7 Drivers, 4 Types, 1 Sound

Multi driver IEM has been the craze for the past decade and I can remember the time when I first started this hobby in 2005, there isn’t any multi driver IEM, as I know of, in the market and fast forward to 2025, multi driver is now a norm but the tuning of the drivers are the utmost importance here and Kiwi Ears is not a new player when it comes to tuning as their multi driver products has so far placed them in the upper echelon of chifi IEMs. In 2023, they released a now famed, classic quadbrid IEM named the Quintet and they are one of the first to implement the combination of planar, dynamic, balanced armatures and piezoelectric driver. This year they have decided to further improve this setup with the all new Septet and right of the bat, stuck out like a sore thumb, they are now an open back IEM which is rare especially in this price range of 200 USD.

The team of Kiwi Ears has kindly provided us a sample of the Septet in exchange for an honest take and we are grateful for this opportunity. How will the Septet perform in this tightly contested mid range arena? We shall find out here.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the newKiwi Ears Septet;

• Driver Configuration: 10mm Dynamic Driver + 4 Balanced Armatures + 1 Micro-Planar + 1 PZT (Open Back IEM)
• Crossover: 5-way crossover, 3 tuning tubes
• Rated Power: 5mW
• Maximum Power: 10mW
• Impedance: 15 Ohm (at 1kHz)
• Sensitivity: 95dB SPL/mW (at 1kHz)
• Frequency Response: 8Hz – 30kHz
• Total Harmonic Distortion: <1% (@1kHz)
• Cable: 5N OCC, 0.78mm 2 Pin
• Cable Length: 1.2m ± 5cm
• Plug: 3.5mm & 4.4mm Interchangeable

The Kiwi Ears Septet can be purchased at their official store and many other platforms globally.

Kiwi Ears Septet 

Packaging & Accessories Kiwi Ears hasn’t been known for producing a lavish, ultra premium unboxing experience but rather a professional, straight-to-the-point style of packaging to lower cost for consumers alongside reducing waste. While the Septet does have this particular style of packaging, upon unboxing, the Septet does emit an aura of a premium product and it is the more premium unboxing from Kiwi Ears. The outer box is their standard professional package and inside we are greeted with the IEM head. Underneath the IEM we shall find a carrying case, a modular OCC cable, an extra 3.5mm head, some paperworks and 9 pairs of various types of eartips. The inclusion of a high quality OCC modular cable is a welcomed gesture reducing the need for a cable upgrade.

Design

Now the design here is one of the main attractions of these IEM as they are an open back type of IEM that is rather rare in this price range. The faceplates are exposed with vents and that will give a unique open sound with great amount of air but in return, less isolation and sound leakage is expected. The body here is a full aluminum alloy anodized body in black with a grey faceplate and the vents in copper gold colour with their brand stamped in the middle. The shell is lightweight and has a medium sized body that fits even smaller ears. In my opinion it is a very premium finish with a sleek and unique style that a lot of thoughts have been put in by the design team.

Inside of the Septet is where it gets interesting where there are 4 types of drivers with a total of 7 drivers per side. A mixture of a 10mm beryllium plated dynamic for the lows, 1 micro planar for the highs, 3 custom balanced armatures for the midrange and 1 piezoelectric driver for the ultra highs made up this quadbrid. The piezoelectric driver is a rarely seen driver to be used nowadays as taming their aggressive, piercing sound is a tough job and Kiwi Ears seems to have done the job pretty well while preserving the excellent details derived from these drivers. All these drivers are all tuned with a passive 5 way crossover which is hard to come by and it will allow the drivers to work more efficiently.

The front nozzle is fitted with a metal mesh to prevent moisture and dust entering. Nozzle size is medium with a maximum of 6mm diameter. There are 2 extra pin hole vents situated at the inner side and near the 2 pin connectors most probably to prevent driver flex and extra breathing room for the dynamic drivers. No flex is present which indicates it has good ventings.

The connectors are the standard flush 2 pin 0.78mm and they have a good tight fit.

There are a total of 9 pairs and they have 3 different pairs of different bore sizes and hardness.

Cable here is a 4 core Ohno Continuous Casting cable that is soft and pliable. They are a modular type of termination with 3.5mm and 4.4mm heads which is a welcomed change instead of just 1 type of termination. The cable matches very well with the Septet as they are a warm type of sound that tames the highs by a little.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the Septet is a neutral bright sound that has an emphasis on the high region and they do have a slightly warm tone in the mids to make the set a little livelier. They have amazing technicalities that have superb details across the whole frequencies and they are accurate with an energetic sound presentation. Dynamic range is wide and all the drivers are tuned very well as the drivers are able to give a cohesive sound that has no gaps or hollowness. The overall sound is best described as bold, energetic, detailed and wide which is highly competitive in their price range.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is great as they are able to give an out of head sound experience due to their open back design. The soundstage here is wide and tall to say the least with an exceptional amount of air especially in the high range. The Septet soundstage is able to give a good 3D holographic soundstage that is accurate and sounds are easily detected especially when being properly amped. Headroom here is huge even for an IEM stature and they are almost stepping into open earbuds territory.

Separation and Timbre

Separation is good as is typical of a well tuned crossover and all the drivers seem to work in tandem but cohesion here still isn’t as good as a single dynamic driver. Frequency range is wide and they extend very well in both ends that gives an airy presentation that is highly enjoyable.

Their left to right separation has a great stereo sound that possesses no crosstalk issues and they do sound better when driven properly with balanced modes. They have a breathy, piercy timbre that is slightly aggressive and highly energetic along with an accurate sound signature that gives a highly detailed overall sound that is crystal clear.

Drivability

Rated at 15 ohms with a 95 db sensitivity, they are actually a hard IEM to drive and they require some power to perform their best with ample loudness. A simple dongle will drive them but they tend to lack dynamics and loudness is barely enough. The Septet respond well with good application and a clean source as they will scale up pretty significantly. The Septet is also a revealing IEM that shows flaws, be it minor or major in the recordings which makes them a good monitoring IEM but not so much can be said for outdoors or casual usage although possible partly also because of the sound leak from the open back. Isolation is actually good and they are able to block outside noise coming in decently but not as good as a normal IEM.

The Bass (Low)

The bass on the Septet is a neutral flat bass that has the authority when called upon. The mid bass lift although doesn’t show much of a lift are solid, punchy and slam pretty decent but just not as much as a bassheads would want. The bass here has an accurate, dynamic presentation that gives a good transparency into the overall sound. Details here are good with a clean and clear low that extends well with a slightly early roll off. The bass has a good fast pace that gives a mild energy in the overall bass and they have a tight slam with good texturing that possesses no bleed. Sub-bass here complements well and they are present without overpowering the rather flat mid-bass and they are able to dive deep with a clean, adequate rumble. Resolution here is mediocre but the bass has a good transparent sound that gives a pure, accurate bass that doesn’t alter much of the recordings.

The Mids

The midrange here is a slightly forward midrange that has a mild warm sound signature that has a good body while staying relatively neutral in their presentation. The forwardness of the mids isn’t too intimate but they are spacious partly due to the open back nature of these IEM and they possess great accuracy in terms of sound placements. Details here are great, be it micro or macro, and do have the nimbleness and clarity typical of balanced armatures but also having adequate body to them to make the overall midrange more enjoyable. The mids here does lean ever so slightly towards the higher range and that gives a bright overall presentation with a good amount of brilliance that gives vocals a nice lively sheen. Resolution here is good and the Septet does sound vivid with near to no coloration present but transparency is above average with an accurate reproduction of sound without altering the natural state of the music played. These IEM does shines with vocals especially with female vocals for their brilliance coupled with the spaciousness, they are lively with a lush sound while male vocals have adequate depth with a clear tone. Instruments sounded great as well but on some lower notes instruments like bass, cello and oboe, they do tend to lack body especially with bright sources but only marginally.

The Highs

The high range here is certainly the dominant frequency of the Septet as they are a touch north of neutral with a boosted 8 to 10 kHz that gives a good bite into the music played. Being driven by the notorious piezoelectric driver that is brutally piercy if implemented badly, it is safe to say that Kiwi Ears has done a great job with tuning them to sound less aggressive while preserving the excellent details with crystal clear clarity. I do think that by lowering the overall sensitivity of the Septet, the other drivers get the chance to somewhat overcome the offensiveness of the piezoelectric. Sparkle here is shiny with a crisp sound and they have a great presence. Treble sensitive users might want to stay away as the treble here is intense and aggressive with borderlines being sibilant but still within the lines of being inoffensive or harsh. The air here is good but isn’t as effortless as electrostatic drivers in this department though having more energy and bite. Resolution of the high range is superb and possesses a decent transparent sound that is still able to be accurate.

Comparisons

VS Moji Monica Lostland (USD529)

The rarely mentioned Moji Monica Lostland and being presented like boutique earphones with luxurious packaging and a high quality finish. They are equipped with a single dynamic driver, 2 balanced armatures and a piezoelectric driver in a small bullet shell. The price here is mostly funnelled towards the packaging but the tuning here is actually very decent with a mild V shaped sound that has also managed to tame the piezoelectric driver mildly.

The high range on both is very similar with an aggressive treble and a dominant frequency of them but lesser can be said for the Lostland. Septet highs here are crisper with a tad more detail and air present. The Lostland does sound a little smoother but with warm sources, the Septet is able to be on par with the Lostland in terms of smoothness.

Midranges on the Lostland sounded thicker and warmer but they do have a mild recessed mids and they aren’t as spacious as the Septet. Details and clarity do side on the Septet and they are more accurate. The Lostland has the better intimacy but isn’t as open. Vocals on Lostland sounded sweeter and lusher while the Septet has better brilliance that gives better liveliness.

Bass quantity on the Lostland is greater as they are boosted lows with a bigger mid bass lift that gives more thump and meat into the bass. Accurate and naturalness of the bass does sound better on the Septet alongside better transparency and texture. Sub-bass amount on the Lostland is slightly bigger but the Septet is able to dive deeper with more air present.

Soundstage on the Septet trumps the Lostland for their open back design and they have better air with a bigger headroom.

My pick: Septet by value and performance

VS Intime Sho DD (USD399)

The sub flagship of the underdogs from Japan, Sho DD is one of my favorites when it comes to energetic sound. They are equipped with a single dynamic driver with their implementation of what they called a ceramic tweeter that is quite similar to the piezoelectric but isn’t as sharp or aggressive in the highs. They are priced quite similarly but come in barebone packaging with rare Pentaconn connectors. They are a bullet type of earphones that have front titanium shells with a resin moulded back. The Sho DD does have a balanced sound but due to their boosted lows and highs, they are a mild U shaped sound that doesn’t have the recessed mids.

High regions on Sho DD are more forgiving marginally and they are smoother but aren’t as bold as the Septet. Details and clarity on the Septet is better with a slightly crisper decay. Treble on both are on the intense side but lesser on the Sho DD. Extension on the Septet is better with more air.

Midrange on the Sho DD is warmer and more intimate that gives a lusher sound. The Sho DD mids do sound more balanced than the upper mids focused Septet that is livelier. Sho DD has a thicker mids with a slight coloration versus the colourless mids of the Septet. Vocals sounded cleaner and livelier on the Septet but sweeter on Sho DD.

Bass quantity on the Sho DD is bigger and has a tighter slam but both have similar extensions that have a good amount of air. Sub-bass amount does go to the Sho DD with a stronger rumble but the Septet possess more air and they are deeper. Details and clarity on both are on par with each other here but texture sounds slightly better on the Sho DD.

Soundstage on Septet is wider and taller marginally but headroom on Septet is more spacious.

My pick : Both are equal as Septet is technically better but Sho DD has a more fun tuning.

Synergy

For synergy, the Septet is actually a tricky IEM to drive as they are demanding in power and a good matching will go a long way for them. Normal dongle or lower powered ones might give enough in loudness but their suppressed dynamics is quite evident. With a powerful dongle and bigger portable source, they are able to perform significantly better with a fuller sound and better overall control especially in the high range. I do feel they don’t match most of Sabre based chipset for their infamous glare but match very well with AKM or Cirrus Logic that gives them a smoother, warmer sound. The Septet stands in the middle ground of being picky with the file selection but mostly they do sound better with higher bitrates and better mastering but it isn’t too obvious.

Good pairing

Hidizs S8PRO, FiiO BTR7, Qudelix T71, Moondrop MIAD01, EPZ TP35, Questyle M15, 7HZ Artemis39

Not so good pairing

FiiO Q7, FiiO KA3, Dunu DTC100, BQEYZ Lin, Hidizs Nebula Cable

Who Is It For?

For those who love a strong yet highly capable high range, the Septet is the one as the high range is probably a treble head’s dream for their excellent details and clarity. The Septet is also a good IEM for seasoned audiophiles that want an accurate, natural IEM that sounds lively without any major sterility and they are a fun IEM to listen to for their energy. Those who seek a huge, open soundstage that has big headroom will find the open back design a great fit but might not be recommended for crowded areas for their sound leak although isolation is decent. For travels they are usable but due to their demanding nature, users might need a powerful source. The Septet is decent for gaming for their spatial awareness and accuracy but isn’t too good for movies as they lack immersion. Those who want a smooth, laid-back, bassy, thick sound might find them lacking in these criterias. Monitoring is possible here except for the boosted high range.

Final words

So, is the Septet just another typical multi driver IEM? The answer is no, as they are indeed a highly capable quadbrid IEM that is masterfully tuned in my opinion. It has one of the best implementations of a piezoelectric driver that manages to tame the piercy highs while preserving the superior details and clarity in the high range. The open back style is no gimmick as they are indeed one of the most spacious IEMs I have encountered recently especially in this price range. The caveats of the Septet is their intense treble that isn’t for the treble sensitive users and their power hungriness might not be for the casual users but for audiophiles, they are an excellent pair of IEM that combines technicalities with joy effortlessly. Another unique yet competitive IEM from Kiwi Ears worthy of a recommended product.

I would rate this product a solid 4 and a half stars for their sound quality in their price range.

Pros

• Solid all metal body with premium design and good fit
• Premium packaging with high quality modular cable
• Unique open back design
• Good cohesion with 5 way crossover
• Neutral tuning with mild high range boost
• Wide frequency range
• Huge soundstage, huge headroom with plenty of air
• Natural, piercy, breathy timbre
• Highly technical
• Accurate bass with good depth
• Sub-bass depth
• Superb overall clarity and details
• Spacious, slightly warm mids
• Highly energetic high range
• Top class details in the high range
• Great transparency, great resolution
• Scale up well with amplification
• Competent in the price range

Cons

• Lower mids a little thin
• High range and treble might be too intense
• Not for bassheads as the bass is a little flat
• Very power demanding
• Source matching important
• Sound leak from the back
• Not dust proof vents (nit-pick)