[Slater]

I agree with the FR post although those are usually best done in dead silence to avoid outside influence which is hardly possible in show situation. And while not unheard of to form a reliable opinion in 5 minutes, I generally want to live with a product for several days to feel that I have done it justice. If I am going to make a negative comment, I want to be sure nothing else is involved in the issue and it truly belongs to the device in question. As an example, if I were to get a bad pairing of DAP to IEM at a show, it might cause me to artificially lower the score of the IEM (especially if using My personal DAP since we tend to think we know its tendencies and it couldn't be a problem with it, so must be this new IEM).

Sure, I agree.

I’m not saying it’s ideal, nor saying that’s what he does with all of the gear in his lists. But that’s how he’s gaining access to some of it (how much you’ll have to find out from him directly). He’s very respected and knows his stuff, so I’m sure he’s aware of the issue/danger.

 

[WalterTorino]

wow thank you for such developed answer , So I shouldnt poke it then , right??

If this is a filter, you better not to poke it of course.
If it is a glue - better to poke it.
Look closely to the hole.

Never thought that KZ put filters in a vent holes... 0_o

Even if you'll poke a filter nothing bad will happen. But if it is really a filter, so Slater is right and you don't need to break something what work properly.

 

[Slater]

If this is a filter, you better not to poke it of course.
If it is a glue - better to poke it.
Look closely to the hole.

Never thought that KZ put filters in a vent holes... 0_o

Even if you'll poke a filter nothing bad will happen. But if it is really a filter, so Slater is right and you don't need to break something what work properly.

KZ has been using filters on the dynamic driver vent holes for a while now ATE, ATR, ED9, ZS5 (v1 & v2), ZST, ZS6, ZS10, ZSR, etc.

There’s others but I can’t remember all of them off the top of my head.

Poking a hole in the front vent filter will change the sound though.

 

[Zlivan]

For anyone like me who still needs a microphone in their cable, I just discovered these two cables, I don't know their quality yet but I ordered them and when I receive them I'll tell you if they are worth it.
2 pin 0.75mm to 3.5mm Earphone Replacement Earbuds Exchange Cable w/ 3 Remote Buttons Gold Plated Straight Plug for KZ ED12 ES3
http://s.aliexpress.com/beYVVbEB?fromSns=Copy to Clipboard

2 pin 0.75mm to 3.5mm Earphone Replacement Earbuds Exchange Cable w/ 3 Remote Buttons Gold Plated Bent/Straight Plug
http://s.aliexpress.com/Un6bAJ3q?fromSns=Copy to Clipboard

I am sure they won't be as high quality as some other cables available, but I am very happy that I found cables with 2 pins and microphone with volume keys.

Cable from the second link just arrived and it's pretty good. Soft, almost no microphonics, controls work as expected. Thanks for pointing those out

While on the subject of cables and if anyone's interested, I got myself a nice clothed mmcx cable with volume control also: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Aipinchun-Soft-Earphone-Cable-With-Volume-Controller-Replacement-for-MMCX-Headphone-for-Shure-SE215-SE315-SE425/32848846227.html

 

[Strat Rider]

Hmmm, does anyone see any similarities between the last 2 FR graphs below?

1st is a stock ZS6. The 2nd is a (secret) modded ZS6. The 3rd is a ZS10.

Based on how I modded the ZS6 and the resulting FR graphs, I personally believe there was something very wrong with the ZS10 that thephonegraph.net received.

Stock ZS6:


Secret modded ZS6:


Stock ZS10:


(ignore the fact that the phonograph.net FR graph goes to 24kHz)

Lookin good Mr Slater, the secret mod looks good, but the zs10 looks too similar to be a "new" or different sound sig.

 

[DocHoliday]

I was told that you can try iems out in Asian super- and mega- stores. There, even a poor (wo)man can have an opinion on expensive earphones.

Wish we had something similar here in the states. BestBuy is the only location we have here in sunny Northern California and their selection is lousy overpriced crap. My Superlux 668b outclasses everything on display. It would be worth a trip to Asia just to spend some quality time sampling higher tier gear. I'd literally spend several days just to get a clearer view of the IEM landscape.

I know myself well enough, though. I'd much rather pour thousands into transforming something like this

....into something like this:

The guy is asking $12k (top photo) and I can probably talk him into $9,500 cash in hand.

I'm content collecting KZ's and the like because there are some incredible backroads and coastal blacktop that deserve my attention; California ribbon that I won't get to explore in some heavy metal if I head down another expensive rabbit hole.

Just an issue of how much cash is allocated to each hobby.

Because KZ exists I can do both.

 

[nkramer]

Hmmm, does anyone see any similarities between the last 2 FR graphs below?

1st is a stock ZS6. The 2nd is a (secret) modded ZS6. The 3rd is a ZS10.

Based on how I modded the ZS6 and the resulting FR graphs, I personally believe there was something very wrong with the ZS10 that thephonegraph.net received.

Stock ZS6:


Secret modded ZS6:


Stock ZS10:


(ignore the fact that the phonograph.net FR graph goes to 24kHz)

certainly looks like the ZS10 a huge step in the right direction.

 

[Slater]

Lookin good Mr Slater, the secret mod looks good, but the zs10 looks too similar to be a "new" or different sound sig.

I can’t say how similar or different it is until I hear it for myself and measure it on my own rig. But yeah, since KZ is using combinations of the same drivers in many of these IEMs, they are somewhat limited in how different they can even sound.

For example, the ZSR has most of the same drivers as the ZS5 and ZS6, which is why it sounds “similar”. Not exactly the same, but similar. I’m sure a lot of people are going to jump on me for making that comment. But the reality is that there’s only so many minor sound combinations you can make by using the same 10mm driver, and mashups of the same 2 BA drivers, right?

Of course the shell design and vents contribute to the end result.

In the past, they used many different drivers between models, which is why the ATE sounds so different from the EDR1, and the ED9 sounds so different from the HDS3.

I would really like KZ to go back to using different drivers, like graphene and biofiber. And varied shell materials, like the copper body of the ED9 or the wood body of the ED7.

I mean, they have yet to make a ‘proper’ wood bodied IEM (like the Magaosi BK50 or VJJB K4) and I know it would sell well.

Perhaps some of these reasons are why employees left KZ and founded TRN, just like employees left Audio Technica and founded KZ.

 

[groucho69]

If this is a filter, you better not to poke it of course.
If it is a glue - better to poke it.
Look closely to the hole.

Never thought that KZ put filters in a vent holes... 0_o

Even if you'll poke a filter nothing bad will happen. But if it is really a filter, so Slater is right and you don't need to break something what work properly.

 

[DocHoliday]

I can’t say how similar or different it is until I hear it for myself and measure it on my own rig. But yeah, since KZ is using combinations of the same drivers in many of these IEMs, they are somewhat limited in how different they can even sound.

For example, the ZSR has most of the same drivers as the ZS5 and ZS6, which is why it sounds “similar”. Not exactly the same, but similar. I’m sure a lot of people are going to jump on me for making that comment. But the reality is that there’s only so many minor sound combinations you can make by using the same 10mm driver, and mashups of the same 2 BA drivers, right?

Of course the shell design and vents contribute to the end result.

In the past, they used many different drivers between models, which is why the ATE sounds so different from the EDR1, and the ED9 sounds so different from the HDS3.

I would really like KZ to go back to using different drivers, like graphene and biofiber. And varied shell materials, like the copper body of the ED9 or the wood body of the ED7.

I mean, they have yet to make a ‘proper’ wood bodied IEM (like the Magaosi BK50 or VJJB K4) and I know it would sell well.

Perhaps some of these reasons are why employees left KZ and founded TRN, just like employees left Audio Technica and founded KZ.

I would really like KZ to go back to using different drivers, like graphene and biofiber. And varied shell materials, like the copper body of the ED9 or the wood body of the ED7.

I've been wanting KZ to design a top notch dynamic driver. I was hoping that this model would fill the the void in KZ's lineup but it clearly states "Hybrid Technology".

By the way, I was unaware of the TRN-Knowledge Zenith tie-in but it makes sense.

 

[CoiL]

YZ63 is on my watch list also. Its shape kinda reminds me my VE NUN-mod I did long time back.
Big ~16mm dynamic strapped on my ear - only thinking about it makes me feel better ;D

 

[Saoshyant]

@DocHoliday You reminded me of how much I hate coastal route 1. Might be nice if I hadn't been driving, but wow it's awful for me as the driver. 5 hours to go 100 miles.

 

[DocHoliday]

@DocHoliday You reminded me of how much I hate coastal route 1. Might be nice if I hadn't been driving, but wow it's awful for me as the driver. 5 hours to go 100 miles.

Yeah.....the best way to do it is to stop here for lunch, stop there to put your toes in the sand, take in the scent of the ocean breeze and so on. A nonstop point to point (100 mile trek) when you have to be somewhere makes it difficult to enjoy. The girlfriend gets carsick on the winding bits so when we pull in to a sandy beach area I have to throw her over my shoulder to get down to the shoreline.

No KZ's along for the ride, though; only clean and clear Infinity's.

 

[Saoshyant]

Yeah, I got talked into it because a buddy wanted to see. Not my ideal way to get to Monterey.

 

[Prim8NChief]

Anybody here know what size tips I need for KZ ZST? Is it a 5 mm? I'm looking at these New Bees. Are these the correct size?