The Dunu Kima 2 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the Kima 2 is $119.99 and you can buy it from Dunu’s official shop.
Dunu
Dunu is a prominent name in the HiFi audio industry, a brand that made it’s name synonymous with the Chi-Fi revolution and the first one to produce high quality earphones at an affordable price. I will never forget my enthusiasm when I bought the Dunu Titan T1, my first set of good sounding earphones from China.
Dunu Kima 2
Back in 2022 Dunu released an earphone named Kima that was a huge success as it combined high quality sound at an affordable price. Dunu is now back with an upgraded version of this popular IEM, the Kima 2. The Kima 2 brings noticeable improvements to the former model with a brand new DLC composite dome dynamic driver and a newer and stronger magnetic architecture.
Dunu has implemented the same magnetic architecture that they featured on the higher-tier Falcon Ultra IEMs. The Kima 2 is actually tuned based on the limited edition Vernus IEMs that got a lot of popularity among the audiophiles. Dunu has worked on the same tuning profile and improved it for the Kima 2.
Two versions – same sound
The Dunu Kima 2 was initially launched in two variants, a standard one and another limited to 999 pieces. Both have the exact same tuning but they differ in their finish and the included accessories.
The limited edition has luminous green color, mirror-finished ear-shells instead of the smooth-matte silver color finish of the standard version. All accessories are the same except for the carrying case which is a high quality pouch-bag for the limited edition and a classic style, carrying case with a side zipper for the standard version. Both versions are priced at $119.99.
Design and build quality
The ear-shells are made from sturdy stainless steel which is finished with a sandblasting technique for the standard version and a mirror-finishing process for the limited. The faceplates feature a multi-faceted cut design that brings an ingenious interplay between light and shadow, something that gets more noticeable in the limited edition.
The limited edition is fancier looking and will attract great attention so some people may prefer the more discreet looks of the standard one. You should also consider that the mirror-polished surfaces of the limited edition are fingerprint magnets and are going to need frequent cleaning. The Kima 2 is exceptionally well made and its quality far surpasses its modest price.
Wearing comfort and isolation
The ear-shells are compact and lightweight enough with a shallow shape that when combined with the moderately extending sound tube results in a comfortable yet stable fit. You can wear the Kima 2 for hours without feeling any kind of annoyance while passive noise isolation is good especially when you use the Dunu S&S ear-tips.
The stock cable
The cable that comes with the Kima 2 is one the best cables I have ever seen, no matter the price of the earphones, and I would gladly pay $119.99 for the cable alone. It has four-cores of mono-crystalline copper and silver-plated mono-crystalline copper wires with a nylon shock-absorbing sleeve for extra durability and enhanced looks.
The cable has a metallic splitter, a 2-pin interface with sunken sockets at the ear-shells for extra durability and a secure lock, while it also features Dunu’s patented Q-Lock Mini interchangeable termination plug system. Two plugs, 4.4mm and 3.5mm are included in the package. The cable offers excellent handling without being tangled, it is not heavy or bulky and has very low microphonic noise.
Accessories
The limited edition comes with a high quality carrying pouch-bag and the standard version with a side zippered carrying case. Both versions also include a smaller carrying pouch, a shirt clip, a cleaning brush and four different sets of ear-tips as pictured in the following photo. One of the best bundles at this price point.
Power requirements
The impedance and sensitivity ratings of the Dunu Kima 2 are 20Ω and 108dB/mW respectively so it is easy to drive and not that sensitive to source noise. It goes well with portable USB DAC dongles and much better with higher quality sources like the FiiO M23 and the Cayin N3Ultra that I mostly used for the review.
Listening impressions
Balanced is the word that springs to mind upon listening to the Kima 2 for the first time and this first impression grows stronger and stronger rather than diminishing after a while. The Kima 2 has an almost perfect tuning that combines neutral low-end, present mid-range with a touch of upper mids emphasis and a smooth yet lively sounding treble. The sound is characterized by excellent tonal accuracy in the whole frequency range and a timbre that is exceptionally natural and realistic.
Tonal coherency is so good that multi-driver set-ups of the same category can only dream of, while the sound has an organic and lifelike character that is free from any audible artificiality. The Kima 2 is blooming with colorful harmonies, the music is flowing like spring water, voices sound like real voices and instruments like real instruments. The listener gets connected with the music and feels like being part of the concert rather than listening to the earphones.
The overall technical performance is more than enough for critical listening and of course the Kima 2 can sound enjoyable and very satisfying with all kinds of music. This is a true all-rounder earphone that is going to be appreciated by everyone except some people who prefer very exaggerated or too popular tunings.
The low-end is ideally tuned with good sub-bass extension and neutrality without significant mid-bass boost or any other kind of intensive tonal shifts. The transition to the mid-range is seamless without any bleeding or further colouring. All low pitched instruments sound tonally correct and quite close to reality.
More listening impressions
The bass is characterized by excellent definition and layering for the category even during the most demanding tracks. It is fast, tight and controlled without any traces of bloating or cup reverb. The textures might not be that full bodied or visceral but they are not dry either, while physical impact and punch can be very impressive when the music calls for it.
The mid-range is balanced, a touch warm, lush and engaging. Not recessed or too forward, it sounds refined, musical and realistic. Tonal accuracy is still very good, the Kima 2 pays equal respect to voices and instruments alike. Overtones and fundamentals are dancing in your ears as the music sounds alive and resonating without inducing any kind of fatiguing elements. The Kima 2 may not be a technical beast but it doesn’t come as lacking in clarity and resolution.
The treble is energetic and luminous enough yet smooth, polite and forgiving without that lacking in definition and transparency. The Kima 2 resolves plenty of inner detail but in the background so it doesn’t come as analytical. This earphone is the opposite from sounding clinical or sterile, the higher frequencies are free from sharpness, brightness or any kind of metallic artificiality. Some people might find it short of sparkle and luminosity but most others will enjoy its natural timbre and appreciate the sound coherency and the masterful integration of the treble with the lower frequencies.
The soundstage is surprisingly open and spacious with naturally expanded width but is lacking in depth layering and holographic relief. The feeling is that of a flat and horizontally oriented soundstage but the whole image is projected outside the head, at the front of the face and imaging is very strong for the category.
Vs the FiiO FD15
The $30 more expensive FiiO FD15 is my favorite single dynamic driver earphone up to a certain price point because I value its exceptional tonal accuracy and timbre realism.
These two earphones have an almost identical sound profile with minor differences. The FD15 digs a bit deeper in the bass and is even more neutrally tuned at the low-end, while it is a touch more forward in the mids and less extended in the treble. They both share the same excellent tonal accuracy and natural timbre while none of them can be said that is more technical than the other. Equally musical and engaging, their only notable difference is that the FiiO is a bit drier sounding versus the lusher and more organic Kima 2. Honestly, I love them both and they are two of my most favorite earphones of this category.
When it comes to their physical characteristics, they are both comfortable to wear and well made. They come well accessorized but the plastic case of the FD15 is inferior to the high quality carrying case of both the standard and the limited editions of the Kima 2. The cable of the latter is also softer and less weighty than that of the FD15 which has the advantage of including three sound tuning nozzle filters.
In the end
With excellent tonal precision and the most natural timbre, the Dunu Kima 2 has easily become one of my favorite earphones and I bet that is going to do the same for anyone else who values these attributes. Some people might find it lacking in treble brilliance or technical performance but most others will appreciate its deep musicality and easy going nature.
Let the sound performance alone, you also get an earphone with premium build quality, great looks, good wearing comfort and a generous accessory pack at a bargain price. Plain and simple, the Dunu Kima 2 is one of the best earphones I have ever tested with an impressively high price to performance ratio and I am pretty confident that is going to become a huge success.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2024.
+ Excellent tonal balance and coherency
+ Natural and organic timbre
+ Sub-bass extension and bass technicalities
+ Melodious mid-range and smooth treble
+ Open soundstage with good imaging
+ The perfect all-rounder earphone
+ Great looks and very well made
+ Comfortable to wear and good isolation
+ High quality modular cable
+ Generously accessorized
+ Affordable with Impressive price to performance ratio
- Not the last word in technicalities and treble extension
- Rather lean textures and flat soundstage
- The limited edition is more premium looking
- Isolation is not the same with all tips
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