Introduction
I was introduced to LZ IEMs over a year ago out of the blue. I was approached by a Head-Fi member to try out a pair of LZ-a2 triple hybrids which were completely unknown at the time. Their price of $99 was groundbreaking for a triple hybrid, and based on the way a few people were gushing over them, I knew I had to try them.
Within the first 15 minutes of listening, I was hooked. The sound was detailed and engaging, yet so smooth to listen to. It was unlike any hybrid I had heard before. It immediately became my favorite daily driver for a very long time. It made me lose interest a bit in the hobby in looking for something better, because I didn’t feel I needed to.
I was then invited to participate in the LZ A4 prototype tour. A prototype model was sent around to a select group of Head-Fi members in which we were to give our impressions of the unit. Suffice to say, for the suggested price of $200, I was not originally impressed. I felt the soundstage was congested, the filters did more harm than good to the sound signature, and the ergonomics needed work. In what was a highly impressive move to me, LZ listened to our feedback and fixed ALL the issues we noted for him. In doing so, he has created a masterpiece in the A4 (in my opinion).
My LZ A4 is not a review unit, but was purchased at full retail price from HCK Audio on Aliexpress.
This will be an ongoing review over time. I have spent about two months with my pair now, and here are my thoughts.
REVIEW
Specifications:
LZ A4 2BA Balanced Armature + Dynamic Driver Hybrid In-Ear Earphones with Detachable MMCX Cable
- Driver unit: 1 dynamic + 2 Knowles balanced armatures
- Impedance: 16 ohm
- Headphone sensitivity: 120 dB
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 28 kHz
- Connector: ⅛ in (3.5 mm)
- Cable: MMCX detachable, 4 ft (1.2 m +/- 5 cm)
- Weight: 1.1 oz (30 g)
- Use Titanium silver composite diaphragm dynamic driver+ dual Knowles balanced armature driver
Included Accessories
- 7 pairs of single-flange silicone tips
- 1 pair of double-flange silicone tips
- 3 rear filters and 5 nozzle filters in metal tin
- Detachable cable
- Zippered carrying case
The A4 comes with a wide array of silicone tips varying in shape and size. If you don’t already have a pair of preferred tips (Spiral Dots and KZ Acoustics for me), the different bore sizes will affect the sound per filter configuration. If you use bass filters (red), try for a wider bore. For treble enhanced filters (blue), try a smaller bore opening.
The filters are nicely arranged and easily accessible in a metal tin, while the carrying case provides enough room to fit everything inside.
My favorite combos are: Red/Black, Black/Black, Black/Blue, Red/Blue
The case, while a nice included touch with an LZ logo, didn’t really strike me as all that appealing. It does work great for storing everything however.
Housing/Fit/Isolation
The LZ-A4 is shaped in a unique teardrop/half circle configuration and made from a sturdy metal alloy. It allows the A4 to be worn over ear and down based on your preference. I prefer wearing them down, which feels more natural and easier to use. If you get a good tip seal, they stay in ear, even during a workout.
The rear chamber houses circular filters that you twist on and off to change the bass levels. The nozzles in the front are also removeable and change the sound based on their color.
Bass levels:
Back Filters: None > Red > Black > Blue
Mids/Treble:
Front Filters: Red < Pink < Grey < Black < Green < Blue
My favorite combos are: Red/Black, Black/Black, Black/Blue, Red/Blue Black/Pink
Isolation is good, as only a slight bit of sound leaks to an outside listener. I expected a lot more sound leakage based on the rear filter designs.
Cable
The cable included with the A4 has a quality, rounded bumpy plastic feel to it, but it is also extremely difficult to remove from the housings. I stupidly pulled very hard on the wire one day while trying to remove the right housing and snapped the wire right off it. This is not to say it is a poor cable, but more of a warning NOT to pull the wire while removing the housing. Grab from the lowest part of the housing, and the tip of the cable.
I switched to a silver plated MMCX cable and Fidue’s balanced MMCX cable (which brings the A4 to another level of sound). The Fidue cable allowed the A4 to shine on the few balanced sources I tried it on
Sound Review
Testing Gear (in order of quality)
LH Labs Pulse X Infinity 2.0
LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity (Balanced)
Aune S6
Fiio X5 3
rd Gen
Axon 7
Asrock Fatality amped onboard DAC/amp
Music used for testing
Lots of metal, EDM, classic rock, vocal melodies, anything that shuffles up.
Amplifier Needed?
An amp isn’t needed, but the A4 does scale well with higher quality sources and some extra power. Bass extends deep, so more power can give you a few more dB of clearer sound down low, especially when using the red back filter.
Go with a balanced source if you can. There is a noticeable difference in clarity.
Sound Signature
The 18 possible filter combinations produce a wide range of sound signatures. The Blue back filter will create a bass light, mostly neutral signature. The Red back filter and no filter provide near basshead levels of bass. The flexibility of the sound is like the FLC8S at a much lower price.
The signature is balanced with a slight or massive V, depending on the filter used as seen below:
Graph Filter Colors: Green=Green, Blue=Blue, Grey=Grey, Red=Red, Pink=Pink, Yellow=Black
I consider Black/Black the "reference" tuning, as it seems to be the average midpoint of all the filters.
Blue Back
Black Back
Red Back
Bass
I enjoy slightly boosted bass with clarity. The A4 nails this signature better than almost any other IEM I’ve heard. I also tend to want more bass some days and less on others. A quick swap to the Red back filter gives me the slam I want for EDM listening one day, while a quick swap to Black will give me just enough kick drum power in a metal track to not overshadow the rest of the sound. If you want a flat, neutral sound, go with the Blue back filter.
There is plenty of subbass and midbass present, almost too much at times, but I enjoy it. Oddly enough, I get the biggest amount of bass from using wide bore Sennhesier type biflange tips. Normally tips like these reduce bass, but not on the A4.
The clarity of the bass with the Black back filter makes it my favorite. The Red back filter has more bass, but it is a bit loose in comparison and takes away from the mids a bit. Black gives a “just right” amount of slightly boosted bass that works well with all music genres.
Midrange
The mids of the A4 aren’t recessed, but they aren’t prominent either. Instruments and vocals never suffer or get lost in the mix despite the significant bass behind them. Some filters bring the mids forward (grey, green, blue), while others take a small step back or remain neutral.
The timbre, clarity, and sound is comparable to something your favorite tube amp would produce… organic, smooth, detailed with a bit of warmth to it.
Guitars really shine. From solos to acoustic, or to a sustained crunch… the sound is truly crisp and enjoyable. The A4 is one of my favorite IEMs to listen to all kinds of guitar driven music. There is a ton of weight behind a power chord, and it makes me want to jam along.
Treble
One of the weaknesses of the LZ-a2, a previous model, is that the treble was a little too rolled off and missing detail. The A4 fixes that, with well extended treble with almost every filter. Measurements show the extension, but they also reveal significant peaks in some of the filters, most notably the Blue and Green fronts. The mid and treble peaks in those filters are best tamed via EQ if they sound fatiguing to you.
Some filters like the Pink one provide a smoother sound without sacrificing much detail. Personally, I like the slight boost the Black front filter provides, making Black/Black my reference. Black/Pink is a reminder of the LZ-a2 sound, but with more extension and detail.
Soundstage, Imaging, Resolution
There is a clarity and detail level here that the older a2 just cannot match. Imaging wise, while everything is well represented, instruments feel cohesively blended together instead of standing out. The soundstage is also a significant step up, providing a very 3D feeling while keeping vocals front and center. The A4 retains some of the best clarity and detail amongst bass heavy IEMs I’ve heard, making this incredibly ideal for my preferences.
Comparisons
A4 vs. Magaosi K3:
Very similar, but the K3 tends to lean a little bright and fatiguing without foam tips. Pricing differences between the two make it a toss up, as the A4 is more versatile, but the K3 isn’t far behind technically either. They play at nearly the same level of sound for a very value driven price.
A4 vs a2:
As mentioned throughout the review, the A4 bests the a2 in every way, and I loved the a2.
A4 vs Vibro Aria:
The Aria may have the A4 beat a bit in more detail at times, and the Aria is built a bit nicer, but the A4 is just much more enjoyable. The Aria doesn’t come close to the bass levels the A4 can output and can sound a bit cold, even though the signature leans towards a V shape. The Aria is also double the price.
Conclusion
This is the best IEM I own, and easily my favorite. I knew within the first 15 seconds of listening that I was going to love the A4. I haven’t been truly impressed with earphones in a long time, but the A4 does everything I want it to, and sounds just like I want it to. It would really be difficult to get better sound quality without spending hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars more. While $199 isn’t exactly a budget purchase, when you start comparing the sound to IEMs in the $499 and up level, it beats some (like the Aria) and comes close to a few others.
You can purchase the LZ-A4 here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/New-LZ-A4-In-Ear-Earphone-Dynamic-With-2BA-Hybrid-3-Unit-HIFI-Earphone-Earbud/1825606_32771039693.html?spm=2114.12010615.0.0.tKPMK6