In this article, I review the Kiwi Ears Étude IEM. The Étude is a five-driver (penta-driver) earphone with a 1DD+3BA+1BC driver configuration. It’s priced at 119 USD.
Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Linsoul in exchange for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.
Kiwi Ears Étude
“a short musical composition, typically for one instrument, designed as an exercise to improve the technique or demonstrate the skill of the player” (Oxford Languages).
Specifications
Driver: 3BA + 1DD + 1BN
Frequency Range: 20Hz–20kHz
Sensitivity (1kHz): 104dB SPL/mW
Impedance (1kHz): 5Ω
Earphone Jack: 3.5mm
Cable Socket: 0.78mm 2Pin
Inside the Box
- Kiwi Ears Étude IEMs
- Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable
- 9* pairs of silicone eartips
- Zipper carrying case
Design
The Kiwi Ears Étude features dark translucent shells with a glossy finish. The faceplates are bordered by a slim aluminium bezel and display a black background adorned with horizontal, glittering gold and silver waves.
The shells are somewhat large but I found them comfortable, nonetheless. There’s a vent near the 2-pin sockets that helps prevent pressure build-up and the triple-bore nozzles are reasonably small.
Étude’s stock cable is the same standard one we’ve seen on other recent Kiwi Ears IEMs. It’s fairly generic and has a glossy black sheath. It handles nicely and doesn’t have any distracting microphonics. Although it has pre-formed earhooks, which I’m not especially fond of, they’re soft and flexible, so they didn’t cause any fit problems for me.
Sound
The tonality and tonal balance of the Étude are quite fun and satisfying. It has an elevated bass response with a forward midrange and a detailed yet smooth treble.
Detail retrieval is decent, though it won’t uncover the finest micro-details. The Étude has an overall warm tonality with a beefy, but never overpowering, bass response. Sub-bass notes have a light, controlled rumble, though they lack a bit of authority and slam.
I can almost get behind the Étude’s tuning. However, there’s a fundamental issue—and it stems from the bone conduction driver. It introduces unnatural reverberations that make certain percussion sounds hollow, and vocals sometimes resemble someone singing into a plastic bucket. It’s not present in every track, but it shows up often enough to be a major distraction. In the end, it’s a deal breaker for me.
Verdict
The Kiwi Ears Étude is another interesting experiment with bone conduction drivers. Unfortunately, it only reinforces my belief that the technology isn’t ready for IEMs—it often sounds unnatural and distracting, especially on vocals. I can see the potential in BC drivers, but so far, I haven’t heard one that convinces me they’re ready for prime time.