Review - KZ ZVX

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TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - KZ ZVX

As with the last set of KZ IEMs that I reviewed, I am not very sure who sent me the KZ ZVX for review. This time I received an email from someone who had reached out to me in the past (not the same person/company who reached out last time) and asked if I would review the KZ Linglong. I mentioned that I had a rather large backlog of reviews but if they wanted to send them out then I would review them once I got a chance.

I didn’t hear anything else and a couple of weeks later I received the KZ ZVX. I am guessing that it is from the same person/company but I really don’t know. Therefore, I will share a link to the ZVX on the site of the person who contacted me about the Linglong, as I guess they just decided to send a different model?

This obviously means that I have not received any requests from the person who sent these to me and the link below is of course non-affiliate, as I am not even sure if I am linking the correct page.

Here is the link to the KZ ZVX on the website in question: https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-zvx

To avoid being repetetive in my reviews, you can find all the info about how I create the reviews, equipment used, how I receive the products and how to interpret my reviews by visiting: About my reviews

Intro…

I don’t think KZ need any introduction, I have reviewed many of their models in the past and anyone who has ever looked at budget IEMs has heard of KZ.

In the case of the ZVX, they are a single dynamic set which use a 10mm and are stated as having a sensitivity of 109dB and an impedance of 25 Ohms. I have to say that they are very easy to drive and will work fine from any dongle or telephone with headphone output.

They are also marketed as being a “New flagship in single dynamic field” and come in at a price of 20€ at the time of writing this review, so they are certainly aiming at that entry level price point.

Presentation…

This is another section that really doesn’t need much context as 95% of KZ IEMs are presented and packaged in the same way and the ZVX are no exception.

They usual white box containing the IEMs, the usual KZ cable and 3 sizes of tips.

The only break from the norm in this case is that the tips included are actually foam tips, something that is not the usual case with KZ IEMs.

Build and aesthetics…

I have to give it to KZ, they do manage to keep innovating the aesthetics of their IEMs while managing to stick with a general shape that I find very comfortable.

In this case they have opted for a full alloy build, with a vent on the face plate, along with a rather large opening that is purely aesthetic but works well in my opinion.

I have many sets of KZ IEMs and while they don’t get used daily (I am always testing out new things so none of my IEMs really get used as much as they would in normal circumstances), I have ever had an issue with their build over the years. Obviously only time and use will tell but I can’t see any clear reason why the build of the ZVX would be any different.

The IEMs are available in black or silver, with or without mic, and I have to say that the black version I have looks rather good for a 20 set of IEMs. I don’t think KZ is ever going to win any awards for the best looking IEMs but, again, I think they deserve a lot of credit in the aesthetic department as they always manage to change things up slightly.

Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

As they included only foam tips with these, obviously those are the tips that they are thinking work the best with these IEMs, so that is what I have used for this review.

Let’s start with the usual comparison between the ZVX and my personal reference target:

Starting off in the lowest ranges, the ZVX has a decent amount of rumble although it is not quite as clean as other competing sets in this range. It doesn’t lose control too much but does give a sensation of things being just a little bit too loose in those lower notes of my usual test tracks.

The midbass is a little overly present for my preferences but is actually quite coherent and controlled in these ranges. My test with “Crazy” did not result in the reverb being overly bloated and, while it is a little too present, is quite listenable on the ZVX without me getting fatigued.

In the case of EDM, using “Shot Me Down” as an example, I found that these IEMs do quite a good job of being powerful in the lower ranges without losing focus of the other frequencies that are present in this song. The bass hits of this song are actually quite clean and don’t portray themselves as being too sloppy in these ranges. I can’t say it is the best I have heard in this regard but they are pretty good for a set of 20€ IEMs.

The mid range seems to be the better part of the IEMs, something that KZ seems to have been doing fairly well on all of the recent models that I have tried of theirs. There is a nice presence of vocals, with a decent instrument timbre, that climbs towards the upper mids in a way that matches my preferences very well. They are not the most detailed in the mid range but are very enjoyable and I found myself liking what I heard on multiple genres of music.

Moving into the upper ranges, things are not terrible either. Ok, they are not perfect, but they do a decent job of keeping things from being too harsh (in the case of Beth in “Don't You Worry Child”) and sibilance is not overly present either, with Partricia Barber being at a level that I would say is around normal (or maybe just a hint more) in “Code Cool”.

Treble is nothing great, with quite a bit of roll off and a sensation that air is lacking, yet, as the upper mids do a good job of being clean and well defined, the result is not as bad as it could be. Yes, there are a few peaks here and there but none that I found really irritating.

Details are not the strong point of the ZVX but they don’t sound overly blunted and I think that they do a job that is plenty good enough for general listening while out and about.

Soundstage is about on a par with average, maybe slightly above, and while details may not be spectacular and imaging is not millimetric, they again do a job that I really can’t find reason to complain about at this price level.

Isolation is not the best, especially in the lower ranges, but is around average and shouldn’t be too much of an issue while listening to music in normal surroundings. They aren’t going to give amazing isolation on planes, trains or automobiles, but should work well enough for most other things.

Conclusion…

I have already said it a hundred times but I will say it again, there are some very good options in the extreme budget market and that makes it difficult for many brands to be competitive.

In the case of the ZVX, I feel that KZ has done a pretty good job. No, they are not groundbreaking and something that suddenly jumps to the top of the budget rankings but they are still good and I think they could make a lot of people happy for a very small amount of money.

It wasn’t long ago that KZ were seemingly trying to add as many drivers, of as many types, as possible. Yet there is something to be said about simplicity, especially when focusing on the lower price bracket. By reducing the amount of parts, and the work needed to make those parts work together, it gives more budget and time to focus on doing one thing right. It seems that on this occasion they got it right, or they got lucky. Either way, the ZVX are a set of IEMs that I think are well worth their price.