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Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
- Thread starter bhazard
- Start date
Does your ZSA have a lip on the nozzle to secure eartips more? I'm waiting for my ZSA to arrive too.
I will get pictures up soon. Stay posted.
As for the ES4:
Fit: Bigger than the ZSA but they fit in my ear pretty well. They are secure and are easy to find the right angle. I like how it is flat and can lay on my side pretty easily without discomfort.
Cable: using an upgraded silver cable, it’s not picky like the ZSA.
Sound:
Mids: I think the mids here are very natural, and full. It’s forward(more than ZS6, ZS5) and brings about a balanced/slight U shaped sound.
Bass: not overpowering but punchy. speed and decay are excellent and can rumble when needed. But even with a slight emphasis in bass, the mids still shine through.
Highs: Slightly bright but not fatiguing or unbearable. I think it’s more controlled than my ZS5s.
Soundstage: not very wide but it’s fine in this IEM. Imaging is OK. I think the ZSA and ZS6 beat it in this category due to venting.
Overall - crisp, clear, natural vocals, not so v-shaped, comfortable, great earphone.
If I was to rank it as of now, I have not tried ZS10,
1. ZS6
2. ZSA
3. ES4
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And the size comparison of ZSA to ZS5v2. The size of the nozzle is bigger on the ZSA. So get to stretching those starline tips.
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Zerohour88
500+ Head-Fier
Finally some pics of the ED16 in the wild (seller started shipping already, it seems). A few users liked it more than the ZS10, but no detailed impressions so far
mbwilson111
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2016
- Posts
- 9,564
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- 18,826
Finally some pics of the ED16 in the wild (seller started shipping already, it seems). A few users liked it more than the ZS10, but no detailed impressions so far
That blue is pretty. I will not be getting one though. My husband already ordered it in black for himself and I don't like to double up. There have been some exceptions. We each have a ZS6 ZST, ZSR and ZS10...in different colors of course. I love them all except am unsure about the ZST. Mine seems a bit harsh.
Still waiting for the purple one... .
edited to add...I have acquired the ED16 in black Sounding good. Smaller than I thought it would be
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KainHighwind
Head-Fier
I will get pictures up soon. Stay posted.
As for the ES4:
Fit: Bigger than the ZSA but they fit in my ear pretty well. They are secure and are easy to find the right angle. I like how it is flat and can lay on my side pretty easily without discomfort.
Cable: using an upgraded silver cable, it’s not picky like the ZSA.
Sound:
Mids: I think the mids here are very natural, and full. It’s forward(more than ZS6, ZS5) and brings about a balanced/slight U shaped sound.
Bass: not overpowering but punchy. speed and decay are excellent and can rumble when needed. But even with a slight emphasis in bass, the mids still shine through.
Highs: Slightly bright but not fatiguing or unbearable. I think it’s more controlled than my ZS5s.
Soundstage: not very wide but it’s fine in this IEM. Imaging is OK. I think the ZSA and ZS6 beat it in this category due to venting.
Overall - crisp, clear, natural vocals, not so v-shaped, comfortable, great earphone.
If I was to rank it as of now, I have not tried ZS10,
1. ZS6
2. ZSA
3. ES4
Thanks for your impression, I was dying to see more reviews of ES4 after reading its only review on thephonograph...
Slater
Headphoneus Supremus
There is a lip on the nozzle.
And the size comparison of ZSA to ZS5v2. The size of the nozzle is bigger on the ZSA. So get to stretching those starline tips.
The nozzles are exactly the same size. The lip in combination with how the nozzle screen attaches just make the ZSA look larger. It's just an optical illusion.
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DocHoliday
500+ Head-Fier
And the cable, no other cable is working with the insertion right now. It’s specific and I have multiple other KZ cables.
Looks like I owe someone an apology (to some degree).
Received the ZSA today, and I have been comparing it to the kz s5 all day. My findings are these:
The ZSA are really small, and I prefer the size of the s5's.
The free cable was a joke, it does not fit. Its a female connector instead of a male.
Hmmmm......
Photos please.
The promotional images are as follows:
Hmmm......
How do you use KZ's existing cables if the receptacle is female and the cable connector is female?
Hmmm.....
It makes no sense for KZ to rework the entire system they've employed for 18 months for one IEM.
Photos please......
While the "Its a female connector instead of a male" comment triggered my response I think that I owe Mikel84 an apology. Apparently, there do seem to be some issues regarding other cables fitting the ZSA, even if the other cables are KZ cables.
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Vestat
Head-Fier
As for the ES4:
Fit: Bigger than the ZSA but they fit in my ear pretty well. They are secure and are easy to find the right angle. I like how it is flat and can lay on my side pretty easily without discomfort.
Cable: using an upgraded silver cable, it’s not picky like the ZSA.
Sound:
Mids: I think the mids here are very natural, and full. It’s forward(more than ZS6, ZS5) and brings about a balanced/slight U shaped sound.
Bass: not overpowering but punchy. speed and decay are excellent and can rumble when needed. But even with a slight emphasis in bass, the mids still shine through.
Highs: Slightly bright but not fatiguing or unbearable. I think it’s more controlled than my ZS5s.
Soundstage: not very wide but it’s fine in this IEM. Imaging is OK. I think the ZSA and ZS6 beat it in this category due to venting.
Overall - crisp, clear, natural vocals, not so v-shaped, comfortable, great earphone.
If I was to rank it as of now, I have not tried ZS10,
Thanks for your review.
The phonograph gives a kind of different opinion considering them almost bass cannons.. I think I will just wait for my ES4 and see by myself what's with those guys.
CoiL
Member of the Trade: Wood Audio Accessories & Modifications
Damn... need to get these!My ZSA, ES4, and ZSR came in.
So far the ZSA are awesome.
- small!! These are tiny in comparison to the other models and it’s in a metal housing.
- the sound is pretty much like a ZS6 but I dare say with a wider soundstage. These sound great! I’m in love again. I’ll try with foam tips later.
- the biggest drawbacks are the nozzle, hard to get the seating of the tip right and it’s larger than the other models I think. And the cable, no other cable is working with the insertion right now. It’s specific and I have multiple other KZ cables.
ZSA - small size, BIG and WIDE sound
Listening to feels - jai wolf remix and wow, clear, great layering, wide soundstage. Still a bit recessed on the mids. Imaging is pretty impressive for such a small size.
Thanks for your review.
The phonograph gives a kind of different opinion considering them almost bass cannons.. I think I will just wait for my ES4 and see by myself what's with those guys.
Using ZS6 as reference for bass, the bass impact of the ZS6 is stronger than the ES4. The vocal clarity is better in the ZS6 but not as pronounced.
The ZSR are bass cannons almost to an unbearable amount.
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toddy0191
500+ Head-Fier
Thanks for your review.
The phonograph gives a kind of different opinion considering them almost bass cannons.. I think I will just wait for my ES4 and see by myself what's with those guys.
They're not quite bass canons but it is elevated and they have have a nice punchy mid bass that doesn't bleed into the mids.
@misterchao opinions are in line with mine aside from I may prefer them to the ZS6 as they sound more natural and thicker in the lower mids.
Had a very good listen last night to Discovery by Daft Punk, numerous Punk Floyd albums and Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae. I'm going to go all @mbwilson111 here and leave sound analysis at the door! I got lost in the music and wanted to keep listening to more albums (they're in my ears now), which is as good a review as a set of headphones needs sometimes.
The above was straight out of my S8 with large starlines
Love them!
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Vestat
Head-Fier
Using ZS6 as reference for bass, the bass impact of the ZS6 is stronger than the ES4. The vocal clarity is better in the ZS6 but not as pronounced.
The ZSR are bass cannons almost to an unbearable amount.
Ok, That's helping as long as I only have ZS6 from KZ. Was hoping something more like basshead style.. I will see what can I do with EQ when I get them
The phonograph says that you can get "Out of this world punch and depth in bass and mids" with some EQ. I barely believe that but I'll give it a shot.
Thanks again for your comparison with ZS6, I did not mean to compare your review with the phonograph one, I just pointed out the differences in bass description.
They're not quite bass canons but it is elevated and they have have a nice punchy mid bass that doesn't bleed into the mids.
Had a very good listen last night to Discovery by Daft Punk, numerous Punk Floyd albums and Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae. I'm going to go all @mbwilson111 here and leave sound analysis at the door! I got lost in the music and wanted to keep listening to more albums (they're in my ears now), which is as good a review as a set of headphones needs sometimes.
Definitely agree. Most of the times I prefer passions to technical specs and graphs.
My left KZA earpiece is wired out of phase, I have had to change cable with straight plugs so as I can reverse left side
Slater
Headphoneus Supremus
My left KZA earpiece is wired out of phase, I have had to change cable with straight plugs so as I can reverse left side
I can help you change that around. It’s very easy. Shoot me a PM