[Echalon]

No, i am using a 16 core hq cable. I only listened to 2 songs. I am going to listen a bit more after work. I’ll be letting you guys know. But first impression was not much bass. (Listened to welcome to the jungle and perhaps by guns n roses, will listen to classic and current pop later on).

Very strange, mine definitely has ample bass. Maybe they shipped you a Harmon edition in the wrong box?

 

[4ceratops]

Very strange, mine definitely has ample bass. Maybe they shipped you a Harmon edition in the wrong box?

I doubt it, because passie42 would surely notice that right away. The bass edition only comes in black and the Harman only comes in silver. So the mistake would have been detected right out of the box...

 

[passie42]

Yeah. I was wrong. Using my dongle instead of my Fiio Q3. Listening to my rock and hip hop playlists I got a lot off bass. So much I set switch 2 also to the off position. Treble sounds little of. Wil try now with switch 1 and 3 to on. Also will try other tips.

 

[rayliam80]

@passie42 Thanks for updating. I'm also interested in a budget basshead IEM and the Castor might be the ticket. I'll probably wait until 11.11 though to order.

 

[passie42]

When turning the volume up the quality of the bass becomes bad. Had to set the second switch also to the off position. Going back to the Chu 2.

 

[Hung Tuan]

from the graph, the Castor has the same sub-bass as Khan but lower mid-bass and lower mid. So it really depend on fittng because sub-base can be lost easily. In that case, it can turn to another Duo but with more sub-bass

 

[427951]

When turning the volume up the quality of the bass becomes bad. Had to set the second switch also to the off position. Going back to the Chu 2.

Keep burning that in with pink noise.

 

[passie42]

Keep burning that in with pink noise.

Ok. I will let it burn in this night. Only did a 1 hour burn in until now. The YouTube comment said that was enough but it probably isn’t.

 

[boodi]

----- The AST ------------------------------------------------

PROs

- overall the most technically competent of all KZ I tried
- timbral accuracy is much better then rest of KZ across all spectrum of frqs and for a large part of instruments ( from guitars to piano to strings to drums to flutes and violins and voices : the sound is more sweetly fletched and parented with original instruments );
- the mids are the less recessed and more nuanced of any other KZ I tried;
- voices ( both females and males ) sound textured detailed and natural, I have to say I really loved voice natural and detailed airy portraits here..
- the micro details are done better( i.e. subtle voice details or drums decay or portraying different simultaneous tones while preserving them );
- the highs are the less harsh of all KZ ( so you can 'pump them' on eq and not find distortions easily like in the other KZ)no hints of sibilance , metallic edge or haze: zero . If anything highs are natural and slightly sweet sounding ( opposed to edgy )
- mids are very smooth ( more then any other KZ ..again....) , also very nicely rich : nuanced detailed and i would add even 'fresh'
- space effects ( L/R , image ) are nicely precise and done with very smooth organic micro transitioning , not overdone or bold ( think 10PRO X)
- the tones are more solid then any other KZ I tried
- there's more 'going on' in same music compared to all others KZ I tried ( details , and display of music is better)

CONs

- the bass is there..as it should obviously , there' s nice separation texture and decent speed . But is not authoritative and physical ( ZAR ): even when music'd want and call it to be . So impact may be missing and soft depending on your gears and taste , not awe-fun ( as 10 Pro x, or think Sony-Z1R if you dare ) . Also I wouldn't call speed or prat exciting , so not a typical fun/bass kz iem . A flat textured separated bass with hint of sub base : good enough for some , not enough for others .
- the overall tone is warmish/sweet , with a choice for more decay on notes , giving this set a better insight on details and a subtly romantic drive , but rithmically not enormously fun..
-they have less of a 'special character' ( colour?v shape?u shape? you call your favour ) like other KZ sets , so they can sound equally very good but a tad uninspired depending on your mileage ..for same reasons the "cons" could also read as "pros" depending on what use or joy in the music you have

I'd give them 4 stars
factoring in the price it could be easy a 5 for manys: sure they are technically and timbrally proficient and it is fast thing to tell when on ears

----- The ZAR --------------------------------------------------

CONs (vs AST24)

-they loose on them in soundstage (widely ) , in detail / timbral accuracy and highs - which are more supressed , less smooth and more metallic albeit not as much as in the other KZ' iem or more distorted when with eq' ; and surprisingly -had to double check number of times..- they sound somewhat thinner then the AST24 , I wouldn't tell it in first tests but AST24 are richer and upfront in mids and this fills it up slightly better imo then ZAR organic warm character

PROs (vs AST24)

- the bass is a brick, often solid as dark matter , authoritative , hits supported by a deep-but-tight sub bass dry enough ( no 10Pro X here ) , and can be felt instead of heard wich - even though it preserves some of its nuances to come atop the feeling - I much prefer

-the tone is warm/dark 'down to earth' with a more organic drive on bass/mids ( it is more stagey , airy, sweet and marginally more suspended on AST24 )
-the speed is definitely better and more fun , you loose a tad of tact in articulation( not much / depending on tunes ) but you gain on prat and impact here.
-the background is blacker : the AST24 play in the upper atmosphere , rade enough no blacks behind though ; the ZAR play nearer to the black space ( just a hint of air when you eq' highs , and dead black behind )
-overall signature is funnier but more relaxing , it is still interesting to hear the music but you feel flow and fun more then on AST24 where you tend to look on what's happening in stage a bit more ..obviously mileages may vary here so take these words and considerations as personal

I wouldn't ever say the ZAR are superior to the AST24 , they are not : and it is evident . But.. some *important* sound things are more in line with my favor on them , and eventually I prefer them over AST24...and that brick-bass landing down like a no-sweetener black coffee monolith from the sky (when record allows for it of course ).

I'd give them 4 stars
as they need improving in 2 areas on all : stage and highs show; as well I have to already tell my favour as their overall sound profile and flavour is something special and more solidly akin to my taste

True that if they had better stage and highs i'd be willing to pay them more then AST24. And if they had better stage/highs and AST24 timber , i'd pay them much more..but i assume that at that point some dark brick magic wet of them would be lost or sacrified , they are refined but you have to like a darkish presentation here (> coloured ) , AST24 warm/sweetish tones are also there but not as evident


----- THE ZS10 PRO X -------------------------------------------

The best fun if valuing bang for bux : ZS10 PRO x
It's behind both by a fair margin on technicals , and doesn't even approach by far being hiend or audiophile thing, but..it would be my choice if I had to select only 1 and on budget and looking for fun on the go, they sound abit hipy not particularly linear, nor silent black behind , but that sub presence and mellow mids are entertainingly fun, with decent enough highs : overall more then decent for providing nice company and portable fun .. super for the price they sell though

My 2c..hope that helps
I will be living with ZAR and AST24 swapping them as my 2 portables of choice for some time, then ..I will update

Updating soon
writing a full review may be worth

After some time with the AST : I was surprised as the sound and appeal kept on rising , they distanced themselves from the ZAR more and more with time for behavior and refinement , I'm largely unexperienced in iem and I've been reading bases , and among those that BA-only iem builts do not change signature and technicals over burn-in , or supposely so as it is commonly shared; the ZAR are hybrid and were opening and refining some edge in the top end during burn in , quite clearly , the change wasn't so pronounced though and returning to them gave me and gives me still quite very same feeling I had after some hours listeninig . This is sure not the same case for AST , questioning my ears and listening , reading and researching , I found 1 review telling to "mandatorily" give them up to 100hours to express , and some costumers/musicians using them as monitors which were seemingly agreeing on this

I will be back when the 100hrs are done now, I am 15-20 hrs at the moment .

 

[4ceratops]

Updating soon
writing a full review may be worth

After some time with the AST24 : I was surprised as the sound and appeal kept on rising , they distanced themselves from the ZAR more and more with time for behavior and refinement , I'm largely unexperienced in iem and I've been reading bases , and among those that BA-only iem builts do not change signature and technicals over burn-in , or supposely so as it is commonly shared; the ZAR are hybrid and were opening and refining some edge in the top end during burn in , quite clearly , the change wasn't so pronounced though and returning to them gave me and gives me still quite very same feeling I had after some hours listeninig . This is sure not the same case for AST24 , questioning my ears and listening , reading and researching , I found 1 review telling to "mandatorily" give them up to 100hours to express , and some costumers/musicians using them as monitors which were seemingly agreeing on this

I will be back when the 100hrs are done now, I am 15-20 hrs at the moment .

Sorry to ask, but when you write about KZ AST24, you probably mean KZ AS24 and not KZ AST. Because there are only these 2 models (both have 24 BA), I haven't discovered any KZ AST24 crossbreed yet

 

[Okcerg]

Both Castor Black and Silver are really nice.
the Pianist? Terrible. My ears hurt instantly the moment I played a song. Just to be sure, I played a challenging song and i tapped out. I'm not sure what's bad about it but its ridiculously sharp and just to be sure, I put on my PR2 with foam tips and its just better??

I'll break out the 711 to measure them when I have the time
Since I got the PR2 I got CCA Duo and krila as well
Castor is the best i've heard from KZ. Pianist? Might as well be one of the worst of recent

How's the bass on silver Castor?

 

[boodi]

Sorry to ask, but when you write about KZ AST24, you probably mean KZ AS24 and not KZ AST. Because there are only these 2 models (both have 24 BA), I haven't discovered any KZ AST24 crossbreed yet

I will update my posts
Thanks for notice

 

[Nimweth]

Castor in the house, Harman edition. Very impressed so far, review coming soon. I think it is better than the Krila, which I really like as well. KZ seems to be getting their tuning right with their recent releases.

 

[DaveLT]

How's the bass on silver Castor?

Just enough, nice response. May be a tad much for some people with all switches up but no big deal just turn off the first two switches

Castor in the house, Harman edition. Very impressed so far, review coming soon. I think it is better than the Krila, which I really like as well. KZ seems to be getting their tuning right with their recent releases.

Yup they're all good exceeeept the pianist. that is exceptionally poor

 

[PhonoPhi]

Castor in the house, Harman edition. Very impressed so far, review coming soon. I think it is better than the Krila, which I really like as well. KZ seems to be getting their tuning right with their recent releases.

Sounds great, looking forward to it!
I got both - here is my brief comparison.

To my preference, it is definitely standard/Harman - just totally amazing not only for under $15, and $20-25 (that, again, where its not promotional price would be), and it is at the level to me, where it can be one IEM to enjoy your music.

Just enough, nice response. May be a tad much for some people with all switches up but no big deal just turn off the first two switches

Yup they're all good exceeeept the pianist. that is exceptionally poor

I am sure I would like Pianist. I will just wait for 5+BA hybrid KZ IEM with the XUN DD as in Krila, as the next generation of ZAX.

Similarly, for Krila - one would rather love this engaging V sacrificing mids, or totally not. If not - Castor Standard is likely your IEM.
I aporeciate both. I find it very rewarding to find the ways how different IEMs can be enjoyed (people whine about TOTLs as $5 IEMs...)

It is a hobby after all, and KZ, since I discovered them, is a very important/instrumental part of my HiFi journey, huge thanks to them!