My KZ ZAX arrived yesterday, along with several other IEM's for review - and found time tonight to put it together with SednaFit ML tips - better sealing fit for me than KZ tips - and found the KZ ZAX cable is a new KZ cable, very soft and "silver" encased in clear jacket, no chin slider - plastic splitter, and then I plugged it in to the Topping A90 and flipped into some Tidal Jazz - Chet Baker...and what am I hearing - or not hearing?
Out of the box this the first new KZ IEM that comes out of the box "Mellow" almost like it's already broken in! - maybe it is, this KZ ZAX was sent to me as part of a review Tour but came directly from Hifigo, I've emailed them to ask if this KZ ZAX is new or if it really is "broken in" already by the previous reviewer
The ZAX is tuneful and clean on everything I am throwing at it - A90 L Gain -15.0dB PRE mode volume straight up 12 noon, and also on my FiiO M15 - L Gain with or without "over-ear headphone" mode the ZAX sounds rich and full, with a wide soundstage.
I had been enjoying listening to my new / pre-owned DT 990 600 ohm that has also clearly been broken in - mellow sound and wide sound stage, and switching over to the KZ ZAX gave me the same full sound with an even wider sound stage - both with well defined and detailed bass and vocals - neither has too much treble either, on most recordings so far.
The KZ ZAX is a bit less mellow than the broken in DT990 600ohm, but still much better than any other KZ out of the box.
Transitioned across a number of genres of music, really getting into each one as they pass by my senses...
In New York [Original Jazz Classics Remasters] by Chet Baker — 7 Tracks — 51:30 MASTER Released 09/01/1958
https://tidal.com/browse/album/91579862
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B01LY1Q7QU?ref=dm_sh_8be2-89c7-9f59-cb66-6bc18
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly — 6 Tracks — 36:05 Released 06/01/1968
https://tidal.com/browse/track/24510381
https://tidal.com/browse/album/24510375
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B00H9EEPTW?trackAsin=B00H9EEUD8&ref=dm_sh_9bd6-0f19-81e9-c903-2b66c
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B00H9EEPTW?ref=dm_sh_b2a4-1197-1fd3-bb4f-abc40
Sampling: Nas Created by TIDAL — 191 Tracks — 15:01:42
Nas has one of the most stellar sampling archives in the game. With a career spanning 15 albums, his musical influence spreads wide and deep. Celebrate his catalog with
this fire playlist of samples the Queens rapper has used. (Photo: Rovi)
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/b57ddbc1-89ac-4327-af50-c08de3745a69
Inexplicably I've been looping and rocking out on this track from the Traveling Wilbury's:
https://tidal.com/browse/track/61155967
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B01G8IFGQA?trackAsin=B01G8IFCVE&ref=dm_sh_966e-4fb1-7314-256d-2f35e
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 by The Traveling Wilburys — 10 Tracks — 36:27 Released 10/25/1988
https://tidal.com/browse/album/61155958
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B01G8IFGQA?ref=dm_sh_f5a1-b45f-1607-742c-3f2d6
I think it might be because I'd previously been binge re-watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine - getting as far as S1E8 before switching to Tidal and then unpacking the IEM's..:
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/pla...08916_01/e5700cad-6478-322e-9ade-7a28c910f7ee
For me the KZ ZAX is a "keeper", I heard it that way instantly switching over from the Beyerdynamic DT990 600 ohm. Usually it takes a good long time of break in before I feel this way about an IEM, or headphone. There's a first time for everything I suppose.
Update:
The model I received is the "Blue" no-mic with Silver shield with Black grills, very nice looking, nice finish.
https://hifigo.com/products/kz-zax?variant=32380350660657
@cleg noticed no difference in sound after 60 hours burn-in, so maybe the KZ ZAX really is this mellow right out of the box.
Update:
Hifigo confirmed all of the IEM's they sent in the Tour including the KZ ZAX are all new unused - no burn-in hours. So the KZ ZAX is mellow right out of the box, wow, that's a first
The KZ ZAX was sounding so sweet on everything with it's stock cable, so I moved on to the KBEAR 16 core silver plated 4.4mm cable, and the ZAX kept singing beautifully.
Impatiently, I quickly moved on to see if the KZ ZAX would be well behaved on the new KBEAR limpid 4 core 4N 99.99% Purity silver 2-pin 4.4mm cable delivered from AliExpress a few days ago:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-discovery-thread.586909/post-15907369
The Blon BL-03 will need to step aside and let the ZAX have the room for a while. It's just amazingly detailed sounding - with no sibilance or discomfort with treble filled female and male vocals.