Kiwi Ears from China has been emerging from the unknown and now has been a prominent player in the entry to the midrange segment of audiophiles. They have been consistent with their releases and have been known to produce innovative audio products that punch above the price range with releases such as the Orchestra Lite, Quintet, Cadenza and many more that have been well received globally. Recently they have released a classic hybrid combination of a single dynamic alongside 4 balanced armature earphones named the Airoso and I have been hearing good things about these earphones. Rosie from Kiwi Ears has reached out to us and provided us with a sample of the Airoso for us to give an honest take and we are truly grateful for the opportunity. How will the Airoso perform and will they be another high value product in this midrange segment? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Kiwi Ears Airoso;
- Shell type : Resin body with aluminum and titanium faceplate
- Drivers : 1 LCP+PU dynamic + 4 balance armatures
- Impedance : 18Ω
- Sensitivity : 110 dB SPL/mW
- Frequency Response : 20Hz – 20kHz
- Cable Length : 1.2m (detachable)
- Connector Type : 3.5mm TRS, 0.78mm 2 pin
- Weight : 12g (each earbud)
The Kiwi Ears Airoso can be purchased through their website
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is pretty basic but it is packaged in a professional, straightforward manner. It is packed in a small square box with a hard black inner box. Inside we are greeted with the Airoso itself alongside a rectangular hard PU zipper case, 9 pairs of eartips in various sizes (3 wide bore, 3 normal bore, 1 small bore), the 3.5mm cable and some paperworks. Pretty standard packaging for their price.
Design
The design here is a rather simple design but the quality is there and it feels great on hand with their glossy resin part and their CNC aluminum and titanium faceplate although I can’t differentiate where the aluminum and titanium part. The assembly is done very well with no gaps present and they fit ergonomically well with a medium sized shell.
The nozzle here has a width of 5.5mm at the tip and they are made from aluminium with metal mesh fixed onto them.
The Airoso is driven by a single Liquid Crystal Polymer + Polyurethane (LCP+PU) diaphragm dynamic driver with 2 custom made balanced armatures and a twin dual custom balanced armatures. The drivers are connected through a physical and RC crossover making them sound cohesive with an accurate sound reproduction.
The cable included is a basic 4 core twisted copper cable with the standard flush 0.78mm 2 pins connectors at the earphones side and only 3.5mm termination is available on the input end. A better higher quality cable would be a better inclusion in this price range alongside choices of 4.4mm termination.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO Q7
Hiby FC6
Questyle M15
EPZ TP35
FiiO BTR7
Dunu Luna
Dunu EST112
Soratune YI01
BQEYZ BQ10
Intime Sho DD
Rose Technica Star City 5 Pro
Intime Sho DD
Letshuoer S15
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the present on the Airoso is a ‘L’ shaped sound that has a mild boost in the lower end with a mildly forward mids and a flat, smooth high range. Their tone has a tilt towards the warmer side that gives an overall sweeter, lusher sound and they are suitable for a fun listening experience rather than a clinical performer. Technicalities here are decent with a clean and clear overall sound that has great imaging and a wide dynamic range typical of a hybrid set.
Soundstage
The Airoso soundstage here is actually quite wide and tall with an airy sound that extends well on both ends. I can see users perceive the soundstage intimate due to their thicker, warmer sound but the width and height is actually good for their price range. They have a good 3D, holographic sound that has good placements and possess an immersive sound signature suiting gaming and movies as well.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is great with a superb stereo separation that is wide and has no crosstalks issue even on the 3.5mm cable. A balanced setup will increase their stereo width quite well, making them have a wider dynamic range. Timbre here is organic, breathy and smooth that suits a wide range of genres without any peaks or fatigue while still sounds natural and accurate.
Drivability
Rated at 18 ohms with a 110 db sensitivity, they may seem easy to drive but I personally feel that the Airoso need some power to sound their best and they do scale up quite significantly. While a normal wired dongle does the job in terms of loudness, a cleaner, more powerful setup will bring out the best of the Airoso by providing better dynamics and more refinements especially in their lower region. Source pairing is also important as a certain bassy source will cause some bleed present on the bass to midrange. The Airoso pairs really well with a neutral and bright sound signature to give them a push in clarity at the mids and highs. In terms of file selection, they aren’t a picky pair as they sound great even on streaming, while highly quality tracks do sound better, the difference here is negligible.
The Bass (Low)
The main strength of the Airoso is the bass department and they are a dominant region with a meaty bass that is slightly north of neutral while still able to sound accurate without any overpowering issues. Details here are great with a clean. tight slam and they roll off slightly slower which gives the bass better extension and air. The mid-bass here has a mild lift that gives the bass more energy and presence making the Airoso a fun sounding set. The sub-bass amount here pairs well with the mid-bass to provide a full sounding low end. Bass texturing is decent but on some certain warm sources, they tend to lose some texture with a slightly unrefined sound and possess some bleed into the midrange. The amount here actually suited some light basshead and they play well with hip-hop and EDM.
The Mids
Midrange is a neutral balanced mids with a slightly forward, full-bodied mids. Though with the boosted bass, the midrange does sound balanced with a smooth upper midrange transition and they possess a good amount of brilliance. Details here are superb with macro and micro details well displayed but more on the former. The mids have an above average resolving capabilities with their vivid sound and while they do possess some coloration, they do sound natural with an organic presentation. Transparency here is good with an accurate sound reproduction. The Airoso does perform better on male vocals for their thick, deep sound but also quite capable with female vocals as well with some brilliance on the upper mids. Instruments sounded good but some high range strings may lack some bite due to their tamer upper mids.
The Highs
The high here is a flat signature that has a balanced tone that isn’t too bright nor too dark. They possess a rather polite high range that is smooth and pleasant while having a good degree of details alongside a decent clarity. Sparkle here is present but they do lack bite and crispness but they have a fatigue free presentation that is suited for an extended listening. Treble amount here is low on their intensity but in a small margin that it doesn’t sound too dull or dark. Treble heads might yearn for a stronger high range but those who are treble sensitive may find the tuning here spot on. Hiss and sibilant are non-existent and they have a rather great timbre without any typical metallic balanced armature timbre.
Comparisons
VS Truthear Nova
The Truthear Nova was released a while back and they possess a similar 1 dynamic with 4 balanced armature configuration with a slightly more expensive price but having a better quality unboxing experience. The Nova has a neutral Harman-ish sound with an accurate sound but they are a little on the safer side of tuning.
High range here sounds pretty similar with the amount of sparkle and a mild crispness. Both have the same details but clarity sounded clearer and brighter on the Nova in a small margin. Both of these sets have a great timbre without any metallic hint.
Midrange on the Airoso sounded fuller and thicker with a slightly more resolving sound while the Nova had a more spacious midrange. Transparency on the Nova is better with less coloration but the amount of details on the Airoso is better.
Bass quantity on the Airoso has the edge of being stronger and harder hitting with their mid-bass lift and they have a slower roll off. Sub-bass amount is the same but the Nova does extend slightly deeper. Texture on the Nova is slightly better but energy on the Airoso is better with a livelier sound.
Soundstage on both is similar but due to the thicker sound of the Airoso, the Nova does sound a tad airer and wider.
My pick – Airoso for the lower asking price with similar performance
VS Rose Technica QT9 MK2
The Rose Technics or now known as Roseselsa QT9 MK2 is a similar 1 dynamic with 4 balanced armature drivers with a V shaped tuning that has a brighter sound signature. Though released at a slightly higher retail price, the QT9 MK2 can be bought around the same price with the Airoso recently.
Highs on the QT9 MK2 do sound brighter and stronger with better energy but they do possess a mild metallic timbre. Sparkle is more evident on the QT9 MK2 and they are crisper than the Airoso but they are smoother and extend better with more air.
Midrange of the QT9 MK2 does sound more accurate with less coloration and has better transparency but they are slightly recessed mids for their bass and treble boost. Clarity is similar with the same amount of details. The Airoso upper midrange is smoother but brilliance on QT9 MK2 is better by a small margin.
Bass on both of these sets has the same amount if being boosted but the QT9 MK2 has a tighter bass while the Airoso has better extension and air. Sub-bass on the Airoso is stronger and deeper. Texture on the QT9 MK2 sounded better with a slightly cleaner bass.
Soundstage on Airoso does sound wider and a tad airer.
My pick – Airoso for their more natural timbre and more balanced sound
Synergy
The overall sound of the Airoso that has a boosted low end matches well with bright to neutral source and they do not go well with warm too bassy source as they might incur bleed in their bass to the midrange. They do match most Sabre based setup even with the infamous Sabre glare and they scaled up well with an extra kick in the driving power.
Good synergy
FiiO BTR7, Hidizs S8 Pro, Questyle M15, FiiO Q7, Qudelix T71, FiiO KA5
Not so good synergy
EPZ TP35, Hiby FC6, 7HZ Artemis39
Who Is It For?
Suitable for – Classicals, hip-hop, jazz, metal, rock, pop, EDM, electronic, male vocals, light bassheads, movies, gaming, casual listeners
Not really suitable – Female vocals, some strings like violins and electric guitar, live recordings, treble lovers, monitoring/critical listening
Final words
With all the choices of audio products sprouting out over the years, the Airoso honestly stands out by providing a rather unique tuning of being smooth, bassy, and lush all the while still possessing good technicalities with all details intact. They are a smooth sounding set that is immersive and suited for a wide range of usage which includes movies and gaming. It is a fresh type of tuning in the sea of safe tuning and they are a standout set recommended for a jovial experience.
I would rate this product a 4 and half over 5 stars.
Pros
- Decent technicalities
- Solid build with good finishing and ergonomic fit
- Cohesive hybrid tuning
- Decent airy soundstage
- Warm, lush, intimate
- Decent overall details and clarity
- Natural, organic timbre
- Great dynamic range
- Authoritative, meaty elevated mid-bass
- Superb sub-bass extension
- Thick, intimate midrange
- Smooth extended high range
- Fatigue free
- Decent resolution and transparency
Cons
- Bass isn’t for purist
- Some bass bleed present with warm sources
- Some minor colouration present
- Need some power and good matching to perform
- Not for treble lovers or clinical listeners
- High range lack bite and crispness
- Cable only in 3.5mm single ended
