• I don’t read FR graphs. I only use my ears, as earphones should be used.
• Keephifi sent this unit to me in an exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will do its best to devoid from any bias/es as much as possible.
• The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

My personal preferences, in terms of sound, methodology, and music of choice:

• I prefer a “neutral/flat/balanced”, uncolored sound as much as possible.
• I prioritize technical over tonal performance.
• I listen to most genres existing on the internet.
• I use the included stock eartips and cable as much as possible to put myself on a consumer’s perspective, unless stated otherwise.

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Burn-in time: 4-8 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• - Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96), PC.
• - Tanchjim Space DAC
• - Fosi Audio SK02 USB DAC
• - Venture Electronics Odo USB DAC
• - Venture Electronics Devastator USB DAC
• - Venture Electronics Megatron USB DAC
• - Snowsky Echo Mini DAP
• - Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini DAC
• - DDHiFi TC35M2 USB DAC
• - Aiwa XP-V710C CD Player (12 sec. EASS)
• - FiiO DM13 CD Player
• - Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: Stock large eartips, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume.

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Sound signature:

• The KZ ZA12 exhibits a neutral-bright sound signature - this is probably their most “neutral” sounding IEM yet, accompanied with a pleasing technical chops to boot.

Lows:

• Like what I told earlier, I’ll make it official - the ZA12, to my ears and experience with KZ IEMs, is their most neutral sounding IEM yet, up to the point that the overall sound can sound dry, lean, or even bland to some ears; and it reflects it here in the bass region. The bass on this set is nearly non-existent. Midbass and subbass levels are quite equal in terms of quantity. Basically, I’ll call the bass on this one flat, limp, and very tight and quick on attack and decay. This automatically means that bassheads at heart will not enjoy this section or the ZA12’s sound signature at all.

Mids:

• Due to lack of warmth, the mids of the ZA12 in a nutshell is a wild, wild west. It is dry, flat, and can sometimes sound hot to some ears. The lower mids on this one does not exhibit any added meatiness or warmth to it, which in return, rendering things as-is. The texture and details are still there, and are actually more noticeable. Upper mids on this one are definitely forward, airy, sparky - you name it. This in return however, also shows some peaks and possible sibilance, especially on sibilant-prone tracks. BA timbre is also present here and in the treble, adding extra shimmer and longer decay, which will definitely shake away those ears that are sensitive to upper frequencies. One thing that I like here in this region however, is that it is crystal clear, almost uncolored, and vivid. This is probably the KZ’s most vivid presentation of mids yet, but it also shows compromises it did in order to achieve this level of clarity and incisiveness.

Treble:

• The treble on this set, just like its mids, are quite accentuated compared to KZ ‘s most recent sets, exhibiting a bright character. Just like what I mentioned earlier, the BA Timbre also shows here in this region. This means that there will be instances that this region here in the KZ ZA12 will exhibit harshness and sibilance, especially with sibilant-prone tracks. One thing that I have to give credit to however, is its detail retrieval. The microdetails on this set is easier to perceive, making it a candidate for an IEM for analytical listening under 70 USD, in my humble opinion.

Soundstage, Imaging and Separation:

• This is where the KZ ZA12 makes things “almost” perfect. What I mean by that is it does everything incisively and neatly in this department, from its well-put separation and layering, down to its precise imaging. If I were to nitpick however, the soundstage is quite “flat”, if I am making sense. This is probably because I am reviewing sets that exhibit either an oval or a spherical soundstage, while this one sounds a bit two-dimensional, in my opinion. This is not a deal breaker though, as long as your preferences fits the ZA12.

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Other IEM Comparisons!

Faaeal Tulip

• When compared, the KZ ZA12 is noticeably clinical, leaner, and exhibits more BA timbre compared to the Faaeal Tulip. The Faaeal Tulip is a bit more colored in its overall sound. It also has more bass quantity and warmth as well compared to the ZA12 despite not being noticeably warm in nature. The soundstage is noticeably deeper on the Tulip compared to the ZA12, but the ZA12 has cleaner separation, layering, and imaging compared to the Tulip. It isn’t by a lot though.

Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro

• The Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro is more forgiving to flaws and track inconsistencies when compared to the KZ ZA12. The Star City 5 Pro is also a bit thicker and more balanced in sound character as well, while the ZA12 is leaner, incisive, and unforgiving. Driver quirks and timbre are also more observable on the ZA12 among the two sets. Technical chops is also a bit better as well on the ZA12, even on the width.

Roseselsa Aurora Ultra

• Right out of the bat, the Roseselsa Aurora Ultra is the dynamic sounding set between the two sets. It is bassier, more open in sound, and thicker, when compared to the KZ ZA12. Its upper frequencies are also a bit smoother and less prone to any fatigue when compared to the ZA12, despite having a microplanar drive. Both exhibit excellent technical performance for their respective retail prices, but the ZA12 is a bit cleaner on the separation and layering.

EarAcoustic Audio STA Pro Max

• In my humble opinion, despite their nearly identical price range, both set exhibit different character. The STA Pro Max aims for a more fatigue-free, thick, laid-back, warm approach, while the KZ ZA12 presents itself in a lean, incisive, bright manner. The STA Pro Max isn’t a technical performer, but it has a more versatile timbre when compared to the ZA12, while the ZA12 is better on technical chops.

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Seeing and experiencing KZ IEMs throughout my journey in this hobby is quite a rollercoaster. KZ during their early days was known to be an aggressive brand aiming for a more mass-pleasing sound while still catering to those seasoned audiophiles. In today’s current market they are still the same aggressive brand in terms of marketing but now offers slight different sound characters for different tastes. The ZA12 in my opinion, is one of those IEMs. Its lean, bright character reminded me of the KZ ED16 and KZ ZSX - the two KZ sets I adored the most years ago, but the ZA12 this time improves what they brought by improving the refinement on the upper frequencies and technical chops. I can confidently say that if the ZA12 was released during the early 2019 or 2020s, they could easily price this IEM around 100 USD, mainly because of its incisive, clean, technical performance. I even got it to the point that I compared this with my Etymotic ER3SE and ER2SE, which are known to sound flat and unforgiving. After a bit of A/B action here and there, I can confidently say that the ZA12 can go up to par with the Etymotic ER2SE and ER3SE if we’re talking solely about the technical performance, but in my opinion, there’s more to it than just being good at technical chops to most people. Of course, the KZ ZA12 isn’t a perfect IEM, which is obvious due to its handling of driver quirks and timbre, but I never found it to be a deal breaker, mainly because I know my preferences and priorities. You can consider the KZ ZA12 to your collection if you prioritize technical chops overy everything like I do, and if your ears are not sensitive to BA Timbre or extra brightness. This is quite a diverse take from your usual character, KZ!

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Pairing recommendations:

• Source: The KZ ZA12 is easy to drive, but in my opinion, definitely needs a warmer source to lessen the driver quirks showing up. Out of all of the sources I have here, the KZ ZA12 pairs well with my Aiwa CD Player and my Sonic Memory SA500, both are warm sounding sources.
• Eartips: The eartips are soft and fits well to my ears, but it seems to accentuat the upper frequencies more. I prefer using KBEAR 07 or final E eartips for this IEM
• Cable: The cable, like any other KZs, is as basic as it can get. I find the earhooks a bit stubborn to my liking. You can get away by removing the heatshrink tube manually or using a different cable.

Thank you for reading!

Non-affiliated links here:

Shopping Link: KZ ZA12 (35% offza)

https://keephifi.com/products/kz-za...-noise-cancelling?_pos=5&_sid=cccf24f96&_ss=r