[Slater]

Agree. However sometimes there is just nothing that can be done and comfort and size take precedence and out come the Sony hybrids.

Right now had to settle on a small bore tip for comfort reasons on the BQEZY KC2. Right now have them on the BQ3 and so far they are not causing any pain.
Wide bore sounds much much better on the BQ3 but cant find one that is comfortable and will stay on the fat stubby nozzle.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. The nozzle length and proper seal still takes precedence. Short stubby nozzles with short stubby wide bore tips don’t work for my ear canals.

We still gotta use what works, which as you said often means a narrow bore tip.

The reason why I love Starlines so much is they core is long enough to work on almost any IEM no matter how short the nozzle, plus they at least have a medium diameter bore.

 

[BadReligionPunk]

I need more info on the softer starlines. The others are to tough for my ears. If anyone finds a source on them lemme know.

 

[Slater]

I need more info on the softer starlines. The others are to tough for my ears. If anyone finds a source on them lemme know.

I’m working with KZ to see if we can get some.

Otherwise, you can try the pair included with the ZS3E and ZS4. The new super thin soft ones come in medium only (which luckily is my size).

 

[BadReligionPunk]

Do they fit bqeyz nozzles and stay?

 

[Slater]

Do they fit bqeyz nozzles and stay?

I only have KB1 and K2 to test. Are those OK?

 

[BadReligionPunk]

Are the nozzles the same for both? Kc2 and bq3 use the exact same nozzle I would guess that k2 would be a match also.

 

[Slater]

Are the nozzles the same for both? Kc2 and bq3 use the exact same nozzle I would guess that k2 would be a match also.

Ok, I’ll check the tips on the K2 when I get home tonight and let you know

 

[Slater]

Ok, I’ll check the tips on the K2 when I get home tonight and let you know

It turns out I had the BQEYZ K2 in the center console of my car. I tested the soft Starlines and they fit the nozzles just fine. I don’t know if it’s the slightly different silicone material or the shape of the bottom of the tip’s core, but they actually fit slightly more secure on the K2’s nozzle than the regular Starlines. Or it could be that my regular Starlines are a bit oily and slide off a bit easier.

Regardless, the ZS4’s M Starline fits the same or better than the standard (black) M Starline.

Also, don’t feel bad if you have to buy a ZS4 just for the tips. They are actually a respectable IEM for the price, assuming you like the typical v shaped KZ sound.

 

[DocHoliday]

It’s surprising to me how many IEMs improve with wide bore tips.

In my younger years, I used to shy away from wide bore tips because I didn’t like the reduction in low end. But as my tastes became more refined and I really started to appreciate the high end (as well as understand how too much low end can overpower and choke out everything else), I started giving wide bores a chance.

And it has always been amazing to me how much the character of an IEM can change with wide bores. It can go from compressed, boomy, metallic, and shouty with narrow bore tips to a more open, natural, cleaner and pleasant treble presentation.

Which makes a lot of sense. When you speak through a small diameter pipe or cardboard tube, your voice sounds completely different.

I have turned many IEMs from meh to wow by switching to wide bore tips. The only disadvantage of them is the fact that the tips don’t fit securely on many nozzles (bad either don’t fit at all, or are loose and fall off). But I always try my various wide bore tips, and can often find one that fits well enough to at least try it out and see if the sound improves or not.

Why the majority of manufacturers include generic narrow bore tips as (sometimes) the only stock tips is sad. Does no one at these companies tip roll in-house and notice the often positive difference?

Agreed!

I've been using wide-bore eartips for a good five years now and I'll usually put them on before trying other eartips. Actually, the only reviews I've done without wide-bores were reviews prior to the ZST.

5 years ago I picked up a pack of 20 sets of large generic wide-bore eartips from Amazon and they've turned out to be my go to eartips ever since. It's usually the one's in this picture or the Tenmakk whirlwinds and it's for the very reason you stated.

And it has always been amazing to me how much the character of an IEM can change with wide bores. It can go from compressed, boomy, metallic, and shouty with narrow bore tips to a more open, natural, cleaner and pleasant treble presentation.

 

[eclein]

Months ago I got a KZ upgrade cable from Gearbest for $8 and forgot about it. My C10s had a balanced cable so I swapped them now my C10 is back sounding smooth again. The balanced cable brought out low end so I’ve been passing on listening to them. I didn’t realize how much the balanced cable changed the sound until I went back to its regular unbalanced upgrade cable.....I’ve always liked the 2 pins silver cover with the red or blue strip. Its keyed to match socket so its firmly on again.......funny.

Edit: link added

https://gearbest.app.link/0ai4NdDYkW

 

[Nimweth]

My CA4s have arrived. I have placed them on burn-in but have had a quick listen to a few well-known tracks. First impressions are of a very deep and powerful bass and bright treble, a noticeable V signature, which was unexpected after reading others' comments. I will reserve judgement until they have settled down. Soundstage is very good, though, and detail also good. Very comfortable with standard Starlines and stock cable. No channel markings on the earpieces though, which led to a bit of confusion. More to follow. PS: Thanks to all for getting me up to 500 likes!

 

[Slater]

I finally got my C16 after 2 months. Woo hoo!

So isn’t the C16 the one where people are removing the nozzle mesh and running with open nozzles? Unless I’m thinking of a different IEM.

 

[assassin10000]

or small size bore (ER4S) or the sound is not optimal, but most of the time wide bore is the way to go

You could try this on your small bore IEM's:

With the extended listening session A/B'ing the Knowles dampers, I started noticing some discomfort. I grabbed my spare ear tips and went through them again to find the most comfortable and best sounding ones. I ended up using some standard shape generic T400 foam tips. While swapping tips, I noticed that the adapters for the T400's extended beyond the nozzle enough for me to do some further modification. I had previously seen the T200 size Flare Audio tips have a chamfered or cone shaped outlet that helps directs sound into the ear canal.



I decided to do something similar using the adapters and the T400 tips that are a wide mouth foam tip when used on a T100 size nozzle. I went out to my toolbox and grabbed a bit I bought to counter sink screw holes to put a 45 degree angle on the inside of my adapters similar to the Flare tips. A few pics with Westone and Shure tips for comparison:









Between the larger opening of the T400 foam tips and the chamfered edge I found the White 680Ω filters were now too forward/bright and changed back to the Brown 1000Ω filters.

There is also the Symbio's with adapters for small bore IEM's.



Back on topic. Been thinking about the c10 and then the newer ca4. Then this new batch if 'pro' kz's came out and halted my decision lol.

 

[Veyska]

Largely tongue-in-cheek, but I've not been out and about such that I've brought along my C10s since my new (to me) Sennheiser 700s arrived last Friday and I'm hoping I haven't spoiled my ears too badly and rendered the C10s irrelevant... Not worried about for-walking use, that's a noisy enough environment "good enough" is in fact good enough and the C10s will still be better than that, but I can't rule out them not being good enough for quiet indoors usage and if I decide that's annoying enough to warrant an upgrade unless the upgrade is either hardwired or too fragile for me to feel comfortable taking it out for walks hey look *now* the C10s are potentially superfluous. <-< Don't get me wrong, at least in the abstract divorced-from-expenses view of things I wouldn't complain about an excuse to get better IEMs (if the Sennheiser store in San Francisco had had a demo model of their new IE 40 Pro I might well have walked out with a freshly bought pair), but I really only need a daily driver for computer usage maybe 3 weeks total out of the year...

Probably nothing to worry about though, the C10s are awesome and given that my computer time is generally far more frequently interrupted while I'm traveling there's less chilling for hours puttering about and listening to music. And even worst case it was the ZSN/C10s in part that made me realize the degree to which I wanted more treble/detail than my Sennheiser 558s were capable of that led to me getting the 700s (I was hearing bits in songs I hadn't even known were there and it was driving me nuts not hearing them once I knew about them).

*crosses fingers*

 

[ALKAID]

Any comparison between cca c16 and kz zs7. I have zs 7, and i like it.
Thanks