[Francisk]

Just got my ZS5.

TERRIBLE! Oh god, this hype train is still the same as when I got the ED9!
Really, What! It sounds sooo sibilant and cheap! Distorts when i increase the bass. No clarity too!

I mean.. whaat? Is this what you were guys praising? Comparing it to 200$ IEMS?

Heck, my Earpods are better. My Panasonic HJE125 (costs around 9$) is better! There's not a single aspect where I see the ZS5 is better. Not a single.

My silver upgrade cable is on the way. 33$ in water. ****.

Just make sure that your cable is not connected out of phase. Don't worry, you're not alone...I actually had the same impression when I first received my ZS5 because I connected them out of phase...lol...it's a common mistake many has made. While you're at it, don't forget to pair your ZS5 with the Comply T400 ear tips to smooth out the high frequency peaks.

 

[Deveraux]

Just make sure that your cable is not connected out of phase. Don't worry, you're not alone...I actually had the same impression when I first received my ZS5 because I connected them out of phase...lol...it's a common mistake many has made. While you're at it, don't forget to pair your ZS5 with the Comply T400 ear tips to smooth out the high frequency peaks.

How do I connect it properly? I connected it as per the instructions on some user's signature.

I think I connected it properly. :|

EDIT: Sometimes there's some clipping sound on the left earpiece.

 

[Vidal]

How do I connect it properly? I connected it as per the instructions on some user's signature.

I think I connected it properly. :|

EDIT: Sometimes there's some clipping sound on the left earpiece.

Letters on the cable should face outwards - if they still sound poor try reversing one cable (some reports of ZS5s with incorrect internal wiring) if that doesn't fix it try a different source. iPhone 6S seems to play quite well with the ZS5.

 

[vladstef]

Just got my ZS5.

TERRIBLE! Oh god, this hype train is still the same as when I got the ED9!
Really, What! It sounds sooo sibilant and cheap! Distorts when i increase the bass. No clarity too!

I mean.. whaat? Is this what you were guys praising? Comparing it to 200$ IEMS?

Heck, my Earpods are better. My Panasonic HJE125 (costs around 9$) is better! There's not a single aspect where I see the ZS5 is better. Not a single.

My silver upgrade cable is on the way. 33$ in water. ****.

Hey, I am the first person to point to the bad stuff about ZS5, but it really does do very well and can be awesome and amazing with some songs. Something isn't right with yours, polarity issue is common so try to fix that or maybe you have a more pressing defect with your pair.

 

[Deveraux]

Letters on the cable should face outwards - if they still sound poor try reversing one cable (some reports of ZS5s with incorrect internal wiring) if that doesn't fix it try a different source. iPhone 6S seems to play quite well with the ZS5.

Yes, letters face outwards.

Will try on my dad's 6s plus tonight. I tried both on S7 edge exynos and MBPr 2015.

Hey, I am the first person to point to the bad stuff about ZS5, but it really does do very well and can be awesome and amazing with some songs. Something isn't right with yours, polarity issue is common so try to fix that or maybe you have a more pressing defect with your pair.

Amazing with some songs? Nah. The Sony XB75AP I had was awesome in some songs even though it had the same or slightly worse sibilance.

This this has muffled mids and highs (tbh I don't know how to word it properly). Cheap sibilance at around 4kHz. Sub bass is there, but nothing else.

My Earpods were miles better. The only thing it fails miserably is the muddy sub bass. Everything else sounds amazing on those things! :|

But .. I can't understand, how is this even worthy of so much praise! It isn't comfortable to wear to begin with. No bass, no clarity nothing.

The sound is extremely similar to the Sony XB75AP. I paid 12.5$ more than this with upgrade cable. Build quality is amazing, sounds similar, much better bass (doesn't distort at high volumes), much much more comfortable, reliability. I don't get in what sense is this more vfm.

Huh, 9$ Panasonics sound better.

Not the first time I'm disappointed with KZ. I even feel the ED9 had clearer mids and highs .

 

[maxxevv]

I'm amazed that you can actually get the Sony XB75AP at a price so close to the Zs5.

Sure you're not referring to the 55AP instead ??

 

[B9Scrambler]

Lmao...this thread is the best.

 

[VinceHill24]

If you've tried reversing cable and checking for polarity issues, you may also check whether the driver is flexed. I have a friend experiencing driver flexing that affects the sound too which makes it sounded muffled. Sometimes could be poor QC that makes the driver flexes easily. Can try blowing through the nozzle as i find it works for my friend's case. Just to share some of my experience.

 

[SilverEars]

Yes, letters face outwards.

Will try on my dad's 6s plus tonight. I tried both on S7 edge exynos and MBPr 2015.




Amazing with some songs? Nah. The Sony XB75AP I had was awesome in some songs even though it had the same or slightly worse sibilance.

This this has muffled mids and highs (tbh I don't know how to word it properly). Cheap sibilance at around 4kHz. Sub bass is there, but nothing else.

My Earpods were miles better. The only thing it fails miserably is the muddy sub bass. Everything else sounds amazing on those things! :|

But .. I can't understand, how is this even worthy of so much praise! It isn't comfortable to wear to begin with. No bass, no clarity nothing.

The sound is extremely similar to the Sony XB75AP. I paid 12.5$ more than this with upgrade cable. Build quality is amazing, sounds similar, much better bass (doesn't distort at high volumes), much much more comfortable, reliability. I don't get in what sense is this more vfm.

Huh, 9$ Panasonics sound better.

Not the first time I'm disappointed with KZ. I even feel the ED9 had clearer mids and highs .

Something must be seriously at issue if the earpods are better as the fit is much better with the ZS5(Although fit isn't the only parameter when comes to performance). I suggest trying various types of tracks and some tips rolling if you haven't already done so.

I put my money down on QC, but also it could be that the sound sig doesn't work for you.

 

[ricemanhk]

Am I just lucky or perhaps people with issues will more likely post here? I've had 5 pairs of KZ now (ZST, ZS3, ZS5 and 2 ZSE). All of them work fine, only the ZS3 stock cable was too loose on one side but the silver cable works.

 

[B9Scrambler]

Am I just lucky or perhaps people with issues will more likely post here? I've had 5 pairs of KZ now (ZST, ZS3, ZS5 and 2 ZSE). All of them work fine, only the ZS3 stock cable was too loose on one side but the silver cable works.

I've had at least 75 pairs of KZ come through since I own and gift so many and the number of QC issues I've had can be counted on one hand.

 

[vector84]

How do I connect it properly? I connected it as per the instructions on some user's signature.

I think I connected it properly. :|

EDIT: Sometimes there's some clipping sound on the left earpiece.

Whoa there... clipping?

We were just talking about how it should be almost impossible to make them clip... pretty sure that means you've got a dud


Definitely give other sources a shot but... clipping is not an issue that's been talked about in relation to the ZS5 and given their specs would tend to suggest that there's something very broken inside.

 

[Vidal]

I've had loads of KZ and have had 2 issues - ZS3 cable socket that crackled after 6 months of use and a dead earphone with a pair of EDSE, this was down to poor isolation in the jack plug.

 

[vector84]

I would tend to think it's the general lens of internet discussions - problems are magnified because people show up specifically when they are having a problem.

Mind you this isn't necessarily a bad thing - that's also how things get fixed.

 

[Daniel Gur]

Just got my ZSE's I just love them so much, I found them so much better than any of the other (I have also ZST, ZS3, ATR, ED9) the bass was on point, the separation was great, the treble was on point. tested on multiple genres, could only say that on EDM music (except for chill EDM) I would prefer the ZST's, but all the other stuff ZSE is the way to go for me. They also fit my ears great and I think they also look ok. I just cannot believe KZ is making such good earphones and sound for just nothing, here is Israel fast food meal will cost twice more than those earphones.