Dunu Kima ($109)
Today I am reviewing the Dunu Kima, Dunu’s most budget offering after the Titan S, which was reviewed some months ago at Mobileaudiophile.com. I did purchase the Kima off of Amazon US for $109. Thank you for reading, the Dunu Kima everyone…
Criz Faction…
Looking at the promotional advertisement for the Kima I see some not-so-revealing explanation about the “Criz Faction” which is imprinted on the left side earphone. From what I gather, and from doing almost zero research, the apparent leader of this Criz Faction protectors is named…. Kima. I am assuming there is a more in depth back story behind this, but for now I hope you will forgive me for not doing my homework. Really it is simply a creative theme to release an audio series to and hopefully develop some sort of a following through. Honestly, Dunu has a pretty large following anyways, with Criz Faction or without. I’m sure a more gifted reviewer will delve deeper into the legend.
Preface
Dunu is pretty highly regarded in the Audio community and generally praised by reviewers. Their products of late have seemingly stuck to that trend of creating nice bang-for-buck audio products. Concerning the Kima, I have a somewhat difficult time relaying exactly what I think of this set. Before I begin, I’d like to preface this review with; I really enjoy the overall package and sound of the Kima and I think it is worth the asking price. To me, the Kima wrestle for relevance in the $75 – $125 fully loaded price Brackett, and all things considered they do fairly well. Dunu has created another very nice set of iems and I’ll do my best to explain myself, let’s take a look.
Kima Pros
-Packaging/Accessories
-Build Quality
-Design
-Great stock cable
-Sound is pretty balanced
-Natural Timbre
-Technicalities are nice
-Layering/Separation are great
-Clean sounding
-Tight and mature bass
-Vocals & clean midrange
-Sibilance free
Kima Cons
-Fit may not be for everyone
-Low end may lack for some
-Some tracks can sound boring/flat
-Soundstage only average
-Some complicated tracks can confuse the Kima…sometimes
-Can be a bit Hot in upper-mid / lower treble on certain songs
Gear Used
–Ibasso DX240 w/ Amp8 MK2 (Ibasso Dx248 Mk2)
Packaging
Dunu always impresses with the package that they present to us audio nerds who love a good unboxing. Perhaps the price goes up a bit for a little “wow factor” in the accessories department but… I’m okay with that. A good unboxing just adds that quick little high and subtle joy before we test out our new gear and I can really appreciate that Dunu understands this.
Waifu
The first thing you’ll notice about the packaging is the sleeve around the box carries the image of a very voluptuous looking waifu image of a lovely young lady. Perhaps a maid of some sort with her suggestive stance looking a bit more like a “thirst trap” for those waifu lovers than anything else. I am never in need of waifu art and never think that these add to the experience, but I know many many people who will buy a set solely because of the waifu art. To each their own I suppose. This image in particular is very nice to look at I guess so… there’s that. Now, how this image relates to Criz Faction is somewhat of a mystery but… Who knows (insert eye roll), I believe it best to not ask questions at times. This is one of those times. Moving on.
What’s Inside?…
Next, take off the sleeve, take off the lid and you will be met with the nice-looking Kima iems as well as the orange fabric zipper case. The case itself is actually very nice. Granted I’ll likely never use it but for those who do it is of great quality and design and with plenty of room for your precious iems. Inside the case is a very useful cleaning rag, a brush tool for cleaning your ear funk from the nozzle mesh, 9 pairs of ear-tips (more on those later), and a 3.5 to 6.35 adapter. Finally, you’ll find the cable hidden away in another box underneath the earphones wrapped in plastic. Not bad at all Dunu.
Ear-tips
The included eartips are very nice and a bit odd as well. You receive three pairs (S, M, L) of a flimsy flanged, medium bore darker silicone set and the same amount (3) of a slightly more rigid flanged colorful medium bore clearish-white tips. They aren’t bad, I won’t ever use them but… they are usable and of nice quality. The set I like the most are certainly some of the more odd ear-tips to grace my collection. You get three pairs (S, M, L) of a firm & straight flanged wide bore ear-tips that have a very tacky feel and mostly resemble reverse KZ Starlines tips and function similarly as well. Dunu calls these their “S&S tips“. I mostly used the large size S&S (Stage & Studio) tips, or I went with KBear 07 medium/large tips.
S&S Eartips
I have to say that the S&S tips are very nice for me. I see that you can purchase these tips separately for about $12 for a package of three. They are a deeper fitting ear tip and as I said they have a wider bore to them.
Much like the reverse KZ Starlines, these tips go a bit deeper into the ear canal; only these new tips have the Reverse Starlines beat. They are more rigid as they are straight down rather than ballooned out on the flanges. They are much less flimsy and don’t teeter to one side as easily. The drawback is you really have to push them in for a good seal to where the tip can actually create a sealing surface to the inner ear. I like the very open sound using these without completely attenuating the low-end. Very nice tips if they actually fit your ears.
Cable
The included cable is a very nice white 3.5 single ended, 0.78mm 2 Pin, 4 core high quality Silver-plated, Single-Crystal Copper cable (SPC) with a Litz braiding. I used this cable for all of my single ended listening but for the majority of the time I went with a 4.4 Balanced KBear Chord cable. Really a beautiful cable. It is a 6N Graphene as well as OFC copper cable.
The included bright white cable is very nicely put together, with a starkly contrasted stainless steel Y-split, 2-Pin housing and jack housing finishing with a 3.5 brass male jack. All in all, it is a very solid cable. I found no sonic issue with the included cable, but I did notice the up scaling under balanced connection with good clean sources. All things considered I don’t believe a cable replacement is necessary at all. This cable feels as well as looks like a respectable $25-30 upgrade cable which is about on par with what I think you should receive in a >$100 package.
Design/Build/Internals/Fit/Durability
Build/Design/Durabilty
The Kima features a svelte looking matte silver colorway with some sleek looking 3D polygonal type lines on the faceplates. These lines coincidentally form a “K”… I see what you did there Dunu. Very modern and very minimalist, of which I’m a fan. The whole body/shell is made out of very light aluminum until you reach the brass nozzle. The Kima is very slick looking to me with this very creative and confident looking design. I love that deep silver color which is mostly a Matte finish but has a certain sheen to the finish as well. As far as the construction, it doesn’t take much thought to ascertain that the Kima is very well built and durable. Not a jagged edge at all, smooth to the touch and premium in appearance.
Internals
Internally Dunu has adopted a brand new-generation single Dynamic driver, a 10mm DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) Diaphragm to be exact. The promotional literature of this driver boasts better rigidity & damping which reduces harmonic distortions. What houses this new driver is a dual cavity design with a N52 Strong Magnetic Circuit and high tension ultra-fine voice coil. Also employed is a microcontroller airflow control technology to maintain airflow pressure in the cavity for better comfort. There is also a small front vent near to the nozzle and a larger back vent as well.
Fit/Isolation
The fit is a subjective thing. For myself the Kima fit perfectly and is very ergonomic. I cannot say the same for you. This set is constructed in such a way that isolation is not bad at all. I would say average, or par for the course. Once music starts playing, music is all you’ll hear. If out and about listening is your thing, then I’d say the Kima do an average job of isolating the outside world. The Kima isn’t exactly made for stage use where they would be better served to cancel out noises.
There is some sound leakage as well. This comes from my seven-year-old. Lol. She was sitting about 15 feet away, having fun relaying to me the tune I was listening to. This is happening while her ridiculously loud TV is blaring in the background so… there is some sound leakage to the outside world. Nothing that isn’t a normal occurrence.
Drivability
Are they easy to drive?
The Kima is rated at 32ohms @ 1kz and a sensitivity of 108 +- 1db @ 1kz so they are very easy to drive from most any source. Let’s put it this way, my iPad 6th gen drove the Kima to decent volumes. I didn’t say it sounded great but… even an iPad did the trick. Now, you really need a good and clean source with more power to bring out the best in the Kima. I do believe there is a cap to what you want to feed these bad boys, however. For instance, something like my IFi Go Blu or Shanling UA2 or a dongle with similar specs will work perfectly.
More Juice
Obviously, synergy plays a big part, but as far as power goes a good dongle dac will work nicely. I don’t think the Kima benefit from higher power sources. Meaning, at some point there isn’t any more auditory improvement. I used my Ibasso Dx248 Mk2 and went through all the gain settings and did the same with my Shanling M6 Ultra and truthfully the sweet spot was medium gain on both. High gain introduces slight distortions and draws the upper mids a pinch too forward and the treble a bit too hot for me. However, the Kima scales nicely with added juice but a decent Dongle Dac will be great for this set.
Quick Sound Impressions
The tuning of the Kima is pretty well done. I hear a nicely balanced sound, with a slightly warm tonal temperature. There is a slight emphasis in the bass section as well as the upper-mids/lower treble area. I do believe that the Kima was tuned after or inspired by the Harman curve as they basically follow that line. All things considered, the Kima promotes a mix of both easy-going and dynamic. I could call this sound safe yet in the same breath I could easily describe what I hear as energetic. Yes, they are tuned to safe and mostly non-offensive levels but there is good energy and vibrancy throughout that never seems to go overboard.
How does the Kima sound?…
The low end is taught and tidy with decent weight and rumble. The Mids flat out sing, both male and female vocals are great. In my humble opinion, the midrange is the star of the show on the Kima. The treble is well enough laid out and extended without inducing fatigue as the treble region balances well with the rest of the mix. Technicalities are very good, or at least above average. Not class leading but good. Resolution is above average, and the Kima have a natural sounding timbre in my opinion. I don’t think the Kima excels in any one thing except the area of vocal delivery, but they do almost everything well.
Bass
Again, taught and tidy are the first words which form from my lips concerning the Kima. The bass is pretty clean here. There are layers to the bass and evident surface texture on most tracks that I listened to. The bass isn’t all together very big or boisterous but also it isn’t hollow, fuzzy, overly attenuated or weak either. Note edges aren’t entirely smoothed over and do have a decently stiff leading edge but better resolution could clean up those note edges a bit more. To be clear, I am not saying there isn’t good resolution but there is cleaner bass around this price point on some of the Kima’s competitors.
Lowest of lows
The sub-bass shows up when it has to but certainly isn’t emphasized. No, it doesn’t vibrate your 2 pin connectors off, but I do hear good natural weight with a textured and resolving grit and rumble. One of my test tracks that I always use is “John Wayne“ by Whiskey Myers. This song begins with a mildly sonorous and edgy bass guitar which is displayed nicely on the Kima. There is grit and growl on this set which I certainly look for every time I write a review. The Kima ‘can’ add a shuddering vibration with nice surface texture when a track demands such a thing. What I don’t hear is that extra prominence and authority or urgency within the sub-bass. Attack is quick enough with a natural decay, but also there are more tame and only mildly hard note outlines in the sub-bass.
Not at all lacking
The sub-bass is the type which expresses itself only when a track calls for it. “911” by Teddy Swims perfectly shows how the Kima can rise to the occasion and bring forth that natural density that the song demands. I love that the sub-bass doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the track, but stays truer, with a more natural emphasis rather than a forward sounding intensity. I find the Kima is not at all lacking at all, but some may want a bit more with a deeper growling and edgy riff.
Mid-Bass
The mid-bass is slightly more emphasized with Just enough oomph to carry hip-hop without me yearning for more. There is an adequate slam with good denseness to the sound. “Glass House” by Kaleo starts right out the gate with big kick drum booms that should resonate inside my brain. With the Kima they slam just enough, yet inside of that slam is an elastic, round, and full sounding drum thud. I hear nothing unnaturally fuzzy or hollow as there is a nice impact and kick with adequate weight.
Bass as a whole
Bass-heads will certainly find this set lacking. Straight up. The Kima does not have that big and meaty boom, and they don’t vibrate my eyeballs. However, the mid-bass is not so emphasized that it rises above other frequencies. The bass is of good quality to my ears, some may call it more mature. I don’t hear anything which encroaches or muddies the water either… so to speak. Just good and mostly clean fun with appropriate energy and realistic timbre. If it was up to me, I may ask for an increase of a dB or three, but I’m not complaining… In truth I am not missing anything out of this bass department.
Make no mistake I have heard more clean and more rotund and resolute bass in similarly priced iems as well as some sets that are less expensive. The bass is not the focal point of this set and so it doesn’t retract against the charm of the Kima. That charm, in my opinion is found in the next section.
Midrange
It’s all about the Mids. The midrange on the Dunu Kima is very well done for me. I seek out good vocals (both male and female) and I can say with 100% accuracy that I was not disappointed. There is a nice flow of energy, mixed with cleanliness, mixed with depth and shine, and displayed just forward enough to not drown out, sound unnatural or push focus away from the rest of the mix. The mids are certainly more natural sounding than they aren’t.
Low-Mids
The low-mids present a very nice male vocal. However, if it were up to me, I would add the slightest bit of warmth and weight here. I say that but I am so satisfied with the Kima’s portrayal of a man’s voice. Crisp with just enough weight and meat to entertain a voice like Lewis Capaldi’s in “Maybe”. The sound is emotional and gritty and appropriately dense and clean for a more natural playback. Or Avi Kaplan (of Pentatonix fame) in “On My Way” with his baritone style, the Kima dig deep and pull his voice forward while remaining crisp and even airy to a degree.
Female Vocals
Female vocals have that emotional draw but also have a shimmer to them. Some call it sparkles, I don’t use that word but for the sake of this review… some sparkles exist in a soprano’s voice. An awesome ballad by Caitlyn Smith is the song “High”. This woman can sing people! She has some serious pipes and when the chorus hits with chaos going on around her the Kima pulls this song off wonderfully while not sounding congested. Shimmer is there to uplift Caitlyn’s voice and never cascades into shoutiness, but stays well enough controlled. The bonus is the separation of elements in this complicated portion of the song considering that this is a single DD.
“Met You” by Morgan Wade is another example of Kima replaying a female voice well. Very clean and resolute, Kima plays back her country twang and raspy voice with good body and a realistic tone. There is an emotional element to this song which can easily be lost…not with the Kima. Female vocals in general are firm in form and depending on the track they can either be smooth or knife-edged.
Nice midrange as a whole
Instruments like strings, piano and percussions all sound significant enough while not leaving out details. Separation is okay while imaging is well done in this region. If I were to complain or create a con however, I have heard instances where the midrange can start to lose a touch of resolution in more complicated tracks. Sounds don’t exactly fuse together but elements of a stage can begin to lose their clean nature and somewhat begin to lose perfect focus. At this price I halfway expect such a thing and calling that a con simply doesn’t fly in the face of all the Kima does well. All things considered the Kima presents a nice midrange as a whole.
Treble
The treble has good energy in the mix with just the right amount of forwardness to not sound over-reaching. There is a bit of a toned-down backseat roll that the treble plays which I’m assuming is exactly what the intent was. I think if the treble was any more biting it would throw off the whole of the mix. Some may want a bit more in the upper areas of the treble but for me I think it is decently tuned. In the same breath some may want quite a bit less. Subjectivity and all.
I always point out cymbals and hi-hats to relay how the trail off of a good cymbal strike sound. In the case of the Kima, depending on the track or how forward the cymbals are recorded I think they sound natural and have good body and realistic timbre. Nothing stands out to me as attenuated or lost in the mix. Flutes, violin and sax can each sound forward at times but also, they have a nice decaying energy on the Kima which adds good separation and illuminates the minutiae to a degree.
Energetic sound up top
The upper 3rd of the spectrum is detailed and technically adept to draw out the subtle stuff. Technicalities (I’ll elaborate later) are better than average in this region. There is an energetic sound up top, but that energy is controlled and crisp, separated and distinct with enough fullness to sound natural and enough shimmer to add levity and balance. The upper-mids on through the treble tilts the scales of the tonal temperature to the colder and brighter side of things but capped off at the right spots to not come across peaky.
Like I said, if you are used to a warmer replay and you dive head-on into the Kima you may think this set is a bit too lustrous and some may even want a bit more. I do think that some may even consider this a boring treble. It really all depends on what you “The consumer” are looking for.
Sound Stage/Separation/Imaging/Details
Sound Stage
The stage size is average to my ears all the way around. The width is average, height isn’t the Kima’s best quality and there is some depth. Let’s put it this way, the soundstage isn’t simply localized within my head space but also it isn’t super airy or spread out. It’s average, it’s appropriate to my music and it isn’t a detriment to my music either. The soundstage simply isn’t a selling point or a “pro” in my opinion.
Separation/Imaging
Instruments, voices and all elements of a stage are discernible, separated and untethered to what is going on around those elements. Even in chaotic tracks that are normally pretty complicated and harder to create a delineation between instruments, the Kima is speedy enough and clean enough to handle these kinds of passages…sometimes. The Kima does an admirable job of charting through confusion with good enough agility and does so relatively coherently. With more digestible and less complicated music the Kima do a fantastic job at separation. I realize this sounds like praise, and it is, but I don’t want to over-sell either. There are certainly iems which are cleaner and achieve better separation to me.
Imaging is just as well defined and directly connected to separation of instruments. Left to right is very well placed and front to back is under control as well creating a nice psycho-acoustic image of a stage.
Details
You already know that I think the Kima does a fine job at illuminating smaller fine details in my music. The kicker is that the Kima is not some super dry and analytical sounding earphone. There is enough of a bodied and full sound to not sound thin and dry. Technically the Kima does a fine job as there is more of a good and coherent balance overall. No one area is so boosted that finer details get drowned out.
The Kima is not class leading and there are even some less expensive iems that best the Kima. However, the Kima has that nice tonality and Dynamic Driver type timbre that many of those sets are lacking. So often we settle for one or the other, but the Kima seem to pull off a nice middle ground. Melodic and somewhat dynamic but clean and balanced which helps in technicalities.
Comparisons
**These comparisons are not to crown one set better than the other but rather to highlight differences to hopefully further explain the Dunu Kima’s sound relative to some sets in its price range. One more thing, in the Midrange my comparison will mostly cover vocals as I want to keep these as short as possible.**
Moondrop Aria ($79)
The Moondrop Aria is an iem which needs no Introduction. The Aria reached legend status quite rapidly, overtaking the acclaim given to its older sibling the Starfield. I would be hard pressed to find a “Top 5 under $100” list which doesn’t include the Aria.
Real quick the Aria is a single Dynamic Driver with a 10mm LCP Diaphragm and CCAW voice coil with a N52 Magnetic Circuit. Based on the Harman curve the Aria stays pretty true to the intended tuning and the masses seem to generally agree.
Low-end
Starting at the low-end the Aria has a hint more in quantity than the Kima but the difference isn’t night & day to me. The bigger difference is in the evidently quicker and more textured bass of the Kima. Neither set is looked at as a bass canon, but both do the low end well. The Aria has a more atmospheric decay/sustain which lingers a hint longer. Still, I feel the Kima sounds a bit more compacted in bass hits with better pacing and cadence but again the difference is negligible. Bass guitar sounds gritty on both with the Aria sounding warmer & fuller and the Kima sounding a little better detailed and harder edged. Again, these are subtle differences which prompted me to go back and forth like a crazy person to spot those differences.
Mids/Vocals
Males’ vocals on the Kima are the thinnest of hairs further back and both sound resolute and natural. Perhaps the Kima is a bit thinner in note weight, but not thin in general. There is a warmth which is welcome on the Aria but there are less clean edges to male voices. I like both replays from both sets, but I do find the Kima zeroes in on males’ vocals in a cleaner way with a touch better separation in this area. The Aria probably has the truer timbre but that is debatable and very subjective. The Aria is again, a titch more forward and fuller which I do like quite a lot.
Female vocals
Compared to the Kima females are a bit held-back, but this does not mean it is inherently worse. In fact, the Aria presents an emotional female vocal very well with good body but less shimmer than the Kima. That last little pinch of “Sparkle” (there I said it) on the Kima, coupled with very good and robust energy and crisp outlines to female voices can either be a good thing or a not-so-good thing depending on the person listening.
The Aria is softer in nature, warmer but just as polished, yet also the Aria has a hair more body in this area. The Kima really does vocals extremely well in my opinion and guess what… so does the Aria. They both have slightly different approaches yet both with great outcomes. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I do reach for the Kima more. You may be the exact opposite.
Treble
Both iems have decent extension of the treble region and make a nice showing up top. Both offer some levity, but the Kima definitely have a bit more luster in this area. In the grand scheme of things, the Kima has the brighter and airier sound to the Aria’s warmer and smoother sound. The treble region of the Kima seems to draw out instruments a bit better but also may be a bit more fatiguing in the long run… maybe. I honestly don’t find either too strenuous on my eardrums. Perhaps the Kima can get a bit hot in that upper-mid & lower treble region which is something that the Aria does not do at all. Neither are too peaky or sibilant and both conduct themselves in a clean and non-offensive manner.
Technicalities
Both sets offer good details for the price, but between the two the Kima are a bit more technically sound. The Kima simply has a slightly speedier delivery and technicalities such as detail retrieval seem to come to the forefront a bit easier. This is not to say that Aria isn’t very nice in this area. I think soundstage goes to the Aria and imaging of elements is a hair more definitive on the Aria.
In the End
Truthfully after a while I am just splitting hairs, as all really just comes down to what is more fun, or easy going, or dynamic, or technical etc.… or whatever you subjectively seek out in an earphone. These differences can be so minimal to us in the Audio hobby. At the end of the day this is all about enjoyment, and I think these two earphones offer slightly different attributes, and both are equally adept at providing one heckuva playback of my library. As for myself I lean towards the more fun and resolute sound of the Kima but without question I love the Aria and that smooth & non-fatiguing delivery often.
BQEYZ Topaz ($89)
BQEYZ recently released the Topaz (my Topaz review) (Mahir’s Topaz review) to some pretty solid acclaim. This seems to be the norm for this company which also seems to not make many mistakes. BQEYZ takes their time and brings to fruition a finished product. The Topaz is no different. Choosing to go with a 13mm LCP Dynamic Driver paired with a nine-layer Piezoelectric Driver proved to be a winning combo. I chose the Topaz because of the starker contrast in sound and because the price isn’t too far off. Hopefully it’ll help someone understand the Kima a bit better…or not.
Low-end
Starting off with the bass and listening to “Euthanasia” by Post Malone it is quite clear that the amount of low-end has a more full and resonant profusion to the song at the outset when listening with the Topaz. The Kima is tighter and a bit leaner but also the Kima’s bass has a sharper edge with an altogether airier sound. The Topaz’s sub-bass is deeper with more intense haptic energy. The Kima doesn’t have as much in quantity and presence as the speed of the driver and quicker transient behavior likely equates to a less intense reverberation. The same goes for the mid-bass as the Topaz simply has a more slamming rumble to the faster and more agile Kima.
Midrange
The midrange is great on both of these sets for different reasons in my mind. The Topaz has this buttery smooth and warm sound which is weighty in male vocals. The Topaz’s low-end bleeds over into the low-mids and adds this nice and warm energy. The Kima on the other hand have better clearness and acute definition presenting a more resolute and clean sound to the thicker and lush sound of the Topaz. Female vocals of the Kima have more glimmer, air, and space for a more technical playback while not losing body. The Topaz replays a softer, fuller, less fatigue inducing sound while still maintaining decent resolution. This is a preference decision between these two for sure.
Highs
The treble region is airier on the Kima and more extended with better representation of the high-highs. The Topaz simply has less energy than the Kima. Details are not the Topaz’s strong suit as I have an easier time picking out the subtleties in the Kima’s treble area. The Topaz has a less fatiguing and smoother sound with warmer and softer note definition to the airier, more firm sound of the Kima.
Technical differences
Technicalities are better on the Kima, but there is something soothing in the Topaz’s delivery. To the point that I don’t really care about missing out on the lingering vibration of a guitar pluck or the trailing chisk of a cymbal strike. These are different flavors in earphones. I love that the Kima have this more refreshing and airy quality that aids the music in my library. The Kima is more balanced as a whole and lively with a more technically adept sound. Yet when I want that emotionally smooth and dialed back sound of the Topaz I am glad that I have it in my collection.
Preference Battle
I don’t know if this was a good comparison or not. I was hoping to show some contrast to better define what the Kima sounds like and to give the Topaz another look. Truthfully, I just have fun comparing audio gear to my favorite test tracks. Again, this is a preference battle. I don’t consider one better than the other. The Topaz is less expensive and easier for long-term listening, it is smoother with a bigger and more atmospheric bass section. The Kima does vocals better with an airier sound, a tighter sound with quicker transient behavior and better technicalities across the board.
Conclusion
To wrap up this review, I want to first ask that anyone reading this, take in other accounts from other reviewers and try to listen to other perspectives. I say this in every review that I take the time to write. We are all different, plain and simple. I promise that not everyone will have the same take as me. We all have different gear, different preferences, different hearing abilities and not everyone has been down the same audio journey. Some people fine dine with the ultra-expensive stuff, and some play around in the budget pool. This certainly affects the way some people review audio gear. So please do not simply rely on me but make a collective effort to gain good understanding of what a set sounds like before purchasing.
Does it set itself apart?
The Dunu Kima finds itself within a loaded price bracket that is quite literally flooded with fantastic iems. The question is if the Kima sets itself apart within its grouping? To me, the answer is…kind of. The Kima doesn’t do anything which really sets itself apart per say and doesn’t have any class-leading attributes in my humble opinion. What the Kima does well is a little bit of everything. Almost an all-rounder type. I do think that vocals are very well done and there is a very nice energy throughout the spectrum which, for me, never gets fatiguing or offensive. When I look at the Kima with a wide lens, I cannot help but really enjoy the entire presentation.
Is the Kima worth the asking price?
This leads me to the question that I always ask myself when listening to audio gear. Is the Kima worth the asking price? To answer I have to say yes. But it isn’t that simple. I think what the Kima are is a $80 earphone with $30 packaging and accessories. That being said, this is the case for many earphones in the price point and few give better accessories and unboxing experiences quite like Dunu does. Nevertheless, the Kima are worth what Dunu is asking in my book and those who purchase at full price are receiving a very well done iem that will certainly be loved by many. I’m a fan.
Thank You!
I want to thank you all for reading my review of the Kima. I thoroughly enjoy writing exactly what I think and hear and figuring out the best way to explain myself. It is rewarding trying to get better at it. There are some absolutely fantastic reviewers which I very much respect with more understanding and years under their belt. I don’t confuse myself as some audiophile expert, but a fan of music and the gear which replays that music. It is actually very therapeutic to go through this process. I realize nobody asked for that last part but…oh well, that’s me and that’s what you get when you read a review written by me. Please take good care and stay safe everyone.
