[CoiL]

I pulled my KZ ZS5 v1, months after the last session, and I'm amazed.
Damn, it just makes the TRN V80 eat dust. Much more coherent and without that V80's artifical and tiring treble.
Mids recessed? Maybe a little bit but they blend greatly in the wide wide soundstage the ZS5 offers.
The separation is top notch.
What a gem!
ZS5 v1 is a LEGEND in the chifi.

Confirm this! With proper amping and source gear - ZS5v1 is amazing, almost holographic I would say! ;P

 

[Mellowship]

Confirm this! With proper amping and source gear - ZS5v1 is amazing, almost holographic I would say! ;P

Lucky ones that got two of those!

 

[Mellowship]

I pulled my KZ ZS5 v1, months after the last session, and I'm amazed.
Damn, it just makes the TRN V80 eat dust. Much more coherent and without that V80's artifical and tiring treble.
Mids recessed? Maybe a little bit but they blend greatly in the wide wide soundstage the ZS5 offers.
The separation is top notch.

What a gem!

ZS5 v1 is a LEGEND in the chifi.

Edit: I'm buying the AS10. Is it really an upgrade?

I would not classify the AS10 as an upgrade to the ZS5v1, but as a great sidekick. They are both excellent for their price, and different from each other enough to justify having both around. They are currently my favourite IEM.
The AS10 has a faster bass and a more coherent behaviour with all kinds of music. The treble is more refined and laid-back (but not sleep-inducing! It is still energetic and clean, while not suffering from the typical new-gen KZ sibilance). In terms of spacial definition, the ZS5v1 is slightly better, with a wider and deeper soundstage and imaging, while the AS10 puts the image somewhat too close to your head and you need more brain processing to get things more defined.
Regarding comfort, the AS10 is smaller and the housing is rounder. My big ears and ear canals don't get affected with either one of them, but for those with smaller ears, the AS10 seems to hit a soft-spot. If you feel the ZS5 pressing against some part of your ears with its sharp edges, you won't have a problem with AS10.
What I don't like about them: the original cables. The ZS5 comes with that greenish piece of crap. Both come with that memory wire. All my memory wires were removed from the cables, and in the AS10's cable, the removal stripped of one of the wires from the plug, ruining the cable. Currently, one of my ZS5 is with a KZ USB-C dac cable, the other is wired with a KZ silver(?) and copper grey (brownish) cable, and the AS10 with a TRN 8 conductors black and silver cable.

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Which KZ IEM's sound as good, close to as good or better than the Tin Audio T2's? Or all of the above. Thanks.

 

[BrunoC]

I would not classify the AS10 as an upgrade to the ZS5v1, but as a great sidekick. They are both excellent for their price, and different from each other enough to justify having both around. They are currently my favourite IEM.
The AS10 has a faster bass and a more coherent behaviour with all kinds of music. The treble is more refined and laid-back (but not sleep-inducing! It is still energetic and clean, while not suffering from the typical new-gen KZ sibilance). In terms of spacial definition, the ZS5v1 is slightly better, with a wider and deeper soundstage and imaging, while the AS10 puts the image somewhat too close to your head and you need more brain processing to get things more defined.
Regarding comfort, the AS10 is smaller and the housing is rounder. My big ears and ear canals don't get affected with either one of them, but for those with smaller ears, the AS10 seems to hit a soft-spot. If you feel the ZS5 pressing against some part of your ears with its sharp edges, you won't have a problem with AS10.
What I don't like about them: the original cables. The ZS5 comes with that greenish piece of crap. Both come with that memory wire. All my memory wires were removed from the cables, and in the AS10's cable, the removal stripped of one of the wires from the plug, ruining the cable. Currently, one of my ZS5 is with a KZ USB-C dac cable, the other is wired with a KZ silver(?) and copper grey (brownish) cable, and the AS10 with a TRN 8 conductors black and silver cable.

Thank for your detailed reply.

I have a lot of "IEM sidekicks" which of course I blame HeadFi for. Actually too many, and I still find the ZS5v1 one of the best, but yes,I bet I'll like the AS10.
I also have lots of earbuds, which I find have incredible price/performance, but that's another story...

 

[Mellowship]

Thank for your detailed reply.

I have a lot of "IEM sidekicks" which of course I blame HeadFi for. Actually too many, and I still find the ZS5v1 one of the best, but yes,I bet I'll like the AS10.
I also have lots of earbuds, which I find have incredible price/performance, but that's another story...

Glad to find someone from my hometown here, carago!

 

[CoiL]

Which KZ IEM's sound as good, close to as good or better than the Tin Audio T2's? Or all of the above. Thanks.

None?

 

[Slater]

Which KZ IEM's sound as good, close to as good or better than the Tin Audio T2's? Or all of the above. Thanks.

Why not just get the T2? At $24 during 11.11, there’s no KZ that’s any better at <$24.

Here’s the (currently available) KZ choices <$24 KZ:

• ZS1 v2
• ZS2
• ZS3 v1
• ZS4
• ZS5 v2
• ZSA
• ZSE
• ZSN
• ZST
• EDR1
• EDR2
• EDSE
• ED9
• ED12
• ED15
• ED16
• ES3
• ES4
• ATE
• ATR
• HD9

If I had to pick 1 that was the closest, I say the ED9 (with the balanced nozzle). But with the T2 you are gaining a removable mmcx cable vs fixed, and a double dynamic w/crossover vs a single dynamic.

P.S. - I didn’t even include the ED4 on the list, because it’s an abomination lol

 

[antdroid]

The ZSN measures similarly to the T2. It has a warmer signature though.

 

[Podster]

LOL @Slater , that p.s. slays me

Holy Macaroni, just realized Pod may be Bi Seems the best of both worlds here

I see the Rock-Boxable Blue tooth Benjie T6 is going for $42.50 on 11/11 and well worth it for these two added features from the original Did I mention that includes a 32GB MSD card

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...59fda248e1dfbbee940edc_1541603403_32856559739

 

[eclein]

Podster I ordered Red Benjie S5B to go with my Red/Gold BA10’s ...haha....then I resaw your post way back with the Red rig you have going.....sublimal ordering....is that a thing?
I’m seriously thinking of selling my 64 audio iems... I like the BA10 sound better, its way more open and detailed.
Am I losing it? Actually maybe its already lost.

 

[1clearhead]

Lucky ones that got two of those!

I'm feeling lucky, now!

 

[Podster]

Podster I ordered Red Benjie S5B to go with my Red/Gold BA10’s ...haha....then I resaw your post way back with the Red rig you have going.....sublimal ordering....is that a thing?
I’m seriously thinking of selling my 64 audio iems... I like the BA10 sound better, its way more open and detailed.
Am I losing it? Actually maybe its already lost.

This happens when one OD's on Crabby Patties

 

[loomisjohnson]

Why not just get the T2? At $24 during 11.11, there’s no KZ that’s any better at <$24.

Here’s the (currently available) KZ choices <$24 KZ:

• ZS1 v2
• ZS2
• ZS3 v1
• ZS4
• ZS5 v2
• ZSA
• ZSE
• ZSN
• ZST
• EDR1
• EDR2
• EDSE
• ED9
• ED12
• ED15
• ED16
• ES3
• ES4
• ATE
• ATR
• HD9

If I had to pick 1 that was the closest, I say the ED9 (with the balanced nozzle). But with the T2 you are gaining a removable mmcx cable vs fixed, and a double dynamic w/crossover vs a single dynamic.

P.S. - I didn’t even include the ED4 on the list, because it’s an abomination lol

"better" is of course, inherently subjective. i would say that the t2 is more refined than any of the foregoing kzs in the sense of being a more accurate reproduction of sound, though i personally get more enjoyment out of the ed16/zsr/ed9 (with the gold filter), which are bassier and less analytical (as well as better isolation).

 

[Podster]

"better" is of course, inherently subjective. i would say that the t2 is more refined than any of the foregoing kzs in the sense of being a more accurate reproduction of sound, though i personally get more enjoyment out of the ed16/zsr/ed9 (with the gold filter), which are bassier and less analytical (as well as better isolation).

Not to mention the the ED9 in that configuration is probably the most musical iem at <$10 on the planet If Pod wants analytical he'll do a complex math problem, plus musical is the critics nightmare