’d like to hear a bit more of an organic type of note body with a touch more density I suppose. At times I miss that atmospheric sound of a Dynamic Driver which doesn’t always decay so sharply. Also, there are occasions in which I feel that some of my fellow hobbyists may find the AS24 a bit peaky. Again, neither of these “downsides” are issues to me, but if I had to choose… note weight & peaky.

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Treble Region​

I would describe the treble region of the KZ AS24 as mostly non-offensive, smooth, non-fatiguing, mildly energetic, detailed and snappy. The treble comes across as not super extended into the upper treble using the stock setting. Though this can obviously be helped somewhat by pushing the “upper treble” auxiliary tuning switches to “on”. The treble is somewhat bright but not with any fantastic brilliance up top. I find the treble to be just enough to bring levity to the rest of the mix with just enough lift up top to do so. I wouldn’t call it the airiest treble, but it is well separated, and detail oriented with high resolution for the price point which adds a sense of openness.

Nimble & Tight​

The treble is very nimble and dexterous and can handle speedy tracks as well as tracks with a lot of commotion. The rapid fire Ukelele, Mandolin, and Guitar work which speeds along in the song “Secrets” by Billy Strings is nothing short of exhaustive if you try to listen to each and every pluck or finger slide. However, something I find really cool is that on the AS24… You can do just that. It’s almost easier to listen to with a slower iem. It’s nothing short of a brain activity. In fact, go on his album and pick a track, the AS24 keeps up. Not only does it keep up, but it sounds good in the process. The timbre and tone is done well for an All-BA iem and doesn’t stray very far from natural.

Complexities​

Another track is “Bishop School” by Yusef Lateef. This is a track that I reference often as it’s a complete melting pot of treble activity and Instrumental congestion. Not exactly my favorite track (at all) but it works well to test the treble region in a nice way. There is simply so much going on with this track. Listening with the AS24 you’ll hear crystal clear flute play, bass, congas, drums, electric bass, electric guitar, percussion, trumpets, strings and piano play. Much of it resides at or near the treble region and it more so probably highlights the AS24’s ability to resolve complex tracks, but the treble activity is well on display here and it does very well. I’d say just as good if not better than any iem in its price point, at least that my ears have heard. Now I’m not saying this is a giant killer, but it is pretty darn good. This is a no hype zone my friends, just saying what I hear and nothing more.

Downsides to the treble​

The negatives within the treble region that I’ve heard is that the extension isn’t the best ever and treble Heads would likely desire a bit more energy and bite. Nothing else really stands out as an issue in my opinion. Perhaps more note weight body would be welcomed to.

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Technicalities​

Soundstage​

The soundstage is very open sounding as the AS24 do have an airy quality to the sound. I would say that the stage has above average width, better than average height and even good depth. For a $112 iem the stage is very well laid out against the AS24’s peers in the price point. They have a big sound which stretches out past my ears when listening which I certainly wasn’t expecting. I wouldn’t call it the biggest I’ve ever heard, but the AS24 renders the psycho-acoustic stage nicely.

Separation / Imaging​

As I’ve stated, the separation of elements within the imaginary stage comes across well delineated as it is easy to discern between instrumentation and voices. The sound is very clean and detailed with good transient speed which does help to create some space between pieces of a stage. In the same breath these attributes also help in the imaging of the stage. There is a pretty precise placement whether you are listening left to right or front to back. That depth does add perceivable layers to my listening. Live tracks sound fantastic on this set.

Details​

One of the AS24’s strong suits is its ability to resolve the tiny minutiae in a track. I found that each area of the spectrum is capable of illuminating the subtle things within my music. Whether it be the harmonics from instrumentation, or the slide of the bow against a violin, or a finger slide on an acoustic guitar or even the sniffle from the guy ten rows back in your favorite live track. The AS24 does well to pick those things up. I’m sure there are some sets in the price point which challenge the AS24 but certainly it does well to draw out both macro and micro-details.

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Is it worth the asking price?​

For me, this is an easy answer, and that answer is a resounding yes. I have a hard time selling to myself why this set wouldn’t be worth the $112 that KZ is asking. Please trust me, I went into this review, as I do every review, with a skeptical mindset. I look for the downsides naturally in every iem that ever graces my ears. The AS24 is one of those sets which quickly dispelled any negative connotation in my mind. They came across very clean and resolving right out of the box with a very open feel to them sonically. The BA bass is great, the midrange is musical, and the treble is energetic yet non-fatiguing. Are they perfect? Absolutely not. Do they stack up to the competition… absolutely.

Standing out amongst the others​

If I look across the landscape of earphones in the $100 price point, I see a handful of sets which have their own distinct flavor, with their own pluses and minuses. Sets like the Gizaudio Galileo, Truthear Hexa, Fiio JD7, BQEYZ Topaz, Simgot EA500, Tripowin Olina (OG), Tripowin Olina SE, Letshuoer D13, Letshuoer S12, Dunu Kima and Dunu Kima Classic (soon to be reviewed), Dunu Titan S, as well as a handful of others not mentioned. The truth is… none of those sets can do exactly what the AS24 can do. Perhaps the closest in tonality and timbre as well as resolving ability is either the Olina or the Hexa? Some have better bass (subjectively), some have a more vocal centric midrange, some have snappier and punchier treble, and some are simply more well-rounded. Despite that, none of those sets listed are as resolving, clean, open and none of them have such quick transients. They are different. That’s the point.

A compliment to any collection​

My proposal is, find me a set that is as technically savvy whilst still being so dynamic like the AS24? Of course, some of those sets are bona-fide studs at their respective prices like the EA500 ($79), Olina ($99), or the JD7 ($69) which truly defy their price tags and also do some things that the AS24 cannot do. The point is, the AS24 is on an island by itself at the moment as it fills an “All-BA” gap within the audioverse for the $100 price point. I guess if I were the buyer in this situation, I’d ask myself if the AS24 actually compliments my collection? Also, does the AS24 fit my preference?

Again, as for myself, this is an easy yes. KZ truly outclassed every “All-BA” iem that they’ve ever made and possibly every iem they’ve ever made, period! Depending on your preferences. The AS24 is built very well, it looks nice, I can tweak the sound to suit my likes and dislikes and it sounds extremely good. If you have $115 and you’ve wondered what a well-tuned all balanced armatures set sounds like, then I’d say… Go for it, the AS24 is LEGIT GOOD.

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Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles. In the case of the KZ AS24 ratings below, that would be $65 to $120 iems in any configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $65 to $120 US is a small pool in the grand scheme of things and so seeing ratings above a “9” is understandable.

Aesthetic ​

-Build Quality: 9.3

-Design: 9.5

-Overall: 9.4

–Accessories: 6.0

Sound Rating​

-Timbre: 8.7

-Bass: 9.5

-Midrange: 9.7

-Treble: 9.8

-Technicalities: 10.0

-Fun Factor: 9.2

Overall: 9.5

Full review: HERE​

Conclusion​

To conclude my full written review of the KZ AS24, I would like to thank Tyvan Lam and KZ one more time. Never have they asked me to twist my words, speak highly of their devices and never have they offered any compensation for the feature. They simply lend out their sets and ask for a truthful look at them and live with the results. So, say what you will about KZ or any company for that matter, but if they believe in their product enough to subject them to the scrutiny of an independent reviewer, then I’d say that garners some respect.

Other thoughts​

Also, please check out other thoughts about the KZ AS24. I can almost promise that some reviewers will have differing opinions, but that is the awesome beauty of this hobby my friends. We are different. In the end it’s all about the music and finding the best device to listen to that music to suit your own individual preference. The same goes for those who review. Some reviewers like to find the flaws and pride themselves on that, possibly more negative. Some hype a bit more and some simply say what a thing is and nothing more. None of them are wrong. So, get to know the reviewers out there, and take everything as a grain of salt until you know and trust the opinion you are receiving. This is hugely important. If you see a reviewer who is starkly negative or precisely prides themselves on that…then you might want to seek other opinions and vice versa.

One other thing, please understand that all reviewers have not been down the same audio journey…. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FRIENDS! I won’t go into it now but, think about it. Also, we all hear differently, have different tuning tastes, likes and dislikes, we have different gear as well as different musical tastes. It all goes into the soup of what makes each reviewer different and individual. Get to know them and hear other perspectives. Also, if someone acts like they know it all and have all the answers… Run the other way friends… That’s my 44-year-old advice.

Thank you!​

Thank you for reading, I enjoy this so very much, it’s a true joy to explain my thoughts to you all and I truly hope it helps you in your quest to hear your music in the best light possible for your money. Please stay as safe as possible, enjoy your jams and take care.