Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
May 29, 2018 at 8:38 PM Post #32,836 of 63,672
@mbwilson111 Looks like a set of Spinfits. Same that I use on my ZS10 :)

Interesting... we never have bought any Spinfits. Nothing seems to spin on it... should I be able to spin the outer part around?

If they are Spinfits I have checked and found out they are very expensive. Does anyone know of a cheap source?
 
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May 29, 2018 at 9:09 PM Post #32,837 of 63,672
Interesting... we never have bought any Spinfits. Nothing seems to spin on it... should I be able to spin the outer part around?

If they are Spinfits I have checked and found out they are very expensive. Does anyone know of a cheap source?

Hmm...maybe on closer look they're not. I think Spinfit cores extend further. They also kinda look like Dunu tips but I see you don't have anything from that brand in your gear list. Welp....disregard everything I've said, haha.
 
May 29, 2018 at 9:14 PM Post #32,838 of 63,672
ZS10 is more clean and the soundstage is wider. Better imaging and separation. But not so comfortable for longer listening because of huge size.

ES4 is upgrade over ES3. Bass is more compared to ZS10. Mids are more smooth. These fit well compared to ZS10. I can see these as daily iems, close to MEMT x5. So much comfortable. Very inoffensive.

I am using Rock Zircon tips for both of these.
 
May 29, 2018 at 9:27 PM Post #32,839 of 63,672
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May 30, 2018 at 12:00 AM Post #32,841 of 63,672
I changed the tips on my KZ10 as I was having a problem getting deep enough insertion but I can't stand double or triple flange ... or foams. I found this pair among our millions of tips. The only one that has the sleeve part (the red part in the photo) protruding below the rest of the tip. I hope this makes sense. It helps the tip go in farther and it was comfortable and sounded really good. Only problem is, I have no idea what these tips are so that I can get more. They probably came with some other iem but I have too many. Does anyone recognize this type or have a link to something similar?

Try these tips with long barrel, wide bore and "cone" shape (I use them with ZS5v1 and ATE FF-mod to get great seal and deep fit):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...429.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1d1d4c4dSzvnVM
New-Original-high-quality-Earpiece-Stereo-Earphone-In-Ear-Headset-Metal-Earbud-Microphone-Earphone-Free-Shipping.jpg
They only come with this cheap IEM. I bought myself some backup because being "so special".
 
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May 30, 2018 at 12:04 AM Post #32,842 of 63,672
I changed the tips on my KZ10 as I was having a problem getting deep enough insertion but I can't stand double or triple flange ... or foams. I found this pair among our millions of tips. The only one that has the sleeve part (the red part in the photo) protruding below the rest of the tip. I hope this makes sense. It helps the tip go in farther and it was comfortable and sounded really good. Only problem is, I have no idea what these tips are so that I can get more. They probably came with some other iem but I have too many. Does anyone recognize this type or have a link to something similar?



You can also use this trick with any of your favorite tips (such as Starlines).

You just remove the tip, slip on one of these silicone keyboard orings, and put the tip back on. The keyboard oring "spaces" the tip out a little bit, accomplishing the same thing as your longer red core. The advantage being that it can be used with any tip, no matter how long or short the core is.

They cost well under $1 for a bag of 100-150pcs, and they are available in many colors (clear, red, blue, purple, black, etc).

(click for larger view)
oring spacer.jpg

You can see the before and after view of how it spaces out the tip (ie the one on the left):
oring spacer 2.jpg

You can buy them here:
 
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May 30, 2018 at 12:08 AM Post #32,843 of 63,672
No, but there's a possibilty that certain BA drivers are out of phase, hence some frequency ranges wouldn't sound right.
And that wouldn't be as easy to fix.

Anyway, mids on my ZS10s don't sound (much) recessed, just a bit harsh sometimes in the upper region.

Yes, i have the same impression. harsh mids in the upper region. its posible this is because a mid BA driver out of phase?
 
May 30, 2018 at 12:17 AM Post #32,845 of 63,672
May 30, 2018 at 1:31 AM Post #32,846 of 63,672
You can also use this trick with any of your favorite tips (such as Starlines).

You just remove the tip, slip on one of these silicone keyboard orings, and put the tip back on. The keyboard oring "spaces" the tip out a little bit, accomplishing the same thing as your longer red core. The advantage being that it can be used with any tip, no matter how long or short the core is.

They cost well under $1 for a bag of 100-150pcs, and they are available in many colors (clear, red, blue, purple, black, etc).

(click for larger view)


You can see the before and after view of how it spaces out the tip (ie the one on the left):
Any link for those rings, please?
 
May 30, 2018 at 1:31 AM Post #32,847 of 63,672
I have had very poor results with those tips. I'm a serious tip tester and the only ones I can recommend is JVC spiral dots.
Depends totally on ear-canal-shape - it`s individual. All I can say is that I have small ears & ear-canals, use only small size tips, deep fit and generally prefer wide-bore tips.
Btw, I`m also quite "serious" tip-roller and have about 50 different S size tips in my collection. Those @ link I provided are HQ made, soft silicone outer "skirt", firm inner barrel and wide bore.
They are little longer than usual "ball" shaped generic tips and due to their "cone" shape, extend sealing/contact surface with ear-canal walls and go quite deep.
I also have JVC spiral dots and like them a lot but they affect high fr area sometimes too much (depending on how much they are "exposed" from inner dotted core over nozzle edge).
Dots usually give very good result but are very dependable on insertion depth - if You get it wrong, they wont seal enough and tend to get loose.
That`s why those "cone" tips have their profit over Dots - they extend further and provide more secure fit.
 
May 30, 2018 at 2:06 AM Post #32,848 of 63,672
Received my ES4 today and they're a huge improvement over the ZS10. When listening at desired volumes, I found the upper-mids of the ZS10 painful as if I was being stabbed in the eardrums. Vocals also sounded very unnatural and nasal.

The ES4 has none of that. I tried turning the volume up louder than usual on those same painful passages and had no problems. The bass has the same smoothness as how I remember the ZS10, possibly feeling a tad more emphasized, though I haven't really A/B'ed them yet. Vocals sound much more natural. Like the ZSR, my initial impression is that the ES4 has a very nice sound signature, but where the ZSR's mid-bass was often overbearing the ES4's is just right. So far this is my favorite KZ.
This is exactly how I want the ES4 to sound. Way to pump up the hype! :D
 
May 30, 2018 at 3:31 AM Post #32,850 of 63,672
Received my ES4 today and they're a huge improvement over the ZS10. When listening at desired volumes, I found the upper-mids of the ZS10 painful as if I was being stabbed in the eardrums. Vocals also sounded very unnatural and nasal.

The ES4 has none of that. I tried turning the volume up louder than usual on those same painful passages and had no problems. The bass has the same smoothness as how I remember the ZS10, possibly feeling a tad more emphasized, though I haven't really A/B'ed them yet. Vocals sound much more natural. Like the ZSR, my initial impression is that the ES4 has a very nice sound signature, but where the ZSR's mid-bass was often overbearing the ES4's is just right. So far this is my favorite KZ.

Yass, good to hear a positive ES4 experience, I ordered 1 pair some days ago. Do you use stock tips or which tips?
 

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