ZiiGaat x Fresh Reviews Arete

The bass is deep and powerful but not boomy. Detail retrieval is amazing for this price point. Separation of music is great too. Bass, guitar and piano lovers will enjoy this set a lot. EDM and hip-hop songs sound very fun. Overall, the tone of the male vocals is warm and lush. Female vocals aren’t sibilant. For FPS games, the directional footstep sounds are accurate, and the headroom is quite big. ZiiGaat and Fresh Reviews did a great job on this collab.

**purchased from Amazon Australia (which I'm glad I did this time around)**

I have used a variety of IEMs thus far including the Zero:RED, Supermix 4, 61T, Hype 4, Tea PRO, S12 2024, etc.

The Arete is truly a beast when it comes to getting that pinpoint accuracy in game. (tested in Overwatch)

Gunfire and crit sounds were tame and not too recessed, just right for my ears.

It also performs a bit above its asking price across several genres (Jazz, Acapella, Pop). The bass I would say is barely enough for most.

If you want OOMPH in the low end. Look into the Hype 4 or Tea PRO or even the new HBB Punch.

Would I say its Tea PRO good? Not quite. If the Tea PRO is a 10/10, then the Arete would be like a 9. Close, but not quite there.

I think it is a little better in shooters than the Hype 4 but the Hype 4 and Tea PRO beat this set regarding tonality in music.

I will say this set performs marginally better than the Hype 4 and S12 2024 in shooters.

For the $250 asking price, I think it is well worth it.

However, the reason I am giving it 4 stars is because I am worried about the longevity of this set regarding its build quality.

We all know ZiiGaat has areas to improve regarding the stock accessories, but the set I received, one of the BAs on the left side (that handles the mid-range) is already defective out of the box. The audio clips across most volume levels. and when tapping the faceplate, the metallic rattle really becomes noticeable.

My source is the Topping E1X2 OTG which has a 1ohm output impedance. Also tried on a regular laptop and had the same issue. Even tried 3 cables at 3.5 and 4.4 terminations along with 2 different 6.3 adapters, no luck.

Funny enough, the Tea PRO was also giving me imbalance/distortion issues and that set also uses Knowles BAs but they aren't the exact same knowles.

I don't know if I am just really unlucky, or if this new batch of Knowles didn't get proper QA.

Take this review with a grain of salt as only the right side was 100% fully functional.

FreshReviews did a good job tuning this one. For gaming its excellent. Especially for its price point. For music very clear and deep bass without overpowering the rest of the mix. Gaming wise which was my main object when I bought it is even better. Very good separation and pinpoint precision. The only thing I tried being better than Arete was the Tea pro which produce a more warm and relaxed sound so lets say precision airstrikes on Warzone dont pierce your eardrums hehehe...

Best IEMs for up to 300$
Excelent for gaming and music, very balanced no exaggerated boosted lows or highs.
Super comfortable

Using Fiio K9 Pro ESS
They're 75%~ of my HD800S in overall feel.

The Ziigaat x Fresh Reviews Arete IEM is an excellent choice, especially for gamers who value a balanced sound signature and precise imaging. While it may fall short in terms of bass impact and resolution, it offers a clear and enjoyable listening experience, complemented by its striking design.

1DD per LF Biocellulose Membrane Driver 10mm
2BA to Knowles account 29689
2BA on HF Knowles 31736

Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Sensitivity: 108 dB
Resistance: 9 ohm

Test bench: Ibasso DX260, Fiio k9 pro, Fiio m23, Cayin N3 Ultra in tube mode, Clarion ear pads, Letshuoer Nebula cable

This model is positioned by the developers not only as an audiophile model, but also as a gaming model, mainly for competitive first-person shooters.
Today we will test these headphones not only in music, but also in games.
A little later in the video, I will insert a fragment of the game that I periodically stream at night, and tell you how these headphones perform in this kind of entertainment.

Headphones have a musical sound, although with the right source they can try to be technical, but still their prerogative is precisely the bias towards musicality.
Presentation with an emphasis on sub-bass, it is soft, voluminous and well-defined.
The relief and texture of low frequencies can be read well.
The bottom is massive, melodic, with sufficient filling and elasticity.
The headphones are great for genres with an abundance of sub-sections - epic metal, symphony metal, drum and bass, phonk and various electronics focused on bass boost.

The highs beautifully shade and balance the lows, while they are slightly smoothed for greater musicality, but not at the expense of detail.
The highs are well detailed, the nuances of sound production are audible, and there are no sibilants at all, even at high volumes.

There is enough density and intelligibility in the mid frequencies so that, in combination with bass and treble, they make an excellent combination and are considered universal headphones.
ZiiGaat Arete can easily be purchased as the only headphones for any genre.
If we compare them with ZiiGaat Cincotres, then Arete has a more assertive presentation in the low frequencies, softer highs and a more melodious middle.
Cincotres, on the other hand, have a smoother and slightly more pronounced monitor presentation, they are more sterile in sound and a little tighter in the mid-bass.
In general, these are equivalent headphones that have their own sound character.

The resolution of the entire frequency spectrum is correct, there is a certain touch of monitor in the presentation, but it is only felt.
The headphones still adhere to their main outline - relaxed, but at the same time powerful musicality.
The stage is wider and a little deeper than average, there is separation in depth, but they do not reach the level of the Simphonio PB10 a little (which is not surprising, the different price categories still have an effect).
ZiiGaat Arete do an excellent job in any genre, no weak points have been identified, but the priority is still something heavy, with mass in the low frequencies and good volumetric space.
By choosing a decent source and high-quality music for them, you will get great listening pleasure!

Check out the full version here - https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2024/08/ziigaat-x-fresh-reviews-arete-frivolous-player-of-light-notes.html

I've used them for over a month and as far as gaming goes these are top notch. I suggest getting other eartips and going with a balanced cable aside from that I highly recommend the Arete.

Pros: - Nice build quality with even better faceplate
- Balance midcentric tuning
- Distinct bass rumble
- Great vocal performance
- Relaxing treble
- Great imaging
Cons: - Lacks sparkles
- Not great resolution
- Not the best cable quality

Bass:
The Arete has quite a balanced amount of subbass and midbass, although subbass is still a bit more than midbass.
Why So Serious’s bass drops and Trentemoller’s Chameleon has good texture and reverberation and air movement. It’s tight, yet JUST sound diffusing enough. It has that classic lingering sense of dynamic driver while not being over done (which would then makes the bass hits too drawn out and too sluggish)
Midbass has good authority and texture as well. It’s not the meatiest midbass region ever, but it still packs a punch. Kick drums have good presence and definition to them, evident in AC/DC soundtracks. Not just kick drums but also contrabass, cello, taiko drums all sound nice.
Overall, my tiny nitpick about the bass is that i would’ve want a bit more midbass on some songs that have many bass instruments, so that they could have more heft and body to them. However, i understand the tuning of choice for the bass of the Arete, so that it’d not masked the details of the midrange and because the bass of the Arete already sound good with 80% of my library, i’m already quite satisfied with it. General pop, or electro pop sound quite fun with the Arete. The transients of the DD also isn’t the fastest, so don’t expect hardcore metal to sound good with the Arete.
Mids
With a bass shelf that got cut flat at 250hz, the lower midrange sound very clean and clear with just a hint of warmth to it. There’s no bleed or muddiness into the lower midrange.
Instruments have quite a natural timbre to my ears. Piano notes sound very pleasant on the ears with just enough amount of resonance. Violin and viola sounds smooooth and velvety, woodwinds instruments sound a bit mellow and rich while still keeping each of their natural tone. The note weights of these instruments are surprisingly good even if the graph shows there’s a flat upperbass and lower midrange. It’s not too light and not too heavy.
Both male and female vocals are on a balancing neutral spectrum. They’re definitely not thin sounding. I’d say female vocals are a bit better than male vocals with the Arete. With male vocals, baritones sound smooth yet not quite thick sounding. Tenor sounds exactly on point to my ears, I have no complaints about this.
For female vocals, mezzo and soprano have that classic lively and engaging sound to them, while also sounding silky. Contralto, although still sound expressive, lacks just a bit of depth or chesty characteristics. At higher volume, the Arete doesn’t exhibit any shoutyness.
With “Shivers” by Ed Sheeran, there’s very little amount of sibilant.
If i have to nitpick, the midrange does lack that very bit or sharpness and definition to it.
Treble
The treble to me sounds quite relaxing. It’s decently extended, just not the most airy or having a lot of sparkles and brilliance. The upper harmonics are there, supporting the rest of the frequency while not sounding too overbearing. The quality of the treble is actually quite good as it doesn’t sound harsh, splashy or spiky. There is also some slight sense of BA timbre, but after a while or when I'm not paying attention, I don't notice it as much.
With Caravan – John Wasson, cymbal crashes and hi hats just sound forward enough, still sound natural but more on a softer side. Besides the initial attack; the decaying, the tail notes extracted only slightly below the surface level. It’s not like a smooth glide where it extracts every minute detail. Because of that, I feel like the resolution is only at a decent level.
Read more at: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ziigaat-x-fresh-reviews-arete.27294/reviews#review-34596

These sound incredible. Easily the best sound profile I’ve heard with my own two ears. The only gripe I can even kind of find is the comfort. More of a personal factor but i feel they leave my ears with some discomfort over a longer session. I do still need to experiment with eartip sizes more, so that could change my review.

Perfect sound

Very good quality

I bought them for myself as a first pair of Iems and I have to say I like them alot. The Iems sound really spacious with nice touch of bass. IT is a very versatile pair of Iems for music listening but also gaming. It does really well with competitive gaming. You just hear so much better stuff thats going around you and it doesnt dissappoint. Well since not everything is perfect in this world, the cons are the eartips. They're just not so good. So i recommend getting 2nd hand eartips. The cable is also really nice but feels bit cheap. Its not bad as in if it is the only cable you can afford to but if you have extra money, a 2nd hand cable is also not so bad of an idea to get. Otherwise its a very beautiful set and amazing Iems!!

It was a gift but what I was told by them it’s the best

Amazing!!!! I was able to hear so much more clearer and precise. My old IEM cant even compare.

ZiiGaat x Fresh Reviews Arete

In my environment (K9AKM), this earphone has the closest vocals of all the earphones I own, and is transparent and beautiful. It's so transparent and beautiful that it gives me goosebumps, which is what I was looking for in this direction. Some reviews said that the bass was deep, but in my environment,the bass was modest, and therefore the mid- and high-range sounds were very beautiful and I was very satisfied with these earphones.

In my environment (K9AKM), this earphone has the closest vocals of all the earphones I own, and is transparent and beautiful. It's so transparent and beautiful that it gives me goosebumps, which is what I was looking for in this direction. Some reviews said that the bass was deep, but in my environment, the bass was modest, and therefore the mid- and high-range sounds were very beautiful and I was very satisfied with these earphones.

Hi,

I play rust, apex, and valorant and these headphones work effectively in these games. I would say the footstep ability is on par with my headset, but the comfortability is far superior. The headset would give me a headache consistently.