Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
Jul 24, 2019 at 7:32 AM Post #46,081 of 63,674
But if you DO hear something "missing" with the ZS10 PRO it would only be when directly compared to something with a different sound signature. Don't get caught up in the head games that come from proponents of expensive gear being vastly superior to budget gear. I enjoy my CCA CA4 and ZSN just as much as I do $1200 headphones.

I really miss something when i listen to the CA4. It really seems like i'm missing something but i don't understand what.

I have the CCA C10 and the KZ ZS7. Would the ZS10 Pro be a waste of money to buy?

Imho, ZS10 Pro is exceptional. Compared to the C10 it's definitely more "rock'n roll". The ZS7 howewer has my heart: i mainly listen to electronic music and the ZS7 is godness.
The ZS10 Pro have more treble and more details compared to the ZS7 which is warmer. Soundstage is bigger in the ZS7 but instrument separation feels a bit better in the ZS10 Pro.
They are superb but if it was me, i wouldn't buy it having C10 and ZS7 already and i would maybe buy something else (T3, CCA A10 and similar) just to have somethinf "really different".

Yes, it's the sub bass that clinches it, I'm not a 'basshead', but electronic music sounds amazing on the ZS7. I have the Tin T3 for when I am listening to classical music and other genres.
Me 2. Sub bass is just amazing in the ZS7.
T3 are also superb and very musicals, perfect for orchestral music.

+1
Same here with my El Cheapos. More often than not even the EDR1 or 2 (with some little EQing) seem to resonate better with the moment than more sophisticated IEMs that cost me up to a couple hundred times as much. Viva variety ...

Some days i just leave my other IEMs on my desk (T3, ZS7, ZS10 Pro, CCA A10..) and pick the EDR1.
Many friends always ask me why do i pick a 3$ earphone while i got some more expensive and more technically capable ones, and i always answer i do not know.
EDR1s really have something special.. Single DD is a lifestyle :D
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 7:40 AM Post #46,082 of 63,674
My only concern with the TWS buds are the battery life -- it says only 3 hours...that doesn't work well for me, but I know that it probably takes more power for two drivers. Well, that and the fact that they call it on the Ali page a "Public Beta". I'm not sure I want to be a guinea pig.

Oh, who am I kidding....I'm sure I'll buy a pair.
Ive ordered a pair, should be interesting.
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 7:46 AM Post #46,083 of 63,674
+1
Same here with my El Cheapos. More often than not even the EDR1 or 2 (with some little EQing) seem to resonate better with the moment than more sophisticated IEMs that cost me up to a couple hundred times as much. Viva variety ...

BTW, one (or more?) BAs in the right earpiece of my ZS7 suddenly stopped working. I didn't drop them, no issues with humidity or sweat either but there's almost no more highs/treble and way less upper mids. I checked the cable, ran some sine sweeps through them and I guess it's the 30095 that died. I didn't like the treble on the 7s too much anyway and with a bunch of Knowles 30095 lying around here I might as well replace them on both sides. I ordered a new set already, can't live without those bangers, lol.

Wow I haven't heard of drivers dying so fast within a year. QC issue? In my experience, it is usually the cable that dies before the driver but seems you have checked the cable.
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 8:41 AM Post #46,084 of 63,674
I would love to see them making their own designs...

For what I understood just the LP3 wasn't a copycat and that one was awful.

Yes, I own the LP3. It is the worst KZ product I’ve ever owned.
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 8:49 AM Post #46,086 of 63,674
Some days i just leave my other IEMs on my desk (T3, ZS7, ZS10 Pro, CCA A10..) and pick the EDR1.
Many friends always ask me why do i pick a 3$ earphone while i got some more expensive and more technically capable ones, and i always answer i do not know.
EDR1s really have something special...

I agree, same with me!
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 9:00 AM Post #46,087 of 63,674
Erk. That's saying a lot considering the ED12 and ZSE are a thing, lol.

I’d happily take my ZSE any day over the LP3. The LP3 is on another level!

Just to give you an example, the cups have no adjustability at all. You have to deform and bend the headband to get the cups to fit your ears (unless of course your head is shaped like a perfect cube or you are Johnny 5). But that’s a problem, because the plastic cups (which are attached to the headband via a single, tiny screw that comes pre-stripped from the factory) are made from incredibly cheap and brittle plastic. But that’s OK you say, you can take the shell apart and replace the stripped screw with something beefier (like a nut, bolt, and some washers for extra reinforcement). But then you find the whole shell is glued together with copious amounts of crusty brown epoxy, that practically fuses the brittle plastic together.

Oh, and they give you a few different pads, like big foam Grado style pads and also some smaller foam pads plus pleather pads. Which is actually a really cool idea (like the Philips A5 Pro’s multiple different pads to change the sound). The problem is that when you go to try and change the default foam pads, you find that they glued the foam pads on. So you must tear and destroy the pads to try any of the other included pads (not to mention meticulously remove the billion tiny glue and torn foam remnants from the cups). Because if you don’t remove all of the bits, the other pads won’t fit on properly.

And that’s just a taste of the build quality. I won’t even go into the sound.
 
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Jul 24, 2019 at 9:02 AM Post #46,088 of 63,674
I’d happily take my ZSE any day over the LP3. The LP3 is on another level!

Just to give you an example, the cups have no adjustability at all. You have to deform and bend the headband to get the cups to fit your ears (unless of course your head is shaped like a perfect cube or you are Johnny 5). But that’s a problem, because the plastic cups (which are attached to the headband via a single, tiny screw that comes pre-stripped from the factory) are made from incredibly cheap and brittle plastic. But that’s OK you say, you can take the shell apart and replace the screw with something beefier like a nut, bolt, and some washers for extra reinforcement. But then you find the whole shell is glued together with epoxy.

And that’s just a taste of the build quality. I won’t even go into the sound.

Lmao! They sound like they're terrible O_O
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 9:30 AM Post #46,089 of 63,674
Wow I haven't heard of drivers dying so fast within a year. QC issue? In my experience, it is usually the cable that dies before the driver but seems you have checked the cable.
Yeah, I double checked everything but sh.t like this just happens once in a while, no big deal. As I've posted before I've had some issues with a nasty resonant peak around 7.9 kHz anyway that wouldn't go away even after a couple hundred hours of playtime and so I see it as a sort of invitation to replace those 30095s on both sides with something nicer. Once I'm at it I might as well check the crossover in order to extend the treble a bit. The ZS7 are well worth a bit of extra work IMO, especially on the treble.
I'll report back.
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 1:09 PM Post #46,090 of 63,674
For anyone looking, the blue-plated ZS10 Pro are showing up on Amazon for me (USA). So tempting to get one as a gift or backup
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 4:39 PM Post #46,091 of 63,674
I found the opposite to be true. With the CCA A10 the sound changed considerably after 100 hours burn in.
I found the same thing with my pair. Absolutely unlistenable when I first got them. They weren’t even to my satisfaction after 80 hours. I put an extra 80 hours on them and I noticed a big difference. Now I can use silicone tips when I needed foam tips at first.
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 6:38 PM Post #46,092 of 63,674
My AS10 sounds dark and natural but with harshness in my Zishan Z1. Harshness is the treble I'm hearing? I'm not impressed.

Edit: it was the production of the album I was listening to at the time. It's still a very dark iem.
 
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Jul 24, 2019 at 6:44 PM Post #46,093 of 63,674
I've been recommended the ZS3/ZS4/ZS4e (or 3e?) on here for really good noise isolation since the ZSN I bought isn't doing a good job of isolating.

Out of these three, which would have the most forward sounding and flatter or at least not bass-heavy sound signature?
 
Jul 24, 2019 at 7:34 PM Post #46,095 of 63,674
I've been recommended the ZS3/ZS4/ZS4e (or 3e?) on here for really good noise isolation since the ZSN I bought isn't doing a good job of isolating.

Out of these three, which would have the most forward sounding and flatter or at least not bass-heavy sound signature?

All 3 of those have ear plug-like isolation, but they all have bass heavy signatures (deep V and L shaped signatures). It’s kinda the hallmark of the ZS3 & ZS4 series.

So if you’re looking for a flat signature and/or forward mids, those are about the polar opposite of what you want.

Update: For flat signature that’s not bass heavy, I’d consider something like KB Ear F1 or Audiosense T180. Both have great isolation too, as they’re single BA IEMs. T180 especially, as it uses a Knowles driver and is an excellent value.
 
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