[rad7]

I think audiophilia, to call it like a disease, totally ruins this hobby for most users without them even knowing. We are talking about an in ear monitor, of course you do not need an amplifier, though there are a very few exceptions. Of course your source should be loud enough but these earphones are made (!) to be used on everyday phones, notebooks etc.
It really makes me sad.

You are right. It's just that I am new to the audiophile world and just want to buy some good, cheap earphones. And then I get overwhelmed by all the different opinions and reviews. I was about to buy these on amazon when a reviewer, who seems to know what he is talking about says this:
 

 THE 'COLORFUL ZST' IS EXCELLENT ON A SUFFICIENTLY POWERED SOURCE!
If you plan on hooking these up to your phone or an efficient DAP (20+ hrs of playback time) you'll miss out on the best that these have to offer. You'll miss the fullness and rumble in the low end which is the whole point of the DD in this hybrid. In addition, you will get slightly morelow end grunt with stock cables if that's your preference.

 Playing the ZST through a smartphone or power efficient DAP will result in the lack of the incredibly clean and FULL low end. This means he/she will mostly hear frequencies ranging from 100hz to 20,000hz (everything below 80hz will seem vaguely absent) and then he/she will complain that the ZST doesn't have enough bass. Don't be a softhead! Play the ZST through an amplified source. If you don't have an amplified source you should pick up the KZ ED9. Yes, I may be coming across a bit rough, but I do it because I want you to remember this part of the review. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Full review here: https://goo.gl/J0iyeE

 

[Vidal]

If memory serves me right, the overall sound of the ED12 is off with unnaturally forward midrange coupled with a treble that is rolled off too much that makes music sounded dull. The bass probably is the better presented ones overall with good amount of punch (seems like ED series tuning)though lacking depth and a little too much on midbass. Midrange particularly vocals sounded closed & congested, lacking openness which makes the clarity suffers a lot. Not too sure how others think of it but as usual YMMV and it's been too long since i last heard it.

 
Kudos for attempting to see figure out what was wrong with the sound.

 

[Vidal]

  You are right. It's just that I am new to the audiophile world and just want to buy some good, cheap earphones. And then I get overwhelmed by all the different opinions and reviews. I was about to buy these on amazon when a reviewer, who seems to know what he is talking about says this:
 
Full review here: https://goo.gl/J0iyeE

 
Wow that's not a review that's a novel, someone who likes the sound of his own voice me thinks. Its a fundamentally flawed review as the ZST simply doesn't need a amp.

 

[Ruben123]

You are right. It's just that I am new to the audiophile world and just want to buy some good, cheap earphones. And then I get overwhelmed by all the different opinions and reviews. I was about to buy these on amazon when a reviewer, who seems to know what he is talking about says this:

Full review here: https://goo.gl/J0iyeE

Years ago, audio was about loving the music. To day it is about making as much money as possible on people who have no clue about anything but just buy it because it looks cool or is said to be better. For instance $1000 cables of a few inches or, completely crazy, the use of stickers on a $4000 music player. I'm going way too off topic here but anyone could agree that stickers can't change the sound. The audio market is sick, ill, diseased.

 

[rad7]

   
Wow that's not a review that's a novel, someone who likes the sound of his own voice me thinks. Its a fundamentally flawed review as the ZST simply doesn't need a amp.

That's what I thought. Even though I am an audiophile noob, I knew that most IEMs & especially this one, which has an impedance of just 18 ohms may not need an amp. Then I see a review like this!

 

[rad7]

Years ago, audio was about loving the music. To day it is about making as much money as possible on people who have no clue about anything but just buy it because it looks cool or is said to be better. For instance $1000 cables of a few inches or, completely crazy, the use of stickers on a $4000 music player. I'm going way too off topic here but anyone could agree that stickers can't change the sound. The audio market is sick, ill, diseased.

Again you are right. But then there are forums like this which are incredibly helpful in guiding someone like me to not fall victim to those marketing gimmicks. I bought my first two audiophile-grade headphones after getting advice from this forum & I love them. So, I guess all hope is not lost.

 

[TrixtonSk8]

While IEMs do not require amplification, in many cases, adding an amplifier can help to round out the sound or fill out certain frequency ranges, it's not just about the volume.  More importantly for IEMs, the DAC can and will change the sound fairly significantly, even for budget level IEMs.  While there are people in the audio community that are quite deluded, it doesn't justify the wholesale write-off of the use of amplification for efficient headphones.  Similarly, many efficient headphones sound nice out of everyday devices, but that doesn't mean they can't sound better with a nicer chain.

 

[Vidal]

  While IEMs do not require amplification, in many cases, adding an amplifier can help to round out the sound or fill out certain frequency ranges, it's not just about the volume.  More importantly for IEMs, the DAC can and will change the sound fairly significantly, even for budget level IEMs.  While there are people in the audio community that are quite deluded, it doesn't justify the wholesale write-off of the use of amplification for efficient headphones.  Similarly, many efficient headphones sound nice out of everyday devices, but that doesn't mean they can't sound better with a nicer chain.

 
Respectfully disagree, especially relating to highly efficient IEMs as an amp will probably add hum. My Cozoy Aegis dac which isn't the most powerful dac/amp adds some hum with the ZST as does my Little Dot on it's lowest configuration.
 
Dacs are good tool when working with a phone with ropey output and a DAP with an EQ can help. Amps are completely the wrong tool

 

[TrixtonSk8]

   
Respectfully disagree, especially relating to highly efficient IEMs as an amp will probably add hum. My Cozoy Aegis dac which isn't the most powerful dac/amp adds some hum with the ZST as does my Little Dot on it's lowest configuration.
 
Dacs are good tool when working with a phone with ropey output and a DAP with an EQ can help. Amps are completely the wrong tool

 
I would say it depends on the setup...

 

[Vidal]

 
I would say it depends on the setup...

 
Please give us a specific example so I can see what you're talking about.
 
At the moment you're suggesting someone should buy an amplifier to improve the sound of a $15 highly efficient IEM, I'd really like to understand the setup where that makes sense. 

 

[Ruben123]

While IEMs do not require amplification, in many cases, adding an amplifier can help to round out the sound or fill out certain frequency ranges, it's not just about the volume.  More importantly for IEMs, the DAC can and will change the sound fairly significantly, even for budget level IEMs.  While there are people in the audio community that are quite deluded, it doesn't justify the wholesale write-off of the use of amplification for efficient headphones.  Similarly, many efficient headphones sound nice out of everyday devices, but that doesn't mean they can't sound better with a nicer chain.

An amplifier *amplifies* the signal. If it does more, it does something it shouldn't do or is broken.

 

[TrixtonSk8]

   
Please give us a specific example so I can see what you're talking about.
 
At the moment you're suggesting someone should buy an amplifier to improve the sound of a $15 highly efficient IEM, I'd really like to understand the setup where that makes sense. 

 
Is that what I said?  

 
I already have amp/DACs at my disposal.  I never suggested anyone buy an amplifier...  There are some very broad generalizations being made in this thread, I was simply attempting to curb the anti-audiophile zealotry.  You certainly don't need an amplifier for good sound from budget IEMs (as I stated).  If your amp produces a hum when using your headphone with it, don't use it, pretty simple.  All of my headphones sound different out of my phone, Ruizu DAP, Fiio E17k amp/DAC, and Magni/Modi stack.  The resultant sound depends on both the chain and the headphone being used, not just the efficiency of the IEM.

 

[B9Scrambler]

  While IEMs do not require amplification, in many cases, adding an amplifier can help to round out the sound or fill out certain frequency ranges, it's not just about the volume.  More importantly for IEMs, the DAC can and will change the sound fairly significantly, even for budget level IEMs.  While there are people in the audio community that are quite deluded, it doesn't justify the wholesale write-off of the use of amplification for efficient headphones.  Similarly, many efficient headphones sound nice out of everyday devices, but that doesn't mean they can't sound better with a nicer chain.

 
I'm with you on this. Amps aren't added into my chain for volume because I listen at such a low level typically, but to change the sound signature leading into the earphone. For example, the stock signature of my HTC One M8 is a little warm. The stock signature of my Motorola Moto G is quite bright. Using the ZST through either of those leads to various aspects of it's stock signature being emphasized or de-emphasized. Add in the NX1 which has a pretty neutral sound, and it lessens those differences. Different devices have differing signatures.

 

[Podster]

Years ago, audio was about loving the music. To day it is about making as much money as possible on people who have no clue about anything but just buy it because it looks cool or is said to be better. For instance $1000 cables of a few inches or, completely crazy, the use of stickers on a $4000 music player. I'm going way too off topic here but anyone could agree that stickers can't change the sound. The audio market is sick, ill, diseased.

Oh come on now Ruben, they could be magic stickers

Everyone remember the magic stones http://www.stereotimes.com/acc120211.shtml

I've often wondered just how much R&D can go into a 5 foot piece of copper

My personal limit has always been $50 because at $50.01 I start to become skeptical

I sure wish my colored ZST's would get here

 

[Podster]

   
Is that what I said?  

 
I already have amp/DACs at my disposal.  I never suggested anyone buy an amplifier...  There are some very broad generalizations being made in this thread, I was simply attempting to curb the anti-audiophile zealotry.  You certainly don't need an amplifier for good sound from budget IEMs (as I stated).  If your amp produces a hum when using your headphone with it, don't use it, pretty simple.  All of my headphones sound different out of my phone, Ruizu DAP, Fiio E17k amp/DAC, and Magni/Modi stack.  The resultant sound depends on both the chain and the headphone being used, not just the efficiency of the IEM.

So true, so true on that amp sound thang

Now source is a whole nutta story

(We not even going to mention file quality)

 
I've never needed an amp on this setup