Short answer: the KZ ZAS, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #418 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.4/5, at $75.99; the CCA PLA13 ranks #422, rated 2.3/5, and costs $88, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. 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.
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.
What the CCA PLA13 does well: A 13.2mm planar magnetic driver at 16 ohms and 100 dB sensitivity makes it easy to drive straight from a phone. The catch: The top octave is pushed hard, with air about 9.3 dB above target and a 9 dB peak near 10.7 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn splashy and fatiguing.
Buy the KZ ZAS. It is rated higher for sound quality than the CCA PLA13 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| KZ ZAS | CCA PLA13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $75.99 | $88.00 |
| Ranked | #418 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #422 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 54 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 53 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.18 dB standard deviation | 3.19 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.30 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 7 balanced armature) | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 7 x balanced armature | 1 x 13.2mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 24 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB | 100 dB |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for KZ ZAS:
- Sennheiser CX 3.00 vs KZ ZAS
- iBasso IT01 vs KZ ZAS
- KZ ZAS vs Sennheiser IE 4
- CCA PLA13 vs Sennheiser IE 4
- CCA PLA13 vs Zero Audio Duoza ZH-DWX10
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Headphones In Full
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
CCA PLA13: $88.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A 13.2mm planar magnetic driver at 16 ohms and 100 dB sensitivity makes it easy to drive straight from a phone. Across eleven hobbyist measurements on squig.link both sub-bass and bass sit about 3.4 dB above target and extend fully to 20 Hz, which suits listeners who want a bassy, warm profile with plenty of rumble.
Cons: The top octave is pushed hard, with air about 9.3 dB above target and a 9 dB peak near 10.7 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can turn splashy and fatiguing. A 6.3 dB dip near 6.9 kHz sits right below that peak, making the treble uneven rather than smoothly bright. The iBasso IT01 rates higher and costs less.
Full CCA PLA13 review and specifications →
| Released | 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.19 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 13.2mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 53 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 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 | -4.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 177 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.99 |
| Peak | 6,104 Hz | +5.3 dB | 1.40 |
| Peak | 775 Hz | +2.9 dB | 1.35 |
| Peak | 2,329 Hz | -3.1 dB | 3.29 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -10.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,390 Hz | +3.5 dB | 1.15 |
| Peak | 3,939 Hz | +1.8 dB | 4.32 |
| Peak | 64 Hz | +0.6 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 4,998 Hz | -2.3 dB | 5.93 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons