Fun In The Sun.....
EQUIPMENT
Topping a50s Amp
Xduoo MT-602 Hybrid Tube Amp
SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK2 DAC
iFi Hip-Dac
Stock Tips, Acoustune AET07 & Finale Type E (2020 Version) Tips
Cable: Stock MMCX Cable, NiceHCK 16Core HPC
Sources: Flac Files From my Personal Collection / Tidal
SPECS
Driver: Single DD
Sensitivity: 112 dB/mW
Impedance: 23 Ohm
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 40000 Hz
Cable: 1.25m removable cable with 0.75mm connectors
Connector type: 3.5 mm gold-plated L-type Jack
NOTES
The Knowledge Zenith EDX is a surprisingly inexpensive, less than $8 USD, earphone that given it's price at first glance by many will not be taken seriously. This in my opinion is a mistake. While far from perfect, the price alone in this case is not an indicator of the actual performance. It is actually quite an enjoyable V-Shaped earphone, if it's limitations are taken into account. In fact, this makes them even more interesting. The EDX can be easily driven and did not need oodles of power to sound their best. This is a good thing given their price, as it is probably expected that they will be used with lower end phones and daps.
BUILD QUALITY, Accessories& FIT
Build quality of the KZ EDX is good with the plastic shells being well made and generally fit and finish is more than acceptable. The included packaging & accessories are very basic with a plain box, a complete set of tips and a pretty basic non-descript cable and that's it. The EDX wasn't as picky with tip rolling as the last few earphones I have experience, but as usual a good seal is required for best performance. I found the EDX very comfortable to wear even for extended periods.
:SOUND:
BASS
Bass on the KZ EDX is plentiful and very full sounding. There is deep sub bass present and both it and the mid-bass are elevated. There is some mid-bass bleed into the mids but this was not at an objectionable level. Listening to "Inside Stuff" by Wayman Tisdale revealed some of the EDX's bass character. It is definitely present but does lack the tightness, speed and definition of other recent iem's I have tested, each of which is more expensive than the EDX. Bass can sound bloated at times and can even be too pronounced, as heard in Massive Attack's "Angel", but overall still retains a "fun" presentation which lends itself well to certain genres. Bass does have good slam though and is impactful if not as sharp with respect to transients as some of the more expensive offerings.
MIDS
The midrange somewhat recessed but clarity and presence are good. There is some mid-bass bleed, as mentioned earlier, but mids have a nice warmth to them. There is a noticeable boost in the upper-mids to treble region which can make sibilance audible at times but as usual this can be track dependent. The EDX are not detail monsters but do present a clear and coherent picture.
TREBLE
The Knowledge Zenith EDX, owning to it's definite V shaped tuning, does have prominent treble. Extension is admirable but does come at the expense of some refinement & harshness. I prefer bright/neutral tuning and did not find the treble of the EDX overbearing except on some tracks such as Ronny Jordan's "Afterhours" where the treble was over embellished. On many electronic music tracks the treble presentation was not an issue though. Even with heightened treble, the EDX was not as airy in it's presentation as I would have preferred.
IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE
The KZ EDX throws out a very defined if confined soundstage. The soundstage did not expand beyond the ears and showed very average depth and height. Elements were stable in the provided stage though.
VERSUS
- Senfer DT6
The DT6 offers a more balanced and insightful presentation. While the EDX shows shows slightly better treble extension and a more "fun" character, overall the DT6 is just more controlled top to bottom with a definite advantage in the upper registers when it comes to detail and air.
- HZsound Heart-Mirror
The EDX has a much more pronounced mid-bass and sub-bass output than the Heart-Mirror. That being said, the Hear-Mirror is superior when it comes to bass quality, speed and definition. The mids on the heart mirror are recessed as well but are more clear and have better detail retrieval. Treble is definitely not a competition as the Heart-Mirror walks away with better detail, definition and air.
CONCLUSION
The KZ EDX, even given all of it's faults, retains one very important characteristic, that is "FUN". Faults notwithstanding, the Knowledge Zenith EDX is surprisingly good for its price and brought a smile to my face more than a few times. There are not the earphones for critical listening, rather a set that will do very well at the gym or just when wanting to fill some free time with music. The KZ EDX, being less than $8, is a shocker whose performance really belies the cash necessary to purchase one. When the total package and price is taken into consideration, it's hard not to recommend the EDX.
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