[keesue]

My PR2s arrived. Man, they are smooth. What a bargain.

 

[stephenm00]

Double Post.

 

[stephenm00]

Measurements taken by @gadgetgod

You feel the extra treble much more than the graph shows

So yes, this is not the same IEM advertised by HBB or KZ

So this is the v1 (with mesh) in blue and the v2 (without mesh) in red / green? Has anyone else graphed the differences between the versions?

 

[losber]

So this is the v1 (with mesh) in blue and the v2 (without mesh) in red / green? Has anyone else graphed the differences between the versions?

Moreover there are the differences between the samples v1 https://www.head-fi.org/threads/knowledge-zenith-kz-impressions-thread.698148/post-17563654 https://www.head-fi.org/threads/knowledge-zenith-kz-impressions-thread.698148/post-17570084

 

[hitmaker]

So this is the v1 (with mesh) in blue and the v2 (without mesh) in red / green? Has anyone else graphed the differences between the versions?

yes the Blue is the earliest version. The red/green is the newer batch

 

[Capo Dei Capi]

yes the Blue is the earliest version. The red/green is the newer batch

The red/green looks better to me.

 

[dimapro]

Hey all PR2 owners. You say that the difference with V2 is the absence of mesh/filter, right?
I bought my set on Apr 27 (Ali Global Store) and I got the variation on the right. Sound-wise I'm satisfied, a bit much treble though. Can't compare to how this originally should have sounded.

 

[Tamizhan]

So did some further testing with the PR2 against the EA500 and these are my observations -


EA500 is approx. 8-9dB louder than the PR2 while using the same source if I try to level match them by pink noise.

PR2 is approx. 6-7dB louder from 8.5KHz to 13KHz range than the EA500. - Now this is interesting because if we consider the first batch measurements, they should have similar response in this area. But if we look at the newer graphs by Aftersound and others, you can see there is, in fact, a difference in this area. This is sad

PR2 stage is deeper and wider but it's not rounded as the EA500. It's like comparing an oval (ea500) to a triangle (pr2)

There's more space around the instruments with the PR2. This could be because of the tuning or just the driver tech. Both are great, but the PR2 just provides more micro-details

The overall mids response is really close with EA500 having a more "closer to the head" centre image. Both have too much pinna gain for my ears, needs eq of -3db for both.

Mid bass definitely goes to EA500. It's present and a lot of fun. PR2's focus on sub bass makes it "cleaner" but good enough. 120Hz 2dB boost with a 0.6Q feels perfect for me.

Treble can feel great or very bad depending on the track on the PR2. The 10-12KHz region for my ears is boosted considerably and sounds similar to the PR1 balanced. This adds the layer of "artificial details and edge" on tracks with high freq. instruments or compressed female vocals. It's better than before but not enough, at least for this newer batch, the old batch should do better.

This is my biggest gripe with the PR2 as I know it's hard to EQ and also needs more destructive modding. It also means, tip rolling will be important. Longer stem, soft silicone tips will work best. The KZ Starlines work great. Harder tips like AE07 or larger bore tips like Spring Tips can affect negatively.

My experiments will continue, will compare with my modded PR1 Balanced later after I get it measured.

Source - Triuthear shio 4.4mm Balanced
Cable - TRN T2 Pro
Software used - Sinegen, Peace EQ, Apple music, Spotify.

How is the synergy with shio and PR2 compared to other sources? It's supposedly a warm dac

 

[ext23]

What would be the best ~$20 IEM to pair with the KZ AZ09 Pro earhooks WITHOUT CUTTING AWAKE THE AZ09 HOUSING? It's a gift for a friend in another country so yeah, can't do the mod.

I'm aware this more or less limits me to KZ IEMs, but I was wondering if the Tangzu Waner fits? Any other suggestions? If not, which of the ZVX and D-Fi (switchless) has the more neutral/less V-shaped sound?

 

[Tamizhan]

Has anyone looked into Joyodio VZ10? It is already avaliable to order with some coupons too

 

[blorg]

This is the new vs the old KZ x HBB PR2. They sent the original HBB tuning around to all the reviewers, got the reviews, then radically changed the tuning because apparently it was too much effort to apply the black damping material consistently. The new one has WAY too much high treble, it's very piercing. It's very similar to the PR1 in the treble.

I don't think the new one is terrible, you can apply a negative high shelf from 8kHz, or if you are older and have substantial high-frequency hearing loss maybe you can listen to it as is. On some genres it does sound good. On a lot though, it's just unnatural, tizzy, piercing and fatiguing.

If it was just sold as the PR1 Pro for $45, I think it would be still a good deal, it's very well tuned everywhere below 8kHz, it has good technicalities, good sense of detail. If they just said, OK, it's the PR1 Pro for $45... I mean the treble is not even as bad as the OG Tin planars that went for up to $369, and it's $45 or even less with sales. But the whole rationale and selling point from HBB and behind the PR2 was that the treble was going to be damped, it's a total bait and switch.

KZ will try to pass this off as "hobby couplers" or any of this nonsense but it's not, they radically changed the tuning of this IEM after they got the first batch of reviews, and there are two versions out there which have radically different response over 8kHz.

 

[hitmaker]

How is the synergy with shio and PR2 compared to other sources? It's supposedly a warm dac

It's pretty good. I don't find dacs to change sound that much, at least for the ones that I have. But yes, the PR2 with shio sounds as it should. Clean, fast, loud and lots of details. The 4.4mm is powerful enough for the pr2.

 

[hitmaker]

This is the new vs the old KZ x HBB PR2. They sent the original HBB tuning around to all the reviewers, got the reviews, then radically changed the tuning because apparently it was too much effort to apply the black damping material consistently. The new one has WAY too much high treble, it's very piercing. It's very similar to the PR1 in the treble.

I don't think the new one is terrible, you can apply a negative high shelf from 8kHz, or if you are older and have substantial high-frequency hearing loss maybe you can listen to it as is. On some genres it does sound good. On a lot though, it's just unnatural, tizzy, piercing and fatiguing.

If it was just sold as the PR1 Pro for $45, I think it would be still a good deal, it's very well tuned everywhere below 8kHz, it has good technicalities, good sense of detail. If they just said, OK, it's the PR1 Pro for $45... I mean the treble is not even as bad as the OG Tin planars that went for up to $369, and it's $45 or even less with sales. But the whole rationale and selling point from HBB and behind the PR2 was that the treble was going to be damped, it's a total bait and switch.

KZ will try to pass this off as "hobby couplers" or any of this nonsense but it's not, they radically changed the tuning of this IEM after they got the first batch of reviews, and there are two versions out there which have radically different response over 8kHz.

I wonder if HBB is in this forum? Wouldn't mind for his opinions on this situation. Because if you are collaborating and earning profits from the project then you should be held liable for this unwanted change.

Even more interesting is that when the PR2 was first showcased on HBB's video, it showed a completely different graph, which is better than all the retail versions.

But this tuning didn't reach the retail stage. This was the graph that actually got me excited for the PR2 but it doesn't exist anymore. And now, the tuning is even worse than the first batch.

The pr2 is amazing for what it is. But what was promised was never delivered.

So to summarize, KZ did the fakery again. False promises everywhere

 

[seanwee]

Reading this and watching a recent YouTube review that measured the meshless version and talked about the sibilance, I'm now really genuinely pi**ed off, especially my sets have just had the bogus tracking code from AliExpress after a month of waiting which means I can't cancel them now. Why t f would they do this?? Has anyone tagged HBB or Tyvan to say anything about this, apart from the bs statement that they said this wouldn't affect the sound? Has HBB said anything at all? I was really hyped when more and more of you got your sets and confirmed the original tuning was excellent, now I'm just really angry.

Easier to make, easy to scam people who just watch HBB's video and don't come onto forums.

So this is the v1 (with mesh) in blue and the v2 (without mesh) in red / green? Has anyone else graphed the differences between the versions?

I'm just waiting for my PR2 V2 to arrive.

This is the new vs the old KZ x HBB PR2. They sent the original HBB tuning around to all the reviewers, got the reviews, then radically changed the tuning because apparently it was too much effort to apply the black damping material consistently. The new one has WAY too much high treble, it's very piercing. It's very similar to the PR1 in the treble.

I don't think the new one is terrible, you can apply a negative high shelf from 8kHz, or if you are older and have substantial high-frequency hearing loss maybe you can listen to it as is. On some genres it does sound good. On a lot though, it's just unnatural, tizzy, piercing and fatiguing.

If it was just sold as the PR1 Pro for $45, I think it would be still a good deal, it's very well tuned everywhere below 8kHz, it has good technicalities, good sense of detail. If they just said, OK, it's the PR1 Pro for $45... I mean the treble is not even as bad as the OG Tin planars that went for up to $369, and it's $45 or even less with sales. But the whole rationale and selling point from HBB and behind the PR2 was that the treble was going to be damped, it's a total bait and switch.

KZ will try to pass this off as "hobby couplers" or any of this nonsense but it's not, they radically changed the tuning of this IEM after they got the first batch of reviews, and there are two versions out there which have radically different response over 8kHz.

We'll have irrefutable evidence once I measure a PR2 V2 on the same coupler i measured 4 PR2 V1s on.

I wonder if HBB is in this forum? Wouldn't mind for his opinions on this situation. Because if you are collaborating and earning profits from the project then you should be held liable for this unwanted change.

Even more interesting is that when the PR2 was first showcased on HBB's video, it showed a completely different graph, which is better than all the retail versions.




But this tuning didn't reach the retail stage. This was the graph that actually got me excited for the PR2 but it doesn't exist anymore. And now, the tuning is even worse than the first batch.

The pr2 is amazing for what it is. But what was promised was never delivered.

So to summarize, KZ did the fakery again. False promises everywhere

I graphed the same FR as HBB on my 2nd pair and have v2 incoming. Though I did find sample 1 and 3 without the 4.5k peak to sound better.



In my investigation of the PR2 v1 variance I expressed my concerns regarding the change, wondering how much it would change the sound and lamenting the fact that the well tuned v1 is as good as gone.

There remains the fact you can't buy the original PR2's as tuned by HBB anymore but we shall see how they compare.

KZ seems to have dropped the ball again. Who knows if this just turns HBB off KZ collabs for good after he gave them a second chance.

 

[t4t3r]

If your PR2 has the mesh it should be v1 and the better tuning? Or is that still not a guarantee and your specific pair would need to be measured?