[IamMe90]

So I've got:

-Spiral dot, spinfit, and the starline ear tips;
-AK Jr, fiio x3ii, and Samsung galaxy s6 as source options (try to avoid using the x3 though since it glitches up all the time a need is out of warranty) ;
-and a fiio e12 for external amp.

I've been playing around with figuring out the best sounding combinations for my zs5. So far, I'm enjoying unamped AK Jr with spin fit tips the most. Sounds awesome for some reason the spiral dots really don't seem to work well on the zs line to me (both 5 and t). The small star line tips make the zst sound great but muddy up the sound of the 5 a bit. Weird how the same tips can have such different effects on different IEMs lol

EDIT:

I am pretty much sure it's just the silver cable, the simplest explanation is the right one. I tried as much as I could to isolate which side of the cable is reversed, but this is difficult as either of the options sounds correct to me and if I'd had to choose one that is wrong, it would be left. Try to plug left one reversed and right one normally with the silver cable. I can hear some improvements to the sound in the upper frequencies compared to regular cable (maybe less dynamic overall), and I truly wanted to hate this cable and not use it, so I am not biased towards it in that way. It's definitely only worth for the looks/durability, otherwise, I would never get it for sound. Perhaps it has slightly different impedance compared to stock cable and it manifests with ZS5s which are already very source sensitive and require more power than expected.

Okay, sober me reversed the polarity like you suggested and yeah, it works fine now! Using it with my ZST currently (will test with ZS5 in a bit), not sure I notice much of a difference other than perhaps a bit more clarity in the highs, like you mention. But glad it's not a total piece of garbage like I initially thought lol

 

[-rowan-]

All right, I've had some time with my ZS5 now, so a couple of impressions relative to the others in the family.

Coming from the ZST, the first thing I noticed was that the sketchy ZST midrange has been nicely filled out in the ZS5. Richer, warmer, but as detailed. (It is also more present than the ZS3's mids, but that is not saying much.)

Mid bass is not the ZS5's best feature, but to its credit, the engineers were rather economical with it. You wouldn't notice it unless you were looking out for it.

This is made up for by shall we say a rather enthusiastic sub bass, one that the ZST could only allude to. The ZS5's bass is by no means the fastest, tightest or most detailed, but it punches well above its weight for its price and is undeniably great fun. Anyone who likes the ZS3 for that big boomy slab of bass would do well to check out how the ZS5 does it.

I also love me some treble, and the treble in the ZS5 is well-extended and non-fatiguing with little sibilance. If I had to nitpick I'd say that the attack isn't always there e.g. cymbals don't get hit, they just happen.

The ZS5 has a wider soundstage and better separation than its two siblings as well. There's a real sense of airiness in these that the other two didn't have.

Now I find that coherence is often the downfall of otherwise competent hybrid IEMs (Dunu DN-1000, I'm looking at you) and the ZST seems to manage this rather well until somewhere near the sub bass region where it comes unstuck and the dynamic driver takes on a noticeably different quality from its quite dry upper range. I suspect the ZS5 has made good use of its two dynamic drivers.

Isolation - not great, but if I wanted isolation I'd stick with my ER4XRs. I was after something that might give me an actual chance of hearing a bus before walking under it (or at least something that might be more cheaply replaced after said bus has been over it) and the ZS5 is it.

Stock tips didn't work for me. I use Grado/Ortofon silicone tips with all of them (ignoring the fact that a packet of them costs more than my ZS5). Cable is abjectly microphonic as with the other KZs. I swapped it out for the KZ silver cable, which doesn't do so much to improve the sound as it does to reduce microphonics to a more tolerable level.

As should be obvious by now, I'm one of the (apparent) minority who prefers the ZST to the ZS3, simply because I need some clarity or semblance thereof in my music and favour fast, tight and well-extended bass over gobs of it bleeding everywhere.

However, I will say that the one aspect of the ZS3 that has yet to be surpassed is its comfort. The shameless copying is a turn-off, frankly, but if KZ must rip off the designs of fancy IEMs, they may as well stick with the most comfortable one...

 

[vladstef]

Okay, sober me reversed the polarity like you suggested and yeah, it works fine now! Using it with my ZST currently (will test with ZS5 in a bit), not sure I notice much of a difference other than perhaps a bit more clarity in the highs, like you mention. But glad it's not a total piece of garbage like I initially thought lol

Glad that it is cable after all. Silver cable already wouldn't connect properly, there is a slight mismatch with the casing of the ZS5 and I would never push it to a point where I could damage the casing around cable connector. It is shaped properly but it won't enter as deep as it should, and this is still a problem for one of the sides, the other one where I'll have to reverse the cable is a whole different kind of problem. I am thinking of sanding end part of the left side of the cable so that the plastic around pins doesn't present a problem anymore. All of this is important for me (and pretty much anyone really) because sometimes I remove earphones and put them around my neck while not using them and this is exactly where I could lose them if they are not well connected to the cables... Does anyone have a proper solution for this? I know people have had similar kind of problems before.

I experimented with sine gen. and removed the peaks, approximately, @3.4k and 10.6k, also a very small one @6.5k (this will obviously vary for everyone). They became so smooth and pleasant, I actually added a little bit of warmth to the treble after all was done, I think they improved quite a bit, maybe go as far and say even a whole new class of sound quality, and the starting point was already good. I hope someone with a bit more experience with peak removals could confirm that they improve this much.

 

[khighly]

Does anybody have a problem with the starlines falling off the tubes of the ZS5's constantly? I've never lost so many ear tips. I've cleaned them with alcohol twice.

 

[Slater]

I used to own ZS3 too. I do agree that it is too bassy or rather too warm for my liking and it seems most people here actually like it quite alot. To me it muddies the mids thats for sure but some people here actually like its musicality. The main selling point about the ZS3 is its musicality. Even though there is so much bass and weak mids and highs, its musicality forgives the rest of the spectrum. Although I have to admit I didnt like the ZS3 myself and sold it off. Btw if you dont like the ZS3 I don't suggest trying the Fonge T01 earphones from Vidal's website. They are basically the exact same signature just that the Fonge T01 may just have slighly more engaging vocals.

I was very unimpressed by the sound of the Fonge T01. Then on the 3rd time using them the wire strain relief ripped right out of the IEM shell on 1 side. I shoved it back in, but the only thing holding it in is a prayer. I'll probably just end up turning it into a cat toy.

The MoreBlue DM8 smokes the Fonge, and the DM8 is $3. Better sound, half the price.

 

[Griffith]

I've been meaning to try out Spinfits to deal with some fitting issues that my ZST have and that I suspect the ZS5 will also have in return. What size of them should I acquire? The CP100? Does anyone know which size would fit them best?

 

[Griffith]

Does anybody have a problem with the starlines falling off the tubes of the ZS5's constantly? I've never lost so many ear tips. I've cleaned them with alcohol twice.

Not with mine. they haven't fallen off once in neither of my ZST.

 

[Viber]

I have to agree with you on the fantastic isolation of the ZS3 but I'm afraid I have to differ on the sound quality. The elevated level of bass of the ZS3 is just too much for me. In fact I have to use a one size smaller Comply T400 on the ZS5 to tame it's bass and smooth out the high peaks. To me, the ZS5's bass level is already a bit over the top for me that's why I prefer the bass response of the ZST. Using the Comply T400 tips cuts out too much highs on the ZS3 even after the Slater mod so that wasn't a solution for me. It doesn't matter what tracks I throw at the ZS3 because it all sounds bad to my ears. My friend's ZS3 should be arriving soon and I shall check his unit just to make sure if my ZS3 is faulty. Until then, my opinion of the ZS3 still remain unfavorable unfortunately.

I'm sorry for your disappointment.
I actually believe we all have different ears, so maybe there's no "one size fits all" in IEMs.

If you read some of my reviews then you'll know i have no problem with bashing earphones i don't like, i just think the ZS3 sounds pretty good when connected to my Dac/Amp. Maybe you can design an EQ preset for your liking?

I find some parallels between the impressions of both the ZS3 and the Havi B3. Half of the owners of both sets hate them for being muffley and boring and the other half loves them. Maybe it's just your luck with your source\uneven production consistency from the factory.

 

[W.Peter]

Another ZS5 review I found.

 

[W.Peter]

Not sure either, from what I found, ks5 stock inner ear tips size 4mm. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/KZ-...ne-Silicone-Eartips/32724406344.html?spm=2114

I've been meaning to try out Spinfits to deal with some fitting issues that my ZST have and that I suspect the ZS5 will also have in return. What size of them should I acquire? The CP100? Does anyone know which size would fit them best?

And Spinfit has size 3mm and 5mm.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SpinFit-CP100-In-ear-Earphones-Eartip/32746754938.html?spm=2114

 

[Griffith]

Not sure either, from what I found, ks5 stock inner ear tips size 4mm. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/KZ-...ne-Silicone-Eartips/32724406344.html?spm=2114

And Spinfit has size 3mm and 5mm.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SpinFit-CP100-In-ear-Earphones-Eartip/32746754938.html?spm=2114

That's precisely my conundrum. I don't know which would be best.

 

[toddy0191]

Does anybody have a problem with the starlines falling off the tubes of the ZS5's constantly? I've never lost so many ear tips. I've cleaned them with alcohol twice.

They're a PITA. I keep losing them in my ear!

On another pair I've added a smalll ring cut off the end of the inner part of another tip and stretched the other tip over this on the ZS5 and they won't budge now.

Getting the new tip over the nozzle with this ring on is a feat in itself mind!

 

[snip3r77]

They're a PITA. I keep losing them in my ear!

On another pair I've added a smalll ring cut off the end of the inner part of another tip and stretched the other tip over this on the ZS5 and they won't budge now.

Getting the new tip over the nozzle with this ring on is a feat in itself mind!

I think just glue it shut

 

[young59]

Anyone here received the KZ ZSE yet how are the compared to the ZS5 .I currently own the ZS3 . I want to know weather should I spend more and get the ZS5.

 

[Saoshyant]

If someone gets the ZSE in, they'll let us know