[vegetaleb]

Hello!
Now that AE is having some ofers on the BT KZ aptx cord I wonder if I get one or not.
Anyone bought it?
My last KZ iem are ZSR which sound very good but have a pretty bad fir in my ears unless I plug them to the ZS3 cable which has a better memory wire.
So my questions are:
Will this BT cable for ZSR givve me a good memory wire a la ZS3 or it's as bad as the one that comes with the ZSR?
How good is the SQ using aptx?

 

[DocHoliday]

With all this discussion about the new quad-drivers on offer, modifications and eartip selection (foam vs silicone) perhaps those of you who still have questions about the ZS6 should revisit them. In particular let's look at a stock ZS6 versus one of Slater's modified ZS6's for the treble-sensitive.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-zs6.22686/reviews#review-20787

 

[mathi8vadhanan]

Hello!
Now that AE is having some ofers on the BT KZ aptx cord I wonder if I get one or not.
Anyone bought it?
My last KZ iem are ZSR which sound very good but have a pretty bad fir in my ears unless I plug them to the ZS3 cable which has a better memory wire.
So my questions are:
Will this BT cable for ZSR givve me a good memory wire a la ZS3 or it's as bad as the one that comes with the ZSR?
How good is the SQ using aptx?

Avoid the KZ's BT cable at all cost. It has terrible reception, even when the source is paced on top of it. Also, some batches had L & R channels wired incorrectly.

 

[Slater]

Hello!
Now that AE is having some ofers on the BT KZ aptx cord I wonder if I get one or not.
Anyone bought it?
My last KZ iem are ZSR which sound very good but have a pretty bad fir in my ears unless I plug them to the ZS3 cable which has a better memory wire.
So my questions are:
Will this BT cable for ZSR givve me a good memory wire a la ZS3 or it's as bad as the one that comes with the ZSR?
How good is the SQ using aptx?

Get the TRN aptX cable. The KZ one is junk.

 

[hakuzen]

I don't know if this is off-topic but can anyone recommend me a cheap portable DAP for the ZS5 V1 and ZS10? I just want to try one and see if one could be handy in the future.

@Podster likes the benjie S5 with his ZS6 and looks like a great VFM. If you can spend a bit more, I would recommend getting the Shanling M0. It's feature packed and performs brilliantly considering the size and price ($109).

due to extreme low impedance of zs5 v1, demanded current is high.
i do like benjie s5, but can't recommend it for zs5 v1, due to its low current limitation (and its output impedance around 1ohm -lower would be better-).
shanling m0 looks great and has got very low output imedance (0.16ohms, manufacturer's specs), but don't know about its actual limit of current.
xduoo x3 is my cheap choice for zs5 v1 (enough current capability, very low output impedance, plus rockbox!), regardless of some hiss.

 

[Gordhifi]

https://www.headfonia.com/review-kz-zs5/ Great review

 

[jeromeaparis]

About the DAP source,
I had the Benjie S5 (40 $), it is good for the price, maybe not better than your smartphone
Xduoo X3 (110 $) is very superior in every aspect !
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ori...bd90-4d4f-81a0-c383762e482f&priceBeautifyAB=0
X3 has one CS4398 Dac that is used too inside 500$ dap Astell & Kern AK70
small mod inproves trebles and bass quality
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/xdu...98-chip-lossless-music-player.782912/page-299
you may install alternative firmware "rockbox" for better use
http://xvtx.ru/rockbox/manual.htm

 

[BadReligionPunk]

I had X3. I couldn't rec it based on the fact that it plays files(44.1k) slower then normal. Rockbox or encoding to 48k fixes the playback problem. If not interested in Rockbox like me, then no go.

 

[Podster]

@Podster likes the benjie S5 with his ZS6 and looks like a great VFM. If you can spend a bit more, I would recommend getting the Shanling M0. It's feature packed and performs brilliantly considering the size and price ($109).

THX for the recco mathi8vadhanan, this M1 is as close as I can get right now but I am seriously considering the new M5s

 

[dhruvmeena96]

The conflicting views on the AS10 are precisely why subjective reviews of entry-level IEMs here (it's even worse on YT) are imperfect indicators of the IEM's performance.
Just watched a reviewer on YT say the AS10 was the first all-BA IEM they'd heard. That's so awful that the only positive thing to take away from that revelation is that at least they're honest about their limitations.
The hype from entry level hifi enthusiasts kills all rational reactions to the purchase.
Some reviewers are willling to feed into the hype of their viewers, driving sales of what could be a mediocre IEM, finally leading to negativity toward the product when they don't get the giant-killing KZ that they expect.
I'm a relative newbie to the hifi hobby but I've tasted TOTL. I encourage just trying TOTL stuff so that you can watch or read these "KZ = BEST WORLD-BEATING $50 IEM EVERRR!!" reviews with some real perspective.
With the R&D, effort in QC/tuning that KZ put in, and the profit margins that KZ operate at, I think the AS10 may be KZ hitting their ceiling at least until budget chifi can find another breakthrough.

all conflicting review is because of KZ bad QC on the ZS and the advanced ES, AS series. my AS10 does wonder on some track and makes me remember ocharaku syou kurenai becasue of the bass potency and some magic at treble. Ocharaku sounds well stiched and coherent which turns out be even more magical(Ocharaku is like Magic). KZ AS10 sounds sorta kurenai

 

[dhruvmeena96]

Today, i got my KZ Silver 8braid new gen cable(Better packaging) and better feel

which one is left and which one is right, i guess i forgot the colour coding

 

[dhruvmeena96]

Well, whatever you do stay away from the new KZ Bluetooth cable. Get the TRN aptX cable. The KZ cable looks similar and is 1/2 the cost, but it is full of problems. You may as well throw money down a hole, so get the TRN cable. There are 2 TRN cables that look identical to one another; make sure you get the aptX one (unless you don’t need aptX).

I would also personally go with a 2-pin connection over an MMCX. The 2-pin is going to be much more robust in the long run.

As far as which IEM, you could really go with a number of IEMs. Some of these I own and I’d definitely recommend them. Others I don’t personally own, but respected and experienced HF members have said many good things about them.

The below list are all 2-pin compatible IEMs, which would technically work with the TRN aptX Bluetooth cable (although you may have to splay the pins slightly or trim off a tiny bit of the plastic shoulder on the Bluetooth plug to get it to fit perfectly).

Some in the list are a little more balanced, some are a bit more v shaped. But all have a tuning that would appeal to a “generic consumer”, which is a category I would suspect your sister falls into.

In no particular order:

- QKZ VK1
- BQEYZ K2 (a little more v shaped and deeper sub bass compared to the KC2)
- BQEYZ KC2 (a little more balanced compared to the K2)
- TRN V80
- KZ ES4 (some say the ES4>ED16)
- KZ ED16 (some say the ED16>ES4)

I’m sure others will jump in with some opinions and recommendations as well.

ES4 with 20ohm adapter and Foam tips with filter sounds the most neutral and tamed KZ. Add the spin-fit cp240 and it turns magical. there is a need of 20ohm adapter because the ES4 crossover design is very amazing. all bass is done by dynamic till 600Hz and the newer BA driver does the whole frequency. adding impedance adapter will effect both of drivers upper range, taking away the mid bass bleed and the nasty peaks in treble(one of the best if we compare other KZ peaks) and 20ohm is pretty less to actually swing the whole frequency. extension sorta increases and timbre gets almost perfect(KZ lacks this aspect).

ED16 goes the same. it turns out to be way more airy and open while some track screeching is taken away. sense of space due to 4kHz intended dip is now more prominent, making things get a 3Dsque space but lemme tell you, it comes at expense of timbre and imaging which KZ ES4 doesn't suffer with. i guess 10% loss of image and 15% loss of timbre(decay information). use foam tips here and no spinfit because it will sound sibilant and smooth at same time which is annoying

ED9 black with @Slater mod open back, wide brass filter, 20ohm adapter, and spinfit cp240 outclasses tinAudio T2, Alpha and Delta D6(in some aspect). the loss of bass due to slater mod is compensated by impedance adapter and spinfit extends all the treble which is smoothened by adapter.

all are geting soundstage boost

KZ ES4 turns out to be balanced mid dominated
KZ ED16 turns out to be Balanced J tuned
KZ ED9 turns out be neutral balanced with one of the best mids

you can try these mods

 

[Phantomize]

@Podster likes the benjie S5 with his ZS6 and looks like a great VFM. If you can spend a bit more, I would recommend getting the Shanling M0. It's feature packed and performs brilliantly considering the size and price ($109).

due to extreme low impedance of zs5 v1, demanded current is high.
i do like benjie s5, but can't recommend it for zs5 v1, due to its low current limitation (and its output impedance around 1ohm -lower would be better-).
shanling m0 looks great and has got very low output imedance (0.16ohms, manufacturer's specs), but don't know about its actual limit of current.
xduoo x3 is my cheap choice for zs5 v1 (enough current capability, very low output impedance, plus rockbox!), regardless of some hiss.

About the DAP source,
I had the Benjie S5 (40 $), it is good for the price, maybe not better than your smartphone
Xduoo X3 (110 $) is very superior in every aspect !
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ori...bd90-4d4f-81a0-c383762e482f&priceBeautifyAB=0
X3 has one CS4398 Dac that is used too inside 500$ dap Astell & Kern AK70
small mod inproves trebles and bass quality
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/xdu...98-chip-lossless-music-player.782912/page-299
you may install alternative firmware "rockbox" for better use
http://xvtx.ru/rockbox/manual.htm

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Podster]

Today, i got my KZ Silver 8braid new gen cable(Better packaging) and better feel

which one is left and which one is right, i guess i forgot the colour coding

Well if you are like me or at least my eyes you'll need a magnifying glass to spot the "L" or "R" on the connectors!

 

[mbwilson111]

Well if you are like me or at least my eyes you'll need a magnifying glass to spot the "L" or "R" on the connectors!

I keep a magnifying glass nearby for that purpose. If the connector is clear colored I make a red dot on the right one with permanent marker...Sharpie. Of course some iems are obvious... writing on the shell body.