![]() ![]() Buy Other Sound Equipment, No Highs No Lows etc. My only real gripe with it is that it probably could use some extra midtreble presence, but overall this is a surprisingly good entry by Apple that shouldn’t be overlooked in the audiophile community simply for being mainstream. #COUSTIC AMP 190 MANUAL MUSCLE PRO#The AirPods Pro is tuned to be somewhat reminscient of the Diffuse Field target but with that last-octave sub-bass boost, with a smooth and natural midrange tonality that many IEM companies tend to get wrong. Yeah, it’s probably not going to be better than other established wired IEMs in the same price bracket. Yeah sure, it’s pricey and you can probably still do better with other models on this list. It is, and I can’t believe I’m saying it, pretty dang good. They aren’t bad, but they certainly don’t do anything to distinguish themselves in terms of tuning or raw “sound quality”.īut the AirPods Pro is a little different. And in terms of the EarPods and the original AirPods, you would be right. ![]() There is no way that an audiophile would ever like something so mainstream. Now I know what you’re thinking: this is Apple we’re talking about. The AirPods Pro needs no introduction but I’ll do one anyways: it is Apple’s first true wireless in-ear and their third IEM overall (shoutouts to the legendary Addiem and the less-legendary iPod in-ears in case anybody remembers these relics). At 60 bones max, it outshines many of the mainstream competitors and establishes itself as a unicorn in the TWS market: a neutrally-tuned option. It’s not going to have KZ’s traditionally massive bass boost nor its liberally-tuned treble response, and it’s for that reason that I really believe that the E10 is the best KZ IEM you can get.Īs a TWS IEM though? (Almost) no contest. It’s definitely the most un-KZ sounding IEM in KZ’s lineup, so diehard fans of the brand should stay away. But apart from all those, the E10 does the whole neutral Diffuse Field-y signature very well. The E10 has its fair share of flaws, for instance the overly-shouty midrange that pushes vocals straight in your face, or perhaps the slightly thinness in the midrange that isn’t as satisfying as the other lower-midrange heavy stuff on the guide. Alas, that’s my personal dealbreaker.Ĭolour me surprised, KZ made a pretty good pair of IEMs. If they had reined in the midrange tonality a little better, I probably would’ve purchased one myself. It’s rumbly, it’s impactful and yet retains a sense of cleanliness not normally heard of in IEMs with this level of bass quantity. But the Liberty 2 Pro really is my “guilty pleasure” listen in the sense that I absolutely love the bass presentation. The bass quantity is probably too much for a lot of people, the midrange is shouty and I detect the treble straying into sibilance at times. So imagine my surprise when I actually liked the Liberty 2 Pro. I didn’t have much hope in them in the beginning since it was my belief that most general-tech-reviewer-sponsored headphones usually doesn’t live up to the expectations of the average audiophile, and instead are targeted towards the mainstream consumer. If you’re like me, you probably first heard of the Liberty 2 Pro when LinusTechTips shilled talked about them on his YouTube channel. But in terms of sound, the E10 has a better tonal balance and does not come with the sibilance that the S2 has.īut if you absolutely have to spend $50 on a TWS set (possibly cheaper on the street), the S2 is an adequate pick. ![]() Now the ergonomics are different between the two of course the E10 has those odd ear hooks that some have complained about, while the S2 is a more traditional “bud”-type fit that should work for more people. Unfortunately the existence of the S2 in KZ’s lineup seems like a mystery, especially when you can get their very own E10 for just $10 more. Unfortunately the S2 strays into sibilance, a flaw that is arguably its biggest sonic dealbreaker, but overall there’s nothing too offensive about the S2’s sound, tonally or technically. The S2 has a mainstream house elevated bass and treble for an exciting V-shaped response, though the shape of the V is slightly biased towards the treble. The S2’s sound quality does not impress and neither does its plasticky build quality, but for $50 you don’t have much grounds for complaining. The name of the S2’s game seems to be “adequate performance for bottom-dollar price”, and to that I think KZ has done it. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless: “Carried by Name”Īll awarded grades are in reference to the IEM ranking list. Samsung Galaxy Buds+: “Objectivist’s Dream” Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro: “That Linus TWS”Īudio Technica ATH-CK3TW: “The Imbalanced”Īudio Technica ATH-CKS5TW: “Acoustically Challenged”Īudio Technica ATH-SPORT7TW: “Combo Breaker” ![]()
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