[Slater]

Really, adding one more treble BA to C12 and replacing a DD for a couple of bass BAs would make a total winner for me

Aren’t you describing the C16?

 

[voicemaster]

Aren’t you describing the C16?

Couldn't have said it better lol.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Aren’t you describing the C16?

True.
At the same time also "I wish".
C16 treble is felt a bit as an afterthought.
Still, C16 is my favourite IEM so far.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Who knows what monster CCA is creating for the C18 in the near future... Your wish may come true!

When?
When??
I ordered Blon today (finally caved in) being so bored waiting

 

[Slater]

True.
At the same time also "I wish".
C16 treble is felt a bit as an afterthought.
Still, C16 is my favourite IEM so far.

By afterthought, do you mean you want more treble?

If you remove the nozzle screen, you'll see a small white filter covering the treble drivers. Just remove this filter using a sewing needle, and reinstall the nozzle screen.

 

[PhonoPhi]

By afterthought, do you mean you want more treble?

If you remove the nozzle screen, you'll see a small white filter covering the treble drivers. Just remove this filter using a sewing needle, and reinstall the nozzle screen.

Oh, great, thank you!
I will try.
My C16 insides look a bit different, the three holes are in white plastic (which I assumed 3-D printed material).

 

[lgcubana]

Lol I have the same setup tho I am using ZSX and BLON more than C12. For me, the mid range peak on the C12 makes the crash cymbals more prominent thus it can sometimes irritate me after awhile. The BLON is like a smoother version of C12 imho. If you like to listen to songs with a lot of cymbals, the BLON is probably the best sounding from the three.

Yeah, I'm not loving the C12. It was marketed as the same drivers as the KZ ZSX. I was hoping for a warmer version of the ZSX. But the C12 appears to be targeting detail, with a sacrifice to the low end.

My knee jerk reaction is to order the KZ ZSX, on 11/11. But with my second Blon BL-03 on the way and the Toneking 9 tail already in hand, I can probably skip the ZSX.

 

[Slater]

Oh, great, thank you!
I will try.
My C16 insides look a bit different, the three holes are in white plastic (which I assumed 3-D printed material).

Yes, the insides are white 3D printed plastic. The photo I posted above is just dark because of the poor lighting. But rest assured, all C16 (including the one above) have a white plastic part that all of the drivers mount into.

 

[CYoung234]

Except that I never heard a honky mid-range (whatever that means... sound nasty) with my regular ZS10. In fact, I never would have ordered it if I had not first spent a few hours with the one belonging to my husband @HungryPanda .

It bothers me that just because someone heard an iem a certain way... with their ears, tip choice, and gear, more people start describing it that way as though it were fact.

Surely my husband and I are not the only ones who like the ZS10. You are making me want to use mine today.

You can count me in on that. I own the ZS10, ZS10 PRO and CCA C16. I personally think the C16 is my favorite, at least right now, but the regular ZS10 is no slouch, and I do not hear the honky mids that some complain about. It may be ear shape, our tastes in music, source, tips, who knows? Maybe my ears are no good, but to me the regular ZS10 sounds very good. That said, my twin brother does not like his. Then again, he bought me a set of the Apple dual driver Air pods ear buds, and I cannot stand them, at least so far. So, to each his own, I guess.

 

[jeromeaparis]

CCA C16 has:
bass: 2x BA #2955 (as AS12 and AS16, AS10 has one)
medium: 2x BA #29689 (as AS12 and AS16, AS10 has one #296898)
treble: 4x BA #30095 (AS10 has two, ZSX & C12 have one, AS12 has 2x#30012 AS16 has 4x#31736)

KZ says: "Compared with the classic 30095 high-frequency Balanced Armature unit,
the 30012 Balanced Armature has a brighter tone and high-frequency
extension performance, and the high-frequency performance jumps one step !"

 

[alan_g]

just pulled the trigger on the cca12

 

[Viajero]

just pulled the trigger on the cca12

I was thinking about it, but they've raised the price of them on AliExpress. Now they all cost around $40 USD. Oh well, I should probably just be satisfied with the IEMs I've got recently (TRN V90, BLON BL-03 and TFZ T2 Galaxy).

 

[mbwilson111]

I was thinking about it, but they've raised the price of them on AliExpress. Now they all cost around $40 USD. Oh well, I should probably just be satisfied with the IEMs I've got recently (TRN V90, BLON BL-03 and TFZ T2 Galaxy).

The prices should come back down for the 11:11 sale. They always go up around this time.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Yes, the insides are white 3D printed plastic. The photo I posted above is just dark because of the poor lighting. But rest assured, all C16 (including the one above) have a white plastic part that all of the drivers mount into.

Few more questions, I would really appreciate if you can answer:
1) Is this a reversible mode? How easy is to put it back?
2) Are there similar filters in other KZ/CCA, like AS16 and AS12?
3) Do you know where I can buy those metal circular plates with holes to cap the nozzles, such as in AS12, A10, etc.
The mesh on C16 is hard to clean and I would really like to replace it with the metal plates.

 

[Slater]

Few more questions, I would really appreciate if you can answer:
1) Is this a reversible mode? How easy is to put it back?
2) Are there similar filters in other KZ/CCA, like AS16 and AS12?
3) Do you know where I can buy those metal circular plates with holes to cap the nozzles, such as in AS12, A10, etc.
The mesh on C16 is hard to clean and I would really like to replace it with the metal plates.

Hello, friend

1.) Yes, it is reversible. The white filter has a ring of sticky black adhesive around its circumference. This adhesive is reusable. When you remove the filter, it is critical to store it on something that will protect the adhesive from dust and dirt. A small scrap of waxed baking paper (commonly called “wax paper”), a wax-coated paper drinking cup (must be wax coated), a clean unused wax candle (like a small tea candle), or the backing paper from a sticker (ie the part left behind when you peel a sticker from its backing paper).

To put the mod back to its original state, you simply reverse the procedure you performed when you removed the filter (it can be set back in place with sharp tweezers, and the adhesive smoothed back down using a cotton swab or wooden toothpick). You must make sure to put the filter over the correct hole though. There are 3 holes, and it’s easy to get confused which hole is which. You can use the photo I posted as a reference so you know the correct hole to stick the filter back onto.

2.) I’m not sure, I don’t have any of those models. It wouldn’t surprise me if they did though.

3.) The metal nozzle mesh can be found on Aliexpress if you search for “dust network steel mesh”. There are many diameters available. The correct size for the C16 is 4.3mm (sometimes sold as 4.2mm). There are a few styles available - the common flexible woven mesh type we see, and the ‘cheese grater’ style that has round holes in a stiff plate:




I hope that helps!