Anyone here have an old pair of ED16's they'd like to sell?
I was recently able to replace my super sentimental ZS7's through the help of incredibly awesome people on this forum. In the process I've found a deep love of hunting down long discontinued KZ's. I really wanna experience the other "ZS7"s now.
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
That against the background that I recently bought with the KZ ZS6 (2023). I didn't find anything special about this highly acclaimed headphone. Then I researched on the internet and found out that the current KZ ZS5 and ZS6 models are significantly worse than the first versions of both models. Does KZ save on quality?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Better iem usually means better definition / separation / tuning in general, multiple driver without a effective crossover only kill iem because of the smooth over sound effect that it give. Higher driver count need an effective crossover and also good tune to make it top tier while lower driver count doesn't really need a much work in crossover, also it have smoother sound which also can "killed" one iem.
Summarize: simple hybrid 1+1 to 1+4 is more than enough to make a good to totl iem, but will need much more than that to make a simply endgame
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
That against the background that I recently bought with the KZ ZS6 (2023). I didn't find anything special about this highly acclaimed headphone. Then I researched on the internet and found out that the current KZ ZS5 and ZS6 models are significantly worse than the first versions of both models. Does KZ save on quality?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Also if you need detail i suggest buying a planar. Simply beast in detail
For budget i think Zex and NRA pretty good, i like NRA a little more (sound cleaner to me), then you can think and choose which is better!
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
That against the background that I recently bought with the KZ ZS6 (2023). I didn't find anything special about this highly acclaimed headphone. Then I researched on the internet and found out that the current KZ ZS5 and ZS6 models are significantly worse than the first versions of both models. Does KZ save on quality?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Personally I have a lot of old and new and I can't tell a quality difference. Then again, I'm not some seasoned audiofile. I'm just a guy that really loves KZ. As far as the driver scandal they had, I'm just gonna take their word that it was quality control while they were in the process of changing factories. They paid for all of those drives. Why do that and then not use them? Obviously marketing is the answer that always comes up but the cons of being exposed far outweigh the pros of marketing. Either way, I generally find their new models to feel more premium in terms of build. Sound just depends on the models.
I'd get a PR1 Pro like the guy above mentioned. Also the BA10 is still out there for the moment if you want one of those. The ZES sounds really nice too in my opinion, regardless of whether the electrostatic does anything on it's own or not.
Also if you need detail i suggest buying a planar. Simply beast in detail
For budget i think Zex and NRA pretty good, i like NRA a little more (sound cleaner to me), then you can think and choose which is better!
Thank you for your help. You hit the nail on the head, as we say in Germany.
I mainly need headphones for the detail, especially or rather only to hear the voices without instruments in the background.
Thank you for your help. You hit the nail on the head, as we say in Germany.
I mainly need headphones for the detail, especially or rather only to hear the voices without instruments in the background.
For kz not a lots of iem that i tried have mid focus tuning (or i would say, vocal), still suggest NRA! Don't expect like crazy detail retrieval from them, it a really nitpicking iem which will sound like TOTL tuning with some song and some will sound like a 5$ iem
Edit: just take my NRA out and listen to it again, seems like my MST driver stop working, only DD, sound so natural what @AmericanSpirit maybe you should try and see if they work properly, i just try it like a month ago and it still working just fine, not anymore
Edit v2: agh it sound so good wth?????!???
Editv3: you just need to eq 10,8khz peak to 10khz peak and it should not have any harshness
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
That against the background that I recently bought with the KZ ZS6 (2023). I didn't find anything special about this highly acclaimed headphone. Then I researched on the internet and found out that the current KZ ZS5 and ZS6 models are significantly worse than the first versions of both models. Does KZ save on quality?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
I forgot to add to my previous wall of text, I still find the AS06 to be one of the best sounding KZ's by far. Some songs I find it to be the very best for my tastes.
I'm not sure how it's regarded but it really makes some of the bigger moments in song just pop. Sorry lol if that makes no sense. I have no idea how to describe audio.
I have a question of understanding. Because of the KZ scandal, I understood that the old KZ/CCA models are better than the new ones.
For example, a KZ BA10, AS10 or CCA C16, A10 is better than the newer models. I.e. a 5ba from earlier KZ, CCA models is technically better than the current KZ or CCA models?
Or was it just that KZ or CCA models with fewer built-in components are better than the current ones with more components?
2) I understood that models from KZ in cooperation with Crinancle and HBB were faulty or that the information from KZ regarding the components (installed drivers) was wrong. Does this also apply to brands such as QKZ and the QKZ x HBB model?
Can I basically conclude from this that cheap-looking headphones with many built-in drivers (built-in components) are misleading and do not perform as promised by the manufacturers? For example, a €150 from an expensive manufacturer with 3ba is better than one from KZ with 24ba because the expensive manufacturer is more honest?
That against the background that I recently bought with the KZ ZS6 (2023). I didn't find anything special about this highly acclaimed headphone. Then I researched on the internet and found out that the current KZ ZS5 and ZS6 models are significantly worse than the first versions of both models. Does KZ save on quality?
Thank you in advance for your
New KZ drivers (e.g. black ones) are smoother, more dampened, more Sonion like. In treble, they are more universally better; bass - more arguably. I like older lean Knowles-like bass BAs more.
Recent AS16 pro offer best of the worlds - new treble BAs and older other ones. AS16 pro are quite universally acclaimed to be a good safe all-BA choice.
If you are not treble sensitive, recent KZ PR1 PRO offer a lot in planar sound as well.
LCP ESX with wide-bore tips, like TRI Clarion are great on a thicker, more relaxed side of the sound spectrum. Ordered my back-up pair recently.
I forgot to add to my previous wall of text, I still find the AS06 to be one of the best sounding KZ's by far. Some songs I find it to be the very best for my tastes.
I'm not sure how it's regarded but it really makes some of the bigger moments in song just pop. Sorry lol if that makes no sense. I have no idea how to describe audio.
AS06 are great lean all-BA IEM.
I call it "austere beauty", akin to music of Sibelius.
Arguably one of the best IEMs for cello solo.
For me AS10 were the first hit, then C16, then AS16 that worked great for classical music.
I would not recommend either ASX or AST "as is", but modified they are the best IEMs for me. I tried to get few $150-$200 all BAs succumbing to the commonly promulgated concept of "graduating from KZ". Nope! Nope at all!
If it makes it any better I just bought a pair off someone on here, so you’ll probably have some luck as well. Like the actual ZS7’s, they’re impossible to find already listed online but it turns out people still have sets they’ve held onto.
I think the ED16 and ZS7 are the only detachable cable KZ’s that have been discontinued long enough that you can’t still find them. I guess there’s technically more if you count IEM’s that have had changes made like the ZS6.
It just sucks cause now I’m feeling obligated to go after CCA’s and whatever other brands KZ may have and I feel like theres gonna be more impossible to find discontinued models in those lines as well.
I’m trying to keep it at detachable cables ones cause God…I don’t even wanna try to hunt down ED8’s or pay ridiculous prices for whatever E10’s pop up. KZ collecting is an unforgiving game.
I hear you KH but TBH there's other fish in the sea. As much as I like my old modded KZs, and still use a couple these days, especially on commutes, I sometimes preferred what some competitors rolled out back then for about the same money, like BQEYZ, Revonext, Senffer, TRN, Blon ... to name but a few. One example would be the Revonext QT5 (1DD, 1BA) vs. the KZ ZSN (Pro). Nothing against the ZSN (or any other KZ) but for me and some other folks here the QT5 just sounded a bit better and came in those sexy, steampunkish metal shells ... quite a deal for the 14 Eurazos I paid for each of my sets. Anyway ... just my 2€ct ... YMMV.
I know CCA and KBear. I'm about to start collecting all the CCA's now too and I thought about KBear, as all I really should have trouble finding is the Diamond's.
Then I realized KBear has a company under them called Tri or something. At that point I decided to keep it to KZ and CCA.
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