[IEManiac]

Yeah, ZS10 PRO is THAT good. Stock cable is insufficient and definitely needs to be upgraded. If your source will allow it, go balanced; and get a nice balanced upgrade cable. These iems respond well to better amplification and upgraded balanced cables. My most listened to iems for quite a while now.

Can you recommend a single - ended cable?

 

[courierdriver]

Can you recommend a single - ended cable?

JCally 8 core is good (nice enough highs, mids are excellent and bass is killer but a bit loose with great impact). Tripowin Zonie or C8 is also excellent (tighter bass, warmer mids, and slightly clearer highs). I have the Zonie not C8 but pretty sure they aren't that much different. It depends on the type of sound signature you prefer. JCally cable is a solid buy though if you are looking to upgrade from the KZ cables, imho. Less than $20. For about 10 bucks more though, the Tripowin cables are softer and seem to be better built, with better connectors and strain relief on the ends. Which ever you decide on, they are much nicer, better constructed and more premium than the stock cables that come with ANY KZ iem.
Edit: I have both the Jcally single ended and balanced cable, and both are a huge upgrade from the stock KZ cable. Only have the Tripowin Zonie in balanced.

 

[Supremevegbeef]

Wow OK. Tomorrow i'll ask to borrow them for a quick listen. Unless it has the c pin cable, i'll only be able to try it with the stock cable. yeah, i'm well aware the KZ stock cables leave much to be desired..... Honestly aside from the easy tangling, my biggest issue with KZ stock cables is they remove just a bit of sparkle from the treble enough to make it dull without the upgrade cables. But i feel like the silver cables make the IEMs more sensitive to static electricity.

 

[Supremevegbeef]

Can you recommend a single - ended cable?

For the last 3 kz i have owned i always elected to upgrade to whatever upgrade cable KZ offers. usually something with silver and about $15. for SQ reasons not looks.

 

[dh0licious]

I believe so. I recently came across this "KB EAR" (also "KBEAR") brand cable:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RZY5C8D/

The one customer review there had this to say:

"The true upgrade cable for the KZ ZSN /ZSN pro
Excellent construction over the alleged upgrade cable from KZ. Has the proper plugs for the IEM. Better weave than both the OEM original and upgrade. Significantly more copper used as well. Does a nice job smoothing the sound signature, making the presentation more natural. This is the minimum type cable KZ should be using!"

While the "for ZSN ZS10/ZSN Pro AS16" connector is only in stock in standard 3.5mm on Amazon, I went looking on AliExpress and the KBEAR Official Store has the QDC with the 2.5mm balanaced connector for $16 (but not 4.4mm for some reason):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33018785015.html

So that looks like it confirms that QDC = Paragraph Type C, i.e the connector used on the ZS10 Pro. If you want 4.4mm balanced connector, looks like the "AK KB EAR 16 Core Upgraded Pure Copper Cable 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Earphone Cable With MMCX/2Pin For KZ AS16 ZS10 ZSN PRO TRN X6 CCA F1", currently $26, has it as an option:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33039768500.html

I've read that QDC is reverse polarity to the KZ 0.75 2-pin cables.

See

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/qdc-discussion-and-impressions-thread.804170/page-27#post-14794716

and

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/qdc-discussion-and-impressions-thread.804170/page-27#post-14815052

So looks like there is risk of using QDC type cables on KZ products, unless anyone can advise otherwise.

 

[PhonoPhi]

I've read that QDC is reverse polarity to the KZ 0.75 2-pin cables.

See

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/qdc-discussion-and-impressions-thread.804170/page-27#post-14794716

and

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/qdc-discussion-and-impressions-thread.804170/page-27#post-14815052

So looks like there is risk of using QDC type cables on KZ products, unless anyone can advise otherwise.

It has been discussed.
Original "QDC" was different.
Now they sell "QDC" for KZ and CCA at least for the balanced one. I checked with 10+ 8 & 16 core cables that I have - they all were right for KZ (one happened to be with one side different, so it is always worth to double check polarity).

 

[dh0licious]

It has been discussed.
Original "QDC" was different.
Now they sell "QDC" for KZ and CCA at least for the balanced one. I checked with 10+ 8 & 16 core cables that I have - they all were right for KZ (one happened to be with one side different, so it is always worth to double check polarity).

Thanks for the quick response.

Could you take a moment and link me to some of these "QDC" for KZ and CCA cables?

Also, what's the best way for me to check polartiy - with a multimeter or any other way? Any instructions or videos to help with this?

 

[PhonoPhi]

For the last 3 kz i have owned i always elected to upgrade to whatever upgrade cable KZ offers. usually something with silver and about $15. for SQ reasons not looks.

For the sound quality - one need to be first sure that "silver" is real silver, not tin plating or alloys.
Then another thing to consider - if copper and silver would be any noticeably different - there would be measurements showing this difference (many have rigs, the sensitivity is there to top the ear resolution).
To me the comfort and the aesthetics of different colours make it definitely worth and enjoyable. I also do check that the resistance is below 0.5 Ohm not to be any factor.

 

[arammco]

Hi guys, I want to buy one pair of kz and try it but I don't understand which model is the right way to start. I've seen some of you suggested the ks10 pro (30€) or zsx (40€) but the price I've found is a little high (just don't want to waste money on wrong products). I'm new in this world of "cheap" hifi/chifi and I read about to change the cable (another 20/15€) for a better sound and still i did not know if i like the kz sound.
Can someone just tips about them? Can i go with cheaper kz and then buy a better one or go all-in with better quality?
Thanks in advance!

 

[IEManiac]

The impedance of the cable, like the output impedance of the source device, matters relative to the impedance of the IEM. It is not an absolute per Ohm's Law.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Thanks for the quick response.

Could you take a moment and link me to some of these "QDC" for KZ and CCA cables?

Also, what's the best way for me to check polartiy - with a multimeter or any other way? Any instructions or videos to help with this?

Any simple multimeter works.

Here is one of mobile links:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/40002...er_id=c398f8fd914d465e9f43597c2be4e1f2&is_c=N

If it does not work (I am away from PC at the moment), for most 16-core (and many 8-core) cables , there are multiple options for QDCs. (I checked 2.5 balanced ones for KB Ear, Y...o, Hifigear).

 

[PhonoPhi]

The resistance of the cable, like the output impedance of the source device, matters relative to the impedance of the IEM. It is not an absolute per Ohm's Law.

Absolutely.
I personally do not buy IEMs with the impedance below 15-16 Ohm, the very least since not many DACs/DAPs can provide corresponding high currents without distortions.
Then < 0.5 Ohm is < 1/32 and the cables are not a factor in the circuit and their fit and colours are a bonus to the enjoyment of music

 

[dh0licious]

Any simple multimeter works.

Here is one of mobile links:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/40002...er_id=c398f8fd914d465e9f43597c2be4e1f2&is_c=N

If it does not work (I am away from PC at the moment), for most 16-core (and many 8-core) cables , there are multiple options for QDCs. (I checked 2.5 balanced ones for KB Ear, Y...o, Hifigear).

Thanks, although the link you provided isn't for a balanced cable (at least it doesn't say balanced).

Also from what I'm seeing, only 2.5mm and 4.5mm cables are available in balanced, not 3.5mm. Is that right?

I don't really *need* balanced as my IEM will be plugged into a behind-the-neck bluetooth cable, not a DAC/AMP. however it will be 3.5mm.

 

[IEManiac]

Hi guys, I want to buy one pair of kz and try it but I don't understand which model is the right way to start. I've seen some of you suggested the ks10 pro (30€) or zsx (40€) but the price I've found is a little high (just don't want to waste money on wrong products). I'm new in this world of "cheap" hifi/chifi and I read about to change the cable (another 20/15€) for a better sound and still i did not know if i like the kz sound.
Can someone just tips about them? Can i go with cheaper kz and then buy a better one or go all-in with better quality?
Thanks in advance!

Whether the ZSX flagship sounds better than the KZ ZS10Pro is a matter of debate and of taste. If the ZSX does indeed sound 'better' it will be marginally so, a side grade.

The KZ ZS10 Pro is the least expensive IEM I am confortable recommending. There is nothing audibly wrong with the KZ cable. It's just too long and a boring brown.

 

[arammco]

Whether the ZSX flagship sounds better than the KZ ZS10Pro is a matter of debate and of taste. If the ZSX does indeed sound 'better' it will be marginally so, a side grade.

The KZ ZS10 Pro is the least expensive IEM I am confortable recommending. There is nothing audibly wrong with the KZ cable. It's just too long and a boring brown.

Thanks, I will buy the ks10 pro then, any recommended link/shop? (PM if this type of request is not appreciated on this forum)