WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:
PROS:
- The most refined KZ single DD
- Good unboxing experience and accessories
- Unique design
- Premium construction
- Neutral to balanced sound
- Versatile tuning
- Good technicalities for the price
- Great reference KZ set
CONS:
- Crappy stock cable
- Not the best quality eartip selection
- Occasional electric zaps when paired with a high powered amp
- Not the most exciting IEM
- Not the smoothest treble presentation
- Not class leading in terms of technicalities
WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:
- People who want the best single DD KZ
- People who like a reference neutral tuning
- People who like a well-built IEM
- People who want a versatile sounding IEM
WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:
- Treble sensitives
- People who don’t like QDC connectors
- People who want a more fun and exciting set’
- People who want the most technical IEM for the price
RECOMMENDED GENRES:
- Vocal pop
- Jazz
- Funk
- Modern Pop
SHORT REVIEW:
KZ’s “flagship” single DD finally means something as Zenith achieves what the D-Fi aimed to achieve 2 years ago. Well-balanced KZ “neutral” sound signature with an actually compelling unboxing experience, solid build and a solid technical performance that allows for it to compete with its single DD peers. While it can’t totally compete with the single DD gods, you can’t deny that KZ have considerably improved upon their single DD formula considerably over the years. RECOMMENDED!
FULL REVIEW:
The butterfly effect is something that many attribute to “what if’s” in not only their lives but in others. What if this one thing did or didn’t happen and completely changed the course of history?
That’s what I personally imagined with KZ if they had only started off with the tuning they’ve been making in the last few months. But the more I think about it, the more I see it as a “what if” and more as a “how far can they grow” as management seems to have shifted from trying to follow trends to refining their existing products and innovating new products.
The Zenith is one such product that aims to refine the tried and tested “flagship single DD” formula that started way back in 2022 with the D-Fi. I touted that as the best KZ IEM ever tuned, but the Zenith seems to be the IEM to finally dethrone that.
A TO ZENITH
To talk about the Zenith, we must talk about those that preceded it. The KZ D-Fi was the first in line with this “diffused field” style tuning that seemed to be alien to the usual v-shaped tuning that KZ had. The D-Fi was, for all intents and purposes, the pioneer to what KZ is today.
This was eventually followed by the Krila, a set that divided the community as it followed the same “DF” tuning but added in an extra BA that hailed from their other sets like the ZS series of IEMs. This added a level of technicalities that the D-Fi could not achieve, in exchange for a clearly worse timbre.
Then came the cheaper but still equally “neutral” Polaris that, at one point, was the best budget IEM that KZ has in terms of tuning. Same tuning switches, same DF tuning, plastic body and under $10? It sounded like a dream, at least until the EDC Pro took that place by having no tuning switches and a flat b-pin connector for even more affordable.
KZ then had a series of hybrids and more “fun” tuned IEMs like the Saga Bass and the weird Merga and Vader High Resolution single DD that was more akin to the brighter leaning Pianist. Not my favorite from their single DD.
And finally, their current flagship DD, the Zenith. This boasts more than just improved sound. They’ve improved nearly everything in this IEM.
UNBOXING
Figure number 1, the unboxing. I was weirded out at first when I noticed that the box that KZ sent over was larger than usual. I thought to myself, “is this a different IEM? I’m not expecting a product other than KZ today, what could this be?” Lo and behold, it was the Zenith with its massive packaging, which only meant one thing:
HERE’S A FULL LIST OF THE ACCESSORIES:
- IEMs
- Cable
- Carrying Pouch
- 6 pairs of Eartips
- Tuning Tool
This is a monumental moment for KZ. I know they did this too with the Sonata, but the Zenith is my first time experiencing a KZ with an actually compelling unboxing experience. Do I think they’ll keep this up? Not at the budget segment, that’s for sure. But I’m just glad to see that after all these years, they finally gave you a decent amount of accessories and a freaking case.
The foam eartips aren’t very good, though. Paired with the case that holds the eartips, you’re guaranteed to rip apart the foam eartips that come with the product.
The case is good, but it follows old Dunu-style cases where it doesn’t open all the way. It’s stupid and I hate it, but beggars can’t be choosers when they’ve literally never included a case in their modern IEMs ever.
BUILD & FIT
Another similarity that the D-Fi and Zenith have is its build. Bask in the Zenith’s full-metal-glory and an actually mesmerizing faceplate that competes with the PR series of IEMs for having the best looking aesthetics. Mainly because there’s no stupid font on the IEM.
Before I proceed with the build, I want to mention the internals of the KZ Zenith. This is because they’ve spent a considerable amount of ink talking about how different this DD is from other DDs.
This full range ultra linear “Driver X” has a larger voice coil and larger neodymium magnet that apparently allows it to produce less distortions and a cleaner overall sound. Does it do that? We’ll talk about it soon. But seeing them R&D their DDs out of everything is something I’m glad to see because that means it’ll eventually begin to show up in the sub $20 range and provide an even better value for the consumers.
Continuing with the build, the Zenith’s overall shape is in the medium range for KZs. Not as small as something like the Saga, but not as massive as the Symphony. I quite like it. It’s not super snug nor does it seal perfectly, but it’s comfortable enough for long listening sessions without any fatigue or discomfort.
I will choose to not talk about the cable because quite frankly, out of all the things KZ could have improved, the cable was NOT one of them. Am I disappointed? Yes, but I’m not surprised either.
SOUND
Sound Signature
The KZ Zenith follows the “diffused field” tuning of its predecessor and refines it to the level that I never knew KZ was capable of. Impeccable timbre, great detail retrieval, consistent tonality and tuning switches that mildly changes the overall sound. It’s just a really well-tuned IEM. At least, with the small issue of KZ’s treble still causing a bit of edge which in turn gives the Zenith a more prominent detail retrieval.
Drivability
One thing that these series of KZ’s IEMs is just how hard they are to drive. A friend of mine measured the D-Fi’s impedance and it reached a whopping 112 ohms. That’s insane for an IEM, but understandable considering how well it scaled. The same can be said with the Zenith as pairing this with a balanced cable and good power brings the best out of the IEM’s sound characteristics and further smoothens the edges. This IEM is also a blank canvas for sources and perfect to compare between darker, brighter, smoother and more nuanced sources. This, unfortunately, means that lower quality amps won’t bring the best that the Zenith has to offer.
Volume Scaling
Due to that impeccable tuning, the Zenith has great volume scaling. I can crank the volume knob on the Zenith on my DAPs on high gain and go 60-70 with little to no fatigue. There’s a bit of edge in the treble, but generally tolerable even at higher volumes
Listening Experience
My first few days with the Zenith seemed a little lackluster as I had been simmering in pricier sets like the DK3001BD and NX8 with impeccable techs and tuning or weirder IEMs like the Kotori IEMs. The Zenith completely breaks free from that by… being boring?
Okay, boring is not the way I’d describe the Zenith per se, but this tuning has been done countless times. The main difference between those that came before and the Zenith is how refined it sounds.
The bass is very clean and the slope is just perfect for most genres, the mids bring most vocals and instruments in a very linear way that avoids unnecessary recessions or overemphasis and the treble is crisp but natural sounding. The only pain point that I could realistically point out is that treble being a little too edgy.
The albums I spent the most time on the Zenith are Time and Pace by flu and Geordie Greep’s The New Sound. Two very contrasting albums in vibes and complexity but two albums that I slowly grew to love over time as I disliked both of them at the start. Time and Pace changed the recording and mixing of the original songs released a few years ago and The New Sound just sounded so weird and not vibey. But the more time I spent, the more I appreciated both albums for what they were.
The Zenith performed majestically on both albums, but I particularly loved it on Time and Pace because of how much I’ve listened to this album on the Zenith. I was essentially losing my passion for the album a few weeks prior to getting the Zenith and the Zenith brought back that passion. The tuning is, once again, nothing special, but the “normalness” made me appreciate just how well-mixed this album is. The Zenith’s tuning was perfect for Time and Pace’s less complex but musically rich mixing. It’s not the most nuanced or tactile IEM I’ve heard for this album as you’ll see in my comparisons, but it does the album justice in more ways than one. The only gripe I had was on brighter sections with sharper cymbals and hi hats, the Zenith can get a little hot. Details are fantastic in turn, but fatigue can be induced if you really push the volume or you’re just that sensitive.
The New Sound, on the other hand, showcased its capability to play complex tracks while sounding quite natural and clean. The self-titled track’s rather complex composition was quite a treat to listen to on the Zenith, but also showcased the Zenith’s limitations when it comes to its technicalities. It’s no slouch, especially for the price, but there are definitely better single DDs to handle complex tracks. What the Zenith goes for is how consistent it sounds. Edginess be damned, I never found myself feeling like something stood out more than it does on other IEMs I’ve listened to with a similar neutral tuning. And most of those IEMs are far more expensive than the Zenith.
So aside from being pushed to the edge on complex compositions and the occasional edge in the treble, the Zenith is a solid IEM overall. Tactility is acceptable, especially for the price and consistency is phenomenal. It doesn’t distract from the music that you listen to which is perfect if you just want to plug and play. That also means that this IEM is not for those looking for a specialized sound with bigger, boomier bass or sharper and snappier treble. But that’s the beauty in the Zenith’s sound. It just works and it works really well.
COMPARED TO THE OTHER TUNING MODES
I enjoy the simplicity and logic behind the tuning switches of the Zenith and its predecessors because it just makes sense. You flip the far left switch and the bass goes up, almost like a 4 band EQ. Well, exactly like a 4 band EQ.
Unfortunately, the Zenith falls under the same issues that those kinds of tuning switches have which is that it barely changes the sound. I normally talk about it more in depth, but the real-world experience is so minor that I can just chalk it up to “it increases the subbass a bit”
COMPARISONS:
vs KZ D-Fi
Obviously, I HAVE to compare it to the grandaddy of KZ”s single DD. And as you might expect almost 3 years after the first, the Zenith is a far better sounding IEM. Bass is far tighter, cleaner and more consistent, the mids doesn’t get as congested and the treble is smoother and more refined with better resolution. It’s fascinating to see the growth of the “flagship” DD of KZ and how much they’ve actually improved.
vs Simgot EW200
Compared to the budget single DD goat, the EW200 is still the “technically” superior IEM between the two but the timbre of the Zenith is just more consistent overall. Nuance is better on the EW300 from bass tactility to treble definition, but the Zenith is an IEM that you can listen to for much longer. So it then comes down to whether you want a tech budget DD or a timbre budget DD with both ends completing each other’s cons
vs EPZ Q5/Q5 Pro
Basically the same story as the EW200, but the Q5 leans closer to a brighter tone than the Zenith which would cater to trebleheads better. The same can be said for the EW200, but the Q5 is a brighter and more “detailed” overall set compared to the Zenith. More fatiguing too which would make it a very clear decision between the two
vs EPZ Q1 Pro
The Harman god doesn’t stand a chance in terms of timbre and consistency against the Zenith, but does beat the Zenith out in raw details and resolution. Externally, the fit of the Q1 Pro is also far better than the Zenith while the Zenith is better built, but I wanted to mention the fit specifically as it saves the Q1 Pro from being totally outclassed by the Zenith in every regard.
vs Kefine Klean
Compared to the little brother of the Delci, the Klean is a far warmer, more relaxed but equally flawed in the treble region. Unfortunately, the Klean’s lower eargain emphasizes that peak far more than the Zenith does and causes than “low-res” sound that budget single DD’s with low eargain suffer from. The Zenith doesn’t have nearly as much musicality and warmth as the Klean, but the upper mids mask that treble region a bit better. Technically, they’re about on par with each other
vs Truthear Zero RED
Compared to the universal sub $100 competitor, the Red is a far smoother, more musical but also slightly less detailed IEM compared to the Zenith. The Zenith’s detail retrieval is a half step up better than the Red while the Red’s tonality is much warmer and fuller, especially when throwing an impedance adaptor.
vs Simgot EW300 on Silver nozzle
I wanted to specifically mention the silver nozzle variant of the EW300 as, quite frankly, the EW300’s silver nozzle follows the Zenith perfectly. Now you might expect that they’d sound exactly the same, but the difference in driver configuration and implementation means the EW300 will be a more “relaxed” and “refined” set compared to the Zenith. The bass is more “nuanced” on the EW300 with smoother but less defined treble details and better technicalities overall.
CONCLUSION:
On one end, KZ’s improvement and refinement of their single DD formula gave birth to probably their best single DD IEM to date. I cannot think of a single IEM that KZ has released with a single DD that captured my heart as much as the D-Fi did, at least until the Zenith came out. Impeccable tonality, an actual decent unboxing and phenomenal build quality.
But take the Zenith into the real world and you see that it’s bound to be a small fish in a big sea. I don’t want to discount the efforts KZ have made to make the Zenith as good as it is, but IEMs in this price range really have to stand out to be worth getting. The Zenith is worth getting, but there are IEMs like the EW200 breaking sub $100 IEMs ankles and the Red continuing to be THE sub $100 reference along with the Hexa. It’s a safe set to get and one that KZ lovers would absolutely fawn over, but a set that plays by KZ’s mentality of slow and steady wins the race.
Thank you for reading my full review on the KZ Zenith. If you would like to order one, you can use the non-affiliated link below:
