KZ ED9 Silver Tuning Nozzles in-Ear Headphones

The Knowledge Zenith ED9 is the second purchase I made in my ever growing collection of Knowledge Zenith IEMs. My first purchase was the KZ ED Special Edition, which I was thoroughly enamored with until I inserted this ED9.I tend to prefer a relatively neutral sound signature with a slight emphasis in both bass and treble, which is basically a mild "V" shaped sound signature. I find that an absolute neutral sound signature usually lacks enough energy for the genres I enjoy most, which are Classic Trance and Progressive (early Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Otello, DT8 Project), Chill Out, Breakbeat (Hybrid & Burufunk Remixes) and 80's & 90's (New Order, Secession, The Cure, Siouxie & The Banshees, Depeche Mode). Sure I listen to Shania Twain, Sade, Bach, Ella Fitzgerald and everything in between, but as of late the bulk of my listening pleasure is focused on the aforementioned genres.Take note when you read IEM reviews that when the reviewer gives his/her opinion regarding the sound that there are many factors that shape the final sound an IEM delivers to one's ear.Those factors include:1 - Shape and size of the reviewer's ear canals. (shallow or deep, wide or narrow)2 - Shape and size of the eartips. [round or cone, single, double or triple flange (proper fit)]3 - Materials of the eartips (silicone/foam)4 - Shape of the IEM (and/or angle of the nozzle) can cause fitment issues for some.5 - Source (quality of smartphone, laptop, digital audio player) amplified/unamplified.6 - The IEM itself (driver flex possible due to trapping air in canal causing muffled sound.and finally7 - The Reviewers ability to hear all frequency ranges (age plays a factor).Most consumers are unaware of how much weight each of these factors hold in rendering a final verdict. This is why there is such a wide variance in not only ratings, but the description of an IEMs sound. An unaware consumer purchases a perfectly fine IEM but has difficulty keeping the IEM in the ear or does not satisfactorily seal the ear canal with the included silicone eartips (this has happened to me on numerous occasions) and summarily dismisses the IEM as sub par. Another consumer purchases the same IEM but experiences a perfect fit and seal and has nothing but praise for the same IEM. Sealing the ear canals and having the eartip firmly affixed to the IEM nozzle when using IEMs is the determining factor to render a valid verdict. I can think of no audio equipment that is subjected to such praise or ridicule as the in-ear monitor. There is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to IEM eartips.-Materials (silicone or foam) have different damping effects on the frequency ranges in the music.-The shape of the eartips (olive-shaped, cone-shaped or other-shaped) can have different damping effects on the music based on how much space is between the IEM nozzle and your eardrum and how well the eartip has sealed the ear canal.-The aperture of the eartip's opening (wide-bore or narrow-bore) will have damping effects on the frequency ranges of the music.The easiest way for you to experience the different effects I am discussing is to take your current on-ear earphones or over-ear earphones, pick a song full of energy, put the earphones on and let them sit naturally over/on your ears. Listen to them for two minutes. After two minutes, using your hands, slightly press the headphones closer to your eardrums. Notice the change in the sound. Is there more/less bass? Is there more/less treble? Did the vocals slightly slip forward/back?Consider that on-ear and over-ear headphones have a driver that sits approximately 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches from your eardrums and by pressing the headphones 1/4" closer to your eardrums the sound changed. Now consider that an IEM sits anywhere from 3/4" to 1/4" from your eardrums and the slightest changes (angle, depth, shape, material) can have up to three times the effect due to the proximity of the IEM to the eardrum.For this reason, I think it is wise to invest a nominal dollar amount on different eartips to get everything the earphone tuners intended. Personally, I think anything less is folly. Some IEM manufacturers supply multiple sizes (S,M & L) and materials (silicone & foam) of eartips to increase the odds that the consumer achieves a satisfactory seal, but even this is not foolproof. If this holds any interest for you some aftermarket brands to look into are "JVC Spiral Dots", "Spinfits", "Comply Foam Eartips" or "Znari Foam Eartips", "Creative Aurvana" and others.The Knowledge Zenith ED9:First thing is first. Knowledge Zenith currently has four lines of in-ear monitors, each offering a specific sound signature:AT series:----Lush mid-centered over-ear IEMsED series:----Variations from mainstream neutral tuned to "V" or "W" shaped tuned IEMs.HD series:---Micro-dynamic driver IEMs (one of my favorites)ZS series:----Bass forward over-ear IEMs.The ED9 is in the "ED" line up and therefore have a "V" shaped sound signature. If you'd prefer something more neutral (HD series) or more bass-forward (ZS series) then feel free to scroll through the many reviews I've compiled for your convenience by clicking on my name at the head of this review.The ED9 is quite special because Knowledge Zenith has offered something almost unheard of at this price point in the marketplace. That is to say that Knowledge Zenith (KZ Acoustics) has offered an in-ear monitor with interchangeable tuning filters for less than $15! This is an option that is almost exclusively reserved for higher tier and much more expensive IEMs. I quipped "almost unheard of" because I also have several pairs of the "Winintone EB220" IEMs, which were woefully underpriced here on Amazon. The unexpected bonus of purchasing the EB220s was that it's filters were interchangeable with these ED9's.Back to the ED9's. These come with two different tuning filters/nozzles. The "gold" filters are bass oriented nozzles while the "brass" filters lean towards a more neutral presentation.Brass Filters:To my ears the brass filters decrease bass and open the soundstage considerably. The micro-detail is plentiful and well extended, but in my opinion, to a fault. It was necessary for me to remove the nozzles and place the smallest pinch of cotton (from a cotton ball) inside the nozzles to tame the sometimes splashy highs. Once I made this slight modification I found the ED9 with brass filters to portray music in a wide, airy and quite revealing fashion. In general, the frequency response was quite flat. Many Audiophiles prefer this sound signature, but typically a flat sound signature lacks the energy that the genres of music I listen to require. Flat sound signatures tend to be a bit too dry for my preferences, but that was not the case with the ED9 (sans brass nozzles). I found this combination to actually present more life than usual for a flat frequency response. Kudos to Knowledge Zenith for achieving something this lively at such a modest price point.Gold Filters:I modified the gold filters with a small pinch of cotton as well, but once I attached the modified gold filters to the ED9, that's when the real fun began. What an experience! To my ears the gold filters give the ED9 a mild "V" shaped sound signature. The huge bonus the ED9 offers over the typical "V" shaped sound signature is that the rear vents/ports in the driver housings give that "V" shaped sound signature an open and airy quality that is usually reserved for open-backed headphones. Not typical for an in-ear monitor, let me assure you that it is surreal. There is definitely space between the instruments and the soundstage is wide and airy sounding nearly "out-of-head". When you see ED9 reviews claiming that they sound awful, it's likely that the individual making those comments either failed to achieve a satisfactory seal with the included eartips or he/she is used to the restricted/congested soundstage that most consumer friendly brands offer. I still own examples of some of those earphones (i. e. Creative EP-630), however,once you listen to your favorite acoustic tracks on the ED9, not only will you be pleasantly surprised with how open the presentation is, but you will likely want to go through some of your favorite music to hear how the ED9 will render tall of it.Bass is thick and airy all at once.Mids, while slightly recessed, are positioned quite well in relation to both bass and treble.Treble is ultra detailed (if it's too bright for you just do the DocHolliday modification - pinch of cotton from a cotton ball).It will be very difficult for KZ's competitors to duplicate this sound signature, and particularly at this price point.Test tracks were the following:Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You"Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - "Learnin' The Blues"Diana Krall - "Maybe, You'll BeThere"Diana Krall - "Baby, All The Time"Van Halen - "Hot For Teacher"Metallica - "Nothing Else Matters"Dream Theater - "Pull Me Under"Tourniquet - "The Hand Trember"Shania Twain - "No one needs to know"Tim McGraw - "She Was Mine For A Little While"Tears for Fears - "Woman In Chains"Morcheeba - "Blindfold"Massive Attack - "Teardrop"Portishead - "Roads"Schiller - "Under My Skin"Beth Orton - "Central Reservation"Beth Orton - "Daybreaker"Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"Secession - "Magician (Pecky Plus Mix)"The Church - "Under The Milky Way"Otello - "Masterworks Collection: Rabbit Hole"Othello - "Masterworks Collection: Sun Shower"Otello - "Masterworks Collection: Downtime"Antonio Vivaldi - "L'Estro Armonico" Violin ConcertiIn the years to come, the ED9 will be a great reference to look back on in regards to Knowledge Zenith's impressive early days as a fledgling budget-fi company that sought to continually push the envelope in bringing to market excellent in-ear monitors for a modest asking price. I can truly say that KZ impresses me time and time again, from my first pair to my twenty second pair. That's a great track record as far as I'm concerned.My newest KZ Acoustics acquisition is the incredible KZ ZST which is simply unbelievable for a sub-$20 IEM. It sounds like a thoroughly refined version of this ED9, only my opinion is that the ZST will not pair well with smartphones or power-efficient DAPs. If you have a Fiio earphone amplifier or its equivalent then you should definitely be looking at the ZST.Knowledge Zenith has another stunner under development (KZ ZSR) which should be available by April 2017. All of KZ's fan, including me, simply can't wait to hear it, because outperforming the ZST will only increase our respect for their products and their mission to bring hi-fi to everyone at the best price to performance ratio in the marketplace.Thanks Knowledge Zenith!Onward and upward. Onward and upward.Note: Photos all show aftermarket silicone eartips and/or silicone ear hooks.** EDIT ***This ED9 is holding up quite well amongst the competition. I have over 40 IEMs and the ED9 ranks in the 'Top 5'.Top 5 Sub-$20 IEMs (revised):KZ ZST ($18) - crystal clear highs and centered mids for a bass oriented IEMKZ ZS3 ($18) - organic lifelike presentationKZ ED9 ($14) tied with KZ HDS3 ($6) - open-backeded & out-of-head presentationKZ ED10 ($10) - most energeticKZ ATR/KZ ED7 ($8+/-) - best analog sound signatureThe final three are In no particular order because I usually pick one of them based on my mood. My ED3 'Perfection' didn't make the top five because I use them exclusively for the classical/baroque genre, but they are excellent. If you were to ask me which three KZ's I listen to most, my answer would be ZST, ZS3 & HDS3, in that order. The ED9 is technically better than the HDS3, but I love my HDS3, it doesn't sound like any of my other IEMs. Your picks will vary based on your sound signature preferences. If you've no clue about my rantings, just take $60 and pick up the five I've listed and discover your entire music collection as if it were your first time. It'll probably be the best money you've spent in a long time.Finally, Knowledge Zenith's new Star silicone eartips have increased soundstage width on every IEM I own, including this ED9, although this may be due to my shallow ear canals. Thanks KZ!Hope this was helpful..

BEST EARBUDS EVER AND I'M AN AUDIOPHILE & PROFESSIONAL AUDIO PRODUCER!SUMMARY:PROS:-Amazing highs, hi-fi sounding experience-Deep, heavy, loud bass-Very nice mids-BEST earbuds I've ever tried (does not include Over-Ear headphones)-Rubber buds NEVER fall offCONS:-Soundstage lacks width (but I've never seen a pair of (non-over-ear) earbuds with an actually good soundstage)-Metal attachments might unscrewCOMPETITORS TO CHECK:-Rock Zircon-KZ DT5-Get jetAudio Media Player on iPhone or AndroidAmazingly crisp highs that make it sound like a true hi-fi experience (well... almost h-fi, but you really won't find anything better that's in earphone form, even among 500$+ ones, I've tried a lot), extremely heavy punching sub bass, and mids that don't quit pleasing.The sound stage isn't very wide, but I've never found a pair of earbuds witH stereo sound stages that can match up to over-ear pairs like the V-Moda Crossfade M100 and such.The ONLY earbuds I can say come close to matching with this one are both ALSO cheap Chinese brand OEMs.Rock Zircon: available on Amazon, highs aren't quite as nice as this but come close, but the BASS is even SO much louder & deeper than this pair that I still can't decide which ones I like better.KZ DT5 (Same brand as the earbuds you're looking at): Typically not available on amazon without a ridiculously high price. Typically hard to find in general. But, they're usually always on aliexpress, but it ships from China so expect a long wait. They have better bass than this pair as well, but they have a slightly bad peak in the 3-5kHz area and the highs aren't quite as prominent or as crisp.The ONLY earbuds I've ever been able to use without some SERIOUS audio enhancing on iPhone & Android with the help of jetAudio media player (audiophile media player with TONS of gorgeous, amazing effects that beat most of my professional audio mixing software, SERIOUSLY CHECK IT OUT)... anyway the only earbuds I've been able to use without that were Chinese knockoff brands, including these.The rubber buds NEVER fall off, and haven't for years in my experience with ANY of the KZ line of products. This is a big difference from brands like Sony that make you replace your buds by buying more from them every month. However, the metal attachments that hold the buds on might unscrew & fall off if you're not careful, so be sure to check once in a while.And of course, they're better than Beats. but seriously, what on earth ISN'T better than beats?! Beats are made for 6$, sold for 600$. Anyone who buys Beats are just jumping on the bandwagon because they're popular. You're paying for their brand, just so the owners can go buy more ocean view mansions they don't need, private islands, etc.

Hey Guys,I'm Salim and here's my take on the KZ ED9.What we get:Earphones (In ear, made up of metal)3 pair of ear tips (S,M and L) and one is already attached to it (Medium one). So in total 4 ear tips.Extra Nozzle pair for changing the sound signature.Now let’s come to the specifics one by one.The build quality,This earbuds of these earphones are completely made out of metal with KZ logo on the side of the buds. And its good quality metal. It wont just break if you throw it.Mine were mat black in color and it looks awesome.The earbuds have quite a nice design to it. The ear mesh is made up of metal. So great audio quality. We'll get to audio quality in a bit.We also get interchangeable nozzles, so we can change the sound signature from extra bass to natural acoustic.We also get a inline remote with a mic(which is also made out of metal) and button which can take/end calls as well as play pause music.The cable here is very good and I love it absolutely. They are made up of some rubbery material but looks, feels and is durable. They are not tangle free completely as it gets tangled sometimes.The connector is gold plated, so better sound quality compared to those with silver connector. It is an L shaped connector which helps in ergonomics.Coming to the weight, I found them to be heavy as they are made up of metal completely. To go by the specifications, they weigh around 24g which is double the weight of your normal earphones. But my ears did not get fatigued after using it for long time.So, you can use these for long listening sessions.It has great build quality and great AUDIO!Lets come to the bass.It has really good bass. You will feel the thump of bass in your ears but the bass is pretty clear. The bass is quite detailed and accurate and like in some earphones, the bass does not hurt my ears. I have tried Skull Candy earphones(Smokin buds) of the same range as well as the Sennheiser CX275S and the yes while the bass of Skull Candy earphones is more but then again it's quite detailed here. Better than the CX275S earphones and that too without using an equalizer.They also sound better than CX180 and Apple Earpods and the OLY X15.Now the treble,The sound clarity is awesome. I was able to hear the vocalists clearly what they were singing. Even I was able to hear them take breaths while singing and man it feels awesome. It feels like you are in the same room in which they are singing.But some people want to know how it performs in lows,mids and highs.So the earphones sound great in the low area. They are probably the best earphones in their price range and well above it also.The earphones have great mids. The clarity was spot on.Coming to the highs, they were clear and crisp too and like in some earphones, the highs did not get shrill and hurt my head. They were balanced.One more thing is Sound Stage. It's great but could have been better .The two vents on the back of the earphones help in the soundstage a lot.One more thing is noise isolation. These are great for noise isolation. The noise isolation is good even when these are plugged in your ears and no music is playing. But when music is played, you will enjoy it. That's my guarantee.I wish they had included some better silicone tips or some foam tips.Lets divide it in pros and cons.PROS:1. Amazing Sound Quality2. Great Build quality3. Noise isolation4. Comfortable. One of the ear tips provided will surely it your ears and you wont feel discomfort when wearing these earphones for long.5. In line mic6. Price- The price on Amazon fluctuates a lot. So keep checking these. Else you can get them on GearbestCONS:The tips that they provide could have been better.The weight may be a problem for some as it's a bit on the heavier side(made of metal)So do I recommend it? Yes guys, go for it, eyes closed. Its that good.Do note that sound is the most subjective topic. What may sound good to me may not sound good to you. Also I used 320KBPS MP3 songs.PS- You can also check my YouTube channel named The Gadget Ninja.But in the end, its up to you.Peace.

purchase was quick and efficient and worked as described

I love those earbubs, this is my second pair...both pair the only thing that destroy them is my cat eating them.They look nice and the Sound is very good for the price, the two sound tubes (Tuning Nozzles) makes it so you can choose or modify the audio output and they also have different ears fitting thingy...

Very cool sound for the money! Very well made! 2 month of use - so far so good.

Pros: warm bass, crisp soundCons: left side stopped working 2 months in