KZ introduces the new ZSA and ED16

KZ just introduced two new in-ear headphones: the ZSA and the ED16. The KZ ZSA uses one dynamic driver and one balanced armature in a housing that seems to be a rounded KZ ZS6, while the KZ ED16 seems more like a pointy KZ ZSR.

Update: here are the KZ ED16 review and the KZ ZSA review!

The KZ ZSA uses a single balanced armature coupled with a 8 mm dynamic driver that takes care of bass and midrange. The reported frequency response is 7 – 40,000 Hz, with an 18 Ω impedance and a 108 dB sensitivity. There’s no response graph as of now, but it’s legit to think it will have KZ’s traditional V shape.

Housings are made of metal, much like the ZS6, and they come in either grey or black and red (yes, two colours at once!). The cable is the new brass-coloured one also used by the ZS10 and it features the classical 2-pin connector that is widely used in the manufacturer’s line-up. There’s no sign of why the name is ZSA.

The KZ ZSA are on sale on various online stores; Soundphile Review’s partner AK Audio sells them at $21.

The KZ ED16, on the other hand, feature two balanced armatures and one 10 mm dynamic driver; the balanced armatures take care of both the mids and highs, leaving just lows to the dynamic driver. The impedance is rated at 8 Ω, which seems crazy low, but it counterbalances the comparably low sensitivity of 98 dB. KZ promises the earpieces to be matched up to 2 dB difference between channels. There’s no sign of a response graph, however, so it’s hard to imagine how they would sound.

The cable is the same as used on the previous products: simple and covered in rubber with no braiding whatsoever. The housings are made of transparent plastic and come in either blue or black, with the same cursive text style already seen on the ZSR. A feature KZ touts is the passive isolation: the ED16 is able, according to the manufacturer, of reducing external noise up to 26 dB, which would be quite interesting if proven true.

Again, AK Audio has the KZ ED16 on stock at $24 – you can have a look here for additional details. If you use the code “SoundphileReview” while checking out you can buy the no-mic version at 16$ and the mic version at $17. Just select “other payment methods”, write the code in the “leave a message to the seller” and don’t pay until they adjust the price (it has to be done manually).

 

About Riccardo Robecchi

Living in Glasgow, Scotland but born and raised near Milan, Italy, I got the passion for music listening as a legacy from my father and my grandfather. I have reported on technology for major Italian publications since 2011.

6 Comments

  1. Where exactly do you enter the coupon code? Do you put it in the “Leave a message for this seller” under “Review and confirm your order?” There’s nowhere to add a coupon code.

    1. Yes, you have to leave it as a message to the seller. Sorry if I didn’t make that clear.

  2. Dear Ricciardo:

    I’m still not able to use your coupon. I put the coupon in “leave a message to the seller”, and i select the option, “other payment methods”.

    If i wait and i don’t pay, the page doesn’t change, i’ve refreshed the page several times, and no change.

    If i select Confirm and play, Aliexpress asks for payment (from several methods) and still the original price

    What i’m doing wrong ?

    Thanks in advance

    1. Hey Carlos,

      You will receive an email notification when the price is adjusted. The coupon is not automated, so the people at AK Audio need to edit the price manually. It may actually take several hours, so please be patient. As far as I know, this is a limitation of the AliExpress platform. Keep me posted!

  3. Ricardo,

    Currently there is no longer “other payment methods” as an option so there is no way to submit the message to the seller without paying.

    The choices are credit card, web money, or wire transfer.

    It is not possible to send a message to the seller through the checkout page without entering payment info.

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