I know presentation is important for some people and even cultures - however, I would rather see it sold in a good IEM case that is itself the packaging. A useful case for daily holding of the IEMs is more important than the open-once presentation of the package.
Thanks for the review Ian! I have a question. With my ZAS I have the "famous" Drive Flex problem, which turns most of my listening into fatigue if I move or reposition the earpiece in my ear canal and many times I have to put it down due to the discomfort that this causes me. The question is, does the same thing happen in this ZAR model? Have you noticed that this model has the same annoying Drive Flex? Thank you!!!
I got the KZ ZAS recently and I love it ❤️, though it's an old flagship from KZ. Thanks to KZ for the upgrades, and a big respect for continuously making improvements on all the models which are budget oriented. Although thier common V-shape tuning is not for all the audience, for average listeners they are musical which greatly satisfies at their price points. It's good to see some changes in tuning as well with less sibilance in thier latest models. I own a lot of KZ Iem's from 2018, comparatively newer ones are definitely improved. I also own IEMs like Kato, S12, Zetian Wu (my max budget level IEMs) but I like and give equal respect to KZ Iem's alongside such sonically better IEMs I mentioned. I like this design of ZAR and also DQS, gonna buy both with ❤️. Thank you Iann for this informative review and also thanks to all the fellow reviewers who consider budget IEMs. 👍
KZ should really make a spatial audio AZ-SX adapter. Have it track head movements and rotate audio accordingly. Apple really I'd the only one doing it and their Buds are low audui quality in comparison
Thanks for the review! I'm just skeptical with KZ due to their history. The question in my head whenever I see a multi driver KZ IEM is if all the drivers are actually working? Maybe its just me.....
The drivers have always worked. They've always used real drivers. The problem is with how they fit and make those drivers useful. It's either the drivers are blocked or too far and too quiet to make a difference. Both the ZEX Pro and DQ6 had the other drivers blocked by the main driver and some were wired in reverse polarity to cancel out some other sounds.
@@Qimchiy Not that they are blocked but they were playing at such low DB that you couldn't hear them essentially. KZ have since fixed this and all recent sets should be normal as advertised. Basically KZ went back and did a heap of single DD iems and slowly released new hybrid and BA iem sets. Like the AS16 Pro and this. They all work and you can 100% hear the BA's, not just a DD this time. AS16 Pro for example has the bass decay of a BA driver.
@@burns0100 I did mention in my comment that they were "too far and too quiet". Either way, KZ hasn't been doing so hot nowadays with all the different Zeros coming out.
Frequency response cannot fully speak about the nature of the sound. Frequency response does not talk about overtones, does not talk about the effect of phase on the sound. Sound with exactly the same frequency response can be perceived differently. Personally, I have never heard the same sound in any of the headphones.
yes I still use AZ09 Pro aptX as daily driver.. but sadly it only supports QDC Pin C connector, there's converter out there but it makes the IEM can't fully inserted into the case
All the new KZ stuff from the past 6 months of so are all working as intended with drivers. KZ have shifted a gear but they are still a V shape tuning company. The drivers in the ZAR are decent quality too, not some cheap BA and DD, decent mid range drivers you'd expect from most other brands. KZ is now just a matter of tuning as they have some of the better build quality and cables.
I bet all the ba on zar are muted. I have torn down kz zs6 and zs7 to replace midrange ba. to my surprise, all zs6 and zs7 mid ranges ba are muted. recently, I have torn down my zas. all ba is muted, dynamic driver is the only one that is working and frequency divider board is not functioning.
Purpose for being muted? So ure saying that the company is lying, they put in ba that doesnt work so they can market it and sell at a higher price range but none of it is true and work? Congratz, u have just earn urseslf a very winnable lawsuit. Check with ur local lawyer on how to proceed, and u might as well gain a huge $ out of it. I really do not know how come such retarded like you exist. So so so fucking stupid omfg. I do not want to get into tecnical details with you here but I think ure a newborn baby if not numbskull, every brand have their sound signature. Not excluding ez. Westone, shure, unless specifically mention tune to "whatever" I can say most of the time they are telling you the truth about what is being done to that model. The problem with you is that, you are expecting so much of stuffs coming out from a company are producing affordable iem and you are stupid enough not to know that improvements are being made so the iem can be better tune by urself "eq" I am really dumbfolded by comment ppl make like this, everyone expect they spend a mere $100 or less and want the performance of a $1000 iem.. Really wtf. You want good you dont comment here, just go to westone and get custom, 10000% satisfy you, and do u know that in ur local westone u can actually tell tthem to tune infront of u ur preference?! Bottom line, if u want a ferrari go buy a ferrari, dont fkin cry on toyota or honda that their civic or altis are not as performancing as a ferrari wtf?! You buy a honda, vtec open at 4.5krpm, you always drive slow and u have no vtec opened before, u opened up ur bonnet and u cry about vtec are never used.. you are dumb.. cause ure driving below 4.5krpm always.. you are really really stupid to have comment like this. THE SOUND SIGNATURE IS THE ISSUE ON DEFAULT, TUNING IEM BY URSELF FIXES IT. THIS IS WHAT IEM ARE FOR. U WANT PLUG AND PLAY GO WESTONE.
This is what’s so confusing about KZ. They brag about improvements in materials and drivers and all that but they’re still tuned the same. Sure, there are different configurations and combinations but that KZ “house sound” seems like it’ll never change. With that, I find a couple things questionable: 1. - Do they need to improve the materials and drivers if virtually every IEM is tuned the same? Couldn’t they just make these small adjustments with the current drivers they use? I’m just not sure if updating the drivers make any difference. And 2. - The marketing hype about improvements to their IEMs is way overblowned - as if this alone will create such a dramatic difference. In theory, it could but it’s pointless if they tune everything the same, more or less. Seriously, if you count the number of available IEMs from KZ and CCA, it runs over 70 in count. 70! And they are, again, more or less, tuned the same. OK, granted, there are probably “improvements” but the tuning never changes and that’s what’s so obvious about their IEMs. C’mon KZ/CCA! Why don’t you try something really different? I mean DIFFERENT! Maybe you cab create a TRUE audiophile label. You have a technical knowledge and ability to do that.
Good morning ☕️☕️ 1DD and 7 BA’s …the latest incarnation of the ZAS which has OMHO overly bloated / bleeding bass to the point of not even BASSHEADS would find it enjoyable. Well…they’re improving it …but a hard pass from me …too much of the ZAS DNA in it . 2023 may be the year of maybe one more iem and a better dongle 😋 At the end of the video …..$80 ..get the Aria 😊 Take care Ian ☕️☕️
If you’re looking for a bass canon…that still has a great midrange and a nice sparkling top end…OH10’s are the ticket . The have a definite place in my IEM’s stable and my heart.
@@ianfann brother you have someone contacting your subscribers or followers that they won something and from they scam the unsuspecting person so tell me am I doing you a favour or something wrong?
Thanks for review and comparison with Cxs. I love CXS
I love the box. Very classic presentation. You know you got a premium kz iem when it comes with this box back in the day.
I like this presentation kz.
I know presentation is important for some people and even cultures - however, I would rather see it sold in a good IEM case that is itself the packaging. A useful case for daily holding of the IEMs is more important than the open-once presentation of the package.
Excellent review 👏 👍
I love KZ!
I love KZ PR1 Balance Edition!
KZ knows Asian albums/playlist well!
Thanks for the review Ian!
I have a question. With my ZAS I have the "famous" Drive Flex problem, which turns most of my listening into fatigue if I move or reposition the earpiece in my ear canal and many times I have to put it down due to the discomfort that this causes me.
The question is, does the same thing happen in this ZAR model?
Have you noticed that this model has the same annoying Drive Flex?
Thank you!!!
I got the KZ ZAS recently and I love it ❤️, though it's an old flagship from KZ. Thanks to KZ for the upgrades, and a big respect for continuously making improvements on all the models which are budget oriented.
Although thier common V-shape tuning is not for all the audience, for average listeners they are musical which greatly satisfies at their price points. It's good to see some changes in tuning as well with less sibilance in thier latest models. I own a lot of KZ Iem's from 2018, comparatively newer ones are definitely improved.
I also own IEMs like Kato, S12, Zetian Wu (my max budget level IEMs) but I like and give equal respect to KZ Iem's alongside such sonically better IEMs I mentioned. I like this design of ZAR and also DQS, gonna buy both with ❤️. Thank you Iann for this informative review and also thanks to all the fellow reviewers who consider budget IEMs. 👍
I hope someone pulls it apart and checks if the drivers are all working
Another great one kudos Ian will you consider this a upgrade to the ZS 10 pro X as well?
it's more refined yes.
How does this compare to nicehck nx7 mk4?
In the site It says It has bluetooth connettivity of there actually Is bluetooth how does It charge?
Good for bassheads?
Why do KZ have different names and drivers but the same sound signature?
A estos si le suenan los BA??
So if I get these, I play Xbox, will I be able to talk and hear my buddies?
KZ should really make a spatial audio AZ-SX adapter. Have it track head movements and rotate audio accordingly. Apple really I'd the only one doing it and their Buds are low audui quality in comparison
No mention of resolution soundstage imaging detail retrieval.....graphs arent reviews
OMG 😳 this is Attack from Kz 🤗
Thanks for the review! I'm just skeptical with KZ due to their history. The question in my head whenever I see a multi driver KZ IEM is if all the drivers are actually working? Maybe its just me.....
It's not just you
The drivers have always worked. They've always used real drivers. The problem is with how they fit and make those drivers useful. It's either the drivers are blocked or too far and too quiet to make a difference. Both the ZEX Pro and DQ6 had the other drivers blocked by the main driver and some were wired in reverse polarity to cancel out some other sounds.
@@Qimchiy Not that they are blocked but they were playing at such low DB that you couldn't hear them essentially. KZ have since fixed this and all recent sets should be normal as advertised. Basically KZ went back and did a heap of single DD iems and slowly released new hybrid and BA iem sets. Like the AS16 Pro and this. They all work and you can 100% hear the BA's, not just a DD this time. AS16 Pro for example has the bass decay of a BA driver.
@@burns0100 I did mention in my comment that they were "too far and too quiet". Either way, KZ hasn't been doing so hot nowadays with all the different Zeros coming out.
thanks for the review!
is there more bass in KZ ZAR than in ZAS?
nope, zas still has a bit more forward bass than the zar.
@@ianfann probably ZAR is CCA HM20
have you heard HM20?
Hey just wanted to if the mic would work while plugging these in to a PS5 or XBOX controller via the 3.5mm jack.i plan to use these for gaming.
Can confirm works for PS5. However, if your cable does not have a mic it will echo, but will pickup mic from the controller.
Good assessment . I guess their "sound signature" has their target audience. Definitely not my taste anymore. tried the cxs . didnt like it.
👍👍
Maybe these new balanced armatures are actually functional and provide something to the sound signature now.
Frequency response cannot fully speak about the nature of the sound. Frequency response does not talk about overtones, does not talk about the effect of phase on the sound. Sound with exactly the same frequency response can be perceived differently. Personally, I have never heard the same sound in any of the headphones.
How does the zar compete with the esx?
i must say he1 is the crap, its realism is above everything available
ZAR the best:)
Is the ZAR better then the PR1 pro ??
Of cause PR1 pro anytime lol
It way better than the PR1 pro
This or the pr1 pro ?
I also have the same question
After the KZ drama, I will not purchase anything from them from now on, but their AZ09Pro Bluetooth adapter is really good.
yes I still use AZ09 Pro aptX as daily driver.. but sadly it only supports QDC Pin C connector, there's converter out there but it makes the IEM can't fully inserted into the case
@@marhensa Didn't it support B pins (the usual 2 pin) also? That was definitely an option unless it's out of stock.
@@Qimchiy Non Pro version available in two versions, Pin B and Pin C. the Pro with aptX version in the other hand, only supports Pin C (QDC).
@@marhensa It was available in B pin. It's just sold out.
All the new KZ stuff from the past 6 months of so are all working as intended with drivers. KZ have shifted a gear but they are still a V shape tuning company. The drivers in the ZAR are decent quality too, not some cheap BA and DD, decent mid range drivers you'd expect from most other brands. KZ is now just a matter of tuning as they have some of the better build quality and cables.
I bet all the ba on zar are muted. I have torn down kz zs6 and zs7 to replace midrange ba. to my surprise, all zs6 and zs7 mid ranges ba are muted. recently, I have torn down my zas. all ba is muted, dynamic driver is the only one that is working and frequency divider board is not functioning.
Purpose for being muted? So ure saying that the company is lying, they put in ba that doesnt work so they can market it and sell at a higher price range but none of it is true and work? Congratz, u have just earn urseslf a very winnable lawsuit. Check with ur local lawyer on how to proceed, and u might as well gain a huge $ out of it.
I really do not know how come such retarded like you exist. So so so fucking stupid omfg. I do not want to get into tecnical details with you here but I think ure a newborn baby if not numbskull, every brand have their sound signature. Not excluding ez. Westone, shure, unless specifically mention tune to "whatever"
I can say most of the time they are telling you the truth about what is being done to that model. The problem with you is that, you are expecting so much of stuffs coming out from a company are producing affordable iem and you are stupid enough not to know that improvements are being made so the iem can be better tune by urself "eq"
I am really dumbfolded by comment ppl make like this, everyone expect they spend a mere $100 or less and want the performance of a $1000 iem.. Really wtf. You want good you dont comment here, just go to westone and get custom, 10000% satisfy you, and do u know that in ur local westone u can actually tell tthem to tune infront of u ur preference?!
Bottom line, if u want a ferrari go buy a ferrari, dont fkin cry on toyota or honda that their civic or altis are not as performancing as a ferrari wtf?! You buy a honda, vtec open at 4.5krpm, you always drive slow and u have no vtec opened before, u opened up ur bonnet and u cry about vtec are never used.. you are dumb.. cause ure driving below 4.5krpm always.. you are really really stupid to have comment like this.
THE SOUND SIGNATURE IS THE ISSUE ON DEFAULT, TUNING IEM BY URSELF FIXES IT. THIS IS WHAT IEM ARE FOR. U WANT PLUG AND PLAY GO WESTONE.
I would open the ien ans check if the drivers are working . For real kz and fake drivers are famous
Not ok
This is what’s so confusing about KZ. They brag about improvements in materials and drivers and all that but they’re still tuned the same. Sure, there are different configurations and combinations but that KZ “house sound” seems like it’ll never change.
With that, I find a couple things questionable: 1. - Do they need to improve the materials and drivers if virtually every IEM is tuned the same? Couldn’t they just make these small adjustments with the current drivers they use? I’m just not sure if updating the drivers make any difference.
And 2. - The marketing hype about improvements to their IEMs is way overblowned - as if this alone will create such a dramatic difference. In theory, it could but it’s pointless if they tune everything the same, more or less.
Seriously, if you count the number of available IEMs from KZ and CCA, it runs over 70 in count. 70! And they are, again, more or less, tuned the same. OK, granted, there are probably “improvements” but the tuning never changes and that’s what’s so obvious about their IEMs.
C’mon KZ/CCA! Why don’t you try something really different? I mean DIFFERENT! Maybe you cab create a TRUE audiophile label. You have a technical knowledge and ability to do that.
I guess KZ is trying.
What iems do you recommend?
Good morning ☕️☕️
1DD and 7 BA’s …the latest incarnation of the ZAS which has OMHO overly bloated / bleeding bass to the point of not even BASSHEADS would find it enjoyable.
Well…they’re improving it …but a hard pass from me …too much of the ZAS DNA in it .
2023 may be the year of maybe one more iem and a better dongle 😋
At the end of the video …..$80 ..get the Aria 😊
Take care Ian ☕️☕️
Why an Aria when the Hexa is available?
@@athenovae or Hex …but try it out if you can..or have a good return policy.😋
Definitely not enough bass. Got truthear zero still not enough base. Halp
@@integralogic ah, you’re in search of a bass cannon 😂
If you’re looking for a bass canon…that still
has a great midrange and a nice sparkling top end…OH10’s are the ticket .
The have a definite place in my IEM’s stable and my heart.
New trash spotted🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Scammer Alert do not reply to telegram
I’m sorry but what’s this got to do with my UA-cam channel?
@@ianfann brother you have someone contacting your subscribers or followers that they won something and from they scam the unsuspecting person so tell me am I doing you a favour or something wrong?
You mean they are pretending to be me? On telegram?