This time, the package definitely contains something interesting—at least for me. In case you haven’t noticed, this channel isn’t about what might be interesting to some random viewer, but about what interests me personally. And if a viewer happens to enjoy the video—that’s just a bonus, nothing more.
So, what we have here are so-called in-ear monitors (IEMs), basically HiFi earbud-style headphones. The brand is called Kiwi Ears. It falls under what’s commonly referred to as Chi-Fi—that is, high-fidelity audio equipment made in China by Chinese brands. The same category includes TRN, KZ, Moondrop, Kinera Celest, and so on.
This company is relatively new but is making a serious push to become a market leader. The model is called Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite, and the reason it caught my attention is that it uses a so-called planar magnetic driver for sound reproduction. That means these aren’t dynamic drivers, nor balanced armature drivers, but planar magnetic drivers.
I’ve never listened to planar headphones before—this will be my first experience. Planar magnetic headphones are one of about five main technologies used to produce sound. The most common are:
Dynamic drivers – I’ve reviewed plenty of headphones with these.
Balanced armature drivers – Also covered on the channel.
Hybrids – A combo of dynamic and armature drivers. Reviewed as well.
Electrostatic drivers – Very rare, mostly because the sound quality is often underwhelming.
Ribbon drivers – Possibly exist in headphones, but usually found in tweeters (high-frequency drivers).
Planar magnetic drivers – Like in this pair.
Planar headphones differ from dynamic ones primarily in how the diaphragm is structured. A dynamic driver has a visible diaphragm connected to a coil or magnet. The coil reacts to electrical signals and moves, creating sound waves.
In balanced armature drivers, the armature is positioned between two magnets. An electrical signal causes it to move, producing sound. These require much less power, making them more sensitive and energy-efficient—originally designed for hearing aids.
Planar magnetic drivers are somewhat of a middle ground. Like dynamic drivers, they use a diaphragm, but it’s usually a flat rectangular shape with traces of conductive material embedded within. The diaphragm sits between two magnets. When current flows, it creates a magnetic field and the diaphragm vibrates, producing sound.
Now, let’s talk about the accessories.
The packaging tries to be “luxury-style”: a large box with glossy printing and lots of compartments. The headphones themselves are solid—no complaints. But the accessories are where I see some issues.
The included cable is a very basic type that almost all Chinese IEMs come with, regardless of price. It’s a step up from what was standard five years ago, but still feels generic. It uses the standard 2-pin 0.78 mm connectors, so replacements are easy to find. It looks decent, works well, and should last a couple of years. Just don’t expect anything premium.
Now, let’s get one thing clear: cables do not affect sound quality. If anyone tries to convince you otherwise—spit in their face. (I used to believe that too, long ago.) The only thing cables influence is usability—how easily they tangle, how stiff they are in cold weather, etc.
As for ear tips, you get three sizes in three colors. They’re not bad—no rough seams or annoying logos that might irritate your ear. I once had a case where embossed branding on a silicone tip caused painful pimples in my ears. Thankfully, that’s not the case here.
Still, the tips are fairly generic—the same ones you’ll find included with IEMs across all price ranges. I would have preferred fewer sets but with more variety in size and shape. Personally, the smallest size gave me the best seal, which is odd since I usually go for medium.
Also included is a small zippered pouch styled like faux leather—not high-end, but at least it’s there.
Now, to the earphones themselves—no complaints here. They’re well-built, look beautiful (even though I’m not a fan of overly decorated gear), and stand out compared to the sea of bland earbuds out there.
Of course, due to the 15.3 mm diaphragm, they’re not small. They need space to fit that large driver. Still, they’re not the largest I’ve reviewed, and they fit well in my ears. I forgot I was wearing them after a while. But for people with very small ears—especially kids or teens—these might feel bulky.
Interestingly, this seems to be an upgraded version with pressure relief vents. I appreciate that Chinese brands are moving away from glued-on mesh filters, which can fall into your ear canal—a real horror story I read in the comments once.
Lastly, let’s talk sound.
On screen, I’ll show someone else’s FR (frequency response) measurements for the graph-loving crowd who think graphs tell the full story. What stands out is a pretty flat frequency response, with a slight dip at 6 kHz. This affects detail a little, but nothing critical.
And now, the sound impressions: as I said, these are my first planar IEMs, and they’ve got bass. Enough bass for my taste (I’m not a basshead), and importantly, the bass is fast.
A few years ago, I used the term “fast bass” and someone mocked me, asking if I meant it was “faster in Hz.” No, it’s faster in BPM, you [ __ ]! Joking aside, fast bass refers to response time—how quickly the driver reacts to an electrical signal. It’s also about low inertia, which is crucial for low frequencies because of heavier diaphragms and larger motion ranges.
Planar drivers have faster response and decay times compared to dynamics, which helps the bass feel tight and snappy—not slow or bloated.
At the same time, the bass doesn’t bleed into the mids, which is a huge plus. This happens often with poorly tuned dynamic drivers—when the bass is too much, it starts masking the midrange. Here, that doesn’t happen.
The midrange is clean and natural. There’s no unnatural coloration, no nasal quality, no hollowness. Vocals sound alive, acoustic instruments are rich in texture, and small details are well preserved. Again, I haven’t heard other planar IEMs to compare this to, but based on my experience with balanced armature and hybrid setups, this is definitely good.
The treble is perhaps the only part that might feel a little lacking to those who like bright-sounding earphones. The 6 kHz dip slightly tones down the sharpness and airiness of the treble. On one hand, this means no sibilance, which is awesome if you’re sensitive to that. On the other hand, high-frequency detail is a touch smoother than I expected.
But this might actually be intentional, not a flaw. After all, not everyone enjoys overly sharp highs—especially during long listening sessions. I can easily listen to these for hours without fatigue, and that’s rare for me.
Regarding soundstage, it’s above average for IEMs. Not massive, of course—it’s still an in-ear design—but it’s not congested or narrow either. You can clearly perceive instrument placement in stereo recordings. Imaging is precise, separation is excellent.
One of the reasons I was interested in planar drivers was because many people say they offer a “speaker-like” experience—a wide, open sound. I can’t fully agree that this applies to IEMs, but I do hear a difference compared to traditional dynamic or BA setups. There’s more air between instruments, more space, and everything feels less “in-your-head.”
As for power requirements, they’re more demanding than average. Don’t even try to drive them from a laptop headphone jack or some cheap USB-C dongle. You’ll need a dedicated DAC/AMP to get the best out of them. I used a portable DAC that outputs around 2 Vrms, and that was enough.
By the way, if you’re watching this video wondering whether these are good for gaming—yes, they are. Especially for single-player story-driven games where immersive sound is key. The imaging and spatial separation help a lot. For competitive FPS, maybe not the top choice, since pinpointing vertical placement is still tricky with any IEM, but it’s doable.
To summarize:
Pros:
Planar sound—tight bass, clean mids, smooth highs
Beautiful design
Comfortable (at least for me)
Great imaging and soundstage
No sibilance or harshness
Detachable cable, standard connectors
Cons:
Requires a proper source (DAC/AMP)
Treble might be too smooth for some
Not ideal for small ears
Accessories are a bit generic
Would I recommend them? Yes, if you’re curious about planar IEMs and want something well-tuned and enjoyable to listen to. They’re not “cheap,” but they’re a great value for what you get. And if you already have a good source, you’re set.