H2O.💧😁 Agreed, it's a fantastic set. Absolutely worth the 💰. I'm also not generally a big fan of switches but they can definitely offer a lot of value around $100 or under if done properly. I probably wouldn't want to spend upwards of that amount on a set with switches but that's just my personal choice. I think the Warrior you were referring to in the review is from CCZ (unless there's another one I don't know about). I only really picked up on it because I also have that set as well as one called Coffee Bean from them. I'm not sure CCZ is affiliated with KZ/CCA but maybe they are. 🤔 Anyway, thank you for another great review! 👍
Oh my gosh, I think you are right! I just assumed it was the same as CCA when I bought it way back in August of last year. I disliked them so much that I never gave them a second thought! CCZ. I’ll have to check into if there’s a connection with CCA/KZ. Wild!
Here it is.. 🎉 I have been waiting for another opinion...there is a cra pro, now.. Dlc driver, maybe check it out? As to cables, they are not all the same. There are a number of measurable electrical properties which vary. Good review. I will be buying it ASAP (winter, not that we have winter where I live)
Dear expert, I would like to ask your advice, what other model should I pay attention to in order to rise to a new level when listening to such music that is on the DR Koncerthuset TH-cam channel? I also listen to Bent Knee, Hiromi The Trio Project, Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra, rock operas, SENRI KAWAGUCHI. I like the live, open and powerful concert sound. Maybe HYDRO?
Now you need to go down thr stack. The ZS12 Pro X, the ZS10 Pro2 and ProX. All of them arw excellent for their proce point. Thr ZS12 X is especially good for the money.
@@BassDad8 gotta be honest, the EDX Pro are pretty "meh". The upper end treble isn't well controlled, they have an excessive amount of pina gain, in the worst direction, which can make certain female vocals become very sibilant. And of course, because of all of that, they timbre and tonality is a bit all over the place. The EDC Pro is significantly better from all angles. More natural timbre, better control of the treble, less pina gain, less V shaped mids, better controlled mid-bass, and a bass that is more coherent than the EDX. To be fair, it's still a $15 set of ear phones, it isn't going to set the IEM market ablaze, and even something a few dollars more expensive, like the Picollo, is superior. But for $15...it's really good.
@@bigbuckoramma All of this is great info to have. At some point I will open up to the KZ brand. I know they make some good stuff. My introduction to them was very biased from HBB and Zeos. And I was just getting into the hobby when I heard them both kinda tear them down. Sounds to me like I should give at least a couple of sets a chance. So EDC Pro might be the way to start. It is a low-risk, medium-high reward prospect. Thank you for the detailed overview. I will keep you posted. ☮
@@BassDad8 my very first introduction to the ChiFi market was the KZ ZX3. An absolutely terrible set, with horrific driver flex and no pressure relief. However, my very next set was the ZX10 Pro, which pulled me deep into the hobby. And before I knew it, I was trading in my Samsung for an LG, just for the Quad DAC headphone amp, and started sourcing Ultra HD music in FLAC. And then bought, what I still believe is one of their best IEM's to date, the ZAX. And then around the time I bought my KZ CRN's, was when driver gate went down. Thankfully, by then, I had already stopped consuming anything that came out of Zeos mouth, and I thought HBB was a little full of himself, especially for trashing KZ, then immediately doing a Colab with QKZ, who, if you haven't guessed by the initials and the packaging, is OEM'd by KZ, and the quality and tonality of that set has never been brought to question. So, I said all that to say this. KZ is not without their problems. They have fallen victim to what happens with any company in a controlling market share position, and has done shady things, and employed shady tactics, and has said some very dumb things as a result. But they do at least deserve some reflection, if for no other reason than they are almost solely responsible for persuing the international audiophile/HeadFi community of influencers, and creating the IEM ChiFi marketplace we all know and love today. And despite their pratfalls, they do, on occasion, hit it out of the park with a true market disruptor that can not be ignored, and have done so in almost every price category from $5 to $200. And that moves the industry, as a whole, forward. And drives better sounding, better tuned, and better implemented IEM's down to lower price points, where new enthusiasts can benefit from the higher quality introductions to the hobby. And despite the prior grievances, those models should be recognized. Even if the recommendation is that KZ has been shady in the past, and Caveat Emptor, it is still useful as a point of reference. Having rambled far too much now, I will leave off with also recommending the Castor Harmon, and Castor Bass. The Castor Harmon has some of the best sound stage under $100 I have heard, and doesn't graph half bad either. Thanks for reading my TED Talk. 🤣
You may also want to receive consider TRN. Idk why I have such a soft spot for them, lol, I guess I find TRN under represented, under valued and overly criticized. NO they're not perfect but at least TRN would have at least included a case at that price point. They are a step above KZ in design, accessories, etc. The Orca and CS2 are mostly ignored. Now we have White Tiger, let's see if they get any hype outside of TDM and possibly Akros. Though the day Akros picks something above Simgot may never come, lol, he admits his bias. Here are TDM's comments on HiFi Go in response to a very long detailed Ew300 standard/DSP review, "ToneDeafMonk Great review, you nailed it. I also find the mids especially upper mids too veiled, on the reg cable the EW300 is tuned too much the other way by Simgot too much information is lost for acurate vocal details and clarity. DSP version is a definite 👍 improvement. I also got blasted first time I used the DSP cable and volume was not playing nicely with my dap. Doing some A/B comparison with the TRN White Tiger, it takes all my criticism away from what I didn't like about the EW300 and improves upon the tambre, Separation, detail, vocal clarity and stage. The Zebra has a nicer case, a much nicer modular cable has the swappable nozzles and has the better tuning same price."
@@someoneusa so my buddy Harrison and Syeindunce are repping some TRN sets now. I have already committed to reviewing the Azure Dragon, but they have the White Tiger too, which looks freaking siiiiick! So I’ll probably hit him up for that set too once I’m back on track. They also have a new collab between CVJ x AngelEars called the Yukimi which is a single DD that has my attention. It’s gonna be hard to not do any reviews for a couple of weeks or so. Lots of good stuff on the way.
@@BassDad8some people have said that kz is walking on thin ice, so another issue/scandal would really hurt their reputation, they are probably careful this time hopefully 😂
@@ndjdj7989 KZ has been walking on thin ice for awhile now. When you mess with a collab with HBB/BGGAR, that is a big mistake. They have been plagued by QC issues and allegations of shadow revisions. I think that might be why they did not release this set under KZ proper. Not everyone knows that CCA is under the same umbrella, so that was a smart move. The good news is that it is a really good set and an exceptional value and it is on my "must buy" list now (this set was a loaner).
with a name like hydro, one would think these would be water-resistant atleast. well, with the floods in vijajay and no way to buy a new set, i'm kinda stuck between a rock and a wet place
Hey Chris, My ears find the sound of BA drivers to be quite thin, unenergetic, plastic/unreal feel, hard on my ears, my mind feels that this sound is no esta bueno. 🤢 Do you feel any of this with this set? Paz Hermano. 🤙
Oh gosh no! Whether the drivers are upgraded from the usual KZ stuff, or the tuning was just so spot on, or possibly both, this set sheds that plasticky, unnatural trait that plagues a lot of BA drivers. Even some very expensive sets with BA drivers can suffer that to an extent. The sheer naturalness of this set is what really impressed me. Well, that and the soundstage, details, smooth treble and the precise and satisfying bass. Need I go on? Seriously though, I know what you are talking about. None of that is present on the Hydro from what I experienced.
I have it it doesn t fit me it's too fat at the lower part of nozzle for my small ears but a beast of iem a great EQ platform but..Listen Dire Straits Where you think you re going ! You ll blown away with the drums and the guitars AWESOME. it's END GAME with only 100$ unbelievable. If I could only make them custom somehow.. 😐
@@anatol1204 okay. It might be worth a shot. The are longer and completely cylindrical in shape. Be aware they run small. The X large is only 13.3mm in diameter. Order a size up from what usually fits you if you get some. I have some trouble with shorter nozzles too depending on the shape of the chassis. S&S tips don’t always fix it, but they have helped on certain sets. Sound is very good too.
![The Complete Story of Destiny! From origins to Shadowkeep [Timeline and Lore explained]](/img/n.gif)
Hydro is on my shortlist. Thank you my friend.
Uncle Bangs 👑testing IEMs in the wilds... literally. 😅
Holy V-shapes! 😳
True! But don’t let the graph fool ya! The mids exist!! Lol
Great review! I think the detail and resolution from 20 to 20k was most impressive, considering it has KZ/CCA drivers.....and costs $100.
H2O.💧😁 Agreed, it's a fantastic set. Absolutely worth the 💰. I'm also not generally a big fan of switches but they can definitely offer a lot of value around $100 or under if done properly. I probably wouldn't want to spend upwards of that amount on a set with switches but that's just my personal choice.
I think the Warrior you were referring to in the review is from CCZ (unless there's another one I don't know about). I only really picked up on it because I also have that set as well as one called Coffee Bean from them. I'm not sure CCZ is affiliated with KZ/CCA but maybe they are. 🤔
Anyway, thank you for another great review! 👍
Oh my gosh, I think you are right! I just assumed it was the same as CCA when I bought it way back in August of last year. I disliked them so much that I never gave them a second thought! CCZ. I’ll have to check into if there’s a connection with CCA/KZ. Wild!
Been waiting for this.
solid review! glad to have you back
19:23 Qlona. Mr. Bang will be a Reggaetón fan real soon.🎶
@@thedude1249 Los Dioses rocks too!
@@BassDad8 My current cancion favorita. The melody flows so smooth. Enjoy mis amigos. th-cam.com/video/FCxVyG302vQ/w-d-xo.html 💕
Here it is.. 🎉 I have been waiting for another opinion...there is a cra pro, now.. Dlc driver, maybe check it out? As to cables, they are not all the same. There are a number of measurable electrical properties which vary. Good review. I will be buying it ASAP (winter, not that we have winter where I live)
These seem really nice
Damm kz comes up with insane iems once in awhile
Dear expert, I would like to ask your advice, what other model should I pay attention to in order to rise to a new level when listening to such music that is on the DR Koncerthuset TH-cam channel? I also listen to Bent Knee, Hiromi The Trio Project, Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra, rock operas, SENRI KAWAGUCHI. I like the live, open and powerful concert sound. Maybe HYDRO?
Now you need to go down thr stack. The ZS12 Pro X, the ZS10 Pro2 and ProX. All of them arw excellent for their proce point. Thr ZS12 X is especially good for the money.
I am actually sitting on the EDX Pro X, so I guess I should break them out!
@@BassDad8 gotta be honest, the EDX Pro are pretty "meh". The upper end treble isn't well controlled, they have an excessive amount of pina gain, in the worst direction, which can make certain female vocals become very sibilant. And of course, because of all of that, they timbre and tonality is a bit all over the place.
The EDC Pro is significantly better from all angles. More natural timbre, better control of the treble, less pina gain, less V shaped mids, better controlled mid-bass, and a bass that is more coherent than the EDX.
To be fair, it's still a $15 set of ear phones, it isn't going to set the IEM market ablaze, and even something a few dollars more expensive, like the Picollo, is superior. But for $15...it's really good.
@@bigbuckoramma All of this is great info to have. At some point I will open up to the KZ brand. I know they make some good stuff. My introduction to them was very biased from HBB and Zeos. And I was just getting into the hobby when I heard them both kinda tear them down. Sounds to me like I should give at least a couple of sets a chance. So EDC Pro might be the way to start. It is a low-risk, medium-high reward prospect. Thank you for the detailed overview. I will keep you posted. ☮
@@BassDad8 my very first introduction to the ChiFi market was the KZ ZX3. An absolutely terrible set, with horrific driver flex and no pressure relief. However, my very next set was the ZX10 Pro, which pulled me deep into the hobby. And before I knew it, I was trading in my Samsung for an LG, just for the Quad DAC headphone amp, and started sourcing Ultra HD music in FLAC. And then bought, what I still believe is one of their best IEM's to date, the ZAX. And then around the time I bought my KZ CRN's, was when driver gate went down. Thankfully, by then, I had already stopped consuming anything that came out of Zeos mouth, and I thought HBB was a little full of himself, especially for trashing KZ, then immediately doing a Colab with QKZ, who, if you haven't guessed by the initials and the packaging, is OEM'd by KZ, and the quality and tonality of that set has never been brought to question.
So, I said all that to say this. KZ is not without their problems. They have fallen victim to what happens with any company in a controlling market share position, and has done shady things, and employed shady tactics, and has said some very dumb things as a result. But they do at least deserve some reflection, if for no other reason than they are almost solely responsible for persuing the international audiophile/HeadFi community of influencers, and creating the IEM ChiFi marketplace we all know and love today. And despite their pratfalls, they do, on occasion, hit it out of the park with a true market disruptor that can not be ignored, and have done so in almost every price category from $5 to $200. And that moves the industry, as a whole, forward. And drives better sounding, better tuned, and better implemented IEM's down to lower price points, where new enthusiasts can benefit from the higher quality introductions to the hobby. And despite the prior grievances, those models should be recognized. Even if the recommendation is that KZ has been shady in the past, and Caveat Emptor, it is still useful as a point of reference.
Having rambled far too much now, I will leave off with also recommending the Castor Harmon, and Castor Bass. The Castor Harmon has some of the best sound stage under $100 I have heard, and doesn't graph half bad either.
Thanks for reading my TED Talk. 🤣
Great review, thanks! 👍 Worth getting if you already got SM4?
You may also want to receive consider TRN. Idk why I have such a soft spot for them, lol, I guess I find TRN under represented, under valued and overly criticized. NO they're not perfect but at least TRN would have at least included a case at that price point. They are a step above KZ in design, accessories, etc. The Orca and CS2 are mostly ignored. Now we have White Tiger, let's see if they get any hype outside of TDM and possibly Akros. Though the day Akros picks something above Simgot may never come, lol, he admits his bias. Here are TDM's comments on HiFi Go in response to a very long detailed Ew300 standard/DSP review, "ToneDeafMonk
Great review, you nailed it.
I also find the mids especially upper mids too veiled, on the reg cable the EW300 is tuned too much the other way by Simgot too much information is lost for acurate vocal details and clarity.
DSP version is a definite 👍 improvement.
I also got blasted first time I used the DSP cable and volume was not playing nicely with my dap.
Doing some A/B comparison with the TRN White Tiger, it takes all my criticism away from what I didn't like about the EW300 and improves upon the tambre, Separation, detail, vocal clarity and stage.
The Zebra has a nicer case, a much nicer modular cable has the swappable nozzles and has the better tuning same price."
@@someoneusa so my buddy Harrison and Syeindunce are repping some TRN sets now. I have already committed to reviewing the Azure Dragon, but they have the White Tiger too, which looks freaking siiiiick! So I’ll probably hit him up for that set too once I’m back on track. They also have a new collab between CVJ x AngelEars called the Yukimi which is a single DD that has my attention. It’s gonna be hard to not do any reviews for a couple of weeks or so. Lots of good stuff on the way.
@@BassDad8 niiiiice! Best of luck with the surgery! Sorry I have yet to dm, I've been dealing with some health stuff.
please make a ranking list
@@AbadyAngel it has to happen. You’re right.
How does it compare to ..s12 2024. Or simgot supermix 4..
3.5 to 4.4 does make a difference
kz zs12 pro x is another banger for $35.
I may have to check those out. I’ve been so anti KZ. Need to get my head out of my ass on that apparently… lol
@@BassDad8some people have said that kz is walking on thin ice, so another issue/scandal would really hurt their reputation, they are probably careful this time hopefully 😂
@@ndjdj7989 KZ has been walking on thin ice for awhile now. When you mess with a collab with HBB/BGGAR, that is a big mistake. They have been plagued by QC issues and allegations of shadow revisions. I think that might be why they did not release this set under KZ proper. Not everyone knows that CCA is under the same umbrella, so that was a smart move. The good news is that it is a really good set and an exceptional value and it is on my "must buy" list now (this set was a loaner).
@@BassDad8Better try headphones kz zs10 pro2
I'm such a big hater since PR2 messed with my ears after the mesh removal, I might grab Hydro someday though but no promises
with a name like hydro, one would think these would be water-resistant atleast. well, with the floods in vijajay and no way to buy a new set, i'm kinda stuck between a rock and a wet place
@@ManoharOfficial I’m trying to figure out how to waterproof them for you… maybe a really really tight swim cap? Yeesh. Or not…
Hey Chris, My ears find the sound of BA drivers to be quite thin, unenergetic, plastic/unreal feel, hard on my ears, my mind feels that this sound is no esta bueno. 🤢 Do you feel any of this with this set? Paz Hermano. 🤙
Oh gosh no! Whether the drivers are upgraded from the usual KZ stuff, or the tuning was just so spot on, or possibly both, this set sheds that plasticky, unnatural trait that plagues a lot of BA drivers. Even some very expensive sets with BA drivers can suffer that to an extent. The sheer naturalness of this set is what really impressed me. Well, that and the soundstage, details, smooth treble and the precise and satisfying bass. Need I go on? Seriously though, I know what you are talking about. None of that is present on the Hydro from what I experienced.
@@BassDad8 Thanks.
I have it it doesn t fit me it's too fat at the lower part of nozzle for my small ears but a beast of iem a great EQ platform but..Listen Dire Straits Where you think you re going ! You ll blown away with the drums and the guitars AWESOME. it's END GAME with only 100$ unbelievable. If I could only make them custom somehow.. 😐
@@anatol1204 have you tried the Dunu S&S ear tips on them?
@@BassDad8 these no
@@anatol1204 okay. It might be worth a shot. The are longer and completely cylindrical in shape. Be aware they run small. The X large is only 13.3mm in diameter. Order a size up from what usually fits you if you get some. I have some trouble with shorter nozzles too depending on the shape of the chassis. S&S tips don’t always fix it, but they have helped on certain sets. Sound is very good too.
@@BassDad8 oh thanks I didn't know that I will give them a try let's hope they fix the problem at least make it smaller..❤️👍
@@anatol1204 good luck! Keep me posted!