[Zerohour88]

Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you said. I think the biggest shortcoming with too many BA sets, is getting the right BA drivers to do the job right. There's so many factors involved...getting the drivers to seamlessly integrate with each other, crossovers, shell materials, shell size, etc. It goes on and on. A DD driver is basically a concentric single driver that covers all frequencies. Yes, its harder to implement correctly, but the results when well done well pay huge dividends. Good all BA iems use sophisticated crossovers and tubing to get the sound right...and that costs big money. So does a good DD set. I think there's alot left in DD driver design to satisfy many audiophiles, and the price of single DD sets seem to be getting lower. Multi driver BA sets that are well executed can run into the many hundreds or thousands of $'s.

cost-wise, its not that expensive to actually make a multi-BA IEM with crossovers. Someone estimated that it costs around usd$300 (for the BAs, crossovers and then shell manufacturing) or so to make a CA Andromeda that sells for usd$1000, bearing in mind that cost is calculated using consumer pricing (bulk buyers will have much lower prices). The high cost is in the research and development, so after they're done, they need to recoup that cost somewhere.

KZ releasing so many models and then getting feedback on them is basically a shortcut to R&D while also being a big bait to users who itches to buy anything new, going so far to release a new sister brand so they can try out different kind of tuning. One tuning looks like a failure? well, we'll just release another model that kinda fixes what people think was wrong with it. I do wish they were more proactive in sending out early review units instead of hoping on vendors like Linsoul though (which is doing a stellar job of reaching out to both reviewers and consumers).

More shenanigans:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low...ck-cable-thread.891911/page-109#post-15000552

A LOT of us are using these upgrade cables on our KZs. Many of us own a NUMBER of these cables, and often buy an upgrade cable every single time we buy a new IEM! It’s become second nature now.

Folks, these are not good developments.

I am going to expand my testing to include some KZ upgrade cables.

Unfortunately, I don’t own any of the KZ 8-core copper/silver bi-color cables, only the flat braided ones. So I’ll have to order some of the KZ bi-color cables to dissect and test. I will be testing a KZ flat-braided cable though.

We need to figure out what upgrade cables we can trust, and which ones we can’t trust. This is total BS.

uh, I hope NiceHCK doesn't do the same thing? I've measured some cables from them and all seems to be quite low-resistance (below 0.3ohm, I think, which is good enough for me).

I think Kinboofi also had similar issues? I remember someone sharing a pic of the jack and wires not being soldered, can't remember which maker it was.

 

[Slater]

I remember someone sharing a pic of the jack and wires not being soldered, can't remember which maker it was.

That was me. It was a defective Kinboofi cable (an isolated QC case).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low...uck-cable-thread.891911/page-60#post-14837027

NONE of the wires were connected at all! I did get a refund on that particular cable though. Whoever was in charge of soldering the wires fell asleep that day lol.

 

[archdawg]

Also, be aware that I only have 1 that has different treble. It’s possible that 1 is defective in some way. But I am not the 1st person to comment that the ZS6 treble has changed. I have seen that comment pop up a few times now. So I highly doubt it’s all QC errors. We know KZ has revised the 30095 - they’ve proudly advertised it with other recent IEMs. And the ZS6 has TWO of them right in the nozzle. So it all makes sense.

Now, does that mean everyone should run out and get a v1? Well, I remember a whole lot of people complaining about the treble (I didn’t mind it though). So the fact that they toned down the treble in a v2 might mean people would want to GET a v2 ZS6. In other words, all those people that complained about the original ZS6 - this v2 could be the ZS6 you wished KZ had made.

Like I posted before, the treble on my newer red and green ZS6 sounds distinctively different than that from my older grey pair - less peaky and piercing but here's another clue: the treble on the newer versions of the ZS6 and my new 7 sounds more accurate and natural to my ears than that of my older 6 and for example the original ZSN; something very obvious with higher pitched natural instruments, e.g. brass, violins and especially cymbals.
To me this refinement was the first real hint towards upgraded or customized 30095s on my newer ZS6.
Now, have KZ gone a step further and modded the crossovers on the newer ZS6 and 7 and maybe other models as well? Could be since my new ZS7 don't sound nearly as dark and rolled-off as some older reviews (maybe based on an older version?) made me believe and what kept me from pulling the trigger on the 7s for quite a while.
With that being said, I'd really love to know the values of the components on the different passive xovers but still can't take any measurements myself since my trusty instruments (Keithley & Co.) are still in storage some 4000km away.

 

[archdawg]

How easy is it to damage a BA or the innards of a ZS6? I had a pair hanging around my neck today and at one point when I was sitting down they slid off my shoulders and fell on the ground.

They now sound: 1) bright 2) echoey like in a small mirrored room and off sounding. What else should I look for?

I'm disappointed on my stupid mistake.

You might have killed one or more of those BAs. Just relax, at least you didn't drop some Andromedas, lol. If you have some bucks left somewhere why not order a new pair or for a couple $ more the 10Pro if you don't have them already.
PS: after the mishap with my Shures I imagine and treat my BA based IEMs like raw eggs on wires - no further accidents so far.

BTW, there's another sale on AE next week, but I don't think they'll drop those prices any further.

 

[seowtf]

Sharing my thought on KZ ZS10 Pro

The ZS10 Pro has a translucent plastic body with aluminum nozzle with stainless steel face place. Built quality and finish is excellent and size is compact and fit comfortable for long listening .
The dynamic driver in low frequency is tight and agile. Bass is elevated and extended is deep enough which not sound bloated or boomy and definitely not bleed into mid. Good punch enough for fun-joy music listener but shy off for bass head.

The mid tuned by balanced armatures give good details and warm signature. You can hear voice texture and instruments separation as well.

Trebles is elevated as well give airy and precise details without harshness. No fatigue on hours play.

Soundstage and imaging is deep spacious. Easily drive by modest source. Even direct drive from phone source Galaxy S8 given ample juice.

Overall this is good aesthetical, good sound retrieval and balance being touch of bright and dark signature .

This is the third pair of KZ given me much surprised after quite a while (since kz6 and AS10) . Which trigger me to grab a second pair as well. Some of the more expensive iem which requires a powerful source feed or may need to tune up bass mode. ZS10 pro can be plug n play direct from phone source still give ample of juice on low, high and mid. It bang for bucks on value as well.

You can grab it from Aliexpress or Amazon.

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cXJUFTM8

https://www.amazon.com/Headphones-*...=1559799390&s=gateway&sprefix=Kz+zs10+&sr=8-4

 

[Caipirina]

Wow that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. I didn’t even think they were even still around!

Wow indeed. Soundmagic were my first ‘serious’ -ish IEMs and the first time a seller told me ‘check what they say on head-fi about those’ .... so, yes, they were my introduction to this place . Liked ‘em so much at that Time that i bought a second pair ....

Back to KZ. All this talk about the BA10 ... now I am even more looking fwd to get to my ‘loot’ ... too bad my travel plans got postponed...

 

[ostewart]

With KZ, more drivers does not mean better sound. I actually really enjoy the ZSA:

http://www.soundperfectionreviews.com/2019/06/review-kz-zsa-budget-hybrid-iems.html

 

[archdawg]

With KZ, more drivers does not mean better sound. I actually really enjoy the ZSA:

http://www.soundperfectionreviews.com/2019/06/review-kz-zsa-budget-hybrid-iems.html

I've been listening to my new ZSA on the road today and like them quite a bit as well, especially with hip-hop and house tracks.

When I got back to our house in the sticks though and took a little break between some trees with my ZS7 ... well ... clarity, details throughout the spectrum, spatial accuracy, width, depth and height of the soundstage, instrument separation and layering even with heavily crowded tracks, speed and precision of the sub-bass without bleed-through into the lower mids, ... in short: a different league.

 

[RikudouGoku]

Are there any must have kz iems out there other than the zs6, zs7, zsn and the ZS10Pro? (those are the ones I have ) preferably something with Detachable cables and with a different sound

 

[archdawg]

Are there any must have kz iems out there other than the zs6, zs7, zsn and the ZS10Pro? (those are the ones I have ) preferably something with Detachable cables and with a different sound

No detachable cable but classic KZs with their own fun sound sig and outstanding bang for the buck - the EDR1 and ED9. Even with technically much more capable IEMs in my collection I still enjoy them a great deal.

Next please ...

 

[pbui44]

Are there any must have kz iems out there other than the zs6, zs7, zsn and the ZS10Pro? (those are the ones I have ) preferably something with Detachable cables and with a different sound

If you want to buy something other than KZ, the Final Audio E3000 is a great value pick.

 

[Aparker2005]

I've been using my AS16s more and more. I had a huge gig Saturday and used them as my in ears for drumming.

The level of clarity with them is so good. The bass actually wasn't bad live either. Still doesn't have as much as the zs10 pro, but I also feel the as16 are more comfortable.

I think I'm done buying iems for a long while with having these 2. They're more than I could ever ask for for stage needs.

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

I'm still trying to figure out if my KZ ZS6 v2 sound went wonky. If so, I'm staying away from KZ for a while. I just got them.

They fell on the ground and the magnet in the USB connector may have touched the headphones. They dont sound as good as when they were new...

 

[katatonicone1]

062

. hck ct2 ofc 16c (brown,furt): 402..259..239..244
worse conductivity (narrower conductor) than its 8 cores sibling.
very soft and flexible. not ear guides. blue point marks ground/- pin.
decent sound.

053.
great conductivity. some details (strain reliefs, easier repairable plugs) are better in (052). this wire is thicker, softer but less flexible. weight: 27.2g. variants: copper/ mixed copper & silver plated / silver plated (various colors, worse conductivity though).
structure could be: 0.10mm*19(25awg)*8c [2c/signal:22.5AWG]. if true, and wire material/plugs were better quality, it'd measure about 95mΩ (15-20mΩ less).
however, different color versions use different wire.
decent sound and quality and superb conductivity for the price.

hck ct1 ofc 8c (brown,slim plugs,M): 110..avg (115 mmcx)..[27g]..many measured

Guys, which of the two would you recommend. The 8 core with better conductivity or 16 core because of... 16 cores? Thanks.

 

[randomnin]

Guys, which of the two would you recommend. The 8 core with better conductivity or 16 core because of... 16 cores? Thanks.

I have a 2-pin 053. It's thick, if the cable breaks, I'd say the problem would be in the reliefs or soldering, not in the lack of cores.
Next I need an MMCX cable, I think I'll get a black jcally (I thought that the dark copper of 053 would look fine, but it looks a bit like a thick blingy chain that's lost its shine). Though the forbidden "yoo" one costs 20% less. Doesn't seem anyone's published any measurements, I might take the risk.