Friday, February 28, 2025
Home Chi-Fi from KZ: don’t be afraid for the buck

Chi-Fi from KZ: don’t be afraid for the buck

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Pros

  • Lots of quality for little money
  • Huge choice of models
  • Wide variety of technical versions
  • Fast delivery

Cons

  • Only available online

Wrapping up

We have not tested KZ’s planar and electrostatic models (yet); needless to say we are very curious! Also worth mentioning is that the Bluetooth module also works surprisingly well, especially on the iPhone. It will be down to the Bluetooth protocol, but with our Oppo (Android) phone we suffered from dropouts in crowded places like railway stations. The module is a kind of lightweight ear clip that bends around the ear and to which KZ’s IEM can be connected. Very handy to have this option; you hardly feel the Bluetooth once they are on. For around 20 euros for the basic model (there are more options) a no-brainer.

After hearing six models, we can only conclude that KZ makes IEMs that offer incredible value for money. For 15 euros, the ZSN PRO is amazingly good. We know IEMs that cost 100 euros or more; the ZSN PRO wins hands on. KZ also seems to master the balanced armature technique. Want more bass? Then choose a model with a conventional driver. More high end? Try a model with more BA units, or the planar and electrostatic models. Indeed, the hybrid variants offer, as promised, a combination of sound characteristics. The modest price makes it tempting to buy a few and try them out.

Conclusion

Chi-Fi, or high-quality audio coming from China, is here to stay. Where a brand like TOZO still suggests it comes from the USA, says KZ says what it stands for; proudly developed and made in China, sold through an Aliexpress sales channel. KZ won us over with the six in-ear montors we tested between €15 and €95. All are of excellent quality and the choice is vast, as there are no less than 80 models to choose from in almost every imaginable version: conventional drivers, balanced armature units, planar (magnetostat) and electrostats. In a hybrid version (BA, conventional and planar/electrostatic) or not. Bluetooth, true wireless. KZ itself claims that comparable models from competing brands would cost at least 10-15 times more. After this test, we can actually back up this claim. KZ could well be the Chi-Fi brand where you no longer have to try before you buy. This sentence will be grammatically incorrect, you get what we mean: Alpha Approved!
Type test
Single Test
Speaker class
Monitor - bookshelf
Speaker type
Dynamic
Speaker system
Bass reflex
Signal control
Passive
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