KBEar KW1

We are set to review KBEAR's newest bullet earphones, which boast a strikingly sleek design featuring a single-DD driver and shell made from Rosewood.

DISCLAIMER:​

• I have no affiliation with KBEAR and have not received any monetary compensation during or after writing this review. Keephifi provided this unit to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
• As a non-professional reviewer, I aim to use simple terms that can be understood by both beginners and experts in the hobby.
• Please keep in mind that the opinions expressed in this review are subjective and based on my personal experience with the unit. I encourage you to try the product yourself to form your own opinion.

PACKAGING​

The packaging is very straightforward. Inside the box, you get a case where everything is already included. Here's what we have inside the box:

• KBEAR KW1
• 6 pair of eartips
• Case

BUILD QUALITY​

Wooden shells are a rarity in budget earphones, but KBEAR KW1 has achieved this distinction. Typically, earphone shells are crafted from resin, metal, alloy, or a hybrid of these materials. Witnessing something distinct like wood is undeniably refreshing. The KBEAR KW1 offers two versions: the 3.5mm variant, which I received from Keephifi, and the DSP variant. It's important to highlight that the KBEAR KW1 features a non-removable cable, and at a price point of $35, this aspect might be a deal-breaker to some. It has a microphone at least!

SOUND​

The KBEAR KW-1 stands as a bass-heavy earphone, boasting a satisfying punch that accompanies a dark tonality.

BASS
This is the star of the KBEAR KW-1: its bass is both impactful and punchy, characterized by swift attack and brief decay. Despite its bass-heavy nature, it maintains clarity and control, avoiding any muddiness as much as possible in its sound profile.

MIDS
There is a noticeable midbass bleed present, which leads to a somewhat obscured midrange. Vocals lack the engaging and euphonic quality one might hope for. Instruments like guitars come across as somewhat lacking to me. My initial expectation of a vibrant and natural quality is unmet, resulting in a rather unremarkable sound.

TREBLE
The treble lacks resolution and airiness. Given the earphone's bass-heavy nature, I expected a compromise in the treble performance. It lacks a distinct bite and energy and somewhat projects a subdued quality. Essentially, when the track isn't rich in bass, the overall sound tends to lack a certain depth of flavor. No traces of sibilance or harshness are observed when listening to these earphones.

TECHNICALITIES
This is a no brainer, and typically, bullet earphones tend to fall short in terms of technical capabilities. The soundstage, in this case, is fairly average, presenting itself in a rather two-dimensional manner. It lacks notable depth and immersive qualities, ranking as average at best. The imaging capability is also middling, although it does succeed in establishing a sense of placement for both vocals and instruments.

TEST TRACKS​

CONCLUSION​

Pros:

• Passable as a bass-focused earphone.
• The rosewood material looks sleek and sturdy.
• Inoffensive sound with less piercing details.
• Can be immersive if bass is present.

Cons:

• Treble almost sounds muted.
• Veiled mids.
• Dark sounding profile might not appeal to everyone.
• For $35, cheap consumers might want to ask for a removable cable (me included).
• Not the best in terms of technicalities.

The KB EAR KW-1 exhibits a dark sounding profile which offers elevated engaging lower frequencies but suffers from retrieving finer details. Dark sounding earphones tend to be more extreme for some and tends to be less popular than U-shaped sound profiles. If you prefer an extremely warm sound with not a care for those fine details, then the KB EAR KW-1 might be suitable for you. Then again, the fixed cable can be a deal breaker for some.

Rosewoods are an endemic species of trees found in South Asia to Southeast Asia and South America. They have this distinctive brownish hues and colour with darker stripes and veins. Their woods are known for its strong and pleasant sweet scent that it exudes and they are usually used on woodworks, furniture and musical instruments. Speaking of musical instruments, its hardness and easy to polish properties are a valuable choice for acoustic and electric guitars, violins, some woodwind instruments and marimbas as it also produces a good acoustic effect.


Oi! Welcome to my latest IEM earphone review and what I have here is KB Ear's latest budget range product, The KB Ear KB-KW1. I did some product reviews of their products before and I'm glad that I was able to do a product review for them once again.



KW1 is an IEM earphone with single dynamic driver and enclosed in a preform rosewood shell chassis with non-detachable cable. Its dynamic driver has an 8mm size along with its diaphragm made of LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) for better dynamic response and resolution capabilities. As I mentioned a while ago about the rosewoods' acoustic resonance properties on some instruments, KBEar also tried to implement it here too. The wood shell chassis seems to have been coated and they are quite light too.



Wearing the KW1 is quite comfortable as it rests well into my lugholes without any discomfort issues.



Since it is non-detachable, KB Ear offered two options of termination plug types for their silver-plated copper cable; a 3.5mm SE, 3.5mm with mic and a USB type-C with built-in DAC inside. It has HD-grade microphone with some basic function buttons like volume keys and pause and play.



I will also insert another KB Ear product here. This one is their latest budget wireless bluetooth module for IEMs, The KB-BT5. It is an ear hook-style wireless contraption and it was rated to have a Bluetooth 5.1 as it uses a Bluetooth chip from Jerry JL, JL-AC6956AP which also has a DSP integrated chipset for improved signal clarity, less latency and better transmission range up to 10m. The said bluetooth chip also have power regulator for low power consumption for either active use or standby mode.



KB Ear offers three types of bi-pin connectors; QDC-type, TFZ/NX7-type and the more standard 0.78mm. As for audio protocol, it only supports a lossy standard format like AAC and SBC, So no LDAC or APTX/HD codecs for listeners who want a more advanced Bluetooth module codec.



It has a small built-in lithium-ion battery inside with a rated capacity of 110mAh that can store a decent amount of energy for up to 6 hours for both playback and standby mode. It takes an hour to fully charge it via its built-in type-C connector at the line control console. It also uses OFC wires on its cable for better signal transmission and better resistance handling.



The overall material of BT5 is somehow decent and durable enough as it is made of high quality plastic on its consoles while the insulator on its cables are made of environmentally friendly PVC material and it is quite light to wear for any activities.


On its line control console, there is a LED light indicator for charging and connection status. There we can find the three basic key buttons, two for volume adjustments or next and previous tracks for one-second press and the other one is for play, pause and power mode. The play button also serves as for basic call/answer button option, press click once for answering or to end the call and press one-second for rejecting a call.



Both KW1 and BT5 have a plain product packaging with rudimentary inclusions. Both of them are packed in small rectangular boxes.



Here are the following contents inside of each product:


KW1

● KW1 earphone
● 3 pairs of grey-coloured ear tips in different standard sizes.
● 3 pairs of white-coloured ear tips in different standard sizes.
● IEM storage bag
● Instruction manual




BT5

● BT5 ear hook-style bluetooth module cable.
● A short type-A to type-C USB cable.
● Instruction manual



With an impedance rating of 16 ohms and a sensitivity level of 105 decibel, KW1 is an easy to drive set. With a decent amount of power output from its sources either its from smartphones or DAP (Digital Audio Player), it will be able to amplify its sound with full dynamics.



As for tonality, KB KW1 has a warm U-shaped sound signature. It has more emphasis on bass and treble and a tad notch midrange.




LOWS/BASS:

The bass quantity of this set is definitely robust and full. It has a boomy, authoritative and slams very aggressively that will be a detrimental factor to the qualities of other parts of the frequency range. In the low frequency region, the mid-bass part is more dominant over sub bass as it shows more heft and texture on its note weight of instruments and vocals. This is indeed a bass-head's bass response.

There's a substantial rumble as I felt it from sub bass-focus instruments like octabasses, low-tuned bass guitars and synthesisers. The treated rosewood seems to have acoustic effects on dampening some excess reverberation effect. As I said about its dominant mid bass response, it affects the tonal characteristics of certain instruments and vocals. The bass kick drums have a heftier and boomy sound, while bass guitars have that weighty and earthy tone, and then bass baritone vocals have dark and gravelly tone as it reach its farthest depth drop.



MIDRANGE:

Due to boomy nature of bass frequencies that encroaches across the frequency range spectrum. It really veils that it gives a warmer and lusher tone particularly on male vocals and some brasses and percussive instruments. It is also noted they tad recessed and a bit laidback in general midrange presentation.

On male vocals, baritones have that too warm and robustness on their voices particular on deeper types like Kavalierbariton and dramatic. Dmitri Hvorostovsky's excels on this as it has a rather steel, power on it. Eddie Vedder and Billy Idol also excels on the heftiness and fullness too. Tenor especially lyrical types appears to have warmer but lack of brightness and spiciness from them with likes of the two great tenor singers, Placido Domingo and Jose Careras. Luciano Pavarotti which has a slight different type of tenor seems to have very robust power but less emotive in my opinion. On countertenors, they have this agile and smoothness but I noticed that its too broad and tad warmer and less tender in which mezzo-sopranos share almost the same characteristics. Contraltos have a bit much of being husky and strong tone to the point that it is quite unwarranted on accurate depiction of the said vocal type. Both mezzo-sopranos and soprano won't fare on this one as they sound unusual that there's almost no distinction of them as they sound almost similar due to that inherently veiledness that suppresses energy and gleam that affects the sweet, ethereal and expressive sound.

On instruments, it makes all strings more warmer and throaty sound like guitars, especially acoustic ones have these rather warm and "woody" dry tone (probably that rosewood have similar properties with mahogany that somehow dampens the acoustic reverberations) while violins have less vibrant and lively that they sound a bit austere and muffled. Percussive like toms and field drums have warm and booming sound from them while snares have cracking and dull sound from them. Pianos seems have a warmer tone from them while marimbas have the wooden and earthy sound from them which is quite closer to the accurate sound on live orchestral performance. Brasses like trumpets and trombones have a fuller, overpowering and solid tone. Woodwinds like flutes won't sound well on this one as they are less airy and don't sound ethereal and poetic but on saxophones and clarinets, they sound rounded, warm and sombre.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

That warm characteristic affects the quality of treble quality, it is unusually too silky smooth and leveled to the point its leaning of being dark sounding. The upper mids to presence treble were somewhat subdued and muted as it diminish the clarity, brilliance and most details but there is silver lining on this one, it will be highly recommend to the highly treble-sensitive folk out there. That muted and damp nature will quashed any chances of jarring, sibilant and harshness.

The cymbals sound rather lustrous, dry and dull sounding while hi-hats sound quite accurate with their typical short chick sound. It seems that sparkle with its amount of harmonics were quite restrained while the brilliance air has paltry extension.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

In general sound field proportions, it has narrow to fairly average lateral span while it has a reasonable height ceiling reach and good depth that gives it an unusual intimate yet not that congested head room.

Imaging appears to have a typical two-dimensional stereo presentation that I was able to locate the position of instruments and vocals but not the most pinpoint as I hardly grasp the exact cues within perceive spatial auditory. Separation and layering are quite dismal in my opinion and it performs crudely arrange the tonal and frequency layering that it will be an issue to more complex tracks like jazz and symphonic orchestra.

Coherency of its drivers seems pretty alright though for an LCP diaphragm dynamic driver, it is quite a tad sluggish compare to some sets with the same drivers with faster transient response and better handling in decay.

Regarding its resolution capability, it's a tad mushy in my opinion as its quite burnish on its macro-dynamics to the point that it loses the solid notes while it has a weak micro-detail due to its blunted definition.


PEER COMPARISONS:

KZ LING LONG

■ LING LONG takes a bullet-style form factor and it has a smaller dynamic driver. Its shells are made of aluminium alloy. It has a similar product presentation with equal amount of accesories. Although it has some driver flex in every time of insertion which is quite bothersome. It is also noted that it is also harder to drive given its micro dynamic driver configuration.

■ As for its tuning, LING LONG has a U-shape balanced-warmish tuning but it sounds more balanced compared to KW1. It has a more controlled bass response that doesn't smudge and veil over the other frequencies. On technical capabilities, LING LONG has a wider soundstage size and better resolution capabilities.


TANGZU PRINCESS CHANGLE

■ Compared to KW1, CHANGLE shells' are also made of metal alloy and it is more ornate. Like LING LONG, CHANGLE is hard to drive which makes KW1 more power efficient on amplitude requirements. While it has better product presentation, its contents are way more meagre compared to KW1

■ Tonality-wise, it is similar to KW1 in which both sets have a U-shaped sound. CHANGLE has a less warmer and somehow cleaner sound as it has tighter bass response with just ample textured midrange and a tad brighter treble response. Technicalies-wise, they are quite similar with the exception that CHANGLE has slightly better resolution capabilities particularly on micro-dynamics.


As I concluded my review on KB Ear KW1, KB Ear takes a different road map for their budget range as they are aware some of their competitors always have similar driver configuration at cheap plastic shells and offer it at dirt cheap pricing. It is quite unusual to see an earphone in a wood chassis and Its should be noted that Rosewoods were also used on some headphones and enclosure panels of loudspeakers.

As for their BT5, it is quite functional and easy to operate. As it didn't have a support for more advanced bluetooth audio codecs, BT5 can still deliver a sufficient sound output, with almost no interruption and quite clear sound due to its latest Bluetooth version.


Both KB Ear KW1 and KB Ear BT5 are now available on KEEPHIFI, Check the link below if you are interested.


★★KB KW1 - KEEPHIFI★★

★★KB BT5 - KEEPHIFI★★




SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: KB EAR KW1
IMPEDANCE: 16Ω
SENSITIVITY: 105dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: -N.A.-
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm, Type- C
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 *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to KB EAR 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 to send my gratitude to KEEPHIFI for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Disclaimer:

• I don’t read FR graphs. I only use my ears, as how earphones should be used.
• KBEAR sent this unit to me in an exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will do its best to devoid from any bias/es as much as possible.
• The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

Burn-in time: 4-8 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• - Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• - Fosi Audio DS1
• - Shanling UA1 Plus
• - Sony Xperia X Compact
• - Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96), PC.
• - Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: stock small eartips, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 3.5 SE plug, 40-60% volume, low gain and high gain.

================================================================================================================
Sound signature:

• The KBEAR KB-KW1 sports a warm, v-shaped sound signature without any signs of fatigue or harshness throughout its sound. However, there is an obvious veil or “a blanket” type of presence in its overall frequencies, affecting the sound negatively, most of the time.

Lows:

• The lows are elevated, thick, and midbass focused. Attack and decay leans to the slower side, and will sometimes sound boomy. Midbass bleed is evident, making things muffled most of the time.

Mids:

• Mids are recessed, thick, smooth, lush, but suffers from veil, making things sound congested or nasal most of the time. This also in return hinders the detail and texture of this IEM . Upper frequencies are clear enough, but lack sparkle and air. No sibilance or any form of harshness are perceived in this region.

Highs:

• The highs are not that extended and will sound rolled off most of the time. It lacks air and sparkle. Details are average and not for critical listening.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• Due to the veil present in this IEM, the technicalities are also affected negatively. The soundstage is average in terms of width, height, and depth. Soundstage and layering are below average as the congestions are a bit apparent, and the imaging is accurate most of the time.

================================================================================================================
Pros:

• Fun, all rounder, warm sound signature.
• Chunky, elevated bass.
• Thick mids.
• Non-fatiguing upper frequencies.
• Excellent fit, build, and isolation.
• Lightweight, easy to use design and form factor!
• Clear mic quality!
• Very good fit and comfort!
• Very good amount of accessories!
• Very good design language (highly subjective)
• Fairly easy to drive.

Cons:

• The veil affects the overall sound quality of the IEM.
• Technicalities are below average for its asking price (due to veil)
• Mids are muffled and congested (due to veil)
• Treble is quite rolled off to my liking (subjective)
• Cable microphonics are apparent.

================================================================================================================

The KBEAR KW1 is one of the company’s newest products that goes within the “EDC” or everyday carry motif. During my real life, practical tests, they held up pretty well when used outside, particularly during commutes and calls-on-the-go. As for the hobbyist or “audiophile” side, this may not be the first option that you’ll be recommended with, but it is one of the options, that’s for sure!

Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: Both products are more than fine with any smartphone, but the KW1 sounds better when paired with a neutral DAC.
• Eartips: Eartips are fine for the most part, but you may always use your preferred eartips.

Thank you for reading!

Non-affiliated product link here!: https://keephifi.com/products/kbear...wired-headphones?_pos=38&_sid=8e45f0643&_ss=r

Additional Photos Here:

KBear KW1 Review​

KBear KW1​

Intro​

Hello, this is my full written review of the KBear KW1, KBear‘s latest bullet style (fixed cable) iem. I have been using the KW1 for many days when out and about and have found them to be quite pleasing. However, I will get into that later, for right now I simply want to say thank you to KBear for their generosity in providing the KW1 for a full review and feature. Thank you very much.

KBear / TRI​

KBear/TRI has been in this hobby for quite some time now and have truly cemented themselves into the lore of the Chi-fi universe, or thee… “Audioverse” as I like to call it. They’ve come out with many very well-tuned and beloved iems over the years, and they continue to release iems at a rapid pace. KBear’s sub brand “TRI”, the more luxury version of the brand, does seem to enjoy more success as the prices begin to rise past $100, but the budget offerings from KBear do just fine in the budget space and even a few past that $100 barrier. Basically, KBear has a firm hand in the market and in my opinion a good KBear is good for the hobby.

Here for a reason​

KBear has been somewhat up and down of late in regard to the reception from the audio community over some of their budget earphones. I actually recently (within the past year) reviewed a number of KBear iems. From the ultra-budget KBear Dumpling and KBear Storm to the (+$20) KBear Rosefinch, KBear Quinglong, KBear Ink, and KBear Ink MK2 etc. Each set seemed to be created for specific tuning styles or use cases rather than all-rounder type earphones.

Take the Rosefinch for example, it’s a basshead type replay which had some reviewers giving it bad marks. Yet, for what it was created to be (basshead), the Rosefinch is actually quite good. Everything should be graded to the style and tuning with which it was created to be. I digress, the truth is that KBear is still in this game for a very good reason, by creating affordable iems that always perk up the eyes of hobbyists. They also create unique iems which serve particular tastes, and this is a very cool thing amongst a sea of copycats. The KBear KW1 everyone…

Gear used for testing​

–IPad 6th Gen.

–Ifi Go Blu

–Qudelix 5K

–Hidizs S9 Pro

–iBasso DX240

–Shanling M6 Ultra



KBear KW1 Full Review

Packaging / Accessories​

The KW1 comes packaged in a mostly utilitarian and simple box which resembles many budget iem packages in its price point. I think that, at this price we shouldn’t expect very much. The box which arrived in my mailbox is small and white and has a picture of the KW1 on the cover. Not really much to report and it’s not like there’s even one soul who cares but I’ll do my due diligence. As I opened up the box I actually was surprised because KBear actually added a case with the KW1… I would have never guessed. Anyways inside of the case you’ll find the eartips as well as the KBear KW1 themselves.

Case​

What a nice surprise. Well maybe surprise is a stretch. However, I think it’s a nice addition to this set. The KW1 are a gorgeous set of earphones and I’d hate to scratch them up. Anyways, the carrying case is large enough to carry the KW1 and possibly some eartips and if you are really crafty you could. Probably fit a teeny tiny dongle dac. The case is colored gray with a fabric material covering it all the way around with a nice zipper for opening and closing. Truthfully this is a nice carrying case and much more than I’d expect from KBear at the price of $29.

Cable​

The cable Is actually a fixed cable, meaning you cannot disconnect it from the KW1. Normally I would be wholly against such a thing, and I still am to a degree but there is something special about the KW1 which helps me to not care so much. Plus, the fixed cable is actually quite nice. KBear doesn’t tell us how many cores the cable has but they do tell us that it is a Silver-plated OFC cable and that’s about it. Honestly, I don’t really need to know much more. The white colored cable is very nice looking and looks aesthetically pleasing to the eye as it contrasts the Rosewood of the KW1 perfectly.

The KW1 comes in three different connection variations which can be purchased at checkout. One is the 3.5 single ended unit with a straight jack, the other has a usb type c connection and the third has an IOS lightning connector for APPLE devices. Obviously the 3.5 single ended unit comes without an included dac chip such as the other two (type-c, lightning). KBear advertises the dac chips can reproduce a perfect signal from the source yet doesn’t divulge the actual chip being used. On the cable you’ll find the sweet looking mic which is partially clear to see the inside tech. The mic controls everything and actually sounds great for calls, believe it or not. The cable has a quality look and feel as it is nicely pliable and is easily manageable.

A few more things​

Real quick, I found the cable does have some microphonics whenever moving around with the KW1 in my ears. Not the biggest issue when playing music but can be bothersome if you are the type who gets bothered by such a thing. I barely even pay attention as I grew up with microphonics on every cheap set I put in my ears as a youngster. Another way to mitigate this issue is to simply water the KW1 over your ears… yes it can easily be done and does help. Another thing worth mentioning really quick is that the cable rolls up. Perfectly and doesn’t spring out of control every time I go to store the KW1. This is important and I am happy to report this.

Eartips​

Another aspect of the accessories which subtly surprised me is the addition of not just one set of three eartips, but two. The first is a white set of three eartips (S, M, L) with a somewhat flimsier flange and a semi-wide bore. The next is a set of three gray colored eartips (S, M, L) which have a firmer flange and a slightly smaller bore. There isn’t anything special about the tips, but I did try them both out and found that the KW1 doesn’t jive very well with either set. I actually went through my vast cavern of tips and settled on the Tenmak Whirlwind tips. The Whirlwind’s are a shallow fit, firm flanged, firm bore set with a wide bore. I do think that tips play a role in the end result of the sound.

​

Build / Design / Internals / Fit / Drivability​

Build Quality​

Looking at the actual build of the KW1 it is very easy to see that KBear made something special which is obviously of fantastic quality. The KW1 is a smaller bullet style iem with a semi-open back rear cavity. KBear states that the production length of each shell takes up to forty days to complete. They also reveal that there is a four-part oiling process as well as grinding which goes on to obviously shape this set. Also, for what it’s worth, KBear advertises that they complete a humidity test, a 2-meter drop test, a negative 0° Celsius cold temperature test, a 60°Celsius high temperature test, a 500N pressure test, and an 800-day life cycle test. Okay that was a mouthful. I have zero idea how in the world they conduct some of these tests, but it sounds good.

The KBear KW1 is made from front to back in Rosewood with gold-colored fittings contrasting the light reddish brown of the Rosewood. The Shells have a high-polished beautiful glossy coat covering the external side of the Shells. KBear states that they also have a darker set using Ebony wood. On the back of the KW1 you’ll notice a semi-open back vent with a golden colored ring around for looks. I don’t know how much of a help this back vent is but KBear did advertise the KW1 as semi-open. Anyways, the KW1 is a durable feeling set with all cable reliefs structured very well, the shell body feels solid and durable, the nozzle is solid too and honestly this looks like a set that will hold up being tossed in a college kids book bag. Great job KBear.

Design​

I’m sure you can guess it but the KW1 (in my humble opinion) is one of the most striking bullet style iems I’ve seen in quite some time. Truly a unique and ridiculously charming set of earphones with perfect coloration and a classy design that overshoots its price point pretty easily. This set has this alluring quality which is both handsome and elegant at the same time. One of the more eye-catching and splendid iems I’ve had the pleasure of putting into my ears and all for the low price of McDonald’s for two at $29 US. Please, will someone shake the hands of the men and women who designed this set?! Fantastic job! How dope does one look strolling down the block, jamming to their tunes with these little sirens tempting all the audio geeks out there? To answer that… Um…real dope!

Internals​

When choosing a driver and driver material to be used, KBear ended up going with an 8mm LCP (Liquid-Crystal Polymer) single Dynamic Driver. In truth I don’t think they could’ve added anything larger. I think 8mm is nice for this size.

Drivability / Pairing​

I find the KBear KW1 needing a touch more amperage than I’d suspect even though they are rated at 16 ohms with a sensitivity of 105 db’s. The KW1 does slightly open up with additional output power from the source but that is simply due to the need for more volume. I think the biggest difference comes from synergy and pairing of sources with the KW1 because of its warm tonality.

Sources​

Using an IPad 6th gen. I was able to bring the KW1 to decent volume (80/100) but I did notice technicalities suffer, not that technicalities are the highlight of the KW1 to begin with. The stage is the smallest using this listening method. Jumping up to the IFi Go Blu with its CS43131 dac chip which has a warm, smooth & dynamic sound. I think it is easy to bring the KW1 to volume, but the synergy simply isn’t there for me. Way too warm which makes everything muddy and hazy. I wanted a mobile solution for when I’m out and about with the KW1 and turned to the Qudelix 5k which uses the ES9219C dac chip. The KW1 seems to pair nicely with the 5k as the contrasting tonalities were great for when I’m on my travels or working around the house etc.

Dongle dacs​

So, I wanted to also find a dongle dac with some “decent” power and a 3.5 single ended connection that is a bit more analytical or closer to neutral for when I’m just maxin’ n’ relaxin’ and jamming out in my lawn chair. This led me to the Hidizs S9 Pro. This pairing works pretty nice as the S9 Pro (ES9038Q2M dac chip) comes across more snappy and open sounding. Listening with the S9 Pro I was happy to hear a slight breath of air in the sound. I did say slight. However, it also made the KW1 come across as warm yet resolving for the tuning.

DAPS​

Jumping up in fidelity and power I have two daps to choose from in the iBasso DX240 with its ES9038Pro dac chip and clean, dynamic, neutralish sound or the Shanling M6 Ultra which uses a AK4493SEQ velvet technology dac chip. With the M6 Ultra the sound is veiled and overcast in a haze using the KW1. The sound simply doesn’t synergize at all. So, turning to the Ibasso Dx240 was the way to go and added more lift and openness while tightening up the low-end. There is such a radical difference that I’d say if you don’t have a clean neutral source then don’t even bother with the KW1. Truthfully these two sounds great together, so much so that this was the unit I conducted most of my review with. Please take that into consideration.

The long drawn out point I’m making is to pair the KW1 with a clean, closer to neutral sounding Dongle Dac at the least. It helps if it’s resolving and decently powered as well. The KW1 will take what you throw at it, but there is a limit to how far they will scale. Mostly it’s the synergy which matters and finding a source that contrasts the warm nature of the KW1. So, to condense all of that into one sentence; the KW1 is harder to drive to good fidelity, so using a decently strong dongle dac will be best, and pair it with a neutral sounding and open sounding source.

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Sound Impressions​

Note: I did burn the KW1 in for roughly 50 hours prior to critical listening and I honestly didn’t hear any difference. Also, please know that I did all listening with either the iBasso DX240 or the Hidizs S9 Pro which are both more neutral with snappy transient responses and really do well to contrast the warm haze over the KW1’s sound. This is very important.

The KBear KW1 are a warm/dark sounding iem with a smooth veil cast across the entirety of the spectrum. If you aren’t a warm, lush or dark lover, then you should probably not jump on this set. I know quite a few who adore this dark sound but if I’m being honest, it isn’t my favorite, at all. I will always gravitate to a more neutral and open sound.

Pallet Shock!​

You have to understand that I have just been listening to the KZ AS24 which is about as neutral as you can get. Then right after, in comes the warm and silk nature of the KW1. Calling it “pallet shock” is an understatement. At first, I thought the midrange was simply a muddy and veiled mess. Which it is to an extent. That is until I pushed through my eye rolling pomposity and actually went through my Playlists.

What I found was a smooth and heavy sound which is actually resolving in its own warm way which is entirely relative to the tuning of course. There is a warm hue cast across the entirety of the midrange and treble which does come across veiled to me. In spite of that, I do believe that this was the idea. This set was made for those with basshead tendencies, and I think that KBear achieved that. For all intents and purposes, the KBear KW1 sounds great! I have to admit that the KW1 is far from my favorite type of sound and signature, but I do find myself enjoying them with the right type of tracks.


I do think that tip choice plays a small part in opening the upper regions up a hair and more than anything source helps. I’ve said it a few times, if you only have a smoother, warm, low-end heavy source then I wouldn’t even try to pick up the KW1. This set absolutely needs a cooler sounding source to break up some of the warmth as it really makes a big difference. Going from the M6 Ultra to the DX240 made a nice swing to the sound for example.

Sound​

Without question the KW1 is an L-shaped iem which carries a heavy low-end presence. The low-end hits deep and is greatly emphasized against the rest of the mix. The bass can mask over other frequencies but for those who enjoy that bigger bass, I’d say you may have found a nice set in the KW1. The KW1 is almost all bass to my ears and that extends across the spectrum almost encapsulating everything in.

The midrange hosts nicely weighted and smooth sounding male vocals which are helped in this aspect by the bass overflow into the midrange. The upper mids are completely non-fatiguing yet still present a nicely bodied female vocal with good presence. Also, females come across smooth and warm and without any sparkles or shimmer, yet the upper mids still have enough energy to represent instruments or any other info which resides in the region.

The treble is actually decently extended and at the same time non-offensive to the core. The KW1 could certainly use some treble punch as well as some brilliance up top. With good amperage and a clean source, the KW1 has a velvet type of resolve which can bring upon some macro details though nobody should purchase this set for its detail retrieval. The stage is more intimate yet there is good fullness of the stage.

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Bass Region​

BASS BOIS ARISE! The KBear KW1 is a bona-fide basshead set which takes any track and finds the bass within pulling out any semblance of low-end activity and then exaggerating those sounds. The KW1 has bass that tickles your eyelids and itches your ears. Truthfully this set brings me back to 1998 in my Hoopty Wagon with the seat waaaay back, one hand on the wheel, Outkast, 2pac, Wutang Clan or The Geto Boys etc. spilling out the windows. This is what the KW1 is to me. It’s a certified BASS BANGER that is unapologetically forthright in its purpose, unreserved in its specialty, and flat-out unambiguous in its one-sided dominance of the bass region. It hears you audiophiles complaining but guess what… the KBear KW1 doesn’t care. In fact, I may have heard it laugh right in the face of your disgust.

Sub-bass​

The sub-bass comes across robust, big, and booming with a dense and tactile rumble that has pretty good speed considering the emphasis down low. The sub-bass has a reverberant guttural quality that has a haptically tactile sound which is slower yet palpable on attack with a quicker decay. That said, it isn’t flabby or wooly at all. It’s a nicely deft sub-bass that is very satisfying in the right genres. “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard proves this right away as there is a dirty and sonorously abrasive bassline to begin this track, and the KW1 seems meant for it. Basically, the sub-bass goes deep and gets it! This is for fans of bass and for the most part… those fans alone.

Mid-bass​

The mid-bass packs a big slam yet is less emphasized than the sub-bass region. Certainly, the KW1 are living up to the basshead type of replay as there is around a 13 dB rise on the bass shelf at the sub-bass area and slowly glides down the mid-bass (at least the product graph from KBear shows this). Songs like “Never Imagined” by Lil Durk have an authoritative bass drop that stays in good control considering the prominence that the bass carries in the mix. The mid bass replays bass guitar with some serious meat to the sound, kick drums boom and bass drops flex with this set.

The KW1 is a basshead style earphone as most of the frequency priority lies in the low-end range. Remember, KBear isn’t trying to create some audiophile high fidelity masterpiece to curb your hi-res standards. They told us what this set was about and didn’t deviate. The KW1 is about feet moving, toe tapping, and head bobbing bass. So, I am constantly reminding myself that this is the vein with which I am judging the KBear KW1.

Downsides to the bass region​

The biggest drawback of a bass like this is that… well… it has a bass like this. It isn’t for everyone. Straight up. The bass casts a shadow over the entire mix which kind of sucks the air out of the music. I do know many friends who will totally enjoy this sound as it’s kind of a throwback to some sets of old. Still, this is not what most hobbyists would go for as there is almost too much warmth without a contrasting high end to liven the tonal color to make the KW1 brighter and airier and in effect more exciting and cleaner. The bass is the culprit, and the bass is the hero depending on your subjective likes and dislikes.

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Midrange​

There is a warmth across the midrange which renders every note and every leading edge with a smoothness that almost “feels” like velvet. Listening with the iBasso DX240 the KW1 comes across with nice depth to the sound and nice macro-dynamics yet with a softer note outline which can be appealing. It’s downy-soft, satin like, and cottony. Every hard edge has been polished and buffed down to a smooth glide. However, in that feathery display of sound it also comes across cleanly, believe it or not. No, it isn’t pristine and squeaky clean like a neutral set with a fast driver and tight transients. It’s a different kind of clean. Like transparent oil which finds the path of least resistance there is some resolving ability here.

Lower-midrange​

Male vocals aren’t going to wow you with their ability to sound natural. Nor will they excite you with their energy and note definition. However, there is decent resolution in the warmer setting. The KW1 is all smooth, all the time. No hard edges, nothing knife edged, and detail retrieval isn’t the KW1’s superpower, at all. The KW1 excels at fatigue free listening, and the warmth you hear is a cozy pillow yet somehow is uniform in its replay. Foy Vance in “Time Stand Still” sounds moist and full. His voice isn’t as chiseled as with most sets, but it comes across caked in a more humid and wetted way with a robustness that is easy to digest. Males altogether are recessed but still hold nice presence, even with the veil hovering over the sound.

Upper-Midrange​

Females sound a bit more forward than males with better energy and slightly less warmth overall. “Everything I Didn’t Say” by Ella Henderson sounds lovely. There isn’t any shimmer or sparkle to be heard but her voice has enough of a vitality to come across measured and charismatic with a highly emotional twist to the song listening on the KW1.

Now, some songs do sound too laid back for me as I like females to have that sweet glistening shimmer within their vocal expression. I’m sure some may dig this a lot but it isn’t my favorite. I’d say the saving grace is in the non-abrasive, non-offensive, and emotional nature the KW1 has along with good note weight throughout. To be 100% transparent, I will not spend a ton of time listening on this set past this review but female vocals do have an alluring quality which sounds inviting to me after listening for a long time and adjusting my brain to it. I did find “John Wick” to be a very fun movie to watch with the KW1 in my ears.

Both instruments & vocals will not come across naturally. There is just too much of a warm veil over the sound to call it organic. However, this doesn’t make it necessarily bad. There is just a bit too much color that skews the sound to call it natural. However, you will hear nothing even close to sibilant, nothing thin, nothing grating and piercing and certainly you won’t hear anything shrill. Just don’t expect open and airy and natural. Do expect a smooth and velvet like sound with meaty vocals and soothing female vocals.

Downsides to the midrange​

Really quick, the midrange is sometimes presented as though the sound is in a canopy or inside of a box. Depending on the track of course. Oddly enough the sound grew on me and there is a resolving quality in its replay. Still, I feel like the low-end covers and filters out much of the air and separation. However, KBear was going for a dynamically bass induced sound, I’d say they nailed that part of it for sure. For the price and for the demographic I would wholeheartedly say that the Mids are probably right on target. Make no mistake though, this is not a high-fidelity sound that is detail oriented.

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Treble​

The treble region is emphasized to a degree, but the bass shelf sits atop the loudest portion of the treble range by a good 7-8 db’s (taken from the product graph). Anyways, this is simply not enough to add any real vitality and vivaciousness to the sound. The treble actually has some extension past 10k however it simply isn’t elevated to the degree that there is any uplift in the tonal color of the KW1. The pendulum never swings to the cooler side… at all. There is a lack of brilliance and shine as it feels like I’m missing some energy, dynamism, and timbral qualities within my music. In reality I’m just hearing a much calmer version, warmer and easier on the ears. I will say it over and over again that these qualities do not make this a bad sounding iem… Just different. It’s a warm lovers paradise.

More on the treble​

Again, the treble is completely non-offensive, completely safe, and 1000% peak-free which are both redeeming qualities. Sibilance won’t show through to annoy your senses and there isn’t that splashy type of treble which so often is the case around these prices. Now, whether those qualities are enough to sell you on the treble range of the KW1 is subjective to you. I hear a cleanliness to the sound that comes through on lesser complicated tracks up top, but it isn’t clean in a traditional sense. There is a clean outline to notes in this area, yet they come across slow on attack and decay a bit quicker. Also, there’s no graininess or artificial artifacts cluttering up the sound. That said, Treble Heads will want nothing to do with the KW1, at all. In fact, this set is the antithesis of what a treble head would go for.

Safe and calm​

The KW1 has a warm punch to the treble and good body to instrumentation with no abrasive roughness to the sound. Kinda like riding on a wave in an ocean of silk. Okay that may be going too far but you get the idea. Instruments like percussion don’t have that snappy pang or harmonic sparkle to them. Violin doesn’t have its abrasive zing and piano doesn’t have its dense ring. Basically, most secondary harmonics in this region are muted a bit. Still, there is fantastic body and presence which comes across as full sounding.

Obviously, the instrument timbre isn’t really organic, but it does come across very easy to digest and listen to for long periods. It’s a safe treble throughout. I say all of that, but details can still be heard in the upper treble as there are some macro-details which show through. I do have to add though, if details are what you are purchasing this set for, well, you may not get the return on investment you may have otherwise imagined.

Downsides to the treble​

I feel like I’ve laid it all out there already. The downside is that this is not a balanced sounding iem, in fact it’s not even V-shaped. This is a treble that can barely make it off the couch. Is that a downside? I suppose it all comes down to what you enjoy.

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Technicalities​

Soundstage​

The soundstage is an intimate affair. Yet it’s also a full stage. I have sound all around my periphery. It’s sound which reaches high and low and stretches wide while the elements of a stage seem cupped around me, yet all of it sounds pretty close. So, to say it more concise… It’s big and full, but also intimate. Does that make sense? I hope so because there aren’t a whole lot of ways to say it. I will say this as a redeeming element to the stage of the KW1, the stage suits the tuning and nothing feels “off” or out of place to my ears.

Separation / Imaging​

Separation is one aspect of the KW1’s repertoire which isn’t as defined as one may like. Despite that, anyone purchasing the KW1 isn’t doing so because the separation of instrumentation is top notch. I don’t want to give the wrong impression though because separation of elements in an imaginary stage on the KW1 are also… Not bad. The problem is, in my opinion, the smooth nature of the sound and soft note definition seems to blend a little bit. There isn’t that clean and distinct definition which you could find on some more technically adept iems. Again, nobody purchasing the KW1 is worried about the separation of instrumentation. No sir. People buying the KW1 simply want to know that the bass’ll hit hard and deep while maintaining some aspect of musicality.

Imaging on the other hand is quite good as the KW1 is able to partition off elements of a stage pretty well for the tuning. Left to right seems well placed and distinct enough as well as front to back instruments and voices. Yes, things do tend to have a blurry between the lines but the actual placement of where this Instruments take form sounds authentically reproduced.

Details​

Details aren’t where the KW1 shines. That said, the KW1 does bring upon some semblance of macro-details within parts of the treble region. Of course, there is masking happening with a pumped-up bass and you simply will miss some of the minutiae within a song because of this fact. It’s that simple. Depending on the track you may or may not get decent details. On acoustic jams you will actually find the KW1 picks up even the finer details. Of course, there isn’t a whole lot of low-end in most acoustic songs. To contrast that, in more complicated tracks it sounds more like a mishmash of sounds to a degree.

Comparison​

KBear Rosefinch ($24)​

The KBear Rosefinch was a set that I reviewed earlier last year I believe (Rosefinch review here). To be perfectly honest there isn’t a whole lot sonically which differentiates the two sets. They sound remarkably similar. I do believe they serve the same audiences and demographics. Both L-shaped and both are basshead iems and both have that silky smooth warmth with nice note weight. I will make this fast because there isn’t much which sets these two apart.

Bass Region​

The Rosefinch and the KW1 quite literally share almost identical bass regions. I would say that the KW1 is a bit tighter and also a bit heavier in the slam area. I find the Rosefinch to be a touch softer whereas the KW1 has just a little bit more rumble. The KW1 sounds a bit better textured as well.

Midrange​

The only difference I can find is the Rosefinch may be a hair more forward in the Midrange while the KW1 has the slightest of hairs better resolution. Both sets have a creamy sound on both male and female vocals and both sets do have a slight veil or blanket of warmth covering all the air in every track.

Treble Region​

The only difference I can find is the extension of the KW1’s treble is a bit better as I hear less attenuated info past 8k than on the Rosefinch. Perhaps the KW1 has slightly more snap to the treble but I’m splitting hairs. Truthfully, these two sound very similar in every regard to me.

I chose the Rosefinch to compare with the KW1 because it is made by the same company, shares much of the same tuning philosophy and is a definite upgrade in terms of look and build. I find the Rosefinch to be more versatile in some respects as they have a detachable cable, whereas the KW1 has a fixed cable. Either set will quench any basshead thirst and either set is good for long listening sessions. I think the KW1 is a slight bit more resolving.

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Is it worth the asking price?​

Coming in at roughly $29 US the KBear KW1 has a pretty polarizing sound that one would likely either really enjoy, or really not enjoy. I’d say, for those who are only in this space and reading this review who enjoy a basshead style L-shaped sound then this set is well worth the price, without question. However, if you are into anything else then I’d say that the KW1 probably isn’t the set for you and maybe not worth the $29 asking price.

Competition​

You have to take into account the many competing iems which hover around the $20 to $35 price point. There are some very heavy hitters. The Kiwi Ears Cadenza (Cadenza Review), QKZ X-HBB (X-HBB review), the KZ D-Fi (KZ D-Fi review), KZ ZVX (KZ ZVX Review), Reecho SG-01 Ova, Astrotec Vesna Evo and that’s just to name a few. Yes I know there are many I forgot to name. Any of those sets that I just mentioned are around the same price point and will outperform the KW1 in almost every metric besides bass quantity and quality per the quantity. Those sets have a balance to them which simply outshines the KW1. Still, for those who enjoy pure bass and want to hear that bass in their feet then the KW1 is an easy recommendation at this price.

The KW1 is really in a tough spot, but it actually has some great selling points. First, they are some of the prettiest looking bullet style earphones that I’ve ever seen. Second, the build is second to none with all wooden shells. In all truth they are almost a fashion statement. Third, the bass is done very well in terms of pure basshead style replay. On top of that the KW1 has a great cable and controls and even comes with a decent carrying case. Lastly, this sound is so soothing friends. It’s silky smooth to the core and has tremendous note weight and presence in that warmer setting. So, it’s a subjective question for you, the reader. This one could go either way.

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Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles. In the case of the KBear KW1 ratings below, that would be $20-$35 iems in any configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $20-$35 US is a small pool in the grand scheme of things and so seeing ratings above a “9” is understandable.

Aesthetic ​

-Build Quality: 10.0

-Design: 10.0

-Accessories: 9.5

Overall: 9.8

Sound Rating​

-Timbre: 6.0

-Bass: 9.9

-Midrange: 6.8

-Treble: 5.9

-Technicalities: 5.0

-Fun Factor: 9.7

Overall: 7.2

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Conclusion​

To conclude my full written review of the KBear KW1 I want to again thank KBear for providing this unique budget basshead iem in exchange for a feature at the website as well as a review. I also would like to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link. Every time that link gets activated it is good for the website, so I thank you very much.

Please check out other thoughts on the KW1. We are all very much different and it will pay to read, listen or watch other perspectives regarding the KW1. Don’t simply count on my thoughts as I may have a wildly different take then the next guy. Also, we don’t all have the same libraries of music, likes and dislikes, even hearing abilities. It’ll help you out to make a more educated purchasing decision. Please stay as safe as possible and take care… God Bless.