[Nimweth]

I have had a strange experience with the Symphony. I have been burning it in over this week and had begun to accept the deep V shape with distant mids, dominant bass and a dialled back treble. However this morning I listened for around 45 minutes and the sound was totally different. The mids and treble have suddenly come alive and are now at a similar level to the bass, and the low frequencies have tightened up considerably. It sounds like a completely different IEM. The staging is huge with great imaging. Detail is now there in spades. I have never seen such a change after burning in as this, I have around 100 hours on them at the moment. This piece sounded amazing:

 

[bithalver]

...

I think we all can thank you for that level of detailed reaction. 100% agree.

Let go the not-so-succesful ones and you (as a company) will look way more credible.

 

[KamilElos]

Dunu Vulkan vs Kz Zax? Which one is better?

 

[DynamicEars]

Speaking of the devil, my AS24 switch has arrived. I haven't hear them in long session yet let alone playing with switches, just few minutes with couple of songs

Initial impressions with all switches down is too forward high mids, lack of bass and trebles (kinda expected that from graph from our friends @baskingshark and @paulwasabii ) but instrument separation and imaging position is indeed above the game in the class.

Sounded "dry" overall. Details are great.

Fit is chunky big but luckily I dont have problem and the backside that sit on concha is smooth.

Build quality is like usual KZ, good but not great (plastic body) but diamond faceplate looked classy enough.

On nozzle, there is nylon filter attached, which usually I hate because of blocking bass airflow of the DD, but since these are all BA set, i guess it won't disturb. (Still I want to open up later to mod it)

Note : not sent by KZ, I bought with my own money at $95

Haven't doing tips rolling also, but spinfit omni feels great

 

[KamilElos]

Kz Zax vs Kz Ast? Which one is better in terms of speed, detail, technicalities? Please help me choose the best Kz iem nowadays is?

 

[DynamicEars]

Kz Zax vs Kz Ast? Which one is better in terms of speed, detail, technicalities? Please help me choose the best Kz iem nowadays is?

You have mest coming up if I'm not wrong?
Why not waiting for your mest then?
Never heard ast so I can't comment bout that but probably the AS24 have better technicalities and better tuning.
Still early with them though, but this is really one of the best if not the best KZ to date

 

[OceanOfLight]

Kz Zax vs Kz Ast? Which one is better in terms of speed, detail, technicalities? Please help me choose the best Kz iem nowadays is?

There is not such a thing as the best KZ nowadays, they offer different products that fits different niches.

In term of fast transients, details retrieval and technicalities and ultimately cost-to-performance I can highly suggest you the PR3 (40-50 dollars). If you want to spend less the Krila (20 dollars) is also a really good alternative. If you could give me some more information of what you like in an IEM, I could give you a more tailored suggestion that better suits your preferences. Also do you have a DAC/AMP? (The PR3 and PR2 require more power compared to other IEMs from KZ).

For reference, from KZ I currently own: PR2, PR3, Castor Harman, Castor Bass, Rhapsody, ZSN PRO 2, D-FI, ZVX, AS16PRO, EDX Lite and soon I'll get my hands on the newly released KZ Symphony.

 

[RetroE83]

You have mest coming up if I'm not wrong?
Why not waiting for your mest then?
Never heard ast so I can't comment bout that but probably the AS24 have better technicalities and better tuning.
Still early with them though, but this is really one of the best if not the best KZ to date

If I’m correct, you usually don’t like overly forward mids/shouty mids on your iems. Is this the case with the AS24, or is there a switch setting that mitigates this? Thanks!

On a side note, I did buy the KZ ZES a while back based on your opinion that it was a very poor man’s IER-Z1R

 

[DynamicEars]

If I’m correct, you usually don’t like overly forward mids/shouty mids on your iems. Is this the case with the AS24, or is there a switch setting that mitigates this? Thanks!

On a side note, I did buy the KZ ZES a while back based on your opinion that it was a very poor man’s IER-Z1R

Yes, because I'm a high volume listener, so more than +8db pinna gain from neutral point will be perceived as shouty high mids for me caused by fletcher Munson curved than often explained by @baskingshark
At some volume level point, the pinna gain area will be perceived louder more than other frequencies as volume increase so the +7 or +8db is my sweet spot.

The AS24 in default is very high mids focused. I haven't play with many switch combination nor I have measured them so my based on @paulwasabii and @baskingshark graphs, I just put wild guess with 0111 on main switches which activated sub bass and mid bass increase to balance the high mids and 0011 on auxiliary switch to boost the trebles.

So with this combination in my very limited time with the AS24, they sounded more balanced but still the high mids take the lead. But even with this condition (not perfect tonality for me), honestly the AS24 sounded refine with great technicalities especially on details, instrument separation and imaging. The soundstage isn't particularly very wide nor the depth but they do show "layering" positioning where I never heard with sets below $300.

Even with the flaws that I found in short time as they do have BA timbre, or not so deep sub bass, I'm pretty confidence to put the AS24 in best of KZ IEMs together with PR2 (i mod them, and i never heard PR3).

I will measure them later when I got plenty of time since the switches are a lot and I suspect KZ also dampen them with similar nylon filter on the nozzle like castor and PR series too (white colored nylon filter) but I doubt I can stuff cotton or foam since they have sound tubes on the nozzle, current best bet for mod is playing with covering only mids area tube or double it with mesh / tanchjim filter on mids tube.

About ZES, only few KZ using this bigger 12mm driver aside from ESX and this ZES and the giant driver is more impactful than other KZ bass DD. That's why I said long time ago, why KZ don't use this anymore for hybrids. They already have their component ready to challenge the next level.
Put that giant 12mm as sub bass, combine it with their planar or BAs or even their MST, with right tuning, this can be a killer set. If they want I can provide my ideas as base blue print and help with tuning also and not necessarily have a collabs with me, I can provide them without any single share pennies.

Back to ZES, they have impactful bass and leaner high mids but need to be modded for better bass and mids response. Sadly we can't do anything about rolled off treble part. Yeah I still can call that as a baby Z1R on budget, similar tonality with ISN H40 on midfi class. Remember though just the glimpse of tonality and bass impact not the whole thing as a package.

 

[Marrogwar]

Yes, because I'm a high volume listener, so more than +8db pinna gain from neutral point will be perceived as shouty high mids

Have you ever tried Campfire Holocene? If not, i highly recommend you to try it. There is almost flat graph. I wish i can find something similar sound wise but cheaper, to have at least understanding if it costs the money they asking for Holocene.

By the way you just "sold" me ZES and ESX, good job

 

[Old_Snake]

It is worth paying tribute to the KZ company for their contribution to the affordable segment of headphones, because thanks to them the price of headphones has decreased and you can listen to generally good sound for not expensive, but strange statements in the spirit of “the best for 1000” seem unnecessary because now anyone can buy them and understand that this is not at all true.

@JennyKZ your big problem is that you release a certain good product, everyone likes it, then you start releasing the same model with changes for the worse.
Here's my personal example:

KZ PR1 HIFI - WOW superior sound
KZ PR1 Pro - good sound
KZ PR2 - so so sound
KZ PR3 - OMG wt hell

Lately, for some reason, you don’t want to listen to users, they even contact you with help in audio editing, but you don’t listen and ignore them. Why release a new module every week?
And then you say that reviewers and ordinary users are deceiving and slandering you, maybe you should listen and not lose your audience?

Is there a poll?

 

[DynamicEars]

Have you ever tried Campfire Holocene? If not, i highly recommend you to try it. There is almost flat graph. I wish i can find something similar sound wise but cheaper, to have at least understanding if it costs the money they asking for Holocene.

By the way you just "sold" me ZES and ESX, good job

No I never try Holocene, I don't like dead flat tuning though, I mean I still like emphasize on pinna gain area (high mids 2-4khz) but not more than +8db from neutral point of lower mids (500-800hz) and I like the bass boost that doesn't bleed. With very flat tuning there are very thick mids but too warm mid and upper bass and "lack" of sub bass and punch for me, too boring for my taste. Thanks anyway for the recommendation.
This is my target tuning :


ABout the ZES and ESX, yes the big driver have good potential, but dont expect much as you also experienced lot of better in pricier IEMs. but yeah the ZES have little bit of Z1R tonality, like Sony's own N3 and ISN audio H40 on midfi class.

 

[RetroE83]

Yes, because I'm a high volume listener, so more than +8db pinna gain from neutral point will be perceived as shouty high mids for me caused by fletcher Munson curved than often explained by @baskingshark
At some volume level point, the pinna gain area will be perceived louder more than other frequencies as volume increase so the +7 or +8db is my sweet spot.

The AS24 in default is very high mids focused. I haven't play with many switch combination nor I have measured them so my based on @paulwasabii and @baskingshark graphs, I just put wild guess with 0111 on main switches which activated sub bass and mid bass increase to balance the high mids and 0011 on auxiliary switch to boost the trebles.

So with this combination in my very limited time with the AS24, they sounded more balanced but still the high mids take the lead. But even with this condition (not perfect tonality for me), honestly the AS24 sounded refine with great technicalities especially on details, instrument separation and imaging. The soundstage isn't particularly very wide nor the depth but they do show "layering" positioning where I never heard with sets below $300.

Even with the flaws that I found in short time as they do have BA timbre, or not so deep sub bass, I'm pretty confidence to put the AS24 in best of KZ IEMs together with PR2 (i mod them, and i never heard PR3).

I will measure them later when I got plenty of time since the switches are a lot and I suspect KZ also dampen them with similar nylon filter on the nozzle like castor and PR series too (white colored nylon filter) but I doubt I can stuff cotton or foam since they have sound tubes on the nozzle, current best bet for mod is playing with covering only mids area tube or double it with mesh / tanchjim filter on mids tube.

About ZES, only few KZ using this bigger 12mm driver aside from ESX and this ZES and the giant driver is more impactful than other KZ bass DD. That's why I said long time ago, why KZ don't use this anymore for hybrids. They already have their component ready to challenge the next level.
Put that giant 12mm as sub bass, combine it with their planar or BAs or even their MST, with right tuning, this can be a killer set. If they want I can provide my ideas as base blue print and help with tuning also and not necessarily have a collabs with me, I can provide them without any single share pennies.

Back to ZES, they have impactful bass and leaner high mids but need to be modded for better bass and mids response. Sadly we can't do anything about rolled off treble part. Yeah I still can call that as a baby Z1R on budget, similar tonality with ISN H40 on midfi class. Remember though just the glimpse of tonality and bass impact not the whole thing as a package.

The treble on my ZES has a fizzy sound (MST?) to it which I like; it doesn’t have that metallic timbre I hear on KZ single DDs. I’m using 7Hz Salnotes long nozzle, narrow barrow ear tips. It has more treble imo than my LZ A7 with red nozzle with JVC spiral dot tips and 1st switch up.

 

[JennyKZ]

The KZ AS24 shines with its gleaming shell and outstanding technical capabilities, delivering powerful dynamics and a pure, natural sound quality.
https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-as24
Find all the details you seek in your music right here.

 

[JennyKZ]

KZ Symphony #kzsymphony
+$5 Get 784 Cores Cable Combo
Limited Offer for Only 100 Users

https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-symphony