KB Ear KB06
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Packaging is minimal as are accessories. The earphones themselves are a simple yet pleasing design and their small size and shape make them very comfortable, construction is above average and should last a long time.
Sound:
Bass has a good presence here but doesn't steal the show, Sub-Bass has a good extension and Mid-Bass has a nice punchy kick. Its not the most controlled Bass but it isn't overly thick or too bloomy with most types of music either so its enjoyable for longer periods without fatigue.
Mids: better than most Vshaped headphones the Mids have some recession but are forward making vocals sound front and center with a pleasant warmth to them, upper mids are brighter with a push from upper mids and lower treble, most won't find them shouty but it will depend on the user and equipment.
Treble: Is very polite with a fast roll off, this may be good to treble sensitive people and bad to treble heads, but it still has a fair amount of details but can sparkle a little with some music.
Soundstage: both Imaging and Soundstage are decent details and placement are good with the soundstge having a wider field than its depth, for the price it was better than average.
Conclusion: The KB06 Is a good and safe tuned IEM , has a nice build and look to it for its price and is safely tuned to not offend ones ears. I can see the value of this product and it might be a good budget choice for beginners
Intro: The KBEAR KB06 is a recent release by the relatively new company KBEAR. The KB06 is a 2BA 1DD hybrid which is not common in the under $30 range where you mostly find 1BA 1DD. In the under $30 range, ChiFi fans usually recommend the KZ ZSN or ZSN Pro or Sony MH755 as I have done here in the past. The KB06 is another alternative offering a more natural sound, better soundstage, and plenty of bass. I think those characteristics will appeal to some users looking for recommendations in the under $30 category.
Fit and Finish: It is quite small and very comfortable. The shell is teardrop in shape, metal back plate and resin transparent shell. There is a vent on the backplate, but I did not try covering it up to see how it affected overall sound. The cable is straight out of the KZ warehouse, the standard braided copper brown cable.
Sound: When I mention the KB06 as an alternative to the KZ ZSN Pro, it is very dependent on the music preferences and tolerance for bass. The KZ ZSN Pro is more consistent across genres of music whereas the KB06 can be more of a wildcard in how it responds to the synergy of bass, vocals, and instruments.
I am a fan of heavy bass but it also needs to sound pleasing to the ears. There is no doubt the KB06 can supply plenty of bass, but I would prefer it to be a bit more restrained and defined. Other than the initial wow factor of the bass on an initial listen, I think it would have been better to match the quantity with the quality. In this case, the KB06 responds well to bringing the bass down a notch with an EQ. My favorite bass notes were mostly pure mid bass, big punches of bass or plucks on an upright. The natural sound comes thru more than a big EDM sub bass movement which doesn’t quite have a matching texture and richness versus the quantity of bass.
The mids are where it is at with the KB06. Female voices, guitars, most instruments sound surprisingly good. Voices are also brought very forward which is again another tuning choice that will either attract or turn off some folks. When you combine a clear, strong vocal with a wide soundstage, it can sound very, very good. That was one issue with the ZSN Pro, not nearly as wide and you will miss some of the airy-ness and reverberations of the vocals. One issue with the mids was the clashing of the forward vocals and other instruments such as guitars. In Lady Gaga’s Joanne, she sings and plays the guitar, but if you follow the guitar, it will get lost behind her vocals. Other singers and guitars do not show the issue but something to be aware of if you are a critical listener.
The treble tries to avoid peaks and brightness. It seems to roll off early and some details will be lost in the upper ranges. I think this was a better decision and let the mids shine where most popular music lives. For this reason, rock, pop, country, and other popular genres work well. I do listen to quite a bit of EDM and this is not my favorite for that genre on the bass side as well as the treble where you will lose texture on some of those computer-generated noises. I think the extra BA does present more natural instruments but not nearly as helpful on more computer-generated sounds.
Conclusion: I have been asked here and other platforms for recommendations in the $20-$30 range and I think the KB06 is a valid choice for some people. Obviously my next question would be what are your music preferences and bass tolerance, but I think the strong vocals is attractive to many people and useful in higher noise listening environments.
Fit and Finish: It is quite small and very comfortable. The shell is teardrop in shape, metal back plate and resin transparent shell. There is a vent on the backplate, but I did not try covering it up to see how it affected overall sound. The cable is straight out of the KZ warehouse, the standard braided copper brown cable.
Sound: When I mention the KB06 as an alternative to the KZ ZSN Pro, it is very dependent on the music preferences and tolerance for bass. The KZ ZSN Pro is more consistent across genres of music whereas the KB06 can be more of a wildcard in how it responds to the synergy of bass, vocals, and instruments.
I am a fan of heavy bass but it also needs to sound pleasing to the ears. There is no doubt the KB06 can supply plenty of bass, but I would prefer it to be a bit more restrained and defined. Other than the initial wow factor of the bass on an initial listen, I think it would have been better to match the quantity with the quality. In this case, the KB06 responds well to bringing the bass down a notch with an EQ. My favorite bass notes were mostly pure mid bass, big punches of bass or plucks on an upright. The natural sound comes thru more than a big EDM sub bass movement which doesn’t quite have a matching texture and richness versus the quantity of bass.
The mids are where it is at with the KB06. Female voices, guitars, most instruments sound surprisingly good. Voices are also brought very forward which is again another tuning choice that will either attract or turn off some folks. When you combine a clear, strong vocal with a wide soundstage, it can sound very, very good. That was one issue with the ZSN Pro, not nearly as wide and you will miss some of the airy-ness and reverberations of the vocals. One issue with the mids was the clashing of the forward vocals and other instruments such as guitars. In Lady Gaga’s Joanne, she sings and plays the guitar, but if you follow the guitar, it will get lost behind her vocals. Other singers and guitars do not show the issue but something to be aware of if you are a critical listener.
The treble tries to avoid peaks and brightness. It seems to roll off early and some details will be lost in the upper ranges. I think this was a better decision and let the mids shine where most popular music lives. For this reason, rock, pop, country, and other popular genres work well. I do listen to quite a bit of EDM and this is not my favorite for that genre on the bass side as well as the treble where you will lose texture on some of those computer-generated noises. I think the extra BA does present more natural instruments but not nearly as helpful on more computer-generated sounds.
Conclusion: I have been asked here and other platforms for recommendations in the $20-$30 range and I think the KB06 is a valid choice for some people. Obviously my next question would be what are your music preferences and bass tolerance, but I think the strong vocals is attractive to many people and useful in higher noise listening environments.
KB Ear KB06 review :
SOUND: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
VALUE: 7.5/10
KB Ear is a rather new ‘’chi-fi’’ comer, and receive mitiged praise for their audacious iem wich use a single balanced armature. This was due to quality check issue as well as using different drivers models for the same iem, leading to paradoxal impression including mine that wasn’t positive at all.
Now, because of F1 intense covering from multiple audio enthusiast as well as reviewers, their third model pass under the radar. This is strange due to the fact it use an hybrid dynamic + 2 balanced armature implementation and they cost near half the price of F1.
One thing sure, they sound better than both pricier F1 and even I4. This is why I feel obligated to review the KB06, because they are the best KB ear earphones yet even if they choose a very commun ‘’chi-fi’’ tuning wich consist of V shape plus upper mids emphasis to create a balanced but slightly brigth musicality.
Now, let’s see if at around 20$, they can be considered a good bet for budget audiophile.
The KB Ear KB06 can be found for around 20-30$ in multiple ALI EXPRESS stores.
INFO&SPECS:
1. Product Name: KB EAR KB06
2. Brand: KB EAR
3. Model:KB06
4. Earphone type: In Ear
5. Impedance: 24Ω
6. Earphone sensitivity: 111db
7. Frequency response range:7Hz-40KHz
8. Plug Type: 3.5mm gold plated straight jack
9. Cable Length: 1.25±0.04m
10.Color: Black And Silver
11.Whether with cable: Yes
12.Earphone connector:0.75mm Pin connector
13.Whether with mic:With mic
14.Whether can replacement cable: Yes
15.Driver unit: 2 Blanced Armature and 1 Dynamic driver
ACCESSORIES, CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :
UNBOXING is expeditive and remind me of KZ earphones. You open a little box and got the minimal wich is earphones, a braided 2pin cable of similar quality than the KZ one and 4 pairs of silicone eartips. At this price, I do not exactly ask more than this.
CONSTRUCTION is quite nice and i’m impress by the very small half metal half plastic housing, back black metal plate have a nice finish to it and well implemented open back vent with a mesh. Cable is okay, using new improved KZ cable, but I will not use it because I don’t like earhook.
DESIGN is well thinked and I hope this housing will be use for other iem as well, its very small and the angled shape with long nozzle make it very comfortable and easy to fit any type of ears.
ISOLATION is average and as its an open back iem, their significant sound leakage that can be problematic in silent environment or working place.
DRIVEABILITY is quite easy with its 111db sensitivity and 24ohm impendance, but you need minimal amping capabilities nonetheless to expand soundstage and dynamic. Any DAP would do, but for a phone I suggest at least a USB-C dac-amp cable.
SOUND :
Overall sound impressions was rather positive due to my very low expectation after hearing the F1. This time I feel KB06 was well tuned, delivering clear bassy sound with bright mids and vivid upper treble. Soundstage wasn’t the most impressive in term of widness but deepnest was good as well as overall spacial placement. But as always with cheap balanced armature, sometime about timbre annoy me, now it was more about thinnest and dryness of it, as well, lower bass go out of control and can became problematic.
SOUNDSTAGE is okay for its price range, it do not feel stock in your heard, but you have intimate widness without alot of tallnest and quite alot of deepnest….make you feel in a tunnel in some way.
IMAGING is more about upper mids and treble here, and if big bass occur you will struggle to find proper instrument placement in mid range. It’s pretty frontal and fowards, nothing to applause here.
BASS have good extension but pump up the sub bass quite alot, still the mid bass kick is fowarded too, even agressively, wich make it for an exciting listen but not a very accurate one. The lower end tend to sound sloppy and uncontroled sometime wich lead to mid range veil or distraction. For example, cello will sound very bodied but violin will struggle to find its place at its side. Its not the fastest bass as well, wich affect overall transient response.
MID RANGE is slightly pushed fowards, but the mix of thick bass and thin mids make it a strange one, still, level of clarity is quite high until the upper mids drop. The vocal are a little recessed when bass occur but we have good details in texture, timbre is transparent and slightly grainy. We do have hint of sibilance as well. Separation in this range is okay for its price. Mids aren’t very bodied and exciting to listen to and lack attack-decay and weight.
TREBLE isn’t particularly emphased, as if KB want to give all they got into the mid range, wich is not so balanced to my ears. So, your percussion will sound quite far away in the background, at least their no foward splashiness but neither their enjoyable sparkle too. We are in a dry territory, with some lower treble peak to extrack as much lower range details as we can. It work to some extend and give extra air to soundstage, but it affect richness of timbre as well as….lack of micro details.
SUB BASS : 6.5/10
MID BASS : 7.5/10
MID RANGE:8/10
TREBLE : 7/10
TIMBRE : 7/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 6.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 7/10
IMAGING : 8/10
COMPARAISONS :
VS **** **** (20$) :
What hit you first is how wider, taller and more around your head feel bigger soundstage of ****, as well, instrument separation is more articulate and spacious, making the KB06 feel very congested in comparaison. BASS of **** have more body but less mid bass punch, still, it sound more natural and fuller than dryer and sloppier KB06 bass. We can say **** is more U toward W shape while the KB06 is V plus upper mids push, wich lean to a brighter MID RANGE that sound less alive and coherent than ****, wich present vocal in a wider and more transparent with a more natural timbre, instrument separation in this region is well layered with **** and more constraint and compressed with KB06. TREBLE is more extended with **** and offer more details as well as highs sparkle and decay, the KB06 have grainier and harsher highs that sound more agressive while **** is gently trebly.
VS MOONDROP SPACESHIP (20$) :
Now, its time to the SPACESHIP to offer notably smaller soundstage and for a spacial ship, it do not have a big space to travel into either, while KB06 is above average for its little price and offer more space between instrument, or more specifically between low, mids and highs frequencies range. BASS is as well more authoritative and pumped up with the KB06, making the Spaceship sound more neutral and flatter and lack in lower bass extension. MID RANGE have as much presence but due to more spacious separation, vocal and instrument do not mix as much with KB06 wich keep them cleaner and offer greater definition. TREBLE is more extended with emphasis in upper highs for the Spaceship, wich give it extra sparkle KB06 lack, classical guitar or harp have more brilliance, but the attack is less energic than KB06 wich make overall listen flatter and less exciting than KB06.
CONCLUSION :
Kbear work hard to be recognize among audiophile and even became a sponsor here on Headfi, but to gain more credibility among our community, I think they will have to work harder on tuning and acoustic implementation of their drivers. Here, when I praise the small housing, it isn’t because of its acoustic implementation that put the dynamic driver too near the back of the 2 balanced armature that for their part take too much place into the nozzle...even if i’m not a sound engineer, what I here can be connected to this ackward configuration.
Still, the result isn’t that bad as the level of clarity of mid range is impressive for a slightly V shape iem even if the lower bass rumble can affect it drastically. As well, with the right ear tips you can expand soundstage and gain extra articulation in imaging.
All in all, KB06 remind me of chi-fi old days where tuning work came second to mass production concept and do not stand appart from the average contenders. Its neither good or bad, and sure offer nice price value if you are new into budget earphones. The construction is excellent, the sound is okay, the price is competitive at 20$ but not at 30$.
SOUND: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
VALUE: 7.5/10
KB Ear is a rather new ‘’chi-fi’’ comer, and receive mitiged praise for their audacious iem wich use a single balanced armature. This was due to quality check issue as well as using different drivers models for the same iem, leading to paradoxal impression including mine that wasn’t positive at all.
Now, because of F1 intense covering from multiple audio enthusiast as well as reviewers, their third model pass under the radar. This is strange due to the fact it use an hybrid dynamic + 2 balanced armature implementation and they cost near half the price of F1.
One thing sure, they sound better than both pricier F1 and even I4. This is why I feel obligated to review the KB06, because they are the best KB ear earphones yet even if they choose a very commun ‘’chi-fi’’ tuning wich consist of V shape plus upper mids emphasis to create a balanced but slightly brigth musicality.
Now, let’s see if at around 20$, they can be considered a good bet for budget audiophile.
The KB Ear KB06 can be found for around 20-30$ in multiple ALI EXPRESS stores.
INFO&SPECS:
1. Product Name: KB EAR KB06
2. Brand: KB EAR
3. Model:KB06
4. Earphone type: In Ear
5. Impedance: 24Ω
6. Earphone sensitivity: 111db
7. Frequency response range:7Hz-40KHz
8. Plug Type: 3.5mm gold plated straight jack
9. Cable Length: 1.25±0.04m
10.Color: Black And Silver
11.Whether with cable: Yes
12.Earphone connector:0.75mm Pin connector
13.Whether with mic:With mic
14.Whether can replacement cable: Yes
15.Driver unit: 2 Blanced Armature and 1 Dynamic driver
ACCESSORIES, CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :
UNBOXING is expeditive and remind me of KZ earphones. You open a little box and got the minimal wich is earphones, a braided 2pin cable of similar quality than the KZ one and 4 pairs of silicone eartips. At this price, I do not exactly ask more than this.
CONSTRUCTION is quite nice and i’m impress by the very small half metal half plastic housing, back black metal plate have a nice finish to it and well implemented open back vent with a mesh. Cable is okay, using new improved KZ cable, but I will not use it because I don’t like earhook.
DESIGN is well thinked and I hope this housing will be use for other iem as well, its very small and the angled shape with long nozzle make it very comfortable and easy to fit any type of ears.
ISOLATION is average and as its an open back iem, their significant sound leakage that can be problematic in silent environment or working place.
DRIVEABILITY is quite easy with its 111db sensitivity and 24ohm impendance, but you need minimal amping capabilities nonetheless to expand soundstage and dynamic. Any DAP would do, but for a phone I suggest at least a USB-C dac-amp cable.
SOUND :
Overall sound impressions was rather positive due to my very low expectation after hearing the F1. This time I feel KB06 was well tuned, delivering clear bassy sound with bright mids and vivid upper treble. Soundstage wasn’t the most impressive in term of widness but deepnest was good as well as overall spacial placement. But as always with cheap balanced armature, sometime about timbre annoy me, now it was more about thinnest and dryness of it, as well, lower bass go out of control and can became problematic.
SOUNDSTAGE is okay for its price range, it do not feel stock in your heard, but you have intimate widness without alot of tallnest and quite alot of deepnest….make you feel in a tunnel in some way.
IMAGING is more about upper mids and treble here, and if big bass occur you will struggle to find proper instrument placement in mid range. It’s pretty frontal and fowards, nothing to applause here.
BASS have good extension but pump up the sub bass quite alot, still the mid bass kick is fowarded too, even agressively, wich make it for an exciting listen but not a very accurate one. The lower end tend to sound sloppy and uncontroled sometime wich lead to mid range veil or distraction. For example, cello will sound very bodied but violin will struggle to find its place at its side. Its not the fastest bass as well, wich affect overall transient response.
MID RANGE is slightly pushed fowards, but the mix of thick bass and thin mids make it a strange one, still, level of clarity is quite high until the upper mids drop. The vocal are a little recessed when bass occur but we have good details in texture, timbre is transparent and slightly grainy. We do have hint of sibilance as well. Separation in this range is okay for its price. Mids aren’t very bodied and exciting to listen to and lack attack-decay and weight.
TREBLE isn’t particularly emphased, as if KB want to give all they got into the mid range, wich is not so balanced to my ears. So, your percussion will sound quite far away in the background, at least their no foward splashiness but neither their enjoyable sparkle too. We are in a dry territory, with some lower treble peak to extrack as much lower range details as we can. It work to some extend and give extra air to soundstage, but it affect richness of timbre as well as….lack of micro details.
SUB BASS : 6.5/10
MID BASS : 7.5/10
MID RANGE:8/10
TREBLE : 7/10
TIMBRE : 7/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 6.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 7/10
IMAGING : 8/10
COMPARAISONS :
VS **** **** (20$) :
What hit you first is how wider, taller and more around your head feel bigger soundstage of ****, as well, instrument separation is more articulate and spacious, making the KB06 feel very congested in comparaison. BASS of **** have more body but less mid bass punch, still, it sound more natural and fuller than dryer and sloppier KB06 bass. We can say **** is more U toward W shape while the KB06 is V plus upper mids push, wich lean to a brighter MID RANGE that sound less alive and coherent than ****, wich present vocal in a wider and more transparent with a more natural timbre, instrument separation in this region is well layered with **** and more constraint and compressed with KB06. TREBLE is more extended with **** and offer more details as well as highs sparkle and decay, the KB06 have grainier and harsher highs that sound more agressive while **** is gently trebly.
VS MOONDROP SPACESHIP (20$) :
Now, its time to the SPACESHIP to offer notably smaller soundstage and for a spacial ship, it do not have a big space to travel into either, while KB06 is above average for its little price and offer more space between instrument, or more specifically between low, mids and highs frequencies range. BASS is as well more authoritative and pumped up with the KB06, making the Spaceship sound more neutral and flatter and lack in lower bass extension. MID RANGE have as much presence but due to more spacious separation, vocal and instrument do not mix as much with KB06 wich keep them cleaner and offer greater definition. TREBLE is more extended with emphasis in upper highs for the Spaceship, wich give it extra sparkle KB06 lack, classical guitar or harp have more brilliance, but the attack is less energic than KB06 wich make overall listen flatter and less exciting than KB06.
CONCLUSION :
Kbear work hard to be recognize among audiophile and even became a sponsor here on Headfi, but to gain more credibility among our community, I think they will have to work harder on tuning and acoustic implementation of their drivers. Here, when I praise the small housing, it isn’t because of its acoustic implementation that put the dynamic driver too near the back of the 2 balanced armature that for their part take too much place into the nozzle...even if i’m not a sound engineer, what I here can be connected to this ackward configuration.
Still, the result isn’t that bad as the level of clarity of mid range is impressive for a slightly V shape iem even if the lower bass rumble can affect it drastically. As well, with the right ear tips you can expand soundstage and gain extra articulation in imaging.
All in all, KB06 remind me of chi-fi old days where tuning work came second to mass production concept and do not stand appart from the average contenders. Its neither good or bad, and sure offer nice price value if you are new into budget earphones. The construction is excellent, the sound is okay, the price is competitive at 20$ but not at 30$.
The KB06 is the fourth branded release from KB-EAR, a relatively new company. It is a triple-driver hybrid, (1DD+2BA) and shares many features of IEMs from the aforementioned companies.
It features a 10mm DD with a double magnet design, as seen in the KZ ZS10 Pro, ZSN Pro and CCA CA4. This boasts a field strength of 1 Tesla. Coupled with this are the familiar 50060 BA midrange unit and the ubiquitous 30095 treble balanced armature driver. In this sense, the KB06 is a simplified version of the ZS10 Pro which featured the same bass driver and two of each of the BA units.
In a move away from the green and black colouring used on the Opal and F1 IEMs, the packaging is now similar to that used by KZ and CCA, a small white box with a picture of the IEMs on the front and some specifications printed on the back. Inside, the earphones are presented in a cut-out with the words “6 Units Hybrid Technology Earphone” printed below. Under this cut-out you will find the detachable cable, a set of three Starline-type tips and documentation. The medium size Starline tips are pre-fitted on the IEMs.
The KB06 has a matt silver alloy faceplate which is softly curved and quite small. The body of the earphone is made of a clear acrylic in a cyan colour through which the components can be seen. There is a small vent on the rear of the earpiece above which is written “1 dynamic and 2 Balanced Armature”, in a circle around the L and R channel identification. There is a pinhole vent on the inner surface of the earpieces.
The detachable cable is identical to that supplied with the KZ ZS10 Pro. It has a clear plastic connector (known as “Type C”) with the pins covered in a plastic shield. It is still possible to use other cables, which can be plugged into the protruding sockets on the IEMs. The cable itself is composed of braided copper and has a very long section between the chunky Y-split and the earpieces and as a result is somewhat prone to tangling. The plug is the usual right-angled plastic 3.5mm TRS type.
The earphones were left burning in for over 72 hours before testing and included tracks of white and pink noise, glide tones and other audio conditioning tracks. After this I used a Hifi Walker H2 DAP with a Fiio A5 amplifier and a Sony NWZ-A15 for evaluation.
I was unable to obtain a good fit with the supplied Starline tips so used the medium size grey and yellow tips supplied with the TRI i4 which fitted perfectly. Due to my particular ear configuration, I find angled connectors fail to provide a secure fit so also changed the cable to an 8 core hybrid cable from Hifi Hear. This provided improved comfort. Used like this, the seal and isolation were above average. The fit was very comfortable, allowing me to forget that I had earphones in my ears! I experienced a good volume level via the headphone output but I found the sound balance preferable when run through the DAP via line out with a headphone amplifier.
The KB06 surprised me on first listening with a well-balanced and dynamic presentation full of detail and life. Sub-bass was very impressive, mid bass was controlled well and did not bleed into the mids. Midrange was clean and open with an excellent soundstage and treble was bright and clear with no noticeable peaks or artefacts. This was a great performance, unexpected at this price level. The implementation of the 50060 midrange BA was particularly impressive and the 30095 treble BA showed good control and timbre.
Bass
Sub-bass dug deep and possessed good definition and texture. There was no boominess and decay was natural and well-controlled. Transient attack was fast and incisive, imparting an attractive vitality to the sound. The deep organ pedal notes in Elgar’s “Sursum Corda”, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox were powerful and weighty, providing a wonderful foundation for the noble melody. Timpani and bass drum also featured well in this piece and benefited from the KB06’s excellent tonality. “Above the Stars” is an electronic piece by Alexei Zakharov. It features a deep bass drone and synthesised bass drum. The depth and impact were impressive and complemented the delicate high percussion elements beautifully. Mid-bass was nicely voiced with no undue emphasis, therefore allowing a smooth transition into the midrange with no noticeable bleed.
Midrange
The midrange was not noticeably recessed. It showed good definition and detail and had excellent clarity. It was a little forward than neutral and this balanced out the overall presentation very well. Soundstage was very well-defined with a notably three-dimensional effect which came to the fore in well-recorded pieces. A perfect example of this was “Music for Orchestra (1967)” by Geoffrey Bush. In a beautiful Lyrita recording with the LPO conducted by Vernon Handley, the orchestral colour and dynamics were wonderfully handled. The solo trumpet and piano parts and the syncopated percussion were remarkably lifelike with a superb dynamic range. This piece is a perfect demonstration track and the KB06 revelled in it, delivering a superbly exciting and entertaining performance. This quality continued into the upper mids where the energetic and clean delivery impressed again. Vangelis’s ”Intermezzo” from his “Nocturne” album showed this with massed string synths soaring and singing against a deep bass backdrop with the excellent separation allowing the smallest details of texture and ambience to be heard clearly.
Treble
The quality of the treble was testament to the progress made in tuning of the familiar 30095 BA unit. Gone are the days of harsh peaks and edgy tonality as in the ZST, ES3 and original ZS10, to be replaced by an extended, clean and open delivery full of detail.. The high synth leads and percussion in Richard Burmer’s “Reunion” from his “Bhakti Point” album illustrated this perfectly. The superb clarity enabled all the subtle elements in the production to be heard clearly and the smoothness of the reproduction made for a relaxing yet animated experience. “Quotation of Dream” is a modern orchestral work by Toru Takemitsu scored for two pianos and orchestra. As its title suggests, it has an impressionistic dream-like quality with subtle piano figurings set against an imaginative orchestral accompaniment reminiscent of Debussy’s “La Mer”. In the version by the London Sinfonietta under Oliver Knussen, the delicacy of the pianos were very well reproduced by the KB06 and created a perfect balance with the orchestra. Detail was handled very well and added to the overall impression.
Soundstage
The KB06 performed very well here, with an impressively wide and deep soundstage and also possessing a good depiction of height. As a result solo instruments and lead vocals stood out very well from their accompaniment. Stereo imagery impressed with positioning of instruments in the orchestra precisely placed and with a pleasing ambience. Vaughan William’s “Serenade to Music” demonstrated this perfectly. In Richard Hickox’s recording with the LSO the orchestra was laid out wonderfully with a natural spread and the individual timbres of the instruments easy to discern. In “Roxanne’s Veil” by Vangelis and Vanessa Mae, the violin was placed high in the centre of the image which gave good separation from the powerful synthesiser accompaniment and resulted in an exciting presentation. Similarly, vocals stood out well from their backgrounds, Chris Izaak in “Wicked Game” and Richard Marx in “Hazard” being good examples of this with lyrics being clearly enunciated.
Conclusion
The KB06 certainly punches above its weight and I consider it to be the most successful model so far from KB Ear. With its simpler three-driver configuration I found it preferable to the KZ ZS10 and CCA C10 which use the same drivers but double up on the BA complement. It became a case of “less is more” with the simpler crossover network and driver count delivering a lively, exciting sound while at the same time remaining even-handed across the frequency spectrum. The KB06 embodies some of the qualities of the ZS7 (in the bass) the CCA C10 (in its balanced presentation) and the KZ ZS10 (in its dynamics) and treads a perfectly balanced path between these extremes. With a comfortable fit and seal, at its current price of around $25 it represents superb value and cannot be recommended too highly.
It features a 10mm DD with a double magnet design, as seen in the KZ ZS10 Pro, ZSN Pro and CCA CA4. This boasts a field strength of 1 Tesla. Coupled with this are the familiar 50060 BA midrange unit and the ubiquitous 30095 treble balanced armature driver. In this sense, the KB06 is a simplified version of the ZS10 Pro which featured the same bass driver and two of each of the BA units.
In a move away from the green and black colouring used on the Opal and F1 IEMs, the packaging is now similar to that used by KZ and CCA, a small white box with a picture of the IEMs on the front and some specifications printed on the back. Inside, the earphones are presented in a cut-out with the words “6 Units Hybrid Technology Earphone” printed below. Under this cut-out you will find the detachable cable, a set of three Starline-type tips and documentation. The medium size Starline tips are pre-fitted on the IEMs.
The KB06 has a matt silver alloy faceplate which is softly curved and quite small. The body of the earphone is made of a clear acrylic in a cyan colour through which the components can be seen. There is a small vent on the rear of the earpiece above which is written “1 dynamic and 2 Balanced Armature”, in a circle around the L and R channel identification. There is a pinhole vent on the inner surface of the earpieces.
The detachable cable is identical to that supplied with the KZ ZS10 Pro. It has a clear plastic connector (known as “Type C”) with the pins covered in a plastic shield. It is still possible to use other cables, which can be plugged into the protruding sockets on the IEMs. The cable itself is composed of braided copper and has a very long section between the chunky Y-split and the earpieces and as a result is somewhat prone to tangling. The plug is the usual right-angled plastic 3.5mm TRS type.
The earphones were left burning in for over 72 hours before testing and included tracks of white and pink noise, glide tones and other audio conditioning tracks. After this I used a Hifi Walker H2 DAP with a Fiio A5 amplifier and a Sony NWZ-A15 for evaluation.
I was unable to obtain a good fit with the supplied Starline tips so used the medium size grey and yellow tips supplied with the TRI i4 which fitted perfectly. Due to my particular ear configuration, I find angled connectors fail to provide a secure fit so also changed the cable to an 8 core hybrid cable from Hifi Hear. This provided improved comfort. Used like this, the seal and isolation were above average. The fit was very comfortable, allowing me to forget that I had earphones in my ears! I experienced a good volume level via the headphone output but I found the sound balance preferable when run through the DAP via line out with a headphone amplifier.
The KB06 surprised me on first listening with a well-balanced and dynamic presentation full of detail and life. Sub-bass was very impressive, mid bass was controlled well and did not bleed into the mids. Midrange was clean and open with an excellent soundstage and treble was bright and clear with no noticeable peaks or artefacts. This was a great performance, unexpected at this price level. The implementation of the 50060 midrange BA was particularly impressive and the 30095 treble BA showed good control and timbre.
Bass
Sub-bass dug deep and possessed good definition and texture. There was no boominess and decay was natural and well-controlled. Transient attack was fast and incisive, imparting an attractive vitality to the sound. The deep organ pedal notes in Elgar’s “Sursum Corda”, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox were powerful and weighty, providing a wonderful foundation for the noble melody. Timpani and bass drum also featured well in this piece and benefited from the KB06’s excellent tonality. “Above the Stars” is an electronic piece by Alexei Zakharov. It features a deep bass drone and synthesised bass drum. The depth and impact were impressive and complemented the delicate high percussion elements beautifully. Mid-bass was nicely voiced with no undue emphasis, therefore allowing a smooth transition into the midrange with no noticeable bleed.
Midrange
The midrange was not noticeably recessed. It showed good definition and detail and had excellent clarity. It was a little forward than neutral and this balanced out the overall presentation very well. Soundstage was very well-defined with a notably three-dimensional effect which came to the fore in well-recorded pieces. A perfect example of this was “Music for Orchestra (1967)” by Geoffrey Bush. In a beautiful Lyrita recording with the LPO conducted by Vernon Handley, the orchestral colour and dynamics were wonderfully handled. The solo trumpet and piano parts and the syncopated percussion were remarkably lifelike with a superb dynamic range. This piece is a perfect demonstration track and the KB06 revelled in it, delivering a superbly exciting and entertaining performance. This quality continued into the upper mids where the energetic and clean delivery impressed again. Vangelis’s ”Intermezzo” from his “Nocturne” album showed this with massed string synths soaring and singing against a deep bass backdrop with the excellent separation allowing the smallest details of texture and ambience to be heard clearly.
Treble
The quality of the treble was testament to the progress made in tuning of the familiar 30095 BA unit. Gone are the days of harsh peaks and edgy tonality as in the ZST, ES3 and original ZS10, to be replaced by an extended, clean and open delivery full of detail.. The high synth leads and percussion in Richard Burmer’s “Reunion” from his “Bhakti Point” album illustrated this perfectly. The superb clarity enabled all the subtle elements in the production to be heard clearly and the smoothness of the reproduction made for a relaxing yet animated experience. “Quotation of Dream” is a modern orchestral work by Toru Takemitsu scored for two pianos and orchestra. As its title suggests, it has an impressionistic dream-like quality with subtle piano figurings set against an imaginative orchestral accompaniment reminiscent of Debussy’s “La Mer”. In the version by the London Sinfonietta under Oliver Knussen, the delicacy of the pianos were very well reproduced by the KB06 and created a perfect balance with the orchestra. Detail was handled very well and added to the overall impression.
Soundstage
The KB06 performed very well here, with an impressively wide and deep soundstage and also possessing a good depiction of height. As a result solo instruments and lead vocals stood out very well from their accompaniment. Stereo imagery impressed with positioning of instruments in the orchestra precisely placed and with a pleasing ambience. Vaughan William’s “Serenade to Music” demonstrated this perfectly. In Richard Hickox’s recording with the LSO the orchestra was laid out wonderfully with a natural spread and the individual timbres of the instruments easy to discern. In “Roxanne’s Veil” by Vangelis and Vanessa Mae, the violin was placed high in the centre of the image which gave good separation from the powerful synthesiser accompaniment and resulted in an exciting presentation. Similarly, vocals stood out well from their backgrounds, Chris Izaak in “Wicked Game” and Richard Marx in “Hazard” being good examples of this with lyrics being clearly enunciated.
Conclusion
The KB06 certainly punches above its weight and I consider it to be the most successful model so far from KB Ear. With its simpler three-driver configuration I found it preferable to the KZ ZS10 and CCA C10 which use the same drivers but double up on the BA complement. It became a case of “less is more” with the simpler crossover network and driver count delivering a lively, exciting sound while at the same time remaining even-handed across the frequency spectrum. The KB06 embodies some of the qualities of the ZS7 (in the bass) the CCA C10 (in its balanced presentation) and the KZ ZS10 (in its dynamics) and treads a perfectly balanced path between these extremes. With a comfortable fit and seal, at its current price of around $25 it represents superb value and cannot be recommended too highly.
disclaimer: Thanks to Wendy at KBear who generously sent the KB06 for review. I have previously reviewed the KB10, F1, and Opal offerings as well as the KBear ugprade cable (in queue). I have no affiliation with KBear other than as a user/reviewer of their products.
Unboxing / Packaging:
The KB06 comes packaged in a slip-cover style box that is more than a bit reminiscent of the KB10 or CCA packages. Knowing that at least one of the KBear line is OEMed by the same company as CCA makes me think this is likely the case with the KB06 as well. Once the slip-cover is removed, the earpieces sit in a foam tray with everything else hiding underneath. Kit is pretty standard as well, with three sets of star tips in SML, the cable, and instructions and warranty card rounding out the package.
Build/Fit:
The KB06 uses a 2 piece shell with the inner shell and nozzle made of smoked transparent plastic and the outer being an aluminum alloy. The outer shells are very labeled "1 dynamic, 2 balanced armatures" with either L or R in the center. The Hoods on the cable are clearly marked as well making mating an easy task. Vents for the dynamic driver are on both the outer shell as a small slot with a screen and two pin-hole vents on the inner shell, one behind the nozzle and the other inline with the bi-pin connector. Nozzles exit the bottom of the inverted teardrop shape with a slight forward rake and a small lip for tip retention. The KB06 is a fairly small and light in-ear and when combined with tip-up wear fit is easy and comfortable. Insertion depth is slightly deep and isolation is better than expected for a vented shell.
Internals:
The KB06 is a triple driver hybrid using a 30095 high frequency balanced armature driver, a 50060 mid frequency driver, and a 10mm dual magnet dynamic driver for bass. Nominal impedance is listed as 24Ω with a sensitivity of 111dB/mW. I found the KB06 to be easy enough to drive with a cellphone or tablet and to scale a little with higher potency sources, but not enough to warrant purchasing an amp specifically for use with this in-ear.
Cable:
The cable provided with the KB06 starts with a gold plated 3.5mm TRS jack in a straight housing with a small strain relief. The cable itself exits the jack in a double twist pattern up to the splitter. This is another giveaway as to who makes the cable for KBear as the splitter is too low and in exactly the same position as on other KZ models. The splitter is a small metal barrel though, differing from their standard offering. Above the splitter, the wires are a looser wrapped twisted pair up to the pre-formed earhooks and clear housing for the bi-pin connectors. The connectors are the newer hooded style but differ from the standard in that they use a .75mm connector.
Sound:
Bass:
The KB06 has good sub-bass extension and rumble with roll-off being notable below the mid 40s. Sub-bass is elevated considerably with mid-bass stepping back from the sub-bass but still mildly emphasized in the overall mix. Speed is better on attack than decay leaving a bit of lingering warmth and a definite mid-bass bleed into the mids that while present is not overwhelmingly so. Mid-bass detail is only average with timbre being slightly unnatural at times as it seems a bit thin.
Mids:
Lower mids are a touch recessed and combined with the mid-bass bleed can feel a bit crowded at times. As you move up, the upper-mids are pushed more forward in the mix and clarity improves as you move away from the lower mids. As a result female vocals are more present in the mix while male vocals fall back into the mix at times and could use a bit more presence than they are given. Guitars can suffer the same fate as male vocals in the lower registers and then jump toward the listener in the next passage when a higher passage is played. Most of the time this is not extremely noticeable, but on a few tracks with better than average dynamics of those with a pronounced interplay between bass and electric guitar the distance between the two is more evident.
Treble:
Treble is a bit uneven with some areas emphasized more than others and while it does give the KB06 a few sharp spots, it also manages to deliver a bit of livelihood to the mix. I didn't find the KB06 to be particular harsh or strident despite the uneven treble, but also didn't find it to be particularly detailed. Cymbals come off slightly flat and a bit less lifelike than I prefer, but this is a trade off made for creating a polite treble.
Soundstage / Imaging:
Soundstage is wider than deep which is not uncommon at this price point, but lacks much of any feeling of height in the mix. Seating the orchestra shows some overlaps and a bit of imprecision as the KB06 is better suited to rock/pop than large ensemble. Instrument separation is good up to a point and then seems to get a bit overwhelmed. Imaging is good with spatial cues being well represented and movement around the stage easily tracked. Layering is adequate, but again can suffer as tracks get overly busy.
Comparisons:
I've tried to select a few iems in my collection that are readily available at the same price point to compare against. This should help give readers a better feel for where the KB06 fits in the grand scheme of things.
KZ Zs6 - Shell is more durable on the Zs6 but also less comfortable as the shape is awkward for some. Both have good sub-bass with the Zs6 having more mid-bass emphasis, a more recessed mid section and sharper treble. The Zs6 can be pretty harsh on the upper end depending on source material while the KB06 tends to be more polite and less strident. The Zs6 could be thought of as more lively while the KB06 is more controlled in its delivery. Neither is great for strings or orchestral pieces.
Auglamour F300 - Here again we have metal shell vs plastic, but the F300 is much more comfortable compared to the Zs6 so less likely to be a fit issue. Sound wise, the two go toe to toe with the KB06 having better bass depth and a bit more bass emphasis while the F300 has a more even treble and a bit better separation. These two are similar in most respects as neither is going to be light years ahead of the other but based on listening preference, I think people will have a definite preference for one or the other.
**** V2 - This is a tougher fight for the KB06 as the V2 brings an all metal shell that is both durable and small enough to be comfortable. The V2 comes much closer to neutral than the KB06 so those looking for a neutral listen will likely prefer the V2 while those enjoying a bit of extra sub-bass presence will like the KB06 a bit better.
Thoughts / Conclusion:
KBear has recently come into the market and has delivered a very mixed group of products thus far. I wasn't a huge fan of the Opal, but found the F1 to be quite good, the KB10 has an unfortunate treble tuning that makes an otherwise good signature difficult for me to enjoy, and now we have the KB06 added to that mix. I can easily say that I think the KB06 is the best KBear to date for fit as it is more comfortable for me even when compared to the miniature F1. Signature wise, it has better bass and a more polite treble than the F1 and a much better treble tuning than the KB10. I have to say that I think the KB06 is movement in the right direction and if i were an exec at KBear, I'd focus on the KB06 and F1 for improvements for the next generation of products as I think both have the potential to really shine with a little more tweaking and tuning (oh and a better cable).
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