KZ - ZS12 Pro X (Standard)

Admittedly from Chifi - got into them during E1001, Whizzer, KZ ZS days and started going down the rabbit hole of "oh this sounds rich, that sounds smooth this neutral that soundstage". 15-20 pairs in, I just got tired of 'chasing' the best sound for the best price because there is always something new and new =/= better. I also worked through dozens of DAC dongles and finally just went TWS for practicality. In hindsight, nothing got me feeling as pleased as my bl03 with foam tips. They sure aren't the the universal best, but to me the sound was so smooth and relaxing. Occassionally I take them out and listen to them at home. But when I'm out and about, I just use my Nothing Ears. But secretly waiting for them to die on me so I can justify a pair of Technics. By the way it's like this with a lot of different hobbies. It's a tiresome cycle but the joys must be worth it for people to do it over n over.

I have the KZ ZS12 PRO X and they are amazing for gaming. Get the version with the tuning switches, should be about $50 with coupons available on Amazon. You might want to get a high quality cable for them too, still well under $100.

Thank you. I was under the impression they might have been a bit bass light for me, but you talk them up a lot here i see. I already have the ZS12 Pro X which I very much enjoy 95% of the time except with a couple of genres such as darkwave / post punk stuff where the BA's timbre can make guitars and and snares sound a little off/hollower than they should. How is the ZVX pro?

KZ ZS12 Pro X is competent. Not a bass monster. Put some Tang Sancai Noble tips for better bass over stock tips. KZ AM16 is really good, fun set. My current favorite that I have.

This but I made my own custom molds for my ZS12 Pro X's

I’m sorry but I have the ZSN Pro X (dual drivers) , the ZSN 10 pros (5 drivers), and the ZSN 12 pros (6 drivers). The dual driver models are great for general use or for someone who is a keys player or a vocalist maybe even a guitar player. They just don’t give me enough low end and more importantly clarity of the lows and low mids. I always use my 12s or 10s. They are not that much more expensive and the jump in quality is impressive.

KZ ZA12 Review Intro Hello, friends. Today, I’ll be reviewing KZ’s latest hybrid, the 'KZ ZA12'. Hmm... to start with, I have a lot to say about this IEM. I purchased the standard version (No switch). KZ hybrids have achieved significant sales and have been loved by many. One of their most notable strengths has always been their exceptional technical performance for the price. Affordable yet offering decent detail and resolution—this alone was reason enough to buy them. However, for them to be truly and simply good IEMs, something had to be addressed. That is the sharp treble. I have tried almost every KZ hybrid released on the market so far, and BA fatiguing has always been an issue. (Except for CCA IEMs) This has been a long-standing complaint, especially among those sensitive to high frequencies. In fact, for KZ, the biggest challenge across past models has been finding the sweet spot between technical performance and safe treble tuning. So, how well has the ZA12 been tuned? --- Price Currently selling for $36 on AliExpress. I bought mine for $33 during a sale. It's more expensive than other cheap KZ models but still falls within the budget IEM price range. Accessories Typical KZ package. The ZA12 is in a low price range but still has room for improvement. Driver Configuration The ZA12 features a 2DD + 4BA setup, the same configuration as the CCA Rhapsody. However, the difference is that BA drivers are placed in the nozzle, which actually intensifies treble harshness. Unfortunately, this is a configuration I don’t like. Design The KZ ZA12 has a stunning design. At first glance, it looks similar to other AS series models, but among them, it stands out and is the most well-defined. Definitely praiseworthy. Fit Sits well in the ears without sticking out too much. Good fit. Noise Isolation It blocks ambient noise quite well. Suitable for outdoor use. Bass The quantity is moderate but not excessive. The bass resolution is excellent, finding a good balance between tightness and resonance. Bass speed is appropriate, and the quality is satisfying. Mids Vocals have great resolution but don’t stand out much. They might feel a bit thin, but they sound sweet! Treble Bright. However, since the bass is not too lacking, it maintains some balance. (More info below.) Resolution The ZA12 delivers outstanding resolution for its price. It handles complex tracks effortlessly, making it ideal for rock, metal, and other music with multiple instruments. This is a clear strength. Detail Retrieval Likewise, the ZA12 exceeds expectations, picking up subtle instrumental nuances. It’s among the best at this price point, with no complaints here. Timbre The two dynamic drivers definitely provide better timbre compared to cheaper full-BA KZ IEMs. The sound is clean and clear, without muddiness. It leans towards natural reproduction rather than artificial coloration or distortion, which is overall very good. Soundstage This IEM has a decent soundstage. It didn’t surprise me, but it also didn’t feel lacking. Instrument positioning is well-defined. --- Main Drawbacks Thin Note Weight The note weight isn’t thick, meaning it lacks a grand or powerful sound. This enhances delicate details but can make it feel slightly thin. Treble Fatigue Yes, that’s right. KZ hasn’t fully solved this issue. Although the advantages of this IEM are significant, the bright and sharp upper treble can be difficult to adjust to. Most listeners will need to find ways to reduce treble harshness. Here’s how: .... How to Reduce Treble Fatigue These are common solutions. Tip Rolling – Using foam tips or Final E tips reduces sharp treble. Switch Adjustment – I have the standard version, but the UUDD switch setting on the switch version reduces treble. If you're sensitive to treble, get the switch version to avoid regret. EQ – Lowering 4kHz and 8kHz gives more stable treble. You lose a bit of detail, but the sound remains excellent, so there’s no need to worry. I personally used Final E tips, and my switch setting was equivalent to UUUU (no switch version). --- Comparison with KZ ZS12 Pro X The ZS12 Pro X is a $26 IEM featuring a 1DD + 5BA configuration. Treble Harshness The ZS12 Pro X has a more direct and aggressive treble, but some people may find the ZA12’s treble peak more fatiguing. Winner: Tie Resolution The ZS12 Pro X has great resolution for its price, but the ZA12 takes it to another level. I’d even compare its resolution to the Truthear Nova, which is a resolution beast. Winner: ZA12 Detail Retrieval Again, ZA12 is superior, capturing tiny drum hits, cymbals, and subtle background sounds more effectively. Winner: ZA12 Soundstage The ZA12’s soundstage is above average, but it doesn’t sound as wide as the ZS12 Pro X. The ZS12 Pro X has a slightly larger stage. Winner: ZS12 Pro X Timbre The ZS12 Pro X has thicker note weight and a rougher sound, whereas the ZA12 has less BA timbre and sounds more "musical." Instrument Reproduction The ZA12 excels in guitar string texture, piano clarity, drum impact, and electric guitar crunch. Overall, instrument representation is superior. --- Conclusion At around $35, the ZA12 offers a lot. I can confidently say this is one of the most technically impressive IEMs under $50. While it hasn’t fully overcome its inherent flaws, it has improved significantly compared to something like the AS10 Pro I tried a year ago. KZ keeps evolving, and that’s what keeps me hooked. Recommended for: ✅ who prioritize technical performance ✅ who aren’t very sensitive to treble ✅ who want to try a KZ hybrid IEM Not recommended for: ❌ who are sensitive to treble ❌ who prefer a warm sound ❌ who want a lot of bass --- Thanks for reading! I’ll be back with another exciting review next time. Stay tuned! +) i just listened to za12 about 2 weeks, and the sharp treble became OK. Idk it's brain- burnin or not, but this is not that aggressive iem right now..

hi mate i also have zs12 pro x . i like it but i want to upgrade as one side randomly developed channel imbalance and sounds a bit off idk probably a ba driver went out. I ve had it for a decent time and got them for 30 usd so not that mad and wasnt too carefull with them. anyways wanted to buy these again on aliexpress but now i want to upgrade. which iem did u go for between ew300 hydro and prx. which one will you suggest to me as an upgrade i mostly listen to pop and hip hop and game

As others have suggested, KZ has several models (I recommend ZS10 or ZS12 Pro X) that cost peanuts and they outdo most big brand IEMs up to like.. 500usd price range. You might need to get better foams for them, as depending on model they may not come with any.

I'm in the KZ train, but I prefer the ZS12 Pro X with tunable eq curve.

Do you want the BEST, or do you want good IEM with good "bang for buck"? My recommendation for anyone who isnt 100% set on spending 500-3000€ on custom mold high end professional stuff is KZ Audio ZS12 Pro X. ZS10 Pro X are also fantastic and maybe easier to find. They are so good and so cheap that you can buy a couple of pairs as backup and one for your mother. And they outperform most things under 300-400€ in my opinion. And even if they quite dont, they still only cost a few dozen bucks. I've been using KZ pretty much exclusively for like 3-4 years now. I have 3-4 bands and I probably average around 6 hours of band rehearsals a week. I play maybe a dozen gigs a year with them. You do however need good foams with them. ZS12 Pro X comes with some foams i think, but ZS10 dont. Get Comply foams or something else good. Also they lack the thing that couples the wires at the back of your head which is a weird omission and one I really miss, but you can use tape or something else to do that yourself

Oh, i also have a pair of Zs10 pro 2 but i think they are weird and never use them. Zs10 and zs12 pro x sound way better to me. But with zs12 pro x u also get the switches

KZ Audio will have you set for anything that isnt sold out arenas, and would suffice even there lol and wont cost you a whole lot. If you want the real deal, then get custom molds. But with like.. 50usd and potentionally adding better foams on them you can manage perfectly fine. I use KZ ZS10 Pro X and ZS12 Pro X. I also have ZS10 Pro 2 but I dont recommend those. That said, I'm a bass player first, but I have literally no interest consider something like Shure that costs 3-10x as much, has less hardware and at best sounds as good as the 50 buck pair of KZ. Of course when you start to go into the expensive range of Shure they likely pull ahead, but by that you are also paying a minimum 10x as much.

ZS10 Pro X and ZS12 Pro X are both much better than Pro 2, which was a pretty bad misstep from KZ. But yeah definitely try KZ.

Yeah, My go-to is also ZS12 Pro X. Followed by ZS10 Pro X and Pro 2 is only for emergencies😅

Not the worst bang for the buck, but likely not the best. It's most likely rebranded chifi, so you might as well get something like KZ ZS12 Pro X for third of the price and call it a day.

KZ ZS12 Pro X for me, but seeing these recent ZAX recommendations, think I'll pick up a pair to try them too :D But after trying KZ, I've had no interest in other brands, really. And they are cheap enough that you can get several pair just in case, but I've never had a problem with them and I use them for like 4-6 hours every single week.

I just wrote this elsewhere: Do you want the BEST, or do you want good IEM with good "bang for buck"? My recommendation for anyone who isnt 100% set on spending 500-3000€ on custom mold high end professional stuff is KZ Audio ZS12 Pro X. ZS10 Pro X are also fantastic and maybe easier to find. They are so good and so cheap that you can buy a couple of pairs as backup and one for your mother. And they outperform most things under 300-400€ in my opinion. And even if they quite dont, they still only cost a few dozen bucks. I've been using KZ pretty much exclusively for like 3-4 years now. I have 3-4 bands and I probably average around 6 hours of band rehearsals a week. I play maybe a dozen gigs a year with them. You do however need good foams with them. ZS12 Pro X comes with some foams i think, but ZS10 dont. Get Comply foams or something else good. Also they lack the thing that couples the wires at the back of your head which is a weird omission and one I really miss, but you can use tape or something else to do that yourself Okay, KZ could definitely be seen as "cheap chinese knockoffs", but they just are either way better than anything from a "more reputable brand" for the same price, or they are way cheaper than anything they could be compared to. For example, for Shure IEM to even match the hardware in ZS12 Pro X, you are looking at a price tag of like 500€. It's definitely not about just the amount of drivers that makes an IEM good and I its likely that Shure with the same amount of hardware is the better IEM, but again. We're talking 50€ vs. 500€ and the KZ are REALLY. FUCKING. GOOD.

ZS12 is quite good if you can get it for less than 40. It has tuning switches so they give some variance but mostly on bass; turn it from bright to V shaped. If you're not treble allergic, then it'll run circles around all the IEMs you've listed in the picture. It takes EQ kind of well but BA drivers are sometimes limited if you really want to EQ. There are better IEMs at this price range though, depending on your sound preferences.

So far my most expensive IEMs are my KZ KS12 PRO X around $70. They have a wider sound stage than the AK6, slightly heavier, 5BA and 1D, super crisp, not Bass heavy, and 4dip switches to select Bass, Treb levels. Hardest part of an IEM is getting the fit right with the right ear tips. If the seal is even remotely bad, the experience is also. Invest in more expensive Ear Tips to experience the benefits of an IEM. Don't know what at $300 to $600 would sound like, I expect marginally better, but not much. It's very subjective. Happy with the KZ's they deliver what I was expecting. The bottom line is an IEM can be worn all day and you don't even notice you are wearing them if the fit is right. Cables behind your ears are so much better for out of the way fit.

So far my most expensive IEMs are my KZ KS12 PRO X around $70. They have a wider sound stage than the AK6, slightly heavier, 5BA and 1D, super crisp, not Bass heavy, and 4dip switches to select Bass, Treb levels. Hardest part of an IEM is getting the fit right with the right ear tips. If the seal is even remotely bad, the experience is also. Invest in more expensive Ear Tips to experience the benefits of an IEM. Don't know what at $300 to $600 would sound like, I expect marginally better, but not much. It's very subjective. Happy with the KZ's they deliver what I was expecting. The bottom line is an IEM can be worn all day and you don't even notice you are wearing them if the fit is right. Cables behind your ears are so much better for out of the way fit.