Disclaimer: HanSound Kunpeng is a review sample from
MusicTeck in return for my honest review. You can get Kunpeng and other HanSound Offerings from MusicTeck
here.
About HanSound–Welcome Back, My Old Friend
HanSound has a long history of crafting aftermarket upgrade cables, dating back to 2012—around the same time as other well-known manufacturers like Effect Audio, PWAudio, and Toxic Cables. My first experience with HanSound was in 2018 when I purchased their flagship cable, Venom, from Music Sanctuary. Venom's bold and innovative design, combined with its neutral, detailed, and dynamic sound, left a lasting impression on me. Yet, for some reason, HanSound never received the attention it truly deserved.
Now, in 2025, HanSound introduced its latest flagship model, KunPeng.
MusicTeck makes it easier than ever to experience HanSound’s latest creation—bringing their craftsmanship to a wider audience with added convenience.
Unboxing & Packaging
KunPeng arrives in excellent packaging, thoughtfully designed to enhance the unboxing experience. Included in the set is an interchangeable connector kit—similar to Effect Audio’s ConX—along with a matching 4.4mm-to-4.4mm interconnect cable. The package also features a beautifully crafted leather case and, surprisingly, a pen (perhaps for handwritten reviews? Just kidding!)
Note: The demo unit includes a shorter interconnect cable, but thanks to Andrew, HanSound has upgraded the retail version to a 15cm-long IC for added convenience.
Hardware & Comfort
KunPeng’s plugs and Y-splitters are crafted from aluminum, featuring a sleek design that seamlessly blends elements of traditional Chinese art with cyberpunk aesthetics. The PVC sleeve is both durable and flexible, encasing dual shielding layers—which we’ll delve into in the next section.
During use, I didn’t experience any microphonics or discomfort. However, it’s worth noting that coaxial cables are generally stiffer than stranded ones, and KunPeng is no exception. Additionally, I found the stock ear hooks to be longer than those on most other cables I own. This became slightly inconvenient when sitting with my DAP placed on a table. If needed, the extra length can be carefully trimmed for a better fit.
Cable Composition & Technologies
KunPeng is crafted from a trio of premium conductors—pure silver, gold-silver alloy, and palladium-plated silver. Silver serves as the primary conductor, shaping the bass and treble response. It delivers the classic silver timbre, tightening the bass while providing a natural treble extension. The gold-silver alloy conductor enriches the midrange with a lush, smooth "golden touch," while the palladium-plated silver conductor enhances ultra-high frequencies and expands the soundstage.
HanSound’s engineering shines through in its use of a star-twisted structure for these three copper-free conductors. Compared to the more common twin-twisted or Hexi structures, the star-twisted design inherently offers higher capacitance, which complements silver-based cables by achieving a more balanced sound. Surrounding the core wiring is a dual-layer shielding system—comprising a graphene-braided mesh and a silver-plated copper metal shield—ensuring a dark, noise-free background.
On paper, KunPeng is an exceptionally well-designed high-end cable. Few options in the $2K range feature such a complex architecture and premium materials. Both in form and function, KunPeng competes with heavyweights like the Effect Audio Centurion and Beat Audio Orbit Saga. But how does it sound?
Technical Performance (Resolution & Details, Soundstage & Imaging, Background Darkness, Texture)
Note: In my reviews, I use the Beat Audio Orbit Saga as my technical reference for flagship/high-end cables and the Astral Acoustics Reference Silver for non-flagship cables. For IEMs, my usual reference is the Jewel, but for this review, I borrowed the Quill Satin from MusicTeck. While Satin isn’t as strictly “neutral-reference” as Jewel, its ultra-sensitive (to cables) nature allows it to reveal even the tiniest nuances of each cable.
KunPeng is a neutral and highly resolving cable. While it doesn’t have the hyper-detailed precision of the Orbit Saga, it presents details in a smooth and natural manner. The bass is fast and articulate, with no excessive decay. In the midrange, guitars and string instruments exhibit a polished, gentle texture without any metallic harshness. The mids lean slightly softer than what I hear in real life, whereas Orbit Saga delivers a nearly 1:1 reproduction in both texture and timbre. Similarly, the upper mids and lower treble maintain a delicate balance—detailed yet softened. KunPeng isn’t designed to push a hyper-realistic presentation but instead delivers a refined and relaxed sound.
Regarding soundstage, KunPeng leans more toward width rather than depth or height. Interestingly, despite being a silver-based alloy cable, its staging characteristics resemble those of a copper cable—wider and more expansive than the Orbit Saga. The ultra-wide soundstage helps dissipate excessive treble energy, contributing to a more natural upper-frequency response. However, I do wish KunPeng provided a bit more verticality and air in the staging. Satin, when paired with other cables, often showcases a beautiful, open treble extension, yet with KunPeng, it feels slightly capped.
One of KunPeng’s standout features is its extremely dark background, allowing for excellent detail retrieval without introducing a lean or overly bright tonality. This dark backdrop enhances its resolution, making details pop without any artificial sharpness.
Synergy
with Quill Acoustics Satin
Satin itself is a highly revealing and detailed IEM, offering an authentic texture across the entire frequency spectrum, from deep sub-bass to airy ultra-highs. Its separation and layering rival those of significantly more expensive IEMs—without a doubt, it's on my buy list once it officially launches.
Pairing KunPeng with Satin, I noticed a slight shift toward a more laid-back presentation. Guitar riffs sounded less aggressive, while cymbals had a more controlled sustain with a settled, weighted feel rather than an airy splash. Vocals remained in a neutral position relative to other instruments, creating a natural and cohesive sound, as opposed to the more forward presentation of Satin’s stock PW cable.
The bass remained fast and punchy, though its attack was slightly softer compared to the stock cable and most others I tested. Overall, KunPeng imparts its signature relaxed yet resolving character to Satin, smoothing out any potential sharpness in the mid-treble (8k-9k Hz). However, this also dials back some of Satin’s inherent excitement. On the upside, KunPeng expands the soundstage even further, enhancing the overall spatial presentation.
(Fun fact about Satin: Since it is extremely sensitive to cable pairings, KunPeng and the stock cable make it sound like two completely different IEMs. As you can tell, I’m beyond excited about Satin!)
With NG Audio Meteora
Meteora is another exciting new release that caught my attention. To me, it feels like an upgraded Jewel, offering a fuller body, improved bass texture, and greater detail retrieval, all while maintaining Jewel’s balanced and smooth nature.
Surprisingly, KunPeng’s extra soundstage width completely opened up Meteora’s presentation. Right out of the box, the dark background of KunPeng enhances detail retrieval, making subtle nuances more pronounced and bringing them closer to the front of the stage. The overall signature remains natural and relaxed, with a slight boost in lower-treble sparkle compared to the stock cable. The upper frequencies gain noticeable clarity and definition, while the bass becomes more refined—still rounded in attack, but leaning toward an inoffensive and controlled presentation.
KunPeng preserves Meteora’s original tuning exceptionally well. Its natural and smooth character aligns seamlessly with Meteora’s sound signature. On top of that, KunPeng’s expansive soundstage and dark background elevate Meteora to an entirely new level.
With Forte Ears Macbeth
Released last year, Forte Ears Macbeth quickly became one of my favorite IEMs. It boasts some of the best BA bass I’ve ever heard, along with a holographic soundstage that’s simply breathtaking. Its musically balanced tonality, combined with a transparent and revealing treble, ultimately replaced the Oriolus Traillii as my go-to IEM when I don’t have a specific genre in mind.
The moment I paired Macbeth with KunPeng, I immediately noticed a darker background, especially while listening to
Mourning the Dawn by Novelists. As the track quieted down toward the end, leaving only a short guitar solo in the center of the stage, it felt like a shining light on obsidian—a truly chilling experience.
Another major improvement was in the treble, where KunPeng refined the 9-10kHz range, making Macbeth smoother with fewer harsh spots. The bass extended deeper and felt larger, delivering a woofer-like sub-bass presence. Male vocals became slightly more forward with added body, whereas female vocals lost a bit of presence in the upper mids.
Interestingly, KunPeng’s tuning direction reminds me of Ambition—both refine the treble, expand the soundstage, and enhance the lower mids. However, while Ambition adds richness and dynamics to the bass and midrange, KunPeng maintains a more neutral approach. The real kicker? KunPeng offers exceptional value. If you’ve been eyeing Ambition but hesitate due to its price, KunPeng could be the perfect alternative!
Comparison
Vs. Beat Audio Oslo MKIV ($1799)
Oslo delivers a more concentrated sound, with vocals positioned more forward and cleaner imaging. In contrast, KunPeng takes a more neutral approach, with rounded edges for a smoother presentation. Bass-wise, Oslo features a harder attack and faster response, whereas KunPeng offers a softer impact with longer decay. Treble-wise, Oslo has more energy and brightness, while KunPeng sounds smoother and more polished. When it comes to soundstage, Oslo provides a deeper and taller stage but with a narrower width compared to KunPeng.
Vs. Brise Shirogane ($3729)
Shirogane offers a more holographic soundstage, extending wider, deeper, and taller than KunPeng. While Shirogane places vocals slightly farther back, KunPeng brings vocals more forward, adding greater presence. Bass-wise, Shirogane’s is cleaner and tighter, whereas KunPeng extends deeper with a larger presence. In the mid and treble, Shirogane takes the lead with better timbre accuracy, texture, and layering.
Vs. PWAudio Orpheus Shielding ($5861)
KunPeng’s extremely dark background initially made me wonder if it could compete with Orpheus—but the reality is,
Orpheus is still Orpheus. It reinforces what I always say:
You might think background darkness isn’t important—until you hear Orpheus.
Orpheus surpasses KunPeng with an even darker background, a thicker and fuller midrange, and more powerful bass with deeper sub-bass rumbles. However, KunPeng does offer more air in the ultra-high frequencies, and cymbals have longer sustain compared to Orpheus.
Conclusion
Hansound KunPeng is a well-crafted, high-end cable that showcases the brand’s expertise in design, material selection, and sonic refinement. With its unique conductor composition and star-twisted structure, it delivers a balanced, resolving, and natural sound signature. While it may not push hyper-realistic detail retrieval like some flagship competitors, its ultra-wide soundstage, dark background, and refined treble make it a compelling option for those seeking a smooth yet engaging listening experience. Whether paired with highly revealing IEMs like Quill Satin or dynamic monitors like NG Audio Meteora, KunPeng enhances synergy by maintaining a natural tonality while expanding the soundstage. Considering its performance and price, KunPeng presents an excellent value, competing with cables well above its range. If you're looking for a flagship-tier, neutral cable that prioritizes musicality and refinement, KunPeng is certainly worth considering.