you mention how you were concerned that it was just marketed with the name attached to what might have been a subpar IEM, but it should be known that the IEM was released as the "Zex Pro" without the Crinacle name for a short period of time as an experiment to see how well it would sell on its own. It wasn't until a bunch of positive reviews came out that Crinacle announced that it was a secret collaboration tuned by him and then had the name flipped to the CRN to prove that it could succeed without his name. He goes more in depth about it in his CRN video on the original Crinacle channel, but it's a fascinating experiment for a very cool sup $40 IEM.
Sorry sanil, these guys only reviewing high end stuffs. Very suprising to see hes reviewing a $37 thing...paid very well i think. I dont rely on these fakees. I just watch learn and make my decission what to buy. Dont trust them
The Zex pro completely transforms into a way better iem with some EQ tweaks. Makes them ABSOLUTLEY enjoyable. Crinacle shared this fix himself as follows: General EQ settings for CRN (ZEX Pro) Treble (Timbre fix, kinda): 8000Hz-5dB 5.0Q, Peak filter 12000Hz +10dB 4.00, Peak filter Bass (Extra punchiness): 150Hz +5dB, Low shelf
Anything more will need an upgrade from the driver itself therefore more research which will lead to more expend.
2 роки тому+17
@@linolingelbach2214 yeah the drivers have limits. Also from what I know, tampering with tuning reduces the technicalities, which is why most 1000+ dollar headphones have shit tuning (like audeze). They focus on technicalieities instead
A note on the shape: I've got a pair of KZ IEMs with the same shape and they're pretty painful for me after 10/15 minutes. They're definitely not a great fit for everyone. My ears are on the small side, so if your ears are the same, you might want to avoid this one.
@@unliving_ball_of_gas Kz use some different shapes. The Zex has a bumps which are meant to conform to the shape of the average ear. The Zsn Pros don't have this shape, they're more rounded and don't dig into the ear. I have a pair of Kz ZAS which don't work for me (same shape as the Zex) and a pair of ZS6 which fit great.
Mine literally just arrived today... I'm pretty shocked for the quality for the price. I havent had any issues, but wouldnt mind toying with the EQ to squeeze the most out of these.
Surprised that the outstanding feature of this... a tribrid at this price... which you get in $200 plus price point, hasn't been mentioned. KZ and CCA are honing their game now with quality sound at crazy prices
@@jdsaint6944 subjective. Some happy with their units. End of the day, if the sound is good, then number of drivers etc are an academic indulgence. Again, at this price.. they are killers
For those who wants to make this IEM sound more relaxed and more detailed: Preamp: -6 dB Filter 1: ON LS Fc 50 Hz Gain 2 dB Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1300 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.41 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2500 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 1.41 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 1.41 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4600 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 3 Filter 6: ON PK Fc 6000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 2.5 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 5 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 11250 Hz Gain 8 dB Q 5 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 13000 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 8 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 14500 Hz Gain 11 dB Q 4 Filter 11: ON PK Fc 16500 Hz Gain -10 dB Q 5 Filter 12: ON PK Fc 19500 Hz Gain 25 dB Q 7
@@adriangpuiu It's an attempt to make this IEM to sound like the Seeaudio Yume Midnight (another Crinacle collaboration IEM). It is not 100% accurate tho.. But definitely worth trying
@Joshua Valour I have been waiting for you to release this video since Crinacle announced it and I am so happy you released it. I do wanna shot an idea; could you make a video on budget DAC/Amps to pair with these kind of IEMs for specific budgets like under $20, $50 or $100 ?
@@TheJunkieDude I have seen that video, and I actually bought the Apple dongle but it didn't work on my phone ( OnePlus 7T ) so I actually had to refund it and buy the proprietary OnePlus USB C to 3.5mm dongle So I wanna find / see a video on some DAC/Amps that will do better than the regular dongle
@@TheJunkieDude it's not boring. Super sensible. I just like seeing pairing, and let's be honest, an actually dac/amp can just feel better. When I use mine, seeing it light up and turning the big knob up to push my headphones just feels good. Is it practical, maybe? The same way some folks feel playing fortnite on a Nvidia 3090 is practical. That's just me tho....I don't play Fortnite or have a 3090 lol that was just an analogy.
My Crinacle Zex pros fit great for me. I wear them to bed with the UTWS5. Great sleep helper. Of course, I also switch over to the Timeless and Aria as well. Timeless might be my favorite IEM ever. The sound........ Fur Elise is exquisite.
@@bufosp I misspoke on the Arias. I use the BTR5 for those. They'll work with the UTWS3/5, but you can't move your head too much. I use MMCX to 2 pin adapters for the Timeless.
2 weeks ago bought KZ Zax and it's something unbelievable, didn't think these ones can sound in such enjoyable way, and it also fits well, can wear `em under the hat
I have the KZ ZSN Pro X, and I think they are the beez kneez. I imagine these are very similar. I bought the Pro X's for about $25. Very V shaped sound signature, but they light up the pleasure centers in my brain just about as much as my Hifiman Ananda, although those are very different headphones obviously. I love them and a lot of folks really enjoy KZ IEMs, for a very good reason. They are crazy affordable and they sound like stuff many times more expensive.
i have both and i can tell you they are totally different. ZEX Pro is not like any other KZ for better or worse. KZ fans that are familiar with the V shape tuning will be taken aback with ZEX pro. however those who prefer more balanced tuning and more in tune with harman shape frequency response will be more familiar with this kind of tuning.
@@bufosp I'm not familiar with tuning. Supposing you're gaming and prefer in ear earphones which would you say is better a balanced or v shaped audio profile
had a KZ my go to earphones roaming around the house or outside and how unique they look, great budget IEM and as a gift when everyone deserves a proper audio peripheral. all in all love the spotlight for legit budget peripherals.
If you come from high end headphones and gained understanding the effects of each frequency Vs You are newbie or used to lower price ranged audio products or mass oriented products that you tend to associate it with what a sound should sound like cause you're used to it ever since before you entered this hobby Also, to avoid fights, it is just actually about preference.peace
@@almagcope3569 I do come from, not quite high-end, but pretty solid headphones. (Clear, HD 600, a few Beyers etc.) Don't get me wrong, something like the ZEXPro does have a little more bass than a neutral headphone has, the reason I prefer more bass in IEM's is that they can actually handle it without losing out in other frequencies. But I'd also argue that the ZEXPro is relatively close to neutral in terms of Bass. (Maybe 3 or 4db)
@@almagcope3569 I feel like many headphone and IEM enthusiasts don't actually know how much bass should be there. A high end loudspeaker system with even a neutral frequency response slams bass through your whole body. These IEMs certainly do not
@@geonet3965 Moondrop Aria are very good in that price range. They're not extremely bassy though, but they have great quality bass. I'm more of a headphone and loudspeaker guy though, so not a lot of experience with IEMs here
Hello, I love it Your Reviews and I take them as a reference before buying any equipment, however I am concerned about what is circulating through some channels about the kz scam and these in ears.
The Headphone Show outright cut out the part that refers to the "BA Timbre" with their disclaimer blaming it's either frequency response or distortions issue, i hope this video is unaltered
if anyone wants to fine a better alternative to these, pleas check out the CCA CRA, which is more cohesive (1 dd only), more bass but controlled because the driver is like super thin and treble is way more extended and not screwed up unlike the ZEX Pro/CRN for those who want the EQ that Crin recommends: -5 DB, Q = 5, 8000hz +10 DB, Q = 4, 12000hz i have both of them and can confirmed my findings
Lol..yeah man.. Ive neva had the urge to purchase, any kz product..saw a review by a yt reviewer, stating that kz, has produced , tons a junk.products...i had no clue, why there was theze blind allegance to a brand, that rips people the fuck off..just purchased the whizzer bs1...for 26 bucks..itza nice iem..
It sounds better than most $70 headphones? Gosh Joshua, what a compliment! (most headphones in that price range are absolute trash compared to $10 chifi IEMs as well, let alone this okay-ish product)
@@haiducchu I do! But I use Crin's EQ for timbre fix (you can find it on reddit). Other users eq'd CRN too (always on reddit) Without eqing you might not want it though and if you love V-shape tuning, you might it boring
Why are you blaming the reviewers.. They're buying into what a million dollar company told them. Who wouldn't? You can't tell me it's a norm to split open an IEM to confirm the driver configuration and the wirings! At least people like Josh, Crin and Dms have never been biased and you can't just say they were shamming people.. If there's any shamming going on here , it's done by KZ. Not just shamming us , but them too. Crin just told them their tuning ain't right. And gave kz his tuning which is great and their best tuning yet. He never really cared whether KZ used 1 dynamic to achieve that tuning or 20 combinations. As a collaborator, he felt it his responsibility to inform people that the Zex pro would have 3 drivers. That doesn't mean he lied. And even these guys can have placebo effect! Humans right? Once a big company comes and tells you, " see there's an elctrostat driver in there... can't you here it?'. Even if you're Josh, you'll here it. You'll just do.
I heard that These are having fake drivers, is that true ? There are UA-cam videos as well on these. Would you still suggest KZ after this kind of fraud?
Yea, over the past year I have learned that iems seem to have better value than headphones when talking under $100 or so. At least in my experience so far.
Depends, if you go used under $100 headphones will blow iems away. Generally until you yet above $2000 headphones have a strong edge over iems due to physics constraints. With a headphone you have much more control over the resonant cavity, and a bigger cavity, so you can create a better sound
@@Fataha22 used in the UK sub 100 grab some Sennheiser 560s. For a commercial portable sound, Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s go for £70 here, and I've not heard an iem under £100 that sounds as good. Even the godly S12s (£110) don't sound as good as momentum 2.0s to me. But that's because it's very hard to get iem tech to match over ear tech, for the reasons i originally mention. When you get to campfire andromeda and above iems start getting very special.
I got mine today and found this video researching them further to see if how I feel about them matches others. I also mostly wanted to test Crins tuning on these and I have to say I am impressed. I have a pair of AKG IEMs which originally retailed for $200 but I picked up on sale for $80 and these might be just as good. The AKG has more bass (good and bad at times) and more tolerable treble (for me). I find I have to EQ the KZs a bit and sometimes bass boost-- they handle the bass boosting like a champ tho. It's great and I am not saying these lack bass or are flat but sometimes I want a bit more. The best thing about them tho is what you said regarding separation, everything does "have its own space" the AKGs are way more blended together/cluttered which is crazy considering the retail price difference! Had I paid full price for the AKGs I think I would be pretty annoyed lol. Granted they are also a few years old. Do these blow off your socks if you are someone who listens to a lot of high-end IEMs and headphones? No but the fact they can compete at that near $100 price point yet cost $40 or less is kind of impressive. Note I did change out the tips for comply tips which may have altered the sound signature a bit for me but I cant stand silicon tips. I also am in the group that doesn't find these very comfortable, I have to play with them to get them to be acceptable and eventually I get use to them. That said these are great IEMs to toss in a travel bag just so you have something solid with you at all times.
Really liking the value proposition of ZEX Pro. Other that the uneven treble peaks and decays causing some plain speech to sound echoey, it's a solid performer. I don't use them for podcasts or movies, but straight up music sounds great. It's now my favourite TWS now with the KZ bluetooth TWS module (I think it was AZ09 Pro?)
Thank you for this review. I have been considering as other budget pair, I have a couple. $40 seems like a reasonable risk. Also, have you considered updating your recommended list? It seems like you have reviewed a lot of new products. Thank you and bravo
I have the ZS10 pro and the CCA C12. The ZS10 is better at music. The CCA12 is better at gaming especially shooters. The way it’s tuned really brings out sound in a detailed way when you are firing a gun and makes it more exciting.
Fun based I enjoy my IKKO OH10 Obsidian and nothing beats till you reach USD500+ price tag, anything below 200 bucks Obsidians are way to go. Not for monitoring or analysing, pure listening and enjoyment.
Hey Josh this my first day watching your videos and right away i had to subscribe! Very informational ! I have a question i was wishing you help me ! I recently bought a HD 800s headset and was wondering what we be a GREAT amp and Dac that i can push all the performance out of these headsets ! ( tube amps is something i look forward too) - as-long as it gives clarity and decent bass ill be Happy ! I never heard a push pull or single . Mind you .
I know this is an old video but i have used these for a while and i personally can not recommend them. the fit is very aggressive and hurt my ears alot, but that is subjective. the HUGE problem with them are that the eartips DO NOT hold onto the IEM. i have had countless times where the tip was just stuck in my ears and that is an experience i do not wish upon my worst enemies. theres also been a bit of controversy around the manufacturer. so if anyone stumbles upon this old review but somehow sees my comment, please, look for alternatives. theres plenty of VERY good IEMs in the 40-50buck range.
Here's a tip, Mine had channel imbalance, i took out the white filters behind the silver grates and it improved channel balance and brightened the set a bit, while maintaining the bass clarity, speed, and accuracy.
@@lenoocx hmmm....common problem I see. Simply I took super thin tip tweesers and took the metal grate off, then use a thin blunt object to carefully remove and preserve the white filter. (You may be able to repair and reinstall them or leave them out) one of mine was half covered in hardened glue, which is why it was imbalanced.
Might try some out to add to my pile of various Knowledge Zenith headphones. KZ's are generally good, most need quite a bit of work to forge a balanced sound as they're a little visceral and raw out of the box but untouchable for bang-per-buck. But in all honesty if you want insane performance without spending $2000+ on a pair of 64Audio or Shure monsters get the Hidizs Mermaid MS4's. Yeah they're over $200, but holy crap they're insanely good! I've got Grado's, Beyerdynamics and Shure's that just can't touch these Mermaids.
ive been using apple earbuds for gaming for months now after using and somehow breaking my steelseries arctis pro, would these be a good upgrade or should i just wait and save up for arias?
@@That_AuCh_Geek that's because they are the same, it was realised as the zex pro as a marketing stunt to see if anyone noticed how good it was, then when people liked it it was announced that crinacle tuned it and it was renamed to the KZ x crinacle
Can you review the Moondrop Kato? I have them for 2 Weeks and find something interesting about it. I use these with the Little Black Bluetooth modul and intresting about it is that the Trebel rises with the Little Black. Whats unfortunetly is that Vocalists are Sounds kinda muddy and unpresent. With Cable it has less Trebel and the muddy sounding is gone, but its still an unpresent Vocalist. And i can recommend the white silicon pads, better than the memory foam ones. shiny > matte I forgot, i use an Iphone 12 with the Apple Headphone Cable.
I think that cheap segment is improving skills so fast, and i've became to question the hight segment... does it really worth spend a lot money for expensives sets?
V-Shaped? Really? I have a pair and it doesn't sound like a V-shaped iem to me. I may agree that they are very mildly V-shaped, but U-shaped seems like a better description. Anyway, with a bit of EQ they sound great for the money.
The need for EQ just seems counterintuitive to me. It is supposed to be a tuned IEM, why do we need to tune again? I have it and honestly I'm disappointed, the treble peaks is just a nah and if I need EQ to fix there's no reason to consider this over others in the first place.
It seems you overlooked to address this unusual aspect of these ear buds: the fact that they have replaceable cable ! Not only that, they come in the box with the cable detached, and you need to connect it yourself ... This is pretty unusual, at least to me. Isn't this the weak spot for them ? (having the cable not firmly fixed in them, and potentially being prone to detach itself when using them outside, walking ?)
It's pretty normal for new IEMs to cameout like this. From the ±20 dollars 7Hz Zero to 1500+ dollars Sony IER-Z1R have removable cables. From my own experience I've never experienced loose connection unless I didn't plug them correctly.
How’s the instrument separation? Cuz I’m looking for a good iem for drumming with a slight v sound with good instrument separation, I’ve been using kz ksn pros for the past year and I love em but I’m rlly looking for better separation, any advice? P.s. like under 100$ in price, maybe under 50$ as well
I have the feeling that people sometimes totally forget that earphone like these exist since several years, in this price range. The MDR-EX450 is made of metal (aluminium), sells for the same price, is tuned even better (A tiny bit warmer, but much more authentic with larger sound stage and faster without piercing treble) and is from 2014. In germany the EX450 sells for 34€ And for like 50€ (depending on deal), you can already get the MDR-EX650 which is made of brass and sounds even better. I mean common. Yes KZ can do what Sony did 8 years ago but why the hype? What is so special about it? Its the same with the Arias. Just because they are worn over ear now and no longer like ""normal"" in-ear, suddenly they are redefining the price bracket? I don't get it. Earphone of this caliber exist since almost 10 years, this is nothing shocking or surprising. Better earphone existed in 2007 (Just look at the MDR-EX700. Yes, it was much more expensive back then, but its now 15 years old and is still better than the Aria or the KZ... 15 years ago. Some people in the comments here weren't even born when the EX700 was released) I think we should all calm down a bit with ChiFi. All they do is make their products "look" like they are a professional high end IEM, nothing more. This is just design and often packaging. The 200$ for the KATO is basically 150$ packaing/design/shell and 50$ IEM in terms of sound, at most. Just because they rip-off the designs of more famous earphone that sometimes sell for 2000$ doesn't mean they sound like that. Most of Moondrops are almost exact copies of Final designs, and KZ does the same. The EDX PRO is famous for being a Sony XJE-MH1R ripoff. Oh, by the way, it came out that KZ was lying about the driver count. The BA and the ESTAT are not producing any sound (or at an inaudible level). So this is just an very very cheap, average, plastic membrane, single dd 3$ IEM in a fancy resin shell tuned by crinacle. So to answer the question how they are making money out of these. They cost less then 10$ in production. That is how. They are cheap, they don't look cheap, but they are. Thats the difference. And that is how they sound. People feel cheated by KZ, i had to laugh when i heard this. "I bought some cheap chinese ripoff earphone from aliexpress and got cheated".... i mean like common! Seriously? You get cheated by buying an cheap ripoff in-ear from Aliexpress... What Cruel world we live in, who would have expected that. You don't want to get cheated and ripped off? Stop buying chinese ripoffs just because they are cheap. You're welcome.
Well said! I feel like people get hyped over it being "good", when in reality it's just "okay for a Chinese knockoff" quality. Bought a KZ zs10 when it first released...and I much prefer my Sennheisers. Better fit, finish, materials, tuning, etc. Buy once, cry once and don't clutter your collection with cheap plastic junk that amounts to the same cost as a quality pair of cans (or in-ears) that will last a lifetime.
Would these be good for competitive fps games? I have the blon bl03 rn but my cat chewed the cord. Could order a new cable but want to keep my options open :)
watch out for the plastic housing around the 2 pin connector. a good bump or 2 and the housing will break around the connectors and its the beginning of the end.
One offputting things about IEM's for me, is that one persons brilliant fit, is another persons bleeding ears. You don't know till you try them and it's not like you can typically find 20 IEM's across a decent range of manufacturers at a particular price point to audition in a single place. You order them and takes your chances...
Just got them and I agree with you esp compared to AirPods Pro. Newer to IEMs and these are better to listen while AirPods are tops for convenience. Tripowin 16 core cable is awesome too for $20, makes the IEM experience awesome.
Hmm thx I have this cable, I'll have to try with the kz crn. I tend to not like the sound sig of it even when I eq, but it's cool to have something tuned by crin for so cheap. I also have to give them way more time, I've only used them for 20- minutes.
I bought them to pair with the kz Az09 pro and they feel very flat and almost no bass. Maybe the az09 pro aren't powerfully enough to really drive them ?
you mention how you were concerned that it was just marketed with the name attached to what might have been a subpar IEM, but it should be known that the IEM was released as the "Zex Pro" without the Crinacle name for a short period of time as an experiment to see how well it would sell on its own. It wasn't until a bunch of positive reviews came out that Crinacle announced that it was a secret collaboration tuned by him and then had the name flipped to the CRN to prove that it could succeed without his name. He goes more in depth about it in his CRN video on the original Crinacle channel, but it's a fascinating experiment for a very cool sup $40 IEM.
That's pretty cool.
So they are the same? Because the Zex Pro still exists, and there is a price difference
@@m4nc1n1 check his video
@@m4nc1n1 Yes they are 1 for 1 copy of each other.
@@m4nc1n1 that price difference is because one is marketed as just normal KZ, the other is marketed as KZ but tuned by crinacle which is famous
You know Josh isn’t familiar with KZ when he says this could be a loss leader for their high end headphones
lol
Agreed, until that AST model at $130, I think $60 was their "big boy" price point.
@@JohnClarkW and it's one of their worst iems lol
Huge props for shouting out Crin’s new channel and the loss of his old one.
I’ve got massive respect for you, my man.
You should definitely review a lot more sub-50$ IEMs.
This is a very competitive range with some very great IEMs.
Sorry sanil, these guys only reviewing high end stuffs. Very suprising to see hes reviewing a $37 thing...paid very well i think. I dont rely on these fakees. I just watch learn and make my decission what to buy. Dont trust them
The Zex pro completely transforms into a way better iem with some EQ tweaks. Makes them ABSOLUTLEY enjoyable. Crinacle shared this fix himself as follows: General EQ settings for CRN (ZEX Pro)
Treble (Timbre fix, kinda):
8000Hz-5dB 5.0Q, Peak filter
12000Hz +10dB 4.00, Peak filter
Bass (Extra punchiness): 150Hz +5dB, Low shelf
Yup, but personally the +5db bass boost is too much. +2db is more like it 👍
why didnt Crinnacle do this in the first place🙄
@@Boemtie Cuz he said that this is the best he can do with the drivers.
Anything more will need an upgrade from the driver itself therefore more research which will lead to more expend.
@@linolingelbach2214 yeah the drivers have limits. Also from what I know, tampering with tuning reduces the technicalities, which is why most 1000+ dollar headphones have shit tuning (like audeze). They focus on technicalieities instead
I just got them, and i'm really enjoying the tuning with some KZ characteristics.
Oh man, KZs can go much lower. CRNs are pretty much on the high range on their IEMs. Rocking a ZSN Pro that I got for around 20 bucks.
I got them ZSN's too, do you have the CRN's and mind comparing them?
I got mine too for 11$
i got mine for 12$
I just ordered the ZSN pro X, first step into the audiophile IEMs for me 😅
@@theetacticalpossum2769 using it for 1yr+ . Totally satisfied with the purchase, got it for $19(direct conversion from Indian rupees to USD) .
A note on the shape: I've got a pair of KZ IEMs with the same shape and they're pretty painful for me after 10/15 minutes. They're definitely not a great fit for everyone. My ears are on the small side, so if your ears are the same, you might want to avoid this one.
That's weird tho. My ears are small but the KZ Zsn Pro fit sooo good.
@@unliving_ball_of_gas Kz use some different shapes. The Zex has a bumps which are meant to conform to the shape of the average ear. The Zsn Pros don't have this shape, they're more rounded and don't dig into the ear. I have a pair of Kz ZAS which don't work for me (same shape as the Zex) and a pair of ZS6 which fit great.
Mine literally just arrived today... I'm pretty shocked for the quality for the price. I havent had any issues, but wouldnt mind toying with the EQ to squeeze the most out of these.
When you put a Hi-Res sticker on that IEM, it instantly sounds like a Sennheiser HE-1 or Hifiman Susvara! ;)
Surprised that the outstanding feature of this... a tribrid at this price... which you get in $200 plus price point, hasn't been mentioned.
KZ and CCA are honing their game now with quality sound at crazy prices
lol
Only one driver works
@@jdsaint6944 delta Frye has withdrawn his statement when he stated the other drivers are dummy.
They do work.. all of them... some with lower output
@@saurabbbhardwaj1930
Lower output but the sound is blocked in the shell
@@jdsaint6944 subjective. Some happy with their units. End of the day, if the sound is good, then number of drivers etc are an academic indulgence.
Again, at this price.. they are killers
For those who wants to make this IEM sound more relaxed and more detailed:
Preamp: -6 dB
Filter 1: ON LS Fc 50 Hz Gain 2 dB
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1300 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2500 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 1.41
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4600 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 3
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 6000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 2.5
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 5
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 11250 Hz Gain 8 dB Q 5
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 13000 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 8
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 14500 Hz Gain 11 dB Q 4
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 16500 Hz Gain -10 dB Q 5
Filter 12: ON PK Fc 19500 Hz Gain 25 dB Q 7
Is this an average from various IEMs or what is it?
@@adriangpuiu It's an attempt to make this IEM to sound like the Seeaudio Yume Midnight (another Crinacle collaboration IEM). It is not 100% accurate tho.. But definitely worth trying
@@linolingelbach2214 then I stick to the natural fh9 sound that’s closer to Hartman curve without Peq
Where does one enter those settings ?
@@sneakysnakesss829 You have to download and use “equalizer APO” and then “Peace ui” and use peace from now on.
Just got them today, very impressive. Based on your review, it was worth a try. I really like the sound quality. Thanks for the info Josh!
@Joshua Valour I have been waiting for you to release this video since Crinacle announced it and I am so happy you released it. I do wanna shot an idea; could you make a video on budget DAC/Amps to pair with these kind of IEMs for specific budgets like under $20, $50 or $100 ?
You read my mind! This is a great idea
@@rigomortiz Been trying to find a good video for it and found some but I want recommendations from Josh 😂
@@TheJunkieDude I have seen that video, and I actually bought the Apple dongle but it didn't work on my phone ( OnePlus 7T ) so I actually had to refund it and buy the proprietary OnePlus USB C to 3.5mm dongle
So I wanna find / see a video on some DAC/Amps that will do better than the regular dongle
@@TheJunkieDude it's not boring. Super sensible. I just like seeing pairing, and let's be honest, an actually dac/amp can just feel better. When I use mine, seeing it light up and turning the big knob up to push my headphones just feels good. Is it practical, maybe? The same way some folks feel playing fortnite on a Nvidia 3090 is practical. That's just me tho....I don't play Fortnite or have a 3090 lol that was just an analogy.
I have this product on the way and now I really look forward to receiving it. Thanks for the video.
Been using ZSN PRO nearly 2 years and im completely satisfied ♥️
I was wondering what happened to his channel. Thanks for letting us know! He's one of the best reviewers in the game and it's a shame that happened.
My Crinacle Zex pros fit great for me. I wear them to bed with the UTWS5. Great sleep helper. Of course, I also switch over to the Timeless and Aria as well. Timeless might be my favorite IEM ever. The sound........ Fur Elise is exquisite.
how's aria with UTWS 5? do they fit? i heard that they won't fit since the aria has abit recessed receptacle for the 0.78mm
@@bufosp I misspoke on the Arias. I use the BTR5 for those. They'll work with the UTWS3/5, but you can't move your head too much. I use MMCX to 2 pin adapters for the Timeless.
2 weeks ago bought KZ Zax and it's something unbelievable, didn't think these ones can sound in such enjoyable way, and it also fits well, can wear `em under the hat
I have the KZ ZSN Pro X, and I think they are the beez kneez. I imagine these are very similar. I bought the Pro X's for about $25. Very V shaped sound signature, but they light up the pleasure centers in my brain just about as much as my Hifiman Ananda, although those are very different headphones obviously. I love them and a lot of folks really enjoy KZ IEMs, for a very good reason. They are crazy affordable and they sound like stuff many times more expensive.
These are pretty different from anything else KZ. I also have ZSN Pro (non-Xs) and the ZEX Pros blow those out of the water.
i have both and i can tell you they are totally different. ZEX Pro is not like any other KZ for better or worse. KZ fans that are familiar with the V shape tuning will be taken aback with ZEX pro. however those who prefer more balanced tuning and more in tune with harman shape frequency response will be more familiar with this kind of tuning.
@@bufosp I'm not familiar with tuning. Supposing you're gaming and prefer in ear earphones which would you say is better a balanced or v shaped audio profile
@@aydenpayne3405 i'd say balanced will be better for gaming. v shape easily tires my ears when gaming due to excessive response in treble and bass.
had a KZ my go to earphones roaming around the house or outside and how unique they look, great budget IEM and as a gift when everyone deserves a proper audio peripheral. all in all love the spotlight for legit budget peripherals.
Thanks for letting us know about Crinical's channel problems. Very cool to call that out.
Literally watching while wearing my KZ ZEX Crin, just tryna solidfy my purchase 😂 but always a good in-depth review!
You should try the CCA CRA. A great IEM for $15.00. It will surprise you.
Agreed. I personally like the CRA a lot more than the ZEX Pro
Its also better than the zex pro
We have a completely different definition of what a lot of bass in an IEM is.
If you come from high end headphones and gained understanding the effects of each frequency
Vs
You are newbie or used to lower price ranged audio products or mass oriented products that you tend to associate it with what a sound should sound like cause you're used to it ever since before you entered this hobby
Also, to avoid fights, it is just actually about preference.peace
@@almagcope3569 I do come from, not quite high-end, but pretty solid headphones. (Clear, HD 600, a few Beyers etc.) Don't get me wrong, something like the ZEXPro does have a little more bass than a neutral headphone has, the reason I prefer more bass in IEM's is that they can actually handle it without losing out in other frequencies. But I'd also argue that the ZEXPro is relatively close to neutral in terms of Bass. (Maybe 3 or 4db)
@@almagcope3569 I feel like many headphone and IEM enthusiasts don't actually know how much bass should be there. A high end loudspeaker system with even a neutral frequency response slams bass through your whole body. These IEMs certainly do not
@@DuSeun Any suggestions for such bassy IEMs at around 30-90 bucks? Got the ZSX Terminators and want something better.
@@geonet3965 Moondrop Aria are very good in that price range. They're not extremely bassy though, but they have great quality bass. I'm more of a headphone and loudspeaker guy though, so not a lot of experience with IEMs here
Hello, I love it Your Reviews and I take them as a reference before buying any equipment, however I am concerned about what is circulating through some channels about the kz scam and these in ears.
The Headphone Show outright cut out the part that refers to the "BA Timbre" with their disclaimer blaming it's either frequency response or distortions issue, i hope this video is unaltered
if anyone wants to fine a better alternative to these, pleas check out the CCA CRA, which is more cohesive (1 dd only), more bass but controlled because the driver is like super thin and treble is way more extended and not screwed up unlike the ZEX Pro/CRN
for those who want the EQ that Crin recommends:
-5 DB, Q = 5, 8000hz
+10 DB, Q = 4, 12000hz
i have both of them and can confirmed my findings
KZ headphones, including the Crinacle version, only have 1 dynamic driver, they use a faux driver for marketing purposes. See Sharur's channel
Lol..yeah man..
Ive neva had the urge to purchase, any kz product..saw a review by a yt reviewer, stating that kz, has produced , tons a junk.products...i had no clue, why there was theze blind allegance to a brand, that rips people the fuck off..just purchased the whizzer bs1...for 26 bucks..itza nice iem..
Most kz headphones are so well built that you would think it's a loss for them
Rewatched this after the Kz and Crin exposed post xD
>lost access to his channel
This is Jerma levels of hilarious
Hi Josh, maybe try reviewing the CCA CRA? There's a lot of hype around these $15 IEMs and are even being compared to these KZs. Great review!
It sounds better than most $70 headphones? Gosh Joshua, what a compliment! (most headphones in that price range are absolute trash compared to $10 chifi IEMs as well, let alone this okay-ish product)
Ordered these recently. Looking forward on trying them out myself after all the praise I‘ve heard of them
Do you like it?
bro have you received it? Did you like it?
@@haiducchu I do! But I use Crin's EQ for timbre fix (you can find it on reddit). Other users eq'd CRN too (always on reddit)
Without eqing you might not want it though and if you love V-shape tuning, you might it boring
Thank you for shouting out our Boi
I love KZ earphones, changing the tips with memory foam tips, improves the sound. Thanks for sharing
Can you recommend foam Tipps available on aliexpress? No Amazon in my country.
@@firlifanzhich236766 aliexpress sells KZ foam tips
I really hope you review the Tin T3 Plus, they're making waves and have finally given the aria some tough competition
He tuned it as if it would have three drivers but it only has one. How can we trust any of these reviewers anymore?!
You shouldnt
Why are you blaming the reviewers.. They're buying into what a million dollar company told them.
Who wouldn't?
You can't tell me it's a norm to split open an IEM to confirm the driver configuration and the wirings!
At least people like Josh, Crin and Dms have never been biased and you can't just say they were shamming people..
If there's any shamming going on here , it's done by KZ.
Not just shamming us , but them too.
Crin just told them their tuning ain't right. And gave kz his tuning which is great and their best tuning yet.
He never really cared whether KZ used 1 dynamic to achieve that tuning or 20 combinations.
As a collaborator, he felt it his responsibility to inform people that the Zex pro would have 3 drivers.
That doesn't mean he lied.
And even these guys can have placebo effect! Humans right?
Once a big company comes and tells you, " see there's an elctrostat driver in there... can't you here it?'.
Even if you're Josh, you'll here it.
You'll just do.
Use a flashlight you cas see the drivers. The electrostat is stacked on top of the dd, the ba is tiny
@rajeebdas1724, who asked you paajeet?
You should do the KZ ZAX too. Open-back. My favorite for the pricepoint.
and then only dynamic driver works and electrostatic is just decorative lol
I feel like you always mention the moon drop aria. Would love your opinion on the new entry to that field that seems to compete directly: Tin T3+
I heard that These are having fake drivers, is that true ? There are UA-cam videos as well on these. Would you still suggest KZ after this kind of fraud?
Hey Josh, revisiting this post the whole KZ driver situation, what's your take on it?
Yea, over the past year I have learned that iems seem to have better value than headphones when talking under $100 or so. At least in my experience so far.
Depends, if you go used under $100 headphones will blow iems away. Generally until you yet above $2000 headphones have a strong edge over iems due to physics constraints. With a headphone you have much more control over the resonant cavity, and a bigger cavity, so you can create a better sound
@@falcodarkzz like what?
@@Fataha22 you want sub 100 or sub 2000 examples?
@@falcodarkzz sub 100
@@Fataha22 used in the UK sub 100 grab some Sennheiser 560s. For a commercial portable sound, Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s go for £70 here, and I've not heard an iem under £100 that sounds as good. Even the godly S12s (£110) don't sound as good as momentum 2.0s to me. But that's because it's very hard to get iem tech to match over ear tech, for the reasons i originally mention. When you get to campfire andromeda and above iems start getting very special.
Hey josh are you going to review the yume midnight ? This one might blow your mind (price to performance ratio)
ZX Zex Pro, CCA CRA, CCA NRA - all stupendous value for money.
I got mine today and found this video researching them further to see if how I feel about them matches others. I also mostly wanted to test Crins tuning on these and I have to say I am impressed. I have a pair of AKG IEMs which originally retailed for $200 but I picked up on sale for $80 and these might be just as good. The AKG has more bass (good and bad at times) and more tolerable treble (for me). I find I have to EQ the KZs a bit and sometimes bass boost-- they handle the bass boosting like a champ tho. It's great and I am not saying these lack bass or are flat but sometimes I want a bit more. The best thing about them tho is what you said regarding separation, everything does "have its own space" the AKGs are way more blended together/cluttered which is crazy considering the retail price difference! Had I paid full price for the AKGs I think I would be pretty annoyed lol. Granted they are also a few years old. Do these blow off your socks if you are someone who listens to a lot of high-end IEMs and headphones? No but the fact they can compete at that near $100 price point yet cost $40 or less is kind of impressive. Note I did change out the tips for comply tips which may have altered the sound signature a bit for me but I cant stand silicon tips. I also am in the group that doesn't find these very comfortable, I have to play with them to get them to be acceptable and eventually I get use to them. That said these are great IEMs to toss in a travel bag just so you have something solid with you at all times.
Even 20 euros kz, are build and presented great. Great value on all their products.
Really liking the value proposition of ZEX Pro. Other that the uneven treble peaks and decays causing some plain speech to sound echoey, it's a solid performer. I don't use them for podcasts or movies, but straight up music sounds great. It's now my favourite TWS now with the KZ bluetooth TWS module (I think it was AZ09 Pro?)
I use it with kz az09 :D
I have ZSN Pro X's that kinda hurt my ear because of the treble. You think that will that happens with these?
@@SkullHQ You might like the KZxHBB: DQ6S
@@haiducchu I've had them recommended to me a few times, actually. Purchased them a few days ago and they come sometime in March :)
@@SkullHQ Nice, I have a pair of Kbear Ks2 and I love it's detail and sound imaging. I think this zex pro will be even better.
Thank you for this review. I have been considering as other budget pair, I have a couple. $40 seems like a reasonable risk. Also, have you considered updating your recommended list? It seems like you have reviewed a lot of new products. Thank you and bravo
Great video!
im a gamer and new to IEM's, and i'm leaning toward the ZS10 pro because of all the positive reviews. Would these be comparable to the ZS10 Pro?
I have the ZS10 pro and the CCA C12. The ZS10 is better at music. The CCA12 is better at gaming especially shooters. The way it’s tuned really brings out sound in a detailed way when you are firing a gun and makes it more exciting.
Would these be good for a guitar player? I know most IEM's can cater to Bass and High's....I am looking for almost a flat response
Fun based I enjoy my IKKO OH10 Obsidian and nothing beats till you reach USD500+ price tag, anything below 200 bucks Obsidians are way to go. Not for monitoring or analysing, pure listening and enjoyment.
Hey Josh this my first day watching your videos and right away i had to subscribe! Very informational !
I have a question i was wishing you help me !
I recently bought a HD 800s headset and was wondering what we be a GREAT amp and Dac that i can push all the performance out of these headsets !
( tube amps is something i look forward too)
- as-long as it gives clarity and decent bass ill be Happy !
I never heard a push pull or single . Mind you .
I know this is an old video but i have used these for a while and i personally can not recommend them. the fit is very aggressive and hurt my ears alot, but that is subjective. the HUGE problem with them are that the eartips DO NOT hold onto the IEM. i have had countless times where the tip was just stuck in my ears and that is an experience i do not wish upon my worst enemies. theres also been a bit of controversy around the manufacturer. so if anyone stumbles upon this old review but somehow sees my comment, please, look for alternatives. theres plenty of VERY good IEMs in the 40-50buck range.
Yes, I too experienced the loose buds problem... I'm currently rocking the Moondrop Chu and never experienced this problem ever again.
id like to know what you think about the cc cra and the comparison with these other icredible bang for the buck iems
Both low-priced sound and good headphones, this is true to its name.
Here's a tip, Mine had channel imbalance, i took out the white filters behind the silver grates and it improved channel balance and brightened the set a bit, while maintaining the bass clarity, speed, and accuracy.
Same scenario, how did you manage to remove the white filters
@@lenoocx hmmm....common problem I see. Simply I took super thin tip tweesers and took the metal grate off, then use a thin blunt object to carefully remove and preserve the white filter. (You may be able to repair and reinstall them or leave them out) one of mine was half covered in hardened glue, which is why it was imbalanced.
Oh! Of course I put the metal grate back for war wax/dust protection, especially for that megnetostatic driver.
Which side is louder for you?
@@linolingelbach2214 well it was the right side when the problem persisted
ZexPro detailing is quite good, more in line with my expectations of it.
I bought them and love them, one con is the short cable 😁
You should have gone for Mele - Tripowin x HBB collaboration
Yeah...Josh...should have just gone with the Moondrop Blessing 2 dusk. Flat out amazing IEM that truly represent Crincles best tuning period
this one for that $37 REVIEW since moondrop has higher price tag
Might try some out to add to my pile of various Knowledge Zenith headphones. KZ's are generally good, most need quite a bit of work to forge a balanced sound as they're a little visceral and raw out of the box but untouchable for bang-per-buck. But in all honesty if you want insane performance without spending $2000+ on a pair of 64Audio or Shure monsters get the Hidizs Mermaid MS4's. Yeah they're over $200, but holy crap they're insanely good! I've got Grado's, Beyerdynamics and Shure's that just can't touch these Mermaids.
ive been using apple earbuds for gaming for months now after using and somehow breaking my steelseries arctis pro, would these be a good upgrade or should i just wait and save up for arias?
KZs have went bonkers with the tuning of this one. I'm just lovin' these 😍
I think you mean crinacle went bonkers as he is the one that tuned it
@@Steph.98114 not really, check cheapaudioman 's review. Ppl say both ZEX Pro and Crinacle CRN r pretty much the same☺️
@@That_AuCh_Geek that's because they are the same, it was realised as the zex pro as a marketing stunt to see if anyone noticed how good it was, then when people liked it it was announced that crinacle tuned it and it was renamed to the KZ x crinacle
@@Steph.98114 ha ha
Can you review the Moondrop Kato?
I have them for 2 Weeks and find something interesting about it.
I use these with the Little Black Bluetooth modul and intresting about it is that the Trebel rises with the Little Black. Whats unfortunetly is that Vocalists are Sounds kinda muddy and unpresent. With Cable it has less Trebel and the muddy sounding is gone, but its still an unpresent Vocalist. And i can recommend the white silicon pads, better than the memory foam ones.
shiny > matte
I forgot, i use an Iphone 12 with the Apple Headphone Cable.
Went with the Yume’ Crin Midnight 🥳
How would you compare these to the moondrop ssp? Been looking for a budget "fun" iem for casual listening.
I think that cheap segment is improving skills so fast,
and i've became to question the hight segment... does it really worth spend a lot money for expensives sets?
Would these be good for gaming and hearing footsteps in tactial games such as escape from tarkov?
Nice review, can you review the cca c12?
waiting for mine to arrive
Are the zex pro the exact same as the CRN?
how do you mean when you say that the cable is bad, and is it worth it to get a 20$ tripowin cable on amazon?
Don't forget to use EQ for that one AWESOME! thing
V-shaped? Are you familiar with the Harman curve? Seems very strange ...
i’m not sure if i just got a bad pair or something but i shelved these after like 5 listens because the sibilance was unbearable
V-Shaped? Really? I have a pair and it doesn't sound like a V-shaped iem to me. I may agree that they are very mildly V-shaped, but U-shaped seems like a better description. Anyway, with a bit of EQ they sound great for the money.
The need for EQ just seems counterintuitive to me. It is supposed to be a tuned IEM, why do we need to tune again? I have it and honestly I'm disappointed, the treble peaks is just a nah and if I need EQ to fix there's no reason to consider this over others in the first place.
@@silentKeys20 Then that sound signature is not for you. That's useful information. When you choose your next iem you will know more what to look for.
I have both the Tin T2's and these KZs, and the tuning of the Tins is much more to my taste. but its still nice to have something different
It seems you overlooked to address this unusual aspect of these ear buds: the fact that they have replaceable cable !
Not only that, they come in the box with the cable detached, and you need to connect it yourself ... This is pretty unusual, at least to me. Isn't this the weak spot for them ? (having the cable not firmly fixed in them, and potentially being prone to detach itself when using them outside, walking ?)
It's pretty normal for new IEMs to cameout like this. From the ±20 dollars 7Hz Zero to 1500+ dollars Sony IER-Z1R have removable cables.
From my own experience I've never experienced loose connection unless I didn't plug them correctly.
your amazon links seem to be broken they all seem to go to the home page except the new one
How’s the instrument separation? Cuz I’m looking for a good iem for drumming with a slight v sound with good instrument separation, I’ve been using kz ksn pros for the past year and I love em but I’m rlly looking for better separation, any advice? P.s. like under 100$ in price, maybe under 50$ as well
I would recommend something else if u want instrumen seperation
@@linolingelbach2214 thx
I have the feeling that people sometimes totally forget that earphone like these exist since several years, in this price range.
The MDR-EX450 is made of metal (aluminium), sells for the same price, is tuned even better (A tiny bit warmer, but much more authentic with larger sound stage and faster without piercing treble) and is from 2014. In germany the EX450 sells for 34€
And for like 50€ (depending on deal), you can already get the MDR-EX650 which is made of brass and sounds even better.
I mean common. Yes KZ can do what Sony did 8 years ago but why the hype? What is so special about it?
Its the same with the Arias. Just because they are worn over ear now and no longer like ""normal"" in-ear, suddenly they are redefining the price bracket? I don't get it.
Earphone of this caliber exist since almost 10 years, this is nothing shocking or surprising. Better earphone existed in 2007 (Just look at the MDR-EX700. Yes, it was much more expensive back then, but its now 15 years old and is still better than the Aria or the KZ... 15 years ago. Some people in the comments here weren't even born when the EX700 was released)
I think we should all calm down a bit with ChiFi. All they do is make their products "look" like they are a professional high end IEM, nothing more. This is just design and often packaging.
The 200$ for the KATO is basically 150$ packaing/design/shell and 50$ IEM in terms of sound, at most.
Just because they rip-off the designs of more famous earphone that sometimes sell for 2000$ doesn't mean they sound like that.
Most of Moondrops are almost exact copies of Final designs, and KZ does the same. The EDX PRO is famous for being a Sony XJE-MH1R ripoff.
Oh, by the way, it came out that KZ was lying about the driver count. The BA and the ESTAT are not producing any sound (or at an inaudible level).
So this is just an very very cheap, average, plastic membrane, single dd 3$ IEM in a fancy resin shell tuned by crinacle.
So to answer the question how they are making money out of these. They cost less then 10$ in production. That is how. They are cheap, they don't look cheap, but they are. Thats the difference. And that is how they sound.
People feel cheated by KZ, i had to laugh when i heard this.
"I bought some cheap chinese ripoff earphone from aliexpress and got cheated".... i mean like common! Seriously? You get cheated by buying an cheap ripoff in-ear from Aliexpress... What Cruel world we live in, who would have expected that.
You don't want to get cheated and ripped off? Stop buying chinese ripoffs just because they are cheap. You're welcome.
Well said! I feel like people get hyped over it being "good", when in reality it's just "okay for a Chinese knockoff" quality. Bought a KZ zs10 when it first released...and I much prefer my Sennheisers. Better fit, finish, materials, tuning, etc. Buy once, cry once and don't clutter your collection with cheap plastic junk that amounts to the same cost as a quality pair of cans (or in-ears) that will last a lifetime.
The most amazing part is that despite being so well extended, there is little to no sibilance her
Is this worth owning if I already have the timeless?
Would these be good for competitive fps games? I have the blon bl03 rn but my cat chewed the cord. Could order a new cable but want to keep my options open :)
What affordable iem do you recommend?
Between this and T2 Galaxy, which is the best one? (especially for basshead)
What EQ App do your recommend using for Portable Use?
watch out for the plastic housing around the 2 pin connector. a good bump or 2 and the housing will break around the connectors and its the beginning of the end.
Josh has been involved with high end stuff so much he's forgotten that 80% of headphones are under $50 😅
One offputting things about IEM's for me, is that one persons brilliant fit, is another persons bleeding ears. You don't know till you try them and it's not like you can typically find 20 IEM's across a decent range of manufacturers at a particular price point to audition in a single place. You order them and takes your chances...
Just got them and I agree with you esp compared to AirPods Pro. Newer to IEMs and these are better to listen while AirPods are tops for convenience.
Tripowin 16 core cable is awesome too for $20, makes the IEM experience awesome.
Hmm thx I have this cable, I'll have to try with the kz crn. I tend to not like the sound sig of it even when I eq, but it's cool to have something tuned by crin for so cheap. I also have to give them way more time, I've only used them for 20- minutes.
You should do more iems
I bought them to pair with the kz Az09 pro and they feel very flat and almost no bass. Maybe the az09 pro aren't powerfully enough to really drive them ?
CRN actually stated he pre tuned it specifically for this.
Wait until you try CCA CRA. It's a way better iem for even cheaper
It isn't way better like you falsely claim. They are comparable
These are awesome. Love mine.
Hey Josh, could you review IKKO OH1 and OH10 please?