Kiwi Ears - Étude

Since getting the kiwi ears etude, I've been using my tea pros less and less. Sure, they're more tonally accurate and more comfortable in ear. But there's something about the tuning and reverb in the etude which I just really jive with.

Consider also Kiwi ears etudè, i love it for gaming

Agreed, the Aether is this expressive and emotional sound. I would argue if money isn’t an issue try the Kiwi Ears septet as it’s my favourite out of the Kiwis I’ve tried (ranking in order from best to worst) Septet, Aether/Orchestra, Quintet, anything else, then the Etude as these were seriously muddy imo

Ask me tomorrow and the answer will be different. As for today - Kiwi Ears Etude for their really physical bass.

In my opinion, these IEMs are bass/mid-bass oriented, but the clarity and detail are on a high level. Maybe not as shiny as my other favourite – the Aether – but nothing to be ashamed of. They are really airy and good in terms of detail. I paired them with my usual choice of eartips – the TRI Clarion (size L, although my ears are rather M-sized) – and they’re really comfortable.

A tough choice! Aether and Etude sound a bit different. For these three songs I’d call it a tie (Etude sounded better in “Lone”, Aether in “Borderline,” while “Easy” had no clear winner). Etude – more mid-bass, almost a physical sensation, especially around the 2:43 mark in What So Not – Lone. Aether – a more U-shaped tuning, which also makes them feel more spacious. Less aggressive mid-bass, but the sub-bass goes very deep. Both have plenty of detail up top; it’s more noticeable on the Aether, but I don’t feel like Etude is lacking anything. In my experience Aether needs a bit more power to reach the same loudness (probably because it’s a large planar for an IEM). In my opinion both Aether and Etude are good choices, and the accessories in the box are almost identical. Also keep in mind that Etude has a characteristic resonance, a sort of “twang” from the BC driver vibrations—I hear it especially around \~180 Hz. Some people dislike it, but I actually bought these IEMs for that exact effect ;) And one last thought—if you sometimes listen to podcasts/audiobooks on your IEMs, Aether is the better pick.

So far the only $100+ iem I got is the Kiwi Ears Études and I love them. They definitely aren't perfect and I'd say the Aethers are likely much better for the extra cost in terms of sound quality from what I've seen online. But there's something special about the vibration transducers that make me feel the oomphs in my chest that I can't help but love them every time I use them for some thumpy songs with long rolling bass.

Love my Études, use them at work pretty often when I just want to tune things out and listen to some bassy tracks, used to not care much about dnb/jungle but it made the tracks a lot more fun with these. Only complaint is that I originally had a weird issue when I first got them where the left iem's KVT just didn't work at all. Even when tapping on the iem with my finger it didn't make that hollow vibration noise like the right one did, it sounded stiff. While in the process of opening a warranty claim I decided to record a video for my warranty claim by playing a bass test at full volume on them while it sat on top of a plastic cup to show that it isn't vibrating. In that moment it magically came to life and started vibrating aggressively. Ever since then I've never had that issue reoccur and it feels just as thumpy as my right iem.

**Merry Xmas ya'll!** Here's a quick list of the best IEMs I've heard that **came out** in 2025. Full video breakdown [here](https://youtu.be/jnNvbrCh8Yg). IEM Ranking List [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZHVib50XFQW4up3SwOZUTbI-hZB6Ir5LX6XnZblIM6o/edit?usp=sharing). \--------------------------------------------------------------------- **Under $25 (Sales Included)** * TangZu Waner 2 (Balanced/Clean) * Tanchjim Bunny/Zero Ultima DSP/3.5 (Balanced/All-Rounder) * HM: KZ Duonic (Bassy All-Rounder/Sub-bass focused) * HM: GK Kunten (Bassy All-Rounder) * HM: Kiwiears Belle (Warm/Bassy/Thick/Smooth) **Under $50 (Sales Included)** * 7Hz Elua Ultra (All-Rounder/Dynamic/Slight V) * KZ Zenith (Balanced/Clean/Smooth) * HM: Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue 2 with 5 Ohm Adapter (Basshead) **Under $125 (Sales Included)** * Simgot EG280 (All-Rounder/Bright Leaning/Vocal Forward) * Tanchjim Fission (Neutral/Balanced/Smooth) * Kiwiears Airoso (Warm/Airy) * Kefine Quatio (Bassy/Dynamic/Versatile) * HM: JUZEAR Defiant (All-Rounder/Slight V/QC issues) * HM: Kiwiears Etude (Bouncy Bass/Scaling/Bone Conduction Drivers) * HM: 7Hz Diablo (Warm/Bassy/Thick/Dark) * HM: 7Hz Divine (Clean/Balanced) **Under $200** **(Sales Included)** * LETSHUOER S12 ULTRA (All-Rounder/Slight V/Bassy) * Crinear DayBreak/EPZ P50 (Balanced/Smooth/Vanilla) * Kiwiears Aether (Balanced/Airy) * Ziigaat Lush (Balanced/Warm Leaning/Scaling) * MYER CK2V (Bright/Sparkly) * HM: Punch Audio Portazo (Basshead) **Under $300 (Sales Included)** * Kiwiears Astral (All-Rounder/Slight V) * EPZ K9 (All-Rounder/Fuller-Less Shouty Harman 2019) * Softears Volume S (Balanced/Warm) * Ziigaat Crescent (Warm/Sparkly) * Punch Audio Martilo (Basshead) * Kiwiears Orchestra 2 (Neutral/Vocal Forward) * Yanyin Canon Pro/YU9 Que (Neutral/Smooth/Scaling) * HM: Kiwiears Septet (Bright/Airy) * HM: Tanchjim Force (Vocal forward/Clean) * HM: Juzear Defiant (Smooth/Scaling/Mid-Range) * HM: Dunu 142 (All-Rounder/Slight-V/Sharper Kiwiears Astral) **Under $500 (Sales Included)** * Thieaudio Hype 4 MK2 (Bright/Energetic/Clean) * Xenns Tea Pro SE (Balanced/Natural) * Xenns Top Pro (Balanced/Clean/Sparkly) * NICEHCK ROCKIES (Balanced/Full/Airy) * Ziigaat Luna (Warm/Airy) * Ziigaat Arcanis (Vocal Sauce/Mid-Range Scaling) * HM: HiSenior MEGA 7 (Balanced/Smooth/Neutral) **Under $2000** * Thieaudio Monarch MK4 (Clean All-Rounder/Bassy with Switch) * Thieaudio Valhalla (All-Rounder/Dynamic/Bassy) * LETSHUOER MYSTIC 8 (Neutral/Bright/Airy) * Softears RSV MK2 (Bassy All-Rounder/V-Shape) * FIIO FX17 (Warm All Rounder) * HM: AFUL DAWN-X (Sub-bass/Smooth/Scaling) * HM: BGVP SOLOMON (Bright/Slight V)

Nope, bone conduction was my main curiosity so I bought a lot! I've got Kb02, Kiwi Ears Etude, Apevoix Grit (the Anvil's sister), Penon Fan 3s, BGVP DMA. I've not tried the KB03- I have been tempted but reviews seem to be all over the place! My point is definitely not to put you off, because each of these IEMs is brilliant for their price (apart from the Fan 3s) It's more a warning not to expect a huge difference, and better implementation usually means subtlety. My personal recommendation to experience BC would be the Etude- because it's a great sounding IEM on its own, and the vibration is obvious at high volume.

Check out Aful Explorer. It is great for DnB, especially if you listen at high volume. One of the most comfortable iems i have tried. Kiwi Ears Etude is a good option too, but probably not as first iem because its Bone Conduction can be hit or miss on certain tracks. It is also quite big, so it may not fit smaller ears. I think Hexa is not a good choice for any bass heavy music, the bass on Hexa is very underwhelming. It also has a really uncomfortable shell imo, so the fit could be an issue. Pure should be a much better choice than hexa if you need bass (judging from the graphs and reviews, never tried it). Pure has more midbass than Hexa, it hass less treble too, so it would be a better choice for DnB. Letshuoer S08 is also a great option if you want something bassy, one of the best under 100$ for Hip Hop / Dnb imo (one of the better planars out there imo, doesn't have excessive treble that most planar iems have). It is very comfortable too.

TL;DR for those short on time or not inclined to read the entire review: # Pros * Very tactile and impactful bass, versatile U-shaped signature, pretty good end-to-end extension and a pleasant and kinda unique that never sounds really “off”, just slightly colored * Good technical chops * Decent comfort with the right set of tips and well built shells # Cons * The vibrating unit introduces a sort of reverb to the low-end that slightly affects the overall signature, and the personal taste plays a key factor * The nozzle isn’t very long and some stiffer yet sticky tips are needed to get a deeper fit * The cable could have been better \------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Introduction Kiwi Ears is very popular in the Chi-Fi landscape and has grown a lot in the last few years. In this review, I am gonna speak about their “Étude”, a product that features a tribrid configuration with a vibrating transducer. >*Disclaimer: the Kiwi Ears Étude* *were sent to me by Kiwi Ears free of charge 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 Étude* *were on sale for about $119 at Kiwi Ears’ Official Website*. https://preview.redd.it/ikzqah6p56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64ceaa9fc3b479ba509d753a1024c6c5e39b04dc # Technical Specifications * Driver Configuration → 1DD + 3BA + 1 KVT (Kiwi Vibration Transducer) * Impedance → 5Ω (@ 1 KHz) * Spec-sheet Frequency Response → 20Hz-20kHz  * Sensitivity → 104 dB SPL/mW (@ 1KHz) * THD → <1% * Cable → 1,2m OFC cable with 0.78mm PINs * Plugs → 3.5mm # Packaging # The overall unboxing experience of the Kiwi Ears Étude isn’t the most exciting in this price range, despite the good looking box and the fact that “nothing” is really missing. The box contains: * The Kiwi Ears Étude * A detachable cable * Three sets of tips consisting in three sizes (S/M/L) each with slightly different stiffness * A storage case * User manual https://preview.redd.it/acsifchr56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1d1b61e90741c1ba092ad2d30c6210b829153a2 https://preview.redd.it/gge3nchr56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc07a9ed3a04a27029cadc027a804e943f505b97 # Design, Build Quality, Comfort and Isolation The Kiwi Ears Étude look pretty clean and are built well with 3D printed resin and a cool glossy faceplate. It’s not the kind of set that you pick up and scream a big “WOW”, but everything in terms of manufacturing meets the expectations for a set that costs a bit more than 100$. The shells are lightweight and don’t have any sharp edges, they comfortably sit in the ears and the isolation from external noises is actually decent. I think my main gripe with these is that the nozzle isn’t very long and it also doesn’t have any ridge/lip, so I had to use aftermarket tips with a stiffer and longer stem in order to get a proper fit (I don’t like the stock tips unfortunately). https://preview.redd.it/xkd0ghys56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1af7b5a8b102d4db0800557306d7ff82e28d71f0 https://preview.redd.it/s6tobhys56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c207dd1564ae3940f8f9092be55c2b7e58464410 https://preview.redd.it/cp46ygys56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce086c2eb88dab9db1416dcdde729a12e8339714 # Cable The cable is honestly a bit below the expectations considering the price tag, since nowadays there are tons of cheap IEMs that come with better cables (i.e. the TangZu Wan’er S.G. II for example get shipped with a better stock cable). It has a chin slider, it doesn’t tangle very easily and it’s not super thick so it’s actually comfortable and lightweight but it’s just not up to par with the expectations (I don’t refer to sound, since I’m not a cable believer, it’s just about the overall look and build quality). https://preview.redd.it/95q0vb5u56gf1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0257c1c5b562f6f21a5d2411792a135abcb7741e # Sound **GEAR USED FOR THE TEST** * DAC: Topping E30 * AMP: Topping L30 * Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra * Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0 * Dongles: Apple Type-C dongle, Fosi DS2, DUNU DTC800, Truthear SHIO, Tanchjim Luna AT * Portable DAPs: Snowsky Echo Mini * Bluetooth DACs: Snowsky Retro Nano, FiiO BTR11 **Amplifier needed?** There’s no need to use an amplifier since these are pretty efficient and easy to drive. **Let’s speak about the sound.** The Kiwi Ears Étude sound pretty vivid and fun, thumpy when needed, with a pleasantly colored yet well balanced and mildly U-shaped sound signature. There’s a generous sub-bass that has good extension but the most surprising thing is how these reproduce bass: it’s a very dense and rich bass with nice textures and has a strange tactility that’s rare to hear on traditional IEMs. The vibration unit is responsible for such job, and even though I was expecting a more “rude” vibration, this is a very subtle one yet in a way that it mixes with the low-frequencies in order to make you feel the lower notes instead of empowering them even more. It’s pretty hard to explain, but simply put it’s not really a way to “enhance” the bass itself, it’s mostly about improving the perception of it. This dense bass isn’t very intrusive in the lower mids, which sound clean and almost free from congestion, but its reverb is hearable and it may or may not appeal to you depending on your personal taste since it also affects other frequencies by increasing the decay of some notes. Male vocals sound nice, and the same applies for female vocals even though both somehow show a slight timbrical deviation because of the vibration unit, which creates a slight reverb effect that artificially enhances the low-end presence by giving added body to vocals (this is also something that either you like or not). The treble has good detail retrieval, it has some added energy but it’s not fatiguing at all, and I’d say the overall treble tuning is very well done. The **soundstage** is a bit more intimate than expected whereas the imaging is in-line with the price range so I am pretty happy with that. **Are they something I would use considering my taste and preferences?** Well, I have been using these for 3 weeks straight and I gotta say that I quite like the very unique low-end that these reproduce. I like some added contrast even though I usually don’t like timbrically colored sets, but the small coloration that the vibration unit introduces here is very pleasant and I think I will keep using these. # Some comparisons: **Kiwi Ears Étude (1DD + 3BA + 1 KVT) vs Celest Plutus Beast (1BC+1BA +1SPD™)** >The Plutus Beast feature a bone conduction driver whereas the Étude use a vibration unit: both should provide some tactile rumble but they are promoted in different ways. One thing that they have in common is the shell reverb when you touch the shells. Apparently, the vibration unit is something different from the bone conduction driver used on the Plutus Beast so I just treat them as two different things even though they have a similar purpose. Straight to the point: the Étude are better: better technical performance, a much more refined and well-balanced signature, better low-end control and punch, better timbre. The Plutus Beast aren’t bad but the signature is a bit less refined with more emphasis on bass and upper-midrange and that gives them a lot more glare in the upper mids, which is not followed by some good treble extension and this makes them a bit nasal compared to the more balanced Étude. Comfort wise, both are good, but I feel like the Plutus Beast have a more secure fit and they are better for deep insertion. The packaging and accessories are very similar instead, which is not something I would have wanted to say because the Étude are way more expensive and should provide for a better unboxing experience. **Kiwi Ears Étude (1DD + 3BA + 1 KVT) vs Kiwi Ears Airoso (1DD + 4BA)** >As I’ve stated in the Airoso review, I think that they’re a great pair of earphones with nice technical chops, very good soundstage and good overall tuning that fits most genres and most people. However, they’re so versatile that they haven’t really “surprised” me in any way, so the Étude are more entertaining to me despite being a tad less technical. The Airoso provide for better treble extension and slightly better detail retrieval, a bigger soundstage and an imaging that’s a bit clearer most times. The Étude, on the other hand, sound a lot more fun, with better contrast between the frequencies and more low-end character, and authority and better bass textures and tactility. I feel like the Étude, despite being a tad less technical, is a much more interesting piece of gear. The build quality is good on both sets but the Étude are less “anonymous”. Comfort-wise, they’re equally comfortable, whereas the Airoso are a bit better in terms of isolation. The unboxing experience is basically the same. **Kiwi Ears Étude (1DD + 3BA + 1 KVT) vs Celest Yaksha (2DD+1BA+1MPD)** >The Étude have better low-end extension and better bass slam along with a slightly more recessed midrange, whereas the Yaksha have slightly thicker lower mids and more forward upper mids. The combination between the more forward upper mids and the 8k peak on the Yaksha make it less natural sounding than the Étude, which also have a better treble extension that makes them clearer and more natural overall. The soundstage is wider and deeper on the Yaksha despite the more rolled-off treble and the thicker signature while the imaging is clearer on the Étude. In terms of build quality, design, comfort and isolation, the Yaksha take the cake, and the same applies when it comes to the overall unboxing experience and the stock accessories. # Final Thoughts The Étude are very interesting and they’re a nice addition to Kiwi Ears’ product portfolio. If I were to buy a new pair of IEMs in the 100-150$ price range and wanted to try something “different”, then the Étude would be in my shopping cart. Kiwi Ears also sell the Airoso for a very similar price, but I would get the Étude over the Airoso any day as they have more character and sound more interesting overall, going for a more unique approach that others don’t really use in their price range. Not only that: the Étude are also among the few tribrid IEMs that actually manage to sound colored yet not really “unnatural”, making them appealing also to those who are usually avoiding badly implemented tribrid configurations on a budget. Well done Kiwi Ears.

If you find it for half its price, it's a very unique IEM for sure and well worth it.

My bro I recently got and reviewed both the Kiwi Ears Etude and the KB02 and I literally had the exact same surprised reaction to people hating on the KB02. I’m no audiophile but I have been into this hobby for quite a while. Here’s my: [comparative review of the Etude and KB02.](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/LWUQs9sO17). Give it read if you wish to. Spoiler: I also returned the Etude and kept KB02. Here’s a few reason why I think people doesn’t get the value of the KB02: 1. KB02 is very, very tip sensitive. One of the more popular tips the TRI Clarion, absolutely doesn’t fit this IEM. I, among a few other people in this sub got the best result with the Tangzu Sancai tips; with a good ear fit ofc. 2. It works better in my experience, with a slightly warmer dac, namely anything with CX+MAX (Jm6 Pro). 3. Even with all these specifics, the Bone conduction effect in KB02 is subtle; specifically in the sub bass more than the midbass… People who usually buy bone conduction sets expect earth shattering bass and usually come from other more bassy IEMs, so it can be hard for them to notice the sub bass bone conduction tingle. So usually, if people do not find the wow factor in a new IEM right away, it’s easy for them to dismiss it really quickly as a bad one. Which is especially true for a budget IEM like the KB02. Etude on the other hand has very, very obvious bone conduction effects, and like other people I initially got wowed by it too. However, I believe Kiwi Ears simply tried to do too much with their KVT implementation and therefore, while they made a point to make sure people noticed it; they really hurt the overall sound experience and made it unnatural and weird. For me that became impossible for a daily driving use. At $120, Kiwi Ears Etude is not a bad priced product and might be acceptable to some even with its flaws. But the existence of KB02 at a much, much lower price and subtle yet better implementation of the tech, made the price of Etude seem not so worth it anymore. All in all, if someone likes the Etude and willing to pay for it, I totally understand and respect it. But I feel that, as an amazing entry point into bone conduction; Kbear KB02 also deserves more credit and recognition than people give it for. https://preview.redd.it/7rigy3rp1z7f1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ecbf54159d4a0d2bce5541316e76defacb2f207 Also, will you look at how beautiful they look?! 😍