Pros: Reference sound.
Smooth, fatigue-free, and beautiful sound.
All-rounder. Perhaps the best for the price.
Live stage monitor, gaming monitor, movie monitor, and music monitor. It can handle it all.
Good instrument separation.
Nice design.
Cons: For music, it lacks that extra bass.
Its soundstage is good for the price, but not the best.
It lacks a bit of sparkle.
Sound is suitable for everything, but not great for anything.
I wouldn't consider it if the Odyssey costs just a little more.
INTRO
How are you all? I hope you're doing well. Today's is another IEM from the ZIIGAAT brand. You've probably heard of it because they've already released many. I'd say they're saturating the market, although honestly, they're all good products. Each one has its own flavor, and honestly, if you do things right, at an appropriate price, with these striking and beautiful designs, then go ahead... keep doing it.
Today's the Ziigaat Lush. 4 balanced armature drivers and 1 dynamic driver. In principle, a standard configuration, but coming from this brand, I think it might be okay... so let's see how this sounds.
UNBOXING SECTION
The unboxing is similar or the same as the Ziggat models. We've already seen some, so I'll be briefer than usual. A simple unboxing with just the bare minimum. The carrying case is like that of all the brand's models. It's a little larger than usual and semi-rigid; the cable is pretty decent, but, again, plain. If you have a better cable, replace it. The stock one isn't bad, but it's a bit tight. The tips come with the ones we're all familiar with by now... As for the tips, I use the medium-sized ones and the silicone ones.
What does change is the design. Despite having fewer drivers than, for example, the Estrella, it's a slightly bulkier IEM. It's slightly thicker than the ODISSEY, although visually it looks practically the same. The fit feels practically the same and I find it adequate and comfortable. Good passive isolation... and... How do they look? Well, Ziigaat wanted to play with that dual touch of bright blue and white colors that suits them very well and gives them personality. The truth is that this brand's models, if you change the cable, look very nice. This one is no exception. I really like how it looks and gives that feeling of a more premium product, at least because of its look, which I like so much.
SOUND SECTION
In terms of sound, Ziigaat has sought to distance itself slightly from the festive or hyper-musical feel of products like the Estrella, from the bass-head bass of the Doscinco or Arcadia, and from the more audiophile and musical profile of the Ziigaat Odissey. The Lush is basically an Odissey with less fun, more controlled, and yes, somewhat less technical sound. However, one thing this Lush does is present the sound in a purist, referential, and smooth manner. I could categorize this IEM as neutral, and perhaps, without fear of being wrong, it is an evolution of Simgot's EM6L. The Lush is not the most optimal IEM if you're looking to enjoy music, nor the most resolute IEM in the sub-250 range, but it is one of the most referential, coherent, and generally technical...although we'll get to that later.
SOUND SECTION – BASS
The bass response speed is quite good, and it doesn't feel muddy or saturated when listening to tracks with complex, fast-paced arrangements. It handles fast-paced drums and kick drums with great precision, without muddying or interfering with the midrange frequencies. Everything remains well-defined even during intense passages.
The sub-bass extends very well into the lower frequencies and can generate a vibration or rumble when the song demands it. This is less than, for example, the Odissey, but at a medium-high volume, it's sufficient. Personally, I find it to be a pleasant bass, although I wouldn't consider it geared toward those looking for an excessively bass-focused sound signature.
The transition between the sub-bass and mid-bass is very well achieved. The mid-bass retains the necessary punch and feels full-bodied, while both bass ranges—sub-bass and mid-bass—integrate coherently and smoothly.
As for the bass texture, it's rich and well-defined. It doesn't feel loose or uncontrolled. Despite having only one dynamic driver, the bass performance is powerful. It has a good level of impact, making it very enjoyable for watching movies, playing video games, or listening to music.
SOUND SECTION – MIDS
The midrange frequencies have a very balanced presence: they don't feel too forward or too distant, which is perfect for my ears. The placement of the voices is very well done; it gives the impression that the male or female singer is a few steps away, creating a natural and believable soundstage. I'll talk about this later, but honestly, the sound doesn't feel boxed in or compressed.
Both the male and female vocals have a good texture, with a bit of room for improvement but still decent. Personally, I wish the female vocals had a little more "bite" or character like other Ziggat models, but considering the overall tuning of the Lush tends toward the soft and relaxed, this more restrained approach is understandable.
Something that surprises me, and one of the IEM's strengths, is that the frequency separation is well managed, allowing the vocals and midrange instruments to breathe and stand out clearly.
Interestingly, the midrange frequencies convey a sense of spaciousness or "air" that isn't very common. This ethereal quality could be inspired by the IEM's name, Lush.
SOUND SECTION – TREBLE
The treble has a smooth, non-aggressive presentation, making it very pleasant for extended sessions at higher volumes than usual. Despite this softness, they retain enough energy so that the overall sound doesn't sound dull or lifeless.
The high-frequency extension is quite good for this model, although this may depend on individual user preferences. If you're someone who wants to hear even the smallest details in each track, the Lush probably isn't the best choice.
That said, the amount of air and presence in the treble is surprisingly good, providing a sense of space and openness to the soundstage without resorting to excessive brightness.
SOUND SECTION – TECHS
The soundstage is perceived slightly outside the head, giving it a rather pleasant sense of expansion. The perception of width, depth, and height is well achieved, offering a convincing and enveloping spatial presentation. It doesn't excel in this, but it does excel in the separation between instruments... it's very good considering this model's price range. In fact, I'd say it's above average in its category, allowing you to easily distinguish the different elements of the mix without them overlapping. Sometimes I feel it separates better than the Odissey, although it has a better distributed soundstage.
As for stereo imaging, it also offers remarkable performance: it's possible to precisely locate the position of instruments within the sound space, even in fairly heavy tracks. However, in very complex orchestral pieces, it may not be able to maintain the same level of definition or control.
SUMMARY SECTION
The Lush is a product that I'm glad is different from. It moves away from those musical profiles, or those inflated bass profiles, or those profiles more oriented solely toward technical aspects… This IEM reminds me of the more affordable HiFimans. A sound that may not be the most musical or technical, but overall, they do everything well and that's why they stand out… they have hardly any obvious weaknesses.
The Ziigaat Lush isn't the most musical, but honestly, I've had a great time with powerful genres, jazz, and Spanish pop… I'm not wrong when I say it's one of the most versatile IEMs I've tried. There's no genre that this IEM doesn't match.
It's not the most technical. Less resolution than the Odissey or the Aether, but sufficient, and very good instrumental separation.
Tight bass, mids that have a quite pleasant character, spaciousness, and highs that are smooth and pleasant…
Yes, at this price, design, sound, and purpose, I definitely recommend it. It's very versatile and suitable for everything: games, movies, stage monitors, and films.
I you want that product you can buy here
That's it for the review, see you later.
COMPARISONS
• Ziigaat Estrella: The Estrella is a fun version of the Lush. Slightly better in technical aspects, better dynamics, bass, separation, more musical. The Lush is more versatile, less fatiguing, more coherent and natural.
• Ziigaat Odissey: The Odissey is superior. Simple as that. More bass and sub-bass, better texture, a little more body and more resolution. It's not as linear or smooth as the Lush, but I honestly like the Odissey more.
• KiwiEars Aether: A similarly priced IEM, but with a planar driver. I find the sound more musical (on the other hand, it has more color) and is, overall, more technical. However, I feel the Lush is more all-rounder, more beautiful, and less fatiguing.
Pros: Solid build and pretty face plate
High price performance ratio
Easy to like sound signature and relatively safe sounding
Airy/lush midrange
Cons: Stock cable (looks thin and cheap)
General/Packaging/Comfort/Build
ZiiGat is a relatively new brand which is sold by Linsoul exclusively. The brand has released several IEMs, namely the Cinno,Nuo, which lies on the budget range, Doscinco and also the Cincotres from the mid tier in which I have also tested and reviewed previously and found them to be really good for the asking price. I have the Lush with me today which has the following configuration: 1DD+4BA.
Build quality is very solid and features beautiful faceplate as well, metal nozzle, it is neither short nor long for my ear anatomy. The shell size is similar to the Arete which i also reviewed some time ago . Packaging is rather minimal i would say, the stock cable, eartips, faux leather storage case and the IEM itself, mostly similar in terms of presentation across the Ziigaat’s range.
In terms of comfort, the Lush does not have any sharp edges and I use them for several hours a day and I did not feel any discomfort throughout my listening session, the shell is quite identical to both the Doscinco and Cincotres that i have reviewed as well.
Prior to writing this review, Lush has been run in for roughly 20 hours, and in my opinion, the DD does benefit slightly from the burn in.
Equipment and Software used
Aune S9C
Fiio M23
Apple Music/Tidal/foobar2k
Questyle M18i
Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far
Sound Impression
Upon first listening impression, Lush’s sound signature is leaning towards more neutral with a slight boost on the sub bass. I would say it is quite natural overall with rather clean and natural mids. There’s a slight hint of BA timbre but it is very very minimal overall
Bass
Fairly good speed and doesn’t sound bloated or muddy when listening to busy tracks such as Slipknot’s People’s = crap!, Duality, Metallica’s Lux Aeterna, it handled the speed drumming and kick flawlessly, without sounding muddy nor bleeding into the mids
Sub bass has good extension and does rumbly when the track calls for it, it does sounds fun based on my preference but i wouldn’t say this is something for bass head
The transition from sub to mid bass is very good, the mid bass doesn’t lack punch and the sub and mid bass complement each other very well
The bass has good texture and doesn’t sound “loose”
Despite having only 1 DD, the bass does have plenty of impact and watching videos or gaming with it is pretty fun
Mids
The mids are neither too forward nor recessed, just right to my ears,
Vocal positioning is just nice, just imagine the artist is probably 5-6 steps away from you
Male and female vocal has good texture to it and doesn’t sound thin, i would prefer the female vocal to have a little bit more bite, but given the overall smooth nature of Lush’s tuning, this is understandable
The bass doesn’t bleed into this range which is good
Pinna gain is rather safe and never shouty even when the volume is being cranked up
The mids somehow has some airy kind of perception to it, akin to the IEM’s name, Lush, i wouldn’t say the mids is very lush, but it does sound quite lush in my opinion (possibly due to my source?)
Treble
Treble is smooth and non offensive, but retains enough energy to not sound dark
Despite having a smooth treble response, treble extension is quite good for this set depending on your personal preference, if you are someone who wants to hear every single detail in the track, Lush might not be the one for you, the higher end Arcanis might be for you
Amount of air and presence is good surprisingly
Detail retrieval is good enough, but not for critical listeners
Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is slightly out of your head with good width, depth and height perception is good
Separation is good for the asking price, i would say it is above average for the price point
Imaging is good as the instruments can be pinpointed easily even during busy track, certain complex orchestral track might not perform that well
Driveability
Lush is not hard to drive but it does scale well with more power, in terms of dynamics and bass control
Most of the entry level/mid range dongles will do just fine but desktop setup will squeeze every bit out of the Lush or add a certain degree of coloration to the sound signature
Comparison (Letshuoer’s Cadenza 4)
Cleaner sounding compared to Lush, in terms of tonality, it is overall flatter sounding
Treble is smooth but resolution and detail retrieval capability is slightly better than Lush
Soundstage is rather 2D-ish and narrower compared to Lush, imaging is not as good
Mids has good body and vocals are not too recessed nor forward in the mix, it is the star of the show for Cadenza 4
Upper mids are not perceived as shouty as well
Very natural timbre overall and note weight is neither thin nor overly thick
Lesser bass quantity but good quality bass, and the focus of bass is more on the mid bass rather than sub bass, whereas Lush has a smooth transition between the sub and mid bass, hence both the sub and mid bass is very good, also, slightly more in terms of bass quantity
Overall, Cadenza 4 is tuned differently and targeted at different audience, both the Lush and Cadenza 4 are good sets, so at the end of the day, it depends on your preference, Cadenza 4 is leaning towards vocal/mids lover
Final Thoughts
As ZiiGat is stepping up on their IEM game, their releases has been interesting so far, from Cinno, Nuo, to Doscinco, Cincotres, Arete and Lush which i have tested today, they’re very interesting in terms of sonic performance as well as the price point. At 179$, with the sonic performance as well as the build quality that it offers, i will not hesitate in recommending Lush to anyone who likes this sort of sound signature or would like to try and find out what Meta sound signature is all about.
*A big thanks to Linsoul for sending this over for the purpose of this review. Thanks for the support and opportunity as always
Head over to their store if you are interested in getting a pair:
Pros: Neutral meta tuning
Excellent value
Bass has good texture and extension
Clean and smooth midrange
Extended natural treble
Good for long listening sessions
Minimal and clean design
Lightweight
Cons: The tuning may come of as boring
Could have had some more bass weight
Not the most premium shell feel
Stock cable is a little thin
Ergonomics could be better
ZiiGaat LUSH, Budget Meta
Disclaimer
I got a free review sample, and I can say whatever I want without any guidelines from ZiiGaat or Linsoul.
All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.
Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce
My rating system highly values what is musical for me, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.
My audio preference is neutral with some warmth, I can also like forward midrange and treble if not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned gears for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz and pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to most genres and enjoy it.
I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with my entry being Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to saxophone without getting far, this due to not having the biggest patience in learning to play.
My current favorites in Headphones are ZMF Verite Open and HFA Dahlia.
My current favorites in IEMs are LETSHUOER Cadenza 12 and THIEAUDIO Valhalla.
My current favorites in Earbuds are FranQL Caelum and Venture Electronics Zen 3.0.
Gear used in the main rig is Denafrips Ares 12th-1 DAC together with the AUNE S17 Pro EVO headphone amplifier. I also use tube amplification with Cayin HA-2A, perfect to change up the sound.
Portable gear being Shanling M8T and iBasso DX180, with some dongles like HIBY FC6 and ifi GO pod Kensei.
ZiiGaat is one the brands distributed by Linsoul, they have a wiide range of models from the cheapest CINNO up to their new flagship ARCANIS.
The LUSH is in the middle of their pricing at $179, it is delivered with a 1DD and 4BA configuration. The bass driver is a 10mm PET dynamic driver, and then it has 2 balanced armatures for midrange and 2 for the highs. The BA drivers are custom made in house, that is also most likely why they can sell the LUSH for this price.
This model follows the so-called meta tuning that is popular lately, a natural tuning that is not overly aggressive.
The box is a branded sleeve with some information about the product, the inside has a black card box with foam insert. Nothing special but also enough so it feels like a good product, I also like that the box is not overly large.
The included storage box is of okay quality okay, just enough space for the IEM with a cable and some reserve tips or a small dongle.
ZiiGaat has delivered this with everything you need to start listening, without feeling the need to upgrade cable or tips. The cable is a little thin and doesn't feel very premium, but for the sound it is okay. The tips are medium bore in S M L, the bore is also a little firm so it should work for most folks. There is also one pair of foam tips in medium/large, personally I much prefer silicon tips.
The design of the IEM is minimalist and stylish, the black shell with the faceplate design is done well without being too much. You also get a serial number with the brand model on each earpiece, with the ZiiGaat brand name on the face plate in a subtle silver that is almost a little hard to see.
The shells have a little less ergonomic curve than models from Kiwi Ears or Thieaudio, the size is similar but the ear grooves in the shell are smaller on ZiiGaat models. The shell is also very light, and could be seen as a con or pro depending on the user. The nozzle is also of average length and width, measuring 6.2mm in width. Overall I think this is a very ergonomic shell, even though I prefer a little more aggressive curves on the shells.
Sound impression
Most of my listening has been with the ifi GO bar Kensei, this to have a neutral source that is very transparent. I do think it sounds even better with Shanling M8T or HIBY FC6, but this moves the sound more over to the euphonic and warm side.
Going to use the ranges here in review:
Details and soundstage
Detail in IEMs is down mostly to quality driver and how it amplitudes the frequencies, when the drivers is faster it increases the resolution you hear.
The LUSH is average, not a champion of technicalities or soundstage. Instead it delivers a fairly average soundstage depth and width, with micro details being also average.
This is mostly down to the tuning, the meta tuning isn't pushing a lot of clarity and detail into your ears. Instead you get a more fatigue free and smoother listening experience, the drivers themself I think are good with some softness to the transients.
Timbre
So when I talk about timbre I think about how accurate it sounds like, the so-called meta tuning is very accurate at sounding natural. So this is also true for the ZiiGaat LUSH, it is what I consider neutral sounding without anything being emphasized or aggressive sounding. This also means the sound can be a little soft and boring for some, personally I love this tuning as it works well over a wide range of music and is perfect for long listening sessions.
Bass is textured and reaches deep into the sub bass, the mid bass is there but not overly emphasised and has a little lingering decay.
Midrange is natural with good balance, its open and not congested. My only con is that it could have had some more warmth from the bass making it LUSHer, but that would have made the sound more congested. The upper midrange is also safe, almost a little smooth and safe on instruments like brass or bright vocals.
Treble is also well extended, but without being aggressive and bright. Just giving music natural harmonics to sound airy and natural.
Comparisons with ESTRELLA and ARCANIS
When evaluating the sets I use each of them over longer periods and also some shorter sessions swapping back and forth, it takes a long time and is not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly capable, together with volume matching to take away loudness variance.
Added measurement from Best Reviews, aligned by dB.
The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences, this is a subjective evaluation and reflects what I prefer.
All of these are similar, in fact the ARCANIS and ESTRELLA even have the same driver configuration with just a double 10mm DD for bass.The other difference is that ESTRELLA and ARCANIS have branded BAs, unbranded custom drivers. The shells and accessories are the same, and are more correct quality accessories for an IEM of the price of the LUSH.
The sound is different among all of them, we could say the LUSH is the most natural as there is almost not any coloration and the tuning is close to flat sounding.
Bass quality is a small step up on ESTRELLA and ARCANIS, same for treble clarity and quality. The sound is a little clearer in general with both, the LUSH is instead more smooth on transients giving it a softer sound.
Tuning is like this:
ARCANIS is more bright, it has a neutral bright tuning. ARCANIS also has more full bass that can slam and rumble more. Midrange is also more forward with more energy and clarity on ARCANIS.
ESTRELLA is even more energetic and has a V shaped tuning, with much more bass and treble than LUSH and even more than ARCANIS. But it also need that bass as it has much more treble as well, this comes at the cost of making the midrange a little scooped out.
Even if all of them are a little different, they have a similar quality to them. LUSH is just a small step behind.
I must admit the LUSH is not my favorite for this, mostly due to bass and noteweight. What it does well is being open and well separated, so it can even handle quite complex and busy passages in rock/metal.
LUSH is also very nice with the typical popular pop music, I could have liked a little more bass weight but its not always needed for pop.
Summary
ZiiGaat has released a good neutral tuned iem in the sub $200 price range, the use of custom unbranded balanced armatures is a good choice to keep price down and be competitive.
This set is for the folks who want a so-called meta tuned iem for cheap, there are other IEMs also doing this like the KE4 but the LUSH is better in my opinion. You get natural sound, that's tuned neutral with good extension in both the lows and highs. Midrange is very nice, in a subtle way that's smooth and relaxed. The sound might not be super impressive from the first session, but it is more an IEM that you find better over time. This since it's safe with not a ton of energy or clarity, but also since bass could lack some note weight if you're coming from warm IEMs.
It has been hard to rank this one, I think the tuning is good and better than some other ZiiGaat models. But it lacks some clarity that the more expensive models have.
I will still rank it the same with 4 stars as I did for ESTRELLA, even though that one is more technically capable. What LUSH does better than both is a more natural smooth sound, and also delivering even better value for the money. Personal ranking is 64/100, very acceptable for a set this price.
The models is available from Linsoul or directly from ZiiGaat.
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I really love this set, very relaxed and lush