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KZ ZS10 Pro: geni.us/XTATu
Moondrop Arias: geni.us/uBpV
Sennheiser IE300: geni.us/6yuU
Forget your cheap gaming headphones. THESE are killer.
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Oh oh... Someone has discovered the Chinese audio section. There are much more brands like KZ that sell amazing audio products! Good luck finding them!
@@imian7133 "brands like KZ" he means brands that are like KZ (similar to KZ)
it s a rabbit hole you never wish to find yourself in
@@imian7133 He said it was.
@@gzaos true, end up getting the moondrop kato after a while. since i looked this video.
blon 03 is still the best and tfz
Kz zexpro x crinacle = $36 Tripowin Leá = $25 There are A LOT of great sounding budget IEMs honestly. It just comes down to your sound preference and the purpose of using them.
^100% the Zexpro x crinacle is AMAZING for gaming
I second the ZEX Pro. I replaced my ZS10 Pro with them, they sound warmer.
Sir, this is a well scripted advertisement including plants in the message section to boost sales, please don't ruin it by referencing cheaper items thats just as good. Thank you
I third the ZEX Pro recc. Wouldn't say they outright replaced my ZS10 Pros but they serve as a fantastic, arguably better sounding but marginally less comfortable for longer sessions complement to the ZS10 Pros for me.
@@Hyydrotoo same just got the zex pro to replace my zs10 pro. I also like the sound more.
I use the same IEM, I highly recommend to change the stock ear tips to the memory foam ear tips. My 1st impression was that they sounded too harsh for my ears, so I decided change to the foam memory ear tips and It REALLY make a difference in the sound signature. Also If your cables tangles up very often, change the cables too If you want, thicker the cable the less it tangles up.
for the memory foam ear tips do you need to order a specific size for the model or will a top result work? looking to pick some up ty
@@SlayerkeyAs far as I know you can put any memory foam brand you want. KZ sell their own foam memory too with 3 different sizes. Please be careful and patient when you put them on.
All my memory foam tips cracked till they fell apart. What memory tips are really good?
@@_paczki You got me there, IDK, I've used the KZ memory foam tips for the last 2 years and It's still ok to me, they're showing little cracks but not a big deal at least for me.
@@_paczki Actually, the memory foam tips is not meant to be reusable.
Been a big fan of KZ for a while now. Got the KZ ZSN Pro X a few months ago and have been absolutely loving them. The sound you get out of those IEMs for just ~$25 is insane. And the best part is that KZ and its sibling companies make countless great budget-oriented earphones for every price point that you can choose from. Welcome to the Chi-Fi club mate!
Whats the difference of KZ ZSN Pro X and ZS10 Pro?
Whats the difference of KZ ZSN Pro X and ZS10 Pro?
Great review! Yea KZ makes some crazy stuff for the money, mainly v shaped, fun sounding tuning. Before anyone gets these though I'd also recommend the the kz x crinacle crn iems. Josh gave a great review on his channel, and personally I prefer the crn more because of the design and fit. The crn is like a balanced, but a little basey iem that is done really well that some cheaper iems struggle with.
These iems are V-curved? Count me in!
I just picked up the crinacles and I love them for the price. I even prefer to game with them over my Sennheiser 58x
@@triliner254 yep, if you're looking for cheap v-shapes, check out KZ
There's also the KZ X HBB DQ6s if you love rock and hip hop genres, bit bassy
I love my CRNs!! Best $35 for the price. The treble can be a little too much, but other than that it's super balanced.
KZ and Moondrop had been out the for the past years but are still under the radar when it comes to general exposure - they are a good examples of when people stick only to what's known or famous but never dig further to explore other potential brands. Glade to see they are finally being recognized now. Ibasso, TFZ and TRN are also the other brands that align with the likes of KZ and MD
KZ has always focused on products and rarely put much effort into promotion. And Moondrop focuses not on the products, but on the beautiful packaging.
@@gupalovnik?????? Well considering KZ focus on their products why are they so much worse than moondrops 💀
On amazon there are many "companies" that sells this version...which ones are the best for packaging and stuff?Thx
>under the radar even doe they're the most well-known iem brands doebeit
I luv these too! Great all round IEM. I recommend the foam tips they're very comfortable, & offer a great seal as well. Uogrades: The Bluetooth adapter is a nice touch for wireless. Thicker gauge wires also give a nice little boost.
So glad your doing more iem reviews now! you got me on the iem route and they are so good.
I have had this for more than a month now and it really is amazing. But I would recommend you guys to find replacement buds because the ones it came with became somewhat harsh in the ear canal for longer sessions. Great review again!
I've been getting in to the Audiophile world as of late and I love these video's you are doing to give people options about what's out there. I cry every time I see friends plonking down hundreds of dollars on new Gaming Headsets which now in my humble opinion sound terrible. I'm running a Schiit audio stack with a pair of Sundara's now which to be honest I wouldn't really recommend for gaming as I have experienced some sound staging issues, but for music my god they are life changing. I've got a pair of KZ x Crinacle CRN's coming and I'm so interested to see how they feel in game!
@Keem I'm no expert, but for a pair of cheap IEM's they're really something. Soundstage aren't as precise as my Corsair headphones when gaming admittedly, but they sound way clearer. Treble can be ridiculously sharp though, almost to the point of being ear shattering at high volumes. There is a real clarity and precision to the sound so with a bit of EQ they're pretty crazy. I suspect more expensive IEM's can sound and feel even better especially in FPS games like Apex. Sound wise they poop all over my WF-1000XM4 which sound bass-ier but more muddy in comparison missing out on a few subtle details in certain games.
After using these for a whole gaming session I am beyond pleased. I purchased these on Amazon for 42 bucks. I also got foam ear tips. The foam ear tips are too big for my ears so the small ear tips in the box fit just right. I have tried many many headsets in my 8 years of pc gaming and I can say with confidence that these iems sound better compared to all of the audio products I have tried. Mainly price to performance. I was actually stunned on how good they sounded. My only con and I mean only is how they hurt your ears after a while of gaming. Take a 20 min break and it’s back to normal. Headset brands I’ve tried: Hyper x cloud II Steel series brand Corsair Logitech Even Bose. Now these aren’t gonna blow your socks off but man how good they are for the price. Get them! They are amazing. 10/10 recommend.
Hey how you doin
which ones do you mean by "these"
what about the mic do you use it ?
Hey Optimum great video! Found something pretty cool that i din't know before: basically, if you go to Settings> System > Sound > More Sound Settings and go to Properties > Enhancements, you have a couple great options for (in my opinion) greatly boosting sound quality. Wonder how this might pair with already amazing sounding IEMs? Kepp up the stellar work hope to see more videos soon!
Thanks. I have been trying to find IEMs that have detachable cable and these seem to have it and that's awesome! 🙂
There are countless Chi-Fi iems that you can check out. Some of them are crazy good for the price along with good comfort.
Any opinions for KZ DQ6? especially for gaming and casual youtube/netflix
Hi
After going through gaming headsets as well as open-ears such as the HD6XX I realized that I'm probably more of an IEM guy and now I use the Moondrop Variations for all my music listening and gaming. A good place to start is something like the CCA CRA at only 15$ or the Moondrop Quarks if you like the more "bullet-shaped" IEMs.
So interesting to see how different our ears are. I’d never consider wearing in-ears while on my PC (only do that outside because of mobility) because I can’t deal with smth inside my ear canal for an extended period. Running the Sennheiser/Drop PC 37X and I get what you mean with clamping but it’s much more comfortable to my ears and head in general. Thx for the review mate! 🙏🏼
I has this IEM for about 2 years now. this IEM was amazing in my opinion and worth the price.
I have the ZSN, which goes for around $16. absolutely no regrets. almost disposable headset price, but premium audio and going strong after 2 years of 6+hours of everyday use. INCREDIBLE
it keeps getting better but at awfully slow rate, still way better than maven + m11 months ago
@@iikatinggangsengii2471 at this point these cheap brands have explored every single combination of drivers in IEMs. Planar, dynamic, balanced armature... Luckily there's another type of driver on the way, xMEMS. No doubt these brands would have their versions with those too.
I still use my Hifiman HE4XX planars for my desktop rig but for my laptop, portables and such IEMs are my go-to aswell, especially when I can use my Fiio M9 as a USB/Bluetooth Dac (except where the added delay is actually a problem). Been loving my Fiio FH3'S and KZ ZS10 Pros so far and look forward to collecting more such as the Blon BL03, Ikko Oh10, KZ ZAX, and Moondrop Starfields
Been wanting to try out some KZ stuff for a while. Your short review here is another reason for me to get one!
IEM's were a great discovery for me. I was always an open back headphone type of guy, because everyone always screams "Soundstage, soundstage, soundstage" But, ever since trying out IEM's, the sound quality you get per $ is so much superior to headphones. I can zero in on opponents so easy with IEM's, where as with headphones, I can get a general sense of direction, but its still not 100% percise. The only time a headphone wins in my opinion for gaming is if you go the HD800 route, but that is like a 1000+.
what games are you zeroing in on opponents in? i can't locate anyone with them coming from audio tech open back
@Zede i have the air ath-ad500x from audio technica and they are amazing i did buy these iems but cant locate anyone so i switched back within 20 minutes
I use Hifiman HE4XX planars for my desktop but IEMs (often paired with my Fiio M9) for everything else. Got Fiio FH3'S and KZ ZS10's so far and planning too collect more because variaty is always fun to keep things fresh and fun
@@UNSCPILOT how do you like your HEs? I’m seriously considering buying a pair myself. I have two iems and would like to grab a pair of headphones and I seen the ones you have get recommended pretty often. Any pros and cons you personally have? Trying to get opinions from as many people before purchase. It’s between those and dt990s
I’m running hd6xx and an element ii Dac/amp. Do you think the IEMs would offer better experience than those? I’m looking at these due to how much more comfortable over long sessions, but worried about losing the godly audio quality to the hd6xx and the Dac/amp
I've been using a KZ Zs10 pro for the last 2 years and its absolutely changed my perspective about expensive iems. clarity on this has never faltered and I've been using it with its stock cable. I connect it to my PC using either my Focusrite Scarlet solo or iRig HD studio Mic, both that i imagine is a better DAC than the onboard sound card .
Have you tried connecting them to the pc? Im asking because I ordered the IEM without an external dac..
this is the absolute perfect time for this video for me I really started to prefer iems for their comfort and I'm on a limited budget so this is exactly what I need
Bought these a few weeks back as well. First IEM's I've ever used so it felt like a really good entry point! I'm glad you did a review on them
I’ve been using KZs for games and they are a massive improvement over AirPods. They sound harsh though, so I’ve been trying out the arias and leas. While the arias sound way cleaner, open, and more balanced they feel less impactful. I was also having channel imbalance issues in game and they weren’t nearly as loud. I switched over to the KZ without lowering the volume and was absolutely shook.
Which KZ sound harsh?
@@martinvegas1327 ZAX-I still use em sometimes for fun, but the Tripowin Leas are just sm better and cheaper. I imagine the budget 7hz line is alright too.
just bought these, they’re really good, i’d recommend them too. i had the logitech g333 previously and i didn’t realize it till after using these that i had to adjust the g333 mid game a bunch bc they wouldn’t stay put. not only is the sound in this set a little more sharp and tasteful, but the comfort is definitely unmatched compared to the g333
Considered buying a g333 until stumbling across chi-fi few days ago. Ecstatic that better options exist for less money.
I owned a pair of KZ ZS10 pros for a few months and loved the sound, but I can no longer use them. I intend on getting the KZ ZS10 or KZ ES4 soon. There were 3 issues that in the end made them unusable. Firstly the metal neck/barrel that the ear tips attached to came out, meaning when ever it took them out of my ear there was a 50% chance I would have to fish the ear tip and barrel out of my ear canal. The second issue is that the portion of the pin housing that sticks out from the IEM cracks very easily. I had one crack falling about 5 centimeters from my hand to my desk. And the final issue, the one that made he have to stop using them is that when paired with at KZ AZ09 Bluetooth addapter, the plastic of the adapter pin housing and the plastic of the IEM pin housing reacted causing the housing to "melt". I am now using the KZ AS10, I love them and the recessed pin housing in the IEM makes it feel more durable, but I prefer the sound of the ZS10 pros, hopefully the ZS10 will be the best of both worlds. Though the ES4 also has my eye.
I've been eyeballing these for some time, I'm glad to see you taking the time to review these! I'm looking to pick up the KZ's that were tuned by Crinacle since those are now available too.
You've gotten me interested in IEMs and these are a perfect price to try out
Go for them, you won't regret, these don't need amps, but do work best with a clean decoder. The tip inner diameter on these are on the big side, try use the smallest tips to get a good fit. My $600 set AudioTechnica BA buds has been resting in their box for more than a year now. And if your budget allows go for the slightly larger ZAS, better sound, but do come with the penalty of weight and size.
@@jozefhajnala in-ear monitors
@@stin11111 I have always plugged my audio via motherboard ports (usb / audio jack)... Where do you suggest I start?
@@Glassgate Depends on your budget. ~$50 Fiio e10K or K3 is great. At $150, Fiio Q3 is a great combo, for same $150 iFi Zen DAC 2 if you want a good DAC to start with IEMs and have room to get a dedicate AMP later for wider range headphones. Topping E30 is a slightly cheaper alternative to the Zen DAC. The massdrop THX AAA 789 would be a great AMP to pair with those DACs and won't need any further upgrades for home use.
Same i've been watching reviews on IEM all day but still dont know why they're better than normal headphones or earbuds
i love these, so good for the price and there’s even a cheaper one at 20~ and they are amazing aswell
I use these for on stage IEMs for vocal work, and they work amazing and look great! I love these and they are definitely a bang for the buck.
Personally I use KZ AS10 but I've heard nothing but good things about ZS10 Pro. Main difference is balanced armature design vs hybrid design. Both are great choice if you want great sound without spending a lot of money.
I just got a pair 2 weeks ago after hearing about them for a year or so..you're right, my expectations have surpassed the hype I felt towards them, totally delivers without the extra fluff other brands want you to buy in to!
can I ask, are they open enough to where you can hear people talking etc? I kindof need that, I need to replace my HD58x as walking audio, i’ve been using them 2+ years daily but it’s too much over my head for walks. just want to know if it’s open which is easier on the ears long term and safer outdoors
i use a pair of cheap $20 KZ DQ6 for my VR setup, the sound separation is great for the price. together with the light weight, it really adds to the immersion. the prices for Chifi IEMs seem to be creeping up due to their increasing popularity though, which is a shame
could you give a more indepth version of this? my gf has this and likes it a lot; I'm thinking of getting this one too
@@MayankJairaj I'm no expert but I can tell you that it's hella loud I almost became deaf from it lmao. I mainly use my Cloud Alphas at 100% Windows volume and the DQ6 is at 50%. As OP said, sound separation is great (about the same as my Alphas), a lot of people are saying that it's bassy but for me it wasn't, comfort is alright I wanted an airtight fit but for some reason my bigger tips is airtight my TWS but not the IEM. Mic is very clear, it doesn't make you sound like an esports commentator.
@@chiizuu752 it's not as bassy as the Sennheiser's? I used the CX 275s before this but I've been using Lypertek Tevi's for a while. Personally I like the Sennheiser's tuning but better clarity is what I'm gunning for now a days
@@MayankJairaj I'm just a college student, so I can barely afford stuff like Sennheiser 😅. So far, I own the Cloud Alphas, KZ DQ6, and QCY T2C. Kinda thinking if I should collect and try out different IEMs and headsets.
@@chiizuu752 this one is cheap, if I convert my currency the Sennheiser 275s comes at around 24 USD
Foam tips work great with these and offer a lot more isolation and a bit of bass extension.
I've been using these DAILY at work for a year. Mostly listening to Twitch and podcasts. They are still rather fun for music. Nothing missing, but not for critical listening. They were meant to be an upgrade from the KZ ZSN PRO X and they are.
Do you have any experience or thoughts on the ZSX model?
@Dark Waters yea the fit isn't as good. I've heard they're less aggressively v shaped though based on reviews.
@Dark Waters sounds like you have beta femboy ears if sound fatigues you
please review the updated version . KZ zs10pro X
These are great. You might also like the Blon03 as well, or the ksc75s with yaxi pads and parts express headband mod. Very good budget gear that gives great value. I can use the modded ksc75s all day and they are as light as a feather. No tight head clamp
Blon 03 still worth in 2024?
I got these a few months ago and I can confirm: they are amazing. Just make sure you get some nice memory foam tips. I’d recommend them to anybody for nearly any application
KZ gear are great. I've been using the TRN V20 for years now, another great budget option. But gotta say, I miss noise canceling. Sometimes I use the TRN for accurate sound and with a Soundcore Q30 just for NC purposes.
You should try the cca cra. It's cheaper, has greater treble extension and incredible detail retrieval. It'd also a single DD, so you don't get the weird balanced armature timbre like you do with these.
is it better? I can buy the cra for $12 and the zs10 pro for $38 in my country, which would be better overall?
@@nico-kw8yt cca cra >>> zs10. $18 Moondrop Chu > cca cra tho.
I bought them and have been using them for a week now. It was exactly what i was looking for when it came to sound, mainly use them for fps as well as music. Thanks for the review!
I've been using the KZ ZST X for over a year now. They have a great balance between comfort and price.
You can also try KZ ZEX Pro X crinacle version. It's more neutral compared to other KZ IEMs.
I actually picked up the Moondrop KATOs after the first IEM video you made. I did see the ZS10s during my search but the KATO's just looked a little too good for me. Funnily enough they're a full stainless steel casing as well but the sound quality is amazing. Though they definitely weren't cheap
Love my moondrop kato's. Just wish it didn't take as long to ship to the US.
Man i gotta say, fantastic recommendation aside, your B roll footage is some of the best in the business. Thanks for the video!
Really like that over the shoulder gameplay cam with the audio mixed in. Nice touch!
What's also cool is that you can buy a bluetooth cable/adapter for them with AptX-HD support, and make them wireless headphones. I have ZSN-PRO with bluetooth for street and ZAX with custom cable, for listening at home. I love both, actually
Hey man what is the name of the cable you picked up for the bluetooth, just bough the iems in the video and wanted to get a quality cable with bluetooth that I know will work well
@@armandillinho Model name is KZ Aptx HD CSR8675 Bluetooth, ordered it from Aliexpress. But make sure that you order with correct pins for the model. For ZS10-Pro it should be C-pin, just like mine.
Just in case, hi-fi cable that I ordered for ZAX model is called something like "TRN T2 s 16 Core Silver Plated HIFI Upgrade Cable". It's thicker, softer and less prone to tangle. Not sure I noticed a sound quality difference compared to the stock cable though :)
Welcome to the world of Chi-Fi. Have a bunch of sub $100 IEMs that set me down a slippery slope. Settled on the Fiio FH7s for now but who knows when I'll get bored of them and get a different pair.
about to order these. They will be my first IEM's. Thank you for the recommendation
Thx, you got me into the IEM and headphone hobby. Just ordered a pair of Tripowin Meles.
Great video! I'm using the KZ ZSN PRO very similar to the ZS10 tuning and it's serving me very well both for games and for editing and multimedia to use in parallel with my headset, now I'm intending to take the collab with Crinacle, the ZEX PRO.
The difference is real. Voices are muddier with the zsn pro x, but the contrast of tone makes bass music sound more thumpy and ffun. I still prefer the ZS10
I've been using the ZSN Pro for years now. I always recommend this when someone asks me for a cheap wired IEM. I've been playing Apex Legends with it and it does not disappoint. I feel like my game sense is up there with this since audio is important in that game.
I picked up the KZ ZSN PROX because they were half the price of the ZS10. Been using them for a few weeks but not 100% satisfied, I feel like the mids are too harsh for me. Would you say the ZS10's are the same or any more "v shaped"?
I personally have these and the AS12’s which are terrific for music and gaming for me 🥰👍🤩 Also the X58 Jubilee from Senheisser 🥰🤯
Literally bought the KZ ZS10 Pro half a year ago. Also added the KZ ZSX to my collection, wonderful IEMs with good bass, imaging and soundstage. Unbeatable for that price, even played Warzone with those instead of my Beyerdynamic Headphones, was surprised about the crisp sound - locating footsteps? No problem - powered with my Soundblaster G6 :)
Which is better?
I like it so much that you are also exploring some nice audio gear for the masses (like Joshua Valour). Maybe try the IE900 next just for the experience not the value!
Purchased the Moondrop Aria based on your review and it really surprised me how great they were especially for the price. I really liked how comfortable IEMs are in comparison to over-ear headphones, and switched from the PC37X.
How is the imaging compared to pc37x?
@@aestheticgamer1177 it's really sharp, the pc37x feels warmer, in my experience i find it easier to distinguish direction or pin point enemies with the Arias. But take this with a grain of salt, I'm no expert
@@sololakey1906 Thanks Man
Did you plug them directly to motherboard?
@@TheValonquar I guess, im using a laptop
I know these are in different tiers judged by the pricing, but I still would have loved to hear you talk about them in comparison to your IE300's, since I don't want to spent the 50$ if I know I would upgrade pretty soon anyways. Besides their respective comfort, how does the experience differ - especially during gaming?
The quality of your videos is just stutting! I got the HD58X for homeuse and I am looking for an IEM for on the way. Def a great video keep it up
Love my KZ's. Great IEMs and excellent no-frills audio experience for such a low price.
I love KZ stuff because they're cheap and fun. I prefer recording headphones myself but my mum loves these. I gave her an EDX Pro because she lost her no-name $5 earbuds and she's been hooked ever since. Bought her the Crinacle one as a gift and she loved it even more. I think I accidentally turned my mother into an audiophile 😅
I like very much, too.KZ's headphones are so cost-effective that it is feasible to give gifts especially.
I've been using my $35 ZS10 Pro for last two years, I like how they sound but I got tired of their weight and bulkiness so I switched to Tin HiFi t3 plus, not huge upgrade in sound quality but noticeable improvement in fit and comfort.
Same here but I upgraded from the ZSN Pro. I like the sound more on the + since it isn't as fatiguing as on the ZSN. The fit and comfort is a lot better than the bulky ZSN Pros.
Sooo t3plus isnt as good as what reviewers said?
@@JovanKK Don't get me wrong, on my personal taste T3's sound well, but I don't hear much improvement comparing to KZ especially considering double price increase.
@@Boris1990ua For me I can hear a lot of improvements the T3+ brought compared to my old ZSN Pros. The detail retrieval, the soundstage, imaging etc.
The T3+ is my current favorite in the stable...though I ordered the Shuoer S12 and the Tripowin x HBB Olina, recently. I would imagine one of these two will take the favorites crown from my T3+.
Im happy to see these iems content!!! I would love to see u to try the 7hz timeless
So great to see you make a video about IEMs.
I'm disabled with a muscular degenerative disease. And it just got to the point that I couldn't put on my HyperX headset any longer without help. So I decided to buy some Raycon earbuds... and they're okay. The sound is a little muddy, and they do not stay in my ears at all even with the largest ear piece. After I finish building a computer, I plan to look into getting better earbuds.
i hope u doing well
@@AGXJDM I'm alive and... well not kicking since I'm disabled. But I did buy some KZ ZAS in ear monitors not long after posting that and still using them to this day.
@@Dyonivan nice I’m planing to buy the KZ ZSN Pro X
As someone who has been daily driving the ZS10 Pro's for 2 years now, I love them. Crinicle also has a great tier list if you were looking at trying others. I even bought my girlfriend a pair because she kept using mine all the time. I'm about to upgrade to maybe the Aria's as well, or the Tin HiFi T2's. I'm not sure yet. But I'm really glad to see these get some recognition outside of the usual space they're seen in.
Buy Tin T3 Plus and thanks me later. I have zs10 pro, aria, t2, t3 plus, blon bl03 and fiio fh3 which i sold recently. If i were gonna choose one iem for rest of my life it would be T3 Plus or maybe even Blon BL03. They both great as sound and comfort. But not zs10 pro not t2 nor the aria, they all have some flaws in overall presentation. If you looking for the best technicalities you can get, T3 Plus is the best one under $100. I prefer it over the FH3 without a doubt. Check the sound demos from Dan's Audio Reviews channel for comparing these iems.
I never tried IEM. I'm currently using a super budget earbuds for my fps games. I stopped using headphones too because of the pressure after long usage. Definitely going to give this a try myself to see if I will like them
Your content and your efforts are always remarkable and consistently adding value to us your audience. Thank you so much...
yes, these are indeed great, but i'd recommend the Tripowin Mele at that price point, which beats the ZS10 pros in clarity and detail with a wee bit less bass.
Totally agree. Cheaper and much better sound.
Hi, i am using budget Kz ZST since 3 months and the balanced audio is symphony to the ears. Yes memory foam tips elevates change in sound quality and comfort.
Awesome freaking review, Just ordered and really hope these are better than the buds from Hyper X.
You really need to try the 7hz Timeless. It’s easily my favorite iem I’ve ever used and they work awesome for gaming too.
Using my IEM's mostly for music (PC Win10 Pro + Jitter filter + either wired with a dongle DAC [CS Pro CS43131, Abigail] or via BT LDAC with the FiiO BTA30 Pro & the FiiO BTR5K). My first IEM was the KZ ZS10 Pro followed by the BLON BL03, KZ DQ6, CCA NRA, Zex Pro, Tin T3+, and Tripowin Lea. In term of preference: Tin T3+, then closely the Tripowin Lea, both followed by the Zex Pro, ZS10 Pro, BLON BL03, CCA NRA, and DQ6 last. For the money, the Tripowin Lea is very compelling, at only US$26! To me, it performs with good IEM's like the T3+, at the $50~$80 range. Too many really good choices arrived in 2021 for me to consider ZS10 Pro as class leading at its current price. It's a solid IEM, for sure. However, in early 2022 there are simply too many compelling alternatives under US$30 that beat it for my music listening/library. That being said, for gaming I cannot judge. IMO.
Funny. I had been waiting on a good review from a trusted source on these for a while now. Just locked in my order. Thanks for the solid coverage
I just bought the KZ ZS10 Pro on your recommendation. My previous set was a Sennheiser PXC 550-II and that clamping force combined with obnoxious micro-USB, annoying robotic voice cues, noise cancelling that didn’t work 100%, incessant charging, and frequent maintenance and cleaning just made me quit using over the ear headsets for good. Edit: Well they arrived a day ago and after 24 hours of use I can say these are a good listening experience (although I had to wait a while for the audio to stabilize when plugging them into my motherboard). Much better than a headset or my bluetooth IEMs. Thanks for the recommendation.
These are indeed great budget IEMs. I think it's a tossup between them and the BLON BL-03s for which deserve the budget IEM crown.
If it's a tossup then I say they can share the crown, just gives me an excuse to collect more cheap, awesome sounding IEMS, that way I can switch at will and always have a fresh experience. I see this as an absolute win.
@@UNSCPILOT that’s a pretty great attitude. I’m about to go in for some expensive Campfire Audio IEMs. I have a spending problem when it comes to audio though. I do try out highly rated budget IEMs all the time. If I had to suggest one over the other, I think I’d give a very slight nod to the KZ ones. They’re both great for the price though.
I’ve had the ZS10s, Arias, gr07x, and the old dunnu titans. They’re just as resolving as the Arias, thanks to the BA drivers, but the tuning is kinda wack. I have to hand it to the ZS10s though. I’ve used the fuck out of these for over a year. I slammed them in a car door and drug them down the road, dropped them off a balcony, fell out of a truck bed, hung them 100s of times, drop them regularly, used them in the rain, used them in honest-to-goodness dust storms, worn out 4 apple dac dongles, and stepped on them. They still sound like new. Meanwhile the Aria’s driver came loose after a week, the gr07x driver failed after about 5mos, and both pairs of dunnu titans cables failed after about 6mos.
But does kz zs10 pro sound similar to arias because i have two options: to buy arias for 80$ and wait 6 weeks tk ship to my country or buy zs10 pro for 65$ and have them delivered in 2 days?
@@pirinac3618 Get the Arias, they are far better tuned. Or something like Tripowin Mele if you like that type of tuning and Arias are too expensive. Still my number 1 recommendation is Tin T2 due to its mostly neutral tuning (they sound completely different though so they aren't for everyone).
@@_overchaos_ ya the Arias are better tuned and more resolving.
Bro wtf kinda life do you live with headphones?! hahahahaha
The other budget IEM that has impressed a lot of people are the Tin T2 Pro's - a lot of people have commented that they sound fantastic and are comparable to high end (non-custom fit) IEM's - you should check them out!
Love the IEM videos. I'm also new to using them for everyday / gaming and I'm loving every minute of it compared to wearing open-backs for the entire day.
Guys do you got some white noises too from the KZ ZS10 Pro? Plugged directley on my Laptop or over an USB to Aux cabke both make noises, can some one help me pls?
Apple dac(any for that matter) or eq them with autoeq.
If Ali already considers this are good, imagine what happens when he gets to try a lot more IEMs in the ChiFi audio space. Considering how the KZ ZS10 Pro is technically "dated" (to be fair reversing the stock eartips or using other eartips might still help with these) in terms of the fact that there's fierce competition that has and continues to happen in the ChiFi IEM space, I'll imagine his next few videos for this would probably change his mind and expectations even further, and that KZ is just the start. There's way too many brands competing at the $50 price point that have different strengths, especially for V-shaped sound, although there are other tunings that lean towards being brighter, or even bassier - plus even more competition also exists at the $80-100 price point the Aria is in. KZ themselves have released the DQ6 (plus the retuned BGGAR collab version), ZEX Pro (tuned by Crin), EDX Pro, for example. There's also KZ's sister company CCA (the CRA) Tripowin (Mele/Olina/Lea/TC-01), other stuff from Moondrop (SSP/SSR), Tanchjim (Tanya), Tin HiFi (T2/T3+), Dunu (Titan S), Reecho (SG-01 - worthwhile for V-shaped sound but may need changing of eartips to Moondrop Spring or reversed KZ Starlines), HZSound (Heart Mirror - buut as I own these they require being very tolerant of peaky treble), just to name a few.
Could you recommand me a good one for valorant or apex( comp fps) ? in the range of $80-100
Spot on. I have the TC-01 (i got it before the mele was out, i have it eq matched to the mele for now), and compared to stuff that i tried like the zs10 pro its absolutely no contest, i like what he wants to do, but like Dankpods he tries to suggest specific pairs without knowing much about the scene. I hope he sees this and takes a look at the stuff you listed
I was told the t2 was it for FPS gaming but I like these much better
Good to see IEMs are getting attention for gaming! There is a ton brands out there to explore and a lot options! My IEM is the QKZ VK4 if you gonna ask me
Mine same vk4
How are those for gaming, playing fps games warzone, cs go, apex, etc...
@@jingleman31 Try them and you'll see I play valorant and fortnite if you'd ask
@@gaveezdrive I meant how is the imaging and Soundstage compared to open backs. Can you pinpoint enemies easily and in hectic scenarios do they smear?
quality video as always! the wraith kunai is fire🔥
I actually have had those for 6 months now (for music on the go rather then gaming though) Personally I love them but i find directional hearing and sound stage is not as good as with my hyperx cloud 2, so i stuck with those for gaming Cable: Get the white upgrade Cable, its more flexible and just feels a bit better imo Build quality: While they seemed great, one of those mesh gutter thingys at the tips of the iems (where the sound comes through) just got lost a couple of weeks ago (carried those headphones everywhere in my pocket though, which might not have been the best of choices). The Headphones still work but it still stinks a bit, that it just fell out seemingly for no reason. Personally I am interested to look into the KZ AS16 now, which should have less of a v sound and more of a clear flat sound.
I still find the BLON BL-03 some of the best budget chi-fi IEMs one can buy. Just insane fun. I own far more expensive gear, and sometimes I just get the mood to throw the BLON on because it's so fun and comfortable
I have those and they are very nice for the price, can be had for under 20$ sometimes
Yes! These are the best headphones for the price
There is no iem in the world that can beat Blon BL03 for my preference. I'm not joking, it has some magical unique timbre and tuning that you can't find on another iem. It's not about technical performance of course! It's all about tuning, natural timbre, lovely and perfect vocals, so musical midbass and subbass... You can also get Tin T3 Plus if you have budget but Blon BL03 is very safe choice without any hesitation, it is just that good.
bought this after watching this review couldn't have been more satisfied in any other ways , sounds a bit less exciting than my $180 but it's Great. Would 100% recommend this thing. 😁😁😁 ps: Thanks for the review
Very tempted to try these but I'd love another company to rival the Boses QC20's; the comfort and active noise cancellation is second to none imo. But in typical Bose fashion you pay a high price.
This is my first IEMs and they sound great all over the day. Whether its gaming or music it absolutely slaps. I own audiophile headphones too but i have the same reasons as him switching to IEMs as Headphones they get tiring throughout the day.
KZ tend to sound completely unnatural with their house sound. Their more recent IEM's are much better, but I believe these are an older model. For competitive gaming I highly recommend the Tin Hifi t2. They don't have gaps in the soundstage to help locate sounds, and have more emphasis on mids and highs with incredible detail. For more fun sounding gaming IEM's try out the Tripowin Mele or the Blon BL03. The blon's are the best deal in Chifi blow any KZ I have ever heard out of the water, but don't fit some people's ears as well as the Mele. The Mele were designed to sound like the Blon but fit people's ears.
Ali already mentioned how headphones that focus on mids and highs will tend to leave out some important audio cues. When I played Hunt Showdown with the TIN T2s, I felt lost and I could barely hear directional audio from my enemies. The ZS 10 Pros for me, were a lot better of an experience.
@@shacacoora a few recent multiplayer games (including Warzone, TARKOV, Halo Infinite and HUNT) use the lower mid-range/upper base frequencies for close footsteps audio (same building, lower & upper floors, inside a tunnel, and other scenarios in a FPS game) so it makes sense for directional audio to suffer when using an upper mid-range/treble focused IEM in those games. Seems like the Aria is still the one to get for an all-rounder below $100.
@@shacacoora The main focus of any of these isn't gaming but music reproduction. Tin T2 goes for neutral tuning with slight sub-bass roll off, therefore they are infinitely more natural and better than any KZ with their artificial bass boosted V shaped tuning.
@@shacacoora I also play hunt showdown, and if you don't mind me asking, what's your KDA? I am in the market for IEMs and I want a reputable source from someone good. (Disclaimer: I know KDA doesn't matter, but it does play a factor if it's on the low end)
@@nickfosley2882 You might be able to look me up on the leaderboards as "ShacaCoora," but my KDA is 2.17. In my experience using headphones/earphones that are "flat" like the TIN T2s or DT 770 Pro makes me miss a lot of audio ques like ALI had mentioned. The ZS 10 Pros are on par with my Audio Technica AD900x, and those have been my absolute favorite headset to use playing Hunt. Also here's a pro tip, use the loudness equalization in the sound control panel for your headphones. Also, if you boost the bass for the ZS 10s just by a little bit, they are amazing to listen to music with (if you like a V shape frequency like I do). Buy them on Amazon, if you don't like em, return them :)
Dankpods hopped on this wave waaaaay back when
agree love his quote for sound peripherals "good headphones stays good"
Im using QKZ VK4 and CCA CSN. Details and soundstage are great.
I KNEW YOU WOULD TEST THIS SOONER OR LATER!! I've had the KZ ZS10 pro for the last few months and for the price they're really a steal! Using them for audio and music stuff too. Btw as always top of the line videos man. Big fan 💪 Cheers 🎹
ZS10 Pros are old news + very sibilant IEM, KZ upped their game quite a bit since then. ZSX, ZEX Pro, DQ6 and CCA CRA, all are way way better at around same price, not to mention old but gold BLON BL03 or BL01.
I have tons of high end, pricey-as-hell headphones and earbuds. I agree with you 100% about the BL03. I just pulled them out for the first time in a long time after your comment reminded me of them. Listening to them right now. I'm always surprised by how good they are, especially considering they were somewhere around $40.
Agreed - BL03s, spinfit cp100s, and updated Linsoul cable = gold 👍🏼
Which is the best out of those clarity wise? I can eq
And which one has clear highs even when bass is in the mix? I'm talking grenades in a game with footsteps
@@vhcxhbvg ZSX, ZEX Pro, Blon Bl-03. CRA and Bl-01 if you want really, really budget but still plenty of quality sound.
The ZS10 pro is very well defined, but for gaming the EDX pro is even better because it sounds warmer and makes footsteps more evident.
Do you have a link for me ? Im not sure which manufacturer is the correct one. Its here for 15bucks, thats a steal in my eyes.
I have now bought edx pro and the cca ca 2, lets see which one is better :).
Wtf how good are this edx, got them for 12 bucks, unbelibable sound for the money, they are my main now. Never spend more then 20 again
I have two KZ products: KZ ZSN Pro X and KZ ZS10. They're incredible IEM's especially their microphones. And they're super lightweight and compact, which is good for travelling. I'm glad that it got reviewed by Optimum Tech!
Which one would you say is better for gaming?
@@pazgavriel903 ive been thinking the same thing
I just recently switched over to IEMS. Would love to see how you set up your audio profile and window settings for gaming. Just seems alot louder and more difficult to "dial in" harder to tune. But definitely alot more comfortable then over the head headphones.
Depending on what your using i would look at the frequenze curve from the headphone and reduce frequenze spikes, especially in the range between 500-4000hz, thats were humans are the most deceptable to changes in frequenze and loudness
KZ are overrated, too much focus on detail and not enough on timbre/colour/tonality. They sound sterile and kind of disjointed by comparison. On top of that, it clashes heavily with their very strange and aggressive V shaped sound signature, it's just all over the place. I'd recommend the Tin T2 or Blon 03 at this price range, easily above anything CCA or KZ makes. The Blon 03 needs some extras to make it more comfortable, the only downside of the T2 is that it has no inline mic, but that's acceptable. The Tin T2 Plus has more treble and detail, bit many say it borders on sounding harsh or sibilant, depends on your sensitivity to that kinda thing...
Ohhh nooooooo, my dude you're touting a really old IEM from KZ as the best around 50 bucks; so many better options have come out since then at the same or lower cost; KZ's own sub brand CCA for example recently released the CCA CRA. It costs $15 and slaps the ZS10 Pro silly. It has better sub bass, fuller mids, better and less fatiguing treble with more detail and extension, no weird BA sound, better soundstage and better imaging all while having one single better made dynamic driver instead of 5 mediocre drivers. Also, the Moondrop Aria and ZS10 Pro are objectively technically VASTLY superior - the tuning is a subjective thing, but the LCP dynamic driver in the Aria is far, far more capable of resolving fine detail and projecting a wide stereo image than the ZS10 Pro could ever ever ever hope to achieve. I don't mean to Pooh Pooh on your video, I just get a strong impression that you may not have done as much research beforehand as you could have done and as a result this video feels misinformed and misleading for chi-fi newbies. Great editing and presentation though and well spoken - just think you might need to look into this stuff a bit more is all. :)
Oh so that's why the ZS10 sounded the worst in all the youtube blind tests I watched following this video. Do you know anything about the CCA NRAs? I looked for the CRA and it was out of stock. Basically, I'm looking for the newest, most detailed IEMs that also look good.
@@KentoCommenT I don't have the NRA but the frequency response looks.. uhh not optimal. If your budget is $50USD or less, the BLON BL-03 has a very well loved and smooth but not hyper detailed sound. The. CCA CRA is probably the best tuned under 50 with decent technical performance to boot and great treble extension. Personally I also really like the KZ ZSX, which is an updated evolution of the ZS10 Pro. I like it much more. It's like 45 to 50 bucks. If your budget is hundreds, check out the 7hz timeless.
Dude I'm thinking of getting iem for the first time. Budget under 40 45 bucks. Till now I thought ZS10pro were the top tier but now you've confused me. I own a audio technica m40x and use for music production. I'm not looking for iem's solely for the purpose of production but also daily use as these headphones are just too much sometimes. Can you please recommend someting to me?
@AJ Audio thanks for these recommendations I've never heard of the BLON or 7hz
@@abhaymehra7834 in that case, either get the KZ x CRN (tuned by Crinacle) or the CCA CRA. Both beat the crap out of the ZS10 Pro. The ZS10 Pro was KZs latest and greatest in like.. 2019?
Re: Sennheiser HD580/580J/600/650/660S/58X/6xx clamp force, you're supposed to adjust the metal arms. Fully extend them then bend the center on one outwards, hold for 10secs; then center of the other arm; then bend it near the gimbal on the first side, then near the gimbal on the other side. Cycle through this several times (about ten times) then do a test fit. My HD600 fits on my head with about as much clamp force as the self adjusting AKG K701/702.
Picked these up from Amazon UK, pared with my K3, so glad I got these as my first entry into IEM's!
i bought this after watching this video :D Thanks Optimum Tech and i use them whenever my ears are hot from using my arctis 7. any recommendation what DAC to use for the KZ ZS10 Pro?