Kiwi Ears Orchestra II Review: A Great Example of All BA!

Disclaimer

Hello everyone! Before we get started, I want to let you know that Kiwi Ears sent me the Orchestra II so I could test it, spend some proper listening time with it, and share my thoughts. I’m not being paid for this review, and Kiwi Ears hasn’t asked me to say anything specific, look over my draft before posting, or set any publishing schedule.

Everything you’ll read here comes entirely from my own experience with the Orchestra II. I always try to be as fair and objective as I can, but at the end of the day this is still just my personal opinion. We all judge things differently, and that mix of preferences is exactly what makes this hobby so enjoyable.

A big thank you to Kiwi Ears for giving me the chance to check out the Orchestra II, and of course, a huge thank you to you for taking the time to read and support my reviews. It truly means a lot to me!

Introduction

If you have been following me for a while, you have probably noticed that Kiwi Ears has been releasing many great products lately, and every time I try something new from them, I end up surprised in a good way. The Aether, the Septet, and the Astral all have some different contributions, and each one had its own unique thing, which I like a lot. So after hearing all of those, I was really curious to see what they would do with the Orchestra II.

Now, I never tried the original Orchestra or the Orchestra Lite, so I cannot compare them directly, but I can definitely compare the Orchestra II to the Astral, which I reviewed not long ago. They share a similar tuning style, but the big difference here is the driver setup. The Astral is a hybrid, while the Orchestra II is an all BA setup. Since the Orchestra II is 50$ more, I think this comparison is going to be really interesting, especially when talking about bass performance and how BA bass vs dynamic bass behaves.

I also want to put the Orchestra II up against something more premium, because on paper they have a similar configuration, and it’s a flagship 10 BA set that I absolutely love, and that is the FiiO FA19. The FA19 costs around 999$, which is almost 3 times more, and I think it will be fun to see how a so called mid tier 10 BA IEM at 350$ can show itself against something almost three times the price. And more importantly, what are you actually paying more for?

So I think it’s time to dive in and see how the Orchestra II performs.

Unboxing

The unboxing of the Orchestra II is very Kiwi Ears like. Their boxes usually follow the same design with small changes, and here it is the same story. You get a clean looking box with a green/yellow color scheme and a big picture of the IEMs on the front. After lifting the lid, the first thing I see is the IEMs sitting in foam inserts. And I have to say, they look beautiful. The faceplate has this honeycomb design with a pearlescent plate behind it, and the whole shell is completely clear. I always loved fully clear shells, there is something really satisfying about seeing all the drivers inside.

Even though these are the largest IEMs I have ever seen, they are actually pretty comfortable for me. I will talk more about the design in the technical specifications part, but for now, I can say that the size did not scare me as much as I thought it would.

Accessories

To the side of the IEMs there is a box with the carrying case. The case is very nice, high quality, and grey with the Kiwi Ears logo on top, and inside it there is the cable. Under that box there is another box with two small boxes, and inside them you get four sets of different eartips, a total of twelve pairs. I always love when brands give extra goodies inside. It makes the whole experience more premium.

Now, personally, the eartips themselves are not my favorite. They are all pretty simple, and I would have preferred more variety, maybe some liquid silicone tips, foam tips, or just tips without that line in the middle. That line always makes my ears itchy after some time, so I tend to avoid eartips like that. But overall, it is still nice to see so many included.

The cable is thick, soft, and very comfortable. It has this silver, flashy look, which I actually like. The only thing I wish was different is the modular system. It works, but it is a friction fit type, so it ends up more bulky and not as secure as a screw down system. I think Kiwi Ears could improve this part, but the cable itself feels very good.

Technical Specifications

Specs

• Driver Configuration: 10 Custom Balanced Armature Drivers per ear
• Crossover: 4-Way Crossover Design
• Sensitivity: 109 dB SPL/mW
• Frequency Range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Impedance: ~19 Ω
• Connector: 0.78 mm 2-Pin
• Plug Types: 3.5 mm and optional 4.4 mm
• Cable Length: ~1.25 m
• Included Accessories:
• Detachable cable (single crystal copper silver-plated)
• Carrying case
• 12 pairs of eartips
• 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm connectors

Build Quality and Design

The shells of the Orchestra II are fully transparent, and they let you actually see all 10 custom made balanced armature drivers inside. Those two transparent bass drivers, four midrange units, two treble units, and two ultra high tweeters are visible through the resin, and it gives the IEMs a very good look, and I love it.

Now, as I have mentioned earlier, they are absolutely large, probably the biggest IEMs I have ever used, but even with that size, they don’t feel too weird in the ear. The full resin shell feels very dense and strong, and because the shape isn’t too ergonomic, like the Astrals, for example, it’s actually more comfortable for me for longer sessions. It also does a great job isolating noise because there are no vents at all, because they are not needed with BA drivers. They don’t move like dynamics do, so there isn’t that need for airflow. I didn’t feel like it caused me a pressure buildup in my ear, and I actually could sit with them for a pretty long time without discomfort. But when adjusting or taking them out, I actually felt like they got sucked in, which is something I don’t feel with vented IEMs.

Driver Technology and Tuning

The Orchestra II has an all BA setup, and Kiwi Ears didn’t use shelf drivers here. They custom made all the BAs inside to match the specific frequency, which is actually very good, and I will talk more about it in the sound performance part. All of this is managed through a 4 way crossover that is done beautifully, and everything works in a way that feels balanced and energetic.

As I have said above, because these are balanced armatures, they don’t rely on vents like dynamic drivers do. The drivers have tiny internal movements instead of big ones, so venting isn’t needed, and you don’t get that airflow feeling you sometimes get with dynamics. What you get instead is a very tight and fast bass response that still reaches surprisingly deep for BA, which is the unique part of a BA bass, and again, I will talk more about in the sound performance section.

Cable and Accessories

The cable included with the Orchestra II is a thick, soft, braided single crystal copper and silver plated cable that feels premium in hand and is actually comfortable over long listening sessions despite being that thick. The detachable 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors give you the option to swap cables if you want, but I don’t really see the need to, because it’s a pretty premium cable. The modular system is a friction fit one and isn’t as compact as screw down types. Still, it’s a nice cable and adds to the overall quality feel of the package.

Speaking of the package, Kiwi Ears includes a very nice and large carrying case and twelve pairs of eartips, which is generous at this price, but as I’ve said earlier, I would have loved to see some entirely different styles, but overall the presentation makes the whole experience feel premium.

Sound Performance

Bass

The bass on the Orchestra II honestly shocked me for an all BA set. These BAs go way deeper than what I usually expect from balanced armatures, and they do it with a very clean and controlled presentation. In tracks like Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold by Geoff Castellucci, his voice goes extremely deep, yet nothing gets muddy. The bass stays full and very distinct, even when he drops to the lowest notes.

On Hellwalker by Mick Gordon, you can really feel how rumbly they get. The bass comes in with a strong umph, but it never feels bloated or too pushed forward. It has this tight, fast punch that hits hard enough to satisfy me but still stays clean on the busiest parts of the song. I was honestly surprised by how natural Kiwi Ears made BA bass sound here. Even in heavy, chaotic tracks everything stays so clear, even to the point where I can hardly imagine that a dynamic driver can ever do that.

Mids

The mids are one of the highlights here. They sound very natural to me, with great clarity and smoothness. Vocals, both male and female, come through with a lot of detail. In Line Gone Cold by Forest Swords, all the elements feel like they have their own space with great extension. I loved hearing the decay go further and further without losing detail, it really adds atmosphere.

Female vocals sound very vivid and full of life. In Brave New World by Kalandra, her voice is so clean and so detailed that I could literally feel every breath she takes. Nothing is masked, nothing feels pushed back. They tuned the mids in a way that just feels right to me.

Highs

The highs are detailed and well controlled. They give you all the information without ever being harsh. There is a really good extension, and at the same time they stay on the natural side. That is something I appreciate a lot because some BA treble can feel sharp or metallic, but not here.

The highs remind me a bit of the Astral, but more balanced. The Orchestra II gives me the impression that the upper treble is slightly softer, and the presence region feels more natural, which makes long listening sessions easier for me.

Technicalities

This is where the Orchestra II really shows what 10 custom BA drivers can do. Imaging is extremely good, separation is excellent, and layering is clean even in more complex tracks with many different elements.

Rip and Tear by Mick Gordon is always a great test for chaos. With the Orchestra II, everything stayed in its place. The guitars, drums, and background elements, all of it stayed sharp and distinct without smearing into each other. The staging is also pretty spacious, and I never felt clustered.

Comparisons

Orchestra II vs Astral

When switching between the Orchestra II and the Astral, the first thing I noticed was the bass. In Oxbow B by Lorn, the Orchestra II has faster bass, while the Astral goes a bit deeper thanks to its dynamic driver. But because the shape of the Astral makes it harder for me to get a perfect seal, I actually get better consistency with the Orchestra II. The Orchestra II bass is still very rumbly and full of detail, and Kiwi Ears did an amazing job tuning it for an all BA setup.

In Iridium by The Sidh, I felt that the Orchestra II sounded smoother up top. It felt like there was a little less upper treble and a bit more detail between 1 kHz and 3 kHz, which gave it a more natural tone for my ears. I still think the Astral is very neutral and natural, but somehow the Orchestra II sounds even more natural to me, while the Astral leans a bit more on the fun side with its a bit more U shaped curve.

Comfort wise, even though the Orchestra II is much bigger, it actually sits better for me. The Astral has that ergonomic shape that presses on certain parts of my ear, so I cannot wear it for long. The Orchestra II feels easier and more relaxed in comparison.

Orchestra II vs FiiO FA19

Now comparing the Orchestra II to the FA19 is really interesting because the FA19 costs almost three times more. The FA19 is one of the most comfortable IEMs I have ever used. It is much smaller, even though it also has ten BA drivers per side. The difference is that the FA19 uses full Knowles drivers, and FiiO even worked with Knowles to create special enhanced bass units. They also collaborated on tuning the mid and treble drivers to get higher precision.

And if I am being honest, I do hear that difference. The BA drivers in the FA19 sound more crisp to me, more sensitive, and capable of producing finer micro details. In City of the Dead by Eurielle, her voice on the FA19 has this crispiness and air that goes further than what I hear on the Orchestra II. The FA19 keeps extending and producing tiny details even when the Orchestra II has already finished its decay. It is not that the Orchestra II is lacking, it is just that the FA19 is a technical monster.

When I turn on the bass boost on the FA19, it hits hard. It brings more mid bass and upper bass, but the Orchestra II still wins in sub bass depth. The Orchestra II digs deeper in the sub region. The graph of the FA19 makes it look like it should sound muddy, but in reality it stays clear because the BA drivers are very fast. And the mids stay clean even if the pinna gain is a bit recessed.

The treble extension on the FA19 is just crazy. It reaches extremely high without becoming sharp. That is where the extra cost goes, in my opinion, you pay for that level of refinement and for the overall build quality and accessories.

One more thing. The Orchestra II has no vents, while the FA19 is vented in a very unique way. BA drivers technically do not need vents because they barely move air, but having vents does change comfort. With the FA19 I get less of that suction feeling after long sessions, so for long listening I do prefer that.

Conclusion

After spending a good amount of time with the Orchestra II, I can honestly say that Kiwi Ears managed to create something really special here. This is one of those IEMs that surprised me more and more the longer I listened to it. The tuning feels natural, the mids are beautiful, the highs have great extension without becoming sharp, and the bass is way better than what I usually expect from BA drivers. They really pushed their custom drivers to perform at a level that made the BA bass sound better than most dynamic drivers.

The size of the shells is definitely something you notice right away, and they are huge, but somehow they ended up being more comfortable for me than smaller ergonomic designs. I guess my ears just prefer this kind of shape. I also love the design with the clear shells and the pearlescent honeycomb plate. It has that cool look that makes me want to pick them up and listen again.

What really impressed me is how well the Orchestra II holds up in comparisons. Against the Astral, it feels more natural. Against the FA19, it shows that you do not need a thousand dollar budget to get amazing technical performance. And the Orchestra II never felt outclassed in a way that made me think they belong in completely different worlds.

At the end of the day, the Orchestra II is just a very enjoyable IEM that brings great musicality, detail, and clarity. It is the kind of set that makes me forget about everything and just sit back and enjoy the music. And honestly, that is all I want from an IEM.

Pros

• Very natural and detailed tuning.
• Surprisingly deep and clean BA bass.
• Clear vocals with great extension.
• Excellent imaging, layering and separation.
• Beautiful clear shells with a pearlescent faceplate.
• Comfortable for long sessions despite the huge size.
• Thick, soft, high quality cable.
• Great unboxing and lots of included eartips..

Cons

• Shells are extremely large and may not fit everyone.
• Modular plug system is bulky and not as secure as screw type systems.
• Included eartips are simple and not the best in comfort, specifically for me.
• Sub bass still cannot fully match a good dynamic driver.

Where to buy:(Non-affiliated! None of my reviews use affiliated links!)

Kiwi Ears Official Site