Recently we got Kiwi Ears Quartet IEM headphones for review. And here we would like to thank our partner, LINSOUL international online Hi-Fi equipment store, for providing us with three models of Kiwi Ears headphones for the test: Quartet, Quintet and Orchestra Lite. Vladislav Surkov wrote a review of Kiwi Ears Quintet not so long ago, and today it’s the turn of Quartet model. Therefore, I suggest to find out what makes it interesting.
Technical specifications
- Model: KIWI EARS QUARTET
- Format: IEM (In-Ear Monitor) – In-Ear Headphones
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Sensitivity: 110 dB frequency response
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Cable length: 1.2 m
- Plug type: 2-pin 0.78mm
- Connection to audio source: 3.5mm analog coaxial jack
- Drivers: 2 dynamic drivers + 2 balanced armature drivers
- Harmoniously balanced with a natural tonal balance, providing rich and thick bass without muddying the mids and highs
- Innovative drivers with dual 10 mm titanium diaphragms, each separately driven by dual magnetic circuits, for very extended sub-bass response
- Special balanced armature drivers tuned to match Quartet’s dynamic drivers – for crisp and clean sound, detailed treble without shrillness or fatigue
- Removable high quality oxygen-free silver-plated copper cable
Read also: Kiwi Ears Quintet Headphones Review: Symphony of Balanced Sound
Complete set
The headphones come in a medium-sized package. On top is a thin cardboard cover with a colorful product image, basic information and specifications. Under the cover is a black cardboard box. Inside is the first holder made of foam polymer material, in which 2 earphones (without cable) are placed.
We lift the first holder and find a simple paper manual and the second holder, which contains a hard case covered with synthetic fabric. Inside it is a headphone cable and 3 sets of silicone ear cushions (S/M/L) and a stud to toggle two switches.
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Embouchures
About the nozzles – a very big plus is that there are three sets included in the box: white, black and gray-red, each with S, M and L sizes. Among these 3 types of nozzles, the consumer will find what suits their needs in terms of sound, comfort, fit and isolation.
Kiwi Ears Quartet Cable
The standard cable consists of four coiled cores of oxygen-free silver-plated copper protected by black PVC. The cable length is 1.2 meters. Connection – 2-pin 0.78 mm, plug – coaxial jack 3.5mm.
The pin sleeve is a single black cylinder, just like the separator part. It is a small plastic cylinder with a hole in the shape of the number 8, through which the wires pass. The splitter also has a movable cable retainer (can be tightened to keep them from dangling on the go).
The sleeves of the 2-pin connectors are slightly beveled at the cable inlet, with two rings near the cable outlet. The right channel has a red plastic base, from which two gold-plated pins emerge. A blue dot indicates polarity. On the left side, the base is transparent. Additionally there is a plastic sleeve to protect the 3.5mm plug.
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Case
I would like to note that I personally liked the case very much – design, quality and ergonomics. It has the Kiwi Ears logo on the top, it fastens with a zipper, in the middle for convenience there is a mesh, thanks to which it is possible to separate the headphones from the cable. The case itself is very compact, the size is 100×80×25 mm – this allows the case to easily fit in a pocket or bag.
Kiwi Ears Quartet design
Each earpiece is individually handcrafted from dermatologically neutral medical grade polyester resin. The shape is almost custom, with one-piece sockets for silicone tips. The body is thick and the resin has a light purple pattern on a black base. There is a gold colored logo on the exterior. The headphones are well made, they are quite durable, with great aesthetics.
There are also 2 tone switches on each earphone in the upper part of the case. How they work – we will consider later.
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Comfort of use
Thanks to the ergonomic shape of the inner part of the earmold, Kiwi Ears Quartet fits very well in your ears. The construction is designed so that the cable is routed behind the ear – this helps the headphones stay in place well, even during heavy traffic. The Kiwi Ears Quartet are very lightweight, so I was able to wear them for 3-4 hours at a time without discomfort. However, they are quite large, so perhaps those with smaller ears may have issues with placement or comfort.
Sound
The high frequencies feel extended and clear without losing detail, the mids can sound either dominant or quiet – depending on the settings you’ve made. We’ll look at them in more detail later in this review. And bass is Quartet’s strongest point.
High frequencies
The highs can be quite sharp, especially at high volume, but at normal volume they are decent, with quite good extension and detail. The upper treble really emphasizes the details of the mix, giving vocals a crisp, clean sound, and instruments like clarinets and cymbals a brilliant, bright sound. Both the nature of the vocals and the nature of the instruments are not distorted. While the vocals and instruments become playful without covering any of their space, the upper treble lacks an airy presentation, instead sounding rich. In short, the treble gives a very good sound, but at some points may be too sharp at high volume for people with sensitive ears.
Average frequencies
If we talk about the midrange, it is not suppressed, making the bass more expressive and the highs less noticeable. Vocals are bright and dense, not too energetic, and instruments sound clear and expressive. The lower mids have a rich, clean sound. At the same time, the sound in very detailed compositions seems to add warmth to the middle highs. They are truly remarkable. Instruments that go for this frequency are thick and textured, without any sense of “screaming”. Both vocals and instruments have a clear response, neither sound sleepy or unstable. The bass guitar sounds natural, thick and organic. In the end, I would like to say that the midrange sounds generally excellent, but sometimes you can notice the presence of minimal hissing.
Bass
Let’s get to the most important thing – the bass is definitely one of the Quartet’s strongest sides. It is fast, firm and very well textured, more focused on the mids, has a rather generous bass shelf, sounds authoritative and dominant. Although the sub-bass is highlighted, the midrange doesn’t sound deep. In the mix, the sub-bass and mid-bass have excellent energy and expressiveness of sound. The sub-bass extension has a shrill presentation and goes down quite deep, creating a soft sense of hum and pressure in the ear canal. The bass is well controlled and fades out of the mix quickly, which is its best quality. While it’s certainly not the cleanest bass, it sounds incredibly dynamic and detailed. With so much of it, the texture and detail is fantastic.
Four sound switches
- If both switches are down (blue graph), the Quartet becomes a warm V-shaped Quartet, i.e. with a softer and more balanced sound.
- If both switches are on (yellow graph), the Quartet gets an L-shaped tonality with generous bass boost and less upper midrange/lower treble. Also an emphasis from the mid-bass to the low mid frequencies, some boost and smoothing of the upper mid frequencies to the presence frequency region.
- With switch 1 up and 2 down (green graph) the sound is very similar to the yellow graph, only this tuning option is smoother in the upper midrange – indeed, this is probably the smoothest and least tedious tuning switch, the Quartet takes on a darker tone and has a noticeable extra boost in the upper midrange up to the presence frequency to give a hint of shimmer. Resolution and technical switching are the weakest on this setting, though it’s the most non-coercive switch.
- With switch 1 down and switch 2 up (pink graphic), Quartet gets a brighter balanced V-shaped signature. This is the most technical signature with the best resolution – the soundstage, technical features, etc. are the best in this configuration.
In a nutshell, the switches really work, give sound regulation and are not a gimmick.
I would also like to add that the switches themselves are very small, you definitely can’t operate them with your finger or fingernail, but a metal stud is included for that.
Conclusion and overall impression
I really liked the sound of Kiwi Ears Quartet, especially when I started using the tone switches. Balanced, detailed, frequencies are not mixed, good sound of all instruments and transmission of musical atmosphere in general, especially for live instrumental compositions. Separately liked the loud bass. No significant disadvantages were found, except that in the middle frequencies there was a hiss, and the high frequencies are a little intrusive at times.
The smooth purple-black color of the headphones is very appealing to me personally, and the hard black zippered case blows me away with its quality. Of course, if you compare the headphones with more expensive models, Quartet will lose, but for this price – this is a very good option. Overall – highly recommended!
Where to buy Kiwi Ears Quartet