Review - KZ EDX Pro

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Also available on YouTube in Spanish: Acho Reviews YouTube

Around a year ago, I reviewed the KZ EDX, a set of IEMs that really surprised me at the time, mainly due to the fact that they made a reasonable sound at a very cheap price, just over 5€ at the time of posting that review.

Since then, there have been quite a few extremely economical IEMs released, although not many have come quite as cheap as the original EDX, and some of them have been pretty darn good for their price, with some not being so good of course. However, I think that the EDX still holds the record for the cheapest set of IEMs that I find pleasurable, along with the TRN MT1.

Yes, there are other alternatives that I would recommend over these at a slightly higher price point, which are still very cheap such as the Moondrop Quarks, but I am pretty sure that the EDX was a bit of a pioneer in this bracket (at least for me).

So, following the usual KZ naming scheme of adding a “Pro” or an “X” or a “Pro X” to the end of an existing model, today we have the KZ EDX Pro, a set that comes in slightly more expensive (I have seen them at just over 6€ but they are usually around 10€) and is supposedly an upgrade to the original EDX.

Presentation…

There is only one thing that has changed in regards to presentation, which is actually not even how it is presented, rather the contents of the box.

The overall presentation is identical to the EDX and almost every other KZ, a simple white box that I have already shown more times than I can remember.

Inside the box we get the IEMs presented in the same usual way, along with the usual 3 sets of tips and a cable. It is the latter that is the only thing different.

Build and aesthetics…

As far as the IEMs, there has been a change to the aesthetics but no change to the build. The shells are lightweight plastic in the same shape and form as the originals, however, this time they have opted for a clear see-through shell with a small metal circle sporting the KZ logo. I am not actually sure if it is metal or just plastic with a metal finish but it does look like metal. I can’t see this change having any impact on the durability of the IEMs, but to be honest, I have not yet had any issues with the build of any of the KZ models (and I have had quite a few).

The thing that has changed is the cable. Following the style of the new cables that KZ seems to have introduced in their latest models, the cable is now covered in a silicone tubing and is the same as the cable included with the ZEX that I reviewed recently. I am actually a fan of this new cable style from KZ, it is far superior to their older versions in my opinion, even if it is only a bit of tubing over the same internals. I find it to be a lot less prone to tangling and to be more pleasant to the touch overall.

In the end, I can’t complain about build quality especially at this price and although the contents are scarce, again, this is a sub 10€ set of IEMs.

Sound…

There are sound differences between the original EDX and the EDX Pro, whether these are an improvement or not will depend on personal taste more than anything. The overall quality of the sound is very much the same, it is just a slight change in tuning, and I do mean slight.

The box says that the EDX Pro is a “New Generation Heavy-Bass Earphone” and I must say that the increase in bass is the first thing that stood out to me (before I even noticed this written on the box). It is still not a huge amount of bass but it is noticeable. The tuning is actually the usual KZ “V” shaped tuning that is found on so many of their models but I’ll go through the typical steps anyway.

Starting off with the subbass, I feel that this has been increased in comparison to the original EDX. There wasn’t much roll off on the previous model but it seems that the Pro has actually boosted these lowest ranges, making them take more of a presence in the low end.

Moving into the mid-bass, these frequencies are also more present than on the original EDX. I wouldn’t say that they are extremely boosted, otherwise I would be complaining, but they are certainly more present than I need them to be for my preferences.

As with the previous version, the EDX Pro still do not do a great job of controlling the low end, which can result in some bleed into the lower mids depending on music choice, but as I said about the original version, we do need to consider the price of these, so I really don’t think it is fair to complain too much, although it is worth mentioning.

The mids are a little recessed, as is to be expected with the overall tuning of these IEMs. They are not to a point of being absent, in other words, the vocals and other mid centric instruments are present enough to be heard and appreciated, but if you are someone who likes mid forward sound presentations, you will find that the EDX Pro don’t fit into that category.

As we move into the higher frequencies, these are boosted, maybe a little too much. They are not boosted to a level where they become uncomfortable, they are still quite listenable, but there is a slight presence of sibilance and certain vocals can become a little harsh on occasions, especially if the recording is already a little on the bright side. As with the original EDX, the highs actually extend fairly well and there is a nice presence of air, which sort of simulates some extra detail. By this I mean that these are by no means extremely detailed IEMs but the extra brilliance in the higher ranges gives the impression that there are details.

As far as soundstage and image placement, we are on a par with the previous model and the majority of other IEMs in the lower price brackets. There is not a huge soundstage and the images are placed in a way that lets you appreciate the overall placement but does not present pinpoint accuracy.

Conclusion…

I am basically going to wrap this up in the same way that I wrapped un my review of the previous EDX. There are plenty of things that are not great about these IEMs but when we factor in the cost of them, it is really difficult to complain too much, although there have been many contenders starting to appear in this range.

As I mentioned earlier in the review, I think that there are better alternatives at prices that are not much more expensive than these, but if your hard limit for budget is 10€, then I do think that you get plenty of value for your money.

Personally, if I had to choose, I would probably pick the original EDX over the EDX Pro, not because I feel that they are better, more because I don’t really need the extra bass that the Pro delivers. The rest of the package as a whole is pretty much on a par, except for the cable which I find is much nicer on the Pro model.

If you want or need a set of very cheap IEMs to enjoy music without getting into picking faults, then the EDX Pro is another set of IEMs you could consider. Personally, if budget allows, I would just go a tiny bit higher and pick up something like the Quarks, the Emerald (although I did experience comfort issues with these) or the ZEX.