[doggiemom]

  guys , who of you are using an extra amp with your KZ IEM. ?   i have a Fiio A3 working with my Galaxy S7 edge .... 
I wonder how you adjust volume ?  phone at 95 % and adjust on the amp ore amp at 90 % and adjust on the phone  ?  whats best ?  
 
Jeroen 

I use a DAC/amp pretty much all the time.  For home listening, I use a laptop > Mojo with the source volume at 100%.  For portable listening, I use an iPhone 6S (free cuz of work) > CCK > CEntrance HD portable.  I would think that with a DAC the phone volume wouldn't matter since you are just taking the digital signal from the phone not the analog waveform, (someone please correct me if I am wrong here), but I run the phone at 100% too. 

 

[Griffith]

 
I use a DAC/amp pretty much all the time.  For home listening, I use a laptop > Mojo with the source volume at 100%.  For portable listening, I use an iPhone 6S (free cuz of work) > CCK > CEntrance HD portable.  I would think that with a DAC the phone volume wouldn't matter since you are just taking the digital signal from the phone not the analog waveform, (someone please correct me if I am wrong here), but I run the phone at 100% too. 

 
Some DAC/AMPs take over the volume control of the device, others don't. My Fiio E7, as an example, takes over volume control when I plug it into my Macbook or Windows PC and whatever setting I have on the OS outside of "mute" doesn't influence it but my Audio-GD NFB12's volume can be set independently from the OS and I can tweak both if I want (though I usually have the Windows Volume at 100%).

 

[To.M]

Kinera is a brand, not an earphone.

Yes mate, I do know it as I have Kinera BD005 and there was only one model of Kinera on TrixtonSk8's list so it is obvious what I meant by writing just Kinera.

 

[Griffith]

Yes mate, I do know it as I have Kinera BD005 and there was only one model of Kinera on TrixtonSk8's list so it is obvious what I meant by writing just Kinera.

 
Well I apologize for not being a mind-reader. If you were referring to TrixtonSk8's list perhaps you should have quoted it instead of a post I made.

 

[bhazard]

I got my KZ ZST today after about a month. These are the best KZ set available IMO, and I've nearly heard them all.
 
Yes, these need EQ to fix some high end splash, but otherwise they are very capable. The first run was probably a bad batch.
 
Thumbs up.

 

[TrixtonSk8]

  I got my KZ ZST today after about a month. These are the best KZ set available IMO, and I've nearly heard them all.
 
Yes, these need EQ to fix some high end splash, but otherwise they are very capable. The first run was probably a bad batch.
 
Thumbs up.

 
Can't wait to get mine, I'm excited I will be getting so many at once 

 

[gobin]

After one month of waiting, my KZ ZS3 finally arrived
 
It's the first IEM I have that comes with an instruction for "burn in", though I can't quite understand what the instruction trying to say (seems like they using google translate or something). 
Anyway, OOTB, it sounds fairly similar to my Tennmak Pro, which is heavy toward bass and low, high is there but quite submissive. I haven't fully known what "mid range" means so I can't comment anything on that. Overall, it has more depth in tone than the Panasonic RP-HJE120, but has less clarity than the Tennmack Pro
 
Despite its weird and bulky shape, it's able fits comfortable in my ears over an extended period., which my Tennmak Pro fails to do so. +1 for the design.
Cable is slightly above average, the memory wire is definitely better than whatever it is the default Tennmak Pro's cable.
 
It looks cheap but delivers a pretty substantial performance. It deserved the $7 price tag IMO.

 

[macky112]

could someone please comment on which of these has the best sub-bass?  ZS3, ZS1, and ED9

 

[khighly]

  I got my KZ ZST today after about a month. These are the best KZ set available IMO, and I've nearly heard them all.
 
Yes, these need EQ to fix some high end splash, but otherwise they are very capable. The first run was probably a bad batch.
 
Thumbs up.

I just got tennmak pro's, and I really like them, but the ZST's enormous soundstage and clarity keeps bringing me back. They're insanely good for the price.

 

[Jeroen Pasman]

  I've seen measurements of the headphone out of my phone, and that it distorts on max volume, at least with simulated headphones plugged in. So for my LG G2 i guess 70% volume would be the best, and then adjust the rest with external amp. Too low volume from the phone makes the amp amplify noise as well, probably.
 
you can always test different combinations, and listen for differences?

 
Thanks !  yeah i was a bit affraid for the distortion at volume higher than 90 % . 
my settings :  phone at 90% and adjust the volume on the Amp .. depending on the file i have to adjust simply becouse some files are louder than the other.  i use FLAC only .
 
than the next choice i have to make is the audio player for andriod.. it has to be "poweramp"or "playerpro " 
I found the poweramp to be more analitic and not the most easy EQ settings but great detail and information about the file you play . 
The Player pro has a bit warmer sound and overall a louder sound. EQ is very good and easy .. but less detailed info about the file . 
one other thing is that the Poweramp has a very nice short fade in fade out function,
 
what do you guys use ?  
 
PS i only own the ZST and i love it !   the ATR is ordered just to compare and a set of spare ZST is also shipped to my adres.. 

 

[dudinacas]

   
Thanks !  yeah i was a bit affraid for the distortion at volume higher than 90 % . 
my settings :  phone at 90% and adjust the volume on the Amp .. depending on the file i have to adjust simply becouse some files are louder than the other.  i use FLAC only .
 
than the next choice i have to make is the audio player for andriod.. it has to be "poweramp"or "playerpro " 
I found the poweramp to be more analitic and not the most easy EQ settings but great detail and information about the file you play . 
The Player pro has a bit warmer sound and overall a louder sound. EQ is very good and easy .. but less detailed info about the file . 
one other thing is that the Poweramp has a very nice short fade in fade out function,
 
what do you guys use ?  
 
PS i only own the ZST and i love it !   the ATR is ordered just to compare and a set of spare ZST is also shipped to my adres.. 

I use BlackPlayer. Fantastic interface and library functions, good EQ too but I normally keep it on flat.

 

[Ruben123]

Thanks !  yeah i was a bit affraid for the distortion at volume higher than 90 % . 
my settings :  phone at 90% and adjust the volume on the Amp .. depending on the file i have to adjust simply becouse some files are louder than the other.  i use FLAC only .

than the next choice i have to make is the audio player for andriod.. it has to be "poweramp"or "playerpro " 
I found the poweramp to be more analitic and not the most easy EQ settings but great detail and information about the file you play . 
The Player pro has a bit warmer sound and overall a louder sound. EQ is very good and easy .. but less detailed info about the file . 
one other thing is that the Poweramp has a very nice short fade in fade out function,

what do you guys use ?  

PS i only own the ZST and i love it !   the ATR is ordered just to compare and a set of spare ZST is also shipped to my adres.. 

Seems weird to me that different music players sound else without eq applied but OK in one of the few sceptics on head fi. I use rockbox and vlc myself.

 

[Jeroen Pasman]

@Ruben 123 .. 
 
Yess that is weird !! i did a double check ... twice !  but there is a volume difference between poweramp and player pro.. of couse i checked all the EQ settings and set them in Neutral.  Since i use FLAC only i thought these 2 were the best .. if there is a better player and please inform me , i am a Noob in this ....
 
Jeroen

 

[Griffith]

  @Ruben 123 .. 
 
Yess that is weird !! i did a double check ... twice !  but there is a volume difference between poweramp and player pro.. of couse i checked all the EQ settings and set them in Neutral.  Since i use FLAC only i thought these 2 were the best .. if there is a better player and please inform me , i am a Noob in this ....
 
Jeroen

 
There's no such thing as a "best" player but there is a very big number of great players for Android. I personally use GoneMAD Music Player but there are plenty of other good players like Black Player, Neutron... there are so many. Most of them have free versions or free trial versions so I recommend you do the same thing I did, download a bunch of them and buy the one you like the most.

 

[zabunny94]

i use either foobar2000 or whatever the stick music player that came with my phone. i don't believe in those "this apps sound better than other" pitch. every music player should sound the same with EQ off anyway.