[mbwilson111]

People often presume okcsc headphones have similarities to Grado but it is always overlooked that grados are basically just tubes in which the driver is fitted. That wood/metal part is just the exterior. Okcsc's have a more common driverbaffle + cup design. In that sense okscs is closer to anything by sennheiser or akg for example. Foam pad design is of course very gradoish.

So anyone looking for a true grado inspired design will just have to wait until someone starts fitting the drivers directly into tubes. That of course does not mean zx1 can't sound like Grado. Maybe it does.

That is very interesting. Tubes.. I had no idea. I will have to find photos of what you are talking about. I love my Grado but absolutely detest the thick cord. It prevents me from reaching for my Grado much. Ergonomics are important to me. Have people recabled these?

Just from reading here recently, interested in your thoughts @mbwilson111, given you list the SR325e in your collection.

Now you have me curious so I might try to compare when I have some time. Working on some other projects at the moment. I will warn you though... I am horrible at making comparisons. Usually I just put on the first headphone, become immersed in the music and hours later I realize it is too late to listen with the second one I tend to prefer whatever is in my ears or on my head.

 

[trellus]

With the regular comparison between the OKCSC line-up of on-ears and Grado, I'm really interested to hear from people who have used something like the M2 or the ZX1, and how that compares to the mid-range and high-end Grado offerings.

People were really hyped about the ZX1 early on, so is it safe to say it's beating out entry-level Grados, or higher still? I recognise the design is reminiscent of the RS, GS and PS housings, but keen to know how close the driver gets to that level of overall tuning.

Just from reading here recently, interested in your thoughts @mbwilson111, given you list the SR325e in your collection.

I have the ZX1 as well as the Grado SR325i (has the 325e but sold it) and the Alessandro MS2i (based on SR325i but tuned a little more mellow), and the best way to describe the ZX1 in terms of these, in my view, is that the ZX1 are a bit bassier but with less forward mids, more V-shaped with thinner vocals.

 

[jasswolf]

I have the ZX1 as well as the Grado SR325i (has the 325e but sold it) and the Alessandro MS2i (based on SR325i but tuned a little more mellow), and the best way to describe the ZX1 in terms of these, in my view, is that the ZX1 are a bit bassier but with less forward mids, more V-shaped with thinner vocals.

So you'd rate them below these models in terms of clarity and soundstage?

 

[baskingshark]

I need to listen again too because I thought mine had plenty of sub bass and that bass in general was incredible... but also detail, stage... all of it. Now you have made me wonder. Not sure which sources I was using at the time. I don't keep notes on these things

I seem to recall my ZX1 also having a nice, rather large soundstage... but recall that there was someone posting about some bunk ZX1's with different materials behind the driver, perhaps that affects the sound so significantly that it impacts the soundstage, too? (He had one he loved, then bought one for a friend, and that one sounded not nearly as good, and he discovered it was using different damping material.)

That's very similar to my experience, which I posted about 5 days ago:


At this point, I'm pretty sure it's just a thin cut of a slightly less dense foam than what's used for the earpads, but would appreciate any insight from yourself and @mbwilson111 if it's something fairly stock standard that I can order online.

I went back to have a listen with the ZX1 and I gotta say I do agree with your findings about the big bass (for an open backed headphone) and soundstage. I realized when I last used it 3 months ago, I was just driving it from a low end smart phone without amping. Considering its impedance of 32 ohms, I thought on paper that this was pretty drivable without amping for a headphone, but turns out the ZX1 does scale much much better when amped. I went to plug it into a Khadas tone board -> Fiio A3 today and the dynamics and soundstage is now quite good. And subbass now is quite good in extension and quantity.

Apologies for the wrong impressions due to the wrong source pairing. I quite like it now with amping. The details and clarity are quite good. Though if I would have to deduct points, it would be the non detachable cable and weird asthetics. Though it is very good for price to performance ratio.


Anyway do u guys have any recommendations for something that is an upgrade over the ZX1 in the CHIFI world? Would prefer cans that are open backed, yet with good subbass quantity and extension. And prefer something warm without having harsh upper mids/treble. Thanks in advance!

 

[mbwilson111]

Apologies for the wrong impressions due to the wrong source pairing. I quite like it now with amping. The details and clarity are quite good. Though if I would have to deduct points, it would be the non detachable cable and weird asthetics. Though it is very good for price to performance ratio.

The look of it was exactly what made me want it! I think it looks super cool Am i a geek? Maybe I don't mind the cable and it would be very easy to put a balanced plug on it as the wires have been kept separate.

 

[baskingshark]

The look of it was exactly what made me want it! I think it looks super cool Am i a geek? Maybe I don't mind the cable and it would be very easy to put a balanced plug on it as the wires have been kept separate.

Seriously? Well to each his/her own, but I wouldn't be caught walking down the street with the ZX1 on my head LOL (though it isolates poorly and wouldn't be a good option for anything other than home or studio use). But it sounds good for sure.

 

[mbwilson111]

Seriously? Well to each his/her own, but I wouldn't be caught walking down the street with the ZX1 on my head LOL (though it isolates poorly and wouldn't be a good option for anything other than home or studio use). But it sounds good for sure.

LOL it was never meant for walking down the street. Also open back headphones and earbuds were never meant to isolate and I like that about them. I like to know what is going on around me... even in the house. I have been startled more than a few times while wearing iems... like if my husband walks up behind me while I am doing dishes... especially if I did not even know he was home!

 

[nereus]

Just to add balance to the conversation on the ZX1 I thought it was one of the worse headphones I've heard. Maybe I got a dud, but the midrange was sucked out, treble was grainy and the bass was flabby. They are light but they also feel like any movements and they will fall off your head. Also the attached short cable is annoying at a desk. I really did want to like these. Gave them about a week of listening and burning in but sent them back in the end. For about a third of the price you can get a Koss KPH30i which blows the ZX1 out of the water in every category.

 

[mbwilson111]

Just to add balance to the conversation on the ZX1 I thought it was one of the worse headphones I've heard. Maybe I got a dud, but the midrange was sucked out, treble was grainy and the bass was flabby. They are light but they also feel like any movements and they will fall off your head. Also the attached short cable is annoying at a desk. I really did want to like these. Gave them about a week of listening and burning in but sent them back in the end. For about a third of the price you can get a Koss KPH30i which blows the ZX1 out of the water in every category.

It kind of sounds like they might have been wired out of phase. Did you do a phase check?

Definitely not for moving about. I mostly use my ZX1 while relaxing on the sofa. If I need a longer cable I have extensions of various lengths.

At my desk it is the longer cables that annoy me... but I have a solution. That silver colored thing that has excess cable wrapped around it is a doorstop Everyone's setup is different. Photo taken while sitting at my desk. My dac/amp is quite close.

 

[mbwilson111]

I took this photo of my ZX-1 over a year ago... cable just needed to be wrapped one time around just to hold it out of the way. It is plugged into a short adapter because the amp has a 6.35mm output. Desk arrangement has changed a little. I did not use a monitor stand then.

 

[nereus]

It kind of sounds like they might have been wired out of phase. Did you do a phase check?

Nar, I didn't do a phase check, is that a common fault with these? It didn't sound like it was out of phase, not weird like that. Just listening closely trying to study what it was about these I didn't like it was like the driver had no redeeming features. The grain on the upper range on top of being a bright headphone was the most unpleasant part. Tried multiple sources and EQing.

 

[mbwilson111]

Nar, I didn't do a phase check, is that a common fault with these? It didn't sound like it was out of phase, not weird like that. Just listening closely trying to study what it was about these I didn't like it was like the driver had no redeeming features. The grain on the upper range on top of being a bright headphone was the most unpleasant part. Tried multiple sources and EQing.

I am not aware of it being a common problem but it could happen. Something was definitely wrong if it was that bad.... especially since you tried multiple sources. Sorry you had a bad experience. That is always disappointing.

 

[baskingshark]

Nar, I didn't do a phase check, is that a common fault with these? It didn't sound like it was out of phase, not weird like that. Just listening closely trying to study what it was about these I didn't like it was like the driver had no redeeming features. The grain on the upper range on top of being a bright headphone was the most unpleasant part. Tried multiple sources and EQing.

Use this link to test for out of phase.
I do agree the ZX1 has a peak at the upper mids/lower treble, but I never found it harsh or sibilant. The mids are recessed but not overly so compared to some other CHIFI headphones/IEMs. The bass is indeed north of neutral and a level shy of true basshead levels, though I'm sure not everyone will appreciate more bass if u ain't a basshead.

 

[nereus]

I ended up returning them, bought through Amazon AU

 

[Chimmy9278]

Discovered new things for me to be interested in. Might look into one of them someday.