[Awsan]

I assume you read through this thread where they tried to answer your questions, right?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-battle-of-chi-fi-iems.920530/

Lots of good info there

True a lot of helpful info over there and I am grateful for everyone that helped me, but the nagging made me read around and then people start saying (This is harsh , This has a lot of bass but sounds bad, This wont be better than this) which made me go back to point 0.

Thats why I was asking about the Im70 as I found the ZSX for 35$ today discounted for a couple of hours and I will be shipping it from Malaysia to Yemen and its impossible to resell or return if I didn't like it, So I hope you understand why I might be stubborn and "Noisy".

 

[Slater]

True a lot of helpful info over there and I am grateful for everyone that helped me, but the nagging made me read around and then people start saying (This is harsh , This has a lot of bass but sounds bad, This wont be better than this) which made me go back to point 0.

There isn’t a headphone in the known galaxy that everyone universally agrees on.

There will always be some people that love a headphone, others that don’t like it. Some people that will say it has too much bass, others that say it doesn’t have enough. Some people will say a headphone has harsh treble, and others that say it’s perfect and what are they talking about...

If you wait around until you find something that everyone loves and not a single person hates, you’ll be waiting around for the rest of your natural life.

They do, however, make headphones like that in the land of unicorns, where there are chocolate rivers and everyone has gumdrop smiles. But unfortunately they’re not available in the real world.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

There isn’t a headphone in the known galaxy that everyone universally agrees on.

There will always be some people that love a headphone, others that don’t like it. Some people that will say it has too much bass, others that say it doesn’t have enough. Some people will say a headphone has harsh treble, and others that say it’s perfect and what are they talking about...

If you wait around until you find something that everyone loves and not a single person hates, you’ll be waiting around for the rest of your natural life.

They do, however, make headphones like that in the land of unicorns, where there are chocolate rivers and everyone has gumdrop smiles. But unfortunately they’re not available in the real world.

It's a fool's errand anyway because it's like trying to get an answer to "what's the best movie?" or "what's the best flavor of ice cream?" There literally can't be a single answer because what we want out of a headphone is different from person to person. It depends on where and how you'll be using them, what kind of wear style you prefer, what music you like, the list goes on. The kind of headphone for someone who listens to delicate classical while sitting in a dedicated listening room with no distractions will be wildly different than someone who likes the sealed-in feel of IEMs and jams death metal and hip-hop while on the go.

Like I've listened to top-end electrostats and would never buy a set. I deadass use my ZSX/ES100 pairing more than anything else, and that includes even while at my desk with my HD650 and a tube amp nearby. The only time I don't is when I'm at the gym (Jaybird Vistas for that). I'm that death metal and rap dude and listen on the go, so that pairing is legit the best thing for me. I would absolutely not suggest it to the classical/jazz fan over other options even within the KZ line because the bass would be too much.

There IS a perfect headphone out there for you, but to find that you need to carefully assess your tastes and needs, and then find someone who knows what works for that application.

 

[SoundChoice]

There isn’t a headphone in the known galaxy that everyone universally agrees on.

There will always be some people that love a headphone, others that don’t like it. Some people that will say it has too much bass, others that say it doesn’t have enough. Some people will say a headphone has harsh treble, and others that say it’s perfect and what are they talking about...

If you wait around until you find something that everyone loves and not a single person hates, you’ll be waiting around for the rest of your natural life.

They do, however, make headphones like that in the land of unicorns, where there are chocolate rivers and everyone has gumdrop smiles. But unfortunately they’re not available in the real world.

I am allergic to unicorn fur, hate chocolate, and gumdrops get stuck in my teeth.

 

[headphonesty]

Here's our review of the KZ ZS10 Pro:

Review: KZ ZS10 PRO - Perhaps Practice Makes Perfect

What we like about it:

• Big, deep bass is fun!
• Tame highs make them suitable for long listening sessions.
• Premium fit and finish look terrific.
• Size and shape are very comfortable.
• Affordable!

What we don't like about it:

• Yet another pin standard rendering aftermarket cable for most other models useless.
• Plain and uninspiring bundle of accessories.

 

[Mybutthurts]

Welcome to the ZS10 Pro party.

 

[Zerohour88]

hasn't been involved in KZ stuff much (last tried the ZSX, which I really liked, although I wish the notes had more impact/weight).

quite a pity that the TWS features of E10 didn't work out, since crin got to reviewing it and found it to be pretty good:

https://crinacle.com/2019/12/12/tws...-hifiman-tws600-jaybirds-vista-kz-e10-qcy-t5/

 

[beavis87]

I'm about to order my first IEM and for the price, it looks like KZ/CCA is where I should look. However, I've never had any IEMs so I'm pretty uninformed about driver differences; balanced armature vs dynamic. Are certain drivers better than others for certain kinds of music or does more BA drivers mean better sound reproduction/quality? Is the AS16 worth 4 times the price over the C10? Or are the C12's the best compromise? How does the AS12 compare to the C12? These ones are the ones I've found and the lowest prices I've found for each without mic:

KZ AS16 8BA $101.99
KZ AS12 6BA $72.60
CCA A10 5BA $44.00
KZ-AS10 5BA $40.40
CCA C12 5BA +1DD $34.51
KZ ZS10 pro 4BA +1DD $35.15
CCA C10 4BA +1DD $23.25

 

[kukkurovaca]

Are certain drivers better than others for certain kinds of music or does more BA drivers mean better sound reproduction/quality?

Different driver tapes have certain characteristics, but you can't tell just by the kind of driver how a given IEM will sound. As an example, a dynamic driver will often have a more impactful/phsyical feeling, slower bass, while an all-BA setup will often have lighter, faster bass. Neitiher is good or bad in itself, and there are exceptions to both.

Particularly at low price levels, single driver IEMs can have an advantage in coherency, whereas multi-driver IEMs might sound like there are gaps in the frequency response if they're poorly implemented. But if the tuning and crossover (if any) are good, a multi-driver IEM can still sound very coherent. Single driver IEMs are also less susceptible to issues resulting from a high source impedance. (Not a concern with most modern DAPs/amps, but still.)

tl;dr, just go by reviews of the sound from folks who listen to similar music, and don't worry too much about the driver configuration.

 

[Sebulr]

I'm about to order my first IEM and for the price, it looks like KZ/CCA is where I should look. However, I've never had any IEMs so I'm pretty uninformed about driver differences; balanced armature vs dynamic. Are certain drivers better than others for certain kinds of music or does more BA drivers mean better sound reproduction/quality? Is the AS16 worth 4 times the price over the C10? Or are the C12's the best compromise? How does the AS12 compare to the C12? These ones are the ones I've found and the lowest prices I've found for each without mic:

KZ AS16 8BA $101.99
KZ AS12 6BA $72.60
CCA A10 5BA $44.00
KZ-AS10 5BA $40.40
CCA C12 5BA +1DD $34.51
KZ ZS10 pro 4BA +1DD $35.15
CCA C10 4BA +1DD $23.25

I have 5 pairs of kz earphones, I think. My preferred set are the zs10 pros because they are so comfortable, easily driven. To be honest they are pretty similar to each other, the zs10 pros are a little less harsh than my zsn. And the zsr have the most bass but are slightly sibilant. My normal zs10 have tamer highs than the zs10 pros. More bass aren't always better, but I like the tuning of the zs10 pros. I'm treble sensitive in the 8khz region and I can wear my zs10 pros all day without getting a headache.

The zst are quite good if you are on a tight budget, probably about 90% as good as the zs10 pro, but the cable has wire ear hooks and is tpe coated. The zsn has a better cable and in my opinion is slightly less fatiguing. Can't speak for the others on your list. Kz and cca have upwards of 40 iems.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

hasn't been involved in KZ stuff much (last tried the ZSX, which I really liked, although I wish the notes had more impact/weight).

This baffles me as the ZSX in my ears right now are ridiculously impactful.

 

[planetpowers]

This baffles me as the ZSX in my ears right now are ridiculously impactful.

Are they noticeably more impactful than the ZS10pros? Or the TRN V90s?

I love my ZS10pros. They have more impact than almost any other iems I've tried. (except for maybe my old UE Superfi EB )

I love the new Chi-fi trend. After owning Westones, Shures and UEs, KZ is kicking their rear ends with sound quality for super low prices.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

I'm about to order my first IEM and for the price, it looks like KZ/CCA is where I should look. However, I've never had any IEMs so I'm pretty uninformed about driver differences; balanced armature vs dynamic. Are certain drivers better than others for certain kinds of music or does more BA drivers mean better sound reproduction/quality? Is the AS16 worth 4 times the price over the C10? Or are the C12's the best compromise? How does the AS12 compare to the C12? These ones are the ones I've found and the lowest prices I've found for each without mic:

KZ AS16 8BA $101.99
KZ AS12 6BA $72.60
CCA A10 5BA $44.00
KZ-AS10 5BA $40.40
CCA C12 5BA +1DD $34.51
KZ ZS10 pro 4BA +1DD $35.15
CCA C10 4BA +1DD $23.25

The basic drivers that are used in an IEM are important, but so is how they are arranged. ZS7, CA4/C10 are using similar or same drivers, for example, but are tuned very differently. Each of those IEMs is better for certain types of listening.

-The C10 is smooth listening, warm, sounds kind of 'analog.' Has decent bass and a fairly large soundstage, even if layering could be better. Voices are crystal clear and elevated. Doesn't have harshness or peaks, but also isn't as 'technically' resolving as some of its cousins. It's fairly 'balanced' in tuning, with a strong midrange, highs and lows aren't boosted that much. Might lack 'impact.' Highly comfortable for most people (not all), and also has decent isolation. Very easy to drive.

-ZS-10 Pro has relatively powerful bass, but also elevates the treble a bit. Typical KZ V-shape, so the mid-range takes a hit. A 'fun' tuning. People use it for rock, hip-hop, metal. Not ideal for classical/jazz. Somewhat 'metallic' timbre. I find the mids/treble to be a bit grainy compared to more expensive IEMs. And even though it is less harsh than predecessors, some treble-sensitive people might notice mild spikes. Easy fit, not large, one of the more comfortable KZs. Easy to drive.

-C12 hasn't arrived yet for me. But it is said to be detailed, going for a more analytical 'reference' type of sound, can resolve classical and jazz fairly well, as well as being used for typical KZ fare such as rock. Maybe less 'impactful' than the ZSX (which should be on your list: it's the successor of the ZS-10 Pro).

So what I'm getting at here, is that you should look at a few reviews and pick a KZ/CCA based on the type of music you are planning to listen to, or the type of 'tuning' you prefer. There are millions of reviews of this equipment, because KZ/CCA are popular and common (and cheap).

You should also note that you can get the C10 for under $20 if you pair it strategically with AliExpress coupons, and that the C12 went as low as $29 during this 12.12 sale, which you can probably still get it for.

 

[Mouseman]

Are they noticeably more impactful than the ZS10pros? Or the TRN V90s?

I love my ZS10pros. They have more impact than almost any other iems I've tried. (except for maybe my old UE Superfi EB )

I love the new Chi-fi trend. After owning Westones, Shures and UEs, KZ is kicking their rear ends with sound quality for super low prices.

I think the ZSXs have more impact than either of those. They're a smoother ZS10 Pro with better details and extension, particularly in the low end. While the V90s are really nice, I think they don't reach as low either. But they're in the same ballpark.

 

[planetpowers]

I think the ZSXs have more impact than either of those. They're a smoother ZS10 Pro with better details and extension, particularly in the low end. While the V90s are really nice, I think they don't reach as low either. But they're in the same ballpark.

Thanks for your input. I've been trying to decide between the two. Sounds like the ZSX might be for me.