[kokakolia]

  I always stuck with shiny and dull/moldy (it goes green over time) haha

That's just perfect. No confusion here. 
 
shiny or dull.

 

[Slater]

  I always stuck with shiny and dull/moldy (it goes green over time) haha

 
Green must be the copper in the alloy oxidizing.
 
Weird. Mine never turned green. But then again, I only use the 24k solid gold flanges. The dull brass/copper flanges stayed in their box, so they're not exposed to the elements to where they'll oxidize.

 

[MUSICCURE]

Been buying quite a few iem's lately

I bought the ibasso it03 for the upgrade and a few kz iem's out curiosity including the ZST.

I came away enjoying the ZST sound the most and was surprised how well it sounded on my Cowon PM2. Love the extension, soundstage, and the ZST's ability to place sounds in the right place to my ears. OOTB the synergy was obvious. Comfort worked best with large tips for me.

 

[vegetaleb]

Can anyone compare the ZS3 with Xiaomi hybrid Pro or Pro HD?
I have the ZS3 but find them a bit too bassy, would the xiaomi iem give me less bass and better mids/soundstage?

 

[actorlife]

Your lucky day!

Let us know how you like the ATR. I'm very curious what your impressions are.

Did you get the KZ silver plated cable for the ZST? It makes the ZS3 sound niiiice, and no more microphonics! I need to pick one up for my ZST because I liked it so much on the ZS3.

Although im more of neutral sound guy SO far the ATR sound bassless to me. Maybe some BI time and they will shine the separation is fantastic though. I did not get the cable. I might later on if M noise annoys me. I wonder if the starline tips will fill in the bass? I have the ED9 that i got last week. The bright tips i wonder if the starline can fill in the bass? Ill try the ZST later to see the hype.

 

[Caipirina]

Found that the ATR is one of the few KZs not in my collection yet, and I still have Gearbest points to burn (I read somewhere they expire end of the month), so I ordered them for 3.05$ shipped now the wait begins ... 

 

[DaNkO7]

Can anyone compare the ZS3 with Xiaomi hybrid Pro or Pro HD?
I have the ZS3 but find them a bit too bassy, would the xiaomi iem give me less bass and better mids/soundstage?

I have all of them...
I would consider the Hybrid Pro (Gen 4) muddier and as bassy as the ZS3.

The Pro HD (Gen 5) will have better soundstage and less bass without the port mod. although it could get silbant with some high frequencies.

 

[vegetaleb]

I have all of them...
I would consider the Hybrid Pro (Gen 4) muddier and as bassy as the ZS3.

The Pro HD (Gen 5) will have better soundstage and less bass without the port mod. although it could get silbant with some high frequencies.

 
I would take the gen 5 then, I want something less bassy than ZS3, but why is it 10$ more expensive? (I hope it will drop like KZs during AE Anniversary)
What do you mean by ''port mod''?

 

[Vidal]

   
I would take the gen 5 then, I want something less bassy than ZS3, but why is it 10$ more expensive? (I hope it will drop like KZs during AE Anniversary)
What do you mean by ''port mod''?

 
It's $10 more expensive because it's got better build quality and it's a dual dynamic hybrid not a single dynamic hybrid compared to the gen 4.

 

[DaNkO7]

I would take the gen 5 then, I want something less bassy than ZS3, but why is it 10$ more expensive? (I hope it will drop like KZs during AE Anniversary)
What do you mean by ''port mod''?

It's basically putting tape on the vent hole to add more bass to the iem.

The gen4 has 2 1DD+1BA where the gen5 has 2DD+1BA. I guess that's why it's more expensive...

 

[Slater]

Although im more of neutral sound guy SO far the ATR sound bassless to me. Maybe some BI time and they will shine the separation is fantastic though. I did not get the cable. I might later on if M noise annoys me. I wonder if the starline tips will fill in the bass? I have the ED9 that i got last week. The bright tips i wonder if the starline can fill in the bass? Ill try the ZST later to see the hype.

 
That sounds kind of similar to the ATE. In stock form, they were designed to be fairly neutral, good soundstage, and light on the bass. They have to be modded to get them to really fill in the bottom end and shine. Modded, they remind me a lot of the port-modded Xiaomi Pro HD. The Pro HD are superior though, although the fitment of the ATE allows it to stay in for hours, where the Pro HD is always trying to work it's way loose in 1 of my ears (I think my left canal is smaller than my right). My plan is to encapsulate the Pro HD in custom molded thermoplastic to get it to stay put.
 
As far as the Starlines, that's one of the things they were designed for (as indicated by the text in this KZ photo):
 

 
Starlines have improved the bass (and comfort) on everything I've used them on, from the ATE to the ED9 to the Pro HD. I put them on everything that they'll fit on.

 

[Slater]

  Can anyone compare the ZS3 with Xiaomi hybrid Pro or Pro HD?
I have the ZS3 but find them a bit too bassy, would the xiaomi iem give me less bass and better mids/soundstage?

 
If that's what you're after, then yes you'll love the Pro HD. Some find them sibilant. If you do the port mod, then it gets rid of the sibilance and tightens up the bass.
 
The port mod involves covering the front port (on the black plastic part near the eartip flange is) with tape, glue, etc. You leave the rear port (in the aluminum) alone.
 
Pro HD are also insertion sensitive. They sit very shallow, but you'll get much infinitely better sound with a deeper insertion. This can be achieved by changing out the tips to something that allows deeper insertion (like KZ Starlines) or a more sealed fit (memory foam/Comply/DIY silicone & foam hybrid tips), and by also swapping sides (ie using right side in the left ear and left side in right ear, and pointing them up with the cabled running over and behind the ear). Doing that makes them sound out of this world, and a ridiculously shocking value for the $23 asking price.

 

[actorlife]

​

hahaha NICE i just got them and opened the box and indeed ZST(blue purple) do include one pair. Win Win.

​

hahaha NICE i just got them and opened the box and indeed ZST(blue purple) do include one pair. Win Win.

The AST are amazing and look musician pro for the price. The bass is there and not overwhelming. Vocals are clear and cymbals are Crystal clear. No sibilance detected unless recorded as such. Audio fans get a pair NOW. The ATR look like they need break in time. Its a bit bassless although they are clear. Mmm hmm. Oh haha pink noise. The ed9 does not have that screeching sound after 2 days of music/pink noise it was irritating when i got them. KZ rulz. High 5.

 

[VShaft]

Just for the sake of curiosity, how do you modders know what to mod? Is there a set rule to the process (like, doing A will have effect B), or do you go around plugging random holes and such and hope for the best?

 

[Slater]

The ed9 does not have that screeching sound after 2 days of music/pink noise it was irritating when i got them. KZ rulz. High 5.

 
Yeah, I know burn-in is a debated topic. But I'm in the 'what can it hurt so no reason not to' camp. I personally have nothing but good experience with burn-in. It's tamed a number of my IEMs and headphones.