I appreciate the crisp and detail that the KZ ZS10 Pros give though, and yeah I get the treble things about it for it can get harsh to users but for me I have no problems with a slight adjustment on the EQ. I think it can be fixed by changing the tips from silicons to a foam one that is at least what I’ve heard of from users.
I already got comply foam tips… I’m just treble sensitive AF 
I have no problem with treble itself (my HD58X goes to 20khz+ and I love these), but the ZS10 Pros with foam tips still have a little V-shape, and the treble bump for me is… beautiful at low volume, but gets annoying at normal volume on many songs, and hurts my ears on the bus (where the volume needs to be a touch higher).
I never even considered EQ, but above all, I also wanted to hear what full balanced sounded like. 
With the AS06 I feel like everything sounds crisp, fast. The first no-warning drum kick of The Pretty Reckless - You Make Me Wanna Die can cause jumpscares. Full balanced = full speed, apparently!
They just don’t extend as much as the ZS10 Pros – in the sub-bass and the high treble… but that’s really nitpicking.
Hmm, correction: Not pushing these as deep as the ZS10 Pros gives me the treble extension!
Anyway, I definitely recommend the AS06, especially if you want to exchange the ZS10 Pros bass smoothness, and treble bump, with a more neutral, fully analytical, full balanced set.
EDIT: Hmm, AS06 are lacking mids…
Well shit, and I love neutral sounds in general but I already got the T2s for it and the ZS10 Pro are my fun IEMs.
1 Like
AS06 graph:
ZS10 Pros graph:
For people who aren’t treble sensitive, ZS10 Pros will sound more neutral, probably. They also extend higher.
Note that foam tips + good seal adds sub-bass.
2 Likes
Interesting, thanks for the graphs.
Lol nice, I can even use my AS06 straight in my Denon AVR. Gives them an enormous sub-bass boost. I don’t remember why, but I didn’t like the result with my ZS10 Pros.
Anyone have Mono price retros ?
If so how are vocals and classics ? Do they sound drowned out or reduced ?
I had the retros before and returned them. Bass heavy, tends to drown out mids and vocals. Would not be ideal for classical music imo.
Even with pad swapping?
hmmm interesting check there, might as well give it try for myself before I can come up with that conclusion similar to yours. My Comply tips will be delivered soon here and just a few waiting will be good enough.
They are fun, but I would agree that with some genre they wouldn’t be the best choice even with a pad change. I feel you get what you pay for with the retros (you pay for bassy fun, kinda like the x2’s)
It does seem that fr graphs for iem’s are even less important than they are for over ears…as mentioned above tip fit/type, balanced feed have more impact when it comes to the sound…i’ve seen a fair few iem reviewers showing their fr graphs saying what they hear doesn’t reflect what’s shown on the graph?
Yeah, it’s hard to get good conststant measurements with iems
Yup… just came back home after 30mins listening to the AS06s on the bus and… there’s a 10khz little-but-annoying peak I hear but don’t see in the graphs.
Still, the clarity of balanced headphones – the ability for these to throw everything at your ears with ease even when there’s a lot of noise around is just impressive.
Comparisons. Edited.
Bass:
- KZ AS06 are full-balanced, with a precise “kick” drum.
- KZ ZS10 Pros bass is a dynamic driver. So the kicks sound muddy compared to the AS06.
Mids:
- KZ AS06 are full clarity, in-your-face, good mids.
- KZ ZS10 Pros sound is V-shaped. Hole at 1khz.
Treble:
- KZ AS06 don’t extend that high.
- KZ ZS10 Pros have too much high treble (10khz+) at high volume
ZS10 Pros extend down (sub-bass… probably too much for some) and up (10… 15+khz treble too probably), AS06 doesn’t.
Energy:
Still, I could fall asleep with the ZS10 Pros compared to the AS06. Full-balanced = The audio equivalent of coffee, probably. Especially with this 100hz bump – this fast bass/kick slam reminds me of my T50RPs…
The thing itself:
My ears block with the AS06. I don’t know why. I push these in and “ouch” – with the same tips I use for my ZS10 Pros. Edit: That’s it. Sizes are different. I need comply large tips for ZS10 Pros, and comply medium tips for AS06s.
The ZS10 Pros are smaller and easier to put in your ears. They’re like twice as thin. And they’re also… safer. Because it looks like the little grill mesh is just glued on the AS06 plastic, and fell off one of my earphones already (not a problem with Comply tips: there’s grey foam “inside” too). For the ZS10 Pros, it looks like the tube and the grill are all one part, so it definitely will not move.
Final review, I guess. I still really like both.
TL,DR: ZS10 Pros: Too clear high treble plateau (air!) and smooooth bass and sub-bass extension (maybe too much!), but lacking mids. AS06: Full balanced all-around precision. Good mids. Needs foam tips a bit smaller, needs to be pushed all the way in your ears (smooth fit!), otherwise there’s absolutely nothing under 100hz, and there’a a 8khz-ish treble peak. Excellent when you need high volume (bus, outside, etc).
Anywho, I can only offer up what I’ve listened to. I love the sound quality the Blon 03 offers, really hope the next iteration fixes the fit issues. I also love the GuideRay GR-i & the KBear 06. I think for the money these 3 are all exceptional.
New KZ ZS10 Pros vs AS06 review 2 posts above. I just edited the thing, corrected mistakes, etc. Otherwise you’d have read two different and contradictory reviews by me, heh.
So, the AS06 are bigger in every way therefore they need smaller foam tips for the same effect!
I’ll receive a silver cable soon and see if it gives these high-treble extension (sounds like there’s just nothing… around 15khz), but right now they’re just the best for me under 50$CAD for sure.
Also, sorry everyone for the contradictory previous statements. Foam tips size make a huge change apparently. AS06 don’t lack “air”. Good mids. No 8khz treble peak… unless you use too big foam tips!!
I dipped my toes into the very shallow end of the pool on Black Friday and bought the X2HR’s. They were on Amazon.com for $99.00. Landed in Canada, they will run about $180.00. The cheapest headphones I have bought in years. That is less than I paid for used HD58X’s (with shipping).
The X2’s have never been sold in Canada, so I was curious. At that price I can sell them on pretty easily without much of a loss, if I am disappointed.
1 Like