PROS:
admirable balance sound signature
easy to drive but will benefit from extra power (subjective)
good and comfortable fit despite its big shell build
very nice treble reach/extension
one of the best mids from a KZ
lows are very clean and tight
very minimal bleeding of frequencies
2 pin configuration instead of the QDC type (subjective)
CONS:
not the most resolving set around
exhibits that slight BA timbre
not the most technical set
treble department can still get hot occasionally
big shell might not cater small ears
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| Looking good for a classic |
INTRODUCTION:
Here we go again. Another KZ product. But this time, not a new release. A classic if I must say. Released around 2019 if I’m not mistaken. I’m curious how releases from this time bracket compete with releases this year. Chi-fi has now become aggressive. Companies have been cutting each other's throats and releases have been congested and saturated if you ask me. If you want to know how this set fairs with the current state of Chi-fi, please do read on…
DISCLAIMER:
Special Note: This is my first collaboration with Linsoul. The said gear was sent to me by Linsoul FOC in exchange for this honest and unbiased review. No monetization is involved. Linsoul has no control over what I say and concludes in this review.
My opinions here are completely my own. I am NOT in any way influenced by any form of incentive. This is purely my honest, subjective impressions and experience with the gear on hand. I cannot stress more that you should take this with a grain of salt for we have different perceptions to sound and what we hear. I always try my best to stick with the stock accessories that come with the gear by default. You are free to try other methods such as tip rolling or cable rolling. Below are worth noting before concluding on what I say here:
DAP (digital audio player, be it phone, laptop, mobile, or stationary setup)
DAC or dongle or any external amp
Ear Tips
Cables
Source of an audio file be it offline FLACS or streaming services like Deezer, Apple music, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, and the likes..
Your playlist. It matters and is worth to be considered when reading from a reviewer's perspective. It is apparent that you get to know your favorite reviewer and what they are listening to leisurely and critically.
My reviews are more on how music sounds in my ears. The technical stuff like frequency graphs and the physics behind the tech and drivers used, I leave to other reviewers.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Configuration: 1 x Dynamic driver + 4 x Balanced armature drivers
Impedance: 32ohms
Sensitivity: 104db
Freq response: 7hz - 40khz
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| Basic inclusions... again... |
PACKAGING:
Packaging again is very barebones. This is becoming a norm for me as I review more gears from KZ. For the price, I don’t want to complain this time. Inclusions are:
pair of ZS10 iems
3 pairs of silicone tips (black in color)
spc cable
documentation
Now let us dive into how ZS10 sounds...
LOWS:
The lows surprised me here. And I can safely say is the ZS10’s strong point. Lows are presented in a very balanced character. Mid-bass and sub-bass have good balance. Has good reach and extension on the sub-department and good rumble that decays quickly resulting in very clean sound reproduction with minimal bleeds in the mids. Mid-bass is very punchy and tight which I always prefer. September by Earth, Wind, and Fire sounded almost accurate and with good energy and life. Although not the most well-textured lows I have heard, details are still audible here.
Conclusively, the lows here are leaning to mature preference with the versatility to give an enjoyable listening experience. Not too flat to leave you wanting for more, yet not too drowning or overbearing. Lows here are very musical while maintaining cleanliness.
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| Digging that red accent |
MIDS:
Aside from the AS16 pro, which I reviewed just recently, this is the second product from KZ that I can vouch for mids presentation. To those of you who have been following me, you are well informed that I like my mids forward or the least well placed and not recessed.
Instruments are well placed and have a sense of forwardness. Instruments on tracks that I always look for are often not drowned and are easy to follow. Pianos, guitars, organs, orchestras, and cellos are very lifelike and organic. Yet I must say that the mids here are on the lighter or thin side of things. I’m nitpicking right now. I think this is because of the BA drivers at work. I can also sense a bit of that BA timbre. A bit unnatural at times. But very very rarely.
Vocals are very engaging and again, forward in nature. Never sitting behind the instruments as they should be. Both females and males are presented well. One of the most vocal-oriented set from KZ if you ask me.
Conclusively, ZS10’s mids are very commendable and desirable. Mid-centrics would love this set. Vocals are its strength so if your playlist consists mostly of vocal tracks, you are in for a treat here with ZS10.
TREBLES:
Trebles are very open and transparent here that will cater to both sensitives and treble heads. Details here on top are decent. On some very rare occasions, energy on top can get a bit hot and shouty. Especially on female jpop tracks. Incubus tracks are some that I test on shoutiness and sibilance, yet surprisingly, no harsh sibilance from KZ house signature here. Macro and micro details is somewhat average and all right. Elements like bells, tambourines, triangles and cymbals are well executed and do not pose any harshness that will make you want to pull ZS10 out of your ears.
Conclusively, ZS10 does not possess YET that KZ sibilance that plagues them. I believe at the time this was released, KZ was not yet entering that cursed treble zone that the audio community complain about. Treble is admirable here, has average texture, and is well controlled.
FIT & ISOLATION
The ZS10’s shell somewhat lies between medium to large shell size. I’m afraid that small ears individuals will want to try the fitting first before buying. As for me, I didn’t find any issues with fitting. Unlike the newly released AS16 pro with a humungous shell, ZS10 offers a good fit and isolation. The nozzle has good angle and finding the optimum fit is like a breeze. Just put them on, and you are ready to go. The L-sized ear tips were used for the entirety of this review.
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| With my red Korg Kross |
TECHNICALITIES:
Right off the bat, ZS10 is an average performer in technicalities. Let’s move on and talk about it…
Sound stage is nothing spectacular. Yet it didn’t sound narrow or like elements are cramping in a narrow way. The stage is still presented with a good headroom. Hence, average.
Imaging is once again average. I could still follow elements with ease but we are talking 40$ iem here. If I will compare it with my other iems, the ZS10 is somewhat behind by a noticeable margin. Yet for its asking price, it is still not bad at all.
Speed of the drivers are adequate and still capable. Keeping up with my complex and busy tracks from Dirty Loops but not effortless. I can feel a bit of struggle here and there. But nothing big to throw me off.
Resolution is ZS10’s weakness. The whole presentation of sound lacks texture. Bass guitars and instruments lack that nuances and texture. This is negligible for casual listening, but to those who love micro details and pays attention to these small details, will somewhat be a letdown.
The evolving tech from a few years back to the present time, clearly shows how far BA drivers have improved. BA drivers are supposed to be very detailed, and for a 4BA setup, the ZS10 is not the most resolving set. Maybe at the time of its release, it would “wow” you and me, but now we are in 2022, the tech of ZS10 clearly shows that this is a thing from the past.
SOURCES AND GEARS:
Questyle M15 dongle (latest addition to my source)
LG V30 hifi dac (high impedance mode)
Hiby Music player
UAPP app (USB Audio Player Pro)
Tidal Masters subscription
offline FLACS
Hidizs AP80 pro
Deezer Hifi subscription
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| Light smokey tranparency |
Here are some tracks I usually listen to when reviewing:
That’s the way of the World by EWF
Africa by TOTO
The Girl in the Other Room by Diana Kral
Balmorhea album All is wild, All is Silent
Sila by Sud
Smooth Escape by D’Sound
Never too Much by Luther Vandross
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Ain’t no Sunshine by Eva Cassidy
Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC
Another one bites the Dust by Queen
Good times bad times by Edie Brickell
Alice in Wonderland by Bill Evans
Ain’t it Fun by Paramore
Redefine by Incubus
Far Away by Nickelback
Lovesong by Adele
Lingus by Snarky Puppy
Harvest for the World by Vanessa Williams
Love Bites by Def Leppard
No Such Thing by John Mayer
As by Stevie Wonder
Whip Appeal by Babyface
Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan
Futures by Prep
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Every Summertime by NIKI
SADE tracks
AC/DC tracks
Queen tracks
And many more… I always listen to High resolution format, being the least quality 16bit/44khz FLACS be it offline or online.
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| Money shot of the day |
VERDICT:
Revisiting a classic release from a well-known company, KZ, has been a nice journey. It is a testament, somehow, that states new releases or the advancement of tech, doesn’t necessarily mean good and better. I would pick ZS10 over the new releases of KZ namely the ZEX, DQ6s, or even the EDA. The sound is still very relevant even after 3 years since its release. The one thing that ZS10 is behind, is the technicalities. It is not bad or incapable in these terms, but I can safely say, if ZS10 will go head to head with releases of 2022, even 2021, ZS10 will tremble. Sound-wise, ZS10 will still fight blow by blow with present releases though. I’m listening to it right this moment, and it is pleasing and appealing still. Devoid of the treble plague that the audio community is well versed in, mids that are well-placed and not at all recessed, and a well-controlled bass department with a mature leaning, are still worthy to be noted. For 40$, I, therefore, conclude, ZS10 is still relevant (soundwise), and can still stand tall in its own right. If you are willing to overlook the technicalities, and just purely enjoy your music with a good balanced-sounding set, go grab the ZS10. Conclusively, the classics are not yet dead.
Cheers, and catch you on the next one!!
Want to buy from Linsoul? Below are the links:
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?me=A267P2DT104U3C&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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