Yes, because I'm a high volume listener, so more than +8db pinna gain from neutral point will be perceived as shouty high mids for me caused by fletcher Munson curved than often explained by
@baskingshark
At some volume level point, the pinna gain area will be perceived louder more than other frequencies as volume increase so the +7 or +8db is my sweet spot.
The AS24 in default is very high mids focused. I haven't play with many switch combination nor I have measured them so my based on
@paulwasabii and
@baskingshark graphs, I just put wild guess with 0111 on main switches which activated sub bass and mid bass increase to balance the high mids and 0011 on auxiliary switch to boost the trebles.
So with this combination in my very limited time with the AS24, they sounded more balanced but still the high mids take the lead. But even with this condition (not perfect tonality for me), honestly the AS24 sounded refine with great technicalities especially on details, instrument separation and imaging. The soundstage isn't particularly very wide nor the depth but they do show "layering" positioning where I never heard with sets below $300.
Even with the flaws that I found in short time as they do have BA timbre, or not so deep sub bass, I'm pretty confidence to put the AS24 in best of KZ IEMs together with PR2 (i mod them, and i never heard PR3).
I will measure them later when I got plenty of time since the switches are a lot and I suspect KZ also dampen them with similar nylon filter on the nozzle like castor and PR series too (white colored nylon filter) but I doubt I can stuff cotton or foam since they have sound tubes on the nozzle, current best bet for mod is playing with covering only mids area tube or double it with mesh / tanchjim filter on mids tube.
About ZES, only few KZ using this bigger 12mm driver aside from ESX and this ZES and the giant driver is more impactful than other KZ bass DD. That's why I said long time ago, why KZ don't use this anymore for hybrids. They already have their component ready to challenge the next level.
Put that giant 12mm as sub bass, combine it with their planar or BAs or even their MST, with right tuning, this can be a killer set. If they want I can provide my ideas as base blue print and help with tuning also and not necessarily have a collabs with me, I can provide them without any single share pennies.
Back to ZES, they have impactful bass and leaner high mids but need to be modded for better bass and mids response. Sadly we can't do anything about rolled off treble part. Yeah I still can call that as a baby Z1R on budget, similar tonality with ISN H40 on midfi class. Remember though just the glimpse of tonality and bass impact not the whole thing as a package.