KZ ZEX Pro / CRN

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Overall

#244 in

IEMs

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score79% positive
11
0
3

Top Pros

Top Cons

Last updated: May 9, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit IconAegisBlue
6 months ago

I find mines very comfortable. I could wear them for +2 hours without much discomfort compared to other iems I got ([ZSN-PRO](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002438769452.html) & [KZ ZEX Pro](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003589418259.html)) They're also a bit smaller so that might be why.

Reddit IconAlternative-Mix-760
3 days ago

For me, out of all IEMs I have tried so far, KZ ZEX Pro, KZ DQ6 and Fosi IM4, all with those internal bumps in the higher part of the IEM, close to the cable.

Reddit Iconbob_the_demolisher
7 months ago

People hate on kz crn but I personally love it. I bought kz crn as an upgrade from my tangzu waner first gen. CRNs needed a Lil bit of tuning but after that they sound amazing.

Reddit IconHellzyehimerik
6 months ago

I don't know where you got this "fake" driver info from. The problem was that the driver didn't make any audible difference in some sets like the zex pro, an iem I owned and actually liked. Testing showed in many sets that the reported frequency response was still in line with their claims. Now I'm not saying they are high quality great iems but MANY MANY people will pour their heart out over a few different models kz makes.

Reddit Iconheysoundude
4 months ago

I listen for a living (see my handle) so while this is a hobby for the majority here, in my world IEMs are tools, because technologies are such that each musician can (finally) easily and affordably adjust their own monitor mix and have control of the volume. You’ve found your happy place *for now.* As your tastes and product offerings evolve and technologies improve, something more suitable will *probably* come along. My own evolution over the past 2y has been: zs10pro > ZEX > ZEX pro and I’m getting the Duonic system delivered today (yeah, I believe it _is_ a *system* between the EQ curves you can choose on the DAC cable and tuning switches on the IEM themselves, it’s like 16 possible tunings, and may even permit for making tweaks between your two ears). By far the most important part of my journey has been tip rolling to find the one that seals best - it’s what has allowed me to get to this point, and be the IEM messiah, leading musicians in the market segment to adopt this change for their own longevity in the industry.

8 months ago

My first IEM was the popular-in-my-circle KZ ZS10pro. I never liked it - the highs were harsh/spitty and the low end seemed lacking. A few weeks ago I took a chance on the KZ ZEX, and it’s been my go-to. Things feel and sound right, finally. Iirc, I paid $80+ for the first set, and perhaps $20 for the current set. I may buy a bunch of sets just to have them on hand…but I’ve got a set of Truthear Zero Blue 2 on the way. I may decide I’ve been wrong. Or it may verify my choice. Time will tell. I’m a 35+ year pro live sound engineer helping guide people into the world of in-ear monitoring on stage. I feel we’re in a bit of a special place right now as far as this technology goes. Don’t get hung up on price, OP: if they sound good to you, that’s enough. Good is good.

8 months ago

I must’ve bought older stock. I do very much like my ZEX. Considering a set of PRX

8 months ago

There is new kit out every year that supposedly advances the state of the art, but you should not discount older models which will tend to be more affordable, and may even outperform. I’d also caution about paying premiums for celebrity endorsements - unless you are intimately familiar with their preferences and your hearing is significantly similar to theirs, you’re just putting money in their pocket to try to influence your purchasing decisions. More often than not, that money is better spent on better sealing eartips and a better cable. I started with KZ ZS10pro ($40-50?) then upgraded the cable ($10?). Now over a year later, I’ve just bought their ZEX ($20) and recycled the cable and am impressed with the bump in sound quality. Regular memory foam eartips are what seal off the outside world so I can hear the IEM itself. Also, Amazon pricing is higher than AliExpress, so shop carefully. You have waited this long, so what’s another week for shipping?

4 months ago

I listen for a living (see my handle) so while this is a hobby for the majority here, in my world IEMs are tools, because technologies are such that each musician can (finally) easily and affordably adjust their own monitor mix and have control of the volume. You’ve found your happy place *for now.* As your tastes and product offerings evolve and technologies improve, something more suitable will *probably* come along. My own evolution over the past 2y has been: zs10pro > ZEX > ZEX pro and I’m getting the Duonic system delivered today (yeah, I believe it _is_ a *system* between the EQ curves you can choose on the DAC cable and tuning switches on the IEM themselves, it’s like 16 possible tunings, and may even permit for making tweaks between your two ears). By far the most important part of my journey has been tip rolling to find the one that seals best - it’s what has allowed me to get to this point, and be the IEM messiah, leading musicians in the market segment to adopt this change for their own longevity in the industry.

Reddit IconLelouchL88
3 months ago

Honestly anything but single dynamic drivers. I find them to be dull and slow. Fell in love with the ZEX PRO recently.

Reddit Iconlistener-reviews
4 months ago

ZEX Pro/CRN has a massive length mode issue in the mid-treble. It was a bad enough treble peak around 7 kHz that it caused basically every reviewer to say the IEM had "BA Timbre" on release... and then it was revealed that the BAs weren't even producing sound 💀

Reddit Iconlordvektor
4 months ago

“Like being in the studio with a band” usually describes fairly neutral gear. More emphasis on the M part of acronym. Because otherwise, unfortunately, “natural” is completely meaningless. We all have different ears and preferences. Last week I was talking to someone who though every single headphone pair they tried was too bassy. Except the dt770. And to be a little pedantic, all of them sound natural, because they are physical objects. Anyway. You can’t really apply objective definitions to subjective experience. Out of all the iems I own, I happen to think the kz zex pro sounds the most “natural”. It also happens to be my cheapest pair. So, you have 2 paths from here. One, you find out what sound profile corresponds to your preference and call that “natural”. Or two, you start looking at pro audio gear (etymotic, shure, audio technica, Sennheiser, etc).

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