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Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
- Thread starter bhazard
- Start date
Slater
Headphoneus Supremus
I received the KZ ES4, while it being my first KZ as well, I believe the hype has to die. Uncomfortable tips, hated the memory wire cable and I tested them against my TRN v20's, needless to say I much more prefer the v20s over them sound wise and comfort wise, they're quite the little gem for the price, I'll probably convert the ES4s into bluetooth earphones with one of their adapters and just leave them on the side, that's my piece for them!
Don't write off the whole KZ brand because you only tried 1 and didn't like it.
You say you like your TRN v20, but did you know that the TRN v10 sucked balls and the v60 had massive defects/recall?
Just goes to show you that every brand has some gems along with a few turd sandwiches.
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Yup i am aware, I'm not comparing brands, just those 2 pieces. And it's all subjective so my opinion is just another drop in the waterDon't write off the whole KZ brand because you only tried 1 and didn't like it.
You say you like your TRN v20, but did you know that the TRN v10 sucked balls and the v60 had massive defects/recall?
Just goes to show you that every brand has some gems along with a few turd sandwiches.
dhruvmeena96
Headphoneus Supremus
Agree with pain in ear with ES4 with wide bore tenmak. It pains like hell.Yup i am aware, I'm not comparing brands, just those 2 pieces. And it's all subjective so my opinion is just another drop in the water
But i think wide bore and ifi iem buddy makes them budget slayer. Neutralizer takes them on another level.
TRN v20 doesn't respond to neutraliser well due to treble smoothing decay which can't be turned analytical
mathi8vadhanan
1000+ Head-Fier
Got the new KZ BT cable yesterday. SQ is very good in APT-X mode. Battery life is also very good, got more than 6 hrs running on APT-X.
But the reception is horrible in APT-X mode, even when the source is played right on top of it. Not sure, if it's the antenna or the CSR chip struggling. It's almost like playing a pretty scratched up CD. There's no pattern to when/how this happens. And also no pattern to the duration. I'm able to listen to 4-5 songs at a time and then it happens again for 10-15 sec and then resolves itself. Sometimes, restarting the cable is the only option.
Also, not good for video at all in SBC mode. There's a 1.5 to 2 Sec lag between audio and video. Guess, you get what you pay for. Should have spent a bit a more and gotten the TRN BT cable.
But the reception is horrible in APT-X mode, even when the source is played right on top of it. Not sure, if it's the antenna or the CSR chip struggling. It's almost like playing a pretty scratched up CD. There's no pattern to when/how this happens. And also no pattern to the duration. I'm able to listen to 4-5 songs at a time and then it happens again for 10-15 sec and then resolves itself. Sometimes, restarting the cable is the only option.
Also, not good for video at all in SBC mode. There's a 1.5 to 2 Sec lag between audio and video. Guess, you get what you pay for. Should have spent a bit a more and gotten the TRN BT cable.
limafranco
New Head-Fier
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Got the new KZ BT cable yesterday. SQ is very good in APT-X mode. Battery life is also very good, got more than 6 hrs running on APT-X.
But the reception is horrible in APT-X mode, even when the source is played right on top of it. Not sure, if it's the antenna or the CSR chip struggling. It's almost like playing a pretty scratched up CD. There's no pattern to when/how this happens. And also no pattern to the duration. I'm able to listen to 4-5 songs at a time and then it happens again for 10-15 sec and then resolves itself. Sometimes, restarting the cable is the only option.
Also, not good for video at all in SBC mode. There's a 1.5 to 2 Sec lag between audio and video. Guess, you get what you pay for. Should have spent a bit a more and gotten the TRN BT cable.
I got one of those and I regret buying it.
It's not comfortable while walking - the controls area too heavy, from one side. And battery life, in my case, it's not enough.
Sound quality it's OK, but as you mentioned, impossible to watch videos and/or play games.
Do we have other options for these bi-pin cable?
Cant believe no-one has said the Campfire Comet when listing single BA models. It is right at the top of the list for best I've heard.
They were one of the first mentioned, you missed it.
mbwilson111
Headphoneus Supremus
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They were one of the first mentioned, you missed it.
We should gather all the single BA models together into one list... although none of them belong in the KZ thread... yet...
i hope one day kz makes a single BA iem for 50$ or lessWe should gather all the single BA models together into one list... although none of them belong in the KZ thread... yet...
Zerohour88
500+ Head-Fier
i hope one day kz makes a single BA iem for 50$ or less
uh, why would you want that? their BA hasn't exactly been super stellar.
The reason why some of these single BA IEMs are pricey is that they use either high-quality BA (like Knowles) or their own developed in-house BA (like Campfire's custom vented BA).
to give these pricey BA iems a good run for their moneyuh, why would you want that? their BA hasn't exactly been super stellar.
The reason why some of these single BA IEMs are pricey is that they use either high-quality BA (like Knowles) or their own developed in-house BA (like Campfire's custom vented BA).
i don't like hybrids much but rather lean on single type driver iems like double Dynamic or multi BA etc
Zerohour88
500+ Head-Fier
to give these pricey BA iems a good run for their money
i don't like hybrids much but rather lean on single type driver iems like double Dynamic or multi BA etc
Honestly, you'd do well to not focus on what the config of an IEM is and more on the sound that comes out of it.
From what we've seen so far, KZ doesn't really have the chops (or the desire) to fine tune their individual DD or BA to a higher level. Hence my reasoning, that they've maxed out (or near to it) the capability of their BA/DD tuning and focusing on refining crossovers and shell design to improve their SQ. Not really something ground-breaking, I suppose, but allows us to temper expectations.
yaHonestly, you'd do well to not focus on what the config of an IEM is and more on the sound that comes out of it.
From what we've seen so far, KZ doesn't really have the chops (or the desire) to fine tune their individual DD or BA to a higher level. Hence my reasoning, that they've maxed out (or near to it) the capability of their BA/DD tuning and focusing on refining crossovers and shell design to improve their SQ. Not really something ground-breaking, I suppose, but allows us to temper expectations.
i have owned only one kz iem i.e. es4 that too for a brief period
Slater
Headphoneus Supremus
Got the new KZ BT cable yesterday. SQ is very good in APT-X mode. Battery life is also very good, got more than 6 hrs running on APT-X.
But the reception is horrible in APT-X mode, even when the source is played right on top of it. Not sure, if it's the antenna or the CSR chip struggling. It's almost like playing a pretty scratched up CD. There's no pattern to when/how this happens. And also no pattern to the duration. I'm able to listen to 4-5 songs at a time and then it happens again for 10-15 sec and then resolves itself. Sometimes, restarting the cable is the only option.
Also, not good for video at all in SBC mode. There's a 1.5 to 2 Sec lag between audio and video. Guess, you get what you pay for. Should have spent a bit a more and gotten the TRN BT cable.
I got one of those and I regret buying it.
It's not comfortable while walking - the controls area too heavy, from one side. And battery life, in my case, it's not enough.
Sound quality it's OK, but as you mentioned, impossible to watch videos and/or play games.
Do we have other options for these bi-pin cable?
I am really sorry to hear about your luck, but wow I am so glad I held off on ordering this.
My guess is that KZ had the same person design the Bluetooth antenna for the new model that also designed it for the previous one. The antenna for the old version is not the proper length, which causes reception problems, cutting/skipping, and massive interference. I came up with a solution, but who knows how easy it would be to open up the new cable (the only way to know would be to open it up and examine/measure the antenna).
Here's the antenna info if you want to read about it: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-1284#post-13623298
Looks like it's back to the TRN cable as the best option. I just wish it wasn't so expensive. But yeah yeah I know - you get what you pay for lol
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