[Cruelhand Luke]

Did you ever get "into" something before you even were aware it IS a thing?
Turns out I am HARDCORE ChiFi!
I got the ZTE Axon 18 months ago because of it's excellent dac/amp/ Dolby software....then I got a Fiio A3 6 months ago to take it to the next level...and now here I am with my KZ ZS5s and ...I'm all in, I'm straight up ChiFi all day, ERRY DAY!
(I even use a weird little Akai sproingy cable to connect the phone and amp...it's USELESS in every other regard, but it's PERFECT for when you are walking around the house with your phone in one pocket and your amnp in the other...you know, 'normal stuff', like regular people do)
The point is, I should probably go get my "ChiFi 'Till I Die" tattoo once this Thanksgiving Day-day drinking REALLY kicks in...

 

[wastan]

which KZ model(s) would you recommend to a basshead, i'd like to own such iem, atm i use ATR's since not so long ago my ATE's broke the 2nd batch ones, those were actually much bassier than ATR's

ZS3

 

[kokakolia]

which KZ model(s) would you recommend to a basshead, i'd like to own such iem, atm i use ATR's since not so long ago my ATE's broke the 2nd batch ones, those were actually much bassier than ATR's

The ZS5s have really fun punchy bass but beware of the treble! It's so...excessive! (for lack of a better word).

 

[kokakolia]

I wanna go on a bit of a rant on the KZ ZS5 (V2):

The more I listen to them, the more I'm annoyed. You see, the ZS5 has tonnes of "raw detail" and "raw potential" but it's executed so poorly. The bass is quick and really fun, the mids are just "adequate" if not just moderately recessed and then you have that stupid treble of "DOOM!". The treble is just so loud, abrasive and sibilant. Listening to French rock music is torture, only because the "S" sound is so present in the French language.

Further, the ZS5 is the most unflattering earphone ever! It has a very bright metallic tonality that just sucks the warmth from the kick drums, string instruments and vocals out. It's like the musical equivalent of an overexposed HD passport photo that accentuates the wrinkles and makes the skin look so pale. The ZS5s are just really good at accentuating the flaws and reproducing tiny details in the music, but they absolutely suck for enjoying the music. The Marshall Mode is actually the polar opposite of the ZS5. It's a delightfully warm and balanced earphone that makes bad recordings sound good. It doesn't sound the most detailed but it sounds so good overall.

It's as if KZ bought some really good earphone drivers in bulk from an OEM and just slapped them together. Nobody cared to fine tune the ZS5s to make them sound somewhat balanced and enjoyable. I just can't bring myself to believe that the founders of KZ are an ex Audio Technica Engineer and a Classical Musician. Any Classically trained musician would immediately say "Wow! That treble is too much!". It only takes a violin, flute or brass instrument extract to realize that.

Further, it doesn't make me very optimistic about the KZ brand as a whole. Will their house sound always be this unflattering, bright and sibilant? The ZSE somewhat contradicts this trend. But it just sounds muffled, claustrophobic and congested.

Presently, I see the KZ ZS5 (V2) as an unfinished product. Perhaps someone can transform these earphones into something truly amazing by modding the max out of them. I'm thinking custom 3d printed shells, dampening materials etc...

 

[Strat Rider]

especially if you are putting it in with the turkey, I mean, a metal IEM shouldn't melt at 350 degrees, right?

Thats the plus of zs5..... All plastic!

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

I wanna go on a bit of a rant on the KZ ZS5 (V2):

The more I listen to them, the more I'm annoyed. You see, the ZS5 has tonnes of "raw detail" and "raw potential" but it's executed so poorly. The bass is quick and really fun, the mids are just "adequate" if not just moderately recessed and then you have that stupid treble of "DOOM!". The treble is just so loud, abrasive and sibilant. Listening to French rock music is torture, only because the "S" sound is so present in the French language.

Further, the ZS5 is the most unflattering earphone ever! It has a very bright metallic tonality that just sucks the warmth from the kick drums, string instruments and vocals out. It's like the musical equivalent of an overexposed HD passport photo that accentuates the wrinkles and makes the skin look so pale. The ZS5s are just really good at accentuating the flaws and reproducing tiny details in the music, but they absolutely suck for enjoying the music. The Marshall Mode is actually the polar opposite of the ZS5. It's a delightfully warm and balanced earphone that makes bad recordings sound good. It doesn't sound the most detailed but it sounds so good overall.

It's as if KZ bought some really good earphone drivers in bulk from an OEM and just slapped them together. Nobody cared to fine tune the ZS5s to make them sound somewhat balanced and enjoyable. I just can't bring myself to believe that the founders of KZ are an ex Audio Technica Engineer and a Classical Musician. Any Classically trained musician would immediately say "Wow! That treble is too much!". It only takes a violin, flute or brass instrument extract to realize that.

Further, it doesn't make me very optimistic about the KZ brand as a whole. Will their house sound always be this unflattering, bright and sibilant? The ZSE somewhat contradicts this trend. But it just sounds muffled, claustrophobic and congested.

Presently, I see the KZ ZS5 (V2) as an unfinished product. Perhaps someone can transform these earphones into something truly amazing by modding the max out of them. I'm thinking custom 3d printed shells, dampening materials etc...

You had me at Bon Jour....
I';m not sure what all the rest of that said because...not to be mean, but anyone that listens to French Rock, clearly doesn't share the same interests, values or possibly even a universe as myself.
I mean...can you even say those two things together and NOT sound sarcastic?
Listen to it, "French Rock...." sounds like I am being really derisive and snippy, just putting those two words together.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

"hey man, have you heard the new Spoon album?"
"no, how is it?"
"It's cool, if you like French Rock."
see what I mean?

 

[kokakolia]

"hey man, have you heard the new Spoon album?"
"no, how is it?"
"It's cool, if you like French Rock."
see what I mean?

LOL yeah! It's for French speaking people only. But if you're interested, Indochine and Noir Desir are awesome bands.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

When it comes to my French music, I'll take Deathspell Omega, Les Discrets, Blut Aus Nord...

 

[Adide]

Gojira, Johnny Hallyday and so on.
Now maybe let's get back to being excelent to each other as the mods suggest.

 

[Saoshyant]

"hey man, have you heard the new Spoon album?"
"no, how is it?"
"It's cool, if you like French Rock."
see what I mean?

Did you grab a random band name, as Spoon is Austin based with at least one ex-IBM employee.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

Did you grab a random band name, as Spoon is Austin based with at least one ex-IBM employee.

you think they let me have a name like Cruelhand Luke and I don't know Spoon is an Austin band?

 

[Podster]

Well I'm from Austin, moved to Little Rock in '97 and both my sons are Hogs! What's a Longhorn to do:-0 Brother-In-Law graduated LSU, family is all messed up

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Gojira, Johnny Hallyday and so on.
Now maybe let's get back to being excelent to each other as the mods suggest.

Gojira is the tits. Ever seen 'em live?

I wasn't trying to talk smack, either. Just throwing some bands out there that I jam loudly with the ZS6!

 

[nadezhda 6004]

The ZS5s have really fun punchy bass but beware of the treble! It's so...excessive! (for lack of a better word).

Is it possible to equalize the issue?