[saldsald]

Got some news from a KZ rep:

The KZ SK10 will be releasing next week. 1 BA + 1 DD hybrid configuration. Could this be the CSN in TWS form? Also is still AAC limited and might actually be using the same chip as the AZ09. Pricing would be about 40 USD, give or take.

EDIT: NVM. It doesn't use the same BA as the CSN. Might be an "updated" SKS?

I'll be able to share my impressions a week after it releases (review unit)






Oh, another update for those interested in their wired IEMs - I was told that KZ is currently focusing on Bluetooth transducers. So the electrostatic (if it will push through) might not be seen in the near future

Looks more like another SKS to me, the driver is not XUN so can't be the CSN.

 

[forestitalia]

To me has been an 'How' factor

 

[forestitalia]

No much changes after 24 hrs burn in, are too dark for me. Drums the odder, can't hear the cymbals.
Don't understand this kind of sound 'signature', no high frequencies.
Maybe this copy is not functional, I'm afraid have to send it back.

 

[boredbuyingstuff]

No much changes after 24 hrs burn in, are too dark for me. Drums the odder, can't hear the cymbals.
Don't understand this kind of sound 'signature', no high frequencies.
Maybe this copy is not functional, I'm afraid have to send it back.

Can you hear them here?


I agree that if you listen to Nirvana, for example, it seems way behind - at least for me -, but it is still there.


But the higher the quality of the source, the better it sounds. The same track from Nirvana at the same volume level on the same source sounds way better if I go from Youtube to Spotify highest-res setting.


Just as a side note, I have a ZSX and if I play these on them it sounds like a distorted blob but on the AST it sounds fine...

 

[voicemaster]

Can you hear them here?


I agree that if you listen to Nirvana, for example, it seems way behind - at least for me -, but it is still there.


But the higher the quality of the source, the better it sounds. The same track from Nirvana at the same volume level on the same source sounds way better if I go from Youtube to Spotify highest-res setting.


Just as a side note, I have a ZSX and if I play these on them it sounds like a distorted blob but on the AST it sounds fine...

The difference is that the AST put the cymbals sound kinda in the back not forward like ZAX or any other IEMs. It is the same thing with the ASX and ASF. At first, this will sound like you can't hear the cymbals or it is buried in the mix, but as you get used to it, you can hear them just fine.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

No much changes after 24 hrs burn in, are too dark for me. Drums the odder, can't hear the cymbals.
Don't understand this kind of sound 'signature', no high frequencies.
Maybe this copy is not functional, I'm afraid have to send it back.

What player are you using? The comments you mentioned is what I hear from low powered source, If you have a source with 800+mW output, AST will be a keeper.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

The difference is that the AST put the cymbals sound kinda in the back not forward like ZAX or any other IEMs. It is the same thing with the ASX and ASF. At first, this will sound like you can't hear the cymbals or it is buried in the mix, but as you get used to it, you can hear them just fine.

Yea i think Treble unit is also hooked with negative polarity, looking for some braver to disassemble then solder the plarity reversed I’m getting too old and my hand may not be capable of those precision works anymore

Do note painful “KZ” spike might appear as a result

 

[RikudouGoku]

What player are you using? The comments you mentioned is what I hear from low powered source, If you have a source with 800+mW output, AST will be a keeper.

its a BA iem....they certainly dont need that much power. Its more important to check the output impedance, as that is likely to affect the FR depending on how high/low it is.

 

[nicksson]

What player are you using? The comments you mentioned is what I hear from low powered source, If you have a source with 800+mW output, AST will be a keeper.

800+mW?! Are you talking about a welding machine?

 

[mndless]

its a BA iem....they certainly dont need that much power. Its more important to check the output impedance, as that is likely to affect the FR depending on how high/low it is.

I was thinking the same. It's a 30ohm set, if I remember correctly, and fairly sensitive. While I'm sure it would work even better with some serious current, it should function just fine on far less than that. I've heard some things about the missile launcher BA array sometimes needing significant burn-in to work properly (another thing which really doesn't sit right with me, since BA drivers should at least be quite audible straight from manufacturing unless they've been damaged). KZ has made real strides in trying to improve their QC, but I wonder if these kinds of situations will become more commonplace when they're changing so much of their driver tuning and porting in one go.

 

[RikudouGoku]

I was thinking the same. It's a 30ohm set, if I remember correctly, and fairly sensitive. While I'm sure it would work even better with some serious current, it should function just fine on far less than that. I've heard some things about the missile launcher BA array sometimes needing significant burn-in to work properly (another thing which really doesn't sit right with me, since BA drivers should at least be quite audible straight from manufacturing unless they've been damaged). KZ has made real strides in trying to improve their QC, but I wonder if these kinds of situations will become more commonplace when they're changing so much of their driver tuning and porting in one go.

BA iems dont really benefit from more power like DDs do. They do however, benefit from higher quality power (lower OI, less risk for hiss as well).
(of course, if KZ tuned them with a source (and cable) with high OI, a lower OI source might be worse lol.)

 

[artatgray]

Here you are:

Don't understand this kind of sound 'signature', no high frequencies.

It sounds like the treble is rolling off too early. (I'm not even going to consider purchasing the AST until I see proper measurements of it.) Both the ASF and ASX are like that as well.

Fortunately the ASX responses very well to EQ and sounds fantastic when tuned to Harman.

Seriously! It's a toss up between them and the ZAX when both are EQed to Harman. The ZAX might sound like the slightly brighter of the two under those circumstances, but not by much. I suspect I might have a hard time telling apart based upon frequency response alone then.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

800+mW?! Are you talking about a welding machine?

Oops 80mW

 

[RikudouGoku]

It sounds like the treble is rolling off too early. (I'm not even going to consider purchasing the AST until I see proper measurements of it.) Both the ASF and ASX are like that as well.

Fortunately the ASX responses very well to EQ and sounds fantastic when tuned to Harman.

Seriously! It's a toss up between them and the ZAX when both are EQed to Harman. The ZAX might sound like the slightly brighter of the two under those circumstances, but not by much. I suspect I might have a hard time telling apart based upon frequency response alone then.

 

[artatgray]

That doesn't tell me much really, other than I was right. It would be more useful if I could see the measurements in relation to the Harman IE target.