[Otto Motor]

Hello guys !
My two pairs of UiiSii HM7 along my three pairs of Xiaomi Pistons Youth Edition all broke. I dont have any IEMs left bar my KZ Z5v1 which I love but is far too uncomfortable for my taste.

The Pistons were very fragile compared to my HM7 who both lasted one year each.

What I'm looking for first is a pair of cheap IEMs with decent sound for gaming (yes I could buy headphones for that but it's summer and IEMs are more versatile). Possibly with a detachable cable so I dont have to replace the whole unit in case of premature death (unless the IEM is really cheap and I could just buy a new pair even if I have to wait a week or two to receive them). I can go up to 10 euros to 15, but since it's mainly for gaming no need to go all out.

What I'm looking for in second is an alternative to said KZ Z5v1, I'm loving the audio but they're far too uncomfortable to use, so I'd like to find an alternative with a detachable cable and regular size IEM head. For this one I can go up to around 40 euros.

Thanks for reading !

Try the KZ ZSR....I used them for Formula 1 TV broadcast (lots of motor sounds) and they impressed me in their threedimensionality for this purpose - more so than more expensive brandnames such as Focal Sphear or even big headphones such as the AKG K550. You certainly can't go wrong with them unless you have problems with fit.

 

[Otto Motor]

Zs10 notes are posted - here

pictures to follow tonight as I finish them up.

I think we are on the same frequency - browsed through your review, will pick out the details later, gotta run now.

 

[HerrXRDS]

This perfectly describes what I hear when pairing the ZS6 to my Fiio X3 (first generation) and it's why I think the ZS6 is such a great IEM. Everything is neatly separated so you can hear the detail from each of the drivers.

I'm still holding out hope that KZ will offer us a ZS6 SE (Special Edition ) in "Midnight Blue with brass accents" and "Arctic White with brass accents" now that they have graphene DD's and customized and/or improved BA's.

I think the ZS6 is an IEM that is good enough to be a KZ mainstay the way the ED9 and ATE are so incremental improvements where possible should prove fruitful.

Again, further refinement is always welcome.

Such a joy when some complex piece hits and you can hear each part doing it's thing, for some things I prefer them over the IT01 and even the Kings Pro. If it weren't for those piercing highs these would've been soo good. I'm hoping for a 12mm graphene with improved or Knowles BA on 3 way crossover. That would be sweet.

 

[ChaoticKinesis]

The ES4 has a 10mm graphene DD while the ZSA has an 8mm DD which may or may not be graphene.



An 8mm DD may indicate that the ZSA could have a very balanced signature if it is tuned like the ZST's 8mm DD though the ES4 is the one advertised as having a "reference" sound signature. In order for the ES4 to have a "reference" sound signature the crossover must have been put to good use because the 10mm DD is quite full-bodied in it's natural state (ZSR & ES3) but, apparently, KZ wants to get the point across that the ES4 is not an entry-level in-ear monitor; it is professional grade.




The ES4 appears to have a customized 30095 treble BA while the ZSA has an "improved" BA (not necessarily the same BA advertised on the ES4).



This will be the first time hearing the "improved" BA so it's useless speculating at this point. That said, the ZSA's triple-vented faceplates may afford them a bit of air and an improved sense of space between instruments.

My expectation is that the ES4 with it's 10mm graphene DD and a proper crossover is a direct upgrade to the already good ES3.



....and as always, further refinement (of the ES3) is always welcome.

Haven't heard either so remember.......It's all conjecture.

Also, I think it's great that the cable offered with the ES4 is different from the cable offered with the ZSA. I have a handful of identical KZ cables from the ZST and ES3 so more variety is a good thing.

Have to wait and see but I'm all ears.

There's no "improved" BA, just another 30095. Have a look at the frequency response below, it has the same mid-high peaks as every other KZ. Just like the peaks indicated in the Knowles datasheet for the 30095. If only they actually did something to tame those peaks.

 

[DSebastiao]

Anyone here got the ZS6 green recently on aliexpress or gearbest?

 

[Wiljen]

Zs10 notes are posted - here

pictures to follow tonight as I finish them up.

And photos are up. Now I can move on to something more fun to review.

 

[rayliam80]

Anyone here got the ZS6 green recently on aliexpress or gearbest?

I got them recently from NiceHCK.

 

[Podster]

Anyone here got the ZS6 green recently on aliexpress or gearbest?

Greens are the only ones I did not get and they would go great with my Green/Gold trim Tomahawk! I'm holding out hoping KZ catches wind of Doc's request for the "Midnight Blue" and Arctic White's" with brass screws

Still Lovin' my Marvel Series (Silver Surfer, Iron Man and the Black Panther)

 

[surfacecube]

Try the KZ ZSR....I used them for Formula 1 TV broadcast (lots of motor sounds) and they impressed me in their threedimensionality for this purpose - more so than more expensive brandnames such as Focal Sphear or even big headphones such as the AKG K550. You certainly can't go wrong with them unless you have problems with fit.

Thanks for the suggestion but they are as big as the ZS5 so I can't pick them

 

[skajohyros]

Hello guys !
My two pairs of UiiSii HM7 along my three pairs of Xiaomi Pistons Youth Edition all broke. I dont have any IEMs left bar my KZ Z5v1 which I love but is far too uncomfortable for my taste.

The Pistons were very fragile compared to my HM7 who both lasted one year each.

What I'm looking for first is a pair of cheap IEMs with decent sound for gaming (yes I could buy headphones for that but it's summer and IEMs are more versatile). Possibly with a detachable cable so I dont have to replace the whole unit in case of premature death (unless the IEM is really cheap and I could just buy a new pair even if I have to wait a week or two to receive them). I can go up to 10 euros to 15, but since it's mainly for gaming no need to go all out.

What I'm looking for in second is an alternative to said KZ Z5v1, I'm loving the audio but they're far too uncomfortable to use, so I'd like to find an alternative with a detachable cable and regular size IEM head. For this one I can go up to around 40 euros.

Thanks for reading !

Love my zs5v1 as well. Luckily, they are comfy.
You should try sanding down the edges.

 

[424358]

Greens are the only ones I did not get and they would go great with my Green/Gold trim Tomahawk! I'm holding out hoping KZ catches wind of Doc's request for the "Midnight Blue" and Arctic White's" with brass screws

Still Lovin' my Marvel Series (Silver Surfer, Iron Man and the Black Panther)

Oh geeze! If a white model comes out im waiting for the White wolf Podster! Nice ZS6 collection they are just so good

 

[Podster]

Oh geeze! If a white model comes out im waiting for the White wolf Podster! Nice ZS6 collection they are just so good

THX

IMO they are the best headphone/iem for under $40 available today period but then again what do I know

 

[rayliam80]

Have any of you guys tried the iFi IEMatch adapter with any of your KZs? When I first heard my KZ ZS6, I thought, “Eh, it’s pretty good.” After 96 straight hours of regular album playing at 50% volume, I thought, “Okay, now it’s very good.” After an extra 50 hours of regular album playing at 75% volume, I thought, “Wow, these are great!” Now after pairing the ZS6 with the IEMatch, I think “Damn, these are bad-ass!”

With the pairing, I can now hear each armature and dynamic driver working more separately and clearly (I have used DN-2000J, ASG-1.5, Noble Savant Wizard, and SE846 I owned at some point as comparison) and now the ZS6 went from competing up to $250 IEMs to competing up to $500 IEMs, keeping the sound value at 5x! If anything, the pairing now sounds like surround monitors with the multiple active and passive driving, which is something I never had in an IEM! I am quite a happy camper with both purchases now.

I don't have the iFi IEMatch Adapter but I have the iFi Audio Nano iDSD BL which has 2 headphone outputs - IEMatch and Direct (full power). From what I understand the iFi Nano BL has the iEMatch adapter already built in. I haven't tried any higher end IEMs myself so I can't agree or disagree that it turns our KZs into high end killers. But what I'm hearing now with my green ZS6 setup plugged into the IEMatch port at around 11 to 2 o'clock on the pot set to the measure filter (Linear Phase Transient Aligned Filter) through my Mac/Audirvana and it's....kinda fantastic.

From the ZS6, one thing I'm noticing is any vocal sibilance the KZ may have introduced or increased in it's stock form is more or less removed. Some recordings with high hats still have a bit of a shhhhhhh-ness to them but it's not overpowering either. It's tamed now. Mids sound more present. And the bass. Well, I think my ear tip choice is helping out in that department to bring the bass up and make it more of a fun sounding IEM but to me, it's not too much. Overall, this is the best I've gotten my ZS6 to sound.

 

[DocHoliday]

There's no "improved" BA, just another 30095. Have a look at the frequency response below, it has the same mid-high peaks as every other KZ. Just like the peaks indicated in the Knowles datasheet for the 30095. If only they actually did something to tame those peaks.

Your point is well taken with the FR graph but I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that it's possible that KZ silently modified the 30095 and used it in the ZSR.

This modification may be the very reason that the ZSR, though it uses the 30095 BA, does not share the treble found in models like the ZS6 and the ZST. The ZSR has a 30095 BA. If the ZSR's 30095 has been modified (unannounced) to slightly reduce treble extension and slightly increase high-midrange extension then this explains why the ZSR has a rich midrange and a treble presentation that diminishes fatigue.

Doesn't mean I'm right, it just makes sense to me. The only way to know for sure is to do testing once the newer models start showing up.

Rub....rub.....rub....

Hakuzen we'd like to make a wish!

 

[Wiljen]

Have any of you guys tried the iFi IEMatch adapter with any of your KZs? When I first heard my KZ ZS6, I thought, “Eh, it’s pretty good.” After 96 straight hours of regular album playing at 50% volume, I thought, “Okay, now it’s very good.” After an extra 50 hours of regular album playing at 75% volume, I thought, “Wow, these are great!” Now after pairing the ZS6 with the IEMatch, I think “Damn, these are bad-ass!”

With the pairing, I can now hear each armature and dynamic driver working more separately and clearly (I have used DN-2000J, ASG-1.5, Noble Savant Wizard, and SE846 I owned at some point as comparison) and now the ZS6 went from competing up to $250 IEMs to competing up to $500 IEMs, keeping the sound value at 5x! If anything, the pairing now sounds like surround monitors with the multiple active and passive driving, which is something I never had in an IEM! I am quite a happy camper with both purchases now.

I have one but with the point of the ifi match being impedance matching, I never thought to try it with the KZs in general or the Zs6 in specific as they didn't really show any symptoms of needing it. I'll have to go back and try it.