Knowledge Zenith (KZ) impressions thread
Aug 23, 2019 at 5:31 AM Post #46,981 of 63,674
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details
 
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Aug 23, 2019 at 5:45 AM Post #46,982 of 63,674
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details

You could try: **** ****, ZSN Pro, QT5, ED9 (old but good) or you can push some euros for the old good ZS6 from KZ.
There are many choices around, and the 20~ price bracket is actually full of decent stuff.
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 6:31 AM Post #46,983 of 63,674
Stretch the budget for the Tin T2, I'm super impressed with the clarity and detail.

ZS6 is quite good for soundstage but are too fatiguing for my ears, but ymmv

Sticking to the $20 budget however I think the ZSN would be a great choice
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 6:36 AM Post #46,984 of 63,674
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details

"Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details"

Dude, you got all the wrong IEMs, then... ZS3/4 are bassy and not that centered in "crystal details".

My suggestions are similar to the previous one (****, ED9, ZSN) but I would add the TRN IM2.
I like the TRN IM1 best but that one is bassy(er), more similar to the ZS4 than the description of what you want.
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 7:31 AM Post #46,985 of 63,674
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details
ED9 with the brass nozzles and wide bore tips. Sorted!
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 9:22 AM Post #46,986 of 63,674
Very nice, do u have a link for the cable?

Sorry for the delay. Could have sworn I made a post sharing the link, but l guess it went *poof*.
It is the KZ 8 core upgrade cable. I got mine off Amazon because the price was surprisingly similar to the price for the same cable in the KZ store on Ali.
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/sSBnJVJa just gotta make sure to order the C pin version. Im really liking them so far. Tempted to get another pair in B type for my CCA C10's! Pretty nice budget cable. I believe @Slater suggested I try it.
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 10:15 AM Post #46,988 of 63,674
About the ED16, are they physically like zsr or zs3/4?
Zsr are a total disaster as fit in my ears, zs3 and 4 are perfect

The ED16 is smaller than a ZSR. It fits very comfortably in my ear... with a different cable. The rubbery cable that came with it just pulls it at an odd angle for me. I also had to change tips in order to get a proper deep enough seal. Now they sound great to my ears and with my music... good enough that I bought a spare in another color.... which I ended up giving to my husband. I could tell he would probably buy another if I didn't...lol. But there were only two colors!

The most recent KZ that I have bought is the ZSN. I have not been tempted by any of the newer ones... the pro this and pro that...
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 11:06 AM Post #46,989 of 63,674
So I changed from the JVC Spiral Dots to the Final Audio Tips today on my ZS10 Pros. I must say it really sounds like to me that it cleaned up the sound, not as harsh or grain. It tamed the mid bass hump a bit too. I really like the sound and am amazing by how much the sound changed. The bore sizes are probably as different as you could probably get in size.

Just thought I would share my experience
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 11:07 AM Post #46,990 of 63,674
About the ED16, are they physically like zsr or zs3/4?
Zsr are a total disaster as fit in my ears, zs3 and 4 are perfect

ED16 is not only much smaller than ZSR and smaller than ZS3-4,
it also much better sounds.
More detailed than ZS6,ED16 is also named ZS7
It s not bright as the ZSn, more natural sounding.
More sub than bass.
1DD+ 2BA
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 11:14 AM Post #46,991 of 63,674
I want to use my 2$ coupon on a good pair of iem under 20$. Bought the Marley little bird lately but sound was kinda muffled, my kz zs3 and 4 are in bad shape so I am searching for a new model.
Not a bass head, I am into wide soundstage and crystal details

Don't sleep on the Nicehck Bro. They are $11 right now and will be down to $9 with the mobile app on Aliexpress. As for KZ the ED9 is also a good play. Also check reviews for Uiisii CM5. That thing is still legendary status imo. I don't know if its still available, but its worth checking out.
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 11:46 AM Post #46,992 of 63,674
I've bought a pair of KZ AS10 and plan on pairing them with TRN BT20S. Any suggestions for most comfortable eartips?
Also, nozzle seems huge, which Comply fit these?
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 12:20 PM Post #46,993 of 63,674
Don't sleep on the Nicehck Bro. They are $11 right now and will be down to $9 with the mobile app on Aliexpress. As for KZ the ED9 is also a good play. Also check reviews for Uiisii CM5. That thing is still legendary status imo. I don't know if its still available, but its worth checking out.
i was going to recommend the bro as well--not bassy, but otherwise ridiculously refined and well made for $11--the cable is worth it alone
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 12:21 PM Post #46,994 of 63,674
About the ED16, are they physically like zsr or zs3/4?
Zsr are a total disaster as fit in my ears, zs3 and 4 are perfect
I think the ED16 are about the same size as my ZS10 Pro's, but a different shape.
I couldn't get them to keep a tight fit in my ear, but I recently put on dual-flange tips from Mee Audio & they seem great now.
They are also much lighter than the ZS10 Pro's. I've never paid attention to that before, but now I notice that the KZ10 Pros aren't great if you're moving around a lot because the weight seems to gradually loosen the fit as they slightly slip out.

The ED16 Sound perfectly good to me, but I don't really hear a lot of the things people mention here.
 
Aug 23, 2019 at 1:05 PM Post #46,995 of 63,674
Cable porn :

In order of preference, I rate the **** 6 core highest. Extremely supple, so much that it doesn't need ear hooks, which looks and feels nicer imo. Nice color, too.

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KZ Upgrade cable, perfect for the price, not super far from KPE stock cable. Jack could lose some weight and belly.

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TRN 16 cores cable. Not too bad but on the heavy side and I'm not a fan of the brown. I have a balanced silver too, and it looks just like... silverish paint. Doesn't ever get completely straight, braiding could be better. Still good value.

3y7OrNC.jpg
 
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