[Duncan]

It's fine with other phones and DAPs though. I'll just have to use them with my fiio E6 when using my phone as that bypasses whatever problem's occurring.

Can't blame the fudge packers for this, as I think it's a quirk with the S8. Hopefully someone else with the international version of the phone buys them too to see if it's just me.

Strangely I had that when demo'ing oBravo IEMs a couple of weeks back = only one of the models (well, cables) - absolutely no idea why!

In other news, I bought on a whim, a pair of the black ZSTs - even though I paid over the odds, being in the UK, for the budget price, I'm flabbergasted, when comparing to much more expensive IEMs in my collection...

Sure the fit is lousy (popping out of my ears, unless I use foamies), and the bass is hideously overblown (for me), but if this is what can be got for £20 - then the established market really needs to wake up - and fast!

Edit:

Ok guys. Got my ZS5 few days ago.

You know guys I`m pretty hard on KZ IEMs and this time I`m going to be also.

Haven`t had much time with ZS5 but out of my iBasso DX5X these are sonically very very good and are certainly #1 KZ IEM.

For my ears they are very well tuned and have almost no faults. Almost. Will do more listening when I have time off my babycare. So far with bundled KZ starline smallest tips they seem to have very slightly looser bass I would wish for but too soon to tell.
Will have to do more tip-rolling & listening. Also, atm I have only stock cable with wire earguides (looks like dark turquoise) and haven`t measured its impedance or tried another cable.

Will update sometime soon...

On the basis of my few minutes with the ZST, and your points, just spent some more money...

 

[Francisk]

Strangely I had that when demo'ing oBravo IEMs a couple of weeks back = only one of the models (well, cables) - absolutely no idea why!

In other news, I bought on a whim, a pair of the black ZSTs - even though I paid over the odds, being in the UK, for the budget price, I'm flabbergasted, when comparing to much more expensive IEMs in my collection...

Sure the fit is lousy (popping out of my ears, unless I use foamies), and the bass is hideously overblown (for me), but if this is what can be got for £20 - then the established market really needs to wake up - and fast!

If the ZST surprises you then you should give the ZS5 a shot and pair it with the Comply T400 tips...I'm sure you won't be disappointed Yes, this is definitely a wake up call for the Big Boys

 

[Duncan]

If the ZST surprises you then you should give the ZS5 a shot and pair it with the Comply T400 tips...I'm sure you won't be disappointed Yes, this is definitely a wake up call for the Big Boys

I edited my post whilst you was quoting... just ordered a pair

 

[Spelaeus]

In other news, I bought on a whim, a pair of the black ZSTs - even though I paid over the odds, being in the UK, for the budget price, I'm flabbergasted, when comparing to much more expensive IEMs in my collection...

Sure the fit is lousy (popping out of my ears, unless I use foamies), and the bass is hideously overblown (for me), but if this is what can be got for £20 - then the established market really needs to wake up - and fast!

If you're having problems with the ZST popping out of your ears, you may want to try removing the memory wire. That fixed the problem for me, as well as for a few others here. They are now one of the most comfortable IEMs I own.

 

[Duncan]

If you're having problems with the ZST popping out of your ears, you may want to try removing the memory wire. That fixed the problem for me, as well as for a few others here. They are now one of the most comfortable IEMs I own.

Thanks for the tip... erm... cable advice

I dug out my old Beat Cronus cable, and that did the trick

Seems somewhat lopsided logic, using a cable that is approx 15x the cost of the IEM it is plugged in to but - it works, very well as it goes

 

[Francisk]

I edited my post whilst you was quoting... just ordered a pair

I just received my ZST (color edition) 2 days ago and I'm enjoying it with the Comply T400 tips. ZS5 has slightly more refined highs and slightly better sound stage than ZST but I prefer the slightly more forward mids of the ZST (color edition). The ZST (color edition) is slightly more efficient than the ZS5. For outdoor use with my S7 Edge, I prefer the ZST (color edition) due to it's slightly better efficiency. Generally both the ZS5 and ZST (color edition) are tuned quite similar.

Like what Spelaeus recommended, I too removed the memory wire from both my ZS5 and ZST and they're definitely much more comfortable now.

 

[Vidal]

.....just ordered a pair

If you find the ZSTs too bassy the ZS5 will be as well. The bass of the current ZST was turned down compared to the first gen.

 

[Duncan]

If you find the ZSTs too bassy the ZS5 will be as well. The bass of the current ZST was turned down compared to the first gen.

Doesn't sound too promising, but fun for rock / metal... may well be my go to for that...

Sideline point, the build quality is shockingly poor, this pair is essentially an open design as the shells aren't clipped together properly, and I cannot seem to squeeze them closed...

Fun nonetheless.

 

[SomeTechNoob]

Hm, my ZST Colorfuls have been traveling with me and have held up quite well actually. Thank goodness because they're my only IEM while I'm abroad.

 

[ricemanhk]

Doesn't sound too promising, but fun for rock / metal... may well be my go to for that...

Sideline point, the build quality is shockingly poor, this pair is essentially an open design as the shells aren't clipped together properly, and I cannot seem to squeeze them closed...

Fun nonetheless.

Hehe welcome to the KZ family! The seam on the ZST APPEARS to be a fault, but it's actually done on purpose. Near the back (where it says ZST hifi armature or something like that) there are actually 3 vents built into that seam.

 

[khighly]

After listening to the ZS5 for a week now and going back to the ZST's, the ZS5'S seem much more flat, but still have the same fun characteristics that make the ZST so great.

ZS5's have much less bass, but it's more in line with the mid bass and neutral.

18Khz peak.
12Hz low.

Small Dip from 1.95Khz to 2.1Khz
Steep Dip from 3.6Khz to 4.7Khz

Rest of the range sounds fairly flat. These are completely recording/mastering dependent.

 

[Vidal]

Sideline point, the build quality is shockingly poor, this pair is essentially an open design as the shells aren't clipped together properly, and I cannot seem to squeeze them closed...

Hehe welcome to the KZ family! The seam on the ZST APPEARS to be a fault, but it's actually done on purpose. Near the back (where it says ZST hifi armature or something like that) there are actually 3 vents built into that seam.

The ZS5 also has vent along the seam, it appears to be just shoddy workmanship but again like the ZST it's intentional.

 

[ricemanhk]

The ZS5 also has vent along the seam, it appears to be just shoddy workmanship but again like the ZST it's intentional.

I would say the ZS5 seam is much thinner than the ZSTs....I also thought it was a QC issue for my ZST until I saw the vents haha

 

[Duncan]

ahh, cool, thanks for advising... I just won't use them in the rain then

 

[peskypesky]

Thank goodness because they're my only IEM while I'm abroad.

are you in some country where IEM's are outlawed?