The TRN BAX PRO were provided my review by the manufacturer. I thank them for that and also apologize for the long delay of the publication of this article owing to some lengthy orofacial problems. You can get them from TRN Audio.

Introduction

TRN, or more precisely, Dongguan Zuodu Acoustics Technology Co., Ltd. are a ChiFi player of the first hour, from a time when a budget Chifi model reached easily 40,000 views on Head-Fi in a few weeks. Examples are the TRN V80 and V90.

TRN, like many other relatively inexperienced ChiFi companies (compared to, let’s say, the more established Sennheiser or Audio Technica), overestimated their abilities and prematurely released earphones in the premium segment that may have had the ingredients but the final meal was subpar. For example, the TRN BA8 was a screamer and unable to deliver musical enjoyment to the aided ear. And the original BAX was apparently not much better (I was told).

Time cures wounds and companies mature. TRN reassembled and tried again in order to close the reputation gap to, let’s say, Dunu or Moondrop.

Specifications TRN BAX PRO

Physical Things and Usability

The BAX PRO features quality ingredients and an interesting architecture: 1 DD + 2 BA + 2 EST: a Beryllium diaphragm for the bass, 1 Knowles 29689 BA for the mid frequencies, and another Knowles BA 33518 as well as two Sonion electrostatic drivers for crisp treble. It also comes with a modular cable with 3.5 mm single ended and 2.5 mm & 4.4 mm balanced plugs.

In the box are the earpieces, 2 sets of eartips with three tuning switches, the modular cable with three plugs, a strange plaque, a small tool for moving the switches, the usual TRN metal storage box and the paperwork.

The CnC machined, sturdy earpieces are rather large and have a bit of an unusual nozzle angle. Some people complained about not getting them deep enough into their ear canals, I have had no issues. But I don’t get the world’s greatest isolation with them either.

The eight-strand single crystal copper cable is rather pliable and, appeal wise, average. The eartips (2 silicone sets and 1 foam set)) are also nothing to write home about. In summary, the BAX PRO’s haptic is ok.

The BAX PRO are easy to drive.

Tonality and Technicalities

It is very difficult to give you an accurate account of the sound considering the options you have with switch positions and (stock) eartips. The BAX PRO are also sensitive to insertion depth so that different reviewers may report different results. Let me start with the black stock eartips and all switches in the “off” position [“Equalization mode”].

If you expect another TRN shoutfest, you may be surprised to hear that this is not the case. The BAX PRO offer a slightly warm however transparent sound with vocals in the foreground and zero shoutiness. I was quite delighted when I tried them out the first time and left them in my ears for a couple of hours going through a selection of jazz, rock, and classical.

What sticks out to me is the lower midrange: both female and male vocals are sparkly, very well sculptured in three dimensions, and rather intimate with a very good body. Bass is digging deep but is a bit subdued, thick, and could be a tad crisper while having enough kick…a bit similar to the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones…but you can tweak this with the switches, insertion depth and eartips. The midrange has good transparency and resolution without a hint of shoutiness. Very realistic.

TRN spent lots of attention on the treble – which are very well carved out with excellent resolution. My treble testing passed, for example, Anne Sophie Mutter’s rendering of the very high violin notes of her pieces from Star Wars. Cymbals are very clean…though rather subtle.

The technical merit of the BAX PRO is also very good. Stage may be average in two dimensions, but the spatial reprodcution and imaging are excellent. You really can spot the singer on stage. Dynamics is also good.

Timbre is also rather natural. I much preferred it over the glassy BA sound of the Blessing 2, allegedly the first $1000 soundalikes at $300. I listened to a lot of Beethoven piano music and orchestral pieces with great pleasure.

The piano touch was quite realistic and revealed a good driver speed. Timbre and dynamics paired result in orchestral sounding natural and developing a healthy richness and volume. Surprising how good the BAX PRO work with acoustic instruments of any quantity.

I confirmed my positive listening impressions when connecting the BAX PRO to the EarMen stack after listening to the Sennheiser HD 600. They did hold up to my big surprise.

Let’s have a look at the switch settings.

Equalization

The standard mode which sounds best to my ears. I use this mode as comparison to the other switch settings.

Electronic Mode

Enhances the upper midrange and introduces shoutiness. Not for me.

Transparency Mode

Bass imbalance 2-3 dB. Reduces bass and adds upper midrange. Introduces even more shoutiness than Electronic mode. Transparency is good enough without this mode.

Atmospheric Enhancement

Is the same as Electronic Mode in my measurements…I did two independent measurement runs to confirm.

High-Frequency Mode

Adds to upper midrange and to treble. Only for the hardest of us who get up with cheap Bourbon whiskey in the morning. Too bright for the rest of us.

Low Frequency Mode

Essentially the same as Equalization, with the upper midrange minimally tuned down. Good.

Compared to the LETSHUOER EJ07M

The EJ07M have been one of my daily drivers for the last couple of years. They also sport electrostatic tweeters and are, at $649, ca. 50% more expensive than the BAX PRO. They feature smaller earpieces with a different nozzle angle, which probably provide a better fit for many. Their imaging is flatter than that of the BAX PRO (in the Equalization setting), they are generally a tad brighter sounding and more coherent overall.

The BAX PRO have the upper midrange dialled down (in the Equalization setting), which makes the vocals thicker but also duller and less dynamic. In terms of treble resolution, both are pretty even, with he BAX PRO possibly a tad ahead. I’d like the EJ07M’s form factor with the BAX PRO’s sound.

Overall, the price difference appears arbitrary.

Concluding Remarks

The TRN BAX PRO come as a very pleasant surprise to me. They sound enjoyable to my ears with all musical genres I threw at them. The money is essentially in the excellent holographic staging and imaging. But I am also confused: the switches are not very useful as most of the settings only add shrillness nobody needs. Sometimes, less is more!

My other criticism is the very generic accessories (cable, eartips). And some may have problems with the fit owing to the unusual nozzle angle. Sometimes, more is better!

In the end, I recommend trying them out if possible. I may have to send them on a western Canadian tour to gather some feedback from Biodegraded and Co. We may have a diamond in the rough that is overlooked owing to lack of concerted promotion and organized hype.

TRN are finally on their way to join the likes of Moondrop and Dunu in the mid tier segment (if they leave useless gimmicks such as switches off). They now have to substantiate this with other models. Durwood is currently taking on their Dragon Azure, and I am anxious to see what he will come up with.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post TRN BAX Pro Review – Electroexstatic appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Build quality is very impressive for the price, with well-machined alloy shells and a supple, microphonic-free silver-plated cable. Swappable 2.5/3/5/4/5mm plugs are a neat idea, although the connection is unreliable (I had to heatshrink the 3.5mm plug to the cable, which defeats the purpose of interchangeable plugs).

No carrying case is included. Isolation is particularly noteworthy—these block out sounds effectively even without music playing. Very efficient and easy to drive; I didn’t notice significant differences with more power. The TRN ST5 tended to be unforgiving of lower-quality files and sounded best with a more neutral source–the CX Pro dongle was a very good match, while the more energetic, colored ibasso DC-05 gave the TRN ST5 more low end oomph but a bit of unwanted stridency at the high end.

In contrast to the surprisingly bassy, U-shaped signature of its predecessors, the TRN ST5 goes for what I’d term a “Japanese” tuning—bright, with more  subdued bass, energetic, forward mids and considerable high-end extension.  With the included foams, low end has considerable midbass quantity but not much subbass depth or impact and there is audible bleed into the mids.

Changing to the included narrow-bore silicons tightens  low end but sounds a little anemic, while wide-bored hybrid tips like the Symbio W had the best combination of bass control and quantity.

Mids, as stated, are prominent, full and very detailed, while crisp, highly-resolving treble shows a lot of little nuances and sparkle but (as is characteristic of TRN) sounds a bit hot/metallic in that 10-20kHz region.  The ST5 would likely benefit from further tiprolling and a bit of micropore tape modding in order to smooth the presentation.

In any formulation, the ST5 present a wide soundstage with modest depth but (other than a tendency to push vocals forward) good layering and accurate instrument placement.  Coherence isn’t as seamless as the BA5 or comparably-priced DD designs like the KBear Diamond or Moondrop Aria—your ears tend to drawn to the hopped-up mids—although the TRN ST5  shows more high-end information than either.

Ultimately, whether these are for you will depend upon your taste in tuning—in this weight class I prefer the bassier, less analytic BA5 as an all-rounder, while comparably-priced BQEYZ or Blon have less drive but a more natural tonality.

However, the ST5 is still a lot of earphone for the money—viscerally it looks and feels like it could cost $150-200, and it has as revealing a high-end as you’ll hear for $60, even if it lacks the ultimate refinement of pricier pieces. K-POP fans should take note.

Disclaimer: got ’em for free from Linsoul: https://www.linsoul.com/

Specifications TRN ST5

• Drivers: 1 x 10 mm beryllium-coated dual-magnetic dynamic driver, 2 x 50060 midrange balanced armature drivers, 2 x 30095 tweeter balanced armature drivers
• Impdedance: 22 Ω
• Sensitivity: 120 dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Cable/Connectors: 8-core high-purity silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable/ 0.78 mm, 2 pin
• Plug: 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm, and 4.4 mm modular swappable plug terminations
• Product Page/Purchase Link: Linsoul

Also check our reviews of the following TRN models:

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All Our 349 Earphone and Earbud Reviews (with Links)

The post TRN ST5 Hybrid IEM Review – I Sing the Body Electric appeared first on Music For The Masses.

TRN is our on again off again significant girlfriend/boyfriend brand in the Chi-fi world. While they don’t churn out minor “upgrades” like KZ or follow a pattern such as Moondrop, they do sometimes produce a model that we can get excited about. It appears some of the models are designed to highlight certain instruments or regions of our hearing. The TRN STM is a relatively benign addition being only a 1+1 hybrid and not following the race to cram as many drivers into a shell, yet this earphone comes off as a welcome surprise in a year of unknowns. Snappy and engaging, this set feels like it was made for drummers.

GOODIES

• Snares and Drums just sound so real
• Vocals come to life
• Variable tuning nozzle filters

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Faceplate styling
• Timbre
• Tangly cable, tight ear guides

COMFORT / ISOLATION

Nothing offensive here, pretty standard universal custom fit offered throughout brands. Isolation is slightly above average.

SOUND

The honeymoon has worn off, and I still enjoy this earphone a ton. The timbre is not natural since it takes a bit for my brain to recalibrate from something more natural sounding. There is something infectious whether it be the throbbing baselines without super excessive boost, or the realistic sounding treble, It is just a fun listen. I think most of the magic lies in the abnormally boosted treble region that treble averse listeners will probably not like. The TRN STM is not a purist’s earphone, it is for people who want something that transports them there instead of bringing the music to them. An acquaintance once told me recorded music is an attempt to impart the recorded environment into our ears, but the great playback systems can transport you there instead. The raw nature of the TRN STM makes things like snares and drums pop out and sound so darn realistic albeit not perfect. Bass is tastefully boosted snappy and quick, but still brings the throbbing lower bass notes we have come to like from the earlier TRN models like the V20, V60 or the V80 and later V90 models. It steers clear of bass bleed into the vocal midrange and does not sound thin like the TRN BA5.

One of my favorite parts though is how the boosted middle treble really brings to life instruments that live in this region and give it a more holographic realism.

The midrange is not shouty, it is recessed but stage width is super wide. Depth feels close up with plenty of decay that makes it feel not so closed in. Vocals have a nice decay that lets them marinate so as not to sound flat. Timbre is jacked , but still enjoyable. There is a bit of sibilance due to the juiced up treble, but weirdly it does not bother me because it comes off clear and transparent. The 30019 BA driver appears to be a great choice instead of the overly popular cheerleader BA 30095 found everywhere else. I wonder what a model with two of these 30019’s sharing the duty would sound like.

Cymbals and have a lot of shimmer and sizzle but not tizzy or tinny sounding like on the Nicehck NX7 or KZ ZS6, this is a different kind of bright treble that I cannot quite match in my overzealous Chi-fi collection. On some recordings the treble sounded a bit blunted (electronic music), on others that are already overly energetic (Royal Blood I am thinking of you), will sound a bit overbearing for sure. I would not suggest over-driving this earphone, or the treble gets out of control and unpleasant.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

At this point is probably a bit late to mention they have 3 tuning filters, I stuck with the stock one. Blue is least damped for the treble while the red takes the edge off some the hot treble giving the bass a little more exposure. Gold filter was the way to go for me, but someone could always use the additional filters to easily modify the ridiculously inexpensive TRN STM. The listener could just attach them as is, or actually add/remove your own materials without affecting the cosmetics. The cable is the standard removable tangly mess, with overly springy earguides.

IN THE END

It’s normally hard to get excited over a $20 earphone once you start venturing higher in other price brackets, but the TRN STM just got me excited again to hunt down unique and just cool sounding earphones. While trying to write about another decent $20 safe sounding IEM KBear KS2, I was sidetracked to keep listening to the TRN STM instead. I know we told all our friends we wouldn’t go back to our ex, this time it is different. I don’t care for the almost bedazzled looking faceplate, but function over form rules on this set. For those not afraid of middle treble accentuation, or even if you are and have $20 to spend go get you some TRN STM.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Impedance Plot

MY VERDICT

Our rating scheme explained

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DISCLAIMER

These showed up without any knowledge of where they came from, I am assuming directly from TRN.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post TRN STM Review (3) – Oh Snap! appeared first on Music For The Masses.

TRN V-series has always been very close to my heart. After all, I tuned almost all of their earlier models starting from the TRN V20 till last year’s TRN V90. I have to confess, TRN V90 wasn’t my intended tuning, the upper-midrange still sounded too lean, too trebly. Of course, it still sounded way better than the eardrums stabbing “icepick” V80 from 2018.

HERE OUR FULL REVIEW OF THE TRN V90s:

I am happy to proclaim TRN V90s, the successor to TRN V90, is the sound I have always wanted the V90 to be. So, is TRN V90s a worthy successor to the popular V90? My answer is a definite “YES”!

The latest TRN V90s manages to avoid all the harshness and shrillness that plagued most of earlier versions of TRN, as well as the recent BA8. The new tuning sounds a lot smoother and fuller than its predecessors. TRN finally took my advice seriously. I didn’t tune the TRN V90s, by the way.

Soundstage is taller, wider, and deeper. Imaging is more distinct. The entire presentation is more laid-back. Overall, a soothing and relaxing musical experience compared to its predecessor, which I find can be quite forward-sounding if fed with heavily-compressed music.

Comfort-wise, however, I find the original TRN V90 fits my ears better. Of course, fit is a very subjective matter. Everybody’s ear anatomy is different. For my ears, the housings of the original TRN V90 are slightly more contoured, thus they sit inside my ears more securely. With suitable eartips both TRN V90 and TRN V90s isolate noise equally well. 

If I were to nitpick a flaw, it would be that the upper-midrange can be a tad bit recessed, BUT doing so the TRN V90s managed to avoid sounding edgy and piercing at higher SPL caused by loudness changes at different frequencies based on Fletcher Munson curves. Meaning, you can enjoy the TRN V90s at higher volume without puncturing your eardrums.

To bring out the recessed upper mids, I find the original Azla SednaEarFit eartips work beautifully. Due to its longer than normal nozzle stem, SednaEarFits solve my fitting problem at the same time.

Experimenting with various cables has led me to conclude that silver-plated copper (SPC) sounds best with the V90s. Pure copper thickens the upper-bass, low-mids which slow down the pacing too much for my liking. For my listening enjoyment, a fast and definite bass punch with a good amount of heft is a must.

As we speak, I wish to remind everyone that hybrid earphones can never be compared to dynamic-driver earphones in terms of timbre quality. Earphones with balanced armature drivers will forever register that bright metallic, artificial sheen in the upper-midrange and treble region. Both V90s and V90 inherit this steely timbre.

I had a chat with the tuner. He is none other than Ming – TRN’s number 2. Ming told me he just adopted my final tuning of the V90 submitted to him back in July 2019 (yes, the one got rejected by their number 1). In other words, just like BLON BL-05s is supposed to be BLON BL-05… What a déjà vu! 

Besides the V90s, TRN also sent me their current flagship, the BA8 for my honest opinion. And honest I will be. Because of its higher price tag and lackluster performance, I am reluctant to recommend it to anyone except TRN fanboys. Whereas, TRN V90s offers much better value and sound performance overall… Even non-fanboys will agree. 

TRN V90s, with its wallet-friendly price, engaging yet gentle tones help soothes our hearts and soul, bringing peace and harmony that attain musical nirvana.

Full reviews by others to follow on this blog.

MEASUREMENTS

All measurements were performed with an IEC711 compatible coupler.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post TRN V90s First Impressions And Measurements – Bringing Peace To My Heart And Soul appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Call us jaded, but requests to review <$30 Chinese earphones are generally met with a singular lack of enthusiasm around these parts, especially since upstarts like TRN are churning out barely-differentiated models faster than my wife generates traffic tickets. Certainly, nothing about the $23 TRN-STM’s appearance got me excited—generic cheap cable (albeit with a nice L-shaped connector) and dowdy-looking plastic and metal headshells which look a great deal like their KZ ZS and CCA competitors (In fairness, the teardrop design is very ergonomic and provides for excellent fit and isolation).  Behold my glee, then, when I found two sets of interchangeable tuning nozzles at the bottom of the box. Tuning nozzles are, of course, the audio geek’s equivalent of crystal meth.

Rather than following the current trend of jamming 18 cheap drivers into a shell, the TRN-STM goes old school with a single (30019) BA and a 10mm DD; as a result it’s a lot more coherent than many of its budget peers. Crossover from low end to mids is essentially inaudible. The TRN-STM is very easy to drive and didn’t benefit notable from amping.

With the default (gold) nozzles, the TRN-STM immediately register as a loud, energetic and very bright V-shape, with substantially enhanced subbass (at near-basshead levels) and crisp, highly extended treble.  Bass is deep (lower and more voluminous than the V80 or the V90, for example), and well controlled, with considerable texture and good speed. Mids are somewhat recessed, as if the performers are a few feet from front-stage, but full-sounding, while treble is very detailed, lean-bodied and sparkly; it’s not strident exactly, but not at all rounded or smoothed over, and treble-averse folks would find these too hot.

The red nozzles transform the sound significantly to a more balanced, mid-forward presentation—midbass is toned down a bit, though subbass is still full and present, while vocals (especially female) move to the front of the mix. They don’t rock as hard as the gold nozzles, but were better suited to tamer genres. The blue nozzles can be described as “vivid” or less politely as “reverse L-shaped treble cannon”—they similarly tone down low end and wildly accenuate the high end to emphasize upper frequencies and bring out even more micro-detail, but are over-pixilated and sharp to the point of exhaustion—there’s simply too much musical information.

In any permutation, the TRN-STM excels at a couple of things. First, it presents a surprisingly wide, deep soundstage, albeit with limited height— with excellent stereo separation and beyond-the-speakers imaging, it rivals the best KZs for sheer spread and instrument placement. Second, it does an absolutely uncanny job of reproducing drums—every snap, pound and cymbal is captured with precision, and attack transients are very fast.

So what’s the catch? Well, timbre is not the TRN-STM’s strong suit—like the recent KZ hybrids it’s ballsy and revealing, but excessively brilliant and somewhat over-etched; compared to something like the Blon BL-03 or BQEYZ KC-2, not to mention TRN’s $75 VX, the TRN-TM (like its predecessor, the V80) sounds a bit harsh and artificial, especially on brass instruments and with the red or blue filters. In this regard, the TRN-STM hews very close in character and quality to the ($30) KBear KB04, which is similarly bright, lively and hyper-detailed, though not paragons of naturalness. Yet while “technically” superior models like the Blon are truer to the source and ultimately less fatiguing, I’d likely find myself reaching for the STM (or for that matter, for the KB04) more often—it’s less fussy with source and more fun overall.

Finding absurdly cheap models like the TRN-STM are precisely what makes this obsession enjoyable—they’re colored as hell and purists may shudder, but give me that caffeine buzz are recommended nonetheless.

SPECIFICATIONS

Driver Configurations -10mm dual-magnet dynamic driver -30019 balanced armatures
Impedance 24 Ω
Sensitivity 106 dB/mW
Frequency range 20-20000 Hz
Cable Length 1.25m
Earphone interface 2Pin 0.75 mm interface
Tested at $23

MY VERDICT

Our rating scheme

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You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

DISCLAIMER

These were provided free for review purposes by TRN and not by Linsoul.

Get the TRN-STM at Wooeasy Earphones Store.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post TRN-STM Review (1) – The Devil Wears Lucite appeared first on Music For The Masses.

I have mentioned on Audioreviews.org Facebook group that I do not wish to do a full review on the TRN-VX. Instead, I will let my sharp-eared colleagues do the honours. The reasons are… First, being one of the tuner of this 7-driver hybrid earphone, I don’t want to contradict myself in any way possible. Secondly, it isn’t to anybody’s interest if I proclaimed it to be the next best thing since sliced bread. And finally, if I do pass any negative remarks, it makes me look like I am trying to bail myself out with lame excuses. Therefore, I will just highlight some of its deficiencies and how they can be overcome and improved without complicated modifications.

The idea of taming upper midrange/treble peaks with 3M micropore tape goes back to super best audio friend/head-fier james444. We have covered it in detail in our modding 101 section.

1. Harsh treble

This characteristic is nothing new to many TRN aficionados. Almost every V-series flagship earphone since V80 has inherited this 8KHz peak! This peak can be lowered using parametric equaliser or PEQ app at 8Khz with a Q-factor of between 2.5-3.0. I use Toneboosters EQ (an auxiliary add-on for USB Audio Player Pro app) on Android and Peace EQ on Windows.

2. Brittle or ‘glassy” upper-midrange

I have introduced the 3M Micropore tape mod to our Facebook group, and I will reiterate it again. The logic behind this is simple. Out of the VX’s 7 BAs, 2 of them are located inside the nozzle. These two BAs are aiming directly into your eardrums. 3M Micropore tape acts like a filter and damping material that reduces sound energy to your ears by couple of decibels.

3. Tip tips

Most IEM benefits from rolling eartips, VX is no exception. I was experimenting with various silicone eartips and I have good success with Final Audio Type E, JVC Spiral Dot, Azla Sedna EarFits Light, Canal Works CW dual nozzle and SpinFit CP-145. Reversed KZ Starlight eartips thin midrange further so I don’t recommend using it.

4. Traditional snake oil remedy – cable

TRN-VX seems to be more cable sensitive than its predecessors, thus I have added this section to make all the cable skeptics scream in protest. When TRN sent out their samples, they have included their latest T4 OCC copper cable in the bundle. Frankly, this cable brings out the worst of the VX. It is both lean and harsh. Jurgen and I have good success with the $8 Yinyoo 8-core OFC copper cable. Just avoid any cable made of OCC, silver-plated or pure silver that tends to add glare to the already-bright earphone.

De-toxification?
The tuning of TRN-VX isn’t completely toxic. If you could overlook the harsh and willing to do a bit of DIY mods, experiment with eartips and cables, it is actually quite a good IEM for US$70. Bass is responsive, textured and clean. Resolution is exceptional at this price point. Spatial perception is open, airy with good extension. Its timbre is probably the best of all the TRN models, thanks to the new 10mm dynamic drivers.

Thus, when Vannak Pech claimed that “TRN- VX can spoil your hearing”… Inside my little mind, I told myself “Yeah… Literally!”

Enjoy the music!

OUR TRN-VX REVIEWS

RELATED…

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post TRN-VX Modding: Antidote to the Venom appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Very loud and sensitive, to the extent that some hiss can be heard at dead level. The BA5 is bright, with a generally balanced signature, which is not to say ruler-flat or bass shy—compared to other all-BA designs like the B5+, bass is surprisingly punchy and impactful, with well-sculpted notes and very quick decay; these deftly balance having good midbass quantity without smearing into the midrange. Mids are nicely forward and well-etched, while well-extended treble closely resembles that of the TRN V80, which is to say energetic and highly extended, though somewhat sharp/strident, with the typical 2-4k ChiFi spike. Micro-detail is present, though these avoid the overanalytical quality of similar designs. 

Like the V80, soundstage here is enveloping and has impressive width and depth (though limited height); imaging and layering are okay but not class-leading—there’s a bit of “surround-sound” effect on more complex material which makes precise instrument placement tricky. 

Compared to similarly-priced hybrids, the BA5 are very coherent and well-integrated; however the timbre is somewhat hopped-up and can be artificial sounding, especially on electric instruments; these lack the smoothness of say, the Blon BL03 or BQEYZ and treble-sensitive folks should definitely avoid (foams do help smooth the presentation). If, however, you find more accurate but less frenetic players like the T2 or the BL03 underwhelming, you’ll enjoy these.

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

Like a high-alcohol craft beer with a little too much hops, the BA5 lacks the refinement to recommend unqualifiedly–as expected for the price point they use generic drivers, which account for the occasional harshness. That said, they reproduce bass as well as anything in their class, and I like these more than the recent KZ hybrids. Good value.

Disclaimer: I got these unsolicited from Yinyoo.

RELATED…

TRN BA5 review by Jürgen

TRN BA5 review by Durwood

TRN V90 review by Jürgen

TRN V90 review by Durwood

The post TRN BA5 Review (3) – Because You Can’t Have Enough IEMs appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Intro

I held off on purchasing these initially because like Microsoft Windows releases, it is sometimes best to skip a generation. After hearing some initial good praise from Otto Motor (JK) on head-fi, I hopped on board to find out if these were another good hit from TRN. The TRN V20, V80 and IM2 were good ones for me, however the V60 and IM1 not so much.

Specifications don’t need repeating, JK has already has a wonderful review.

In lieu of pros and cons

Standout features

• Shape and size makes them very comfortable
• Good bass extension balanced between subbass and midbass
• Dynamic
• Build quality seems exceptional

Less desirable traits

• Sensitivity causes some hiss on sources
• Some sibilance/ringing in upper vocals and brass instruments

Ear-tips are the same basic ear-tips found on all other TRN models. They fit well with the TRN V90 so I used them as I do on all my other TRN models. The TRN V90 cable is the same twisted pair used in other TRN models, it tangles easily but keeps microphonics to a minimum.

Comfortable, no sharp edges-the only questionable comfort comes from the protrusion in the concha region. Isolation is slightly above average, the TRN IM2 and Ibasso IT01 have better isolation for example. The nozzle is medium in diameter and length, and also has a lip.

Sound and technicalities

TRN does very well with their dynamic bass drivers, it is usually one of their standout features and the TRN V90 is no exception. Bass extends nicely but sometimes lacks punch/definition and sounds hollow. This is not a bad thing, it gives the bass more room to expand and reverberate adding to the sense of room space. Midbass bleed is kept in check, midrange is recessed as a typical V shape signature. Treble does show some sibilance from time to time, but it is not excessive. It is still an improvement over the well-received KZ ZS10pro, and definitely a much improved TRN V80/TRN IM1 experience which was overdone in the mid treble region. The TRN V90 managed to smooth out the rough edges while retaining the detailed tilt. The TRN V90 tends to emphasize when brass instruments and cymbals are garbled in the recording. In the upper regions of vocals both male and female I detect some ringing that tends to add some harmonics. Some listeners might find it tiring to listen to since it is more detailed. It’s best to keep the volume at a medium setting or less. The TRN V90 does manage to keep everything together even at higher volumes for those that feel the need to push it higher.

Staging is good, about average. There is good width, but soundstage size feels small overall to me. The recessed midrange adds a sense of depth, but not much.

Comparisons

KZ ZS10 pro (~$40) This is the most obviously similar sounding KZ IEM to the TRN V90, the V90 just does everything a tad bit better. I have to agree with JK on this, it is basically as if TRN managed to file down the rough edges of the ZS10pro, and also manages to do it in a physically smaller shell with smoother edges. The ZS10pro still is comfortable to me, but the shell is larger and the aesthetics are flash, and the TRN V90 goes for a more mature look. There is even more grain and timbre is less enjoyable on the ZS10pro, I think the TRN V90 is worthwhile upgrade over the ZS10pro. I have seen the graphs on the KZ Terminator in comparison to the TRN V90, and will be reviewing these after LoomisJohnson. I chose to purchase the TRN V90 due to a more mature look over the superhero bulky design of the Terminator.

BLON BL-03 (~$30) Tonality is similar but the BLON is much less V shaped. The TRN V90 bass it boosted more and has better extension. The TRN V90 has better resolution, but the BLON sounds a bit more natural and balanced. Treble is smoother on the BLON whereas the TRN V90 brings the details to the table. The TRN V90 also keeps its composure when pushed to higher volume levels. The BLON BL-03 starts to sound congested and loses its appeal at anything over medium volume. I find the bass on the BLON BL-03 a little sluggish in comparison, but it has a more analog feel than the TRN V90. For those that want a good starting point or possibly even end point, the BLON BL03 tonality and timbre are hard to beat, but I do like the extra resolution the TRN V90 provides.

Nicehck M6 (~$96) I chose this as a comparison again because the shells are shaped differently, but share the same comfort as the TRN V90. In addition, they have almost the same driver amount (the M6 sports an extra dynamic driver). The bass on the TRN V90 is a clear winner here, it is not bloated even though it is boosted and has extension. The M6 midrange is buttery smooth compared to the TRN V90 which is just smooth. Treble is on the TRN V90 is more detailed, but it is also boosted more. The M6 treble is more forgiving. Both do not have that last bit of extension that accounts for the airiness found in other IEMs.

Outro

I have replaced my KZ ZS10pro with these, and they are in my daily rotation when I want a detailed fun listening session or want something comfortable. The bass is almost to my preferred signature a few more ticks towards sub-bass would be nice, plus the treble levels quantity/quality are appreciated. I think TRN sits in the shadow of KZ due to less time in the market and some hiccups in quality oversight, but it deserves more attention for those willing to give them a chance.

Disclaimer: I purchased these from Nicehck on Aliexpress for a nominal street price.

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

Measurements

1. Raw TRN V90 (orange) vs KZ ZSX Terminator (Green)
2. Various insertion depths 2cm-1cm
3. 300Hz square wave
4. 30hz square wave
5. Impedance/phase plot

We have another review of the TRN V90:

The post TRN V90 Review (1) – Shining Light in the Shadows appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Enter the KZ ZSX Terminator, which retains the basic signature of the well-regarded ZS10 Pro—generally balanced, with emphasis on a very extended high end—while refining the quality of the low end. Packaging and accessories are standard-issue KZ, which is to say nothing special except for the inclusion of a (somewhat gratuitous) silver nameplate, which I would have happily traded for a carrying case. Large headshells resemble the CCAs, with an alloy top fused to an acrylic bottom; cheap-but serviceable cable is identical to the ZS7/ZS10P. Fit and comfort are good; isolation trails the ZS3/ZS4 but is nonetheless above-average. I got best results with Spinfit-type silicons; foams tend to blunt the low end. Easily driven form my LG V30, I did not discern significant improvement from a desktop amp.

These KZ ZSX Terminator immediately register as a big-sounding, forward IEM which present a great deal of microdetail; to use the old cliché, on familiar recordings I found myself hearing little nuances for the first time. Tonality is just north of neutral, with a fair amount of brightness and crispness at the high end, and note texture is quite thick. Subbass isn’t seismic, but has more depth and quantity than the ZS7 and noticeably less emphasis and better control than the ZS10P, although compared to something like the BQEYZ BQ3 it retains a slightly syrupy quality and midbass can bleed a bit on denser material. 

Lower mids are forward and full bodied; male voices and guitars in particular are front-stage and gutsy; there’s a bit of a dip in the upper mids which makes female voices and wind instruments sound just a little bit thinner. Treble, as noted, is very, very revealing (the warmer ZS7 or CCA10 sound a bit hazy in comparison); drums and cymbals in particular have a lot of snap and very quick attack. Unlike other hyper-revealing phones like the ZS5, NX7 or TRN V80, they aren’t particularly “hot” or fatiguing and overall these lack the high-end stridency of earlier KZ hybrids. However, the KZ ZSX Terminator can get brittle or digital-sounding at higher volumes.

Compared to say, the ZS5 or ZSR, the soundstage of the KZ ZSX Terminator is smallish but well-rounded, with decent width and depth and an enveloping quality; layering is accurate but imaging is (uncharacteristically for KZ) a bit muddled and I had some difficulty discerning the precise location of certain instruments. Considering its multiple drivers the ZSX is quite coherent, if not as seamless as good single DDs like the 9Tail or CNT1.

So where do these ZSX Terminator fit into the KZ pantheon? Well, they’re incrementally better than the ZS10 Pro, with better bass control and coherence. They present considerably more high end information than the ZS7 and are more refined overall than the party-hearty ZSN. That said, I currently rank the ZSX a notch below the ZS7 or CCA10, which trade transparency and microdetail for a more analogue quality, while the irrepressible $10 ED9 is simpler but less synthetic-sounding than either. In the broader Chifi universe, KZ is still in search of the inalienable “naturalness” that peers like Moondrop, Blon or BQEYZ have found—to use a crude analogy, KZ seems to prioritize putting more horsepower under the hood over enhancing the passenger experience. Which, of course, doesn’t make them less appealing, and if you’re a fan of the house sound, this is the latest, greatest and best value.

Disclaimer: Jessie from Yinyoo sent me these for review; I’ll send ‘em on to Durwood or Slater for a second opinion. 

Product link: Yinyoo Amazon Store

The post KZ ZSX Terminator Review – More Fun In The New World appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The 1+1 TRI I4 is a mildly V-shaped phone with a comparatively lean note texture reminiscent of the NiceHCK NX7 [my review; JK’s review] and extended treble which is bright but not sibilant. They present a considerable amount of high-end detail and have a good unforced clarity; however the big bio-composite dynamic driver doesn’t match seamlessly with the high-quality Knowles BA, and the voluminous subbass is somewhat imperfectly integrated with the rest of the spectrum. Bass decay is slow and low end is boomier and more monotonic than price peers like the NiceHCK NX7 or BQEYZ BQ3.  Midbass is less emphasized and has thinner body than the subbass, while there is a conspicuous dip in the lower mids, which make these less than optimal for rock. Upper midrange is slightly pushed back, but presents acoustic instruments and female voices very realistically, while highend is slightly colored but presents a lot of snap and a high level of resolution, without the conspicuous glare of say, the TRN V80 [review] or KZ ZS10 PRO [review]. Fast transients like snare beats are captured very accurately.

Soundstage is fairly narrow but quite 3-D holographic, with good depth and height. Instrument placement is accurate on less complex arrangements but tends to lose precision on busier and bassier passages, probably because the low end has some bleed; layering and stereo imaging is less precise than on pricier sets. In general, I found these be somewhat schizophrenic, which is to say they match superbly with certain acoustic and vocal fare but lose some composure on the heavy stuff—I keep coming back to the sonic mismatch between the drivers.

Overall, these point to a promising direction for the maker, whose use of quality components and active solicitation of feedback shows commitment; in their current iteration the TR I4 will have considerable appeal to listeners of gentler genres; these can be jarringly revealing with the right source. For those of us with less refined tastes, it would be good to see future generations of this model tune the low end more coherently and provide more oomph in the lower mids. 

Disclaimer—these were sent to me gratis for review purposes by the maker and will be sent on by me for other (probably better) evaluations.

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/earphones-High-Performance-Isolating-Audiophile-Detachable/dp/B07TZ5115Z

The post TriAudio I4 Review (2) – The Schizophrenic Debutante appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Underaccessorized.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The well-resolving TRN V90 is a 4+1 hybrid that is characterized by a warmish to neutral balanced tonality, which is well extended yet smooth at either end.

A version of this review was silently removed from head-fi.org.

INTRODUCTION

You find some photos of the TRN V90 HERE, and some earlier impressions THERE.

TRN is the daughter of the Chinese Dongguan Zuodu Acoustics Technology Co., a company established by two passionate engineers and audiophiles in 2017. The company specializes in R&D and production of high-quality earphones, headphones, and audio accessories. I reviewed the TRN V80 [HERE] last year, an acclaimed 2+2 hybrid that is characterized by its well textured, punchy bottom end and a rather forward upper end. My interest in the TRN V90 was generated through the ongoing correspondence with KopiOkaya, a Singaporean audio engineer who, in his spare time, helps TRN and others with their tuning. He solicited me to have a look at the new V90.

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: TRN
Model: V90
Type: in-ear
Driver Unit: 4BA+1DD hybrid
Impedance: 22 Ω
Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
Frequency Range: 7-40000 Hz
Plug Type : 3.5mm straight plug
Cable Length: 1.25 m
Colours: blue, black
Earphone Interface: 2-pin connector
Tested at: $49
Product Page: does not exist; find the TRN V90 on aliexpress

TRN T1 cable: 2 pin, 8-core
Tested at: $9.60

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

Unxboxing aficionados may be disappointed: the content is rather spartan and pragmatic, as you see on the photo. It appears that the money was put into the earpieces and technology rather than into bling bling. The TRN V90 is optically somewhat “undercabled”: yes, the cable sounds alright but it doesn’t live up to the classy CnC-machined earpieces with their smooth, soapstone-like feel between your fingers. Great haptic. The build of the earpieces is flawless for any price category, and I am so glad they are connected via reliable 2 pins to the cable.

Fit and seal (and therefore isolation) strongly depend on the eartips used but are in no case great with my ears. I did not reach a seal with any of the included eartips so that my first sound impression was not good. Tip rolling was required and I first settled for some bulbous/short, fat wide-bores that were included with another budget earphone. Ergonomics worked with these. Subsequently, I used JVC Spiral Dots that added air and tightened the bass: it was like opening a window. The TRN V90 are operated easily with my iPhone SE (with and without the AudioQuest Dragonfly) and also with the Shanling M0. All of these have low output impedance. My description of the tonality below is being based on the use of the Dragonfly and the JVC Spiral Dots as this combination sounded best.

An earphone should not only judged by its sound but also by the overall fun to use it, which includes handling…and looks. I do really like handling the classy, smooth-feeling earpieces, and that particularly with the “tiger” “upgrade” cable TRN T1. I consider the extra $10 on this very supple 8-core cable well spent — and that rather on “jewelry” than on sound improvement.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

JK’s tonal preference and testing practice

The TRN V90 is a well-tempered, warmish, and homogenous sounding earphone with a tendency towards neutral…and with good air (with Spiral Dots). It is NOT clinical or fatiguing but rather inviting and seducing. I do like its sound signature a lot, also in comparison with more expensive earphones.

The Frequency response graph (that depicts the sound quantity) is sheer horror and does not reflect the sound quality. I would not even look at this earphone based on the frequency response…which is sometimes deceiving, obviously. OK, the bad news first: the weak point of the V90 is the degree of recession of the midrange. The good: it it not that bad and better than the V80 or similar hybrids in this price category. The recession does not take away much of the overall enjoyment.

The good: nothing much to bicker about the rest which makes up for that shortcoming. It is a balanced earphone overall with an reasonably organic sound (for a hybrid) that might make you think it is a well resolving single dynamic driver. Both upper and lower ends are approaching “sugar” qualities. The slightly boosted bass is well controlled and extended without a mid-bass hump, it is well dosed and creates a tasteful, never overbearing punch to my ears….and it adds warmth. The upper bass adds weight to the deeper vocals. In rare cases, the low end can appear borderline boomy. In most cases, it is silky smooth, comparable to denim jeans with a bit of stretch..and it makes me cry for more.

Yes, the lower midrange is recessed but voices do sound surprisingly realistic and natural, they are well sculptured, and they fit well in the context of the highs and lows. Voices can be borderline overenergetic, but this is a rare occurrence. The excess energy stems from a boost in the upper midrange, which constitutes a smooth plateau rather than a group of spikes. Upper midrange and bass peaks balance each other and there is never any congestion in the upper midrange, a common problem with cheap hybrids. Another reason why the upper midrange is not annoying is the relative natural transients…fast transients add sharpness. Higher piano notes are firm and clear. The good voice definition is mirrored by the well-resolving, well extended, and smooth treble. Cymbals have an amazingly realistic decay…can’t think of similar quality treble in this price range. There is no fatiguing element for sensible ears towards the upper end, as recorded by the, let’s say, Simgot EM2 and the Ikko OH1.

Technicalities are also quite impressive: the soundstage is wide, has a good depth, and is reasonably high. Transients are surprisingly realistic, for example the attack/decay of bass and the aforementioned cymbals. Spatial cues is particularly noteworthy, it goes towards “cavernous”, and so are vocal/instrument separation. Quite remarkable for a $50 earphone. Tonal accuracy is quite good but not as good as a good dedicated dynamic driver such as the Blon BL-03. The TRN V90, like most hybrids, has its dynamics boosted relative to natural which makes it most appealing to music that is generated electronically. It also works quite well for classical but a good DD is preferable.

SELECT COMPARISONS

TRN V80 ($30): Punchier at the low end and more piercing in the treble. The TRN V90 is overall quite a bit more refined and smoother sounding. Full review of the V80 HERE.

NiceHCK M6 ($85): The V90 is more youthful and exciting with a better bass kick than the M6 with its thick, lazy bass, but it is behind in smoothness and intimacy in the vocals department. The less energized midrange makes the M6 darker, smoother, but overall more static/less dynamic. The M6 will appeal more to mature people, age wise. More on the M6 HERE.

Blon BL-03 ($40): The V90 has more bass kick, the BL-03 more of a natural dynamic range and also the more natural timbre and a taller stage, which makes the Blon better suited for classical music and jazz, and the V90 better for (hard) rock and electronic music…that have an artificial bass push. A full review of the Blon BL-03 is HERE.

NiceHCK NX7 ($75): Is discussed in detail HERE. We also offer two reviews of the NX7 (by Loomis and me).

VALUE

Yes, the price is right imo. If you appreciate a fancy cable to complement the looks and haptic of the V90, I recommend the yellow-black 8-core TRN V1 at below $10. It is very pliable. Whether it sounds any better than the stock cable remains debatable, but it certainly looks and feels better. And since I put my money where my mouth is, I just ordered three more “tiger” cables.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

This is a really good, enjoyable earphone, but it needs work to function properly. On one hand it is incredible that this is another earphone that does not work ootb for many, on the other it is incredible what you get with a little bit of tinkering: it is all or nothing at all. But it cannot be an ongoing trend that the buyer needs to provide their own accessories: tips and a fancier looking cable. What I appreciate of the TRN V90 is the complete package: look good, feel good, sound good. They go on my list of favourite earphones.

Keep on listening!

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

DISCLAIMER

This is a very personal and therefore subjective review. Unleashing the earphone’s full potential required a dongle dac/amp and third-party wide-bore eartips. As always, I recommend to read the broad body of reviews. I was solicited by TRN through KopiOkaya to analyze the TRN V90 earphone and I thank them for the review unit. KopiOkaya also supplied the measurements used above, and I think him for the ongoing discussion.

We have another review of the TRN V90:

The post TRN V90 Review (2): Can Your Pussy Do The Dog? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Semkarch CNT1—mostly ignored at their original $95 SRP, the single dynamic CNT1 has garnered a rabid following when reduced to their blowout price of $35. Build is solid, altho the prominent seams look a bit downmarket. I love the sleek, smaller than typical design, which provides for snug fit and above-average, though not exceptional isolation; the included cable is of good quality although the ear guides are overly stiff and slightly awkward. Their 32ohm impedance notwithstanding, these are loud and easy to drive with a mobile, although they seem to gain some presence with more powerful sources. The included silicon tips seem to be a good pairing, and I didn’t notice much advantage from tiprolling.

Tonally, with the black filters, these register as slightly warm, generally smooth/laid back (as opposed to artificially energized), with moderate note thickness. While some have characterized these as basshead, I hear them as more V-shaped, which is to say that while the low end is deep and voluminous, it is not so exaggerated as to draw your focus. Bass is also extremely well-etched and free from bleed, while midrange is notably recessed and presented a few steps back from the front stage. Treble is surprisingly refined, with a nice, natural sounding transparency, good detail and a bit of sparkle; drum heads in particular are very accurately reproduced, with very fast decay—these have none of the metallic glare or stridency of most of the budget hybrids. The CNT1 remain coherent across the spectrum, without unnatural dips or spikes, although you do remain conscious of the de-emphasized mids, especially on female vocals and horns. 

 Changing to the gold filters altered the sound very significantly, to an almost balanced, noticeably brighter  signature—bass is markedly reduced and mids and treble push forward, which creates the perception of more highend extension and microdetail and more sparkle, but also sounds somewhat artificial and more like a cheap BA. I liked the black filters much better, which form the basis for the rest of this missive.

Soundstage is impressively wide, with excellent stereo imaging, but of limited depth and height—performers are separated accurately sound as if they are playing a large, low-ceilinged hall, and compared to peers like the 9Tail or IT01 these lack a bit of spaciousness and air. 

Compared to good $35 players like KZ ZS7, CCA C10 or TRN V80, the Semkarch are on a higher plateau, with a much more natural tonality than the KZ, better bass control than the CCA and much less overdone treble than the V80. (The BQEYZ BQ3 actually compares favorably sonically, with fleshier midrange and equally impressive coherence, although the CNT1 is much more ergonomic, easier to drive and otherwise more user-friendly). Moving up to its original $100 weight class, the CNT1 yields certain aspects but isn’t necessarily overmatched overall—it has a comparable level of resolution and similar quality bass (though a less enveloping stage) as the 9Tail, more accurate treble than the IT01 and less detailed but more oomph and a less clinical quality than something like the Simgot EM2 or Hisenior B5+. The CNT1 cedes soundstage and midrange presence to the $180 Moondrop Kanas Pro but has more treble information and is actually otherwise fairly close in sound; the marginal differences are probably not cost-efficient for most folks. 

More and more I’m convinced that at least in the budget realm, well-realized single DDs like the CNT1 are a better pick than the multi-driver monstrosities flooding the market. To place these in context, as a $100 IEM these would rate a solid 4 stars. As a $35 IEM, however, these are an off-the-charts screaming bargain. Grab ‘em while they last.

Non-disclaimer—I bought these at the blowout price.

The post Semkarch CNT1 Review – Carbon Nanotubes For The Masses appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Full Review FINALLY HERE.

Some photos of the TRN V90 [HERE]…but you probably have already seen them.

My verdict is that these TRN V90 are stellar (after the tinkering described above) — they are capable earphones independent of price. Anybody who has them on order can look forward to a treat. The sound can be characterized as balanced and tepid (warmish)…not quite neutral, maybe Harman Target, but certainly not sterile or dark. The upper midrange, although there is a prominent peak, does not come across as uberenergetic or even screamy.

Their bass builds on the TRN V80 [review HERE]…nicely textured, silky, with a decent, very pleasant kick, but never overbearing…no mid-bass hump. Vocals are very well sculptured, something the TRN V80 and most if not all KZs lack. Truly fun listening to vocals as they don’t get sharpened by overambitious upper harmonics. Treble is smooth…I find the cymbals unusually crisp and clear…while nothing it strident or grainy. Technicalities are also good: stage is wide with a healthy depth…in fact, it goes somewhat towards “cavernous”…very good spatial cues. Good attack at the low end and transients don’t smudge on the high end. Tonal accuracy is also nothing to complain about: works well with classical music (although the Blon BL-03 are a bit more authentic…but those don’t have the V90’s kick). 

In summary, the company threw a bunch of cheap drivers in a pot, stirred well, and out came a very tasty soup that makes one ask for a second serving. The tuning work is excellent. Last but not least, don’t forget: you need Spiral Dots for the sound (at least if your ears are similar to mine) and that 8-core “Tiger” cable as shown in the photo above…for mere vanity. It is called TRN-T1 and is below $10 (0.75 mm and 0.78 mm versions available; the 0.78 mm version works best…according to an Asian reviewer, both fit but one will cause the V90 to lose its virginity, the other just fits but will wiggle after a while). Product page does not exist and I won’t offer product links, as I received the V90 earphone and cable unsolicited from TRN. You have to find that stuff yourself. Happy now?

The post TRN V90 Quickie — Losing Its Virginity To The Tiger? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Slater has already written an extensive review of the CCA C10 here at Audio Views. You find it HERE.

CCA C10—big sounding multidriver hybrid from KZ’s Lexus division. Similar in presentation to the ZS7—somewhat warm and balanced, with forward-sounding vocals—although the C10 are smoother and less artificially juiced—they sound comparatively analog and natural as a result. Comfortable; isolation is average.

Note texture is rich and juicy; soundstage is wide, though somewhat low and less enveloping and holographic than the ZS5/ZS6/ZS7, and instrument placement is credible, though layering could be better—the performance seems two-dimensional on some material.

Bass is voluminous , impactful and visceral, though not highly sculpted or fast; decay is relatively slow and there’s an over-emphasis on the midbass which blurs some detail.

Midrange is forward and has a lot of body while treble is a bit rounded off and very slightly grainy at times; these are less revealing but also less strident and easier on the ears than the ZS5/ZS6 and are quite forgiving of poorer sources. Drums in particular sound quite lifelike. More energetic playas like the ZSN or TRN V80 show more detail and give rockers more of a sugar buzz, while the BQEYZ BQ3 are “technically” better in the sense of sounding less coloured overall. However, the C10 are actually the first KZ model I’ve heard since the ED9 that have this sort of unforced spontaneity and these point to a very promising direction.

Non-Disclaimer: I bought these. Photo by Slater.

The post CCA C10 Review – Second Opinion appeared first on Music For The Masses.

In any event, the Pro is the updated version of the polarizing ZS10 [review HERE], albeit with a sleeker design and much better comfort. Visually almost identical to the ZSN, but with a shiny stainless metal fascia which looks more upscale, at least until time and fingerprints take their toll. Stock cable is flexible and ergonomic, and isolation is extremely good. 

The Pro is L-shaped, with a pronounced bias towards a well-extended sparkly treble; like the ZS7 these are very energetic, loud and efficient.  These seem optimized for more intimate, nearfield listening than their more expansive-sounding KZ stablemates like the ZS6 or ZS10—the Pro’s soundstage is fairly narrow and inside-your head, but nicely rounded (think movie theater rather than concert hall). Stereo imaging and instrument placement are impressive, although the aforesaid models present more space between the performers and, as noted below, the Pro can sound congested on certain bass-heavy fare. Tonally, these are bright but not strident and sound significantly more accurate and “expensive” than their cheaper stablemates like the ZSN, though the warmer ZS7 and original ZS10 sounds truer to the source.

The treble emphasis notwithstanding, low end (particularly subbass) is voluminous and visceral; however like the ZSR and ZS5 there’s a distinct tubbiness to the bass, and attack is a step slow, which causes a little smearing on some material; the ZS7 by comparison has less slam but better lowend speed and control. (EQ and/or tiprolling can mitigate the bloom, but KZ would have been better served by dialing down the subbass a notch). 

Where some have opined that the mids on the originals ZS10 were peaky and/or undercooked, the mids on the Pro are nicely forward, full-bodied and articulate—male voices and electric guitars sound rich and clear. High end is the definite focus here—very detailed and transparent compared to the ZS5/ZS7, albeit with a little bit of added shimmer. Low level details are captured impressively and sibilance is mild; they also avoid the somewhat clinical, dry quality of treble-oriented peers like the T2. These excel with acoustic material—every string, high hat and cymbal is reproduced very accurately—although I would opt for the ZS7 or ZS5 for heavier stuff.

Within the crowded $50 price class, the BQEYZ BQ3 is more coherent overall, with tighter bass and a tubier timbre, thought the Pro is more revealing at the high end and a livelier listen. The TRN V80 likewise has a more refined low end and presents an equivalent amount of high-end detail, but is more strident/digital sounding and consequently more fatiguing. The ZS7 has less extension at both ends and is less revealing but has a larger stage, better bass control and a more balanced, smoother presentation; your preference between them may be very material-dependent. Moving up to the $100 class, something like the Simgot EM2 or ToneKing 9T are significantly bigger sounding, with a less-digital, more natural tonality, although the Pro actually shows more microdetail than either and acquits itself pretty well in comparison. 

Not groundbreaking, or perfect, but the Pro represents a positive step towards a more refined signature and (perhaps needless to say for a KZ) is a lot of earphone for the money.

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: KZ Acoustics
Model: ZS10 Pro
Driver/Transducer: 4 Balanced Armatures + 1 Dynamic Driver
Sensitivity: 111 dB/mw
DC resistance: 24 ohms
Connection: 2-Pin 0.75mm diameter
Frequency response range: 7hz – 40KHz
Wire length: 1.2m (approx. 3.9 feet)
Plug diameter: 3.5mm
Price: $49.99 (at the time of this review)
Purchase Link: Yinyoo amazon store

Disclaimer: I got these unsolicited and free from Yinyoo via Amazon. The photos were provided by Slater.

Our generic standard disclaimer

The post KZ ZS10 Pro Review – Another Step Forward appeared first on Music For The Masses.

All Our Earphone-related Articles: here

ALL OUR REVIEWS (headphones, earphones, dacs/amps, daps, bluetooth, clean power & USB, microphones, cables/adapters, eartips, earpads, noise insulation): here

Models labelled with “*” are on our Wall of Excellence.

April additions: TRN BAX PRO ,Creative Aurvana Ace 2, CCA Rhapsody.

March additions: TRN Conch, Simgot EA1000.

February additions: Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red, Oladance OWS Sports, Simgot EA500, Sennheiser IE 600.

Reviews in Alphabetical Order:

1. 7Hz Timeless (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
2. 7Hz Timeless (2) (Durwood)
3. 7Hz Timeless (3) (Loomis Johnson)
4. Acefast T8 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
5. Acoustic Effect TRY-01 (Baskingshark)
6. AFUL Performer 5 (Jürgen Kraus)
7. Akoustyx R-220 (Jürgen Kraus)
8. Akoustyx S6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
9. Akoustyx S6 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
10. AME Custom Argent Hybrid Electrostatic (Jürgen Kraus)
11. Anew X-One (Jürgen Kraus)
12. Anker Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 (Loomis Johnson)
13. Astrotec AM850 MK2 (Jürgen Kraus)
14. Astrotec Vesna (Jürgen Kraus)
15. Audbos/Tenzh P4 Pro (Loomis Johnson)
16. Audiosense DT200 (1) (Baskingshark)
17. Audiosense DT200 (2) (KopiOkaya)
18. Aune Jasper (1) (Loomis Johnson)
19. Aune Jasper (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
20. AXS Audio Professional Wireless Earbuds (Loomis Johnson)
21. BCD X10 (Loomis Johnson)
22. Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd (Jürgen Kraus)
23. BGVP DM9 (Durwood)
24. Beats Powerbeats Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
25. Blon A8 Prometheus (1) (Loomis Johnson)
26. Blon A8 Prometheus (2) (Durwood)
27. Blon Bl-01 (1) (Baskingshark)
28. Blon BL-01 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
29. Blon BL-03* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
30. Blon BL-03* (2) (Loomis Johnson)
31. Blon BL-05 (1) (Baskingshark)
32. BLON BL-05 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
33. Blon BL-05s (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
34. Blon BL-05s (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
35. Blon BL-05s (3) (Baskingshark)
36. Blon BL-Max (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
37. Blon Mini (Baskingshark)
38. Brainwavz Delta (Jürgen Kraus)
39. Brainwavz Koel (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
40. BQEYZ Autumn (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
41. BQEYZ Autumn (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
42. BQEYZ KC2 (Jürgen Kraus)
43. BQEYZ Spring 1 (1) (Durwood)
44. BQEYZ Spring 1 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
45. BQEYZ Spring 1 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
46. BQEYZ Spring 2 (1) (Durwood)
47. BQEYZ Spring 2 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
48. BQEYZ Summer (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
49. BQEYZ Summer (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
50. BQEYZ Topaz (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
51. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (Loomis Johnson)
52. Campfire Audio Ara (Alberto Pittaluga)
53. Cambridge Audio SE1 (Loomis Johnson)
54. Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 (Alberto Pittaluga)
55. Campfire Audio Honeydew (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
56. Campfire Audio Satsuma (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
57. Cat Ear Mia (1) (Loomis Johnson)
58. Cat Ear Mia (2) (Durwood)
59. Cat Ear Mia (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
60. Cayin Fantasy (Jürgen Kraus)
61. CCA C10 (Slater)
62. CCA C10 (Loomis Johnson)
63. CCA C10 Pro (1) (Durwood)
64. CCA C10 Pro (2) (Baskinghark)
65. CCA CA16 (1) (Durwood)
66. CCA CA16 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
67. CCA CKX (Durwood)
68. CCA CRA+ (Durwood)
69. CCA CX4 Wireless (Loomis Johnson)
70. CCA Duo (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
71. CCA Duo (2) (Durwood)
72. CCA Lyra (1) (Durwood)
73. CCA Lyra (2) (Loomis Johnson)
74. CCA Rhapsody (Jürgen Kraus)
75. CCZ Plume (Baskingshark)
76. Celest Pandamon (Jürgen Kraus)
77. Cozoy Hera C103 (Jürgen Kraus)
78. Creative Aurvana Ace 2 (Durwood)
79. CVJ CS8 (Baskingshark)
80. ddHiFi Janus1 (E2020A) (Jürgen Kraus)
81. ddHiFi Janus2 (E2020B) (Jürgen Kraus)
82. ddHiFi Janus3 (E2023) Jürgen Kraus
83. Donner Dobuds One (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
84. Drop Grell TWS1X (Darin Hawbaker)
85. Drop Grell TWS1X (2) Loomis Johnson
86. Drop + JVC HA-FDX1* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
87. Drop + JVC HA FDX1* (2) (Loomis Johnson)
88. Dunu DM-380 (Jürgen Kraus)
89. Dunu DM-480 (Baskingshark)
90. Dunu Falcon Pro (Alberto Pittaluga)
91. Dunu Kima (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
92. Dunu Luna (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
93. Dunu Luna (2) (Baskinghark)
94. Dunu Studio SA6* (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
95. Dunu Talos (Jürgen Kraus)
96. Dunu Vulkan (Jürgen Kraus)
97. Dunu Zen* (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
98. Dunu Zen* (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
99. DZAT DR-25 (Jürgen Kraus)
100. Earstudio HE100 (Jürgen Kraus)
101. Earsonics AERØ (Jürgen Kraus)
102. Earsonics ONYX (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
103. Einsear T2 (Loomis Johnson)
104. Elevoc Clear (Loomis Johnson)
105. Etymotic E2XR (Loomis Johnson)
106. EZAudio D4 (Jürgen Kraus)
107. FAAEAL Datura Pro (Baskingshark)
108. FIIL CC2 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
109. FIIL T1XS TWS (Loomis Johnson)
110. FiiO FA1 (Loomis Johnson)
111. FiiO FD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
112. FiiO FH1s (Jürgen Kraus)
113. Fiitii HiFi Air 2 (Durwood)
114. Fiitii HifiDots (Durwood)
115. Final Audio A3000* (Alberto Pittaluga)
116. Final Audio A5000 (Alberto Pittaluga)
117. Final Audio B3 (Alberto Pittaluga)
118. Final Audio E3000* (Baskingshark)
119. Final Audio E-Series Roundup (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
120. Final Audio F7200 (Alberto Pittaluga)
121. Final Audio ZE3000 (English) (Jürgen Kraus)
122. Final Audio ZE3000 (Japanese) (Jürgen Kraus)
123. Geek Wold GK10 (1) (Baskingshark)
124. Geek Wold GK10 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
125. Gravastar Sirius Pro TWS (Alberto Pittaluga)
126. Hidizs MD4 (Durwood)
127. Hidizs MM2 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
128. Hidizs MM2 (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
129. Hidizs MP145 (1) (Durwood)
130. Hidizs MP145 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
131. Hidizs MS1 Rainbow (1) (Durwood)
132. Hidizs MS1 Rainbow (2) (Loomis Johnson)
133. Hidizs MS3 (1) (Durwood)
134. Hidizs MS3 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
135. Hidizs MS5 (1) (Durwood)
136. Hidizs MS5 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
137. Hidizs MS5 (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
138. Hifi Walker A1 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
139. Hill Audio Altair • RA (Jürgen Kraus)
140. Hill Audio S8 (Jürgen Kraus)
141. Hisenior B5 (Loomis Johnson)
142. Hisenior Okavango (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
143. HZ Sound Heart Mirror (1) (Baskingshark)
144. HZ Sound Heart Mirror (2) (KopiOkaya)
145. iBasso IT00 (Baskingshark)
146. iBasso IT00/Tin Hifi T2 Plus/Moondrop Starfield comparison (Durwood)
147. iBasso IT04 (Alberto Pittaluga)
148. iBasso IT07 (Alberto Pittaluga)
149. Ikko OH1 (Jürgen Kraus)
150. Ikko OH1S (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
151. Ikko OH1S (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
152. IKKO OH5 Asgard (Alberto Pittaluga)
153. Ikko OH10* (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
154. Ikko OH10* (2) Jürgen Kraus
155. IKKO OH2 (Jürgen Kraus)
156. Intime Miyabi (Alberto Pittaluga)
157. Intime Miyabi (Italian) (Alberto Pittaluga)
158. Intime Miyabi (Japanese) (Alberto Pittaluga)
159. Intime Sora 2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
160. Intime Sho DD (Alberto Pittaluga)
161. ISN Audio Rambo (Jürgen Kraus)
162. KBEAR Aurora (1) (Baskingshark)
163. KBEAR Aurora (2) (Durwood)
164. KBEAR Aurora (3) (Loomis Johnson)
165. KBEAR Believe (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
166. KBEAR Believe (2) (Baskingshark)
167. KBEAR Believe (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
168. KBEAR Believe (4) (Loomis Johnson)
169. KBEAR Diamond in Japanese (Jürgen Kraus)
170. KBEAR Diamond (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
171. KBEAR Diamond (2) (Loomis Johnson)
172. KBEAR Diamond (3) (Christophe Branchereau)
173. KBEAR Diamond modding (Biodegraded)
174. KBEAR hi7 (Jürgen Kraus)
175. KBEAR KB04 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
176. KBEAR KB04 (2) (Baskingshark)
177. KBEAR KB04 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
178. KBEAR KS1 (Baskingshark)
179. KBEAR KS2 (1) J ürgen Kraus)
180. KBEAR KS2 (2) (Baskingshark)
181. KBEAR KS2 (3 (Loomis Johnson)
182. KBEAR Neon (1) (Baskingshark)
183. KBEAR Neon (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
184. KBEAR Lark (Jürgen Kraus)
185. KBEAR Qinglong (Jürgen Kraus)
186. KBEAR Robin (Baskingshark)
187. KBEAR Rosefinch (Jürgen Kraus)
188. KBEAR TRI I3 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
189. KBEAR TRI Starsea (1) (Kopiokaya)
190. KBEAR TRI Starsea (2) (Baskingshark)
191. Kefine Klanar (Durwood)
192. Kinboofi MK4 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
193. Kinera BD005 Pro (Baskingshark)
194. Kinera Hodur (Alberto Piitaluga)
195. Kinera Idun 2.0 (1) (Durwood)
196. Kinera Idun 2.0 (2 (Loomis Johnson)
197. Kiwi Cadenza (Durwood)
198. Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
199. Kiwi Ears Quintet (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
200. Klipsch T5 II TWS Sport (Loomis Johnson)
201. Knowlege Zenith AS24 (Standard Version) (Jürgen Kraus)
202. Knowledge Zenith AS24 (Tunable Version) (Durwood)
203. Knowledge Zenith ASF (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
204. Knowledge Zenith ASX (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
205. Knowledge Zenith ASX (2) (Loomis Johnson)
206. Knowlege Zenith F-Fi (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
207. Knowledge Zenith ED9 (Loomis Johnson)
208. Knowledge Zenith ED16 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
209. Knowledge Zenith ED16 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
210. Knowledge Zenith EDX (Jürgen Kraus)
211. Knowledge Zenith ESX (Durwood)
212. Knowledge Zenith Ling Long (Jürgen Kraus)
213. Knowledge Zenith VXS Pro TWS (Durwood)
214. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
215. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (2) (Durwood)
216. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (3) (Alberto Pittaluga)
217. Knowledge Zenith ZSN (Loomis Johnson)
218. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro (Slater)
219. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro X (Jürgen Kraus)
220. Knowledge Zenith ZS4 (Loomis Johnson)
221. Knowledge Zenith ZS7 (Loomis Johnson)
222. Knowledge Zenith ZS10 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
223. Knowledge Zenith ZS10 Pro (Loomis Johnson)
224. Knowledge Zenith ZSX Terminator (Loomis Johnson)
225. Knowledge Zenith ZVX (Jürgen Kraus)
226. K’s Earphone Bell-LBs (Alberto Pittaluga)
227. K’s Earphone K300 (Alberto Pittaluga)
228. LETSHUOER Conductor (Biodegraded)
229. LETSHUOER DZ4 (Jürgen Kraus)
230. LETSHUOER EJ07M (Jürgen Kraus)
231. LETSHUOER EJ09 (Biodegraded)
232. LETSHUOER S12 vs. 7Hz Timeless (Jürgen Kraus)
233. Lker i8 (Jürgen Kraus)
234. Lypertek Tevi L3 Powerplay (Loomis Johnson)
235. LZ A2 (Jürgen Kraus)
236. LZ A7 (Baskinghark)
237. MEE Audio Pinnacle P2 (Loomis Johnson)
238. Meze 12 Classics V2 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
239. Meze RAI Penta (Kazi Mahbbub Mutakabbir)
240. Meze RAI Solo (Jürgen Kraus)
241. Mifo S TWS (Loomis Johnson)
242. Moondrop Alice (1) (Durwood)
243. Moondrop Alice (2) Loomis Johnson
244. Moondrop Aria (1) Jürgen Kraus)
245. Moondrop Aria (2) Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
246. Moondrop Aria SE (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
247. Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing2:Dusk (1) Jürgen Kraus)
248. Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing2:Dusk (2) Biodegraded
249. Moondrop CHU (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
250. Moondrop CHU (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
251. Moondrop CHU (3) Jürgen Kraus)
252. Moondrop Crescent (Jürgen Kraus)
253. Moondrop Illumination (Jürgen Kraus)
254. Moondrop Kanas Pro (1) Biodegraded
255. Moondrop Kanas Pro (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
256. Moondrop Kanas Pro (3) Loomis Johnson
257. Moondrop KATO (Jürgen Kraus)
258. Moondrop Lan (1) (Durwood)
259. Moondrop Lan (2) (Loomis Johnson)
260. Moondrop May (Durwood)
261. Moondrop Quarks (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
262. Moondrop Spaceship (Jürgen Kraus)
263. Moondrop Space Travel (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
264. Moondrop Space Travel (2) (Loomis Johnson)
265. Moondrop SSP (Jürgen Kraus)
266. Moondrop SSR (1) Jürgen Kraus
267. Moondrop SSR (2) (Baskingshark)
268. Moondrop Starfield (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
269. Moondrop Starfield (2) Loomis Johnson
270. Moondrop Starfield (3) (Durwood)
271. Moondrop Starfield II (1) (Durwood)
272. Moondrop Starfield II (2) (Loomis Johnson)
273. Moondrop Stellaris (Jürgen Kraus)
274. Naenka LITE Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
275. NF Audio NM (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
276. NF Audio NM2+ (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
277. NF Audio NM2+ (2) Loomis Johnson
278. NiceHCK Bro (Jürgen Kraus)
279. NiceHCK DB1 (Jürgen Kraus)
280. NiceHCK DB3 (Jürgen Kraus)
281. NiceHCK DT600 (Jürgen Kraus)
282. NiceHCK EB2 (Jürgen Kraus)
283. NiceHCK EB2S (Jürgen Kraus)
284. NiceHCK EBX21 (Baskingshark)
285. NiceHCK EP10 (Jürgen Kraus)
286. NiceHCK EP35 (Jürgen Kraus)
287. NiceHCK F1 (Jürgen Kraus)
288. NiceHCK Lofty (Jürgen Kraus)
289. NiceHCK HK6 (Loomis Johnson)
290. NiceHCK M5 (Jürgen Kraus)
291. NiceHCK M6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
292. NiceHCK M6 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
293. NiceHCK N3 (Loomis Johnson, Jürgen Kraus)
294. NiceHCK NX7 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
295. NiceHCK NX7 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
296. NiceHCK NX7 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
297. NiceHCK NX7 MK3 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
298. NiceHCK NX7 MK3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
299. NiceHCK NX7 MK4 (Jürgen Kraus)
300. NiceHCK P3 (Jürgen Kraus)
301. NiceHCK X49 (Jürgen Kraus)
302. Oladance OWS Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
303. Oladance OWS Sports (Durwood)
304. Oladance Wearable Stereo (Loomis Johnson)
305. Oneodio OpenRock Pro (Loomis Johnson)
306. Oriolus Isabellae (Jürgen Kraus)
307. Oriveti OH500 (Alberta Pittaluga)
308. Paiaudio DR2 (Jürgen Kraus)
309. Penon Fan 2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
310. PHB EM-023 (Jürgen Kraus)
311. Pioneer CH3 (Jürgen Kraus)
312. Queen of Audio Pink Lady (Jürgen Kraus)
313. Reecho Insects Awaken (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
314. RHA CL2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
315. Rose Mojito (Alberto Pittaluga)
316. Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
317. Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
318. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (Loomis Johnson)
319. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus (Loomis Johnson)
320. SeeAudio Bravery (1) (Loomis Johnson)
321. SeeAudio Bravery (2) (Baskingshark)
322. Semkarch CNT1 (Loomis Johnson)
323. Senfer DT6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
324. Senfer DT6 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
325. Senfer UEs/NiceHCK Bro (Loomis Johnson, Jürgen Kraus)
326. Sennheiser CX 400BT (Loomis Johnson)
327. Sennheiser IE 40/400/500 PRO compared (Jürgen Kraus)
328. Sennheiser IE 40 PRO (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
329. Sennheiser IE 200* (Jürgen Kraus)
330. Sennheiser IE 300 (Jürgen Kraus)
331. Sennheiser IE 400 PRO (Jürgen Kraus)
332. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
333. Sennheiser IE 600 (Jürgen Kraus)
334. Sennheiser IE 600 and IE 900 Counterfeits (Alberto Pittaluga)
335. Sennheiser IE 900* (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
336. Sennheiser IE 900* (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
337. Sennheiser IE 900* (Deutsch) (Jürgen Kraus)
338. Shanling ME80 (Jürgen Kraus)
339. Shanling Sono (Durwood)
340. Shuoer Tape (Loomis Johnson)
341. Shozy Form 1.1 (Biodegraded)
342. Shozy Form 1.1 vs. Form 1.4 (Jürgen Kraus)
343. Shozy Form 1.4* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
344. Shozy Form 1.4* (2) (Durwood)
345. Shozy Form 1.4* (3) (Loomis Johnson)
346. Shozy Rouge (1) (Loomis Johnson)
347. Shozy Rouge (2) (Durwood))
348. Shozy Rouge (3 (Jürgen Kraus)
349. Simgot EA500 (Alberto Pittaluga)
350. Simgot EA1000 (Alberto Pittaluga)
351. Simgot EM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
352. Simgot EM2 (Loomis Johnson)
353. Smabat M0 (Durwood)
354. Smabat M2 Pro (1) (Baskingshark)
355. Smabat M2 Pro (M2) (Jürgen Kraus)
356. Smabat Proto 1.0 (Alberto Pittaluga)
357. Smabat ST-10 (Jürgen Kraus)
358. Smabat X1 (1) (Baskingshark)
359. Smabat X1 (2 (Jürgen Kraus)
360. Sony MH755 (Jürgen Kraus)
361. Sony IER-ZR (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
362. Sony WX-1000XM3 (Loomis Johnson)
363. Soundpeats H1 (Loomis Johnson)
364. Soundpeats Opera (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
365. Status Audio Between Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
366. SuperEQ Q2 Pro ANC TWS (Loomis Johnson)
367. Tanchjim Blues (Jürgen Kraus)
368. Tanchjim Cora (Jürgen Kraus)
369. Tanchjim Darling (Aberto Pittaluga)
370. Tanchjim Ola (Loomis Johnson)
371. Tanchjim Oxygen* (Alberto Pittaluga)
372. Tanchjim Tanya (1) (Baskingshark)
373. Tanchjim Tanya (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
374. Tangzu WAN ER (Jürgen Kraus)
375. Tansio Mirai TSMR-6 (Alberto Pittaluga)
376. TempoTec IM05 (Jürgen Kraus)
377. Tennmak Dulcimer (Loomis Johnson)
378. Tforce Yuan Li (1) (Durwood)
379. Tforce Yuan Li (2) (Loomis Johnson)
380. Tinaudio T1 (Jürgen Kraus)
381. Tinaudio T2 (Jürgen Kraus)
382. TINHIFI C2 Mech Warrior (Jürgen Kraus)
383. TINHIFI C3 (1) (Durwood)
384. TINHIFI C3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
385. TINHIFI C5 (1) (Durwood)
386. TINHIFI C5 (2) Loomis Johnson
387. TINHIFI P1 Max (Jürgen Kraus)
388. TINHIFI T2 DLC (Jürgen Kraus)
389. TINHIFI T2 EVO (Jürgen Kraus)
390. TINHIFI T2 Plus (1) Jürgen Kraus
391. TINHIFI T2 Plus (2) (Loomis Johnson)
392. TINHIFI T2 Plus (3) Durwood
393. TINHIFI T4 (1) (Durwood)
394. TINHIFI T4 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
395. TINHIFI T4 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
396. TINHIFI T4 Plus (Jürgen Kraus)
397. TINHIFI T5 (Alberto Pittaluga)
398. TINHIFI Tin Buds 3 (Loomis Johnson)
399. Tinker TK300 (Baskingshark)
400. ToneKing Nine Tail (Loomis Johnson)
401. TOZO Golden X1 (Loomis Johnson)
402. Triaudio I3 (1) (Baskingshark)
403. Triaudio I3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
404. Triaudio I3 Modding (KopiOkaya)
405. Triaudio I4 (1) (KopiOkaya)
406. Triaudio I4 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
407. Triaudio Meteor (KopiOkaya)
408. Tripowin X HBB Olina (KopiOkaya)
409. Tripowin Leá (Jürgen Kraus)
410. TRN BA5 (1) (Durwood)
411. TRN BA5 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
412. TRN BA5 (3) (Loomis Johnson)
413. TRN BA8 (1) (Baskingshark)
414. TRN BA8 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
415. TRN BAX PRO (Jürgen Kraus)
416. TRN Conch (Durwood)
417. TRN Kirin (Alberto Pittaluga)
418. TRN ST5 (Looomis Johnson)
419. TRN-STM (1) (Loomis Johnson)
420. TRN-STM (2) (Baskingshark)
421. TRN-STM (3) (Durwood)
422. TRN T300 (1) (Baskingshark)
423. TRN T300 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
424. TRN T300 (3) (Alberto Pittaluga)
425. TRN V80 (Jürgen Kraus)
426. TRN V90 (1) (Durwood)
427. TRN V90 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
428. TRN V90S (1) (Baskingshark)
429. TRN V90S (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
430. TRN VX (1) (Loomis Johnson)
431. TRN VX (2) (Baskingshark)
432. TRN VX (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
433. TRN-VX modding (KopiOkaya)
434. Tronsmart Apollo (Baskingshark)
435. Tronsmart Apollo Bold TWS ANC (Baskingshark)
436. Truthear Hexa (Durwood)
437. Truthear Hola (Durwood)
438. Truthear X Crinacle Zero (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
439. Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
440. Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
441. Unique Melody 3DT (Jürgen Kraus)
442. Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 (Baskingshark)
443. Venture Electronics BIE Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
444. Venture Electronics Bonus IE (Jürgen Kraus)
445. Venture Electronics Monk Go (Jürgen Kraus)
446. Vision Ears Elysium* and VE8 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
447. Vision Ears Elysium* and VE8 (2) (Biodegraded)
448. Vision Ears EXT (Jürgen Kraus)
449. Vision Ears Phönix (Jürgen Kraus)
450. Westone MACH 40 and MACH 60 (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
451. Whizzer BS1 (Jürgen Kraus)
452. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (1) Jürgen Kraus)
453. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (2) (Baskingshark)
454. Whizzer Kylin HE03AL (Jürgen Kraus)
455. Whizzer Kylin HE03D (1) (Durwood)
456. Whizzer Kylin HE03D (2) (Loomis Johnson)
457. Whizzer Kylin HE10 (Jürgen Kraus)
458. Yinyoo BK2 (Baskingshark)
459. Yinyoo D2B4 v2 (1) (Biodegraded)
460. Yinyoo D2B4 v2 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
461. Yinyoo V2 (Jürgen Kraus)

Also check out our HEADPHONE REVIEWS

The post 461 Reviews – A World Class Earphone Database appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Isolation is good if not as exceptional as the ZS3/ZS4.

Very sensitive and loud; V-shaped with voluminous, impactful bass which can bleed over and thump a bit, tho in a pleasant way. Mids are thick textured and less forward, which makes vocals and keyboards sound farther back while treble is sparkly and clear, though not especially detailed—there’s nothing analytical about these.

Instruments are well separated and stage is wide but not noticeably high or deep; effect is like listening in a large, low-cielinged hall.  Like KZ’s other hybrids, these are not paragons of accuracy; high end can sound metallic or harsh on certain material.

I prefer the more neutral tuning of the ZSR, and the ZS5/ZS6 presents more information, especially at the high end, but the ZSN is livelier than either and  preferable for rock and jazz. Stepping up in price, the TRN V80 or BQEYZ BQ3 are more refined, with significantly better-tuned bass, but the ZSN is more coherent and less fatiguing  than the V80 and more user-friendly than the fiddly BQ3. Viscerally very pleasing overall and something of a benchmark at this price point.

MEASUREMENTS

The post KZ ZSN Review – Good Cheap Fun for Philistines appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Soundwise, v-shaped and “consumer tuned,” with alot of extension at both ends and notably more treble detail and emphasis than the zs3. Source sensitive; these can sound somewhat veiled and hollow but opened up considerably through my lg v30, with mids moving forward and drums sounding more realistic. This is a bright phone and with most silicon tips treble can get very splashy at the extremes; foams will tame the treble but slightly deaden the rest of the spectrum. i hear the stage as fairly low and narrow, altho (like almost all KZs) imaging is vg. note texture isn’t quite as rich as the zsr/zs5 though bass is better controlled than either–upright bass in particular is well-reproduced. these lack the refinement of the trn v80 and the physicality of the multidriver KZ hybrids, but driver coherence may be better on the zs4 (probably because it’s design is less ambitious).

Overall, I’d rate them a notch below the more expensive ZSR, ED16 and ZS5 on the KZ pantheon, although they certainly have their virtues and may improve with further tip rolling.

MEASUREMENTS

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