[chinmie]

Yeah, I guess I just got unlucky. My ZSTs are holding up great, though they don't sound anywhere near as good as the ZSX.

This is the most I've paid for a "budget" IEM, and it just so happens to be my very first pair with a failed driver. It's disheartening and makes me hesitant to pay more than like $20 again for Chi Fi.

Too bad, cuz I've been planning to eventually buy Moondrop Starfields, but QC for budget Chinese headphones seems pretty sketchy.

Moondrop is one of the chifi companies that has tight QC and consistent tuning between their products, and i haven't found them secretly changing tuning/drivers on their existing lineup. usually they would just discontinue and make another product if they decide to change something. so I'd say if you decided to go for the moondrops it'll be a safe choice.

 

[axhng]

Moondrop is one of the chifi companies that has tight QC and consistent tuning between their products, and i haven't found them secretly changing tuning/drivers on their existing lineup. usually they would just discontinue and make another product if they decide to change something. so I'd say if you decided to go for the moondrops it'll be a safe choice.

Talking about changing things on their existing lineup, I just realised that for the KZ S1, they were using USB-C and later changed to microUSB. -_-

 

[chinmie]

Talking about changing things on their existing lineup, I just realised that for the KZ S1, they were using USB-C and later changed to microUSB. -_-

and that's one of the changes that are plainly visible.. KZ has done many drivers or tuning changes in their past product.. which resulted in those V1, V2 reviews of the same lineup..and i doubt they're the only one that do that.

 

[Assimilator702]

At this point you may as well wait for the 11/11 sales and clean house

The prices are not low enough to justify waiting until 11/11. 2018 was the last worthwhile 11/11 sale for anything other than cables. Even the recent summer sale was a letdown.

 

[khighly]

Anyone tried those BGVP hybrid electrostatic IEM's?

Also, new issues with KZ Z1, often the pins dont align making it so each earbud isnt charged, or one isn't charged. KZ is still in their infancy with BT, would recommend avoiding unless you want clearly beta products.

 

[zachmal]

Anyone tried those BGVP hybrid electrostatic IEM's?

Also, new issues with KZ Z1, often the pins dont align making it so each earbud isnt charged, or one isn't charged. KZ is still in their infancy with BT, would recommend avoiding unless you want clearly beta products.

there are a few initial impressions and reviews on the BGVP thread already for the BGVP Zero:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bgv...d-new-ba-series.894331/page-317#post-15727066

 

[mookid_]

I've had some KZ ATR for the past couple years that I've really enjoyed, but looking to upgrade, perhaps to something with multiple drivers, but really don't want to spend more than $30-$40 since it'll be crammed into pockets and backpacks.

Currently looking at the ZS10 Pro, ZSTX, and ZSN Pro. Is the sound difference enough to justify going for the ZS10 Pro? Thanks!

 

[whitete]

I got the ZS10 Pro recently and like it a lot. I like it better than the ZSX really. The sound is similar but for me the ZS10 Pro fits better.

 

[PhonoPhi]

I've had some KZ ATR for the past couple years that I've really enjoyed, but looking to upgrade, perhaps to something with multiple drivers, but really don't want to spend more than $30-$40 since it'll be crammed into pockets and backpacks.

Currently looking at the ZS10 Pro, ZSTX, and ZSN Pro. Is the sound difference enough to justify going for the ZS10 Pro? Thanks!

Your "top 3" choice here are:

1) ZS10 pro - cheerful and lively V-shape, great with electronic music;

2) ZSX - the next generation from ZS10 pro, a bit smooher and refined and more universal.
ZSX fits me better (without wearing something on top - the long protruding part is out there);

3) CCA C12 - the close relative of ZSX (the same drivers), if ZSX feel right but the fit may be of some concern. C12 shell is the same as the one of ZS10 pro, ZSN, etc.

One more to consider is CCA C10, if smoother sound is preferred.

 

[courierdriver]

I got the ZS10 Pro recently and like it a lot. I like it better than the ZSX really. The sound is similar but for me the ZS10 Pro fits better.

Still my favorite go to, of all the iems I currently own.

 

[khighly]

Going from the Z1 to ZSX it's so noticeable how bad the bass is with that new Xun driver. I listen to a lot of bass house and the bass quantity on the Z1 is absolutely massive, too much, and I absolutely love me some bass. Very muddy too, any semblance of low mids get caught up in how thick the sub bass is. You could rattle the trunk of a hot wheels car with that thing. ZSX is on the bassy side but its detailed and balanced with everything else so nicely.

Anyone know if KZ has improved the strength of the resin around their 2pin connector on the IEM's themselves? Mine is broken from using these probably hundreds of not thousands of hours now and I'm sad about it and worried that KZ has edited the sound signature like they did with the ZS6 (though I think the head-fi & youtube reviewer high frequency police caused this), so I really don't want to lose this pair.

 

[Slater]

Going from the Z1 to ZSX it's so noticeable how bad the bass is with that new Xun driver. I listen to a lot of bass house and the bass quantity on the Z1 is absolutely massive, too much, and I absolutely love me some bass. Very muddy too, any semblance of low mids get caught up in how thick the sub bass is. You could rattle the trunk of a hot wheels car with that thing. ZSX is on the bassy side but its detailed and balanced with everything else so nicely.

Anyone know if KZ has improved the strength of the resin around their 2pin connector on the IEM's themselves? Mine is broken from using these probably hundreds of not thousands of hours now and I'm sad about it and worried that KZ has edited the sound signature like they did with the ZS6 (though I think the head-fi & youtube reviewer high frequency police caused this), so I really don't want to lose this pair.

I don’t think the jack crumbling apart was a widespread problem. There were only a few reported cases of it. Now that the Para C sockets have been out for a while, if the jacks were regularly falling apart en masse, I think it would be big news by now.

Your comments about the XUN driver are disappointing too, especially since that is new tech KZ is adding to more models than just the 1 TWS model. Hopefully it’s an isolated case of maybe 1 poorly performing QC pair, as opposed to a fundamental characteristic of the XUN driver in general. Because if that’s the case, it would be like taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

 

[SaveTheMantaRays]

What is your favorite replacement cables to
fit the ZSX and the ZS10 Pro ?

Preferably on Amazon U.S.

 

[axhng]

I don’t think the jack crumbling apart was a widespread problem. There were only a few reported cases of it. Now that the Para C sockets have been out for a while, if the jacks were regularly falling apart en masse, I think it would be big news by now.

Your comments about the XUN driver are disappointing too, especially since that is new tech KZ is adding to more models than just the 1 TWS model. Hopefully it’s an isolated case of maybe 1 poorly performing QC pair, as opposed to a fundamental characteristic of the XUN driver in general. Because if that’s the case, it would be like taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

For me the XUN drivers works better for TWS and maybe more budget models? I don't think it's that bad for the lower mids though, but personal preference and choice of music probably plays a part too. Having listened to Z1 and ZST X, I do think that resolution isn't particularly great. The improvement in detail retrieval that I hear on the ZST X feels like it's just thanks to the BA driver, and the low end just sound kinda the same in terms of resolution. But we've not seen them put this driver in higher end models though, so I don't want to jump to conclusions yet.

 

[DynamicEars]

Nothing wrong with all comments above as i have both of them, i can explain why @khighly perceived the new XUN driver is bad.
XUN new driver have good technicalities, better dynamic and tightness, a capable driver, with relatively fast decay too, and what i like is they are moving massive air literally (their marketing gimmicks said they have turbocharger something bla bla blah)
but the Z1 is tuning BADLY, overwhelming sub bass and mid bass, with mid bass bleed that muddying midrange, boosted trebles, a very bad very V shaped tuning.

so its not the driver fault, blame the tuning of Z1