Accessories Review of KZ ED9 and KZ ATE in-ear headphones with remote/mic - a new budget KING!!!

[twister6]

This is a Review of KZ ED9 and KZ ATE in-ear headphones with inline remote.

It has been awhile since the last time I reviewed a pair of headphones in sub $20 price range that made me go WOW! right out of the box. When it comes to budget headphones, the first thing people notice is a low price, then maybe some cool design details, and at the end you make a polite comment with "for this price it sounds good". The first pair of budget headphones that broke a ground for me with a sound that was good for real came from Xiaomi (Pistons 2). Now raising the bar to a whole new level with an even lower price, with a unique build quality and design, and with a sound tuning that is excellent - two latest releases from Knowledge Zenith (KZ): ED9 and ATE.

I don't have too much experience with their other models, except for ED Special Edition (EDSE) which also impressed me with their premium quality build, cable design, and a smooth balanced sound signature with an enhanced low end. I didn't know what to expect from ED9 and ATE models, but considering a similar cable and an equally unique design I figured it worth a shot to check it out. Both of the units came from Zhengnan Amazon store, KZ ED9: http://amzn.to/2gcO1uW and KZ ATE: http://amzn.to/2h7U5af. After my reviews of budget priced Chinese headphones I get pinged a lot with questions of where to buy it. I learned my lesson from Piston 2 days and can only vouch for a seller where I get these from, confirming they are real and not fake. Are there other ways to order KZ headphones? Sure, and you can probably save a few bucks searching a..express or taobao or ebay, but taking a risk of dealing with shady sellers versus a confidence of dealing through Amazon (if you are in US) - I'll leave it up to you where you decide to buy since I’m not here to promote a seller but rather to discuss about a product

Let me first start with KZ ED9 model. Arrived in a small plastic box, it had a very basic cover graphics and a detailed spec on the back. Under the cover it had a nice display presentation with a foam cutout and ED9 inside of it. Though it was minimalistic, for such low price KZ actually included a set of 3 hybrid eartips (S/M/L, hybrid design with a red core) and a set of 2 filters! Yes, hard to believe but this design accommodates replaceable metal nozzle-filters that screw into the shell of headphones. And as a bonus there was an extra pair of hybrid eartips used as a "holder" for 2nd set of filters.

Unboxing and Accessories.

Now, more about ED9 design. Starting with a cable, this is something you wouldn't expect from a "budget" IEM. It has a quality gold plated L-shaped connector with a nice strain relief. The multi-colored twisted wires are inside of a clear rubbery shielding which is soft and easy to manage without getting tangled too much. Y-splitter is small and rubbery with a nice strain relief around all 3 points of wire connection. Right side of the wire also has inline remote control with universal multi-function single button and mic right next to it. You don't have to worry about compatibility of volume control (Android vs iOS) since those buttons are not present, but a single click Play/Pause/Call works flawlessly, and double-click skips to the next song with my Note 4.

The wire goes to a metal chrome plated shell and has a nice strain relief at the attachment as well. As you can see, a lot of thought went into the cable design and durability of every joint connection. The shell itself is very slick and has a little bit of weight to it. Considering that and a fact that you can only wear it wire down, you do need to pair it up with a set of eartips that give you not only the best seal but also a grip to hold these IEMs securely inside of your ears. The shell itself has multiple air vents including a pinhole next to the attached wire, the other one at the base of the nozzle filter, and two large wire mesh covered ports on the back of the shell. Combined, all this contributes to an open airy wide soundstage and at the same time a mediocre isolation. Also, top of each earpiece has a clearly spelled Left/Right marking. Microphonics effect was noticeable when cable brushed against my shirt, but it wasn’t too bad.

Design.

When it comes to a sound, let me reassure you that included two pairs of filters are not a gimmick. When you look closer, they have a very distinct design, a slight difference in length and finish (faded brass - neutral, shiny gold - bassy), and shiny gold nozzle-filter even has a foam insert filter. A difference was very noticeable between these two filters that definitely contributed to shaping of a sound signature. Moving forward, I will refer to “bronze” and “gold” in order to distinguish which filter I was using in my listening setup.

ED9 (bronze) has a neutral sound with slightly mid-forward signature. Overall it’s bright and detailed sound with a wide airy soundstage that also has a nice depth to it. Bass is neutral, tight, and punchy, with a good extension and characteristics of being able to hear it instead of feeling it. Mids are clear and bright, slightly forward which could be an artifact of my perception. I would also say that mids are a bit on a thin side, almost close to analytical in nature, but not harsh. Treble is crisp and bright, and with a nice extension.

ED9 (gold) has a more balanced sound with an enhanced low end. It still has a wide soundstage, but not as airy due to decreased level of brightness/sparkle. Low end now gets a nice sub-bass extension accompanied by a strong punchy mid-bass. Mids transform themselves with a little more body and feel a bit pushed back behind low end, but not in a recessed way. Lower mids are still on a thinner side, but upper mids are warmer and smoother. As a consequence of that, they lose some of the details in comparison to bronze filter, but do remain clear. Treble is crisp and bright, and has a nice extension though a bit attenuated in comparison to a setup with a bronze filter.

Since majority of my other IEMs are either balanced or have an enhanced low end, I figured for comparison I better use ED9 w/gold filter. Also, since I was going through so many different comparisons between ED9 with different filters and ATE and my other IEMs, the comments are relative to one specific headphone as noted below in comparison. Also, my IM50 has a silver-plated replacement wire from Lunashops.

ED9 (gold) vs IM50: ED9 has less aggressive sub-bass, thinner lower mids, slightly less forward upper mids, a brighter treble with a bit more extension, and a wider soundstage.

ED9 (gold) vs VSD3: VSD3 has less sub-bass, brighter and leaner mids with a little more details, and actually upper mids/treble is a little harsher and grainy, a little better treble extension, and a soundstage with slightly less width.

ED9 (gold) vs KC06A: ED9 has a similar sub-bass but a bit less mid-bass, smoother mids (where I find KC to be a bit harsh/grainy), treble has a touch less extension and not as crisp, also ED9 has a wider and a deeper soundstage.

ED9 (gold) vs Pistons 2 (w/filter mod): P2 has more mid-bass slam, a bit deeper sub-bass, mids a bit brighter and harsher, and they have a similar treble.

EDSE vs ED9 (gold): ED9 has a very similar low end, smoother mids, a touch less of treble extension, and a similar soundstage.

 

[twister6]

Now, let’s move on to KZ ATE. With an exactly same shaped small box as ED9, ATE arrived with a same cover graphics but the cover itself was transparent revealing a pair of silver colored ATEs in a foam cutout display setting. Also similarly to ED9, the back of the box had a detailed spec. Included accessories had 2 pairs of basic silicone eartips (M/L) and a pair of foam eartips (M). Here sound is “fixed” without any removable/replaceable filters like with ED9.

Unboxing and Accessories.

Moving on to a design and starting with a cable, it was consistent with both EDSE and ED9 models. It has a quality gold plated L-shaped connector with a nice strain relief. The multi-colored twisted wires are inside of a clear rubbery shielding which is soft and easy to manage without getting tangled too much. Y-splitter is small and rubbery with a nice strain relief on the common side of wire connection. Right side of wire also has inline remote control with universal multi-function single button and mic on the opposite side. You don't have to worry about compatibility of volume control (Android vs iOS) since those buttons are not present, but a single click Play/Pause/Call works flawlessly, and double-click skips to the next song with my Note 4.

Moving up from there I encountered something different which I haven’t seen in any other IEMs I tested in the past. Placed about 120mm down from earpieces, each side of the cable has a small weighted down golden capsule. With ATE having over-ear fitment only and without a cable cinch due to an inline remote, these little inline weights serve a purpose of keeping the wire down behind your ears. I’m not suggesting they are like two heavy anchors, but they are actually light with just enough weight to keep the wire down from swinging as you walk or move around.

Attached to the shell, cable has a nice strain relief and connects to a round metal cross-etched ring with a color marking to distinguish Right (red) vs Left (black) sides. The shell also has L/R letter marking but in case if it going to wear off, you can always rely on the color coded metal ring piece where cable enters the shell. The shape of the shell has a VERY close resemblance to IM50 IEMs, which also makes me wonder about a model name of "ATE" to signify this "AT" similarity? But make no mistake - it’s not the exact copy, just a resemblance of a shape. The shell itself is all plastic and very lightweight, and with security of over ear wire fitment – you have a little more eartip choices since you are no longer required to use the biggest one to keep these IEMs in your ears. There is also a pinhole air vent at the bottom of the nozzle, coincidentally in the same spot as IM50.

Design.

Now, when it comes to a sound, ATE doesn’t use any sound shaping filters but it will require some tip rolling to get the most out of these headphones. Coincidentally, I found the best sound for me to be with ED9 hybrid eartips, and as a matter of fact didn’t have to use the largest size.

In more details, I found KZ ATE to have a balanced smooth sound signature with an enhanced low end performance. It has a tight bass with a nice slam, in particularly a powerful sub-bass rumble with a fast punchy mid-bass. Mids have a full body sound with warm lower mids and detailed smooth upper mids, though they slightly pushed back. I absolutely love the organic nature of the vocals delivery, both male and female, so smooth and so intimate. Treble is detailed but not too bright or crisp, and it has a moderate extension. Soundstage is more intimate with an average width though above average depth.

For comparison, I started with ED9 and gold “bassier” filter, and then I tried it against a handful of my other IEMs, including obvious choice of IM50 which I use with a silver plated cable.

ED9 (gold) vs ATE: ATE has a tighter and a more articulate low end with a better balance between sub- and mid-bass. As a matter of fact, ATE has more sub-bass vs ED9 gold having more mid-bass. ATE lower mids have slightly more body and upper mids are a touch brighter and more detailed. ATE treble is not as extended as ED9 gold, but still very clear, and with gold filter ED9 and ATE have a similar soundstage.

ATE vs IM50: I found IM50 to have a very close sound signature with a similar mid-bass and a little more sub-bass quantity. Also, IM50 has a little more forward upper mids with a bit warmer lower mids, though overall IM50 mids are a bit less detailed than ATE. Tremble is very similar in quality and extension, and the same goes for soundstage similarities between these two.

ATE vs VSD3: ATE has more sub-bass, and overall warmer sound. Mids are smoother, definitely less harsh and more organic than VSD3. Treble is not as harsh and not as extended either, while soundstage is similar.

ATE vs KC06A: KC has less sub-bass, leaner brighter mids with thinner lower mids and harsher/grainier upper mids, and a crispier treble with a better extension. KC soundstage has less depth and width.

ATE vs Pistons 2 (w/filter mod): P2 has more mid-bass slam/bloat, mids are brighter/harsher, while treble is similar, and so does soundstage.

EDSE vs ATE: ATE has a tighter low end, more sub-bass, smoother warmer mids where lower mids have more body, treble has a bit less brightness and a touch less extension.

Conclusion.

I don’t know what to say… A sub $20 pair of IEMs with inline remote and quality cable shouldn’t look and sound that good Period! Between ED9 with gold and bronze filters and ATE you have 3 distinct sound signatures going from neutral revealing sound of ED9 w/bronze to a warmer and smoother ED9 w/gold and into a balanced bass slammer with a clear and detailed sound of ATE. And even with both of these headphones combined you are still paying less than some of the other giant killers I reviewed in the past. Ok, you have to be realistic that ATE has a plasticy build and ED9 might be a bit heavy to stay in your ears as you move around. Also, I’m not suggesting they are the best headphones I ever heard or can go head-to-head with some top hybrid or multi-BA driver designs. You have to be realistic. But their price/performance ratio punches WAY above any other competition in a similar price range. And considering their price, I would even consider getting a few pairs to keep as a replacement if one breaks. These one definitely get my high recommendation, especially ATE which I’m really enjoying right now.

 

[twister6]

I got a few PMs with people asking me why these were not available from amazon links I posted in the review. I guess it was sold out, but I just checked and it's available again.

 

[twister6]

Just to let you guys know, KZ ATE model now also comes in black/translucent finish which looks AWESOME!!! Sound is the same, everything from a driver to a housing is identical and still consistent with my original review, but now it looks even more like ATH-IM50

Also, Zhengnan Shop is now the official KZ seller on Amazon US where they dropped a price to $13.90 (+ $3 shipping): silver - http://amzn.to/2h54V0p, and black - http://amzn.to/2h54V0p

Unboxing

Accessories (tips)

Design details

ATE silver vs black

ATE vs IM50

 

[twister6]

This is a review of KZ ED10 IEMs.

To complete the series of my KZ "giant killer" reviews, I'm going to look closer into their ED10 IEM model I received from Zhengnan store (one of KZ official resellers on Amazon). Joining an impressive line up of EDSE, ED9, and ATE, Knowledge Zenith (KZ) continuous with ED10 offering a unique design, a great build quality, and a decent sound signature without too much overlap with other models. But what impresses me the most is the fact that you can buy all 4 models and still pay less than a single pair of IEMs with sub-par sound quality. That is a reason I refer to these KZ models as "giant killers" and here is more specific info about ED10.

ED10 arrived in a shield-shaped box like ATE black edition, and it was a nice and a compact packaging with a secure storage for IEM and accessories. At the same time even so packaging box looks cool, it doesn't make a convenient storage case, so perhaps in the future KZ can redesign it considering they don't provide anything for storage as part of the accessories package. The only thing you get is 3 sets of eartips, M/L with small bore opening, and a large hybrid eartip with a blue core. That one was actually my favorite tip since it offered the best fitment due to its springy cap, and wide bore opening worked quite well to tame down the low end and open up higher frequencies (more about it later).

Unboxing and accessories.

For those familiar with other previously mentioned KZ models, the cable design is not going to be a surprise. You are looking at the same right-angle 3.5mm gold plated plug with an excellent strain relief. Cable jacket has a translucent design where you can easily see bi-color wires, and it's soft, a bit rubbery, and flexible. Y-splitter is compact, rubbery, and has great strain relief on all 3 sides. Featured in-line universal remote with mic and a single button play/pause/call operation was slightly different from previous models, having a bright red button to see it easier, and it also has a good strain relief.

Attachment to the shell is secure and with a good strain relief as well. Considering how KZ sometime likes to "copy" some other popular designs, here I couldn't help but notice a strong resemblance with Ostry KC06x series. Obviously, we are not dealing with a titanium shell, but the finish and even the shape from the nozzle side has a lot of resemblance to Ostrys. The insertion is not too deep, shells don't stick out too much, and they are very comfortable with both wire down or wire up fitment, even to the point where I can fall asleep on a pillow while wearing these. Also, microphonics effect was not that bad.

With two vents, one by the base of the nozzle and another one toward the back of the shell, you will not have to worry about driver flex, but at the same time isolation was not bad either. I don't know exactly what material it was made out of, but I really like the smooth finish of ED10. My only gripe was cursive handwriting font used on each shell to spell out Left and Right instead of a more clear and easier to read L/R letter marking. Other than that, I really like the design and the fitment.

Design details.

Wire up/down fitment.

When it comes to a sound signature, KZ ED10 has a v-shaped smooth clear sound with an enhanced bass (strong sub-bass and mid-bass region). Their soundstage has an average width and above average depth.

In more details, low end has a nice deep rounded sub-bass and fast punchy mid-bass. The balance between sub- and mid- is skewed a little more toward sub-bass, but it's still under control without muddying a sound. There is a little bit of mid-bass spillage into the lower mids but it's not excessive and only adds to the warmth of a sound.

Lower mids are warm and smooth with a nice body, upper mids are clear and smooth, but not super detailed. Upper mids are a little recessed, but not hidden too far behind bass and treble. Vocals sound warm and organic.

Treble has a polite quantity, smooth, not too crisp or harsh, definitely non-fatigue and great for extended listening.

Keeping it in a family, here is how EDSE, ED9, and ATE compare in sound to ED10.

KZ ED10 vs ATE: ATE has nearly a similar sound minus bass-boost (less sub-bass and not as fast mid-bass punch). At the same time, ED10 is a touch brighter in upper mids/treble which slightly improves resolution of a sound.

KZ ED10 vs ED9: ED9 has less sub-bass, less mid-bass, thinner lower mids, brighter more detailed upper mids, and a better treble extension. In a contrast, ED10 is warmer, smoother, has more body, and sounds bassier, while ED9 is more revealing.

KZ ED10 vs EDSE: EDSE has less sub-bass and mid-bass, a bit thinner lower mids, and thinner upper mids, better treble extension, and also sounds more crispier/brighter.

In comparison to a few other IEMs:

KZ ED10 vs KC06A: KC06A has less sub-bass, stronger mid-bass (slightly more quantity), thinner lower mids, more upfront upper mids (brighter and perhaps a little harsher), better treble extension (brighter, crispier).

KZ ED10 vs VSD3: VSD3 has a little less sub-bass, similar mid-bass, similar lower mids, brighter/harsher more upfront upper mids, better treble extension with a higher quantity (brighter, crispier).

Conclusion.

This is another great KZ "budget" release which doesn't sound, look, or feel like a budget IEM. You will get a bigger low end impact, in both sub- and mid-bass regions, and that's probably going to be a deciding factor if this sound signature is your cup of tea, versus something more neutral and analytical. Considering the price of these KZ headphones, sometime it makes sense to get different models to cover your various sound sig preferences, and then decide later what you are in a mood for or what would fit better your current listening repertoire.