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Vivos are more linear, KZs are bassier. Vivos are smaller and much more comfortable. KZs have better low-end extension, Vivos have better upper-end extension (at least as far as I can hear) KZ has an edge in clarity and detail. KZs are easier to drive. KZs are more "out of your head" in terms of presentation, Vivos give better directional cues in complex tracks The KZ ZS5s are really good headphones and in absolute technical capability compare very favourably to the Vivo XE800s, which are damned good in their own right. They are tuned very differently, though - the Vivos are tuned for accuracy, the KZs are bassier and "warmer", for lack of a better word. The deal breaker is going to be fit - the KZs are very large and simply won't work for some people.
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Sep 13, 2017 20:29
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Another plus in the KZ column is they just came out with bluetooth cables, which are remarkably good for $10. I find the connection more stable than some expensive Sennheisers from years past, though the sound quality will suffer a bit. I agree that they should have just used the ZST housings, those are comfy as heck. I just use slightly larger than normal tips, which keeps the sharp bits away from my sensitive snowflake pinnae.
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Sep 13, 2017 22:18
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I have gigantic concha (bowl in the earlobe) and ZS5s work fine for me, so I guess I'm lucky in that way.
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Sep 14, 2017 01:05
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grack posted:I have gigantic concha. Oh, dear lord. Please never say that in Argentina. 
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Sep 14, 2017 02:59
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ddogflex posted:Anker Soundbud Slim. They're $20-25, don't sound terrible, decent battery life. Only "issue" is the stick out of your ears a bit. I used them for a few months before upgrading to BeatsX for my BT IEM. Casual review no one asked for: -not used to IEMs to adjustment to the fit was a little more involved than someone used to them, I’d imagine. Anker provided a generous amount of rubber tips and support fins, which is much appreciated. If Anker provided Bluetooth headphones in the earbud format, jd switch overnight. That’s just me. -range is radical yo. I can leave my phone at my cubicle and waltz around the main office within a respectable distance and not have signal loss. -battery is double radical. I listen to hours of audiobooks at work and the battery keeps up. I could probably go 2 shifts before having to charge again. -isolation is sufficient enough that I can have the volume at minimal settings and still hear everything fine. I had to turn my EarPods to much louder volumes to block out noise, which sometimes hurts my ears and is probably horrible for my hearing. This new adjustment is good. when I destroy these in the washing machine or lose them at work, I’m definitely buying these again given their bargain bin price. But I’ll still be waiting for a BT earbud set for sake of comfort.
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Sep 14, 2017 05:45
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Another plus in the KZ column is they just came out with bluetooth cables, which are remarkably good for $10. I find the connection more stable than some expensive Sennheisers from years past, though the sound quality will suffer a bit. Speaking of this, apparently KZ has already announced a successor, the ZS6. Aluminum alloy shells instead of plastic and slightly re-tuned though with the same drivers and cables. Still has gigantic shells with plenty of sharp edges, though.
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Sep 15, 2017 01:26
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Thanks for the info on the ZS5. I don't actually need any more IEM's, but I'm sure I'll grab these sooner or later. Though I see the ZS6 are about to come out... edit: beaten, somehow
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Sep 15, 2017 01:27
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What are the KZ ZSTs compared to those?
Samurai Sanders fucked around with this message at 11:54 on Sep 15, 2017 |
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Sep 15, 2017 11:50
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Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some headphone recommendations. I've used the same pair of Brainwavs HM3 headphones for almost 5 years now and have been super happy with them; but they're starting to get a little beat up and, I guess as I've grown older, have started to hurt my ears after wearing them for extended periods of time. In the past I've had the Grado Labs SR60is and a pair of Superlux HD-681 Evo BK headphones; and was happy with both as well. I'm happy to spend somewhere on the order of up to $150, and will be plugging these directly into my work computer. I will exclusively be wearing these headphones at work, where I share my office with another person, so so unfortunately I can't get open backed ones. For the same reason, I'm not interested in them being noise-cancelling. As the Brainwavs have aged and started hurting my ears, I think I'd prefer fully over ear headphones. The sound should hopefully be balanced; I listen to a weird mixture of electronic music (these days its mostly Ed Banger Records stuff), ambient/drone, jazz , classic rock, and different odds and ends.
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Sep 15, 2017 14:43
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Huh, just noticed this on Monoprice: Monolith M300 Planar IEMs for $150, out 9/29. I loving love the M560s, but they're super bulky. I might just pick these up if they get good reviews.
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Sep 15, 2017 19:42
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Samurai Sanders posted:What are the KZ ZSTs compared to those? Sound quality wise the ZS5s are step up in just about every way. Arcsech posted:Huh, just noticed this on Monoprice: Monolith M300 Planar IEMs for $150, out 9/29. Well, goddamn that's funky. Might have to get a pair of those.
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Sep 15, 2017 19:45
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grack posted:Well, goddamn that's funky. Might have to get a pair of those. In searching for more info, they appear to be blatant ripoffs of the Audeze iSine 20s, just at a quarter of the price and with a somewhat cheaper build.
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Sep 15, 2017 19:56
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Arcsech posted:In searching for more info, they appear to be blatant ripoffs of the Audeze iSine 20s, just at a quarter of the price and with a somewhat cheaper build. loving sold. Edit: Drivers and specs are different even though they look similar. Edit 2: They don't really look all that similar either. I don't think there's another form factor you could actually use if you wanted planar IEMs. grack fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Sep 15, 2017 |
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Sep 15, 2017 19:57
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grack posted:loving sold. Yeah, I'm going by forum posts and the one review I could find from some youtuber. It's possible they're completely different and that guy is full of poo poo.
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Sep 15, 2017 20:05
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Arcsech posted:Yeah, I'm going by forum posts and the one review I could find from some youtuber. It's possible they're completely different and that guy is full of poo poo. I have no doubt that Monoprice copied the idea from Audeze. In fact, I have no doubt they're very similar to the iSines. However, Monoprice does sell house-branded planars already, so they clearly have access to the tech and manufacturing capability. The specifications are different (including driver size) so from that perspective it's a new product, and as i mentioned, if you're doing in-ear large driver planars there's really no other form factor that would work.
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Sep 15, 2017 20:24
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Reading about balanced armatures, I don't understand how they can be durable enough to be in earphones and be thrown around into bags and stuff. Don't they have a metal bit in the middle that has to be suspended perfectly between two magnets? Also I decided to order some KZ-ZSTs for the hell of it. I don't know what hybrid dynamic/BA earphones sound like and it seemed a cheap way to find out. If I like anything about them maybe I'll look at the ZS6s when they come out.
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Sep 16, 2017 02:17
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Samurai Sanders posted:Reading about balanced armatures, I don't understand how they can be durable enough to be in earphones and be thrown around into bags and stuff. Don't they have a metal bit in the middle that has to be suspended perfectly between two magnets?  The bit I circled is physically secured to the housing. Only the end attached to the diaphragm through the drive rod actually moves.
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Sep 16, 2017 02:43
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I'm listening to the KZ ZSTs I ordered a few days ago and they are surprisingly good-sounding and comfortable for that price. I guess the ZS5s are better for sound quality but they sure look a lot less comfortable. Who on earth would make an angular housing for something that's supposed to go in your ear? edit: I got a bluetooth cable for it (odd to say "cable" for a wireless technology but oh well), it's charging now; I'll test it in a bit. Samurai Sanders fucked around with this message at 02:40 on Sep 17, 2017 |
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Sep 17, 2017 02:35
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Samurai Sanders posted:I'm listening to the KZ ZSTs I ordered a few days ago and they are surprisingly good-sounding and comfortable for that price. I guess the ZS5s are better for sound quality but they sure look a lot less comfortable. Who on earth would make an angular housing for something that's supposed to go in your ear? The housing is a copy of the Campfire Audio Andromeda, though I think the Andromeda housings are smaller. The ZS6 is an even more obvious copy. If KZ had simply re-used the housings from the ZST for the ZS5, even if it had to be larger to accommodate the four driver design, it would have been much better and I'd recommend the ZS5 with no reservations.
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Sep 17, 2017 02:56
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Wow, the bluetooth attachment works well too. These might become my go-to earphones for a lot of things. edit: and yeah, if it had this casing but also that quad BA setup it would be even better.
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Sep 17, 2017 03:24
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If not for the absolutely crazy soundstage and imaging, I wouldn't recommend the ZS5s at all due to the housings. I mean, they're not X2s or some poo poo, but they're the first budget IEMs I've tried with actual soundstage and there's really nothing they do badly except for comfort. I fully agree with that dude who called them the VE Monk of cheap IEMs, they're just bizarrely good sounding for what they are. I usually use M sized tips, but for these I go for M/L sized spiral dots and they don't hurt anymore.
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Sep 17, 2017 03:25
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Samurai Sanders posted:Wow, the bluetooth attachment works well too. These might become my go-to earphones for a lot of things. yeah, my ZSTs are now on permanent bluetooth duty due to that cable. I'd like more battery life I guess, but I'm not complaining for 
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Sep 17, 2017 03:27
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Are ZST and ZS5 cables cross compatible? They look the same in pictures. edit: are the silver cables actually better or is it just audiophile metaphysics? Samurai Sanders fucked around with this message at 10:13 on Sep 17, 2017 |
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Sep 17, 2017 10:08
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Lube banjo posted:Open 'phones: I went with the AD900x's and they're pretty great. I've only listened to music so far. Excited to try out some PUBG next.
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Sep 17, 2017 16:35
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I realize this is way lower end than this thread normally deals with, but the headphone review thread in the OP is gone. I had some JVC HA RX700s that broke a while ago. Now I've been using earbuds through my keyboard's 3.5mm jack. Unfortunately, my cat got tangled up in the cable and yanked hard enough that I think it broke the jack. The earbuds are too short to get to the audio jacks on the computer, so I guess I need new headphones soon. Are there any recommendations for something similar to the HA RX700s in the same price range? Budget - ~$30 Source - Desktop computer, integrated sound card. Isolation Requirements - Do you need isolation? No. Preferred Type of Headphone - Over the ear (don't care about supra vs circumaural) Preferred Tonal Balance - I don't really care. Past Headphones - JVC HA RX700. I liked the price, sound quality, and durability. Also being able to cut the cable and solder a new connector on when they broke the first time. Preferred Music - Let us know what you’re listening to. Rock, punk, metal, post rock, jazz.
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Sep 17, 2017 18:06
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Samurai Sanders posted:Are ZST and ZS5 cables cross compatible? They look the same in pictures. They're not compatible. The only way the cables could actually produce different sound is if they had markedly different impedance, and I don't think that's the case for the "upgrade" KZ cables. Of course that doesn't mean that the cable isn't an upgrade in other ways - more tangle resistant, durable, pliable, comfortable etc.
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Sep 18, 2017 06:01
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Any recommended headphone hangers/mounts/stands for a desk? I'm getting a new desk soon and don't want them just... sitting there.
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Sep 18, 2017 20:36
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Edmond Dantes posted:Any recommended headphone hangers/mounts/stands for a desk? I'm getting a new desk soon and don't want them just... sitting there. You could just get a piece of wood and some stuff from Ikea and make one that suits your needs/taste for cheap. Passburger fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Sep 18, 2017 |
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Sep 18, 2017 21:11
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Edmond Dantes posted:Any recommended headphone hangers/mounts/stands for a desk? I'm getting a new desk soon and don't want them just... sitting there. Buy some foam yoga blocks on Amazon, they're usually $8-9 for a set of 2. 
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Sep 18, 2017 21:44
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Do you have a box full of Lego(s) stashed somewhere? Of course you do.
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Sep 18, 2017 22:34
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some meme i saw years ago recommended a banana stand 
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Sep 18, 2017 23:00
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There's always headphones on the banana stand.
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Sep 18, 2017 23:30
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Wire hangers bent into shape and nailed onto a surface of choice.
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Sep 19, 2017 00:33
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Purse holders for tables work just as well.
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Sep 19, 2017 01:15
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I got a collection of yoga blocks, banana hangers, real headphone stands and of course toilet roll holders.
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Sep 19, 2017 01:34
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Mine is a re-purposed bamboo paper towel holder
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Sep 19, 2017 02:15
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I’m at one of the biggest dedicated IEM shops in Akihabara and I don’t know what to do. I think I need an intervention. Edit: I mentioned KZ here though and they looked at me like I was a charlatan. “Maybe at one of the back alley stores...” Samurai Sanders fucked around with this message at 10:50 on Sep 20, 2017 |
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Sep 20, 2017 10:22
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A year or so ago my HM5's headbands broke. I found that the NVX XPT100 headphones have the same headband and they sell the headband individually. God, I missed these headphones so much. If you don't have a pair, they are so so so good for the price. Super comfy, very neutral sounding, complete isolation. I bought them new when they first came out for 150ish, but nowadays they are around 100$. Worth every penny.
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Sep 21, 2017 12:46
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Okay, I might be looking for a unicorn here. I want an over-ear, USB headset that is comfortable to wear for long periods, has great voice quality, wide soundstage for gaming, good enough sound quality to listen to music, and easily accessible physical controls for muting. I have a desktop PC and a work laptop that both connect to my monitor, I want to plug the headset into the USB hub on the monitor and use it for gaming and music on the PC, and then seamlessly switch over to music or conference calls when I'm working on the laptop. Something like the Sennheiser Game One seems almost like what I want, except it connects via 3.5mm instead of USB. Currently using the Audio-Technica A700s at my desk so something that approaches them in terms of comfort and sound quality would be great, but again, I know I might be looking for a product that doesn't exist here. Any suggestions? Edit: Or maybe I should just buy this? https://www.amazon.ca/Asus-Sound-Cards-Xonar-Uad/dp/B004ZI5E1S prom candy fucked around with this message at 15:43 on Sep 21, 2017 |
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Sep 21, 2017 15:39
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Go with the Xonar.
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Sep 21, 2017 18:07
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