KZ D-Fi (Tunable) Impressions: THE D-FINITIVE VALUE KING!

Come with me as I share my impressions on the KZ D-Fi, KZ’s “flagship” IEM that features 4 tuning switches per side that totals a potential of 16 tuning modes, priced at a very affordable $33 for the tuning version and $26 for the standard version!! The market has taken quite a drastic turn into tuning switches in 2023 and the D-Fi aims to get the barrier of entry for this cool concept as low without compromises. Does it deliver? Let’s find out!

IMPRESSIONS: 

• Usual KZ Box but with a lot more inclusions than usual
• Basic KZ cable (best cable)
• Insanely solid build quality but may cause electrical shocks on some sources
• No instructions for the tuning switches on the box
• Surprisingly comfortable, but quite weighty in your ear
• Neutral to Neutral with Bass Boost with tuning modes
• Very well tuned and versatile but somewhat loose bass response
• Lush, bodied but forward and clean midrange
• Smooth and somewhat blunted treble
• Average stage, imaging and separation (gets worse with higher bass modes)
• Overly complex concept that at least does something
• Varying drivability (from easy to PR2 level)

Okay, I need to first note that the KZ D-Fi is genuinely one of the best-tuned IEMs I’ve heard under $50. No joke. All tuning modes whether it’d be the leanest bass all the way to the thickest bass, the D-Fi has such a superb tonal balance that is, by far, my absolute favorite for the price. The bass is so thick and meaty but still provides a good sense of punch and texture that gives the midrange a rich but generally uncolored and uncompromised midrange that leads to the smooth, soothing treble. 

KZ D-fi features a total of 8 tuning switches, making it one of the best value sets in terms of tuning variance today!

But obviously, the D-Fi’s D-Fi-ning trait (see what I did there) is its tuning modes. And I will admit, it works. But not to the degree that you may think. I’ll relay every single tuning mode and the effect on the overall sound, but if you were to bass it off the infographics provided by KZ themselves, turning on each switch gradually increases the bass until you turn all 4 where every single frequency gets boosted to about 4db. This not only affects the bass but also the rest of the frequency as it also affects how certain frequencies react to an increase in bass (particularly in the midrange). This means that the bass modes affect midrange openness, timbre and clarity. Whether it affects techs is debatable (as the impedance also changes)

And you see, that’s where I see the D-Fi’s biggest strength but also its flaw. It does a lot. Maybe a little too much, and without really much help so you have to discover the tuning on your own (there are no included guides for what the switches do in the packaging itself). KZ only provides a guide for a total of 5 modes which while it does admittedly don’t do much on the alternate modes, a diagram to see exactly what it does would’ve absolutely helped a lot. I also think that, unless you’re extremely sensitive to bass, you’ll get about 3 different kind of tuning here. The lean, the thicker, and the thickest. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing as I personally love how it specifically targets the bass. However, you get a sort of sense of information overload when you start looking for guides and you start turning into a robot reading binary to know which tuning does what. It’s a pro for those who love to customize their IEMs, but definitely an overcomplicated concept for those who just want a simple IEM. At that point, you’re probably better off with the non-tunable version.

On that note, I should mention the non-tunable version that was released with the D-Fi. Based on Practiphile’s measurements, it measures closer to D-Fi UUUD but with increased treble. I was hoping that the non-tunable followed the DDDD version, though.

C. Practiphile’s squig measurements

Going back to the sound, techs aren’t the best for the D-Fi either as overall techs are somewhat average for the price which isn’t necessarily bad but it doesn’t break the market in techs by any means. It isn’t necessarily a con for being “bad” but it’s something that I think deserves mentioning. It’s also quite heavy which some might find a little too cumbersome to wear. At the same time, the inclusions that come with D-Fi aren’t really my favorite. The spirals tend to scratch up my ears due to the, well, spirals. And the wide bore just won’t fit my ears properly. 

Nonetheless, the D-Fi has quickly become my absolutely favorite IEM for the price despite all my qualms with it because, well, it gives you a sense of personalization with the sound of your IEM. The switches do work and make a change and the number of switches gives you a lot of choices that you may or may not hear a difference with. But even if you take away that cool tuning feature, the stand-out quality of the D-Fi for me is that impeccable tuning. Seriously, this is the best-tuned IEM I’ve heard under $50 and I would seriously recommend this to anyone who seeks an all-rounded, well-tuned, and versatile set and loves to tinker with their IEMs. It was so well tuned I nearly forgot that its techs don’t really compete much with stuff at its price range and slightly higher. 

But definitely stay tuned for my full review as there is a LOT to talk about this IEM. I mean a LOT. 

Thank you for reading my impressions! If you would like to get one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://kz-audio.com/kz-d-fi.html