Kiwi Ears Quintet Review

The Kiwi Ears Quintet sample was kindly provided free of charge. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the Kiwi Ears Quintet is $219 and you can buy it from Linsoul.

Kiwi Ears

Kiwi Ears, a recently established brand, brings together a team of experts with extensive expertise in crafting and fine-tuning earphones for renowned brands. Their primary objective is to create earphones that cater to the needs of discerning music enthusiasts and professionals, all while maintaining an affordable pricing strategy.

Kiwi Ears Quintet Review

The Kiwi Ears Quintet is an innovative earphone that incorporates a blend of four diverse driver technologies. It comprises of a diamond-like carbon dynamic (DLC) driver, two balanced armature (BA) drivers, a planar magnetic driver, and a piezoelectric (PZT) bone conductor.

The subwoofer for the Kiwi Ears Quintet was carefully chosen to be a large 10mm DLC driver. This driver was selected because of its high responsiveness and tensile strength, which allows it to produce impactful bass with fast decay speeds. In addition to the subwoofer, the Quintet also features two Knowles balanced armature drivers that deliver natural and resolving mids. What sets the Quintet apart is the innovative use of a new planar tweeter system. This system incorporates the classic planar magnetic driver circuitry but with a smaller footprint, making it suitable for hybrid designs. These planar magnetic drivers have an extremely low noise floor and high output capacity, resulting in a treble that is distinct from the typical BA or EST tweeters found in most IEMs. To top it off, the Quintet utilizes a piezoelectric driver to deliver ultra-treble micro detail and air.

You can read more about the design of the Kiwi Ears Quintet here.

Appearance and fit

The Kiwi Ears Quintet features ear-shells crafted from a 3D printed resin compound along with a distinct aluminum faceplate. These earphones are ergonomically designed, lightweight, and compact, ensuring a pleasant and comfortable fit. With a snug seal and no discomfort, they provide a great listening experience. The Quintet has a simple and minimalist design, yet is expertly crafted.

Cable and accessories

The Kiwi Ears Quintet features a 2-pin detachable cable crafted from oxygen-free silver-plated copper in four strands. This cable is well-constructed and soft, it has aluminum plugs and low microphonic noise. However, it tends to get slightly tangled. Regrettably, the cable is not modular and comes with a 3.5mm plug termination. Additionally, there is no option to order it with a balanced plug, necessitating the purchase of an aftermarket cable if your sources are balanced.

The product package also contains a convenient carrying case with a side zipper, along with two sets of silicone ear-tips featuring wide and narrow bores. To become more competitive, it would have been beneficial to include more ear-tip options in the package.

Power requirements and associated gear

The Quintet has a rating of 32Ω/106dB, which means it doesn’t require any special equipment to drive it. A DAC dongle such as the Kiwi Ears Allegro would be sufficient. Alternatively, you could opt for something even more superior, like the FiiO M11S, as the Quintet is exceptionally transparent and scales remarkably.

Listening impressions

The Kiwi Ears Quintet delivers an outstanding sound performance that surpasses its price point. These earphones offer a well-balanced and naturally tuned audio experience. With stellar technicalities, excellent tonal accuracy, and a great dose of musicality, the Quintet is ideal for critical listening and reference purposes but unlike typical studio monitors, it manages to avoid sounding clinical and sterile, making it a top choice for audiophiles.

The Kiwi Ears Quintet has exceptional tonal accuracy, starting from the deepest low-end and smoothly transitioning up to the highest treble. It delivers a strong sub-bass extension without any overemphasis, along with a neutrally tuned bass that offers a subtle hint of mid-bass warmth. The low-end tuning is nearly flawless, delivering a natural and clean sound reminiscent of a studio setting. The instrumental pitch is highly precise, accurately reproducing all bass instruments with remarkable realism. Furthermore, the clarity, definition, and layering of the Quintet are truly outstanding for its category. Very few earphones in the same class can effortlessly handle demanding symphonic works like the Quintet does.

The bass exhibits tight control and impressive discipline with remarkable speed in driver recovery while maintaining a natural decay that captures the acoustic reverb of a live concert hall. The impactful bass is dynamically contrasted, devoid of any muddiness, bloating, artificial echo, or cup reverb. However, some criticism lies in the lean and slightly dry textures of the Quintet, lacking visceral weightiness in the low-end that could benefit from additional body. Nonetheless, perfection is elusive, isn’t it?

More listening impressions 

The shift to the mid-range is seamless and fluid, with crystal clear mids that are well-defined and transparent, devoid of any mid-bass bleed. The tuning remains consistently balanced, with lower-mids, mids, and upper mid-range all delivered with equal weight and intensity. There is no noticeable emphasis on the upper mid-range or scoop in the lower-mids, resulting in a remarkably natural and lifelike timbre. While the tonal balance may resemble that of a studio monitor, the Quintet offers a rich array of liquidity and vibrant harmonies, excelling in the reproduction of various overtones while maintaining a musical and organic sound, albeit slightly lean and lacking in weight.

The Quintet stands out from other earphones with its use of two BA drivers, avoiding the typical balanced armature timbre and artificial sound often found in competitors. The planar magnetic driver enhances the treble even further, delivering a resolving, articulate, and refined sound that must be heard firsthand to truly appreciate. The natural timbre lacks any artificial or metallic tones, showcasing a level of smoothness and refinement that can be attributed to the piezoelectric bone conductor, which works wonders in shaping the overall quality of the highest frequencies.

The Quintet possesses an ethereal and expansive high-frequency range, exuding a vibrant and dynamic quality, accompanied by an abundance of brilliance. It effortlessly captures the finest variations in sound, yet remarkably avoids any hint of sharpness or harshness. The treble is crystal-clear and intricately defined, without being overly analytical or clinical, making it perfect for discerning even the faintest of notes and subtle nuances, while still fully immersing oneself in the musical experience.

And more 

The Kiwi Ears Quintet exhibits remarkable fidelity by faithfully reproducing the source material without adding any coloration. This unique transparency can also be a double-edged sword as it exposes any imperfections in the audio source and recording so be sure to do some careful matching. The seamless transition between the five different drivers results in a cohesive and natural sound that surpasses expectations. The wide soundstage, coupled with excellent imaging, creates a spacious and airy listening experience. However, depth layering and holography may not be as pronounced as some may anticipate.

In the end

I am truly amazed by the exceptional performance of the Kiwi Ears Quintet. The sound quality of these earphones exceeded my expectations, especially considering their affordable price. These earphones offer a balanced and tonally accurate sound, supported by impressive technical capabilities. Despite this, they still manage to deliver a realistic and organic sound that doesn’t resemble a studio monitor.

The Kiwi Ears Quintet offers studio-quality sound for those who value both precision and enjoyment in their listening experience. Unlike other reference earphones that may sound too cold or analytical, the Kiwi Ears Quintet strikes a perfect balance by adding plenty of musicality and enjoyment. High-quality audio was never so affordable.

Test playlist

Copyright – Petros Laskis 2024.

+ Exceptional tonal balance and accuracy
+ Natural timbre 
+ Neutral bass with excellent technicalities 
+ Crystal clear and balanced mid-range 
+ Resolving and refined treble 
+ Class leading fidelity and transparency 
+ Unique driver implementation 
+ Spacious and wide soundstage 
+ Lightweight and comfortable 
+ Well made 
+ Price to performance 
+ Carrying case is included 

- Too lean and dry textures 
- Limited selection of ear-tips 
- The cable is not modular 
- No option to buy it with balanced cable 
- Uninspiring appearance