CCZ CZ10 is built like a tank with a full metal shell and a face plate of metal and glass (or plastic). This is the area where CZ10 stands out from the competition.

The overall sound of CCZ CZ10 leans toward a lively V-shaped presentation, with a clear emphasis on bass paired with a treble boost.

Bass

The bass on the CZ10 is boosted in quantity. It isn’t quite there at the bass head territory, but it can feel a bit too much at times.

The bass hits hard with solid physicality behind each impact. The mid-bass emphasis makes it sound dense and thick, making it quite satisfying to listen to.

However, the bass doesn’t feel very dynamic in its presentation, it just hits and disappears. Similarly, bass also falls short in texturing abilities.

In my view, slightly less bass would have made the overall presentation cleaner and more balanced, as the mid bass boost sometimes bleeds into the midrange making it sound muddy.



Mid-range

Due to the v-shaped tuning the midrange of the CZ10 doesn't sound the most natural. The fuller lower mids give the midrange a warm and lush tone, making it quite pleasant to listen to.

But at times it can come across as a bit too warm depending on the tracks. The upper mids on the other hand remain clear and manage to stand out in the mix without becoming shouty.

Overall the mids are tuned quite well without any major pitfall. Despite having a sizable bass boost the mids come across clear in the mix without getting drowned out.

Additionally, due to the bass boost and good treble tuning the CZ10 mostly avoids sibilance or harshness and remains smooth sounding.


Treble

The treble of CZ10 is quite smooth for my ears as it avoids harshness or sibilance for the most part. The extension is also good for the price, giving the overall presentation a decent sense of openness.

However, it can sometimes come across as a bit grainy and lacks the incisiveness needed to sound refined. Despite that, there is a decent sense of sparkle and airiness in the upper treble, which makes the overall treble presentation feel complete.



Presentation

CZ10 performs well within the budget when it comes to subjective qualities. Starting with imaging, it is on the less precise side and can feel a bit fussy at times. However, the stage has decent width and does not sound too closed in.

Detail retrieval is acceptable for its price range. The excessive bass tends to mask some of the finer nuances in the sound, although reducing the bass with EQ noticeably improves its performance in this area.

The same applies to instrumental separation and layering too, it is good for the price.



Build, Accessories and Comfort

The metal shell inspires confidence and gives a sensation of a premium feeling, but it also comes at the cost of being heavy compared to an average IEM.

The weight of the IEMs was not an issue for me, but I am not quite fond of the QDC type connection it uses. A normal flushed in two pin connection is less likely to get easily damaged and helps with aftermarket cable.

As the cable provided with the IEMs is just passable in quality. On the positive side, the cable behaved quite well and didn't get tangled that easily.

There are 3 pairs of silicone eartips of decent quality and 1 pair of foam eartips in the box, but there is no carrying case or pouch included in the box.

Now moving on to comfort, I have not faced any issues with CZ10. Despite being made of metal and being on the heavier side, the fit was actually good. It does not isolate as well as resin shell IEMs, but it does not cause pressure build up either as it is properly vented.



Conclusion

Under the sub $50 market, CCZ CZ10 is a strong contender for folks who like bassy signatures. The bass is boosted in quantity and has good quality for the price and the mids are tuned quite good for the sound signature they are going for. The treble is tuned quite smooth without major pitfalls. However this is not the IEM for those looking for a neutral sound signature.

CZ10 retails for around $48 to $50 on the keephifi site, but I have seen it go for around $28 during sales on other sites. For that price it is a great deal especially considering the build quality of the IEMs.

Disclaimer: This IEM was sent to me by keephifi for review purposes. They had no input into the content and I am not paid for this review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. As audio is a highly subjective hobby, please consider my opinions as one perspective among many.