KZ - ZS10 Pro 2

I personally like the sound signature of the Reds best, but beware of the large diameter nozzle. KZs have a little more treble energy than the Reds, while the Simgots are a bit more V-shaped. I'd recommend going on r/iems or r/HeadphoneAdvice to seek aditional opinions and advice.

Surprised ZS10 Pro2 isnt on this list. They are by far one of the best IEMs for like $50.

I use it for Tarkov, they are great! They have 4 different sound profiles to pick from. I use Profile 2 on mine.

KZ ZS10 PRO 2 I just bought them 2 weeks ago and they are very good for the price of $50.

They are for bass I prefer 3 ups and 4th down. I have kz zs10 pro 2

These arrived today and have to admit they sound great. Very smooth and not sibilant.

I have the ks10 and the truthear. Between the two i prefer the truthear.

KZ ZS10 Pro X. Also have Pro 2 but despite the tuning option to boost bass, I think Pro X is better

You want KZ. KZ ZS10 Pro X, or the new Pro 2 that has bass boost dip switches. Less than 50 usd. just get good foams to go with them as they arnt usually supplied with KZ ones. These things have more hardware than 500€ Shure IEMs and cost 10th of that....

Im receiving the ZS10 Pro 2 today as well! My Pro X has served me very well but at 35€ it felt like a nobrainer to order the Pro2 as well. It has dip switches for boosting bass so it sounds good to a bass player :D some prefer the Pro X but I dont mind even if they are left as spare IEM. Let me know how you like em!

Chifi for me. You're gonna need like 500usd before it beats a 30usd Kz. I havnt had any issues with reliability (i got on average 3 band rehearsals a week + gigs) in the last 3 years using Kz. But even if I did, at that price difference you can just buy several spares and give one pair to your mom as well. Ofc molded is a thing of it's own, but I mostly using KZ ZS 10 Pro X and Pro 2. For Bass I prefer Pro X, but Pro 2 allows you to tune the eq with dip switches

I got the ZS10 Pro 2 recently as my first set and have been loving them.

I have both the OG ZS10’s and the Red’s, and I can say with confidence that I would go for the Red’s. The ZS10’s are too V-shapes for my taste, and I’m quite a basshead. Red’s are perfect, soundstage is amazing (FPS gamer over here) and I can wear them hours without fatigue with the stock cable

I am tempted as well I own both the ZS10 Pro 2 and the ZAR (which I would have never bought at the original price, think I snagged it for $45) but I am trying to suppress my urge to buy more KZs and try some other brands besides KZ/CCA. I will say though I snagged a pair of CCA CRA+ for like $13 just to keep in my bedroom (mostly to listen to podcasts on as I fall asleep) and I was super impressed with them for music unexpectedly. So I now keep those on my AZ10 BT ear hooks for walking/hiking as they fit my ears perfectly, are light weight, sound great, and wouldn't be the end of the world if I lost them.

KZ ZS10 Pro 2 does V shaped pretty well, mids still there for sure, not crazy V shaped. Simgot EW300 is a rly solid pick.

I got them sub-$40, and in terms of getting a v shaped, kinda edgy, bright leaning shimmery sound without congesting guitars/drums and without being bass-light, these don't really have competition at their price point imo, especially in the 1100/1101 tuning, where while you do sacrifice a bit of richness, you also decongest the sound.

Wan'er is a safe pick, zs10 pro 2 can get a bit spicy/hot but also a bit more airy and more engaging. ZSX Pro looks a bit lacking in bass and bright, though the upper mids/lower treble looks better than ZS10 Pro 2, maybe good if you use eq and boost the bass, otherwise I think it'll probably be too bright. Castor pro idk much about it it looks like the bassiest of the bunch, ppl seem to like it.

In that case you're pretty much limited to KZ, or just "ok" sounding 1DDs like the Chu 2 or Zero 2. Castor is $12 and ZSN Pro 2 is $14, those both hit well above their price. You can get D-fi for that much but it's not really any better than a Chu or Zero. If you want a very cheap 1DD I would still get the Tanya or ipviq q-100 which is basically a Cadenza in a nicer shell, you can find that for <$20 on sale. You could probably find a CCA Trio or ZS10 Pro 2 on sale for <$30 too, or get a cheap PR2 and try to EQ it.

I have the "sequel" of those (zs 10 pro 2), and tried them in cs2. They're not bad at all, and pretty decent at pinpointing footsteps. As dacs go, you don't really need one for low impedance iems such as those as far as I know. I also heard there's some games that don't go well with iems, maybe siege is one of them? Didn't look into it much tbh.

I'm in pretty deep and I still keep my zs10 pros hooked up and ready to go.

Agree. Zs10 pro 2 ( uppose to be upgrade ) are crap.Too bright and harsh heights. Vocals sound weird to me. Also overhiped to me are Castor Bass,HBB ''gaming'' collab. I have KZ Castor,QKZ x HBB ( these 2 are the crappiest ) Vader,Zs10 pro,PRX,and CCA Rhapsody. Rhapsody are the only ones that are good for me as a bass head.NIce sub bass rumble,punchy mid bass,present vocals,no harsh or piercing heights ( like zs10 pro 2),Decent wide soundstage.THey just sound good. Took me a while to make them comfortable,was about to give up on them. Definitely i recomend them for a basshead They need short steam eartips ( i shorten the stock ones ) to make them usable for 6,7-10 hours.Otherwise they push too much in your ear canal and cause pain due big nozzle. I ordered some eartips that suppose to work with them ( **Zhulinniao Zhu Rythme** ) but they are in transit and i didn't try them yet. I'd give them a try if u are a basshead.THey are good.

Interesting. I took apart vader and i did not found any part number on them. Same with my zs10pro2 no part number on any components. Do you know by any chance if A30019 are superior to 31736 used in Rhapsody and zs10pro2? On paper both use the same ba but zs10 have piercing high notes,not the same case with Rhapsody so i assume the tuning is done on the circuit board. Also i think those ''silver'' wires have a role also,otherwise won't make sense to use coper and silver wires ( Rhapsody ) I swapped on my PRX those silver wires with thicker copper ones and i have the impression the bass is a bit stronger ( could be just on my mind ) Also there is a chance to remove hot glue with some chemical or something.Heat could damage the driver. In Vader they used some glue that got dissolved by acetone but in Rhapsody they used hot glue so no chance to disassemble them unless i find a way to get rid of that ho glue.

I have two of those listed. ZS10 Pro 2 is better than Zero 2. BUT, the treble can be a bit harsh and it can also be a bit fatiguing in the beginning. For me, i don’t know whether iem burn in is a thing, but after a while i got used to it and it sounds really good for the price. I just got Tinhifi P1 Max 2 yesterday for cheap and i think it doesn’t differ much. However, the Tinhifi is much smoother and not fatiguing. But that’s just my ear and opinion. What’s important is that you should know what kind of sound profile you want. The source of your music, Dac/amp, cable, ear tips would also play their own little role.

Same here, after the pro 2's arrived, I can't get enough of listening to music. The only problem I have is with the tips, after a while they fall out of my ears. What tips do you recommend, guys?

Kz ZS10 pro 2. I started with the zero 2 and these have as much bass as you could want plus more separation and wider soundstage so it doesn't always sound middle of your head.

I don't like full bright as I can't listen long. These don't do that to me. I think dip switch 4 reduces high end as well if needed. I also run foam tips if that makes a difference.

Listening to the zs10 pro 2’s right now (I got them yesterday) they sound good for the money second set of kz I’ve owned solid choice but there are probably better for the money out there, I liked the semi open aspect because I use them for gaming and like to hear my voice and not feel like I’m in a bubble

I fully support the Pro 2. With some EQ they can sound even better.

I use KZ ZS10 Pro2 with some KZ XZ10 for wireless. Really nice audio for the price

I’m using mine with KZ ZS10 pro 2. I connected them to my pc and to my iPhone and they both have the same static ground noise. This can’t be normal right ?

I’m wondering if it could maybe be the custom sound profile switches that the zs10 pro 2. I’ll try fiddling with those switches to see if they make any difference.

i have the kz zs10 pro 2 and they are just meh i heard the planar ones were better

I've got the KZ's and honestly they're pretty great. I use them mainly for music on my phone whilst out and about and at work, but I've used them for sim racing and FPS's a few times when it's too warm for my headset and they do a stand up job. They benefit from an audio interface or DAC (running mine through an M-Audio M-track interface) but it's far from necessary. They're comfortable and hold secure. I have had to replace the cable once as the original developed some weird static, but that was after over a year of daily use and being shoved into my pocket or a bag. I also think they're incredibly cheap for the quality. I have a pair of Samson SR850's and Beyerdynamic Dt990's and whilst both are fantastic headsets, neither are leaps and bounds above the KZ's. And the Beyerdynamic's cost about 4 times more than I bought the KZ's for

I love my kz zs12 pro x. kz zs10 pro 2 is bit warmer than zs12 pro x. i dont think you made a mistake. you'll love it. if it's with tuning switches then keep all of them on. and might consider foam ear tips over regular ones.

I have zs10pro 2 and with UUDU switches, and divinus wide bore tips, I really like the sound. But ew300 is not much in price, more am concerned for delivery and possible customs fee in my country.

I have zs10pro 2 and with DDUU switches I really like the sound. But I am waiting for a delivery of ew300, wanted something for an upgrade, and with the ew300 getting good reviews lately, I finally pulled the plug on them

Hi, I am also new to the hobby. I think at the end of the day, if they sound good to you, then that's what matters. It's definitely hard that you can't hear them side by side. I settled on a pair of Linsoul kz zs10 pro 2's. I've seen some mixed reviews but I'm happy with them considering the budget range I was in.

I almost bought the first pros, but decided for the 2's since they are allegedly better in a few areas

I have ZS10 Pro. They are very easy to drive. I think these sound like proper V's with a lot of sparkling. I like how they sound but I wish they had more bass.

Be warned though that the nozzles are pretty large so if you have smaller ear canals they might cause some problems/discomfort. So far I am loving them over the Letshouer S12 and KZ ZS10 Pro 2 that I tried.

To be fair, the ZS10 Pro 2 don’t measure as poorly as 95% of other KZ iems do, but KZ has done so much to destroy their own reputation, it makes sense why people wouldn’t want to recommend them. They’re also $55, so the “but they’re crazy cheap, not everyone can afford better iems than KZ” argument doesn’t really work.

I'll have a set of KZ ZS10 pro 2 tomorrow. Gonna compate them to kiwi orchestra and the rest of my collection

If you really want more details and technical performance go for the ZS12 Pro X. The ZS10 Pro 2 has harsher treble yet less details and technicality than the ZS12. Also, the ZS12’s BA driver in the nozzle is dedicated for Mids only, while the other 4 BA works for Trebles. Overall this one offers amaIng technicality. Get the Tuning version for more flexibility

I'm using exactly what you mentioned, ZS10 Pro 2 + XZ10 adapter. I got them about a month ago, and the left side suddently has the vocals/highs very muffled. Tried with the cable, on another device and same thing. KS Qc is horrible, my previous KZ ZS10 Pro stayed with me since august 2020 ultil last december, and now the Pro2 with barely a month of use has leaked adhesive onto one of the drives. I'm going to try to disassemble it, and spray some contact cleaner and hope it solves the problem lol.

Check out kz zs10 pro2 , I am playing cod with it

You should check out the KZ ZS10 PRO 2, it is literally much better than the PRO X and it has a smooth treble, I had the same problem as you; Then I bought the PRO 2 and it's much better

KZ ZS10 PRO 2. Very Smooth V-shaped; have been using it for like month now. Excellent IEM (you can control the bass level with the switchs too.)

I've only been in this hobby for two years, during that time I've already tested the following IEMS: KZ Edx, EDX pro. — Moondrop CHU (and 2), KZ zs10 pro x, KZ ZSN PRO, then KZ D-Fi. — And finally, I recently ended up buying the ZS10 PRO 2. I can start by saying that, honestly, this IEM is wonderful. It has a much greater spatiality than the ZS10 PRO And any other IEM in the list above. — Another detail is its very open backplate (which honestly I find much more comfortable than a more closed insulation) About the sound: Good bass, there's not much to say about them (and that's a good thing) They are there, without drowning out other frequencies. Now about the mids and sub-bass things get more interesting, even though the ZS10 line has a "V-shaped" characteristic. This IEM has an excellent midrange, I was listening to the new album by 21 pilots (Clancy), And wow, that midfielder is awesome; It's not overdone or anything, but it has that memorable impact that makes you remember the songs for those beats rather than other factors. Regarding the treble, definitely an improvement compared to the ZS10 PRO X; They are not sharp like their ancestor, they are well detailed, but they do not penetrate your ear causing that characteristic discomfort. It's so soft to hear the cymbals sizzle after the beat, but without that feeling of penetration. About the Switches: They have a small variation, but I preferred tuning them all off. Appearance: Even though in the photos it looks like a somewhat flashy phone, it is not. He is stylish, but without attracting attention. Comfort: Unlike the KZ D-FI, it brings back that classic metal backplate + "resin" style (I never found out if it's actually resin) And the part that comes into contact with the ear is smooth, a soft curve different from the small "bump" that was on the D-FI (which I think will result in more comfort for most people) The nozzle is also excellent, it keeps the eartips in place, but it's not too big or too small. Conclusions: A new ZS10, I believe it is KZ's best IEM to date (and probably the best V-shaped for the price range) Note: English is not my primary language, sorry.

Kz is doing fine recently, KZ ZS10 PRO 2 is insanily great — loving It.

I just happen to be a professional audio engineer and sim racer and I would suggest the kz's. We use those as backups for my band and their amazing for the price. If you have (a lot more) budget I would get a molded pair. Although you're looking at $100 for the mold and another $500 (on the low end) for the ears. BUT you will be able to wear them for hours. Generics have a tendency to uncomfortable after a little while.

KZ ZS10 pro 2 have a bit more recessed and thinner mid. it should have better quality bass and treble. tough yeah, its 5 driver, so it will need more power to run. (or basically at the same volume/power, it will sound less loud since it will need more power)

U will almost always want to upgrade after the first pair. Go cheap! Get one of the 20$ish ones and explore the space a bit, see what u like and how they feel. I vote for the zeros 2, but all of ur recommendations are good! I started eith the KZ ZS10 Pro 2, thinking I would never upgrade... Now I'm already about to get the EW300 and prpbably even then I will still keeo going down the rabbit hole. The KZ also has some sibilance which means u kinda get fatigued after listening for a while. I hate this and if I knew beforehand I wouldn't have bought them, with that being said I like them in other aspects, but there are better things... TLDR: Get a cheap one and if u want more/enjoy the hobbie go for the next lvl.

I second this. The new generation, the zs10 pro 2, seem to be even better according to the reviews.

The zs10 pro 2 should be the overall best here.

And a lot of them have never tried kz iems themselves. KZs overperform other iems of the same price range most of the time.

I'm tempted to try the ZS12 Pro, I've have the ZS10 Pro 2 and other KZ IEMS (ZS10,PR1,PR2,PR3,Castor Bass,ZAX,Rhapsody,Krila,ZSN 2,AS24) - my favorites are the ZAR like the OP and PR1 balanced version.

Simgot ew100p ftw or the 200 series if you can increase your budget. Don't buy kz if you're treble sensitive yet the kz zs 10 pro 2 should be the best in kz ones Moondrop chu 2 is also great 7hz zero 2 is better than moondrop chu 2 ig but zero 2 doesn't have a mic so boo Never heard of the kinera so no comments on that

ZS10 Pro X it's much more controlled on bass, and the Pro 2 even more. If you like basshead iems, stick with the ZAR, if you want more balance, go for the Pro 2 (my choice for games)

O ZS10 2 é um fone bem neutrão, pra mim até chato. Os outros ainda quero ouvir. Mas aposto que as diferenças são bem fraquinhas.

I currently own both the TangZu Wan'er, and the KZ Castor (Bass), and *used to* own the KZ ZS10 Pro 2. I think you should get the TangZu Wan'er. It fits all the things you're looking for. Balanced sound, clear details, and separation, better comfort, and no need for a DAC/AMP. And I think it also fits your music library of old J-Pop, and a bit of Classical. Although I wouldn't consider the TangZu Wan'er "FUN TO LISTEN TO". I just find it *okay*, not entirely "boring" but I just don't find it as fun and lively as the KZ Castors.

Just got the KZ ZS10 Pro with mic a few weeks ago. Audio is great and been liking them so far! However the cord is very short. Purchased 3.5mm ext cable but when I have it plugged in, the mic longer works

As always, like everything when it comes to "quality" from food to electronics and to even more subjective quality of results such as music, everything has to start at the source. For example, my daughter's $20ish Tangzu Wan’Er, Vs my $400ish Shanling ME600 had almost no difference listening to one of her tracks which she "captured" via YouTube but when listening to another track that I bought from HDTracks, there's a world of difference. But to answer your question, only you can decide if spending xxxx of dollars is "worth it". For most, the $60ish KZ ZS10 Pro2 or the $70ish KZ ZS12 X or even the $40ish 7hz Zero is more than good enough. Also in my opinion, diminishing returns especially with the really excellent chi-fi IEMs starts at around the $150-$250 mark. For most users, owning any of the "fan favourite" around this price range is the sweet spot where you get the most bang for your dollars. Do you "need" to buy the "better" iEMs? No. But if you can afford them, understand that while there will be improvements, it's exponentially more expensive, and the "WANTS!" is great, why not?

I just got a pair today. They sound amazing. Sold my ZS10 Pros. Also have the Whizzer HE01. I think the Pro 2s might be my fave though

I have the wan’er and am currently using them as I type this. I use them every day at work in fact. Great iems, but I definitely find them better for bassier songs where as the kz zs10 pro 2(which I also use daily at home lol) are better for more higher note songs in my opinion. The pro 2’s are WAY brighter in the highs than the wan’ers are. I would recommend them both but if you’re looking for something to bring out really bright crisp kids and highs, definitely go for the pro 2’s, if you’re looking for more base/mid the wan’ers are better

I definitely do, after a while it just becomes too much for sure. Usually when that happens I just take a break but if you’re worried about fatigue I would go with the wan’ers. I use them every day for 8 hours a day and find they have perfect tuning when it comes to fatigue. Both are really nice though for sure. If kz is still shipping the pro 2’s with the really stiff non braided cord, I would definitely upgrade that, but other than that they’re both extremely solid

Nice, I have the cheaper KZ version of the CCA hydros, the ZS10 Pro 2… before the quintet that was my fav gaming IEM… great detail for the price IMO.

Just got the ks zs10 2 pros the other day and couldn't be more impressed for the price I paid, they sound great and you can really hear every little sound even without a DAC. Super punchy bass and really crisp highs, I got the version with the inline mic and while it might flop around well your driving, everyone in Discord could hear me quite well, also a VR user here.

I've recently looked into KZ ZNA, ND PLANET and KZ ZVX PROs They all seem like good options to me since I was quite content with basic ZVX as I tend to EQ usually but which one would you recommend? I tend to switch from ZS10 PRO 2 to ZVX from time to time as I like the clarity, details and soundtage of ZS10 PRO 2 and the deep saitisfying punch of the ZVX I was looking for something that would combine these two into one and hope to not muddy up the sound People have recommended AFUL explorers but they're quite a bit over my budget hence I'm curious which of these would be better, I was even debating on Aoshida E20s as well If you could recommend something else I'm all ears (no pun intended).

I got the KZ Pro 2, best set of earphones ever made! You can hear exactly which body part hits a curb where and they have great spatial sound control. Most earphones just play a cars sound next to you at a consistent volume, with the KZ’s they increase and decrease as the car gets closer.

I have some linsoul KZ Pro 2’s(?) Idk, they were $50. And I’ve been extremely impressed with them, I didn’t want to wear these big honkin headphones to play games anymore. And now that I’m single again I will have times where I play video games literally all day every day and I don’t want over the ears mainly due to hair/scalp concerns, so these were an awesome purchase. I highly recommend some budget IEMs for anyone really.

Zero red.is more neutral (not totally neutral tough) ZS10 pro is more fun with enhanced bass and treble. Check squiglink and check the IEM graphs of both, the graphs are not everything but can show at least the sound signature of the IEM (zs10 is more V shaped) EW200 from simgot os V shaped as well, can be decent for music and FPS. I just don't like to use it to play genshin, star rail, wuthering waves. It seems many Chinese gacha games use A LOT of high frequency sound effects and the EW200 become very shouty in those games Edit: if you want IEM with more bass you can also check: QKZ HBB which is cheap and very fun for music and decent for FPS (around 20 USD, perfect to check of you would like a bassy sound signature), artti R1 for around 65 USD has great bass quality and intensity but enough treble for vocal to sound good, people also praise the kefine delci but I don't have it

First time I feel like living with deaf ear when I tried chinese IEM for fun. It turns me into audiophile for a while. KZ EDX then ZS10 Pro, now Zex Pro. First two less than rm100 on shopee. Got other brands with match quality sound and price but only tried KZ. Tried alot of ear/headphone at same price range. Meh. Even airpod/buds hardly match with details I used heard to.

As everyone mentioned here,Both have very different tunings so it is maybe that you like the tuning of zs10 more.HOWEVER zero red is a very power-hungry iem.You will require a good dac like moonriver 2 ti to bring out it's true potential

AirPods Pro 2 for the most part but I will bring a pair of my cIEMs or a pair of ZS10 Pros for if I need to work with a wired connection

I used to used something similar to those Eargasm earplugs. Now though I mostly use in ears so I just keep a box of the cheap foam ones just in case. If I don't hear well with them, I just take them slightly out so dome sound can get in but not the full amount. For IEMs I like the KZ S10 Pros cuz for $50 they sound pretty amazing to me.

Quality that lasts and cheap iems don't exist. That being said, kz10 pro are about £50 and are a lot of people's go-to for cheap iems. I use sennheiser SE215 for about £100. They aren't amazing but they do the trick. If I used Kz10s I'd buy two pairs incase one breaks on the job though.

I use that exact setup, P2 and KZ10 Pro. I'm extremely happy with it.

I use KZ10 Pro

I have the same ones, they work great for the price.

Well, I've got a KZ-ZS10 Pros that I really like. AND I bought a 10' extension cable for them as well. I use the 10 footer because I run the in ears over the curtain rod in the bedroom my kit is in so they never touch the floor and I can just leave them hang when I'm all done. And 10' + the in-ears cable allows me to move around the kit a little bit if I need to adjust anything and don't want to pull my in-ears out.

Forgot to answer that last of your question. They sound amazing and I thought that would be a shock. But really, the shocking thing now is, I bought 4 sets of them back when they were only $20+ a set because I bought the one set to try out and like I said, they sound amazing. But I kind of figured they wouldn't last long because they were so cheap. So I liked the one set I tried and bought 3 more sets just to have as replacements for when the first ones finally died on me. But you know what, after 5 years, that first pair still sound as good as they did when I bought them. I think that because I have them hanging on a curtain rod, they're not falling on the floor or being knocked around on a desk. They just hang on that curtain rod and they are safe from any harm i think. These are great little in ears and even though the price has gone up on them a little, I think they are still well worth the $35-$40+ you're paying for them now for real.

I have the KZ 10 Pro. Love it them.

Linsoul zs10 pros work nicely and can be had for around $50

I have had the KZ 10 Pros and KZ ZAR’s and they have been great for the price. Maybe someday I will size into customs but for now the KZ’s are great

I go hardwired, rest of the band uses wireless packs (i’m not leaving the kit during our set so i prefer the reliability of a wired setup). Currently using KZS10 Pros.

I have the ZS10 and the Truthear Hexa ( very similar to the reds) and I agree to the point about the volume . Use a dongle DAC/Amp for the reds to get the best out of it. They need some extra power over the ZS10. Also,like everyone here mentioned they are both different sound signatures . It’s subjective. But I’ll tell you my experience, I liked the ZS10 initially like you but after that I got the Hexa and used the Hexa for long time (2-3 months or so ) continuously post that it was difficult to go back to the ZS10. There is a concept called ‘Brain burn in’. Your brain tends to like the sonic profile you feed it and gets used to it . Post which if you go to a new sound signature you’ll just hate it.

KZ-10’s. I just love them.

Another vote for these.

just get the cheap ones.KZPro. they're totally fine. The Shures are kinda shitty honestly. I broke like 3 pairs of those before I figured it out...

I recently went through this process. I use the KZPro. You can find them on Amazon for less than $50. They are amazing.

Yep! Entire band uses them. 100 gigs a year. Quality sound and durable.

I have Drumeo IEMs, SE535, SE215, Moondrop Aria, KZ Pros. I cannot recommend the Drumeo IEMs unfortunately. They are just tuned weirdly. If you get them free, go for it. Otherwise I would get Aria or KZ, if you want to spend, look at Shure.

They have excellent audio quality. It's just that their microphone is shit. Source: I use KZ Pro.

Thanks for the response my man!!! Check out my response to fewell above - pretty much is my exact response to you too! It explains that I do actually have a weird aversion to in ears for home studio daily use lol (I do use in ears live: basic Shure ones and the KZ pro ones). Over ears just feel more comfortable to me and in a strange way feels like a more immersive musical experience. I do actually have those Vics you mentioned which are my daily drivers in the home studio. Their audio and comfort just sucks in comparison to the Sony’s. A pair of over ears that sound as good and are as comfortable as the Sony’s made specifically to also protect ears from drums is a value proposition I would jump at immediately, but to my knowledge no such headphones exist 🤷🏻‍♂️

All IEMs break or get lost or get left behind. I’d much rather replace a perfectly fine pair of IEMs that cost $60 than a pair that cost $1200. That’s personal preference. I personally think that clarity and detail are completely unimportant in a live situation. There are lots and lots of people who will disagree with me. But my hot take is to go the less expensive route If money is an issue. I currently use the KZ Pros and they sound just fine.