I want to hear your opinion on KZ

[kokakolia]

So I wanted to jump on the KZ hype-train several months ago and I can't help it, I feel let-down. The hype on Head-fi is unbelievable, with folks saying something like "I have this really expensive earphone, but I end up using my KZs more often". So I ordered several pairs over the year: 

 

- KZ ED9. Super fatiguing with boomy bass, recessed mids and screaming treble. The overall sound is very thin and hollow. 

- KZ ED7. Pretty darn good. Warmish sound with forward mids, rolled off treble and light bass. It sounds pretty balanced, some may say dull. I like these. 

- KZ ATE. Fun punchy bass, recessed mids and weird treble that sounds sibilant. Not the worst thing out there, but the sibilance is really annoying. 

- KZ ZSE. Warm sound signature which I like. Sloppy bass that bleeds into the mids. Soft treble with some sibilance, but not as bad as ATE. Mids are strangely forward. Sounds kinda congested. Gets overwhelmed with busy songs. 

- KZ ZS5 (V2). Wow! These things have a lot of detail! The bass is punchy and fast, the mids are slightly recessed but not annoyingly so. However, too much treble! Sibilance. Sounds kinda thin, but not as bad as the ED9. 

 

Excluding the ED7 which sounds pretty darn good, I wouldn't recommend any of the KZ earphones I tried because of sibilance/piercing treble problems. The mids are kinda recessed and unnatural as well. 

 

What do you think of KZ? 

[spwath]

I have the ate. They are decent for $12, but I agree with what you said.

I just use them for cheap gym headphones.

[kokakolia]

42 minutes ago, spwath said:

I have the ate. They are decent for $12, but I agree with what you said.

I just use them for cheap gym headphones.

So the people who like them hype them up to the high heavens, and then everyone else either doesn't care or moves on? 

 

I just can't be indifferent because these 5 pairs of mediocre earphones cost me over over $40 in total and that buys you something good, like a Zero Audio Carbon Tenore or a Marshall Mode. So the value proposition is poor in my opinion. 

[Spuriae]

Had an ATR and ZS3, gave them both away. I don't find IEM's comfortable in general, so I never got into them. I think the ATR sounded good for the $4 I got it for, but it's still up against the Monk and MS16 at that price point. ZS3 had great bass extension. I don't remember too much else and don't trust my own impressions with IEM's because of fit issues.

 

I like my KSC75 and wish I had started with that.

[spwath]

2 minutes ago, Nimrodor said:

Had an ATR and ZS3, gave them both away. I don't find IEM's comfortable in general, so I never got into them. I think the ATR sounded good for the $4 I got it for, but it's still up against the Monk and MS16 at that price point. ZS3 had great bass extension. I don't remember too much else and don't trust my own impressions with IEM's because of fit issues.

 

I like my KSC75 and wish I had started with that.

Yeah, KSC75 are pretty great, if you don't need isolation

[kokakolia]

33 minutes ago, spwath said:

Yeah, KSC75 are pretty great, if you don't need isolation

I loved mine until the cable gave away. Koss is notorious for their lifetime warranty and horrible non-replaceable cables.