KZ ZVX ($18)
Today I am reviewing one of the newest KZ iems, the KZ ZVX. I feel as though I review one KZ set after another and I’m okay with that. KZ has been upping the ante for all of the budget scenes for quite some time. I would almost say that KZ/CCA owns the budget space. They literally outdo themselves on a regular basis in the under $35 arena. Mobileaudiophile.com has reviewed a number of KZ/CCA iems and will continue to as long as they keep pushing them out. I want to thank KZ as well as Tyvan Lam for providing the ZVX in exchange for a feature on the website as well as a fair and honest review.
Once again KZ has stuck to their guns and kept the normal trend of naming their iems with random letters. I suppose it’s just something that we are going to always have to expect. I would like something a bit more personal and creative but, in the end it’s all about the music.
The ZVX comes in at around $18 and brings with it some newer tech with an all new “electric modulation technology”. I will explain more later but it’s pretty cool to see something new, especially in a set that almost anyone can purchase. I guess this is the beauty of a brand like KZ who brings affordable iems that truly compete at a high level in their respective price points. Another amazing quality of this set is the build quality and design, but I’m getting ahead of myself and will certainly cover everything later. So without further ado… The KZ ZVX…
ZVX Pros
-Build Quality
-All metal and stylish
-Fit/Comfort
-Balanced tuning
-Nice Bass response
-Great transient response
-Forward midrange with nice clarity
-Imaging
-Details are actually pretty good
-Very dynamic and engaging sound
ZVX Cons
-I don’t dig the writing on the Shells (Not a biggie)
-I can’t honestly say that there’s a qualified “con” at the price of $18
Gear Used
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging
The packaging is completely utilitarian in all ways and only serves the function of transporting the ZVX from A-to-B. Really, KZ never has gone strong on their accessories game or their unboxing game. The box is quite literally the same ultra-budget box we’ve seen forever from KZ. This is not a complaint at all either. I love the fact that KZ decides that the money should all be put into the earphones themselves. With that said I suppose I can enlighten you on what you will receive upon purchasing the ZVX.
The box cover (sleeve) simply has a printed picture of the ZVX, as though it was hand drawn. There is some verbiage speaking about nanoscale tech and a few sentences in Chinese. Nothing to write home about. Take off the sleeve and you are met with the ZVX earphones sitting nicely in a couple cardboard cut-outs. Also in the box is another box which contains the 2-pin cable and the eartips. That’s about it, nothing too crazy to report.
Cable
The cable provided is the same KZ cable which comes with every set that you get from them. It has a QDC style 2 pin connection with a right angle 3.5 single ended jack. The cable itself is a high purity OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cable. My unit does not have a mic and control button, but you can purchase this set with a mic’d up cable. Supposedly you can completely control playback using it. I wouldn’t know as I never use mics. The cable isn’t bad, it works, sounds fine. However, I did swap cables for my balanced sources to a Youkamoo 8 core silver plated copper cable. I will cover this later, but I do think it pays to add more power to the ZVX and a balanced cable was able to provide that.
Eartips
Oddly enough, KZ went and added three pairs of foam tips with the packaging, and that’s it. Very strange. In my opinion the foam tips do not do this set justice. They are of decent quality and can be used for other earphones. I actually decided to use KBear 07 tips after I went through many other sets trying to find what tips best suited my preference. I think the 07 tips did a wonderful job of bringing the upper midrange a titch more forward and the bass seemed to hit with a little more slam.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build
It used to be unheard of to see an all alloy iem under $100. Well, now we are seeing this type of build material for under $50 quite regularly. I say that but rarely do you see an all-metal build of this quality under $20. That is what KZ did with the ZVX. The ZVX is a decently heavy lil guy as there is some weight to this solid feeling iem. The entire Shell is die-cast, CNC, grinded, polished, electroplated and lasered to clean up any of the rough stuff. This thing is a tough set at this price or any price. It’s a beast.
You will also notice the QDC style 2 pin connectors are actually angled in so to help with fit and to more naturally sit in one’s ear. All things considered it seems that KZ thinks of most everything anymore and it is cool to see the little stuff being added to make the consumer happier.
Design
The design is pretty cool as the shell takes on a normal iem shape, but KZ added a notch cut-out on the shell area which gives the ZVX an odd but also pretty slick look. The ZVX comes in either silver or black, obviously the set I was provided is all black version. The ZVX has a semi-open back structure with three parallel slots can be seen which are covered in metal mesh. The only thing I wish they wouldn’t have done was add writing on the Faceplate. KZ added “KZ Acoustics” and “Dynamic Tech” which I find a bit cheesy. Just leave it plain, leave it simple. You don’t have to add little messages on our earphones. Without the writing this is a very modern looking and slick looking set. I suppose I can get over it.
Internals
The ZVX shells house a 10mm Dynamic Driver with what KZ refers to as a 4.8-micron thick diaphragm. This is said to improve vibration sensitivity without losing any finer details. I suppose that makes sense in theory. The ZVX does not use typical damping for the tuning of this set. Instead, they went with their new electronic frequency modulation technology, commonly referred to as a “Zobel Network” which helps the ZVX to not lose sensitivity due to typical tuning using dampers. KZ can fully control and adjust the output of the full frequency band. You see they are using an actual electronic circuitry which alters the impedance of the dynamic driver and thus tunes the entire full frequency. I don’t completely understand it and haven’t dived deep on the understanding of it, but I know it works… Very cool. KZ is doing some great things with even their most entry level iems.
Fit
The fit is absolutely perfect for me. The design and build is very ergonomic. It was almost as if the design was done using my ears. The truth is, I have zero idea if this set will fit you at all but as for me it is wonderful. Of course, I find very few iems don’t fit me well. As far as isolation goes, it’s about the norm. It’s not like a Shure brand set or something similar which is designed for stage use and needs to attenuate outside noise. There are some sounds squeezing through and there is some sound leakage as well. I don’t think it’s so bad to annoy anyone unless they are quite literally right next to you.
Drivability
The ZVX can be easily driven from most any source. I was able to bring them to good volume simply from my IPad 6th gen. I wouldn’t call that ideal as it’s not a very great sounding unit, but I was able to. It’s best to actually reach for a decent Dongle Dac to power this set. I used my Moondrop Dawn 4.4, and it sounds fantastic with the ZVX, like it was built for it. Whatever source I used; I found the ZVX to have pretty good synergy with most of those sources.
I used the IFi Go Blu for an entire day out and about and I was in bliss with this set up. The slight warmth and dynamism of the Go Blu with the open sound of the ZVX struck a perfect symbiotic harmony that was great. Using the AK4493SEQ dac chip and the powerful amp circuit of the Shanling M6 Ultra however was once again the best way for me to listen. Something about those velvet chips with that undeniable amazing resolution I just felt like I was listening to a much more expensive set of iems.
Quick Sound Impressions
So you are all aware, I did burn the ZVX in for about four days of straight pink & white noise as well as different tones and I am pretty positive it helped quite a bit. I would recommend doing so. Of course, I half question whether it is just in my head as I was reviewing other sets in the meantime. Anyways, it never hurts.
The ZVX is a more open sounding Harmanish style tuning iem with nice energy throughout the spectrum and great balance across the spectrum. In fact, I am quite surprised to hear a KZ with such nice balance. What I found with the ZVX is fantastic timbre for a set which costs under $20 US. The bass is pretty tight with a nice attack while there is an atmospheric decay which is neither fast nor slow. The midrange comes across forward and melodic and not artificial at all. Note weight and clarity are really nice in instruments, as well as male and female vocals. The treble region is not too forward yet still has enough liveliness to lighten up the entire spectrum with good extension past 8k. I am very surprised at what I am hearing. A very well tuned set that certainly trumps most any other set in the price point in my opinion.
Bass Region
The bass region of the KZ ZVX is certainly pronounced, and most of that emphasis is centered in the sub-bass. What I hear is a tight and transient quick sound down low with moderately definite note edges. Definitely not pillowy or hollow. The attack edge is slightly softened but still represents a great presence and natural energy. Surface texture is there with decent layering down low as well.
Sub-bass
The lowest of the lows comes across rumbly and colored but not to any detriment at all. I perceive the sub-bass as pretty quick, with a very realistic timbre and a deep enough rumble to represent most genres very well. Songs like “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard is one track that I use to simply hear that guttural haptic buzz down low. Thankfully the ZVX doesn’t disappoint and gives the rolling bass riff a wonderful playback to my ears. It’s deep and it’s agile with good pacing as the transient attack/decay/sustain seem to keep stride and stay organic while doing it. The best part is the timbre is great and not overblown but still robust and weighty enough to give a good substance to the song.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass is less elevated than the sub-bass with a pretty kempt, tight and clean slam while also providing only slight warmth to the midrange which in turn keeps the mids clean. Nothing is overdone on the ZVX, and this includes the mid-bass as the slam here has a moderate oomph to it. The mid-bass is nothing even close to basshead levels, yet it still provides enough of a robust sound to replay songs like “Heatwaves” by the Glass Animals. The bass drop comes quick and thus whatever you are listening with must entertain the speed or else the sound simply won’t be right and not nearly as satisfying. Good news because the ZVX does a fantastic job of rendering the bass here. There is a depth to the sound and some meat to it which is nice to hear.
The low end isn’t inordinately colossal in its quantity, yet it isn’t bass anemic either. It isn’t the most authoritative or boomy but in the same breath it isn’t wooly, pillowy or soft either. What it does have is a very nice timbre which comes across naturally with enough concrete texture and rumble while not cloaking the rest of the mix in mud. This is a well-tuned bass.
Midrange
The midrange on the ZVX is very well composed for a set costing under $20 US. What we have is a compelling liveliness that has a natural note weight and tonal structure. I’m not saying it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard but I am saying it’s pretty darn good when you pan out and look at the ZVX as a whole. The Mids are clean, resolution is great, and the imaging is spot on.
Low-mids
The lower midrange is where the majority of male vocals are located in the frequency spectrum. For the most part males are forward in their presence and well-articulated. Vocal weight sounds correct to me, and timbre comes across organic and lifelike. “I’ll With Want” by The Avett Brothers comes across stark in transparency and cleanliness as the lead singer’s tenor sound shows off with good resolution listening with the ZVX. No weird timbrel issues and nothing metallic or Grainy. His voice has a soft crispness. Yes, those are two opposite descriptive words but is true, nonetheless.
Slightly deeper lead singers like the lead in The Steel Woods in a song like “Run on Ahead” comes across with textured imagery. His grizzly voice has an organic density to it while note weight is again… natural sounding. His voice can easily sound grainy and not very tailored around the rest if the instruments around him, but the ZVX seems to nail this.
High-mids
The upper midrange comes across, you guessed it, naturally. There is sufficient weight yet at the same time there is a nice resolution that permeates this region. Females have a smidgen of shimmer to them as the sound is mostly neutral with just a pinch of luster. The sound is lush and smooth and very structured in its attack and release for an ultra-budget iem.
“High” by Caitlin Smith shows off the versatility of the ZVX as her voice is soft and subtle to begin the song but moves into a ballad type performance in the chorus section. The ZVX does this woman’s amazing voice great justice. What I found awesome was that the ZVX was able to keep up with the chaos in this chorus section and it didn’t just melt down into a veiled and blurry mess like most budget sets. “Everyone at this Party” by Camila Cabello is another that shows the transparent nature of this area. Her voice has that velvety rasp which actually comes across very smooth with note definition which is edgy and crisp. The emotion in her voice is captured nicely all the while keeping that neutral and organic sound.
Instrumentation within the mids
Instrumentation and voices seem to have nice separation within a decent sized stage for this price point. Strings may sound a hint thin at times, but they are still nicely textured. Percussion such as snares have that pointed pang yet may also come across a hint thinner than perfectly natural. The fundamental meat within a cymbal strike has nice enough body but may sound a hint splashy. However, all things considered I have to remember that this set costs $18 and for that price it has a silly good performance. If I could add or take away anything I would like to see a bit more shine in the upper midrange. Not that the ZVX is lacking at all, however in a perfect world I’d like a hair more pep.
Treble Region
The treble comes across lifted and transparent with nicely manicured note outlines that are as snappy as they are smooth. Perhaps a bit thin but not without very nice pacing and timing. Transient attack edges are mostly clean and crisp as they seem to decay nicely as well. A lot depends on the recording of course, as well as the source but using the Shanling M6 Ultra I find the treble delivery very high in resolution with a nicely smooth yet still very detailed presentation.
For the most part the ZVX is a pretty non-offensive up top. Basically, you won’t get any of those really harsh peaks which have shown up regularly in the past. Times have changed and so has KZ as they have really begun to dial in what they put on market. The ZVX seems like the culmination of many years and many attempts by KZ to try to perfect their budget single DD treble areas. They strike a nice balance between lifted and airy treble as well as smoothly structured and forgiving treble. I have yet to hear anything that was grating or stinging to my ears on the ZVX. Possibly some may want a bit more of an analytical and dry treble with a bit more luster but in my opinion, I think that KZ did a fantastic job when I look at the sound all together.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The stage size is about average to me. Left to right is panning is appropriately wide, as well as nice dimensions in height, but nothing colossal. Depth is nice and a bit better than most at this price. I look at the stage as a whole and what I get is a nicely presented stage that paints a nice mental picture. So, it isn’t some massive coliseum but seriously folks, these are iems. Very few iems give me that grand impression in stage size. Also, those iems are typically more expensive. What I absolutely need is a stage that makes sense and doesn’t feel cramped or lopsided as it has to sound appropriate to the recording. You can rest assured that the KZ ZVX doesn’t feel small or cramped at all and replays my music library very well.
Separation
One bright spot with the ZVX’s sound is its ability to partition off elements of the stage. Separation of instruments and voices is very well done using my gear. Many times, while listening I can pick out most everything within a track. The only issue I find the ZVX having is in very congested tracks, and I do mean VERY CONGESTED. Bad recordings can be an issue as well here. Other than that, separation of instruments and voices is great.
Imaging
As far as imaging goes… the ZVX nails it. Left to right pans the sound image very well and the same goes for front to back. The stage may not be enormous, but the structure of the sound field is legit good for the price. I suppose we can chalk this up to the nice transient behavior with a speedier sounding driver as well as the more balanced neutral tuning etc. All in all, the ZVX does a nice job at creating a psycho-acoustic image that doesn’t take away from my listening sessions.
Details
That balanced tuning which comes across cleaner and that warmish-neutral sound coloration does a good job leveling the playing field throughout the frequencies to illuminate some of the minutiae. Now, is the ZVX a detail king? The answer is no. I say that, but I am impressed at the ZVX’s ability to take a dynamic and fun sound and still bring some of the small stuff to the surface. I certainly wouldn’t say the ZVX is detail deficient. Let’s put it this way, I do think one of the “Pros” of the ZVX is its ability to render details. In fact, it’s probably better in this regard than most iems under $20. Still, there are some big hitters in this price point that specialize in their detailed performance.
Comparisons
Note: Due to time restraints I was only able to complete one comparison at this time. I will add a few more in the coming days. Please forgive me. I will add the QKZ X-HBB as well as the 7HZ Salnotes Zero.
CCA Lyra
The CCA Lyra was one of the pioneers within KZ/CCA’s voyage to really dial in their budget tunings. The Lyra is a single Dynamic Driver ultra-budget set that is easy on the eyes and tuned very well. I would say it is one of my favorites in this budget range. However, does it stack up to the ZVX?
Low-end
Beginning with the bass, the Lyra and the ZVX have about the same emphasis in this region. To my ears it sounds as though the Lyra has a bit more of a sharp attack edge and just a small amount less in sub-bass haptic buzz. The Lyra offers the slightest bit harder slam as well. The ZVX is a pinch smoother in this area but really these two don’t sound much different from one another.
Midrange
Both sets offer midrange performances that come across cleanly, but the ZVX does have the better resolution. I would say it’s a more refined version of almost the same exact tuning. There really isn’t much more to say about the midrange. If anything, I would say note weight is ever so slightly thicker on the ZVX and the Lyra has a bit more shimmer in the upper midrange. The ZVX has better note definition while the Lyra comes across a little Grainier. Please don’t confuse me, I am not saying that the Lyra is necessarily grainy either.
Treble
As far as the highs go, the Lyra has a little more elevation in this area plus a hair better extension to my ears. The ZVX just sounds much cleaner overall with better body to instrumentation in the treble area. The ZVX is smoother and again it has better note definition. There isn’t some monumental difference, but the ZVX simply sounds like a proper upgrade which comes across very subtle. However, in the world of audio that might as well be a mile apart. Details do come across a bit better on the Lyra but again we are talking about miniscule discrepancies.
Ratings (0-10)
*All ratings are judged by the price point as well as design style (bullet, hybrid, singleDD) listed above and all are very much subjective to my taste. Please keep in mind that a “5.0” is exactly average per the price point. In the case of the ZVX, the price point ranges from ($10-$25).
Aesthetic
Build: 9.5 Build Quality per the price point
Design/Style: 9.0 Cosmetic/Aesthetic look & appeal
Overall: 9.3
Sonics
Timbre: 9.5 Timbre & tonality
Bass: 8.5 Bass quality per the price point
Midrange: 9.0 Midrange replay as a whole
Treble: 8.8 Treble replay as a whole
Technicalities: 8.5 Stage/details/Imaging/separation
P2P: 10.0 Price to performance
Overall: 9.0🔥🔥🔥🔥☄️
Is it worth the asking price?
The ZVX is certainly worth the $18 that KZ is asking for. In my opinion, up to this point, with the KZ sets that I’ve heard, I do believe the ZVX is one of the best sounding they’ve made. It is also built like a tank, durable, looks pretty cool and is comfortable. This is a no brainer for anyone who is in the market for a balanced and natural sounding iem who simply doesn’t have enough to go to the next price point.
I think KZ is on an upswing and trending in the right direction. Now, we don’t want to hype this product, but I must say that it is very well tuned, well composed and really a great value at only $18. I am not exaggerating when I say that I am impressed with the sound and have reached for the ZVX simply for the joy of hearing it in leisurely listening. Which is saying something. A very well imagined and well created ultra-budget iem that sits easily in the top of its class.
Conclusion
To conclude I have to thank KZ and Tyvan Lam for providing the KZ ZVX for a fair and honest review. I have to also say that receiving a product from a company in no way diminishes my integrity and my review will be exactly my own thoughts, nothing more and nothing less. I will always give a big kudos to any company brave enough to subject their products to the scrutiny of a review. It simply means that they believe in their product, and I think that’s great. So, thank you KZ.
Well, there you have it. Another KZ iem, another ultra-budget banger and another review is in the books. Please take in other thoughts about the ZVX from other reviewers with possibly other perspectives. I realize that $18 is cheap for most but in the same breath $18 could be the only gift one can purchase for an entire year. These are the people I want to help to get things right. They too should be able to hear the best audio possible for their dollars. Listen to, read or watch other reviews because not everyone likes what I like, has the same music library, has the same gear and not everyone has been down the same path I’ve been down in audio. We are all different and the more perspectives the better. With that I want to thank the reader for visiting the website. Each click of the link to our site means a lot to us. Please be safe and take good care.