The Moondrop SSP carries over almost everything I liked about the Moondrop Super Space Reference (SSR) while making changes in key areas that will make it more appealing to a wider audience. In particular, the SSP’s overall tuning is more universally agreeable than the SSR. The SSP’s biggest remaining flaw is that like the SSR, the SSP struggles with extreme high- and low-end extension.
My full review, with measurements and an in-depth comparison with the Moondrop SSR, is available on my blog:
I like the way you put the bottom line up front: “I’m not a fan”. Excellent!
Seems like this IEM has gotten some initial good reviews and then some more critical feedback more recently, so its polarizing. Shuoer said they are “going back to the drawing board” with their next release and posted a sneak peek fr graph of their EJ07 Pro and it looks more in-line with what I like. That said, they didnt show the scale of the graph so it’s hard to say if its misleading or not. Asked Shuoer for clarification.
I have been evaluating the new CCA CS16. Below is my opinion of it.
CCA CS16
I would like to thank Sunny from Better Audio US who provided this unit for review via Amazon.com at a substantial discount.
The CS16 is the new CCA flagship, replacing the C16. Like the earlier model, it has 8 BAs per side. The BAs used are: 1 x 22955 covering the bass, 1 x 29689 for the midrange, 4 x 31736 for the mid/high region and 2 x 30017 for the high frequencies. A 4-way crossover is employed. This driver complement resembles that of the KZ ASX but with two fewer 30017 BAs. There are no BAs placed in the nozzle.
The earphones come in a sturdy white box with a linen finish, identical to that supplied with the CA16 and the much cheaper C10 Pro. Opening the box the earphones are presented in a cardboard cut-out below a small envelope containing the documentation. Below this is another small box in which there are the spare eartips and the 2-pin cable. There are some specifications printed on the back. For a flagship model at this price this was a little disappointing, but not unexpected. Companies like KBEAR and CVJ offer a much better presentation at a lower price.
The contents comprise:
The faceplates are made from CNC machined aluminium and have a vent in the centre of the lower part with an engraved CCA logo and resemble those on the KZ DQ6. The rest of the body is made from a clear resin through which the BAs and their sound tubes can be seen. The interface is 2 pin, type “C”. The silver plated cable is standard CCA fare, with shielded connectors and a plastic 3.5mm plug. It has a long run from the chunky Y-split and there is no chin slider, so it is prone to tangling.
Testing was performed using an Xduoo X20 DAP and a burn in period of 100 hours was carried out. Adequate volume was achieved with no need for additional amplification. Because of the short nozzles, the stock tips afforded no seal. Consequently there was a lack of bass, so I experimented with various tips, finally settling on Spiral Dots size L, and although the earpieces did protrude somewhat, I obtained a good seal and the bass was restored.
The CS16 proved to be a very bright-sounding earphone, so I changed the cable to a Faaeal Hibiscus copper 4-core type, which added a little much-needed warmth. The CS16 displayed an exciting “edge of the seat” presentation and possessed a notable immediacy with fast transients. Bass was clean, detailed and snappy with good weight in the sub-bass. Mid bass was dialled back a bit and there was no bass bleed. Mids were forward, with the lower region warmer than the upper mids which were brighter. There was an emphasis in the upper mids through to the lower treble which occasionally displayed a sharp tonality but this was improved after burn in but some extra brightness did remain. Treble was also bright but very detailed. Staging, separation and layering benefited from the high levels of detail on offer. Overall the character could be described as analytical.
Bass
The bass, as befits a BA driver, had great speed and resolution with high levels of detail with the tonality clean and on the cool side of neutral. Mid bass was linear without bleed.
Phamie Gow’s “Regreso a Chile” from her album "Road of the Loving Heart " begins with deep bass notes which were reproduced with a clean transient attack and the decay and harmonic overtones clearly discernible. This provided a solid foundation for the attractive melody and created a believable natural acoustic. However, a little more warmth would have been welcome here.
The doleful tread of the basses in the introduction to Holst’s “Saturn” were very clearly presented and the atmosphere of the piece was beautifully conveyed in the performance by the Vienna Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan’s baton. Near the conclusion the basses are joined by deep organ tones and the effect was magical with the accents of tubular bells and harp adding to the experience.
“Freefall” is the latest album by New Zealand based synthesiser artist Andrew Forrest. Part 1 features a deep bass drone forming a basis for electronic effects, Gregorian style chants and smooth synth patches, all combining to produce a hypnotic sound tableau. The CS16 did not disappoint here with plenty of weight and depth in the sub bass and excellent texture.
Mids
The mids displayed a similar cool quality to the bass but were very transparent and immediate with little recession. Timbre was a little sharp sometimes and became brighter with rising frequency.
Julian Byzantine’s exciting reading of Lauro’s “Vals Venezolano No. 3” came over impressively with the rhythmic qualities nicely portrayed, the timbre of the guitar crisp and clear and the fingering in the more rapid passages well defined with each note clearly audible.
Similarly in the slow movement of Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2, the counterpoint and interplay between the instruments was nicely done. Towards the conclusion of the movement the cello plays pizzicato, the viola plays tremelando and the two violins present the melody. This passage had a particularly authentic feeling of a live performance and was crisply reproduced. There was a little extra brightness in the upper region which did result in a cool timbre in the violins which was, perhaps, not wholly natural.
In 1989, Chris Stonor and Patrick Wilson, recording under the name L’Esprit, produced a beautiful album of relaxation music called “Language of Touch”. “Ripples” features harp and acoustic guitar, accompanied by water sounds. A gentle flute solo plays high in the centre of the image, blending beautifully with the other instruments on the left and right. The whole piece was perfectly depicted by the CS16, whose bright character revealed plenty of detail and clarity and produced the desired calming effect.
Treble
The CS16’s treble was very bright with excellent levels of detail. There was an emphasis in the lower region and another noticeable peak higher up but extension was very good. The tonality was clean and cool with a precise, analytical quality but occasionally sounded a little artificial with acoustic instruments. Electronic music, on the other hand, was enhanced by the quick transients.
“Exo Genesis” from Vangelis’s “Rosetta” begins with fragmented arpeggios and percussion. The metallic sheen of the cymbals and the sparkling electronic effects were startlingly clear. Gradually a powerful anthemic melody emerges, accompanied by deep bass drums with the treble retaining its focus and clarity throughout. This was ideal material for the CS16.
Leonard Bernstein’s wonderful interpretation of Barber’s “Adagio” with the New York Philharmonic was, once again, clearly reproduced. The high violin notes in the climax came over with an ethereal quality and although flirting with harshness at times, the sense of individual instruments playing together was preserved. The atmosphere of the recording venue was nicely portrayed.
The delicate brush work in Bach’s “Air on a G string” by Jacques Loussier had an airy quality which contrasted well with the incisive piano runs in which each note was precisely defined and even in the most dynamic passages accompanied by the double bass, the percussion was still audible.
Soundstage
The soundstage possessed good width and average height but the depth varied depending on the material played. Simpler pieces fared better, as during more powerful and complex recordings or at higher volume, the generally forward nature of the mids and treble tended to flatten the perspective. Imaging, separation and layering, however, benefited from the high level of detail and resolution.
The title track from Richard Burmer’s “Bhakti Point” begins with a synth background and shimmering percussive elements. Soon, powerful drums and percussion enter the scene and these fill each side of the image as a melodic Emulator theme occupies the centre and staccato woodwind samples dance across the stage. The separation and stereo imaging was superbly defined and clear, enabling the details of the production to be appreciated. The whole piece was very effective.
John Foulds’s “Keltic Lament” begins with solo cello and harp accompaniment and the CS16 reproduced this in a very natural way. Later the theme is taken up by full orchestra and in the more powerful passages the tonality became a little hard-edged and the depth of the image was reduced. The ambience of the hall in the performance by the CBSO under Sakari Oramo could have been more spaciously presented as there was a sense of compression in the image.
Daniel Hope and Simon Mulligan’s lovely performance of Arvo Part’s “Spiegel Im Spiegel” was much more to the CS16’s liking. The two instruments were realistically displayed in a spacious acoustic and the concentrated atmosphere of the piece was beautifully realised with the contrasting timbres of the piano and violin dovetailing in a most attractive way, enabling the playing of the musicians to be fully appreciated.
Comparisons
I have restricted my comparisons here to multi-BA designs, although the closest IEM in sound to the CS16 in my collection is the TRN VX (1DD + 6BA). As detailed above, the CS16 is a bright, fast and clean-sounding unit with impressive levels of detail and clean punchy bass.
KZ’s BA10 (5 BA) is a little long in the tooth now but holds its own, even with the latest offerings. It has a warmer character than the CS16 and although using the same 22955 unit the bass has a more natural timbre reminiscent of a DD driver. Sub bass is satisfyingly deep and there is a little more mid bass giving some warmth to the mids. Mids sound more natural than the CS16, but perhaps with a little less urgency. Treble is less sharp and nicely profiled but still has good extension.
CCA’s original C16 also sounds a little more conservative with a more balanced character. Bass lies somewhere between that of the CS16 and BA10 with some of the former’s immediacy but more output in the mid bass. Mids are forward but less bright than the CS16 and the treble is not dissimilar, but it does not flirt with harshness so much.
TRN’s BA5 is a more neutral sounding earphone and in comparison to the others is perhaps a little subdued or “safe”. Bass is warm and capable of surprising depth. Mids are not too recessed and this makes the sound a bit more easy going. The treble, despite the use of three 30095s is surprisingly smooth without harsh peaks. As a result, the BA5 is a good IEM for long term listening.
Conclusion
The CS16 is a worthy successor to the C16, although possessing a different sound profile. Unashamedly bright and energetic in nature, it majors on detail, speed and impact. This could result in fatigue but it just manages to avoid this by dint of its exciting and dynamic presentation which encourages further listening. Timbre is not wholly natural, being cool and crisp due to reduced mid bass and bright extended treble and consequently electronic music fared better than classical or acoustic tracks. It is very tip sensitive and because of the bulky earpieces, getting a good fit with deep insertion is crucial. The forward mids and brightness in stock form can be tamed somewhat with suitable tips and a change of cable. The CS16 is fairly expensive and there is plenty of choice in its price sector offering a warmer or more balanced sound quality and better accessories. However, if excitement, detail and clarity is your thing, this could be the one for you and I would think that it would make a good monitoring set for stage work.
It’s been a while since I have read one of your reviews, thanks for sharing!
Another really great review @Nimweth. I enjoyed reading it as I always do with your reviews.
I’d like to make a contribution to this thread with sharing impressions of the Shozy Black Hole with you.
Shozy Black Hole Review
Intro
Black Hole (BH) is the latest in-ear monitor from Shozy. This rather unusual earphone was co-engineered with KOOK™ Electro-Acoustic Engineering Lab (USA). It features a single 10mm dynamic driver, has a semi-open-back design and comes in at $799.
Shozy call it their most advanced In-ear design to date (Q4/2020) and have put a lot of effort and research into creating this unique IEM. Apparently they spent 2 years with tuning and re-shaping to achieve a sound signature and stage unknown for a single-driver earphone to date. We’ll put this to the test in the following review.
Specifications
Single dynamic driver earphone:
Disclaimer
My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. I paid for the tested product, it was not given for free. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.
Review gear
Music selection/Testing playlist
Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.
Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Wonderboy
Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can’t Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero
Channel separation
Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Kielbasa
NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.
Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.
Tenacious D - Tenacious D live - Rise of the Fenix
Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives
Dynamics, bass, subbass
The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is quite plain and simple: You get a small metallic-gray cardboard box where you find the IMEs and cable inside a gray fabric carrying case.
Only other accessories are a bunch of different eartips. That’s about it. I like the fact that this package is small and thus maybe a bit more environmentally friendly. But for an asking price of 799 $, there could be a bit more in terms of a higher quality packaging and maybe a nicer case that just matches the BH’s quality and price a bit more. However, if Shozy decided to put all the money into the sound rather than accessories, I’m fine with it. We will find out.
Build quality & Fit
IEMs
Build quality of the Black Hole is very good indeed. The finish is pretty much perfect and the 2-pin connectors of the cable “snap” into the slightly recessed sockets of the IEMs with a little click. Really nice!
Since the Black Hole has a semi-open-back design, the looks are rather unusual with big holes on the back of the earphones. That’s of course a matter of personal taste. I personally love the bold and - to my eyes - beautiful futuristic design of the BHs.
The Black Hole are rather big in-ears, so they will not fit smaller ears. In fact, I wanted to give a pair to my wife as a gift since she loved the looks, but unfortunately, they were just too big for her ears. For my medium sized ears they fit just fine.
With the included ear tips, I don’t get a very good seal, but that’s not the point here since we’re basically dealing with open-back earphones leaking music out and environmental noise in. This is of course intentional and part of the design. Still, when experimenting with different tips, I managed to get a rather good seal with Flare Audio’s Audiophile Earfoams that I use on most of my in-ear monitors (IEMs).
Cable
The build quality of the stock cable is very good indeed with good flexibility and low cable noise. I do not love the looks too much though. The strands are 3-colored: silver, gold and copper which, in my opinion, makes for a rather flashy cable. The connectors, y-split and plug are polished metal (chrome?) and have some kind of little “bumps” on them. The whole cable looks quite unique for sure and certainly is an acquired taste.
There is another thing though that bothers me a bit more concerning the usability of the cable: While there is a small blue dot on one side of the 2-pin connectors to indicate the direction in which the cable should be plugged into the IEM, there is no such indication on the IME itself. Less experienced people might attach the cable the wrong way, resulting in possible damage to the electronics or at least a bad sound quality. However, apart from the unique design, you get a very good cable.
Edit* One last thing about the cable: The BH’s cable comes standard with 3.5mm trs plug termination. On my special request, Shozy kindly provided me with 2.5mm trrs termination, because I always use balanced output. The option to choose from the most standard connections should be standard in my opinion. (Campfire Audio does the same and their balanced cables start a 149$, so this adds to the price should you want a balanced output.) I gave that feedback to Shozy and I hope they will think about that.
Sound
Now do the Black Holes make up in sound for what they lack in accessories? They do!
Overall tonality
The Shozy Black Hole provides a very full, immersive sound with a sound stage that might match some full-size headphones. The timbre is more on the musical slightly warmer side than being absolutely neutral. I would not call the BH a “warm” IEM though. I did not do measurements but Shozy confirmed a slight W-shaped signature.
Treble & Detail
Acoustic- and electric guitars are represented in vast detail and it is a joy to listen to acoustic/unplugged music on those beauties. Treble is pronounced but at the same time silky smooth and as to this point, I could not make out any sibilance. Overall, details and nuances are rendered incredibly well not only for a single dynamic driver, but for an IEM in general. Try Andreas Vollenweider’s “Enchanted Rocks” from his “Vox” album and you will know what I mean. Literally, rocks are grated against each other and it feels like someone’s doing that in front of you. Wow! Be aware though that this can make for an intense listening experience and after a while it could be almost too much.
Midrange
Voices are slightly pronounced but never overwhelming in a way that the rest of the band/orchestra would fall behind. I consider the rest of the midrange to be rather neutral and pleasant. Nothing is missing, nothing is overdone.
Bass/Sub-bass
Bass is tight and punchy with a nice sub-bass extension. All in all you get a very nice foundation for the rest of the frequency spectrum. It is worth mentioning that the Black Hole’s bass capabilities largely depend on the source used. When switching from A&K SP1000m to Cayin N6II or N8, the bass/sub-bass presence increased noticeably.
The BHs are not bass monsters like Empire Ears Hero or Legend X that feature specialized subwoofers. They only have 1 driver to do it all. With that in mind, they do a good job in the bass department.
Soundstage
One highlight of the Black Hole is certainly the soundstage: Big and 3-dimensional. It feels like the sound “embraces” the listener. This might be a property of that special “semi-open-back” design, but I can’t tell. It sure is impressive what can be done with a single driver in this particular configuration!
Channel separation
This is another area where the Black Hole excels. Channel separation is very very good and on par with much more expensive in-ears. What more is there to say?
Neutrality
This is certainly not a neutral IEM with its W-shaped tuning. But it’s also not very colored. It depends a lot on the source you’re using too. Like in the review of EE Hero i’d rather describe it as “well balanced” with a nice dose of fun.
Amplification/Matchability/Scalability
The BH surprised me right out of the box with a very full, immersive and relaxed sound on my AK SP1000M DAP. The real shock came when paring the BHs with my Cayin N6II/E02 DAP. Everything just went bigger: More bass, bigger soundstage, simply a more emotional performance overall. I figure the Black Hole IEMs need enough power and might very well profit from a more “musical” source rather than a neutral one like my SP1000M.
Comparisons
Shozy & AAW Pola39 (950,-US$)
The Pola39 remains Shozy’s most expensive offering to date and features multiple drivers including an electrostatic driver for the high frequencies. It features a classic but beautiful resin-made body with a beautiful faceplate.
Despite the Pola39’s use of an electrostatic driver, the treble is much less pronounced than on the Black Hole. It’s a lot smoother with the details being there too but less obvious. The Pola may be the more relaxed experience for long listens, on the other hand, the Black Hole is a bit more engaging and fun.
The midrange representation is, to my ears, quite similar with voices maybe a little less pronounced on the Pola39.
Bass seems less tight on the Pola39 with more sub-bass extension in comparison to the Black Hole. This gives the impression of a slightly warmer and fuller sound on the Pola39. The differences are subtle and more in terms of tonality than total amount of bass.
Separation is very good on both IEMs but soundstage wise, Black Hole grabs the crown due to it’s semi-open-back design.
I have to mention the packaging & accessories here, since the Pola39 came with the most luxurious packaging and accessories of all IEMs I have ever owned. The unpacking experience for me is still unmatched: You get a blue leather box with everything in it and the IEMs sit in a handcrafted wooden case inside. Amazing!
Compare this to the Black Hole and you will be disappointed. But in the end, what should count is the sound, right?
I think both IEMs are very good for their price and ultimately, it comes down to preference which one you might prefer.
Verdict
I have spent quite some time now with the Black Hole and come away impressed.
The amount of detail and soundstage rendered are phantastic. Apart from the looks of the cable (personal taste!) and the issue of possibly connecting the cable the wrong way, this is a clear winner and should be a no-brainer for many people.
800$ is a lot of money to spend on an IEM, no question. But what you get is flagship-level sound with a very unique design that competes with earphones well above its price. In combination with a warmer, more musical source like the X`Cayin N6II, they punch way above their price. Well done, Shozy!
Pros
Cons
*Update: Shozy is offering Black Hole with the option of 4.4mm balanced now.
Very pretty looking IEM with great photos. I just am not sure where a single 10mm DD headphone gets an asking price around 8 C-notes. Not that I have a real problem with a single 10mm DD IEM - the Sennheiser IE-40 Pro at about $99 have a similar configuration, but not the fancy build. It would be nice to see a shoot-out of the 5 to 10 current IEMS with this configuration at anything above ultra-cheap price points.
I guess the fiercest competition might come from just below with the Dunu Zen.
Thanks for the excellent review, and taking one for the team by buying it yourself.
Indeed a comparison would be interesting!
As to the price, for me the resulting sound quality is the main factor, not the number of drivers.
I think more is not necessarily better. The BH sounds better like other IEMs in the same price range, even above. So would you prefer an model with say 8 drivers for the same price just because it has more drivers?
Also, there are way more expensive single DD IEMs out there, for instance 
Thank you. I am very happy that I bought them, actually. 
Excellent review Tom. Just to add to your point on the Cayiin N6ii sounding better from the A & K regarding soundstage and bass. I wholeheartedly agree whenever I swap from my Pioneer XDP-300r over to the Cayiin N6ii there’s a remarkable change in sound quality. This applies to whatever Iem I put with it.
Here is the second review of two recently acquired IEMs from Better Audio, the KBEAR Believe.
This unit was supplied for review by Sunny at Better Audio US via Amazon.com at a substantial discount.
Product link:
The KBEAR Believe is KBEAR’s flagship IEM featuring a dynamic driver with a 9mm pure beryllium diaphragm and a powerful N52 Neodymium magnet.
It resembles the earlier Diamond closely and is very well made, being crafted from CNC machined aluminium and finished in black with a carbon fibre faceplate. Apparently this is formed from volcanic ash! Behind this there is an iridescent blue colour with a holographic effect and in the centre there is a silver KBEAR logo. There is a glossy clear resin surface. The gold-coloured nozzles are of high quality with a silver grille. There is a small pinhole vent at the base of the nozzle and another on the side of the earpiece adjacent to the channel identification.
The earpieces are smoothly contoured and have a bit of heft to them, but are very comfortable. The interface is 2 pin and the supplied cable is also of very high quality, being a 6N single crystal copper type with a loose 4-core braid. It is very supple and fits very well over the ear. The plug, Y-split and chin slider are all metal with a black carbon fibre finish and silver end caps. The chin slider is a clear plastic sphere. The build quality is exemplary.
The packaging is also impressive, being sumptuous and comprehensive. A colour printed slip case with an image of the IEMs covers a black rectangular box with a gold KBEAR logo. Inside you will find:
The IEMs were used with the stock cable. I initially used the large grey wide bore tips, and afterwards the dark grey/blue tips with a yellow bore. After some experimentation I ended up using some large KZ Starline tips which resulted in an improved fit and seal and produced a better bass response. A 100 hour burn-in period was carried out. The source was an Xduoo X20 DAP and I found that I needed to use an amplifier to obtain the best results so pressed my Fiio A5 into service.
The immediate impression was “natural and effortless”. The timbre was authentic and the overall profile was neutral with a gentle U shape. The bass was nicely judged and well-textured with the focus between the sub- and mid-bass. The mids were neutral and transparent and the treble was very smooth and silky-textured with good extension which lent a very natural tone to strings. Once the tips had been replaced, the staging improved with good extent in all three dimensions and layering and imaging being of high quality.
Bass
Once I had found the correct tips, the bass was just about perfect with zero distortion, exceptional clarity and transient response. Sub bass could perhaps have been a little deeper. Timbre was absolutely natural and possessed superb weight and extension. Bleed was totally absent. The mild mid bass emphasis imparted an attractive bloom to the area without adding colouration.
My first port of call was Roy Harris, Symphony No. 6, second movement. The amazing recording by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under Keith Clark really came to life with the Believe. After an anguished and tortured melody in the brass, percussion joins, at first the timpani and then bass drum, gradually becoming more intense. A mocking passage with syncopated accompaniment follows, reminiscent of Bliss’s score from “Things to Come”. The bass drum becomes more extreme and all hell is let loose in a brutal conclusion with astonishing power and impact. The Believe took all this in its stride with superb depth and realism with the final bass drum strike incredibly clean and powerful.
Jonn Serrie’s “Le Tresor” from the “Midsummer Century” album features an acoustic guitar solo playing over synth washes and electronic effects with a deep sub bass foundation. The bass retained its musicality without dominating the presentation and the overall feel was lush, warm and inviting, although sub bass was a little lighter than ideal.
The deep bass elements in “Tubular World” from Mike Oldfield’s “Songs of Distant Earth” were conveyed with depth and power and a real sense of weight. The delicate electronic effects remained clear and distinct even during the most dynamic passages.
Mids
The midrange was neutral with an attractive natural warmth and timbre yet retained excellent transient qualities and a notable transparency.
The first movement of Holst’s “Japanese Suite” features a solo bassoon quoting the principal melody. The natural timbre was striking and imaging here was very believable. The melody is then taken by the strings and full orchestra and a wonderful atmosphere was created in this beautiful Lyrita recording with the LPO under Adrian Boult. The sense of being in the hall was palpable.
Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins’s entertaining version of “I’ll see you in my dreams” had such an infectious rhythmic quality that it was impossible for me not to tap my feet! There was a real ‘live’ feeling here with Atkins’s electric guitar blending and contrasting perfectly with Knopler’s acoustic solos reminiscent of Django Reinhardt, and the bass and percussion driving the piece along with verve and enthusiasm.
Vocals shone with excellent projection. “For You” by Judie Tzuke was very clearly reproduced with her voice distinct above the clearly enunciated multi-tracked backing vocals. The string quartet instrumental in the bridge was beautifully realised, showcasing all the qualities of Lem Lubin’s superb production.
Treble
The treble was clean, pure and highly detailed with excellent extension and resolution, the finest nuances not escaping the Believe’s attention.
“The Glass Hall” is a track from “White Winds”, the third album by maestro of the electric harp, Andreas Vollenweider. It begins with delicate crystalline sounds spread across the stage. These were amazingly precise and clear on the Believe. A woodwind solo begins, followed by the harp and percussion. Every tiny subtle detail was captured in the complex and intricate production and the whole blended together in a most satisfying and musical way.
Charles Ives’s remarkable work, “The Unanswered Question” was perfect material to demonstrate the superb treble performance of the Believe. Underscored by a serene string accompaniment and strident trumpet solos, the aggressive woodwind tone clusters cut through the orchestration in a striking and incisive fashion with each instrument separately discernible yet combining perfectly to produce the required disturbing atonal chordal effect. The performance by the NYPO under Leonard Bernstein is a modern classic and the Believe’s rendition really highlighted why this is so.
The clean and immediate reproduction of Joe Morello’s amazing drum and percussion work in Dave Brubeck’s seminal “Take Five” was another example of the Believe’s treble quality. Cymbals shimmered and decayed very naturally and the timbre of the various drums was totally authentic. The rhythmic integrity of the piece’s unusual time signature was realistically conveyed.
Soundstage
There was a very expansive stage with good dimensions. Imaging was clear and precise with separation and layering first class.
The Believe’s portrayal of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in a classic recording by the Saar Chamber Orchestra conducted by Karl Ristenpart was remarkable. So clear and detailed was the sound that it was amazing to think that this dated from 1960! Solo violin soared above the string accompaniment and lively bass line while the harpsichord continuo remained clear and well defined within the resonant acoustic. Each element was easy to follow and it all gelled into a most satisfying musical performance.
The spatial quality in “The Dawning” from “Vision Seeker” by new age artist Shayla was very expansive with the Believe revealing the choral elements which formed a huge three-dimensional stage for the sparkling piano lead which was clearly placed in the high centre of the image. Separation and clarity were the watchwords here with the open and airy nature of the atmosphere adding to the effect.
In the introduction to “Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart, solo piano is on the left and the percussion and guitar occupies the right channel. Soon the vocals appear, in the centre with the studio reverb endowing them with a sense of space and highlighting their position in the stage. Peter White’s wonderful acoustic guitar solo and the ensuing sax cameo both impressed with their naturalness and realism.
Comparisons
TRI i3 (1 DD + Planar + BA)
The i3 has a big bold ‘cinematic’ sound with a much deeper sub-bass and a warmer mid bass. Mids are wonderfully neutral and smoothly detailed courtesy of the planar driver with its superb resolution. Treble is more reserved and less prominent but still possesses good levels of detail. Timbre is very natural and there is a notable musical quality. Soundstage is particularly good being very expansive in all three dimensions. Like the Believe, an amplifier is mandatory to achieve the best reproduction.
TRI Starsea (1DD + 2BA).
With its four different sound profiles, ranging from bright and neutral to balanced and V shaped, all of which are excellent in their own way, it is like getting four high quality IEMs for the price of one. The Starsea is particularly good with classical music and the various switch options add versatility, adapting it well to different styles of music, offering the chance to choose the appropriate setting for a particular genre. Its proprietary drivers are perfectly integrated and the transitions are seamless. The silicon bass unit provides a fast and detailed sound and their own TRI-Hi-A BA treble unit the best I have heard so far with impressive extension and clarity.
KBEAR Diamond (Single DLC DD)
The Diamond has a very natural tonality with a prominent mid-bass and can occasionally be over-warm. It has an authentic and accurate timbre and tonality, good detail and an attractive musicality but the midrange is a little recessed. The Believe improves on it in all areas, especially in mid presence, treble extension and soundstage.
Tin Hi-fi T4 ( Single CNT DD)
The T4 has a solid bass foundation, a transparent and expressive midrange displaying good presence and a clear, extended treble. It has a largely neutral/bright presentation as expected from Tin Hifi, and the bass is well extended but linear in nature, so bassheads may want to look elsewhere. The midrange and treble are very refined and detail retrieval is very high. Soundstage is a particularly good feature, with width, height and depth all above average in dimension, and layering, separation and positioning all top class. The only caveat is the quality control regarding the MMCX connection which has suffered from problems.
Conclusion
IEMs with a pure Beryllium diaphragm normally retail at a much higher price. The implementation here has really paid off, with the Believe displaying a dynamic, warm/neutral profile with superb transparency, rhythmic ability and detail retrieval. The only minor criticism would be that I would have liked just a bit more sub bass presence.
KBEAR/TRI has emerged as one of the premier brands with recent successes like the Diamond, Lark, i3 and Starsea, and this has continued with the Believe which I feel is their finest product so far. It is tip sensitive, so experimentation may be required to find the best suited to your ear anatomy. It also does need additional amplification to give of its best, when it will reward the listener with a high quality sound commensurate with a much more expensive price tag. Very well made, beautifully presented and with superb sound, the Believe represents outstanding value. It recommends itself and cements KBEAR’s rising reputation in the earphone market.
No, I’m not asking for more drivers. I tend to like single-driver IEMs as they seem to produce a more coherent sound. My favorite IEM is not a DD, but the single driver LCDi3 from Audeze. I don’t buy many IEMs nor TOTL, Headphones.com and a great open box deal.
In addition to the Senn, I have Kanas Pro which is also a 10mm single driver, and which I also like. For phone use, I have the 1More Triple driver, which is great for its purpose and sounds pretty good but is not a go to music IEM for me.
Happy Birthday @prfallon69 !
I’m surprised at how much can be done with the single driver IEM’s. Doing more with less VS Mo’ Betta.
Mark Gosdin
Still getting through my IEM review backlog! Here’s the LZ A7 review. It’s gotten quite a bit of acclaim over at Head-Fi surprisingly.
Today we’re going to take a look at the LZ A7, a $338 IEM with a rather exotic 1 DD + 4 BA + 2 piezoelectric driver configuration. Though I have seen it go for $280 on sale at (Mass)Drop. What’s unique about the LZ A7 is that it comes with 5 sets of tuning filters in addition to the tuning switch on the IEM itself. This means the LZ A7 has a staggering total of 10 different tunings! That said, this isn’t the first time that LZ has made IEMs with tuning filters. I remember demoing to the LZ A4 a few years ago and wasn’t impressed with it. How will the A7 fare with a few iterations under its belt?
Disclaimer: The LZ A7 was provided to me by Linsoul in exchange for this honest review. I am not or will be compensated in any other way.
Interestingly, the LZ A7’s box is wooden. Though its clearly a cheapish box, big props to LZ for going the extra mile. Nestled inside in the foam is the LZ A7 itself and a circular carrying case. Inside the case is the MMCX cable, tuning filters, a tuning tool that looks like a SIM card ejector, and 3 unique sets of S, M, L tips for ta total of 9 pairs of tips. One is the whirlwind tips, one is the super generic silicon tips, and the last is a set of weird gummy, rubbery tips. I find that each type seals differently in my ear and settled on the gummy ones. YMMV. The cable is quite good. It’s soft, pliable, no cable memory, and little cable noise. You definitely won’t be needing an aftermarket cable for this.
The fit on the LZ A7 is excellent. It adopts that Shure shell that makes it quite comfortable in the ear. Isolation is alright. The LZ A7 is actually a vented IEM in the same vein as the Shuoer Tapes. Thus, it doesn’t isolate very well but I think its good enough. The body of the IEM has a little dip switch that says POP on one end and MONITOR on the other for tuning, giving two variations per filter set. There is a little text box on the shell that says LZ HIFI AUDIO that I don’t think was necessary and just makes it look crowded. The tuning filters (i.e. nozzle) is surprisingly long allowing for a pretty good fit and has a substantial lip that keeps tips very secure on there. To swap filters, you screw them on. The black one is stock.
I must say, with 10 different tunings, there’s a lot going on with the LZ A7. Let me go through the stock tuning as a baseline before tackling to other wacky tunings you can play around with on the A7.
The stock setting for the A7 is the black filter on Pop mode. It’s V-shaped and with plenty of vocal forwardness. Bass quantity isn’t at basshead levels but is more than enough to give a meaty low end and satisfy most people who want to a filled in bass. The A7 has a minor hump right at the 30 Hz mark that consistently brings rumble to the table. However, at those lowest registers, the bass starts to lose a bit of control and definition is lost. Bass quality is actually pretty good. It’s leans on the boomy side of things but is tight enough to handle most of what I throw at it without much loss of definition. No real complaints here; the DD is about as competent as I would expect for something in this price range. I quite like it; it’s a fun bass that isn’t of sterile. Surprisingly, there isn’t really much bass bloat though there is a bit of mud right at the bass-lower mids transition. While you might say the bass bleeds into the mids from the graph, I think of it more as a counterweight to the upper mids. With how much upper mids the A7 has, this bit of low mids is sorely needed. I don’t find it overly strident though any more would really be pushing it. Timbre is fine for a V-shape but tone is absolutely on the thin side. I don’t hear any sibilance or harshness. The treble dip right after the 4 kHz mark tames some lower treble fatigue. Despite this, cymbals have a softened splashiness to them that’s followed by an abrupt decay. Treble clarity and timbre suffers at times thanks to this awkward combination of splashiness without supporting upper harmonics. I’m not too sure what’s causing this but I’d like to attribute it to the piezo driver.
On the Monitor setting, the A7 becomes a much more balanced sounding IEM. The mids are immediately restored. The bass is made relatively less elevated, cleaning up the slight muddiness in the lower mids without sacrificing the meatiness and oomph in the low end. Nuance in bass notes shine through more easily. The treble is a touch brighter and brings some clarity along with it but is overall still recessed. Vocals are also better balanced, sounding less shouty and definitely a lot less thin. I’d say its a rather well tuned IEM on this setting, with a neutral or balanced frequency response. The pinna gain centered around 2 kHz might not seem ideal but it isn’t an issue thanks to the upper mids being sustained till 4 kHz. The A7 on the black filter is an IEM that prioritizes vocals first followed by a filled low end presence.
There’s plenty of horizontal soundstage, likely due to the venting of the IEM, but the A7 lacks depth and height. I’d say resolution is actually pretty good for the price, though the lack of treble clarity does hurt it in the upper harmonics. Overall, technical performance is good. It might not be on par with something like the venerable Moondrop Blessing 2, but I want to say that it’s a small step up from the Thieaudio Legacy 5.
Looking at the Pop vs. Monitor comparison graph, the Pop setting brings a dip in the mids that results in a more V-shaped sound. The biggest effect is that it makes the IEM bassier while making the vocals sound thinner. I find that if you listen to either the Pop for an hour or so to let your brain “burn in”, you don’t really notice the mid dip. But if reverse that and listen to the Monitor for some time then switch to Pop, the vocal thinness really sticks out. On all filters, I enjoyed the Monitor mode more for fuller vocals but YMMV.
The filters themselves follow the order: Red > Gold > Black > Blue > Silver in terms of how much of the actual filter is present in the nozzle. That is to say, how much dampening there is. For example, you can practically see right through the dampening screen in the blue filter while the red filter has a much tighter wall of tuning mesh.
The silver filter’s mesh has much larger holes compared to the finer mesh of the red filter.
The Red filter is the bassiest with the least amount of upper mids. I don’t think the Pop mode on this is good. Bass is muddy and bloated without upper mid clarity to salvage it. Monitor mode is much better and I would actually have liked it the most in theory since it has the most moderate amount of upper mids. However, I found that the red filter makes the A7 sound low res compared to the black and gold filters. So I opted to stick with the other two. Though I do think some may like the Red filter on Pop despite the trade-off in technical performance.
The Gold filter is very similar to the black filter but lowers the upper mid elevation by a good 2-3 dB for more mellow vocals. There’s still plenty of vocal presence, just not as much as black. I do think the bass quality tightens up a bit too with the gold filter. It feels more controlled overall, even if its just a little more than the black filter. The tradeoff however is that the treble feels more recessed. The initial attack of the hats and cymbals are dampened and notes quickly fizzle out. For less complex tracks with prominent treble notes this isn’t an issue. But in your typical rock tracks where the hats and cymbals play in the background, they basically get buried. The splashiness of the black filter is curbed. The Pop filter made the mids too thin for my liking so I kept it on the Monitor setting. I would definitely recommend you go for this filter if you’re looking for a more balanced sound but keep in mind the treble tradeoff.
Comparing all three filters, you can really see how they differ.
The Blue filter takes things up a notch. There’s even more upper mid elevation and the bass is tamed down. With the blue filter, you’ll definitely have to turn down the volume compared to the the red, gold, and black filters to volume match the vocals. I really wouldn’t go to the Pop mode here as vocal thinness borders on excessive. On the Monitor setting, vocals are lean and very, very forward. Bass presence is still good however, with more a neutral elevation versus the bassier, fun feeling in previous filters. Treble is really brought to life with this filter. The awkwardness of the treble in the black filter is mostly resolved here. Note decay is still on the short side but tone is definitely more realistic. Technical performance seems more refined on the blue filter as well, though this may be just due to the tuning. If you want a more neutral-bright tuning, the blue filter is it. It’s just a question if you can stomach really forward vocals. I can for a while before it starts to feel tiring so it’s definitely something to watch out for.
The Silver filter is actually rather similar to the blue filter except the treble is now in the realm of exaggeration and timbre starts to suffer once again. It doesn’t really have any advantages over the blue filter so I don’t really see a point to this one.
Ehhh. At an MSRP of $338, it’s getting pretty expensive especially when something like the Moondrop Blessing 2 exists. At a sale price of $280, it’s a bit more reasonable. Personally, I think it’s worth it at the $250 mark as that’s in a different price class altogether. All that being said, the LZ A7 does bring to the table some strong points. The fit and comfort is excellent. Soundstage is pretty wide. Resolution is surprisingly competent. It has a fun sounding bass that isn’t sterile. Tuning filters to fit your tastes.
Yet it is those same tuning filters that end up hindering the A7 too. None of these filters end up feeling “just right”. I found that I pretty much only stuck with the Monitor mode. The silver filter doesn’t any much sense and the red filter felt like a step down. Altogether the blue, gold, and black filters have a sound quality that I liked but split up, it felt like I was making a small compromise here or there. Ideally, I would blend the bass of the gold and black, take the mids of the gold, and the treble of the blue. Sadly, that isn’t possible.
At the end of the day, I think the LZ A7 is a decent IEM with a few unique features that may sway someone to buy it. While it is definitely a step up from the A4 I heard years ago, going purely by “objective” performance, it does falter in the price class it competes in. Yet as audio is a game of compromises, the A7 stands as a reasonable second or third choice.
Wonderful and meticulous review! Thanks.
No idea how you guys do measurements though… 
Excellent review @Fc-Construct, full of detail and it really gives me a sense of what it might be like to try. Thanks.
Question : Is anyone interested in a review tour of Shozy Black Hole? I might be able to organize something.
I own several of their products and am quite happy with them. So no harm done in asking, right?
Thank you. I think A&k are great too, tbh. I love their design and the user experience and usability of their devices is very good too.
I think they have a rather different sound signature then say Cayin in that they are a bit more on the lean/neutral side. I owned 3 of their devices and the basic signature seemed similar.
