Cantorvs.ZAS
Sound & Specs Comparison
Information
Both IEMs are widely regarded in the audiophile community. See how they differ in terms of sub-bass response, upper mids, clarity, and overall tonality. Spider charts and rating breakdowns included.
Objective Comparison
Facts, details, stuff.
| General Info | Cantor | ZAS |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | AFUL | KZ Earphones |
| Country | Taiwan | China |
| IEM Description | The AFUL Cantor combines technical precision with musicality in a hybrid design. Featuring a dynamic driver for powerful bass and multiple balanced armatures for clean mids and sparkly highs, it delivers a spacious soundstage with excellent separation. Tuning leans slightly toward a balanced-bright signature, making it a solid choice for detail lovers who still want some low-end punch. | – |
| Price Level | 500 – 1.000 | < 100 |
| Housing & Driver | ||
|---|---|---|
| Driver Config | Multi-BA | Hybrid |
| Driver Types | Balanced Armature | Balanced Armature + Dynamic Driver |
| Shell Material | – | Resin |
| Cable | 4Braid 5N OFC Cable | – |
| Technical | ||
|---|---|---|
| Freq Range | – | – |
| Impedance (Ω) | 20 | 24 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 106 | – |
| Crossover | RLC Network Electronic Crossover | – |
| Platform Info | ||
|---|---|---|
| Comments | 2 | 0 |
| Visit Count | 134 | 27 |
| External Reviews | 1 | 0 |
Meta Ratings
// Nothing to compare yet.
Sound Characteristics
Cantor produces sub-bass that is overwhelmingly more textured and present in cinematic or bass-heavy tracks (8.5 vs 4.5). The low-end on It is overwhelmingly more controlled and rhythmic, offering better definition than ZAS (9 vs 5). It translates bass vibrations into a a more visceral experience, while ZAS lacks this tactile feedback (8.5 vs 5.5). It renders lower mids a more naturally, giving male vocals and instruments a fuller tone than ZAS (8.5 vs 5). It strikes a a better balance between presence and smoothness in the upper mids compared to ZAS (8 vs 4.5). The treble on It is a more nuanced and refined, especially when it comes to cymbals and ambient elements (8 vs 5). The upper treble of It extends a further, offering more sparkle and openness than ZAS (7.5 vs 5). It paints a a broader sonic landscape, offering better instrument positioning across the stage (8 vs 5.5). It retrieves micro-details c more effectively, revealing nuances that are less apparent in ZAS (8.8 vs 5.5). In complex arrangements, It separates layers m more distinctly, preventing overlap that ZAS occasionally suffers (8.3 vs 5.5). It avoids frequency masking a more successfully, preserving clarity across the spectrum better than ZAS (8 vs 6). Notes played through It feel c weightier and fuller, giving a more satisfying impact than those from ZAS (7.5 vs 5). It hits with overwhelmingly more authority during transients, creating a more explosive effect than ZAS (8.5 vs 4.5). It controls harsh sibilant peaks a more effectively, making vocals smoother than on ZAS (8.5 vs 5.5). Timbre on It sounds a more realistic and natural, whereas ZAS feels slightly more artificial or colored (7.5 vs 5). It achieves a better tonal neutrality, avoiding colorations present in ZAS (8.8 vs 5). It portrays textures in vocals and strings with a more realism, enhancing emotional depth over ZAS (8 vs 4.5).
| Cantor | ZAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Sub Bass | 8.5 | 4.5 |
| Bass | 9.0 | 5.0 |
| Bass Feel | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Lower Mids | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| Upper Mids | 8.0 | 4.5 |
| Lower Treble | 8.0 | 5.0 |
| Upper Treble | 7.5 | 5.0 |
| Sound Stage Width | 8.0 | 5.5 |
| Detail | 8.8 | 5.5 |
| Layering | 8.3 | 5.5 |
| Masking | 8.0 | 6.0 |
| Note Weight | 7.5 | 5.0 |
| Slam | 8.5 | 4.5 |
| Sibilance | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Timbre Color | 7.5 | 5.0 |
| Tonality | 8.8 | 5.0 |
| Texture | 8.0 | 4.5 |
Tonal Signature
// Nothing to compare yet.