KZ - Gale

for the money they're great yeah

if you have access to zvx pro i'd go for those otherwise i'd take the kz gale as a more balanced allrounder or caastor pro if you're a basshead

The KZ Gale's sound for me is so good that I get hard thinking how a much better IEM sounds like. It's why I am asking for recommendations at just a little bit higher pricepoint 😂

I always see something on my youtube feed like "This is good, but you know, it's KZ so don't" and I really don't have any context to understand what that means. I'm pretty happy with my KZ Gale myself, so I just want to understand why I always see videos saying avoid KZ.

I got one for less than 10 bucks on AliX using coins and this thing kinda slaps. I felt duty bound to leave a quick impression. I’d say it’s fairly neutral with a bass boost. Both mid and subbass are slightly elevated and the sound is more subbass focused. I picked this up with the more midbass focused Gale, which also slaps for the price. The edx pro 2 won out between the two in this case however because I couldn’t get over how clear the treble presentation was despite a fairly thunderous subbass, in a single dynamic driver set. For less than 10 bucks. The midbass still had plenty of kick and overall the low end was more nicely layered than it had any right to be. Vocals did not lag behind the bass and treble, and the set avoids the thin sound that typically plagues the under $10 price segment. Whenever I buy a really cheap set I don’t want to take out of my ears, that’s like crack cocaine to me. The resolution and tuning made this one impressive so I just wanted to give it a quick shout before the inevitable wave of “edx pro 2 gud” posts roll in. Slapped a KZ upgrade cable and some nicehck C04 tips on mine. KZ stock cables and tips suuuuck. So that’s it, just a quick super-budget update. Spend wisely friends.

I do believe the Gale uses the same driver, it’s a really nice set as well

KZ Gale(if you only care about vocals this is almost as good as the others), Dunu Kima 2, Tanchjim Nora/Fission.

To add on, I do buy from KZ, and I do have a Gale, but my unit sounds nothing like the EW300. Although it fits my taste better because of this, some people are **not** gonna be happy. My unit sounds like the one graphed here but with less subbass than the Nora, whereas the Gale on the Paul Wasabi graph is closer to the EW300. https://preview.redd.it/1da6wkv1wuuf1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=7cc7a9a4b0b0b2cfc184b387b8f1bd10ddb2d766 At ultra budget level there's bound to be some unit variation and poor channel matching.

KZ Gale(3.5mm version) is a less bassy EDX Pro 2 with a little more treble air. Sounds like a mild Vshape. I like that it can handle both male and female vocals well, and just a pretty versatile set overall. When facing off against my personal budget GOAT, the Tanchjim Bunny. The Gale holds up well except in subbass and treble extension, and poor isolation. On paper it has more rumble than the Bunny but it's not very textured and satisfying, and the treble rolls off sharply so I'm missing a little bit of airiness. The Gale does have a slightly more natural timbre though. I think it's fine considering 1 is $10 and the other is $20, but that's why my Gale is not really being used right now. I used stock accessories for everything, but the QKZ T1 is pretty bang for buck. I like it more than the KZ upgrade cable.

Not that it's not being honest, but you start seeing a cycle: when the Saga came out it too was being glazed, then faded into obscurity rapidly, being outshone by the ZVX Pro and the Gale. Now the Kunten is being called a better Gale and ZVX Pro. Many operate by new=better except for the really niche KZ tunings. I'm just more doubtful now after falling for the KZ Gale, KZ PRX and KZ Zenith hype now. Those were not bad IEMs, but not as groundbreaking as the people in that thread made it out to be.

Same I prefer the Gale! But this has better subbass and isolation.

I did fall for le hype train. Now I'm getting on the NiceHCK Tears train before it even starts, trying to find something to defeat the Bunny. Great take btw, I agree with your comparisons at least for the ones I've tried like the Gale and Bunny.

I was intrigued by this pair, then got the gale as I could have the mic version for less than 2 dollars 😂 Gale really sound nice, an improvement over the already good EDC Pro, better separation and details, insane what iems which can literally be obtained for peanuts can offer these days!

Yes, I believe it does! Slightly different tuning but very similar, from what I was able to understand

Those are my favorite ultra budget sets atm, for 10 usd or less you can't go wrong with these Iems, better than the Libra X, so much better than the EDC Pro or the EDX Lite

With EQ you can boost that Libra X bass, I got mine modded with a low density tuning foam, for its price it's absurdly technically capable, maybe that's right, it's better for gaming, but I prefer the EDX Pro 2 and Gale, definitely the trifecta of ultra budget kings

KZ Gale is by far the best vocal IEM in the sub $100 price category.

KZ Gale (DSP Cable) is your best contender!

Bad PR history, and they did have a lot of 'misses' in the past. Some shops I know actively avoid them, not to boycott, but they are reluctant to deal with customer complaints about faulty units, when there is a good to fair chance its the 'fake drivers' shenanigans again. Plus every community need a heel, KZ plays that very well and keeps things exciting. It doesn't help that this community has an aversion to brands that pump out products very frequently, when in reality its a very respectable strategy. It allows non-enthusiasts to figure out their preference at a very low price. Imo recent KZ releases have been really good. I would have been a shill if they actually made shapes that can fit my ear without extensive tip rolling. Gale, Dawn, Zenith, Duet, ZVX Pro, Vader Pro, EDC Pro, all have been hits at their price brackets, and none of these are sets that you will feel pained if you end up misplacing them or damaging them by accident. I haven't tried the Hydro from their sister brand CCA, but some users have praised those sets into the high heavens. I unironically think KZ keeps the industry exciting. Having really respectable sets that can be priced similarly to a fancy meal should keep the other players nervous and honest.

I used mine for a week (got the white version), and it sounds surprisingly good. I have it with the DSP, and it is easily one of the most bang for buck purchases available imo. I feel like no one is emphasizing this, but the built in dual-mic on the mic version is really darn good. I am getting compliments about how clear my voice sounds despite usually having a dedicated mic.

I got kz gale and it's got better mic than castor pro if you use voice chat/calls

I have Castor Pro, and it's alright for gaming, but I'd recommend KZ Gale that I also have.

I'm not into competitive games like valorant. But if you need a good mic to talk to teammates, then gale is the one to get.

I have them, and they're pretty good for gaming

Not all of them. I also have KZ Gale and DQ6. Both of their nozzles are smaller (about 5mm wide) while Castor Pro's is 0.5mm wider. It doesn't seem much, but the difference is huge.

If IEMs are expensive, then they're not worth buying. Something cheap like kz gale, I still think it's better than many earphones I've tested. It's just my opinion tho.