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Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
Sep 10, 2017 at 6:26 PM Post #21,136 of 64,191
Keller2 said:
Let's put it this way:

We don't care that campfire exists.
Their prices, just like their naming scheme, are astronomical.
We just appreciate that KZ has taken some Ques from a premium manufacturer to make their own products better.
Nobody who uses a KZ ZS5 as a daily driver considers any campfire IEM an option, nevermind the Andromeda itself.

And why is it the case that nobody minds how say, superlux makes stuff that looks like Sennheiser and AKG, or how takstar copied the beyerdynamic look?
These are not products that are in direct competition. How is KZ's ripoff negatively impacting Campfire Audio?


It seems like a case of campfire audio owners being upset that their unique thing they paid $500 has been copied, no, not even copied, more like imitiated, rather than KZ being actually damaging to Campfire.
Click to expand...

Apparently the new iPhone "borrows" a lot from Samsung. I doubt that will deter those who want one.
 
Sep 10, 2017 at 6:35 PM Post #21,137 of 64,191
CoiL said:
Please someone notify me through PM about that ZS3 hybrid release... I`m busy with my kid and work and house and... and... and... LOL.

Also, noticed that there is new revision of ZS5 ? With 2x BA in nozzle? If so, is the new version better? Worth getting if I already have ZS5?
If so, where to buy new version for sure?

thnx in advance! :wink:
Click to expand...

Nice to hear from you Coil. I'll be happy to shoot you a PM if/when the ZS3 hybrid is out.

You are correct - the ZS5 rev2 does have 2xBA, but very few people have it so far. The jury is still kind of out if it's 'better' than the v1. Plus there's no reliable place to get it (and be guaranteed the v2). A few people got theirs from Gearbest orders recently, but Gearbest themselves deny having the latest version when someone asked them about it directly. So ordering from Gearbest is a 50/50 crap shoot of getting v1 or v2 at this time.

Now all of the talk is about the ZS6 (metal shelled, open-backed IEM similar to the ZS5). It's not shipping until around the end of the month though, so no one actually has it yet that can comment on it.
 
Sep 10, 2017 at 7:20 PM Post #21,138 of 64,191
Keller2 said:
Let's put it this way:

We don't care that campfire exists.
Their prices, just like their naming scheme, are astronomical.
We just appreciate that KZ has taken some Ques from a premium manufacturer to make their own products better.
Nobody who uses a KZ ZS5 as a daily driver considers any campfire IEM an option, nevermind the Andromeda itself.

And why is it the case that nobody minds how say, superlux makes stuff that looks like Sennheiser and AKG, or how takstar copied the beyerdynamic look?
These are not products that are in direct competition. How is KZ's ripoff negatively impacting Campfire Audio?


It seems like a case of campfire audio owners being upset that their unique thing they paid $500 has been copied, no, not even copied, more like imitiated, rather than KZ being actually damaging to Campfire.
Click to expand...
It's a simple right from wrong issue. I never said anyone in this thread bought them to pretend they were campfires. I also don't care if someone else chooses to buy a knockoff if he likes the sound for what he pays. To each his own but not many reviews don't comment on the similarity. That isn't coincidence. Rationalize it any way you want but it's simply wrong. If you can't see that, I can't help you. I haven't started nor plan to start a boycott, LOL. I like it so it's all good all the time is common internet fanboy speak. You can like a product, choose to buy it but still recognize it a knocked off design. Same with comparing it with false equivalences to products that develop a natural shape. No judgement against anyone that bought them. It's commentary that's aimed strictly at the maker and will stop when no longer responded to.
 
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Sep 10, 2017 at 7:26 PM Post #21,139 of 64,191
goodvibes said:
It's a simple right from wrong issue. I never said anyone in this thread bought them to pretend they were campfires. I also don't care if someone else chooses to buy a knockoff if he likes the sound for what he pays. To each his own but not many reviews don't comment on the similarity. That isn't coincidence. Rationalize it any way you want but it's simply wrong. If you can't see that, I can't help you. I haven't started nor plan to start a boycott, LOL. The I like it so it's all good all the time is common internet fanboy speak. You can like a product, choose to buy it but still recognize it a knocked off design. Same with false equivalences to products that develop a natural shape. No judgement against anyone that bought them. It's commentary that's aimed strictly at the maker and will stop when no longer responded to.
Click to expand...

Lol. O. My.
:beyersmile::beyersmile:

Are you trying to say there is a problem with two companies making iems? Maybe only Taco Bell should be allowed to make tacos? Boycott Del Taco! #CampfireGate
 
Sep 10, 2017 at 8:23 PM Post #21,145 of 64,191
goodvibes said:
It's a simple right from wrong issue. I never said anyone in this thread bought them to pretend they were campfires. I also don't care if someone else chooses to buy a knockoff if he likes the sound for what he pays. To each his own but not many reviews don't comment on the similarity. That isn't coincidence. Rationalize it any way you want but it's simply wrong. If you can't see that, I can't help you. I haven't started nor plan to start a boycott, LOL. I like it so it's all good all the time is common internet fanboy speak. You can like a product, choose to buy it but still recognize it a knocked off design. Same with comparing it with false equivalences to products that develop a natural shape. No judgement against anyone that bought them. It's commentary that's aimed strictly at the maker and will stop when no longer responded to.
Click to expand...

Sure, it's a ripoff. You can see it from miles away. But it's got it's own merits.
The KZ is inferior in terms of quality, it only rips on the design and 'vibe' the Campfire IEMs are going for.

It just happens that it's a really striking / recognizable design.
It's not a straight up copy doing the same thing like you would find with iPhone IEMs for example.
This seems to be a trend where people start condemning this behaviour, but only when KZ rips off recognizable designs.

I don't understand what the issue with copying a design like this really is - as kz has done it many times before and we've had no outcry like this (see ATE, ZS3, ZST, ED12, etc)
It's not making money off the other guys' brand. It's only using the design to inspire an effect of "I want this, it looks cool".
However it's not pretending to be the original and you're knowingly getting an inferior product that still has it's own merits.
And it's in an entirely different league.

The only issue you could argue here is that KZ took the lazy route and didn't invest in making a striking design in house and repackaged somebody else's ideas.
But that's an unreasonable argument as the KZ target IEM costs $30 and less, there would be a hard time to recoup design costs.
And even if they came out with a really good design - it doesnt necessarily mean it'll sell well..

Also i'd argue that this pushes the market forward... Just take a look at what monoprice is doing..
 
Sep 10, 2017 at 8:54 PM Post #21,146 of 64,191
Sep 10, 2017 at 9:32 PM Post #21,148 of 64,191
Well inspired by the ES3 setup (and by testing the process on a broken set...) I decided to stop waiting for screens to show up and just went ahead and modded a pair of ZS5(v1)s.

Initial impressions: Mids seem a lot cleaner - clearer vocals, cymbals slightly recessed, more natural sounding strings - less "ethereal" / "holographic" sounding to me, so if you really love that effect, that might be a con. Personally, I'm extremely happy with the results so far.

EDIT: seems I made some changes to the screen placement that were contributed to perceived changes
 
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Sep 11, 2017 at 3:23 AM Post #21,150 of 64,191
Seems like there was intense argument few pages back. Gave me a feeling that KZ followers is a cult not to be messed with lol. I think there's no absolute right or wrong given that the world we live in people with money and powers are constantly exploiting others with something called patent. Inequalities are getting out of control in this overpopulated Earth and i believe many who barely earns enough or those from the 3rd world country will find KZ a safe haven for them to at least enjoy music. A pair of CA would probably feed them and their family for a year or so
 
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