KBEAR KB06

It looks like KZ, smells like KZ, sounds like KZ... it must be KZ, right? Well, they call it KBEAR KB06, but there is no mistaking here - it screams of KZ manufacturing. From the packaging up to the earphones themselves, it's definitely KZ. Even the balanced armature is marked with KZ logo, and the sound signature? Seems like an attempt to reproduce KZ ZS10 PRO's sound. Although the sound signature is very similar, the balancing went a bit wrong and the pierce gets quite fierce, even fatiguing, depending on your source and equalization. The bass - about identical as far as I can tell (same dynamic driver?).

Overall, the earphones are quite a decent contender in the budget audio segment, but they introduce nothing new to my well-worn ears and there are definitely better options in that price point.

Similarly to the likes of ZSA, the KB06 have quite tiny housings, which makes them suitable for small ears, but they'll have a worse grip for larger ears, hence getting a proper seal was a bit problematic with the included narrow-bore ear tips. You can, and should, improve your experience with these earphones using some quality wide-bore tips, and I personally recommend using those that are included with every pair of ROCK Zircon.

Beefy, hard-hitting bass with a lot of fun factor. Perfect for those who appreciate extended and well-balanced bass with deep sub-bass, and especially suitable for electronic dance music. Quite frankly, most recent KZ hybrid models have a somewhat similar bass experience, and the KB06 are no exception, and I find nothing to complain about this time as well. KZ's dynamic driver does not disappoint.

The mids offer great performance, and you might not even notice the downsides, depending on your usage case. That been said, they sound more sibilant and even slightly discolored/darkish compared to the KZ ZS10 PRO that shares a similar sound signature. That's especially noticeable when it comes to high-pitches vocals (especially female vocals), and while the vocals will be highly detailed, you will definitely notice some sibilance caused by the peaks in the upper-mids/treble range.

The treble is nicely detailed, similarly to other offerings from KZ at a similar (and even higher) price point. However, it's a bit oversaturated, and it has a huge impact on treble-based instruments, like chimes, cymbals and hi-hats. This caused some discomfort, especially during long listening sessions. This comes in contrast to the KZ ZS10 PRO, which also have bright and emphasized treble, but while the KZ ZS10 PRO manages to stay just a bit under my hearing's pierce threshold (most of the time, at least), the KB06 mostly exceeded it, making a less comfortable listening experience overall.