Linsoul KZ ZS10 Pro Review

Our Experience

The Linsoul KZ ZS10 Pro is a step up in price from its favored brother, but for those seeking the best sound in the bunch, the slight price bump might be worth it. For the price of a cup of stellar guacamole at your favorite authentic Mexican restaurant, you can upgrade your listening experience, but there are caveats and other things you'll be sacrificing along the way.

These Linsoul buds offer exceptional, immersive sound with an impressive soundstage. The bass is deep and fun, and the overall mix is vibrant and clear. However, they don't block as much ambient noise as other, less expensive buds, and their call quality is mediocre enough that we got frustrated using them for attending meetings and chatting with friends.

We enjoyed the fit and feel better than their cheaper brother, but the passive noise blocking wasn't as impressive, which for many could result in less joy when listening, making it a trade-off on what you'd rather have: better sound with more outside noise bleeding through, or slightly less impressive sound and better noise blocking.

In the end, we think they are compelling for those looking for the best sound, but we also think most users will be just as happy saving a few dollars and experiencing less outside interference in their music.

Sound Quality

There is no doubt that the Linsoul has one of the best sound qualities in the group, edging out its little brother by less than one point. If music is your life and an expansive soundstage is your heaven, these would be the right choice. They evoke space, depth, and a sense of atmosphere that feels surprising in a wired bud with a reasonable price. We were able to place each instrument and vocalist in space, and individual timbres were maintained, letting each voice and instrument maintain its independence while still blending with the others.

These buds offer some of the best bass we heard in the group with a powerful and punchy presence across genres. They have a full-bodied sound that is rich and warm with impressive depth. They can sometimes get a little sloppy when the lows are the main focus of the track, but it isn't terrible. The mids also tend to sound great with decent clarity and accuracy; they are more emphasized than the highs but definitely not as heavy as the lows. We really enjoyed them, even if at times they weren't very refined.

The treble frequencies feel a bit overshadowed by the lows and mids, but the sound is simple and pleasant. It lacks some detail we see in wireless headphones, but it plays nicely across genres and volume levels. It isn't the cleanest profile mix, but it never gets muddy, sharp, or keening either. We suspect most casual listeners will love the nuance of the overall mix.

Comfort and Fit

The ZS10's fit is stable, thanks to a memory wire that tucks around your ear to help keep the bud in place. The bud itself is oddly shaped but still feels relatively comfortable. They come with 4 silicone ear tips that are easy to switch out, and we found a fit that let us wear them for up to 6 hours without serious discomfort. One thing we didn't like is that the wire doesn't fit the ear's curve well, so it sometimes slips up above the ear instead of staying tucked behind it. However, when we wore them at our desk, and the phone fell off, the cable dislodged from the jack rather than our ears, which is high praise indeed for a stable, secure fit.

Passive Noise Isolation

The ZS10 has good passive sound-blocking abilities. While not the best in the group, they are above average and might be all some users expect or need. With an overall reduction of 16.3 dB and their best performance in blocking higher frequencies, they keep sharp or higher-pitched sounds from breaking your concentration. However, if you are after a cone of silence, they don't have that ability.

Call Quality

The call quality for the ZS10 is below average, and while you can place calls using it, we suspect you won't choose to over time. In a quiet office space, some background sound can be heard, but it doesn't get in the wya of the caller's voice. As the background noise increases, the words become clipped and harder to understand, but still intelligible. As the background becomes more chaotic at the subway station, the surrounding noise overrides the caller's voice, making them hard to hear and fading into the background amid the station's business. Overall, it is really subpar.

Should You Buy the Linsoul KZ ZS10 Pro?

If you want the best sound quality, the ZS10 Pro is the one to get. The soundstage is expansive, the mix is textured and nuanced, and the frequency range closely matches our preferred house curve. These buds are also among the most comfortable in the group, thanks to a memory wire that helps keep them in place. We appreciate the better noise blocking they provide and the detachable cords, in case they ever get damaged. However, if you are willing to consider slightly less impressive sound (and we mean slightly), their little brother is cheaper and provides better call quality and passive noise blocking.

What Other Earbuds Should You Consider?