[Zerohour88]

I had to put those out there as a precaution because you know there are some people out there who can't hear the difference and equate that to KZ being godlike rather than their hearing being broken.

I don't think there are people out there that truly feel that way. Are there? I mean, get serious it's a budget segment product.

Honestly, I think both end of the spectrum exists. For every guy who thinks that KZ is garbage, there's another that feel KZ's the greatest thing since sliced bread. KZ's product is affordable so most can go out and buy one, then form an opinion on them regardless of their competence.

 

[audionab]

Honestly, I think both end of the spectrum exists. For every guy who thinks that KZ is dog****, there's another that feel KZ's the greatest thing since sliced bread. KZ's product is affordable so most can go out and buy one, then form an opinion on them regardless of their competence.

*garlic bread <3

 

[SoundSquare]

Regarding those who may think the ZS6 has piercing highs (i think the highs are just right, i would complain myself about the bass being a bit slow at times) avoid silver plated cables, get a good OCC copper cable

The most impressive thing for the ZS6 in my opinion is the lack of emphasis on the upper mids, something too common in chi-fi iems.

 

[CoiL]

Just tried my new KZ ED16 (aka ZS7) for several hours.
Organic, luscious, with plenty of details!...Wow! These are a serious "game changer" for KZ! I'll be burning them in for at least 100 hours before determining their status. I seriously have to try these against my beloved ZS5 to see if they are worthy of the KZ throne.
-Clear

M`kay, now that I`ve ordered ES4, ED16 picked my interest too! Damn You! -.-

Just a really small impression about the ES4 from person not so familiar with audiophile terms :3
One word: It's overrated for sure. No doubt.
My ZS5 v1 sounds cleaner in the highs and the low ends got some good high quality feel to it which the ES4 lacks. v1 sounds a teeeny little more airier too (imaging?).
There's some slight hissing from the highs and cymbals like we hear in low bitrate music.
For some reason the ES4 fits tooo snug in my ears with the same tips I use on ZS5.
Definitely worth the 15$ including shipping.
It looks beautiful too!

ZS5 v1 is a GEM. Anybody who still has it, keeeep them!

My opinions are a lot in line with @Vestat . Although I feel both ES4 and ZS5 are both very similar sounding when EQed. ZS5 a little more cleaner.

I have ZS5v1 and I agree - proper source and amping make them "TOTL" chi-fi budget to my ears.
But Your post about ES4 is rather negative and I was hoping it will be in "same tier as ZS5v1".

I am back guys.....
KZ es4 is plain better on mid detail retrieval compared to zs6. What you listen on zs6 is boosted harmonics and not instrument detail. It is detailed on harmonics of instrument instead of instrument detail when listening to song.

Kz ed16 blew me up when I compared zsr. I think they tweaked the 4kHz dip here and made the sound so more energetic.

Another tease about ED16 but this time rather positive note @ ES4.

 

[monitoringsound70]

I own 2 of these at the moment
ZSR and the ES3.
Out of the two I definitely prefer the ES3. Lovely treble that's ever so slightly rolled off but dances in your ears.
Only problem I have is a fit. I use old ultimate ears foam and they're the only tips that seal but with those they are super. Although I'm gonna have a problem when the tips wear out.

As for the ZSR the fit is much better....probably due to the longer nozzles, and I can actually use the stock tips on these.
The cable on the left side has a tendency to keep coming out of the earpiece when I put them on.
Very loose connection in that side as the right is okay.
As for sound.....i just find them a bit too clean. The extended treble is nice but is too much. Not sibilant but too clean.
Definitely flatter sounding than the ES3 but just not as pleasant to listen to.
Besides may return them as the cable connection to the earpiece is a worry

 

[Bartig]

I own 2 of these at the moment
ZSR and the ES3.
Out of the two I definitely prefer the ES3. Lovely treble that's ever so slightly rolled off but dances in your ears.
Only problem I have is a fit. I use old ultimate ears foam and they're the only tips that seal but with those they are super. Although I'm gonna have a problem when the tips wear out.

As for the ZSR the fit is much better....probably due to the longer nozzles, and I can actually use the stock tips on these.
The cable on the left side has a tendency to keep coming out of the earpiece when I put them on.
Very loose connection in that side as the right is okay.
As for sound.....i just find them a bit too clean. The extended treble is nice but is too much. Not sibilant but too clean.
Definitely flatter sounding than the ES3 but just not as pleasant to listen to.
Besides may return them as the cable connection to the earpiece is a worry

Loose cable? Not sibilant? Flatter sounding? I don’t recognize any stuff you just wrote in my own ZSR. The ES3 must be quite a special earphone.

 

[monitoringsound70]

Loose cable? Not sibilant? Flatter sounding? I don’t recognize any stuff you just wrote in my own ZSR. The ES3 must be quite a special earphone.

It is. It's a lovely little thing.....Things

 

[zazaboy]

I heard only 2 people that says kz ed16 very good .. Has anyone here have any experience with this iem?

 

[Francisk]

I have in the past disliked the treble spike on the ZS6 but I've finally found a very good use for the ZS6. It has been my favorite bedtime IEM (paired with the Comply foam tips) because it sounds amazing when it's played at low volume. Those treble spikes seem to tame down a lot when it's played at low volume and I can still hear the rest of the frequency spectrum very clearly, clear mids...right down to the bass region even when it's played at low volume. The ZS6 is now my go to IEM for low volume playback during bedtime. Try the ZS6 at low volume and let me know what you think.

Just like the ZS6 , I was not too impressed with the ZS10 initially but I've found the best use for my ZS10 (paired with Hifiman RE400 large bore silicone tips)...watching movies or listening to any audio material which has great slam and impact is really fun with ZS10...especially pounding percussive instruments. The ZS10 never fail to impress me with it's transient response and impact across the full frequency spectrum, even though the treble is more recessed than most of the KZ ZS series. Due to the slightly recessed high frequencies, the ZS10 likes to be played loud (not ear bleeding loudness of course),,,and it'll deliver all the slam and impact that you'll ever need, unlike the ZS6 which behaves better and perform very well when played soft,

Bottom line, there's really not a single bad KZ hybrid IEMs starting from ZST onward. I've discovered that each model actually excel in different ways. Since the ZS10 was my last KZ hybrid IEM, I'll be skipping the ZSA, ES4 and ED16 because I'm pretty much covered with my collection of ZST, ZS5v1, ZS6 and ZS10. I'm waiting for the new KZ with 5 BAs per side. I hope the new model will further improve on the ZS10.

 

[Bartig]

I have in the past disliked the treble spike on the ZS6 but I've finally found a very good use for the ZS6. It has been my favorite bedtime IEM (paired with the Comply foam tips) because it sounds amazing when it's played at low volume. Those treble spikes seem to tame down a lot when it's played at low volume and I can still hear the rest of the frequency spectrum very clearly, clear mids...right down to the bass region even when it's played at low volume. The ZS6 is now my go to IEM for low volume playback during bedtime. Try the ZS6 at low volume and let me know what you think.

Just like the ZS6 , I was not too impressed with the ZS10 initially but I've found the best use for my ZS10 (paired with Hifiman RE400 large bore silicone tips)...watching movies or listening to any audio material which has great slam and impact is really fun with ZS10...especially pounding percussive instruments. The ZS10 never fail to impress me with it's transient response and impact across the full frequency spectrum, even though the treble is more recessed than most of the KZ ZS series. Due to the slightly recessed high frequencies, the ZS10 likes to be played loud (not ear bleeding loudness of course),,,and it'll deliver all the slam and impact that you'll ever need, unlike the ZS6 which behaves better and perform very well when played soft,

Bottom line, there's really not a single bad KZ hybrid IEMs starting from ZST onward. I've discovered that each model actually excel in different ways. Since the ZS10 was my last KZ hybrid IEM, I'll be skipping the ZSA, ES4 and ED16 because I'm pretty much covered with my collection of ZST, ZS5v1, ZS6 and ZS10. I'm waiting for the new KZ with 5 BAs per side. I hope the new model will further improve on the ZS10.

I wouldn’t say each KZ ‘excels’ in one way or another. But every KZ sure is a treat for everyone jumping from western cheap IEMs to chifi.

And some of the KZ’s are just really, really good.

 

[sino8r]

I don't think there are people out there that truly feel that way. Are there? I mean, get serious it's a budget segment product.

I agree wholeheartedly. We all know KZ can't compete with Shure, Campfire Audio, etc. They are far from God's earphones or whatever that dudes analogy was. They are budget phones that have some models that sound as good as $200 bigger name models. To me, that's pretty impressive. KZ has fun with their phones and while some claim that they're are ripoffs, I'd call them homage pieces. They're for people who'd rather spend several hundred dollars on school books, bills, and even a small vacation while still getting a good sounding earphone experience. Nothing more or nothing less. To say that our hearing is broken is humorous, really. I've had some experience with 1000 dollar earphones and wasn't impressed for the price. Unless you're a professional musician or something, it's a giant waste of money imo.

 

[Slater]

I own 2 of these at the moment
ZSR and the ES3.
Out of the two I definitely prefer the ES3. Lovely treble that's ever so slightly rolled off but dances in your ears.
Only problem I have is a fit. I use old ultimate ears foam and they're the only tips that seal but with those they are super. Although I'm gonna have a problem when the tips wear out.

As for the ZSR the fit is much better....probably due to the longer nozzles, and I can actually use the stock tips on these.
The cable on the left side has a tendency to keep coming out of the earpiece when I put them on.
Very loose connection in that side as the right is okay.
As for sound.....i just find them a bit too clean. The extended treble is nice but is too much. Not sibilant but too clean.
Definitely flatter sounding than the ES3 but just not as pleasant to listen to.
Besides may return them as the cable connection to the earpiece is a worry

No need to return, you have some alternative options:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2202#post-14281758​

Here's more clarification on tweaks to the cable pins (which I recommend) and also to the female socket (unnecessary IMO):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2204#post-14283695​

Use a TRN or modified KZ 8-braid upgrade cable with longer pins (which I recommend):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2216#post-14291675​

 

[monitoringsound70]

No need to return, you have some alternative options:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2202#post-14281758​

Here's more clarification on tweaks to the cable pins (which I recommend) and also to the female socket (unnecessary IMO):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2204#post-14283695​

Use a TRN or modified KZ 8-braid upgrade cable with longer pins (which I recommend):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-2216#post-14291675​

Thanks bud. I'll try those options

 

[Adide]

Hey guys.

Eventually the tides decided to flush my presale zs10 on home shores after shamelessly long days so my impressions follow.

Source: lg v30 forced in aux mode (amp in intermediate gain level), non-stock wide bores, trn black cable, tidal hifi.

Oob: sounded good, nothing seemed off (polarity ok and so on). Left them burn in overnight to loosen the dd (past experiences showed me that could happen).

Took them to work next day and got pissed off by the upper mids-lower trebble emphasis which made them sound harsh and unnatural.

Scrached my head on what to do next and decided to try the old proven scientific methods: incense burning, prayer chanting and more burn in. Left them burning in a few more dozen hours to appease the gods.

Today did an a/b against my old and tried zs5v1 (mind you I'm one of those strange guys liking zs5v1 very much and thinking is great balanced u shaped very detailed iem hence for many I might be off from the start).

Bass: zs10 better than zs5 with more sub-bass and more texture. Tasteful mid-bass hump and no bleeds. Good speed.
Mids: zs10 is more forward (close to level I'd say) and more detailed. Peak previously observed in upper mids seems to have gone 90% so gods must have favored my deeds. Seriously can't explain this, it's ok now.
Trebble: problem for zs10. It seems to have some upper spectrum recession which for instance makes strings playing upper notes sound synthetic (see Paco de Lucia - Beyond the Mirage). Zs5 is a beast here, everything sounds natural like you're there and instruments have a lot of air and feel nimble, a feeling which zs10 lacks. Something to do with higher order harmonics reproduction I suspect.
Sounstage, layering, separation: zs10 win, win, win. Due to that it manages to produce that 3d holographic soundstage in well mastered recordings.
Coherency: my amateurish ears cannot distinguish flagrant issues reported by others.

Now I'll keep banging zs10 against zs5 for a while because I really want their baby and maybe it's gonna happen.

Frankly I have mixed feelings with zs10 because their trebble is such a let down compared to the rest. Maybe I'll learn to love them. Or maybe not and sell them. Will also try some additional cable swapping maybe. Will see.

That's it folks, I hope this will help at least the zs5v1 loving tribe.
Will report if any breakthrough with the trebble or if zs10 will start having morning sickness.

Cheers.

Edit for consistency - I've found the lost upper mids-lower treble hyper energy: it's in the volume and I've naturally found it while turning up the volume in the subway. Makes the iem sound unnatural, strident, shouty, harsh, fatiguing. A real shame, these cannot stay. Off to the local classifieds they go.

 

[zazaboy]

@dhruvmeena96 do you think its the best kz so far about the kz ed16? everyone praising it or is it just a hype? does it have good soundstage with instrument accuracy?