That familiar white box landed on the review desk again! Just last week I was deep into the world of flagship desktop gear, but KZ has yanked us right back to earth with an aggressive reminder that budget audio is where the party is at. The brand has made a name for itself by shoving more drivers into an in-ear monitor (IEM) than seems reasonable for the price, and their latest entry, the KZ Pisces, is no exception.
For around $20 USD, KZ is fielding a dual dynamic driver IEM—a configuration rare at this price point. It promises to deliver a high-fidelity journey with a dual-driver setup that aims for a Harman target-based tuning. This is budget Hi-Fi that truly makes you stop and wonder: just how much performance can you squeeze out of some lunch money? Let’s unbox the Pisces and see if it earns a spot on your everyday carry list.
Sound
The KZ Pisces is a super easy IEM to drive, so you won’t need any fancy amplification to get the most out of them; they’ll run perfectly fine straight from a laptop or a basic dongle. While there is a version with tuning switches, I did my primary testing in the default all-on position, which delivers a presentation that adheres very closely to the Harman target.
Bass
The bass is slightly north of neutral, offering nice body and authority without becoming a bass-head IEM. It doesn’t quite have the massive impact or sub-bass reach of something like the ZS10 Pro 2, but it is extremely well-controlled. Even at higher volumes, I didn’t detect any distortion. There’s a touch of warmth that carries over into the lower mids, but it never feels bloated or intrusive.
Mids
For a $20 IEM, the timbre here is genuinely impressive. Vocals and instruments sound natural and are situated within a nicely spaced mid-range. It doesn’t sound clustered or boxed in; instead, the Pisces maintains its composure well, allowing the music to feel spread out and organized.
Treble
I find the treble to be quite smooth and sweet sounding. While there is a visible peak on the graph around 8kHz, it didn’t translate to any harshness or sharp peaks in my listening. It has good note density and provides surprising detail retrieval—especially when it comes to micro-details—without needing to be bright or analytical.
Soundstage and Imaging
The soundstage is quite tasty with large dimensions and good left-to-right separation. It might not be the absolute largest stage in the budget tier, but it certainly doesn’t sound small and offers more depth than competitors like the 7Hz Salnotes Zero.
Conclusion
The KZ Pisces is a bit of a surprise package. In a market where we’re constantly bombarded with “flavour of the month” budget releases, this one actually holds its own. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel; instead, it takes that familiar Harman-ish tuning and polishes it with a level of refinement that I honestly didn’t expect to find for twenty bucks.
It’s got that tasty soundstage and a natural timbre that makes it punch above its weight class. No, it isn’t going to replace your flagship gear, and it won’t give you the same bone-shaking slam as the ZS10 Pro 2, but as a daily driver? It’s an absolute gem. It’s smooth, detailed, and incredibly easy to live with.
If you’re looking for a low-cost IEM that balances technical ability with a fatigue-free tone, the Pisces is an easy recommendation. It’s proof that you don’t need a huge budget to get a high-quality listening experience. KZ has hit a bit of a sweet spot here, making the Pisces one of the best value-for-money sets currently sitting on my desk.