Overlooked?

Since their inception in 2021, Kiwi Ears has matured into a relatively prominent brand by 2026, consistently delivering reliable products. We’ve covered more than a handful of their offerings, and honestly, what they bring to the table is value paired with a unique, refreshing flair. Today, we have the chance to review the 59USD Kiwi Ears Forteza, which was released back in late 2023, a time when neutral Harman tuning was still the go-to choice. With its warm, V-shaped sound profile, the Forteza may have flown under the radar, so we’ll be exploring its relevance in the context of today’s tuning preferences.

First, a huge shout-out to Rosie and Linsoul for providing the sample pair of the all-new Kiwi Ears Forteza for us to share our honest take. We are not affiliated with the brand, nor have we received any form of monetary compensation for this review. As always, this is solely our honest assessment of the product.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the new Kiwi Ears Forteza taken from their site;

• Sensitivity(1KHz): 103dBSPL/mW
• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20KHz
• Impedance(1KHz): 32Ω
• Drivers: 2 x Dynamic Drivers (10mm + 10mm)+1 X Balanced Armature
• Earphone Jack: 0.78-2PIN, 3.5mm

The Kiwi Ears Forteza can be purchased directly from their website and many other platforms worldwide

Kiwi Ears Forteza

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging is solid with a cube box that has similarities to their current day product and they are professionally packed with their usual fun design. Inside we are greeted with the IEM head, a fabric hard case, a cable, a manual and 3 types of eartips in 3 sizes. The eartips have a narrow bore and they vary in their softness.

Design

The Forteza features a 3D printed medical grade resin shell with an ergonomic CIEM fit. The Forteza has an optimized hollow shell that actually gives the dynamic drivers room for venting and the shell is relatively thick, making for a robust IEM. The finishing is excellent as the casting is clear, uniform and glossily polished. The faceplates are translucent with their logo and they are hand-finished with green and blue glitter that looks premium, albeit a little glittery for my taste. The Forteza comes in three color variations: blue, black, and purple.

The Forteza is a hybrid IEM that consists of a unique dual dynamic driver with a custom made balanced armatures. The 2 dynamic drivers are set in a horizontally opposed position, facing each other to maximize their fullest potential while preventing phase cancellation issues and they are tuned to reproduce a deep low end alongside a vivid, rich midrange. The upper range and being driven by a single balanced armature that has been made in-house, adhering to Kiwi Ears specifications. The drivers are tuned with a 2 way passive crossover that can be seen through the resin shell.

There is 1 tuning vent situated beneath the 2 pin connector that is fitted with a metal ring for the back vent for the dynamic drivers. No flex is present which is great as they are a well vented IEM.

The Kiwi Ears Forteza has the standard flush 0.78mm 2 pin connection that is slightly tight.

The front nozzle has a decent length with a maximum diameter of 5.5mm and they have a lip at the end to grip eartips better. There are 2 bore holes where 1 is for the 2 dynamic drivers and 1 for the balanced armatures.

The cable here is rather basic with a black, four-core twisted oxygen-free copper design, available only with a 3.5mm termination. While it may be a bit basic, the asking price and build quality of the IEM itself more than justify it.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The sound presentation is a classic V shaped sound with a dominant bass boost, lifted highs and a mild recessed mids. These are a bass focused set that has the energy that mimics a subwoofer type bass but manages to steer away from disrupting the other frequencies. The tone here is leaning on the brighter side of the spectrum and the overall details here are well worth the asking price. These aren’t your usual accurate, neutral tuning, instead a bold, aggressive tuning that excels in immersion and enjoyment that may not be suited for purists.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is decent with adequate width and height that possesses a good headroom size that is free of any boxiness or closed in vibes. They project sound forward similar to a near field monitor that gives a good immersive and intimate sound that is exciting but lacks openness albeit having a good amount of air. Soundstage accuracy is great with a 3D, holographic spatial positioning that is well suited even for gaming and movies.

Separation and Timbre

Separation here is superb and one of the Forteza strengths here as they have good separation of sound that gives a wide stereo sound with no major crosstalk issues and they do scale better here with a balanced setup. The sound cohesion here is good with no major issues but the midrange transitioning to the high range may have some gaps, other than that, the overall tuning here for a hybrid is pretty cohesive. Timbre here is rich, organic and punchy with a slightly bright tone and they have great energy especially in the lower mids to the bass region as well as an energetic high range. The Forteza does have some minor colouration present that gives a more jovial listening experience but it does affect the overall transparency in a small margin.

Drivability

Rated at 32 ohms with a 103db sensitivity, they are easily driven by any source as they don’t need much power to sound great with adequate amount of loudness. Their slightly low sensitivity does not tend to pick up noise making them a good pair of IEM for outdoor or casual usage. Scalability here is average but they do benefit from good matching especially with a neutral bright source but matching with some bassy source will actually incur some bass bleed by a little and fatigue may set in quickly. The Forteza is slightly revealing and they are able to show some flaws in the recording but it doesn’t necessarily need a good mastered track and higher bitrates files will actually give a cleaner sound but only marginally. These aren’t really a pair of IEM tuned for monitoring and critical listening, instead an IEM that has an energetic, bold sound that plays well with modern, mainstream genres like EDM and modern pop.

The Bass (Low)

The bass is dominant and the best part of the Forteza with a boosted, punchy yet clean signature that sounds full and they are authoritative without major overpowering issues. It has horizontally opposed dynamic drivers and it is rarely seen in this price range. The mid-bass has a mild lift that gives a tight bass slam and they are textured with a highly resolving bass, capable of giving a clean and clear bass. Bass transparency is decent but isn’t their strength as they are stronger than in their natural amount. Details here are great with an elastic bass that plays well with fast tracks easily. The bass does sound controlled without any bloat or bleed present. The sub-bass is deep and rumbly that blends well with the overall bass, giving an immersive sound presentation that is highly enjoyable and they suit bassheads for their authoritative bass but not so much for purists.

The Mids

Midrange here has a mostly neutral flat sound that might be overshadowed by the strong highs and lows but that manages to stay present, blending well from the lower mids and with a good transition towards the upper mids. There is some intimacy and warmth in the mids presentation and they have a good amount of space with good spatial accuracy. Clarity here is great, and they are clean and have clear sound that is vivid with almost no coloration. Details here perform well in macro and micro details but more on the former. The body here is slightly thin but the timbre here is accurate with an organic, breathy timbre that possesses a mild warmth that gives a lush sound presentation. The transition to the upper mids are great with a good amount of bite that adds some brilliance in the mix and that suited female vocals as they are sweet and lively but for male vocals, they tend to pack body and depth. Instruments are best paired with lower notes like drums, bass and some woodwind but on certain strings, their timbre may sound a little thin and harsh.

The Highs

The high range here is almost neutral apart from a lifted peak in the 8 KHz region that gives a good piercing high range and they are energetic without any major harshness or sibilance albeit a little spicy. Extension here is decent with a slightly slow roll off that decays slowly giving an airy, livelier high range. Sparkle amount is strong and they do possess a mild crisp signature that makes the overall sound more fun and exciting. Details here are excellent with high nuances well portrayed and they do have clean, clear highs that are highly resolving. Being driven by balanced armature drivers, there are times that they possess unnatural, metallic timbres but that does affect their transparency majorly till the point of it being distracting. Treble here does lean towards the intense side and they are extended that gives a boost in their overall clarity. These IEMs aren’t suited for those seeking a relaxed, laid-back signature but suited for those who love an energetic, lively style of sound.

Comparisons

VS Kefine Klean (53USD)

One of the latest offerings from Kefine with a single DLC dynamic driver encased in aluminum alloy with tuning nozzles. SV size is smaller than Forteza but the CIEM fit of the Forteza is snuggier.

• Overall details and clarity are similar with the Forteza slightly warmer
• Klean SV does sounds more balanced and transparent overall
• Soundstage on the Forteza is slightly better
• Bass on the Forteza has the edge in amount, weight, texture and depth but Klean SV has more accuracy
• Sub-bass amount is slightly bigger in Forteza with better depth
• Midrange on Klean SV is more forward and thicker
• High range amount are similar but the Forteza has a more piercy treble
• High range extension on Klean SV is better and smoother

Vs KZ ZS12 Pro X Standard (45USD)

Released back in 2024 and equipped with 1 dynamic driver with 5 balanced armatures encased in an semi open back metal shell. They are slightly cheaper but the packaging, accessories and the 3D printed medical grade resin on the Forteza feels more premium.

• The ZS12 Pro X has a similar V shaped but isn’t as aggressive
• Timbre on the Forteza sounds more correct with a warmer mids
• Forteza is more resolving while the ZS12 Pro X is slightly more transparent
• Soundstage are similar but the ZS12 Pro X sounds more open
• Bass amount is on the Forteza side but the ZS12 Pro X has a more linear, accurate bass although lacking impact
• Sub-bass of the Forteza is deeper and more impactful
• Midrange on both are similarly thin but the ZS12 Pro X is slightly more forward
• Highs on the Forteza is more exciting and energetic
• High range timbre on the Forteza is better albeit still a little metallic

Synergy

Good synergy: Neutral balance, slightly warm sources

Examples: 7HZ Artemis39, Qudelix T71, Hidizs S8 Pro, Questyle M15, VE Devastator series, Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini, EPZ TP30

Not so good synergy: Bassy, bright sources

Examples: FiiO Q15, FiiO KA5, EPZ TP35 Pro, Surfans X10

Power requirements: Easily driven with average scalability

Who Is It For?

Suitable genres: EDM, jazz, hip-hop, classicals, pop, rock, metal

Suitable usage: Gaming, movies, casual listeners, bassheads, drummers, bassists

Not suitable genres: Acoustics, ACG

Not so suitable usage: Monitoring, critical listening, treble sensitive users, purists

Final words

The Kiwi Ears Forteza arrived in late 2023 as a warm, V shaped basshead set in a neutral-Harman era and 3 years later, it found its place. This isn’t for purists, instead, It’s for listeners who want authoritative, high quality bass with an energetic treble and surprisingly great technicalities all for 59USD. The dual opposed dynamic drivers with a single balanced armature and 3D printed shell punch well above the price.

Overlooked? Perhaps in 2023. But in 2026, with listeners embracing “fun” over “flat”, the Forteza feels more relevant than ever. Treble sensitive users and critical listeners should pass. Bassheads, gamers, and anyone wanting a lively, hard-hitting sound? Easy recommendation.

4 over 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros

• Decent technicalities
• Solid resin build, ergonomic fit and nice finishing
• Warm, punchy, energetic sound
• Good separation, imaging with a wide dynamic range
• Rich, dense and organic timbre
• High musicalities and immersive
• Great clarity and details
• Nicely boosted, textured, clean and deep bass
• Energetic highs that is crisp and lively
• Intense treble with some aggression
• Easy to drive
• Good for bassheads
• Price

Cons

• Not for treble sensitive users
• Not a neutral sound for critical users
• Mild balance armatures timbre
• Treble might get spicy with bright source
• Slight recessed and thin mids
• Small gap in the upper midrange