Short answer: the iBasso IT01, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #417 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.5/5, at $69; the KZ ZAS ranks #418, rated 2.4/5, and costs $75.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the Intuaura Reference 2019 instead, ranked #5 at $34.99.
What the iBasso IT01 does well: A single 10mm dynamic driver with 16 ohm impedance and 108 dB sensitivity runs easily from a phone or dongle. The tradeoff: Its preference score of 55 from crinacle’s measurement is far from the Harman target, with a noticeably warm tilt.
The case for the KZ ZAS: Bass is lifted about 2 to 3 dB from 20 to 200 Hz, so bass-heavy genres have plenty of weight, and listeners with a bassy or warm taste are the best match. The catch: In hobbyist measurements on squig.link the presence range sits about 5.4 dB below target with a 7.5 dB dip near 3.4 kHz, which pushes vocals back and blurs detail.
Buy the iBasso IT01. It is rated higher for sound quality than the KZ ZAS and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| iBasso IT01 | KZ ZAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.00 | $75.99 |
| Ranked | #417 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #418 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 55 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 54 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.12 dB standard deviation | 3.18 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.19 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.30 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 7 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 7 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 16 ohms | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | 109 dB |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 42kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for iBasso IT01:
- 1MORE Triple Driver vs iBasso IT01
- Tin HiFi T2 Evo vs iBasso IT01
- Sennheiser CX 3.00 vs KZ ZAS
- KZ ZAS vs CCA PLA13
- KZ ZAS vs Sennheiser IE 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
iBasso IT01: $69.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A single 10mm dynamic driver with 16 ohm impedance and 108 dB sensitivity runs easily from a phone or dongle. It costs about the same as the 1MORE Triple Driver and suits buyers wanting a simple single driver in-ear.
Cons: Its preference score of 55 from crinacle’s measurement is far from the Harman target, with a noticeably warm tilt. The SoundMAGIC E11 earns the same rating for less money, and the 1MORE Triple Driver rates higher at a similar price.
Full iBasso IT01 review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.12 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 42kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 55 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.19 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 233 Hz | -4.6 dB | 0.65 |
| Peak | 2,618 Hz | +3.3 dB | 0.29 |
| Peak | 5,109 Hz | -4.3 dB | 4.82 |
| Peak | 9,736 Hz | +2.1 dB | 2.75 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 66 Hz | +0.9 dB | 3.73 |
| Peak | 1,257 Hz | -1.1 dB | 1.20 |
| Peak | 985 Hz | +1.9 dB | 3.03 |
| Peak | 3,511 Hz | +1.3 dB | 4.26 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
KZ ZAS: $75.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 2 to 3 dB from 20 to 200 Hz, so bass-heavy genres have plenty of weight, and listeners with a bassy or warm taste are the best match. It packs one 10 mm dynamic driver and seven balanced armatures per side. Sensitivity of 109 dB means any phone drives it easily.
Cons: In hobbyist measurements on squig.link the presence range sits about 5.4 dB below target with a 7.5 dB dip near 3.4 kHz, which pushes vocals back and blurs detail. A 5.5 dB peak near 11.9 kHz adds a thin, sizzly edge on top. The Final Audio E3000 carries a higher rating for less money.
Full KZ ZAS review and specifications →
| Released | 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.18 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 7 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 7 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 54 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.30 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,021 Hz | +20.0 dB | 0.67 |
| Peak | 177 Hz | -3.3 dB | 1.06 |
| Peak | 2,306 Hz | -20.0 dB | 0.65 |
| Peak | 801 Hz | +4.7 dB | 0.87 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +2.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 68 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.83 |
| Peak | 5,877 Hz | -2.8 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 115 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.49 |
| Peak | 5,429 Hz | +1.5 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons