LinsoulKZ AST 24 Units Balanced Armature Combination In-Ear Earphones IEM with Detachable 2pin 0.75 Cable for Musicians Audiophile (Without mic, Black)

After seeing some comments about the KZ fake drivers controversy I searched online about the whole thing myself. The author who "exposed" the issue actually later posted a follow-up saying he found that it was common for certain fine-tuning drivers to not have a visible impact on the frequency response graph at all. You can google it yourself, but be sure to read the whole story.Now, about the sound quality, overall I really like it over the KZ ZS10 Pro I already have and it's definitely an upgrade, but I don't think the tuning is for everyone. The bass and mid are solid, detailed, responsive and clear. They are where the AST really shines. However, the tuning of its treble may not fit everyone, which seems to have been intentionally attenuated. I say intentionally because the official frequency response graph for AST shows a massive drop when above 7kHz. It reminds me of the Shure SE420 I had years ago, which also had a reduced upper treble. I used my old SE420 for so many years so I don't mind such a tuning now, but there are definitely people who dislike it.

HiUPDATE - please google KZ decorative drivers - there are concerns from other models that not all drivers are functioning and or have such a small sound you cant hear them or the cross over doesnt work. Im not saying that is the case - but it sure would explain the lack of top end. Make your own conclusions.After original review - I did purchase another pair in a sale - the sound is the same - ie the bass to mid is good but its not there in the treble. I listened to some acoustic recordings and they were ok - but the "tell" for me is - I dont use them - they sit in the case and I use my 8Hz Timeless.ORIGINAL REVIEWI bought the KZ-ZS10 pros and was blown away for the money. so I thought ok I will spend more and see if I can improve on them - I wasn't expecting a big jump - diminishing returns etc…Im afraid these disappointed me - but that could be as they are tuned differently to the ZS10s. Ive since looked at some frequency graphs which back up what I found.I listened with two different cables and two different dac-amps (ifi Zen 2 and Hipdac 2) and straight into my phone. (Lossless files)ProsThe bass - some reviews said the BA may not be as good as a DD - honestly - I thought the bass was excellent less bloated and tighter than the ZS10s - this was the best pro for me.They are bigger - but they have 12 BAs per side and I think they did a good job - they are moulded so fits a little nicer in my ear - unlike the Zs10s which are smaller but no moulding - so I thought a bit more comfortable.The cable and tips were an upgrade over the ZS10s - they arnt great but they are good enough - ZS10 stock cable is only just ok.ConsThe Mids - more the upper mids-treble - they are just not there - I A/B testing with my Zs10 - and did try different EQs to counter it but it didn't improve it much. what I heard on the ZS10s was missing on the AST24 - I was loosing detail.The Treble - same as Mid - the ZS10s had more detail - though it wasn't as harsh as the ZS10s ie the AST had a nicer smoother treble just didn't reveal much.The price - its too high - even if you like the tuning I think this is a £60-£70 IEMI tried different types of music thinking maybe they are a bit niche and in fairness they did better with when the music was less busy ie the space was there for them to shine with what they did present and it was smoother and less harsh over the ZS10s.But at this price - no sorry - they went back.I hope its a tuning thing - I loved the bass and if they sort out the upper mids to treble Id buy them ie a pro version. Or if they become a lot cheaper maybe as a niche listen iem.So I sent them back and paid more for the 7Hz Timeless - different to the Zs10s but an upgrade - very good smoother, detailed great bass - like going from a hot hatchback to a Mercedes. Very pleased with these and they are now my everyday listen.Hope this helps

Although the sound is detailed when using on a phone or computer source I’ve heard better. Once plugged into a decent headphone amp that can drive the complex impedances they present to the device they leap into life and it’s difficult to stop listening. I’ve also noticed I can run them considerably lower level than others due to the midrange being so clean.

Unbelievable! These are so detailed and allow music to breathe and yet lose none of the fun & joy of listening to music. Everything has its own place in the mix and you are surrounded with glorious music. For a BA earphone the bass is great - you don’t get that push of a dynamic driver but it’s almost there - it hits hard - not sure how they pulled that off. Therefore this sounds good with all genres of music which means this could be it for some people. Metallica, to Ben Howard, to Smashing Pumpkins, to Daft Punk, to Foo Fighters, to Dr Dre, to Mogwai, to Kings of Leon - this never misses a beat. Its worth mentioning I upgraded the cable to the excellent Tripowin C8

I have quite a few KZ in ears & I have never been disappointed with any of them (ZST, ZSX, ZAX etc). I had seen but stayed away from all BA units because they were reportedly a bit lacking in the bass department. I saw these & the reviews were very good. So I now have set of ASTs & am well pleased with them. The soundstage is much wider, the separation & clarity is wow. Also the bass is all there, maybe not with quite the punch of a dynamic driver but not far away. I think they got the tuning of the drivers about spot on (for me anywayl. I am very happy with these & they are worth every penny kand maybe more). Check out the reviews online.

They are chunky but the sound is excellent. Perhaps the best KZ yet.