Disclaimer:
Good morning, readers. We are finally back with a new Kiwi Ears product. The Kiwi Ear Airoso is a hybrid IEM that pairs a dynamic driver with balanced armatures. I think the choice to pair these two types of drivers is spot on in order to make up for the shortcomings that these two types of technologies usually have. At first glance it seemed to me to go back to try something I had already heard a while ago, full of energy and very vibrant. The name of the IEM escapes me at the moment, but perhaps I will remember it later. In any case, the performance was very impressive from the beginning.
I am not an audiophile; I am just a guy who enjoys trying out different IEMs and DACs and spending a lot of time listening to music. I belong to the audio enthusiast category.
So I will not use super technical terms to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
Thanks to Kiwi Ears for providing this review unit.
Tech Specs:
- Impedance: 15Ω (on box) and 18Ω (on website)
- Drivers: 1DD (LCP+PU) + 4BA
- Sensitivity: 110 dB SPL/mW
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Cable Length: 1.2m (detachable)
- Connector Type: 3.5mm TRS
- Weight: 12g (each earbud)
Packaging:
The Kiwi Ears Airoso has a simple and contained package but perfect for the type of IEM. It does not have a waifu or other things.
Inside we find the following accessories:
- Branded hard case
- 3.5mm cable
- 3 complete sets of tips
- Manual & Warranty
I’ll start by saying that there are many tips and a good variety for a standard supply, but when it comes to the cable, you notice the really poor quality, comparable to much lower-end IEMs. This aspect needs to improve. It also comes with a 3.5mm cable, but I saw that a fair amount of power is needed to make this set express itself.
Design/Build Quality:
The Kiwi Ears Airoso is a mix of resin and CNC-machined aluminum and titanium alloy. A mix of materials that work well and a very simple design make it a serious-looking IEM. In the part that faces the ear, the black resin is the master. You can only see a ventilation hole between the nozzle and the drivers, while on the outside we have a minimal faceplate with a slightly more important ventilation hole. The build quality of the IEM is good and has no imperfections. Aesthetically, it is not a work of art like the Kiwi Orchestra Lite, but inside it is still a very interesting and good-sounding configuration. In the meantime I thought of an IEM that seemed to me similar to the Simgot EM6L. Same driver configuration and same particular energy.
Initial sound impression:
At first glance, the feeling with the Kiwi Ears Airoso was particular; its holographic and airy sound has a remarkable spatiality that disorients you for a moment. You immediately notice how the bass and sub-bass have the correct emphasis that gives that extra touch of class to the set. Compared to perhaps the Simgot EM6L that had so much energy and vivacity but lacked depth, the Kiwi Ears Airoso have implemented its shortcomings, making this set the actual upgrade of the EM6L. The tone maintains a neutral line and is free of obvious colorations.
I consider it an IEM capable of satisfying multiple musical genres, both from something refined like Jazz & Blues but also genres like House and D&B.
Equipment used for testing:
Device:
- MacOS
- Poco M4 Pro
Software:
- Amazon music UHD 24-bit 96kHz
DAC:
- Fosi Audio K7 (Best option to test the driver capabilities)
- EPZ TP35
- Creative SoundBlaster G8 (Perfect with 3.5mm cable)
- Fosi SK02
- Muse Hifi M4
- Fiio KA11
- Fiio KA17
- Fosi DS2
- Simgot DEW4X
- EPZ TP50
- Creative SoundBlaster X5
Comfort & Fit:
The Kiwi Ears Airoso shells offer excellent comfort; the ergonomics are excellent, and being made of resin and CNC-machined metal, they are also particularly light. I have listened for over 2 hours without any problems. The nozzle angle seems correct as far as I’m concerned.
Tips & Cable Rolling?
As for the included tips, there are some very good models, but I wanted to put the Divinus Velvet (needless to say that I am extremely happy with this model) and, while I was at it, I used the Effect Audio Ares II cable (too expensive) to try them in balanced. My advice is to plan to buy at least one cheap but balanced cable.
Final sound impression:
After several hours and days of testing, I can say that the Kiwi Ears Airoso needs a balanced cable to best express its drivers. Despite the particularly low impedance and the high sensitivity, it manages to take a lot of power from the Fosi Audio K7 without having monstrous volumes. I deduce that more energy is needed than necessary to hear the real potential of the set, so its original cable is definitely fine as long as you have a dongle or DAC with a powerful 3.5mm output. In some ways they managed to take the Simgot EM6L back in hand and improve in several aspects, including especially the sub-bass. They maintain a truly excellent clarity and naturalness. The musical instruments and voices are ahead of everything else and have organicity and a feeling of tangibility. The notes have the right thickness.
Bass
The dynamic driver with LCP+PU membrane does an excellent job where balanced armatures often fail. Even though they now integrate an obsolete mix as hybrids, in a certain sense, Kiwi Ears has raised the bar. The bass flows full, soft, deep with a fair speed. The sub-bass adds spatiality to the stage and at the same time moves air. I do not notice any bleeding; on the contrary, it is very composed and takes well even an exaggerated equalization that exasperates the bass region. The tuning and the integrated crossover work very well.
Mids
The mids have an explosion of energy and vitality; if the EM6L seemed special to you, these are even more so, with thicker notes while maintaining neutrality. The mids are definitely very clear and advanced compared to the rest, which makes the set very resolving and directional, also ideal for gaming. I personally do not use IEMs in gaming sessions, but I assure you that they are excellent even for good music. The voices are very refined with a light, bright, and airy note that could be confused with a slightly metallic timbre. The air and energy of the mids is engaging.
Treble
The treble extension is not bad at all; it is nothing exaggerated but completely tolerable with a great presence of air. They are called “Airoso” for a reason, and they reflect their name 100%. The trebles are exactly what you would expect from well-calibrated balanced armatures, that is, fine-grained, high-resolution, and at times even sharp but never harsh or sibilant. They worked well.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The soundstage is very wide, and the sensation you get is of a holographic sound. The soundstage is therefore wide and deep (not cavernous), but the presence of air increases the perception. The image is super sharp and clear, which makes it ideal for gaming. Precise layering and also directionality. Each sound has its own precise track that reaches the eardrum with excellent separation and no bleeding.
Comparison:
vs Simgot EM6L
The simgot EM6L, if it were not for some build quality issues, especially regarding the nozzle, is a really interesting and particular IEM for its energy. However, the Kiwi Ears Airoso has managed to improve every aspect that I had heard on the EM6L. Above all, the bass region is richer and more complete, but also the presence of air and thickness of the notes are a nice improvement.
Conclusion:
Kiwi Ears is a brand that I’m really enjoying; I can’t help but notice that they are making good-sounding IEMs one after the other. The Kiwi Ears Airoso doesn’t hide any innovative technology but a classic and well-established 1DD + 4BA configuration, and yet I was still very positively impressed. From my point of view, if you liked the EM6L, these can be an upgrade. The only flaw is that the included cable doesn’t reflect the price range in which it is placed. Plan on getting a balanced cable.
8.9/10
Pros:
- Good build quality
- Simple packaging
- Really energic
- Airiness at its best
- Clarity and Note Thickness
- Nice bass & Sub-bass extension
- Great imagining & soundstage
- Sound separations
Cons:
- Cable need to be upgraded
- Not available in 4.4mm balanced
- Needs power to properly shine
- Not for Bassheads
