A few months back, I was able to test out the ZiiGaaT Crescent Hybrid IEMs. I didn’t know audio could be that pure and so crisp before the experience. My usual audio gig consisted of Bluetooth headsets or the once-in-a-while earbud experience. Nothing prepared me for the audio delivered with ZiiGaat’s Crescent IEMs, and I haven’t been the same since.
Now, thinking that I had peaked with the IEM game after that review, I was shocked to find out that sound could actually be better. The ZiiGaat Horizon IEM ups the IEM game as it delivers a five-driver experience to the user, while converting crisp, beautiful sound into a separated symphony of ear joy. All of this means that the IEMs are delivering one of the best sound experiences that you could entertain at a price that isn’t too bad ($329).
The only hiccup in this giddy-up is the only complaint I featured in my above review – the braided wire that comes with it. Having been spoiled by the fabric-based braided wire of the Kiwi Ears Serene, it was hard to go back to this braided wire without feeling like it gets terribly tangled, no matter how I store it. That isn’t a deal breaker, because I’m sure there are more responsible IEM owners than I am, but it is an annoyance.
But most of us aren’t here for the wire review. You’re here for the IEM review. In that respect, I hope you enjoy this ride.
Design
The design of the Horizon is akin to the Crescent. You’ve got a solid earbud that is colorfully glossed over with sparkles and a special design. The actual design and shape of the earbud work with that glossiness, as it helps to slip the earbud comfortably into place within your ear. It’s like a company finally cracked the code of design and comfort with the right in-ear piece. While it’s beautiful, it’s practical for long-term usage (and we’ll come back to that in a minute).
The wired hook-ups of the ZiiGaat Horizon IEM make you feel like you’re about to start a concert. The braided wire that feels a bit plastic-y must be given the appropriate 3.5mm stripe, as it comes with two choices. The upper-Y portion of said wire features a pair of pin-guided plugins that slip nicely into the earbuds. From that end, the wire is looped to fit comfortably over the ears, which adds extra support but isn’t annoying with the pull around the ears. You will have zero ear fatigue from these fitted and looped wire ends. In fact, you will barely feel them at all, which means the wires won’t be pulling down on the ears, causing any type of soreness.
As for the actual fitting of the earbuds, because of their outside glossiness choice, they slide perfectly into place with each ear. And when I say ‘perfectly’, I mean they’re truly perfect with comfortably securing themselves into your ears. This is incredibly important, especially with a dumbo-sized ear-budding audiophile like myself. Having worn earbuds on flights to Africa and other long-haul destinations, isolating sound and having my ears not feel sore after an hour is important. In that respect, I could wear these for hours because of their style and fit without feeling any sore ears.
And I can’t stress the above enough. Ear fatigue, especially with earbuds/IEM, is real. It can be quite painful, especially if you have to wear these things for long periods of time. Again, the ZiiGaat Horizon IEM brings style and comfort that is unrivaled.
Now, the only downfall to the design of the IEM is its braided wire. While users are encouraged to put them back into the nice leather case that comes with the product, sometimes that is not a realistic piece of the day-to-day audio production puzzle. For example, I had to wear these during a live event. At some point during said event, I had to switch them out for a headset, and pretty damn quick, which meant stuffing them in my pocket. About 20 minutes after the stuff, I brought them back out, and the wire was all over itself. While I do claim my own irresponsibility with the tangled wire, I do wish that the wire was made of fabric or something less plastic-y that could easily be tangled. This is a small complaint, but a consistent one across my IEM experiences.
Anyway, beyond that small complaint, the design is well-thought-out and works for an IEM. It delivers comfort, stylishness, and longevity to the IEM experience. The ZiiGaat Horizon IEM excels with its design and execution.
Functionality
On a base level, this IEM is remarkable. The more you use it, the more it becomes relaxed with its drivers, and the better sound clarity (and proper division) happens with its audio delivery. The ZiiGaat Horizon IEM features a dynamic driver, two balanced armature drivers, and two planar drivers. The last of which all but ensures you’re getting excellent sound quality in the end audio result.
And, boy, does it deliver some good audio.
The five-driver combination works well with this IEM, as you get a good balance of pretty much every aspect of any audio that you’re listening to through it. The planar drivers help to clear out any unnecessary noise and deliver crisp and clean sound. The solo DD delivers hard, impactful bass, while the two balanced armature drivers bring good mid-range frequency performance that complements the lot.
Combined, this IEM almost entirely, every time, ensures you’re getting the most accurate audio experience that you could have. It’s remarkably good at delivering the best of all levels of audio to the user all at once. Maybe it’s overkill in some respect, but I will take too much rather than not enough when it comes to a solid audio experience with IEMs.
As for the other items of interest with this IEM, you get 24 ohms of impedance, a good level for the price, as well as good for portable devices, and a 20Hz-35kHz of sensitivity that makes this IEM quite flexible with its range to deliver solid sound. It’s good when paired with the drivers above.
Overall, the functionality of the ZiiGaat Horizon IEM is impressive and one-ups the Crescent in many categories. If I had to decide between the two, I would probably go with these.
On that sweet note, let’s wrap up this review.
Conclusion
The ZiiGaat Horizon IEM is a good upgrade from the Crescent. It brings more drivers that work well together and brings a more balanced audio experience that covers all the audio bases. Mixed with good design and extreme comfort, this IEM should be seriously considered by audiophiles not wanting to break their bank, while avoiding compromising quality. I cannot recommend this enough.
For more information about the ZiiGaat Horizon IEM, go here.
