Today, I’m reviewing the KZ H10 wireless headphones. The H10 features 40mm titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic drivers, hybrid active noise cancellation and long battery life. It’s priced at $82.
Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Linsoul for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are based on my experience with the product.
KZ H10
What’s in the Box
- KZ H10 headphones
- Semi-rigid carrying case
- USB charging cable
- 3.5mm auxiliary cable
- User manual
Design
The H10 has a simple and understated exterior design. The headband is crafted from spring steel and features soft protein leather padding on the underside. The telescopic rod design, (similar to the Bowers and Wilkins P5 Wireless), provides a smooth and comfortable adjustment to fit all head sizes.
The matte black finish of the earcups gives the headphones a sleek and modern look, and they can swivel up to 95 degrees, allowing for easy storage and portability. The earcups also pivot slightly to fit the shape of your head for added comfort.
Soft memory foam earpads provide excellent cushioning and effectively isolate noise. While the clamping force may feel tight at first, it eases over time with use. Despite the slight warmth around the ears during extended use, the headphones remain comfortable and can be worn for extended periods.
All the controls are located on the right earcup, including a multi-function button that controls Power On and Off, ANC mode, and Play/Pause functions. Two additional buttons adjust the volume and allow for track skipping or rewinding. The right earcup also features a USB-C charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack for use with the included auxiliary cable.
Overall, the H10 headphones offer a simple yet elegant design, comfortable fit, and intuitive controls.
Features, ANC and Battery Life
You can get up to 30 hours of playback time from the KZ H10 with the ANC turned off. Turning the ANC on only has a small hit on performance, reducing the time to 25 hours which is still impressive.
The H10’s Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is impressively effective, completely eliminating the noise of air conditioning and computer fans. In fact, it may have the most effective ANC in the sub $100 range that I’ve encountered. However, I did notice that any noise coming from directly behind me was hardly attenuated, which was a bit peculiar.
On the other hand, the ambient mode function performs quite well. Although the sound quality is not entirely natural, it is still useful in certain situations.
The KZ H10 gives you nice helpful voice prompts when turning the headphones on or off, when they connect to a device and when cycling through ANC modes.
Call, Video and Gaming Performance
Making calls on the KZ H10 is a breeze and the microphone quality is surprisingly good. My voice comes through clearly with ample volume and a pleasing tone.
Videos and YouTube have no noticeable latency on my iPhone and the gaming performance is also very good.
Sound
My first impressions of the KZ H10 have remained true after many hours of auditioning. They’re on the warmer side of neutral with a natural and clear tone. The bass is full-bodied but clean, the midrange is rich but clear and the treble is smooth yet retains some zing.
I think KZ has done a great job with the H10’s sound. It’s tuned for musicality and engagement yet still boasts good resolution and dynamics. Some of the qualities I expect with budget Bluetooth headphones aren’t apparent here: things like a congested midrange and a muted yet still metallic treble.
Not everything is perfect though; these are $82 headphones after all. Playing through Ludovico Einaudi’s “Indaco”, I couldn’t help noticing the absence of micro-details and a sense of thickness in the air. It wasn’t a poor performance but I’ve heard it done better, albeit on more expensive headphones. One thing I did find pleasing, however, was the tone of the piano and violin which sounded quite natural to my ears.
I feel the KZ H10 performs best with EDM, pop and hip-hop music. Firing up Ranji & Mind Spin’s “Secrets of the Universe”, the H10 responded gleefully to the rhythmic bassline and the swirling synth sounds. Playing this track, the KZ H10 opened up its soundstage in addition to delivering some hefty bass slam. Sounds were coming from every direction and if I closed my eyes, I could imagine being in a large hall – not quite like an open-air rave but not far from it.
Comparison
Edifier W820NB
The Edifier W820NB (review here) is a bit more affordable and feels more generic in terms of design. Both headphones share a similar battery life. Regarding build quality, the KZ H10 feels more premium and has a more stylish aesthetic.
I’d say the KZ H10 has better ANC, except when sounds are directly behind the listener (weird thing with the H10).
In terms of audio quality, I’d put the H10 slightly ahead. It might not be as detailed as the Edifier, but it sounds more natural and has a better overall resolution. It’s got a more impactful bass response and accurate tone as well.
When it comes to comfort, both headphones are good and I’d rate them about the same. One advantage the Edifier has is its app support. With the Edifier Connect app, it’s easy to customize the sound signature to suit your personal preference. Having said that, I never felt any desire to alter the H10’s default tuning.
Verdict
So that’s the KZ H10. I think that these are great value for the price with their solid active noise cancellation, nice design, good build quality and rich yet resolving sound. I can easily recommend these if you’re looking for some budget wireless headphones.
Specifications
- Frequency response range: 20Hz-20KHz
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 116±3dB/mw
- Battery capacity: 500mAh
- Bluetooth version: 5.0
- Transmission distance: ≥ 10m
- Weight: 282±10g
- Endurance: Running Time: about 30 hours (Standard Mode)｜about 25 hours (ANC Mode)
- Price: $82