Here’s a new instalment in the Headphones in Pictures series, this time with a “true wireless” set and two wired ones. Those are the KZ S2, the Shozy SG and the Thieaudio Voyager 3. We basically cover all the different possibilities: wired in-ear, wireless in-ear and earbuds.
This is the first Headphones in Pictures article I’ve published since the beginning of the current emergency. I am complying with the current policy by the UK government that invites us to stay in our homes, so this is the reason why you will see the cement background you’ve probably already seen in other pictures – that’s the tiles in my back garden.
We already met the previous TWS earphones by KZ, the KZ E10. I didn’t come out of that experience impressed in any way and the newer “true wireless” earphones by the brand, the KZ S2, appear to be of the same kind – with the same outcome. My first impression of the KZ ZS2 has been negative: I found treble to be too emphasised and peaky, so much so that it caused splintering headaches to me. Moreover, there were constant interruptions and stutters that definitely did not help. Thankfully they’re fairly comfortable though.
Build quality appears decent, while the case is compact enough to fit easily in any pocket. It reminds me of the Sabbat E12 Ultra case, even though they’re different – details such as the notch to open the lid or the hinge are identical. What’s quite unusual is that the USB port is located on the bottom, which makes it less practical. These IEMs also signal the third change in the KZ logo in the recent months – it’s now more streamlined and it does not use the usual combination of “K” and “Z” in the same letter.
Update: the KZ S2 review is now available for you to read!
The Shozy SG came in their case without a box. The case is quite nice, if a bit unusual: it’s hexagonal and covered with striped grey fabric. The earphones themselves use a shell that’s not unique to Shozy; what the company did was to provide the driver. The cable is quite nice and soft, if looking a bit thin, and the overall build quality appears rather high as in Shozy’s tradition. The tuning appears to be balanced with a bit of brightness added to the mix, but I have yet to test them properly (and they also seem to be extremely dependant on the position of the earbuds in the ears).
The Thieaudio Voyager 3 are the last earphones in this articles and the ones I am honestly most impressed with when it comes to their appearance. They’re gorgeous. They’re the first in-ears by Thieaudio, who already made waves thanks to their Thieaudio Phantom planar headphones. In my limited time with them I could hear them offering a balanced, U-shaped tuning with good physicality – which is quite surprising given the Voyager 3 use balanced armatures!
As a special guest we also have the E1DA PowerDAC v2: if not for its compact size and powerful output, I find it interesting for its lack of a traditional amplification stage. It’s certainly a different take on the usual concept of a portable DAC/amp and I will delve into deeper details in the review – for now I’m just worried that the beautiful mirror-like surface will scratch!
In the coming days you will start seeing reviews for these products go online – along with others as well! Stay tuned for more content and more in-depth reviews!
