DUNU KIMA Latest Single Dynamic Driver IEMs

unu has been busy lately, trying to fill-up the price segment gaps in its lineup. The Dunu Titan S have been very well-received and offer a clarity-focused tuning that is fairly unique in the sub-USD$100 market.

Enter Dunu Kima, the slightly more expensive brethren of the Titan S that head towards the opposite direction. Whereas clarity was the name of the game for the predecessor, the Kima relies on warmth and organicness to differentiate themselves.

Is the change in tuning the only trick that the Kima can pull up their sleeves, or are there deeper changes that lie beneath? Let’s find out.

This review originally appeared on Audioreviews.
Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Dunu was kind enough to send me the Kima for evaluation.

Sources used: Questyle CMA Twelve Master, Lotoo PAW 6000
Price, while reviewed: $109. Can be bought from Dunu’s Official Website.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES​

Dunu has finally moved to the… err, dark side and has embraced the waifu art for the packaging of the Kima. In fact, there is a little subplot about “Criz Faction” and why the maiden on the cover is gathering the protectors of the… yeah it doesn’t work for me. I’d rather have the metal-themed cover of the Titan S thank you.



When it comes to accessories, fortunately Dunu delivers, as has become the norm. The stock cable is silver-plated copper and has excellent ergonomics. The tip collection is very good as well, with both the S&S tips (boosts vocals) and the Candy tips (more balanced across the spectrum) supplied. The carrying case is also very good, offering adequate protection and room inside.

BUILD QUALITY​

The CNC-milled zinc-alloy shell is a two-piece design and offers excellent rigidity. The model name and “Criz Faction” insignia are laser-etched onto the faceplate. Dunu opts for 2-pin connectors here, with the socket being recessed into the housing, offering better strain-relief than the exposed sockets.



There are two vents on the inner side. One near the channel marking (with special airflow control mechanism) and another near the nozzle. Overall, excellent build quality, even though it’s expected nowadays.

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT​

Comfort is excellent, with the Dunu Kima aiding a snug, reliable fit. Isolation is average due to the two vents.

SOURCE AND EARTIPS​

The Dunu Kima are fairly easy to drive, with most budget dongles being enough. However, they seemed to scale with higher-tier sources, though not to the extent where investing into a dedicated source makes sense. I used the Candy Tips for this review.

DRIVER SETUP​

Dunu opts for a 10mm DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) coated dynamic driver for the Kima. This is apparently a newer generation of the driver that has an improved voice coil. A competent driver that aligns well with the price bracket without breaking new grounds.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES​

Dunu Kima have a warm, smooth tuning that focuses more on the timbre than absolute clarity.



What is most noticeable on the Kima is the density of notes. This is not very common in chi-fi nowadays where the “mid-bass bad” tuning philosophy has managed to butcher lower-midrange tonality in general, but the Kima is a welcome departure. The bass has good slam and sense of rhythm, the sub-bass rumble is present witout being overwhelming or hazy, and the driver is capable enough to keep the bass under control in most tracks.

Where tne Kima struggle is fast bass sections of double-pedals in heavy tracks like Lamb of God’s Ruin. Notes tend to blend into each other, blurring the outlines of each hit of the pedal or snare. Bass texture is good but not class-leading.

The lower-mids are warm, inviting, lush – the very essence of a laid-back tuning. The Kima never get fatiguing or shouty. This comes at the cost of clarity and those preferring utmost vocal forwardness might feel disappointed. Baritone vocals sound dense and grand, so do piano pieces and the occasional slow jazz. Strings could do with more bite, however, and guitar riffs lack the energy at times.

Finally, we get to the treble which is inoffensive without being spectacular. There is some upper-treble emphasis around 12kHz but that’s about it. Cymbals and hi-hats sound a bit dampened, opting for smoothness at the cost of raw resolution.

Soundstage has good depth, but the width and height are about average. Imaging is good, falling slightly short of class leaders (more on this below). Macrodynamic punch is decent, but microdynamics are where the Dunu Kima excel. Subtle gradations in volume are discernible and this makes the whole presentation feel more organic.

SELECT COMPARISONS​

vs Tin T4 Plus​

Tin T4 Plus are similarly warm-tilted in terms of tuning, but has a more recessed midrange and more emphasis in the treble region.



The issue with the T4 Plus lies in the technical department. The staging is wider than the Kima but not as deep. They sound less refined in the mids, and the more present treble is offset by poorer imaging and slightly worse dynamics. I think the Dunu Kima showcase a better execution of the “warm, inoffensive” tuning than the T4 Plus.

vs Dunu Titan S​

Ironically, the most formidable opponent to the Kima come from within the family – Dunu Titan S. The clarity and imaging of the Titan S are a tier above the Kima, and the bass also seem faster.

However, the Titan S can sound too sterile at times, and the midrange shoutiness can be a bother – two issues the Dunu Kima avoid. I also find the Kima to have better build and accessories in general.

If it’s clarity you are after, the Titan S are better options. For those preferring warmth and easier listneing, the Dunu Kima are more suitable.

CONCLUDING REMARKS​

The Dunu Kima are competent in terms of tuning, come with excellent accesories, have a great build, and the price is not too absurd.

Sadly, the market has become so saturated that it’s difficult to stand out by being “good enough”. You have to go the extra mile or offer something unique – two aspects that are sorely missing in most recent releases. The Kima are no exceptions. They are a sidegrade to the existing Titan S. A different tuning, but not a product that shifts the paradigm.

Thankfully, the Kima are pleasing to listen to, so even though they do not excite, they do not offend either. If you found the Titan S to be too sterile and clinical, give the Kima a shot. Their warmth might just convince you.

Oi! mates, welcome to my another review article and what I have here is quite very special as this is my first product review from DUNU. I'll share some of my story and please bear with me as I elaborate my experience on this audio company. The DUNU company was founded in 2006 as an independent audio company and it already has an extensive experience in audio engineering and also designing and manufacturing some audio equipment like earphones for other audio companies and also telecommunication companies as their roots also happened to be an OEM/ODM company.


I've tested some DUNU products before and my first encountered on a DUNU product was around 2018 and it was Dunu Falcon-C. I had a very pleasant experience at that time and really impressed by the build quality of the Falcon-C. If my memory serves right, it has rather a U or V-shaped sound in my lug holes. I actually treasured that moment and aspired at that time if I could ever own a DUNU IEM. My second contact with another Dunu product happened last year as I accidentally encountered this guy in an audio shop that I'm always hanging out with. He has a DUNU SA6 which really caught my attention and approaching to do some enquiry about it as DUNU SA6 is one of the IEMs that I want to try (It seems that audio gods seems give me some convenience scenario), and good thing that the guy kindly lend it to me for a short listening session. My first impression was that this IEM really suits my preferred tuning preference as DUNU SA6 really hits my soft spot with its well-textured, supple and detailed midrange frequency. I'm a midcentric guy and DUNU SA6 is such a pairing match "made in heaven" to my ears. The third one was the Titan S, and my friend had it and he let me lend it to me for a week. I find the Titan S is quite a good IEM in that particular segment and it has a mature tuning.


When someone contacted me if I could try DUNU's latest entry-level product. Without batting an eyelid, I promptly agreed on this opportunity to get a chance to review and finally have a DUNU set. What I have here is DUNU's latest product offering in the entry-level segment, The DUNU KIMA.





DUNU KIMA is a single dynamic driver IEM, it is a successor unit to DUNU Titan S and DUNU's second model on their affordable entry-level line-up. The transducers that were implemented on this set was a latest generation of Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) diaphragm chambered in a 10mm dual cavity, high-grade neodymium magnet. It was housed in zinc alloy shell chassis which is quite light and yet has a solid built on it as DUNU's testament of their years of experience of producing metal-shelled IEMs. The shells have different prints etched on both sides, The print "Criz Faction" on the left part and "Kima" on the other part. Even its nozzle is made of brass andn it has a lip on the top end to hold ear tips (to be honest, it takes a minute just to put an ear tip there).





Another impressive feature of DUNU KIMA was its stock cable. Its wirings are made of silver-plated mono crystalline, high purity copper in a 2-pin connector module with a 3.5mm termination plug. The cable quality is thick yet supple, well-built and less prone to entanglement.





Fitting them in my lug holes seems very comfortable and quite a snug as I don't feel any sort of discomfort. It really provides a good passive sound isolation as it manages to block some noises from external surroundings.



As expected, DUNU's packaging on their products are top-notch and DUNU KIMA is no different than its more expensive, midrange cousins when it comes to quantity and quality of inclusions. The packaging box of Kima is very quite presentable, it has a tinge of blueish-grey colour along with the illustration of the Kima mascot with the model name, small DUNU brand at the right top corner and small Hi-Res certification at the front, the back part of box where you can some information on specifications and company address. The inclusions inside are placed in an orderly manner and all of the accessories are of up to par standard.





Here are the following contents inside the box:

■ Pair of DUNU KIMA IEMs
■ A silvery white-coloured 4-core stock cable in 3.5mm termination plug.
■ An orange-coloured hard-bound zippered IEM case.
■ A velcro cable winder.
■ 3 pairs of "candy" narrow-bored eartips of different standard sizes.
■ 3 pairs of black narrow-bored eartips of different standard sizes
■ 3 pairs of "S&S (Stage & Studio)" wide-bored eartips.
■ Cleaning tool.
■ 6.5mm adapter.
■ a grey-coloured microfibre cleaning cloth.




Another notable thing is the S&S eartip, it became one of my favourite eartips and I'm using them on the KIMA eversince.





As for driveability, it seems that DUNU KIMA is a very efficient IEM when it comes to amplification. Just a decent power output from multimedia devices like smartphones and tablets will give enough juice on this set to deliver a good amplitude and better dynamic sound. Putting them in better sources with better DAC/amps will sound even more fuller and vital to the sound quality.


Regarding its sound profile, Dunu Kima takes a more mild-U shaped sound signature that it sounds so balanced and almost neutral to listen with. It has just minor colouration in the overall sound spectrum.


I'll be explaining what sound characteristics that I've heard in every section of the frequency range spectrum.


LOWS/BASS:

The bass of KIMA is punchy, precise and well-controlled so that it doesn't smear the midrange as it has sufficient cleanliness of the bass response. It focuses more on mid bass texture rather than the sub bass quantity. On the Sub bass range, it has a decent amount of reverbs and rumble that I discerningly felt from the synthesisers, low toned bass guitars and electric drums from old school hip-hop and synth-pop tracks.

Mid bass has an ample texture that it adds a body on bass-baritones to have a fuller and deeper sound, a growl and roar of bass guitar to have a more broader and resonant sound and lastly, the pounding and sonorous sound of bass kicks.

This type of bass will be satisfying enough for a listener who wants a less colouration on their listening but bassheads who wants a boomy bass might look somewhere else.


MIDRANGE:

It seems that the midrange of this set is quite very balanced. It has a decent texture due to some ample warmth into it and at the same time, it has this transparency that gives that sense of clarity. Vocals on both male and female are fairly detail and clean sounding as male vocals has this sufficient power and depth to give an ethereal and lean sound on counter tenors then rich and robust sound of tenor on the highest modal range. On female vocals, It gives a bright, emotive and possess a fuller timbre on soprano vocal pitch while on contralto, it has a smoky and pleasantly sweet sound that will be enticing and captivating to listen on especially on jazz tracks.

Meanwhile on sound characteristics on instruments, Starting with string instruments, it gives a crisp and lingering sound on either acoustic or electric guitar then a vibrant and lively sound on violins on every motion on its bow string. On brass instruments, trumpets have this brilliant and stately-like sound while trombones have a penetrating and intense sound. Woodwinds like flutes seem to have a shrill and bright sound then a reedy and expressive sound of a saxophone. Percussive like snares and tom drums have this penetrating, full and hard hitting. Pianos sounds rather balanced as it can be a warmer or vividly bright tone.

Certainly that for a midcentric like me, KIMA seems the pass in flying colours on how it sounds so balanced and well-delineated for a single DD.


HIGHS/TREBLES:

The treble part of KIMA is rather conservative on how it was tuned. It is so balanced and tonally organic that it manages to give an equilibrium tuning neither dark or too bright sounding. Certainly that there are some perceptible emphasis on the upper-mids to presence region to give a sense of detail and sparkle on notes but the good thing was that I don't hear any hint of harshness nor overpowering sibilance.

It has a modest amount of treble air as cymbals have sufficient shimmer and sizzle. It also gives that chicky sound characteristic on hi-hats with its short buzzing and dry sound. Certainly that Dunu takes a more safer treble tuning to avoid unnecessary graininess or dazzling but I still feel that air seems to have that lacking of harmonics.



SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

Based on my initial testing of the previous products of Dunu, It seems that Dunu isn't keen too much on technical aspects, rather they evidently concentrate more on tonal balancing. And I expected, technical performance of DUNU KIMA will be rather average to above average.

Relatively, it has an average-size dimension on sound/speaker stage width, it has an adequate height reach with sufficient depth to perceive spatial distance on front and back. At least it give a sense of engaging as it stays within the confines in my perceived headroom.

Imaging seems to take more of an enveloping 3-D like presentation on how I was able to pinpoint the placements of singers and instrumentalists in a three channel-like experience . Separation has considerable gap between the spacing of each element with its distinct stratification of each specific frequency and dynamic layers.

As for coherency of the driver, it performs quite well on its execution on envelopment of sound and other acoustical focus matter. from transient speed up to less distortion rating.

Resolution capability-wise, it has a solid macro-dynamics and satisfactory micro-detail retrieval. It has rather a balanced resolution that I can't categorise as either sharp or blunted. Tonal colour of KIMA is more organic with a hint of brightness.



PEER COMPARISON:


MOONDROP ARIA

■ Both devices have similar build quality as they have metal alloy shell chassis. They even have the same transducers which are dynamic drivers but the difference was materials as Aria's diaphragm is made of LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) while KIMA uses a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) which is a bit better. It has a lesser amount of inclusions too.

■ Aria needs a tad more power output compared to KIMA which you need to crank a volume output a bit. As for tonality, both have a U-shaped sound profile. Aria has more bass but it doesn't have a clean bass response, midrange is even recessed compared to Kima as it is too lean in my liking (I'm very critical towards KATO and KXXS because of this inherent leanness on midrange). And treble of Aria is indeed unrefined as it has peaky upper mids and yet it sounds uneven with instances of being tinny sounding then a subdued treble air.

■ As for technicalities, it has a similar sound/speaker stage size but separation and imaging are inferior that Aria struggles on some complex instrumental tracks. Even for resolution capability, Aria has inherent inadequacies on detail retrieval and a lean macro-dynamics.



TINHIFI T2 DLC

■ Again, they have noticeable similarities from build quality to implementation of transducers, both use DLC diaphragm on their dynamic drivers. The inclusion of T2 DLC is rather spartan compared to KIMA's but it is way more cheaper.

■ Both IEMs have a mild U-shaped sound signature, T2 DLC is tad brighter. Bass is tighter on T2 DLC, midrange is a tad leaner but crispier especially on strings. Then on treble quality, it has more shimmer and tad more airy.

■ Technicalities-wise, they both have similar imaging, separation and coherency performance but T2 DLC has a bit wider sound/speaker stage. As for detail retrieval, T2 DLC has edgier and sharper definition compared to a more balanced Kima.


As I end my evaluation and assessment on KIMA, DUNU proves to the audio enthusiast community that they will deliver the best possible audio quality even in the entry-level segment. As it also noted that DUNU isn't really that exceptional when its technical capabilities even on their midranger like DUNU but rather focus on superb tonal balanced sound with almost accurate tonal colour, DUNU KIMA possesses those tonal and technical philosophy that will give a more pleasurable listening experience to audio enthusiasts.


Will I recommend DUNU KIMA? Absolutely yes without any hesitation.


DUNU KIMA is now available in LINSOUL, you can check it out HERE* if you are interested in purchasing this product.

(*Non-affiliated link)



SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: DUNU KIMA
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 108dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 5Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER



Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)


Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *



P.S.

I am not affiliated to DUNU nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like send my gratitude to Ms.Kareena Tang of LINSOUL and also to @DUNU-Topsound for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Introduction

Dunu is probably one of the brands that I am most satisfied with. Historically, ever since I became a fan of headphones, I have considered Dunu to be one of the brands with the best added value. From their website, to the presentation of their models, the design of the IEMS and the level of their accessories, Dunu show why they are more than just headphones. Undoubtedly, both the packaging and the contents provide an unboxing experience among the most outstanding, even for the price of the model I am reviewing today: the Dunu Kima. These are $110 IEMS that feature a 10mm dual-chambered dynamic driver with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) diaphragm supported by an N52 neodymium magnet. They have a lightweight high-density zinc alloy housing complemented by brass details on the mouthpiece. As I say, the quantity and quality of accessories is superior, even including the brand's new S&S silicone tips. The zippered case is excellent (the same as the Falcon Pro), as is the cable itself, giving a good idea that it is possible to present a great sounding model without losing the details. Quite a demonstration from Dunu. But let's go in depth to analyse the new Dunu Kima.



Specifications

• Driver Type: 10mm dual chambered dynamic driver with diamond-like carbon (DLC) diaphragm.
• Magnet Type: N52 neodymium magnet.
• Housing material: High-density zinc alloy.
• Nozzle material: Gold-plated brass.
• Wire Material: 4 cores of high purity silver plated monocrystalline copper.
• Frequency Response: 5Hz-40kHz.
• Sensitivity: 108 ± 1 dB at 1kHz.
• Impedance: 32 Ω at 1kHz.
• Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.3% at 1kHz.
• Jack Connector: 3.5mm TRS Single-Ended
• Cable length: 1.2m ± 0.1m.
• Net Weight: 15g.
• Capsule Connection Type: 0.78mm 2Pin.

Packaging

As I have already mentioned in the product introduction, the Dunu Kima brings a price/quality ratio in accessories that is very difficult to beat. What I dislike the least is the current trend of drawing waifus on the presentation, I have always said that I am against it. But to each his own. Apart from that, yes, the umpteenth waifu on the cover, the box is relatively large, with a size of 161x133x52mm. The Dunu logo is in the top right corner, the model name in the middle, on the right. Underneath a small description, the Hi-Res logo and at the bottom right, the Criz Faction logo. I have searched for information about Criz Faction, but I have not found anything, so I am not going to comment anything about this name, except that it is written in white ink on one of the capsules. On the back of the box are the specifications in Chinese and English. At the bottom is the brand name. Removing the outer cardboard reveals a black box with the brand name inscribed in the centre, in a brighter, darker shade. Lifting the lid reveals the orange zippered case, with the brand name in shiny silver letters protected by a plastic cover. On top, a foam mould protects the capsules. Underneath the case is a small box with the cable and the rest of the accessories. In a nutshell:

• The 2 Dunu Kima capsules.
• 1 cable.
• 1 zipped case.
• 1 cleaning brush.
• 1 adapter from 3.5mm to 6.35mm SE.
• 1 cleaning cloth.
• 3 pairs of clear tips with different coloured cores, sizes SxMxL.
• 3 pairs of black tips with blue core, SxMxL sizes.
• 3 pairs of Dunu S&S tips, sizes SxMxL.

As I said, good presentation, top level accessories, including the cable, nothing to complain about on this point. What's more, Dunu are an example to follow in this area and they prove it with every model. And on top of that, great packaging doesn't compromise the sound quality at all.



Construction and Design

Kima capsules are kidney-shaped, but stubbier and rounder. They are made of high-density zinc alloy and their mouthpieces are made of gold-plated brass. The outer face has four separate planes: one on one side and three horizontal. These faces are almost trapezoidal in shape. Each gap is a linear edge. On one of these horizontal edges, the left capsule reads 'Criz Faction' and the right 'Kima', in a whitish, almost grey lettering. On the upper edge is the 2Pin connection, embedded in a transparent plastic plate, fully integrated into the body of the capsules. The inner side has two more or less flat levels. On the first level, the base, shaped like a semi-spiral, has a hole protected by a whitish cloth. And the topos indicating the channel: the letters R and L inside a circle, in this almost illegible colour. The second level, the skirt of the nozzle, is almost circular and more projecting. The step between the two levels is abrupt and distinguishable. On the edge you can read "DUNU 10mm DLC DYNAMIC". A little higher up there is another hole, also protected by the white mesh. Finally, there is the gold-plated brass mouthpiece. It has 3 levels, a very narrow base, a more elongated central band of 5.4mm and the tapering crown, with a diameter of 6.2mm. The total length of the mouthpiece is approximately 4.3mm. It is protected by a perforated metal grid, but it seems to have another coating underneath, some kind of thin film. At least, that's my impression.
I think the cable is very good and I don't feel the need to change it. I would only change it for a balanced one, the only downside I can put on the whole thing. It has 4 strands of high purity silver-plated monocrystalline copper. The strands are twisted together in pairs and each resulting braid is twisted in the opposite direction. The cable is easy to handle and of medium-low stiffness. The sleeve of the 3.5mm SE gold-plated connector is a simple, smooth, shiny metal cylinder with a red plastic rim. The splitter piece is the same, but smaller. The pin is a ring with the same construction, but much smaller. The function of this piece is perfect, it is hard to slide it and therefore its function is excellently fulfilled. The 2Pin connector is gold-plated and its sleeve is made of transparent plastic with an angle bend. The right channel has a base, from which the two pins come out, in red. Finally, it has a velcro strip to hold it in place.
Both the design of the capsules and the cable are excellent. It is attractive, distinctive, modern and efficient. No drawbacks, on the contrary, totally exemplary.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The shape is very good and once fitted, the capsules rest very well in my ears. The overall mouthpiece projection, like the length of the set, is on the shallow end. I don't know if it's the angle, but I found it difficult to find tips with which to achieve an occlusive seal, without loss of bass. On this occasion, I had to resort to the most normal silicone tips, size L (13.5mm outer diameter), with an inner core of 4.5mm. The core is long and supports the mouthpiece a bit further, the insertion is shallow and relatively fragile, not very suitable for use in movement, just walking or very gentle activities.
When I get a good seal, the level of isolation is average, even slightly better.
Despite the good level of fittings, none of the accompanying tips have worked well for me. Except for the S&S, the rest have a narrow core and that detracts from the clarity of the sound. The S&S tips have been a disastrous combination with my ergonomics and a total loss of bass. I really don't understand the cylindrical shape, it doesn't seem to me a very ergonomic design.



Sound

Profile

The profile of the Dunu Kima is more balanced than that of the Titan S, being more neutral in the mid-highs and slightly higher in the mid-bass. It is also smoother in the treble, offering a more homogeneous and confident sound in the hot zones. The curve still has more emphasis in the upper-mids, but a subtle warmth can be observed throughout, avoiding any hint of harshness in that area. It is clear that there is nothing offensive in the profile of this new model and I feel that it has been created as a good all-rounder that does not excel in any particular band.



Bass

The homogeneity starts from the bass. As a whole, the lower range has an adequate presence, it is not completely neutral because it has weight and some punch (the choice of some tips and better sealing can positively influence this). There is a slight emphasis on the mid-bass and the sub-bass is not overpowering. This detracts a little from the sensibility and depth, but the sonority is more in keeping with tradition, subtly coloured and more audible. In this way, a more immediate presence can be observed, with a little more roughness and texture. Despite this, the bass development is suitably quick and dry, with a snappy pickup and little bite, just enough to add the necessary thrust to the sound for fun electronic music, for example. It will never be bass-head level, but the presence will be unquestionable. The lower range is a compromise between presence, power and technical ability. DLC drivers always tend to be very correct in this ratio. As a great dynamic driver, it will never suffer in the presentation of critical passages and will be able to withstand a good volume without fading. Moreover, all this will be supported by the fact that distortion will not appear in these cases, which makes them very suitable for use in noisy environments and as all-rounders.
The Dunu Kima has the ability to follow bass lines easily, without dulling or muddying the sound. Their competence in this respect allows them to recreate parallel layers and achieve a good layering, without intruding on the rest of the bandwidth. In this way, a remarkable level of detail and resolution is achieved in the lower range, without any loss in the midrange.



Mids

In a soft profile, the bass to midrange roll-off is also soft, and the Kima is a clear example. The result is a pleasing sensation made up of a good composition of body, weight, density, clarity and transparency. The mid-high emphasis is measured so that the balance is enjoyable, engaging and absorbing. It is neither bright, nor warm, although both qualities can be present, without conditioning the sound.
The male voices show up in these parameters, in a fair measure where they are not too dense or physical, but with a kind, full-bodied feel. Nothing sounds thin, nor thick. Nothing stands out, but nothing fails. It could be said that the Kima are not masters in any particular section, but they are great disciples in all areas. In this way, the note is not just an average, but feels benefited by the synergy that a well-balanced, comfortable and pleasing profile is capable of generating. Just as the male voices are presented at that mid-point, the female voices are perceived as equally, or subtly closer and more exuberant, thanks to the slight projection of the mid-highs. But, it is worth noting that Kima always keep the balance and this phase is essential not to lose composure, without falling into sibilance.
On the instrumental level, everything fits together, as do the voices. The timbre is certainly natural, a little dry, because there is no brightness, but restrained. This limits its expressiveness or eloquence, but does not diminish its transparency or clarity. The thrust of the details is neat, perspicuous and the level achieved in this aspect is remarkable, without the presentation being analytical or cold. This is a good example of the relationship between weight, density, resolution, detail and transparency. It is possible to have a remarkable degree of all these skills, but without the sound becoming unnatural. It is the great example of neutrality, homogeneity and balance.



Treble

It's not easy to make the treble sound easy, without missing anything. Well, maybe some people would prefer a more prominent crunch, a higher sparkle or a thinner or more penetrating sound. None of that will be here and that won't mean that the treble will be overly clipped. Looking at the graph it might seem so, but the result proves otherwise. True, the treble is on the safe side of any tuning, but it is descriptive enough that it doesn't feel thin or meagre. They are soft, but with enough expressiveness to give the sound realism and extension. Perhaps the limit may be in the air range. But the best thing is that this tuning allows the whole to feel balanced and natural, with just enough brightness and little or nothing to be missed. I look at the graph and I am surprised: the tuning has been clever in this section to complement the rest of the ranges excellently.



Soundstage, Separation

Surprisingly, there is a nearly 180-degree oval soundstage, without the sound being too deep or high. The surrounding sensation is not circular, but extends laterally and a bit beyond. This puts it clearly above average and is backed up by a good sense of separation, cleanliness, transparency, resolving power and detail extraction ability. Without being at all analytical sounding, it is striking how much nuance is exposed in the music, but with care to never overwhelm, nor sound unnatural or out of characteristically smooth IEMS. The Dunu Kima are certainly a resolute ensemble, at once pleasing and clean. Without sounding sharp, dry, cold, clinical or thin. The balance between the thickness of the notes, their exuberance and the level of the nuances is commendable. It is not easy to reach this compromise.
The image is organic, orderly and appreciable. The good separation, the level of transparency and the remarkable lateral openness, allow the arrangement of the elements to be easily distinguishable, coherent, very well drawn, as well as structured and without overlapping. Nothing exceptional, but quite pleasant, even singular.



Comparisons

TinHiFi T4 PLUS

Again, I'm going to make an early comparison, as I haven't reviewed the TinHiFi T4 Plus yet. But, really, they are a great and current touchstone against the Dunu Kima. First, because their price is very similar, $119 for the T4 Plus, compared to $109 for the Kima. Even their frequency response is similar. But let's start with the aesthetics. While the Kima has exceptional packaging, the T4 Plus are much simpler in this respect, with a smaller box and no waifu, although they do have their own "space" imagery, in which the IEMS are a kind of satellite, or even space capsule. The cable is also good, in copper, subtly thinner in comparison. It comes in a leather case with a magnetic clasp in the shape of a retro wallet. Three pairs of tips, including a set of Symbio Mandarine tips. The Kima outdoes the TinHiFi with a more spectacular presentation, with a set of S&S tips, a brush, a cloth and a SE to 6.35mm adapter. In the end, these are 3 more accessories, but I consider the cable and case to be better on the Dunu. All this at a lower price. I'll take the Symbio tips over the S&S though.
The shape of the T4 Plus returns to the brand's classic shape, but in a dark copper colour, with a wooden outer panel. The Kima is more innovative and attractive in this respect. But the metal construction is very good in both models. There is little difference in weight, although the ergonomics are different. With a cylindrical design on the T4 Plus, the fit is more free and frictionless, but perhaps less perennial and more susceptible to unwanted movement, if the sealing is not adequate. I like the fit of the Kima better, but in both I found the same problem with the tips. In the end, I have used the same type of narrow channel silicone tips and spherical leather with which I have achieved a deeper and more occlusive seal.
The profile of the T4 Plus is less balanced. While the Kima's move in a narrower range, the T4 Plus have a more emphasised bass throughout their range, even in the sub-bass. The mid-high plateau is higher and more extended, also the treble. The amount of air is similar. The T4 Plus have a more excited profile, more sparkle up top and more bass down low. The midrange, except for the amount of body in its first half, maintains the amount. But they are clearly influenced by the neighbouring bands.
The bass is deeper and more sensory in the T4 Plus, that greater power fills the sound in a more compact way, reaching a higher level of impact, with a darker and more appropriate colour. The Kima's feel in that more rounded mid-bass, while the TinHiFi's stretch further into the inaudible range. The roughness is more accentuated and their wake is more persistent in the sound, though the punch is tight. The Kima's are a little more restrained and controlled, less powerful and punchy. The T4 Plus makes me smile with its roughness and power, although the overall quality may be a little lower.
In the mids, there is a surprise for me. I thought that the more emphasised and longer low end was going to influence more the first half of the T4 Plus, however the weight of the higher and longer plateau between mid-high and first treble has more influence. In a way, I find this phase thinner and brighter, whereas in the Kima it is more natural, dense, full and organic, I find its timbre more pleasing to me. The result is a smoother, more mellow sound in the Kima, where nothing feels excited. The T4 Plus, on the other hand, is higher in the treble, which makes it more crisp. While this extension may be welcomed by many, I prefer the musicality of the Kima.
The treble is clearly more extended and present in the T4 Plus, for better or worse. Those who find the Kima's too soft will find here a more excited, but to some extent controlled, alternative. There is a difference in energy and net amount of treble in favour of the TinHiFi, more presence, a higher level, a more perceptible crackle and a wider wake. They have more brightness, sparkle and power, but they also scratch more.
Scene-wise, there's a more congested sound in the T4 Plus, narrower too. The Kima's oval-like soundstage is wider and details seem more discernible, due to its larger, more expansive soundstage. The resolution of the T4 Plus is tighter and more compacted, preventing details from flowing more naturally and expressively. They tend to be crowded, although it is true that they are there, but more overlapping and sometimes superimposed. For these reasons, the image is more coherent, visible and discernible in the Kima.



Conclusion

It's clear that Dunu knows how to bring a new model to market and attract attention. But to get to that point it has been necessary to build a good reputation. And, moreover, to maintain it. The hardest thing is always to maintain a status. But of course, with models like the Kima, that's the best way to prove it.
This new model has received many reviews before mine. You might even think that one more is superfluous, and I could never deny it. But what cannot be doubted is the quality of these IEMS, in a price range where there is so much good competition.
The Dunu Kima is the paradigm all-rounder in this price range, it is the model that every brand would like to have in its catalogue. An outstanding reference in its average. It may not be the best model in any one aspect, but it is frankly competent in all of them. There is nothing it does badly and everything it does is good. The Dunu Kima is a great product in design, presentation, packaging, accessories, ergonomics and, most importantly, sound. It has a well-balanced profile that is not simply neutral or soft, but has a great timbre, a good low end, balanced, coherent and delightful mids, and expressive trebles, within its lightness. The result is a sure value that will hardly disappoint, fully capable of satisfying all its future buyers. And I say this under my initial scepticism about my first experience with them. I am always very receptive to a new Dunu model, I cannot deny that. But I must confess that I was reluctant during the first days with them. But after finding the right tips and after a thorough listening, my opinion has changed to the point of writing this clearly positive conclusion.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• Aune Flamingo.
• Earmen Angel.
• TempoTec Variations V6.
• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper Limited Edition.
• ACMEE MF02s.
• xDuoo XD05 BAL.
• TempoTec Serenade X + iFi Zen Can.

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 90
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 85
• Accessories: 92
• Bass: 82
• Mids: 88
• Treble: 81
• Separation: 87
• Soundstage: 89
• Quality/Price: 94

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

I would like to thank DUNU- topsound for providing me with review unit. Here is the link to them and the KIMA: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/kima My opinions are my own and my preferences.


SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10mm Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver, DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) Diaphragm
• Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40000 Hz
• Impedance: 32 Ohms @ 1 kHz
• Sensitivity: 108 dB (no units provided) (@ 1 kHz)
• Cable: 2 pin, 0.78 mm high-purity 4-strand single-crystal silver-plated copper cable
• Tested at $99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:

- 3 pairs of "balanced" black silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of Candy silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of S&S (Stage and Studio) silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- Cleaning cloth
- Cleaning brush
- Carrying case
- 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter
- Nice Cable

Obviously, the packaging and accessories are impressive. The IEM themselves are very well made with a 10mm Dynamic Driver with a Dual-Cavity DLC Diaphragm and N52 Magnet, all metal alloy shells with specialized venting.
Also, some very good quality tips and a beautiful 4-Strand Single-Crystal Silver-Plated Copper Cable.
I found isolation to be above average considering the venting and with the stock tips, comfort was excellent.

Sound: Harman with a very natural tonality.

Bass:
The Bass presents itself to be well defined, it is by no means heavy but well textured and detailed. The Mid-Bass is more at the forefront but ever so tastefully the Sub-Bass rumble can be heard. This is a case of more quality Bass than quaintly, but it is still there to be enjoyed without bloat or overpowering the Mids.

Midrange:
The Mids are Neutral, Clean and I found them to be very pleasant with a good amount of body and a clean, transparent sound.
There is good body and details in both Male and Female vocals and while the lower Midrange is transparent the upper midrange is bright, this only adds to the charm of the Kimas rich tonality.

Treble:
The highs are neutral and smooth with decent air and details, the Kima has good energy and treble is very pleasant.

Soundstage etc. The Kima has a good kind of organic field it is not intimate, but median is size. The separation and accuracy are very good and doesn't faulter from overly busy tracks.

Afterthoughts:
The Dunu kima is just under $100 and while there is a lot of competition. It stands out for it pleasant and well-defined tuning. Quality Bass, emotional well done Mids and non-offensive highs, with very good separation and imaging. Its built well and comes with good accessories. I personally like this charming IEM.

Disclaimer - Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are strictly subjective and based solely on the personal experience. Sound is an incredibly subjective experience, and everyone may perceive it differently. Results of this review should not be taken as a blanket statement for all listeners.

Firstly just wanted to say a big thank you to @gadgetgod for letting me review the Dunu Kima you gave me. It was so generous of you and I really appreciate it. It was really exciting to be able to try out a new piece of gear and share my thoughts with others. Your willingness to share your gear with me has been truly invaluable. Thanks for being such a great!



Features -

-High-Performance 10mm Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver.
-Latest-generation DLC(Diamond-Like Carbon) Diaphragm.
-Powerful N52-based Magnetic Circuit.
-Specially Designed Micro-Control Airflow Technology.
-High-Density Alloy Shells.
-Premium Matte Finish.
-Ergonomic Design & Comfy shape.
-Professional Tuning Adjustments.
-Comes with S&S Eartips and Candy Eartips by default
-Premium High-Purity 4-Strand Single-Crystal Silver-Plated Copper Cable.
-Standard 0.78mm 2-pin connectors.
-3.5mm Termination Plug.

Price - $109.00

Buy Link (non-affiliated) - https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-kima-iems

Sound impressions -



The DUNU Kima that is being reviewed is a great choice for those who value a balanced sound signature. The bass on this IEM is well-balanced and provides a satisfying low end. It's not overpowering and doesn't overpower the mids and highs, which is a common issue with many bass-heavy IEMs. The bass is tight and well-defined, providing a good foundation for the rest of the frequency spectrum.

The mids on DUNU Kima are forward and bring out the vocals and instruments clearly. The vocals are well-articulated and have a natural tonality. The instruments are also well-represented and have a good sense of realism. The mids are not recessed or overshadowed by the bass and treble, which is a common issue with many IEMs in this price range.

The treble on DUNU Kima is well-extended and adds sparkle and airiness to the overall sound. The treble is not harsh or fatiguing, which is a common issue with many treble-heavy IEMs. The treble is well-integrated with the rest of the frequency spectrum and provides a good sense of balance.

The soundstage on this DUNU Kima is slightly congested, making it feel less open and spacious. However, this is not a major issue and the soundstage is still good for an IEM in this price range. The soundstage is not as wide or as deep as some of the more expensive IEMs, but it's still good enough to provide a decent sense of space and separation between instruments.

The details on DUNU Kima are excellent. The overall sound is nuanced and provides a good sense of realism. The instruments have a good sense of timbre and the vocals have a good sense of expression. The details on this IEM are not the best in class, but they are still very good for an IEM in this price range.



Overall, this DUNU Kima is a great choice for those who value a balanced sound signature with a focus on detail. The bass, mids, and treble are all well-balanced and provide a good sense of balance. The soundstage is slightly congested, but it's still good enough to provide a decent sense of space and separation between instruments. The details on this DUNU Kima are excellent and provide a good sense of realism. If you're looking for an IEM that provides a balanced sound signature with a focus on detail, DUNU Kima is definitely worth checking out.

In conclusion, DUNU Kima is a great option for listeners who want a well-balanced sound signature with a focus on detail. The bass is tight, forward mids bring out vocals and instruments clearly, and well-extended treble adds sparkle and airiness to the overall sound. The soundstage may be slightly congested, but the details are excellent and provide a good sense of realism. Overall, a great choice for those who value a balanced sound signature with a focus on detail.

Tracks Used -

"Mahi Ve" - Arijit Singh
"Raabta" - Deepika Padukone, Sushant Singh Rajput
"Tere Bin" - Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
"Main Jahan Rahoon" - Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
"Phir Le Aya Dil" - Rekha Bhardwaj
"Tere Liye" - Atif Aslam
"Jai Ho" - A R Rahman
"Humma Humma" - A R Rahman
"Tu Hi Re" - A R Rahman
"Chandelier" - Sia
"All of Me" - John Legend
"Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses
"Toxic" - Britney Spears
"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen
"Someone Like You" - Adele
"Fix You" - Coldplay
"Dream On" - Aerosmith

Conclusion -

The DUNU Kima in question is a great choice for those who want a balanced sound signature with an organic timbre line. It has enough bass to provide a satisfying low end, forward mids that bring out vocals and instruments clearly, and well-extended treble that adds sparkle and airiness to the overall sound. The instruments have a natural and organic timbre, making the overall listening experience more realistic and enjoyable. However, the soundstage may be slightly congested, but it still provides decent space and separation between instruments. The details are excellent and provide a good sense of realism. Overall, a great dependable and fun option for those who value a balanced sound signature with a focus on detail and an organic timbre line.

Thank you for reading this review, I hope it helped you in making a decision on your next IEM purchase.

I’ve been listening to the Dunu Kima off and on for a total of about 5 weeks. When I opened the Kima box I was totally impressed with the extras. Who wouldn’t be impressed with the bounty of gifts? They basically come with everything. Just look at the extras you get inside the box!



9 sets of ear-tips including the new DUNU S&S (Stage & Studio) Silicone Eartips a $12.99 extra
A semi hard carrying-case
A polishing cloth
Comfortable mono crystalline copper/silver plated cable
The Kima IEMs
Brush tool
3.5mm to 1/4 inch adaptor

The Kima is another Harman style tune, while not taking any real risks with the sound, the Kima isn’t doing anything offensive either. Simply speaking, the Kima is offering a great solution in playback of your modern music files. I actually scored out the Kima slightly higher than my first impressions, due to increased affinity to its separation and imagining. While not perfect, after truly comparing (the Kima) to the plethora of single dynamic driver IEMs, the little Kima started to make a few extra points. The main culprits, a group of TinHiFi single full-range 10mm providers………….the TinHiFi C2, C3, T2 DLC and TinHiFi T4 PLUS. And while after a while there were a few (noticeable) Kima differences. So many manufactures as of recent have jumped on this single full-range DD experience, only to rehash the same almost pedestrian tune. Simply adding to this Harmon style of every-mans folk tune, doing plenty correct, yet missing a touch of personality in the end.



Of my recent reviews, the Kima comes-in closest in cost to the TinHiFi T4 PLUS. They also share a few sonic traits. Though I will say after finally finding the right ear-tips the Kima offers a slightly more wholesome stance, not being so finicky as to placement or even file choice than the T4 PLUS. Still both IEMs today get the total evaluation score of 4 out of a possible 5 total points! Yep, they are both (while close to the same) still offering a variation in the IEM experience.



Cable:
While the included 4-core mono-crystalline copper/silver plated cable is actually a plus in this price range. I went onto other cables at first primarily to access the 4.4mm balanced connection of my DAP. Yet…..later after using the ISN G4 cable, I got curious from the resulting sonic changes in replay here, as well as the surprising results of the ISN SC4 in use with the TinHiFi T4 PLUS. What I liked was the way the TinHiFi T4 PLUS’s profile was “cleaned-up” and represented in a slightly altered state. More T4 pace and a faster bass, with imaging of the upper-range projected farther out in the stage. So? What would happen if I used this same cable technique on the Kima, would I find gold? Lol…….Yepi-dooty! More about cable changes to follow!




Build:
Truly nice, the way the metal nozzle is gold. Actually the overall feel in the hand is superb. Turning them over you can see two different size vents to allow air input and output. The nozzle screens are set back, keeping them out of harms way. On the back there is writing designating the R or L. There is writing explaining that the Kima has a “DUNU 10mm DLC Dynamic”. The Zinc Alloy is finished in the smoothest of flat finishes. Flush two pins at 0.78mm distance apart, make up the connection. And the three piece construction just works in its simplicity. Whatever CRIZ FACTION is, Kima is part of this group? That's the riddle? It must be a secret, as a quick Google Search pulls up absolutely nothing. Still the nozzle length started me looking for my longest ear-tips. To call the Kima medium in size would be correct, but the nozzle length really is on the border of too short. Yet I did find a few ear-tips to workout in the end.

Tech Specs:


Basic Sound:
While many have questioned the style of Kima playback as being run-of-the-mill as far as technicalities go. Meaning, while there is actually fairly good separation to a point, there is still the question of slower-transients and the imaging that is bestowed upon our ears due to those (in-question) transients. I mean there is very little risk of the Kima ever exactly sounding thin, I mean, that’s the one thing all theses brands kinda do now, they lay the note-weight down and exploit the natural inherent ability for 10mm drivers to provide thickness. While you don’t have that sparkly treble that BA hybrids do, instead the Kima provides a midrange that is crunchy and slightly airy yet with a dash of distortion in for good measure. And in-fact the treble is extended and separated, all the while offering a style of smooth.

This midrange fuzz is actually what I like about this IEM, in that the mids are not always that clean, but that there is a dose of harmonic complexity…….the imaging gets the goods to fall farther outside in placement. Still in-fact, they are more musical than they are clear. Kind of a smoothness that is forgiving yet still crunchy, especially with bright over-done guitars. So you could imagine my surprise that this character came back with what-ever cable I used. Yep, this style of midrange imaging is reproduced no matter which cable I swich to. Yet the kicker here was the (extra silver) ISN SC4 in 4.4mm. The ISN SC4 made much of the imaging the clearest I heard so far. And….still gave way for that endearing crunch to occur again, out into the stage. Yet another “find” was just how clean the lower bass regions were after this “clean-up” change. Yep, I found extra clarity in the lower bass regions and unearthed better bass detail and pace.

The ISN SC4 cable:
This style of replay is grand, and better than grand, great! Now some would say, HAY, we want a review only with the included cable, don’t confuse us with all this cable talk. And to that I say (maybe) read another review, it’s not like this is the first review posted about the Kima. Yet, don’t worry, don’t fret, I will eventually get to the included cable. Yet in so many ways my trajectory in learning has taken me to a place where I test drivers with different cables, and learn their personality traits further!

So in a way the groundwork has been laid for experimentation. Now still, the ISN SC4 cable is a $99.90 add, almost exactly the same price as our IEM costs today. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with the included cable, there is still “room”…….or sonic leeway to make the DUNU Kima that much more. Often I worry when using such a drastic cable, as there always remains the possibility of removing what was important in the playback, the IEMs essence! But not here, in fact the Kima has enough essence to throw around and still have enough warmth and charisma to keep going strong. So with that out of the way, let’s continue with the review, shall we.



Soundstage:
Even with the same ISN SC4 the Kima ends up beating-out the TinHiFi T4 PLUS in over all soundstage girth. If you by chance read my T4 review you will find out the lack of soundstage was one of my single greatest gripes. Yet the Kima now is showing a wonderful separation and playful groove, keeping the bass tight and in-rhythm. The T4 is always offering more refinement and thinner yet carved upper-midrange & treble elements. While the Kima is continuing to make that upper midrange simply bigger and fuzzier…….almost like every instrument has a halo of softness? I come away with finding Kima note-weight better than the T4.

Bass:
Kicking the song along, we really rejoice in found pace as this offers a way different experience than the included cable. But, what if we switch back and see…….OK. Going over to a pile of 7 cables, the DUNU Kima cable talks back…… it yells out, I’m here, I’m here, asking to be identified by its chrome sparkles. Ha, just look at it. Do you think you could pick it out of a pile? Of course you know this bass is good, rolling along giving bounce and deep support to the frequencies above. In reality it's truly one of the best parts of this playback, being it has definition, and somewhat of a texture, the best part of the bass is with the right source and cable it actually has pace and a level of clarity. It's that clarity to mingle inside the groove, to go around the drum patterns and provide bounce.

Included cable bass response:
Switching from the thicker WM1Z, over to the mid centric WM1A we are greeted with great synergy. Surprisingly the soundstage is maybe wider with this DAP, the parleying of mid-frequencies pushing those images a little farther-out into the stage. While the bass is very tight and round, it’s really the total package here, meaning it’s the total balance that works. This is the ticket as the Kima all-of-a-sudden becomes more midrange in emphasis which totally works out! And I don’t know how, but the soundstage is better now than when I did preliminary tests?



Ahh…….
"All In Good Time"
Dead Can Dance
Anastasis
44.1 kHz - 24 bit

Well, what do have we here? A home-coming of sorts. Yep, back to the provided original cable, and a bass heavy song. If only you could experience just how well the bass is parleyed. I know this is suppose to be talk of bass, but the stage is grand also, somehow we are leaving the T4 PLUS in the dust. Bigger shells, bigger reverberations and a bigger stage. The bass in this song actually has two sections. A start with a drone, then at 1:49 a rhythm starts up and the bass carries its duties holding the pace. A nice round replay and a level of definition and bounce. The two bass sections are overlapping now. Finally at 6:04 the bass stops and the song continues without it till the 6:37 mark.

Vocals:
Vocals could be presented in more contrast here. There is definitely a blending into the mix with the vocal separation!



"The Wanderer"
Insomnium
Argent Moon EP
44.1 kHz - 24 bit

With guitars and vocals are not as forward as some sets, there is still a lovable coherency to everything. At 2:32 the picked guitar is still wide and represented. The chorus as 3:33 is dynamic and bright. The guitar at 3:57 (after the breakdown) is strong and crunchy. Lots of good rhythm and groove to take us to the end! And while technicalities are average to slightly better than average, this song sounds great!



Treble:
The epic descending water-fall. Softer than my first girlfriend, and that’s what we have……..there are no detractions, nor bumps in the night, just flowing sound. No wonder I could get away with amping up the spacial characteristics going to the ISN SC4 cable, as there was room not to get in trouble! The 2.5 kHz, 4.8 kHz and the 8 kHz get us this wholesome health-food to eat, pure nourishment in the treble, never any heat.

Midrange:
The pinna gain at 2.5 kHz just walks that line of being a focus (as best as it can be for vocals) and just getting by. I surmise that DUNU is simply doing what they can to optimize this replay and make this single full-range the most it can be. While the DUNU original Zen was a higher ability driver with technical chops, and the Zen soundstage was filled with more life into itemizations of imaging, here this is smoother and more even than the Zen ever thought of being.

Roll-off:
There truly isn’t the feeling of a too fast roll-off into the highs, nor too fast of roll-off into the lows, this is one of those responses where DUNU has tried to optimize the over-all feeing of openness, despite the lack of total technicalities.

Pace:
Pace is kind-of blended but transients are actually better than many run-of-the-mill single full-range drivers. Really it’s refreshing to find, and in a way it’s very resilient to DAP changes and cable changes………even song file changes seem to get handled with the same level of dexterity, which isn’t necessarily great, but not bad and better than a whole slew of single full-range DDs to show-up in the price bracket.



Conclusion:
While not perfect, the Kima took some time (5 weeks) to get to know. This is one example of time being on the Kima’s side. Every IEM interfaces with the next IEM in sound approximation, even if we like it or not. And as it turns out the Kima was way better than expected. Either the other IEMs made it look good, or it was really good. Probably a little of both? And while maybe slightly too sleepy, I’m not sure how I can advise a tuning change, other than to encourage DUNU to continue down this path, making a whole range of IEMs all with different methods of sound reproduction and subsequent personalities. So far I’ve reviewed the Original Zen, the SA6, the Vulkan and the Kima. And truly they are all very different, where the Vulkan is my all-time favorite as it’s incredibly different. Here we have more of the same, the same in-a-way that others are offering. While not exactly boring, the Kima never flys too close to the sun, seemingly taking the safe route home. If you will find it interesting……..it depends on what you’re after. I don’t want to say background music, but there is an attribute about the Kima that is not distracting and would allow for listening while at work. In fact the overall tone of Kima playback totally gives all-day-long listenability due to smoothness. Combine that with a thickness that allows for all song files to be investigated and we really do have a form of success. Yet analytical listeners may turn-away and can easily find more detail elsewhere. Still can you listen to that (analytical) style of detail all day? With Kima you can. Probably my favorite part of playback was the crunchy character of the upper midrange. This slight forgiveness in playback combined with an out-shoot into the soundstage of harmonic artifacts. In the end the faults were endearing.....and maybe that's the CRIZ FACTION you know the CRIZZZZZ part? You see it isn’t always what an IEM does right, but how they approach playback with character. It is at times the beauty mark as seen on a models face that becomes precious. Yet this personality defect is widely available with any cable or DAP, and is instantly recognizable in playback.

While decays are long with the Kima, attacks are also blunted, which gives simply a feeling of lack of clarity, yet if you’re down for this style of poetic playback, it does have its merits.

You can buy here.
$109.99
https://www.dunu-topsound.com/kima

Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Sebastien Chiu from DUNU for the opportunity to review the Kima Universal IEM.

Disclaimer:
These thoughts and ideas are of one individual, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Samsung Android Smartphone 3.5mm output

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank DUNU for providing this review unit. The DUNU KIMA can be obtained here: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/kima (no affliate links).





SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10mm Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver, DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) Diaphragm
• Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40000 Hz
• Impedance: 32 Ohms @ 1 kHz
• Sensitivity: 108 dB (no units provided) (@ 1 kHz)
• Cable: 2 pin, 0.78 mm high-purity 4-strand single-crystal silver-plated copper cable
• Tested at $99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:

- 3 pairs of "balanced" black silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of Candy silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of S&S (Stage and Studio) silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- Cleaning cloth
- Cleaning brush
- Carrying case
- 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter
- Cable




The accessories are really quite stellar for a $100 USD set, I've definitely seen higher end IEMs with way less goodies.

Oh yes, let's address the elephant (or rather the Waifu) in the room. This is probably the first time that DUNU has included a Waifu on the packaging! FOMO?

Anyways, there are plenty of other firsts in the KIMA, as the packaging also debuts 2 new eartips from DUNU.



Photo courtesy of DUNU, from: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/kima


First up, we have the aptly named Candy eartips. These come in a colorful motif, and they give the deepest bass rumble of the provided tips. Isolation and comfort are also the best of the lot, though soundstage is compressed a tinge when these are installed.

The other debutant pair of tips, the S&S (Stage and Studio) tips, come in a gel like material that is very grippy and firm. These tips are cylindrical and long, and they seem to be mid-centric focused, in boosting vocals (though with some decrease in bass). These tips can also be bought separately at a few online portals for around 11 - 12 bucks (eg https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-s-s).



The last set of eartips, the black ones, are probably the most balanced of the bunch. These are the least isolating, but provide the largest soundstage and the most balanced tonality. As everyone's ear anatomy is different, eartips are very personal, so do explore to see which eartips suit you, as they not only affect the sound, but also comfort, fit and isolation.

Unfortunately, no foam tips are provided, but I can close on eye since there are lots of other nice accessories included.




The stock cable is a Litz braided 4-strand single-crystal silver-plated copper cable. This is very nice from a haptic point of view. It is tangle-free with minimal microphonics. There's a chin cinch to give added stability during usage.

I'm quite happy this cable features a 2-pin connector, as I'm not a fan of MMCX connectors in general, as they tend to be less robust with frequent cable changes.




There's an orange semi-rigid case provided, with DUNU's logo emblazoned on the front. This case is quite robust, and it should survive drops or someone sitting on it. Internally, it is lined with a velvety material with webbing. Definitely very practical yet elegant.

A cleaning brush, micro-fibre cleaning cloth, and a 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter completes the accessory line-up.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock black "balanced" tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The KIMA's shells feature an inclined asymmetrical design of 4 panels. They are fashioned from a high-density metal alloy, after undergoing multiple stages of production - from melting to casting, to fine carving, to grinding and finally to sandblasting - with an end result of a beautiful and smooth matte finish.

Weighing in at 15 g apiece, the housings are light. Ergonomics and comfort are great, I did not experience any fit issues despite using the KIMA for marathon listening sessions.

The KIMA incorporates a micro-controller within the front and rear vents. This is advertised to maintain air flow among the chambers and was designed after a lot of painstaking research. The external cavity is designed to absorb sound and control resonances, while a 10 mm DLC dynamic driver is housed in an inner independent acoustic cavity.

I didn't find any driver flex on my set, so it seems the venting design works as advertised, but of course this is partially dependent on ear anatomy and type of tips used.


ISOLATION

Being heavily vented, the KIMA's isolation is average, but it is still suitable for outdoor usage.




DRIVABILITY

I tested the DUNU KIMA with:
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Apple dongle
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Tempotec Sonata HD Pro dongle (BHD firmware)
- Smartphone

The KIMA is relatively easy to drive. Amplification is not truly compulsory, but the KIMA will scale somewhat when fed juice, in terms of increased dynamics and a tighter bass.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The KIMA is a Harmanish IEM, and this is a rather safe and consumer friendly tuning that should suit most music genres.


Graph of the DUNU KIMA using IEC711 compliant coupler.

The bass is just north of neutral, but not at basshead levels. It is mostly focused in the mid-bass, thought there is a tickle of rumble heard on sub-bass heavy tracks. The sub-bass quantity and extension isn't as huge as bona-fide basshead sets, but I would say the bass is very well-dosed, being neither intrusive nor anaemic.

In terms of quality, the bass is on the speedier side, texturing is good and there is minimal mid-bass bleed. Even in complex bass movements, not much bloat or smearing is noted.

The lower midrange is a tinge recessed. The midrange is quite transparent, aided by the lack of a mid-bass bleed, which doesn't obscure this frequency band. Featuring a 9 - 10 dB pinna gain, the upper mids are forwards without being overtly shouty, which is a really difficult line to balance. In some instances, the upper midrange can veer to spiciness, especially at higher volumes (Fletcher Munson curve), but by and large, this area is not that peaky at low to moderate volumes.

The treble extends moderately well, the KIMA isn't very sparkly or airy, but perhaps trebleheads might want a bit more pizzaz and spice in this area. There's a tinge of sibilance, but by and large the upper treble isn't fatiguing.

Timbral accuracy is excellent, vocals and acoustic instruments sound organic, timbre freaks would have no beef with this department.

In terms of technicalities, the KIMA won't uproot any trees. Micro-detailing, instrument separation, clarity imaging and layering and clarity are bang average when compared against other single DDs lying at the $100ish bracket. Soundstage is decently wide, though depth and height are just average.


COMPARISONS




Comparisons below will pit the KIMA against other $100ish USD single DD sets. Planars, multi BAs, hybrids and other driver types were left out, due to the different transducers having their own pros and cons.


DUNU Titan S

The Titan S is the neutral bright older sibling of the KIMA. The Titan S has a thinner note weight and sounds more analytical.

The Titan S has less sub-bass extension, but has greater treble air and sparkle. However, the Titan S displays greater sibilance and can be more fatiguing with longer sessions.

Timbre is more natural on the KIMA, the Titan S sounds colder and more sterile. In technicalities, the Titan S has better resolution, clarity, transients, instrument separation, imaging and micro-details. Soundstage is about on par for both sets.

The Titan S comes with a very thin and tangly stock cable, and it may be a bit uncomfortable due to the very long nozzles on the housings.


Moondrop Aria 2021

The battle of the Waifus heats up, with the the Aria 2021 entering the fray.

The Aria 2021 is tuned closely to the head-related transfer function (HRTF) curve. The Aria has more bass quantity, but the quality isn't as good, with some mid-bass bleed and an untextured bass noted. The Aria has greater upper treble, but there is some sibilance present and the treble is grainier than the KIMA's.

Timbre is a bit more metallic on the Aria.

The Aria has a slightly more expansive soundstage, but the imaging, instrument separation and layering is fuzzier and sounds more nebulous. Micro-details, clarity and resolution are slightly better on the KIMA.

The Aria comes with an atrocious stock cable, which pales in comparison to the nice haptics on the KIMA's stock cable.

The KIMA appears to be a slight upgrade over the KIMA at the same price bracket in the 3Ts of technicalities, timbre and tonality; given a choice between the two, I would recommend the KIMA, despite the marginally higher price.


Tripowin Olina

The Olina is also Harmanish tuned, but it has a thinner note weight and is not as analoguish sounding as the KIMA.

The Olina has more treble extension and quantity, though it has sibilance in spades, and is shoutier in the upper mids/lower treble region. Vocals sound more nasal and artificial on the Olina.

The Olina is a league ahead in technicalities, sporting a more expansive soundstage, sharper edge definition/clarity, micro-details, imaging and instrument separation.


CONCLUSIONS



How does the KIMA fare among the weekly Harmanish releases?

Honestly, the KIMA is overly safe, and can be seen as a jack of all trades, as it isn't a technical champ when compared against some $100 USD gatekeeper single DD sets.

Thankfully, the KIMA boasts a very organic timbre, a consumer-friendly Harmanish tuning, an ergonomic fit, good build and generous accessories. As an all-round package, the KIMA does hold its own, compared to some one-trick ponies that only excel at technicalities (but have tonal or timbral flaws), or vice versa.

For folks who own higher end single DDs like the Tanchjim Oxygen or Moondrop KATO, perhaps there is no value add in procuring the KIMA, but the KIMA is a marginal upgrade over the highly acclaimed Moondrop Aria 2021 in the 3Ts of technicalities, tonality and timbre. For consumers looking to for a reliable budget single DD pair that melds good tonality and timbre into a nice packaging, the KIMA is one to consider, however it may come across as an average jack of all trades.

Review Of The Dunu Kima​

Introduction​

If we look at the perspective of high fidelity it is not far known that DUNU, a very well established company from china projects it extremely well with their IEM’s releases. Whether it is an expensive IEM or an affordable, budget oriented IEM, they excel with great performance. They have released many IEMs with great build quality like EST112 and comfortable ones like SA6 have received many accolades and praise by many audiophile reviewers. This is not a latest news as they have prospered over this industry for a quite long time now. But today I have something which is affordable and over-perform with great tuning and technicalities under 200 USD while being only for 109 USD. These are their newest release the Dunu Kima. Before looking inside what this IEM houses, I have to clear somethings first.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the beautiful people at HiFiGo, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as "Kima."
*I am using different eartips and Cable for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Kima based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

The Kima dynamic driver features a single 10mm dual cavity, the most recent DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) diaphragm, and a strong N52-based magnetic circuit. The metal shell has a matte appearance and is composed of metal. It is specifically made to allow for precise airflow management. Standard 2 pin 0.78mm connections are used in these. The cable has a 3.5mm termination straight plug, a 4 strand design with LITZ braided construction, and it is composed of premium silver-plated crystal copper. Despite the cable's small weight, they certainly feel durable and sturdy. The set of accessories that Kima includes includes three distinct kinds of eartips in small, medium, and large sizes. Along with the IEM and cable, additional items include an orange carrying case, a microfiber cloth, a cleaning brush, and a quarter-inch adaptor. Even if the picture below doesn't include all the accoutrements, it has no impact on how I feel about Kima. In terms of technical specifications, Kima has an impedance of 32 ohms, a frequency response of 5 Hz to 40 kHz, a sensitivity of 108 dB, and a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.3%.

Sound​

The sound from the Kima is excellent for the price being offered; in my opinion, these are the greatest IEM available. I believe that a single DD always produces a sound that has a natural timbre. The sound is delivered with excellent tuning that tends to provide a balanced sound. I have to admit that because they are balanced, these are vibrant and active. Even though I believe these to be quite pleasing, the sound of these smacks you with a refreshing presentation. The midrange is focused and expressive with a superb feeling of dynamic range, while the treble is mellow and almost silky. The bass has pleasing hits that sound natural. Overall, the signature has thoroughly filled my ears with upbeat and stimulating music. The tuning is almost identical to the Titan S, an inexpensive IEM from Dunu that has higher treble extension and less bass response than Kima. I'll still refrain from using a prejudiced perspective in this review. So let's explore the sound more.

Treble​

The treble is pleasant and clear, and Kima provides a smooth presentation of it. Beginning at 10 kHz, the high treble exhibits a timid response that, in my opinion, dims the soul of the vocalists or instruments while maintaining an airy presence. I do understand that if this hadn't happened, every aspect might have sounded more vast and spread throughout a larger area. even though the extension returns after 12–13 kHz. That is the only thing I can think of that is bad for Kima. Although not exactly collapsed, the vocals and instrumentation does sound cohesive. The vocals sound natural; they aren't sibilant or hot, and the same is true of the instrumentation. What I'm trying to express, I believe, is that the higher treble is not unpleasant. On the other hand, the lower treble performs melodically with the entire range while being upfront. The instrumentation sound crisp, and the vocals have good vitality. Every component is positioned soundly and fairly, and they all work well together. The vocals and instruments have a distinct, unoffensive sound. The treble area responds with a generally soothing and unoffensive appearance.

Mid Range​

Everything begins to sound incredibly resolved and highly expressive in the midrange. While having the same energy as the bottom treble, the upper midrange is expressive, clear, and filled with wonderful nuances. Even if the presentation feels a little soft, the entire midrange is harmonic, in my opinion. The vocals are really distinctive; none of them sound adjusted or lean. The music doesn't have a metallic vibe and the instruments have good presence. The vocals come across as magnificent and vivid without severing the connection between the higher and lower frequencies, what I meant here is it flows effortlessly. Every instrument has considerable breathing area and is clearly separated from the others. Although the lower midrange has been somewhat revised, this has no negative effects on the mid-overall range's characteristics. The vocals and instruments sound natural and full-bodied; they don't seem muddy or hollow. The entire reply makes a polished presentation. The midrange has a natural timbre character and sounds alive and expressive.

Bass​

Another area where the Kima excels above the Titan S is the bass. Transient and organised are the bass responses. The mid bass is also well-presented, but the sub bass is where the bass focus is most prominent. The quality of the entire response is unaffected by the mid bass's slight leak into the lower mid range. However, they don't sound pulled back. The mid-bass notes do seem in the back with less definition. The sub bass rumbles loudly and packs a punch. The linearity between the mid-bass and sub-bass seems to be smoothed out by the bass texture, which I think to be pretty lovely. However, this doesn't disappoint because it sounds really controlled and thumpy. I do feel that Kima lacks the deep and extensive nature; the whole experience is more rounded and presentful. Overall, the bass response is transient and controlled.

Technical Performance​

The Dunu Kima's technological capabilities are far superior to those of the typical IEMs in its price range. The imaging is clear and the separation is excellent, and the stage is advantageously positioned with a broad grasp. While the speed is sufficient to sound clean, the resolution and subtleties are expressively represented in great detail.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

Although it doesn't sound far away, the stage has a wide stereo impact, and the positioning is strategically chosen. The imaging is clear and convincing, but I wish the presentation had been more precise. Every component has a good amount of space to sound energetic due to the separation's distance and distance. There is no doubt about where the sound is coming from. I must admit, though, that the lack of a 3D holographic stage did make it seem more intimate and closed.

Speed & Resolution​

The detail retrieval is outstanding, and Kima has excellent resolving potential and a very clear voice. The attack and decay of notes have a rapid pace, and the speed tackles accurately and smoothly.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

Tempotec V6 - When listened to with the V6, these IEM sounded natural and had a lot of treble potential. These had a more well-rounded, genuine sound. The presentation is organic, creating a rich atmosphere. The midrange is lively and clear, while the treble is smooth. Effective bass produces thumps and rumbles. With V6, I thought the feeling was really warm. In my opinion and taste, this combo is the greatest.



Questyle M15 - The combination with the M15 had a richer, more metallic sound, and the overall presence of the reaction was distinct from other impressions. While the midrange began to sound clean and peaky, the treble started to become more lively. Less exploitative behavior was present, and the bass became more regulated and precise. The audio was more objective and analytical. This combo did not appeal to me.



iFi Hipdac - When Kima paired with the hipdac, it sounds at ease and the bass response increases. With more intimate sound, the open and airiness is diminished. The treble is quiet, the midrange is quite similar to the V6, but the bass has more of a wallop than a rumble. The hipdac is acceptable in the combination.

Tracks​

Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno

Conclusion​

To sum up this evaluation, Kima's tuning really astonished me. The entire experience was energising and reviving. The sound is more mid-centric and very nicely balanced. Even so, this IEM handles all genres with ease. a definite recommendation for everyone.

Dunu Kima

Dunu's newest IEM is the tried-and-true dynamic IEM called the Kima. Complete with obligatory waifu infused box. The Kima comes to the masses with an all-metal light and strong zinc alloy medium sized universal shell housing a 10mm dual chambered DLC or Diamond like carbon dynamic and a strong N52 magnet. Being sold at the magical $109 price point the Kima has arguably some of the most competition at the price range.

You can tell where Dunu ranks an IEM based on its price segment. So while that statement rings true for most IEM manufacturers this does not mean the Kima is somehow a much lesser IEM than Dunus more pricier offerings. This is where getting the best out of the Kima and some subjectivity comes into play but thus far, every IEM I have tested and reviewed for Dunu really are forerunners on a sound value for each of their offerings. The Kima is no different. Just because their intro offerings, the Titan S and the Kima are priced as they are, you cannot assume they are cheaper in sound quality. Running the Kima with some proper amping with an aftermarket balanced cable, I personally find them extremely enjoyable to listen to. Even comparable to some of their more pricier offerings. The tuning of the Kima reminds me a bit of their original Zen.

With that I would like to thank Dunu for providing a review sample of their newest Kima earphones. You can find out more about the Kima on Dunus website here. I burn in every review sample for a period of a week's time and are now ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max. Fiio M15, Fiio K9 pro ESS, BTR7, Shanling M6 pro, IFI Gryphon, IFI Signature for amping.

I appreciate that Dunu is always trying to improve their IEM offerings and it seems they don’t stay with a design for too long when there is a clear improvement to be had in a newer design. The Kima is slotted just above the Titan S in price point. I find both IEMs to be at or near the top of the IEM chain at their given price points and both are not some gimmicky hybrid. Both sets are utilizing the dynamic driver. It seems Dunu engineering loves the dynamic. Using a more capable highly resolving dynamic driver can easily cover the sound bands for a complete sound experience and this negates the need to add more drivers which ups the cost and adds more complications to the design. The single dynamic is the one constant in our hobby and I can’t ever see it going away, especially for Dunu.

What it comes with/build
Kimas is a solid built IEM, zinc alloy housing with brass nozzles make them light yet very sturdy for everyday use. I suppose the one negative of using metal housings is that the blocks of metal get colder during winter time but nothing to complain about for the build quality. The Kima packaging includes a 4 cored silver plated monocrystalline copper cable in 2 pin configuration, single ended. Comes with 3 sets of silicone tips. One set which is their substantial newly developed S&S tips which I will get into here shortly. A cleaning tool, stereo adaptor, cleaning cloth and an orange colored variant of their zip up case.

A bit of a word on maximizing the Kima: the Kima is a 32 ohm IEM and I noticed its included cable is good but not optimal for maximizing the sound quality of the Kima. The drivers used for the Kima are nicely resolving and upgraded cables will expand and enhance the sound of the Kima to a much greater degree, especially in balanced. You can’t expect Dunu to throw in a premium cable on a $100 earphone and they didn’t. It's a nice included cable, don't get me wrong on that. But I do notice the Kima has much more potential than what Dunu is showing you with its included cable. They take to amping like a champ like most dynamics but these especially love some power. A balanced cable is needed to get more power from most sources so if you're gonna go balanced anyway, then you might as well get a better cable is my point. An upgraded aftermarket cable is highly recommended to bring out what the Kima can truly do. And using a source with good power to boot.

S&S tips. I have to dedicate several paragraphs to these tips. Once in a great while a manufacturer will develop something and sneak it in their packaging. First seen on the Dunu Talos. The S&S tips stand for Stage and Studio. Which is a great descriptor for the tips. These tips are of the moderately sticky type of clear silicone, not the uber sticky type that attracts all sorts of lint. They remind me of the not so famous inverted tip mod I have been doing for years to make good use of tips that would sit and collect dust in my tip bin otherwise. Look up tip inverse mod on YouTube and you will see what I am talking about. The S&S tips however is a much improved design on that idea.

The S&S tips bring a focused sound design to the ears due to how well it seals inside the ears. The material is perfect to give a good seal inside the ears while opening up the sound. It gives one of the best full bodied sounds with a full bass end from just about any tips I have ever used. Where having proper tips count for IEM use. These tips are a gold mine. I have actually ordered a few extra sets of these from online Dunu vendors. As of writing they are now available for purchase separately. I have personally put out an APB for all my friends on headfi to grab themselves several sets to use with. Not every day we get a substantial tip design that was quietly introduced. The tip design is genius, no other way to put it. It will quickly become your go to tip for all your IEMs and not just the Kima and the Talos. Believe me as an IEM reviewer I do not dedicate a complete paragraph on just a set of tips. These will become your favorite tips to use on your favorite IEMs. Not since JVC introduced their Spiral Dot tips has something this substantial has come along. Even if you don’t end up getting either a Talos or the Kima for you. Get yourself some S&S tips. You will thank me later.

Sounds
The Kima is a variation of a neutralish harmon tuning, but has slightly more bass emphasis and bass extension with a minor emphasis to the trebles vs their more brighter, slightly more neutrally tuned Titan S. Overall it has better balancing with a smoother more natural tonal quality vs the Titan S which seems to be the reasoning why the Kima was priced a bit higher. It sounds like a mild w shaped in its tuning as its sub bass and upper treble end is ever so elevated with a moderate pinna gain for its upper mid bands. However, one thing for certain. The Kima is a true Dunu made IEM with solid technical aspects coming from its 10mm DLC dynamic.

As I was getting to know the Kima and its sound tuning, I mentioned earlier that they remind me of the sound balancing of the original Zen, to my surprise they do mimic them but with better treble extension. It seems Dunu has learned a thing or two to improve their offerings and applied that to all their IEMs, not just the pro models. For that I am grateful. While there is no longer a Dunu Zen the Kima here is available and while they both have a similar balancing curve with the Zen utilizing a much more higher end driver, the Kima is tuned a bit better to make up for it. The $100 price bracket is extremely important to an IEM manufacturer as this will be the price bracket that even casual listeners are willing to buy an IEM. So needless to say it has to impress.

What you're getting with the Dunu Kima is very representative of how Dunu makes and tunes an IEM nowadays. Nicely technical and balanced in its sound foundation. The Kima is an easy phone to use and to admire for its sound qualities.

Trebles
Of the Kima is balanced well with moderate extension creating a natural tonal balance for its treble presentation to its mids presence. Kima is typical of harmon tuned IEMs but also does not seem to have any type of treble spike in the brilliance area for treble to add a sense of extra shimmer and sparkle. Trebles has a good if not solid sense of detail and is actually competent for micro nuances for its treble presentation. Agile, accurate and clean the trebles here is not too much and not too little. While this is more of a safe approach to treble balancing, I appreciate that it is done in a manner where there is no treble glare or grain from the treble area.

For the most part the Kima seems to stick to a harmon tuning and balancing with just enough trebles and lower bass to balance out the tonal qualities for its tuning. Treble balancing and its accurate tonal qualities makes for versatility for your music. Overall I have no complaints when it comes to the high notes for the Kima. The reason why the Kima is what I consider a bit higher up vs their Titan S is it does not emit a cooler tonal sheen for its tuning like the Titan S. Its better balancing is evident in its better tonal character and it starts from the trebles.

Mids
For the Kima is also balanced well from upper mids emphasis to its lower mids. The Kima is tuned with a good 10dbs of upper mids emphasis which provides a good amount of clarity. The mids lean toward naturalness vs being edgy. Emphasis above 10 dbs starts to become bright in tonal character. I would say the Kima is actually neutral in tonal character meaning it's not bright and it certainly is not a warm sounding IEM. Right smack in the middle of tonality which again shows mastery of the balanced tuning.

Due to its middle ground of tonality, note weight and balanced in its presentation, the Kima is an excellent IEM to gauge what your sources are doing for your sound presentation. The Kima can sound slightly brighter if you use a brighter neutral sounding source for example and the opposite when using a warm full bodied sounding source. So you get a level of transparency from a $100 IEM that is not all that common. Most IEMs in this price range will have its own flavoring to influence tone and sound character be it the standard V tuned IEMs to a bright neutral IEM. While it does have a moderate emphasis for its trebles to bass, it's actually more neutral in how it's presented vs being too colored in one way or the other.

Its technical aspects are solid and will be clearly better using more powerful sources but I wouldn't consider the technicalities to be special. At the $100 Price level technicalities for IEM sound has been upgraded to the point where the Kima is just slightly above average, instrument separation, dimensional imaging, details, timbre and stage are all good but nothing that really separates it from the top IEMs in the price range. What makes them win is due to its superb balancing with its safe harmon tuning. Other IEMs in this price bracket also have upgraded these aspects possibly due to manufacturers utilizing newer better drivers at the price range. The DLC dynamic has always produced a good technical foundation for sounds so it is no different for the Kima. So what is average or above average nowadays is actually good and certainly better than similar IEMs from a year or two ago.

A similar sounding IEM several years back would have been IEMs in the $150-$200 range is my point. A sign of the times? Could be but this is actually a good thing for the enthusiast. I can honestly say you are getting more value for your money from the modern IEM vs IEMs of yesteryear. And as such I have to grade these IEMs based on what others are doing as well. The level as they say has been raised. Kima does a lot of things right with nothing really glaring or with any issues in its sound production. As such, yes, the Kima is a good if not a solid deal at what Dunu is asking for a set.

Bass
Is moderate in both impact and extension here and maintains a good base level of detail in its execution. Dunu bass has always been tight with no bloat and it shows on the Kima. I know some might want more bass from the Kima but it has enough impact and rumble to provide for good versatility.

Moderate bass means it only has about 6-7dbs of bass emphasis. My goldilocks for bass emphasis is 7- 8dbs. I know that one extra dbs don't count for too much but it is the difference between having impactful bass vs leaning more toward a neutral flavoring for bass. Kima has enough bass to call it balanced with nothing too much in one end or the other. A few more dbs in the mid bass area and this will cause the tonal balance to become a bit warmer will start to creep into the lower mids, so again the Kima plays it safe. To be honest the Kima is the poster child for safe tunings with just enough treble, mids and bass for a complete well rounded listening experience. I will never take away a point for an IEM that has balancing for its foundation.

In the end
The Kima is a solid all-rounder on several fronts. Its excellent build quality and accessories package I would expect nothing less from Dunu. Its included cable is actually better than most cables that are included with IEMs especially at the price range. However, once you hear the Kima on a proper DAC/AMP and or DAP with some power you're going to want to upgrade that cable for balanced out. The Kima is the type of IEM even for folks that own much more expensive ones, you will hear their potential from the stock set up and will immediately know they can become much better than what they initially sound like. It is the type of IEM you spend just as much money or more on an upgraded cable for and try out over a dozen of your best tips just to maximize its sound. Dunu has made yet another outstanding dynamic IEM and it has all the best traits for using a highly resolving dynamic driver. The Kima sound can clearly become as dynamic as you are willing to invest for it. For folks that own the Kima and or you are looking for a set. The Kima is the type of IEM that will expand in how it sounds for you. My favorite thing to say for prospective buyers and new owners of the Kima. Try this and that. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

The Dunu Kima have been sent to me by Dunu for me to test and to share my thoughts and opinions in this review. As always, I have no affiliation with Dunu (or any other brand) and they have not requested anything specific, but the fact that it has not cost me anything to try these IEMs is something that you should keep in mind.

The official page of the Dunu Kima can be found here: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/kima

The above is a non-affiliate link, as are all links that I publish.



Intro…

The Dunu Kima is a new release from the company, using a single dynamic driver and coming in at under 100€ at the time of creating this review.

I have tried a few Dunu models, the Talos being the latest (that I reviewed recently), and I am always pleasantly impressed one way or another with their IEMs. The Kima is another set that I have enjoyed a lot during the time I have been using it and I have found myself reaching for it again and again.

I will go through my usual steps in the review (I like to stay consistent ) but I can already say that as a daily driver in the 100€ bracket, I find them to be a very good option.



Presentation…

Dunu always does a good job with their presentations and although I am not a fan of the anime theme on the box itself, once the box is open, this is another decent presentation from the brand.

In the top half of the box, sitting in foam cutouts, we find the IEMs. The bottom half of the box holds the transport/storage case which is the usual offering from Dunu and is nice to find that they still include this nice case with what is one of their more budget offerings.

Inside the case we have the rest of the accessories that are included, except for the cable that resides in its own box located under the IEMs. The included accessories are 18 sets of silicone tips (in three types, including the new style that we also found included with the Talos), a cleaning brush, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter and a microfiber cloth.

As usual, I have no complaints with the contents or presentation, I feel that they include everything that is needed with a few extra goodies thrown in.



Build and aesthetics…

The IEMs use a completely metal shell, in a matte silver colour, with some simple but elegant shapes on the front plate. As far as aesthetics go, they are simple enough to not be boring. I can’t say that the IEMs are beautiful but Dunu have already set the bar pretty high for themselves with the Vulkan and Talos, however, I do not have any complaints. They don’t scream “look at me, I’m expensive” (which they aren’t anyway) but the also don’t look cheap or boring.

I find them very comfortable and the build quality seems to be good, which is also something I have come to expect from the brand. I obviously can’t say how they are going to stand up to the passing of time but I don’t think that they should have any issues.

The cable is a simple unbalanced 3.5mm version but it is of a good thickness (for my tastes) and uses metal hardware except for the 2 pin connectors which are a transparent hardened silicone (or a semi-soft plastic). No complaints with the cable and bonus points for the 2 pin connectors



Sound…

*All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Spotify, etc.)

When I went to try the Kima, I was expecting a similar sound to that of the Titan S that I reviewed (and liked) some time ago, maybe with some small tweaks. Yet, what I have found is that, while there are a few similarities, the changes are pretty obvious and I find them to be all in the right direction.

Here is the usual look at the Kima vs my personal preference target, along with the Titan S also shown for reference:



Starting off, as always, with the subbass and my usual run of “Chameleon” as a test track, here the subbass is very noticeably improved over the Titan S. There is more quantity but the quality is also very good. The rumble in the track is plenty for my tastes yet it is neither overpowering nor “loose”. Each note is clean and detailed, while at the same time the rumble is enough to appreciate what this track really offers. This is not a set that I would class as “apt” for those lovers of excessive bass, it is just well balanced and well presented.

The midbass is the same story. It is a little more present than I would usually ask for on paper, yet the detail and cleanliness of the bass makes them a very pleasurable listen. At no point did I find that they caused me fatigue over longer sessions. The bass in Sade’s “No Ordinary Love” is very clean and I find it to be at just the right balance for it to be easily appreciated without it becoming the center of attention. The same can be said for the bass of “Whole Lotta Love” which I find to be a very nice presentation, with just enough warmth added to work well with this genre of classic rock, something I find benefits quite a bit from a little extra in the midbass over my preferences.

The guitar in “Crazy” has enough warmth but without it affecting the low end negatively and becoming “boomy”. The same can be said for “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman, filling the low end but staying clean while doing so. Another very pleasurable track is “Back It Up”, which may not be the best recording but does sound very good on the Kima.

There is a slight dip in the center of the midrange but it is not enough to have a negative effect on female vocals that may have their root notes residing in this zone. Maybe Sara Bareilles in her version of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” could have a little more warmth in the voice but it is still a very pleasurable listen.

Moving towards the higher parts of the midrange, there is a climb that gives the most of the presence around 2.5kHz, with a small dip down that keeps the 5kHz in check before ramping down. This works very well and is very close to my preferred tuning in these ranges. Vocals that are harsh and overly present in this range are not tamed down any but they are not exaggerated either, making even Beth in “Don't You Worry Child” quite listenable (although she is still a little harsh, due to the nature of her voice and the recording).

In the higher ranges, I find the extension to be good and to have a nice sensation of extension and air. It is not the most extended of treble ranges but the Kima certainly don’t suffer from extreme roll off in those upper ranges, something that many single driver options do.

The usual “Code Cool” test of sibilance returns Patricia Barber slightly tamed in this regard. If we use the -12 to +12 scale of sibilance that I mentioned in a previous review (where 0 would be with Patricia Barber just being on the verge of sibilance), then I would say that the Kima are somewhere around a -2.

Details are good also, with those smaller details located in the background of music, such as room reverbs etc., being quite noticeable. They are not so detailed that they will wow in this factor (depending on what sets you have heard previously) but they never left me with the sensation of being overly dull or blunted in this regard.

Soundstage is on the higher side of average. They are still IEMs but there is nice separation of instruments, creating a very pleasurable sense of space due to the good placement of images inside this soundstage. “All Your Love (Turned To Passion)” works well to showcase both the detail and the space that these IEMs manage to create between the instruments themselves.



While the Kima are not going to do a great job of isolating those low end rumbles of jet engines and the likes, they are quite a bit above average in the mid range, this means that in places like noisy offices, they are going to work well without the need of increasing the volume levels too much.



Conclusion…

The Dunu Kima are another set of IEMs from the brand that I really enjoy. I have found them a joy to listen to and I really struggle to think of anything that I would recommend over these as an all rounder in the sub 100€ bracket.

Yes, there are other IEMs in this price range (or even lower) that will be better in certain aspects but, again, as an all rounder, I think that the Kima are an excellent set of IEMs that will take quite a bit of beating. If I had to think of something to compare them to, I would say that they are an improved Moondrop Aria, with the tweaks in all the right places (for me personally).

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As with all of my reviews, this is also available in Spanish both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

Disclaimer: This is a subjective preference based on my experiences with audio. Please test the unit before making a purchase. This is an unpaid unit review. Thanks to HiFiGo for organising this review tour.

Get one from here: https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-kima-iems

Initial Impressions of Dunu Kima after 24 hours of usage:

Dunu Kima ($109)​

Say hello to one of Dunu Topsound’s newest iems to grace the high-end budget sector… the Dunu Kima. I couldn’t help but try to get my hands on this set. Normally here in the States we have to wait a little bit longer for some of the newer audio devices to hit our shores, so when something goes on sale closer to the product launch… I try my best to snatch them up. Of course, this is only if funds will allow me to do so. Fortunately for myself this is exactly what occurred with the set I am reviewing today. The $100 price point is a brutal one with quite a few well performing iems and even some over-achievers. I bought the Kima for $109 on Amazon US roughly about a month ago, so I’ve had some good time to feel this one out.

Criz Faction…​

Looking at the promotional advertisement for the Kima I see some not-so-revealing explanation about the “Criz Faction” which is imprinted on the left side earphone. From what I gather, and from doing almost zero research, the apparent leader of this Criz Faction protectors is named…. Kima. I am assuming there is a more in depth back story behind this, but for now I hope you will forgive me for not doing my homework. Really it is simply a creative theme to release an audio series to and hopefully develop some sort of a following through. Honestly, Dunu has a pretty large following anyways, with Criz Faction or without. I’m sure a more gifted reviewer will delve deeper into the legend.

Preface​

Dunu is pretty highly regarded in the Audio community and generally praised by reviewers. Their products of late have seemingly stuck to that trend of creating nice bang-for-buck audio products. Concerning the Kima, I have a somewhat difficult time relaying exactly what I think of this set. Before I begin, I’d like to preface this review with; I really enjoy the overall package and sound of the Kima and I think it is worth the asking price. To me, the Kima wrestle for relevance in the $75 – $125 fully loaded price Brackett, and all things considered they do fairly well. Dunu has created another very nice set of iems and I’ll do my best to explain myself, let’s take a look. Btw the full review can be found HERE.



Gear Used
–IFi Go Blu
–Shanling UA2
–Ibasso DX240 w/ Amp8 MK2 (Ibasso Dx248 Mk2)
–Shanling M6 Ultra

Packaging ​

Dunu always impresses with the package that they present to us audio nerds who love a good unboxing. Perhaps the price goes up a bit for a little “wow factor” in the accessories department but… I’m okay with that. A good unboxing just adds that quick little high and subtle joy before we test out our new gear and I can really appreciate that Dunu understands this.

Waifu​

The first thing you’ll notice about the packaging is the sleeve around the box carries the image of a very voluptuous looking waifu image of a lovely young lady. Perhaps a maid of some sort with her suggestive stance looking a bit more like a “thirst trap” for those waifu lovers than anything else. I am never in need of waifu art and never think that these add to the experience, but I know many many people who will buy a set solely because of the waifu art. To each their own I suppose. This image in particular is very nice to look at I guess so… there’s that. Now, how this image relates to Criz Faction is somewhat of a mystery but… Who knows (insert eye roll), I believe it best to not ask questions at times. This is one of those times. Moving on.

What’s Inside?…​

Next, take off the sleeve, take off the lid and you will be met with the nice-looking Kima iems as well as the orange fabric zipper case. The case itself is actually very nice. Granted I’ll likely never use it but for those who do it is of great quality and design and with plenty of room for your precious iems. Inside the case is a very useful cleaning rag, a brush tool for cleaning your ear funk from the nozzle mesh, 9 pairs of ear-tips (more on those later), and a 3.5 to 6.35 adapter. Finally, you’ll find the cable hidden away in another box underneath the earphones wrapped in plastic. Not bad at all Dunu.

Ear-tips​

The included eartips are very nice and a bit odd as well. You receive three pairs (S, M, L) of a flimsy flanged, medium bore darker silicone set and the same amount (3) of a slightly more rigid flanged colorful medium bore clearish-white tips. They aren’t bad, I won’t ever use them but… they are usable and of nice quality. The set I like the most are certainly some of the more odd ear-tips to grace my collection. You get three pairs (S, M, L) of a firm & straight flanged wide bore ear-tips that have a very tacky feel and mostly resemble reverse KZ Starlines tips and function similarly as well. Dunu calls these their “S&S tips“. I mostly used the large size S&S (Stage & Studio) tips, or I went with KBear 07 medium/large tips.

S&S Eartips​

I have to say that the S&S tips are very nice for me. I see that you can purchase these tips separately for about $12 for a package of three. They are a deeper fitting ear tip and as I said they have a wider bore to them.

Much like the reverse KZ Starlines, these tips go a bit deeper into the ear canal; only these new tips have the Reverse Starlines beat. They are more rigid as they are straight down rather than ballooned out on the flanges. They are much less flimsy and don’t teeter to one side as easily. The drawback is you really have to push them in for a good seal to where the tip can actually create a sealing surface to the inner ear. I like the very open sound using these without completely attenuating the low-end. Very nice tips if they actually fit your ears.

Cable​

The included cable is a very nice white 3.5 single ended, 0.78mm 2 Pin, 4 core high quality Silver-plated, Single-Crystal Copper cable (SPC) with a Litz braiding. I used this cable for all of my single ended listening but for the majority of the time I went with a 4.4 Balanced KBear Chord cable. Really a beautiful cable. It is a 6N Graphene as well as OFC copper cable.

The included bright white cable is very nicely put together, with a starkly contrasted stainless steel Y-split, 2-Pin housing and jack housing finishing with a 3.5 brass male jack. All in all, it is a very solid cable. I found no sonic issue with the included cable, but I did notice the up scaling under balanced connection with good clean sources. All things considered I don’t believe a cable replacement is necessary at all. This cable feels as well as looks like a respectable $25-30 upgrade cable which is about on par with what I think you should receive in a >$100 package.

Design/Build/Internals/Fit/Durability​

Build/Design/Durabilty​

The Kima features a svelte looking matte silver colorway with some sleek looking 3D polygonal type lines on the faceplates. These lines coincidentally form a “K”… I see what you did there Dunu. Very modern and very minimalist, of which I’m a fan. The whole body/shell is made out of very light aluminum until you reach the brass nozzle. The Kima is very slick looking to me with this very creative and confident looking design. I love that deep silver color which is mostly a Matte finish but has a certain sheen to the finish as well. As far as the construction, it doesn’t take much thought to ascertain that the Kima is very well built and durable. Not a jagged edge at all, smooth to the touch and premium in appearance.

Internals​

Internally Dunu has adopted a brand new-generation single Dynamic driver, a 10mm DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) Diaphragm to be exact. The promotional literature of this driver boasts better rigidity & damping which reduces harmonic distortions. What houses this new driver is a dual cavity design with a N52 Strong Magnetic Circuit and high tension ultra-fine voice coil. Also employed is a microcontroller airflow control technology to maintain airflow pressure in the cavity for better comfort. There is also a small front vent near to the nozzle and a larger back vent as well.

Fit/Isolation​

The fit is a subjective thing. For myself the Kima fit perfectly and is very ergonomic. I cannot say the same for you. This set is constructed in such a way that isolation is not bad at all. I would say average, or par for the course. Once music starts playing, music is all you’ll hear. If out and about listening is your thing, then I’d say the Kima do an average job of isolating the outside world. The Kima isn’t exactly made for stage use where they would be better served to cancel out noises.

There is some sound leakage as well. This comes from my seven-year-old. Lol. She was sitting about 15 feet away, having fun relaying to me the tune I was listening to. This is happening while her ridiculously loud TV is blaring in the background so… there is some sound leakage to the outside world. Nothing that isn’t a normal occurrence.

Drivability ​

Are they easy to drive?​

The Kima is rated at 32ohms @ 1kz and a sensitivity of 108 +- 1db @ 1kz so they are very easy to drive from most any source. Let’s put it this way, my iPad 6th gen drove the Kima to decent volumes. I didn’t say it sounded great but… even an iPad did the trick. Now, you really need a good and clean source with more power to bring out the best in the Kima. I do believe there is a cap to what you want to feed these bad boys, however. For instance, something like my IFi Go Blu or Shanling UA2 or a dongle with similar specs will work perfectly.

More Juice​

Obviously, synergy plays a big part, but as far as power goes a good dongle dac will work nicely. I don’t think the Kima benefit from higher power sources. Meaning, at some point there isn’t any more auditory improvement. I used my Ibasso Dx248 Mk2 and went through all the gain settings and did the same with my Shanling M6 Ultra and truthfully the sweet spot was medium gain on both. High gain introduces slight distortions and draws the upper mids a pinch too forward and the treble a bit too hot for me. However, the Kima scales nicely with added juice but a decent Dongle Dac will be great for this set.

​

Quick Sound Impressions ​

The tuning of the Kima is pretty well done. I hear a nicely balanced sound, with a slightly warm tonal temperature. There is a slight emphasis in the bass section as well as the upper-mids/lower treble area. I do believe that the Kima was tuned after or inspired by the Harman curve as they basically follow that line. All things considered, the Kima promotes a mix of both easy-going and dynamic. I could call this sound safe yet in the same breath I could easily describe what I hear as energetic. Yes, they are tuned to safe and mostly non-offensive levels but there is good energy and vibrancy throughout that never seems to go overboard.

How does the Kima sound?…​

The low end is taught and tidy with decent weight and rumble. The Mids flat out sing, both male and female vocals are great. In my humble opinion, the midrange is the star of the show on the Kima. The treble is well enough laid out and extended without inducing fatigue as the treble region balances well with the rest of the mix. Technicalities are very good, or at least above average. Not class leading but good. Resolution is above average, and the Kima have a natural sounding timbre in my opinion. I don’t think the Kima excels in any one thing except the area of vocal delivery, but they do almost everything well.

Bass​

Again, taught and tidy are the first words which form from my lips concerning the Kima. The bass is pretty clean here. There are layers to the bass and evident surface texture on most tracks that I listened to. The bass isn’t all together very big or boisterous but also it isn’t hollow, fuzzy, overly attenuated or weak either. Note edges aren’t entirely smoothed over and do have a decently stiff leading edge but better resolution could clean up those note edges a bit more. To be clear, I am not saying there isn’t good resolution but there is cleaner bass around this price point on some of the Kima’s competitors.

Lowest of lows​

The sub-bass shows up when it has to but certainly isn’t emphasized. No, it doesn’t vibrate your 2 pin connectors off, but I do hear good natural weight with a textured and resolving grit and rumble. One of my test tracks that I always use is “John Wayne“ by Whiskey Myers. This song begins with a mildly sonorous and edgy bass guitar which is displayed nicely on the Kima. There is grit and growl on this set which I certainly look for every time I write a review. The Kima ‘can’ add a shuddering vibration with nice surface texture when a track demands such a thing. What I don’t hear is that extra prominence and authority or urgency within the sub-bass. Attack is quick enough with a natural decay, but also there are more tame and only mildly hard note outlines in the sub-bass.

Not at all lacking​

The sub-bass is the type which expresses itself only when a track calls for it. “911” by Teddy Swims perfectly shows how the Kima can rise to the occasion and bring forth that natural density that the song demands. I love that the sub-bass doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the track, but stays truer, with a more natural emphasis rather than a forward sounding intensity. I find the Kima is not at all lacking at all, but some may want a bit more with a deeper growling and edgy riff.

Mid-Bass​

The mid-bass is slightly more emphasized with Just enough oomph to carry hip-hop without me yearning for more. There is an adequate slam with good denseness to the sound. “Glass House” by Kaleo starts right out the gate with big kick drum booms that should resonate inside my brain. With the Kima they slam just enough, yet inside of that slam is an elastic, round, and full sounding drum thud. I hear nothing unnaturally fuzzy or hollow as there is a nice impact and kick with adequate weight.

Bass as a whole​

Bass-heads will certainly find this set lacking. Straight up. The Kima does not have that big and meaty boom, and they don’t vibrate my eyeballs. However, the mid-bass is not so emphasized that it rises above other frequencies. The bass is of good quality to my ears, some may call it more mature. I don’t hear anything which encroaches or muddies the water either… so to speak. Just good and mostly clean fun with appropriate energy and realistic timbre. If it was up to me, I may ask for an increase of a dB or three, but I’m not complaining… In truth I am not missing anything out of this bass department.

Make no mistake I have heard more clean and more rotund and resolute bass in similarly priced iems as well as some sets that are less expensive. The bass is not the focal point of this set and so it doesn’t retract against the charm of the Kima. That charm, in my opinion is found in the next section.

Midrange​

It’s all about the Mids. The midrange on the Dunu Kima is very well done for me. I seek out good vocals (both male and female) and I can say with 100% accuracy that I was not disappointed. There is a nice flow of energy, mixed with cleanliness, mixed with depth and shine, and displayed just forward enough to not drown out, sound unnatural or push focus away from the rest of the mix. The mids are certainly more natural sounding than they aren’t.

Low-Mids​

The low-mids present a very nice male vocal. However, if it were up to me, I would add the slightest bit of warmth and weight here. I say that but I am so satisfied with the Kima’s portrayal of a man’s voice. Crisp with just enough weight and meat to entertain a voice like Lewis Capaldi’s in “Maybe”. The sound is emotional and gritty and appropriately dense and clean for a more natural playback. Or Avi Kaplan (of Pentatonix fame) in “On My Way” with his baritone style, the Kima dig deep and pull his voice forward while remaining crisp and even airy to a degree.

Female Vocals​

Female vocals have that emotional draw but also have a shimmer to them. Some call it sparkles, I don’t use that word but for the sake of this review… some sparkles exist in a soprano’s voice. An awesome ballad by Caitlyn Smith is the song “High”. This woman can sing people! She has some serious pipes and when the chorus hits with chaos going on around her the Kima pulls this song off wonderfully while not sounding congested. Shimmer is there to uplift Caitlyn’s voice and never cascades into shoutiness, but stays well enough controlled. The bonus is the separation of elements in this complicated portion of the song considering that this is a single DD.

“Met You” by Morgan Wade is another example of Kima replaying a female voice well. Very clean and resolute, Kima plays back her country twang and raspy voice with good body and a realistic tone. There is an emotional element to this song which can easily be lost…not with the Kima. Female vocals in general are firm in form and depending on the track they can either be smooth or knife-edged.

Nice midrange as a whole​

Instruments like strings, piano and percussions all sound significant enough while not leaving out details. Separation is okay while imaging is well done in this region. If I were to complain or create a con however, I have heard instances where the midrange can start to lose a touch of resolution in more complicated tracks. Sounds don’t exactly fuse together but elements of a stage can begin to lose their clean nature and somewhat begin to lose perfect focus. At this price I halfway expect such a thing and calling that a con simply doesn’t fly in the face of all the Kima does well. All things considered the Kima presents a nice midrange as a whole.

Treble​

The treble has good energy in the mix with just the right amount of forwardness to not sound over-reaching. There is a bit of a toned-down backseat roll that the treble plays which I’m assuming is exactly what the intent was. I think if the treble was any more biting it would throw off the whole of the mix. Some may want a bit more in the upper areas of the treble but for me I think it is decently tuned. In the same breath some may want quite a bit less. Subjectivity and all.

I always point out cymbals and hi-hats to relay how the trail off of a good cymbal strike sound. In the case of the Kima, depending on the track or how forward the cymbals are recorded I think they sound natural and have good body and realistic timbre. Nothing stands out to me as attenuated or lost in the mix. Flutes, violin and sax can each sound forward at times but also, they have a nice decaying energy on the Kima which adds good separation and illuminates the minutiae to a degree.

Energetic sound up top​

The upper 3rd of the spectrum is detailed and technically adept to draw out the subtle stuff. Technicalities (I’ll elaborate later) are better than average in this region. There is an energetic sound up top, but that energy is controlled and crisp, separated and distinct with enough fullness to sound natural and enough shimmer to add levity and balance. The upper-mids on through the treble tilts the scales of the tonal temperature to the colder and brighter side of things but capped off at the right spots to not come across peaky.

Like I said, if you are used to a warmer replay and you dive head-on into the Kima you may think this set is a bit too lustrous and some may even want a bit more. I do think that some may even consider this a boring treble. It really all depends on what you “The consumer” are looking for.

Sound Stage/Separation/Imaging/Details​

Sound Stage ​

The stage size is average to my ears all the way around. The width is average, height isn’t the Kima’s best quality and there is some depth. Let’s put it this way, the soundstage isn’t simply localized within my head space but also it isn’t super airy or spread out. It’s average, it’s appropriate to my music and it isn’t a detriment to my music either. The soundstage simply isn’t a selling point or a “pro” in my opinion.

Separation/Imaging​

Instruments, voices and all elements of a stage are discernible, separated and untethered to what is going on around those elements. Even in chaotic tracks that are normally pretty complicated and harder to create a delineation between instruments, the Kima is speedy enough and clean enough to handle these kinds of passages…sometimes. The Kima does an admirable job of charting through confusion with good enough agility and does so relatively coherently. With more digestible and less complicated music the Kima do a fantastic job at separation. I realize this sounds like praise, and it is, but I don’t want to over-sell either. There are certainly iems which are cleaner and achieve better separation to me.

Imaging is just as well defined and directly connected to separation of instruments. Left to right is very well placed and front to back is under control as well creating a nice psycho-acoustic image of a stage.

Details​

You already know that I think the Kima does a fine job at illuminating smaller fine details in my music. The kicker is that the Kima is not some super dry and analytical sounding earphone. There is enough of a bodied and full sound to not sound thin and dry. Technically the Kima does a fine job as there is more of a good and coherent balance overall. No one area is so boosted that finer details get drowned out.

The Kima is not class leading and there are even some less expensive iems that best the Kima. However, the Kima has that nice tonality and Dynamic Driver type timbre that many of those sets are lacking. So often we settle for one or the other, but the Kima seem to pull off a nice middle ground. Melodic and somewhat dynamic but clean and balanced which helps in technicalities.

Comparisons​

**These comparisons are not to crown one set better than the other but rather to highlight differences to hopefully further explain the Dunu Kima’s sound relative to some sets in its price range. One more thing, in the Midrange my comparison will mostly cover vocals as I want to keep these as short as possible.**

Moondrop Aria ($79)​

The Moondrop Aria is an iem which needs no Introduction. The Aria reached legend status quite rapidly, overtaking the acclaim given to its older sibling the Starfield. I would be hard pressed to find a “Top 5 under $100” list which doesn’t include the Aria.

Real quick the Aria is a single Dynamic Driver with a 10mm LCP Diaphragm and CCAW voice coil with a N52 Magnetic Circuit. Based on the Harman curve the Aria stays pretty true to the intended tuning and the masses seem to generally agree.

Low-end ​

Starting at the low-end the Aria has a hint more in quantity than the Kima but the difference isn’t night & day to me. The bigger difference is in the evidently quicker and more textured bass of the Kima. Neither set is looked at as a bass canon, but both do the low end well. The Aria has a more atmospheric decay/sustain which lingers a hint longer. Still, I feel the Kima sounds a bit more compacted in bass hits with better pacing and cadence but again the difference is negligible. Bass guitar sounds gritty on both with the Aria sounding warmer & fuller and the Kima sounding a little better detailed and harder edged. Again, these are subtle differences which prompted me to go back and forth like a crazy person to spot those differences.

Mids/Vocals​

Males’ vocals on the Kima are the thinnest of hairs further back and both sound resolute and natural. Perhaps the Kima is a bit thinner in note weight, but not thin in general. There is a warmth which is welcome on the Aria but there are less clean edges to male voices. I like both replays from both sets, but I do find the Kima zeroes in on males’ vocals in a cleaner way with a touch better separation in this area. The Aria probably has the truer timbre but that is debatable and very subjective. The Aria is again, a titch more forward and fuller which I do like quite a lot.

Female vocals​

Compared to the Kima females are a bit held-back, but this does not mean it is inherently worse. In fact, the Aria presents an emotional female vocal very well with good body but less shimmer than the Kima. That last little pinch of “Sparkle” (there I said it) on the Kima, coupled with very good and robust energy and crisp outlines to female voices can either be a good thing or a not-so-good thing depending on the person listening.

The Aria is softer in nature, warmer but just as polished, yet also the Aria has a hair more body in this area. The Kima really does vocals extremely well in my opinion and guess what… so does the Aria. They both have slightly different approaches yet both with great outcomes. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I do reach for the Kima more. You may be the exact opposite.

Treble​

Both iems have decent extension of the treble region and make a nice showing up top. Both offer some levity, but the Kima definitely have a bit more luster in this area. In the grand scheme of things, the Kima has the brighter and airier sound to the Aria’s warmer and smoother sound. The treble region of the Kima seems to draw out instruments a bit better but also may be a bit more fatiguing in the long run… maybe. I honestly don’t find either too strenuous on my eardrums. Perhaps the Kima can get a bit hot in that upper-mid & lower treble region which is something that the Aria does not do at all. Neither are too peaky or sibilant and both conduct themselves in a clean and non-offensive manner.

Technicalities​

Both sets offer good details for the price, but between the two the Kima are a bit more technically sound. The Kima simply has a slightly speedier delivery and technicalities such as detail retrieval seem to come to the forefront a bit easier. This is not to say that Aria isn’t very nice in this area. I think soundstage goes to the Aria and imaging of elements is a hair more definitive on the Aria.

In the End ​

Truthfully after a while I am just splitting hairs, as all really just comes down to what is more fun, or easy going, or dynamic, or technical etc.… or whatever you subjectively seek out in an earphone. These differences can be so minimal to us in the Audio hobby. At the end of the day this is all about enjoyment, and I think these two earphones offer slightly different attributes, and both are equally adept at providing one heckuva playback of my library. As for myself I lean towards the more fun and resolute sound of the Kima but without question I love the Aria and that smooth & non-fatiguing delivery often.

​

BQEYZ Topaz ($89)​

BQEYZ recently released the Topaz (my Topaz review) (Mahir’s Topaz review) to some pretty solid acclaim. This seems to be the norm for this company which also seems to not make many mistakes. BQEYZ takes their time and brings to fruition a finished product. The Topaz is no different. Choosing to go with a 13mm LCP Dynamic Driver paired with a nine-layer Piezoelectric Driver proved to be a winning combo. I chose the Topaz because of the starker contrast in sound and because the price isn’t too far off. Hopefully it’ll help someone understand the Kima a bit better…or not.
Low-end

Starting off with the bass and listening to “Euthanasia” by Post Malone it is quite clear that the amount of low-end has a more full and resonant profusion to the song at the outset when listening with the Topaz. The Kima is tighter and a bit leaner but also the Kima’s bass has a sharper edge with an altogether airier sound. The Topaz’s sub-bass is deeper with more intense haptic energy. The Kima doesn’t have as much in quantity and presence as the speed of the driver and quicker transient behavior likely equates to a less intense reverberation. The same goes for the mid-bass as the Topaz simply has a more slamming rumble to the faster and more agile Kima.

Midrange​

The midrange is great on both of these sets for different reasons in my mind. The Topaz has this buttery smooth and warm sound which is weighty in male vocals. The Topaz’s low-end bleeds over into the low-mids and adds this nice and warm energy. The Kima on the other hand have better clearness and acute definition presenting a more resolute and clean sound to the thicker and lush sound of the Topaz. Female vocals of the Kima have more glimmer, air, and space for a more technical playback while not losing body. The Topaz replays a softer, fuller, less fatigue inducing sound while still maintaining decent resolution. This is a preference decision between these two for sure.

Highs​

The treble region is airier on the Kima and more extended with better representation of the high-highs. The Topaz simply has less energy than the Kima. Details are not the Topaz’s strong suit as I have an easier time picking out the subtleties in the Kima’s treble area. The Topaz has a less fatiguing and smoother sound with warmer and softer note definition to the airier, more firm sound of the Kima.

Technical differences​

Technicalities are better on the Kima, but there is something soothing in the Topaz’s delivery. To the point that I don’t really care about missing out on the lingering vibration of a guitar pluck or the trailing chisk of a cymbal strike. These are different flavors in earphones. I love that the Kima have this more refreshing and airy quality that aids the music in my library. The Kima is more balanced as a whole and lively with a more technically adept sound. Yet when I want that emotionally smooth and dialed back sound of the Topaz I am glad that I have it in my collection.

Preference Battle​

I don’t know if this was a good comparison or not. I was hoping to show some contrast to better define what the Kima sounds like and to give the Topaz another look. Truthfully, I just have fun comparing audio gear to my favorite test tracks. Again, this is a preference battle. I don’t consider one better than the other. The Topaz is less expensive and easier for long-term listening, it is smoother with a bigger and more atmospheric bass section. The Kima does vocals better with an airier sound, a tighter sound with quicker transient behavior and better technicalities across the board.

Conclusion​

To wrap up this review, I want to first ask that anyone reading this, take in other accounts from other reviewers and try to listen to other perspectives. I say this in every review that I take the time to write. We are all different, plain and simple. I promise that not everyone will have the same take as me. We all have different gear, different preferences, different hearing abilities and not everyone has been down the same audio journey. Some people fine dine with the ultra-expensive stuff, and some play around in the budget pool. This certainly affects the way some people review audio gear. So please do not simply rely on me but make a collective effort to gain good understanding of what a set sounds like before purchasing.

Does it set itself apart?​

The Dunu Kima finds itself within a loaded price bracket that is quite literally flooded with fantastic iems. The question is if the Kima sets itself apart within its grouping? To me, the answer is…kind of. The Kima doesn’t do anything which really sets itself apart per say and doesn’t have any class-leading attributes in my humble opinion. What the Kima does well is a little bit of everything. Almost an all-rounder type. I do think that vocals are very well done and there is a very nice energy throughout the spectrum which, for me, never gets fatiguing or offensive. When I look at the Kima with a wide lens, I cannot help but really enjoy the entire presentation.

Is the Kima worth the asking price?​

This leads me to the question that I always ask myself when listening to audio gear. Is the Kima worth the asking price? To answer I have to say yes. But it isn’t that simple. I think what the Kima are is a $80 earphone with $30 packaging and accessories. That being said, this is the case for many earphones in the price point and few give better accessories and unboxing experiences quite like Dunu does. Nevertheless, the Kima are worth what Dunu is asking in my book and those who purchase at full price are receiving a very well done iem that will certainly be loved by many. I’m a fan.

Thank You!​

I want to thank you all for reading my review of the Kima. I thoroughly enjoy writing exactly what I think and hear and figuring out the best way to explain myself. It is rewarding trying to get better at it. There are some absolutely fantastic reviewers which I very much respect with more understanding and years under their belt. I don’t confuse myself as some audiophile expert, but a fan of music and the gear which replays that music. It is actually very therapeutic to go through this process. I realize nobody asked for that last part but…oh well, that’s me and that’s what you get when you read a review written by me. Please take good care and stay safe everyone.

DUNU has been quite active in recent time with all their new releases. The recent journey began with the very-first planar hybrid from the brand namely Talos, a brilliant set at an attractive price tag. Following the success of Talos, DUNU in collaboration with Z Reviews released the SA6 Ultra. A limited edition run of the classic SA6. I got a chance to audition for both of these and absolutely adored both the SA6 Ultra and the Talos. Today, I am writing a review for the third recent release from the brand. This time I have got a budget Single DD pair called the DUNU Kima. In my native language, Kima(or I can say Keema) refers to a very delicious non-vegetarian dish. Do I like the DUNU Kima as much as I like Chicken Keema?? Let’s find out today with this impression post of mine.

Launched officially for about 109.99$, the DUNU Kima houses a single dynamic driver configuration and beautiful metallic ear shells with a geometric design. I received the DUNU Kima from Hifigo as a part of a review tour in my country. But that doesn’t affect my judgment of the pair by any means. I can assure all the thoughts and impressions in this blog are completely my own based on my own experience with the pair. You can check out the technical details of DUNU Kima on the HiFiGo website from the link below(Non-Affiliated).

https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-kima-iems

Design & Build Quality:-

I have always loved how beautifully DUNU craft their in-ear monitors. Believe it or not, the very first serious IEM that I bought from my very first salary was from DUNU. It was the DK-3001 Pro and man I loved it. Even though I don’t prefer bullet-shaped IEMs much, I absolutely adored the DK-3001 Pro. But DUNU has come a long way since those days in terms of design and form factor. SA6 Ultra and Talos were some really good examples of that. Coming to the Kima at my hands here, Kima is a very well-built product. I mean there are only a few IEMs around its price point that have such a spectacular build. The pair has got matte-finished aluminum alloy ear shells. We have “Kima” printed on the right side face cover and “Criz Faction” printed on the left side face cover. I have spent some time on the Internet searching for what the Criz Faction means here, but couldn’t find anything anywhere.

The shells have a smooth finish and a 3D-styled geometric pattern to them. They have two air vents, one close to the ear nozzle and the other close to the 2-pin connectors on the inner side of the shells. I am pretty impressed with its solid build and rich matte finish. Personally, I find Matte-finished IEMs better looking than glossy chrome-finished ones. The included cable is a standard 2-pin cable with a 3.5mm termination. It’s decent and soft. There’s no option to choose any other termination, but with 2-pin connectors, they are easy to replace.

Driving the DUNU Kima:-

Kima is a fairly easy-to-drive pair of in-ear monitors. The set has got a low impedance of 32Ω combined with a decently high sensitivity of 108dB. It can be powered straight with smartphones or any other regular source. Obviously, with a better source, we can get better output. For this review, I have done critical listening with a range of different devices including MacBook Pro M1(standard 3.5mm output), HiBy RS2, Tempotec V6, Shanling M7, and Astell&Kern SE200. The pair synergizes well with most of these sources, the best being with RS2, and other DAP in my collection.

Sound Quality:-

DUNU Kima packs a wonderful sound performance with its stunning design. The pair delivers a neutral-ish sound with slightly boosted treble details. Please don’t get me wrong here, the pair is not overly boosted or harsh or fatiguing or sibilant by any means, it’s quite smooth to listen to and presents a good amount of details for the price. The overall output is quite clean and precise. It feels accurate and precise in its presentation. The vocals and instruments are nicely detailed and presented in a crisp manner. DUNU Kima brings a quick and punchy lower end. It isn’t slamming or hefty, but it is accurate and punchy. Sub-bass sounds more focused than mid-bass. The overall bass presentation is well-refined and complements the other frequencies. I won’t call it a bass-heavy set with a lot of punch and slam, but I would tag it with words such as quick, precise, and accurate bass. It focuses more on quality than quantity.

Then we come to the Midrange, It feels natural and lively, especially for vocals. I am a craver of vocals, and the Kima delivers amazing clarity to them. They are placed nicely, neither too far nor too into the face for me. Although at loud volumes, I find Vocals to get a little leaner but overall a very good experience for day-to-day usage. Upper mids are a little forward, not sharp kinda forward, or into the face kinda forward, but they have a nice forwarded presentation to them.

Treble region is smooth and inoffensive, and a little energetic. It extends well in high-frequencies. I liked the crisp presentation of instruments with the Kima. Instruments such as Pianos, Acoustic Guitars, and Drums, have a pretty crisp presentation throughout the frequency band. Kima excels in its soundstage department too. It has good width and height, with a little average presentation on stage depth. DUNU Kima retrieves good details from music, even for fast tracks such as Dark Necessities by RHCP, the pair keeps up the pace and delivers quality sound.

Some Things That I think can be Improved:-

While I loved the DUNU Kima, there are a few nitpicks I have done on the pair. Believe me, I am mighty impressed by its performance but some things that could take improvement. Hear my list of suggestions.

>Bass could use more punch in the mid-bass region. It’s decently slamming, I would prefer a little more heft.

>While Vocals have good body and definition, I would again prefer a little more heft to them.

>Stage depth could be a little better.

DUNU Kima Vs Moondrop Aria:-

Aria has been a default recommendation around the 100$ price point. How well does the DUNU Kima fare against it? Let’s find out.

>Kima has got a better tonality than the Aria. Aria feels a little drier in comparison.

>Moondrop Aria has a little extra punch to the lower end, a little extra.

>DUNU Kima extends better on both sides of the frequency band.

>Kima retrieves more details in my opinion.

>DUNU Kima sounds more neutral and natural in its presentation.

I know there’s a new Moondrop Aria edition as well, but I have experience with the OG Aria 2021 only so compared the Kima against that only.

Final Words:-

DUNU Kima in my opinion packs an impressive sound with a solid build and a rich matte finish. I personally appreciate how beautifully DUNU has tuned the set for a neutral-ish presentation. It has become my daily set for regular usages like Gym or Jogging, The best part is it doesn’t require a lot of gear or gadgets to sound its best, even with a smartphone or laptop, it sounds fairly well. Well, that’s about the DUNU Kima from my side. I hope you guys liked my writeup, and leave me a like on the post

General Info/Build//Comfort
Dunu is a company that prioritises quality over quantity, which can be seen in their products. They take quality seriously and often can be seen in their products. The Kima is no exception, the build quality, the bundled accessories, and also the packaging.
*The set that i have received is without the retail packaging due to it being a sample set, hence i can’t really comment much on the box packaging.

Kima’s build quality is solid, the housing is made out of stainless steel and in matte grey colour, which I personally quite like due to its simplicity and non fingerprint magnet. There is also the Kima wording which is printed on the right side and Criz Faction on the left side (i have no idea what Criz Faction means to be honest).

Gears used for this review

• Topping DX1 + iFi Zen Air Can
• Hidizs XO Dongle
• Aune M2, Cayin N5
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far



Sound Impression
To my ears, Kima sounds quite neutral with a slight mid bass boost. Do take into consideration that my perception of neutrality might be different from how others perceive neutral, hence my review is subjective and I describe what i hear with my gears.
Kima is slightly warm and quite balanced across the spectrum. Listening is done using stock eartips (Dunu’s new SS eartips) and also stock cable.
Let’s take a look at the break down across the frequency range:

Bass

• Kima’s presentation on the lower spectrum is definitely not basshead’s preference, however, it does exhibit a quality presentation in terms of control, speed, and also note weight. Quantity is also just right to my ears
• Speed is good and it is able to handle Slipknot’s track very well, doesn’t sound muddy nor bloated in People = crap and also Duality
• The sub bass does rumble when the track calls for it, lacking a little extension, but to me it is sufficient to enjoy EDM (of course your mileage might differ due to your preference and perception on bass)
• The bass has good note weight to it and also good texture, it doesn’t sound loose or veil, good quality bass in my opinion

Mids

• I find that Kima’s midrange is the star of the show, it is clean and lush sounding, forward sounding, vocal and the instruments are well separated and doesn’t overlap each other
• Vocal positioning is forward but not the kind where it’s in your face
• Both male and female has got good texture and warmth to it, never once they sounded thin, i really like how it is done
• The bass doesn’t bleed into the mids and they’re very well separated
• The pinna gain starts at around 2k and peaked at around 2.5/3k, it gives female vocal a little bit of extra boost, but it never sounded harsh and remained in the safe “zone”

Treble

• Kima’s treble is smooth and pleasant to listen to, never harsh nor sibilant
• It is detailed enough but not being overly analytical
• Good amount of air and also presence, but overall it is more on the safer side
• Nothing much to complain about the treble as it is not overly energetic nor dark

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is rather average, not intimate nor too out of your head, more like 2D-ish to my ears (eartips can also affect the soundstage in a way)
• Imaging is rather good for the price point, but not spectacular, instruments can be pinpointed easily even on busy tracks

Driveability

• Kima is very easy to drive, even straight out of my Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm jack, i am able to get decent volume out of it, and good dynamics from it
• Kima however does scale with better source of course, plugging it into Aune M2 DAP with Class A amplification, the sound just kinda open up and i get slightly bigger soundstage out of it, and also better control on the bass as well as a slight energy boost on the treble
• Amplification is not necessary as i don’t hear much difference amped vs un-amped, a good source will be sufficient for Kima

Final Thoughts
Overall Kima is a very solid product in my opinion, however it doesn’t really stand out among the competition, that doesn’t mean Kima is not good, in fact there isn’t much fault that i can find with it, it’s just that it has to do more in order to pull itself ahead from the competition. With that being said, I will still recommend this set to anyone who is on the lookout for a musical sounding IEM, and costing around 100$ at the time of writing, as for anyone who is looking for a very technical set, Kima is not for you, you may consider the SA6 if you have the budget for it

*This set is sent over by @DUNU-Topsound F.O.C in exchange for this review, I thank them for the opportunity. All thoughts are of my own and I am not under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review.

If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to Dunu’s official store to get one, it is currently on a discounted price at 100$ instead of 110$

Dunu Kima’s Product Page
Dunu Kima’s Purchase link

Tonality: 5.6/9
Technicalities: 6/9
Preference: 6/9
Overall: 5.8/9 (B-)
(star rating is for the price to performance)


(total 5 mins read)
Intro
Recently I’ve been impressed with Vulkan & Talos, especially the latter for its overall sonic performance plus value versus the rest of the market. I have had nothing more than a relatively high expectation for every Dunu product ever since. Although I haven’t had the chance to listen to Dunu’s TOTL stuff like Zen, in my opinion, Dunu is one of the most flavorful Chifi producers who don’t really follow the trend but rather set their own standard, especially in terms of tuning & product presentation.

Kima is their latest budget offering at a $100 price point which seems somewhat familiar at a glance, yet it feels different than other IEMs in person. It sports a single 10mm dual-chambered dynamic driver with a diamond-like carbon diaphragm inside a solid-yet-smoothed metal shell that ends with a brass nozzle. When it comes to build quality, Dunu is simply among the best even if it comes from their budget series. Not to mention their exceptional attention to accessories, they are just well-built and well-thought inside and outside except for the carrying case which I find a bit mismatched just like the one that comes with Talos. Another thing is the introduction of the (first?) waifu that I can’t quite fathom because this is not the Dunu that I’ve known. However, mind you, that’s just me. So, let’s move on.



Dunu Kima vs Dunu Titan S measurement comparison graph courtesy of IEF


Signature
The sound signature of Kima can be described as Harman-neutral although it’s not actually hitting the Harman target, it should be derived from it. In subjective listening, it leans towards neutral with a mid-bass boost and a slightly depressed lower midrange. Some may say that it’s a mild V-shaped but as we all know, neutrality is very subjective that’s totally depends on one’s HRTF.





Tonality
The tonality of Kima is what I’d call “warm-balanced” and perhaps “warm-neutral”. There's nothing really lacking as the music sounds correct throughout the whole playlist or whatever I throw at it. The bass sounds “natural” enough with a slight boost in the mid-bass relative to other frequencies. There's ample rumble that can be felt in the sub-bass although it rolls off pretty quickly and the mid-bass has enough kick and punch although it’s lacking in authority when compared to the lean bass of Etymotic ER2SE yet it maintains a good degree of musicality. That means the overall bass possesses adequate tactility while boasting natural decay. As a neutral lover, I can say the low region of Kima is pretty neat and satisfactory for what it is.

The midrange is perhaps the main attraction of Kima from my perspective. It's transparent & clean, forward with clarity, crisp with nice bite & attack, I simply couldn’t find anything wrong with it. At an average loudness, it's truly neutral and natural to my ears and in my opinion, the midrange of Kima is its best trait of quality complete with a tasty timbre that is quite addicting at times. The treble is also done right without any detrimental effects. Not too much and not too little, a bit on the safe side tuning-wise if I may, with an adequate hint of sparkle & shimmer. It’s either crisp or smooth truly depending on which ear tip one’s using but it never gets sibilant or shouty (none of the stock tips work for me though). There's enough air but not as airy as most recent hybrids, yet it’s very coherent and natural sounding.

In general, the tonality of Kima is pretty balanced and clean even though not up to the level of ER2’s clarity. Still, I think it’s well-tuned, tonally matured, and pleasant to listen to.





Technicalities +
In terms of detail retrieval, Kima comes off as average for a dynamic driver in the grand scheme of things. But for the asking price, I find it very serviceable and up to a good level of visual satisfaction. Compared to its older brother the Titan S, I find Kima comes off as slightly less resolving and smoother on the notes. Imaging is very average with a somewhat intimate presentation that’s quite 2-dimensional.

Nothing so impressive in the imaging department especially if you’re coming from a more expensive set, yet it still does justice to instrument localization & placement together with average sound staging in height and width (the proprietary ear tip somehow makes the spatial image even worst although the timbre gets marginally better). Macro & micro dynamics are also not as interesting or lively or rather “realistic”, but I think it’s doing fine for overall dynamics, especially in micro decibel shift. It gives everything you could expect from a $100 single dynamic driver IEM from the technical performance perspective.

Overall, Kima is quite competent in the intangibles, but I’d still prefer the Titan S for being slightly more resolving and more neutral in tonality. But that totally depends on what one’s after. If you prefer a more pleasant, warmer, and “musical” playback, Kima might be the answer for the budget, or you might want to look at Titan S otherwise (if it’s still available).


Dunu Kima vs Etymotic ER2XR measurement comparison graph courtesy of IEF


Valuation
Just like many other Harman-inspired single dynamic drivers in the market, Kima’s participation perhaps just adds to the quantity rather than quality for the money, because to be honest, that’s what Kima is. It’s an average yet pleasant-sounding single dynamic driver IEM. Maybe a little different flavor in the crispness of treble timbre that you can savor from time to time as I did, however, just to give you an idea, there are Tripowin Olina, Dunu Titan S, & the mighty brothers of Etymotic ER2 series out there sitting on the top of the $100 realm.

Unlike its unconventional older brother, the Titan S, I find there’s nothing so exceptional or unique about Kima sonically or physically, but it can work handsomely when you hit the right song. As I said previously, it totally depends on your preference and your budget. I’m going to recommend Dunu Kima for its warm and musical character without skimming too far from accurate music reproduction, or if you’re looking for a daily beater, or you’re simply new to the hobby. Apart from that, I’ll always recommend the Etymotic ER2 series for accurate reproduction, as also a reference for tonality & technicalities especially for the $100 price point*. Thank you for reading and enjoy music.

*Etymotic ER2 price varies from different vendors



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**this unit is sent by HiFiGo in exchange for an honest review and I thank my buddy @OspreyAndy for the unit. all words are 100% mine and I'm not compensated or influenced by any party.



Purchase Dunu Kima here: (non-affiliated links)
Amazon
HiFiGo




hey look at how dedicated I am with my playlist of a variety of test music & enjoyment ratings below

tools:
Tidal / Apple Music via LG G7 / Macbook Pro with/without Ovidius B1 / Hidizs S9 Pro / Cayin RU6
Tidal / Foobar2000 (FLAC) via Topping EX5 with/without Aune X7s

key songs & ratings: (technical & pure enjoyment without comparison)
Será Una Noche – Taquito Militar (Tango) 3/5
Eddie Daniels – Baião Malandro (Jazz Fusion / Classical Crossover) 3/5
Patricia Petibon - Mozart: Der Zauberflöte – Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen (Classical [Aria]) 4/5

Yellowjackets – Summer Song (Jazz Fusion) 3/5
Lewis Porter-Phil Scarff Group – Journey (Jazz) 3/5
Dave Brubeck – Blue Rondo à la Turk (Cool Jazz) 3/5

Sinne Eeg – We've Just Begun (Jazz) 3/5
Lady Blackbird – Ruler of my Heart (Vocal Jazz / Soul Jazz) 3/5
Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - A Lovely Night (Jazz Pop / Film Score) 4/5

Minnie Riperton – Lovin' You (Smooth Soul) 4/5
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye – The Things I Will Not Miss (Pop Soul) 3/5
Nina Simone – Baltimore (Pop Soul / Reggae) 4/5

Muddy Waters – My Home Is in The Delta (Delta Blues) 3/5
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – Tin Pan Alley (Blues Rock) 4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand (Alternative Rock / Punk Blues) 3/5

toe - 孤独の発明 (Math Rock) 3/5
Don Caballero - Don Caballero 3 (Math Rock) 3/5
Tera Melos - 40 Rods to the Hog's Head (Math Rock / Avant-Prog) 3/5

Scott Walker – Corps De Blah (Experimental / Post-Industrial) 4/5
Swans – Lunacy (Experimental Rock / Post-Rock) 3/5
Zu - Carbon (Avant-Garde Metal / Avant-Garde Jazz) 3/5

My Disco – A Christ Pendant Comfort Her Neck (Noise Rock / Post-Hardcore) 4/5
Arab On Radar - God is Dad (No Wave / Noise Rock) 4/5
Shellac - Crow (Post-Hardcore / Noise Rock) 3/5

Mastodon – Divinations (Progressive Metal / Sludge Metal) 3/5
Fear Before the March of Flames – High as a Horse (Post-Hardcore / Metalcore) 3/5
Botch - Japam (Matchcore / Post-Hardcore) 4/5

Slowdive - Star Roving (Shoegaze / Dream Pop) 3/5
The Shins - Simple Song (Indie Pop / Psychedelic Pop) 4/5
ANOHNI - Drone Bomb Me (Art Pop / Elctropop) 3/5

Radiohead - Idioteque (Art Rock / Experimental Rock / Electronic) 3/5
TheFatRat - Warbringer feat. Lindsey Stirling (Electropop) 3/5
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (Trip Hop / UK Hip Hop) 3/5

Justin Bieber - Holy feat. Chance the Rapper (Contemporary R&B / Dance-Pop) 4/5
Lizzo - About Damn Time (Contemporary R&B / Dance-Pop) 4/5
Kylie Minogue - Real Groove (Dance-Pop / Nu-Disco) 5/5

Click to expand...

A few weeks ago, DUNU came up with a Budget Single DD in-ear monitors called Kima. Kima came with a new 10mm DLC(Diamond Like Carbon) driver with High-Density Alloy Shells. I got to try the DUNU Kima courtesy of a review tour, Let’s begin with my review.

Before I begin, I'd like to thank @gadgetgod and HiFiGo for conducting the review tour of DUNU Kima. Be assured all the impressions in this review are my own without any influence from my friend @gadgetgod or from the organizer HiFiGo. The only thing that affects my judgment is my own personal listening preferences, I personally like good sub-bass with a thick midrange and sparkly, energetic highs. You can check more details on the HiFiGo link below.

Purchase Link
https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-kima-iems (Hifigo)


Design: -
Kima gets a beautiful matte-finished shell with a matte Silver textured design with Shiny Gold colored Nozzle. On the outside you get 3D design with Kima written on it. The shape and form factor of Kima's ear shells is quite comfortable in my ears. I find a good fit with the provided wide bore eartips with good isolation. DUNU has included their new S&S silicone ear tips with the Kima. These have a straight cylindrical shape. At first, I was skeptical that they will give me a good fit and isolation, but to my surprise, they fit quite well.

The included cable is a 4-core Silver plated copper with standard 0.78mm 2-pin connectors and fixed 3.5mm termination. This is kind of disappointing because most DUNU IEMs I have seen so far include a modular cable system.


Sound Quality: -
I primarily used my Xduoo Link2bal to Drive them. It drives the Kima more than enough without much trouble. To start with, I find the Kima to be pretty balanced, and detailed sounding with a tight lower end and Smooth Sound signature. Kima packs a good amount of Bass punch with smooth Female vocals. The Bass extends well into the sub-bass region as well. Treble response is Crisp and Clear. Instruments are decently separated, and the stage is decently wide. The sound these produce is pretty comforting for long listening sessions.


DUNU Kima vs Tripowin Olina:-
A few months back I got a chance to experience the Tripowin Olina and in my experience, the Kima delivers a much more powerful and impactful low-end along with an overall smoother-sounding signature.

Olina packs a more resolving and detailed midrange and treble region. Vocals have a better body and sound richer on the Olina, Male vocals have stronger body on the Kima but female vocals sound better on the Olina. Over Olina has better Clarity, Resolution, much better imaging, and an overall tighter and faster sound.

If you like a Smoother sound signature with a good Bass punch and an overall fatigue-free experience you can go with Kima but if you want a more resolving pair then go with Olina.

Conclusion:-
Being DUNU’s Second attempt in this competitive $100 budget territory Kima has improved a lot over the Titan S and offer an overall wonderful-sounding IEM. The pair as I mentioned above impresses me with its Bass and smooth sound signature.

Introduction:
Dunu Kima - an interesting name, a very welcome configuration, quite an extensive package, and a pretty lucrative price tag. No wonder it was winning hearts from the very moment it was introduced, and it certainly had my rapt attention. Kima in India means minced meat, just like in other places also as I understood from various facebook comments. I do not know the reason behind the name, nor the slogan Criz Faction, but those are just aesthetics and I am never much worried about them. A friend here, @gadgetgod, got the Kima for a review tour, and I willingly became a part of it for the chance to listen to it.



Specification:

• Impedance: 32Ω.
• Sensitivity: 108dB.
• THD+N: <0.3%.
• Cable: 4-core, Silver-Plated Single-Crystal Copper.
• Connectors: 0.78mm 2-pin.
• Termination: 3.5mm TRS Single-Ended.
• Weight: 15grams.

Disclaimer: I was provided this unit from Hifigo as a part of review tour. The impressions recorded below are solely mine and in no way affected by any outside influence. You can buy it from here: https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-kima-iems

Packaging and Accessories:
I did not receive the whole package, just the orange carrying case inside which all the accessories and the IEM were packed. The carrying case is as always beautiful and I so very want to get one from Dunu, but cannot due to the already multiple cases that I have.



There are three different sets of eartips, but I only ever used the S&S one. The others seemed a bit too narrow bore, and considering the sound profile I was not inclined to use narrow bore tips.

The silver plated single crystal copper looked mesmerising to say the least. On top of that, it was soft and supple - one of the most important characteristics I look for in cables.



Build and Fit:
The Kima is built solid. The aluminium body is small, has a fair amount of weight, and feels quite sturdy. The matte finish is quite beautiful, although I cannot say I liked the geometric contours a lot - felt rather odd and incoherent.
Because of the small form factor, it fit inside my ears pretty snugly. Never could I feel the weight, nor did it ever popped off from my ears due to the weight.



Source:
Hiby FC4
Hiby R3 Pro Saber
Shanling M7

Sound:
Kima is a very…safe sounding IEM in my opinion, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Despite having a safe tuning, Dunu has managed to include enough elements of excitement to keep the listener entertained. The sound profile is very balanced, with perhaps the most emphasis given in the midrange. Tonality is neutral with a hint of warmth.



Bass of Kima is rather reserved in my opinion, which reflects in the graphs as well. The midbass notes have a controlled body, and an above average amount of weight. The midbass does not slam particularly hard, but does not feel weak either - somewhere in the middle it dwells. Textures are clearly produced though, both here and in the Subbass region. Even though the subbass notes do not have that physical presence or rumbling depth, they do not sound hollow. Sure, the notes could do with a bit more body, but the density of notes is just enough not to sound dissatisfactory. Decay is fairly fast so as not to clutter the stage.
When it comes to the bass drums of Bear McCreary-Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST: Prelude To War, the fast subbass fails to portray the atmospheric reverberations they produce. However, in Deep Purple - Chasing Shadows and Eluveitie - Inis Mona, the bass guitar notes are very distinctly produced with quite a nice texture, and never do they feel lost beside the kickdrums. The double pedal of Metallica - The Four Horsemen is fairly distinctly present in the mix also, although could have done with a bit more meat.



Midrange is where Kima really shines. It really pops out from the whole spectrum - which truly produced a spark of pure joy the first time I noticed it. The hint of warmth really makes the overall tonality a pleasing one. The notes are really something here - they are very well defined, have just the right amount of body not to sound thin, the textures are effortlessly reproduced - overall they have a very distinct presence in the spectrum. The midrange sounds very nicely crunchy and have a fair amount of crispness, without giving rise to any kind of peaks. Lower mids do sport enough fullness that male vocals and string instruments start with a nice body, whereas upper mids have just enough energy coupled with a bit of smoothness to sound emotional but not uncomfortable. Thanks to the pronounced textures, the microdetails really stand out and amazes the listener.
The microdetails came into the highlight right from playing the Bear McCreary-Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST: Prelude To War. The subtle details of the snare drum were pushed forward so beautifully, while maintaining an ample amount of body to sound natural and not thin - really caught me off guard. And since then I could identify this trait in every string instrument being played also. Male vocals like Leonard Cohen sounds really sweet, although the body at the lower register might not wow so much as the upper register. Female vocals are full of emotions, energetic, slightly on the smoother side and yet not sounding tonally off at the same time.



Treble of Kima has its ups and downs. The lower treble carried forward the good parts of the midrange - crisp, textured, energetic, nice body, right tonality, and distinct presence. The cymbal hits truly sound sublime in the mix. On the other hand, the energy in the upper treble is slightly toned down in order to, I presume, control the degree of brightness. It’s not rolled off, but it just does not command the same amount of body and the presence as the lower treble. The air seems slightly compromised as well hence. The trailing edges of the treble instruments do not pop out that well - which might or might not be a big deal, depending on the listener. Personally, I felt the trade-off can be accepted in favour of the whole complete package.
In RHCP - Dani California, the forward cymbal hits were very clearly produced and was hard not to notice, however, the background cymbal rolls were slightly subdued in comparison, but that did not detriment the complete presentation as a whole.



As I already focused multiple times, Kima is fairly competitive in the Technicalities section. The details, the bodies, the presence - nothing seems to have been compromised within the larger part of the spectrum. The separation between the notes are outstanding with clear distinction between them - nothing feels overshadowing the other. The presentation is rather intimate though - and that can be the only point of slight dissatisfaction, depending upon the listener. It’s not that the perception of depth is missing - it is very much there with a clean layering as well. The stage width is also respectable. It’s just that the height seems to be a bit less and the space between individual notes seems a bit less than what I would have expected - but really not a deal breaker, not at all. Imaging is not a bit fuzzy, may be not spreaded over a wide space, but not fuzzy at all.

Comparison:
Vs. Hiby Hela($89, Review Pending) - Right from the beginning, the very first difference that pops up is that Hela has a much deeper and more voluminous bass, albeit with slightly less resolution. That’s right, the very next aspect that struck me was that Kima had the upper hand in the individual note details and definition - the notes were slightly better constructed to give a slightly more real feel, and textures were slightly more pronounced. However, where Hela had the upper hand was treble extension, and, most importantly, the stage. Kima has a slightly more pushed forward midrange presentation, while Hela has its mids slightly pulled backward. However, that could not be the sole reason for the huge soundstage that Hela offered. There was another aspect - the notes of Hela felt to be very slightly leaner compared to Kima, but not anaemic in any way, and in fact I barely noticed it until I started A/B-ing them. So, anyway, the crux of the matter is that Hela had much more space between the notes, and hence had a perceivably bigger, airier, and more spacious presentation compared to Kima, which felt rather intimate. Both have their individual strengths and weaknesses, and I really cannot put one over the other.



Conclusion:
Just as I said in the caption, Kima is a Small, Simple, and Sweet offering from Dunu that I liked immensely. Point to be noted - liked, not loved. The reason being the Bass felt rather incomplete because of the slightly weak subbass depth and weight. The intimate stage is not a negative aspect in my opinion, especially given the outstanding separation and note definition it sports. However, I do prefer a rather meaty, and even not meaty, a rather complete lower end, and I felt Kima was missing it a bit. But nevertheless, it is what it is. And frankly, I was quite pleased at its upper end tuning, which I felt had more energy and air compared to Falcon Pro - which was rather reserved. Yeah, I like a bit bright treble as well, and hence I get biased when something does not have that. All in all, I can say that Dunu has pulled a pretty nice tuning with Kima, targetted for those seeking a comfortable, balanced, but not laid back presentation. Kima does all of them, and then some.

Foreword

1. At the point of this article, my Kima has undergone over 180 hours of runtime
2. I don't do measurements, I just describe what I hear, from my own POV
3. My preferred sound tuning, Diffused Field Neutral (Etymotic)
4. The entirety of my impressions was done with my own foam tips (S)
5. Ultimately, my reviews are purely subjective and biased to my personal preference in sound

The latest offering from DUNU, Single Dynamic Driver IEM. Touted by enthusiasts as the successor to DUNU Titan-S, Kima is expected to offer refinement as part of the evolution of single DD which still has strong fanbase despite the raging craze for Magnetic Planars and Hybrid IEMs this year.

The Build


DUNU Kima comes in all metal construction for the shells. Seemingly CNC machined out of aluminum with clean and simple matte silver finish. For the nozzle, Kima comes equipped with what looked to me like a pair of brass tubes - which I believe to be a part of sound tuning for the unit.

Accompanying the IEMs, Kima offers very beautifully crafted Silver Plated Copper cable which is slightly thick than normal. Despite the healthy size, the construction and braid configuration proved very practical for daily usage. It is resistant to abuse and kinks. Not forgetting how beautiful the braid configuration is, a true eye candy. Nothing less from DUNU. My unit comes stock with 3.5mm SE plug terminated with 2 Pins configuration. I am not sure if BAL 2.5 or 4.4mm is offered.


Kima offers three different variant of silicone/rubber tips. I must say that I wished DUNU could have opted to include some foam type of tips, as none of the three tips type were usable to me. I have always use foam tips due to better sonic resonances. Nonetheless, I would say that among the three, I find the grey "reversed" tips to be the ones that I could probably use if I wanted to. However due to my Kima sounding better with my own foam tips, I decided not to use any one of them eventually.

The rest of the package is a simple affair. An orange carrying case. The overall presentation of Kima is simple.

Ergonomically, Kima is a well designed IEM. Despite being made of metal, I find the weight to be quite acceptable. Wearing Kima proved to be a pleasant affair - I was able to keep it plugged into my ears for up to 4-5 hours non stop and my ears not feeling any fatigue or unsavory effects.

Equipment Used
- Xiaomi Mi 9T
- Sony Xperia 1 iV
- Windows 10 with Native USB Drivers
- USB Exclusive Mode with FLAC files
- CEntrance DACport HD
- Cayin RU6
- Ovidius B1
- 7Hz 71
- VE Abigail
- VE Megatron

Test Audio Playlist


Sound Impressions
DUNU Kima, I would regard generally as a very mild V tuned IEM. There's slight elevation of lower frequency and suppression of Midrange. With the upper frequency seemingly more neutral. Admirably, the entire frequency waveform sounded close to being neutral - something which I dearly appreciate. With all the recent trend of favoring Harman or heavily colored V/U sound curve, Kima offers a refreshing take on the more traditional sound, with modern tuning characteristics on technicalities.

Dynamic range of Kima is respectfully wide. With appreciation for a more balanced tuning that does not attempt to overdo anything out of the ordinary. In general I would say that Kima is borderline on being regarded as "safe tuning" type of IEM. Dynamic transients and presentation being highly polished, crisp and coherent. For a dynamic driver, Kima must be commended for keeping the vibrancy and euphony level sensible - well controlled and mature, yet still fun enough to not sounding bland. In fact there were times I was wondering if Kima is some sort of single Balanced Armature with the harmonics being pacey and agile.

Timbre and tonal balance of Kima definitely is closer to being neutral and natural. Not quite neutral in the overall scheme of things due to heightened boosting of lower frequency, but the timbre is assuredly classic dynamic driver sort of sound with near organic tonal balance. Combined with properly dense dynamic range, Kima offer good overall richness in body mass of sound output. If I am to compare Kima with the predecessor Titan-S, I would say that Titan-S will now appear leaner and flatter (but closer to DF Neutral target).

Midrange of Kima can be best described as highly transparent and uncolored. The placement and staging of Mids actually sounded just about right to my ears. The forwardness being ample to avoid any sense of being recessed. It is faithful enough to the original mastering/mixing of songs depending on how they are rendered. For example, when listening to Jazz, Folk or Ballad, Mids of Kima felt properly rich and pronounced. With some genres that typically employ Mids suppression, like Rock/Metal - then I can feel that it is a bit stepped back.

As noted earlier, Kima Mids being transparent and neutral. Instruments especially the for stringed and percussions offer good transparent rendering of tone and timbre. Attack and decay being on the faster side of things, but still natural and organic. There's never a moment that I can sense any sluggishness or undue coloration to the overall output of Kima Mids. Reminds me a lot to the sort of Mids as heard from Etymotic ER2XR.

However I must note, for certain stringed instruments like electric guitars - especially those that are recorded in E minor or D major (as would be normally found in Rock/Metal), I can hear the upper Mids being a bit strong and borderline edgy. The good thing is, it never ended being sibilant or granular sounding. It is just bold and crisp - the attack being very energetic yet never overly euphonic. This is especially evident if the loudness level is cranked higher. Mitigation to avoid the output being overly edgy would be to tune down the loudness to sensible listening levels.

Vocals wise, again it is aligned with what I said earlier pertaining to Mids in general - they are neutral and natural. I tested them with all 5 vocals type, from the peaky Soprano-Alto of Alison Krauss and Mariah Carey to the lower octave of Diana Krall contralto. Kima exhibited good discipline to present them all transparently and faithfully to the intended timbre and tonal balance. I did not detect any attempt to add warmth or any element of dryness - the vocals just sounded correct - be it male or female.

On the upper frequencies, Kima offers crisp, clean and amply detailed Treble presentation. However I wish that Kima would exhibit a bit more of air with Treble transients. The level of sparkle and shimmer is well controlled, the energy being mature. Attack and decays favoring more on crispness over smoothness - but this does not mean that the output being grainy, not at all. Nonetheless, for some listener Kima would probably be regarded as slightly bright sounding unit, a very sensibly tuned neutral bright IEM if that makes any sense. Treble are well balanced between Macro and Micro details - the imaging and resolution always succinct and audible. Again, drawing comparison the the predecessor Titan-S, I would say that the overall theme of Kima Treble is more refined, more polished. It has ample smoothness and organic temperament to avoid sounding digital or dry. All these being evident when I observe of how Hi-Hats, cymbals and snare drums being presented. The attack and decays being realistic - just slightly lacking with air and smoothness (due to favoring of crispness).

Switching to lower frequencies - one thing for sure, Kima is not a Basshead IEM, nor it is suitable for fans Harman type of tuning. In general Bass is close to being neutral - with the overall tonal balance being highly organic. For a start, there's great balance and harmony between Midbass and Subbass. Kima exhibited mature Midbass presence that impart pacey, tidy and disciplined performance of overall Bass characteristics. Impact and slam being amply strong as would be expected of a properly tuned dynamic driver setup. There's no hint of Midbass being intrusive to lower Mids or Subbass. On the lower end of the frequency, Kima Subbass is well presented with subtle nuances. The decays are realistic and clean edged, the promptness can be regarded as slightly rolled-off if compared to more Bassy units. However I must say that the texture and depth does sound a bit flatter - not a deal breaker though. This is the sort of flatness that can be observed as well with the likes of Etymotic ER series (which is a lot flatter). But one thing for sure, it is richer and denser than Titan-S.
Kima Bass is also highly versatile. Handles anything from stringed Bass Guitars to Cello, to percussion Bass or Electronic Drum machines. Be it the Jazzy groovy Bass of Sinne Eeg to thundering Bass of ZU, Kima does it all with great finesse.


Technicalities
DUNU Kima is a highly competent IEM when it comes to technicalities. The staging of sound being audibly spacious with width, depth and height. Imaging and resolution is crisp and clean, separation lines equally tidy and discernable.
For a single DD, Kima must be commended for being able to sound respectfully holographic with spatial projection and positioning. This is not an easy trait to achieve with single DDs. I have heard many single DDs being highly Left/Right oriented, but Kima is one of the few that capable of emulating good expanse of sound.

I have already mentioned a few times earlier, of how pacey and agile Kima is. This is attributed to the overall speed Kima is capable of. I daresay that Kima DD configuration is almost as speedy as well tuned Balanced Armatures. Kima ability to render complex passages is impressive. Thus making Kima highly favorable for busy tracks and composition. There will be zero chances of things sounding muddy or sluggish. It does not matter highly complex Jazz/Classical or outright speedy Rock/Metal, Kima handles them all admirably.

Scalability

Rated at 32 Ohm with 108 dB of sensitivity, Kima is pleasingly easy to drive. I am absolutely enjoying the output even directly driven from my 1 Vrms Sony Xperia 1 iV. The output being wholesome and rich. The same can be said for 7Hz 71 dongle, of which the difference being the timbre presentation.

Subjecting Kima to higher powered partners will exhibit variance of sound temperament rather than output quality. In short, it is more of flavoring or preferences rather than necessity to push for maximum possible gain.

In fact I would say that, keeping Kima paired with lower powered sources is perhaps more favorable - at least from my subjective perspective. 2 Vrms being the threshold of max power. Pairing Kima with either Cayin RU6 or Ovidius B1 notably something that I would regard as highly recommended. On the other hand, pushing it further to 4 Vrms and beyond, with the likes of CEntrance DACport HD or VE Megatron, I will need to be mindful of the volume levels, with Kima exhibiting some tendencies to sound a bit more euphonic the higher the power subjected to it. Nonetheless, I found that cranking the volume lower will mitigate the tendency for the output being overly spicy. And thus the final results will be satisfyingly enjoyable even for extended listening sessions.

Final Words
DUNU Kima is a great jack of all trade, master of none. Kima offers good balance of sound spectrum especially for those preferring a more neutral and natural IEM. While not exactly neutral flat, I find myself enjoying the mildly elevated lower frequencies despite my hardcore insistence of always favoring flatter output of Diffused Field Neutral units. A bit of vibrancy and fun is what this is all about ultimately, enjoying music - of which Kima quite capable of delivering in spades.

Kima is polished, crisp and clean sounding, with respectable technicalities to offer wholesome auditory indulgence. There are minor Cons but these are highly negligible. The Pros outweighs the Cons, making Kima easily likeable and usable - considering how versatile it is with many genre of music. Anything from Lo-Fi Black Metal to Classical to Surf to Jazz, Ballad or even Electronic music.

Last but not least, the ergonomics of Kima being great for daily regular use. Being able to wear Kima without any unsavory effects of fatigue is something I really like.

DUNU Kima will be available at:
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKGHCWWC/dunu+kima/
HiFiGo
https://hifigo.com/collections/new-arrival/products/dunu-kima-iems