TKZK Wave

DISCLAIMER : I bought this TKZK Wave with my own money and this is a pre-owned unit. I received no monetary compensation from anybody even TKZK itself. Rest assured that this will be an honest and unbiased review.

Pros :
Good bright sound profile
Clear and crisp mids
Excellent details
Wonderful fit and the resin material is a plus

Cons :
Included tips are not good
May sound shouty and metallic on higher frequencies
Bad stock cable

Sources used:
LG V50
Zishan U1
Not-By-VE Abigail DAC

PACKAGING :
TKZK offers minimal and a straightforward packaging, nothing fancy. Package includes an earphone pouch, and some wide bore tips.

BASS 3.5/5
Bass is present but not excessive, the mid-bass and sub-bass are on equal par to each other. It does not have that rumbling lows as you would expect on other IEMs in this price range but it still have enough
to even out the higher frequencies. Sadly, bassheads may have to look somewhere else.

MIDS 3.5/5
Mids are clear, with a forward presentation. Upper mids are elevated with enough clarity and air which makes this an ideal earphone that would favor female vocals. However, there are instances that I find
the upper-mids shouty and harsh so I suggest toning it down to the safest volume possible.

TREBLE 4/5
I believe this is where the TKZK Wave shines. It is definitely bright, with the right amount of airiness and decent detail retrieval with no signs of sibilance. At this price point it is a cheap, wonderful alternative from HZSound's Heart Mirror.
Overall they did a pretty decent job.

Soundstage/Imaging 3/5
Soundstage is not that wide, just average and doesn't sound too compressed. The imaging is above-average, with decent accuracy between vocals and instruments but suffers tremendously from low quality tracks and busy tracks you'll be in for an unpleasant listening experience.

Conclusion :
The TKZK Wave is a wonderful and cheap bright IEM that performs way above its price point. It doesn't have the most natural sounding treble around but if you want a decent, detailed IEM somewhere between $25 and wanted to have a change of heart from the usual V-Shaped profiles offered by other Chi-Fi markets.
Then I recommend the Wave for you, really affordable and worth it. I just recommend you to change the cables and eartips though.

Disclaimer:

• I bought this unit with my own money, from Shopee. Rest assured that anything you see here will be done with honesty.
• 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. TKZK did not even know that I will be creating a review for this one.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

(The following observations are done in stock configuration. The photos that are shown are photos taken after the observation period.)

Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

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

IEM and configuration: Stock medium eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, both high and low gain.


Sound signature:

• Neutral bright sound signature. Controlled, tight linear bass. Almost linear, transparent mids. Elevated, bright highs. Excellent technicalities for its asking price. This IEM deserves to be placed in my “four horsemen” under 40 USD.

Lows:

• Lows are linear with a very tight presentation. Midbass and sub-bass levels are nearly equal. Subbass exhibits good depth, midbass is punchy enough, but bass heads may ask for more. Decay is fast and does not linger too much. Overall, the bass is presented in a controlled, linear, and clean presentation, but it will be lacking for bass heads and their preferred bass-heavy tracks.

Mids:

• The mids on the Wave are somewhat linear as well, but to my surprise, it does not sound too lean/thin or too thick. It sounded uncolored based on my observations and findings. Lower notes exhibit good depth and clarity. Upper mids are slightly elevated with above-average clarity, airiness, and sparkle which can make the female vocals sound intimate on some tracks. On higher volumes, the upper mids may sound peaky, but the instances of using this IEM on higher volumes would be rare due to it being easy to drive. Overall, the mids in this IEM sound linear without sounding lean, with instances of peaks on higher volume.

Highs:

• The highs are elevated, bright. It is well extended with good amount of air and definition. Detail retrieval is above average for its current price, with some instances of metallic timbre on some tracks. Overall, the treble is the highlight of the Wave as it is elevated with good definition and detail retrieval, with some occurrences of splashiness of cymbals on high volume.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• The soundstage is average with fairly good level of expansion. Separation is very good for its asking price and can handle busy tracks well. Imaging is precise with a good definition of instrument and vocal position.

Comparison/s:

VS HZSound Heart Mirror

• The lows on the HM are leaner sounding compared to the Wave, but only within a smaller margin. The mids on the Heart Mirror are also leaner, particularly on the lower mids compared to the Wave. The upper mids on the Wave show more instances of peaks on higher volumes when compared to the HM. The treble on the HM is also brighter and much more extended compared to the Wave and has more details. The soundstage is also wider on the HM, the separation is also better by a very small margin, and the imaging is nearly the same. The Heart Mirror needs a fair amount of power to be driven properly, while the Wave is easy to drive, but will benefit from a decent source.

Pros:

• Very good neutral-bright sound quality for its asking price
• Controlled, lows with fast decay
• Uncolored, clear mids
• Despite being bright, it doesn’t sound lean at all
• Excellent detail retrieval for its asking price.
• Resin-built IEM with good fit and isolation
• Excellent technicalities
• Good choice of eartips
• It is different from the usual IEMs in this price range in terms of sound signature and quality.

Cons:

• Not for bass heads (subjective)
• Can sound peaky on high volumes
• Instances of metallic timbre are perceived on some tracks
• The soundstage isn’t narrow or crowded by any means but could be better.
• The cable could be better.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos:

TKZK is TinHifi's sub-brand if you are not aware of it. Now that you know. Let's get into it.

Packaging
-Fairly minimal and nothing much to expect at this price point, a storage pouch, and wide bore eartips (Bad pairing), i will get into that later on

Build and Comfort
-Solid build quality, does not look cheap (to me), the wavy design is kinda nice actually and i like it
-Comfortable to wear for long listening session without any discomfort



Source
-Tidal -> RHA L1 -> TKZK Wave (OFC cable and Audiosense S400 Eartips)
-Tidal -> Audirect Beam 3 Pro -> TKZK Wave (OFC cable and Audiosense S400 Eartips)

Sound
I have decided not to review this in its stock form. Let me tell you why?
-The cable and the eartips that came with TKZK Wave, not to say its horrible, let's just say they don't work well with each other
-Why do i say that? SPC cable with wide bore eartips and pair it up with a bright IEM, that eventually translate into a shoutfest, especially at high volume
-So i have decided to swap out the cable to Tri Meteor's stock cable and the eartip with Audiosense's S400, the experience? Whole lot better, in fact i enjoy them a lot with this combo
-I do notice there's a slight BA timbre which sounded splashy on certain track

Bass
-Bass presence is adequate and on the warmer side
-Good texture and good control on the mid bass
-Sub bass is however slightly lacking, it is there when it's called for, nothing more nothing less

Mids
-Vocal feels slightly recessed being a mild V shape IEM
-I kinda like how the upper mids come by where the presentation is just nice without causing it to be too shouty
-Both male and female vocal sounded alright, natural, good enough texture

Treble
-No signs of sibilant here, good job TKZK
-However, there's a hint of graininess
-Good amount of air
-Technical capability for TKZK is good enough for its price point and it shouldn't be fault for it, i would say its good enough considering its price, it is not meant to compete with anything that's higher than its price point

Soundstage/Imaging
-Soundstage wise, it is rather small to me, feels a little narrow to my ears
-Imaging wise,the instruments can be pinpointed easily in not so busy track, however, it does struggle to image properly when the track gets busy

Driveability
-Fairly easy to drive
-Good enough to be powered via Apple's Type C dongle
-However it does benefit from better source of course
-Amping it doesn't really provide any additional benefit

Conslusion
Personally i like this IEM, not in its stock setting, because the treble is just too much for me.
If you have a copper cable,or any eartips which are not wide bore, get this and experiment with it, it respond very well to those.

KeepHifi's rep is actually very open in taking in suggestion on how to improve this TKZK and have gathered my opinion on how can it be better and will feedback to TKZK. To me this is a good thing that there's actually some people who care instead of brands who just wanna look for another hype train and ride along and doesn't really care about whether the product that they released is good or not.

*Thanks to KeepHifi for the opportunity to try this out and also taking in us reviewer's feedback to better improve the product.
Do check them on their website if you're interested in grabbing this.
KeepHifi Online Store

Who or What is TKZK you ask? Well, it is a new Venture of the Tin HIFI Brand, which needs no introduction. Wave is the first entry in the segment by TKZK and it is a solid one…Why do you ask? Read on…



The Unit was sent by the Brand itself in exchange for my honest opinions.

Features:

• Premium Dual driver hybrid configuration(1DD+1BA).
• Dual voice-coil dynamic driver.
• Customized balanced armature driver.
• Elegant UV Resin ear shells.
• Balanced sound tuning.
• High-purity silver-plated cable.

Technical Specifications:

• Impedance: 22Ω.
• Sensitivity: 110±3dB.
• Frequency response: 10Hz-40kHz.
• Max distortion: 3%@1kHz.
• Standard 0.75mm 2-pin connectors.
• Straight 3.5mm gold-plated termination plug.

Build and Fit:

Wave is made of Resin shells which are slight yet sturdy. The fit is excellent and I had no issues while using them for longer hours. The Faceplate gives an impression of being a raised waveform, but it is a smooth presentation here and the overall look feels premium.




Sources:

• iFi Nano BL
• Avani Dongle dac
• Abigail Dongle dac
• Samsung Galaxy S10
• Sony Discman.

Sound Impressions:

Lows

Test Tracks:

• Don The Theme (
  )
• Perpendicular Theme (
  )
• Hanuman Theme (
  )
• Raavan By Amit Trivedi (
  )
• O Saya From Slumdog Millionaire (
  )

Bass has a nice punch to it. The speed and the decay are fast enough and that gives the lows a good feel to it. Some would say it has more mid-bass presence than sub-bass presence. However, with tips-rolling, the sub-bass made its presence felt. There was sufficient sub-bass rumble present when I paired the iem with nano-bl. There was no bass bleed and the quantity of bass is enough for the average listener, but it will not please a basshead.

Mids:

Test Tracks:

• Kaho na Kaho from Murder (
  )
• Mann Tu Talbat From Super Star (
  )
• Chupke Se From Saathiya (
  )
• Hey Pillagaada From Fidaa (
  )
• Oo Chandruda From Hey Pillagaada (
  )
• Kallolam From Padi Padi Leche Manasu (
  )
• O My Lovely Lalana From Padi Padi Leche Manasu (
  )

Mids…The most important part for me… was not disappointing at all. The Pure neutral approach gives the iem a natural presentation. The Vocals are exact and not forced or over-emphasized at all. The upper-mids have a slight boost but they do not feel out of place or shouty at all. The above tracks…all of them…sounded excellent on the iem. This was the best part of Wave.

Highs:

Test Tracks:

• The Funeral By band of Horses (
  )
• No One’s Gonna Love You by Band of Horses (
  )
• Simple Song by The Shins (
  )
• Chasing Cars By Snow Patrols (
  )
• This Modern Love By Bloc Party (
  )

The Highs are extremely well-tuned. TKZK has utilized all their experience from Tin HIFI into tuning the Wave Excellently. The Treble has decent extension and sparkle and yet they sound so sweet and non-fatiguing. There was no sibilance observed at all. There is a slight roll-off at the upper-treble region but then again it was still not harsh. People with sensitive ears…relax…this one is going to please you.




Imaging and Separation.

The Imaging at decent. I felt it had micro-dynamics present as well. The Stage was intimate but it was decent enough for me to enjoy my favorite tracks.

Conclusion:

An excellent first entry in the IEM segment, Wave has many things going right for it:

• Natural Vocals.
• Smooth Treble Presentation.
• Decent bass performance.

Good Job TKZK. I recommend this IEM for new starters in this Field.

Hello , I'm Ah Hui aka Mr Wong. I'm a K-pop fan and audiophile from Malaysia.

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to TKZK for lending me this review unit and giving me the opportunity to review the TKZK WAVE
This is my first time reviewing a TKZK product .I am very excited as I have always wanted to try out different brands that I have yet to try. It's Dual voice-coil dynamic driver and 1 Customised balanced armature driver. it's retails $30 from hifigo store .

Specifications from hifigo :
>Impedance: 22Ω.
>Sensitivity: 110±3dB.
>Frequency response: 10Hz-40kHz.
>Max distortion: 3%@1kHz.
>Standard 0.75mm 2-pin connectors.
>Straight 3.5mm gold-plated termination plug

IEM BOX :

PACKAGING
Small box . Inside consists of the IEM , accessories include a earphone pouch , operating manual and warranty card.

Comfort: Comfort is great. It fits securely in my ears and I dont feel any sort of fatigue after long hours .

Design : beautiful wave like design faceplate . Typical IEM design .

PRO:
great vocal presentation , good clarity of treble .fast response bass . details decent .

CONS:
too forwards vocal will feel fatigue . Unboxing experience could be better .Vocals sound harsh when in loud volumes

BASS: BASS: solid bass ,mid-bass is punchy and fast. When I listen to OH MY GIRL - Remember Me, I can feel the sub bass fast and rumbly, mid-bass is punchy and tight. However, I think a bit more bass would be better.

MIDS :Forward mids with crisp and good present on vocal. When i listen to IZ*ONE - Memory, I really enjoyed the crisp and forward vocals here. You can feel the vocal of girls member is sweeter on the songs. However, I think vocals can be a bit smoother in terms of presentation. I feel fatigued while listening for long hours. Not to mention, vocal sounds harsh too at louder volumes

HIGH : treble feels well extended with good clarity. When I listened to IZ*ONE - Eyes ,you can hear the well-extended treble and good clarity treble . Overall, I truly enjoyed the treble performance here .

SOUNDSTAGE : it is wide and deep. When listening to Lovelyz - Rewind, I can feel the sense of space and the wide soundstage

IMAGING : i can pinpoint the instrument and the singer on stage .It has good stereo positioning.

Details : detail retrieval here is about decent When I listen to some tracks, I can pick up on the micro-details

Overall I feel it's like mini Heart mirror . Quite similar soundsignature with Hzsounds Heart mirror . If you like HM sounding you can consider this IEM .

Disclaimer : This reviews done by BGVP A08 L size ,stock cable pair with Fiio X1 II DAP .

if you interesting to buy :
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000236091310.html

Intro​

I had to do some searching up on TKZK and only then did I find out that it was a subsidiary/sister company of TinHiFi, with a focus on producing for the budget market. The Wave seems to be their debut IEM and comes in at a price of around US$30-37, at the time of writing, featuring a hybrid 1 Balanced Armature + 1 Dynamic Driver setup. Without further ado, let's get to it.

Accessories (Score: 6/10)​

The accessories are pretty bare but get the job done. It comes with just one set of silicone tips in 3 sizes and a pouch. I’m not a fan of the baby blue colour, but it is what it is. It doesn’t really bother me as I don’t see myself using pouches anyway.

Build Quality and Fit (Score: 8/10)​

Build quality is pretty decent for its price. Though I’m not the biggest fan of the wave aesthetic, I thought it felt pretty solid and durable in the hands. It looks like a resin shell as opposed to the regular plastic ones you usually see in budget sets. The included cable is a rather basic one, reminiscent of the ones that used to come packaged with older KZ IEMs. In short, not the fanciest, but seems durable enough.

What I especially liked was the fit of these IEMs. They were well shaped, not too large, and sat snugly in the ear. I had no issues using these for hours.

Sound (Score: 7.0/10)​

Sources

• Lotoo Paw S1
• Hiby R5
• Samsung S10e

Bass
Bass has a good presence and warmth, though it's a little rough along the edges. I liked that the mid-bass was controlled in quantity and not too bloated. However, there is an absence of punch and articulation, a lot of thuds. This is especially apparent on drumsets and more sophisticated, fast-moving basslines.

Mids
The lower mids are a little recessed, with the tuning being mildly V-shaped. Vocals are very pleasant on the TKZK Wave, without much unnaturalness in tonality. The biggest caveat here is that the Wave struggles to handle more complicated layers, with a rather one-dimensional presentation. I appreciated the clarity in the upper mids, enabling female vocals to really shine on this IEM.

Treble
The treble is quite tame and continues the pleasantness from the mids and shows no signs of sibilance of harshness. However, it has noticeable grain, and struggles with higher frequencies, revealing the Wave's limited technical capabilities, which it shouldn't really be faulted for at its price. To give credit where it's due, the treble is coherent with the overall tonality.

Overall
The Wave boasts a good tuning and sound signature and hence is very versatile across genres. These work when powered from your cell phone, and work well right out of the box. Don’t expect too much from detail retrieval and imaging from this set considering the price range they are at.

Conclusion​

These are a good option at their price range and they really did well with getting a pleasant tuning out. The upper mids are smooth and dodges any harshness or metallic timbre. At their current price, the Wave doesn't stand out that much due to the saturation in the budget IEM market. However, they are a fair pickup, considering how they nailed the fit on these on top of the tuning. The Wave is a decent debut IEM from TKZK and I'll be looking out for more from them.

Overall Grade: B
Click HERE for our grading list for earphones

INTRODUCTION:

TKZK, a new brand based out of China is also a sub brand of Tin HiFi which of course will be known to all of us. The Tin has been trying to capture the budget market but since they are now only able to concentrate on the bigger game they need a plan to capture the budget segment hence they launched the TKZK through which they can attain their goal. Their first product being the WAVE which is equipped with a dynamic driver and a customised Balanced Armature has stepped into the market and in this review let's see whether the WAVE can create a wave in the budget competition.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle in my country organised by the TKZK team and thanks to them for adding me in. The review is based on my observations with the product over a period of time and based on my pairings with it hence this might differ from person to person. I have not been paid by any means to manipulate this review.

SPECIFICATIONS:

>Premium Dual driver hybrid configuration(1DD+1BA)

>Impedance: 22Ω.

>Sensitivity: 110±3dB.

>Frequency response: 10Hz-40kHz.

>Max distortion: 3%@1kHz.

>Standard 0.75mm 2-pin connectors.

>Straight 3.5mm gold-plated termination plug

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Wave is clean and neat. Even the branding is not done which is pretty appreciable. The shell is made of hard resin and it uses the semi custom shell shape hence the fit is one of the best i have tried. They provide great isolation and the tips provided are more than enough for attaining the great fit.

The faceplate has striking silver lines that are covered with a layer of resin which looks premium. Interestingly the Wave is equipped with the QDC connectors! Which the KZ, TFZ and CCA uses the most! Due to this the aftermarket cable availability is very limited.



The provided cable is of normal quality but does the job in terms of sonic. The cable is SPC and is braided well. The use of cheap plastics in the cable shows these are not that premium in terms of build especially that termination plug where its fully made out of plastic. Other than the less premium feel nothing to complain of the cable in terms of sonic performance.

SOUND:

The sound profile of the Wave is neutral to bright and has an overall balanced profile. Being a sub brand of Tin the signature resembles the same and that's what makes this product very likeable too. The signature is in-offensive and makes the whole listening experience very pleasant. IN this review let’s dive into the full sectioning of the audio.

LOW END:

The low end of the Wave is pretty balanced. They are not the most neutral, rather have a nice mid bass presence over the sub bass. The low end here is more focussed towards the speed and technicalities over the attack, thump and the weight.

The texture, speed, control and the separation are impressive but you can't expect the weight, body and the attack hence bassheads this is not the product you are in need of. But as per my listening the low end is very good, those technicalities made me forget the quantity aspect.

The sub bass presence is subtle and the mid bass takes the center stage. The rumble cant be expected that much but does strike whenever the track calls for it. The mid bass is not that thick, they sound slightly leaner, faster rather than giving that extra weight and body to the track. You cant see the fullness but the clarity and the resolution of the low end is above average for the price

Tracks Used:

1. Royals – Lorde
2. Even Heaven – Aimer

MID RANGE:

The mid range of the Wave is one of the best aspects here. The mid range here falls on the leaner side hence the vocals sound thinner. The fullness can't be expected here since the bass bleed is not present here. The leanness might affect some people but this led to the clarity and the resolution of the Wave.

The tonality and the timbre are nice with a slight COLD in nature. The timbre of the instruments are great where they sound realistic and natural. The mid range feels nice and spacious where the separation and the amount of air it moves is pretty huge.

The upper mid emphasis is done hence the female vocal sounds slightly more forward when compared to the male vocals but that upper mid emphasis gave a fresh air to the wave and I liked that shimmer on the upper mid section. Even though they sound leaner, the clarity and the clean sound it produces are very pleasant to listen to. The detail retrieval in the mid range is above average where the small nuances are picked up without any issues.

Tracks Used:

1. Stand By Me – Liam Gallagher
2. Me Love – Sean Kingston
3. Makin My Move - Easy Wanderlings

TREBLE:

Treble on the Wave is smooth yet detailed. They are good in terms of separation, openness and detail retrieval. The staging is also done very well where the congestion doesn’t happen even during some busy tracks. The timbre is done great sounding realistic thus the cymbal crashes and the stringed instruments sounds natural and smooth.

The sibilance is kept in check and the shimmer on the top end is present hence they sound very open and detailed. The neutral to bright sound signature will start growing on you after the initial listen period. The extension of the highs is pretty good and the resolution it possesses is above average for the price.

Slight a bit of graininess in the top end can be observed but they are not that evident. Overall the treble sounds natural and doesn’t feel like artificially emphasized. The treble slightly feels drier too but that's only noticeable in some complex or metal genres and that may be due to that lack of impact in the low end.

Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – FleetWood Mac
2. Dream On – Aerosmith
3. Move Your Body – Sia

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The staging of the Wave is not that expensive in terms of size but they don’t feel in the head too rather they are well rounded. The staging has adequate width, height and depth. The width and the height correlate with each other while the depth is more immersive than the other two aspects.

IMAGING: There is nothing to complain about the price. Does the job but not the most precise one in terms of identifying the instruments. The sweep from channel to channel is pretty smooth and since the stage is not that big the imaging does have a big impact here. Overall they are not bad and there is nothing to complain about the price.

The technicalities like the detail retrieval, resolution and the layering are above average for the price and if not they are the strongest aspect of the Wave.

Tracks Used:

1. Mountains – Hans Zimmer
2. Sirens Of The Sea – Ocean Labs
3. Benny’s Dispatch – Corey Hawkins

VERDICT:

Wave, the latest and the debut offering from the TKZK , a sub brand of the Tin HiFi group is a solid all rounder. They sound similar to that of the Tin in house tuning which is pretty balanced to a bright signature with excellent technicalities. The low end may not be authoritative but the quality it possesses is excellent. The highs have nice detail retrieval yet keeping the sibilance in check, while also retaining the shimmer and brilliance on the top end.

The earphone itself is built well and provides the best isolation possible. The cable could have been improved but considering their sonic value the price is very justifiable. A nice mid range with forward placement where that lean mid rage also gives that clean and clarity filled sound.

Overall the Wave is an excellent value for money product and it's a PLEASANT DEBUT product from the Tin HiFi’s sub brand TKZK.

Disclaimer : The unit was provided by TKZK as a part of a review tour. But all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Build & Fit
The first earphone from TKZK, which is the budget sub brand of TinHifi, comes with a surprisingly supple cable that never tangles much, but its budget nature shows in the plug molding. I wonder why TKZK didn't opt for the right angled connector instead of the awkward thick long molding. And in the budget range, I believe the cable should come equipped with mic, which the Wave misses. Any who, the IEM itself is very light and the fit is snug. Due to the lightweight nature of the cable, the earphones do not exert pressure on your ears. Very comfortable overall I would say. Build is just good for its price.



Amp Needs
Even though the specs on paper are 22ohm at 110dB/mW, I felt my phone stressing out. If you have a dongle DAC with higher than phone output, I would recommend you to use it. Wave doesn't need much voltage, but it's not among the most efficient earphones either. To summarize, its in the middle of the road : have a dongle dac? use that, else use your phone.



Sound Quality
Deceiving by its price, the Wave provided anything but a "budget" experience when it came to sound. I would confidently say that the Wave has a unique tuning which manages to stand out. Thank the heavens, as I was expecting yet another forgettable earphone in the ocean of earphones these days. I have had a fair number of earphones come my way, none of which were tuned like this. As an avid fan of the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohm, I would say that the tuning (only tuning) of Wave is very similar. In simpler words : neutral-bright, slightly on the lean side and quite technical. The treble is elevated certainly, but in a tasteful way that doesn't cause much issues for me, and this is coming from someone who is allergic to tilted up top end. If you are heavily allergic to top end extension, then skip this. Bass heads can also skip this. The bass trades impact and punch for nuance and speed. This combo lends a lean tonal weight to the Wave. But to make up for it you are presented with a wide, very detailed, fast and well separated presentation with stand out imaging. I am beginning to think that the Wave is easily the most technical (with minimal tradeoffs in tonality/timbre) earphones out there under 60 USD. Midrange is totally linear, although stained by its lean nature. Vocals might lack a bit of body for some. On first listen, the Wave might appear perplexing to some due to its open nature and overall clarity/resolution but its easy to get used to this tuning in a matter of minutes. Everything seems to fall in its right place after that, specially that unusually good detail retrieval. An earphone costing 36 USD has no right to sound this detailed. Some cons? the upper midrange/treble seems to have an associated grain to it which becomes apparent on extended listening, although not developing into an issue as it is only slight.



Conclusion
It is such a refreshing earphone to listen and live with. I'm going to keep this short : no brainer at 36 USD.

Introduction:
TKZK is a relatively new competitor in the portable audio industry. They are from China and not at all related to KZ or Knowledge Zenith, but actually a sister company to the well-known TinHIFI. The Wave is their debut IEM which is equipped with a classic hybrid dual driver setup in the budget range of IEMs. The Wave currently retails for 36 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.

International purchase link

Specifications:
Driver units: 1 dynamic, size or diaphragm material not specified + 1 balanced armature
Impedance: 22 ohms
Sensitivity: 110 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz

Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1

Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.

Unboxing and Accessories:
The Wave comes in a small, minimalistic, square box. Removing the lid will reveal the Wave inserted in a thin piece of plastic, and below it is another, smaller box that contains the cable and other accessories. Accessories include a warranty card, thank you card, instruction manual, 4 pairs of silicone eartips, and a drawstring pouch.

Build:
The shells are made of transparent 3D-printed resin, and like many other IEMs that uses the same material, it has a smooth and glossy surface. The shells are also feel solid due to the insides being filled with resin instead of being hollowed out. The faceplates are decorated with a piece that resembles tiny waves or ripples. Looking at the other side of the shell, there is a single vent placed at the center of the dynamic driver, but it looks like it is covered by a thin paper tape. Below it are L and R side indicators. The nozzles are made of metal with a lip to hold eartips in place and a metal mesh filter. Upon closer inspection, the balanced armature is visible through the filter.

The cable is a pretty common 4-core twisted silver plated copper commonly found in budget IEMs and is fairly soft and light. The angled 0.75 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of hard rubber.

Now let's get to the sound.

Lows:
The lows are reproduced in a linear manner, with both the subbass and midbass having the same position and weight. Subbass is tight and doesn't feel like it's coming from a dynamic driver at all. The reach is below average, as well as the decay. Midbass is also fast decaying but has adequate body and never felt lacking.

Overall, the lows of the Wave are definitely not for bassheads. But, it has enough substance so as not to sound bland and with a clean texture that can still provide some life to each track.

Mids:
The mids are forward and has great transparency. Vocals sound organic and lively but are somewhat thin, with a bit of an elevation in the upper mids making female vocals sound slightly more forward than male ones. Instruments in this section especially strings and percussions sound very clear and snappy.

Overall, even though the mids are tuned to be slightly thin, it never sounded shouty nor too aggressive. But I would have liked it more if it were a bit thicker than this since the lows have minimal impact.

Highs:
The highs are evidently the main focus of the Wave's sound. The reach in the treble is excellent accompanied by an above average decay. The treble adds a great amount of shimmer and energy to the sound. It never sounded sibilant nor piercing but the upper treble may cause fatigue for long listening sessions.

Overall, the highs are the Wave's main strength, but can also be its weakness since it can become a little over the top in some tracks. This may be attributed to the placement of the balanced armature driver since it is placed just behind the mesh filter on the nozzle.

Soundstage and Imaging:
The Wave has a slightly above average expansion in the soundstage. The width and the depth expands equally. Despite the soundstage being not that big, instruments are fairly easy to identify and are well separated, and the imaging has great clarity and accuracy. Congestion is very minimal even in complex tracks.

Comparisons:
TKZK Wave (1 DD + 1 BA, 36 USD) vs. BLON BL-Max (2 DD, 37 USD)
The BL-Max has a lot more lows than the Wave. It has more rumble in the subbass, thicker and fuller impact in the midbass, but the Wave doesn't have that bass bleed that the BL-Max has. The BL-Max also have thicker mids, but the Wave is able to output more natural and clearer mids. In the treble, the Wave obviously has better sparkle and more extended decay. The BL-Max's treble is so much more relaxed, therefore not causing fatigue when listened to for some time. Soundstage is wider in the Wave in both the height and the width. The Wave was also able to present better instrument separation, more detailed imaging, and less congestion than the BL-Max.

Conclusion:
Seeing and hearing a very affordable IEM that steers away from the common V-shaped, warm, or similar tuning is always a welcome surprise, and the TKZK Wave is one of those kind of rare IEMs. It's really nice to hear TinHIFI's classic bright tuning in a more budget friendly IEM, and like most of their IEMs, the Wave offers outstanding build quality. However, the most obvious flaw in TinHIFI's tuning which is the excessive treble carried on here in their sister company's debut product, and that is something that needs to be addressed in TKZK's future releases.

Introduction:-

TKZK is a new entry into the HiFi industry. The brand is new, but the team is experienced with years of expertise in designing HiFi audio earphones. They are a sub-brand to the well-known Tin HiFi focused on marketing budget audio earphones. TKZK Wave is their debutant product in the industry that is equipped with a dual-driver hybrid setup consisting of one balanced armature and one dynamic driver unit per side. It comes with attractive resin earpieces at an attractive 30$ price tag. This is a competitive segment filled with multi-driver IEMs from famous brands including KZ, CCA, and more. So how does the debutant Wave performs here? TKZK brings the magic of Tin HiFi with it? Let’s check that out today!!

Disclaimer:-


I got to audition the TKZK Wave courtesy of a review tour organized here in my country by TKZK and HiFiGo. All the impressions and opinions in this blog are completely my own based on my experience with the pair over the past week. If you want to purchase the TKZK Wave, you can buy it from the HiFiGo link below.

TKZK Wave Hybrid In Ear Monitor — HiFiGo

Unboxing & Accessories:-


TKZK Wave comes in a simple black box that has its funky logo right on the top and an image of the Wave earphone printed on the front. The packaging is rather simple and elegant while the TKZK logo is very funky and stylish. On the back, we have a frequency range graph and the specifications of the pair in English and Chinese. Inside we have the Earpieces sitting into their own padding. Below is a small accessory box that has the stock cable, a velvet pouch, and three pairs of silicone ear tips. An extra pair is there on the pair itself. There is nothing fancy with the TKZK Wave’s packaging. It’s simple, elegant, and has the necessary stuff required to get one going. No foam ear tips here though.


Package Contents:-


>TKZK Wave earphones.


>Four pairs of silicone ear tips(3 in the box, 1 on the pair).


>Stock cable with 3.5mm termination.


>Velvet carry pouch.


Design & Build Quality:-

TKZK Wave ear cavities have resin shells with a metallic ear nozzle. I got the silver color variant that has a black translucent inner cavity and bright silver(can also call it white) face covers. Face covers have a 3d look with resin coating on top of them. You can see them as beveled but they have a resin coating on top of them that gives them a smooth feel and touch. The pair has a unibody build with face covers attached to the cavity. Despite having a large form factor, the cavities are lightweight(thanks to the resin build). In terms of design & form factor, TKZK Wave provides good value. The pair looks elegant and beautiful.

Included accessories such as the cable, silicone tips, and carry pouch are of decent quality. The cable has 2-pin QDC connectors and a 3.5mm standard termination plug. No complaints in design and build quality with the TKZK Wave and its accessories.

Fit & Noise Isolation:-

The pair fits pretty nicely. The cavities are large, but they give a good fit and seal for my medium-sized ears. I sense this fit feels good because of the lightweight design of the earphones. They sit firmly on my ear concha, cover my ear canal completely, providing good isolation from the surrounding noises.

Driving The TKZK Wave:-

Wave isn’t a very demanding set. It has a low impedance rating of 22Ω with a high-sensitivity rating of 110dB/mW, it can be powered easily straight off a smartphone. I tested the pair with my Redmi Note 9 straight off its 3.5mm termination plug and the resulting combo is really good. Straight 3.5mm output with Apple Music streaming on the smartphone serves me well. Though for critical listening I used it with my HiBy R6 2020 streaming Tidal and using some stored flac files.

Sound Impressions:-

Straight out of the box, the TKZK Wave has a very soothing, balanced sound signature. None of the frequencies feel specifically emphasized. Wave pushes a quick and punchy lower-end response but decent extensions. Midrange has a little bit of bass muddiness but that doesn’t affect the vocals or acoustic instruments much. Vocal tonality is excellent with the pair. I would say, Wave does the vocals best in its sound. The tonality for both male and female vocals is natural and pleasing. Treble region showcases retrieve some decent details from our music and show good extensions too. TKZK has done the Treble region well too. There is no sibilance or harshness, or fatigue with the pair. It just maintains the right amount of energy to let one enjoy their music in peace. Overall, I would say the TKZK has a well-balanced sound profile and feels worth the asking price.

Bass:-

The lower end has good speed and decay. Mid-bass slams hit with good precision, sub-bass presence can also be felt. Though I would say the pair has average depth and extensions in the lower end. Also, there is a slight bit of bass leakage into the lower midrange. If you are looking for a deep-hitting soulful bass response, you might not get that with the TKZK Wave, but if you just want a smooth, balanced presentation with a fast lower end, the TKZK Wave will serve you well.

Tracks Tested for Lower-End:-


>Why SO Serious: Hans Zimmer.


>As we fall: Klergy.


>Royals: Lorde.


>Billie Jean: Michael Jackson.


>Believer by Imagine Dragons.


And more.

Mid-range:-

Midrange is the charmer here with the TKZK Wave. It does everything right here with great vocals and acoustic instruments. Best part is the natural-sounding vocals, both the male and female vocals are showcased with great emotions. Acoustic instruments are also reproduced with good clarity and air for the price segment. Air and separation between the instruments are presented well with the Wave. Listening to acoustic songs is a blissful experience with the TKZK Wave.

Tracks Tested here:-


>Hotel California By Eagles.


>Imagine by John Lennon.


>Cover Sessions by Boyce Avenue.


>Fix You by Coldplay.


>You Cry by Yao Si Ting.


>Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex.


And more.


Treble:-

TKZK has tuned the Wave for an inoffensive yet detailed treble region. The pair retrieves good details from our music while not sounding fatiguing or sibilant. Treble region goes wide with good extensions. Instruments such as Violins, Electric Guitars are presented with a good timbre and smoothness. I appreciate the smooth tuning for TKZK Wave as I am personally sensitive to harsh treble regions. Pretty solid performance here by the pair.


Songs Tested here:-


>Another Way To Die by Disturbed.


>God Of War by Tina Guo.


>Crawling by Linkin Park.


>Dark Necessities by RHCP.


And more.


Dynamics:-


TKZK Wave excels in dynamics that include soundstage and imaging. Soundstage with the Wave has decent width with a good sense of depth and height. Imaging and Layering of instruments are presented well with the TKZK Wave.


TKZK Wave Vs KZ ZEX:-


KZ ZEX is the latest hype from KZ featuring a dynamic and EST driver hybrid configuration. I recently got to try the KZ ZEX courtesy of a friend too. How well does the 30$ TKZK Wave compares the 22$ KZ ZEX, here are my thoughts.


>TKZK Wave has a better body throughout the frequency range in comparison to the KZ ZEX.


>Lower-end is better on the ZEX with better extensions, better sub-bass response.


>Midrange is better sounding on the Wave, on ZEX it sounds recessed.


>Treble region is smoother in Wave, but more energetic on the ZEX.


>Soundstage width is better on the ZEX but it has better depth on the Wave.

I would say both excel at their own points. On one hand, Wave has natural midrange with excellent vocals, the ZEX delivers a high-detailed treble response. I would say choose the one that suits your personal taste.


Final Words On TKZK Wave:-


TKZK Wave is a good entry point for TKZK in the industry. I personally liked it for its natural vocals and inoffensive treble response. It delivers a quick lower-end response with a charming midrange and well-extended in-offensive treble region. In my opinion, TKZK Wave delivers great value for its asking price, hope you guys will like it too.

Introduction:
Even if one is not familiar with TKZK , there is hardly anyone in audio community who doesn't know Tin Hifi. This is a well-established name in the audiophile industry and has given smashing hits like T2, T3, T4 etc. TKZK is their new venture that has just started its journey with Wave.

The wave is very decent 1BA and 1DD hybrid design. The product is packaged in a black box with a picture of earphone in the middle and the name of brand and product etched in gold on the top and bottom. The box contains earphones, stock cable, ear-tips and a small carry pouch. The accompanying accessories are not extravagant but that is understandable given its price range.

The earphones however do have a quality built irrespective of the price tier. The design is simple yet powerful. It comes in 2 colors, grey and blue. The faceplate has a metallic look with wave patterns, it is also encased in resin giving it a shiny appearance. The earpieces are slightly big in size but surprisingly comfortable to wear. The overall look and feel is aesthetically pleasing. This is accompanied by 1.2 m silver plated stock cable.



Disclaimer:
I have received as part of review circle sent by brand in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range.

Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired to A&K SE100 (ES9038 Pro), Shanling M6 (AK4495EQ) and Cayin n5ii without any other amplification on portable setup.



Highs:
The Wave is an example of one of very nicely tuned treble region, there is a slight roll off in the upper treble region giving it a very detailed yet not harsh perspective in the high frequency region. The treble has decent extension and sparkle to it and not at any point its sibilant or harsh to ears specially the electric guitars.

Mids:
Mid-range is very much neutral, slight lift in upper mid-range but not much harsh. The upper mid-range is very much in line with lower treble and it gives very nice clarity and presentation but this suffers a bit at higher volumes. The overall mid-range presentation is very good and so does the detail retrieval in this area. The resolution as of elevated upper mids feels very good. Male vocals sound not at all sublime and recessed where are female vocals shine out very well along with very nice musicality.

Lows:
It is not a bass heavy IEM but the quality of bass is quite nice for the price. I really liked the way bass has been presented on it. Its not bass shy at all and have apt quantity to suit for most of the genres. Overall bass has nice punch to it with natural body and gives compliment to the treble extension. The Sub-bass also have very good extension and gives a decent rumble and authority even though its less in quantity.

Technicalities:
The Wave has very good micro contrast, The detail retrieval and resolution is very decent. The overall signature is towards the intimate side. Soundstage is above average.



Final Verdict:
TKZK Wave to me is very nicely tuned IEM for casual listening. Its very comfortable to ears both design wise and sonically. The treble is well extended still not harsh, the mids are natural and the bass is very nice in terms of quality. The overall signature is neutral towards slight bright side and does pair very well with warm sources.

Foreword
TKZK is a new offering from the parent company of TIN HiFi. I would like to thank HiFiGo (https://hifigo.com/) for sending this unit to me for listening impressions and reviews.

The Build:
Intentionally designed and built for simple elegance with plastic shells. TKZK Wave is as simple as it can be with a touch of artistic nuances on the front faceplate. The nozzle is sized with proper length and bore diameter, offering good fit.

Driver Type: 1 BA & 1 DD each side
Frequency Responds: 10-40kHz
Sensitivity: 110±3dB @1KHz 0.126V
Impedance: 22Ω
Max Distortion: 3%@1K Hz 0.126V
Plug: straight 3.5mm gold plated plug
Cable: 1.2m Silver Plated Copper

For the entirety of this review, I have opted to use my own Slow Rebound Foam tips, I am not a fan of silicone tips and the stock TKZK Wave unit does not provide any foam type.

Timbre, Tonality & Dynamics:
TKZK Wave exhibited good balance between Balanced Armature and Dynamic Driver timbre, with the DD side offering vibrant frequencies and the BA offering sparkle evident on the higher frequencies. All in all, I would regard Wave as balanced sounding (neither warm nor bright). Dynamic transients are well controlled to not sounding overly euphonic as would be observed from some “exciting” IEMs. If I am forced to label The Wave, I would regard it more of mild W sounding – Bass, Treble and Mids levelled properly without any hint of recessed presentation. However, it must be noted that TKZK Wave may sound metallic dry on some genres especially used for listening to Rock/Metal which tend to be shouty. With Jazz, Electronic, Bluegrass, Pop and it is fun and very enjoyable – totally unoffensive.

Mids:
TKZK Wave Mids are neutral and natural. I did not sense any coloration to the tone on vocals. TKZK Wave remained faithfully transparent with projection of Soprano or Contralto vocals. Similarly with male vocals (Baritone), it sounded natural without any hint of warmth or added sparkle.

Instruments wise, it is clear and cleanly crisp with mild attack and decay – realistic as how I would put it.

Treble:
There’s ample sparkle and shimmer to make TKZK Wave shine admirably. Yet this will still not be considered as a Trebleheads IEM. Treble extensions are admirable depending on how capable to source it. Even when played with natural warm sources (native AKM based DAC tuning), there’s clarity and crispiness to Treble presentation. It must be noted here that TKZK Wave seems to focus more on crisp edge rather than outright smoothness – so depending on the mastering approach done on the recordings, some songs may end up sounding a bit grainy edged on Treble decays. Stick to properly mastered records and this will not be an issue. What I do wish for is a bit more of Treble texture and details but then again at this price point it is totally acceptable as it is.

Bass:
I like TKZK Bass. It is very well tuned to not overwhelm the other spectrum of frequencies especially lower Mids or even Sub-Bass. Mid-Bas has ample punch and presence to make it fun and exciting – and still disciplined enough to not interfere or bleed anywhere else. But I have a feeling that Bassheads may find TKZK Wave not living up to the expectations. The overall presentation for Bass is decidedly balanced and unoffensive. Much similar to the approach of Treble, both Mid-Bass and Sub-Bass focus more on crisp decays, which means this can be perceived as rolled-off to those preferring smooth extended decays.

Technicalities:
TKZK seems to be not a very speedy IEM. As noted earlier, TKZK Wave will not sound as good with Rock/Metal. This is attributed to it being a bit slow in handling outright Beats Per Minute speed over 150 BPM. Imaging and staging are average as well, on certain songs the separation lines can be a bit fuzzy with instruments sounding confined a bit too close together. Spatial imaging is good but nothing to shout about here. TKZK Wave is coherent enough to not sounding off key between the two different drivers, there’s harmony in Dynamic transients for as long as the songs are not exceedingly fast or complex.

Soundstage itself for TKZK Wave is what I regard as properly sized for an IEM, not exactly stellar but not shabby as well. There’s ample sense of space. However, imaging is not as razor sharp as I would prefer it to be (but I am nitpicking here).

On details handling, TKZK Wave is not a clinical unit. Macro Details are good but the retrieval of Micro Details are just average. And this depends a lot on how transparent the source is. On less than competent source then the details can be heard as fuzzy altogether.

Notably, being very easy to drive, TKZK Wave will sound great even straight from the phone out of my Redmi 10 or Sony Xperia X Compact. Switching to my 4 Vrms DACport HD does not exhibit much of an improvements. This is a twin edged sword, from one perspective it means TKZK Wave can be fully enjoyed even with weaker source, but it will also mean with superior partner, it will not shine beyond that.


Verdict
TKZK Wave is a Jack of All Trade and Master of None. It’s designed for easy and casual listening that does not demand highly competent sources. But it may not be suitable for critical listening, especially not when paired with an already bright sounding partners. Everything about TKZK build and stature, it is comfortable and easy to wear, with the foam tips I get good isolation, and this mean that I can wear TKZK Wave for outdoor activities without worrying about noise intrusions – all running directly from my phone.

It has been quite a journey for Tin Audio as a company, from the smash hit Tin T2 to rather polarizing P1 to equally divisive T2 plus, T3, T4 and P2. It was therefore the perfect time for them to start a sister brand, to do a soft reboot of the brand as it were. TKZK promises to be a fresh start, with the affordable Wave as their first foray into the audio world. Do they have a repeat of the fabled T2 though, is the question here.



Packaging and build:

The packaging, price and included accessories however suggests, TKZK is playing in the budget audio tier rather than the upper echelons Tin itself is targeting. The box carries a lot of information, even a Frequency Response graph is added on the back - a welcome addition for those who may not be familiar with the IEM and trying to guess what the sound might be like.

Opening up we are greeted with the IEMs in their padding, and a small accessories box containing the cable, ear-tips and a small velvet pouch.

The tips are nothing fancy, but the wide bore and passable comfort makes them passable. The cable though could have been a lot better, the whole thing reminds me of Tin T2 cables with cheaper and less polished terminations. It visually looks like a silver plated copper cable.



The IEMs, though, are built much better. The whole shell is molded from resin, and the shape is semi-custom fit. They are fairly large in size so I would not recommend them to anyone with smaller than average ears. The fitment and comfort is stellar though, I would call this a full day pair of headphones.

The color choices are blue and grey, and personally I like the grey better. It has a metallic looking, highly polished backplate that is actually encased in the resin, so the gloss will not be scratched and faded over time.

TKZK Wave comes in a dual driver configuration, with a dual-magnet DD and a BA in the nozzle. The impedance is rated at 22 Ohms and sensitivity at 110dB - making it the headphones to use for gym and travel, no need for powerful Amping.

Specifications:

• Model: TKZK Wave
• Sensitivity: 110dB
• Impedance: 22 Ohm
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 40,000 Hz
• Connector: QDC 2 pin, 0.78mm
• Termination: 3.5mm TRS
• Drivers: 1DD and 1BA

Devices used for the review:

• Direct output from phone, (Xiaomi Poco X3)
• Apple USB-C dongle
• CX-Pro Dongle
• iFi Hipdac

Bass response:

TKZK did a good job of tuning the DD for a tight and punchy bass response. The sub-bass has some roll off, however. This becomes a problem if the source used is bright or very flat, warmer sources fixes the issue just fine. Booming bass heavy tracks, such as EDM (mostly dubstep) or old school hip hop will not shine as much, but for most other genres it is enough. 4.5/5.

Mids and vocals:

Things get interesting in the mids, since the DD and the BA start to overlap and play off each others tuning. Source dependancy becomes even more evident here, because brighter sources give the edge to the BA more and vice versa. When the warmer or warm neutral sources are paired with the Wave, the mids are absolutely spot on and the upper mids become marvellous to listen to. However brighter sources make it sound a bit shouty, especially if more power is given. 3.75/5

Treble:

The control in the treble region is remarkable, because I have experienced many hybrid Chi-Fi offerings in the past that either made the treble rolled off or too piercingly bright. Wave has some upper treble roll-off that sacrifices sparkle and air, but the control it has overall is worth it. Female vocals sound a little more flat than they deserve, some hi-hat hits lose their impact but for the majority of the music, its adequate. 4/5.

Imaging and details:

The layering of sound is fairly intimate, not as holographic as a open back earbud. An apt comparison given the price. However the stage is not too narrow or lacking in verticality, tested with Dave Brubeck’s Take Five. Layering of instruments is interesting, because when the BA is powered up the upper mids get congested, something that can be avoided when its run in a lower volume.

Details, especially micro details is where the shortcomings start. The FR as measured by fellow head-fiers has shown that the BA has strange, peaky FR in the upper mid and treble region, and that translates to somewhat inconsistent layering of those frequencies leading to incoherence of the instruments and vocals at higher volumes.

Overall, 4/5

Sourcing:

Being a hybrid with a BA and high sensitivity, its not surprise this IEM runs off a smartphone just fine. In fact I felt the shortcomings were being masked, of both the source and the IEMs when it was directly connected to my phone. Like how Instagram filters make shots look more palatable when they are not. However, powerful source like the Hipdac really brings out the flaws it has.



Conclusions:

For a tentative price of about $36, the issues of TZKZ Wave becomes easier to overlook. Sometimes you just need a pair of IEMs that you can plug into your laptop or phone and not have to care about amps and dongles, while the music being played comes from Spotify or YouTube, or it can be a simple podcast or your favorite show streaming. In these cases, the Wave gets a hearty recommendation. With a more proper source setup though, I would try something else, unless its a tube amp delivering rich warm goodness.

TKZK Wave is TKZK's debut IEM at around the $40usd price range. From what I know, TKZK is a subsidiary brand of Tinhifi, who's well known for their Tin Hifi T2 and T2 Plus.

TKZK Wave retails for $35usd and features a hybrid config, with 1DD for the bass, and 1BA for the mids/highs. Upon opening the box, I am presented with 3 sets of wide-bore eartips, a carrying pouch, a 3.5mm SPC cable, and last but not least, the IEM itself.

In terms of unboxing experience, it is ok. Could definitely be better, especially with the asking price of $39usd.

However, we are here for the sound. So without further ado, let's start the review.

*Disclaimer: This review is done using stock tips and stock cables.

Source used:
1. iFi Zen DAC + iFi Zen CAN (IEMatch + iSilencer Plus + iPurifier3 + iPower + iPowerX)
2. Sony A55 (MrW WalkmanOne w/ WM1Z + Normal + J region)
3. Shanling UA2
4. Shanling M3x Limited
5. Monolith USB Dac
6. Apple Dongle
7. Samsung Galaxy S9+ SE out (Exynos)

Drivability:
1. Easy to drive. Drivability shouldn't be a issue.

Click to expand...

PROS :​

• Decent neutral bright tuning that might satisfy treble lovers or people that are diehard fans of the HZSound Heart Mirror's tuning.
• Bass is clean and tight, with decent sub-bass extension. Bass here is decently textured too, with a well-textured sub-bass presentation. In terms of speed, I find it to be slightly above average for a DD bass driver at this price. In other words, enough for the bass to NOT bleed.
• In terms of midrange, it is lean and neutral sounding. Slightly on the thin side. Vocals are presented forward with a slight edge and clarity.
• In terms of treble, it is bright, sparkly, and exciting. It is decently detailed too with fast attack speed and decay.
• Coherency is decent for a hybrid at this price. No noticeable disconnect between the DD bass and BA mids/treble.
• Decent technicalities with good separation and above-average detail retrieval for the price.
• Great fit, great shell design.

CONS :​

• Metallic BA timbre. Unnatural sounding.
• Mids are a bit thin. Lacks body.
• Vocals can come off as shouty and edgy.
• Treble sounds wavy (get it? ), wonky, unbalanced, and zingy. can be harsh and peaky at times. Slight hint of sibilance too. Has that metallic BA zing to it.
• Bass lacks body and impact. Could use a bit more mid-bass. It is also somewhat dry sounding.
• Bad stock accessories for the price. I expect to at least get a carrying case.
• Bad synergy with stock tips and stock cable. Neutral bright tuning + SPC cable + wide bore tips = treble-fest.

BEST PAIRING FOR TKZK WAVE :​

• I find TKZK Wave to pair best with Fiio Bass Tips/Epro Horn and a Full Copper Cable.
• Fiio Bass tips add bass quantity and also add body to the bass/mids.
• Epro Horn adds warmth and smooths out the peakiness of the treble without rolling off the treble even more.
• Full Copper Cable thickens both bass and mids, which in return gives an overall fuller sound presentation. Vocals sound sweeter too instead of edgy.
• In terms of sources, TKZK Wave pairs best with warmer sources like Sony / iFi.

TKZK WAVE ($35USD) VS HZSOUND HEART MIRROR ($40USD - $50USD):​

I don’t normally compare hybrids to 1DD as it is like comparing apples to oranges. However, the tuning of the 2 are similar so I'll do it this time.

Click to expand...

• TKZK Wave is thinner, harsher, brighter, peakier, more sibilant, more incoherent, with metallic timbre and a wonky tonal balance in the treble region. However, it has better microdetails, attack speed, instrument separation, and wider soundstage than the Heart Mirror.
• HM is more natural sounding, with better tonal balance, coherency, timbre, fuller sounding bass and mids (ah… the irony), smoother more balanced treble, and a more natural presentation. However, soundstage is smaller, not as detailed in terms of microdetail, decay isn't as fast as Wave, and it is harder to drive (HM requires an amp to shine. If not will sound meh and dull).
• TKZK Wave is priced at $35usd, HM is priced at $40 - $50usd. For just a bit more, you are getting an IEM that is overall better in many ways than the TKZK Wave. However, it requires amping to shine.
• If you want an easy-to-drive hybrid with a neutral bright signature, go for TKZK Wave. If you have an amp or a powerful DAP, go for HM as it is the better choice (at least IMO, YMMV).

CONCLUSION:​

The TKZK Wave is a decent neutral bright-sounding hybrid IEM at the $35usd price range.

As their first ever debut IEM, I think TKZK did a decent job providing an IEM that isn't your "typical" Harman or V-shaped sounding IEM. Instead, they opted for something that is closer to the Diffuse Field target.

However, its wavy (wonky) treble, metallic timbre, thin bass/mids, and edgy peaky treble are something to take note of.

If you are a huge fan of the Heart Mirror and you are looking for a hybrid that sounds somewhat like it, then sure, go for the TKZK Wave! You might like this one.


This review unit is provided by TKZK in their TKZK Wave review tour. I am not at all compensated by them and all thoughts and opinions are my own.


Interested in getting the TKZK Wave? Here are the links (non-affiliated):

1. TKZK Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/TKZK2021
2. (purchase link is not yet available. No information on when will it be released too. Will keep you guys updated

Disclaimer
I am a part of a touring group and this pair of was sent out to me for free and I am not paid to do this nor am I associated with this company, this review is done to my very best without any biasness and at this point of writing the pricing of the IEM hasn’t been confirmed I was told that price will range from 40USD to 50USD

Introduction
From what I know and heard, TKZK is a new brand under Tin Hifi. So there are not much info about this company as of this review

Package Content
IEM
IEM cable
4 sizes of silicon tips
IEM carrying pouch
Warranty card
User manual
Small thank you letter

Specification
Driver Type: 1 balance armature + 1 dynamic Driver on each side
Frequency Responds: 10-40kHz
Sensitivity: 110±3dB@1K Hz 0.126V
Impedance: 22Ω±15%
Max Distortion: 3%@1K Hz 0.126V
Plug: straight 3.5mm gold plated plug
Wire Length: 1.2m

Build
The whole IEM itself is very well build with some weight to it you can tell they are using quality resin IEM fit very well in my ears and I also like to add on I love the fin deigns on the IEM making it very comfortable for long listening session

Sound

• Bass

I really love the bass on this, bass responds know when to attack and leave, punchy mids and tight sub bass, overall bass sounded very well rounded

• Midrange

Midrange is where I think it did best and it’s also my favourite part of this IEM, clean and analytical, vocal were very and I mean very smooth and open with a touch of airiness. For vocals placement I won’t say is very forward or very laid back is just in the middle

• Treble

Treble definitely shows up well without any sharpness or pickiness. responds was fast and good attack

• Technically

Midrange imaging was very well done and overall soundstage was wide and tall although not deep but still it gives me a good ambience like a small concert hall

Sound Overall
balance sound signature with a touch of airiness everything about the sound is just so well control, frequency separation was very noticeable I could tell where the vocals and instruments were. Although I would have like the dynamic to be better but I can’t complain for a IEM below $100

Hello mates and welcome to my another IEM in Head-fi. As multitude of audio companies currently popping up in China as it they are currently one of the hottest commodity for adventurous audio enthusiasts that were looking for specific tuning for they spend a dosh for it ( just like a sweepstakes, gambling on sea of IEMs in the audio market), some of them found their sound preference while the others keep trying to purchase some of the products even from obscure and less-known audio companies.



TKZK is one of the new companies that coming out lately. And somehow they are a sub brand of a well-known company, Tin Audio. TKZK is aiming on more on budget range segment as this is threshold pricing range of most budgeting audio enthusiasts.TKZK send me a package of their new product, the TKZK Wave just to know my feedback and opinion about their latest offering.

TKZK Wave is a hybrid set-up IEM consist of one (1) dynamic driver and one (1) custom Balanced Armature (either it is Bellsing, cheaper Knowles or just another cheap BA usually found on budget ones.) Its shell is made of good quality acrylic resin and sturdy enough to withstand wear and tear usage for long a period. They will be available in three (3) different colours which is a good optional choice on colour aesthetics. The size of the shell can be categorize in medium to large scale but it is comfy and snugly fit into my lug holes as I can wear them for a long time without any ear stress and soreness. The faceplate is laminated and it has that swiveling pattern reminds me of a FiiO IEM, There is a vent hole in the base part of the shell as an outlet of air pressure coming out from dynamic drivers. It uses a QDC-type 2-pin connector and make the cable swapping much easier but for durability-wise, it is a bit questionable and have some qualms on it.



The packaging box has simple small box design that you usually found in budget segment. Its contents are consist of the pair of IEMs, a four (4) core SPC white colour cable with 3.5mm termination jack, typical three (3) pairs of silicone tips of different sizes, a sky blue velvet IEM pouch and some paper works like warranty card and instruction manuals.



TKZK Wave will be price around $39/£28. And it will be available for purchase in most e-commerce retail stores.

TKZK Wave is an easy to drive IEM that even decent sources from smartphones and tablets scales them on to sound even more fuller with plenty of dynamics.

The tonality of the TKZK Wave is more on U-shaped sound signature as it has boosted bass with linear lower mids then elevated uppermids/lower treble.


Here are the sound characteristics on each part of its audio spectrum:

LOWS/BASS

It has a good quality bass, it is punchy, fast transient speed and impactful. The sub bass does really dig deep upon its lowest point as I hear clearly those rumbling and grumbling sound especially played on bass-laden tracks like hip-hop, synthpop and electronica. Mid bass has an average texture as it add more decent volume on a note as it benefited on an authoritative and pounding bass kicks yet the bass guitar is in more on somber side of tuning that I want to hear which lacks some kind of growl and rasping sound on frets but slapping is somehow acceptable. Bassheads will somehow easily accepting this kind of bass tuning.


MIDS:

The quality of mids has slightly recessed on presentation yet it is still delivers a transparent, open and clean sounding with satisfying amount of details.

The vocals quality of both gender has a good texture and vivaciousness especially on high range female vocals as it is more forward in the mix, vivid and quite in flary trait while the male vocals has more smoother due to a lesser weight note as it sound leaner.

The percussions, rhythm instruments and woodwinds has a good presence of details, natural and articulateness on its timber. The plucking of guitars are lively and resonating especially on acoustic and lead guitars. The sound of a piano has that clear and tangible brightness on its harmonic keys.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble of TKZK Wave is a bright, well-defined clarity with a decent amount of airiness on brilliance part of treble region. I hear some hint of sibilance and tinniness in some tracks which might be perceive to some treble sensitives it as unnatural timbre and fatiguing in long listening session due to that peaky part on the upper mids that percepiently felt on it. The crashing sound of cymbals strikes has shimmer and glistening attribute as how my hearing perceive a gradual decay of sparkle.


SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING:

The width of soundstage is above average, with a decent depth and height, It has an adequate spacing and separation of each instruments along with the vocals. The imaging and layering performs a smashing one as you pinpoint its spatial cues on panning of each instruments' and vocalist's placement and positioning points without any sense of overlapping.


As I conclude this review, while I was using this IEM, It really ponders me some deep thoughts on how this product will fare in a current, very competitive market especially on its price segment where you can also find some IEMs from other competitors which also some decent tuning too. Will this one still stay relevant in market for a long time? Will its garner some users too and somehow gain some fans of its tuning? It will be big question but probably it will definitely gain some followings from starting audio enthusiasts due to its aesthetics, build quality and its association with Tin Hifi which is a popular in the eyes and ears of portable audio afficionados.


SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TKZK Wave
IMPEDANCE: 22Ω
SENSITIVITY: 110dB +/- 3dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz-40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: MMCX CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNITS: 1 + 1 Hybrid (1 Dynamic Driver and 1 Balanced Armature)

Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss- A Living Prayer *
Debbie Gibson- Foolish Beat *'*
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks *'*
Santana - Europa *
Europe - Final Countdown *
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Barry White - Never, Never Ever Give You Up
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Agent Steel - Bleed for the Godz*
Metallica- Fade to Black **
Camouflage - The Great Commandment *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean *
Bad Manners - Just a Feeling *
Riot- Warrior *
Mariah Carey- Love Takes Time *
Layla Kaylif - Shakespeare in Love *
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush *
David Bowie - Heroes **
Prince - When the Doves Cry *
Exodus - Metal Command *
Marduk - Blond Beast *
P. Diddy - Last Night *



P.S.

I am not affliated to TKZK nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to thank TKZK for providing this review unit.

Here is the link of their FB page:

https://m.facebook.com/TKZK2021/