General Information
It is a $50 USD IEM from SHOZY.
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SHOZY Alien+A bigger brother to the already famous Shozy Alien.
SHOZY Zero IEM
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Shozy has kindly provided me a review unit in exchange for the honest opinion. They are in active use for about 6 months.
I should first note that my experience with IEM is a bit limited by now, so the nuances I mention should be taken with a grain of salt. It would be great for you to read other reviews as well should you consider getting a pair for yourself.
35 y.o, an avid music lover since 18-20. Mainly listening to jazz, soul, funk, and also love disco, reggae, afrobeat, new wave, some trip hop and electronica and a bit of classical (hard rock and metal genres are a bit out of my music world, so I may not be the best adviser). Also love to hear vinyl should I have a chance, but mainly use digital lossless files for convenience and portability.
I prefer not too bright, fatigue-free sound without too much harshess (maybe a bit dark, but not veiled and without losing much in resolution). Sony MA900 is my favourite open-back model for home use, but IEMs became my most used way of listening both in office and on the go (which happens on a daily basis). That is why fit, convenience and ease of use along with reasonable isolation do mean a lot to me along with the sound quality.
I prefer not too bright, fatigue-free sound without too much harshess (maybe a bit dark, but not veiled and without losing much in resolution). Sony MA900 is my favourite open-back model for home use, but IEMs became my most used way of listening both in office and on the go (which happens on a daily basis). That is why fit, convenience and ease of use along with reasonable isolation do mean a lot to me along with the sound quality.
Now let’s talk about Shozy Zero.
Build quality and comfort
The set of accessories is not really outstanding: Zero comes with three pairs of silicone tips of different size. Practically it is enough, although there are budget models nowadays with the richer packages which can futureproof your spendings. What’s much more impressive is the quality of wood in drivers, jack and chin slider: it does look really tasteful and you get the whole aesthetics while holding these IEMs in your hands.
Cable is quite soft but feels durable at the same time. The only drawback is that it tangles quite easily no matter if you store earphones in case, backpack or simply in your pockets, and it often takes some time to untangle. As for the jack, it looks sturdy and seems like a gold-plated one (so, the quality is high indeed). L/R markers, however, are very small (my review unit comes with slightly different wood color on each side, but I’m not sure if it’s the same in your case).
These IEMs are quite compact, so fitting them into my ears does not cause any issues. Wearing them cable down I do perceive some microphonics, however, an over-ear way completely eliminates the problem. Please, also note that on my unit the eartips may occasionally get loose from the driver, so please take some care while taking IEMs out of ears since otherwise you may simply lose a tip.
Isolation is fine, especially for a dynamic driver model. Not sure about the subway, but on the street it feels sufficient especially with music turned on. You can still hear a signal from auto, loud noise or very loud voices. I guess the amount can be lowered further after playing with tips, however, I prefer to hear something from the outside world and did not aim to achieve a total seal.
Sound
I am not a pro in measurements, but Zero does seems a bit dark and smooth in overall tonality (be it a but V, W or even L-shaped based on various descriptions). Still, all frequencies are well-present and not much lack of either mids, highs or deep bass is perceived. Personally, I chose a seal which is not too deep since there is a bit more low frequencies in this case (not affecting other ranges of spectrum), but YMMV.
Bass is really the star of the show here. It reaches deep into the subbass regions but still remains detailed and well-controlled. It’s very tight and resolving (especially on well-mastered recordings) and, from memory, never turned boomy even on hip-hop tracks.
Mids are just slightly rolled off from bass, but vocal, guitars and other midrange instruments are well-defined and don’t sound veiled. Timbres are natural and instument separation is quite fine may it not reach the BA level of resolution.
Treble is slightly rolled off being very comfortable and non-sibilant or harsh. High-hats are well heard and detailed too, while some may look for more accentuated highs and Zero is not really for treble-heads.
In general, on all sources Zero shows a bit dark tonality. The sound feels quite solid and not hyper-detailed, with fine resolution and instrument separation. Non-tiring, fatigue-free listening with Zero is great for long sessions.
Nuances, comparison and compatibility
Shozy Zero’s sound signature significantly depends on tip selection. I tried Sony Hybrids and to me they provide a bit less subbass but also more clear mids and highs (maybe because of a slightly better ft). General tonality remains the same, and otherwise perception of changes is quite subjective and probably depends on ear shape and size (mine are more or less average).
Even more important is how these IEMs grow with the source,
They provide a good synergy with iBasso DX50 where bass of Zero compensates its lightness in DAP itself, while other frequences are quite fine.
With Hidizs AP100 (modded ver. MM2 with a bit more dark tonality in comparison with stock) lows are better defined and more punchy, and the resolution of theble is significantly better, so to my tastes it’s a definite step up.
Some time ago I received a package in the mail inside of which was a small bag with a pair of IEMs and a note to burn them in for 100 hours with orchestral music. The IEMs turned out to have come from Charles at Shozy (and Cozoy), the maker of the Alien DAP. Very small with wood and metal housings and in-built cable (which uses high-quality wire according to Charles from Shozy) their only negative is the rubbery outer sheath of the cable which makes it tangle easily and transmits a bit of noise.
The first time I listened to them, knowing nothing about them, I was very pleasantly surprised at the good, and fairly evenly-balanced sound, and general lack of any unpleasantness. After burn-in, the sound is more on the warm side of things with a noticeably stronger bass presence, but it keeps its sweet treble and good mids, making them, in my opinion, excellent all-rounders, and worth pairing with a good DAP. One of the best things about them is that the stock tips work perfectly with them. I tried switching in my usual alternatives -- Spinfits and JVC Spiral Dots, but each messed up the nicely balanced sound. The only sonic negative I could find was that they aren't so pleasant to listen with at louder volumes.
Overall, this has put them way above any pair of $50 IEMs I've tried (excepting the Meze 11 Neo) and made them good enough to slip them into a pocket for daily carry duty.
A great level of details is heard together with HRT microStreamer. The tonality is more neutral and very musical, although the subbass is even more dynamic and resolving.
I also tried to use Meier Corda Rock amplifier, however to my surprise mids (especially upper regions) became much more fatiguing and I did not listen this combo for too long. So, overall, it’s all about the synergy!
I have compared Shozy with the single balanced armature model, Etymotic HF2. They are two very different earphones and do show a typical nature of both driver types. Bass of HF2 is less “bodily” (while still perceived well), but mids and treble are more detailed. So it’s more or less a matter of mood and taste, while both sound good with AP100 (HF2 is also a bit dark and warm with this source, to my surprise).
Speaking of ergonomics. Etymotic’s cable tangles much less, but the seal is deeper which for me turned out quite tricky since the sound of BAs is much more fit-dependant. It was less convenient to use them on the go, and Shozy’s insertion is much simpler (while YMMV, of course). As for other dynamic models, I’d like to refer you to @HiFiChris’s review where he performs a great and detailed comparison.
Future plans
From what I’ve read, I think of trying Oriveti Primacy, LZ A4, Lear LHF-AE1d, MusicMaker TK12/13 and Blue Ever Blue 1200EX as various upgrade options. They’re all so different that it’s a good idea to try as many as possible not forgetting about the music itself as the main thing.
Zero is indeed musical and I’m truly happy to own it as a first serious IEM at my disposal. The form factor itself was a pleasant surprise since I did not expect such a full sound from an earphone and the isolation turned out superior to all on-ear models which I used before for outdoor listening.
mgunin
@peter123 thanks, you were one of the first to point me to Shozy 
@drbluenewmexico yep, I am really curiolus to hear 1200EX
@drbluenewmexico yep, I am really curiolus to hear 1200EX
aksyonoff
dope work! thanx!
Pros: Well made, good sound and overall balance that works with a variety of genres. A lack of harshness or distortion at moderate levels. Price.
Cons: Rubbery cable gets tangled easily and is a bit noisy. Not so great at louder volumes.
Some time ago I received a package in the mail inside of which was a small bag with a pair of IEMs and a note to burn them in for 100 hours with orchestral music. The IEMs turned out to have come from Charles at Shozy (and Cozoy), the maker of the Alien DAP. Very small with wood and metal housings and in-built cable (which uses high-quality wire according to Charles from Shozy) their only negative is the rubbery outer sheath of the cable which makes it tangle easily and transmits a bit of noise.
The first time I listened to them, knowing nothing about them, I was very pleasantly surprised at the good, and fairly evenly-balanced sound, and general lack of any unpleasantness. After burn-in, the sound is more on the warm side of things with a noticeably stronger bass presence, but it keeps its sweet treble and good mids, making them, in my opinion, excellent all-rounders, and worth pairing with a good DAP. One of the best things about them is that the stock tips work perfectly with them. I tried switching in my usual alternatives -- Spinfits and JVC Spiral Dots, but each messed up the nicely balanced sound. The only sonic negative I could find was that they aren't so pleasant to listen with at louder volumes.
Overall, this has put them way above any pair of $50 IEMs I've tried (excepting the Meze 11 Neo) and made them good enough to slip them into a pocket for daily carry duty.
suman134
Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Easy on ears sound signature, has good mids. Comfortable. Looks beautiful.
Cons: Has mid bass problems, Lacks top end extension and micro detailing, sounds grainy.
INTRO:-
Shozy, A brand that hails from HongKong, going strong since 2012, better known for their amplifiers, DAPs and DACs has the mighty popular Shozy Alien that looks, sounds and performs outstandingly when it comes to SQ and details. They have plenty of outstanding products and are extending their range with new products ever now and then.
What I have with me here is their Latest product, their maiden go at In-ear earphones Shozy Zero which ships worldwide is priced $60 comes in a single color scheme, not exactly color but has only one variant. Made out of selected high density Brazilian rosewood chambers and comes with selected cables.
Some of its features are high efficiency drivers with low impedance, flat frequency response with good extension, low distortion without early roll off.
It remains to be seen how this turn out in real life though.
At $60 it has plenty of competition at its hands from Vsonic VSD3/2, Soundmagic E50, Brainwavz S3, Rockjaws Alfa genus, Vivo XE-800 and even the legendary Hfiman RE-400!! I will compare it with RE-400, Alfa genus and Brainwavz S3.
Lets find out how this wooden beauty performs.
Before that I would like to thank Ken from Shozy for this sample unit.
If you want one you can get your from these links.
http://www.shozy-hk.com/zero-earphone/
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Shozy-Zero-HiFi-wooden-stereo-dynamic-in-ear-earphones-ie8-ie800-custom-earphones/601461_32659128608.html
https://www.null-audio.com/products/shozy-zero-universal-in-ear-monitor
https://www.amazon.com/SHOZY-Zero-HIFI-In-ear-Earphone/dp/B01EHT6Z6C
ACCESSORIES ERGONOMICS AND MISCELLANEOUS:-
Shozy Zero comes with minimal accessories, Nothing fancy at all. You can find 3 pair of rubber tips, a carry pouch and user manual. Its nothing I will complain about buy they should have included a cable clip, doesn’t matter how selected the cable is, it has microphonics and a cable clip will help in keeping it low.
Don’t expect much from me as mine came with just the earphone and tips. No retail package so I cant show you that.
Build quality is nice, straight barrel design is nothing one can complain about. Rosewood looks really nice, there is some stress reliving at the earpiece end and it does its job, sadly there isnt much at the 3.5mm jack, just tiny bit to protect it from sharp bends. Y splitter has minimal profile and has no stress relievers at all. There is a vent, oh no its not on the outer side, its at the bottom of the nozzle, yup, that’s a vent. R/T markings are on the stress relievers.
Cable might have something special inside but to me it looks like just like the ones we see with KZ earphones. It has some microphonics for sure but not excessive, its bouncy and doesn’t exactly look strong but I have used it under stress and it hold up fine. Lacks a cable slider.
Isolation is average and acceptable.
I like the use of wood, it looks good but not as good as Dzat DF-10, which looks fantastic.
SOUND QUALITY:-
This earphone comes from an exceptionally potential brand that has delivered one of the best Hi-res player so it's obvious to have hopes high.
On first listen its quite good, I burned it for more than 150 hrs and used it mostly every day before I go to bed. It sounds perfect without amping and a mobile phone will drive it nicely.
Signature is warm, bright and slightly splashy, not as bright as HA2 though.
I am using stock Rubber tips for this review, which have really wide bore. It sound better with foam and narrow bore tips, try it if you have some lying around, it helps in smoothening things out.
Lets start with our basics.
I have to say, Zero responds well to EQ, Try yours.
BASS:-
It's not exactly balanced, doesn’t take off like a Wooduo neither stays calm like HA2, does its job and keeps calm when not summoned upon.
Bass quality is above average, it has nice thump, good amount of air and can reach deep too. It has nice impact but its more soft than hard. Thanks to the wooden chambers Zero sounds really meaty, organic and natural. The only problem I have with this earphone is that it has some mid bass hump which gets bothersome once you come across some mid bassy songs, it takes the center stage and somewhat overshadows sub bass to an extent, and this mid bass hampers decay too, which is good by all means could have been better.
Bass has good amount of details for an $60 earphone, control could have been better, not bad by any means, better than Brainwavz S0 and Soundmagic E50 for sure but can't be compared with RE-400.
Notes do lack some depth, no bleeding what so ever.
I have seen better, but not from a dynamic driver earphone in this price range, Meelec A1512nd gen is a totally different story.
MID RANGE:-
I am a fan of beautiful mid range presentations, and as far as I am concerned Shozy Zero has some of the best mid range you will find in an earphone for around $50. There are many earphones which sound better overall but zero has really nice clarity and forwardness which I really appreciate. It has good details and nice transparency.
Both male and female vocals sound good, meaty, organic and full bodied, thanks to shallower notes depth male vocals sound thick and sharpness with female vocals make them enjoyable, nicely tuned I must say. Upper mid range has some humps which makes some instruments like cymbals and guitars shine a bit more than others.
Zero has good transparency, imaging, presentation, doesn’t lack much precision and clarity but texture is lacking, it sounds grainy, not as smooth as one would expect, it maybe the housing but what matters in the end is the final output.
Has a nicely spacious stage, not exactly RE-400 spacious, but spacious.
I might have sounded harsh, but all in all this mid range is far superior than S0. E50 and will even surpass 151 2nd gen if you don’t like sharper notes presentation.
HIGHS:-
Zero has, I have to say good still not so good highs. It has good energy, good amount of details, better than average separation and transparency, nice sharpness, doesn’t sound harsh but at the same time it lacks the extension I was looking for, its good, but there are some dips and few peaks that make things worse.
Even though it lacks extension, treble on this is neither over done nor rounded off. It sounds cohesive and engaging, doesn’t put anything off, but those peaks with upper mids can be bothersome to some, especially those who are treble intolerant or like it smoother.
COMPARISONS:-
VS Brainwavz S3 :- S3 sounds cleaner, has better clarity, transparency, better bass with deeper reach, no mid bass hump, far better decay, smoother texture devoid of any kind of graininess, better top end extension, devoid of any kind of harshness. Comes with plenty of accessories. Sounds louder, has bigger stage and sonically superior.
Zero has better balance, everything sounds meatier and more natural with awesome timber, notes are thicker too. Has less microphonic cable.
S3 wins Hands down.
Vs RE-400:- Has better sub bass, better extension, faster decay, no mid bass hump. Has better clarity, transparency, details, sound stage and sonicality. Lower microphonics. Better accessories. Has reported durability issues.
Zero has better cable and build, has more bass.
Technically RE-400 is a far superior earphone.
Vs Alfa Genus (Black Nozzle):- Alfa genus has far more attack when it comes to bass energy, has bigger and stronger slam. Vocals have better texture and highs are smoother, has better sonicality. Has far better cables, build quality is awesome.
Zero has better clarity, transparency and details. Everything sounds more natural and organic. Has better decay and top end energy too.
Shozy all the way unless you want bass.
CONCLUSION:-
Shozy Zero is a perfectly nice sounding earphone with good sound quality, nice timber, good tonality and nice build quality, let down by some mid bass hump and slight graininess.
If you are looking for an earphone that has natural timber, meaty and warm sound signature, thicker notes with good clarity and transparency, you should consider the Shozy Zero.
Thanks for reading guys, cheers. Have fun, enjoy.
Shozy, A brand that hails from HongKong, going strong since 2012, better known for their amplifiers, DAPs and DACs has the mighty popular Shozy Alien that looks, sounds and performs outstandingly when it comes to SQ and details. They have plenty of outstanding products and are extending their range with new products ever now and then.
What I have with me here is their Latest product, their maiden go at In-ear earphones Shozy Zero which ships worldwide is priced $60 comes in a single color scheme, not exactly color but has only one variant. Made out of selected high density Brazilian rosewood chambers and comes with selected cables.
Some of its features are high efficiency drivers with low impedance, flat frequency response with good extension, low distortion without early roll off.
It remains to be seen how this turn out in real life though.
At $60 it has plenty of competition at its hands from Vsonic VSD3/2, Soundmagic E50, Brainwavz S3, Rockjaws Alfa genus, Vivo XE-800 and even the legendary Hfiman RE-400!! I will compare it with RE-400, Alfa genus and Brainwavz S3.
Lets find out how this wooden beauty performs.
Before that I would like to thank Ken from Shozy for this sample unit.
If you want one you can get your from these links.
http://www.shozy-hk.com/zero-earphone/
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Shozy-Zero-HiFi-wooden-stereo-dynamic-in-ear-earphones-ie8-ie800-custom-earphones/601461_32659128608.html
https://www.null-audio.com/products/shozy-zero-universal-in-ear-monitor
https://www.amazon.com/SHOZY-Zero-HIFI-In-ear-Earphone/dp/B01EHT6Z6C
ACCESSORIES ERGONOMICS AND MISCELLANEOUS:-
Shozy Zero comes with minimal accessories, Nothing fancy at all. You can find 3 pair of rubber tips, a carry pouch and user manual. Its nothing I will complain about buy they should have included a cable clip, doesn’t matter how selected the cable is, it has microphonics and a cable clip will help in keeping it low.
Don’t expect much from me as mine came with just the earphone and tips. No retail package so I cant show you that.
Build quality is nice, straight barrel design is nothing one can complain about. Rosewood looks really nice, there is some stress reliving at the earpiece end and it does its job, sadly there isnt much at the 3.5mm jack, just tiny bit to protect it from sharp bends. Y splitter has minimal profile and has no stress relievers at all. There is a vent, oh no its not on the outer side, its at the bottom of the nozzle, yup, that’s a vent. R/T markings are on the stress relievers.
Cable might have something special inside but to me it looks like just like the ones we see with KZ earphones. It has some microphonics for sure but not excessive, its bouncy and doesn’t exactly look strong but I have used it under stress and it hold up fine. Lacks a cable slider.
Isolation is average and acceptable.
I like the use of wood, it looks good but not as good as Dzat DF-10, which looks fantastic.
SOUND QUALITY:-
This earphone comes from an exceptionally potential brand that has delivered one of the best Hi-res player so it's obvious to have hopes high.
On first listen its quite good, I burned it for more than 150 hrs and used it mostly every day before I go to bed. It sounds perfect without amping and a mobile phone will drive it nicely.
Signature is warm, bright and slightly splashy, not as bright as HA2 though.
I am using stock Rubber tips for this review, which have really wide bore. It sound better with foam and narrow bore tips, try it if you have some lying around, it helps in smoothening things out.
Lets start with our basics.
I have to say, Zero responds well to EQ, Try yours.
BASS:-
It's not exactly balanced, doesn’t take off like a Wooduo neither stays calm like HA2, does its job and keeps calm when not summoned upon.
Bass quality is above average, it has nice thump, good amount of air and can reach deep too. It has nice impact but its more soft than hard. Thanks to the wooden chambers Zero sounds really meaty, organic and natural. The only problem I have with this earphone is that it has some mid bass hump which gets bothersome once you come across some mid bassy songs, it takes the center stage and somewhat overshadows sub bass to an extent, and this mid bass hampers decay too, which is good by all means could have been better.
Bass has good amount of details for an $60 earphone, control could have been better, not bad by any means, better than Brainwavz S0 and Soundmagic E50 for sure but can't be compared with RE-400.
Notes do lack some depth, no bleeding what so ever.
I have seen better, but not from a dynamic driver earphone in this price range, Meelec A1512nd gen is a totally different story.
MID RANGE:-
I am a fan of beautiful mid range presentations, and as far as I am concerned Shozy Zero has some of the best mid range you will find in an earphone for around $50. There are many earphones which sound better overall but zero has really nice clarity and forwardness which I really appreciate. It has good details and nice transparency.
Both male and female vocals sound good, meaty, organic and full bodied, thanks to shallower notes depth male vocals sound thick and sharpness with female vocals make them enjoyable, nicely tuned I must say. Upper mid range has some humps which makes some instruments like cymbals and guitars shine a bit more than others.
Zero has good transparency, imaging, presentation, doesn’t lack much precision and clarity but texture is lacking, it sounds grainy, not as smooth as one would expect, it maybe the housing but what matters in the end is the final output.
Has a nicely spacious stage, not exactly RE-400 spacious, but spacious.
I might have sounded harsh, but all in all this mid range is far superior than S0. E50 and will even surpass 151 2nd gen if you don’t like sharper notes presentation.
HIGHS:-
Zero has, I have to say good still not so good highs. It has good energy, good amount of details, better than average separation and transparency, nice sharpness, doesn’t sound harsh but at the same time it lacks the extension I was looking for, its good, but there are some dips and few peaks that make things worse.
Even though it lacks extension, treble on this is neither over done nor rounded off. It sounds cohesive and engaging, doesn’t put anything off, but those peaks with upper mids can be bothersome to some, especially those who are treble intolerant or like it smoother.
COMPARISONS:-
VS Brainwavz S3 :- S3 sounds cleaner, has better clarity, transparency, better bass with deeper reach, no mid bass hump, far better decay, smoother texture devoid of any kind of graininess, better top end extension, devoid of any kind of harshness. Comes with plenty of accessories. Sounds louder, has bigger stage and sonically superior.
Zero has better balance, everything sounds meatier and more natural with awesome timber, notes are thicker too. Has less microphonic cable.
S3 wins Hands down.
Vs RE-400:- Has better sub bass, better extension, faster decay, no mid bass hump. Has better clarity, transparency, details, sound stage and sonicality. Lower microphonics. Better accessories. Has reported durability issues.
Zero has better cable and build, has more bass.
Technically RE-400 is a far superior earphone.
Vs Alfa Genus (Black Nozzle):- Alfa genus has far more attack when it comes to bass energy, has bigger and stronger slam. Vocals have better texture and highs are smoother, has better sonicality. Has far better cables, build quality is awesome.
Zero has better clarity, transparency and details. Everything sounds more natural and organic. Has better decay and top end energy too.
Shozy all the way unless you want bass.
CONCLUSION:-
Shozy Zero is a perfectly nice sounding earphone with good sound quality, nice timber, good tonality and nice build quality, let down by some mid bass hump and slight graininess.
If you are looking for an earphone that has natural timber, meaty and warm sound signature, thicker notes with good clarity and transparency, you should consider the Shozy Zero.
Thanks for reading guys, cheers. Have fun, enjoy.
Dobrescu George
Nice review, mate!
suman134
@Dobrescu George Thanks.
thanks for the great review!