Sonic Memory SM1 Lite VS KZ Saga Balanced

Youtube Video Summary

The KZ Saga Balanced comes in at around $23 with a very familiar KZ experience: minimal packaging, the same old Starline tips and, unfortunately, the same infamously bad stock cable. The unboxing feels a step behind rivals like Moondrop and 7Hz, which usually throw in a pouch or extra tips. The shells themselves are the opposite story: full die-cast zinc alloy, nicely finished, sturdy, and surprisingly comfortable despite being on the heavier side. Comfort is strong even over long sessions and passes the “tiny ear test”, but visually the design is more bland and unassuming than cool, with the Council of Ladies more or less unanimously calling it “boring”.

Sonically, the Saga Balanced is a textbook example of KZ’s new-school V-shaped tuning: a big, boosted bass shelf with genuinely fun sub-bass rumble and punchy mid-bass that makes EDM, hip-hop and modern pop really pop for the price. That fun, however, comes with warmed-up lower mids that smear some detail and give guitars and male vocals a thick, retro-leaning coloration. Female vocals pick up extra husk and can feel slightly pulled back behind the mix, tonally a bit off even if still enjoyable. Upper mids and treble are energetic without being outright harsh, giving cymbals, hi-hats and vocal effects plenty of sparkle and bite. Detail at the extremes is good for the money, though finer micro-details in busy tracks can get lost under the bass. Staging and imaging sit comfortably in the “competent budget single-DD” camp: decent width and separation, nothing spectacular but nothing broken either.

Against its peers, the story becomes clearer. The Saga Balanced is essentially an all-metal, slightly better-driven EDC Pro: same general sound, more durable build, a bit more technical performance. Neutral-brighter sets like Truth Ear Gate, Tanchjim Wan’er or Simgot’s budget line are cleaner, more detailed and more vocal-forward, while rivals such as Moondrop Chu 2, 7Hz Zero:2 and Tripowin Vivace offer warmer or smoother takes with nicer accessories and cables. The closest “bigger brother” is the 7Hz G1, which pulls off a similarly energetic V-shape with clearly stronger resolution and air, but also a higher price and more aggressive treble. The Saga Balanced ends up as a fun but compromised choice: technical performance and midrange tonality are sacrificed for impact and contrast. For listeners who hate KZ’s cable, the real cost jumps once an upgrade cable is added and value collapses; for those who just want a durable metal beater with an aggressive V-shaped sound and big bass—especially if picked up on sale—the Saga Balanced can still be a very enjoyable, rough-and-ready budget option.