Come with me as I share my first impressions on the KZ Castor Bass Improved version. This is a $16 2DD IEM that is one of the two iterations that KZ released under the Castor name. Does the “bass improved’ moniker truly apply in this equation, or is it all just smokes and mirrors? Let’s find out!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
- Standard KZ unboxing and inclusions
- Decent build quality and fit
- Bass boosted Harman-style sound signature
- Big, thumpy bass with lack of midbass body
- Clean, open but somewhat underemphasized lower mids
- Forward, energetic upper mids that can get a little too intense
- Occasionally sharp and grainy treble
Finally, KZ brings the 2DD and switches into the sub $20 with the Castor and my first impressions are surprisingly livid. Never have I thought KZ would be coming out with a set like this just a few months ago as this has a genuinely fun yet clean presentation.
First thing I want to point out is the fact that they finally included an instructional guide for what the switches do. For every single one of their releases prior to Castor, all information we had about what the tuning switches did was on their official pubmats. This time around, KZ was nice and included one.
But obviously you’re here for the sound and I have to say that the Castor Bass Improved edition is certainly bassy. Maybe ridiculously bassy for some, but I’d say it’s very cleanly done for less than $20. Probably one of the cleanest under $20. How KZ was able to do this is a mystery, but the Castor is here and it’s real clean.
However, if you are a part of the Harman-hater gang, you really won’t like this. KZ has been very explicit that they based it on the Harman target. Taking a look at the standard or “grey” version will show that they followed a thinner variant of their interpretation of Harman. The Black version, which is what I have, follows the Harman target a little bit closer with a considerable bass boost and then a tuck at around 150-300hz. This means the lower mids will sound pretty dry and distant on certain songs that don’t have a lot of emphasis in this region. This is known as the “bass tuck” and in the case of the Castor, it really tucks into that 200-300hz region.
The problem point in my opinion is the treble. It’s sparkly with a good amount of micro contrast, but it’s admittedly a little bit on the hot side. Timbre can also get a little bit plasticky and metallic due to the lack of midbass to smoothen out the treble which can emphasize the upper mids to treble more than one desires. It’s not overly bright due to the generous amount of subbass energy, but it can be too much for some.
Technicalities are surprisingly good for the price but it’s revolutionary in any sense of the word. Separation, especially in the lower end can struggle a little bit with the upper mids to treble getting a little busy on more complex tracks. But overall, better than what I would’ve expected.
Now, let’s take a brief look at the different tuning modes that the Castor Bass Improved version has. Since there’s a lot, I’ll note the 3 different tuning modes I think have the most change between the different modes.
DDUU
This mode is the mode that comes stock with the Castor Black and is probably one of the worst ones. It somehow lacks a little bit of subbass extension and sounds a little sharp due to the lack of bass energy to compliment the upper mids to treble
UUUU
This is basically the DDUU with proper bass extension which also smoothens the upper mids to treble.
UUDD
This opposes the DDUU and brings the bass to the next level. This borders boomy territory and tames the upper treble the most out of all the tuning modes which makes this the most v-shaped but also the tamest in the treble region. It still keeps a decent amount of openness in the midrange, but not to the level of DDUU or UUDD
The Castor Bass Improved, also known as the Black is a set for those who love a lot of subbass and hates midbass. As a matter of fact, this is a must-buy for those who love a Harman-style tuned set with subbass emphasis, not a lot of midbass, and a lot of upper mids to treble to boot. It’s a genuinely fun, borderline bass-head set with a surprisingly clean and open sound for less than $20, but it can definitely use just a little bit more midbass presence. Just a little bit.
STAY TUNED FOR THE VIDEO REVIEW!
Thank you so much for Jenny of KZ for sending the Castor over in exchange for my honest thoughts. If you would like to get one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://kz-audio.com/kz-castor.html
If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my facebook page or at my email at obodioreviews@gmail.com
