Hi everyone, can anyone share what you think about the Magaosi K3 Pro, especially in terms of durability/longevity? Would like to get one but they seem to have some QC issues that I'm worried of....
Pretty much ALL ChiFis have occasional QC issues. KZs have way more reported QC issues than Magaosi by far, and that hasn't stopped tons of people from buying KZs by the boatload (myself included).
If you buy from a reputable seller, any problems you may have will get resolved no questions asked. Also buying from a reputable/authorized seller guarantees that you not only get a
GENUINE product (there are fakes), but also ensures that you get the
included 1 year warranty.
I've had 1 very minor issue with my Magaosi K3 Pro, which took 5 seconds to fix. Other than that, they have been flawless, and I love them to pieces.
The few reported issues with the Magaosi K3 have either been fixed by Magaosi themselves, or are easy to fix yourself (if you don't feel like making a warranty claim).
Here's the list of known issues (ranked from most common to least common, at least amongst HF owners):
1. Weak glue on the nozzle can cause the nozzle to separate when changing filters or swapping eartips. Has only happened to 1 handful of people (and only on early stock), and was recently confirmed by Magaosi to have been resolved in manufacture.
2. Loose connection causing audio cutouts (always on left side). Has only happened to 1 handful of people. Resolved by using a different cable (Magaosi provides 2, or you can buy an aftermarket cable such as SainSmart). You can also gently pinch the tip of the cable with pliers and fix the issue (verified fix by more than 1 person).
3. The BA driver on 1 of the sides can be glued such that it's angled a few degrees off-center compared to the other side. Only reported by 2 people so far, with me being the 3rd. The solution is to use a something (toothpick, needle, etc) to gently center the affected driver. Mine was off by maybe 2mm, and was simple to correct. I noticed zero sound difference when it was off-center - I just straightened it because I am a perfectionist & it only took 3 seconds to fix. Otherwise, I wouldn't even bother.
4. The BA driver on 1 of the sides can be glued slightly lower compared to the other side (1-2 mm). Has only been reported by 1 person. There is no solution to this other than regluing the driver yourself, but I am pretty sure the user did not report any issues with sound, channel imbalance, etc.
I hope that helps put your mind at ease. I would buy them again without even batting an eye.
However, if you are still hesitant, consider the KZ ZS5 instead, which is an absolute steal for the asking price. You can buy (4) ZS5s for the cost of (1) Magaosi K3 Pro, and the Magaosi K3 Pro is definitely NOT 4xs better than the ZS5.
Vidal recently gave the ZS5 an almost perfect score out of 128 ChiFis he's tested. Let that sink in for a second - significantly better than just shy of 130 other ChiFi IEMs. See for yourself at his site:
http://www.aproear.co.uk/kz-zs5/