Kiwi Ears - Aether

>But I would have preferred even for almost double the price to have just a shell revision, with the modular cable and exactly the same fit as the original T10. Interesting, because for me the fitment of the OG T10 was the biggest problem. I cant wear them for more than a half hour, 45 minutes, TOPS, without getting massive hot spots in my ears. The T10 Pro fixers all of that. Tuning wise, i actually prefer the T10 Pro. I think its one of those IEM's where it can feel disappointing if you havent branched out into higher priced IEM's. Because, whether anyone wants to admit to it, the T10 Pro IS a better tuned IEM. The way the treble roll of happens controls a lot of the Planar Timbre, and matches closely with many popular tuning curves from Ziigaat and AFUL. Which can allow for a little higher volume playback, and like the Explorer, some additional detail to come out with that higher twist of the volume knob. The problem is that the OG T10 really retains a lot of that Planar shimmer, and gives the impression of detail by sounding overly bright in the Pina Gain Region at 2k, making it seem very vocal forward. And that can, IMHO, make the OG T10 seem to lack some cohesiveness in the presentation, which we see in the S12 2024, and S08, and T10 Pro. I do agree that the bass is a little too thick. I would have liked to see it a little leaner to match the rolled off treble. Its almost a less dramatic version of the Arcadia, with the added speed of the Planar, which the Arcadia just cant match. And when you look at it from that perspective, it becomes a pretty impressive IEM for the price. That being said, i think if you find the T10 Pro to be a little lacking, the next best alternative is the KiwiEars Aether. It pretty much hits a balance between the T10, and T10 Pro. It retains some of the OG T10 Pina Gain, but matches the treble roll off of the T10 Pro everywhere else, EXCEPT at 8k. The Aether also has a lower sub bass shelf, which kills the overdone bass problem of the T10 Pro complete. And finally, the tuning of the Aether almost totally removes that Planar Timbre and Shimmer. Unfortunately, most people wont have as good of a time getting teh Aether to fit, as they will the T10 Pro. The T10 Pro is going to remain in my rotation for the forseeable future. It just hits all of the right spots i want it to, in terms of sound and comfort.

I don’t consider myself a high end audiophile. I just dabble and enjoy music and gaming with IEM’s. So please take this review with a grain of salt knowing I’m an amateur in the audio space. My daily driver has been the Mangird Xenns Tea Pro that I bought on November 16, 2024. I love the bass on these but the treble energy leaves more to be desired imo. I use the Dunu S&S tips with the Tea Pro. I also have: Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite  Kiwi Ears Quintet Raptgo x hbb hook-x Aful P5 My friend let me try his Monarch MK3 and I want those but I have a hard time justifying $1,000 for an IEM. At least, right now anyways ;) I have a Fiio K5 Pro and a KA11 dongle. I mainly listen to Country, EDM, Christian rock, Alternative, and Rock (new and classic). I have various ear tips: Spinfit W1 Dunu S&S JVC Dot and Dot Pro+ I mostly use large size ear tips. I couldn’t get a good seal with the Dunu S&S tips or the Spinfits. The IEM kept feeling like it was going to fall out. The moment I put the JVC Dot tips on everything changed with this IEM. The seal is perfect. The fit is perfect. The depth is good. This IEM is comfortable to me. I have large ears. I don’t even feel the IEM when wearing them. They feel very lightweight in my ears despite the shell’s size. Even with the IEM fully inserted it does not cause any ear pain or fatigue. The cable is decent. Not heavy like the Tea Pro cable. The Quintet’s cable has a large metal piece and pulls on the IEM. This is not the case with the Aether. I can bring the cable up and drop it a few inches and it doesn’t pull very much on my ears. The cable doesn’t cause friction on my shirt as I move my head around either. It just glides across my T-shirt. It’s quite flexible and doesn’t seem to keep a memory either which I like. I would compare the flexibility to be similar to a shoe lace on running shoes. I find it to be an enjoyable and likeable cable. The termination end of the cable is contoured and I like this. My other IEM’s have a straight cylinder style shape but these have a slight concave to them. Makes them nice and easy to grip and disconnect from a source. \-= Treble =- Ess words are a little sharp. Definitely some sibilance.  Symbols aren’t painful or harsh to my ears. Open sounding and clear. Detailed. Can hear small details in music. If you are sensitive to sibilance, these probably won’t be for you. Ess words definitely have a zing and ssssss to them. It’s nowhere near as bad as the Quintet’s sibilance but I would say they’re like 30% of that level of sibilance. If you don’t like the S12 Pro sibilance then you most likely won’t like this IEM either. \-= Mids =- I don’t really have much opinion on mids or vocals. They sound nice and sound as they should. I don't know what else to say about that. \-= Bass =- Bass is nice and tight sounding. Doesn’t sound bloated. Sounds controlled. The bass begins and ends quickly. Low end rumble is nice in EDM tracks. EDM is fun and the sub bass rumbles nicely. Bass guitar and drums sound good and have enough oomph to be fun. \-= Songs =- Wild Flower - Special by Mitis The bass in this song hits and rumbles so nicely. Sounds very clean. Ideekay by Ephixa The intro bass punches and sounds fantastic to my ears. All of the sounds in this track sound clear and precise. Anytime the mid bass kicks in, I can feel it. So enjoyable. The symbol crashes don’t sound harsh but they also are not subdued. The bass doesn’t over power the symbols at all. The bass on the Tea Pro tends to over shadow symbols and other treble area instruments so I really appreciate that the Aether doesn't overpower the other areas. Life of Sin Pt. 1 by Mitis I like this song for how the sounds energetically move back and forth and all around. The mid bass has oomph. Everything seems to have its own space and just sounds clear and clean. Sub bass is rumbly. Chicks Dig It by Chris Cagle His ess words are sibilant as are the symbols. Not painfully so, but the sibilance is audible. Lowering the volume does lessen the sibilance sharpness but I can still hear it. \-= Soundstage =- These have soundstage. They don’t sound intimate. They have an openness to them that makes some songs and instruments sound like they’re about 6 inches outside of my head. In gaming, sounds have depth and distance. In BF2042, I can tell how far someone is from me. Whether they’re to the side, front, or behind me, I can tell how far they are from me. The Tea Pro’s are good at this to my ears and the Aether does not dissappoint. \-= Imaging =- The imaging is quite nice. Instrument direction are easy to pick out and I can imagine where they are. I played 3 matches of BF2042 which were some close quarters games. Picking out foot steps and audio cues of friendlies and enemies were pretty easy. Enemies above me were easy to discern but some times it was odd discerning how high up above me they were. I could identify their position left to right but not exactly how high up. It was accurate enough that I could hear them and instantly know they were on a catwalk above me or above me on the roof running around. I had no issues with sounds transitioning from side to side or if the sound went over the top of my head side to side or sounds going behind me side to side. Sound transitions were pretty smooth and not wonky or odd. That makes a big difference when gaming and tracking sound cues of things that are not in your line of sight. If you want a fun sounding, detailed IEM with decent sub bass rumble that is also good for gaming, then get these. However, if you’re sensitive to sibilance, I would advise buying these from a vendor that has a good return policy just in case. I got mine through Amazon here in the US. Their return policies make trying new IEM's convenient.

Check out my full review of the Kiwi Ears Aether here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/kiwi-ears-aether-review/ Kiwi Ears Aether Review -$169 -15.3 mm planar magnetic driver Hello everyone at the link above is my full written review of the Kiwi Ears Aether. The Aether is a planar magnetic earphone which comes equipped with a massive 15.3 mm planar driver. To be honest guys and gals… this set is quite nice. I won't beat around the bush with you all…the Kiwi Ears Aether is most certainly one of the better planar magnetic earphones that I've heard. Truly a pleasant iem, planar or no planar. It's just a complete iem in darn near every way. Built very well, substantial all-resin, striking in appearance, decent unboxing (though no 4.4 cable…?). But where this set really shines is with its sound quality. Just a very well tuned iem in my opinion and a good buy. Especially for a $169 planar set. Really a job well done by Kiwi Ears. Of course, this is only my opinion and I don't think the Aether is going to match with everyone how it matches my subjective preferences at this moment in time. But I do think it'll jive very well with the great majority of hobbyists. The Aether is all about balance folks. Balance and clean dynamism, controlled yet expressive macro-dynamics, very well detailed across the board yet enough warmth and engagement to come across musical and fun. Such a nice helping of technical ability and musicality. At any rate, I explain the sound fully within my review and even point out the issues and downsides with the Aether. From my humble perspective. I also compare the Aether to a couple of sets which make sense to me, and hopefully it helps you. I hope you'll check it out if the Aether seems like something you'd like to read about. Also, I really do want to thank anyone who clicks that link, it means a lot. Thank you. I hope each and every one of you have a great day. Take care. 🔥🔥 Aether Pros 🔥🔥 -Simply put, one of the best planars you can buy at any cost -Build Quality is substantial -What a nice design! -Great balance across the mix -No egregiously planar sounding timbre. Timbre is quite good. -So smooth, yet so technically proficient, what a wonderfully tuned set! -Big, expressive, and clean macro-dynamics. -Nicely balanced sound -Bass is deep, penetrative, authoritative, but also fast, precise, clean -Midrange timbre, midrange transparency, midrange tonality, midrange in general -A planar which is fantastic for vocals -Brilliant enough treble, sparkly, nice bite, nice note body, extension, airy -Detail Retrieval across the spectrum -Imaging and layering of the sound field is great -Very wide, tall, deep, almost 3D soundstage -Perfect balance of musicality and technical ability 🥶🥶 Aether Cons 🥶🥶 -Maybe the Shells will be too large for some folks -Most certainly the Aether shines with additional power -Warm, lush, dark lovers will not be pleased -Everything else is ridiculously picky, a waste of digital ink #planar #planarmagnetic #KiwiEars #bestinclass #MBA Check out my full review of the Kiwi Ears Aether here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/kiwi-ears-aether-review/

Now you sound like me. Lol. This is exactly what I do. I have many different sound signatures in different earphones and I like to collect as well. Good for you. Enjoy

Funny enough it sounds like EST drivers from Sonion sometimes especially on whispers and high pitch noises. Amazing iem. Oh and Bass on these is incredible!

It's surprising today even $200 IEMs like Hidizs mp145 and KiwiEars Aether can complete with my older $1k sets

I just got my set in! I’ve honestly been loving them so far and they’re easily more resolving and engaging than much more expensive planar sets I’ve heard. Looks like you liked it about as much as I did! The huge planar driver is working wonders on the set.

Hey y’all, I got a review copy of the Kiwi Ears Aether in from Linsoul and I wanted to share my thoughts. The Aether has gained a lot of hype since its release, so I was really happy to get the chance to try it out. However I was a bit tempered in my excitement as I absolutely fucking hate single planar driver IEMs. Ok, hate is a strong word, but I hadn’t met a single planer driver IEM yet that competes with any of my other single dynamic or hybrid/tribrid/quadbrid driver configuration sets. The original 7hz Timeless was my first hope but I found the sound thin, V shaped, and fatiguing. The huge 14.5mm driver of the Hidizs MP 145 was another contender, but that harsh V shape destroyed my ears in a way you can’t understand. No nozzle change could tame the planar timbre, that certain “zing” that most single planar driver sets have a lot of trouble shaking. I thought I needed something with a confirmed smooth tuning, so I gave the Letshoure S08 a shot. And sure, it has a lot of low end, but I personally found a lot of boom and not as much texture. Resolution is supposed to be a strength of planar drivers but I found the sound digital and grainy. I tried the Letshoure S12 Pro and its bright tuning had me tearing them out of my ears. Still feeling like I needed to find “my” planar, I demoed a Letshoure S15. The S15 has a more neutral tuning that I thought would be to my liking, but the dreaded hiss of planar timbre and sub-par bass response followed me even to this price range. I liked the S15 at first, but my ears were ringing after 20 minutes of listening, and I found myself giving up on single planar driver IEMs. That is, until the Kiwi Ears Aether came along with its 15.3 mm planar driver, unique design, and pretty faceplate to pique my interest once more. The Kiwi Ears Aether comes with a simple but elegant and functional black cable. Alongside we have hard case and 3 sets of eartips (Bass, Balanced, and Neutral). The simple accessory package is a stable of Kiwi Ears, and I do think that’s an effort to put more attention into the development of the IEMs themselves. The IEMs themselves are fairly large and feel a bit light in the hand. I believe this is partially what leads to the Aether’s ethereal soundstage; the planar driver needs room for its sound to resonate around in the larger space on its way to your ears. This gives us a vast, open soundstage that feels dynamic and lively, not flat like most of the single planar sets I’ve heard to this point. The bass response was the standout improvement over other single planars. Not only was it well resolved, it didn’t have the same unnaturally fast attack and decay that planar sets normally have. It still has a quicker attack and decay than a typical single dynamic set, but not as abrupt and unnatural as many of the planars I’ve tried to this point. Plenty of subbass immersion and midbass kick to satisfy many bassheads. I have a need for natural, lush male vocals, and Aether is the first planar set that’s been able to give that to me. The tuning allows vocals to be forward and present without ever becoming shouty or overbearing. The only con I can give to the sound is the slightly smoothed out treble. While resolution is a strong point for the set, the 6k tuning dip may mask some of a songs microdetails. This is easily mitigated with EQ, but I personally enjoy the smooth sound and don’t feel the need. Finally I have a planar set with a stock tuning that’s well resolved, balanced, and comfortable. Overall I feel like the Aether easily punches above its weight in the world of single planar driver IEMs. It has a smooth, balanced sound that never becomes harsh or fatiguing, even at louder volumes. In fact, the 6k dip allows me to crank the volume a little more. It’s nice to see Kiwi Ears bringing us an innovative product at a relatively modest price when you consider that this is the largest planar driver on the consumer market. I think the hype is real. The size of the driver is doing a lot to kill planar timbre as we know it. For that, I am thankful. And to you as well, thanks for reading.

Te reconozco que los SM4 la primera vez que los usé me parecieron "wow" para ser unos iem, ten en cuenta que yo venía de los auriculares grandes que tapan toda la oreja, tanto abiertos como cerrados. Los Aether me han llegado hoy y es justo lo que estaba buscando. Todavía los estoy probando, pero te puedo decir que son más balanceados pero no es que les falten agudos o graves, suenan bien, son correctos, no dan sensación de pesadez porque no están tan potenciados como en SM4 (no me sé explicar en este punto, yo solo soy aficionada y no tengo tantos auriculares para comparar). No ocurre que en ciertos géneros o canciones que se oigan menos otras frecuencias por el exceso de graves/agudos que es lo que le he notado a SM4. Las voces femeninas hasta ahora no me parecen sibilantes y las masculinas me parecen adecuadas. Donde sí he notado bastante diferencia es que se oye más amplio y más limpio, tiene un sonido más definido que SM4. Hasta ahora no he notado fatiga auditiva de estar con ellos a diferencia de SM4. Los he probado con los eartip de Spinfit W1 y Penon liqueur orange. También he conectado cable 4.4 porque yo personalmente considero que todos los planares agradecen un extra de potencia para hacerlos funcionar. Entre SM4 y Aether yo escogería Aether por su sonido balanceado y amplitud, además me parecen más todoterreno que SM4 en lo que he escuchado hasta ahora, que ha sido pop, clásica, electrónica e instrumental/ambiental. Sin embargo, si vas buscando más graves o agudos, en ese caso es mejor SM4. He leído a algunos comentar que los Aether parecen aceptar bien EQ para enfatizar graves, yo no he probado a hacer EQ todavía. Si los compras nuevos se llevan poco precio de diferencia. Yo compré los SM4 por 140 euros y los Aether están actualmente a 160. Espero haberte ayudado, siento si no me explico correctamente en algunos puntos. Yo no soy profesional de esto 🥲

**Disclaimer**: The IEM was provided by Linsoul, and I’m more than glad to try it so thanks to them for the opportunity to test this set; the opinions and impressions are on my own. **My bias/tuning preferences**: My target is something including the JM-1 (new meta) target with a bass boost and a low and pinna gain little boost for gaining more male vocals and presence in that part, so is something like a Neutral with a bass boost tuning, I like some sub/bass and not so much mid bass, but plenty to feel the bass thump and kick, is nice to have some wide and depth to enjoy live recordings and a holographic capability in the soundstage to ubicate all the instruments and enjoy the microdetails included in music, so yeah, I dig a natural timbre with some coloring in the bass but enjoy technical capabilities. My usual music genres to go is Rock (Indie, Alt, Hard, Classic, Progressive, and other sub genres), Metal (Alt, Prog, Extreme, Death, Melodic, Core, Deathcore, etc), Hip Hop, sometimes Pop, Salsa, Classic music, and dig some other genres as an audiophile. I don’t believe in audiophile myths like burn-in, so I previously used to put some pink noise before trying IEMs for the first time, but now I’m using IEMs OOTB (Out of the box) and enjoying them as it is, I believe and can confirm eartips and sources can change the overall experience you can have with an IEM, so a nice synergy between your transducer, your ears, your tastes and your source is a must to fully enjoy an IEM IMHO. **Introduction**: The Kiwi Ears Aether is the new big launch and pioneer; a big planar driver in-ear monitor by Kiwi Ears. The Aether’s promotion is as a balanced but pretty technical and fun IEM, with a more than impressive 15.3 mm planar driver config, delivering a natural timbre, plenty of bass and a detailed experience who fits into the new reference in the market and excels at it, an opportunity for audiophiles and beginners in the hobby alike to enjoy what the best Planar in the market (March of 2025) can deliver. The Kiwi Ears Aether is priced at 169.99 USD, and you can get it at Linsoul. **Sources used**: Dunu DTC 480 (my main source), Venture Electronics ODO, Tanchjim space lite, the included dongle dac from TRN (the chip is KT Micro), and my phone, an old Xiaomi Mi Note 10 pro with an internal dac/amp from ESS Sabre. **Services used**: My local files (mp3 320 kbps, flac, other formats), YouTube music, Spotify, tidal. No equalization was used in the test of the IEM. **Here's a breakdown of its technical specifications**: • **Driver Configuration: o 15.3mm Large Planar Driver •** Frequency Response**: 20Hz–20kHz • **Impedance**: 14Ω • **Sensitivity**: 105dB • **Connector Type**: 0.78mm 2-Pin • **Cable Length**: 1.2m ± 3cm • **Jack Type**: 3.5mm **Packaging (What’s in the box)**: • **The IEMs itself**, with a big size, but with my mid-sized ears with good comfort into my ears to long listening sessions, nice and beautiful built shell, the nozzle is mid-sized aswell, and its not heavy, so is not fatiguing in the ear. • **3 bags of eartips**, with 3 different sizes each, the black is for more bass, the gray with red center is for a balanced profile, and the white ones are for treble. • **Cable**, is a 4 core, black cable with a 3.5mm single ended jack. I think just enough for the IEMs. • **Case**: A nice fake-leather and sturdy case with the brand logo. Similar in size to the one included on the Artti T10. **Eartips and cable used for test**: Changed the stock balanced eartips for my favorite ones, the Penon Liqueur Orange for keeping the stock profile and improving the tuning a little. Changed the cable to a GY-19 Devil’s eye with 4.4mm balanced jack for giving to the IEMs all the power it needed. **Pros**: • Plenty of bass shelf, ad is a DD bass!, is no basshead IEM by any means, but is some quality and quantity bass here! the sub and mid bass is incredible fast, defined and resolving. • The mid bass bleeds enough in this IEM and take a nice and enjoyable lower mid dip without losing that lower mids addition to the bass kick and noteweight into the instruments, the pinna gain is excellent, the male vocals are forwarded, sometimes I founded in spicy treble tracks to have a little of thin in those vocals, but this not a bad thing at all, the 2-4khz region is well putted in place, the presence is so noticeable, female vocals and certain instrumentals are pushed a little backwards, is not a dealbreaker to me, but have that in notice that 4khz “dip”. • The treble is really crisp and with certain tracks not so sibilant, with enough upper highs to feel al the plates and cymbals in the drums, but is not a high-volume set, in certain spicy tracks (Looking for Somebody to love by the 1975, Sugar/Tzu by black midi, (O)rdinary by Avenged SevenFold) you have to lower a little the volume knob to not feel a sharp treble and enjoy the music. • An interesting fact with this IEM, the planar timbre is almost not noticeable, so you can expect the planar known treble extension but with no metallic timbre to enjoy the so enjoyable tonality of this Aether. • Technicalities: Is punching way above in this department, is very airy and it feels like an open pair of cans!, very wide and depth soundstage, excellent imaging and the macro and microdetails is plenty to find new details and things in your ‘old’ music and critical listening, but I think is a IEM to just sit and enjoy as it is… • The noteweight is a delight, not so much but plenty to feel all the instruments in your brain, the natural and enjoyable timbre it has is to highlight, and for me this is a WOW factor in consideration to enjoy the music at its fullest. I can put things like The New Sound by Geordie Greep or the new Sadist’s Something to Pierce, I can feel the music is very well produced and full of details, with zero congestion even with busy tracks. • The shell is not heavy at all, it has a mid-sized nozzle, so comfortable, the seal it makes in the ears is perfect (of course with the perfect match of eartips, your mileage may vary), and is zero fatiguing for long listening sessions. • Very easy to drive, no matter being a big planar IEM, I can drive it at a perfect good volume with my humble phone ess sabre dac/amp. But as any planar driver, if you want it to shine at its max potential you really need a good source (the dtc480 delivers 150 mW in its 4.4mm balanced output, is plenty to crank the volume to the max). **Cons**: • Is a 169.99 USD IEM with an enough package to enjoy it at stock without problems, but I changed the eartips and cable because I want to bring all its qualities and sincerely, I expected a better package in pair with the price of the IEM (who is not cheap). • That strange 4khz “dip” I founded in the graph and listening to the set makes some instruments and female vocals feeling a little backwards and veiled. • The sometimes-thin male vocals… Is not very noticeable but maybe is not for all tastes. • Is a mid-high volume set, if you are treble sensitive maybe you can lower the volume a little to enjoy the Aether, because at high volumes is kind of sibilant and fatiguing to my mild tolerance to treble spicyness. **Comparisons**: **Kiwi Ears Aether vs. TRN Jaws**: The TRN Jaws, is a 129.99 USD MSRP iem (https://www.linsoul.com/products/trn-jaws?sca_ref=8269020.1yfaOVx7nc), I recently reviewed, with a similar tuning and not so equal MSRP, but I have to give the Jaws the prize as one of my top IEMs currently in my collection, compared to the Aether, the Jaws have less bass quantity, but the quality and extension is better, the lower mids are better in the Aether, but the pinna gain and 2-4khz part in the Jaws is perhaps better, with more presence and zero thin vocals, both male and female vocals are more forwarded, the treble is curiously a little less sibilant in my ears at high volumes than the Aether, and the technicals are a win for the Jaws, but in the overall tuning, the Aether is a more enjoyable set for more persons, not only us technical-heads because of a more natural timbre and more musicality. **Kiwi Ears Aether vs. Simgot Supermix 4**: The Supermix 4 is a 150 USD MSRP iem (usually you can get it for less) with a very different tuning because the SM4 is pure Harman 2019, meanwhile Aether is a JM-1 tuning with a nice bass boost and other spices, but similar MSRP, the bass quantity in the Sm4 is better, but I have to give the Aether the victory in this case, the quality and sensation in the Aether is superior, the lower mids in the Sm4 are less enjoyable, the pinna gain and the rest of the tuning is better in the Aether, is more clean, resolving and crisp, less sibilant at mid-high volumes, definitely the Sm4 is starting to show its age, was previously my top IEM and my previous point of reference talking about IEMs!, now is dethroned by the Jaws and now this Aether, I’m not enjoying the Sm4 as before having this last iem who is delivering me a sound more of my style and tastes. **Kiwi Ears Aether vs. Artti t10**: The Artti T10 is a 75 USD MSRP IEM (Usually you can find it for 50 ish USD) is praised as one of the best planar drivers IEM for less than 50 usd in the actual market. It is crisp, bassy, clean, with plenty of soundstage and treble sparkle, lots of air and openness. But come on, it is obvious the Aether excels the T10 in all cases, the bass have less quantity but more quality and presence, the lower-mids and pinna gain are best in place, the noteweight is equally noticeable, the highs are more in place and better extended in the Aether, but with the T10 you can crank more the volume with a less sibilant highs. **Kiwi Ears Aether vs. ND Planet**: **(the yolo comparison)**: The ND Planet is the new cheapie by ND, at a humble 17 USD MSRP is the new entry by ND to the budget market, with a more than capable 12 mm dynamic driver, it is clean, crisp, with plenty of sub and midbass, more than the Aether, and funny enough, a similar tuning to the Aether but with a less “premium” driver resulting in a pretty fun and technical cheapie, but with that weird early upper treble dip in the Planet, only eq can fix that lack of treble extension to even try to taste what a better driver and tuning does in the Aether, you can’t expect miracles on the ND but is nice to hear similar vibes in a “reference” IEM and in a budget one. The Kiwi Ears Aether is an exciting, fun, musical, natural, very resolving and a technical marvel, so easily driven with a lots of sources, who punches way above its range, with a tuning who can be the beginning of a trend of IEMs who are forwarded to wider audiences, is an excellent product by Kiwi Ears who maybe is not up to the hype but is by no doubts a market pioneer who I’m more than pleased in trying and adding to my collection. I’m putting my seal of quality and recommendation for it for audiophiles and newbies in the hobby. Go Aether! **Final score: 9.3/10**. (My “scoring” system is based on a supposition of a TOTL IEM I still not tried but I guess is 10 in all my tastes and a 1 being an iem who is less capable than the worse of ultrabudget IEMs).

I think the iem itself (i mean shell and driver inside, lol) is a solid 150$ iem, but with not so great accesories to accompany it... Thank you so much for reading bro.

I like your take on this iem. Your review is on pair with what I'm hearing from this set, I love what KE did with this 15.3 mm planar and on sale is a banger! Thanks for the review brother 💪🏼.

Don’t let people talk down the  APP2, it’s a great TWS. To be wowed by technicalities and separation and the like, I’d suggest a planar, as the APP2 is already very good for relaxed and fun listening. I’d suggest T10 or Aether depending on budget. Both are significantly better than APP2 tech-wise. Aether is one of the best deals in audio IMO.

kbear kb02 on ali- good budget set, worth the 20$, bone conduction works!! ew300 x hbb on ali - another budget set, worth the 60 i spent, going to take this pair to work kiwiears aether on linsoul - my favorite planar so far sivga que on linsoul- on the way! fiio ft1 on linsoul - branching out from iems, also on the way!

i would 100% recommend the kb02, it’s super cheap and so worth the money, i actually have them in right now haha ive tried the s12 2024 and the kz prx, so not that many, but the aether definitely cuts down on the planar sharpness that’s signature of the other two

TL;DR for those short on time or not inclined to read the entire review: # Pros * Spacious soundstage, precise imaging, good detail retrieval * Good end-to-end extension along with an engaging signature that doesn't really compromise a particular frequency range * Punchy, deep, textured and fast low-end that also give more warmth to male vocals * Well built earpieces # Cons * Female vocals lack that small last bit of extension and that bit of spice in the mid-treble won't be appealing for some  * The Aether love playing at high volumes since the low-end really comes up in a very punchy way, but the treble gets spicier so make sure you’re not too sensitive * The stock cable is okay for the price but there are some cheaper IEMs that come with more premium cables \---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Introduction Kiwi Ears has been releasing a lot of stuff recently and the new Aether falls among the latest ones. The company has designed these with a whopping 15.3mm planar driver, which is currently the biggest planar driver in the “affordable” range (yet not the biggest around, think about the Audeze Euclide that feature a 18mm planar driver, just to make an example, even though these cost a lot more), and after trying them for a few weeks I think that I’m ready to share my own thoughts. >*Disclaimer: the Kiwi Ears Aether were sent to me by Kiwi Ears so that I could write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set, it isn't promotional or paid content and I don’t get any revenue from the sales of this product.* *At the time of the review, the Kiwi Ears Aether were on sale for about $169,99 at Kiwi Ears.* https://preview.redd.it/xcasyoqqe3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=249c15c44b2993a8071a709b92eec714f57dd50f # Technical Specifications * Driver Configuration → 1 x 15.3mm Planar Magnetic Driver * Impedance → 14 Ω * Spec-sheet Frequency Response → 20Hz-20kHz  * Sensitivity → 105 SPL/mW @ 1kHz * Cable → 1.25m cable with 0.78mm 2-PIN connectors  * Plugs → 3.5mm jack # Packaging The packaging of the Aether is pretty simple honestly and I like the fact that it’s not excessively fancy nor does it include any waifu pic or similar things. Keep things simple, that always works! This is what you’ll find in the box: * The Kiwi Ears Aether * Nine pairs of tips (three different sets of three tips each, with similar bore width yet with different stiffness) * The detachable 0.78mm 2-PIN cable * A hard carry case * User manual https://preview.redd.it/wlkastmre3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3abc0cfe4308849ea184741858a871cf3c444155 https://preview.redd.it/kiehytmre3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86a8c1ca441d321ddd74f69033b86cec0dfe7105 https://preview.redd.it/ypvv7tmre3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb5cbb4e458b8d944bab6724d09ff18dd728b9d3 # Design, Build Quality, Comfort and Isolation The Kiwi Ears Aether are enclosed in pretty big shells since they have to accommodate a cumbersome 15.3mm planar driver, and for this reason I would not suggest these to those who have small ears. The earpieces are made of 3D printed resin with an aluminum faceplate frame. They look good indeed, even though I would have preferred a full-resin shell at this point, just like Celest did with something like the Relentless. The comfort is nice to me, I don’t have any particular issues with IEMs (much more when it comes to earbuds) and even though the stock tips weren’t the best out there I have done some tip-rolling and found my ideal pairing with the Dunu S&S.The isolation is average, let’s say that there are IEMs that insulate better from external noises but at medium volumes (which are a must for these) I can easily use them in my daily commuting routine. https://preview.redd.it/wrrh74gte3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9bff9014792b6a1744758d837ff823187e8f1ce4 https://preview.redd.it/qljzc3gte3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abfa32728c089827581178701fc0c9d671319aae # Cable The cable is not the best cable you can find in this price range, but it looks and feels enough considering the overall package that you get with the Aether (sound, packaging and so on). There’s a chin slider, the cable doesn’t tangle like crazy and it feels durable, so no real criticism here, just a minor rant considering that some competitors include better cables (i.e. nylon/braided ones) even at lower price tags. https://preview.redd.it/o9o92hkue3se1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf01e58fc1f55b3054fef5e65a61d7dbfae5a199 # Sound **GEAR USED FOR THE TEST** * DAC: Topping E30  * AMP: Topping L30, Fiio A3 * Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra * Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0 * Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Fosi DS2, Kiwi Ears Allegro Pro, Tanchjim Stargate 2, Dunu DTC480, Dunu DTC800, Truthear SHIO * Portable DAPs: Snowsky Echo Mini, Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B * Bluetooth DACs: Snowsky Retro Nano, FiiO BTR11 * Bluetooth Adapters: KBEAR S1, KZ AZ10  * Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, Elgato Wave XLR **Amplifier needed?** Well, the sensitivity and impedance of the Aether suggest that they’re a very efficient planar set, and in fact I can say that I’ve been able to use them on most sources. However, I would at least consider buying a cheap CX31993 dongle for a bit more juice since this is a set that likes more volume to shine. **Let’s speak about the sound.** The Aether sound very, very good. They don’t sound the most polite and inviting, nor do they hug you with a special warmth or delicacy, instead they are very incisive, precise, quick during busy passages and the low-end sounds very entertaining. The sub-bass extension is notable for a planar set, especially because most planar sets tend to have a more evident bass shelf with some sub-bass roll-off. It’s not a super sub-bassy set but it delivers just right. The bass, on the other hand, isn’t left behind, with very nice textures, solid punch, and it contributes to the overall note weight in a positive manner. You can definitely hear that you’re listening to a planar set, but not in a bad way, and the more you crank up the volume, the more the low-end makes your feet move. Let’s say that it sounds “planar” but the fact is that it’s not a weakness because this is exactly what I expect when using a planar set (we used to listen to a lot of planars that somehow didn’t have this level of maturity and that was the moment in which we developed a sort of negative accent to “planar sound” term). The transition between the bass and the midrange is smooth, with the lower midrange having some added warmth in order to maintain a natural depth and timbre for male vocals, as opposed to very U-shaped tunings that provide for super clean and transparent lower mids by sacrificing male vocals and bass guitars’ thickness. The upper midrange has some added spice, with violins and female vocals that tend to play close to the listener in a very energetic way. However, I think that there’s a small lack of extension in female vocals, which is noticeable when you have “decrescendo” moments of female singers (basically, when their vocals slowly fade out in a delicate way): in these occasions, the Aether lack that last bit of information. This is usually caused by a 4KHz dip in the frequency response, a thing that characterizes the Aether as well. The treble is a big “no” for those who are treble sensitive, especially if you also factor that this set likes to play at medium/high volumes (not that I suggest that, but I had to try that during my tests): the treble can become very spicy and could make the overall sound more fatiguing, so I really suggest you looking for other IEMs if you are treble sensitive. To all the others, the added space is still worth it, since you get loads of information up top and you also get a very nice sense of resolution. The **soundstage** is, surprisingly, not that big, and even though I expected these to render a more spacious soundfield I think it’s a well-rounded stage. The **imaging**, instead, is very precise and I really appreciate the pinpointing capabilities during my gaming sessions as well. **Are they something I would use considering my taste and preferences?** Yes. I am up for some brightness up top if counterbalanced by a healthy low-end shelf, and these provide for it. They need some juice to shine, but they really have a potent yet speedy low-end that keeps me reaching for them. The S&S pairing also provide for a better seal in my case, and even though there’s an additional (small, yet relevant) treble enhancement, there’s also a better seal which grants a more solid low-end response to my ears. I will keep experimenting with more tips to see if I can get a similar fit with a slightly tamer upper-end (not that the upper end really “bothers me” but morning and late nights are not the best to listen to spicy IEMs so that would solve this). # Some comparisons: **Kiwi Ears Aether vs ARTTI T10 Pro** >Big differences honestly, since the timbre is totally different: the T10 Pro are way more polite and “wet” than the Aether, with a denser low-end and a more controlled treble response. The Aether are more contrasty, faster, more articulate during busy passages, more spacious and effortless at portraying small nuances, but this also comes at the expense of a more aggressive sound signature that may not be for everyone. The overall technical superiority of the Aether is evident in some ways (especially when it comes to soundstage, imaging a detail retrieval), but this also depends on the tuning, which is more easy-going on the warmer and more relaxed T10 Pro. When comparing them, the T10 Pro sound more “dampened” and more similar to DD set with respect to the drier and more technical Aether.The build quality is very good on both sets, but the T10 Pro are generally easier to suggest to anyone due to their smaller and more rounded shells. In terms of packaging and accessories, the T10 Pro come with a similar set of tips but the included stock cable is better and has modular plugs. The isolation is similar, maybe a touch better on the Aether. Overall, the Aether are more resolving and technically superior, but the T10 Pro are less bright and generally smoother so they may be more appealing to those who usually seek for more relaxed sets. **Kiwi Ears Aether vs NiceHCK F1 Pro** >The Kiwi Ears Aether are like a more “mature” version of the F1 Pro: the note weight is better, the bass quality is similar but Aether’s bass is a bit more textured, the upper midrange is similarly energetic yet less shouty and less prone to be sibilant on the Aether, and the mid-treble and upper treble are a touch more controlled on the Aether as well. The soundstage is a lot bigger on the Aether (especially when it comes to height, which is a weakness of the F1 Pro), and the imaging is also more precise. The build quality is great on both sets. The comfort is better on the F1 Pro, the isolation is better on the Aether. In terms of packaging and accessories, the F1 Pro win thanks to the better cable and the wider choice of tips.The Aether are the better sounding IEMs of course (they are more resolving and more refined overall), but they also cost 2x the price of the F1 Pro. **Kiwi Ears Aether vs SGOR Luna** >Well, this is a very hard call but it could be useful, for those who are interested,to understand something like the Luna can be a cheap alternative to the Aether. The short answer is “yes”, and in fact the Luna is a very compelling option considering what you can get for that price (we’re speaking about 40$ nowadays, more or less).The biggest difference is the level of refinement that you get with the Aether, as we are not only speaking about pure technical performance (which would be more obvious). The SGOR Luna sound generally thinner with slightly less low-end power and a bit more energy in the treble region. This makes them stand-out in terms of perceived resolution and detail retrieval, even though the kinda lack the density and note weight that the Aether can be proud of. In terms of soundstage and imaging, the Aether are superior but the differences aren’t mindblowing and this is a very big compliment for the Luna. In terms of build quality, comfort, packaging and accessories, the Aether win hands down, whereas the Luna do better when it comes to isolation. If I have to be completely honest, I really struggle not to recommend the Luna, especially to those who are starting their planar IEMs’ journey and want a good example to start from: there are noticeable differences if I compare the Luna against pricier planars, but it’s really amazing to hear what the Luna can do for such an affordable price, and I think that they really set the bar for cheap planars along with the KZ PRX (which are slightly different yet similarly capable). # Final Thoughts The Aether are very incisive, very resolving, and even though this comes at the expense of a less relaxed sound, it’s totally worth it. From the potent yet fast bass to the energetic vocals and the wide soundstage, the Aether raise the bar for planar IEMs in the sub-200$ range, and even though they are not perfect (no IEM is perfect, but it’s a way to point out that these still have a few weaknesses) I am pretty sure that other brands will need to put a lot of effort to beat these gems.

Yea they are super good imho. They can extract lotta textures and details, being proficient when they need to be technical and without really giving up on that "fun" factor. Sure they don't sound as colored as other sets, but it's a soft tilt from a boring tuning that still makes them very balanced while staying away from something you can sleep with. Anyway, thanks for your comment, I appreciate!

You should get a unit with a bone conduction driver (BCD) if you crave wide stage and pinpoint imaging. BCD really brings out those two aspects of sound. If you can stretch your budget a bit, Penon Fan 3 is superb at $175, but you need to join the Penon VIP email list at the Penon website and wait a few weeks until you receive a code to get that price, which is 50 percent off. It will happen; you just need to be patient. The Pula Anvil also is an excellent BCD set for around $199. I own the Fan 3 and have tested the Anvil extensively. Both are lovely, but I would go for the Fan 3 with the VIP code. I'm also testing the KiwiEars Aether now. Very good for a big planar driver. No BCD. It's $135 at Amazon right now. Very nice imaging, but stage isn't huge. Still, balanced sound. Don't sleep on the Kefine Klean (single dynamic driver) or Artti T10 (single planar driver), either. Both have excellent balance and vocal clarity, with solid stage and imaging, at just $50 each. Punch WAY above their weight despite no BCD.

The KiwiEars Aether is a terrific new planar for around $175 USD, but that was before Cheeto Satan's tariffs. You'll pay a fuckton more now if you're an American. They're probably more neutral than V, but there's still excellent bass and treble extension.

Just got my kiwiears aether so here's an unboxing. You get 3 different kinds of tips. A cable, case, the IEMs, and some documentation. The shells of the iem are quite nice looking I like the design and I'd say about a medium size. The fit is quite good for me. The cable I don't like that much. Just feels kinda plasticy and cheap. I will be replacing that. I do like the case. It is definitely pocket sized and I like that compared to other cases I've received with other iems. Haven't listened to them yet but am gonna do that right now so I will update the thread. Overall the unboxing is nice. The accessories are good. Cable is meh.

the sound is great im listening to them right now. and yeah I got some replacement cables I ordered coming this week at some point. and I will be swapping that out.

Listening to mine. They sound really good.

Yeah the low end is great. Been using them all day. Mostly watching content right now but listened to music for a couple hours.

I'm really happy with the bass with the stock clear tips. I need to get some spinfit tips though. The mid bass is super punchy without having a farty sound. Subbass is really good too put on angel by massive attack and it sounded great.

the bass is really nice on them. Good mid bass and sub. Really punchy! I think that's what stood out to me the most while listening.

I still like dynamic drivers but this set does indeed sound great. Really nice sound signature and impressed it's a single driver. All my high end IEMs have 6-9 drivers. More isn't always better.

Not really. I haven't got a set I don't like. My current favorites are the dusk, dunu braindance, kiwiears aether, and kiwiears orchestra lite.

I have both, but I'm not good with jargon, so I'll keep it simple. The Aether, to my ears, are a wonderfully tuned, well balanced, smooth listen. Not found a song that challenges them. They really are a fine listen at medium - high listening levels. No sibilance whatsoever. Analytical without sucking the fun out of what I'm hearing. The MP145 are also a great set, but don't give me the same satisfaction. I really do rate them, and if I'd never heard the Aether they'd be in my ears more often. If it was a one and done, Aether gets my vote.

Yep, it's a cracking set, analytical AND fun.

**Hi! I also bought these in-ear headphones. Swapped in the cable from the ET142 and the EPZ M100 ear tips. The sound is absolutely luxurious!**

***Below is a condensed version of my full-length review. You can find the full review [here](https://resonancereviews.com/kiwi-ears-aether-review-next-plane-of-existence-37c0361d4675). For those who prefer video, check out my very first [video review here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeB6BQaZse0&t=1s).*** Kiwi Ears is the in-house brand for popular ChiFi (Chinese HiFi) retailer Linsoul. They’ve released a lot of IEMs since inception, many of which have become well-known crowd-favorites in the HiFi community. They were among the first on the scene to build planar-driver hybrid IEMs, and while those products had some room for improvement, that didn’t dissuade Kiwi Ears from continuing to explore the technology. Today we’re taking a look at Kiwi Ears’ newest and most robust planar-driver IEM. Featuring a massive 15.3mm planar driver and promising uncompromising studio-grade performance, the Aether has caught the attention of a lot of folks. But, does it perform in line with its promises? Let’s find out! **The Big Picture** *Pros:* * Clean, transparent sound signature * Excellent detail retrieval * Exceptionally articulate vocal range * Easy to drive * Beautiful shells *Cons:* * Sub-par included eartips, no foam eartips * Included carrying case doesn’t leave much room for accessories * Large shells are ergonomically lacking **Sonic Overview:** The Aether features open, airy, reference-style tuning. Its treble is well-extended and organic. Its midrange is neutral, with slight emphasis in the 2–3KHz range to bring out instrumental and vocal details. Its bass is extended, though not emphasized much. There’s a slight 1–2db lift in the mid-bass that provides solid lower-register articulation that carries out to the 20Hz range. The Aether’s studio-grade tuning allows it to express a wide soundstage with excellent depth and laying. Its new 15.3mm driver delivers excellent planar-driver timbre with all of the usual psycho-acoustic properties you’d associate with a high-quality planar driver. **Conclusion** The Aether raises the bar for the entire IEM industry. It represents a tectonic shift in what consumers can expect in both tonal purity and technical prowess per dollar. The fact that Kiwi Ears is selling the Aether for a mere $170 should do well to light a fire under both Eastern and Western brands. The Aether’s capacity to resolve detail eclipses many much more expensive IEMs both old and new alike. While not everyone wants an analytical IEM, those who are willing to give reference-style tuning simply cannot go wrong with the Aether. *Who This is For* * Audiophiles who want reference-grade sound * Listeners who enjoy neutral sound signatures * Planar-driver enthusiasts *Who This isn’t For* * Bassheads * Listeners with small ears * Those who crave warm sound signatures As always, happy listening!

I 100 % agree with your assessment. I read so many articles and posts praising the Reds so they were my first purchase and... I just don't hear it. Disappointed 100%. Tip rolling did improve the sound but it was still unsatisfying. It was just so... bland. I then bought Celest Wyvern Black for $25 and wow, what a difference. So clear, punchy bass, and in overall, a great sounding IEM. This led me to purchase the following: Celest Relentless, KZ PRX, KZ Zenith, and Kiwi Ears Aether. All sound amazing. While some on the list are more expensive than then the Reds, PRX (planar) and the aforementioned Wyvern are cheaper and both are leaps and bounds better than the Reds