I remember when the cheapest planar IEMs were $150, and those Monolith M300s were considered a groundbreaking deal because the only other planer IEMs were the Audeze iSines which were then north of $400 depending on model.
Great review! I feel that the PR2 is probably the BEST first planar, not only because of price but because of that relaxed lower treble more akin to a DD. This will be a great daily driver to use at work with my M1 Macbook.
@@rnarexperience Disagreed. The power needed to drive these is way too high compared to PR1 Pro, which excludes casual listeners unless you buy a Dac/amp that's more expensive than the PR2 themselves.
@reallynotareview is there any other planar under 100 for music and gaming? I like how the treble isn't sibilant. I like the harmon curve with a little boosted bass and relaxed treble, great review and thank you in advance!
I just got the PR2 and I have to say these are an absolute treat! The bass is quite close to how a DD would perform but it does lack a little bit of texture as expected from planars. The midrange is also a little bit thin but female vocals sparkle like none other and I'm genuinely surprised with how smooth the treble of the PR2 is, especially after reading that some people find the treble to be a little harsh. Techs are definitely class leading for the price, so much so that I started to nitpick it like it was a $100+ set rather than its $45 asking price. It's insanely good
Pr2 despite the 2nd version being very divisive I still think is an s- tier iem while the original version is like s++ tier, the detail and resolution are just magical and not even the dioko can match them, 8 months and still king
I wanted to buy these, since my gifted ZS10 Pro X right IEM is defective, but i keep reading about a second version being really bad and not worth it. Is there any reason why they revised the original in the first place?
That $99 Dioko was an ear-piercingly sibilant hot mess to my ears... completely unenjoyable, even when using narrow-bore tips and listening through a BT adapter to compress the highs (disclaimer: I bought among the first units sold, which may've had the wrong filters applied). To me, the PR2 seems like a fixed version of the Dioko for less than half the price. That being said, I prefer the PR1 Pro, which is much easier to drive and has a more fun tuning, IMO.
That's because the Dioko is tuned by Crin. The same description can be applied to the KZ ZEX Pro tuned by Crin. His sets are ear piercers if he aims for that flat or neutral tuning.
I think crin just has massive earholes and isn't as susceptible to sibliant highs. I prefer my hexas over my zeros (truthear, not 7hz) because the zeros have so much treble. I have tiny earholes and many IEMs hurt my ears because of that. Using Moondrop spring tips on all my IEMs helps massively tho, super comfortable and i feel they enhance staging by a fair amount. I think in general if you are susceptible to sibliant treble, you should try the bigger bore eartips, not the smaller ones. Smaller holes enhance bass (because of pressure buildup from the smaller holes) and can make treble sound harsh. So maybe try bigger bore eartips, if you haven't tried spring tips I can definitely recommend those.
Got mine today, sounded like knocking on tin can and it was soooooo hard to drive. Very disappointed. Then i noticed, i didnt get a proper seal, the stem is angled more acutely compared to other KZ models. Managed to get a proper seal with one of the XL spinfit tips, and wow... Can't comment much yet, the sound improved but my ears still hurt from sampling at amped volume with poor fitting, 😂
here at 999 sub! and thanks for the review i already have and love the s12, i think this would be a great diffrent flavor too see what a planar can do it tune it bit less that timber
Haha thanks for being here before the tipping point! Yeah the PR2 definitely presents a very different sound profile to what I'm typically used to hear on a planar IEM which to me is a fresh addition to the lineup. With this price point it's even more tempting too
Thanks very much! Hmmmm that's a hard one because people have different views on technicalities. I personally prefer the ZVX as the details are a little more distinct, but that's also not knocking on the PR2 because the details are still there albeit a touch on the softer edge but I hear slightly better separation or there's more space in the sound in the PR2 which gives that illusion of a wider soundstage as described in the video so they both play against each other in terms of technicalities so it all comes down to what you'd want in your sound preference. I'll probably do an in depth comparison in the future just to seal the decision but comparing them briefly, for my personal sound preference, it'll be the ZVX
The only pros with Planar is that they have fast transient speed, making them really detailed and instrument separation prominent. But the timbre is out to be sacrificed by not sounding natural
@@rnarexperience there is one review that considering it Meh sounding and when i ask what source he used, he used abigail, a relatively low power budget dongle dac
Great review as always! I wonder if you could comment on how the PR2 compares against the Purple Wu and Heyday? Especially purple Wu since the PR2 graphs very similarly to it.
I might need to find back my Purple Wu to make a comprehensive experience but I did make a quick comparison with the Heyday, and the Heyday is much sharper on the treble compared to the PR2 which helps in making those details more distinct in its presence. Bass is a slightly faster and more akin to what I'm familiar with a planar bass, on the Heyday. So between the Heyday and the PR2 I feel it's a slightly different presentation but once I get the Purple Wu out I'll make another comparison if and when I get the opportunity. Although the price difference alone might push people towards the PR2. It's a very difficult price to beat but people would have to invest on a dongle due to how much power the PR2 required to fully shine. Hope the above helps!
Yes it did. Thank you for the reply and comments! I got both versions of the Wu and when PR2 came out it did intrigue me. But I think I might hold out for the Pro version and see if they make these easier to drive. Haha
Personally, I'd skip recommending these to those interested in Planars, and instead recommend the PR1 Pro which better represents the actual benefit of Planars over Dynamics. The PR2 x HBB are just confusing as their _purpose_ is to make an affordable Planar that is _tuned to sound like a Dynamic_ ; which in this case, why bother?
You can tune the response to your liking anyway. I think the planar should provide possibly better soundstage and imaging and that's not something you'll be able to change by yourself
Technical performance is overrated. Tonal Ballance should be the focus for a good planar. Smooth treble and less shout in the midrange is key I believe. The pr1 had too much treble and the only way to listen to them was with foam tips
I bought it. one thing I didn't like is the face plate when it got a tiny scratch I got itch on my ear. when I clean it the cotton swab turns green like cleaning a copper
I found it strange when HBB refused to evaluate the sound of his IEMs claiming conflict of interest, but then he uses that excuse to shill them without having to evaluate them. I remember he did that with the cables and shells for at least 3 of his collabs. And with the PR2, he claimed it was the best planar IEM in the market today, not based on sound evaluation, but because it had a different driver than the other planar IEMs. I never could believe that his reason for refusing to evaluate the sound of his IEMs was for us. it always felt like he avoided it so he doesn't have to actually rate them.
Not trying to defend HBB or anything but I guess from his perspective if he talks about how great the IEM sounds, people are simply going to say that "he's only saying it because it's his product" so all he talks about (as far as I remember) was how it sounds like when playing back his library and the viewers decide whether it suits them based on his description and calling it the best planar IEM based on the driver used, I mean, every company who has ever released an IEM has always promoted to have the "latest & greatest" so it's the same methods but this is also why you look at other people's video on the product to get more insight on the product as there will be little to no conflict of interest. Everyone has different ways of promoting their products, whether it's Gizadio, Crinacle or HBB. At the end of the day, it's his name on the product and his tuning work incorporated so it's his choice on however he wants to promote them. Who knows I'd be guilty of using the same method if and when I get my name on a product (Praying... praying so hard) So I wouldn't let it bother you too much and let's all just sit back, and enjoy the content :) Hope you're having a good weekend and take care!
As much as I love HBB and my PR2’s, I have to agree with the strangeness. Zeos levels of shilling, but without the implied sarcasm. Hard to evaluate how a driver can be the “best”. Didn’t really even give any reasons why; nothing about the magnets or thinness or composition of the materials. The shill could have been part of an agreement with KZ to try and restore bad blood and reset the relationship. Regardless, I hope they release another banger. Hopefully a Timeless AE killer for $50 or an open back planar like the Raptgo Hook X.
@@rnarexperience there's actually a few strange things HHB did that feel strange to me. if anyone knows the answer to this, please inform me in this comment section. HBB doesn't answer when asked about the symbols on his ranking list conflict with his video ranking. made worse when the symbols advertise multi-kilo buck IEMs, and his video rankings also advertise multi-kilo buck IEMs. the musicality and techs symbols he assigns on the ranking list to those IEMs do not appear at all when he ranks the top musicality or technical IEMs. the mest indigo even has 2 symbols of techs, but he doesn't answer why at all. in the video, he also specifically states that techs is correlated to his top 5 IEMs regardless of price. on the ranking list, that indicates the Mest Indigo (the highest tech rating + 2 techs symbols). on the top IEMs video, Mest Indigo is not in the top list at all. then some of the ones he said had top techs or musicality doesn't have those symbols on his list, etc. i'm perfectly fine if he has a system that isn't apparent, because then he just needs to explain it. but the thing is he's not explaining it, so the only thing left is conflicting information. these peculiar things just add doubt, which is why I am more doubtful than trusting about his motive for not evaluating the sound of his collabs. He knows for sure the other reviewers will phrase everything nicely because they admitted they are a circle of friends (likely bonded stronger thanks to Sharur who added taboos on what not to say about each other). i also don't get the feeling HBB listens to any of his collabs in his rotation, though ofc his excuse would be that he owns $4k+ IEMs. but still, it's clearly in his interest because he was able to claim the PR2 is the best planar IEM currently that money can buy. I know some non-mainstream reviewers who seem to disagree. one of them felt the gain caused him to constantly change volume on different tracks because the vocals could be too loud/quiet far too easily. but ofc you also didn't think the PR2 is the best money can buy either, so he outright just shilled it. but anyway, the mainstream reviewers are even nicer to each other in the audiophile circle than other circles imo (and Sharur made them even more protective of each other). they will 100% list the caveats, but still call it a nice IEM.
@@Viewer13128 Helloo, this might be my last reply on this matter as I don’t want to make it seem like I’m some HBB defender (though from the way it’s sounding I may already be in that camp) but anyway, regarding the ranking list, the best person to answer this would probably be HBB himself but I’m coming from a point where I understand that managing all these different things within the audio space, ie, collaborations, promotions, groups, discord, graphs, tuning work, and also ranking lists, there’s only so much time one person can dedicate or split among all of the above. Especially when he’s having a young child to raise, there’s even less time that he can dedicate to the audio world due to his commitments to his family. So the ranking list, may have started like that and maybe he just haven’t had the time to fully review or update, maybe popping in just to put an IEM in the list and pop out. Best example would be Crinacle’s list as in it’s been a while since the list has been updated, but I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of things happening in the background and it’s just taking up a lot of his time so it’s a matter of just not having that amount of time because focus have been shifted elsewhere. As I know most reviewers compromises of themselves only and maybe just an editor so it’s not like there’s a team who can review the data and update them on a daily basis. Even I personally have been wanting to start a ranking list and graph work but it’s difficult to find the time when you’re balancing other aspects in life. Of course, I also understand from your perspective that if this sits for too long, the information may conflict with one another if not updated or tidied up so I’m guessing it’s only a matter of HBB being able to find someone or find the time to do it but I guess all we can do is respect that his focus is dedicated elsewhere instead of the ranking list at the moment. I also think there’s a process to this whole collaboration, ie he probably tuned it and listened to one or two and provided his feedback and it’s the company’s responsibility to execute it the way it was commented and roll it out. So I don’t personally believe he doesn’t listen to it, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to share his notes and experiences in a video. Also the way I see it, it may seem that mainstream reviewers are “nicer” to each other, (not sure how would mainstream or non-mainstream would be categorized) but I feel it’s more of just everyone within that space having an understanding of the amount of work and effort that’s been put into a collaboration IEM, whether it’s the tuning, the correspondence, etc, therefore it’s simply supporting one another, like you supporting your friend. Of course I don’t agree that every collab IEM has been well received I.E I’ve seen some videos where some collab IEM’s were not as highly praised as others. It’s the nature of the hobby, there are hit and misses. There’s plenty of different experiences, all we’re doing is finding the one that matches ours own personal preference. I understand you may disagree with how he’s promoting it or the things that’s done/said but collectively as a whole, you can’t argue that his body of work has been helping people find what suits them and that’s simply what we’re trying to do in this space. I’d recommend anyone to always look for other videos or look into forums to formulate your decision on the IEMs themselves prior to the purchase. That’s what the other videos are for. I hope this wouldn’t ruin your journey in the audio world, as I think the journey itself is a wonderful experience, albeit an expensive one 😅. Anyway, I hope you’ll be able to get some peace of mind. Take care and all the best! 🙂
@@rnarexperience thanks. yea i watch/read every review including HBB's. i have no bias for or against him, but i am just saying that IF I DO NOT GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, then objectively speaking, many things don't make sense. On the other hand, if I give him the benefit of the doubt, many of your points certainly apply. Like maybe he updates his list, but maybe he semi-doesn't. Maybe he doesn't answer because he's "busy". Etc. Yes, those certainly all would apply. But imagine this, if any audiophile has found new top 5 IEMs in the highest price bracket, they will be overjoyed and explode in happiness (if they're real audiophiles). The top 5 list is the 1st thing and only thing he would do, not the thing he cannot do for months and months and months, correct? then, outside of being an audiophile, the #1 priority/responsibility would also be to update the top 5 (and priciest), ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A NEW TOP 5 VIDEO, where editing the tier list must considered a part of the project, not make the video but ignore the list (while still putting those new IEMs on the list which is strange). so, those aren't some minor things he can't do, those are the the #1 things he would do as an audiophile, and should do as a reviewer. they're not priority #20 or something. their basically the only things he would remember to do, in fact. so as you can see, if i am not giving him the benefit of the doubt, then none of it makes sense to me. As for being friends, they basically said it in their own videos. I can't remember word for word, but it's along the lines of "we're all friends" or "we're all kinda friends". something like that. Some of the closer ones they reveal through videos are Gizaudio, HBB, Dan's Audio, etc. There are some other channels that are indebted to HBB as well for connecting them with various companies. They all disclaim and caution viewers about their relationship. Now this is somewhat a good thing, but still you can see the way they recommend HBB collabs (at least they warned you though, but fans will overlook the warning for sure). Majority of reviewers that rely on audio companies have the same techniques when reviewing a product they can't badmouth (either written or implied agreement), which is to list pros, list cons, but NEVER say "bad" or "don't recommend". they will list all the pros and talk about how someone will love that signature. For other products they can badmouth, they will be much blunter and say they don't recommend it, they don't like it, etc. Btw, i'm not saying HBB collabs are "bad" at all. However, as long as they are not "bad", it will 100% receive the VIP treatment where they will sing praises on the pros, then list the cons. Imo, if HBB wants to avoid conflict of interest, he should never claim the PR2 is the best. If I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, I'll find a reason to justify why he an rate it without reviewing it, but if i'm just objective, then i don't have a justification for it.
Much love to the content. Was there any consideration for the Xenns Mangird Top to review? In my personal experience, it is fantastic at 530 USD. My metal tracks never sounded so good, thanks to the strong but clean bass and smooth well extended treble.😁
Thanks for your kind words man. I had then opportunity to own one but I chose to go with the mest MK2 instead so had to pass on the xenns top. Hopefully I'll be able to have that opportunity again in the future but thanks for sharing your experience 😊
@@rnarexperience I do also want to congratulate you on hitting 1k. I very much appreciate the chilled out and straightforward approach to your videos. Very underrated. 💚
I've had zs10 pro x. after they broke i decided to get PR2 expecting them to perform better but was really disappointed. they sound just way worse and I'm going to buy new zs10 pro x again
“However if it’s any sharper, you hear it in your brain.” That’s a good one bro 😂. This pair looks even thicker than the Pr1/pro, I find the pro pushing my ears a little bit more than other iems, are you able to confirm that?
Hey man! I'm sorry but i don't have the PR1/Pro but I do feel this IEM pushing outwards a little bit than other IEMs and I have to tip roll to get these IEMs to stay in my ears, is that somehow the same experience as you have with the PR1/Pro?
I wonder if you've tried the Celeste Gumiho, which was the prior cheapest planar. I picked it up on a lark because it has a really extravagant nine tailed fox design, but honestly it's not a bad pickup. Doesn't really compete with stuff in the $100+ range, but I was surprised at how well it performed for $50. Kinda packed resolution and instrument separation but if I was in a pinch I wouldn't complain.
Hi there! No i didn't have the opportunity to try the Gumiho unfortunately and looking at it the first time the design kinda threw me off but if I ever have the chance I'll check it out next time. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Celeste Gumiho used SPD driver which is more closer to dynamic driver, so it's not even close to real planar. And SPD charachteristic is not a full range driver, it only cover low to mid. And that's why SPD driver always acompanied with DD to backup the high frequencies
I own those, they do sound pretty nice. Not the most resolving, but a fun signature nonetheless and the bass has more texture I feel, which I tend to like. HOWEVER BIG DISCLAIMER: They use an in house developed SPD (Square planar driver), and that name is very misleading. That driver is NOT an actual planar magnetic driver. It has more in common with a dynamic driver, however the diaphragm is square, is has a voice coil (like a DD) but that coil is oriented laterally (unlike a DD) and it also has magnets on both sides of the diaphragm (like a planar). The result is a punchy, textured low end, that feels "faster" than your typical DD. However the first gen of the SPD (used in gumiho) isn't good at doing treble, their 2nd generation SPD (used in pandamon) is supposed to be a full range driver (although I haven't heard that one). TLDR; it's a fun sounding IEM that I think is worth it's price, but the marketing is misleading at best and a downright lie at worst, depending on how you feel about the whole "calling something planar just because it's arranged in a plane, not because it's actually something people consider a proper planar magnetic driver" thing
Mine came with a defective monitor fresh out of the box. KZ refuses to give me a refund even though I provided video evidence of it being defective. Never buying a KZ product again, no matter how good they sound or how cheap it is.
Guyz can I use it with smartphone? The Poco F5 Pro, it has a usb c so i'll need a dongle but should I get an a specific one or just normal one? I get confused with impedance and resistance all that stuff :D
I have only tried one KZ, had 1dd 4 ba, the KZ ZS10...people had given it good reviews. I thought it sounded absolutely awful. Was like everything was played with a metal saw and string, just had a fake, metallic sound to it. I get its a budget IEM but I lost all faith in reviews after that and KZ.
Hmmm I've personally never tried the ZS10 so I can't comment much on that but their recent releases has been pretty good so far but of course I understand it may take some time to get the trust back especially when you've had a bad experience the first time. Hopefully you'll be able to demo this off a friend or something to see if your experience have changed. All the best!
@@aimanshamsol2402 I just did a quick check, I think it'll be powerful. Android Authority says it can power a Sennheiser HD 600, which I am assuming should be alright.
Good day, as mentioned by Dani, you do need a dongle to at least make it work better if used with your phone if you dont a dedicated dac/amp setup. Also it depends if what is described in the video suits your sound preference.
The Pr1 Pro does have the better driver tech of the two. The Pr2 is really just the final and best version of the OG Pr series (this is literally the 4th version to be released) while the Pros are the real second gen Pr’s given its upgraded drivers. Technicalities are superior as well from what I’ve heard.
@@viciogamergd8061 are you only comparing the graphs? Or have you actually listened to the 2? PR1 PRO isn't piercing. PR2 has strange treble, it sounds very flat or thin. Also don't forget you have to get $100 DAC to drive PR2.
@@koningklootzak7788 thats because of the horrible quality control, there is so much variation between kz units. Look sharur's video about it, he has a 17 db at 16khz or something like so... Kz products are a roulette spin.
I remember when the cheapest planar IEMs were $150, and those Monolith M300s were considered a groundbreaking deal because the only other planer IEMs were the Audeze iSines which were then north of $400 depending on model.
I hope it continues to get even cheaper. It’s gonna reach a point where spending $100+ will have diminishing returns
Great review! I feel that the PR2 is probably the BEST first planar, not only because of price but because of that relaxed lower treble more akin to a DD. This will be a great daily driver to use at work with my M1 Macbook.
It’s also a great compliment to the PR1 Pro, but I’ll wait to recommend that until the PR2 HiFi/Pro come out!
Agree with you there! They made all the right choices (at least in my view) in making this the entry level introduction to Planar IEMs.
@@rnarexperience Disagreed. The power needed to drive these is way too high compared to PR1 Pro, which excludes casual listeners unless you buy a Dac/amp that's more expensive than the PR2 themselves.
@reallynotareview is there any other planar under 100 for music and gaming? I like how the treble isn't sibilant. I like the harmon curve with a little boosted bass and relaxed treble, great review and thank you in advance!
I just got the PR2 and I have to say these are an absolute treat! The bass is quite close to how a DD would perform but it does lack a little bit of texture as expected from planars. The midrange is also a little bit thin but female vocals sparkle like none other and I'm genuinely surprised with how smooth the treble of the PR2 is, especially after reading that some people find the treble to be a little harsh. Techs are definitely class leading for the price, so much so that I started to nitpick it like it was a $100+ set rather than its $45 asking price. It's insanely good
Thanks for sharing your experience man!
the unit in pr2 has massive different QC and sets, some have high treble while some have dip at 8 khz
I've bought 5 pairs for my studio 👀 these are that good
Pr2 despite the 2nd version being very divisive I still think is an s- tier iem while the original version is like s++ tier, the detail and resolution are just magical and not even the dioko can match them, 8 months and still king
I wanted to buy these, since my gifted ZS10 Pro X right IEM is defective, but i keep reading about a second version being really bad and not worth it. Is there any reason why they revised the original in the first place?
That $99 Dioko was an ear-piercingly sibilant hot mess to my ears... completely unenjoyable, even when using narrow-bore tips and listening through a BT adapter to compress the highs (disclaimer: I bought among the first units sold, which may've had the wrong filters applied). To me, the PR2 seems like a fixed version of the Dioko for less than half the price. That being said, I prefer the PR1 Pro, which is much easier to drive and has a more fun tuning, IMO.
Kinda weird how pr1 is a funner side grades to the pr2s but the pr2s are hard af to drive
That's because the Dioko is tuned by Crin. The same description can be applied to the KZ ZEX Pro tuned by Crin. His sets are ear piercers if he aims for that flat or neutral tuning.
I think crin just has massive earholes and isn't as susceptible to sibliant highs. I prefer my hexas over my zeros (truthear, not 7hz) because the zeros have so much treble. I have tiny earholes and many IEMs hurt my ears because of that. Using Moondrop spring tips on all my IEMs helps massively tho, super comfortable and i feel they enhance staging by a fair amount.
I think in general if you are susceptible to sibliant treble, you should try the bigger bore eartips, not the smaller ones. Smaller holes enhance bass (because of pressure buildup from the smaller holes) and can make treble sound harsh. So maybe try bigger bore eartips, if you haven't tried spring tips I can definitely recommend those.
Good review I'm Going to dip my toes into the planar pool and the KZ x HBB PR2 looks like a good place to start with that great price
Thanks! and all the best!
How did it go?
Got mine today, sounded like knocking on tin can and it was soooooo hard to drive. Very disappointed. Then i noticed, i didnt get a proper seal, the stem is angled more acutely compared to other KZ models. Managed to get a proper seal with one of the XL spinfit tips, and wow... Can't comment much yet, the sound improved but my ears still hurt from sampling at amped volume with poor fitting, 😂
here at 999 sub! and thanks for the review i already have and love the s12, i think this would be a great diffrent flavor too see what a planar can do it tune it bit less that timber
Haha thanks for being here before the tipping point! Yeah the PR2 definitely presents a very different sound profile to what I'm typically used to hear on a planar IEM which to me is a fresh addition to the lineup. With this price point it's even more tempting too
Congratz for the 1k subs and for the review! In therm of technicalities, this would be your choice in the price range or would you choose other? 🤔
Thanks very much! Hmmmm that's a hard one because people have different views on technicalities. I personally prefer the ZVX as the details are a little more distinct, but that's also not knocking on the PR2 because the details are still there albeit a touch on the softer edge but I hear slightly better separation or there's more space in the sound in the PR2 which gives that illusion of a wider soundstage as described in the video so they both play against each other in terms of technicalities so it all comes down to what you'd want in your sound preference. I'll probably do an in depth comparison in the future just to seal the decision but comparing them briefly, for my personal sound preference, it'll be the ZVX
The only pros with Planar is that they have fast transient speed, making them really detailed and instrument separation prominent. But the timbre is out to be sacrificed by not sounding natural
There's a linkin Park song that with S12 it feels like there's a guy hitting a metal bar in the middle of the sonf
I use the Pr1Pro. The Sound is really Pleasing to me so i can say the Pr1Pro are worth it. I am really happy to have them.....
Its a great entry level planar but it need power to sound good, so you might need dongle/dac for proper listening
Agree with you that it is quite power hungry so yeah while a phone might do fine but it'll shine better with a dongle
@@rnarexperience there is one review that considering it Meh sounding and when i ask what source he used, he used abigail, a relatively low power budget dongle dac
But is it okay to plug in directly to desktop PC?
Great review as always! I wonder if you could comment on how the PR2 compares against the Purple Wu and Heyday? Especially purple Wu since the PR2 graphs very similarly to it.
I might need to find back my Purple Wu to make a comprehensive experience but I did make a quick comparison with the Heyday, and the Heyday is much sharper on the treble compared to the PR2 which helps in making those details more distinct in its presence. Bass is a slightly faster and more akin to what I'm familiar with a planar bass, on the Heyday. So between the Heyday and the PR2 I feel it's a slightly different presentation but once I get the Purple Wu out I'll make another comparison if and when I get the opportunity. Although the price difference alone might push people towards the PR2. It's a very difficult price to beat but people would have to invest on a dongle due to how much power the PR2 required to fully shine. Hope the above helps!
Yes it did. Thank you for the reply and comments! I got both versions of the Wu and when PR2 came out it did intrigue me. But I think I might hold out for the Pro version and see if they make these easier to drive. Haha
@@rnarexperience pr2 vs s12pro ?
@@rnarexperience Hi, as someone completely new to IEMs. When you refer to dongle is it an external amp/dac such as the iBasso DC03?
@@RakaZet Hi there, yes that's right.
Personally, I'd skip recommending these to those interested in Planars, and instead recommend the PR1 Pro which better represents the actual benefit of Planars over Dynamics.
The PR2 x HBB are just confusing as their _purpose_ is to make an affordable Planar that is _tuned to sound like a Dynamic_ ; which in this case, why bother?
You can tune the response to your liking anyway. I think the planar should provide possibly better soundstage and imaging and that's not something you'll be able to change by yourself
Got them for $23 I am surprised by the resolution though the mid bass is too light for me
Technical performance is overrated. Tonal Ballance should be the focus for a good planar. Smooth treble and less shout in the midrange is key I believe. The pr1 had too much treble and the only way to listen to them was with foam tips
I bought it. one thing I didn't like is the face plate when it got a tiny scratch I got itch on my ear. when I clean it the cotton swab turns green like cleaning a copper
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I found it strange when HBB refused to evaluate the sound of his IEMs claiming conflict of interest, but then he uses that excuse to shill them without having to evaluate them. I remember he did that with the cables and shells for at least 3 of his collabs. And with the PR2, he claimed it was the best planar IEM in the market today, not based on sound evaluation, but because it had a different driver than the other planar IEMs. I never could believe that his reason for refusing to evaluate the sound of his IEMs was for us. it always felt like he avoided it so he doesn't have to actually rate them.
Not trying to defend HBB or anything but I guess from his perspective if he talks about how great the IEM sounds, people are simply going to say that "he's only saying it because it's his product" so all he talks about (as far as I remember) was how it sounds like when playing back his library and the viewers decide whether it suits them based on his description and calling it the best planar IEM based on the driver used, I mean, every company who has ever released an IEM has always promoted to have the "latest & greatest" so it's the same methods but this is also why you look at other people's video on the product to get more insight on the product as there will be little to no conflict of interest.
Everyone has different ways of promoting their products, whether it's Gizadio, Crinacle or HBB. At the end of the day, it's his name on the product and his tuning work incorporated so it's his choice on however he wants to promote them. Who knows I'd be guilty of using the same method if and when I get my name on a product (Praying... praying so hard) So I wouldn't let it bother you too much and let's all just sit back, and enjoy the content :) Hope you're having a good weekend and take care!
As much as I love HBB and my PR2’s, I have to agree with the strangeness. Zeos levels of shilling, but without the implied sarcasm. Hard to evaluate how a driver can be the “best”. Didn’t really even give any reasons why; nothing about the magnets or thinness or composition of the materials. The shill could have been part of an agreement with KZ to try and restore bad blood and reset the relationship.
Regardless, I hope they release another banger. Hopefully a Timeless AE killer for $50 or an open back planar like the Raptgo Hook X.
@@rnarexperience there's actually a few strange things HHB did that feel strange to me. if anyone knows the answer to this, please inform me in this comment section.
HBB doesn't answer when asked about the symbols on his ranking list conflict with his video ranking. made worse when the symbols advertise multi-kilo buck IEMs, and his video rankings also advertise multi-kilo buck IEMs. the musicality and techs symbols he assigns on the ranking list to those IEMs do not appear at all when he ranks the top musicality or technical IEMs. the mest indigo even has 2 symbols of techs, but he doesn't answer why at all.
in the video, he also specifically states that techs is correlated to his top 5 IEMs regardless of price. on the ranking list, that indicates the Mest Indigo (the highest tech rating + 2 techs symbols). on the top IEMs video, Mest Indigo is not in the top list at all.
then some of the ones he said had top techs or musicality doesn't have those symbols on his list, etc.
i'm perfectly fine if he has a system that isn't apparent, because then he just needs to explain it. but the thing is he's not explaining it, so the only thing left is conflicting information.
these peculiar things just add doubt, which is why I am more doubtful than trusting about his motive for not evaluating the sound of his collabs. He knows for sure the other reviewers will phrase everything nicely because they admitted they are a circle of friends (likely bonded stronger thanks to Sharur who added taboos on what not to say about each other).
i also don't get the feeling HBB listens to any of his collabs in his rotation, though ofc his excuse would be that he owns $4k+ IEMs.
but still, it's clearly in his interest because he was able to claim the PR2 is the best planar IEM currently that money can buy. I know some non-mainstream reviewers who seem to disagree.
one of them felt the gain caused him to constantly change volume on different tracks because the vocals could be too loud/quiet far too easily.
but ofc you also didn't think the PR2 is the best money can buy either, so he outright just shilled it.
but anyway, the mainstream reviewers are even nicer to each other in the audiophile circle than other circles imo (and Sharur made them even more protective of each other). they will 100% list the caveats, but still call it a nice IEM.
@@Viewer13128 Helloo, this might be my last reply on this matter as I don’t want to make it seem like I’m some HBB defender (though from the way it’s sounding I may already be in that camp) but anyway, regarding the ranking list, the best person to answer this would probably be HBB himself but I’m coming from a point where I understand that managing all these different things within the audio space, ie, collaborations, promotions, groups, discord, graphs, tuning work, and also ranking lists, there’s only so much time one person can dedicate or split among all of the above. Especially when he’s having a young child to raise, there’s even less time that he can dedicate to the audio world due to his commitments to his family.
So the ranking list, may have started like that and maybe he just haven’t had the time to fully review or update, maybe popping in just to put an IEM in the list and pop out. Best example would be Crinacle’s list as in it’s been a while since the list has been updated, but I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of things happening in the background and it’s just taking up a lot of his time so it’s a matter of just not having that amount of time because focus have been shifted elsewhere. As I know most reviewers compromises of themselves only and maybe just an editor so it’s not like there’s a team who can review the data and update them on a daily basis. Even I personally have been wanting to start a ranking list and graph work but it’s difficult to find the time when you’re balancing other aspects in life. Of course, I also understand from your perspective that if this sits for too long, the information may conflict with one another if not updated or tidied up so I’m guessing it’s only a matter of HBB being able to find someone or find the time to do it but I guess all we can do is respect that his focus is dedicated elsewhere instead of the ranking list at the moment.
I also think there’s a process to this whole collaboration, ie he probably tuned it and listened to one or two and provided his feedback and it’s the company’s responsibility to execute it the way it was commented and roll it out. So I don’t personally believe he doesn’t listen to it, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to share his notes and experiences in a video.
Also the way I see it, it may seem that mainstream reviewers are “nicer” to each other, (not sure how would mainstream or non-mainstream would be categorized) but I feel it’s more of just everyone within that space having an understanding of the amount of work and effort that’s been put into a collaboration IEM, whether it’s the tuning, the correspondence, etc, therefore it’s simply supporting one another, like you supporting your friend. Of course I don’t agree that every collab IEM has been well received I.E I’ve seen some videos where some collab IEM’s were not as highly praised as others. It’s the nature of the hobby, there are hit and misses. There’s plenty of different experiences, all we’re doing is finding the one that matches ours own personal preference. I understand you may disagree with how he’s promoting it or the things that’s done/said but collectively as a whole, you can’t argue that his body of work has been helping people find what suits them and that’s simply what we’re trying to do in this space.
I’d recommend anyone to always look for other videos or look into forums to formulate your decision on the IEMs themselves prior to the purchase. That’s what the other videos are for. I hope this wouldn’t ruin your journey in the audio world, as I think the journey itself is a wonderful experience, albeit an expensive one 😅. Anyway, I hope you’ll be able to get some peace of mind. Take care and all the best! 🙂
@@rnarexperience thanks. yea i watch/read every review including HBB's. i have no bias for or against him, but i am just saying that IF I DO NOT GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, then objectively speaking, many things don't make sense.
On the other hand, if I give him the benefit of the doubt, many of your points certainly apply. Like maybe he updates his list, but maybe he semi-doesn't. Maybe he doesn't answer because he's "busy". Etc. Yes, those certainly all would apply.
But imagine this, if any audiophile has found new top 5 IEMs in the highest price bracket, they will be overjoyed and explode in happiness (if they're real audiophiles). The top 5 list is the 1st thing and only thing he would do, not the thing he cannot do for months and months and months, correct?
then, outside of being an audiophile, the #1 priority/responsibility would also be to update the top 5 (and priciest), ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A NEW TOP 5 VIDEO, where editing the tier list must considered a part of the project, not make the video but ignore the list (while still putting those new IEMs on the list which is strange).
so, those aren't some minor things he can't do, those are the the #1 things he would do as an audiophile, and should do as a reviewer. they're not priority #20 or something. their basically the only things he would remember to do, in fact.
so as you can see, if i am not giving him the benefit of the doubt, then none of it makes sense to me.
As for being friends, they basically said it in their own videos. I can't remember word for word, but it's along the lines of "we're all friends" or "we're all kinda friends". something like that.
Some of the closer ones they reveal through videos are Gizaudio, HBB, Dan's Audio, etc. There are some other channels that are indebted to HBB as well for connecting them with various companies. They all disclaim and caution viewers about their relationship. Now this is somewhat a good thing, but still you can see the way they recommend HBB collabs (at least they warned you though, but fans will overlook the warning for sure).
Majority of reviewers that rely on audio companies have the same techniques when reviewing a product they can't badmouth (either written or implied agreement), which is to list pros, list cons, but NEVER say "bad" or "don't recommend". they will list all the pros and talk about how someone will love that signature.
For other products they can badmouth, they will be much blunter and say they don't recommend it, they don't like it, etc.
Btw, i'm not saying HBB collabs are "bad" at all. However, as long as they are not "bad", it will 100% receive the VIP treatment where they will sing praises on the pros, then list the cons.
Imo, if HBB wants to avoid conflict of interest, he should never claim the PR2 is the best. If I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, I'll find a reason to justify why he an rate it without reviewing it, but if i'm just objective, then i don't have a justification for it.
Much love to the content. Was there any consideration for the Xenns Mangird Top to review? In my personal experience, it is fantastic at 530 USD. My metal tracks never sounded so good, thanks to the strong but clean bass and smooth well extended treble.😁
Thanks for your kind words man. I had then opportunity to own one but I chose to go with the mest MK2 instead so had to pass on the xenns top. Hopefully I'll be able to have that opportunity again in the future but thanks for sharing your experience 😊
@@rnarexperience I do also want to congratulate you on hitting 1k. I very much appreciate the chilled out and straightforward approach to your videos. Very underrated. 💚
@@VantablackVector thanks very much 🙏 glad to hear you're enjoying the videos 😁
waiting for my order... hoping they are better than the Dioko's, which I hated.
I've had zs10 pro x. after they broke i decided to get PR2 expecting them to perform better but was really disappointed. they sound just way worse and I'm going to buy new zs10 pro x again
“However if it’s any sharper, you hear it in your brain.” That’s a good one bro 😂.
This pair looks even thicker than the Pr1/pro, I find the pro pushing my ears a little bit more than other iems, are you able to confirm that?
Same form factor. I own both.
Hey man! I'm sorry but i don't have the PR1/Pro but I do feel this IEM pushing outwards a little bit than other IEMs and I have to tip roll to get these IEMs to stay in my ears, is that somehow the same experience as you have with the PR1/Pro?
@@rnarexperience yes I use AET07. I don’t like foam tips so it has to be silicon and CP145 won’t fit my ears.
I wonder if you've tried the Celeste Gumiho, which was the prior cheapest planar. I picked it up on a lark because it has a really extravagant nine tailed fox design, but honestly it's not a bad pickup. Doesn't really compete with stuff in the $100+ range, but I was surprised at how well it performed for $50. Kinda packed resolution and instrument separation but if I was in a pinch I wouldn't complain.
Hi there! No i didn't have the opportunity to try the Gumiho unfortunately and looking at it the first time the design kinda threw me off but if I ever have the chance I'll check it out next time. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Celeste Gumiho used SPD driver which is more closer to dynamic driver, so it's not even close to real planar. And SPD charachteristic is not a full range driver, it only cover low to mid. And that's why SPD driver always acompanied with DD to backup the high frequencies
I own those, they do sound pretty nice. Not the most resolving, but a fun signature nonetheless and the bass has more texture I feel, which I tend to like.
HOWEVER BIG DISCLAIMER: They use an in house developed SPD (Square planar driver), and that name is very misleading. That driver is NOT an actual planar magnetic driver. It has more in common with a dynamic driver, however the diaphragm is square, is has a voice coil (like a DD) but that coil is oriented laterally (unlike a DD) and it also has magnets on both sides of the diaphragm (like a planar). The result is a punchy, textured low end, that feels "faster" than your typical DD.
However the first gen of the SPD (used in gumiho) isn't good at doing treble, their 2nd generation SPD (used in pandamon) is supposed to be a full range driver (although I haven't heard that one).
TLDR; it's a fun sounding IEM that I think is worth it's price, but the marketing is misleading at best and a downright lie at worst, depending on how you feel about the whole "calling something planar just because it's arranged in a plane, not because it's actually something people consider a proper planar magnetic driver" thing
Mine came with a defective monitor fresh out of the box. KZ refuses to give me a refund even though I provided video evidence of it being defective. Never buying a KZ product again, no matter how good they sound or how cheap it is.
That sucks...my D-Fi also have driver flex problem.
What store did you buy them from? Usually bothering them on Discord is a good way to get actual support
Would you say the pr2 or hexa has better details, clarity, separation?
I haven't got the Hexa so i wouldn't be able to comment unfortunately
How's timbre on these?
Guyz can I use it with smartphone? The Poco F5 Pro, it has a usb c so i'll need a dongle but should I get an a specific one or just normal one?
I get confused with impedance and resistance all that stuff :D
get a fiio ka11 dac
mine is still in transit, i simply blind buy this for the planar.
OOooo blind buys can be risky, hope it pays off and you have a good experience! Let me know your thoughts when you receive it!
I have only tried one KZ, had 1dd 4 ba, the KZ ZS10...people had given it good reviews. I thought it sounded absolutely awful. Was like everything was played with a metal saw and string, just had a fake, metallic sound to it. I get its a budget IEM but I lost all faith in reviews after that and KZ.
Hmmm I've personally never tried the ZS10 so I can't comment much on that but their recent releases has been pretty good so far but of course I understand it may take some time to get the trust back especially when you've had a bad experience the first time. Hopefully you'll be able to demo this off a friend or something to see if your experience have changed. All the best!
80 $ in France.. Always the same higher price ...
And then They are good but... For 30$ more there is way better but. Zs 10 pro x is so ugly than pr2.
Got it for 22€ ($23) shipped via aliexpress, spain xD
Should i upgrade from the zsn pro x to this iem?
You can but don't forget these need more power than your smartphone to be driven to their full potential
@@danim5373 my phone is an lg g8x. Is the dac powerful enough to run it?
@@aimanshamsol2402 I just did a quick check, I think it'll be powerful. Android Authority says it can power a Sennheiser HD 600, which I am assuming should be alright.
@@danim5373 Thanks for the reply 👍
Good day, as mentioned by Dani, you do need a dongle to at least make it work better if used with your phone if you dont a dedicated dac/amp setup. Also it depends if what is described in the video suits your sound preference.
PR1 PRO is better
@063 Dharmesh Rajan yes
The Pr1 Pro does have the better driver tech of the two. The Pr2 is really just the final and best version of the OG Pr series (this is literally the 4th version to be released) while the Pros are the real second gen Pr’s given its upgraded drivers. Technicalities are superior as well from what I’ve heard.
Pr2 is better, les congestión at 300hz and less piercing after 8khz
@@viciogamergd8061 are you only comparing the graphs? Or have you actually listened to the 2? PR1 PRO isn't piercing. PR2 has strange treble, it sounds very flat or thin. Also don't forget you have to get $100 DAC to drive PR2.
@@koningklootzak7788 thats because of the horrible quality control, there is so much variation between kz units. Look sharur's video about it, he has a 17 db at 16khz or something like so...
Kz products are a roulette spin.