KZ ZES: Pretty Average

Oi mates, welcome to my another IEM review and what I have here is another product from Knowledge Zenith also known as KZ, The KZ ZES. I’ll already review many KZ products so I’ll cut the chase on the introduction of their company.

 

KZ ZES is one of the latest product that is part of new generation of hybrid drivers line-up with a magnetostatic driver. I’ve done some reviews on other KZ's with the similar implementation such as KZ ZEX and KZ ZEX Pro/ KZ CRN and I find them as an improvement over most of previous products.

 Once again, KZ try to put something new ideas when it regards of the implementation on their KZ ZES as they replaced the typical 10mm dynamic driver with a newer and larger 12mm one along with the proven magnetostatic driver. These drivers then encapsulated on an inner polycarbonate shell  with an outer metal shell.

 

The overall aesthetics of KZ ZES reminds me of their previous products like KZ ZSNs and KZ ZS10 pros. The size of the shell are on the larger side but they still give a good fitting and snug properly in my lug holes as don’t feel any discomfort and soreness in my cochlea and tragus part of my ears. As expected, they still implemented a QDC-type connector on this one.

 Another noticeable improvement on KZ ZES was the inclusion of a stock cable (mine has with mic version on it). It is an 8-core SPC cable which is a quite a contrast to a typical KZ cable that we are familiar with. Good job, KZ!

 

The packaging box of KZ ZES is still similar to most current releases of KZ products. It retains a small white square box with a simple illustration of the product at the front and some basic specification at the back.

Here are the following included contents and accessories:

·        KZ ZES IEM shells

·        8-core SPC cable in a 3.5mm termination plug

·         Three (3) pairs of white-coloured ear tips of different sizes.

·        Instruction manual.

 

 On scalability to its source, Like most KZ products, they are easy to drive as decent power is enough to give a proper required amplification to powered this set. Laptops, tablets and smartphones has a sufficient power to drive the KZ ZES but a better sources like dedicated DAPs, smartphones like LG G and V series and Desktop amps will make listening experience even better as they put a a cleaner output and a more fuller dynamic sounding.

 

As for tonality, like most its predecessor, it still follow a typical KZ sound signature that we are familiar with. A V-shape tuning as it has more prominent bass and treble with a scooped midrange.

 

Here are some of my observations on how I describe its character of each frequency range region.

 

LOWS/BASS:

  When it comes to bass profile, it is punchy on a side with good impact. Certainly not the most articulate lows that I’ve heard but it done its job decently.

For its sub bass quality, It has a good presence of rumble if some tracks like EDM and other modern genre demands to provide it. Its does fairly reach the sub bass depth. As for its mid bass, it has sufficient texture to give a weighty note on some instruments like bass guitar, bass kicks and some male vocals.

My gripe on the bass quality was its some instances of bass bleeds towards mids as it didn’t control it properly but in general it is still acceptable and probably you can give it a pass despite on this issue.

 

MIDS:

  Like most KZ products, the midrange is always scooped  and recessed as a midcentric like myself, it is always my concern on KZ’s tuning as I find it less refined and need more fine-tuning . Of all things that I said, it has warmth, a sufficient texture and dense that it give more prominence on male vocals and snares over female guitars and some percussive instruments. Male vocals is more deep and has stronger emphasis while female vocals is less energetic and clarity is just an average.

 

  As for instruments, guitars like rhythm and acoustics are more on a balanced to dark sounding that it has this more emphasis more on a lows rather than treble as it has a meager of crispness and shimmer that I want. Piano tone is more on warmer and prolific sounding while snare strikes is more on shuffling and a tad dry. And as for  woodwinds like flute and clarinet  and brass like saxophone, trumpets and horns, the former instruments that I’ve mention were being sound being tad dull and hollow that make its more profuse sounding while the latter were more on leaning to be more darker timbre but it gives more a fuller sound.

 

HIGHS/TREBLE:

  Even the treble is secondly emphasis on the overall audio frequency spectrum after the bass. I find it treble quality is sufficient. Its registers a slight peak upper mids/lower treble that I hear a discernable sibilance un some sibilant tracks despite of a more calmer and smoother deliver on treble.

  Treble extension is just decent that it deliver an enough airiness and sparkle on its harmonics. Cymbals strikes on this one has this lack of  glistening and sizzling that I want but hi hats has that shorted soughing sound that I find it passable.

  Certainly that treble was handled by magnetostatic driver of the KZ ZES which it performs very passable and likable to some treble sensitives out there. Resolution capability is acceptable but not my ideal when it comes to on such detail retrieval performance and clarity.

 

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

  I’ll be straight and frank on this matter, soundstage is overall pretty average. It gives more significant on wideness and tallness rather than depth. It has an average soundstage width, a less depth that feels a bit farther than ideal and more emphasis on height reach that I find them has an odd proportion.

 

Imaging is pretty much more of a two-dimensional that it gives a  typical stereo panning which left and right channel has an ample sweeping and transition performance if the tracks demanded  Separation is just an average as it gave slight gap on each instruments and singers and layering of this one is decent but in some tracks, they performs a bit congested and feels compact.

 

As for coherency of drivers, it performs and match well as both DD and magnetostatic driver seems to have this good compatibility that delivers a more rounded and moderate transients. Timbre quality is more on balanced with a hint of warmth in general.

 

To put a conclusion on this review, where do I place the KZ ZES in my own category. Surely, that I put this one as a slight improvement on KZ ZEX but I place it on a just average level as believe that there still refinement needed when it regards on tuning and overall tonality. Some listener will find this product as a pleasant sounding due to its less fatiguing nature but in my opinion based on my standard, it still need some rectification to make it sound even better.

 

KZ ZES is currently available at around $32-35/£25-27. Just check it out on your preferred e-commerce sites and your trusted local audio shops.

 

Checkout my other reviews on other KZ products:

·        KZ EDX

·        KZ ZEX

·        KZ  ZEX PRO

·        KZ X HBB DQ6S

·        KZ EDC

 

 

SPECIFICATION:

 

MODEL: KZ ZES

IMPEDANCE: 32Ω

SENSITIVITY: 113dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  10Hz - 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M

PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNITS: (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER & (1) MAGNETOSTATIC DRIVER.

 

PROS:

·         Good quality and improved stock cable.

·        A sturdy and robust composite shells.

·        Non-fatiguing treble registry.

·        A slightly improvement over KZ ZEX.

·        Comfortable fitting.

 

CONS:

 

·        QDC-type 2 pin connector (as usual for KZ products).

·        Overall technicalities needs more polish and improvement.

·         Recessed and underwhelming quality on female vocals.

 

Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

 

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

 

P.S.

I am not affiliated to KNOWLEDGE ZENITH(KZ) nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

 

 Once again, I would like to thank Jeffrey Yang for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on his generosity towards me and other reviewers.

 

LINKS:

Shopee: https://ph.xiapibuy.com/product/345922933/17002163698

Lazada:

https://www.lazada.com.ph/kz-zes-electrostatic-dynamic-in-ear-wired-headphones-4-units-12mm-large-dynamic-hifi-flagship

Main site:

KZTWS.COM

 

Discount Coupon Code:KZEA001