Listening on the go should be fine. When I speak of fatigue I’m talking about the auditory “ear fatigue” that comes from an hour or two of critical listening.
I don’t care for the physical feel of any IEM and these are no better or worse than others in that regard. I usually fit Spinfit tips or memory foam tips.
At your price point I doubt you will find much better
Here’s a sneak peek of the newest IEM from Shozy, the Form 1.1. It’ll be released next week or two for under $99. Pretty nice so far!
It features a Berilliyum-coated dynamic driver and a single BA. The Be-coating is definitely making the biggest impression, as I am finding the resolution to be really nice for this price range and the driver speed is quick and nimble.
The one downside is that the soundstage is quite narrow and doesn’t have a lot of verticality to it. That said, this thing is going to be priced pretty low to start – I’m not allowed to disclose pricing at this time unfortunately. There will be a pre-order special on a couple sites.
I really like the ZSN. There should be a review of mine somewhere in this thread (or in the KZ thread, I forget).
They are not the most detailed IEMs but for general listening (mainly while doing other things, so not focusing on music 100%) I really enjoy them.
I’m afraid I can’t say the same about the ZSN Pro though.
I started to index all KZ iems reviews here: Knowledge Zenith (KZ), CCA, Tripowin and Associated Brands Discussion
Hi all, new to iem’s in general
Been doing a bit of research the past couple of days and Im tossing up between the KZ ZSX, CCA C12 and the TRN V90, just wondering which would suit me best. I’m mainly listening off just a laptop or phone (no DAC/AMP), looking for good isolation and a non-fatiguing, well balanced sound. (also should i be looking for replacement cables for the kz too?)
Thanks in advance!
I own different models from the same companies (KZ AS10, CCA C10, TRN V80). The most comfortable physical shape and relaxing audio comes from the CCA. In general KZ tilts toward a bright, clear, detailed profile that keeps your ears on high boil. My TRN doesn’t isolate well (vented), and is less precise than the CCA.
Don’t bother with replacement cables in this price range.
The ZSX/CCA12 shape is rather large and a little uncomfortable. I just reviewed the ZSX on my blog last night. Will re-post to here soon. I do like how it sounds though for the most part.
The TRN V90 is much more comfortable. It’s a tad bright though, and can be fatiguing to some.
I’d also like to highlight the KB Ear KB06 that @Nimweth reviewed above. I preferred them over the ZS10 Pro and CCA C10s , which are last gen I suppose, they are really light, small, comfortable and sounded the most neutral of the three. The bass was also not overly boomy like the C10s and not too bright like the ZS10 Pros. I got them for $25 on AliExpress.
I am looking forward to trying the ZSX and C12s, though!
The Guide Ray GR-I is dual-driver hybrid featuring a single balanced armature and a single dynamic driver. This IEM comes in a few different colors, each adding a number to the model name. In my case, I received the GR-I18, a purple translucent shell version of the Guide Ray earphone. This was provided to me by Linsoul for a review and can be found on Linsoul’s website or on Amazon.
The IEM comes with a nicely made 2-pin cable with an in-line mic. The one I received was silver colored and tightly wound, but still remaining flexible and easy to handle. The package also contained a series of white silicone tips of various shapes and sizes. All of them were on the smaller side though, which is a bit unusual, but good for me as I tend to use the smaller, if not smallest sized tips.
The overall fit of the IEMs are comfortable with my choice of tips being the Sony Hybrid medium sized tips. I normally wear small tips with most IEMs, but felt these fit the best with a slightly larger size than normal. Isolation was pretty good and there is a small vent hole on the side of the IEM as is the case with most in-ears with a dynamic driver.
The GR-I has a punchy and warmer than neutral bass response and a clear upper-midrange and a slightly exaggerated treble region. This gives the GR-I an overall sound profile somewhere between a V-Shape and a Balanced sound signature. It’s nowhere near what I’d call neutral though.
The bass is well extended and elevated. The GR-I has both rumbling subbass and punchy mid-bass. This is present on a track like Haelos’ “Dust” where the electronic soundscape provides a deep low tone, while the drums pop and my ears feel every beat.
The mid range is a little mixed. The lower mid-range has a nice warm thickness to it due to the extended bass, but the middle of this range does feel a little flat. The Upper midrange does have a rise that helps add energy to female vocals, but doesn’t sound overly forward and this helps create a little bit of space.
Treble is a little scattered. This is mostly due to a large peak around 8KHz. In most songs, I am perfectly fine with it, and it actually helps bring out some exacting details. In other songs, mainly pop songs, this peak can be overly harsh and fatiguing.
With the type of bass boost and treble peaks present on this IEM, I find that listening to this at lower volume works quite well, as it minimizes the possibility of the bass and treble over-taking the song and becoming a little boomy and sharp. When I listen to this louder, I don’t particular like it, and it actually sounds a little lifeless to me.
The GR-I is just one of many new IEMs that have come out recently in this budget-tier bracket, which continues to impress me with surprisingly decent sounding earphones at prices well below previous competition. I haven’t gone through my entire backlog of IEMs that have come out in the late-Summer and early Fall time period we’re in now, but here’s my attempt at some quick comparisons to some of the ones out today:
The ZSX has a more balanced sound, in that the bass is less elevated but is definitely present, and the mids are less recessed and treble more laid back. I find the ZSX to be a very likable sound signature not unlike the Campfire Solaris, but many leagues back on technicalities and resolution. The GR-I does sound more clean in some ways due to the elevated treble and that does give the impression of more resolution and a more airy sound signature.
The TRN V90 is a V-Shaped IEM that I find to be similar to the BL-03 but more balanced since it’s treble region is more elevated and does not let the bass take over. In terms of the V90 and the GR-I though, the V90 has much more elevated bass and a more elevated upper mid-range and treble.
The BLON BL-03 is a bassier Harman-like sound signature that has a similar sharp treble peak at 8KHz as the V90 above and the GR-I. I found the BL-03 bass to be much more present and sometimes overwhelming with it’s punch and rumble and always being there. The BL-03 also does not fit me as well as the GR-I and this is mostly due to the shallower fit of the nozzle. That said, the BL-03 is nearly half the price of the GR-I and presents a good value.
The Guide Ray GR-I series is a nice little addition to the IEM market that has exploded recently out of China. It’s got a likable sound signature that I believe will find a lot of enjoyment from people. I do find that it can be a little overly done in both the bass and treble department, however, listening to it at lower volumes does help compensate for my dislike of big bass and sensitivity to 8K peaks.
The accessories are well supplied, though the box presentation is rather simple, but the fit is nice and works well for lengthy wearing and listening. I generally do like the GR-I and think it’s a good value for its price. There are quite a few other IEMs out on the market today that competes strongly with it, and picking the right one for each individual is really going to be a case-by-case basis. This one should be considered though.
If you are interested, please check out the following links for buying the Guide Ray GR-I.
Hello and welcome @MP123. I have a CCA C12 coming today. I will let you know how I get on with it.
I’ll be waiting too.
Here’s my review of the Shozy Form 1.1 Hybrid, which has a Berrylium-coated PET driver and a single BA. It’s got outstanding resolution and speed at this price point, but is a tad bright. You can easily tone it down with PEQ to more satisfying levels, and so I find it quite a good IEM if either brightness doesnt hurt you or you can EQ.
It’ll be launching on Drop.com this Friday for introductory price of $59, and the be $75 regularly.
Ooh. thanks for pointing those out, those look interesting. I am getting to try the ZSX and C12s soon but my favorite cheap IEM so far have been the T2 Pro. The charts are similar up until the treble peaks.
From what you remember of the T2 Pro, how do these stack up?
easily tone it down, sure if you have a $1k dac/amp like u do + only use Android sp, what about iOS/Mac Os, not much in the way of useful PEQs I could find…head-fi was useless asking 4 that. in your review of the Tin P1, u said this “Luckily, the Apple lightning adapter proved much better results using my iPad Mini 4 as a source.” in the Showzy 1.1, u mentioned with 100db sensitivity the 1.1. is easier to drive than the P1, w/o listed output in mw or any other objective stats on output power needed, just typical reviewer statements on source/devices used…as though we all know the details of those intimately???
Can’t find the link, but I recently read Apple’s $9 adapter outputs ~37mw into 16 or 32ohm? If that is enough to drive the P1, practically any source should be able to drive the 1.1, any smartphone output, 3.5mm or usb-c, lightning port? $59 is a good price, but Drop has listed issues I’ve read about, and they won’t even give me a $20 discount on my 1st order(thx for the $10 referral discount, Drop should have you run their clueless CS dept), bc I didn’t see their email/notification which expired weeks before I logged bck on, since I rarely visit that site. What I would want to know, how well TRN BT20s drives the 1.1 or maybe the FiiO copy…&when is Showzy going to put out a decent true wireless earbud to compete with the big boys?
That’s a problem on iOS.
For Mac OS there are myriad high-quality (professional, studio-grade, n-channel) parametric EQ options - how you use them just depends on what you’re using to play your music back with.
I dont typically list the power requirements for an IEM because its generally not really necessary. They are meant to be portable so they should work with all portable amps and non-portables. It’s only in rare situations like the Campfire Andromeda, which is sensitive to hiss and output impedance, or with the planar like the Tin P1, where power comes into play. Otherwise, I’ll list the sources I use but expect it to “power” fine on all sources.
The Shozy 1.1 doesn’t require a lot of power.
Were you supposed to get a $20 discount? Typically its a $10 first order discount only.
I only have the TRN BT20, and not the improved S version. I sent it off on a loaner tour, so I don’t have it with me, but I imagine it’d power the Shozy just fine. The TRN BT20 does hiss a lot though, so that’d be a concern, but I dont think the Shozy is sensitive to noise like full-BA iems are, but I can’t say for certain as all my sources produce a black background.
If you can’t use PEQ, a drop in the 8kHz by about -5dB will do the trick. I am using that on my DAP which does not have PEQ. I also dropped 200Hz by -3dB.
Hey everyone, I could use some help with my iem dilemma. I’m fairly new at this and bought my first pair the KZ ZS10 Pros. I loved the sound (vocals and guitar are a little bright; other than that they’re perfect sound wise) but I don’t know if it’s the shape of the earphone or ear fatigue ( I use them an hour on my way to work) but my ears hurt pretty bad after that.
So I thought a more traditional shaped earphone would be more comfortable so Linsoul suggested the Tin T2s. Ordered those and…the sound is just not as good as the ZS10 Pros. At least for me. Tin T2s sound clear but maybe that’s the issue, there’s not enough warmth or bass. Again I’m very new at this so sorry if my descriptions are off. There was just nothing about the music experience that wowed me with the T2s.
I don’t want to keep returning headphones back and forth to Amazon so I’m asking for help from experts 
I love the ZS10 Pros. But they’re very uncomfortable to listen to music with. Is there another pair that sounds like them but are more comfortable in the ear like the Tin T2s? Price range is 50-60 and brand doesn’t matter.
Thanks for your help.
Hi and welcome!! I own both IEM you mention in your post. From what I have KZ ZSN is not as good as ZS10 pro and you’ll have same issue with the fatiguing ears. CCA C16 is over your price range and probably too big ( is excellent in sound). KZ ED16 is my other IEM and is awesome for the $16 price, but cable is stiff and ugly.
RevoNext QT5, which I don’t own, has amazing reviews and the reddish color one looks like coming from a post-apocalyptic future. Is also in the $20 range .
Good look !!
The kz zsx has the same sound signature as the zs10 pro but less treble slightly. It’s shape is rather large though.
Does ear fatigue go away with time? it was the first time I’ve used IEMs maybe my ear has to get used to them??
I checked out the RevoNexts, they look very small, I will check out the reviews.
KZ ED16s look really good. Do you know how they sound compared to ZS10PROs?
