KEFINE KLEAN SV – AGILE

INTRODUCTION:

Kefine, the Chinese audiophile brand had already taken its place in every audiophile’s heart with its staggering releases. Klean, Delci and Quatio are some of their releases in the mid-tier segment and each one of them stands strong in the competition despite the heavy competition. Today in our hands is the Kefine Klean SV, the successor to the already acclaimed OG Klean that still stands tall as a tower in the budget arena. Let’s dive in detail!

DISCLAIMER:

A big thanks to the Officials of Kefine and Collin Yang for giving me the opportunity to share my impressions of Klean SV. The whole views are based on my observations and is not an influenced one by any means.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver Type: 10mm DLC Dynamic Driver
Impedance: 32Ω ±15%
Sensitivity: 107dB ±3dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-Pin
Termination Options: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Balanced / USB-C

DESIGN AND BUILD:

The seamless aluminium construction of SV gives a nice touch to the hands it holds. The ergonomic design pattern sits well in one’s conchae without causing pain even after listening for several hours. The minimal branding and the subtle grey give a cleaner look and aesthetic scheme to the SV.

The nozzles filters are screwable, and the spares are included within the package to tune it to the user’s preference. The stock SPC cable feels good in the hands with enough braiding to withstand the strains. The included carry pouch with zipper looks more practical with extra slots to carry your favourite dongle dacs.

KEFINE KLEAN SV SOUND ANALYSIS:

Sound Signature: Harman Curve with Sub bass emphasis

Tonality: Warm Neutral

SETUP: Silver Filter + Tanchjim Space Dongle Dac + 4.4mm

BASS PROFILE:

• A thumping bass response is seen from the SV with high precision in terms of speed and control.
• The snappy attack and decay give SV the needed clarity in the low end for a fun yet cleaner presentation.
• Sub bass picks up pace over the mid bass for an elevated rumbling low end experience that comes up whenever the track calls.
• Despite the variation in the pace, the mid bass showcases adequate warmth for a fuller bodied presentation.
• Overall, this is the bass I would pick! Suits majority of the genres, showcasing the needed thump with clarity

MID SECTION:

• The intimate mid-section brings the vocals forward for an engaging listen while keeping the instruments spread out in the background.
• The lower mid profile has adequate warmth providing proper body to the male vocals.
• The controlled upper mid elevation gives life to the female vocals for a vivid listen without sharp spikes.
• The roundness and warmth in the mid-section gives SV the needed dynamism in a controlled fashion without sacrificing the fun.

TREBLE:

• The top end of the SV is a double-edged sword and is perceived differently according to the user’s preference.
• SV exhibits a smoother extension that showcases a gentle lift in the top end for the needed brightness.
• Treble seekers will find this elevation to be muted in sense due to the softer note edges and restricted air.
• Despite its smoother edges, the essential nuances are extracted well without missing out the details.
• The cymbal crashes and trumpets have that snappy attack with natural timbre showcasing a realistic presentation.

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: SV showcases adequate width and height allowing the notes to take up their spaces without any restriction.

IMAGING AND LAYERING: The layering feels impressive in the SV and all thanks to its speedy presentation. The transients feel faster, allowing multiple notes to take up their position even in the busy tracks.

NOZZLE FILTERS:

Silver: This stock tuning filters has the most balanced sound giving equal emphasis to all the frequency range. This got the enough oomph in the bass while keeping the upper end alive with decent technical aspects.

Gold: This is for those who seek that extra spice in the upper end with a touch of reduction in the warmth with decent technical aspects.

Black: Here comes the version that boosts the bass section to the max with added warmth but at the cost of upper end’s vividness.

VERDICT:

The release of Kefine Klean SV, a successor of the OG Klean is itself a big surprise considering its highly acclaimed praiseworthy position under 50USD! Despite the usage of the same single 10mm Dynamic Driver with DLC Diaphragm, the tuning’s been changed a bit with slight cosmetic changes for an overall upgraded package.

In terms of build and design, this adopts the same aluminium construction but with a subtle change in colour. The shift from the black and silver to a neutral grey gives the Klean an aesthetic subtle look. The stock SPC cable and the hard case pouch remains to the same and no complaints whatsoever. The uniform colour and seamless joints provide a premium touch to this budget gem.

SONIC PERFORMANCE:

SETUP: Silver Nozzle + Tanchjim Space DAC

Klean SV gears up itself with a Harman curve sound profile. The whole attention is drawn towards its speed and clarity, which feels unmatched in its segment. The extra width in the stage accompanied with the natural tone adds up the beauty of the whole presentation.

Bass section in general leans more on sub bass over mid bass. It’s faster attack and decay brings a cleaner bass response with proper rumbles that satisfies the ears whenever the note drops. Despite its weightage, the mid bass showcases enough warmth displaying full bodied sound and overall, this is the bass I want for a multifaceted listen.

The intimate mid-section brings everything forward making them more engaging and livelier. Despite its intimate positioning, the background instruments are neatly laid out for showcasing an expansive layering. The adequate warmth of lower mid gives, male vocals the enough fullness and the lively upper mid gives, female vocals the enough vividness.

Treble is where the conflict happens! In general, they are tuned smoother leading to a subtle and a calmer presentation without losing out much on nuances. The cymbal crashes and trumpets sound cleaner with a softer tone and natural timbre. Treble heads outs there might see this as a con considering its softer note edges and restricted air. The restriction however doesn’t affect the presentation much. Overall, this is a preference!

Technicalities come out to be above average displaying decent detail retrieval, accurate imaging with moderate stage presence. The impressive aspect is it’s layering capability! Layers out the notes with precision based on its weight delivering an immersive listen.

Klean SV looks promising in all the aspects and is rightly priced under 50USD. The successor stands true to its motto of delivering a cleaner sound without compromising on the dynamism. The AGILE sonic flow of Klean SV makes it a solid all-rounder amidst the house-full competition.

POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES:

Pros:

1. Harman Curve with Sub bass Emphasis
2. Thicker and Intimate Mid-Section
3. Faster Transients
4. Warm-Neutral Tonality
5. Smoother treble with softer note edges.
6. Tuning Nozzles
7. Value Proposition

Cons:

1. Restricted Air