INTRODUCTION:
Kefine as a brand has put up some serious competition in the audio industry. Especially, the mid-tier segment’s competition started to heat up after its launches like Delci Ae and Quatio. Now finally, the brand has entered the mid-tier premium flagship segment with its recent launch named ARNAR with in interesting configuration.
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They did some excellent work with their products in the past using the Dynamic and Balanced armature drivers. For a change, the brand has come out with an interesting configuration for the first time. The latest lineup Arnar has got a 14.5mm Planar Driver combined with a balanced armature driver for an interesting sonic output.
Arnar has got one of the premium packaging in its segment. Plethora of accessories are included with the product. Starting from a premium stock cable with interchangeable terminations, tuning filters, good selection of ear tips and a leatherette zipper case! Everything’s been taken care of!
Planar drivers are known for their speed and transparency while the Balanced armatures are known for its exceptional details. What if we combine them both!? This opens a new world of audio nirvana. Kefine Arnar combined both these gems to bring out the best out of both the worlds.
KEFINE ARNAR SPECIFICATIONS:
Driver type: 1 planar driver + 1BA
Driver size: 14.5mm (planar driver)
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 40K Hz
Sensitivity: 107 dB +/- 3 dB
Impedance: 13 Ohms
Plug size: 3.5mm SE & 4.4 mm BA
KEFINE ARNAR DESIGN AND FIT:
The shells are made out of aviation grade aluminum with a less mean thickness and this made them more comfortable to wear despite the bigger size. The design language has been inspired from the Chinese traditional window stating “Wish design faceplate”. The Arnar has a very catchy faceplate that mimics a window pattern and open back design though they are not one in real. Two pressure releasing vents are provided on each earpiece to equalise the pressure flow. The nozzles are screwable and that enables the user to switch back and forth the included sound filters to personalize it.
The accessories are plenty enough to be cherished and for the price it’s a no surprise. The 4 core SPC stock cable feels premium on the hands and does comes with interchangeable termination ends. The ends are included inside the package for versatile usage. Arnar has received a premium zipper pouch that has a space to hold the IEM with some additional space for the DAC. Both the standard size and wide bore set of ear tips are included in the package which adds a nice touch of versatility to the sound.
DISCLAIMER:
This unit was provided to me by Kefine Officials in exchange for my honest opinion. Despite this being a review unit, the views are based on my observations and pairings.
KEFINE ARNAR SOUND ANALYSIS:
Signature: Balanced with gentle upper mid lift
Tonality: Neutral
Setup: Arnar (4.4mm) + Standard bore ear tips + Black Tuning Filter + AIMP Windows Player (Local FLACS) + Tanchjim Space Dongle DAC
The sound in general follows a balanced curve with gentle lift in the upper mid-section for that vivid touch to the presentation.
BASS PROFILE:
Talking about the frequency range, Arnar has a solid bass response showcasing impeccable speed and tightness. Despite its fast nature, the Arnar in general does produces the bouncy effect that even makes the bass heads to nod their heads. The mid bass complements the sub bass drops cohesively making them sound meatier without compromising the needed clarity. The different layers of bass are neatly brought onto the table for clinical listening.
Planar bass is all about speed and accuracy. They always prioritise the quality over quantity with more sub bass emphasis and this is what is exactly seen with Arnar’s bass. Arnar with its stock silver tuning filter has a mellow bass response with quick sub bass roll off. This made me to switch to the black filter and it made a day and night difference in the Arnar’s bass profile. Now the bass has more impact with solid sub bass presence and precise mid bass weight. The speed still stays on the faster side with quick attack and decay that keeps the presentation clean. Despite its faster nature, the Arnar’s still able to deliver a fuller bass with precise control which seriously deserves the applause. Arnar lives up to the expectations of busy tracks displaying appreciable separation and control throughout the replay.
MID – SECTION:
Kefine has thoughtfully tuned the Arnar in such a way that the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA driver which usually expresses the metallic taste. Mid-section is brought forward in the Arnar with spacious stage presence. BA in general has the capacity to present the notes in a wider staging and its clearly appreciated in the Arnar.
Lower mid profile has adequate weight and warmth which is neatly carried out from the controlled mid-bass presence. This makes the male vocals and guitar strings to sound full without being subdued by the heavy mid-bass impact. Upper mid emphasis is noticed evidently and this does add the character to the whole presentation. The trumpets blend nicely with the female vocals and all thanks to the extension that brought life onto the table.
The interesting thing is the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA which is known for its notorious metallic taste. I have not been a fan of BA’s mainly due to its change in timbre but Kefine has done some serious tuning here to overcome the issue. The uncoloured tone gives the taste of realism to the Arnar’s presentation.
TREBLE:
The expression of hi-hats in the Arnar is done well with adequate display of brightness. The treble profile is a no slouch here and does compliments the big bass section of Arnar. The notes show sharper attack and decay without being sibilant. The sharpness blends nicely with the smoothness thereby providing the best of both the worlds.
Cymbal crashes and the electric guitar picks got nice bite and that elevates the listening experience to another level. Arnar displays good amount of brilliance in the top end which makes the presentation to sound more open and transparent. Overall, the Planar and the BA inside the Arnar showcases an open and lively treble profile that brings energy in the one who’s listening.
TECHNICALITIES:
STAGING: The striking aspect of Arnar is its grand presentation. The stage appears massive in all the axis especially in depth and width. The notes sweep nice and wide from both the extremities to showcase a holographic stage presence.
IMAGING AND LAYERING: The bigger stage do help the Arnar in uplifting the imaging and layering capability. The extra width paves way for the Arnar in precise positioning of the notes. Even when the complex tracks are replayed, the notes are neatly layered out without showing clumsiness. The tracks from Yosi Horikawa are delight to be heard in Arnar and that’s the Arnar’s imaging technicality.
DETAIL RETRIEVAL: This hybrid cohesively works together and extracts the details with ease. BA’s are known for this specific aspect of extracting the nuances and it’s the same case here. Even the faintest hisses are captured precisely and produced into the ears.
TUNING FILTERS:
SILVER: This has a balanced sound profile with less bass emphasis and upper mid extension. They sound good in general but the lack of weight in the bass section makes them appear slightly less dynamic and lacklustre. This is the stock filter that comes fitted with the product out of the box.
GOLD: This makes the bass even lighter with more emphasis over the treble section. Overall, they bring some brightness onto the table but at the cost of lighter low end. This didn’t suit my preference but can be a good option for treble heads out there.
BLACK: Here comes my favourite option. This brings the best out of the Arnar. A solid bass response that displays proper sub bass drops and mid bass weight without compromising on the speed. Despite the increase in low end, the mid and highs remain untouched which makes them the perfect pair for the Arnar.
VERDICT:
Arnar, the new hybrid from the house of Kefine brings some serious heat in the mid-tier flagship segment. The 14.5mm Planar and the balanced armature inside the Kefine Arnar gives a ZESTY character to the presentation that one can never neglect.
POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES:
Pros:
- Authoritative Bass Shelf (Black Filter)
- Versatile Tuning (Changes noticeably with filters)
- Holographic Stage Presence
- Neutral tonality
- Cohesive Hybrid Configuration
- Impeccable Imaging and Layering
- Functional Tuning Filters
- Quality Accessories (Ear-tips, 4 core SPC Cable, Zipper Case)
Cons:
- Bigger Shells (P.S This holds two drivers inside!)
Highly priced for a hybrid configuration
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