[Slater]

Thank you, Very informative. The problems with construction seems to really in many earphones. I placed an order, and i confess that i got a little sad with your impressions. I was looking for a non V-shaped sound anyway, so i Hope they fit me. But i Would be happier with a sub Bass presence. The fr graph seems a little bit like Zst graph, do you find them similar in some way, or not ?

Edit: the fr graph from the manufacturer indicaes that the ASY model should be even more neutral than ask, so, If anyone is interest in neutral sound, they should, in theory, be even more than these

Hmmm, they don't really sound like the ZST. ZST is pretty v-shaped with sharp/sibilant treble.

What I like about these is that they don't really sound like any other IEM in my collection. It's kinda refreshing, so in that regard I'm glad I got them. But given the construction issues, I sure wouldn't pay any more than $18-$19 for these.

I'm very hopeful that playing with the side vents will make them much better - I'd be happy with a mild L shape. I mostly listen to EDM, and these have a lot less energy because of the lack of sub bass. I'm kind of a basshead, so my initial reactions were ughhh. But the more I listen to them the more I like them.

The FR graph the vendor posted is rubbish. Basically a perfect example why I don't pay much attention to manufacturer FR graphs.

I WOULD be interested in a real, actual FR reading done by a HF member though (just out of curiosity). But there's no way it sounds like this graph shows:

 

[paulindss]

Hmmm, they don't really sound like the ZST. ZST is pretty v-shaped with sharp/sibilant treble.

What I like about these is that they don't really sound like any other IEM in my collection. It's kinda refreshing, so in that regard I'm glad I got them. But given the construction issues, I sure wouldn't pay any more than $18-$19 for these.

I'm very hopeful that playing with the side vents will make them much better - I'd be happy with a mild L shape. I mostly listen to EDM, and these have a lot less energy because of the lack of sub bass. I'm kind of a basshead, so my initial reactions were ughhh. But the more I listen to them the more I like them.

The FR graph the vendor posted is rubbish. Basically a perfect example why I don't pay much attention to manufacturer FR graphs.

I WOULD be interested in a real, actual FR reading done by a HF member though (just out of curiosity). But there's no way it sounds like this graph shows:

Here, Igor from audiobudget made a mesurement on the FR

https://audiobudget.com/product/EZ/ASK

It's not exactly the same as the vendor, but it's quite similar.

 

[Slater]

Here, Igor from audiobudget made a mesurement on the FR

https://audiobudget.com/product/EZ/ASK

It's not exactly the same as the vendor, but it's quite similar.

Bingo! I knew that manufacturer's graph was horse malarkey LOL

His description (especially of the bass/sub-bass) sounds spot on, and the graph he posted looks much more realistic to what I'm hearing. Especially Igor's red line when ASK was OOTB before the drivers were reglued/resealed - once glued/sealed they sound closer to the blue line IMO.

Also, interestingly there's a graph down in the comments showing another measurement. I mean, the one in the comments looks different than Igor's (and Igor's looks different than the manufacturer's graph)!

That just goes to show how inconsistent these things are. I think they're just assembling them haphazardly and shipping them out the door. No one is listening to each one to compare to a golden ears pair, because they certainly aren't checking to see if the drivers are properly glued in, the shells are securely in 1 piece, or the plugs are tight.

I mean, obviously, measurement rigs vary, and so measurements should be taken with a grain of salt.

I don't hear any piercing 10k highs like he notes though (nor any sibilance, nor any fatigue). It's bright, detailed, and clear, but not piercing. It's a refreshingly welcome sound, because usually we get the same old v-shape with muffled rolled off highs. The sound reminds me a lot of a Sennheiser open headphone (like the HD series).

I think it will be perfect if I can bump up the sub-bass a few more dbs (I know I can use EQ but I want to do it via tuning if possible).

Granted, my comments are only an initial impression based on an hour of listening. Normally, I like to listen for a week straight before even saying anything, to give my brain a chance to burn in (and the drivers a chance to as well). So my impressions may change slightly once I give them extended listening through multiple genres. Or who knows, they may fall apart or blow up by then haha (so far they're fine now that they're glued).

 

[paulindss]

Bingo! I knew that manufacturer's graph was horse malarkey LOL

His description (especially of the bass/sub-bass) sounds spot on, and the graph he posted looks much more realistic to what I'm hearing. Especially Igor's red line when ASK was OOTB before the drivers were reglued/resealed - once glued/sealed they sound closer to the blue line IMO.

Also, interestingly there's a graph down in the comments showing another measurement. I mean, that one looks different than Igor's which looks different from the manufacturer's graph!

That just goes to show how inconsistent these things are. I think they're just assembling them haphazardly and shipping them out the door. No one is listening to each one to compare to a golden ears pair.

I mean, obviously, measurement rigs vary, and so measurements should be taken with a grain of salt.

I don't hear any piercing 10k highs like he notes though. It's bright, detailed, and clear, but not piercing. It's a refreshingly welcome sound, because usually we get the same old v-shape with rolled off highs. The sound reminds me a lot of a Sennheiser open headphone (like the HD series).

I think it will be perfect if I can bump up the sub-bass a few more dbs (I know I can use EQ but I want to do it via tuning if possible).

Granted, my comments are only an initial impression based on an hour of listening. Normally, I like to listen for a week straight before even saying anything, to give my brain a chance to burn in (and the drivers a chance to as well). So my impressions may change slightly once I give them extended listening through multiple genres. Or who knows, they may fall apart or blow up by then haha (so far they're fine now that they're glued).

My main concern was with Pierce highs, that's why a asked about Zst.

Here another fr graph that i found on a user comments on Aliexpress. The Bass and mids looks like Igor graph. But the the highs are not as pronounced. Maybe this Marches what you hear. But in that graph it seems that highs are recessed, no ? You said that they are clear and detailed

 

[HungryPanda]

I really like my Ask and have been using them for several weeks now. They have not fallen apart, have no rattle but I did have to push the pins apart on the right ear piece. I'm using KZ starline tips on mine and really like the sound signature. Good commuting earphones.

 

[Slater]

I really like my Ask and have been using them for several weeks now. They have not fallen apart, have no rattle but I did have to push the pins apart on the right ear piece. I'm using KZ starline tips on mine and really like the sound signature. Good commuting earphones.

Believe it or not, I just settled on Starlines tips on. Great minds think alike - ASK sounds great now.

 

[Slater]

My main concern was with Pierce highs, that's why a asked about Zst.

Here another fr graph that i found on a user comments on Aliexpress. The Bass and mids looks like Igor graph. But the the highs are not as pronounced. Maybe this Marches what you hear. But in that graph it seems that highs are recessed, no ? You said that they are clear and detailed

The treble on mine are right between those 2 graphs - very balanced. Nowhere near as recessed as that black graph you posted, and nowhere near as sharp as Igor's graph. That's what I'm hearing with my pair though - no clue if there's QC differences pair to pair. But like @HungryPanda, I'm enjoying these very much. Yes, they are clear and detailed for their price range. They're certainly no giant killers, but surprising performance for what they are.

Note that my hearing maxes at 14k-16k, which is right where the graphs drop off like a cliff. So if you like super high frequency treble, maybe you'll want something with more treble extension. But the high end sounds fine to me - cymbals have plenty of sizzle and splash, etc.

Also, I tip rolled and ended up with KZ Starline tips - getting a great insertion and very tight seal now. I also tried them on my xduoo X3 with Fiio E12A Mont Blanc amp (vs my iPhone before). There's just the right amount of sub-bass punch now. These respond very well to amping, despite technically being easy to drive with my phone.

EDM like Infected Mushroom, Monstercat, Armin van Buuren, Daft Punk, Goldfrapp, etc sounds great.

60s, Classic Rock, 80s new wave, and similar genres, is another story. Those genres are notoriously light on sub-bass to begin with, so with those genres the ASK sounds very thin, anemic, and generally unenjoyable. For that I am using bass boost on the FiiO E12A and/or EQing a couple dBs of sub-bass. Those genres sound much better on something with much more punch, like the ZS5, ZS6, etc.

BTW, I taped the seam vents in various configurations, including fully sealing all vents. It made no significant difference in sub-bass, but taping the vents did narrow the soundscape and make it sound compressed. So I took all of the tape off and left all of the seam vents like they came stock. That's the best configuration IMO.

 

[kousik1946]

Somebody mentioned a cable shop with decent priced mmcx cables the other day that I want to say was something like venture cables. Anybody got a link because I'm not finding it in google or here via the search.

Thanks,

If you are looking for venture electronics, this is their site veclan.com.

 

[CoiL]

I don't own the Zs3 but I can compare to the ZS5 wich has more bass quantity, kick and warmer sound signature in general. Mids in the VT audio are more up front and very natural sounding. Sometimes the huge bass of the ZS5 bleeds a bit into the mids but that does no bother me at all when I am listening to electronic music for example.

Sorry & thanks! I was actually thinking ZS5v1 not ZS3, typo.
Seems ZS5v1 is more for my preferences.

 

[CoiL]

So my ASK Hybrids arrived today (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...s-HIFI-Hybrid-technology-DIY/32828678398.html).

These are the "twin brother" to the ASY Hybrid that @Vidal posted about here:

• https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bes...-reference-list.805930/page-289#post-13834559
• https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chi...phones-and-iems.820747/page-897#post-13868249

Like Vidal, the ASK shell comes apart easily (mine didn't "fall apart" like his, but it does easily snap apart if you wish). There is no glue - the shell simply pops apart using a spudger tool, guitar pick, butter knife, etc.

The box has a nice presentation - nice silicone tips (like Sony hybrid style), and the cable is decent (although a bit stiff and springy).

And like the few others that have tried them, my ASK had a few problems right out of the box:

• The removable cable cuts in and out of the earpieces when moving around. This appears to be due to the pins in the female socket (on the shell) not making good contact with the pins on the male plug (on the cable). The solution is to gently bend the pins in the female socket (on the shell) either slightly apart or slightly together, so that the plug fits tighter. They only need to be bent very slightly (a fraction of a millimeter). I used tweezers, but you could use a small flathead screwdriver such as the type to repair glasses.
• The shell comes apart easily. This is by design (for manufacturing), as the halves of the shell are only held together by a number of clips. The solution is to just put a few strategic micro drops of glue along the seam of the 2 halves (you don't even have to tale apart the shell for this - just put the drops on the seam on the outside of the shell) . I used Lazer Bond UV glue, but fast drying epoxy would work fine as well. Be aware that there's are a number of vents along the seam (like on the KZ ZS5), so make sure you don't put the glue in the vents.
• Something was rattling around on the inside of 1 of the IEMs. Upon opening it up, I found that the 8mm DD was just floating around in the shell - in other words, it had no glue holding it in. The 8mm DD in the other IEM had a tiny bit of glue holding the DD in, but certainly not enough to SEAL the DD driver. I reglued both drivers, totally sealing them around the edges like they should be.

The sound is quite neutral OOTB. Sub-bass is almost non-existent. The sound reminds me of an open headphone.

It appears that the sound is due to the numerous vents along the seam (like the KZ ZS5), and the drivers not really being sealed with glue. Once the DD is sealed with glue, some sub-bass appears. It's still quite neutral overall, but it was nice to have the bottom end filled in with a bit of sub-bass when called upon. Midrange and treble is clean. They have decent clarity, and nice sparkle. Vocals sound good. Good soundstage. No sibilance. No driver flex. The stock cable has some microphonics, even though these are behind-the-ear.

I have not done anything with the seam vents - I will likely experiment with sealing some/all of the vents to see if I can coax some additional sub-bass (which is my sound preference).

These would make excellent donors for DIY IEMs. They are very comfy, come apart easily and everything is easy to see and work on, they use 1x8mm DD drivers (in addition to 1xBA in the nozzle), and all of the driver and external plug connections are on a separate circuit board that also has crossover components. It would be easy to change out the resistors, solder in different drivers, disconnect the BA if desired, and very possibly change the plug to a MMCX or KZ style 2-pin plug.

Regardless, if you can deal with the few minor niggles with this hybrid - gluing the DD so it's sealed, tweaking the pins so the plug is tight, and adding a few drops of glue to the seam so the shells stay secure - this is a good IEM for the $18 price. Especially if you're tired of the same old v-shaped sound.

BTW, Vidal got no after sales support from the vendor for his problematic pair, but for such a low price I didn't care. Since almost everyone that has tried the ASK or ASY so far has reported similar issues, I would just expect the issues I listed above and expect to fix them yourself. It is not hard and takes 10 minutes. Should you have to do this? No, but this isn't totally surprising when dealing with low-end/mass-produced ChiFi. If you expect perfection OOTB, steer clear.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Here's some photos, showing the halves of the shells (with the clips and ZS5-ish seam vents), the circuit board/crossover, and the "loose" 8mm DD driver that was just flopping around. Click if you want to see the photos larger.

THIS IS KZ ATE DRIVER IN THERE!!! 99% SURE!!! There is NO driver like this on sale with red shell in DIY area @ AE. Don`t know about Alibaba and taobao though.
I have opened a lot of ATE`s and I`m 99% sure it is using KZ ATE drivers!

 

[snip3r77]

Just revamped my home page with quick small impressions and line-up of all my current and new IEM's.

Including: Tinaudio T2, MaGaosi K5, PODOOR J20 (China) / EMI-CI880 (Overseas), MEMT R7 ....Others will follow, soon!

Take a look: https://www.head-fi.org/members/1clearhead.363120/

R7 is better than k3 HD?

 

[1clearhead]

R7 is better than k3 HD?

When you "tip-roll" the R7 you get better details, when compared to the K3 PRO. But, the HD can compete head-to-head. Build quality on the R7 is really surprising, though I wish they had detachable cables. The housing on the R7 is better built than the K3 PRO/HD model.

 

[Slater]

THIS IS KZ ATE DRIVER IN THERE!!! 99% SURE!!! There is NO driver like this on sale with red shell in DIY area @ AE. Don`t know about Alibaba and taobao though.
I have opened a lot of ATE`s and I`m 99% sure it is using KZ ATE drivers!

Wow, pretty cool!

Now that you mention it, there is definitely a "unique" sound characteristic buried somewhere in the ASK that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It doesn't sound 100% exactly like anything else in my IEM collection.

I mean obviously it sounds like an earphone (duh), but it's like when you have a soup or some recipe and there is some special spice or seasoning in it that you can't quite put your finger on but you like it. Hard to explain. Perhaps it is using the ATE driver, because the ATE also gives me a similar feeling of "hmmm, there is a unique sound characteristic about this IEM" compared to most of my other IEMs. It is like a fingerprint.

If you wish, I can open the ASK back up and take photos of the back of the DD driver.

The ASK DD driver looks identical to this (front, back, diaphragm, magnet vent, mesh, etc): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/RUK...bud-Speaker-Headset-Material/32841778891.html

The title of the Aliexpress link I posted above says RUKZ. Note the KZ...

 

[Wiljen]

Thanks but I had looked at venture and they don't do much with cables. That is why I was hoping somebody remembered the post as I cant seem to surface it.

 

[peter123]

Thanks but I had looked at venture and they don't do much with cables. That is why I was hoping somebody remembered the post as I cant seem to surface it.

I don't understand this, they've got loads of cables. What configuration are you looking for?