KZ HBB PR2 Full Review & Comparisons

The 4th Magnetic Planar IEMs from KZ/CCA. PR2 HBB
Full review and comparisons.
00:00 Intro
00:30 Price, Config & Specs
02:29 Driving PR2 Properly
04:40 Sound Impressions
12:33 Comparisons
18:50 Conclusions
Visit my Primary Site at:
andyaudiovault.com/donglemadn...
Recorded On:
- Canon EOS R6 Mark2
- Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L USM
- ATOMOS Ninja V (Canon CLOG3, ProRes 4.2.2)
Tidal Version Playlist
tidal.com/browse/playlist/ba3...

[@NewDarkKnight]

Not many reviewer listen to an iem for 200hrs before posting the review. Respect!

[@donglemadness]

Thank you Fahad

[@overtimestudentnott6054]

I really love the comparison part.

[@zGunBLADEz]

what a gem of channel keep the good work. Love how you talk about everything.

[@donglemadness]

Thank you!

[@rwalton6096]

Thank you, Andy, for your well-considered reviews. I learn a lot in each video and sincerely appreciate your thoughts & comparisons. Well done!

[@donglemadness]

You honored me, thanks 🙏

[@sen6516]

Love how well tuned budget iems have become, wish the budget headphone market get a similar boom

[@terrano4392]

Great review man, doing in a very simple way with all points covered❤❤❤❤.It is great to have you,Andy.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Terrano!

[@WhiteGlintZero]

Incredible review! Thank you much! Keep up good content. You naild on details, and the rest is good too. You touched the right important stuff. Thank you again.

[@donglemadness]

Much appreciated!

[@carlton9523]

Thanks for the review. I really appreciate the detail in the comparison tables.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@PeterPalDesign]

Very good review. Detailed, technical and professional video and review. Well done.

[@donglemadness]

Much appreciated! 😁

[@des7royerz]

I was waiting for your review of these. A great one as usual, Andy. Cheers from 🇧🇷 ✌🏽

[@donglemadness]

Cheers

[@valiokeys]

So glad to come across your review. A solid 10/10

[@donglemadness]

Thank You!

[@MuhammadHammadAshraf]

Thank you for the detailed review. Helped me decide on giving KZ another chance.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@ibzman1393]

Thank you for the review and testing on a number of amps

[@donglemadness]

No worries. My pleasure :D

[@blessingproidn]

Really dude.. u are the audio expert, nice i see this channel while searching review of kz new pr2.. nice comparison & explanation 👌🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👍

[@donglemadness]

Thanks!

[@electromax6267]

I like much your review. I didn't know your channel but now I'm suscribed. 👍

[@donglemadness]

Thanks so much Angel!

[@supra8087]

Very good and detailed review. Thanks!

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure 🙏

[@mailindiao]

Very informative and great review Andy. Thanks.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@SHARANPIYUSH22]

​@@donglemadnessplease tell the minimum and recommend mw power for running these iem , i have hiby fc4 and now i do have jcally jm80E but its just 45mw but i purchased this one because this one having adc hd chip also with 24bit/48khz recording and its working well.. please answer 😊

[@xtrasuper]

Thanks for the great review!

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@lrvan]

Really glad to hear that it still works really well with a smol & rich features dongle like Ibasso DC03 Pro. Very nice Review, Andi.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. DC03Pro is a 5 Star dongle for good reasons

[@andysutrisno9123]

It's no surprise two ibasso dacs on the 5 star list. because ibasso power output is true when measured. even though it's small.

[@Solartico]

Can you confirm DC03 PRO settings that worked? I found that Bass lower in all filter modes high gain etc giving me impression insufficient power. Truthear SHIO 4.4 is giving me the best frequency response and soundstage. VE Abigail Pro ok.

[@lltechview]

Great just released my take on those. Have the same impressions on the phone. You need a dongle or dac for it to shine a bit more. They sounded way better with my Fiio Btr5 even though its Bluetooth

[@AviraasMusic]

Excellent review.. thank you so much..

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure :D

[@andysutrisno9123]

The best part of this review is testing with multiple sources. Especially testing using a usb dac dongle. I believe more people use usb dac than DAP because it is more affordable

[@joep5607]

you do very good review. thx

[@donglemadness]

Thanks for watching!

[@Damian-22]

thanks for the recommendation iBasso DC03Pro, CX-Pro Audio 31993 broke, JCally JM6 Pro is better I liked the bass energy for the earbuds

[@jaroslavfricek7772]

Thank you Andy, I still love very much the og Wu for me it's S+ tone ♥️😁btw Symphonium Meteor just came in...✌️ 🙋‍♂️

[@donglemadness]

🙏

[@rayliam80]

Love your channel, Andy. Still waiting on my PR2 from AE KZ Global Store. I wonder how it will sound with my A&K Pee51 and if it has enough power for it.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. PEE51 is as powerful as Ovidius B1, so no worries at all there

[@DarenLee]

Thanks for sharing Andy ;) ❤

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure bro

[@c.sec73]

I've jumped in to hear your review of this set (KZ x HBB PR2). I am running Topping combo D70s + A90 this drives my DT1990, Hifiman Edition XS, Raptgo Hook X, Blon x HBB Z300. I've ran the PR2 for ~30 hours and eventually I started wondering what do they bring to my collection as I felt they are quite OK, but bring nothing to my collection. At some point I've swapped the foam tips to SpinTip CP100+ and CP145 for testing as the foam tips are just too big for my ear canal and give me huge fatigue. Finally I decided that PR2 sound best with the foam eartips. Your video gives me some more thoughts on this IEMs. I will definitely re-test them soon. At first I was really impressed but I believe the ear fatigue and changing ear tips derived me off. I also prefer more forward sound and a bit (just a bit) more punch in bass, but they may be good for some of tracks in my collection. Thanks!

[@donglemadness]

As always with new IEMs or headphones, the user will need to attune to it as well. Such is the case with everything that I own. Finding the right tips can make or break the experience too, and just as you mentioned it, foam tips works best for me, I would never use PR2 on anything other than medium bore slow rebound tips

[@colddish]

I consider that it’s a side grade to PR1 Pro. It does sound fuller and more articulate with Topping G5 than PR1 Pro though. Although it looks identical with PR1, I can’t seem to find a good fit except with the stock foam tips and KZ’s retail black eartips and both are able to tame its planar zing too. I don’t have the Heyday and Talos but have the S12 Pro and Timeless AE and I feel the S12 can still stand on its own ground for its hi fi-like treble while Timeless AE trumps them all. Good detailed review as always.

[@roviccastillo9087]

Hello I just wanted to ask you if you think the PR1 Pro is worth getting after having the PR2? Am I losing or gaining anything in terms of technicalities and tuning? Should I just save up for a better planar like the Heday, Timeless, Timeless AE? I prefer usually neutral tuning and is okay with both bright and warm neutral

[@colddish]

@@roviccastillo9087 PR2 is surprisingly hard to drive. For example I needed to raise the volume to 44 on my RU6 while PR1 ‘only’ needs 38. Strangely even at that volume PR2 sounds muffled. It’s only when I pull out Topping G5 that it starts to sound like it should. I find the PR1 Pro clearer and more balanced overall. But if you want the best from planar, I’ll personally recommend AE (very musical), then P1 Max (smooth smoooooth) and PR1 Pro (balanced).

[@rdn658]

nice

[@isaiahschell]

Great review as always, Andy! Currently I own the KZ CRN, (ZEX Pro) but am curious as to how the PR2 will stack up to it. Totally disregarding tuning, as Crinacle aims for a lighter sound, how is quality, imaging, stage, etc? Also, compared to CCA CRA?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Isaiah. To me PR2 is definitely superior compared to ZEX Pro and CRA in every way that I can think of. Tuning, dynamics, technicalities, resolution and value, PR2 is a clear improvement over both ZEX Pro and CRA

[@isaiahschell]

@@donglemadness awesome, thanks again!

[@iKaGe01]

Should have it soon. Guess I'll see how it performs with the Quadlix 5k on high gain

[@donglemadness]

You should be good, Q5K are supposed to be high powered

[@chimps4gimps]

Thank you for the insightful reviews. I’m stepping into the IEM/DAC world for the first time. Would I need to consider the two together as a package? I was thinking about the PR2 with the Fiio KA17 or perhaps BTR7.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure, knowing PR2 sound really well, I will say that I prefer PR2 more with BTR15. KA17 will be a bit more colored but nonetheless crisper sounding (a bit more than BTR15), but BTR15 has more transparent and airy presentation for PR2, while KA17 will emphasize more on crispy edged macro/micro details

[@cadmiumpureland]

Yeah, the PR2 is a good planar👍. It sounds really well with K5Pro, IBasso DC04Pro and Megatron. Megatron sounds tighter, cleaner and more resolute than DC04Pro. K5Pro seems to have the widest soundstage, very spacious 3d quality, very enjoyable to listen to.

[@donglemadness]

Ditto

[@suba6639]

I have a k5pro too, and yeah I agree.

[@andysutrisno9123]

PR2 really needs a lot of power. With Fiio K7 4.4mm the sound is great

[@mangodoy1144]

What about dc03pro?

[@donglemadness]

@@mangodoy1144 DC03Pro is probably the best you can hope to get for under $60

[@araakin]

Nice. Do you have a chart with all of your reviewed iem ratings somewhere? I couldn't find it on your site

[@donglemadness]

Unfortunately no. I didn't keep a tier list for IEMs. But at the end of this year I will probably sum them all up

[@arsnosatu6]

mantap bang dapat dengar dan ulas kz pr2. mintak review project red crinacle:Truthear x Crinacle Zero:RED kalau boleh.

[@donglemadness]

TQ. kalau dapat dlm tangan nnt review

[@Heliumbomb1945]

Thanks for the comparison section of your review! It was very detailed. In opinion the new Kiwi Ear Quartet will be more resolution because of the driver combinations than the PR2?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I would not know because more drivers not necessarily equal quality, the very best IEM to exist is a single driver. But hopefully I can try Kiwi Ears Quartet and find out how it is

[@Heliumbomb1945]

@donglemadness Thanks for your time replying. Which is the best IEM with a single driver you mentioned?

[@donglemadness]

@@Heliumbomb1945 It is not even a single DD, it is a legitimate Electrostatics single driver of Shure KSE1500, practically peerless in every sense of sound superiority. For single DD for me now is Final A5000 and followed by Etymotic ER2XR Micro DD, not forgetting also the illegally cheap Tanchjim ZERO. The only hybrid that I like are Kinera Idun Golden and BQEYZ Winter

[@kamrankambang7953]

Just ordered it. Cant wait for it to arrive

[@faisalfirdausiinn4708]

i hope u are not getting the revision version of PR2.. (which is most likely the case)

[@kamrankambang7953]

@@faisalfirdausiinn4708 whats the difference?

[@jlelelr]

16:46 at first i thought your phone case has RGB sync with graphic card😂

[@RafaelTosto]

Great review! Was it the original PR2 with the mesh or the V2 without the mesh?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks!. This was the early release with black cloth mesh

[@RafaelTosto]

@@donglemadness I recently bought the PR2, probably I will receive the one without the mesh. Maybe I will try to open and mod it with a cloth mesh of my own. 😬

[@donglemadness]

@@RafaelTosto Or you can play with nozzle filters instead. Safer that way, there's a lot of 4mm filter nozzle you can get in AliExpress and you should look for cloth version, they came in various density

[@RafaelTosto]

@@donglemadness I will take a look at it, thanks!

[@matusjurcik6974]

For those who want more bass/subbass and note weight, try to swap original dampers for tanya dampers.

[@Whit-mh9nt]

can they be bought seperately? You mean like from tanchim tanya right?

[@matusjurcik6974]

​@@Whit-mh9ntsure, or any other around 400 grade damper. U need only one of them, but its handy when u already have tanyas for instance. Try also 350 grade damper and choose what suits u better.

[@Whit-mh9nt]

@@matusjurcik6974 Ok thanks I will go to my IEM repair guy get him to do it.. cheers!

[@matusjurcik6974]

Watched this review with my pr2s in my ears. Your voice sounded so ,,planary,, and fast😂 lol. These are so insensitive they barely hiss on the ovidius b1 and no they have no hiss on the megatron. Imaging is pinpoint accurate and fluid, tested on the cs go 😁

[@donglemadness]

Lol

[@MrJerrypotter71]

Amazing and detail review I've been wanting to get a Planar IEM for a while and the KZ HBB PR2 for the price will be worth a buy Thank you for the review I'm now a subscriber

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure Jerry

[@randynguyen6402]

Would yourecommend these or d-fi? Thanks for your content andy!

[@donglemadness]

This or D-Fi, can't go wrong with any one of them, both excellent in their own ways

[@isaacreyes6698]

Great review as always. Definitely one of the most detailed one out there. Do think that upgrading to the VE Megatron or a 2vrms dac like the Jcally JM10 will make a significant difference coming from a cheap dongle like Abigail? Already satisfied using it with the abigail as I only reach 18/30 when I connect it to my phone and around 50/100 on the PC. Just curious if having a more powerful source will bring significant changes to the sound.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Isaac. Yes as I mentioned PR2 like any well tuned planars, will always scale better as the power goes up. In this case, from Abigail you should aim for something like $50 Megatron and you will then hear expanded dynamics with openness that offer good sense of soundstage. Cheers

[@trevordale1038]

I concur. T:D

[@fioreinforma-pilates-bisceglie]

Im testing pr2 for me the bass is uncolored and neutral but highs are too picky for a long listening experience without stress and medium are dry. Dynamics is excellent though and I'll chose this over p1max. I think the better dongle sinergy could be with dc04pro, i had both dc03 and dc04 and i preferred the dc03, but the dc04 gave such a strong bass the should help this kz pr2 to be more present in basses to compensate the picky highs. If you say tha dunu and tangzu are more forward in highs... O my god that is a problem. So for 30 bucks excellent work from kz to enter in planar world and try the effortless speed in sound.

[@norbertoillan2255]

Hi, I'm very grateful for you taking the time to make such a detailed review and comparison between other planars. The fact that is comparable with the Heyday and Talos its pretty impressive, but there's this thing that's ben bugging me a little: the amplification. How does this "more power = more soundstage"? if i remember correctly if I input a certain voltage into the load (iem impedance) i'll get a current thus a power consumption, and then more power more volume... I made the numbers, above 90dB (SPL) its offensively loud to me, so given the 15±3 ohms, the 94±db/mW sensitivity and a 0.056 Vrms (11/15 output on my phone) i get rougly 87dB SPL with a 0.20 mW consumption of power; so, is power really something i should be concerned of with this iem or it just "scales" better because the quality of the amp (rather than the power capacity)?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Norberto. As always with me, I simply describe what I hear. In this instance, more power refers to higher mW offered by the likes of CEntrance DACport HD, Megatron, Ovidius B1 and ultimately Prime DAC+RA2BFE exhibited more open and spacious staging. For example B1 is rated just 2VRMS yet it has 410 mW of power at 32 Ohm making it the most powerful 2 VRMS dongle to exist. Many other 2 VRMS dongles hover around 95-240 mW in comparison. So even if you have 2 VRMS KA3, it will not sound like the sort of authority like what 2 VRMS B1 when it comes to feeding highly scalable partners. Power is of course not limited to just loudness, it is the ratio of "torque" applied at the same threshold. So something like Prime DAC at the same volume level is in fact churning out over 3000 mW of sheer power that benefits planars or any other non sensitive partners. I hope I am making some sense here, lol

[@Whit-mh9nt]

lots of headroom means more dynamic range and quicker response, even at lower volumes, is the way I see that..

[@norbertoillan2255]

@@Whit-mh9nt I guess that could be true if you're powering the headphones really close to the DACamp limits. When using a dynamic driver the effect is enhanced since impedance isn't uniform across all the frequencies, but in planar drivers impedance tends to be extremely flat, so that is discarded. And (max) dynamic range is already determined in the song itself, which commonly is below 12 dB. In orchestral or jazz music it can be up to 30ish dB. That shouldn't a problem when being far from the real limit of amplification of the device, given that digital signals max are -0dB, that means that anything contained in the signal is less than the maximum peak. That may not be true if external EQ is applied and the gain compensation isn't done

[@Whit-mh9nt]

@@norbertoillan2255 let me put it this way. I have about 3.6 Vrms on double ended output and 2.2 on single end. Same volume in double ended output sounds more open, more responsive and bigger soundstage. Response is quicker. Bass is more sharp, due to response speed. I dont compensate gain except 2db in DSD recordings and I don't eq. My assumption is that, for example, in a dr12 recording its fast enough to pump out the full 12db sharpish, mind you its an assumption. Now if I plug into my phone which has 0.8 Vrms, at the same test volume again, it sounds like mud. Same volume in each instance. On the phone its mud. On single end its nice but missing something, on double ended output it suddenly opens up with natural timbre and big soundstage, its a big improvement. This effect is not really so noticable, if at all on my dd's. Less power less volume thats it. So far with the pr2 its really the first time I have noticed this. I can only tell you what I hear and speculate as to the cause. I am not an expert but I am old and have owned a lot of good gear over the decades. My dap uses a voltage controlled rail amp if its helpful.

[@markevinlagsac3252]

can you review zero red?

[@narenap]

Hello Andy. My request to you is compare the sound of PR2 from Fiio Q11 and moondrop dawn 4.4mm balanced. It'll be helpful, for this will be my last dongle / DAC for any IEM.

[@donglemadness]

Q11 is truthfully neutral and uncolored while Dawn spice it up a bit with dynamic vibrancy, that's how they sound like when used with a relatively transparent IEM like PR2. Both will synergize well with PR2 in their own way, whichever you choose, I doubt you will find them falling short

[@narenap]

@@donglemadness I've got one last question on this topic. Why do you need another amplifier while using VE prime? RA 2BFE is costing about 300$. While prime alone is 100$. Is there any issue with volume control as it's too powerful? I don't see a single review for this DAC anywhere in the internet

[@donglemadness]

@@narenap Prime DAC is a pure DAC solution and designed to be optimal at providing AUX Line-Out, so naturally the companion for Prime DAC is Runabout 2BFE. On it's own Prime DAC will not be able to churn out 3000 mW of power, I needed something that powerful because I have IEMs and Headphones that I need to test for scalability purposes, otherwise I would not know how they react to power (or lack of power). Power is not about loudness of volume alone, but rather the "Torque" of sound within the threshold of overall VRMS. So at the same proper listening levels, Prime DAC/R2BFE is pushing the highest possible to allow my headphone like Fostex T40RP MK3 which is designed to be optimally operated in excess of 3000 mW.

[@Andy-kj5et]

Been liking your reviews over the last few days, so much so I have ordered Tanjim Zero, KZ P2, and the KZ D FI. My current fav iem is Tin P1 Plus with my only dongle Jcally AP90. My quastion, the Cayin ru6 or Hiby FG6, worth saving up to buy over Tangim space or ibasso DC03 ?..are those expensive dongles worth their high prices. Hard question I know but if you have time to answer thanks, and thanks for the great reviews.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Yes those high tiered high priced dongled like RU6, FC6 etc are worth the price. You paying a bit more for immaculate tuning and balance of sound, also technically superior too. At the most minimum budget wise, I would say that something like iBasso DC03 Pro or VE Megatron made the cut, both priced well under $60 now

[@Andy-kj5et]

@@donglemadness Perhaps I will go for one of those, and keep checking the prices on the Cayin ,Hiby... Impresed with the Hiby app on your rec . cheers

[@gavr7190]

Thanks for the review! How do they sound compared to cca pla13 though?

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure. as mentioned in the comparisons with PR1, I only have tested both PR1 and PR2 so I have no idea how does it compare against PLA13

[@isaiahschell]

@Gavr Because CCA and KZ are sister companies, they often share the same models, just with a slightly different shell and rebrand. Because of this and the time that the pla13 and PR1 were released, I would assume that it’ll have a similar tuning and sound quality of the original PR1 (non-pro). Just speculation though! 👍

[@lordzed83]

pr2 became my daily driver for pc since got shitloads of power from amp. And Gk100 on the go with them two iw not purchased any new iem's for months now. I stioll cheack reviews ect but dont think i need anything more. On top of like 8 other iem's istill got cause gave away rest to mates no point of them gathering dust

[@hassan_mohd]

@AndyAudioVault - Thanks for the review. I got this iem yesterday but i don't have a portable DAC to use it. currently it is paired with focusrite 2i2 scarlett box and it sounds good. just need your suggestion for below. Among DC04 pro and DC03 pro, which one suits it better ? Also, can you suggest a good 4.4 mm replacment cable ? considering portability, which DAC would you recommended below 110 $ that sounds best with this iem ?

[@donglemadness]

Thank you!. If you aske me then DC04Pro gets my vote for sheer power and synergy. You probably can get DC04Pro at $110. Otherwise definitely DC03Pro at under $60. For 4.4mm BAL cable, it would be best to look for high quality OFC cable and I would suggest NICEHCK 16 Core High Purity Copper

[@kevinchristian1966]

Hi Andy love your review. Can i drive it using akliam pd4 on 4.4 balanced jack?

[@donglemadness]

Please watch my review on AKLIAM PD4, that dongle is more than capable to drive full sized Magnetic planar of Fostex T40RP MK3 and at least 4x harder to drive than PR2, so yes PR2 is peanuts for PD4

[@ProtikC]

Thanks for the excellent review! Just ordered my PR2 and a Jcally JM06 Pro dongle dac. I'm excited but little worried about what I hear on the web as KZ removed the mesh from the shell it sounds shouty now! Although it might not concern me much since I know nothing about audiophile things! But I am curious to know if Jcally JM 06 Pro is a good choice for a beginner and budget oriented PR2 user.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Protik. Yes it does bother me as well hearing words flying around mentioning about how the newer batch is different and potentially having issues. But I would say that let your own ears be the judge, that's what matters the most. And yes, for beginner with fairly easy on the budget, JM6 Pro is one of the most viable option to have for PR2, it has power and synergy to do it properly for PR2.

[@ProtikC]

@@donglemadness Thank you so much, Andy!

[@kamrankambang7953]

Hi bro how is your pr2 and jm06pro doing? Is it ok or should i order more powerful dac like the tanchjim space lite? I ordered my pr2 with jcally ja3t and have similar chip as jm06 pro if not mistaken.

[@ProtikC]

@@kamrankambang7953 Hi, thanks for the query, actually I ordered them from different vendors, yesterday I received the IEM itself but the DAC is yet to arrive in my country, so I can't say much as of now. However, as you mentioned about your DAC Jcally JA3T, despite it having the similar DAC chip as Jcally JM6 Pro, it lacks the extra amplifier chip than JM6 Pro has as an added benefit. So if I'm not mistaken it will underperform in terms of power output than Jcally JM6 Pro. As suggested by Andy and many others I would suggest you to go for something that is at least 2Vrms in terms of output power. Jcally JM6 would be the bare minimum having 1.6 Vrms. And if you are seriously into the hobby there are always better and powerful choices. Now, in my personal experience and the little time I already have had with the IEM itself, I used it with my Laptop's realtek built audio card/dac and my Galaxy S9 Plus. In my opinion the loudness is not an issue at all. At level 80 I can get the sound level I enjoy and cranking it upto 100 makes it louder than I would usually listen to. I think it has excellent possibilities. However I find the bass and mid not so prominent(clean though but not something special, as a normal person I find them lacking something I can't describe since I am less experienced in this hobby, I can be wrong though), I kinda not like the way it present the sub bass/bass. So I am waiting for the JM6 Pro to arrive, I hope extra power would make it the sound better, so I won't conclude about the sound now and suggest you to go for higher power output DAC according to experts suggestions. Once I receive my DAC I would give another update!

[@kamrankambang7953]

@@ProtikC thank you for the response. Will wait for the iem itself first. I was avoiding external dac because of the bulkiness added. But if it need it then i will order later. Thanks

[@jtechmkb]

Thanks for the review. I've been trying out the s12pro and so far I am very curious about the PR2. Might get it soon to compare. The s12pro sounds good but does not fit my ears well. :(

[@narenap]

Thank you for your review, detailed as always. I'll need your advice on the dongle for PR2. I've 2vrms dongles with adequate sound in less than 50/100 volume steps. Do you still recommend a 4vrms to get a better stage? How big of a change it will bring? I'm very tempted to get Fiio q11 based on your answer.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure Narrendran. You see not all 2VRMS dongles are created equal. For example something like Ovidius B1 despite capped at 2 VRMS, offers 410mW of wattage, while most others are at around 75-120 mW. For example, iBasso DC03Pro is rated at 98mW, yet the output is rich and wholesome. The difference between DC03Pro and B1, when subjected to driving PR2 is that the headroom felt more open on B1 and DC03Pro felt more intimate - so the impression of soundstage is wider on B1. On the other hand, when connected to something like Megatron or DACport HD which is both very high both on mW and VRMS, the headroom gets improved a bit more and the widest from VE DAC Prime+RUNABOUT 2B-FE at over 4VRMS 3000mW. So yes scaling is legit on PR2, it will already sounded good on DC03Pro frankly and I don't feel it lacks in terms of dynamics, just that when you start scaling up the power, PR2 will continue to expand, if that makes any sense lol. Q11 will also have that effect due to over 650mW of power on 4VRMS (4.4mm BAL)

[@narenap]

@@donglemadness Alright, I'll put the Q11 in my wishlist and get it as soon as possible

[@narenap]

​@@donglemadness I want to disturb you once again. If you could possibly compare PR2 with Moondrop dawn and Q11, I'll be thankful. Because in your review, you didn't like the soundstage of Q11 very much. Though it was for hd650.

[@donglemadness]

@@narenap PR2 sounds open and spacious with Q11, no worries

[@kennadul2001]

Have a question is the truthear shio 5 star now that it has independent volumeadjustment through its app. Also will you review the xduoo link2 bal max? Thx for all the work regardless.

[@donglemadness]

Close enough I would say.

[@A_Faith_That_Is_Ironclad]

It is so thin sounding compared to Simgot EA500 or Khan or TE Zero/Red but the sub bass though I like it for electronic music and metal only

[@donglemadness]

No it is not thin sounding definitely otherwise I would have not rated it like what you see in my video with Note Weight & Density. EA500 is a classic dynamic driver and has that classic vibrant dynamics to it. PR2 being a magnetic planar offer faster transients and less vibrant. Either way both are superb for Metal & Electronic music. TE Zero, is an IEM that does not click to my taste so I would not say much about it

[@fernsjuarez1129]

I'm sort of new to your channel and so far I like all the videos I've seen. I have a question regarding the power to drive this iems. I own a hiby fc3 dac, will it have any effect on this iems?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Ferns. FC3 will have the power to drive PR. But I must say that FC3 limitations will be the soundstage width with anything that is scalable. natively FC3 is already not so open sounding with most other IEMs, on top of being bright too. But yes it will still have the power to fire up PR2

[@fernsjuarez1129]

@@donglemadness thank you for responding, I appreciate it.

[@TheKinkyfreaks27]

hello, what i the minimum amp to make pr2 full potential yea Andy? mobile one, not to big, id like to carry around pair with my iphone . good review love your content!

[@donglemadness]

Thanks Agung. Fullt potential at minimum? for iPhones? then I can only think of iBasso DC03Pro, And if you want to scale it up on soundstage expecially, DC04Pro then. FiiO KA5 is also another great iPhone/PR2 solution

[@dioo.1639]

hey andy, i don't know if you have mentioned this, but are your ratings based on the price of the iem itself? or the ratings applied to any price?

[@donglemadness]

A bit of combo of value vs performance, it is flexi in a sense that I will be less critical on something which is priced reasonably and a bit more scrutiny if the price tag is really high

[@dioo.1639]

@@donglemadness ooh i see, thanks for the review btw

[@awds6636]

Just got PR2 based on your review and have to say it really need a powerful source to drive it to its full potential. I'm planning to use the PR2 with a smartphone + a usb c dongle , is there any recommendation for a dongle that is sufficient but also support a mic?

[@donglemadness]

You are looking at VE Megatron or VE Prime DAC, the only two "portable" DAC/Amp that supports MIC and yet great with power. Most MIC enabled dongles are ultra compacts

[@alexanderardy5072]

hi andy, can i ask for some advice. I'm currently using simgot ea500. and I'm confused to choose a dac between fiio q11 or ibasso dc03 pro. in terms of sound quality produced by 3.5mm output, which dac is the most suitable? or any other suggestions (with the same price or even cheaper) thanks andy

[@donglemadness]

For EA500, which is already an efficient IEM, I would personally use DC03Pro over Q11. DC03Pro is a bit more colored compared to the neutral Q11, but to me the dynamics handling of DDC03Pro being vibrant and smooth is something that I would enjoy more in this instance, especially if limited to 3.5mm SE

[@alexanderardy5072]

@@donglemadness thanks andy, very helpful answer 👍

[@hanquah]

Hi does ur version got strip of mesh cloth in the back side? It can be seen of available. Kz does remove this mesh cloth and so the tuning is gone into different tuning rather than hbb prefer graph. Many complain about treble is piercing even with powerful dac amp set up. 1st batch with mesh cloth filter is the best one. Glad I canceled my order due to kz pulling this bs revision.

[@donglemadness]

Mine has cloth mesh

[@hanquah]

​@@donglemadness yes ur 1st batch as hbb intended. 2nd batch is way worse than u can imagine. With hi power amp still sound harsh because of removal of tuning mesh cloth.

[@azmirahman6387]

Hi Andy, is your rating universal - meaning the ratings are comparable with other IEMs rating? I am considering getting PR2. I already have Salnotes Zero & Tanchjim Zero - I love Tanchim Zero over Salnotes Zero. What's your thought?

[@donglemadness]

It is pretty much as universal as I want them to be, but the truth is, I tend to be a bit more forgiving on those with lower price point, and in this case I would clarify that upfront. PR2 is about the most affordable magnetic planar money can buy now and yet it has qualities that defies the price, so if you already liking the sort of sound from Tanchjim ZERO, PR2 would feel at home for your senses

[@artatgray]

Hi Andy, you'd mentioned that you have the Jcally JM6 Pro on hand and were going try it with the PR2 If you've done so please give us your thoughts on it. Thanks... 😎

[@donglemadness]

No worries, I will fire it up later today when I am back home. Then I will let you know

[@fuad000100]

I too wanna know!

[@joejunior4700]

@@donglemadness posting a ward here on this comment since I'm also interested with the JM6 pro

[@donglemadness]

Alright. I have tested PR2 with JM6 Pro in USB Exclusive mode, running HIBY Music App. The loudness is at around 20/32 to achieve proper listening level for my ears, so there's still room to spare for loudness. Compared against what I am haring versus 2 VRMS dongles like iBasso DC03Pro or Ovidius B1, I feel that the headroom is more open sounding with those higher powered sources. a bit more of sense of space. Also the resolution is better defined. I would say that the 1.6 VRMS JM6 Pro can drive PR2 fine, for as long as you are not comparing it against more powerful DAC/Amps, it is fully usable

[@AbdullahAcar]

​@@donglemadnessand how does other planars like heyday and s12 performs with jm 06 pro or smartphone? I don't expect them to fully drive planars but can we get close to their potentials?

[@a3per818]

Hi, what would you say is the sweetspot for price to performance in iems and dongles and what would be your recommendation at that price. Also, is it worth waiting for the November sale if i don't desperately need the stuff? (sorry for asking a question kind of irrelevant to the video) Thanks

[@donglemadness]

Sweet spot price for dongle to pair with PR2?, it will be iBasso DC03Pro or VE Megatron both can be had for under $60

[@a3per818]

@@donglemadness how noticable is the difference between those and another cheaper dongle like say Abigail or 7hz 71

[@donglemadness]

@@a3per818 Not so much

[@a3per818]

@@donglemadness is it better to get a 10 dollar dongle and spend the extra 50 on a better iem? In my original comment the question I meant to ask was if I had say 100 dollars to spend, what iem dac combo would give me the best sound and technicalities if I don't care about anything else? Thanks a lot for answering my queries

[@NitishKumar-mh4nj]

Love from 🇮🇳, Can you suggest me for my 1st Iem, Should i choose this or ccz coffee beans,, as i love bass music,, & missing berlin raves badly .

[@donglemadness]

Sounds like you need KZ Castor Harman Bass version, that's what I would recommend

[@NitishKumar-mh4nj]

@donglemadness, I don't know how to say you thank you for suggesting unconditionally, kz castor was nowhere in my radar or knowledge. It turned out the way i wanted to start in this field ,, I am using it with jcally JM45. Again thank you ♥️♥️🥰🥰

[@adrianclw]

Will you recommend this IEM if just normal listening from laptop. As you mentioned need power to drive it for fully perform. And I don't have full setup, mostly listening musical instruments, OST. Currently using FiiO FH1S. Just have an old GoVibe Mini Box Amp (hardly use). Want to try something different within budget.

[@donglemadness]

GoVibe Mini Box as I recall will be amply powered for most partners. PR2 would not be an issue, my point being, PR2 will already sound good with most sources, but it will scale beautifully with superior power. So if you want richer dynamics and more headroom, usually a 2-4 Vrms DAC/Amp will suffice

[@matusjurcik6974]

These planar iems (s12, timeless, p1max, tangzu) are using the same driver or different generation of it. Kzs driver is right up there whenit comes to quality. They are all on the same level with only difference being tuning...

[@warp_machine]

I have DC04 Pro is it enough for the PR2 ? As you mentioned that it scales well with more power. Would switching to balanced cable help with scaling if so can recommend a few budget balanced cables?

[@donglemadness]

DC04Pro has more than enough power to even drive much harder stuffs like HiFiMan HE400SE, Fostex T40RP MK3 full sized 91dB magnetic planars and a 300 Ohm Sennheiser HD650 as noted in my review of DC04Pro, so yes PR2 is peanuts for DC04Pro especially if you run it from the 4.4mm BAL port which offers the highest power output. On a dual port dongles, the 3.5mm SE is always tuned to be weaker by half the actual power, so it is a good idea to use 4.4mm side of it

[@warp_machine]

@@donglemadness yeah I do have the HD650 as well seems to do the job and I don't want to have a dedicated dac/amp just yet for my setup so yeah I'll just try and get a balanced cable maybe

[@Kjrov]

I have the PR2 on the way, but I'm torn between the JCALLY JM10 and the AP7, which I only became aware of after watching your video; which of the two would you recommend?

[@donglemadness]

Both will still work to drive PR2, but JM10 will fare better because it operates in 2 Vrms instead of 1 VRMS for AP7. Fot as long as you run USB exclusive mode, then you get full power to the dongles

[@Kjrov]

My comments keep getting deleted, for some reason... Anyway... *EDIT:* It's probably because I was replying to you directly. I've tried messaging three times, but it's only gotten through this time, without the @ tag. Thanks for the insight - the JCALLY JM10 it is - by the way, I'm sorry to hear about the website, it's a wonderful resource, especially for novices such as myself, and I hope that you, your channel, and your efforts, all get the recognition and praise they so deserve. Perhaps you would entertain the thought of using Sheets as a free, alternative way of keeping your compiled dongle rankings alive for everyone to see? Gizaudio has a setup where their videos have a link to Timmy's IEM ranking in the description; they use a link shortener which probably earns them some money per click, as well. If this is something that you would be interested in, I hope that you could look up one of Gizaudio's newer videos, check its description where the aforementioned Sheets link is, and see if it is something that you and your methodology could work with - that way, you could continue your migration to KZbin, but still retain the overview of your rankings, and then some, without the overhead. Sheets won't be as comprehensive as your website, but "losing" such an easily accessible resource would devastate the community as a whole, especially before many get the chance to see it, as time goes on.

[@Abby-mw3kd]

@andyaudiovault PR2 or EA500 or Hexa? Which has the best Sound quality? I prefer neutral sound. What would you recommend?

[@donglemadness]

Three different tunings between those IEMs you mentioned. PR2 is definitely closer to Diffused Field Neutral while EA500 is a bit more boosted in the lower frequency. HEXA on the other hand is more on Harman neutral sort of tuning. I liked all three equally so it is hard to say which one will be better over the others. But if I must choose one between the three, I will grab E500 because it offers swappable nozzles and relatively easier to drive

[@edgoreec]

Sería buena combinación, ibasso dc04 pro y Kz pr2? O seria mejor con Ledshuoer s12 pro?

[@donglemadness]

DC04Pro works really well with both PR2 and S12Pro, it is a very versatile dongle that handles and synergize with many type of IEMs

[@sibgrace]

May I ask if the Sony ZX507 is powerful enough to drive the KZ HBB PR2? And is there a balanced cable for the KZ HBB PR2 available? Thanks.

[@donglemadness]

I would not know because I haven't tried ZX507. But really, driving for proper listening loudness is not difficult for PR2, the question is, does the source has the right juice to allow PR2 to scale for better sound, synergy element we are talking about here

[@sibgrace]

Thanks. I just bought a balanced 4.4 male to 3.5 female converter and so I will invest a PR2 soon. And I believe the ZX507 balanced output of 200mW should handle the PR2 well. Btw I listen to Tsai Chin a lot. :D Thanks again.

[@gourabsaha2647]

Is the JCALLY JM6 Pro dongle dac enough for this kz pr2 iem?

[@donglemadness]

Yes it is

[@amandaboquiren4601]

Hello Sir, I've watched your review video for reference, I love listening to music; ballad, pop, rock, classical music. I'm new to iem, I'm deciding between kz zvx, kz hbb pr2, tanchjim zero, and kz zs10pro x, these are the ones I'm considering to buy. Which of these would be good for listening to music?

[@donglemadness]

Hi Amanda. I can speak for ZVX , PR2 and Tanchjim ZERO as I have tested and owned all of those. But I would not know how ZS10Pro X is. Among all of the ones you mentioned, I personally use Tanchjim ZERO the most because I like it a lot. But really for the type of music you listen to, ZVX can do an excellent job at it and it is relatively efficient to drive. PR2 is great too, but since you said you are still new to all this, perhaps best not to get it because PR2 require power to sound the best. So, go for ZVX is what I would suggest

[@amandaboquiren4601]

@@donglemadness Thanks for the helpful advice! 💕

[@amandaboquiren4601]

@@donglemadness Sorry to ask again, but what does it mean with power? like I'm actually curious what is "power" to iem, I've read this word on articles or reviews of iem products.

[@donglemadness]

@@amandaboquiren4601 All listening devices makes sound by the power fed to them from the sources. The measurements that you see in mW is power. The higher the power, it works best for power scalable IEMs or headphones. Some IEMs need less power than others

[@fritzkabeano1969]

Can you test the Fosi DS1 dongle with the kz pr2's and see how it drives them? Thank you!

[@donglemadness]

I wouldn't be able to do it now as DS1 was given away as #donglemadness lucky draw prize. But I don't expect power issues with DS1 because it can already drive much harder stuffs like HiFiMan HE400SE and Fostex T40RP MK3

[@fritzkabeano1969]

@@donglemadness Thanks!

[@sonnyboy2340]

Cheapest dongle DAC to drive PR2 adequately? 2vrms enough? Will Jcally JM6 Pro do?

[@donglemadness]

Absolutely iBasso DC03Pro at under $60 now, no contest there. JM6Pro is fairly better compared to JM7 or other 1 Vrms dongles due to the added amp module, but really DC03Pro will offer the best results for something illegally cheap

[@donglemadness]

@@Annabelle_UwU With JM7 you get at around 80% at best of the actual potential

[@sushiplayzz674]

I have a btr5 new edition. I got an balanced upgrade cable. Knowing it's already powerfull and can drive hd600 on the 3.5 (barely, but still is able to!) I'm pretty sure it'll have no problem in balanced out right? How will it compare to 3.5?

[@donglemadness]

Unfortunately I have never tried BTR5 so I would not know for sure. But if HD600 works okay, definitely PR2 would be a breeze

[@rage8kage]

Got that exact set up. Sounds fine to me but needs volume up to 70-80percent. Balanced 2.5 is definitely louder maybe by 10percent. How was it for you. Did you get a 2.5 balanced cable for the headphone? I just used a balanced 2.5to3.5 adapter

[@Dolphins_are_our_Overlords]

Hi Andy. Can you show me your preference FR Target graph so that i can understand your pov & make decision compared it to my own personal preference fr Target

[@donglemadness]

I am not a graph reader so I don't have anything like that. But my preference has always been Diffused Field Neutral of Etymotic ER4SR. I been an Ety user since 2006. And my TOTL reference is Shure KSE1500 which to me is the perfect sound

[@Dolphins_are_our_Overlords]

@@donglemadness thanks 👍 my pref is based on df too but with a little negative tilt & bass boost acc to my needs

[@063dharmeshrajan5]

Sir i have shanling UA1s does is okay to drive kz pr2 ?

[@donglemadness]

Yes it will drive PR2, but UA1 will be a bit on the bright side for the sound itself

[@joejunior4700]

You have commented on your website before that you are going to see and test CX - pro when you review PR2. How does the CX - PRO handle PR2, how high do you need the volume set if you use CX-PRO

[@donglemadness]

I have tested it with Abigail Pro which is CX31993 as well, same power to CX-Pro and I would say it performs better than directly from my phone. But these ultra compact dongles are capped at 1 Vrms and I get probably at 80% of actual potential of sound as compared to the more powerful dongles. But it is definitely still good sounding, just the headroom felt not open sounding enough and also note weight less dense

[@joejunior4700]

@@donglemadness thank you for the feedback dongle Zen, very much appreciated. I wanna purchase jm10 pro from jcally which is supposed to be rated at 2vrm at 600ohms, that'll be fine right?

[@donglemadness]

@@joejunior4700 I would still recommend DC03Pro over anything else under $60. But if you must have JM10, then it is still a great dongle too. Ohm is not the factor for PR2 as you can see it barely touch 20 Ohm, it is the sensitivity of 94 dB that you should look at and it has been proven that 2 Vrms works really well with PR2

[@joejunior4700]

@@donglemadness Thank you very much for the recommendation.

[@faisalfirdausiinn4708]

@@donglemadness Thank you for the additional guide of Ohm vs dB sensitivity.

[@koningklootzak7788]

Thanks for the video. I wish you compared with PR1 PRO. There are 2 versions of PR1. Hifi edition and balanced edition. Which PR1 did you compare with?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I can only compare with what I have personally tested and use

[@koningklootzak7788]

@@donglemadness which one? Balanced or hifi?

[@donglemadness]

@@koningklootzak7788 I only tested the HiFi PR1

[@SHARANPIYUSH22]

please tell the minimum and recommend mw power for running these iem , i have hiby fc4 and now i do have jcally jm80E but its just 45mw but i purchased this one because this one having adc hd chip also with 24bit/48khz recording and its working well..

[@donglemadness]

I can only advise based on actual usage scenario. FC4 especially is already very powerful at 4 Vrms and more than enough for PR2, but JM80E may not be enough if you want to scale the PR2 with power (it may still work with adequate loudness)

[@ZulfikarRahmat21]

I have tanchjim space, do I need to upgrade to dc04pro if I want to get a good sound experience on PR2 or space is enough? Just curious because some people say space is not proper enough for PR2 in terms of power at least to make PR2 sound better. I'm still planning to buy the PR2 myself because of this confusion 😂

[@donglemadness]

Space is already great with driving power. If you like why change? Space can even drive full sized planars with wholesale sound. At least to my hearing it doesn't sound inadequate

[@ZulfikarRahmat21]

@@donglemadness Thank you for your reply. Just curious because I was looking for a source that can synergize with pr2 or hbb khan. And incidentally here there is no place to audition so I can only blindbuy. Because of that I am looking for dongle references that are quite reliable

[@luminousa5090]

what should i take Dioko or KZ PR2 ? for dongle i have Ibasso DC03 Pro. i like Rock music, PoP, and and a little bass.

[@donglemadness]

It is easy for me to choose PR2 over Dioko, more balanced sound from PR2 and I have tested it extensively with Rock/Metal music as well as some Pop music. But worth to note that Dioko offer a bit more of bass versus PR2

[@luminousa5090]

@@donglemadness thanks for the response, I really appreciate it, I don't hesitate anymore to choose PR2 :) :)

[@arveemangune8923]

Does player alone can drive this pr2? Like the xduoo x2s?

[@donglemadness]

Should be, if your player has no less than 2 VRMS of power

[@aureliony]

Would ES-PRO Audio 9318 or Jcally JM6 Pro be better for driving these?

[@donglemadness]

JM6 Pro

[@vomobimo8873]

Hi andy, between jm6 pro and jm10 pro, which dongle shines better for pr2? On a budget.

[@donglemadness]

JM10 would be more suitable due to higher output of 2 Vrms. If you can get iBasso DC03Pro for under $60 that would be perfect

[@vomobimo8873]

@@donglemadness Thank you for your time andy. Seems like dc03pro is my endgame dongle then.

[@raghost15]

Hello again. I have another question. When pairing with the Truthear SHIO, what volume would be adequate for those IEM to really shine (3.5 and 4.4 outputs)?

[@donglemadness]

Volume loudness totally depends on the listener sensitivity to sound. Each of us humans have different tolerance levels. Some need it really loud and some really low, so there's no definite answer to this

[@nebuchell]

Is the avani dongle enough to run these with good audio quality? Thanks!

[@donglemadness]

It depends on how you run it. If running USB exclusive mode, then you may have proper loudness and PR2 would already sound good, but just remember PR2 nature is to scale better with more power, so to achieve that max potential you can consider something like iBasso DC03Pro on High Gain

[@nebuchell]

@@donglemadness I'd like to get something like that but I cant afford them, also they are more expensive than the iems itself and their whole point is them being planar at an affordable price, so I'd rather get something like Heyday and drive it easily instead of PR2 + DC03

[@infotechcom2008]

i have dac truthear shio. is this dac can drive pr2 really proper? should i use high gain on this pr2?

[@donglemadness]

Ys SHIO has the power to drive it properly, and use Hi Gain whenever possible with any planars

[@Whit-mh9nt]

I would like to know if you have time, will my Hiby R3 Sabre Pro drive these well enough that I should buy them? Perhaps on the balanced out.. Thanks

[@donglemadness]

I never use R3 Sabre Pro so it will be hard for me to tell for sure. But if R3 Pro has more than 2 Vrms of power it is already more than enough

[@Whit-mh9nt]

@@donglemadness rated 2.6 maximum 3.3 Vrms. 0.00002 thd + noise good enough to make them dynamic? I appreciate your answer thanks.

[@donglemadness]

@@Whit-mh9nt More than capable definitely

[@Whit-mh9nt]

I bought these, they are truly great with the right hi res files.. but if there is something wrong with the recording like noise or anything its a problem.. I really like them a lot, some of the grandeur of real high end audio is definitely there. Thanks for your input. Real happy with them.

[@donglemadness]

@@Whit-mh9nt My pleasure

[@5675492]

They're 26 dollars US on aliexpress right now .

[@TheChazas]

Does your PR2 have mesh damper over the driver inside, or driver is without mesh and have damper inside the nozzle? Since KZ reported changing PR2 damper after first batch with the issues and removed the mesh on top of the driver. Wonder how both differ to one another.

[@donglemadness]

Yes it does, mine has fabric damper inside.

[@TheChazas]

@@donglemadness So it is from first batch. KZ still have its quirks, really wonder how this "fixed" changed batches differ from dampened one.

[@carvalho7davi]

What would say if wanna to use them for PS5 gaming?

[@donglemadness]

Yes it is suitable

[@fernsjuarez1129]

How will the Jcaly ap10 work with the pr2?

[@donglemadness]

It will work fine, AP10 has lots of power to offer

[@fernsjuarez1129]

@@donglemadness you're the best dude, always responding to your subscribers, not like a bunch others that don't care about the comments.