Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
The cable terminates in a right-angled 3.5mm rubberized plug. Aside from the tangling, the cable handles well enough and you couldn’t really expect much more for an IEM at this price point. Sound As a result, vocals and midrange instruments are less recessed and the overall sound signature is more balanced. Because of the tighter bass and better treble control, there’s now more midrange detail, bringing to ZSN Pro X closer to the performance of the ZS10 Pro. Treble I found the pre-fitted tips too big as the nozzle was quite long so replaced these with the smaller size ones and used the supplied cable. Thus equipped, I obtained a very comfortable fit and seal. I used an Xduoo X20 DAP as the primary source and also employed a Huawei smartphone and a CD player. The immediate impression was of a bold V-shaped signature with powerful bass and an energetic treble with good extension. Mids were recessed but still fairly present and the overall tonality was warmer than neutral in the bass and brighter in the high frequencies. The soundstage was a particularly good feature, being large in all dimensions and especially in width. This amounted to a "fun tuning" not dissimilar to the KZ ZS10 Pro.
The cable is a standard 4 core braided type similar to that supplied by KZ with a chunky plastic Y-split and no chin slider and is thus prone to tangling. The connectors are a 2-pin angled and hooded type with short pins and the termination is a 3.5 mm right angled plastic plug. Sony PS Vita – Lots of volume to spare, very dynamic sounding and not fatiguing. Just awesome for the Persona dancing games. How would we justify the cost as we go higher up the price range. I am intrigued and looking forward to what IEMs we get in 2021.Tl;dr : 1DD setup. Safe V-shaped tuning with a cool/dry tonality. Bass is plenty boomy and midrange sunken with voices not rendered properly. Highs are well controlled and extend without sibilance. It pairs well with warm and smooth sources. Very easy to drive. I recently received a few pairs of IEMs for review. The KB EAR KS2 was the first one of the group that I tried. Nintendo 2DS XL - Sounds similar, but not as good as the N3DSXL. Less volume to spare as well. Treble is a bit peaky and not as spacious. Now an ultra affordable newcomer appear from no where, and no, it isn’t a follow up of the acclaimed ”house sound” incarnate by Diamond and KB04 crisp tonality. It’s call KS2 and score a 10mm ”biological” dynamic driver plus a ”custom” balanced armature.
Overall, I am not a big fan of the housing of the earphones, I think it could have been swapped out for a matte finishing plastic that does not attract fingerprints. However to give them some credit, the shell does feel rather sturdy despite its lightweight so that's great. While there is some warmth inherited from the bass, the KS2’s mids still come through clearly and vocals are nicely articulated, even if they sometimes come across as a bit thin. The mids are slightly recessed, as you would expect with a V-shaped sound but they don’t sound hollow or distant. Treble Like the BLON BL-03, in terms of technicalities, both of these sets are below average in this department. I think the BLON BL-01 just nudges ahead a tinge in the imaging, instrument separation, details and soundstage departments. Timbre is slightly better on the KBEAR KS1. The KBEAR KS1 has a v-shaped signature that is slightly on the warmer side of neutral. Dynamic drivers generally tend to sound cohesive and that’s certainly the case here. KS1 has an organic tone with moderate clarity, a boosted bass and smooth highs. Bass I did find them a bit fatiguing to use for long periods of time and often found myself eyeing up my collection of over-ears and more relaxed in-ear IEMs. This is more personal though, and was correct after moving to foam tips and applying a bit of equalization.The KS1 has a Dual Magnetic circuit dynamic driver. The KS1 comes with detachable cables. The cable in the box is the standard 1.2m braided 4N pure copper cable with a secure TFZ 0.78mm 2-pin connection to the ear pieces. At the other end of the cable is a standard 3.5mm gold plated plug. Of course, you have the option of a microphone on the cable, although I opted to get the uninterrupted cable (no microphone). This model form Kbear doesn’t get the attention it deserve, as they are quite competent for a super budget hybrid. Did you fully understand that? Right. Let’s move on and we’ll see for ourselves in the part on sound how this budget IEM performs.
The included cable is ok. It’s a good step up with what’s included with the Blon BL-03. In that it doesn’t tangle up as easily and has a more comfortable fit around the ear. It is a good cable for free and the right angle 3.5mm connector is awesome for portable gaming. The KBEAR KS1 shell is made of plastic. I got the white version, which really looks like some Stormtrooper armour. It is very light and comfortable and well fitting. No complaints from me on this aspect. I’ll admit—V-shaped headphones are probably my favorite. I enjoy elevated bass and detailed treble; those things make listening fun. There’s certainly a time and place for hearing things as the producer intended, but when you’re buying any headphone with a sound profile like the KS2, you know that you’re not going to be getting that.
Preview
So essentially, both sets feature a warm bassy tonality with an analoguish feel, but the KBEAR KS1 is much easier to fit OOTB without the need to spend on aftermarket mods. The KBear KS1 is a decent set of earphones, but unfortunately there is almost nothing special to talk about, a bit too safe for my liking. You won’t go wrong starting with this (a safe mainstream tuning with all the standard bells and whistles), but you have better options if you’re looking for a second pair to own. The QC issues I see in various forums also makes me prevent a full recommendation, so if you’re gonna buy one, beware.
Soundstage: Soundstage height is larger than the typical budget IEM which is quite curious and definitely aids while watching movies and such. Soundstage width is moderate but stage depth is pretty poor. Now, about the sound. I must admit upfront that I changed tips early on. There was just a bit more treble than I wanted so I used tips with a smaller bore and now they sound great. I also replaced the cable with a 2.5mm balanced one to use with my Hiby 3 PRO'S balanced out. It didn't make any difference tonally but it benefits from more power from the balanced output. I always replace the cable just for this reason. Soundstage is quite wide, however the slightly confused trebles makes the expression of the stage with some reverb and without a good instrumental separation. I still believe it’s pleasant to listen to.build quality in general is good. They are made of plastic with metal output nozzle (it almost looks like brass but I'm not sure). Constructively they are assembled well, despite the plastic housing they seem tough and durable.
Great Deal 
New Comment