KZ Vader “Hi-Res Version” Review
Intro
Hello everyone, I have with me today one of the latest iems from the audio brand KZ named the KZ Vader “High-Resolution”. This set actually comes in two distinct and differently tuned versions. Again, this is the “High-Resolution” version. The other version being the “Balanced” version. The Vader takes some of the DNA from another of KZ/CCA iems, the CCA Trio, as it shares the same driver count and type. That is a 3 dynamic driver multi driver set to be exact. We’ve seen a large uptick in multi dynamic driver sets over the course of the last couple years and there’s very good reason for this. That being… earthy and organic timbre and better dynamism, deeper lows etc. However, just because a set houses dynamic drivers certainly doesn’t guarantee this result. Now, the Trio was, and is, a widely accepted success from KZ’s sister brand CCA, and I was one of those folks who wholeheartedly rec’d that set (Trio Review). I’m not patting myself on the back either, the truth is that it is a great deal for an easy to like iem. I mean, it costs what… $35?! That’s silly territory people. I suppose the question that I have is will the Vader “High-resolution” simply be another version of the same tuning? Will KZ switch things up a bit and come up with an entirely different tuning philosophy? I suppose we will find out.
KZ/CCA
I usually provide links to the other KZ/CCA sets that I’ve reviewed within the intro, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I usually point out how KZ doesn’t miss very often as they usually craft sets that do very well within their relative price points. As always, KZ will make incremental changes on every iteration of their iems for the better, for the most part anyways. Like all brands we have seen them take a step backwards from time to time. However, those sets are few and far in between. I mean, lately this brand has been winning folks. I feel that every set is a banger anymore. The KZ AS24 (AS24 Review), CCA Hydro (Hydro Review), CCA Rhapsody (Rhapsody Review), KZ D-Fi (D-Fi Review), CCA Trio (Trio Review), and on and on. I left many sets out, but I’m sure you get the picture. They really create iems with good price to performance and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.
I think I’m ready to get into this review and full feature of the KZ Vader. It should be interesting pairing this set against the field of $35 iems and especially interesting comparing them to the Trio as well as a few more expensive sets if timing permits. So, without further ado, the KZ Vader…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
Disclaimer:
I received the KZ Vader from KZ as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. KZ has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to KZ and thanks for reading.
Vader “HR” Pros
-Build Quality is always pretty great
-The design is one of the best KZ has done (my opinion of course)
-Working dip-switches
-Very clean sound, from the low-end through thru the treble
-Transparent midrange with fantastic resolution
-Airy, punchy treble that is the Star of the show
-Emphasized treble without coming across as shrill
-Detail retrieval
-Separation
-Imaging
Vader “HR” Cons
-Bassheads or even moderate bass lovers won’t enjoy this one
-Thin sounding notes
-Not the most dynamically expressive
-May come across brighter than some would enjoy
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Unboxing / Accessories
Unboxing
This will not be a very exciting unboxing story. Then again, I think we all probably know that. KZ is renowned for not giving out a huge assortment of goodies in their packaging but instead use that money towards their earphones themselves. I’m okay with the tradeoff. The KZ Vader comes in a small rectangular white box with a line drawing of the Vader in the front and some specs on the back. Typical. Open up the box by sliding off the front sleeve and you’ll see the gorgeous Vader staring right back at you. Under this layer you’ll find a bunch of those annoying and horribly wrapped white plastic baggies (I hate those bags) with the eartips, dip-switch tool, and cable. Again, not the most exciting folks. And again, I’m still okay with it.
Eartips
The Vader comes packaged with four sets of tips in total. Three of those four sets are actually KZ Starlines (S, M, L). I feel these are always good tips to have in your collection as they may come in handy for you with other sets too. KZ also provides a pair of medium sized foam tips. The foam is the slow rise type of foam, very soft, tacky even. I am not one of those who enjoys foam tips. Never have. Of course, I’ve had to use them out of necessity on many occasions but for the most part these will collect dust. However, they are quality tips and useful when you need them. I actually resorted to my tried-and-true KBear 07 eartips in the large size. Comfort is so very important and there are few sets of tips which fit quite like the 07’s do for me. I could’ve just as easily worn the Starlines as well but the 07’s do sound as though they add just a pinch of punch to the bass.
Cable
The cable that KZ hands out is… you guessed it, the same white QDC style SPC 2-pin cable which terminates with a 3.5 single-ended 90-degree jack. I complain about this cable in almost every KZ review, but the truth is, it isn’t a bad cable. It’s light, comfortable, the QDC connection is sturdy and hugs the ear. It’s not bad folks. I did not use this cable for any listening. I instead opted for the TRN Redchain modular cable which goes with the colorway of the Vader almost perfectly and gives me the option to easily swap modular connectors between 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced. The great majority of my listening was done with a balanced connection from my balanced sources. Not a bad cable but if you are like most folks in the hobby, you probably have a few laying around. Also, folks, what do we expect with a $35 iem? Yes, you have your outliers with some brands upping the quality of their under $40 iem cables, but those are rare. The cable that KZ hands out is perfectly fine sonically and works like a charm when you need it. Just saying.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
The build quality is very good. I could end this section with that. As always, KZ has good builds that look very nice per their price. Now, I have noticed that many brands are certainly catching up and even surpassing the builds of KZ/CCA. So, it seems anyways. However, that doesn’t diminish what KZ provides for the money. Without fail they will produce iems that are very hardy and robust with a usually pretty cool design. The Vader takes that a step further. You’ll notice the bottom half of shell is made of plastic or resin and is perfectly clear so to see the Internals. I love that. Now the faceplates are made entirely of a die-cast zinc alloy metal which is obviously pretty darn durable. I see one small vent over the front dynamic driver and one larger vent near the rear of the faceplates. On top is the QDC connector. Also, of course you’ll see the four dip-switch panel on the back side of the shell body. The nozzles measure around 6mm in width (fairly normal) and are medium sized as far as length goes. The Vader takes on the exact shape of the CCA Trio (if that means anything to you). This shell mold is used over and over again by KZ and depending on the number of drivers they have other molds that they frequently use. This is what I’d call their “medium sized” mold. It’s a nice build, no doubt about that.
Design
Now, this is the section that KZ really begins to distance themselves from the rest of the iems within the price point. This is just my personal opinion, but wow is this a striking iem. I couldn’t design a more elegant looking set if I wanted too. That coffee brown colorway is so dope! The cursive writing of the name “Vader” is imposed into the faceplates near the bottom. It’s very much a minimalist design but it’s very refreshing in the overall aesthetic. Just a gorgeous iem that stands out against the field.
Internals
The Vader employs what KZ refers to as three in-house developed 8mm dynamic drivers. Each of these drivers takes on a certain part of the frequency. One for the lows, one for the mids, one for the highs. There really isn’t much more to talk about here. It’s nice that KZ does so much R&D and does actually craft and create these drivers. They really are a cradle to grave operation which kind of does it all. Also, I don’t sense that these drivers are of bad quality either. In fact, I’d probably say the opposite is true.
Tuning Switches
Once again KZ equipped yet another iem with tuning switches or “dipswitches” as I and many others call them. The first question you have to ask is if dipswitches are even necessary? Do they actually make a sonic difference? Folks, I cannot tell you how many sets I’ve had where the switches make very little change. Of course, dip-switches are better in my opinion than tuning nozzles which seem to make even less of a difference from one nozzle to another. I find it becoming easier and easier to explain these switches of late as KZ actually makes the process pretty simple for us reviewers. Before I explain, “on” will equal “1” and “off” will equal “0”. For instance, all switches on will look like this: “1111” and all switches off will look like this: “0000”. Again, there are four switches in total and each switch controls a certain aspect of the spectrum.
What do they do?
So, the first switch “up” with the rest of the switches down will increase the bass region by 1db. Switching on both the first and second switch will increase the low-end by 2dbs. For the record, this is one of my favorite switch settings (1100). I actually spent most of my time in this setting. Now, the third switch changes things up a bit by increasing the mids/highs by 1db and the fourth switch increases the mids/highs by an additional 1dbs. So, you can add up to 2dbs to both the bass region as well as the mids/highs. I realize that 2dbs doesn’t sound like a lot, but it does make a difference that is easily audible. Enough to bring on a slightly different tonal color to the sound. Again, I want as much bass as I can get and so I use the “1100” setting. The Vader isn’t a bass heavy set and so this does help a little to add a hair of warmth to the mix. So, there you go, it’s pretty simple, just set, forget and enjoy.
Fit / Isolation
Like any set from KZ/CCA which uses this particular body style, if those other sets fit well, then the Vader will too. The Vader seat very nicely within my ears. Of course, I have to use eartips which make sense and provide a good seal. Isolation from outside noises is good too. I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary with the Vader in my ears. Obviously, this set is not an ANC set and works solely on passive noise isolation. However, not bad.
Drivability
The KZ Vader is rated with an impedance of 15-20 ohms and a sensitivity of 101-103 db’s depending on what switch settings that you are using. I’ve found that the Vader is a pretty darn sensitive iem. I can drive this set from most any source, but I do recommend at least using a dongle dac with some decent output. There is some scaling with more output power, as with most sets. Yet the uptick in fidelity isn’t that crazy noticeable. The bass gets slightly denser, the highs tighten up a bit too with better dynamic range. Nothing drastic to my ears.
Mobile Listening
However, I did use the Vader for quite some time with the low powered KZ AZ20 which actually drove this set decently. However, the sound really jumped up in quality with the IFi Go Blu using 4.4 balanced. The output is very high on the Go Blu and it’s a hint warmer which bodes very well for the Vader which is tonally a bit brighter. Of course, moving to a higher fidelity wired source while using balanced is where you’ll likely get the most out of this set. Listening to warmer source devices was the way to go for me. This may not be the case for some treble junkies, but I found warmer source played pretty well off of the neutral/bright tonality of the Vader High Resolution. For instance, I found dongle dacs like the Simgot Dew4x and the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus were great for mobile situations.
More juice
Like I said, you really don’t need a bunch more power for the Vader. However, I did notice that Vader steps up its game with higher quality sources. I mainly use the Fiio Q15, iBasso DX240 and Shanling M6 Ultra. Out of those it wasn’t even a competition as the Shanling M6 Ultra with its velvet dac chip and great power really did synergize wonderfully.
What do you need?
Again, just find yourself a decent Dongle Dac. I’m sure you could probably do fine using a simple smartphone with a 3.5 single ended port too. KZ knows what they’re doing and make sure to craft iems which can be used with many different source devices. They know that these are budget iems which should be able to be played from budget sources. No doubt the Vader is sensitive enough to give you many options.
Sound Impressions
Note: I should preface this entire sound portion of the review with a few things that you may find useful or not. I did burn-in the Vader for roughly four full days and nights. I didn’t notice any real changes, of course I wasn’t ultra disciplined in intensive investigating of any changes either. So, do with that what you will. Nearly all of my listening was either done using “1100” or “1110”. I did switch up those settings based on what source I was using. Which by the way, is a very nice reason to like switches. I listen entirely with flac or better files which are stored on my devices using Playlists tailored for each area of listening. When I listen, it will be with the UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) music app and at times I’ll use Hiby Player. All Bluetooth listening is done using Poweramp (best UI on planet earth).
What’s it sound like?
The KZ Vader is one that takes a little different spin than what we saw out of the CCA Trio. This kind of took me aback for a minute as I was figuring on hearing a slightly upgraded form of CCA’s triple dynamic driver set. I figured the same tuning with only slight alterations. This isn’t what I heard at all. I suppose reading the words “High Resolution” should’ve probably given that away. At any rate, where the Trio was warm, bassy and with a nice dynamic balance for a V-shaped iem, the Vader HR is brighter and much more technically inclined. To be exact, my ears hear bright/neutral, or neutral depending on your switch settings. In any switch setting I find the Vader to be highly resolute for $34. However, I also find the Vader to be a bit pickier of genre and source. No doubt the Vader is much more inclined to draw out all the subtleties in my music, like details, great separation of instruments, and very good imaging too. More on that in a bit. So yes, the Vader comes across bright/neutral to my ears with an emphasized upper mids through the treble. Note weight in general is on the thinner side of the scale with a crisp over smooth delivery. Great for technical listening.
You’ll like it… or not.
Without question the Vader will appeal to a very distinct set of hobbyists. This is not an all-rounder, not even slightly. I find this set sounds alot like some other iems from the brand, like the CCA Duo (Dual DD) for example. Both sets are mostly tilted to the right of the frequency band, making them come across brighter. The Vader HR is a more refined and detailed iem than the Duo but the similarities are there. You could also make a comparison to the ZS10 Pro 2 with all switches down… to a degree anyways. The Vader HR has a lifted treble, but without the glare and shrillness that usually comes with a heavily boosted treble region on a budget set. There’s nice control within this region. However, I say all of that to also say that the Vader will likely be pretty polarizing. You’ll either like it, or not.
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
As always, I present a much shorter and condensed sort-of “highlight” description within this section. I don’t go too in depth here, but you’ll at least get the quick gist of what I hear.
Pint-sized Low-End
The low-end is not the most boosted, I’d call it “bass moderate”. This isn’t the most haptic and deep bass I’ve ever heard. Even in the “1100” setting you aren’t getting loads of rumble. There’s some lean punch when called upon. However, it’s a tighter bass, but a hair soft on attack though agile enough. Certainly not muddy.
Pint-Sized Midrange
The midrange is clean, pristine & has very good resolution. Definitely on the thin side of note weight, but crisp and with some vibrant energy. The midrange is well detailed and relatively quick in transient swiftness. Vocals sound nice in this neutral/bright style tonality. Not perfectly natural but also not wholly unnatural either.
Pint-sized Treble
The treble region is the “Belle of the ball” from my point of view. Emphasized quite a bit more than the left side of the spectrum, the treble is certainly bright but somehow never truly harsh. KZ did a good job of tiptoeing around stuff like shrillness and sibilance fairly well. Obviously, some tracks will make a liar out of me but for $34 iem they did a nice job. Treble is open, nicely detailed, with an airy expression and very good extension into the upper treble.
Pint-Sized Technicalities
All technicalities are very well done for the price. From the midrange on-out you’ll hear good separation, great imaging and very nice detail retrieval. The stage is average, but average is good. I find the Vader HR to be a very transparent iem that hangs its hat on very good resolution with a very snappy and agile transient response. Certainly, one of the best technical sets at the price.
*Below is a look at the graph of the Vader in the “0000” switch settings. Thank you Paul Wasabii.*
Bass Region
The bass will not appease bassheads, though there is good quality to the low-end on the Vader HR. Even on the setting, which is supposed to produce the most emphasis, the bass is not very heavy handed. In the “1100” configuration I’d call “moderate” in quantity and audible/palpable rumble and slam. That’s how I see it anyways. The Vader HR unleashes subtle thumps with a decently crisp attack and a somewhat flattened bass presence and dynamics. There are moments of some real nice punch but excluded is the grungy, deep rumble and dark vibratory goodness. This bass section is all about agility and dexterous shifts and can keep up with complicated bass tracks nicely. Certainly not one to overshadow any other frequency and not even hinting at changing the tonal color of the mix. That all said, KZ also didn’t tune this set to enhance the experience with boom and slam, but rather to enhance the listening experience with a bass that’s tailored to the overall sound signature. This bass is utilitarian all the way. A very serviceable bass region that meshes with the surrounding spectrum well. It’s simply one leg of a tripod, or a pretty good supporting actor. Not meant for hip-hop, R&B, EDM, and heavy bass guitars aren’t going to flourish with this set. However, the Vader HR will compliment many different styles and musical arrangements with more of an even-handed flow. It’s slight but not missing. The bass can rise to the occasion but will never overcrowd. It’ll show up in a naturally weighted way and never Infringes. The bass lets the other frequencies be what they are. Now, I can’t say that for the treble…but that’s for later.
Sub-bass
The lowest of lows is much like I’ve stated. It’s less convex, more softened in texture, somewhat speedier than most DDs in this price range and will not satisfy those who yearn for depth in this region. I’m one of those people. However, after some time with the Vader HR in my ears I can begin to appreciate it. The sub-bass is naturally weighted, not infused with bulbous muscle and slender compared to most sets within the price range. The track “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard sounds pretty placid with less haptic energy than I’m used to. In the same breath, the Vader is also able to hit every little micro-dynamic modulation with at least some marginal grit and density. Let’s put it this way, the sub-bass isn’t anemic or completely flat. I feel the Vader HR has just enough to complete its obligation to each track. Also, sometimes it’ll surprise you. For instance, the track “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush begins with some hard and guttural rumble and carries this rumble all the way to the main verse. The Vader HR really doesn’t disappoint at all. To add to that, I love that the surrounding Melody within the midrange is kept perfectly clean and free to exist as it’s supposed to. If that makes sense. No this isn’t some ultra fun and head bobbing experience, but it is a very clean sub-bass.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass sort-of follows suit with the sub-bass and is mostly unblemished and unsullied with pretty definitive separation from its sub-bass counterpart. Enough tactile and textured slam to come across very good for what it is. Not even close to one noted. That said, the attack isn’t that diamond hard note delivery. Not all the time anyways. This is another area where some tracks will make me a liar, but for the most part the Vader HR has the slightest bit of fuzz at the crest of each note. Not bad at all and this is pretty much par for the course within the price point. The mid-bass is better characterized by its peppery nature. Again, it does carry a nice punch and there’s a sense of immediacy from the transient impact at attack and then release. Without question this is a bass which does have some charm to it. Of course, you won’t feel every bass drop, bass guitars may lack some fullness and kick drums don’t have that accompanying thunder like so many of us desire. It’s there but not bulbous and satisfying. However, what the mid-bass does is stealthily meander every subtle dynamic shift with ease. It comes and goes very quickly which has its own rewards when listening to my music. Also, don’t let me dismay you, the bass doesn’t “lack” quantity. It simply isn’t overly boosted.
Mid-bass cont…
Using the “1100” there is some marginal thump on the track “2040” by Lil Durk & Lil Baby. There’s something to be said of a bass region that exists in harmony with the surrounding frequencies. No, it isn’t my favorite and I’ll always prefer more in emphasis, but I can’t deny that once my brain adjusts, the Vader HR bass region works hand in hand with the rest of the mix to create a very harmoniously cohesive sound.
Downsides to the Bass Region
The obvious downside has been the subject of this entire section so far. The quantity is not considered “fun”. It isn’t meaty and authoritative. Not entirely anyways. This is not a bassheads dream. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The bass is also on the softer side at the crest of each note. You won’t have that glass-lined attack and concrete dense note body. It’s a bit more flattened, less depth, less dynamic too. However, like I said, this bass has its own rewards and shows up in the form of coherency, cleanliness, and its ability to navigate very complicated tracks fairly easily.
Midrange
This takes us to the midrange. Once again, the mids are very clean, pristine even. This is a highly detailed midrange with thin and sprightly note weight that leans brighter and misses zero nuances in my music. This is where you begin to see the beauty of a less profuse bass. There’s almost a mellifluousness to this type of tuning which grabs a lot of treble energy coming across as energetic with more luminant dynamics. Crisper than it is smooth with a crystalline and transparent sound. Ya know, hearing that a midrange is “thin” in note weight is usually a “no-go” for many hobbyists. However, in this case, the Vader HR’s thinness is melodically fitting. It works. I wouldn’t call it lean-lush either because there really isn’t that richness to each note.
More on the midrange…
Now that I’ve said all of that and we understand that the midrange isn’t the fullest bodied and rich, I’d also like to get across how nicely detailed this set is within that midrange. You really won’t miss much with this set folks. Those 8mm dynamic drivers are doing some nice work at resolving even subtle micro-dynamic fluctuations, especially for the price. Now, these DD’s obviously aren’t as speedy as a planar and aren’t as precise as a balanced armature, but they really do resolve well. Again, for the price. I know I keep going back to the price, but I do feel that the Vader HR is exactly as the name professes it to be. That’s “high-resolution”. There are sets within its price point that do a very nice job at the analytical style replay too, but the Vader HR does compete favorably against them. Of course, the midrange is really the meat of most tracks and I think the Vader HR has a nicely harmonious midrange for the type of tuning that it has. I usually don’t equate thin and detailed with musical, melodious, or tuneful. Yet here I am. Obviously this midrange isn’t the picture of musicality, but there is a nice symphonic nature to the timbre that shouldn’t be lost to this review. The mids are tuned fairly well with good vibrance, good energy, and even some spice towards the upper mids. It has good detail retrieval, instruments are separated well, and imaging is better than average.
Lower-midrange
The low-mids are the faintest of hairs recessed against the rest of the mix but I don’t feel this is a huge negative. Even with this slight recession the low-mids carry decent energy. However, they also have good presence in the mix for being further back in the sound field. I believe that KZ accomplished this because the lower midrange is so very clean, black background and a more transparent sound. The lower-mids simply stand out a bit better. Definitely not up front and center and not thickly weighted, how I usually enjoy male vocals. Still, I could see how some folks would enjoy the sound and look forward to getting the Vader HR in their ears. That all said, I really could use a bit more warmth and texture in this area for my own casual listening. Males are just a hint less firm sounding than some other sets. Tracks like “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi is an example of the Vader HR needing just a bit more body. On the flip side of that, I really like how the Vader HR doesn’t come across grainy to his voice. Especially at the edges of each note. I wouldn’t call them smooth, like silk is smooth, but I would call them smooth as in “glass-lined” and well contoured.
Upper-Midrange
Females on the other hand have a much more sprightly and vivacious style reproduction. Without question the upper midrange is heavily influenced by the treble region. I feel the upper-mids borrow quite a bit of treble bleed over into the midrange creating a shimmery experience. One thing which does surprise me is that with all of this influence from the treble, I don’t really hear that upper mid-pinna glare and shout. Perhaps on some really rambunctious and lively tracks, but for the most part KZ tuned this set around that. There are some moments where I hear the slightest sibilance at the fringes of each note. Nothing that bothers me at all, but I should remark about it. Once again you will hear very good detail retrieval as the upper-mids showcase an articulate and lucent style definition. Also once again, for $34, and the fact that this is a triple DD, the Vader HR does a remarkable job of providing that well separated, lucid, and transient fast type of sound. Of course, the upper-mids are thin and they won’t give you juicy female vocals and instruments. Still, listening to Caitlyn Smith in the track “High” is actually a nice experience. She goes from feather soft in the cadence of her voice to a ballad style belting-out of this track in the chorus. What the Vader HR succeeds at is not coming across congested during that chorus while also having solid control of her vocals. There’s so many moving parts and this track gets pretty complicated, but the Vader HR is able to make sense of it all.
Natural?
I guess one knock on the Vader is that it doesn’t always come across perfectly natural. Actually, I think it’s much more accurate to call this timbre type “off-natural”. It’s more vibrant than natural but you also don’t have any of that metallic BA timbre. It’s natural in that way. Take a natural sound and simply add some brightness. This is where the organic sound of a DD does help to a degree. Most instruments follow suit. Whether it be percussion, strings, etc. Guitars will have that slightly abrasive edge to them. There’s a crispness that is nice yet without the lean style density. Piano is very tuneful (for the most part). Snares usually have a pointed and abrupt “pang” with plenty of exclamation style energy. Cymbals are vibrant but not too splashy or tizzy. I could keep going but I really don’t like explaining instruments as each recording will present instruments differently.
Downsides to the Midrange
The first thing I would think that folks may take issue with on the Vader HR’s midrange would be its lack of warmth and body. This leads way to thinner note weight and authority. Obviously, this gripe is a subjective issue that not everyone agrees with. There’s plenty of people within the hobby who enjoy a less warm and full sound. The midrange can also come across a bit less natural or organic than they’d like. Again, this set will fit a particular type of listener as it isn’t an all-rounder in my eyes. Beyond that, I suppose that folks who are extremely sensitive to pinna shout may have a problem here as well. Again, I really don’t find the Vader HR too shouty, but that’s me. We are all very much different and I’ve been around this hobby long enough to know that some folks will not enjoy the tuning of this region. On the contrary, I also feel that many will greatly enjoy the presentation of the midrange out of the Vader HR. The HR lives up to its billing folks. It certainly is high resolution. Now, what other areas had to take a hit in order for this set to sound so resolute? This hobby is always a give and take. Take some away over here and gain over there, like a sonic scale. In my opinion, for what KZ was going for with this set, I do feel they were able to tune a very cohesive and energetic midrange that mostly strays from a lot of the more problematic stuff. Just my opinion.
Treble Region
The treble definitely tilts brighter with more than adequate brilliance in this region for anyone who enjoys this type of revealing highs. In the past when listening to budgets sets which are boosted up top it was very common for them to sound forced, shrill, too sharp and usually we’d hear a tizziness in this area. For example, the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike would have that splashy sound, or what I call “tizzy”. Strong sibilance would usually be a concern, metallic timbre too, among other not so pleasing artifacts when emphasizing the treble. Instead, it’s brilliant, as in “illuminated”, where the emphasis doesn’t exaggerate the attack and secondary harmonics to the point of chaotic splashiness. Granted, this is a $34 iem so please take that into consideration. I’m simply saying, for a $34 iem the treble has good control and note integrity. Now, is this going to be what everyone wants? Absolutely not. Not everyone wants a bright and lustrous treble region. I know many who only enjoy dark/warm treble that’s rolled off for a non-offensive type of replay. This isn’t that. What the treble is is a nicely detailed upper portion of the mix with very nice and contoured energy. I could use a bit more treble bite and punch, but for the price I cannot speak badly about the sound up top. There is very good separation of elements within the stage as well and the note definition is better than it should be. Definitely a bit thin and less robust than some sets. But also, those sets cost a bit more too.
Good speed
The treble region is fairly quick to pick up on subtleties within more complicated tracks with good definition and just as good resolution. In “Magnetic Fields, pt. 2” by Jean Michel Jarre I hear some decent bite as well as good control out of quicker treble notes. The treble doesn’t sound chimey, tinsely, or sheened out in treble fizz. There’s decent structure to each note. A certain roundness if you will. Billy Strings has many tracks with fast paced banjo play and, in the track, “Ice Bridges” it’s another where the Vader HR is able to attack-release-attack in a solid manner. It doesn’t come across as blended or full of treble fuzz (yes, I said treble fuzz). The notes are fairly sharp, crisp, and well enough separated. I wouldn’t say that the Vader HR keeps up like a good BA and most certainly not like a good EST etc. But it reacts well, and the sound is clean in the process.
Nice extension!
Another area that is surprisingly good is in the extension into the upper treble. There is a lot of solid energy past 10k with good harmonics coming through. I said before that the Vader HR doesn’t sound like forced resolution and it shows on a track like Nirvana’s “In Bloom”. The song begins with that screaming electric guitar just blaring into my ears with repetitive cymbals crashing in the background. Those cymbals are nicely structured. Maybe a hint too energetic (it’s recorded energetic) but for the price you are getting very good extension. This stretches the stage a bit and adds dimension to the sound. Dynamic drivers aren’t known for their treble skills but these 8mm DD’s do better than I would have expected for $34.
Switches
I should also state that the dipswitches will add-to or take-away from this brilliance. You can add about a 4 dB swing by pulling down the bass and increasing the highs. That’s pretty substantial. Substantial enough to warrant having the option of switches in the first place. So, this set can get pretty darn bright and without that bass counter you are left with a treble which makes a big impact on the rest of the mix. For example, the upper-mids come across brighter, more vibrant and have a definite sense of shimmer to them. Personally, I’d like to see this set with about five more mid-bass decibels on top of what I can get with the dipswitches. However, it is what it is and though the sound isn’t my favorite, I also cannot fault the sound because I do feel it is very good for whom it does appeal to. That’s right folks, I’m not going to bad mouth a set just because I don’t like it. It’s a novel idea I know.
Downsides to the Treble Region
Beyond those good qualities I’ve mentioned, there are some issues that some may find to be too much for their listening pleasure. Namely the brightness will simply turn some folks off. Right away the Vader HR will tell you if it’s too much or not. I do believe that KZ did a nice job not pumping up this region in a way that it doesn’t sound like sloppy treble, because I really do hear some refinement there. However, to some folks anything past moderate is too much. I get it too. If you don’t like those energetic highs, then you won’t like the Vader HR. There are also times of sibilance in this region and even though it’s few and far in between, it’s still there. Again, I’d also like to hear a bit more of that good treble BITE & PUNCH. Yes, the treble has good energy and no it isn’t ultra offensive, but I’d love to hear a bit better crunch and crispness.
Technicalities
Soundstage
This takes us to the soundstage. Honestly, I would probably call the stage about average across the board. I don’t hear anything congested and narrow and in the same breath I don’t hear anything grand and cavernous either. It’s average, but average is good folks. It’s bad when things sound boxed in and when the width feels cramped. This is not that at all. I hear slightly above average width and that’s my perception of the width. There is no good way to quantify stage size other than hobbyists speaking on what they hear. The same is true for me. I feel that for the price and against the rest of the market in that price range the Vader HR is about average. Again… this is a good thing. There’s even some depth to the sound as well. No, it isn’t an ultra-deep stage full of a diverse and controlled sound field scalability, but any depth is a good thing, especially at the price. Basically, the Vader HR doesn’t present the sound field as though it’s just a wall of sound in front of me.
Separation / Imaging
Separation of elements within the psycho-acoustically rendered stage is very nice throughout. I think you’ll notice this fairly quickly upon listening. The Vader HR has a very transparent sound, it’s well detailed, thinner in body, well structured notes, decent sized stage with a good sense of air in the mix. All of these attributes do help me to perceive a well separated stage with a rage to above average imaging. With a tuning like this, it only stands to reason that the Vader HR would excel in these areas and sure enough… It does.
Detail Retrieval
You already know what I’m about to type. Absolutely the Vader HR is very good in details. I feel that the bass is pretty nice for details, but the Vader HR really steps it up and becomes even more refined once you hit the midrange. The treble follows suit. Just a very well detailed iem that will pull even the most subtle pieces of my music to the forefront. The only caveat is in very congested treble heavy tracks. Which by the way, very few iems succeed in bringing out the minutiae in such tracks. Blaring electric guitar sections come to mind. Also, who’s seeking out detail retrieval in those tracks? At the end of the day this set does very well in this regard.
Is it worth the asking price?
The question I like answering the least. I hate answering this because I don’t want to ever steer any of you wrong or lead you into a set that you don’t enjoy for your hard-earned money. I’ve never stated this, but I spend a ton of time on the last few sections of my reviews. “Is it worth the asking price?” and “Ratings”. These two areas I feel can do more harm than good. So, I do spend way too much time deliberating with myself over them. In the case of the Vader HR, I want you all to hear me out. For me, personally, I would not spend the $34 on this set. However, I say that because it isn’t my “personal” favorite type of tuning. There are others I would spend money on before this set. That said, this also doesn’t mean that the Vader HR isn’t worth the asking price. For those who enjoy this type of tuning I think the Vader HR is a no brainer. Also, it’s not that I don’t enjoy this set either because I really do (had to get that in). There’s simply other iems that suit me better. You may be in sonic heaven with the Vader HR. So yes, I do feel that the Vader HR is worth every penny to those who yearn for more of a neutral/bright sound, moderate but quick bass, crystal clear mids and an energetic and extended treble.
The Why…
Because the Vader HR is truly one of the best looking iems that I’ve seen in quite some time. Look at this set. So simple yet so sleek! It is striking in appearance. What a design! Also, the Vader HR is built to last with working dipswitches that do affect the sound quite well. Be prepared to possibly tip roll and cable swap but past that the Vader HR is truly a very good technical iem. From details, separation, and imaging to a decent stage, and airy and well-structured sound as well as very agile and speedy transients. It’s simply clean folks. “The Why” is because the Vader HR gives a lot for the money if the tuning suits you. Really a well-done set.
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the KZ Vader “High Resolution” ratings below, that would be $20-$40 iems in any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $20-$40 US is a pretty vast scope of iems that is extremely competitive, and so seeing a Rating above a “9.0” better mean something very special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 9.1 Built very well.
–Look: 9.9 Clean, fresh, simple, elegant.
–Fit/Comfort: 9.8 Fit and comfort is great for me.
–Accessories: – – Accessories don’t apply at this price.
–Overall: 9.6🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 8.5 Very nice natural/bright timbre.
–Bass: 8.5 Supporting role, clean, fast.
–Midrange: 9.1 Transparent, detailed, airy, good presence.
–Treble: 9.6 Great energy without the shrillness.
–Technicalities: 9.7 Technically gifted.
–Musicality: 7.5 Technical over musical, but still melodic.
–Overall: 8.8🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
I rated the KZ Vader HR against any and all iems between the price of $20 and $40 US. That price range just felt right. I have many of the iems on hand to quickly test against and I gotta say, it’s a lot. So, seeing an “8.8” in overall sound score is pretty great. If there was a bit more mid-bass oomph than I would’ve certainly given this set over a “9.0”. Without question.
Explain Yourself!
However, this is a ratings summary and I feel that there really isn’t a whole lot I summarize. That said, there are definitely ratings above that some of you will think I’m crazy over. First, I’d say the “bass” category. I gave the Vader a “8.5” (which is pretty high) in this rating because it’s fast, slightly punchy, defined well and is clean. It’s a good bass, it’s just not very emphasized. This is where others will have a problem. The emphasis. I graded this set on quality and not quantity. Yes, I know that quantity is a huge deal, but for whom this set is tuned for… they don’t care about boom, slam, and rumble. They want a refined bass that works well in tandem with the other frequencies. This is what the Vader bass does well. I’d also say that people will probably DM me over the “midrange” rating. I just know it. You always do. The mids are thin, pretty bright, not as robust. How in the world could I give this set a “9.1”? The answer is in the clarity, resolution, detail retrieval, and that somehow this set still manages some level of mellifluousness and musicality within that midrange. Vocals aren’t bad at all, and the presence is very nice. I’m sure someone will have a problem with any of the above ratings but that’s just how I see it. Also, don’t put a lot of stock into ratings folks, they explain nothing and are not very helpful. Once again… just grains of salt my friends.
Conclusion
To conclude this review of the KZ Vader “High-resolution”, I must first say a big thank you to KZ for providing this set. Ya know, one thing I love about KZ is that they hand out these units and expect nothing from me but an honest review. I’ve given out a boatload of reviews for this brand and mostly they are positive, but I’ve had many that weren’t. This is very telling to me. I’ve never even one time heard a peep from KZ about those less than stellar reviews. Not once. They believe in their products and that is a wonderful thing. I know they get some flak from the peanut gallery from time to time but more often than not KZ is cranking out some of the best iems in their respective price points. You can argue that opinion, but it would do no good. So, thank you to KZ, you made another good product that will suit plenty of hobbyists.
Different Perspectives
Please don’t take my word for it and hit “buy now”. Every review I need to say this. We are all very different folks. Each of us hears our music just a little bit differently. There’re many factors behind this. Our hearing may be entirely different, we don’t all have the exact same sources, not all of us enjoys the same tuning (that’s a big one), we don’t all listen to the same music, and one of the biggest factors is that not everyone has been down the same audio journey. That’s just to name a few. So please read, watch, or listen to other perspectives and opinions. With that, I think I am done, and I hope this helps you. Take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!
