KBEar Ormosia
TOTAL SCORE: 36.5 out of 50
PRICE: $93 (as of 07/10/22)
WHO IS THIS UNIT FOR:
- People who want a well-balanced sound signature
- People who enjoy a good midbass
- People who like options with how they fit their IEM
- People who like good inclusions (and packaging)
- People sensitive to too much bass or treble
WHO IS THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:
- People who want a super rumbly bass
- People who want a super sparkly treble
- People who don’t like a shallower fit
- People who don’t like MMCX
- People who want an IEM for super-complex tracks
GENRES I RECOMMEND:
- Pop (in general)
- Rock (particularly slow rock)
- Jazz
- Funk
- JPOP
After a rather mellow release of the KBEar Ink, I felt KBEar was on a path of less-than-ideal releases. Ink’s build and accessories were swiftly overshadowed by a rather offensive tuning that only ears of steel could handle. This makes the Ormosia an even more intriguing release both in styling and form factor. An earbud-style with an MMCX connector and one of their most beautiful boxes to date. But will this just be another aesthetically pleasing but sonically poor sub $100 release from KBEar or will this change the landscape of not only the company but the market?
DISCLAIMERS: This unit was sent as a part of a touring group and provided by Keephifi and Mr. Eiji Romero. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity, but this does not in any way, shape, or form affect the quality of my review. This review will be based entirely on my experience with the IEM itself and I was not paid or told to say anything regarding the IEM. Lastly, I am only one reviewer; this is my personal experience with the unit. Many variables come to play to make everyone’s experience different and your mileage will vary depending on the circumstance.
SOURCES USED:
Zishan U1
Not-by-VE Abigail
VE Megatron
Poco M3
OTHER ACCESSORIES USED:
Final E in S & M
Newbee in S & M
Stock Widebore Tips in S & M
Stock Grey Tips in S & M
Stock Cable
TRACKS USED:
I used a mixture of DSD, Hi-Res Flac, CD, and MP3 for my songs. This is to widen the possible use case to as much people and would allow me to give my insight on lower fidelity bitrates.
Spotify Playlist:
Document explaining what to look for in each track:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oMa7GPLaqtpnnoR9tixvWI4aK-7tXMyTEZCJAVkIZx0/edit?usp=sharing
NOTES:
Two different fit configurations were used in this review. I personally wore the Ormosia earbuds style which I found to be the most comfortable. The sound difference between fits may vary from person to person, but I found the over-ear configuration to have a shallower fit than the earbud-style (using the stock wide bore tips) so as per, YMMV. I also used the stock wide bore tips as I found them to be both the most comfortable and most complimentary to the sound of the Ormosia, but it is highly recommended to tip roll on the Ormosia to your preferred tips (preferably longer tips).
INTRODUCTION:
KBEar is not alien to OB ODIO as they are the brand that has the most reviewed products on this page. On that note, they proved themselves to be capable of holding their own in the market. I found the KBEar Little Q to be a capable but fundamentally consumer-friendly bullet style IEM that is better for those without interest in audio while the Ink was a shrill and fatiguing IEM despite its sturdy and beautiful design, great inclusions, and comfortable fit. The Ormosia is quite the departure form-wise from their previous IEMs, but can it prove itself to be competitive or even start the movement of a different style of IEMs?
SPECIFICATIONS:
Brand Name: KBEAR
Style: In-ear
Vocalism Principle: Dynamic
Origin: Mainland China
Active Noise-Cancellation: No
Control Button: No
Communication: Wired
Volume Control: No
Plug Type: Line Type
Impedance Range: up to 32 Ω
Model Number: 6695 KBEAR Ormosia
Frequency Response Range: 20 - 20000Hz
Resistance: 16Ω
Sensitivity: 108dB
Connectors: 3.5mm
UNBOXING:
Before we look into the IEMs themselves, let’s take a look at the box and its contents.
Starting with the overall form factor of the box, it’s on the larger side of IEM boxes. The box comes at 16.5cm x 16.5cm x 4.5cm. The front of the box sports a beautiful and vibrant red and black colorway with a cheongsam dress printed on the very front.
It also has a very creatively implemented cardboard sleeve that keeps the box from being opened while adding character to the Ormosia. The sleeve is colored a similar red to the box with KBEAR’s name configured quite oddly (K/B/E/A/R) and a record-looking design that expands from the rectangular shape of the sleeve. In the middle are characters I am not familiar with. The left side of the sleeve has a white KBEar logo printed on it.
Turning the box around shows a plain background with text of the usual identifiers and specifications of the IEM along with their contact details and warning labels.
Swiftly removing the sleeve from the box and pulling the top part of the box reveals the contents. On the surface, these include the IEMs themselves on top, silicone tips spread out evenly around, and the standard KBEar/TRI case in the center. All of these are housed in a faux velvet/velour material which can be removed with a provided latch.
Pulling this latch then reveals the instruction manual and a rather spacious box.
- Laying out the contents, the Ormosia contains the following
- The drivers themselves
- 4 core, SPC grey MMCX cable
- 6 pairs of silicone tips (3 black wide-bore and 3 grey narrow-bore)
- Faux Leather Case
- Shirt clip
The tips are relatively comfortable and soft, but definitely feel a little cheaper than what came with the Ink which was their KBEar 07 tips. I really wasn’t a big fan of either tip, but I found the softness of the black wide-bore tips to be the most comfortable out of the two. The faux leather case is your standard TRI/KBEar pouch and is a very welcome addition as I’ve always been a big fan of their magnet pouches. It’s sizable enough to comfortably fit one IEM and some accessories like the shirt clip or some tips. I would say this is just about the perfect size for a pouch as I am able to pocket the pouch rather comfortably. I would have definitely preferred a carabiner-style pouch that I can hang either on my bag or my belt strap, but no complaints with the case at all. I would say though that the cleaning brush and cloth that came with the Ink would have definitely made the Ormosia feel more complete as a set.
Overall, the box is quite the beauty. The combination of an oriental theme with the vibrant red cheongsam dress and a pretty efficient space distribution between the contents allows for a very collectible and presentable box to display. The use of negative space to fill out the rest of the dress was a smart decision as it gives an almost minimalist yet stylish design to the box. The inclusion of a cardboard sleeve that acts as more than just a cover also adds character to the overall aesthetics of the box making it genuinely one of the best IEM boxes I’ve seen. It’s nice to see that companies are starting to take inspiration for their box designs outside of the Japanese/Anime inspired characters and expand to different cultures. In fairness, KBEar is a Chinese brand and it makes sense that they take inspiration from Chinese culture. But it’s just nice that they choose to embrace this style on the Ormosia and I can only hope that they keep this kind of unboxing experience for their future releases.
BUILD AND FIT: 7.5 out of 10
Cable:
Starting with the cable, it’s a relatively thin 4-core SPC cable. The gold-plated 3.5mm jack is housed in a cheap-feeling plastic L-shaped housing that tapers to a sectioned jack tail to the cable.
The cable then braids tightly to the plain black plastic y-split and chin cinch. This then splits the cable into two thin 2 core strands that lead to the plastic MMCX connector. The connector itself sports a golden accent around the base above where the plug itself is located and housed in a similar plain black plastic build as the y-split. As far as I know, KBEar does not offer a mic’d variant of the Ormosia.
Overall, I was quite disappointed with the cable of the Ormosia. On the good side, the cable is light and free of microphonics (when used in the cable over-ear fit). It wouldn’t feel like you’re lugging around a rope with the stock cable or produce sound every time it rubs on your shirt. The inclusion of the chin cinch is and will always be happily accepted. But coming from the tough, sturdy, and well build cable of the Ink, this was a steep downgrade. The jack feels cheap and easily breakable, you can still see manufacturing strands on the y-split and I would even say that some cables that cost $5 are better built than this. The chin cinch also feels largely ineffective as it slides way too easily (possibly due to the thickness of the cable). I found the chin cinch sliding over time during my usage of the Ormosia. The lack of an option for a mic may also turn some people down (particularly those who use their IEMs as their daily drivers for calls or who play games that need a mic. If you were to get yourself an Ormosia, I highly recommend changing the cable to something thicker and better built if you enjoy a more premium-feeling cable.
Drivers:
The shell of the Ormosia is made from a “five-axis CNC machined aluminum alloy”. The overall form factor of the drivers is unique to compared anything I’ve tried before. First and foremost, it fits two different ways. Cable down is similar to earbuds or bullet-style IEMs or the traditional cable around the ear.
Looking closer at the build, the Ormosia sports a rounder, and less traditional shape compared to its contemporaries. The shell can be separated into two sections. The outer part which includes the faceplate and the stem where the MMCX connector is located and the inner part with the nozzle.
The outer part is shaped on the smoother and rounder side with creases and grooves evenly spread out on the surface. KBEar’s name is also printed in white on the faceplate. A vent could be found near the stem about ~5mm from the base.
Moving to the inner section shows an almost round shape that surrounds the nozzle. A small recession in the shell is found halfway down the inner section to compensate for the natural curve of your inner ear and a vent is also located just right beside the nozzle. The nozzle itself is gold plated of ~5mm in length and width of ~5mm as well. The nozzle is a separate material and section from the shell itself. The nozzle is sectioned with ring-like protrusions, potentially to allow for shorter or wider bored tips to still fit without being loose. The filter of the Ormosia is what I would call the “bath drain” filter which is a chrome-like finish on thicker sections with larger space between each hole.
Looking at the specifications, the Ormosia has a 1DD + 2BA driver configuration. Information regarding the exact models of the drivers used is currently disclosed at the moment as far as I know
Overall, I was quite surprised with the form factor that KBEar used for the Ormosia. It would have definitely been cheaper if they took a similar shell like the Ink, Diamond, and Believe. But their choice of going for a semi-earbud/bullet style fit that can also fit like a traditional cable-over-ear was an interesting and welcome surprise that I have not seen any other company try to do in recent times. This sadly comes at the risk of a potentially shallow fit when used with the stock tips, but shouldn’t be too big of an issue for most people. Besides, you have two different fits that you can experiment with if one doesn’t work out for you. Driver flex is thankfully absent for me on the Ormosia, potentially thanks to the multiple vents situated around the shell. The aesthetics personally doesn’t attract me, but I can definitely see the inspiration for the form coming from the ormosia coccinea seed which is quite interesting to see. On a similar note, it’s also nice to see how KBEar is inspired by nature on many of their releases. Whether it’d be earth stones, plants, or animals. It’s quite refreshing to see compared to the robotic naming schemes that other companies use.
I’m not surprised by how well-built the Ormosia is as even KBEar’s budget offering offers quite a sturdy and confident build quality. The CNC aluminum alloy body feels premium without not too hefty or weighty on the ear. This is especially useful as the cable-down earbud-style configuration would have made the Ormosia’s fit quite heavy and potentially uncomfortable. The size is just about right as I never found me finicking with the fit all too much unless it’s to change the configuration. Even as someone who dislikes MMCX, the MMCX connection also doesn’t worry me like other IEMs or buds as I don’t feel the connector going loose over time. The cable snaps in rather satisfyingly but is quite difficult to remove.
SOUND: 29 out of 40
NOTES:
Of all the tips I tried, I stuck with the stock wide-bore black tips as they offered the best experience on the Ormosia for my tastes. The narrow grey tips definitely added more weight and midbass to the experience, but at the cost of almost sounding boomy and the treble sounding less desirable.
Sound Signature:
Balanced/U shaped with a hint of brightness
Driving Power:
Relatively easy to run but having a DAC can make the bass cleaner and less harsh treble. Note that the Ormosia produced an audible noise floor with the Megatron which may not be desirable for some.
Bass: 7.5 out of 10
- Punchy and engaging bass response
- Midbass emphasis over sub-bass
- Subbass is on the leaner side compared to midbass but provides enough rumble to give bass depth
- Well-controlled, textured, and detailed midbass without intruding
- Balanced overall bass presentation with midbass edging the sub only by a small margin
The bass presentation of the Ormosia leans on a midbass-centric presentation with a lot of punch and texture without the compromise of an unengaging midsection. Subbass definitely takes a backseat compared to the midbass on this set, but not by a big margin. Low bass rumbles are present, but not elevated for you to really feel the super low frequencies. Midbass is definitely the star of the show as the control, speed, and detail are all very well done and the transition from midbass to lower mids sounds articulate and organic. The overall bass speed is on the average side with more emphasis on a cleaner but textured presentation on the low end. I wouldn’t say the bass is tight, but it is loose enough to be fun. Tracks with a hefty amount of midbass are engaging and well-represented but not overbearing to the point where it muffles out the rest of the frequency. Lower register string and air have great body while still being able to hear the micro nuances of the instrument. Personally, it lacks the certain aggression that I seek for a bass of this quality as this lives in that smooth but well-done territory and presents midbass in a forward but clean manner. But this by no means makes it boring as it brings out bass nuances in a natural but articulate way to make instruments sound very engaging.
Mids: 7 out of 10
- Slightly recessed but by no means unengaging
- Male vocals are well-bodied but can occasionally compete with instruments for emphasis
- Lower registers of string instruments and pianos have good detail and texture but may sound disjointed from the mix in busy tracks
- Female vocals and males on higher register sound smooth and natural without any shoutiness
- Pianos, electric guitars, and violins sound natural but occasionally pulled back in the mix depending on the track
- Overall vocals are properly placed but may sound disconnected for mid centric people
The mids of the Ormosia are rather smooth and natural sounding for being a somewhat u-shape sound signature. Decent body and texture bring out the tiny nuances on instruments and vocals of the lower registers while a natural elevation in the upper mids gives female vocals a sense of forwardness that doesn’t sound detached or overly forward from the rest mix. The problem comes with the lower mids being quite a spot of contention for vocals and instruments that their overall coherency occasionally gets jumbled and pushed back instead of highlighting their details. On vocal or instrument-centric tracks, however, the Ormosia’s mids bring a wonderful experience with a lot of detail and body. Upper mids are slightly pulled back but sound pleasant even for long listening sessions. The distance of the vocals presented in the mix offers a natural-sounding quality that I prefer over some mid-centric IEMs. This may, however, sound overall too distant to those that prefer a more intimate vocal presentation. Overall, I find the mids to be quite satisfactory for most genres and can represent both vocals and instruments in a very natural manner, but the lower mids competing with instruments and a recessed presentation may leave a lot to be desired for those who want a vocal-centric IEM.
Treble: 7.5 out of 10
- Well extended with a good clarity and sparkle
- Lower treble is properly placed but can occasionally sound lean compared to the rest of the treble region
- Nuances in female vocals are very well represented without sounding harsh
- Middle treble sounds quite forward with just the right amount of spice but bordering sibilant
- Air region is tastefully extended but can be a bit lacking instrumental hiss
- Microdetails are well represented but can get lost in busy tracks
The treble region is quite tasteful in presentation as a treble head like myself found the Ormosia to be pleasantly well extended. The lower treble, carrying over from the upper mids, transitions smoothly without having a metallic-sounding spectrum like some BAs do. Nuances in female vocals and air instruments sound well-represented and pleasing. I would have definitely preferred a more forward-sounding lower treble to make female vocals sound more engaging but that could potentially lead to a shouty vocal presentation due to the elevation in the mid-treble. Speaking of which, the BA truly kicks in around the mid-treble as I found myself to be pleasantly surprised with the amount of detail in percussion instruments in this region. It’s not treble-head level of sparkle, but a satisfying amount to bring those instruments out of the mix even on busier tracks. This however becomes dangerously close to sibilant and some may find it so. This however is not the case on well-mastered tracks as I found no sibilance on tracks such as Earth Wind and Fire’s “Raise!” album which I found the Ormosia to provide the right amount of sparkle. Air region definitely adds to the Ormosia’s already spicy treble presentation as I found the small details in vocals and instruments to be present and lingering in the air region. It lingers long enough to be satisfactory to the overall mix but not too long to ring in your ear. It, unfortunately, does not have the hiss that I enjoy on some brighter IEMs that give an extra layer in the air region. Headroom however seems to be on the more claustrophobic side as I never felt like the Ormosia gave an out-of-head experience in the air region. Overall, I find Ormosia’s treble presentation to be very well done with enough sparkle to make a treble head smile but not too much to be annoying. A leaner-sounding lower treble makes it desirable for longer listening sessions but may sound stale in comparison to the well-elevated mid-treble. It’s a treble that most people would find satisfactory, I would say.
Soundstage, Imaging and Separation: 7 out 10
- Good overall headroom but width is a little bit cramped
- Imaging is precise but struggles in busy/midbass heavy tracks, particularly on bassier instruments
- Separation is good across the frequency but struggles on busy tracks as stated above
I was pleasantly surprised with how technically capable the Ormosia is for most genres that I threw at it. It offered a decent 3D experience with less complex genres and I am able to highlight and pinpoint instruments in the room. The problem starts again due to its struggle to separate instruments in busy tracks that somewhat muddies up the presentation, but is more than capable to make up for it with its treble air that gives some instruments their own spot in the mix. Having a more midbass-centric sound also makes its bass depth narrower than I personally like but it doesn’t sound claustrophobic. Headroom definitely becomes the most impressive thing about the Ormosia as instruments have the tendency to feel quite 3D sounding on less complex tracks. Overall, its technical capabilities impressed me with my particular music taste. But those with genres like metal, EDM, and other electronic music may not find the Ormosia to be all that impressive
GAMING: ✪✪✪✰✰
The overall experience I had gaming with the Ormosia is quite pleasing, to say the least. A hefty bump in the midbass allows footsteps to be emphasized and a leaner upper mids allow for gunshots to not sound as harsh. Separating sounds during heated gunfights are also quite impressively laid out as I am able to turn my attention to an enemy. This aspect of the Ormosia is the weakest as there are definitely instances I am unable to hear flanks due to the emphasized lower section that overemphasizes certain sounds over others. Due to the below-average isolation, the Ormosia is not very ideal to use in noisier environments as I had issues with the TV being too loud or the kids shouting in the background and making it difficult to focus on the game sounds due to the noise. The lack of a mic may also be an issue for those that rely on their inline mic to communicate with their teammates. It’s not perfect, but the Ormosia is able to provide a comfortable and articulate gaming experience without a big sacrifice in the clarity of sounds.
MULTIMEDIA: ✪✪✪✰✰
Watching films on the Ormosia is about what you’d expect when using IEMs for films. The stage is not the most immersive but the details in sound design are well represented. Rumble in explosions definitely doesn’t sound as massive but is saved by the fact that the lingering sound creates a layered experience when watching films or shows. Dialogue sounds alright but struggles with films with tougher-to-hear dialog such as Interstellar or Ford v Ferrari. Micronuances in sound design, particularly with Wes Anderson or Edgar Wright’s films definitely shine with the Ormosia as you can really feel the detail. Overall, Ormosia is still just about decent when watching films. I never felt like I was in a cinema but the details definitely made me appreciate the film's sound design more.
COMPARISONS:
vs BQEYZ Topaz ($89)
- Topaz is more L-shaped while Ormosia is U shaped
- Bass is better on Topaz but meddles with the mids just a bit too much compared to Ormosia
- Mids sound more coherent and pleasing on the Ormosia, but less bodied compared to Topaz
- Treble sounds better on the Ormosia with better extension and presentation of female vocals and instruments
Topaz has better depth and stage than Ormosia, but Ormosia has better micro details and air
- Fit is better on Ormosia on both configurations, but isolation is better on Topaz
vs Intime Sora 2 ($69)
- Similar tuning on both sets
- Bass is leaner on the Sora with better texture on Ormosia but cleaner on Sora 2
- Mids sound spicier on the Sora 2 while Ormosia sounds smoother and more bodied
- Treble is equally as satisfying on both sets, but Sora 2 is spicier and more to my taste
- Staging is wider on the Ormosia by a small margin, but Sora 2 sounds better separated
- Fit is equally good but more versatile on the Sora 2
vs KBEar Ink ($69)
- Agressive V-Shape sound signature on the Ink while a more balanced U-shape on Ormosia
- Bass is better controlled on Ormosia but quantity of sub bass is more on Ink
- Mids are WAY better on the Ormosia compared to the Ink in every regard
- Treble and microdetail retrieval are better on the Ink, but also harsher compared to the Ormosia
- Staging width is better on the Ormosia, but slightly better depth on Ink.
- Overall separation is better on the Ormosia, but better treble separation on Ink
- Ink oddly has better inclusions than the Ormosia (cleaning brush, cleaning cloth, better tips)
VERDICT:
The KBEar Ormosia proves itself to be a very competitive option in the current market. I was a little worried for KBEar with the Ink as despite its technical capabilities, it seemed to be quite harsh in presentation with only its build and accessories making it truly worth it to get. But they took that great build (with the exception of the cable) and accessories and implemented it on a unique form factor and sound quality.
By going for an earbud-style form factor that allows for two different fits, it allows the Ormosia to cater to more people’s ears. And a more balanced, slightly U-Shaped tuning makes it sound natural and well-balanced and puts it above many of not only KBEar’s own releases but also in the price bracket it lives in. It may not be for those that prefer elevated sub-bass or a more intimate midrange, but I found this to be fitting for most genres I threw at it.
The 1DD complements the 2BA configuration and avoided a metallic or plasticky tonality and was overall a very coherent presentation. The biggest issues come at the micro aspects of the IEM such as separation, staging, and a more comfortable fit. If they would continue to explore and improve this style and sound and maybe put it in the sub $50 region, I would argue that it would become a very competitive choice. Until then, I believe that the Ormosia could become the seed to success to become at the top of the competition.
If you would like to get a unit for yourself, please refer yourself to the non-affiliated link to Keephifi down below.
https://keephifi.com/products/kbear-ormosia
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