[HiFiChris]

Dear friend In France, they cost much more :

http://www.son-video.com/Rayons/Ecouteurs-intra-auriculaires/Campfire-Audio-Andromeda.html

Anyway, could someone answer to my initial question

Yeah, the IEM is more expensive in Germany as well (taxes + the sellers also want their share), as with about every piece of hi-fi gear that is imported.

Anyway, I unfortunately cannot help you when it comes to the cable/connector.

 

[HiFiChris]

What if the measurements are the same, and some people just like it? That's possible as well...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. And I subjectively don't dislike the ZS6 at all (except for sometimes too much of that harshness and sibilance, even though I am treble-tolerant). I just say that objectively regarded, the treble elevation is (way?) too strong for many people to bear.

 

[snip3r77]

All I did was stick a set of comply foams on mine and that pretty much hammered out the issues. Keep in mind this was also coming from the ZS5 v1, not the v2.

I think tip rolling is fine , for me personally I don’t advocate eq ing

 

[HiFiChris]

Finally got it done - Zs6 review is up. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-zs6.22686/reviews

HifiChris - I'd be interested in knowing if this matches your finding thus far.

Treble: [...] I find that I need to adjust the graphic EQ on foobar down 6db at 8kHz and 8db at 10kHz to help tone down what can only be described as a hot treble. [...] Without the EQ adjustments, the cymbals tend to take on a metallic sound and the flute loses the softness Ian Anderson was known for. [...]

Mids: Once you get past the treble, you are rewarded with what I think is easily the best sounding IEM KZ has made to date. Mids are well rendered. Instrument separation is good, and presentation is more open than most. [...]

Yup, at least for many parts.

I think that -6 dB around 8 and -8 dB around 10 kHz are a good guideline - the ZS6 will then still have plenty of brightness, sparkle and fun, however without that strong, sibilant, harsh and metallig brightness to it.

Midrange tuning is definitely an improvement over the ZS5 v1.

And in terms of technical performance, the ZS6 is a good IEM as well. Imo it would have been an awesome model in un-EQ'd stock form if the took the ZS5 v1's treble and combined it with the ZS6's midrange and lows.

 

[hakuzen]

first measurements. ES3.

used a chi-pro rig (iec711 coupler, precision 1/2" mic + preamp, stand), creative emu-0404 adc, dac (+jds labs c5d amplifier). 94dBSPL (+-some error) @ 1kHz.
calibrated raw measurements (not compensated).

stock cables (with mic), and same thick silicone special tips (same tips for almost every iems, similar depth insertion, more in the deep side).
next posts, i'll compare to some silver plated copper cables, and foam tips. and in a few days, comparison with zst, zs5 and zs6.

Blue vs Purple (or unit 1 vs unit 2, i'd need another pair of same color to decide if colors have something to do related to inconsistency between units).
Left vs Right.

there are some differences between units, but also between channels. they are located in bass (from 20Hz to 200Hz, 3-5dB @ 20Hz difference between channels, 4-5dB @ 20Hz difference between units), and [upper]mids (from 1kHz to 5KHz, ~1dB difference between channels, ~3dB between units).

bass & sub-bass boost, but mids climb soon (before 2KHz, i guess that's why they look a bit more mid forwarded than other kzs). upper mids and highs keep constant, in the bright side, but not overloaded (moderated peaks at 2, 3, 5, 8.5, and 11 kHz).



ES3b: blue, ES3p: purple. CSt: stock cable. TLk: special tips.

EDIT:
1- higher sub-bass of right channel in purples was due to improper dynamic driver vent hole; too much glue in the hole, it was closed.
2- higher levels at 2-3kHz in purples were due to lack of foam (missing or wrong placed) in the nozzle, around the BA.
Thanks to @vector84 !!

 

[hakuzen]

Foam tips vs thick silicone special tips.

KZ ES3, blue, channels averaged.

note what foam tips do in highs after 8kHz. that's why i usually prefer to find silicone tips which provide good isolation.. unless for comfort, isolation, or highs taming purposes, of course.

got some ostry 100, 200 and 300 tips around. if they keep inside the coupler, i'll measure them with zs5 and zs6.

 

[hakuzen]

Cables.

ES3 purple, right channel.

cables used:
- CSt: stock ES3 cable (with mic). DC resistance: 0.84Ω
- CSpGb: classical upgraded silver plated copper cable for zst, gearbest version (foggy white plastic, white rings on jack). DC resistance: 0.62Ω
- CSpA: similar to CSpGb, but purchased in aliexpress time ago (transparent plastic over the foggy white, black rings on jack). DC resistance: 0.40Ω!
- CSp8: new upgraded silver plated copper for zst, more cores (6), metallic straight jacks. DC resistance: 0.45Ω.

the frequency response graph shows no tonal differences. power difference up to 1dB.
didn't get conclusions about distortion (transparency, resolution). maybe there are missing parameters which can affect to that, but i don't know them, if any.
noticed some thinner sound when using silver or silver plated compared to copper in the past, but it could be just self-suggestion, who knows.

 

[Fahim Foysal]

@hakuzen zs6 and zs5 measurement with different tips and cable plessss

 

[Viber]

If you don't already love Joe Bonamassa - you should get acquainted.

THANK YOU!
I can't believe i found another Joe Satriani haha.

 

[Viber]

I'm struggling like crazy with that one. I'm almost at the point of saying the default cable with the foams provides a better balance but gah it's killing me bouncing around between 3 different sources, 4 different tip styles, and 2 different cables.

The couple of times I did a few swaps, I feel like the default cable's treble was still more strident and harsher than the upgraded, but I'm currently sitting here with foams and the stock cable and partially thinking that the amount of "treble muting" the foams do is better stock than upgraded cable.

I'll say this: just throw them foams on there and odds are damn good you'll be right as rain.

I like them with silicones as well.
So far i'm digging them with foams (i sliced about a millimeter of the foam from the tip's bottom to get better insertion).

 

[hakuzen]

ZS5 v1 grey.

calibrated raw frequency response, not compensated. stock cable (no mic), thick silicone tips, deep insertion.



cables tonal comparison:
- CSt: stock ZS5 cable (no mic). DC resistance: ~0.64Ω (channels), 0.38Ω (ground).
- CSp6: upgraded silver plated cable (6 cores, metallic straight jack). 0.45Ω

and tips tonal comparison: foam (TF) vs thick-silicone tips (TLk); deep insertion both.

 

[vector84]

None of those cables would be over 10% voltage drop, I don't think?

That ES3 stock cable you have would be a good candidate for testing on the ZS5/6 though maybe? That's how bad some of them get.

 

[Gianluigib]

Just pop them open at the seams with a small screwdriver or spudger. Myself and some other members have popped them open, we can share our findings if you want.

Thanks, i tried, and i saw a green unsoldered cable.

 

[vector84]

first measurements. ES3.

used a chi-pro rig (iec711 coupler, precision 1/2" mic + preamp, stand), creative emu-0404 adc, dac (+jds labs c5d amplifier). 94dBSPL (+-some error) @ 1kHz.
calibrated raw measurements (not compensated).

stock cables (with mic), and same thick silicone special tips (same tips for almost every iems, similar depth insertion, more in the deep side).
next posts, i'll compare to some silver plated copper cables, and foam tips. and in a few days, comparison with zst, zs5 and zs6.

Blue vs Purple (or unit 1 vs unit 2, i'd need another pair of same color to decide if colors have something to do related to inconsistency between units).
Left vs Right.

there are some differences between units, but also between channels. they are located in bass (from 20Hz to 200Hz, 3-5dB @ 20Hz difference between channels, 4-5dB @ 20Hz difference between units), and [upper]mids (from 1kHz to 5KHz, ~1dB difference between channels, ~3dB between units).

bass & sub-bass boost, but mids climb soon (before 2KHz, i guess that's why they look a bit more mid forwarded than other kzs). upper mids and highs keep constant, in the bright side, but not overloaded (moderated peaks at 2, 3, 5, 8.5, and 11 kHz).

ES3b: blue, ES3p: purple. CSt: stock cable. TLk: special tips.

This is a neat little piece.

From my destructive tampering on the ES3, this unit related deviance looks rather like it might relate to some tuning points:

• bass vent coverage (excess glue was responsible on mine)
• foam seating depth in the nozzle

Adjusting those points, I was able to get my ES3 to match across 20-5,000 Hz or so pretty tightly.

 

[TimeSnow]

I gotta say, after five mins with the ZS5s that just came through my door (!) I'm pretty impressed. For the price. There's a TOUCH of sibilance in already bright recordings, but that took 2 seconds to fix with an EQ. The sub bass is far closer to neutral than any of the other KZs I have, except maybe the ZS3... But that's from memory... I can compare them side by side later.

The main thing I was amazed by though was how light and comfy they are... I got a good fit out of the box. Better than the ZST/ZS3/ED12.

anyway... they're burning in now... not expecting much change, but you never know.

And I don't know if I got a v1 or not... probably not... oh well.