[toddy0191]

Hey Toddy, could you maybe go a wee bit further on how the T Pros and A2S compare sound wise? Current favourites are my ATEs, but I'm in search of something a bit more of a step up in quality with less recessed mids but retaining it's smooth bassy nature and 'big' sound. I think the T Pros are great and offer fantastic price to performance, they can just sound a bit dry/cold at times with bass that hits very well, but doesn't have the texture and musicality note wise that the ATE offers imo. Vidal has given me great advice and I'm just looking or some one else's viewpoint on the A2S.

Apologies all for off topic.

The bass on the a2s is probably stronger than the pros but better controlled and faster with netter sub bass.They both have a lovely punchy sound coming from a bump in mid bass.

The pro excels in detailed mids but the a2s with its BA surpasses them in detail and resolution.

The treble is not as forward as some other iems but has all the detail youd expect of a BA just smoothed off a little in comparrison to the mids.

Soundstage is narrower on the a2s but not as much as some have stated. They really need a lot of burn in and they start to shine IMO and i burn in by listening.

Instrument separation is above average after burn in IMO.

They have very similar signatures ie. Smooth but detailed, but the a2s has that extra touch of finesse to it (timbre attack decay and resolution) and is my favourite iem at the moment.

I'm curious about the ATR but already have the ATE.

Does anybody have both and can explain how they're different?

 

[harry501501]

Apologies all for off topic.

The bass on the a2s is probably stronger than the pros but better controlled and faster with netter sub bass.They both have a lovely punchy sound coming from a bump in mid bass.

The pro excels in detailed mids but the a2s with its BA surpasses them in detail and resolution.

The treble is not as forward as some other iems but has all the detail youd expect of a BA just smoothed off a little in comparrison to the mids.

Soundstage is narrower on the a2s but not as much as some have stated. They really need a lot of burn in and they start to shine IMO and i burn in by listening.

Instrument separation is above average after burn in IMO.

They have very similar signatures ie. Smooth but detailed, but the a2s has that extra touch of finesse to it (timbre attack decay and resolution) and is my favourite iem at the moment.

I'm curious about the ATR but already have the ATE.

Does anybody have both and can explain how they're different?

Thanks for that. I think it's okay to discuss it here cos as i mentioned I'm after an upgrade from the ATE and hoping the A2S shares it's signature, more so than the Tennmak Pro. I'm just about to buy the ATR for the same curiosity to how they compare.
 
Go back a page and check the quote i used from Mebaali for a bit of a comparison.

 

[B9Scrambler]

Apologies all for off topic.

The bass on the a2s is probably stronger than the pros but better controlled and faster with netter sub bass.They both have a lovely punchy sound coming from a bump in mid bass.

The pro excels in detailed mids but the a2s with its BA surpasses them in detail and resolution.

The treble is not as forward as some other iems but has all the detail youd expect of a BA just smoothed off a little in comparrison to the mids.

Soundstage is narrower on the a2s but not as much as some have stated. They really need a lot of burn in and they start to shine IMO and i burn in by listening.

Instrument separation is above average after burn in IMO.

They have very similar signatures ie. Smooth but detailed, but the a2s has that extra touch of finesse to it (timbre attack decay and resolution) and is my favourite iem at the moment.

I'm curious about the ATR but already have the ATE.

Does anybody have both and can explain how they're different?

 
A few of us have already commented on them on prior pages, but it'll be a pain in the butt to find those impressions.
 
Myself and at least one other found the ATR to directly refine the ATE experience. They have pretty much the same signature but the ATR has improved bass and treble extension with a touch more treble energy. Personally, I don't see the point in the ATE being on sale with the ATR in the fold since it does everything the ATE does, but slightly better. Build quality is slightly improved too. I also found ergonomics to be mildly improved since the mold for the nozzle was enhanced and the lip is more defined allowing a greater variety of tips to be used.
 
After using the ATR quite a bit over the last little while, I feel confident enough in saying it also has a slightly larger soundstage and more accurate imaging. It has two additional vents on the bottom of the housing where the two halves meet, which I'll attribute to these improved qualities.
 
All these improvements are minor and quite subtle, but after using the ATE quite extensively since they were first launched the differences are noticeable and I feel enough to call the ATR an upgrade. I also don't expect everyone to agree with these opinions/observations.

 

[mebaali]

Pretty interesting your comparison with the ATR and ATE. would you say the step up is big enough to try the ATR? i really enjoy the ATE sound, although it is quite recessed in the mids, more so than I'd usually like... it's just so much fun to listen to and isn't that the name of the game

Hi Harry,

After using ATR for the last two days, I honestly don't find much difference between these and my old ATE, in terms of sound. The first impression I had on ATR (OOTB) still holds true (for my ears). If you already have ATE and love its sound signature then chances are high that you might like ATR's slightly lean sound (but the differences are still very negligible for me, though)

Regarding A2S, they are even more smooth sounding and in many ways reminds me of ATE (except with more forward sounding mids).

Cheers!

 

[mints]

rec zs3 cable w/o memory wire plz

 

[Paulo099]

  I would definitely recommend you to try the ZST, the one with hybrid drivers. I never tried the ATR. The ATE feels like they have an L shape to my ears. Lots of bass and subbass but bloomy, mid recessed, and not so sparkly highs. The ZS3 have a slight V shape for me. Bloomy bass though, but definitely great subbass, great for EDM. I hear the mids more pronounced with the ZST, just brighter in general. The tightest bass among all the KZs but lacking in the subbass department. I like these the most with female vocals. ZST has the best resolution I feel. I cant compare with the ED9 since i never heard them.

Subbass in my ED9 with gold filters is great so I don't mind the ZST not reaching the deepest bass. I'll probably go with the ZST based on your issues with the ZS3's fit. I'm afraid that the ZS3 might not fit my ear although my friend's ATE fits my ear without any problems.

 

[haiku]

   
A few of us have already commented on them on prior pages, but it'll be a pain in the butt to find those impressions.
 
Myself and at least one other found the ATR to directly refine the ATE experience. They have pretty much the same signature but the ATR has improved bass and treble extension with a touch more treble energy. Personally, I don't see the point in the ATE being on sale with the ATR in the fold since it does everything the ATE does, but slightly better. Build quality is slightly improved too. I also found ergonomics to be mildly improved since the mold for the nozzle was enhanced and the lip is more defined allowing a greater variety of tips to be used.
 
After using the ATR quite a bit over the last little while, I feel confident enough in saying it also has a slightly larger soundstage and more accurate imaging. It has two additional vents on the bottom of the housing where the two halves meet, which I'll attribute to these improved qualities.
 
All these improvements are minor and quite subtle, but after using the ATE quite extensively since they were first launched the differences are noticeable and I feel enough to call the ATR an upgrade. I also don't expect everyone to agree with these opinions/observations.

Interesting to see that there seems to be almost no one, who has any experience with the ATE S. Wonder why that is.

 

[Ruben123]

So now I'm testing my last kzs I have, which should I keep.

Zs3 is more bassy than ATR and hds1, has the most rolled off treble but the comfort......... Atr sounds somewhat cleaner, less bass and a treble peak for extra detail though the hds1 takes the lead with detailed mids and the least bass. Though since I have some nice balanced and neutral earphones, I thought it might be better to have one warmer sounding one. Smartest is to get rid of the hds1 and zs3 I guess... Atr comfort is OK too, only thing I worry about is the isolation. Zs3 is king regarding that and I don't know how well the Atr does it.

 

[fonkepala]

Interesting to see that there seems to be almost no one, who has any experience with the ATE S. Wonder why that is.

I'm on my train commute and listening to the ATE S. Just got them a couple days ago and they've probably had about a half day's worth of burn in. They sound pretty good to me. Fit and comfort is great. The part of the cable that hooks over the ears is awesome, they're pliable yet stays in place perfectly and I prefer it to those on the ZS3 which I find to be too stiff and somehow cumbersome. I don't really like the behind the ear weights used on the ATE and ATR. Soundwise, it's still pretty early so I'll refrain from commenting too much on it for now. Initial impression is like I said above, they sound pretty good. I'll have to compare it with my ZS3, ATR and ATE in more detail later.

 

[haiku]

I'm on my train commute and listening to the ATE S. Just got them a couple days ago and they've probably had about a half day's worth of burn in. They sound pretty good to me. Fit and comfort is great. The part of the cable that hooks over the ears is awesome, they're pliable yet stays in place perfectly and I prefer it to those on the ZS3 which I find to be too stiff and somehow cumbersome. I don't really like the behind the ear weights used on the ATE and ATR. Soundwise, it's still pretty early so I'll refrain from commenting too much on it for now. Initial impression is like I said above, they sound pretty good. I'll have to compare it with my ZS3, ATR and ATE in more detail later.

I´ve ordered the new KZ silicone tips. When I interpret the pictures on ali correctly, they are meant to be a sonic upgrade for the whole KZ range. I will know in about 2 weeks from now......

 

[Euljiro]

  Subbass in my ED9 with gold filters is great so I don't mind the ZST not reaching the deepest bass. I'll probably go with the ZST based on your issues with the ZS3's fit. I'm afraid that the ZS3 might not fit my ear although my friend's ATE fits my ear without any problems.

 

 
whut something positive about the zst???? please tell us more!
 

 

   
Interesting what you said about the ZST. Makes me want to try them out. This is one of the rare times something positive has been said about the ZST, I think.
 
Nope, I didn't say the ZS3 sounds similar to the ATR, I said now I prefer the way the ATR sounds rather than the ZS3. The ZS3 sound a bit too bloomy and less detailed for me. The ATR is worth a try for the asking price. You might like them.
 
Yup, that's the one. I'll buy some and compare them to original Comply tips.
 
 
Yes, some people like them, some don't. As with everything else in this hobby
 

 
Hum, i didn't know that there werent many good things to say about the ZST. No wonder I rarely see anyone mentioning them. Made me doubt the legitimacy of my ears. So I went back and tried them on again during my subway commute and at the office. So please let me elaborate more on the ZST.
 
Let me start by making a basic assumption that if you enjoy KZ IEMs you tend to like a bit of extra bass, as opposed to someone who likes neutrality or nothing. Having said that, the ATE (which as I understand, puts KZ on the map), so it's only natural people are looking for an 'upgraded' version of the ATEs. In that sense, the ZS3 are clearly a better version of the ATE (IMO), more detailed, better highs.
 
I dont think the ZST falls on the same line as those two. It's certainly not an 'upgraded' version of the ATEs IMO. The bass response is very different than the ZS3 and ATE, these two gives a good rumble. ZST on the other hand has much tighter bass, i think some would call the bass response 'faster.' I wouldn't call any of the KZs to be good all-rounders either. So for me, it's not ZST over the ZS3 or vice versa. But depends on what I want to listen, the song, the mood, etc. Say, Martin Garrix and Bebe Rexha's In the name of love (can complain about my taste in music later), I can really enjoy Bebe's vocal with the ZST, but if I change to the ZS3 I immediately feel the need to hit the club!
 
Some negatives about the ZST would be that I hear sibilance sometime. More so when listening using my phone (note7 - finally a decent phone for me but then...). I have the FX-Audio X6 DAC/Amp combo at the office and I think it pairs well with the ZST. Some songs on my phone with the ZST is disgustingly bad i.e. AronChupa's I'm al Albatraoz (again, music choice is not the point here).
 
So in the end, if you in this as a 'hobby', and dont mind trying out this and that, by all means, I totally recommend the ZST, especially at this price point. But if you aim to find a good all-round IEM, ZST is not something I would recommend, nor any currently on offer by KZ.
 
Would love to hear what others feel about the ZST though. Cheers.

 

[Mellowship]

 
I´ve ordered the new KZ silicone tips. When I interpret the pictures on ali correctly, they are meant to be a sonic upgrade for the whole KZ range. I will know in about 2 weeks from now......

 
The ED12 come with these new tips, and it's the only thing I like on them. The tips are not a huge step forward from the prior KZ silicone tips, but they do provide a better fit and seem to stay put. As for differences in sound quality, I didn't compare with the older KZ tips, so I can´t give you an opinion. 

 

[pashhtk27]

I ordered those new kz tips too along with the round foam ones. Hope they can be put to use.

 

[Thomas De Brito]

could someone post a link to the tips, so I have to correct ones thanks

 

[ioques]

   
The ED12 come with these new tips, and it's the only thing I like on them. The tips are not a huge step forward from the prior KZ silicone tips, but they do provide a better fit and seem to stay put. As for differences in sound quality, I didn't compare with the older KZ tips, so I can´t give you an opinion. 

there are more than one kind of "new tips"
this are the ones I get with HD9 (I think they also came with ED12 and ZST).
and this they look a really upgrade, I ordered those.
 

Originally Posted by mints
 
rec zs3 cable w/o memory wire plz

+1