[carltonh]

Wow, I'm not sure how many months it took me to catch up with this thread. I've been reading since I got a pre-release ZS10. (Plus years before of dozens of KZs I've bought and know.) I've had most of the "ancient" KZs before it, but only the ES3 of the hybrid KZs. The others were catastrophic IMO from an unequalized perspective. I'm a bit of a metalhead basshead. The ZS10 was IMO, quite bad with KZ Starlines, but great with Whirlwind or related type JVC/Tennmak tips for my ears that require the largest possible tips. With that adjustment the ZS10 is better than anything I expect from KZ in 2 years into the future. With an EQ of 2 Db down at 3 Khz with a width of 2-4 Khz, this is so far above anything I've heard before, it is hard to compare. The Pioneer CH9T and CH5T and Magaosi K3 Pro are uncompariblly a level (or many levels) below.

I forgot to add that I'm using an IFI DSD Nano, a FIIO Q1, and a LG V20 as source

 

[randomnin]

Wow, I'm not sure how many months it took me to catch up with this thread. I've been reading since I got a pre-release ZS10. (Plus years before of dozens of KZs I've bought and know.) I've had most of the "ancient" KZs before it, but only the ES3 of the hybrid KZs. The others were catastrophic IMO from an unequalized perspective. I'm a bit of a metalhead basshead. The ZS10 was IMO, quite bad with KZ Starlines, but great with Whirlwind or related type JVC/Tennmak tips for my ears that require the largest possible tips. With that adjustment the ZS10 is better than anything I expect from KZ in 2 years into the future. With an EQ of 2 Db down at 3 Khz with a width of 2-4 Khz, this is so far above anything I've heard before, it is hard to compare. The Pioneer CH9T and CH5T and Magaosi K3 Pro are uncompariblly a level (or many levels) below.

So ZS10 > CH9T;CH5T;K3 Pro ... Shots fired. Would you mind elaborating?

 

[Shaolinjordan]

I have the ed16 (straight connector) and want to buy the trn bt10/bt3 cable, which only comes with the angled connector. Has anyone faced a similar problem/know if it really matters?

thanks

 

[Shaolinjordan]

Mine doesn't (and if it does it's not noticeable). But note that there's (2) different BT3 cables - 1 with and 1 without aptX. I can't speak for the one without aptX as I only have the aptX version.

Also, I can't speak for the BT10 (yet anyways, as I just ordered it yesterday).

And please note that I have an iPhone, so I don't technically even have/use aptX (I did when I had Android, but that was a while ago). So when I am connecting to my iPhone, it's using the default codec (not sure if they support AAC or not).

Just saw you have a trn bt3 - does it work with earphones that normally use straight connector? I have ed16.

 

[Mellowship]

Why on earth didn't KZ stick with one type of connector?
Well, I have two pairs of ZS5 and two pairs of ZS3, which use the same "tipe A" connection. So I got the "type A" bluetooth cable, a pair of "type A" silver-plated copper gray cables, one "type A" USB-C cable. Now I have all grounds covered: I use one ZS5 with the 3.5 cable, the other with the OTG USB-C cable, one ZS3 with the blueetooth and the other with a 3.5 cable.
Now I wish to try some new KZ stuff and can't figure out wich of them - if any - use the same connection as the ZS3/5.
Can you lend me a helping hand? I sure don't want to waste money on other accessories...

 

[Slater]

Just saw you have a trn bt3 - does it work with earphones that normally use straight connector? I have ed16.

Not unless you trim it with a razor blade or sand or down.

 

[NinjaX1]

Mine doesn't (and if it does it's not noticeable). But note that there's (2) different BT3 cables - 1 with and 1 without aptX. I can't speak for the one without aptX as I only have the aptX version.

Also, I can't speak for the BT10 (yet anyways, as I just ordered it yesterday).

And please note that I have an iPhone, so I don't technically even have/use aptX (I did when I had Android, but that was a while ago). So when I am connecting to my iPhone, it's using the default codec (not sure if they support AAC or not).

I understand, in case it would be better if you bought this module than an EP52. Do you have any reliable AliExpress links?

Thank you for your attention again.

 

[Slater]

I understand, in case it would be better if you bought this module than an EP52. Do you have any reliable AliExpress links?

Thank you for your attention again.

I have the EP52. It’s a nice Bluetooth IEM, and I use it a lot. It sounds good, has a long battery life with a long range, and doesn’t cut out like the KZ cables. I don’t remember if it supports aptX though (my phone doesn’t have aptX anyways so I don’t pay much attention).

The strengths of the KZ or TRN setup is versatility. If you don’t like the sound tuning of the EP52 too bad, you’re stuck with it. But with KZ or TRN, you can plug into numerous IEMs. And then you can change any of those same IEMs into wired mode if you wanted (which isn’t possible with the EP52).

 

[Wiljen]

How does the kz zs10 compare to the kz as10?

Rather poorly. The AS10 is a bit smaller shell so fit is likely to be easier with the AS10 although it still is fairly large. On technicals, the AS10 is better in nearly every category. Even in places where I would have expected the Zs10 to best the AS10 like bass extension, the AS10 is better. I'm not as big a fan of the AS10 as some you will find here, I think it is probably Kz's best effort to date, but it is not the world beater some would claim. It is a very solid entry at the price point and becomes more and more marginal as you move up in price. For example, at the $100 mark, I'd still rather have the I-basso IT01 due to improved build and better tonality.

 

[nxnje]

Hello boys
I ordered the trn v80 which is on the way
I've seen it has 6mm nozzle, like the one the KZ ZSR has.
So.. as the nozzle is very big, which (very)CHEAP foam tips could i buy?
I have usually bought t300 size for like 0.60€ per pair, but the T300 doesn't fit the v80 as the inner diameter is 4.5
The t400 is like 5mm as inner diameter or like that but it is very big for my ear.
What can i actually do?

 

[TechnoidFR]

It's weird but sick tips of as10 go out of my ear for one ear. I use now other tips in silicone which is more "standard" and it's ok

 

[david8613]

Rather poorly. The AS10 is a bit smaller shell so fit is likely to be easier with the AS10 although it still is fairly large. On technicals, the AS10 is better in nearly every category. Even in places where I would have expected the Zs10 to best the AS10 like bass extension, the AS10 is better. I'm not as big a fan of the AS10 as some you will find here, I think it is probably Kz's best effort to date, but it is not the world beater some would claim. It is a very solid entry at the price point and becomes more and more marginal as you move up in price. For example, at the $100 mark, I'd still rather have the I-basso IT01 due to improved build and better tonality.

I was a club head back in the day, but I don't believe I am a bass head, or maybe I am? I don't know but I am looking for an iem that has that fun, thick bass but still has all the other frequency intact. for instance I like my vmoda crossfade wireless 2 sounds very nice with the hiby r3 wired of course. anything like that in an iem?

 

[Wiljen]

I was a club head back in the day, but I don't believe I am a bass head, or maybe I am? I don't know but I am looking for an iem that has that fun, thick bass but still has all the other frequency intact. for instance I like my vmoda crossfade wireless 2 sounds very nice with the hiby r3 wired of course. anything like that in an iem?

On the cheap, Kz ES4 sounds like it would fit. Maybe Zs4 with its lineage but haven't had one in hand yet. On the opposite end of the spectrum $ wise, the Empire Bravado that I just tested sounds like it might be your endgame Iem. Granted it is extremely pricy, but wow does it have the bass without messing up the rest of the signature. Even if not in the market for something that pricy, take a listen if you get the chance as it will give you an idea what can be done in an in-ear.

 

[carltonh]

So ZS10 > CH9T;CH5T;K3 Pro ... Shots fired. Would you mind elaborating?

If people can't get a good fit on ZS10, I can understand someone disagreeing. But the imaging, soundstage are significantly better, and if you EQ down at 2-4 Khz, you can tell that micro-details are better too. Without EQing, that range sort of hides details, which is why many people prefer the V shape with a hump at ~6 Khz to artificially appear as more detailed. I preferred that too until I had the ZS10, and now the 6 Khz bump in most earphones I have to EQ down or it feels splatty. But going from 3 to 5 drives from the Magaosi K3 Pro to the ZS10, you can really feel that the drivers add lots of space. I think the CH9T is a single driver that is just slightly better than the K3 Pro, but already naturally EQ'ed perfect.

All 4 of these I've mentioned are EQable to be basshead too, and the mids and treble stays clean and unharmed when boosting bass, and it can go deep below 20 Hz where you feel it below what technically counts as the range of human hearing. I'm doubting the AS10 could do this.

 

[Wiljen]

If people can't get a good fit on ZS10, I can understand someone disagreeing. But the imaging, soundstage are significantly better, and if you EQ down at 2-4 Khz, you can tell that micro-details are better too. Without EQing, that range sort of hides details, which is why many people prefer the V shape with a hump at ~6 Khz to artificially appear as more detailed. I preferred that too until I had the ZS10, and now the 6 Khz bump in most earphones I have to EQ down or it feels splatty. But going from 3 to 5 drives from the Magaosi K3 Pro to the ZS10, you can really feel that the drivers add lots of space. I think the CH9T is a single driver that is just slightly better than the K3 Pro, but already naturally EQ'ed perfect.

All 4 of these I've mentioned are EQable to be basshead too, and the mids and treble stays clean and unharmed when boosting bass, and it can go deep below 20 Hz where you feel it below what technically counts as the range of human hearing. I'm doubting the AS10 could do this.

I'm doubting any of them have much of anything below 30Hz let alone 20Hz. That would be extremely good extension and from my listening the Zs10 rolls over very substantially below about 40Hz and the K3pro rolls off higher up than the Zs10.