Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
Jun 26, 2019 at 9:10 PM Post #45,436 of 63,672
Very interested to see how the 12 compares to the as16. Holding off on buying until I see reviews. Currently more than happy with my as16 and zs10 pro.

I’m more interested to see how the AS12 compares to the CCA A10. While the C16 received better tuning than the AS16 the A10 is believed to be better than the C16.

Hopefully the treble is toned down over the A10 and the bass has even better presence with the two 22955 drivers. It’s at a nice price point @ $67. Hopefully it’s a it lower when other sellers get their hands on it.
 
Jun 26, 2019 at 9:16 PM Post #45,437 of 63,672
3E2885B8-48E1-48E9-A71C-272783DA6652.jpeg
So, where is this gonna fit in?? Some say the 5 driver CCA is better than the AS16. Does this better the 5 per side or did they not exceed the AS16 on purpose?

Considering the AS16 is not tuned very well KZ has hopefully learned their lesson. With the A10 being super bright and using two 30095 treble units hopefully this one tones down the treble to SANE LEVELS. It uses different treble BA drivers the two 22955 BA units will hopefully provide a nice solid bottom end. According to the promotion literature the AS12 should be suited best for Pop music and vocal music secondary.
 
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Jun 26, 2019 at 10:51 PM Post #45,438 of 63,672
So, in February I managed to snag a set of KanasPro for a great price. In April, I bought a set of ZS10 PRO. After following these threads for a few months, I learned that tips can make a major difference in how the sound comes across with all iems. Earlier this month, I pulled the plug on 2 pairs of medium, and one set of large Spinfit C145. I also bought 2- 6 packs of New Bee tips, with 3 sets of silicone and 3 sets of foams. I already has a 6 pack of New Bee foams that I bought a couple of months ago for my KanasPro, and was enjoying them immensely with both the KPE and the ZS10 Pro. But based on all I have been reading, the Spinfits seemed like something I needed to try on both my sets. I haven't tried them yet on the KPE, but based on my experience with my ZS10 Pro, they aren't cutting it for me. I likes my bass, and the Spinfits don't give me that enough. Also, there's a big lack of harmonic and tonal warmth, compared to the New Bee foams. Not a big fan of the Spinfits, so far. Yeah, they have detail, but there's a lack of natural sounding warmth and body to pretty much everything from bass to treble. The bass is the biggest letdown. The New Bee foams give me much better bass extension without sacrificing the mids and highs. They are also much more comfortable. I can listen to my iems for several hours on end with these foamies. I've tried Complys also, and I don't like them. They feel rough and uncomfortable after a while, but the Spinfits were much worse. I barely made it thru a half hour and they became itchy and I wanted to take them out. The New Bee silicones were much the same. So far, as far as seal, comfort, and listenability is concerned...the New Bee foams are still my favorite.
 
Jun 26, 2019 at 11:09 PM Post #45,439 of 63,672
So, in February I managed to snag a set of KanasPro for a great price. In April, I bought a set of ZS10 PRO. After following these threads for a few months, I learned that tips can make a major difference in how the sound comes across with all iems. Earlier this month, I pulled the plug on 2 pairs of medium, and one set of large Spinfit C145. I also bought 2- 6 packs of New Bee tips, with 3 sets of silicone and 3 sets of foams. I already has a 6 pack of New Bee foams that I bought a couple of months ago for my KanasPro, and was enjoying them immensely with both the KPE and the ZS10 Pro. But based on all I have been reading, the Spinfits seemed like something I needed to try on both my sets. I haven't tried them yet on the KPE, but based on my experience with my ZS10 Pro, they aren't cutting it for me. I likes my bass, and the Spinfits don't give me that enough. Also, there's a big lack of harmonic and tonal warmth, compared to the New Bee foams. Not a big fan of the Spinfits, so far. Yeah, they have detail, but there's a lack of natural sounding warmth and body to pretty much everything from bass to treble. The bass is the biggest letdown. The New Bee foams give me much better bass extension without sacrificing the mids and highs. They are also much more comfortable. I can listen to my iems for several hours on end with these foamies. I've tried Complys also, and I don't like them. They feel rough and uncomfortable after a while, but the Spinfits were much worse. I barely made it thru a half hour and they became itchy and I wanted to take them out. The New Bee silicones were much the same. So far, as far as seal, comfort, and listenability is concerned...the New Bee foams are still my favorite.

I love the KZ starline tips for my KZ (all of them). Before I wasn't too keen on them, but then I tried and now it is my favorite tips for almost all my IEMs. I loved the new bee foams, but sometimes when you store your IEMs in the case, the foam can get squished and break. With silicone tips, I don't have to worry about it breaking apart.
 
Jun 26, 2019 at 11:34 PM Post #45,440 of 63,672
I love the KZ starline tips for my KZ (all of them). Before I wasn't too keen on them, but then I tried and now it is my favorite tips for almost all my IEMs. I loved the new bee foams, but sometimes when you store your IEMs in the case, the foam can get squished and break. With silicone tips, I don't have to worry about it breaking apart.
I haven't had that problem with the New Bee foams. My original set that are still on my KPE have been crammed into a Pelican 1040 case with the ISN Audio C16 copper cable, as well as my Fiio Q1MK2. Yes, occassionally they tips get a bit squished, but the foam rebounds after about 3-5 minutes, and they are good as new. I've tried the Starlines also, but they just don't give me the seal I like to give me the bass response I'm after. Every silicon I've tried so far just takes the bass away and makes the highs too bright for me. The Comply foams that I have kicking around gave the bass a huge boost, but made the mids and highs muddy and less detailed. For me, the New Bee foams are working the best so far.
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 12:46 AM Post #45,441 of 63,672
I would like ZS7 lows, ZS10 Pro, ZSN Pro high end controlled sparkle, in AS12 shell, with AS10 isolation.
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 7:36 AM Post #45,442 of 63,672
I’m more interested to see how the AS12 compares to the CCA A10. While the C16 received better tuning than the AS16 the A10 is believed to be better than the C16.

Hopefully the treble is toned down over the A10 and the bass has even better presence with the two 22955 drivers. It’s at a nice price point @ $67. Hopefully it’s a it lower when other sellers get their hands on it.
I an enjoying A10 now - it is a great next step of evolution of BA10 & C16.
So it can be definitely said, in my opinion, that A10 takes a lot of good traits of C16 and being almost twice less expensive is the great value.
At the same time, C16 has an amazing resolution (those 8 BAs do their job).
What I admire KZ/CCA for - they seem to make their IEMs without those "marketing considerations" how the other models sell - they try to do their best and what works - sell well.

I hope AS12 is another nice step.

As for the highs - A10 has them nicely for me (again the nice next step from BA10 and C16).
For gentle highs and warm (yet resolving enough) sound - my favourite AS10 is the one!

If there is some interest, I can try to put together a comparison of all BAs from CCA and KZ.
 
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Jun 27, 2019 at 1:25 PM Post #45,444 of 63,672
Esoteric/TOTL:thinking: Not by a long shot (then again Big Dogs may be wasting a Sh1tload of money):open_mouth: In the Pods honest opinion these are easily better sounding iem's than 99.9% of the buying/listening populous owns:wink:

ZS10 Pro.JPG


@Light - Man , I also have the 7's and think the 10 Pro more refined overall but like the statement above both are better than most people even listen too:rolling_eyes: WARNING: (If you own or spent more than a grand on any iem these statements don't apply to you):grin:
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 4:24 PM Post #45,445 of 63,672
Does anybody know if KZ is gonna release any time soon the next generation of ZS7's?

By the way, ZS7 have slits or apertures with a metal mesh. I've noticed that if I cover them with my fingers, if there's no music playing, I can totally hear a difference in how much external sound I hear. Nevertheless, if there's music playing, I can't hear the slightest difference if I cover the slits or not. Why?

Oh, one thing that is really cool about the ZS7's is that they are like chambers, for example if I'm wearing them and talk, I can totally hear them vibrate and resonate, while with other headphone's/IEM's I have never experienced that. I don't know what it means, but it's cool. Did anybody notice that as well? Like wearing a pair of cans that are sensible to vibrate due to external sources?
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 4:28 PM Post #45,446 of 63,672
But based on all I have been reading, the Spinfits seemed like something I needed to try on both my sets. I haven't tried them yet on the KPE, but based on my experience with my ZS10 Pro, they aren't cutting it for me. I likes my bass, and the Spinfits don't give me that enough. Also, there's a big lack of harmonic and tonal warmth, compared to the New Bee foams. Not a big fan of the Spinfits, so far. Yeah, they have detail, but there's a lack of natural sounding warmth and body to pretty much everything from bass to treble. The bass is the biggest letdown.

Had to try the Spinfits with the ZS10 Pro after that and must admit there's not much (if any) change in bass response between the custom tips they came with and the Spinfits. Bass still has the same depth and quality on SFs, with the sound opening up a wee bit and upper mids and treble slightly brighter. This has always been my experience with Spinfits though. They help take some warmth out of an overly smooth earphone and add a bit more air in to the top end. Not saying you're wrong btw. Tried Comply's with them and again they follow my normal experience of opening the sound up and smoothing over the treble... but losing out in some resolution.

Here's what I use... a set of tips i can't for the life of me remember what they came with lol. I've smaller ear cavity and these thinner longer silicons seem to work best for me.


IMG_20190627_215143.jpg IMG_20190627_214744.jpg
 
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Jun 27, 2019 at 5:29 PM Post #45,447 of 63,672
Had to try the Spinfits with the ZS10 Pro after that and must admit there's not much (if any) change in bass response between the custom tips they came with and the Spinfits. Bass still has the same depth and quality on SFs, with the sound opening up a wee bit and upper mids and treble slightly brighter. This has always been my experience with Spinfits though. They help take some warmth out of an overly smooth earphone and add a bit more air in to the top end. Not saying you're wrong btw. Tried Comply's with them and again they follow my normal experience of opening the sound up and smoothing over the treble... but losing out in some resolution.

Here's what I use... a set of tips i can't for the life of me remember what they came with lol. I've smaller ear cavity and these thinner longer silicons seem to work best for me.



I may have some of those tips stored away you are welcome to if I can find them:beerchug: I actually replaced the KZ cable and tips that came with the Pro 10's in favor of Auvio's and the Zither cable that came with my Secret Garden's:grin:

AuvZithP-10's.JPG
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 6:05 PM Post #45,448 of 63,672
I may have some of those tips stored away you are welcome to if I can find them:beerchug: I actually replaced the KZ cable and tips that came with the Pro 10's in favor of Auvio's and the Zither cable that came with my Secret Garden's:grin:


lol, thanks Podster. They are an odd little pair. I'll try out some different cables tonight, cheers.
 
Jun 27, 2019 at 8:34 PM Post #45,449 of 63,672
Does anybody know if KZ is gonna release any time soon the next generation of ZS7's?

I doubt it, because the ZS7 was contracted by a 3rd party seller. It wasn’t an official KZ release. So I doubt you’ll see an official KZ release of a 2nd ZS7.
 
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Jun 27, 2019 at 9:26 PM Post #45,450 of 63,672
I doubt it, because the ZS7 was contracted by a 3rd party seller. It wasn’t an official KZ release. So I doubt you’ll see an official KZ release of a 2nd ZS7.
ZS(8-1)Pro?
 

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