# The Ultra Cheap IEM Thread

**URL:** <https://forum.headphones.com/t/the-ultra-cheap-iem-thread/1963>\
**Category:** General IEM Discussion\
**Tags:** iems\
**Created:** [August 24, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/the-ultra-cheap-iem-thread/1963 "2018-08-24T23:42:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 115

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**Author:** ![pwjazz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/pwjazz/32/35458_2.png) [@pwjazz](https://forum.headphones.com/u/pwjazz)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/the-ultra-cheap-iem-thread/1963/115 "2019-01-09T17:26:30Z")

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A very quick listen to the KZ ZS7 using my favorite Spinfit tips agreed with @Torq’s impressions. Much better sorted treble, lots of bass. If I listen at really low volumes, the bass is about right, and thankfully clarity seems reasonably well preserved elsewhere. I also noticed the crackling on inserting both sides, but once in and sealed I didn’t notice it again until taking them out.

Here are some very quick and dirty measurements on my MiniDSP E.A.R.S. (diffuse field IEM compensation).

 ![zs7%20frequency%20response](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/e/e01919c460633360c416ee753b4548aecf9e4f48.jpeg)

Measurements confirm that bass is very prominent, treble does seem more even than what I would see from my QT2 or the old KZ ZST, channel matching is not great (especially in the bass) and there’s probably a crossover at around 100 Hz which introduces an interesting wiggle in the frequency response. The crossover is visible in the excess group delay too.

 ![zs7%20group%20delay](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/4/4fc6e0542b14f3838d4295862eb2cfdd25bfa2e4.jpeg)

That said, other than the crossover, the excess group delay looks ~~very good~~ okay compared to what I remember of my QT2 or Etymotic HF5. ~~, even at the extremes where things usually go off the rails a bit.~~

Gonna try a 20 Hz filter of -7 dB with Q 0.1 and see how I like that 🙂

EDIT - Measurements were taken using the stock medium tips. Also, I realized that the group delay graph is zoomed to a stupid scale, which makes excess group delay look smaller than it actually is. Doesn’t actually look any better than the QT2.

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