[davidmolliere]

It has been a rocky 3 weeks ride for the package but the Zen has landed

Impressions coming soon
For now they're at the burn in station!

 

[cr3ativ3]

It has been a rocky 3 weeks ride for the package but the Zen has landed





Impressions coming soon
For now they're at the burn in station!

Happy that you finally got them I hope to receive mine also this week !

 

[milkdudd]

Happy that you finally got them I hope to receive mine also this week !

UPS tracking says mine are arriving today. I'm thinking I'll wait to get a new source gadget to put it on my next month's credit card cycle. Plus it gives me something to research for the next 2-3 weeks. I'm leaning towards one of the DAP's that you folks have kindly recommended but I'm not sure I want to completely rule out just going with a better dac/amp. If I can live with the size and weight has anyone tried the iFi micro iDSD Signature with the Zen? Up till this point I keep my mojo and phone in a fanny pack and it's not too bad. It has two zipper compartments where one is for the phone and one is for the mojo. I don't use this for any extreme sport type stuff, just walking and bicycle riding. I could make a little mock-up of the signature amp to simulate the size and weight to see if I think that set up would be something I could live with, but only if the advantage in sound quality would be noticeable compared to a DAP. That and the fact that I'm completely happy with the way UAPP works with my phone using the OTG output

 

[davidmolliere]

So very first impressions (out of DX300), let me say I am impressed even out of the box... this is one of the very best bass I have heard at any price point, the sub bass extension is really impressive and the Zen has deceptive power for this kind of smooth, immersive signature and with impeccable control. At the same time, most impressive is how textured the bass is... it feels like velvet for lack of a better description, it's a tactile bass if there ever was one. Think quiet power and elegance, true to its Zen label.

The mids follow suit... those are smooth, full bodied, mids with again rich textures and sweet female and powerful male vocals. Timbre is a bit north of neutral out of DX300, instruments sound lifelike and so engaging. Zen is really an immersive IEM with boatloads of nuances with a very natural decay and smooth attack. It's draws you into the music and it's one of my favorite mids.

Now treble, well Zen provides excellent energy in the lower region my usual piano tracks test also confirm there is very nice weight to treble notes that add to the engaging nature of Zen. Everything is smooth at all times and no sibilance whatsoever. The upper treble is the final touch, with excellent presence and a very natural presentation, it's the extra touch in the tuning that makes the Zen quite more resolving than I would have expected given the signature and it's also beneficial to very good separation. It's not Luna, obviously, but still in its own signature family a very impressive IEM. I look forward to run it with Shanling M8 as well

Instruments and vocals are so lifelike...Zen is a very coherent IEM for sure and so engaging... I see hours of listening bliss ahead... Can't wait to see how things further evolve with additional burn in but I suspect things will open up a bit more and things will be even better down the line.

I am hooked !

Edit : Having a blast with Zen listening to this album of one of my favorite blues man, Doug MacLeod, I feel like I am the concert right now...

 

[Dsnuts]

So very first impressions (out of DX300), let me say I am impressed even out of the box... this is one of the very best bass I have heard at any price point, the sub bass extension is really impressive and the Zen has deceptive power for this kind of smooth, immersive signature and with impeccable control. At the same time, most impressive is how textured the bass is... it feels like velvet for lack of a better description, it's a tactile bass if there ever was one. Think quiet power and elegance, true to its Zen label.

The mids follow suit... those are smooth, full bodied, mids with again rich textures and sweet female and powerful male vocals. Timbre is a bit north of neutral out of DX300, instruments sound lifelike and so engaging. Zen is really an immersive IEM with boatloads of nuances with a very natural decay and smooth attack. It's draws you into the music and it's one of my favorite mids.

Now treble, well Zen provides excellent energy in the lower region my usual piano tracks test also confirm there is very nice weight to treble notes that add to the engaging nature of Zen. Everything is smooth at all times and no sibilance whatsoever. The upper treble is the final touch, with excellent presence and a very natural presentation, it's the extra touch in the tuning that makes the Zen quite more resolving than I would have expected given the signature and it's also beneficial to very good separation. It's not Luna, obviously, but still in its own signature family a very impressive IEM. I look forward to run it with Shanling M8 as well

Instruments and vocals are so lifelike...Zen is a very coherent IEM for sure and so engaging... I see hours of listening bliss ahead... Can't wait to see how things further evolve with additional burn in but I suspect things will open up a bit more and things will be even better down the line.

I am hooked !

So you have the one cable that I feel is an upgrade to the DUW-03. Your OSG but even then the stock cable is so good it isn't a huge jump in performance. Once you get them nice n loose. Try out your OSG. Great early impressions as always.

 

[davidmolliere]

So you have the one cable that I feel is an upgrade to the DUW-03. Your OSG but even then the stock cable is so good it isn't a huge jump in performance. Once you get them nice n loose. Try out your OSG. Great early impressions as always.

Thanks!

My OSG is 2 pin unfortunately but the stock cable sounds just quite excellent as usual
Most of my IEMs are 2 pins, I lack a good MMCX cable but I am considering going all the way to Totem for that

 

[milkdudd]

Great review. C'mon UPS guy!

 

[snapandslide]

So very first impressions (out of DX300), let me say I am impressed even out of the box... this is one of the very best bass I have heard at any price point, the sub bass extension is really impressive and the Zen has deceptive power for this kind of smooth, immersive signature and with impeccable control. At the same time, most impressive is how textured the bass is... it feels like velvet for lack of a better description, it's a tactile bass if there ever was one. Think quiet power and elegance, true to its Zen label.

The mids follow suit... those are smooth, full bodied, mids with again rich textures and sweet female and powerful male vocals. Timbre is a bit north of neutral out of DX300, instruments sound lifelike and so engaging. Zen is really an immersive IEM with boatloads of nuances with a very natural decay and smooth attack. It's draws you into the music and it's one of my favorite mids.

Now treble, well Zen provides excellent energy in the lower region my usual piano tracks test also confirm there is very nice weight to treble notes that add to the engaging nature of Zen. Everything is smooth at all times and no sibilance whatsoever. The upper treble is the final touch, with excellent presence and a very natural presentation, it's the extra touch in the tuning that makes the Zen quite more resolving than I would have expected given the signature and it's also beneficial to very good separation. It's not Luna, obviously, but still in its own signature family a very impressive IEM. I look forward to run it with Shanling M8 as well

Instruments and vocals are so lifelike...Zen is a very coherent IEM for sure and so engaging... I see hours of listening bliss ahead... Can't wait to see how things further evolve with additional burn in but I suspect things will open up a bit more and things will be even better down the line.

I am hooked !

Edit : Having a blast with Zen listening to this album of one of my favorite blues man, Doug MacLeod, I feel like I am the concert right now...

Great review! I look forward to your comparison with the Volt's at some point - I get the feeling the Volt's sound is a bit thicker, but it must be close across a lot of the freq range.

 

[davidmolliere]

Great review! I look forward to your comparison with the Volt's at some point - I get the feeling the Volt's sound is a bit thicker, but it must be close across a lot of the freq range.

If you've read one of my reviews you know it's not even a preview
I'll spend dozens of hours with Zen before writing one
But thanks

I'll do a Volt comparison sure.

 

[snapandslide]

If you've read one of my reviews you know it's not even a preview
I'll spend dozens of hours with Zen before writing one
But thanks

I'll do a Volt comparison sure.

Bahaha! OK, great 'first out of the box' listen then!

coming from the XBA-Z5s (which I still love), hese look like a really compelling option for me - gives me a signature which I'll like while offering something quite different. The one thing which always has left me hesitant with a lot of IEMs in this price range is soundstage - the Z5s are so darn good. So looking forward to your review whenever you get to it!

 

[davidmolliere]

Bahaha! OK, great 'first out of the box' listen then! coming from the XBA-Z5s (which I still love), hese look like a really compelling option for me - gives me a signature which I'll like while offering something quite different. The one thing which always has left me hesitant with a lot of IEMs in this price range is soundstage - the Z5s are so darn good. So looking forward to your review whenever you get to it!

Used to own the XBA-Z5, great memories... I know @lafeuill still has his and I might be able to compare

 

[Dsnuts]

Common David you know you need some of these.

Bahaha! OK, great 'first out of the box' listen then!

coming from the XBA-Z5s (which I still love), hese look like a really compelling option for me - gives me a signature which I'll like while offering something quite different. The one thing which always has left me hesitant with a lot of IEMs in this price range is soundstage - the Z5s are so darn good. So looking forward to your review whenever you get to it!

As a Z5 owner. I can honestly say the Zens are gonna be a nice upgrade for you. It is a completely different sound profile. Much less V shaped. Zens are better balanced imo. Don't need crazy power to drive correct. Stage wise I feel Zens are really good. Might be a touch less width wise but not too far off. Zens have a nice wide stage. The mids performance out of the Zens will be new to you compared to the darker sounding mids of the Z5. Treble is clean and detailed on the Zens. Z5 has a nice silky treble end but is a touch reserved in presence. It is much more lively listen more energetic and natural in tonality vs the Z5s darker tone.

Will be a nice contrast vs the Z5. Which is the best type of upgrade. You're getting something completely different. Zen will provide that in spades. Sonys old house sound is way more colored vs the Zens and will engage with a much more natural, precise sound with very great dynamics.

 

[Scubadevils]

The biggest challenge I've had with the ZEN is almost constant curiosity to try different albums and genres, to the point where I get distracted when something pops into my head and I switch mid album! Hard to pinpoint a genre where they shine the most but well produced electronic music really does sound stunning.

 

[snapandslide]

Used to own the XBA-Z5, great memories... I know @lafeuill still has his and I might be able to compare

oooh, now that would be fun

Common David you know you need some of these.



As a Z5 owner. I can honestly say the Zens are gonna be a nice upgrade for you. It is a completely different sound profile. Much less V shaped. Zens are better balanced imo. Don't need crazy power to drive correct. Stage wise I feel Zens are really good. Might be a touch less width wise but not too far off. Zens have a nice wide stage. The mids performance out of the Zens will be new to you compared to the darker sounding mids of the Z5. Treble is clean and detailed on the Zens. Z5 has a nice silky treble end but is a touch reserved in presence. It is much more lively listen more energetic and natural in tonality vs the Z5s darker tone.

Will be a nice contrast vs the Z5. Which is the best type of upgrade. You're getting something completely different. Zen will provide that in spades. Sonys old house sound is way more colored vs the Zens and will engage with a much more natural, precise sound with very great dynamics.

Jup that's my thoughts - I don't need another mad V (well maybe the Z1R, but that's a different story...) I just want something which will be different but suit enough of my musical tastes of jazz (including vocals) and electronic (pretty much everything). And the purity of a single diver just intrigues me over the tribrids like the Volt and Monarch.

I was listening to some of Bicep's new tracks and man the bass was something on the Z5s - even on high gain with the Fiio M11s it felt as if it could handle a bit more. Bonkers.

 

[Scubadevils]

I was listening to some of Bicep's new tracks and man the bass was something on the Z5s - even on high gain with the Fiio M11s it felt as if it could handle a bit more. Bonkers.

Bicep "Glue" is one of my go-to tracks for testing audio!