KZ CRN VS KZ Duet

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

Home Ranking Compare IEMs

KZ CRN and KZ Duet are in-ear monitors. KZ CRN costs $35 while KZ Duet costs $30. KZ CRN is $5 more expensive. KZ Duet holds a decisive 3.5-point edge in reviewer scores (2.9 vs 6.4). KZ Duet has significantly better bass with a 4.5-point edge, KZ Duet has significantly better mids with a 2.4-point edge, KZ Duet has significantly better treble with a 4-point edge, KZ Duet has significantly better dynamics with a 4.9-point edge, KZ Duet has significantly better soundstage with a 1.2-point edge, KZ Duet has significantly better details with a 5.1-point edge and KZ Duet has significantly better imaging with a 5.3-point edge.

Insights

Metric KZ CRN KZ Duet
Bass 2 6.5
Mids 3.5 5.9
Treble 2 6
Details 2 7.1
Soundstage 5 6.2
Imaging 2 7.3
Dynamics 2 6.9
Tonality 2.9 5.9
Technicalities 2 6.1
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough KZ CRN and KZ Duet reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

KZ CRN Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Nymz
Jaytiss

Average Reviewer Score:

2.9

Very Negative

KZ Duet Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Paul Wasabii Jaytiss

Average Reviewer Score:

6.4

Mixed to Positive

Reviews Comparison

KZ CRN reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 3.8 Reviewer Score
D+ Tuning
E+ Tech
Hey a KZ that I like, ohh wait.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: C+ Treble: E+ Dynamics: E+ Soundstage: C+

KZ Duet reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 6 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
C+ Tech
Build quality is Earbud, I'd recommend the USB-C unless you need the wired.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: C+ Treble: C+ Dynamics: A- Soundstage: C+
YouTube video thumbnail

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KZ CRN (more reviews)

KZ CRN reviewed by Nymz

Nymz 2 Reviewer Score
E+ Tuning
E+ Tech
Lacks technicalities - mainly regarding detail, separation and dynamics. Stage is intimate. Timbre is funky. Notes are a bit blurry. Tuning is mostly fine. Nothing new at this current market.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

Bass: E+ Mids: E+ Treble: E+ Details: E+ Imaging: E+

KZ Duet (more reviews)

KZ Duet reviewed by Paul Wasabii

Paul Wasabii 6.8 * Score computed by IEMRanking.com
B+ Tuning
A- Tech
YouTube video thumbnail
Dual dynamic drivers in an earbud style shell deliver tight, fast bass with clear mids and lively treble that suit both music and gaming; sub-bass weight is modest. The optional DSP dongle is handy and the stage is impressively wide for the price. Clean, sharp imaging with big projected stage and tight, fast bass makes it good for both music and gaming. Sub-bass is light and the mid/treble edge can read a bit BA-like or fatiguing for some listeners.
Youtube Video Summary

KZ Duet pairs a 10 mm driver with an 8 mm unit in an earbud form factor, plus an in-ear sleeve that improves seal and isolation. The result is a dual feast of music and gaming: fuller low end from the big driver and Libra X-style clarity up top. It scales with a better source, while the cheap DSP dongle adds usable presets, making the package practical and comfortable.

Bass is tight and fast rather than rumbly, trading sub-bass slam for cleanliness that helps imaging. The mids carry some warmth to ~300 Hz and then tilt toward a sharper, BA-like clarity that favors voices and positional cues. Treble is boosted for energy but kept non-peaky, yielding a fun V-lean that suits EDM and shooters alike. Stage projects big, with crisp edges and stable placement; overall balance feels more polished than recent KZ gaming-centric releases.

Bass: B+ Mids: B+ Treble: A- Dynamics: B+ Soundstage: A- Details: A- Imaging: A-

Paul Wasabii original ranking

Paul Wasabii Youtube Channel

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KZ CRN User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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KZ Duet User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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KZ CRN Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

2.3

Gaming Grade

E+

KZ Duet Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6

Gaming Grade

B

KZ CRN Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

D-
  • Balance is severely off, producing a harsh, unpleasant listen regardless of genre. Long sessions quickly become exhausting.

Average Technical Grade

E+
  • Hopelessly smeared and congested, it struggles with basic instrument separation and loses detail even in simple tracks. Even casual listening quickly becomes tiring.
Bass E+
The bass register sounds hollow, with minimal texture or sustain. There's little sustain to bass guitar notes.
Mids D+
Midrange is highly uneven, veering between shouty peaks and hollow dips. Tonality swings between shouty and withdrawn.
Treble E+
Highs sound subdued and short on sparkle, hiding fine detail. Metallic instruments lose their bite.
Dynamics E+
It struggles to convey small volume changes, flattening energetic bursts. Micro-contrast is practically absent.
Soundstage C+
Stage expands beyond the shoulders and finally hints at layers, though vertical cues stay muted. Depth cues begin to emerge.
Details E+
Secondary lines struggle to stand apart because resolution can't parse their subtleties. Textures feel monotone and dull.
Imaging E+
Center focus slips in and out, eroding confidence in where sounds originate. There's no consistent center image.
Gaming E+
Compromised imaging significantly impacts gameplay awareness. Directional cues often lack accuracy or consistency.

KZ Duet Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B-
  • Tonality is generally agreeable, though a few bumps remind you of its limits. Certain tracks spotlight its tonal quirks.

Average Technical Grade

B
  • An honest, middle-of-the-road performance preserves structure without chasing micro-detail. It's respectable for everyday listening sessions.
Bass B+
You get a lively bass response that balances energy with discipline. It balances punch with respectable control.
Mids B-
Expect a competent midrange that keeps vocals grounded and instruments clear. Tone is acceptable across multiple genres.
Treble B
Treble is articulate and clean, adding excitement without harshness. It adds sparkle without harshness.
Dynamics B+
You get confident dynamics that track both macro swings and rhythmic drive. There's life in every crescendo.
Soundstage B
Lateral spread stretches comfortably while front/back cues start to feel convincing. You can trace front-to-back movement.
Details A-
Resolution feels both high and relaxed, capturing nuance with ease. There's zero smearing even at high volume.
Imaging A-
You can literally point to where sounds originate across the stage. You can point to where sounds originate.
Gaming B
Decent spatial awareness for fundamental positioning. Creates satisfying atmosphere in story-driven games while handling basic directional cues.

KZ CRN User Reviews

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KZ Duet User Reviews

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