KZ C56R

ø9.4mm Dynamic Driver

$5~$10
2.5/5.0

Decided to dive in into the past of the KZ brand and try the old KZ (GK) C56R. I was quite surprised. These earphones only cost me $5, but they sound excellent, if you can forgive the missing sub-bass. These earphones were made for comfort and vocal-oriented music, using a simple design and common materials. Quite an impressive product.

Pros

  • Excellent sound quality, especially in the mids range - clear and warm.
  • Excellent volume levels even without amplification.
  • Super comfortable to wear.
  • The overall build quality is sufficient.

Cons

  • The sub-bass is completely missing and the highs are slightly darkened.
  • The cable is stiffer than most other KZ earphone cables.
  • The lack of accessories is quite disappointing.
  • I didn't get the earphones in a retail package.

Package & Accessories

Package:

Plastic bag

Ear Tips - Single-Flange:

S+M+L, black, ø4mm bores

Build & Materials

Housings:

Metal + plastic (matte), ø5mm nozzles, soft strain reliefs

Y-Split:

TPE, soft strain relief

Cable:

TPE, 113cm, soft, mildly bent

Plug:

Metal, straight, short, soft strain relief

Comfort & Fit

Very comfortable earphones. Their shape offers a firm hold and seal even with the included generic tips, which aren't bad in their own right.

Lows / Bass

The lows are pretty gentle and unemphasized. There's absolutely no sub-bass involved here. Many people may actually appreciate the moderation in the bass response.

Mids / Vocals

The mids and vocals are highly emphasized and upfront. The vocals are tonality darkish and very shouty. Instruments like electric guitars are too harsh and fatiguing.

Highs / Treble

Sharp but not so bright and the level of detail wasn't polished enough. It's crisp but the silent microdetail was left out.

Frequency Response

Published on 2016-01-28 20:28:04 (GMT)
AS06 ATE BTE
C56R
DT5 ED2/EDR1 ED3 Youth Version ED4 ED9 ED10 ED11 ED16 EDR2 ES3 GR HDS1 HDS2 HDS3 IE80 RX S3 ZS1 ZS5 (V1) ZS6 ZS7 ZS10 ZS10 PRO ZSA ZSE ZSN ZSR ZST