Intro
I purchased the Khan off of Amazon US for around $40. Khan just so happens to be the 2nd collaboration in a matter of months from QKZ partnering with the “Hawaiian Bad Boy” from “Bad Guy Good Audio” of YouTube fame. Once again, the Bad Boy himself tuned this latest entry. I happened to watch his video and unboxing along with an explanation of the earphone Internals and my eyes went wide. I couldn’t let this set get away from me. Now, the Khan was tuned somewhat typical to another set which recently went to market garnering a ton of praise, the Truthear X-Crinacle Zero. I went through periods of disliking that set to ultimately really enjoying the Zero. The graphs look almost identical so I was intrigued. Does the Khan live up to my expectations and the HBB name? I will try to answer the former up ahead. Friends thank you for reading… The Khan everyone…
Khan: A title given to rulers and officials.
I love a well named iem. Yes, it doesn’t mean much to the overall enjoyment of a set, but it does set the tone. To me, the name Khan is almost given to prove a point. An exclamation point that is. Khan just sounds tough! A one syllable name that is strong in its inflection while coming across stout as it venerates a certain esteem or reverence. “Khan”. Pretty badass don’t you think? I just thought I’d add my two little cents over a well thought out name. One of the better names in recent memory in my opinion. Very cool. Okay on with the review.
Also, check out Mahir’s review of the Khan HERE.
Khan Pros
-Price to performance
-Look
-Build Quality
-Very clean sounding
-Deep penetrating bass
-Fun tuning
-Female vocals
-Non-offensive everywhere, unless you are allergic to bass
-Details are nice per the tuning
Khan Cons
-May be too large in fit for some (Is this a con?)
-Case (This is pretty picky of me)
-Lacking air/openness up top
-Many will think the bass is too elevated/wooly
-Some slight sibilances
-Midrange slightly lacks exuberance
-Requires burn-in/listen-in
Gear used
–Ibasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging
The Khans arrived at my home in a larger than normal QKZ box with a graphic of the Khan themselves on the front, some labels, yada yada and on the back is the frequency graph. Open the box and the first surprise hit me. QKZ added in a gold-colored coin which is nicely displayed right away. It’s cool. It has the HBB logo, the QKZ logo and is about the size of a half-dollar in the US. Seriously, I have no clue why they’d add such a random object into the box of a set of earphones but… for some reason it’s cool, it’s different, and it’s nice to see something different. I have zero idea what I will do with this coin but… I have it and I didn’t the day before… well played QKZ!
The rest of the Package
Anyways, above the coin you will see the confident and macho looking Khan earphones in a foam cut-out. Under the coin you are met with a white carrying case. Open the case and you will notice the cable and eartips. Not too bad at all. Hey, I have certainly bought worse for $40. It won’t change your life or blow your mind but let’s be honest, we are used to some cheapo offerings from QKZ. I think it’s a nice and unusual unboxing and one that I seriously wasn’t expecting. Not the most luxurious but this set is $40.
Carrying Case
The case provided is not the most robust or durable feeling. It is a white colored, flimsy, cheap plastic case which will likely do more harm to your earphones than anything. It isn’t lined with foam or anything nice and soft, just thin/hard plastic. Okay… I suppose they had to cut corners somewhere. Truthfully, it may have been better for QKZ to just leave out the case. It doesn’t go with the theme or the aesthetic of the Khan. It’s an odd choice. You have a black-on-gold colorway with a bright white case. It is nice they added one but leaving it out would have preserved the motif of the design a bit more. Seriously though, $40! Don’t listen to me.
Ear tips
QKZ decided to add in one set of large, medium & small eartips. They aren’t bad at all; however, I don’t think they match the best with the Khan earphones, sonically. The eartips are a longer, deeper fit eartip, clear in color with a dark gray stem. The bore is narrow, and the flanges have a decent density to them with a nice tackiness. I did get a fantastic seal with these tips. Really these are nice eartips which I’m sure I will use with another set of earphones.
What I used…
I chose to skip the included tips and wound up using a shallow fit and very wide bore eartips or the medium sized Fiio Bass tips. I kept going back and forth. The wide bore opens the sound up a bit and there is less of a veil over the sound, yet the bass has an even softer note outline. So, I mainly used the medium sized Fiio Bass tips (basically KBear 07 tips). The reason why I landed on these is because I found that the Khan really do well when inserted deeper into the ear canal. Plus, unlike the included tips and their narrow bore, these tips have a medium-wide bore with a stiff inner stem. This adds good clarity and a more tactile texture to the mix. The wide bore set is nice, but it is a shallower fit and I seem to lose a bit in dynamism with them. It could be me dreaming this stuff up but that is what I heard. I can say for sure that it did pay off for me to get a deep insertion.
Cable
The cable is a typical, tightly braided budget chifi cable. It is an Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) with a detachable QDC style 2-pin connector and terminates with a 3.5 single ended jack. The cable is perfectly fine and sounds fine as well. For myself, to match my balanced sources I decided to go with the cable provided in the Letshuoer D13 packaging. It is a brown 4.4 balanced cable and really matches the look of the Khan in my opinion.
If you are able to upgrade to a balanced cable and provide a bit more power, the Khan will reward you for it. My opinion of course. I did use the included cable for all 3.5 single ended usage, and I really had zero issues with it. There is no need to switch out unless you want a more aesthetically pleasing look paired with your Khan’s, or you need a balanced cable.
Design / Build / Internals / Fit
Now we get into the stuff which matters. Starting off with the design. These are sexy. QKZ is stepping up their game people! The Khan is about the size and shape of the Truthear Zero with very slight differences. They mostly retain the shape of the Zero so hopefully that will give you an idea of the size of the Khan. Perhaps the Khan is slightly less thick, if I remember correctly.
Look
I really love the look and feel of the Khan. HBB and QKZ created a very bold yet ornamental design, very masculine & strong in appearance. There is a dignified look to the Khan which is a bit of a departure from the rock n’ roll look of the first QKZ collab with HBB. The Faceplates are a glass-like resin material inside of a brownish-chrome colored alloy edge decoration which lines the entirety of the Faceplates. The right side features a gold HBB logo while the left side features a gold QKZ logo, and both are contrasted against a dark background. A beautiful looking set, very dapper, very self-assured and confident looking as well. It takes a good eye with good taste to design a set like this.
Build
The shell is made with a 4th generation DLP-3D printer using a dark but slightly transparent resin. If you have seen the Truthear Hexa then you’ll know what I’m talking about as it is the exact same material. I adore this type of shell body as it has a unique Matte appearance and smooth feel. This resin extends all the way to the nozzle opening as well. You will see a nice metal grill on the nozzle and only a couple vents on the Faceplate. I’m telling you; this set is an upgrade in build from its peers. It’s an upgrade in look as well and I promise you, the other guys out there need to step up in their efforts and design ability to match the Khan. The Khan is a very attractive set and very durable. They invoke this sturdy and robust feeling in hand. Very well done QKZ!
Internals
One of the selling features of the Khan is the fact that QKZ added two Dynamic Drivers in the Khan. Controlling the low-end is a 10mm Dynamic Driver with an LCP Diaphragm while the rest of the spectrum is being controlled by a 7.8mm Dynamic Driver. Just like the Truthear Zero, the Khan uses this same tuning strategy of having one Driver simply covering the bass region, almost like a subwoofer. The midrange on-out is all taken care of with the smaller 7.8mm Dynamic Driver.
Drivability
I found the Khan to be pretty easy to drive to volume as they are rated at 10 ohms and a sensitivity of 117 decibels. I will say with complete assurance that the Khan does scale well with more power. Using the Fiio KA3 on 4.4 balanced there was obviously plenty of juice for the Khan. In fact, a decently powerful dongle dac will be more than enough to open this set up. Also, listening with the IFi Go Blu sounded fantastic for a portable Bluetooth option as the Go Blu has great output for such a small device. Pairing with the Ibasso Dx240 or the Shanling M6 Ultra as the real treat for me though. I listened mainly on medium gain on both daps and was greeted with a more open and forward sound, deeper basses and a hair more air up top. The stage also broadens a bit as well.
Quick Sound Impressions
One thing I would say straight out the gate is that the Khan is fun. This is a fantastic set for deep bass drops and bobbing your head to your favorite jams. The Khan has more of a light L-shaped tuning. This is certainly a warmer sound with decent energy up top but simply dialed back a bit.
The bass has a lot of force behind it with a ton in quantity. Bass-boys rejoice! It’s big, it’s meaty and it bangs! Stop being gross people, these are earphones! The mids are recessed to a degree yet come across clear enough for me. We have that DD like timbre on the Khan which is fantastic. This is a smoother and more dialed back midrange as a whole, a hair held back but mostly unblemished. The treble is very laid back but has enough energy to not sound closed-in and has good definition and extension. A very non-offensive style treble tuning. Honestly, I don’t hear anything offensive to the sound. I will go into greater detail as you read on in this review.
Before I move on…
I will add, really quick, this set grew on me. When I first listened to the Khan I thought they were great. However, I was only casually listening to my favorite tracks. Then I let them burn in for a bit (20-25 hrs.), popped them in my ears to actually critically listen to some songs and I really did not like what I heard. Very strange. They sounded closed-in, lacked air, in fact there was a complete lack of presence and energy in the Midrange. It lacked body and form and was almost like listening in a bubble. It’s odd. It sounded as though the music had this detached feeling to it. Nothing at all like the Truthear Zero. They graph the same but didn’t sound the same. I was going to give a not so kind rebuke (in a nice way) of my time with this set. Instead, I decided to give the Khan a good 75-hour burn-in. Then one night I purposed myself to just… sit my butt down and listen, while thinking… “What is it that people like about the Khan”? I put my Shanling M6 Ultra to medium/high gain, balanced cable, tip-rolled and listened.
The result…
People I promise you; it was like night and day. I was loving what I was hearing. I’m halfway positive someone snuck in my room and switched this set out for another. Everything just… opened up! Bass was less flabby and fuzzy, mids gained some form and body and more visceral presence. The treble perked up a bit. I know my ears; they are mine after all and there was an evident change which occurred. I’ve been an audio crackhead for a very long time, and this has only ever happened a few times to me. One other time was the Truthear Zero… Oddly enough. So, I would suggest giving the Khan some time and burning them in for a good long bit.
Bass
Sub-bass
The low-end is basically designed somewhat like a subwoofer. True to form the sub-bass is a BANGER! Flat out and hands down the Khan is A MAN down low. This isn’t some weak audiophile bass; this is a man’s bass! There is this all-encompassing nature to the bass with its dedicated driver. The sub-bass reaches very deep with obvious texture and tactile rumble that vibrates eyeballs and breaks seals… Okay I went a little far there, but you get the point. “Groove” by Ashley Monroe has a deep sub-bass line rumble which is offset by her angelic soprano voice and melodic sound. I’m telling you that the Khan absolutely kills it with this song. Sonorous is the thrumming reverberation showing nice depth to the bassline along with Ashley’s mood inducing and cascading voice, it’s like two opposing forces in perfect concert with each other.
Another test track is “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush on their newest album. Right away the Khan will reward you with a shuddering, juddering & grumbling bass intro to begin this song, which is all encompassing. Soon after is kick drum hits which boom in rapid-fire succession, getting louder and more resounding as they build up. One after the other the Khan clearly proves it can replay with authority. So cool and fun to listen to as the Khan hits all the sweet spots for me on this track.
Mid-bass
The mid bass should be dialed back considering the mid-bass tuck or roll-off (going by the graph) but I still hear a punchy mid-bass. No, it doesn’t slam to a bona-fide basshead level, but it still punches… Hard. There is enough mid-bass quantity to not leave out your favorite bass guitar growl and that is what I was listening for. Per the graph the bass guitar should come across lean in body, I don’t completely hear this, however. Possibly snares could use a bit more of that staccato edge and weight, but I hardly can tell. Mostly I hear a full bass throughout. The texture is more like a deep thud on mid-bass drops albiet slightly softer in its note edge. “Billie Jean” by Weezer displays this well. Not a concrete-hard note edge and a hair on the slower side but still it is an atmospheric and authoritative thud.
A fun tuning…
Obviously with a bass this big it won’t always decay super quickly. Sustain may linger a bit longer. Resonances may be a bit much for you. This tuning isn’t going to give your audiophile senses pure analytical joy. Nah…the point is fun! I love my neutral audiophile type tunings, but I also adore a fun set. I grew up in the nineties with the Geto Boys, Mack 10, Scarface, NWA, Bone, 2Pac, Biggie, Too Short, Metallica, Nirvana, Soundgarden, G&R, Alice n’ Chains…The list goes on. Personally, I like a more balanced approach if I was to create my dream tuning but there has to be a low-end emphasis and I wouldn’t call the Khan balanced. However, I can respect what it brings. Once I wrap my brain around that it is a joy to listen to. With all that said, if a fun bass, which is a hair on the slower side, but very impactful sounds like a good time to you, then chances are you’ll be right at home with the Khan.
Midrange
The mids are the thinnest of hairs recessed to my ear, especially the lower midrange. There isn’t any bleed from the bass region so what we have is a more unblemished midrange, sounding less robust and thick but also spotless and sublime for the money. Lacking that weight isn’t always a bad thing, especially when there is good definition. However, there is the slightest lack of luminous presence in the midrange. I would say it like this… contrast is good, even clarity is nice, but it is simply not perked up like some sets are, and it is done so in a warmer setting. Track selection plays a big role as well because not every track sounds this way. I would give examples but this review doesn’t need to be 10,000 words. Also, after a few songs you may not even notice. I am being pretty picky though because I am perfectly happy and content as I listen to my music.
Lower midrange
Again, the low-mids are a bit on the lean side. The lack of weight and warmth from the low-end is a psycho-acoustic voodoo which makes it seem like there is less body to instruments & vocals. The tucked bass and steep mid-bass roll-off should take away some of that perceived body of a male voice. However, males are defined well with a very kempt & crisp sound and enough density to not miss that warmth. Deep baritones sound natural to my ears like Avi Kaplan in “First Place I Go“. I hear good enough body and a distinctive crispy fullness even with the recession and lack of warmth in this area. Leading edges to notes are decently hard and knife-edged with nice transient decay.
Furthermore…
Higher pitch tenors like The Avett Brothers in a song like “Morning Song (Demo)” can be a hair unnatural though. Of course his voice can be a bit piercing and almost metallic on most sets anyways. He comes across clean and resolute but a pinch sharp listening with the Khan. I honestly don’t mind it but I think some people may. Of course both examples are extremes. Any average male voice like Dermot Kennedy (nothing average about this man’s voice) in a song like “Rome” sounds very nice with good timbre, sounding more organic. If there was a tiny negative, I simply hear a lack of vibrancy. Just a touch too little. Not bad by any means and the good stuff outweighs the negatives by quite a bit. Still, this issue persists through the entire midrange and out through the treble as well.
Upper-Midrange
Females are less recessed and more forward than males and have more exuberant energy. Females can be very nicely energetic with decent shimmer in some tracks while sounding nicely sculpted yet smoother in presentation. There is decent body and firmness to a woman’s voice when needed and while note weight isn’t super lush and thick, it is still well controlled and life-like. I did hear slight sibilance from tracks which are prone to it, but nothing which detracts from my listening. The Khan sounds in control and vibrant enough to replay a song like “High” by Caitlyn Smith and does so with nice agility and pace. During the chorus there is a lot going on and the Khan handles it very well. Also, instrumentation comes across naturally and is pretty well separated.
Treble
This is one area where its lack of exuberance and shine can affect other areas of the mix. I could use a bit more air up top but all things considered I can very much appreciate the non-offensive tuning in the treble region. Still, I could use a bit more rise in the treble to offset some of the warmth. There is absolutely nothing which sounds shouty or sheened out. Nothing metallic or overly sibilant or tinny & tizzy either. The only real issue I notice is the slightly less radiant and uplifted sound. Laid back yet still detailed, toned down yet still extended nicely with good info past 8k.
Instruments still have plenty of life, like the secondary harmonics or overtones from cymbals and hi-hats. There is also plenty of body to piano notes as well as violin and flute etc. Again, they may not be as uplifted as I would normally enjoy, but they are certainly not lost in some attenuated abyss. You can blast metal without gouging out your ears or throwing the Khan across a room as well which I can appreciate.
Not much to complain about…
The treble is not tuned to pick up all the slightest and minutest of details, it simply is not that kind of set. That said, nothing is really lacking in this area either. There are sets in the price range which offer better technical prowess but those sets also have other areas where they lack. The Khan isn’t too dry or analytical yet is still pretty articulate with good transient speed up top while remaining smoother & less emphasized. Really there isn’t much to complain about for the asking price unless you are a tried n’ true treble junkie. Also, after a few songs I began to get used to the Khan and these “issues” didn’t sound like issues at all.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The stage offers good width; however, height isn’t to the moon or anything and comes across about average and the same goes for depth, average. Not 2D, and not a flat plane of sound. Even with average height and depth the sound still comes across subtlety three-dimensional, and certainly 3D enough to sound realistic and appropriate without detracting from my music. These are iems so anyone expecting a stadium will be let down, but that goes for any and every iem on planet earth. I think the stage size of the Khan comes across very well for my library of music.
Separation / Imaging
Separation is really pretty good with a caveat; the song being replayed cannot be too chaotic. Not that the Khan cannot keep up, but with too much going on, like most DD iems, the transient behavior is a bit more atmospheric and can begin to blend a bit. That said, I hear absolutely nothing which is distracting to me. Furthermore, I wouldn’t call the Khan “Bad” at replaying congested tracks. It simply isn’t its superpower. I’ve gone too long on this though, for something which really isn’t a huge issue. Most tracks sound well separated with defined edges to instruments and decent layering of elements within a stage. Imaging is very good to my ears as well. In my test tracks the Khan was actually spot-on in this regard. As it should be.
Details
I’ve already covered this a bit, but I will reiterate quickly. No this is not a detail king, but it’s still pretty nice in this regard. The Khan is an organic and somewhat atmospheric sounding iem with a fun side, which would be spoiled if it was tuned in a more analytical way. If you know what you are getting with a set like the Khan, then expecting the Khan to be something else would be rather odd, and crazy. Still, details are decent with this set. You have a pretty clean & resolute sound with decent speed of the driver, this in turn helps the Khan to pick up some of the minutiae. In tracks with more low-end activity, you may find the bass covering over some details but that’s about it.
Comparisons
*Note: Any comparison I complete is only to highlight differences to help explain the set I am reviewing. This is not a battle or a head-to-head death match, though at times it may seem that way. Also, I wanted to compare the Truthear Zero but I have it lended out to my friend… Forgive me.
QKZ X-HBB ($19)
Talk about an over-achieving phenom, the X-HBB is just that. A direct sibling of the iem we are reviewing here. Priced at a ridiculous $19 this QKZ product quite literally is awesome. That is, if the tuning fits your preferences. Personally, I absolutely enjoy this ultra-budget set. Luckily, I only speak for myself, and I know myself pretty well by now. The X-HBB is a single DD with a 10mm Titanium-Coated Diaphragm and is also tuned by none other than the Hawaiian Bad Boy himself, aka HBB from “Bad Guy Good Audio” YouTube fame. He did a helluva job on this set which gave so many who had no chance of affording a decently tuned set a shot at… well… A decently tuned set. Check out my full review of the X-HBB HERE
Start with the bass!
As far as differences go, we can start at the bass. The Xhbb is emphasized quite a bit more and the bass has a little bit more of a softer impact. Both are deep, both hit hard but the Khan has better separation and layering in this area. The Xhbb also has much more slam in the mid-bass. Some would certainly refer to the Xhbb as close to basshead levels. Having said that, there is more of a refined punch on the Khan to a degree. Still both sets offer a more of a nice leading edge and good Adsr. I can’t decide which set I like better down low.
Male vocals
The Xhbb has a more forward male vocal with better note weight but less articulate, clear and crisp as on the Khan. The Xhbb simply has more energy and vitality with a warmer sound. This is a preference battle here as both earphones take a different approach at tuning.
Female vocals
Females on the Xhbb sound more forward as well with more vibrance and less toned down compared to the Khan. Again, the Khan has the articulate sound to the Xhbb’s thicker note weight and fuller sound. The Khan is a bit drier to the robust Xhbb. What I like about the Khan is that female vocals seem to be more of a spotlight. No, they aren’t as forward but they seem more zeroed in on. This has a lot to do with the surrounding frequencies. Both replay very nice here, but the more energetic and robust sound goes to Xhbb while the cleaner, leaner and more eloquent midrange comes from the Khan.
Treble
The ongoing theme is sustained in the treble. You guessed it, the Xhbb has better note weight, more vibrant and better extension through the treble region. The Khan is held back quite a bit more though a graph would tell you otherwise. Khan may be more laid back, but it is quicker and can handle more congested passages better. That said, there is an audible emphasis on the Xhbb compared to the Khan with a more shimmery and sparkly treble region.
Nice at their price point
These two couldn’t be more different and both are fantastic per their tuning and price points. The Xhbb is geared more toward the mass market and does so extremely well for $19. The Khan has an abnormal tuning which gives us a different take on audio but is equally good at its respective price.
Kiwi Ears Cadenza ($35)
The Cadenza is an absolute monster in the budget segment. I believe they could have been sold for $65 and it would still be a good set. Inside the Cadenza, Kiwi Ears decided upon a single Dynamic Driver with a 10mm Beryllium Diaphragm. It’s snappy, full and the timbre is very nice. This set is absolutely beautiful, it is a fully resin iem with trippy and cool colors and I got to admit… The Khan has its hands full with this one. But hey… If you’re good than you’ll play against the best so… Kiwi Ears Cadenza meet the QKZ X-HBB Khan.
Check out my full review of the Cadenza HERE
Bass region
As far as basses goes, the Khan is less linear, fuller and has slightly deeper bass. The Khan is a hair slower as well. I think that the Cadenza is simply tuned with a more balanced approach. Actually, it is U-shaped to my ear. The graph would tell you that the Cadenza has the deeper and fuller sounding bass, but real-life listening says otherwise. For instance, by looking at a graph you would assume that the Khan would have less meat to bass guitar growls, but the opposite is true between these two. Make no mistake though, deeper does not mean better. The Cadenza is plenty deep too. The Khan is also a hair softer and wooly at note edges while the Cadenza is a bit more compact. Please understand that these differences are very small. Both sets BANG!
Midrange
Male vocals have thicker note weight listening on the Cadenza, they are warmer, fuller and just as clean. The Khan is leaner but have more of a knife edge and are a bit crisper in delivery. As for females the Khan has much better control of this area. The Khan has less energy and forwardness, but the Cadenza gets shouty much easier. Glare can pop up on the Cadenza whereas the Khan keeps things in good structure and control. I think as a whole the midrange of the Cadenza is more linear and simply lusher and more robust to my ears. The Khan has the more detailed and agile midrange while remaining very clean and more refined in its transient behavior.
Treble
The treble region is much livelier on the Cadenza with an airier sound. I say that but the Cadenza isn’t exactly boosted to the stars or anything. The Khan is just so dialed back. That said, extension is better on the Khan. It may be dialed back but more info can be heard in the Khan’s air region. The Khan has a better detailed and technically savvy treble as well as a more analytical and dryer sounding. However, if you would rather have a slightly more vivacious and spirited treble than you’d find that on the Cadenza between the two. The Cadenza has a little more presence and body.
Different Approaches…
Both sets are very nice for the asking price, both play around in the same price point, and both are direct competitors to each other. Both have different approaches to tuning yet both sets do very well in their own ways. Personally, I’m enjoying the Khan, as it is just different from most any set besides that of the Truthear Zero. I’m quite positive that the Khan is more of an acquired taste and the Cadenza fits more into a mainstream tuning, but both can stay in my ears for hours while I am completely content.
Is the Khan worth the asking price?…
Quite simply… Yes. Of course, the tuning style has to be one which you enjoy, like anything. I am answering for myself here so 100% the Khan is worth every penny of its asking price. In truth, QKZ could have asked for more and I wouldn’t bat an eye at it.
There are certainly issues with this set and I spell some of those out. However, what I haven’t been able to express is how darn nice the Khan sounds overall, as a whole. How nice is it to pop these in my ears, medium to high gain on the Ibasso Dx240 and just listen to my favorite tracks. All these issues just melt away. All in all, the Khan can be a very bold, musical, emotional, yet also can be a technically sound set, which can replay many genres well. Built wonderfully and designed with class, the Khan, in my opinion, is one of those sets which perform very well in its price point.
Conclusion
HBB has really outdone himself. He took an already good template from the Truthear Zero and made it better. It takes a keen ear and many years of listening to a library of music over and over again to advise on such an endeavor, and to actually create an exceptional product… Bravo! My hat goes off to QKZ and HBB for taking a chance on each other and for the end result. I have to admit that I’ve been a fan of HBB for some time, but I can also verify that this in no way affects my review. I went a hair too hard in some areas and probably held back praise in many others. You know a set is good if after the review is done… You are still listening to that set. For me anyways that is saying something. Oh yeah, the kicker… this set is $40!!!
Other Perspectives
If you’ve never listened to me before, I urge you to listen to me now… Please listen to, read or watch other reviews of this set. Very much like the Truthear Zero I have a sneaky suspicion that the Khan will be pretty polarizing. You will either love it or not. Really! It is a different tuning then we are used to and may take some time to fully appreciate.
Of all the budget sets which have come out the last 3-4 years I can count on my hand the number which have taken this route. If you ask me, they absolutely nailed a unique and different sound which I have grown to really enjoy, but I’m sure for some reviewers this will not be the case. So, take in other perspectives. Something which I don’t harp on enough is that; we all have been down a different road in our audio journey. This greatly affects how we review and view earphones. Think about it. Also, we all have different gear, we hear different, our music libraries can be different and on and on. Don’t just stop at me, please take in other perspectives. Yes, it’s only $40, but $40 can make or break someone and I want you people to get it right.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading, I hope this helps my friends in the Audio community to make a better-informed decision. I type exactly what I hear and try my best to do so in a way which makes sense. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually start to get good at it… LOL. Anyways, thank you and please take care and stay safe.