[Slater]

True. Only other thing I have same way close to "live" natural sound is my desk setup (modified Aune T1 with Siemens E88CC goldpin) + Fidelio X1 (custom cable).
While I enjoy KZ ZS5v1 very much, putting modified ATE into my ears makes me always smile and drown into music without thinking/nitpicking on SQ

But I should try UiiSii CM5 then too, if You say it is so good

I think for $20usd it is worth every penny. If you see it cheaper during the 11.11 sales I would scoop it up.

You can read my CM5 impressions here to make sure it's your preferred sound: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bes...-reference-list.805930/page-244#post-13737087

It's not as natural sounding as the ATE, but it's great otherwise. Expect to tip roll to get best sound. I've never had an IEM so sensitive to tip changes!

 

[CoiL]

What wide bore silicone tips are you using BTW? The KZ turbo/whirlwinds? Or something else?

No whirlwinds, ditched them long ago with ATE. Been mostly using these 2 with ATE:
1) very soft silicone white S-size. I think they are those (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAMSUNG-S...305646&hash=item232b7780b3:g:Q-MAAOxyXp5SRqH5), don`t remember anymore where I bought them.
2) "cone" shaped longer ones from this IEM (its bad IEM, bought only for tips): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...phone-Earphone-Free-Shipping/32800300429.html

Both are great for ATE/ATR imo, but I use only S-size tips, so other sizes and different ear shape may give different result.

Most important though, is pushing tips back down the nozzle stem so that tip edge is on level with nozzle edge.

 

[Slater]

No whirlwinds, ditched them long ago with ATE. Been mostly using these 2 with ATE:
1) very soft silicone white S-size. I think they are those (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAMSUNG-S...305646&hash=item232b7780b3:g:Q-MAAOxyXp5SRqH5), don`t remember anymore where I bought them.
2) "cone" shaped longer ones from this IEM (its bad IEM, bought only for tips): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...phone-Earphone-Free-Shipping/32800300429.html

Both are great for ATE/ATR imo, but I use only S-size tips, so other sizes and different ear shape may give different result.

Most important though, is pushing tips back down the nozzle stem so that tip edge is on level with nozzle edge.

Great, thanks for the links Coil.

I have been using KZ Whirlwinds, but I ordered some of the Samsung S4 ones you posted.

Also, I A/B the modded ATE and UiiSii CM5 tonight. The ATE has a more neutral/mid-forward sound than the CM5 (CM5 is v-shaped). CM5 is a bit brighter, and more resolving. But the ATE are sooo natural and smooth sounding. Very easy to listen to. Vocals and especially percussion sounds like it's right in front of you. The reverberation and decay of percussion such as snare, tom toms, and bongos is amazing.

I am in awe at how good the modded ATE are. Like darn good. I may order another pair just to mod and use at work. Either that, or I may try to do the open mod on the ATR, as I have 2 pairs of ATR that I never use. I remember reading that the housing of the ATR was better plastic (polycarbonate if I remember correctly). Not sure if they use the same drivers as the ATE 5th gen.

2 more questions regarding your replacement nozzle:

1. Did you use copper tubing, or some other material such as stainless steel?
2. Did you keep the length and internal diameter the same as the stock nozzle?

 

[kokakolia]

I don`t remember who here had "issue" with ATR and ATE sounding bad but I got my latest pair of ATR + ATE and I absolutely love them.
ATE seems to be same as my last 5th gen ATE with red drivers inside, golden "grills" inside shells, gold/black metal cable reliefs, golden cable weights, code of shell is RQ:018NBM.
Didn`t do A-Bing with ATR atm but with short listen I can tell they are almost same sounding as ATE but with less bass and slightly more clarity/highs details and slight soundstage difference.

But I absolutely love the sound coming from ATE 5th gen (red nozzle grills removed + wide bore silicone tips (tips edge on level with nozzle) ).
Still my #1 dynamic IEM from KZ, especially with FF-modification. Atm, listening Lucid Planet - EP & Seven Impale - Contrapasso 16/44 FLAC, just great SQ - hard hitting tight detailed bass, liquid detailed mids with weigth/warmth/naturalness in vocals and smooth but detailed highs, great soundstage with good frontal depth and stereo separation and layering. Just great.

I think some ppl here hating ATE & ATR have issue with proper quality source, amping and file quality or just have very different SQ preference.

For information, I use HW&FW modified DX50 for those impressions.

Littlebit amping, removed red nozzle grills, custom cable, open back grill-mod, breathing hole adjustment and nozzle change these turn into "mindblowing" DD that slap ass of many cheap hybrids out there imho belive it or not ;P

You called me? I recently got the ATE and wasn't impressed with the sibilant treble and recessed vocals. They're the reason (well, the ZSE too) I dropped $100 on some KEF M100 earphones. I couldn't be happier with my KEFs.

This source issue sounds like snake oil to me. I'd rather have earphones that sound great on everything I use them on. The KEFs seem to do that just fine.

 

[djmakemynight]

True. Only other thing I have same way close to "live" natural sound is my desk setup (modified Aune T1 with Siemens E88CC goldpin) + Fidelio X1 (custom cable).
While I enjoy KZ ZS5v1 very much, putting modified ATE into my ears makes me always smile and drown into music without thinking/nitpicking on SQ

But I should try UiiSii CM5 then too, if You say it is so good

Please do. My CM5 is keeping my ZS5 and ZS6 nicely wrapped in their boxes.

 

[CoiL]

2 more questions regarding your replacement nozzle:

1. Did you use copper tubing, or some other material such as stainless steel?
2. Did you keep the length and internal diameter the same as the stock nozzle?

1) I used brass nozzle from ED9 and did drill-phase nozzle edge into "trompet"-like.
2) nozzle length should be slightly shorter with new nozzle and inner diameter should be larger than stock plastic nozzle. Nozzle material plays quite big role @ highs sparklyness.
Bigger nozzle inner diameter "lets" details through better and evens up FR (bass "pulled back" little) but breathing ports "enforcement" helps to "raise" bass punch/slam littlebit.

ATR has different driver inside for sure (I have opened many) and so far there seems to be only 1 revision of ATR. ATE 5th gen has red shelled driver with tiny "tube" at shell in front of driver, ATR is blue without any "tube" but same size hole.

You called me? I recently got the ATE and wasn't impressed with the sibilant treble and recessed vocals. They're the reason (well, the ZSE too) I dropped $100 on some KEF M100 earphones. I couldn't be happier with my KEFs.

This source issue sounds like snake oil to me. I'd rather have earphones that sound great on everything I use them on. The KEFs seem to do that just fine.

If source is snake oil to You, then You miss quite a lot. The better the HP, the better effect source actually has (because HP is able to deliver all that`s been fed).
What source and files are You usually using? What tips did You use with ATE?
But regarding ATE - You must have had faulty unit. ATE sounds nothing like You described.

Please do. My CM5 is keeping my ZS5 and ZS6 nicely wrapped in their boxes.

Thanks! Will try to get one.

 

[Tim Le]

Hey guys, I recently bought an IEM bundle which I gifted to my little brother (they mostly had IEMs ranging from $10-$50). I only briefly listened to them before giving it to him. Long story short, he got me to try the KZ ED10 in the gym today, and I was surprised by just how incredible they sound. I know the KZ range is huge, but what would be a solid upgrade to the KZ ED10. Just for comparison, I think I prefer them over the Sony XB-90ex that I've been using, which sells for around $100.

 

[eaglesgift]

1) I used brass nozzle from ED9 and did drill-phase nozzle edge into "trompet"-like.
2) nozzle length should be slightly shorter with new nozzle and inner diameter should be larger than stock plastic nozzle. Nozzle material plays quite big role @ highs sparklyness.
Bigger nozzle inner diameter "lets" details through better and evens up FR (bass "pulled back" little) but breathing ports "enforcement" helps to "raise" bass punch/slam littlebit.

ATR has different driver inside for sure (I have opened many) and so far there seems to be only 1 revision of ATR. ATE 5th gen has red shelled with tiny "tube" at shell in front of driver, ATR is blue without any "tube" but same size hole.

If source is snake oil to You, then You miss quite a lot. The better the HP, the better effect source actually has (because HP is able to deliver all that`s been fed).
What source and files are You usually using? What tips did You use with ATE?
But regarding ATE - You must have had faulty unit. ATE sounds nothing like You described.

Thanks! Will try to get one.

I quite like my unmodified ATE phones (they have the same number on the shell as yours). The sound signature reminds me of a mid-range pair of Panasonic closed-back headphones my father used to have when I was younger. Now, my memory could be way off and I certainly can't claim to have made a valid comparison because I haven't heard those Panasonic phones for 15 or 20 years but that's the first thing that came to my mind when I tried the ATEs out for the very first time. They certainly aren't sibilant and vocals don't sound recessed to me - no more than any other phones I have at least.

 

[filltos]

I have measured my ZS5 V2 with multimeter and my have 15 Ohms impedance.

If is your ZS5s or ZS6s highs still too harsh, just try these foams - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-P...id=487d8651-ae2a-498e-9d39-823b29e1de77&tpp=1
They will tame harsh highs more than T400 like foams.
They don´t hold on the nozzle as well as T400 foams, because they don´t have hard neck inside, but still acceptable.

 

[CoiL]

I should make another FF-mod and send it to HiFiChris, crabdog or B9Scrambler for reviewing and measurments ;P

 

[hakuzen]

I have measured my ZS5 V2 with multimeter and my have 15 Ohms impedance.

If is your ZS5s or ZS6s highs still too harsh, just try these foams - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-P...id=487d8651-ae2a-498e-9d39-823b29e1de77&tpp=1
They will tame harsh highs more than T400 like foams.
They don´t hold on the nozzle as well as T400 foams, because they don´t have hard neck inside, but still acceptable.

thanks for measuring.
these foams don't tame the highs same way than regular foams, check my last graphs.

 

[kar-re]

I got the ZS5 and ZS3, and all in all I'm very pleased. The ZS5 I ordered came as v2 tho.
One thing that irritates me a bit is that the right monitor of my pair of ZS5s are less sibliant compared to the left one. It's as if I got the right one v1 and the left one v2 LOL!
It's not really a big problem but after comparing the two ones by muting one and comparing the two ones it's loud and clear. The mid and bass sections sound perfectly normal tho.
I really enjoy the ZS3s sound signature as well.

Edit: Enjoying the ZS3s way more than the ZS5s. I'm thinking about ordering the ZS6s with the coupon but I'm not sure. I've cleaned the ZS5s with alcohol now, hoping it'll clear the sound up a bit.

 

[young59]

Can someone clarify this for me after seeing this much praise for the ATE I thought about getting one myself but on gearbest there seem to be 2 KZ ATE and 1 KZ ATE-S which one are you guys referring to?

 

[themindfreak]

Btw guys news of the KZ ZSR just came out. Its a ZST shaped housing in dark green, 1 dd + 2 ba configuration, news and pictures of it are all over twitter from NiceHCK.

 

[young59]

Btw guys news of the KZ ZSR just came out. Its a ZST shaped housing in dark green, 1 dd + 2 ba configuration, news and pictures of it are all over twitter from NiceHCK.

Can you give the link or post the picture here. I cannot find them on twitter.

Edit: Found them