Kleaner Than Before

2026 marks the 3rd year since the conception of Kefine and they are now a staple brand that show consistency in producing high quality products at a more than fair price. They kick-started 2026 with refining its entry-level success with the Klean Silver Edition (SV). Shifting from its original tuning, the SV adopts a neutral-bright sound signature, emphasizing clarity, detail, and enhanced technical performance. The IEM features a premium all-aluminum alloy build in a matte silver finish and includes three tuning nozzles for personalized sound adjustment. Remarkably, all this is offered at its accessible price of around 50USD. Positioned deliberately as a side-grade to the original Klean, the SV aims to deliver a more neutral sound, making it a compelling option for discerning listeners on a budget.

Firstly a huge gratitude to the team of Kefine for providing the Klean SV for an honest take and we are truly grateful for the opportunity.

We are not affiliated nor taken any monetary exchange for these products and the review is an honest take which is an opinionated view.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Kefine Klean SVi;

• Driver: 10mm LCP Dynamic Driver
• Frequency response: 20H2- 20KHZ
• Sensitivity:107d8+/-3d8
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Connector0.78mm, 2 pin
• Cable length: 1.2 Meters
• Plug: 3.5 SE, 4.4 BA or USB C
• Price : 3.5mm, 54USD, 4.4mm and USB C, 56USD

The Kefine Klean SV can be purchased at Kefine official store and various other platforms worldwide

https://www.kefineelec.com/en/ProductList.aspx?iCategoryId=9

Kefine

Packaging & Accessories

Positioned as a budget entry IEM, the Klean SV comes in a rather small square box that has a straightforward design. Nothing over the top and simple. Inside we are greeted with the IEM head, 6 pairs of eartip in 2 types in various sizes, a cable, a fabric hard case and 3 pairs of tuning nozzles. Accessories here are one of the best in this price range as the nozzles and hard case is rarely seen.

Design

The design here is the same with the original Klean with a hexagonal-ish shape that is made from metal injected aluminum alloy but in a new matte silver theme. Build here is actually exceptional with smooth edges and the matte finishing is superb. Fit here is great as they are lightweight, slim and possess great ergonomics that fits even small ears users. There is a single hex screw on the inner part of the IEM that holds the front and back of the shell together.

Now the Klean SV is driven by a single 10mm diamond like carbon (DLC) dynamic driver with Daikoku voice coils, dual cavity and powered by strong dual circuit N52 magnets which again, similar to the original Klean but the tuning here is definitely different.

The front nozzles come in 3 pairs distinguished by colours where the stock silver mesh is for a reference sound, the black mesh is for a bass boost and gold mesh for a higher treble. The nozzles are well made and it does make a difference in sound but not a night or day difference. The diameter at the tip is around 6mm and they have ribbed edges for easier disassembly and gripping the eartips better.

There are 2 vent holes where 1 is situated below the 2 pin, at the middle of the inner shell in charge of the back dynamic driver vents and another pressure relief vent near the nozzle. No driver flex and pressure build up is present which is great for the driver’s longevity as well as comfort.

The connectors being used are standard flush 0.78mm connectors and they are tight.

The included case is a square fabric zippered hardcase that is rather small but it does the job of protecting the IEM. Cable here is a simple 2 core silver plated oxygen free copper cable with a twisted braid and they actually look pretty basic but given their asking price and the tuning nozzles, it is more than acceptable. Users have the freedom of choosing 3.5mm single ended, 4.4mm balanced or USB C DSP cable.

The USB C DSP cable does sound pretty decent with the Klean SV, providing ample power and great clarity suiting gaming tremendously. It has 3 buttons for volume control and play/pause functions. The microphone used is high quality as calls are clean and clear.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone here has a Harman-ish approach, with a neutral bright signature that is well balanced without any major peaks present across the whole spectrum. Their technicalities here are exceptional, punches above their asking price as separation, imaging and overall details are superb. They do lean towards a slightly sterile sound but they aren’t a cold pair of IEM, instead having some warmth in their midrange preventing them from being too dull. The overall sound here is actually accurate and natural but a little safe for this saturated market.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is rather average but it does possess a good width and height. It possesses a slightly diffused sound that projects sound around and disperses them to give a spacious headroom alongside a good amount of air. The Klean SV does have an accurate positioning with decent immersion that gives a holographic soundstage that is suitable for gaming and movies. These aren’t an intimate type of soundstage and not an in your face type of presentation that some users seek.

Separation and Timbre

Separation here is superb as they are able to provide pinpoint imaging with a wide stereo width that separates the channels in great accuracy. The sound here is full and possesses a wide dynamic range with a cohesive sound that is typical of a well tuned single dynamic driver. There are no crosstalk issues and they sound even better in this giving a wider dynamic range with balanced outputs. Timbre is a rich, organic, airy and precise sound that produces a true to life sound reproduction without any unnatural timbre.

Drivability

Rated at 32 ohms with a 107 db sensitivity, they are an easily driven IEM with sufficient volume even with a basic dongle, scaling better with higher quality sources. They are slightly revealing and transparent that will show flaws in recording but they will also work well even with low quality sources like streaming. The Kefine Klean SV actually scales up well with powerful sources as they provide a more refined overall sound, increased dynamics and smoothening out the high range. Sources like AKM, Cirrus Logic and Burr Brown will give the Klean SV a smoother overall presentation but on some Sabre based source that is bright and at times sounds a little harsh.

The Bass (Low)

The bass on the Klean SV is a neutral bass that is linear and has some authority when called upon, possessing a decent amount of energy. The amount here is natural without any major lift in the mid-bass, giving an accurate reproduction of the bass with great dynamics. The weight note here isn’t as full as the original ones and these are certainly not for bassheads but suited for purists or critical listening. Details here are superb with great texture that show layers of the bass in a clean, clear manner that is free of bloat and they have no bleed issues that affect the midrange even on high volumes. The pace here is quick and possesses a tight slam that has a slow roll off giving a decay that lingers but only marginally. The sub-bass here has a good depth that has a good amount of rumble, slightly bigger presence than the mid-bass, that isn’t overpowering while having the authority, suiting well with the linear mid-bass giving a full sounding bass that doesn’t sound too muted or polite.

The Mids

The midrange here is neutral flat and has a slight emphasis at the upper midrange that gives the Klean SV a brighter overall tone. The amount of detail here is great that punches well above their asking price and the clarity here is top notch as well. They have the ability to display macro and micro details well, and they have solid imaging that excels in the overall midrange accuracy. The body here is slightly on the thinner side but they do possess a mild warmth that prevents the overall mids from sounding too sterile. The Klean SV mids have an organic, natural timbre and they manage to sound colourless, giving a transparent, resolving sound but it lacks vividness. Upper mids have a good amount of peak that brings along a good amount of brilliance making the Klean SV a good vocal performer especially with female vocals and male vocals has great clarity but may lack depth on certain bright sources. Instruments had accuracy and sounded mostly clean and clear with spot on timbre.

The Highs

The high range here is a neutral type of highs with a healthy peak at the 10kHz region, giving an extended high that is energetic with a good amount of air. The high range is one of the main differences between the original Klean and they do sound livelier and possess more energy and air. Details and clarity here are great with a strong, clean sparkle that possesses a crisp decay. The high range is a little strong but it sounds natural with a clean, piercy timbre that presents high nuances well without any sibilance or being harsh. For those who are very sensitive to a spicy treble, might find the highs a tad strong but for me personally, the highs here are energetically fun while also accurate. Treble here has a decent dose of intensity that contributes to the overall clarity while being not overly aggressive.

Comparisons

VS Unabridged Gunagzhi

The entry IEM from Unabridged (UA Audio) China costs a similar 50USD and there is a neutral tuning with a mild bass boost with a single graphene dynamic driver that has been praised for the unique IEM that possesses a high value performance index. The size of the Guangzhi is miniature and fits smaller ears better style but the Klean SV all metal build is more robust. Value seems to be better on the Klean SV as they are better packaged with more choices of terminations and of course, the tuning nozzles.

The high range on the Klean SV is stronger with a more sparkly and crisp high range while  the Guangzhi is smoother and more forgiving. Details and clarity here better on the Klean.SV with a stronger treble that gives a push of clarity. Timbre in Guangzhi does sound a tad more natural and organic.

Midranges on the Guangzhi do sound slightly thicker and they do have more warmth present with a more forward mids that has very mild coloration. The Klean SV does have the edge in neutrality with better transparency while the Guangzhi is more resolving and vivid. Female vocals on Klean SV does sound livelier while the Guangzhi has more depth.

Bass quantity on the Guangzhi is greater with a bigger mid bass lift that gives more authority.. The Klean SV bass does sound more accurate with a more natural amount, it does lack extension like on the Guangzhi. Sub-bass amounts on both are similar but the Klean SV seems to have a bigger ruPace on the bass of the Guangzhi seems a tad faster with better texture.

The soundstage on the BQ10 is wider and taller with better air and their headroom is also slightly bigger but both sets have no boxiness issues.

Verdict:  BQ10 for their neutral performance but the Guangzhi has a more soulful and fun signature.

VS Sivga SM100

The recent entry release from Sivga equipped with a new 10mm sapphire like  ceramic diaphragm with a zinc alloy shell. The build of the zinc alloy does give the UTG a more robust build but it does have some weight to them. The price of the SM100 is slightly cheaper but value still goes to the Klean SV for their tuning nozzles and inclusion of case. The sound profile of the SM100 has a neutral bright sound with a slightly clinical sound that has strong technicalities but it does lack low end immersion.

High regions are similar in amount but the SM100 sounds livelier while the Klean SV have a crisper sparkle and possess more air and extension. Details are slightly better on the SM100 but clarity is similar. Treble on SM100 is slightly more intense while giving a better perceived clarity.

The midrange on the Klean SV is more spacious and has a fuller body with a more balanced overall mids. The SM100 mids do sound brighter in the upper mids and have more brilliance and clarity while details are similar. Vocals are more balanced on the Klean SV but the SM100 excels better on female vocals due to their added brilliance.

Bass quantity on the Klean SV, has a more weight on the mid-bass with a slightly bigger slam that possesses better energy alongside a stronger sub-bass rumble versus the rather lean bass of the SM100. Details and clarity here is slightly better on SM100 while extension and air on the Klean SV has the edge. The bass of the Klean SV is more textured and sounds more dynamic.

The soundstage on both has decent width and height but airiness is on the Klean SV.

Verdict: Klean SV for their ability to tune via nozzles and a fuller sound while the SM100  for their overall clarity and clinicalities.

Synergy

For synergy, I would recommend pairing them with a warm to balanced source to smoothen out the treble while also maintaining their thick warm sound for it to be more immersive. Source chipsets such as AKM, Cirrus Logic and Burr Brown are highly recommended but not much can be said for strong treble of the Sabre based chipset that might give a harsher high range. Amplification is not a must as they do not need much power to have ample loudness but a clean source can actually make their technicalities better but just marginally. They are slightly revealing but aren’t picky with the file selections but a well mastered, high bitrate track will indeed perform better.

Good pairing: Time Ear BTE9, FiiO BTR7, Qudelix T71, Questyle M15, 7HZ Artemis39, Hiby FC6, EPZ TP35, IFI Diablo, Hidizs S8 Pro, VE Devastator

Not so good pairing: FiiO Q7, FiiO KA5, EPZ TP30

Who Is It For?

Suitable genres/usage: Acoustics, rock, pop, instrumentals, gaming, movies, metal, ACG

Not suitable genres/usage: EDM, Hip-hop, jazz, monitoring

Final words

The team at Kefine has done it again, kicking off 2026 with the impressive Klean SV. For an entry-level IEM, it delivers performance well beyond its price tag. Built with a solid cast aluminum alloy shell that is solid yet lightweight, it’s a perfect choice for all-day listening. The inclusion of tuning nozzles, rare at this price point, is the cherry on top. Given its affordable asking price, there are few caveats that are just nit-picks like a rather safe tuning and when compared to the original Klean, the SV trades some low-end immersion and note weight for greater technical precision. It may not be a direct successor, but I consider it a step up in technical ability and an excellent choice for audiophiles seeking a balanced, neutral sound at a more than fair price. An outstanding value.

I would rate the Kefine Klean a solid 4 and a half stars.

Pros

• Solid build, lightweight, ergonomic, well designed shell
• Tuning nozzles that works
• Strong technicalities (separation,imaging, accuracy)
• Wide and airy soundstage
• Neutral, balanced tuning
• Great overall details and clarity
• Organic and rich timbre
• Linear, accurate bass response
• Great sub-bass
• Flat, clean, colourless midrange
• Lively, energetic, crisp sparkle
• Piercy, accurate high range timbre
• Great transparency and highly resolving
• Easily driven
• Value

Cons

• Cable a little thin (nit-pick)
• High range can be a little strong/not for treble sensitive users (high volume)
• Not for bassheads
• Midrange may lack depth and body
• A little low on musicalities