[Nimweth]

My KZ ZS7 review is now available:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-zs7-knowledge-zenith.23485/reviews

 

[neo_styles]

The balanced cable I ordered from NiceHCK has arrived! I decided on a "16 Core High-purity blah-blah-blah" variant (still pretty convinced it's all marketing talk in this price range) and am really impressed with what I received.



Honestly, I thought the cable might be too thick based on photos, but it's just about perfect for me in the hand. The weave is tight, but not to the point of making it hard to bend or route. Cable length is right at that sweet spot for pocketability. The fact it comes with a velcro cable wrap makes it a lot easier to keep in place when loading into a case (if you've got the KZ ABS cases, you probably know what I'm talking about).

But how does it sound, neo? That's the tougher question to answer. This is my first balanced cable and it's honestly weird at first, but my ears are still adjusting. Compared to SE using my OKCSC cable, I think everything just gets a little more room to breathe, the warmer signature of the AS10 migrates to something I'd call a little more natural. Still has some of that tizzle in the treble where a cymbal crash doesn't have a whole lot of the overtones, but it's a step in the right direction.

Overall, I'm happy and would recommend this cable to anybody who could run balanced. The markdown due to AE's anniversary sale is just icing on the cake and I've ordered a MMCX variant for the T2 Pro as a result.

Link if interested:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32954926911.html

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

iBasso IT01 or CCA16? (Wrong place to ask? Lol.)

 

[TechnoidFR]

My KZ ZS7 review is now available:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-zs7-knowledge-zenith.23485/reviews

Where with you

iBasso IT01 or CCA16? (Wrong place to ask? Lol.)

Never had ibasso but cca is, I think, very different. Cca C16 is near of skg n700 signature

 

[DynamicEars]

iBasso IT01 or CCA16? (Wrong place to ask? Lol.)

up budget a bit and get Kanas Pro?

IT01 like ZS7, fun v shaped signature
CCA16 more balance towards bright

 

[mono-type]

Just received my ZS7 yesterday. This is my new favorite KZ IEM. It's miles better than ZS6. Definitely a big improvement over the ZS6, since it has none of that infamous treble spike. IMO, it has the clarity of an AS10, and the punchiness of some warmer KZ's like the ZS10, ES4, etc. I think this is the sound signature combo I've been looking for. It has the best of both worlds, as they say.

 

[Slater]

Just received my ZS7 yesterday. This is my new favorite KZ IEM. It's miles better than ZS6. Definitely a big improvement over the ZS6, since it has none of that infamous treble spike. IMO, it has the clarity of an AS10, and the punchiness of some warmer KZ's like the ZS10, ES4, etc. I think this is the sound signature combo I've been looking for. It has the best of both worlds, as they say.

Same here.

I think ZS7 can be summed up perfectly up by this Aliexpress review:

“Engineers tried! Imagine that you are in one ear beat sab and 4 speakers. From a long listening ear sulfur itself flies out.”

 

[BadReligionPunk]

I thought long and hard about buying this one during the sale. Could have picked up for about $32, but am actually really happy with where I am IEM, headphone and earbud wise. Every single post though makes me weezy in my stomach. Sounds like a sig that I would like for a lot of different styles.

So please quit talking about it. K thanks bye!

 

[mono-type]

Same here.

I think ZS7 can be summed up perfectly up by this Aliexpress review:

“Engineers tried! Imagine that you are in one ear beat sab and 4 speakers. From a long listening ear sulfur itself flies out.”

LMAO on "ear sulfur". Saw that auto-translated review, too. I died on that one.

With all the KZ's that I own so far (most of them blind buys), I think this is the one that I'm most satisfied, so far. Yes, I'm putting emphasis on "so far", since probably there'll be another new KZ that will tempt me on buying within the next few weeks. XD

 

[Benik3]

Can anyone compare ZSN/ZSN Pro to ZS7?
Thanks

 

[ShakyJake]

Same here.

I think ZS7 can be summed up perfectly up by this Aliexpress review:

“Engineers tried! Imagine that you are in one ear beat sab and 4 speakers. From a long listening ear sulfur itself flies out.”

Slater, you made me spit my coffee all over the keyboard...

This is a side benefit of Chi-fi, the amusing Chinese -> English translations. Here is one from my KZ AS10 manual: "Did not use the headset, you need to run after a period of time before they can use the headset unit diaphragm complete drive smoothly, and thus enhance the output quality of performance". Talking about burning in the IEM.

 

[Slater]

Can anyone compare ZSN/ZSN Pro to ZS7?
Thanks

Hi friend, the Pro was just released. I think only 1 HeadFier has it so far (at least 1 that has posted in the ChiFi threads I follow).

I’d wait for more people to get the Pro and weigh in with their opinions, comparisons, etc.

With that said, in general both the regular ZSN and the ZS7 are excellent budget IEMs.

What kind of music do you listen to? And what do you listen to them using?

 

[Benik3]

Hi friend, the Pro was just released. I think only 1 HeadFier has it so far (at least 1 that has posted in the ChiFi threads I follow).

I’d wait for more people to get the Pro and weigh in with their opinions, comparisons, etc.

With that said, in general both the regular ZSN and the ZS7 are excellent budget IEMs.

What kind of music do you listen to? And what do you listen to them using?

Hi.
Yeah, ZSN Pro are very new, but the anniversary deal ends tomorrow so I will not wait
EDIT: I found one review of ZSN Pro here: https://www.priceboon.com/product/kz-zsn-pro/
I have very wide list of songs. From Electro-swing, party, through alternative, Rock, Pop up to folk.
(namely e.g. Caravan Palace, Imagine dragons, Green Day, Billy Talent, Gorillaz, Foo Fighters, The Heavy, Linkin Park, The Frattelis, Royal Republic, Jaromir Nohavica...)
I listen from my mobile phone - currently Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite with Viper4Android and PowerAMP.

 

[Slater]

Hi.
Yeah, ZSN Pro are very new, but the anniversary deal ends tomorrow so I will not wait
EDIT: I found one review of ZSN Pro here: https://www.priceboon.com/product/kz-zsn-pro/
I have very wide list of songs. From Electro-swing, party, through alternative, Rock, Pop up to folk.
(namely e.g. Caravan Palace, Imagine dragons, Green Day, Billy Talent, Gorillaz, Foo Fighters, The Heavy, Linkin Park, The Frattelis, Royal Republic, Jaromir Nohavica...)
I listen from my mobile phone - currently Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite with Viper4Android and PowerAMP.

If you have a time machine, you could always go forwards in time and read a bunch of reviews on the Pro, and then go back in time to before the sale is over.

Also remember, there’s always another sale coming on Aliexpress. They are every 2 months on average, which would be plenty of time for Pros to get in lots of people’s hands. So if you miss this one, just grab it next time around

Finally. looking at your music list, I’d get the ZS7 in a heartbeat. Don’t worry about the word “Pro” being behind a name.

ZS7 is compatible with any 2-pin cable, whereas the ZSN has the goofy raised plug, which limits the cables available.

 

[Benik3]

True
Now I'm really thinking about the Pro version. The review sounds pretty good - it seems that Pro can be very similar to ZS7 in bass.
On Ali they have them now for 21$ and for 32$ with Bluetooth module (ZS7 cost 36$ and what's interesting, they are not even in the official store).