KZ IE80

Dynamic Driver

$20~$25
4.5/5.0

One of KZ's classics are the KZ IE80, replicas of Sennheiser IE80. These earphones have a very balanced, yet warm sound. If you're not a basshead, and can forgive the lack of sub-bass in these, you will enjoy every moment, as long as you have a very good seal. You'll need to rotate the tuning knob to the middle (at least) to warm-up the sound signature, else it'll be too plain and cold.

Truth be told, they sound almost as good as the KZ DT5, only with a much lighter low-end and slightly brighter highs. Still, quite a rare find these days, and I'm not sure whether they are still being produced, but they're worth a try.

Pros

  • A very balanced sound with accurate mids, crisp highs and balanced bass response, especially the excellent mid-bass and low-mids.
  • The ability to control the amount of bass in the sound signature with a tiny knob is pretty impressive.
  • I find them comfortable to wear, but your mileage may vary.
  • The cable is detachable and has proper strain reliefs. It's also very soft and easy to roll for storage.

Cons

  • The bass isn't remarkably deep, and there's very little sub-bass, if any. Also, the bass might get distorted by extremely deep bass content (mainly in Trap music).

Package & Accessories

Package:

Corrugated fiberboard

Ear Tips - Single-Flange:

S+M+L, black, ø6mm bores

Extra:

Bass adjustment & cleaning tool

Build & Materials

Housings:

Plastic (glossy) + metal*, ø6mm nozzles (ø5mm bores), cable connectors, tuning knob*

Connectors:

2-pin (IE-style)

Cinch:

TPE

Y-Split:

TPE, soft strain relief

Cable:

TPE, 120cm, soft, straight

Plug:

TPE, 90° angled, short, soft strain relief

Comfort & Fit

I'm usually having a hard time with over-the-ear kind of earphones, but these proved to be quite comfortable. They hold just fine without any ear loops required and maintain a great seal. Still, this is a very individual experience.

Lows / Bass

The main drawback with these earphones is the lack of sub-bass, but many people will see it as a possitive thing, because these earphones provide a balanced/natural sound without overemphasizing the bass. Still, I wouldn't recommend these earphones for bass-heavy music because it might get slightly distorted.

Mids / Vocals

The mids and vocals are warm, crisp and precise. Vocal-oriented music sounds simply awesome. Acoustic instruments sound excellent.

Highs / Treble

Even though there isn't any unordinary microdetail, the highs are crisp, quick and precise.

Frequency Response

Published on 2016-02-02 01:26:53 (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