Kinera Hodur ($299)
Intro
I received the Kinera Hodur as part of a review tour through the USA. I sincerely thank Kinera for including me in this tour, allowing me to give my honest impressions about the Kinera Hodur. Of course, my impressions are my own, no sugar-coating, no false praise and never for monetary gain. Kinera is an honest company and never have they requested or required anything short of the truth and an honest review. Of course, they believe in their product, so they are very willing to put it all out there, so to speak.
Kinera is a very well-known brand within the community, known for releasing quality audio gear at reasonable prices. The Hodur is my first actual review of a Kinera iem but I certainly have spent time in the past with a few of their sets. Truth be told, I am quite impressed by this company for many reasons and quality is certainly one of them. Also, Kinera has a penchant for creating stylish and relevant designs as they keep their ears directed at the audio community at large and the proof is in their products. With that, the Kinera Hodur…
Norse God Hodur
Based on Norse mythology, the legend of the God “Hodur” states that he represents darkness and winter, he has incredible strength and oddly enough, he’s blind. Hodur is the son of Odin and twin brother to Baldr. From what I have gathered, Hodur represents the darkness while Baldr represents the light. Apparently, Hodur is the first character of the “Dark Series” chosen by Kinera.
The story goes that the blind Hodur always felt alienated and alone and unloved & never praised while the world naturally adored Baldr and the light. Full of contempt, jealousy and malignity, Hodur and the darkness over time formed into raw kinetic energy. In this state Hodur was easily tricked by Loki to murder his twin brother Baldr. The blind Hodur killed Baldr using a mistletoe branch shaped into an arrow while Loki guided Hodur’s hand. This act signified darkness devouring the light. Prior to this event, Hodur’s mother Frigg was aware of Loki’s conspiracy and made all of creation swear an oath to not harm Baldr in any way. However, Frigg failed to speak with the mistletoe bush and was too late as Loki was aware of Frigg’s misstep. Hence, Baldr dies at his brother’s hand with Loki’s guidance and darkness begins to take over…everything and everywhere.
Retribution
Enraged with vengeance, Odin felt he needed to avenge the death of Baldr. Even if it was against his own son. Odin would then have the God Vali take out Hodur and vanquish him to the outer reaches of the darkness where light could not reach. One last tidbit, the legend also says that after Ragnarök (events leading to the end of the world) had come to pass that Bladr and Hodur were reunited and returned from the underworld to a new and better heaven. Hodur and his brother reconciled, and Hodur was finally able to tell what really happened. The truth came to light if you will. It was then that Hodur was also able to garner the courage to face his own darkness of jealousy, resentment and covetousness.
Inspiration
I realize that there are probably some major holes in my retelling of this myth, but I had to relay at least the gist of it. It is in this association where we can get an idea of the foundational tuning and design of the Kinera Hodur. Think of desolate winter, darkness, contemptuous retribution. Think of raw kinetic energy bottled up and breaking forth with maligned rage as the darkness overtakes the light of the world. Try to envision this all-consuming, rolling mass of dark and cold under-currents covering everything. Imagine the light sparking and flickering… trying & fighting to exist. In the case of the Kinera Hodur, we must correlate these images to the design and tuning as they were the inspiration to the sound and the appearance of the Hodur.
I love that Kinera uses such inspirations to create and form their sets. This gives a face and a theme to the Hodur and is very creative on the part of Kinera. Surely Kinera puts much time and effort, expertise and knowledge into their craft and I am very impressed with them. With all that said I suppose we should get into the actual review of the Hodur. Also, please see Mahir’s review of the Hodur here.
Hodur Pros
-Design
-Comfort
-Package/Accessories
-Build Quality
-Clean & very resolute sound
-Very detailed
-Very rich, dynamic & musical
-Non-offensive sound but very energetic
-Clean, tight & deep bass
-Speedy transient response
-Energetic yet controlled treble
Hodur Cons
-Neglected to add the 2.5 modular cable attachment
-May be a bit bright for some
-Those who like a warm and easy sound may not like the Hodur
-Bass may also be a bit much for some
Gear Used
–Ibasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Later comparisons: Fiio FD5 / Mangird Tea
Packaging
One thing you can be certain of… Kinera will never shortchange the unboxing experience. We love a good unboxing, at least I do. How sweet it is that the good people of Kinera understand this. A good unboxing shows care and pride on the part of the company and also shows a keen understanding that… so many of us audio hobbyists enjoy this part of the process. Unfortunately, this is not the norm and much of the time accessories and design are left out in the name of keeping prices low.
Theme
The Hodur comes in a Hexagonal Box with a SOLID and flat out TOUGH-LOOKING picture of the Norse God “Hodur”. He appears to be wrapped up in thorny vines as he is in the glory and splendor of his time to reign, almost basking in the pre-eminence of his new reality. Or he is bound and cast out and enraged over being vanquished to the darkness. I am assuming it is the former, but I am not sure. Either way the picture is very artistic and mood inducing. I am romantic to the core so seeing this stuff just gets my mind racing for some sort of a greater meaning behind the decision to capture Hodur in such a way.
Contents
As you open the box you will be met with an almost sheer wax type paper, almost like a slight veil covering the bounty underneath. Removing this paper is a very neatly designed look at the contents within the packaging. Here you will see the ultra-masculine and sveltely crafted Hodur earphones placed tightly in foam cut-outs. Above the earphones you will notice some Final Audio eartips, five pairs to be exact. Under the earphones is the beautiful dark gray leather case. Also, to each side of the Hodur earphones are 3.5 & 4.4 modular cable connectors. Looking within the box you will find the nice cable and two other sets of eartips. The last accessory is a nozzle cleaning tool.
Carrying Case
Such a well put together and well-built accessory. The carrying case has obvious build quality. It is an open top design, all tightly wrapped in gray leather. On the top of the case, you will see a thorny vine on the top and bottom of the word Hodur. This wasn’t a case of simply adding some random Chi-fi case. No sir… Kinera designed this case with creativity and intent, and it shows. Now, I really don’t ever use the cases provided with earphones, but this is one which I will find a use for. Inside of the case is a felt type foam material to keep your precious Hodur earphones safe and protected. Well done, Kinera.
Eartips
I’ve always enjoyed Final E-tips and with the Hodur you receive five pairs to be exact (LL, L, M, S, SS). There are many good uses for Final E-tips with different earphones. I mostly use them with more neutral sounding sets prone to treble harshness as the E-tips do well to tame the peaks up top. E-tips also do well to improve bass regions on various earphones with the narrower bore. Also, they insulate very well with the firm & tacky, but also very pliable flange and flexible core. They are very handy for many situations and anyone who’s played around in the hobby will understand this.
K-07 / K-285-02 Tips
Also provided are two other sets of silicone eartips. One of the tips is very similar to KBear 07 tips in every regard, Kinera calls them “K-07” tips (L, M, S). Like the KBear 07’s, the K-07 comes with a medium-wide bore, a very firm and rigid stem and a firm flange. The last pair of tips are the “K-285-02 Vocal Tips”. Kinera provides four pairs of this set. These tips have a shallower fit with a wide-bore and almost beveled outward at the ends. One thing which is great about this set is the very firm flange as it helps to seal. I love the addition of all three types of tips as they all will be useful for different reasons for me.
For the purposes of this review, I did use the yellow large fit K-07 tips. There is a certain control that can be had using these tips. That hard and firm inner stem and medium-wide bore seems to really open up any set that I use them on. Couple that with the firm flange which seals so very well inside my ear creating great isolation. All three are great additions and each will add a different take on the tuning of the Hodur.
Cable
The cable provided is the cable that I used for this review. This is almost never the case. However, the cable that Kinera provides is very nice. It is a .078 2-pin blue and gray colored 4-core Silver Plated OCC Cable with a modular connector at the jack. I used the 4.4 connector for the great majority of this review. One thing I found minimally surprising is that Kinera left out the 2.5 balanced connector. I would assume because there are a dwindling number of devices which use this connector. All in all, the Kinera cable is very nice and is very aesthetically pleasing to the eyes as it fits the colorway of the Hodur well. Honestly, I love the look and feel of the included cable very much and for once do not feel as though I need a cable swap. The cable has a nice and pliable feel to it with no microphonics either, very nice addition.
You will notice the subtle touches that Kinera added to the cable which invokes a sense of quality and class. The 2-pin connector housings are all metal and take on the gun metal colorway. The same can be said for the Y-split as well as the chin slider. The modular connector housing is also made of the gun metal color as well as each connector. Both the 3.5 and 4.4 jacks have Kinera spelled out in elegant and ornate cursive writing to further add to the refined and stylish aesthetic. The modular connectors themselves can be easily pushed onto the cable and hold tight without any loose or flimsy feel to it.
Build & Design / Internals / Fit
Build & Design
There is a very obvious quality of build here. The design is in direct correlation to the story of Hodur. The Hodur comes in two colors, matte dark blue and gun-metal matte gray. Kinera chose a CNC 5-axis carved aviation grade aluminum for the Shells as the Hodur feels extremely light yet also very secure and solid with a premium appearance. The nozzles are tilted to a slight angle from the low-profile body which helps to reach deeper into my ear canal for a more ergonomic fit. Kinera used 120 mesh on the nozzle tips to ensure sound integrity over time and I’m sure having a small part to play in the overall tuning.
Look
The Shells take on a curvy design language like waves or ripples to instill a surging & rolling darkness type imagery. Inside of these ripples you will see the name “Kinera” etched in a very stylish and elegant way. Along the outside of the wavy ripples, you will notice what appears to be broken diamonds encased in the grooves. These diamonds represent the dying flickering light trying to survive as darkness overtakes it. I’ll be perfectly honest; I am really impressed. The build is obviously very durable and constructed seamlessly with no rough edges anywhere. Premium all the way from the 2 pin connectors to the nozzles and light as can be.
What’s inside?
Within the streamlined CNC machined shells Kinera chose a tribrid driver set-up to best tune the Hodur to the concept of the design. They added one 10 mm Dynamic Driver with a coaxial dual-magnetic tesla composite diaphragm, one low-power & high sensitivity electrostatic driver which was self-produced by Kinera and one Kinera customized K10012 Balanced Armature Driver. What is pretty impressive and maybe gets lost in the hearts and minds of us audio-fans are the fact that these drivers are self-produced and customized by Kinera themselves. Pretty impressive.
Fit
As far as fit is concerned, this is always a very subjective thing but for me the Hodur couldn’t fit any better. The nozzle is angled, and the Shells are very ergonomic as they sit perfectly inside my ears. The Hodur hugs my ears so well it’s almost like they grew there. I assume that the Hodur will fit the greater majority of people very well, but I cannot be certain of that. Nothing is for everyone other than oxygen and H20 so, your mileage may vary I suppose.
Isolation
The Hodur isolates very well for me, and this will likely be the case for anyone who gets a solid fit and seal. I am almost confident enough to say that the Hodur isolates well enough for even stage use. Obviously, there is no set which attenuates all outside noise but there is a nice reduction of the outside world for me. To add to that, I also don’t get very much sound leakage and so those around you will have no idea you’re jamming out to Britney Spears. Hey what you like is what you like, no judgement here!
Drivability
I will be pretty quick with the drivability of the Hodur. They are rated with an impedance of 8 ohms and a sensitivity of 106 dB, so these are sensitive for most sources. Using the Fiio KA3 was more than enough on either single ended or 4.4 balanced. That said, I did not like the synergy as much using the KA3, not bad but not the best for the Hodur. As far as mobile solutions go, the IFi Go Blu is absolutely wonderful with the Hodur. The Go Blu has plenty of power for this set and its warm yet resolving tonality seemed to perfectly align with the Hodur. The sound is so rich and clean when using 4.4 balanced. Also, the Qudelix 5k worked very well for me.
Moving on I decided upon the Shanling M6 Ultra. Going through the gain settings I ended up using either medium or high gain at all times. I noticed that there are minor upgrades in fidelity and openness with greater power but better upgrades with better sources. The Hodur is pretty transparent to the device I am listening with. Listening with the M6 Ultra I stayed at high gain for most of my listening with no distortions or odd peaks by using more power. With many earphones you will notice that more power will embellish the peaks and distortions and even glare can occur but the Hodur handles power very well. The Hodur certainly scales to the quality of source as well as more output power, but a decently powered dongle dac will suffice.
Quick Sound Impressions
I love the theme of the Hodur and how well the tuning mimics that theme. The Hodur has a warmer yet spritely U to W-shaped tonality with an energetic yet tame or controlled dynamic expression. Harmonic overtones are kept in check and natural while the ADSR envelope has a quick and impactful nature to it. Leading edges across the spectrum are solid and crisp in attack. The bass tends to hit hard yet decay more naturally while the rest of the mix is a bit snappier. If I were to generalize the sound as a whole, there is a dynamic density which comes across as syrupy or rich, and a cleanliness that draws the listener in. I hear a sound which can be colored yet relatively transparent, smooth yet coarse, all depending on the track being played and the source they are played on.
Just like the myth, the sound resembles raw kinetic bubbling energy, like a geyser which releases under pressure or the water which breaks the damn. Too much? Alright, I’ll dial it back a bit…the Hodur has nice energy. The Hodur has a slightly warmer tonality yet is as sharp, crisp & can be transparent with a lot of treble energy to add levity and coolness to the mix as well. This overall sound is fun and detailed, mostly non-offensive and very vibrant and lively from the sub-bass to the highs. Nothing boring on the Kinera Hodur.
The Mix
The bass can dig and has a nice impact-oriented mid-bass punch with a pretty deep sub-bass rumble. The midrange is smooth, pretty rich and forward in sound. Males have nice warmth and sufficient note weight while females sound shimmery with texture that is evident. In fact, the whole of the midrange has nice texture and good detail. The treble is highly detailed, transparent and very airy and open without any unkind peaks or sibilance. Energetic amplitude within the treble region is zippy and vibrant while remaining poised and controlled. The Hodur is a technical beast yet is dynamic to the core. Each 3rd of the frequency is full of this constrained vivacious energy which comes across as polished, decisive and resolving.
Bass Region
When I listen to the bass region of the Hodur, I can’t help but enjoy the impactful and punchy nature to it. The Bass is full in body but also very composed. This was very much evident. The bass is weighty and compacted with a nice rigidity and focus. Yes, there is some color there and no, it isn’t authentically correct to every recording. This bass region adds a nice presence for authoritative kick drums and deep bass drops. Attack presents a tight and forceful leading edge with a decay that is neither speedy nor slow, but always agile. The Hodur sounds boosted and reasonably extended yet with a more natural and atmospheric decay & sustain as the notes trail off. If anything, control may not match the rest of the mix but for a tri-brid in this price segment I think Kinera did a fine job.
Sub-bass
The sub-bass growls with guttural density when a track calls for it. Never sloppy or over-powering, never timid or tame. The sub-bass has a vivid quality with good depth and haptic vibration which is nimble enough for its quantity. “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard is a track which Hodur does very well. You easily hear the bass guitar’s depth and palpable thrumming drone. Of course, any set should display a deep drone to this song. Yet along with that power and depth I can also easily distinguish the finger slides on the strings, and the further decaying harmonics from the bass guitar just sounds natural to my listening ear. The Hodur does very well to offer a separated and layered sound against the rest of the track as well. The sub-bass isn’t the deepest but there is a controlled, solid, and almost corporal sensory feel to it.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass is similar to the sub-bass in description. Impactful, focused, clean and not overly boosted. Attack is immediate while decay/sustain is more natural and atmospheric as well. “Deep Reverence” by Big Sean, featuring Nipsey Hussle, begins with a deep and rolling bassline. In tandem with the rolling bassline are consistent bass hits which demand a controlled and clean bass region to replay the double bassline coherently. This track can turn to mud easily, in a mishmash of sound. The Hodur, however, replays this track effortlessly and without any detrimental encroachment or muddiness. Nipsey’s lyrical mastery is crystal clear against the authoritative bassline.
Good Energy
What the bass region does well is add warmth and balance to the overall mix. With rises in the upper-mid and treble regions the bass needed a healthy boost to offset. The energy in the bass region is very nice to hear as I find myself constantly going back to certain tracks to hear the way the Hodur replays them. All in all, I think the bass is great. However, I do think it will be too boosted for many folks in the community as some may find it fatiguing. On the contrary, bass heads may actually want a bit more in this area. Nothing pleases everyone in this game. Also, some may consider the Hodur as loosely controlled on some tracks, but I feel more output, burn-in and tip changes helped that quite a bit.
The midrange is warm but energized with an open feeling to my ears. Clear, concise, warm and musical are a few words which come to mind. There are pleasing overtones which permeate through the whole of the midrange. Maybe I’m caught up in enjoyment of the Hodur, but I am liking what I’m hearing. I hear nothing grainy or metallic or sibilant and from the low-mids to the upper-mids. I don’t hear anything which would be considered veiled or congested either. If anything, I do hear some fuzz at note ends but it isn’t anything I’d ever label as a con, but rather it’s an artifact of the balanced armature driver which is rarely a problem.
Lower Midrange
The low-mids have a nice note energy for all types of male singers. From deep baritones like “Avi Kaplan” to higher pitched tenors like “The Avett Brothers“. The Hodur has an enthusiasm and vigor with decent clarity listening to male voices. Now the midrange as a whole comes across smoother than other regions but that doesn’t mean it isn’t clearly defined and detailed. Males have average note weight with a robust energy that also isn’t too recessed or distant. When I say average note weight, I don’t mean to say thin. Thin to me is dry and less musical but the Hodur are still dense enough with good definition and pretty good resolution.
Upper midrange
Female vocals have an emotionally soft, warm and pleasing sound. They are more forward than males in my opinion. There is some pep and stints of shimmer as well but what stands out to me is how well different emotions are portrayed on the Hodur. Whether it be a soft sentiment or a vehement fervency in a female’s voice, the Hodur seem to capture it well. The Hodur keeps things pretty natural without anything too metallic or sibilant or shouty. There is a liveliness when a track calls for it, all the while remaining pretty resolute. Females are not at all aggressive or in your face and are tuned pretty true to life in my opinion. There is a certain sweet energy and depth to females that is equally smooth and easy as well as transparent and detailed.
Instruments
Instruments follow suit for the most part with good placement on the stage and nice separation for a clean delivery. Piano sounds nicely contrasted and lively. Acoustic guitar sounds very detailed and pretty natural. In fact, any stringed instrument has an organic initial pitch to notes followed by atmospheric harmonics and overtones.
The treble region is another area that replays well with the other frequencies. The energy here is very lively in note attack and decay which can hit instantly with treble punch and flare and then leave just as fast. My ears were trying to keep up with the insights that this electrostatic driver is able to unfold with unhinged and breakneck rendering ability. I use all these words which define something fast, energetic and detailed but there is also a coherence and smoothness in its veracity.
Held in check
Mostly the treble is held in check as far as over-brilliance or fatigue is concerned. However, there are still some luminescent harmonics happening here which do well to lift up the whole of the mix. There is an airiness which converges with the rest of the mix very well which sounds like a nicely feathered-in transition. The treble sounds like ‘a part of a whole’ and doesn’t sound so aggressive that it shines above everything else or feel fragmented. To some the treble may shine a bit too bright but I do think that group will be the minority. Like I said, the brilliance is held in check and capped out while still uplifting and adding detail to the whole spectrum.
Authentic
The treble is uplifted and extended in an authentic way with a treble slope which declines naturally to the ear. Harmonics from cymbals sound mostly true-to-life and won’t be a distraction. I don’t hear anything splashy or sheened out or tinselly. Altogether Kinera tuned the Hodur’s treble region to be airy, clean, fast, detailed and non-offensive for me at least.
Soundstage
The Hodur sounds as though it has an above average soundstage. Width is around average, just past my ears and easily audible. Height is above average as well. The depth is very good giving front to back information an easily recognizable room to operate. I would definitely describe what I’m hearing as three-dimensional or holographic. Very well done. Of course, we are talking about a set of iems so, there is a cap to this expanse of sound.
Imagine & Separation
Imaging is also pinpoint and true to the recording with delineated and partitioned off elements of a stage with nice placement which also means that separation is stellar. The speed, clarity and control create the illusion that each instrument or voice has its own space to breathe. Congestion is actually hard to come by on the Hodur as even complex tracks are handled very well. Listen to “Secrets” by Billy Strings with Hodur and trust me… We agree. Billy is lightning fast on the strings with rapid fire Info and each piece of his band sounds distinct and clean.
Details
This will be short; I’ve already laid this all out, but details are extremely nice on the Hodur. I feel the Hodur is boosted up top just enough to really illuminate the minutiae and subtleties of a track with relative ease. As far as the midrange, I do consider it a detailed midrange, but it is more musical than anything. I would say the details of the mids doesn’t really have the same effect as the treble region. As a whole I would certainly refer to the Hodur as a nicely detailed listen.
Comparisons
Fiio FD5 ($299)
One of my absolute favorites is the Fiio FD5. A V-shaped dynamo that is fun and thunderous and brilliant and a million other descriptive words to describe something awesome. To me anyways. The FD5 comes with a behemoth 12 mm single DD that is Beryllium Plated over a DLC Diaphragm. Built like an absolute MAN and gorgeously crafted and designed. I added the FD5 only because it can be purchased at the same price point. I will make these comparisons quick, as I’ve already gone over my self-implemented and imposed word-count. Eh…who am I kidding?
Low-end
I love the boosted low-end of both these two. Both hit hard and do so with a nice cleanly boosted punch. The mid-bass slam of the Hodur is elevated a bit more than the FD5, but both are very tight for their quantity. Sub-bass rumbles deeper to a very slight degree on the FD5 whereas the Hodur rolls off a hair earlier to my ears. Both sets are mid-bass focused down low and both sound awesome.
Midrange Differences
The midrange has a more open feeling on the Hodur but both sets are tuned very similarly. I would say note weight in the whole of the midrange is thicker on the FD5 and even a hair smoother but less detailed. Not by much, we are talking about miniscule deviations from each other. Still the Hodur came across cleaner in note delivery and tone. Males sound more forward on the FD5 with a lusher expression. However, females sound more forward on the Hodur with more of a shimmer to their sound. Both sets do well to replay the midrange.
Treble Region
The treble is a bit more boosted on the FD5 to my ears. Sometimes it can get a bit shouty. The Hodur really steals the show in this area as the Hodur is much more detailed and speedier, all the while remaining easier on the ears over long sessions. This is not to take anything away from the FD5 either. For a single DD, Fiio did an excellent job tuning a V-shaped set. I just don’t think it can keep up with the tri-brid which renders each frequency with its own driver against a full spectrum single DD. However, one could argue that coherency on the FD5 is a bit better.
Both are great sets, but the Hodur is the more balanced sounding earphone and the FD5 is more fun for me.
Mangird Tea ($329)
Another of my absolute favorite iems at any price. I adore the sound of this set. The Tea comes loaded with 7 drivers altogether. 1 DD and 6 BA’s. The Tea is built wonderfully and looks just as wonderful with its all-resin body and gold flaked Faceplate. A gorgeous set in my opinion. I added the Tea to hopefully show a contrasted tuning and a tuning which is also done very nicely, just different.
Bass Region
Starting with the bass, the Tea has much less emphasis, is much tighter and snappier yet are a bit less solid. Both sets offer nice punch. The Hodur simply has that meaty and full bass response due to the greater emphasis. However, the Tea still has a nice slam, I wouldn’t enjoy them if they didn’t have at least a decent rumble. The Hodur simply is a monster in terms of low-end quantity next to the Tea. It is much more emphasized. I do think that the Tea has a much more controlled sound down low that is much snappier and layered. The Hodur is more fun and more of a guilty pleasure while still remaining very controlled per its level of bass. Both have good texture.
Midrange
The midrange has more density and weight on the Hodur which borrows some warmth from the bass region. The Tea is simply much more balanced across the spectrum and so you almost have to think of the midrange in that vein. Because of the slight bass tuck in the Tea’s mid-bass, they have a cleaner, better separated sound with better clarity. However, the Tea is less forward with both male and female vocals. The sound of the Hodur is lusher and more energetic I would say, but midrange details emerge much easier on the Tea. Both sets are fantastic, and both have good control. Obviously the more balanced sound of the Tea opens up a more detailed midrange performance without the heavier bass taking up the spectrum.
Treble Region
As for the treble region, the Hodur is much more boosted. I hear a crispier note outline and a more detailed playback in the Hodur’s treble region. That said, the Tea is no slouch at all in the technicality department. The Hodur has a faster treble with a more airy and open sound. The Mangird Tea is smoother, with better note body and slightly less dry with an easier sound to take over long periods. The EST Driver within the Hodur is so very capable and really does deliver a performance which is able to reproduce details with relative ease.
Preference Battle
Truthfully this is a preference battle. The Tea is more balanced and smoother in sound yet still is very dynamic. The Hodur takes that dynamism and pushes the envelope in every regard within each 3rd of the spectrum. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better, just different. The Tea is just as capable and refined in its tuning. It comes down to what you prefer. Both are built very well, and both are very nice to look at and both sets replay music very well in their own ways. The Tea is much easier to drive to its full capabilities and isolates just as well as the Hodur. I guess the question is do you want balanced, dynamic and smooth or energetic, dynamic and detailed. Obviously, that is way too over-simplified, but I think you understand.
It’s hard not to be impressed with the Kinera Hodur. From the intelligent and sleek design theme, ergonomic and durable build, to the exciting and clean sound. The Hodur is most certainly worth every penny that Kinera is asking from my perspective. This type of speed within Kinera’s EST Driver is very reminiscent of a good planar but doesn’t come with some of the other issues of a planar. Considering there are three different driver technologies converging into one spectrum it is obvious that Kinera has some very talented people tuning their earphones. I don’t hear anything fragmented or disjointed or not harmonious between the 20’s either.
Controlled Aggression
The Hodur has a certain controlled aggressiveness, or lightning in a bottle with a perfect storm of …looks, build and sound. I say dynamic a lot because I cannot think of another word which so accurately describes the Hodur. Or to put it another way, the Hodur is a detail monster, a bass banger with electric treble and an innately fun and musical sound which uplifts and really just… makes me move my feet.
Thanks
Thank you to anyone who decided to check out my review of the Kinera Hodur. Again, I also want to thank Kinera for their over-the-top kindness and willingness to put their product out there to be critically reviewed. I also urge any of you to please check out other reviews of the Hodur from other perspectives. I obviously love the sound of this set but there may be others who have a not so positive spin. It would only make sense for you to read, listen to, or watch those other thoughts to get a good gauge on what you are buying. The Hodur is a more expensive iem and at this price it makes a ton of sense to do your homework. I am only one man with only my perspective. We all have different likes and dislikes, we have different gear, different hearing abilities and ultimately, we all have slightly different audio journeys, which greatly impact how we review. Thank you again and please take good care and stay safe and thank you for reading.
