The KEFINE Quatio 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 KEFINE Quatio is $129.99 and you can buy it from either HiFiGo, AliExpress or Amazon US.
KEFINE (a brief introduction)
Kefine is a relatively new Chinese audio brand founded in 2022, with the goal of producing high-quality yet affordable in-ear monitors (IEMs). The name combines “Ke” (from the founder) and “refine,” reflecting the company’s philosophy of delivering refined sound and craftsmanship at fair prices.
Kefine has produced three wired IEMs so far, the Klean, the Delci and the Klanar, plus the brand new Quatio. These earphones emphasize premium performance, precision engineering and minimalist design without high cost. This is why they have received great praise from reviewers and audiophiles alike.
KEFINE Quatio
As its name suggests (Quatio=Quattro), the KEFINE Quatio is a four-driver hybrid in-ear monitor, unlike all the previous models that were single-driver designs.
The KEFINE Quatio houses both 10mm and 8mm dynamic driver units which are combined with dual balanced armature drivers. The 10mm DLC diaphragm DD unit produces a high-resolution response across the whole frequency band. The 8mm dynamic driver adopts a PU+LCP diaphragm and is placed to enhance the bass response, while the dual BA setup is assigned with the task to deliver an enhanced high-frequency band above the 5 kHz frequency range.
These four drivers are combined with the aid of a 3-way hybrid crossover that comprises both physical acoustic tubes and an electronic board. There are three acoustic channels, each one goes directly from the 10mm, 8mm and dual BA setup to the ear nozzle.
Additionally, the KEFINE Quatio supports three different tuning profiles with the aid of interchangeable screw-on nozzles. The silver one offers the most balanced tuning, the gold enhances the treble frequencies and the black is for boosting the bass.
Design and wearing experience
KEFINE has a minimalistic approach when it comes to the design of their earphones with simple yet eye-catching lines. The Quatio goes even further with a classic, teardrop-like, rounded shape that is plain yet ergonomic and practical.
The housings are made of CNC-machined aluminum alloy in a smooth black finish that doesn’t stain from fingerprints. They are smoothly curved with an oval shaped outer faceplate that has a white perimeter and bears the brand name “KEFINE” in white letters. The inner part is more rounded and bulbous, tapering slightly toward the nozzle which extends at a gentle angle to provide a secure fit in the ear canal.
The ear shells are larger and heavier than those of the Delci and the Klean. While the added weight and bulk are noticeable, the fit remains very good, providing a surprisingly comfortable wearing experience. I would have liked a little more extended nozzles to go deeper in the ear canal but most people are going to find them just right.
Summing up, the KEFINE Quatio are exceptionally well made and smoothly finished, they have a minimalistic yet aesthetically pleasing design and are comfortable to wear, thus surpassing all expectations for the asking price.
Stock cable and accessories
The KEFINE Quatio comes well equipped with a high quality cable, a hard carrying case and two sets of ear-tips (a total of 12 pairs) that are stored in two small plastic cases.
The well designed cable features a 4-strand braided structure made from high-purity, silver-plated OFC wires. It uses aluminum hardware components and strikes an excellent balance between softness, flexibility and durability while it doesn’t get too tangled. The cable is equipped with 2-pin connectors and a modular plug system, with both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm terminations included in the package.
Power requirements
The KEFINE Quatio are easy to drive earphones (32Ω/107dB) while they also scale well up to a certain extent. I usually like to start with electronics at the same price range with the earphones and then experiment with higher-tier equipment. As an example, the FiiO KA15 is an excellent starting point but don’t be afraid to use something better, like the iBasso DX180.
Listening impressions
The overall sonic profile of the Quatio is not that different from KEFINE’s previous models. No surprises as KEFINE continues to use a crowd pleasing tuning concept that leisurely follows the Harman target curve with some well thought tuning tricks here and there.
The KEFINE has great sub-bass extension and a generously emphasized bass that leads to a very present and clean sounding mid-range followed by a well extended but smooth treble. The bass behaves very well, it doesn’t bleed into the mids and never becomes too dominant over the rest of the frequencies.
With such kind of bass prominent tuning don’t expect reference neutrality or tonal accuracy but be prepared for strong and powerful bass that can please with most kinds of music without sounding overbearing or completely out of tune. Actually, with the golden filters installed you can leisurely listen to classical music without the need to reach for another set of earphones.
The bass is full bodied and weighty with thick textures but it also manages to stay surprisingly well defined and clean even during the most demanding tracks. The overall technical performance is very good and definitely better than expected for the category. The Quatio is an earphone that produces deep and impactful bass that is also fast, tight and controlled enough, a rare combination that will satisfy both casual and critical listeners alike.
The mid-range is a real marvell, musical and engaging with great tonal balance, excellent clarity and clean articulation. A well thought, balanced tuning that doesn’t adhere to the trend of boosting the upper mid-range. A commonly used practice that may add ephemeral clarity and resolution but it becomes fatiguing on the long run.
More listening impressions
The treble is another part of the frequency range where KEFINE also avoids to follow the beaten track and goes with a smoother and more relaxed tuning instead of overemphasizing the higher frequencies. The Quatio has solid treble extension and plenty of luminosity to counterbalance the prominent low-end but it is not bright or sharp sounding. It is resolving enough but in a way that detail retrieval works in favor of the music rather than making it sound analytical and sterile.
The textures are full bodied and lush but still well defined and precisely shaped while they remain refined enough, especially with a high quality source. The timbre is exceptionally natural and realistic, the music sounds lifelike and melodic but not too sweet or excessively warm. The KEFINE Quatio might have a bass focused tuning but it doesn’t skip in overall transparency and fidelity.
The drivers are well implemented, the sound is cohesive throughout the whole frequency range and nothing sounds disjointed or out of place. The higher frequencies have the same texture weight as the lower and don’t become thinner or more metallic sounding as it sometimes happens in hybrid earphones when the BA drivers kick in.
The soundstage deserves special mention because it counts among the best examples when it comes to its overall dimensionality and spaciousness. It extends well beyond the listener’s ears, it is surprisingly open and well layered with class-leading imaging accuracy. Earphones with bass heavy tunings are usually not that skillful in how they deploy the soundstage but the Quatio is an exception to the rule.
The tuning filters
The easy swappable tuning filters are well thought and quite effective in fine-tuning the sound without affecting its base characteristics. The starting point is the silver filters that offer the most balanced sound signature as described above.
The golden ones work in two ways. They slightly attenuate the bass while they also gently raise parts of the upper mid-range and presence areas. The result is better low-end accuracy with some extra clarity and resolution in the treble, making the earphones more suitable for critical listening.
The black filters work in the opposite way by slightly raising the bass shelf while also attenuating some peaks in the presence area, thus sounding more bassy and a little darker than the silver ones.
Vs the KEFINE Klean and the Delci
The overall sonic signature of the KEFINE Quatio is not much different than that of the Klean and the Delci, however it outperforms both of them when it comes to its overall transparency and fidelity without sounding less cohesive or disjointed because of the larger driver count.
The Quatio is as clean sounding as the Klean and as musical and enjoyable as the Delci, while offering much improved technical performance and accuracy than both of them. The Quatio deserves the price difference over its more affordable siblings while it secures its place in a very competitive market.
In the end
The KEFINE Quatio is a well made and generously accessorised set of earphones that are comfortable to wear and sound admirably well for the asking price. With the release of the Quatio, KEFINE has made a clear step forward and entered uncharted territory with great confidence.
The Quatio not only holds its own against fierce competition but also delivers greater value for money than many of its rivals. It marks a highly successful release for KEFINE and one that truly deserves your attention, leaving us eager to see what the brand will achieve next as it ventures into higher-end earphone categories.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Bass emphasized yet balanced sound signature
+ Strong and impactful bass that is not too overpowering
+ Fun and musical tuning concept
+ Excellent technical performance for the category
+ Present and expressive mid-range
+ Smooth yet extended and energetic treble
+ Good amounts of resolution and refinement
+ Immersive and holographic soundstage with solid imaging
+ Easy to drive
+ Sound tuning nozzles
+ Simple yet practical design
+ Very well made
+ High quality modular cable and plenty of accessories
+ Affordable with exceptional value for money
- The low-end is slightly out of tune by reference standards
- Not the best option for critical or analytical listening
- Slightly bulky and heavy ear shells
- Some people may find them too large
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