KZ - Castor Pro (Harman Target with Improved Bass Version)
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 6, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
1421
50
"Crazy good from the jump! ... When you factor in they're only $99 and go toe-to-toe with Bose QC Ultra at $299, this is the deal of the year!"
"Can't recommend them enough for the value, sound like $200 earphones."
"Artti T10 is best buy if we take prices into consideration ... T10 are crazy value, they're at least 95% as good as S08 and cost quite a bit less ... T10 is so good value that price to performance ratio with them is better than any cheaper IEM, not just the more expensive ones"
408
140
"these have the deepest, cleanest and "tumpiest" bass out there."
"For gaming, these are perfect. ... As a valorant immortal, tier 2 and premier player, I can confidently say that the imaging and soundstage are spot-on. ... Footsteps, directional cues, and in-game sounds are incredibly precise and natural, giving a competitive edge without any unnecessary bass/treble bloat."
"It is so immersive for my brain that when my eyes are closed I can actually feel my body trying to react to the sounds like they are physically present. ... Using an orchestral example, my brain tries to SEE where sections of instruments are sitting, or where soloists chairs are in room, it feels like I am standing right above a percussion pit looking at the orchestra as a conductor."
59
20
"The switch actually has quite a few influences. ... The Castor pro bass UUDD can bring out powerful bassheads, DDUU can bring out not too many low notes and enough high notes. ... The influence of the switch is actually easy to feel, and it works well. ... It usually plays a large role in making adjustments to be more neutral sound."
"just enough punchy bass to make gunfire and explosions sound right."
"The bass is definitely present, punchy, and clean, giving it an impactful low-end response that enhances genres like EDM and pop. ... The mid-bass feels a bit boosted but stays well controlled without bleeding into the mids. ... It has great sub-bass extension, delivering a satisfying rumble that provides depth in the mix."
18
5
"For gaming it's so good. ... The imaging and sound staging is kinda perfect for games."
"In terms of sound quality it's clearly superior in terms of staging and provides a richer, fuller experience."
"They sound amazing and I feel like I am listening to a movie than a game."
17
3
"The switch actually has quite a few influences. ... The Castor pro bass UUDD can bring out powerful bassheads, DDUU can bring out not too many low notes and enough high notes. ... The influence of the switch is actually easy to feel, and it works well. ... It usually plays a large role in making adjustments to be more neutral sound."
"u can always have the advantage to tune the eq switches to reach a similar output like chu2 ... the whole reason 80% in r/iem like the castor is due to its soundstage and the ability to physically tune the switch ... the switches can be tuned according to ur preference, but most like the switches in 1234, up-up-down-down"
"the Castor pro bass edition with the 4 switches are AWESOME!!! ... the bass is just right(I love bass)"
Disliked most:
14
98
"The fit just doesn't feel right ... its heavy after an hour of use so who cares about battery life ... may as well get some over ears for comfort."
"I had the same problem and returned them."
"if you have smaller ears like i do, borderline unbearable to wear with the weight."
84
34
"I don't feel any difference in bass"
"However, the sub-bass isn ’t particularly strong and can feel a bit sluggish when stacked against higher-end models, as the layering and separation in the low-end just aren ’t there, which can lead to a muddled presentation when a lot of instrument is going on in the mix."
"Unusable without hefty EQ (-10dB @ 185Hz). ... That spike at ~180Hz is real and ruins low-mid end completely. ... Any sound in (or passing trough) ~180Hz region has some strange tin can high pitched hollowness/echo. ... Bass guitars sound strange, drums sound strange, low vocals sound strange... Any background hum in music/movies/games sounds strange. ... It is also very hard to EQ out - spike is very high and in very narrow range. So you need good EQ software to apply a lot of negative EQ in very narrow range (used EQ APO+PEACE). ... Once EQ is applied these sound quite nice. Good low end, clean mids and nice highs. Without EQ they just sound wrong."
16
33
"supermix4 hurt my ears, too much treble for me ... I didn’t think the supermix 4 sounded much better, but the highs were much more aggressive. I played for 1/2 hour and was in pain."
"I found the SuperMix 4 too bright and fatiguing until I tamed it a bit with SpinFit W1s. ... (Otherwise, I could only listen to the Fall Out Boy discography for ~30 minutes. No such discomfort with my other IEMs.)"
"everything is just super high pitched n supermix and genuinely unusable just because of how nassally and unnatural it makes female voices sound. ... And after a few days I just realized how ear piercing and unnatural the supermix was and so that was kinda it, I didn't wanna use supermix for music anymore."
11
9
"There appears to be a massive dip in the upper mids low treble on the castor pro bass ."
"The Chu 2s are way better all around than the Castor Pro Bass - way clearer detail, midrange, treble"
"it lacks body in the vocals"
5
25
"deuce awful for competitive gaming"
"Bass version - Best avoid with competitive games, especially Valorant. ... QDC and heavy as well."
"the castor pro (bass edition) for VALORANT is BULLSHIT."
33RhyvehR 1.0Still actually the 7HZ Zero 2. Bunnys spike in the uppers are not fun, Castor pro bass is a bit odd but enjoyable at least, waner 2 is tooo vocal. Pure and hexa are mid. Pure neither has enjoyable bass or mids. Hexa is shouty. EM6L is thin. Explorer is dark asf. The only one of these I've had moments of "Oh shit" and jumping up because I thought the sound was next to me, was from the Zero 2. My collection goes into the kilobucks
94d33m2 1.0I'm enjoying the lower ends so much that I'm starting to think I should not be enjoying songs this much for such a cheap IEM 😁
I like bass so I guess it's preference on the cheaper iems
Altrebelle 1.0OP...have you looked at Kiwi Ears Cadenza or KZ Castor Pro Bass Edition? Both respond well to EQ. Cadenza's bass is punchy and can satisfy your sub-bass rumble. The Castor Pro Bass Edition allows the user to tune the IEM with onboard switches. It's bassier than the Cadenzas in my opinion. I own both...and I get a deeper and more satisfying brain rattle from the Castor Pro Bass Edition from Angel by Massive Attack and Interlude by Yosi Horikawa. They both provide satisfying thumps to Billie Eilish's bad guy. Cadenzas lose a bit of mid treble detail (for me) on Starboy by The Weeknd. Both sets are currently under 35 USD (your pricing may vary)
I have read...KZ have had QC issues (guess that's the only caveat) My set works as expected. I am getting good bass response from BOTH my desktop dac/amp (Fiio K11 R2R) and off my iphone via a US edition apple dongle. Since you don't mind EQ... some of the planar IEMs out there do play well with EQ. Even the 1st gen stuff... they're not quite sub-35USD range...but they're not prohibitively expensive
I looked at the Artti T10 and the T10 Pro. I decided on the NiceHCK F1 Pro (it was on sale😂😂) Not disappointed at all. I have a set of planar cans...and I was curious about planars in an IEM. Am pleasantly surprised. Hope you get a good set of Castor Pro...I really like mine. The set comes with a tool and diagram for you to tinker with the tuning. Did some time rolling...and settled on DUNU SS tips. Lovely set indeed.
I vote Castor Pro Bass Edition out of that list. I own both the Castor Pro and the Zero 2. To me...the Castor Pro in UpUpDownDown setting...is a budget bass monster. The mids and treble aren't bad. I find the Zero 2 muddier in the mids...and treble is a bit dark. I needed to use some Divinius Wide Bores on the zero 2 to brighten things up. The Castor Pros (on narrow bores) still have some detail...while providing good sub-bass rumble mid bass hits
This post sounds like a cry for help...being sucked down the wonderful rabbit hole of IEMs 😂 Agree with the Castor Pro Bass Edition recommendation. Give those a go. Agree about wires being a pain...think strategically hiding wires under clothes help; also deciding which earphone when can be helpful as well. IF you can stomach spending upwards to 170usd (as of this post) there are really good IEM Bluetooth adapters that can work wirelessly. But at that price point Id just stick with the Airpod Pro 2s.
I have the Legato....they are definitely bassy. I use wide bore ear tips which allows the treble to come through. They're not muddy...but these aren't for details and shimmer. Great for hip hop, edm, brain rumbly sub-bass. The Castor Pro Bass Edition is definitely more muddy than the Legato. The mid bass is tighter on the Legato as well. Legato is not bad at it's price point...and probably even better if you can find them on sale (I did😉)
Out of the sets you've listed. I own(ed) The Cadenza and the 7Hz Zero 2. For a first IEM...I can say either one is a good choice. IEM shape and size between those two...the Cadenza is slightly more compact and contoured. The Zero 2 "looks" uncomfortable...but it was actually isn't. If you have concerned with it's angular look and you can't reliably return the product...perhaps stick with the Cadenza. I have had a Castor Pro Bass Edition (the one with switches) I was not a fan...as my unit had driver flex (hearing the driver flex when the IEM is being adjusted in ear due to lack of proper venting) Have since read about various QC issues mentioned...but most seem to be in the past. I choose not to purchase their IEMs...because there are many others to choose from😉 Last thing to mention...ear tips. Aside from the sound and IEM fitment...ear tips is a consideration as well. Most IEMs will come with an assortment of tips. Take your time going through ALL the tips the set comes with. Even to the point of mismatching sizes between left and right. Human anatomy is funny like that as we are NOT symmetrical😂😂 You will want to get a good (eartip) fit and seal into the ear canal. You will know if you're not properly fitted if the IEM sounds "tinny" or "there's no bass" Super*review has many helpful videos if you get deeper into IEMs. This one will be useful when your first set arrives: [https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU](https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU) He also has another regarding ear tips. I'll let you find that one...it's on the same channel.
andreagabrie 1.0>maybe Something More bassy could be a good pick. What would you have suggested if he had asked for something bassy? I have already used the Kz Castor Pro Bass Edition, but I'm looking to move on from it. Can you suggest iem below $70 to use for longer session music listening?
Artistic-Position888 1.0tell me you didn't buy them. don't listen to the other guy. i don't know what games you play but i play VALORANT and the castor pro (bass edition) for VALORANT is BULLSHIT. i originally bought them for music and they do pretty fine but
Ashamed-Reaction-455 1.0I have bass and non bass pro version and when I listen first time I got amazed by non bass version is more refined and clean than the bass version and I return my bass version and keep my harmen target version I don't feel any difference in bass
AylaCODM 1.0Let's simplify this... What you have is the KZ Castor Pro (Bass Enhanced Version). These in a nutshell are really a good IEM for a balanced and bass heavy experience, and are arguably better than TWS Bluetooth earbuds, you just need to set them up for success. What you need to bring them to life and wake 'em up inside... ✓ DAC/Amp combo (eg. KZ AM02). This will drive your Castor Pro across any device and there are EQ presets for bass, clarity, and gaming. ✓ Adjust all switches to UUUU or UUDD. These are essentially your manual stick shift for a novel iem with switches. Learn the gears avoid finding it and grinding it. ✓ Get new eartips. You aren't going to get a good seal to unleash all of its glory for sound profile with the stock eartips of KZ. It is crucial to upgrade this area and should be a priority. I suggest something with a narrow bore like the Penon Liqueur Orange or Black. After you have completed the 3 imperative objectives above... Report back here and tell us all if there is any difference. Bonus: You can try an EQ app to further tailor your sound should you choose.
Hey there... I do not have experience with KZ PR1 for gaming, however, below mentioned is a post I've made before highlighting a great KZ branded setup. KZ Castor Pro Silver (Balanced) KZ M2 Type C Cable with built in "EQ Tuner" For the above mentioned setup that is a great start in this hobby -- All in $15 to $20 depending on where you are geographically located in this beautiful world. Considering you're starting out, it will allow you to take a dive into the water without fear of drowning yourself into just 1 IEM blind buy etc... With the tuning switches and options KZ Castor Pro Silver provides and the preset EQ options of the M2 cable, this will give you an idea of what sound profile/signature you are most comfortable with -- And in turn, make a sound profile on "experiential knowledge" based purchase for a future set of IEMs. In my opinion -- For gaming, particularly FPS games -- They are punching above their price. Edit: Also get the DUNU SS Eartips (price varies from $2 for 1 pair or 3 pairs for $7) to enhance your sound experience with a tight seal on your IEM. If you've made it this far into my response, then please look into "IEM burn in time for KZ Castor Pro" as this will help set initial expectations for sound out of the box if you decide to go the KZ route.
balls_in_yo_jaws64 1.0I've got kz edx EDC prx castor pro improved bass and I'm getting the kz sagas what do u think about all of them?
BigNigori 1.0KZ Castor Pro Enhanced Bass Version (for when you *really* don't want to break the bank)
If you end up choosing Castor, I recommend you get the Castor Pro for the same price. They fixed some shortcomings of the non-pro version.
BlackWaltz03 1.0Less boom? I think you just don't have a proper ear seal. Try and get some foam eartips to emphasize the bass more. Also, try and get the castor pro bass.
Castor bass is kinda muddy, but the castor pro bass has a more controlled bass.
Op was looking for more bass. Castor pro bass is where you to go for bass. Cadenza is v shaped, but isn't known for bass. Also, it's way beyond the price range of chu ii. 7hz zero 2 is more balanced with a bit of bass. Castor pro bass is still better for bass. Wyvern abyss is meh. I got ok bass. It's just smooth listening, but it's not good for bass. I actually sold my wyvern because it's shell is absurdly big for a single dynamic driver. I won't recommend something that doesn't qualify for what the person is looking for.
Castors are a good choice too. Castor Harman is good; gave it to my gf. Castor bass is a bit muddy, but not too muddy like kbear rosefinch; I use that personally. I personally love the edc pro more because it's smoother with just the right amount of bass, but the Harman is a bit thin for me. But I just re-read your genre of choice. I saw you like J-Pop. If that's the case, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Tangzu Waner (the original ones that came in black, white, jade, and blue colors; not the studio version or the waner 2). Tangzu waner is specialized for making vocals, specifically female vocals, pop. Wan'er is known to make Stay With Me and Plastic Love sound good. Great with YOASOBI too.
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