558 in IEMs
KZ - PR2 (1st Version)
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 24, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
7
7
"The PR2 issue was interesting. First run had an additional filter between the driver housing and nozzle, which tamed the treble a bit and gave the tuning a more well-balanced and natural timbre. It was a $30 planar with an excellent tuning that was easy to recommend to new hobbyists."
"KZ PR's could have cost 500$ if they came out in 2008."
"U just gotta EQ. With planars EQ can match physical tuning so you can just get the cheapest one, the pr2's driver isn't that different from pr3 or PRX ... Also if you're not gonna give them proper amplification you're better of with a dynamic driver. Jcally jm12 is good and has EQ but trn black pearl is better and has 10 band peq with less limits and more headroom ... Also kz's planar drivers aren't far off from any that letshuoer, hidizs, campfire or 64 audio use, so if you're gonna EQ and know what you want, you can get a lot of value"
3
0
"I really like the almost-too-harsh clarity of the planar drivers for gaming."
"its very good positioning for fps"
"Sits in the same case as an EM6L as one of my gaming IEMs."
7
1
"the KZ x HBB PR2 is the best price/performance planar iem under 50 usd IMHO."
"The PR2 issue was interesting. First run had an additional filter between the driver housing and nozzle, which tamed the treble a bit and gave the tuning a more well-balanced and natural timbre. It was a $30 planar with an excellent tuning that was easy to recommend to new hobbyists."
"KZ PR's could have cost 500$ if they came out in 2008."
6
1
"the KZ x HBB PR2 is the best price/performance planar iem under 50 usd IMHO."
"The PR2 issue was interesting. First run had an additional filter between the driver housing and nozzle, which tamed the treble a bit and gave the tuning a more well-balanced and natural timbre. It was a $30 planar with an excellent tuning that was easy to recommend to new hobbyists."
"one of them was only 8 bucks!!?!? 8!!! Planars for under 10? Wuh? Yeah ... For EQ the PR2 is better cause it's cheaper ... I'm talking endgame at 8 bucks, let that sink in, fight me"
Disliked most:
0
6
"KZ goofed it up so bad when the units we received did not match the review units that were sent ahead of time, as KZ decided to remove a mesh piece that dampened the extreme treble spikes (to save on production cost) and claimed that "nothing has changed, we did nothing wrong and we're not going to take the product back"."
"The PR2 issue was interesting. First run had an additional filter between the driver housing and nozzle, which tamed the treble a bit and gave the tuning a more well-balanced and natural timbre. It was a $30 planar with an excellent tuning that was easy to recommend to new hobbyists. Blew up because HBB got behind it. Started selling like hotcakes. KZ decided to pull out the filter, wither to save costs, labor, or both. Totally changed the tuning. It was shrill, sibilant, and a tinny, metallic mess. They pulled the rug out to save a few bucks, and then reframed the change as a “retune.” It was a whole thing."
"For the PR2 I can't let that slide. The main change was the black mesh that acted as a filter. Later batches didn't got that black mesh and it was obviously more sibilant, it could also be seen on graph (PR2 without black mesh)."
1
2
"Unbearably peaky"
"too treble-heavy (I had the OG version with mesh too)"
0
3
"Unbearably peaky"
"They’re an older set, and they’ve been retuned from the original version so now they sound noticeably worse."
"The second time fixed the terrible treble of the first retune but the overall sound signature still wasn't as good as the original release."
2
2
"Unless you are going to hook them too an amp these and the prx that folks like better are just a bit too quite. ... If ya dont have an amp and/or dont want to eq them a bit to suit your taste their are probly better options for 20 dollars."
"They're fine for what they are, but they're power hungry"
"I don't find them to be really that great when compared to better tuned dynamic driver IEMs around that don't require beefy amplifiers."
gobolin-deez-nuts 1.0Wow more than me! My favs are ZS12 Pro X, Zenith, PR2 (black mesh), and Vader. How do you like the ZA12 and Hydro? I tried to get a ZA12 but it was a scam listing so I got a ZSN Pro X instead lol, at least it was free. Oh, and original CCA CRA, one of my favorite DDs to this day.
mournfulmonk 1.0(amongst the iems have I owned) s tier: kiwi ears ke 4 and truthear hexa a+ tier: Ikko OH10, Pula PA02, Shuoer s12 pro, Sennheiser ie200, Kefine Delci, Dunu Titan S OG a tier: Dunu Titan s2, Tanchjim One, pre revision CCA CRA+ A- tier: Binary Chopin, Tangzu Waner Studio, KZ PR2 pre revision, Tripowin Olina SE B+ tier: Kiwi Ears Quintet, Tangzu Xuan Ji, Simgot EW 200, Truthear Gate and Hola, Tangzu Wan'er SG B tier: Moondrop Chu 2 and OG, KZ EDA Balanced, Kiwi Ears Quartet, Moondrop Aria Snow, FiiO Jade Audio JH3, Tripowin Lea B- tier: 7hz zero OG, Truthear Zero Blue, Whizzer BS1 C tier: KZ CRN D tier: Moondrop Quarks honorable mentions: Koss KSC75 in A minus, Porta Pro in B, Moondrop Space Travel in B-, Galaxy Buds Plus and 2 in A minus along with Airpods Pro Gen 1, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in A plus.
Ada_Olivier_Zhao 0.4The Luna is a good first IEM choice IMO. I've added another layer of metal filter over the wire mesh filter on mine to mod the sound a tiny bit, lessens the energy of sibilance it may have so I can now wear it for hours on end without experiencing any fatigue Got the Luna for a little less than 27usd a while ago, it definitely outperforms the likes of the Moondrop Chu (Harsh), Salnotes Zero (Okayish, less harsh) on a technical level by a long shot to my ears, and outcompetes the original Truthear Zero (Too much energy) and Zero:Red (Boring, but I like boring) on that front as well, and even the Juzear Defiant (Pleasant, easy listen, but very low res) IMO A slight upgrade over the KZ PR2 as well in terms of budget Planar IEMs, while costing almost half the price of what I paid for the PR2s a few years back It's a winner for the price in my books, punches well above its weight class, especially when discounted, by which it becomes a no-brainer recommendation from me for dipping ones toes into Planar IEMs It sits in my rotation alongside the PR2 (Foam + Filter modded), Zero:Red, Hexa (filters removed + Foam modded), Dioko (paper filter removed + foam modded, Filter replacement due) and the Defiant depending on my mood https://preview.redd.it/24s8hdn4173g1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e97df5c55b0c4a89e2bf1e78043564234052f954 Top row: TE Zero:Red (Divinus Velvet Wide), TE Zero (Divinus Velvet), JE Defiant (Divinus Velvet Wide then, Sedna Earfit Light long stem currently) Middle row: 7Hz Zero (Sedna Earfit Light short stem) Bottom row: Moondrop Chu 1 (Spinfit CP100, removable cable mod), SGOR Luna (KBear Coffee Tips), KZ PR2 (KBear Coffee Tips)
an5783 0.4Shozy P20 is on 50% off at linsoul at the moment and would be my planar pick. It's excellent, my favourite planar I have tried (I had the KZ PR2 (poor tonality/timbre) and nicehck F1 pro (better than KZ but way too much treble, really zizzy)).
Interested to hear your take. I also have the shozy P20 and rate it highly (much better than kz PR2 and nicehck F1 pro)
I'm holding out for the Qinying. The successor to the Symphony, with a slightly larger dynamic driver (7mm) and hopefully better tuning. I never heard the Symphony, but did have a PR2 for a while, which was fine, but too treble-heavy (I had the OG version with mesh too)
bob-flo 0.4Idk, KZ PR2 are pretty solid at half that price.
Bobjonez98 0.4No. This is a normal sale price for the PR2s They’re an older set, and they’ve been retuned from the original version so now they sound noticeably worse. If you’re willing to EQ them, I’d say go for it.
broyes384 0.4I had kz pr 2 pr 3 the planar driver is inferior
Cahir_Mawr 0.4I have them and love em. Pr2 are my first planars and I like them over Castor pro, Vader, Vader pro, Libra and maybe a bit over Am16. You supposedly need an Amp but with a CX31993/max97220 you should have enough juice to drive and enjoy them. It is a good buy. I'm curious about the sgor luna and the prx. I believe it's important to find the eartips that work for you for every iem too, with the wrong eartips any equipment will sound awful.
The kz PR2, I don't know why, I have more expensive ones, maybe it's the planar driver, but for me the PR2 sounds like the feeling of chewing bubblegum with perfect texture or playing with a fidget toy or the feeling and sound of the key of a mechanical keyboard
CeeBee2001 0.4After owning and adoring the KZ PR1 Pro, I found the PR2 to be a massive disappointment. Unbearably peaky and much harder to drive.
Chunky-Cracker 0.4The PR2 has been retuned twice. The first time ruined the stellar original sound signature by making the treble unbearable. The second time fixed the terrible treble of the first retune but the overall sound signature still wasn't as good as the original release. If you want a very good budget planar set, just get a KZ PRX. It's the most recent planar release by KZ and has a newer, updated driver.
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