Castor Pro (Harman Target with Improved Bass Version)

Still 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

he wants a quality bass kbear rosefefinch and QKZ X HBB bass have more volume but not a good quality bass castor pro have better quality bass than those 2

i didnt say he needs to get to 100$ im just saying if for him if castor pro bass sucks the other 2 suck even more they have bass volume but not a quality bass he already complain about the bass quality of castor which is better than those 2 i would prob recommend him kz saga

My everyday beaters castor pro they are really cheap for the cable i just grab any good looking cheap in AliExpress also kunten is even cheaper than castor pro but sound like a 50$ iem

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.

OP ... nice box. Good call to use a watch box storing a collection. I understand playing in the price ranges you've been in. Honestly, it's too low for diminishing returns just yet. Hexa does punch above it's weight...and it's still VERY relevant today. My "top" set at the moment is the AFUL P5+2. I love them. Can do what the Hexa does...but better. Warmer without sacrificing the "technicalities" The treble is present....some even say it's too bright. For me, they're great. There's enough bass for this to be an all-rounder for me. I own the 7Hz Legato...that's my bassy boy. I like bass...but I'm not spending excessive money for a basshead set. Compared to the Castor Pro Edition...it's better. The sub rumble is satisfying, mid bass (especially certain bass guitar heavy tracks) are velvety smooth. I run wide bores on the Legato...helps the treble stand out from the bass. Really balances it all out. I'd say...determine what your prefer sound signature might be. Technicalities? Vocals? Bass-head? Harman? Meta tuning? Then search out that set for yourself. Perhaps you'd want a planar IEM? Or an all BA set? Some people are into single DD IEMs (have heard some god-tier type comments about Final Audio A-Series IEMs) You have plenty to taste...now is a good time to take that step up. Note...the Hexa is the outlier in your collection because they are THAT good. However, you are not close to the area of diminishing returns yet https://preview.redd.it/uvhdjvl2ov0f1.jpeg?width=2377&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f215eb7329c908f39c7017ec7f311cde6c784451 Here's my collection

I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOUR POINTS: https://preview.redd.it/vwxf7i53neye1.jpeg?width=2377&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9aafdf70e38f01e9e6e88692e4c7f79caca103d8 This is MY collection...and I'm very early in the journey. I don't have the budget, knowledge or experience to blind buy a 500USD+ set of in ears that may or may not fit my ears or my preferences. While my journey doesn't completely fit OP's blueprint...I have/had the same thought process regarding purchasing IEMs. Not pictured are the Moondrop Chu 2 and 7Hz Sonus. I started with the Chu 2, 7Hz Zero 2 and Kiwi Ears Cadenza. From listening, watching and reading reviews...I was able to learn about all the terms, labels, and vocabulary to describe what I like or don't like. I threw money at the Wyvern Abyss...I mean...LOOK AT THEM😂. The Kz Castor Bass was a curiosity buy...want to hear if a set touting bass response was really that bassy. My next steps were the NiceHCK F1 Pros, Kiwi Ears Canta and the 7Hz Sonus. The F1 Pros and the Sonu were on sale at the time of purchase...good value and able to narrow things down more for myself. I knew I liked the planar sound...I have a set of open ear planar cans. The F1s felt disappointing (until I tip rolled) The Sonus was about much for my taste (in the mids) The Cantas were quite nice for me. By this point...I had a good grasp of what I was looking for and the direction (s) I want to go in. AFUL Performer 5+2 is currently my go-to...for all around listening. Sourced from R2R DAC lined out into a desktop tube amp. It's like a warm blanket on crisp bright and snowy winter day. I picked up the Hexa because I wanted to hear the hype...and yes...they definitely fulfill the hype and then some. I've EQed my IEMs... especially the planar. They can mimic the sound...but it's only a part of the equation. I now rotate through 3-4 sets at my desktop listening station. The cheapo ones all have 3.5mm out for around the house or for bed. If they break...ill decide if I want to replace. Tip rolling is a journey of itself. Some tips can dramatically change an IEM and rescue it from the bottom of the pile. My Planars now sport foam tips...easing off the treble was huge. Anyway...long post...if you got this far thanks for sticking with my diarrhea of words. TLDR: I agree with the OP

tell 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

Let'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.

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 @$100 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 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.

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.

Less 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.

I’m actually a pretty big fan of kz so far. I have castor pro bass edition and kz zs10 pro, and so far I’m loving both of them. My mind was blown at the quality of both, especially for the price. I’ve only had both for a little over a month, but as of right now. I’m a fan 👍🏻

I have castor pro bass edition and love it, I’m somewhat new to the iem community as well. I’ve been switching between my castor pro and kz zs10 pro for the last coulple of weeks, love them both. Welcome aboard the iem train. 👍🏻

So I just ordered the Duonic a few days ago, should arrive in a week or two. I’ve been listening to the castor pro Bass enhanced version for a couple months now. It’s one of my favorite iem’s right now. You say duonic is pretty much superior, man I can’t wait to hear these. 👍🏻

Just started listening to the Duonic. IMO I’d say Duonic is definitely superior to the castor pro. Now castor pro is good, but I think Duonic has a wider soundstage and much more detail than the castor pro.