[Ruben123]

  Can somebody compare between the HDS1 and ED9 ?
The seller said the ED9 is much better than HDS1 in term of detail, treble. He also said the ZS1 is the best among HDS1, ED9 and ZS1 (detail, mid range, bass), which I found very opposed to some comments in here.
I'm very confused now @@

@Pricewise ZS1 most expensive, then ED9, then HDS1. So of course the seller will try to sell you ZS1 or ED9 instead of HDS1.
 
Own only the latter 2, hard time to say which is better. Like them both a lot, but HDS1 has tame treble and very good fit - ED9 better build quality and less (as in: less is more) mid bass. Id still go for HDS1 of the 2, when you dont like it... there' s many more KZs

 

[crabdog]

  @Pricewise ZS1 most expensive, then ED9, then HDS1. So of course the seller will try to sell you ZS1 or ED9 instead of HDS1.
 
Own only the latter 2, hard time to say which is better. Like them both a lot, but HDS1 has tame treble and very good fit - ED9 better build quality and less (as in: less is more) mid bass. Id still go for HDS1 of the 2, when you dont like it... there' s many more KZs

I don't find the treble on the ED9 to be very prominent at all but the bass is certainly there if you need it. Saying that though, I do use the gold filters and the large black tips. There are multiple different sound signatures available on the ED9, you just need to experiment with different combinations. 

 

[CADCAM]

  Can somebody compare between the HDS1 and ED9 ?
The seller said the ED9 is much better than HDS1 in term of detail, treble. He also said the ZS1 is the best among HDS1, ED9 and ZS1 (detail, mid range, bass), which I found very opposed to some comments in here.
I'm very confused now @@

I have them all and he's right the ED9 has more detail than the HDS1...the HDS1 is more balanced across the frequencies while the the ED9 has more treble energy. Some like myself like the detailed highs while others find them harsh. If you are into a more laid back sound go for the HDS1...if you enjoy detail grab the ED9. 
 
If you end up getting the ED9 make sure the tiny paper filters are in place on the inside of the brass nozzles and I also experimented with putting small amounts of filter material in the nozzles themselves as well...sounds great and they are my favorite KZ along with the ED3 Acme youth.
 
I couldn't get the ZS1 to sound good due to the over ear wire and fit so can't comment on them. 

 

[anticute]

  I have them all and he's right the ED9 has more detail than the HDS1...the HDS1 is more balanced across the frequencies while the the ED9 has more treble energy. Some like myself like the detailed highs while others find them harsh. If you are into a more laid back sound go for the HDS1...if you enjoy detail grab the ED9.

+1, my thoughts exactly

 

[vapman]

Brightness can give the illusion of greater detail but it can be the result of a higher noise floor. I do not prefer gear with bright treble as it may sound more impressive immediately but with extended listening is definitely less detailed & revealing.
 
I have found the silver KZ ATE is too bright for my tastes.  I will give it away to a friend.
 
The translucent ATE is still my favorite with a much more laid back tone. It is IMO the most detailed and, most importantly, best bass when amped. It seemed to be the same overall tone but more balanced and less aggressive sounding.
 
The ATE-S I hope will burn in to be better sounding but I am not very hopeful. It seems to have the same brightness as the silver ATE but a lot more bass. The bass is not much different than the ATE without an amp, but with an amp it is very powerful. I have mixed feelings about it though because while it is not muddy, it is a bit close to being muddy IMO. For the price it is not bad at all given how powerful the bass impact is, I still prefer the bass of the translucent ATE the most. It is more refined, has better sub bass response, and is more balanced sounding than the ATE-S.
 
When I use my friend's KZ ED9 they are too aggressive and bright for me.
 
I am hoping the translucent ATE I have in the mail will sound like my previous translucent ATE which I broke. If not I will be very sad as those were spectacular IEMs I preferred over the majority of my collection.

 

[Stl2ega]

Out of KZ family (the ones I have), I would say KZ ATE 2nd edition which I have heavily modded and is another story...
By now, from stock configuration products, I would probably choose ZN1mini which should be similar to ATE (according to impressions).
But this is only my subjective opinion with my personal gear, music taste and sound signature preferences and according to what I`ve read so far about newer KZ`s - it may not apply to You. But since You didn`t want over-ear wearing style - these are no-go for You anyway.
You should probably jump on ED9 / ED11 / EDR2 or HDS1 (I would choose HDS1 out of these).

What If I didn't care about over the ear style and just want a model that beat visang r02 SQ, which one do you choose?

 

[vapman]

@CoiL
What mods did you do the ATE? If you posted them here already, I can't find your relevant post.

 

[Ruben123]

Here comes my first writing about the EDR2.... I find it quite hard to review earphones when they sound quite the same, but not totally so. Please take this with some grains of salt!

EDR2 vs HDS1
These two sound more the same than different. Both quite balanced, with the HDS1 having more upper bass and lower mids, while the EDR2 has -as it sounds- flat mids, with slightly elevated extensions. Both sub bass on EDR2 and upper treble are lifted a bit, but not in a bad way. The slight bass lift just makes it a bit less natural than they could have been! Having used the HDS1 for quite a while now, I remembered them as being mid bassy but I dont hear that back now when I listen for it. I dont believe in burn in at all, but it seems to have become less bassy... which is a good thing. Though it may also have sound bassy when I came from the ED9s as my daily drivers.
For now: very impressed (but I am with all 3 KZs) and HDS1 and EDR2 sound more the same than different. Nothing an EQ cant do I think. EDR2 sounds more relaxing (not the in-your-face mids of the HDS1) and the addition of sub bass over the mid bass of the HDS1 does actually better to lots of music than it does not. Elevated lower mids and upper bass could -I think- somehow ruin some music, not that I experienced that with the HDS1, but certainly the EDR2 does that better. Voices seem to sound clearer on EDR2 and it doesnt sound as congested as HDS1.

Which to choose? EDR2 -for now. Its sound is a little bit better, more different than better, although still quite the same (lol) and it isolates too better I think. It is also cheaper. The HDS1 though is so small I can use it for hours and hours continuously, not so sure about the EDR2.


EDR2 vs ED9 (brass)
Well this is easier: ED9 has less bass, more highs and well that is it. It is much heavier. Mids are maybe a bit better than on EDR2, ED9s bass is too better than EDR2's (not elevated)... but ED9's treble is elevated just a tad too far. Cant write too much about these 2 as they are totally different.
EDR2: flat mids and highs, although some elevation in highs.
ED9: Flat bass and thinner (though very natural) mids, and a bit too elevated highs.
I wish I could combine the two...ED9's bass and mids and highs of the EDR2. Of the 2 I would get EDR2. It's cheaper and much less heavy, is not open backed and er, that is it. They sound too different to make one better than the other.


Hopefully someone can do a better comparison for us all. Later comparisons with VE Monk, Havi B3P1 and maybe MP8320 will follow. To be clear: in a KZ Im looking for a baby Havi! Both these 3 come relatively close and I need more listening to be sure which one to keep and which one not to keep.

 

[j0p3Y]

Here comes my first writing about the EDR2....
To be clear: in a KZ Im looking for a baby Havi! Both these 3 come relatively close and I need more listening to be sure which one to keep and which one not to keep.

great comparisons, I like reading posts like this a lot. Comparisons like these are in most (decisive) circumstances much more useful than having a single review that is praising a product like there's nothing better. Most reviews on Head-fi are like that actually, hardly any review that reads as a dealbreaker. Most probably because every reviewer has his own SQ-preferences (and sometimes just to find some excuse for the investment done ).
I can't wait for further comparisons, three per post is quite OK.

 

[Ruben123]

great comparisons, I like reading posts like this a lot. Comparisons like these are in most (decisive) circumstances much more useful than having a single review that is praising a product like there's nothing better. Most reviews on Head-fi are like that actually, hardly any review that reads as a dealbreaker. Most probably because every reviewer has his own SQ-preferences (and sometimes just to find some excuse for the investment done ).

I can't wait for further comparisons, three per post is quite OK.

 


Problem with reviews without comparisons side by side is that the human memory is not the very best!

I thought that the HDS1 was much more bassy and the ED9 much more harsh, and such a comparison lets me see that both are not like that. Really digging these KZs, only KZ I didnt like was the ANV -too bright, but could be that I had the older version instead of the newer.

 

[Ruben123]

Forgot to mention that I got again not enough eartips with my KZ! With ED9 I only got 1 small eartip and now with EDR2 I got only 1 normal eartip. And I only use small and normal so it is quite frustrating, also when I want to give some away as presents.

 

[Stl2ega]

@CoiL

What mods did you do the ATE? If you posted them here already, I can't find your relevant post.

What If I didn't care about over the ear style and just want a model that beat visang r02 SQ, which one do you choose?

Here it is

Hi all kz fan, I need some help, please choose the best kz that suit my (not over the ear style).

I'm mostly listening to pop,rock genre, sometime classical and hip-hop.

I've visang r02(Brainwavz phoalpha) and Ostry kc06a, I prefer kc06a sound better.

Thanks in advance biggrin.gif

 

[Podster]

  Brightness can give the illusion of greater detail but it can be the result of a higher noise floor. I do not prefer gear with bright treble as it may sound more impressive immediately but with extended listening is definitely less detailed & revealing.
 
I have found the silver KZ ATE is too bright for my tastes.  I will give it away to a friend.
 
The translucent ATE is still my favorite with a much more laid back tone. It is IMO the most detailed and, most importantly, best bass when amped. It seemed to be the same overall tone but more balanced and less aggressive sounding.
 
The ATE-S I hope will burn in to be better sounding but I am not very hopeful. It seems to have the same brightness as the silver ATE but a lot more bass. The bass is not much different than the ATE without an amp, but with an amp it is very powerful. I have mixed feelings about it though because while it is not muddy, it is a bit close to being muddy IMO. For the price it is not bad at all given how powerful the bass impact is, I still prefer the bass of the translucent ATE the most. It is more refined, has better sub bass response, and is more balanced sounding than the ATE-S.
 
When I use my friend's KZ ED9 they are too aggressive and bright for me.
 
I am hoping the translucent ATE I have in the mail will sound like my previous translucent ATE which I broke. If not I will be very sad as those were spectacular IEMs I preferred over the majority of my collection.

Vap, have you rolled tips and used Cad's cloth inside the filter mod on those ED9's? Makes a tremendous difference in the highs

 

[CADCAM]

 
Vap, have you rolled tips and used Cad's cloth inside the filter mod on those ED9's? Makes a tremendous difference in the highs

Yea I was gonna respond back to this also but when he said KZ ATE is too bright for my tastes I decided no...
BTW what I use is a very porous air filter material, it's blue on one side and white on the other...I cut tiny pieces and kept stuffing more or less in the brass nozzles until I hit the sweet spot 

. No illusions of detail.

 

[Podster]

  Yea I was gonna respond back to this also but when he said KZ ATE is too bright for my tastes I decided no...
BTW what I use is a very porous air filter material, it's blue on one side and white on the other...I cut tiny pieces and kept stuffing more or less in the brass nozzles until I hit the sweet spot 

. No illusions of detail.

That's cool, for sure we all hear differently! Guess I've been daydreaming again and missed you hitting the 1K post

Congrats
 
Little KZ Luv

 

 
My ED9 taste are blue whirlwinds on the gold, factory reds on the brass and ATE translucent