KZ x HBB PR2 - You've Been Heyday'd 

I don't think another brand can touch the price on a full planar. TRN tried but the driver seems to be sub-par. Just looking at how many PR2 were sold, yes, it has already started to disrupt the price point.

KZ has limited the scope of sets they send out directly, I assume Linsoul will follow on with more. Even HBB mentioned it with PR2, KZ wanted to drive more eyeballs to their store initially. KZ also shipped sets out quickly to those who purchased early so quite a few out there posting about it too. Thank you

Yeah, D-Fi was unexpected. EDXS is a maybe, we'll see if they change the 5k or worry about it later.

Yeah DX3 Pro should handle it and nearly anything else but those are super clean too which plays well in planar land.

Lately I have been seeing people on both ends, trying a dongle and having no issues and the others who can't believe how much volume it takes to get them to sound optimal. I think the dongle folks got sound at a reasonable level, but probably not in the zone like you are with an R3 Pro on bal.

Yeah. even HBB mentioned it too. As a larger audience tries it and planars in general, there is an adjustment curve to that intensity. Also where Heyday is different.

The attack and decay is great on these. Timing good and soundstage width is great on the PR2 IEM’s the micro details is insane on these. I have IEM’s that cost 1k plus and been using IEM’s since the UE tripleFi came out in early to mid 2000’s. This was unheard of for $50 buck just a short few years ago. They blow most non hybrids multi drivers out of water that around $600 and under. Only IEM’s now have that sound more accurate are my UE customs and audio 64 IEM and my Sony IEM’s as they are tuned more reference neutral. The PR2 are good but definitely V shape but thankfully midrange is very good still and make up in extreme details.

Sweet. I have paid attention to impressions with different sources and I think generally people are finding their way. Maybe more so that I assumed and I am definitely not complaining if it turned out easier to drive than initial estimates.

Same. Have been using P1 max till now. Totally love it's balanced sound. Have purchased 2 pieces of PR2, one for myself & other for gifting purpose. Good earphones are best gifts for people who like quality audio.

I think PR1 Pro is better in those if you can handle that treble. All that upper energy works for the stage and imaging. PR2 rolled it back and bumped the pinna which tends to flatten the stage for me. It is easy to say that, but not everyone can handle PR1 Pro so that won't be an option for everyone. Timeless is still tech king as it is just a ton of raw detail and resolution. Timeless and S12 Pro rule that. Heyday balanced detail and techs with a tuning that is generally appealing.

Thanks, glad you are getting along with it. The 2Vrms is generally what people have been saying, 1.5 in a pinch. Apple is 1.0 which is a stretch with no headroom as you said. All the KZ planars do well with EQ but this one is different as it is the lowest cost model now.

Yep, some people will give it a shot and come to the same conclusion.

Yep, I think a ton of people are picking up PR2 regardless of the tuning simply due to price. The hardcore who picked up PR1 Pro and enjoy it, probably stick with it unless they just want another flavor.

At that price, you weren't alone blind buying. There were 1300+ sold on Ali when I looked which is a larger number for an Ali store.

I don't know if KZ can do this again without a collab driving the audience like this. I think both sides saw the opportunity and took it. Without HBB on the shell, not sure it would get this much attention.

Take into account that sensitivity is measured logarithmically, so having 1db less means you need to double the power to get the same result (kinda). Having 18dbs less, means you'll need a lot more of power to get a proper volume output.

My Pixel4a is maxxed out by the PR2, so is the Apple dongle (AU edition), definitely recommend something like a dongle dac. Shio for instance has zero issues.

I would say it will probably work. Everyone is going to say its hard to drive so there are no surprises and KZ made a point of making PR1 Pro easier to drive as their base is mostly phone users. To drop back in sensitivity was a surprise to me. Is the pinna bumped a bit so it appears easier to drive? Probably.

This is a question I would really appreciate if it is answered, considering this two kinds of planar IEMs, the ones in $150 roughly and the sub $80 ones, are there differences in technical performance? Or the quality of the drivers?

​@@ignacio9151 Both are very capable technically. Upper mids appear to have more detail on PR2, but they are also about 3-4 dbs boosted compared to Heyday, so it can be just psychoacoustic at play. Heyday has a wider soundstage and slightly better imaging. Midbass has more slam and vocals and all instruments have heavier note weight. PR2 is harder to drive, the driver is not efficient. These are my quick comparison.

@@ZeusPropofol Thank you, it is very surprising that this technology can compete with IEMs below $200 in terms of technicalities, with more tuning it will sure be a banger

My theory, pinna is there to make it slightly easier to drive and it may work out that way. For those who have amps, that pinna controlled my volume and as soon as I backed down, I liked it a lot more. I need to try the Complys.

@@PaulWasabii I listened more to PR2, they sound ok with lower volumes. That extra pinna and bass help, kinda what home theater do with dynamic EQ: when you lower volume they boost treble and bass to help you hear everything with lower volume. PR1 Pro with comply tips is still my favorite budget planar

Btr3k is fine also BGVP T01s dongle (both balanced) sounds great. Loud, clean, great bass and imaging (spiral dot jvc tips). Unbelievable for the price.

@@gorjn1 thanks for the info bud, appreciate it.

Basically you need some kind of dac/amp but yeah, it takes some juice to get up to volume.

Yeah, I didn't play with it, but a $40usd full planar with that upper treble tamed is perfect for mods or EQ or just tips.

Yep this is tilted towards folks picking up their first planar

On paper it does have enough power. On balanced, it definitely will but start with 3.5,mm if that is what you have.

what would you suggest if im using just a cellphone for music im eyeing on this set to try something new like planars but I cannot just buy something outright for $40. im just a student not much to spend hehe does DACs solve the power problem as mentioned it is difficult to drive

@@eloy5808 If you buy the PR2 and just use it as is for now, you can save up to a dongle you can buy later. If that's too much, you can look into the TRN Rosefinch. I think it is pretty good and easy to drive.

​@@eloy5808 buy Abigail pro

@@oijans ah ok i got it... thanks man

Yeah, better to have some dongle than no dongle. Planars being relatively new, settled into a few groups. The OG gang like Timeless and S12 Pro are treble bangers. P1max rolled that back a bit into a less planar in your face sound but lost some wow. And then there is Heyday which bridged the gap from OG planar tech to more mainstream mid-fi levels. PR2 is that taming of the upper treble like Heyday. So you can spend more money, but not necessarily better, mostly different tuning with similar planar drivers.

So there are two things happening with the volume here. One, it needs power to get you to your normal listening volume. You will turn the dial trying to get there. Second, yes, that pinna area is touchy with volume for me and probably much smaller than what you are thinking on Fletcher. Again, it is that sensitivity to planar intensity which is why I liked Heyday where you had finer control on how volume affected the sound.

Tough one, Winter is a very cool set simply due to how they did the bone conduction. I personally think planars like Heyday still edge it out but Winter blew me away as it is just unique. Right now, I'd wait for Winter Ultra though as they haven't talked about the changes yet.

@@PaulWasabii yes I was thinking of getting a planar like Heyday but I never want to hear any planar or BA timbre. Also considered IE600 but that's just too pricey. I guess I may have to wait for the bqeyz Ultra version then, thanks again

I tried both KB07 and flipped starlines. I don't think the actual tips matter as much as the fit needs to be spot on. Any bass leakage and you won't have a good time.

Cool, I ended up seeing his post a few hours later and added it.

Sadly I am not big on the dongle scene. Option one, just buy PR2 and crank your phone. It should get you there with not much volume to spare. If it doesn't, by the time that happens, there should be a lot more people with PR2 and dongles. I am guessing that any cheap dongle at the top half of AndyEF's donglemadness list with 50mW or more is a good start. But really, I'd either order now and sort it out later or just wait a couple of weeks and there will be many more people trying it on phones and dongles.

Probably but you might be maxing out the volume. I don't remember the power output on high impedance mode but it was there to drive some headphones.

Hang on, wait for PR3. Both have the same shell and neither are open back as they look. I believe it is not open at all.

Perfect. Apple is 1.03Vrms or close to that and most people who thought about it longer than I did are saying you need to get to 1.5 or 16Vrms. That isn't a monster dongle at all, but still going to need a dongle with your phone.

I think kztws as their official store had first shot at inventory from what I can see from other people waiting for their sets to ship.

You aren't going to get a straight answer on that as it depends. Yes on paper it does but with planar, they scale up with power and don't sound at their best with the minimal power.

Yes, it is more of a gamble. I have no idea as I have measured 3 of them and all are slightly different.

Correct, and I would say the same on all the KZ planars, they are much better if you are willing to tweak them to your ears. Driver is solid, just needs to be tweaked a bit with EQ.

@@PaulWasabii I wonder if some sort of damping material could do the trick. My impression in that, considering the quality of the driver, they rushed to put the product on the market. Maybe with a little bit extra tweaking they could have had a nearly perfect planar at a killer price

I have run across a couple calculations on it and ends up being in that 50-60mW range. Like everything else, that is subjective. Its not crazy but you will noticeably have less volume headroom on lower power devices.

Yes, but the price is attracting a much larger group who are picking up their first planar so I didn't talk about that. But you are right and to be fair, all the KZ planars are great for EQ. Thank you

That is the annoying bit with KZ. This isn't the first time they make a small change but very rarely does someone have both the old and new to see if there was a change. What I noticed is some PR2 models measuring very close to PR1 Pro which is odd. I just don't know if that is the same issue or coincidence.

@@PaulWasabii I have seen people report and showing graphs that new batches without damper mesh sound very different, and basically is not HBB tuned anymore.

@@PaulWasabiiThey actually came out with a 3rd revision of the PR2’s it better then both the first and second revision. The first found to be lacking in mid bass and lower midrange. The second had to much peaking in present and Brilliance range. The 3rd the tuning is finally correct and literally sound more accurate and micro detail is insane. It literally mess it up for me as no longer I can listen to my moondrop variations , or my shure 535 IEM’s the PR2 blows them out of water easily. The quickness and details are insane on the pr2. I had to use my UE 18 customs as a reference and go back to the Moondrop to test to see if my mind was acting as a DSP and nope the PR2 actually sounded more accurate and the attack and decay is great while the shure especially sound muddy as slow. The PR2 excels at micro details, instrument separation while being very quick and having a above average soundstage width wise better then most IEM’s tested. I am surprised and shocked you can get this quality at $50 bucks it literally blows away $600 dollars and under IEM’s out of the water. This was unheard of just a few years ago back in 2017 and bellow. No it not going to be as good as some 1k plus IEM’s like Sony IEM’s or audio 64 and UE customs but the fact it comes close and blow pretty much all balance only multi drivers and dynamic drivers out of the water is impressive. It tells me Planar drivers is going to be a game changer. The only issue found you can not use a Apple dongle you have to use a decent DAC/Amplifier while most IEM’s a Apple dongle is fine. The PR2 definitely need a amplifier capable of 2vrms and very linear and very low THD. You need it for headroom and then they are a whole different animal. A Apple dongle bass is going be lacking and they going to sound loud but not great at higher volume. Plus THD becomes a issue as timbre is bad and you heard low static. With amplifier is dead silent and no low static.

Very true. Ultimately PR2 was a $30usd set that needed $50usd dongle and will scale up with as much money as you have, especially tweaking the treble. EA500 is a bit of the same, it is a beast of a driver for the price.

It appears to be just a fine metal mesh. Does that affect the tuning, probably but doesn't look like there is a filter attached to the back of it.

Between you and me, KZ has been trying different materials on other sets so not surprising you found an improvement. I talked about it a bit with EDXS, I think they are trying to find the balance of less dampening and maintaining a generally appealing sound with their new tuning styles. Tanya will definitely take down the upper rmid or you can EQ to another set in that area. I won't be surprised to see some new nozzle materials and meshes to appear on upcoming sets.

@@PaulWasabii yeah it makes sense, tanya damper is 400 grade and the stock pr2 damper is much ,,looser,,

Maybe, the hobbyists either already have a better dongle or don't mind upgrading as they will use it with other sets. I agree though, spending money just to use PR2 is an additional investment that not everyone is willing to do. S12 Pro or Heyday are near the top if you have a budget for them.

That is what planar are good at, technicalities but there is a price to pay in the treble intensity as I mentioned. That is why people point to Heyday, really tamed the treble but kept the techs. As you probably have been reading, PR2 needs a beefy dongle at a minimum to get to the point of appreciating what it can do. On the other hand, there is no other full planar at this price point so if you are curious enough and have a beefy source, hard to pass on PR2.

Yeah, someone said 2 is better which is like saying more is better. The point is to get people who are on just phones to think more about it. But if you are picking up PR2 today on sale, you can always get a dongle later.

Heyday is a better set and no one is trading in their Heyday for a PR2. I'd wait for the Aliexpress sale end of next month and see if Heyday goes on sale though.

I have a second set that I liked more than my original. Yes, it was changed a bit and seems to be luck whether you end up with a more or less treble set. It is still a planar and best for people who are willing to EQ or mod it to their preferences at this point as it doesn't seem to be a reliable signature.

@@PaulWasabii oh really? then i guess that will depend on how you liked it. then it will not be in a bad way then , i guess. bcoz, the way you like sounds, is also appealing to me. hahaha. so it would be safe to say that it was for the better, unless, we dont like a more treble set. thanks Paul

Yeah its not the dac, its the amp after the dac. I think everyone is being overly cautious with the power to drive as you don't want to keep telling people it is easy to drive and then end up with a ton of people complaining. I'll be super happy when someone says I was wrong and they work fine with some phone. It is easier to say that with PR1 Pro though as they specifically addressed it with that configuration.

@@PaulWasabii the hiby r3 is a portable dac + amp same with the fiio q3. When I use the pr2 with it it is very thirsty for iems but not as thirsty as the he4xx or the gl2000 double magnets. But I'm not saying the pr2 need power so much for volume but to fully hear the details they can put out. On just my sony Xperia 1ii I have to buy it 2 notes above max volume to get details out but if I run the dioko or isign10 they need far less volume and power for detail. With that said I do like the pr2 it has some silky qualities that allow me to listen for longer

Its a struggle to get to a usable volume with the North America version. EU is a no. It is a bit under powered so you are most likely going to max the volume and may or may not get to your desired volume.

Yes, especially the original S12 was on the bright side and needed EQ for any chance to bring the bass down to Heyday. If you go here: pw.squig.link/?share=Shuoer_S12,Tangzu_Heyday Click the equalizer tab, remove the Harman target, and the AutoEQ button should generate the EQ for S12 to Heyday.

Some tips and the same KZ stock cable. No heads. I'd guess Ian Fann showed the box.

No, S12 has it covered. PR2 is more for first timers who have been on the sidelines of planar wars. Some people were picking it up just to have a beater planar for on the go but no, its just an affordable model for those who were curious but not $100usd+ curious.

Short answer is not exactly sure as they don't list the output power, but having a battery is typically going to signify it has enough power. The battery powered dac/amps like BTR3 typically output more power than usb powered dongles.

@@PaulWasabii thanks, appreciate the quick feedback man :)

Its really hard to compare planars to 1DD or anything else. There are technicals that you get with a $40 planar that people are interested in that you can't get in a $40 DD. Z300 is a fun casual set if you are a casual listener and don't need planar speed and resolution.

I would say no but not a horrible idea to get it and buy a dongle later. The problem is planars can reproduce very fine details and you need to feed them very fine details which is why they par will with DAPs and dongles.

The OG S12 are like PR1 Pro, super detailed and treble heavy. S12 Pro brought the treble down so going to be closer. But the premise is PR2 as your first planar rather than picking it up to replace your S12. If you have S12 Pro money, that is a great set. Everyone else will use PR2 for a while and decide if that is an upgrade for them.

@@PaulWasabii Thanks

​@@PaulWasabii I am confused to choose between s12pro or pr2 , can you explain the tuning & technical comparison ?

Welcome to Chi-fi. If you are on Facebook, reach out to one of the KZ reps, Tyvan Lam or Jenny KZ. Otherwise you will go complain to the store you bought it and they will push back on replacing it. Depending on which store is involved, the process is more or less painful.

You earned a new subscriber. x)

Most definitely go with something easier, QKZ x HBB especially if you watch his reviews and understand his library. If you just want a middle of the road good set, Tangzu Wan'er or Kiwi Ears Cadenza. From there, you can jump down the rabbit hole.

@@PaulWasabii Thank you for the insightful info, as I am seeking thay 'wow' moment but I still don't want something that is too much or perhaps I won't like, I agree with you, better off start with something safer. Honestly even safer iems will probably wow me considering what I used to listen with haha.

Fine, but the planars require more power/volume.

If you have S12 Pro budget, then get the S12 Pro. PR2 is great for people who have a decent dongle and just want to try a planar.

@@PaulWasabii Cool! Thanks!

Yes, the 2.5mm has a lot of power for a tiny device but 3.5mm should be fine too.

If you have S12 money, then you get S12 Pro. For folks who just want to try a planar with less investment, that is PR2. S12 Pro is a great set.

@@PaulWasabii I know that S12 pro has a better cable but is 40 euros expensive, beside the cable it sounds the same? Simgot EA500 got my atention too, oh choices...🤔

I agree. I mostly assume people don't watch the whole thing and bounce around. I also like to talk about the important stuff earlier for people who have less time. But you are right.

Right, I can guarantee there will be posts of people putting dampers on the nozzle, EQ settings, etc. The set is so cheap that enough people will buy it and start tweaking.

$100

I guess it need at least truthear shio level Someone said 7hz 71 wont cut it

@@JovanKK Damn. I guess planars aren't for me then (unless we get way more efficient drivers at this price point in the future).

@@_overchaos_ PR2 has the lowest sensitivity among planars, 94db. I drive P1 max (98db) without a dongle DAC on my phone, though at Max volume. I'll pick PR1 PRO over PR2 any day.

@@koningklootzak7788 At its discount price PR1 Pro would be a great buy, but as it stands, I think there are better tuned IEMs in its price class even though they aren't planars.

yes, without a problem, its the most powerfull dongle on market.. I had it for some time.. its very powerfull...

Probably not and definitely not with the EU version. Apple dongle sounds great, not much power.

Realistically that is exactly what I would do. Coming up with your own blend of the two signatures is the way.

Yep and I think there is a reason HBB also mentioned it. I am not sure why the sensitivity dropped as this was an issue on PR1 and better on PR1 Pro.

@@PaulWasabii yes there is a market mismatch, a $45 iem is for midfi users that powers their iem from a $10 dongle so does it makes sense ? does a pr2 on a low power $10 dongle (30-60mw) sound better than a sub $45 single DD iem ? (do you have contenders to list ? kz dfi ?)

That's the point most people ignore and just jumping on the hype wagon. PR1 PRO is much better iem to own. HBB intentionally minimized this point.

If you already had a desktop amp it's no biggie 😊

​@@koningklootzak7788 it's double the price, and not necessarily, I think they're just different

I don't know if there is a planar with bad imaging. Another one of those issues where if you like super sharp imaging, PR1 Pro is probably the one. I don't think PR2 was about pushing the techs beyond PR1, it was more about an easier on the ears first planar for most people.

@@PaulWasabii oh...okay I listen to classical orchestra (Bach and Vivaldi) only. So imaging is super important for me along with a natural sound.

I also think they sold more than they anticipated. In the grand scheme of fulfilling orders, I don't know where Amazon fit in their scheme. With the success of the set, now lots of stores are selling it as well which doesn't help all the initial orders fulfill faster.

@@PaulWasabii Appreciate the reply Paul! Gives me a chance to go dig my Atom Amp and D-10 out of the garage.

Yeah I had an early set with the mesh and I have a later set without it. They are quite different and perhaps different than what other people received. I agree though, they need some power to sound right and then maybe some EQ to dial it into your preferences.

I have the pr2 too. IMO, you will need a 2V dongle for a decent experience. 5V DAP or DAP for the best experience.

@@juanjoset.a.393 thank you bro

No

@@juanjoset.a.393 Any idea about the cheapest 2v dongle on market? I dont really know much about DAC

@@JovanKK You can look for a dongle that has the CS43131 chip. It seems to me that they all have 2VRMS They cost around USD 20-30

I never heard the OG Wu, but someone who has mentioned it to me this morning. Basically said that, similar enough that you would take the $40 option.

I have both, and to my ears the graphs make them seem more similar then they are in reality. The PR2 comes off noticeably brighter sounding with less sub-bass focus. I like the Tangzu better but after EQ the PR2 is like 80% as good with a similar level of detail. I will be keeping the PR2 and using it out of the house more because it shouldn't be hard to replace it and it's pretty cheap, whereas the OG Zetian Wu will become harder to find eventually I think.

I never really talked about it, but I also have a v2 and it was better than the original, more relaxed sound. Not every revision was brighter than the original but I also have no idea what version you would receive from any random store. Too many variants, but I am not complaining on the one I got. And yes, source makes a big difference on KZ Planars. We'll see how PR3 does.

@@PaulWasabii I’ll let you know when the Hidizs HP145 compares when they arrive. From the reviews I’ve seen so far, I imagine they’ll have more note weight and more bass presence. Probably warmer overall but without sacrificing any details in the mids and highs.

Yes, it is relevant in terms of planars from last year. Timeless is that classic planar timbre, a bit raw, but insane detail. But it left quite a gap between that much treble and what people are used to in 1DD and even hybrids. That is where Heyday came and reset the perception that planars can do treble that is just as detailed, but without the crazy level. More like a mid-fi hybrid. On the KZ side, basically PR1 and PR1 Pro were in that Timeless signature, too much treble for the majority. So PR2 brought it down in similar way as Heyday. So Timeless is still relevant, but Heyday and PR2 are moving in a direction that is attractive to a larger audience.

@@PaulWasabii thank you so much. Never expected an actual reply.

I’ve pr1 and pr1 pro but pr1 are harder to drive than pr1 pro but the thing is I prefer listening to pr1 cos I’ve powerful dongle Dacs that drives it perfectly

Right, KZ made PR1 Pro easier to drive.

Still deciding if that is the case or not. Certainly KZ removed the mesh and changed the nozzle mesh as compensation. That is the story until someone can measure both and I think HBB is on the way to doing that.