KiiBOOM Allure - Single Full-range Dynamic Driver Universal IEM

This is a summary of my full review posted here.



The Kiiboom Allure is a surprising gem from a newcomer in the world of IEMs, priced at a modest $99. It features a metal body with a single dynamic driver using a Beryllium-plated diaphragm. The diaphragm is layered with "diamond-like carbon" (DLC) polymer, which results in a light and high-quality sound. The housing is meticulously designed to minimize resonances.

The Allure impresses with its warm and detailed sound, excellent bass, detailed midrange and exquisite treble. It also has a quite wide soundstage. It excels with various music genres, from jazz to electronic.

Comparing it to other IEMs like the Kiwi Ears Quartet, Letshuoer x GIZAudio Galileo, S12 Pro, Sennheiser IE200, and Moondrop Kato, the Allure holds its own, often outperforming its peers.

In terms of amplification, I used the Allure mostly with the Monolith THX AAA 887 which sounded terrific. However, the Allure works well with portable setups too. It provides great sound quality with various dongles, such as Dragonfly Black and Red, as well as the THX Onyx.

In conclusion, the Kiiboom Allure is a fantastic IEM, offering great sound quality, build, and comfort at an affordable price. It competes favorably with more expensive IEMs, making it a compelling choice for audiophiles.

Kiiboom sent me the review unit for the purpose of this review.

You can read my full review here:
Kiiboom Allure Review
Kiiboom's official website

A modern iem is needed to me as a 100% dollar iem is a lot for many of us. A 100 dollar is 5 budget sets and the cost of some amps or dacs. The hobby is one of luxury and beauty to me, not one of just being there. You need to wow me at 100 dollars, and I have expectations. (I have rewritten my review of this item, and found it much better after some tip swapping. I tried all the stock tips.)

I bought this iem with my own money, my thoughts and opinions are mine.

Product Features

Driver Information Single Beryllium Plated Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
Impedance 18ohm
Sensitivity 112db
Cable Connector 0.78mm 2PIN
Frequency Response 20-40kHz

Song Choice: Tidal list here:
I listen to a wide variety of music. I pick the songs because of various reasons. But I picture myself locked away like Andy Dufresne from Shawshank blasting music and shut off from the world. It’s a blissful image.
The Marriage of Figaro -The opera song from Shawshank Redemption, terrible recording but fun and gets me in the mood to listen to music.
O mio Babino caro -This is a modern less operatic version but a song with great female vocals.
Video Rigoletto - “La donna e mobile” Sung by one of the three Tenors, great song for high-performing male vocals. Pavarotti is the greatest classic singer maybe ever. Fight me!
Iron man - The sound at the beginning is hard to make sound great, great drums, and cymbals, and if done right it feels like an old-school band.
I Will Survive (1981 recording, I like her voice, and the old vocals, the drums, and various natural instruments really make this a favorite for me.
There is a light That never goes out - Smiths ( A classic, I just love it. It’s mellow, and I can tell a lot of the tuning if this song is done right.)
Jump (I like how the sound effects are in this!)
Star Child Someone recommended this song to me, and I like how funky it sounds and has nice vocals and a mix of music and things going on.
Dicke Titten Ramstein The beginning is amazing and the bass hits hard. Great song. I love rock and metal. The German language fascinates me
Master of Puppets: Very fast song. Helps me determine if the driver can keep up.

Overall my music sounds a tiny bit warm on it, but very enjoyable. I prepared myself by listening to other sets that are around this price to prepare myself for this item.


Shell - This is by far the best part of the set. The shell is awesome and very unique. It's like Jewelry and is pretty and smooth. I can get a good fit with it.



Case- They know this is a small iem right with only 3 sets of tips included right? The Legato case is here for comparison. The Legato case makes this one look tiny. It's a solid case but a bit too big for my liking. I do appreciate the quality of this case, but I think they could save money and get a case that is slightly smaller than the Legato case. It's just extra.

Cable- The cable is beautiful, but my set came tangled. I had to spend too much time untangling it and making it free. This start got me off on the wrong foot in the get-go with this item, and frustrated me immediately, as I feel this is a bit silly for a hundred dollar iem not to have a little bread tie or zip tie to keep it neat. It was just lazily put in the case. Imagine this but worse. I had 5 knots in it! Good thing I was a sailor and a boy scout. I got the skills to bring you this review!






Tip Selection - The tip selection is poor for a 100-dollar iem. It has 3 sets. It feels very basic.




Quick-Fire Comparisons

In this section, I'll quickly compare the KiiBoom Allure to other relevant IEMs in its price bracket

KiiBoom Allure VS. Truthear Hexa
Overall Tuning: Truthear Hexa
Details: KiiBoom Allure

KiiBoom Allure VS. Truthear Zero
Overall Tuning: KiiBoom Allure
Details: KiiBoom Allure

KiiBoom Allure VS. Dunu Kima
Overall Tuning: Tied
Details: KiiBoom Allure

KiiBoom Allure VS. SeeAudioYume 2
Overall Tuning: SeeAudioYume 2
Details: Sligh Edge to SeeAudioYume 2

Value: I find this a strong set, and value it sonically for the current price it is at. The presentation is acceptable for the price, but when 20 dollar iems have 10 sets of tips it feels a bit off. I also couldn't get a good sound out of the stock tips and had to use some other tips to make this iem work well for me.

Graph:


Bass

The KiiBoom Allure has a strong base and feels good. It hit all the points that I would want it to hit. It has good note weight and sounds really fun and enjoyable. The details come across well in the base.


Midrange

The midrange for me in this iem is fantastic and podcasts sound great. It is very natural sounding, but the base being a little lean for me seems a bit off to me. Yet this is an enjoyable set for podcasts. The vocals are fantastic on this set. It's really a joy to hear music on it.


Treble

The treble is a little harsh around the 2kHz for me. But it is lively and one of the better parts of this set. It sounds alive in the music that I want to sound good in.

Recommended EQ: I recommend adding a base shelf of 5 DB at 32HZ, 64 Hz, and 125 Hz and lowering the 2kHz hump down 3 DB. I find this iem takes EQ well, which is a joy! With this EQ I find this item much better and pleasant, without it, it is still very good and enjoyable, but just a tiny bit harsh.


Gifting/who is it for: I'm not sure as it is a sonic iem, not a gifting iem. It would be for collectors, or those that like green. It's a beautiful shell, and I think it looks nice for those who want this aesthetic. It has a unique sound, but the packaging is less than desired. I would gift it to friends who love a fun punchy iem, not one who wants something boring.

Pairing: I used a Quidelix 5k and a Topping DX1 dac through a SMSL SH-8s AMP. I don’t find the pairing to matter too much, but it certainly can.

Summary- For the price I can recommend it for sound, the packaging is a little average. I find it a very strong set, with a unique sound similar to the Simgot EA500 but much better. I didn't rate this iem very highly and was very excited about it, after some time I changed my mind and my review. Not because of pressure, but I want to be honest and give this review an appropriate try with some minor things changed it blew me away for the price.

Overall I am giving this iem an A for tuning, and a B for technicality. It's strong and a great value. For sound, I'd give it a great score but am not a huge fan of the packaging. I think sonically it punches at the same class as iems more expensive and extremely comfortable to wear. This iem deserves a relisten. It's not linear or perfect, but it's delightful and fun. For its price I'd give it a high recommendation for those not looking for a linear sound quality, but something enjoyable and fun.



Thanks for reading. Any feedback is welcome. I’ll be posting my preference list of dacs, and headphones soon. It’s in process. I find myself keep wanting to do written reviews of iems!

Introduction

As stated on the WEB itself and I quote: “KiiBOOM is a collective of hobby enthusiasts from all around the world, with passions ranging from mechanical keyboards, high-fidelity audio, art toys (designer toys), garage kits, fountain pens, knives, watches, and fashion. Each member brings a unique set of R&D, marketing, and manufacturing skill sets from their respective fields, and allows an extremely diversified and comprehensive pool of knowledge on how to improve their hobbies.” On the other hand, the global team spans from the USA, Germany, Mexico, the UK, Singapore and Korea. It is clear that they are not just a headset brand, but also specialists in mechanical keyboards and parts.
In the IEMS section, they have two models, the KiiBOOM Evoke, a hybrid 1DDD+2BA model, with a resin capsule and a semi-custom shape. Its price is around 169$. But the model I am going to review at the moment is the KiiBOOM Allure, a Single Driver Dynamic for 99$. It has a Beryllium-plated diaphragm, known for its strength and light weight. A diamond-like carbon polymer (DLC) diaphragm has been used and three separate layers of beryllium have been applied to stiffen and reinforce the diaphragm. The acoustic cavity of the housing material was also generated using a proprietary software algorithm and CNC machined precisely to avoid any parallel surfaces.
Beyond the brand's own introduction, the KiiBOOM Allure is an IEMS that I liked right from the start. Their frequency response is pleasing, with good bass, full mids and a remarkable level of clarity, transparency and detail. The sense of fullness is almost as wide as that displayed by the trendy planar IEMS. All of which makes for a lot of enjoyment during this review. Let's take a closer look at why I was so pleased.



Specifications

• Driver Type: Dynamic driver with Beryllium-plated diaphragm.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz.
• Sensitivity: 112dB.
• Impedance: 18Ω.
• Jack Connector: Gold plated SE 3.5mm.
• Cartridge Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Housing Material: CNC machined aluminium alloy.

Packaging

The KiiBOOM Allure comes in a large box, sized 189x147x86mm. Their colours move in the range of greens, turquoises and blues. On the main side is the design of the capsules, in their white line profile. The name of the brand and model is highlighted in large, also in white, at the top. There is a small description of the contents on a green background label in the lower left corner. The back of the case features what could be the brand's mascot, an owl with headphones on a skateboard/keyboard. A brief specification and other branding can also be read. The box is made of thick cardboard that opens like a chest. Inside is a huge zippered case, protected with foam. It has metal brand lettering on the bottom. Inside are the IEMS and the silicone tips. The box is very large and the interior layout is not usable for storing the IEMS with a DAP or something similar. I think the internal shape makes the case not very useful. The contents are minimal:

• The two KiiBOOM Allure capsules.
• A 4-strand cable covered in textile, in green and black.
• Three pairs of silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• A huge zippered case.

The cable is not bad at all, I repeat that the case is not very useful due to its large size and interior design. And only one set of silicone tips is not enough.



Construction and Design

The Allure capsules are made of aluminium alloy and the outer plate looks like stabilised wood in shades of green and black, but coated with some kind of hardening varnish. It could be another material, I don't know. This plate is recessed and is highlighted by a metal rim. The shape of the outer face is almost semicircular, while the shape of the inner face is semi-custom, with very rounded edges and a subtle, very unobtrusive side bulge. The 2PIN 0.78mm connection is on a hard plastic plate embedded in the flat edge. Nearby, there is a hole. There is another one at the base of the projection towards the mouthpiece. On the inside face are two black ink dots indicating the channel. The mouthpiece appears to be of the same material and has two diameters: the smaller 5.1mm and the larger, outermost 5.8mm. The length of the mouthpiece is about 4mm. It has a perforated metal filter for protection. The brand name can be read on the rim of the capsules in dark grey ink.
The cable is curious, it follows the same green and black colour pattern as the outside of the capsule. It consists of 4 strands covered with textile fibre. The sleeve of the gold-plated 3.5mm SE plug is metallic and hexagonal. It has an indentation in the first third and a grub screw to secure the cable inside. The brand name can be read on one side. The splitter piece is similar, but smaller. The pin is an unthreaded nut, which slides more than usual. It has guides on the ear and the 2Pin connectors are metal cylinders, with a ring as an indentation. The 2Pins are external and come out of a black rectangular piece of plastic.
The capsule is attractive, light and very comfortable. Very good design. The cable also has a good design, which attracts attention. The problem is that it coils up too much and the pin is not very effective.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

Both the size and shape make it easy for the capsules to rest on the ears in a very comfortable, pleasant and comfortable way. It hardly touches any part of the outer ear and can be worn for hours without any warning of discomfort. The only comment is that the nozzles could be a bit longer, so that the insertion is a bit deeper. But I have found no problems in getting the best sound, using my home-made foam-filled tips. With them, the fit is full, the isolation high, the fit high and durable, very suitable for daily use, for public transport, walking, even running. Excellent.



Sound

Profile

To call the sound in V, albeit very mildly, is perhaps a way of disparaging the Allure's profile. The frequency response moves within a maximum 10dB difference, between 20Hz and 10kHz, which attests to its balance. Without being clearly emphasised at the sub-bass end, its peak is above 40Hz and its upper range counterpart, above 2.3kHz. It is true that the upper-midrange emphasis is greater than in the bass, but only by a small margin. The first half of the midrange does not feel hollow and the treble has a slight dip, within a sweet and quiet exposure, which progresses in a controlled manner towards the audible end. Overall, the bass plays a good role, with a clear and decided weight, but without reaching bass-heads levels, but offering a great component of fun, thanks to a noticeable punch and quality. The sound has a tendency towards warmth, counterbalanced by the brightness and controlled transparency of the upper mids and the first treble, as if they wanted to balance the whole profile, but a mutual respect whose beneficiary is the sound of the Allure.



Bass

The bass of the KiiBOOM Allure is characterised by a rather large spatial volume. Their size is almost three-dimensional in this respect and makes the sound wide and round. It is deep, there is weight, excitement and power in its reproduction. It doesn't rely on an emphasis on the extreme sub-bass, but it does focus around 40Hz, on that threshold between physicality and sensory capability. This slight feeling towards the mid-bass gives it a point of appealing rubberiness, though it slows its progression. The hit is hard, powerful, lingers and is felt. It is agile, though not the fastest, as it takes time to generate the space that the bass takes up. Despite this, the beryllium-plated DLC driver does its job very well in this respect. The bass is not thick, has good resolution and the ability to generate well-drawn, clear and crisp bass lines. It is adept at recreating layers and conjuring up a complex mix of sub-bass, bass drums and distinct lines. It's not easy for the Allure to collapse or muddy the bass, even at a good volume. They are able to withstand heavy loads without distortion. The result is that the driver is very capable of delivering complicated, overdriven, polyrhythmic and unfiltered bass. All this makes it a great candidate for electronic music. Also, because they are really lush, unctuous and a lot of fun in this respect. The low end is full-bodied and perhaps a bit invasive. But the stiffness properties of the diaphragm ensure that even so, the bass is contained, despite the volume, and even achieves a good level of dryness and good recovery.
The surface has good roughness, it feels descriptive, although it is not a very abrupt or remarkable texture. The technical ability, combined with the power that gives it that mix of sensations, makes the texture lean towards the soft side, less wild or pronounced.
In the pure tone test, the 20Hz and 30Hz frequencies are perceived as lighter. But it is at 40Hz that the true power of the Allure is felt. The sonority is quite good and realistic, it would have been deeper if the excitation was more inclined towards the lower LFOs, but the timbre is certainly natural and adequate.



Mids

Thanks to the very tight bass, its three-dimensional volume does not overshoot into the mids. The coexistence of a powerful sub-bass line and a female voice is a testament to the skill of this driver: the voice is never overshadowed, but rather sounds above it, with enough clarity and unique presence that its image is clear and never mixed up. And the big bass body will seem to want to take over the midrange space, but it will be like a fight that will always be evenly matched. This is where I've driven the Allure and this is where it excels, offering the best of both worlds that I look for: mids and lows present and in harmony. It's the second pillar towards a big, full sound. And that means that both the male vocals and the instrumentation will also show up with good prominence, but not predominantly, but in that right consonance to create a wide, flowing and light enough sound front. Yes, just enough, this is something that adds a certain warmth to the sound, because the whole is not bright, nor luminous, just balanced, organic, euphonic and natural, with a certain analogue flavour.
This is not an analytical sound, it maintains an expressive smoothness with a remarkable level of detail, enough to offer a good range of the minute part and minute nuances, but without being completely explicit. It's a balance between power, technique, exposure and a juicier presentation, without losing sight of the fun factor. It can't be compared to other detail monsters, but its musicality will always be a cut above, as well as offering a physicality that is not easy to find in all soundtracks. In this way, the Allure delivers a powerful, punchy midrange that is held at a good distance so as not to sound intimate, offering depth and encompassing a wide, oval space in the scene, as well as a fairly accurate and easily located image. Undoubtedly, the result is a balance achieved for an uncompromising enjoyment, which engages from the first listen and which ends up imposing itself thanks to its technical skill and sonorous exuberance.



Treble

The treble tuning is soft in presence, but has an extended sonority. Unlike many other IEMS that have a pronounced control zone, here, the treble roll-off is not very noticeable and while it is true that the descent is gradual, the extension is not minimised. Thus, a very adequate timbre is maintained, which is never bright, but does not feel omitted. Thus, the brightness is controlled, not prolonged, not excessive, the treble does not crunch with vigour. It is a restrained, confident spark that does not burn, nor does it excite in a sharp way. Power is limited, but easily perceived. The extension is quite good all the way to the air zone, resulting in a consistent representation, with a fairly constant presence throughout this range. The result gives the sound an accurate and polite realism, lacking in flaws or omissions, being a range with its own personality and ability to add to the sound the remarkable dose of harmonics, sparkle, detail and light needed to complement the presence of the lower ranges.



Soundstage, Separation

The sensation of such a full sound can present a somewhat more compact, less expansive scene. The slight lack of air may also influence this. However, the sound is wide and has remarkable depth and laterality. One could say that the image is oval, with a very good sense of volume, thanks to the physicality and body of the bass, something that is also repeated in the mids. But this is not a volatile or gaseous scene, and the sense of dispersion feels bounded. Everything is in a wide, but collected space, without the sound coming out of the head, very well ordered, offering a consistent, effective, distinguishable and realistic image.
Separation is good, as is the level of transparency. The sound does not feel opaque, but neither is a dark background visible, providing a more obvious distance between notes. As mentioned, detail is soft, but the system has sufficient resolution and definition to recreate a remarkable level of micro nuance, enough to generate a sound of good ornamental richness. But its best assets remain its strength, sonic power, musicality and ample bass and midrange presence, without losing sight of the expressiveness of the treble.



Comparisons

Dunu Kima

The toughest battle between IEMS in the same segment is on. The Dunu Kima is one of the best IEMS I have tested in this price range. To say the best would be a lie, for several reasons. First, because I haven't heard all the IEMS in this price range. Second, categorical statements in the audio world are meaningless, based on the assumption that reviewers are biased, as we review based on our tastes, experiences and the desire to persist in this hobby.
In terms of packaging, the Kima is very difficult to beat, I prefer its cable and accessories. The Allure's giant box, its limited repertoire of tips and its good but improveable cable make it inferior to the Dunu. When it comes to the design of the capsules, it's even closer. Although the greenish wooden outer plates of the KiiBOOM are very attractive, I find the multi-flat face of the Kima more striking. In fit/ergonomics I prefer the Allure.
To choose between one or the other IEMS, as far as sound quality is concerned, one has to be very clear about one's tastes. And here I cannot be neutral. My little Bass-Head heart goes for the KiiBOOM Allure even if they are not the most transparent IEMS on the market. But they do have something that I can't overlook and that goes straight to the root of my musical preferences: that low end, the relationship to the mids and the fullness of their sound. The bass is faster and more technical on the Kima, but it doesn't have the punch and presence of the Allure. This may be too much for some, but the Kima will be there to solve the problem. If, on the other hand, you prefer pure fun, the Allure will be the choice. The bass is fatter, more sensory, darker, wider, more noticeable, more powerful and resounding in the KiiBOOMs. On the Dunu everything is thinner and more precise, less textured, but also more neutral and permissive, without the ability to fill out the sound as the Allure does. Sure, this ability can be intrusive, but it's the difference between those who are looking for that feel and not others. The wall of sound starts there, and the Dunu's are thinner and less physical.
In the midrange, the Allure's bass space is noticeable and, comparatively, the Kima's feel freer and cleaner. The KiiBOOMs sound denser, darker and warmer, but also more opaque. There is more light and sense of detail on the Kima, at least, that brighter feel is more prominent than on the Allure. Male vocals are more physical, dense and dark on the KiiBOOMs, while the Kima presents them as thinner, more delicate and vivid. The same is true of the female vocals. In general, the voices are fuller and closer on the Allure, while the Kima are brighter and take some distance. In terms of detail, the unctuous sound of the KiiBOOMs tones them down smoothly and they become more explicit on the Kima. There is a little more resolution in the Dunu in the clarity of these technical aspects.
The treble has a similar tuning. While the Dunu's are a little thinner and more expressive in their first phase, the Allure's gain in extension, sounding a little smoother, but fuller. But both are smooth. If a little more liveliness is desired, the Kima would be the choice.
In some situations, the Allure's breadth and bass space provide a wider, more three-dimensional soundstage, comparatively speaking, relative to the Kima's, which feel a little flatter. That extra volume is the big difference between the two models. I see more light and separation in the Dunu.



Conclusion

Testing the KiiBOOM Allure over and over again I can't be biased. I know that they are not the best IEMS in some technical aspects, they are warmer and darker, not as detailed and have a big and voluminous bass. But that voluptuousness is so appealing to me that it prevents me from being neutral in this case. And so I must begin this conclusion by warning readers of this incorrectness in my analysis. The Allure is perhaps one of the IEMS I have enjoyed the most from the first impression. From the bass to the mids, from its powerful and voluminous low end, from its wall of sound, from its organic and unctuous sound, from the smoothness and expressiveness of the treble, from the comfort of its capsules, to the design of its external faceplate. All these details have captivated me from the first sight, from the first listen. So it's no wonder that I have succumbed to the charms of the KiiBOOM Allure and rate them higher overall than the sum of their parts. And that's because of the fun/satisfaction factor I've found with them. In this case, this model has hit the nail on the head of my non-rational preferences and that deserves 5 stars, not justifiable on a logical level, but on an emotional level.



Sources Used During the Analysis

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

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 82
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 90
• Accessories: 60
• Bass: 90
• Mids: 90
• Treble: 80
• Separation: 82
• Soundstage: 89
• Quality/Price: 95

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

Firstly I would like to thank KiiBOOM for sending me this Allure sample to review.

*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings



KiiBOOM Allure

• Driver Information – Single Beryllium Plated Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
• Impedance – 18ohm
• Sensitivity – 112db
• Cable Connector – 0.78mm 2PIN
• Frequency Response – 20-40kHz

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories

The Allure come in a green box with an outline sketch of the earphones on the front and technical info on the back along – there is also a cartoon on the back which is quite fitting with the brand image they are going for. Open the box and you’ll find the case with the earphones nearly inside – it’s very simple packaging but it does catch your eye which is good.

Build quality seems to be very impressive, for their first IEM’s they have spent some time making sure the housings are well finished along with being smooth and aesthetically pleasing. The shell has a visible join, but it’s smooth, the shell is aluminium and the faceplate is green which makes them stand out a little. The cable is coated in fabric, there is a mix of black and green which matches the earphones colour scheme well, it feels rugged and well built but has a habit of tangling a bit.

Accessory wise you get quite a large carry case, this is great if you want to fit your DAC/Amp or DAP in with the earphones, but it’s a bit too big for daily use and I’d like to seem them include a smaller clamshell case within the big one. You also only get a single set of silicone tips in the usual S, M and L sizes – whilst they’re good quality tips I would like to see a wider range included.



Comfort, Fit and Isolation

The cable is soft and the housings are well shaped which leads to a comfortable fit. I found it easy to find tips that fit my ear canals, and once inserted they were secure yet comfortable. The moulded earhooks are just right and I found it easy to wear the Allure for long periods of time.

Isolation is a little worse than normal, there are 2 vents in the housings which does affect the isolation a little, however I did find them to perfect for general day-to-day use, I’d only want more if I were using noise transport a lot.

Sound

Lows: The Allure have a slightly warm and full low end which gives the overall sound a little bit of added body. The bass region is very well controlled and the driver is responsive, never sounding slow, they don’t get easily congested and handle most genres with ease. They are not overly exaggerated down low, and certainly won’t appeal to bass-heads, however their easy going and even-handed nature means they will be enjoyable to many listeners. The quality is also impressive, especially for their price, there is texture to the bass, it’s articulate and tonally accurate too. These are fun, but without sounding forced, they have a natural groove that is very addictive to listen to.

Midrange: The slight lift in the low end doesn’t end up bleeding in to the midrange, allowing vocals and guitars to cut through with clarity and detail but without sounding forward in their presentation. Electric guitars have good power, acoustic have realistic tonality and body to their sound, both male and female vocals are impeccably presented with plenty of detail but without sibilance of any signs of harshness. These are fatigue free and well separated, much like the low end, the midrange doesn’t ever come across as hazy or compressed – there is always space around each instrument.

Highs: The treble region is quite polite, this means they are fatigue free and there is no unwanted sibilance either. But don’t mistake this polite take on treble as lacking in sparkle or detail, there is a little bit of a dip in the lower treble that perhaps robs a little energy overall, however going further up the range and there is good presence and sparkle, they roll off gently and smoothly. I never found myself wanting more here, the balance and tonality is just right to be smooth yet without sacrificing finer detail, these are a pleasure to listen to for long periods at a time.



Soundstaging and Instrument Separation

The KiiBOOM Allure have a wide soundstage, instruments are always easy to pick out in the mix and each instrument occupies it’s own space with excellent cohesion overall. Vocals are always dead centre with instruments well defined around them – there is a real sense of air to the soundstage that it allows every part of the mix to breathe, however they never sound detached or distant.

Instrument separation is superb – the drivers are responsive and snappy and you never lose track of any part of the mix, no matter how fast or complex it gets.



Conclusion

I’ve reviewed a couple of earphones in this price range over the past year, but I will comfortably say the KiiBOOM Allure are going to be my main recommendation for anyone looking for a $100 earphone. They just don’t seem to do anything wrong, they are fun yet well balanced – the sound has a slight warm tilt but without compromising on detail retrieval or transient response.

Throw some jazz at them and they will delight with a super smooth and lush sound with snappy snares and well-defined trumpets, yet play some metal and the double kicks hit hard without drowning out the midrange. The treble is polite yet has excellent transparency and tonality.

The Allure are truly alluring, their tonality is extremely good – this is a very technically competent yet sonically enjoyably earphone that I can easily recommend to anyone – I honestly cannot fault them (well a few more ear tips and slightly less tangly cable would be nice).

Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (One of the best earphones I’ve heard in a while, does nothing wrong and has a convincing and real sound that’s incredibly fun to listen to)

Something New?
Nothing ever says the same:

Much of the script here is a subtle reworking of the original THIEAUDIO Elixir review I posted a few months back. As it should be, because rarely do you get the chance to review the exact same IEM twice. But if a (slightly different company) releases the exact same IEM, only in a different color, and with the exact same cable, only with a different covering.......well.....you see where this is going. Though the good news is the KiiBOOM Allure is less than half the price of the Elixir! You don't get the small Elixir carrying case, but you do get a plush big carrying case. Other than missing a few extra ear-tips, the KiiBOOM Allure package is identical.

They (the Chinese) keep making new ones! Don’t they know we have a drawer full of these suckers already! Well…….they must know, because they make them subtly different each time........just so we can tell them apart. That’s right, you had the blue faceplates from six months ago, now we have evolved to a style of wood. They keep coming up with imaginative names too.

Remember the Olina....remember the Mele? Those are like old-girlfriends in our little black book! First the IEM honeymoon...........then a quick divorce or annulment. We keep burning through these things just as fast as they can introduce new ones. You would guess that they know…………….they must know that we know? That we know they keep making new ones slightly different to get us to separate ourselves from our cash. Surely they know that we know what they’re up to? It’s a game, that’s all. And the price………this time they actually went down in price. God bless them!

KiiBOOM Allure - Single Full-range Dynamic Driver Universal IEM​

A story:
Imagine going up into your Grandfather’s attic and finding some old abandoned piece of vintage audiophile tube gear. It was a “cool” and expensive piece of equipment before solid-state came along in the early 1970s. Grandfather put it up there because he never threw anything away. Then you found it by chance. You find it fascinating! As fate would have it, maybe this piece of equipment was somehow meant for you? If anything it’s meant for you to try at least. Maybe, just maybe they were onto something way back when?

So you stumble to maneuver this giant tube amp down the stairs. It may work or it may not, that’s the adventure. Years and years of dust seem to blanket the new-found-treasure. Finally you make your way into the living-room and integrate it into your main system. With all the cables in place………you hit the on switch! Amazingly everything seems to work? All of a sudden the tubes begin to glow, and after all those years sound comes out, just like the amplifier was used yesterday! Sound interpretation can be subjective, but this is really your gig! Somehow the amplifiers is warm yet clear, its character timeless in fact!

Timeless
This is the sound of the KiiBOOM Allure IEM

You do understand (besides the burl wood) that the Allure doesn’t have any old parts inside, this story simply goes to explain the sound character goals used by THIEAUDIO/KiiBOOM during the project genesis. It all started simply as some audio engineer’s dream.

“To achieve one principal goal - capture the spirit and emotion of the sound while maintaining a natural tonality that stays true to the recording.”
Stereophile Magazine 1989

I’m joking……………..this is THIEAUDIO’s actual concept statement regarding product development.

“To achieve one principal goal - capture the spirit and emotion of the sound while maintaining a natural tonality that stays true to the recording.”

Construction/Build/Design:
In construction of the Allure one old part is used………the burl wood block incapsulated in the aluminum bezel. So in essence this wood helps resonate the vibrational message found with-in the music. The bezel is simply a parameter encasement designed to “hold” this wood resonator.

The rest of the IEM? The 3D Velocity Transducer……………. just a fancy word for the dynamic driver…..maybe, maybe not. Yet it really is a new rendition of the dynamic driver with stronger pole magnets. Yes, it’s beryllium-coated, yes........it has layers of multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets. Actually the voice coil is pure copper instead of the traditionally used copper clad aluminum wire.

The cable, 2 core of 92 wires 0.06mm Single-Crystal Copper and 24 wires 0.06mm Silver-Plated OCC Copper Litz upgrade cable.

The shell made from a solid piece of anodized CNC routed aluminum. That’s the part that isn’t wood. An anodized shell so the paint is permanent. Also note the laser engraved “KiiBOOM" on the housing, and the IEM plug tip. THIEAUDIO/KiiBOOM was proud to finally come-up with a full-range single dynamic driver IEM experience. Don’t know if you’re fully aware of who THIEAUDIO is? They are actually Linsoul’s in-house brand. They have built an incredible legacy in just a few short years. They started in 2016 with a goal of providing world-class customer service to the audiophile community.


Linsoul:
Primarily known for production of the Clairvoyance and Monarch IEMs, the “twins” as they are affectionately known, put THIEAUDIO on the map throughout audiophile world.

Truth to be told they actually make a whole slew of products all containing an aspect of the “THIEAUDIO Sound”.

• Monarch MKII IEM $999.00
• Divinity V16 IEM $1499.00
• Monarch IEM $769.00
• Oracle IEM $539.00
• Clairvoyance IEM $739.00
• Legacy 2 IEM $99.00
• Legacy 3 IEM $119.00
• Legacy 4 IEM $195.00
• Legacy 5 IEM $299.00
• Legacy 9 IEM $549.00
• Excalibur IEM $529.00
• Voyager 3 IEM $159.00
• Voyager 14 IEM $999.00
• Elixir IEM $209.00
• Oracle MKII IEM $589.00
• Prestige IEM $1,299.00

The Voyager 3 had a wood faceplate option and the Legacy 9 was completely made of wood and that’s it.

This is a partial history of THIEAUDIO, and a list of what they actually make right now.

Strangely they never made a single full-range Dynamic Driver before the Elixir and Allure:
They never used wood exactly before the Elixir and the Allure. These two products are full of imagination and fun.

But do they sound interesting or boring?
Headphones (when tuned wrong) can sound off musicality or simply boring. Incorrect, uneven or incomplete frequency range is mostly responsible for this. Also this concept extends to guitars, pianos, violins, drums, organs you name it etc……etc. Basically everything that makes music runs the risk of sounding boring or off due to poor design, bad-construction, bad-materials, incorrect, uneven or incomplete tuning. Primarily today we will concentrate on the acoustic guitar, because I’m most familiar with it and it is a wood instrument for the most part.

Just like IEMs..............pianos, violins, cello and guitars made out of wood....................share many of the same concepts.

What this basically means is balance, tone character, tuning and color have a value metric in the world of musical instruments. Each individual instrument has its own resonant character, partially by design and partially by happenstance of individual construction.



Looking up from the Elixir/Allure driver inside of the IEM. Of course it’s slightly darker in there, just slightly. Don’t try this at home kids, as it voids the warrenty.

Normally wood faceplates are glued onto the surface of the IEM. KiiBOOM makes the wood an integral part of the music making process. There are many types of wood IEMs, but none exactly like the Elixir/Allure.

The acoustic chamber is a concept that’s not new, some engineers call them the acoustic structure…………..same thing. Obviously these devices in theory have always been around, though at this point (now) it is taken one step further, as the wood resonate panel is hung off the bezel (suspended) much like a drum head. Such a structure holds a portion of the resonance and vibrates a different way than a solid aluminum build.

Colorations:
All the different colorations can either be heard as great, so-so or bad. To a point subtle color is actually a good thing and can’t be totally avoided. There is probably no-such-thing as a colorless IEM?

Same as IEMs, a person can be attracted to a musical instrument due to that individual instruments harmonic overtones. There are really all kinds of parameters to a guitar like sustain, color, brightness, darkness, tonal balance. Each instrument has its very own character and style. So strangely guitars are in a way just like IEMs.

What is often viewed as bad to one person, will not be always noted (as bad) by another. Even this whole tone thing may not get noticed as being wrong, until months later. Maybe due to perception? Meaning a purchase can be made either of a guitar or IEM and at first all is well, then one day stuff sounds off. This does not happen vary often, but it does happen, mainly with brand new purchases. All of a sudden (whatever it is) does not sound right. That’s what so beautiful about the true equipment you keep for life, as it is beyond the possibility of that happening. Often a performer will find “the guitar” early in their career and play in for life.

Understanding tone qualities:
Understanding of tone qualities comes from experience. Meaning you have to hear (and understand) how tone is done right, before you can judge IEM replay as wrong. This may be connected to audiophile snobbery, but it’s really basic technical and frequency range understanding. Either real-life instruments sound real or they don’t. Electronic instruments are different in that there is normally such a wide range of tones that it is more difficult to memorize them. Though the 1980 Roland 808 drum machine is a perfect example of people memorizing the sound, maybe because it’s more simplistic? For sure………it’s obvious the sound of electronic instruments don’t exist in real-life. They are recorded directly into the mixing desk and have no real-life counter part. Because of these concepts substandard IEMs will play electronic instruments great as they don’t have to replicate/reproduce anything real!

Vocal playback can also be judged for character but normally you need to hear the performer correctly to then be able to spot it when playback is off. Also Choral playback events are fully connected to how the room responds and decays. Thus if reverberations are off you can notice it…..though again you need to hear it done correctly by actually being there or good replay to learn the room character.

So IEMs are musical instruments:
The actual material that each kind is made with helps determine the character by the way it resonates. Solid steel has a vibrational quality, aluminum another, wood another and so on. In fact each IEM at times is made up of a smaller micro-musical instruments.

A single balanced armature is a miniature musical instrument.
A single dynamic driver is a miniature musical instrument.
A EST driver is a single miniature musical instrument.......and so on.

Each “part” of an IEM is made up of their vary own micro-miniature individual personalities. I mean in a way this goes without saying. Each can be full frequency or replay only a small section of the audible spectrum. But more than that each style of driver reflects its individual tone and really many other characteristics.

Driver technologies available:

• Dynamic driver or moving coil.
• Balanced armature driver.
• Planar magnetic driver.
• Electrostatic or electret driver.
• Piezoelectric driver.
• Magnetostriction driver or bone conduction.

Every driver type has character intrinsic to the style methodology. Each finds particular IEM placement due how the character gets along with the other drivers, how they fit in with the groups total sound. With the Allure there is no need for such complications as there is only a single full-range driver. Drivers can be dampened or left to resonate inside of this acoustic chamber vessel. A guitar is actually very similar to an IEM because the driver activated puts out energy just like the strings being plucked. Such energy then vibrates the body of the guitar or IEM chamber…….resulting in decay and tone unique to the build materials.

IEM construction (believe it or not) parallels building a guitar to a point. Guitars can be bright or dim sounding. They can be even, correct and complete in tone. Guitars can have color too, in-fact all guitars have color just like all IEMs have color. If you don’t think all IEMs have their own color, I have news for you.

IEM drivers:
The driver of an IEM is actually a small individual musical instrument. And like a musical instrument it has character. It has its own individual personality. Such attributes can actually change in relation to loudness. Meaning at different volume levels the character will change, or stay relatively the same. Whole IEMs are judged by how linear they are, meaning (this is not always bad) but an IEM may have a personality at a low volume and a different personality at a high volume. But more than that, each individual driver will have its own personality response to volume if a multiple driver IEM. Even each individual driver has its own sound. All dynamic drivers sound different, a Knowles balanced armature will sound different than a Sonion balanced armature. Also just like little musical instruments, they will have their own decay, their own tone, their own personality. Sony is one of the few companies that make their very own balanced armatures. They are built different and respond different than what Sony could buy off the shelf. Same as KiiBOOM, they have made procurement of this special single full-range dynamic driver and as far as I know they made it themselves. At least I’ve never heard a dynamic driver that sounds exactly like it? So I believe it’s universally different; THIEAUDIO/KiiBOOM states that it is.

“3-Dimensional Velocity Transducer Diaphragm Dynamic Driver”

So when you combine a unique driver into a unique acoustic chamber it results in a special sound, a sound that can possibly be better than what has been offered before? It seems better to me? Subjectively maybe someone will only argue that it’s just different, that the sound the Allure puts out is simply different than all the IEMs that came before. To me it’s different and does some magic tricks. More on that to follow in the sound section.

I want to let you know I don’t view it as perfect. Nothing is perfect, but that doesn’t make it bad. Basically everything is in relation to how it performs for the money. Strangely (and I don’t know how) stuff always seems to sound relative to cost. Though not always as IEMs priced at $150 sounds like $300. But it’s rare for something that costs $200 to sound like $1000. You would think it would happen? What does happen is you can match your subjective frequency response and technicalities character. There is magic to such an event. What happens then is you somehow don’t always hear the imperfections and just focus on the positive aspects. Love is blind.

You can have bright guitars which display wonderful harmonics. You can have ones that are simply low resonance. There are well done bass laden guitars or thin fast ones. Also there are people which gravitate towards one certain style too, just like IEMs.

It’s just like a guitar or violin how the Allure uses wood as part of a resonant body. The Allure has the vibrations due to the thin wood faceplate which in turn is left open on the inside to absorb sound energy. The coating on the wood faceplate is only on the Allure outside. In fact, it’s totally bare wood on the inside facing the DD. Thus we are witnessing a musical instrument in design. Why to you think they are so lightweight?

Just like a thinly built guitar has a better chance of being louder and vibrating more, IEMs follow those same construction rules. Obviously the wood area vibrates the most but the aluminum body does have a resonance tone. Again each material infuses its own unique vibrational character into the tone response. Thus the actual style of wood matters. This acoustic chamber is capped with a burl wood faceplate.

Basically many of the instruments have an energy point. Meaning drums have a actual small area where the energy goes, then the sound dissipates and reverberates. Same as the Cello, violin and guitar, to name a few………this energy is first a string pluck then the vibration takes it along and resonates with-in the wood body. The Allure is doing the exact same thing with the energy originated at the dynamic driver, then the sound energy is amplified/resonates in the acoustic chamber.

Basically all this does is give body to the sound. An energy source without a chamber sounds thin and harmonically limited. Who knows when this was first discovered? Before the invention of electricity, these were the one of the only methods to make musical instruments louder; the acoustic chamber amplifiers. There was also horn structures in use before electricity.

What about unit variations due to the use of wood? Is the relative density variable per piece of wood an issue?

Well that’s a great question. Headphones made of different types of wood do have a different sound. We know the single dynamic driver has actually been hand chosen to be with its brother, the Right and Left side are frequency response twins so to speak. As far as matching wood.......each piece is joined as identical as humanly possible. But to guarantee results, the finished products are once more checked to see if the acoustic response is within acceptable limits for the design. All the components are CNC cut/created which goes the full route to standardize unit variance.

Remember here only the faceplate side is wood. The bezel is literally just like a picture frame holding-it by the edges. With guitars it’s a whole different story. Though they are starting to make guitars out of a variation of materials.......each real wood guitar sounds different. They can be built by the same person and have all the exact same specifications, yet wood variables and the complexity of construction leads to each guitar a special one of a kind tone. This feature is widely accepted by guitar players and in a way it’s kinda cool in that no two guitars sound or play exactly the same. With audio playback the opposite is the case..........wanting frequency response and technical ability to reach exacting control of being the same with each build, so that each unit parlays the sound it was designed to do. Thus we want a standardized repeatable build process. CNC is the only way known to achieve such a value. CNC is king!



The choice to use wood:
So the entire build-process as a whole affects the end sound (every part). The sound outcome is built around the characteristics of the driver and the acoustic chamber. Such a chamber emulates the resonator/construction of fine musical instruments using wood. But in reality they could have chosen any material. And in fact many materials would have offered a more streamlined construction process. Once the bezel was made they could have implemented a single thin sheet of aluminum. Or they could have used a sheet of plastic. Basically any material will resonate and result in a resulting extra “body” to the dynamic driver. Also remember this material is simply blocking the sound from leaving thus creating volume.

Wood:
But they choose wood. And not only because it looks pretty on the faceplate. The faceplate isn’t like any regular faceplate, it’s an integral part of the sound creation and tuning process. Just as the aluminum CNC shell construction offers resonance characteristics to the rest of the IEM besides the faceplate. I own an IEM that is totally CNC aluminum, and just for a special edition the manufacturer built the total shell out of brass. It actually would scratch more but did offer a further reach of sound possibilities. I never heard the edition so I can’t comment of the sound, but all this stuff is interesting none the less. There may be far more freedom in this area than we think? Meaning maybe there could be new editions of the Allure with alternate sound resonance materials? Each attempt brings us closer to subjective perfection, key word subjective. Here the THIEAUDIO/KiiBOOM engineers are going with the fundamentals so to speak. They want the resonance chamber acoustic properties to appeal to the broadest audience.

The paradox of detail and warmth together in a single IEM:
What happens when technology takes it to a slightly a better level. Believe me this (better) change is incredibly small. But what if we were to find both detail and warmth in an IEM. Both smoothness and good definition. Would this be considered a paradox? Maybe, but if it was $99.00 it would most definitely be. At least I think so. All that matters (besides fit) is that you get that musical connection, that you are transported into the music.

“Pizzazz”
1. Dazzling style, flamboyance or flair
2. Vigorous spirit, energy or excitement

Even your best cheese aficionados will have an example of overboard. Just too much of something………Pizazz maybe? Typically this is both a slightly deviation in frequency response, but also a “color”. And of course subjectivity is taken into account, still there are some IEMs only tolerated by a few enthusiasts for good reason. Some believe it or not are only used for a short time as an IEM that does something special for 25 minutes, still does something special. Of course only at Head-Fi do you find a nut willing to shell-out big cash for that special IEM that he can only stand listening to for under a half-hour and still say it’s good.

The Sound Review:

The Allure treble:
Zero grain anywhere. If anything that’s the beauty. Strangely the treble can sound like it’s part of the bass during orchestral replay. Like there is this sonic soup that the treble can’t make it’s way out of. But we don’t care, as it’s glorious and fulfilling. This should be wrong the levels of bass, but the tuning allows for the treble to make its way out of the mix. My biggest wonder is how this all works out to become so musical in the end? Because the treble never gets hot or peaky, it’s just right there as the perfect balance to allow the whole gig to go down. Where all BA IEMs would offer a wider spread of treble details, even EST drivers would offer a stronger edge to it all. The main thing is the overall signature is not actually foggy or boring.

The Allure mids:
The midrange is maybe where the term analogue comes from? Meaning there is a smoothness and a slight compression about. Because of where the midrange sits, it is allowing the rest (treble and bass) to take place. It’s never in the way, yet it’s not really forward or backwards? So vocals actually shine and have detail and depth, still I don't know how? But it’s detailed just exactly enough? At the same time it seems always in danger yet in the end stays safe. The midrange almost seems in danger of being overpowered and sonically squished, especially by the bass……but it never happens. The analogue aspect can even be enhanced by listening to older recording that are that way by nature. Don’t ask me what it is, the closest thing I can guess is it’s probably just warmth in the mids too? You find the detail due to the width of the soundstage, and the stage is not really giant but provides good imaging.

But of course you know there is definitely (some) lower midrange creeping into the mids, that is just part of the whole sound here. Such an effect causes the midrange to offer a level of servitude, yet nothing more, except the line the midrange walks seems to always workout.

The Allure bass:
I often play KMFDM “IN DUB” and normally (with other IEMs) it almost sounds like it is not mixed right as the bass is too heavy? But the Allure somehow makes it perfect? Really there is a super balance in all music that just seems to work. I can go down a playlist and every song sounds correct. This in a way does not make sense? As how can the Allure be so critical of source but not be critical of song files? Really I don’t have to answer that only report it, but that’s how it is. The bass is perfectly placed into the song. If the low tones are actually coming from piano, you hear the piano and it sounds like a piano. Though I will point out there is this small area of bass tone that is actually characteristic of tube amps that the bass transient is slightly fused. Still I don’t foresee anyone having an issue with it. People didn’t have an issue with it in the 1964 when tube amps were big, and that don’t have an issue now.

The bass is big and all encompassing. It really seems like you not missing anything, but still it does offer a style of slow. Not only slow but there is an element of bombastic exaggeration at hand. Almost like your not listening to IEMs, it’s somehow outside and a part of the room you are in? That is probably the best part? Also the bass is airy and contains the lightweight imaging of higher tones that are bonded along with the bass. Maybe it’s the single DD here that everything is totally inseparable?

The Allure soundstage:
My favorite part of this IEM. Really so much of the intrinsic value (to me) flows directly out of this spectacle of engineering. Big involving and wide. The 3D is fun too and especially electronic music will have this character where imaging takes the elements and plays some forward and some slightly rear in the soundstage. The Elixir is so real.

The Allure detail:
The detail here comes from the fact that the single full-range driver is expanding audio elements way outside the soundstage like a hybrid. The issue though is with a phone or iPad not so much. So? It’s really expounding on what’s given to it. Also strangely it didn’t have the very best soundstage from the TA desktop? It’s probably that it’s simply working with the beautiful treble boost the 1Z is known for and parlaying the effect to the hilt? So you can get it a source with prominent bass and a nice treble boost and the detail will endlessly reward. IMO

I know I’m talking about soundstage in the detail section but that’s the thing, here they are inseparable. The detail is perfect being it walks such a wonderful line of being warm yet detailed. That was the whole goal and they achieved it with skill!

The Allure pace:
The pace is two sided. Meaning it has that slight slowness that tube amps sometimes have. The Woo Audio 300B amp sounds almost solid-state. The classic tube sound emulated here would be from an H.H. Scott 1964 tube amp. Such a pace is not really sloppy but does not have the solid state edge to the sound.

Still it seems to never get in the way of the joy of ownership? It’s exactly like the way the older amps were tuned. So it doesn’t show up 100% of the time, but when it does the character is endearing. There is this slight doubling up of bass that’s comes and goes but ends an attribute instead of a negative. I can close my eyes and envision I’m right in front of a tube amp set-up. If you think that sounds absolutely ridiculous to write, it does! I have no other words for it. It is a facet of the Allure experience that there is a part of you that hears the bass as slightly darker than average but it’s so much fun you simply don’t care.

The Allure well-roundedness:
Yep, the very definition of well-roundedness, yet still dark and lush. It does so well because it plays all your music well, even poorly mastered music that normally would sound bad sounds great? The part that’s not well-rounded is the Allure needs a good source to be it’s best. Truly only 1/4 of the magic takes place if you try and hook it up to an iPad.

The Allure accessories and packaging:
Three sets of tips, really this "kit" is exactly the same as the extras that come with the Evoke, the Allure's sister release. Zero paperwork yet a beautiful storage case. The only thing I would do different is not included the steel chrome nameplate at the bottom of the case. Such an inclusion would be far better suited made of cloth, or maybe not being included at all. I removed the nameplate from my case.




The Allure cable:
The cable, 2 core of 92 wires 0.06mm Single-Crystal Copper and 24 wires 0.06mm Silver-Plated OCC Copper Litz upgrade cable. Such a cable is sonically identical as the cable that came with the Elixir, yet the Elixir came with a different coating which I prefer. The cloth weave is nice to the touch, but somehow adds to an extra level of tangle ability? Not really that big of a deal, as once taken out and arranged, the cable works perfect.





The Allure source response:
I have just reviewed a bunch of IEMs that are pretty much non-caring about source. Unfortunately the Allure cares what you feed it. It really cares. In fact this is the difference involves so-so playback from a phone and dynamic involving musicality from an audiophile DAP. Phones don’t necessarily sound bad, but there is this soundstage performance that expands out the detail into a party with a good DAP. Basically the Allure is profoundly reactive to source. I dislike to use the words night and day………but if you buy the Allure you will understand where I’m coming from. The scalability is real.

The Allure looks:
The Allure looks different. Maybe just due to the anodized bezel? Also there is quite the contrasting elements with how the bezel interfaces with the silver anodized aluminum shell. It has an expensive look, much more expensive than it is.

The Allure value:
I truly think it’s a value only because I compare it to the Legacy 4 and the sound is better tuned, offers a way way bigger soundstage and contains no hot or bright areas. The value is the tune. Meaning this is beyond simple subjectivity, unless you really wanted a linear response or you were a treble head I don’t see anybody not liking the magic going on here. So the value is that the Allure has a generically lovable sound signature. And not generic due to being boring but a generically exciting sound signature.

The Allure fit:
The fit is special being it’s a semi-custom with sloping curves. Honestly I don’t think it could fit any better than it does. Part of the feel is the anodizing, but the other thing that affects fit is the weight. Truly the photographs make it look uncomfortable. But in use it’s nothing like it looks. It’s truly a joy to use. Reason being that it’s semi lightweight which actually gives feed-back to placement.

The comparisons:

BGVP DM6, A 2018, Five BA IEM, priced at $199

THIEAUDIO Legacy 4, A 2020, 1 DD 3 BA Hybrid IEM, priced at $195.00

The TINHIFI Giant Panda P1 MAX, A 2022, Planar IEM, priced at $169.00

Sony IER-Z1R, A 2019, 2DD 1BA Hybrid IEM, priced at $1699.99

RAPTGO HOOK-X, A 2022, Planar Hybrid, 1 14.2 Planar, 1 PZT, priced at $239.00

The BGVP DM6 5BA Universal IEM:
From a different time and era. That era was 2018, a lifetime ago in IEM years. Always dynamic driver bass was respected and always offered more heft and physicality than we have here. But the kicker here was the elements of detail. And in many ways the Allure is the direct opposite. To cut to the chase here, the DM6 simply has an off tone/timbre combined with the steely nature the BAs provide across the board. So even though we loose top end definition with the Allure.......slightly. Across the board the sound is more natural and pure, pure to the intended sound of the recording. It’s just that the DM6 is still great, it was a phenomenon of popularity upon release (I purchased 2 pairs). There is an element of cohesive coherence with the Allure that the DM6 can’t begin to touch. Also the Allure bass is way better.

The THIEAUDIO Legacy 4 Universal IEM:
Laughingly the L4 sounded way-way better today than I remember it to be. I know the goal is to not to compare it to the DM6, still the contrast was obvious. Better timbre, better dynamic driver bass. Really a better tuning across the board, better technicalities too, in comparison to DM6. Coming out in December of 2020 the L4 offered a bright future for the $195 price point, in fact I fell head over heels in love with it, and wrote a 5 star review! But later after the Honeymoon was over I did start to find a subtle issue in that there truly is a slight spike at 5KHz making it bright and slightly thin. Actually a lot of the time. Still nothing is really wrong with the L4 for what it ultimately is. The L4 is still one of the best IEMs you can possibly find for just under the $200 mark. It may be a case of some simply not finding the brightness their bag? Amazingly in contrast, the Allure has none of that fatigue inducing energy......none. This smoothness has the Allure easy to get down! Where the Allure has way more lower midrange bass, as well as regular bass, in contrast making the lightning fast bass of the Legacy 4 seem almost anemic? Many are going to find the Allure more evenhanded and generally likable.

The TINHIFI Giant Panda P1 MAX Universal IEM:
This TINHIFI release (one of many for 2022) is coming in at $169.00, though can be found for way less more at times! The Giant Panda found its way into my heart doing everything right, but only in a way the Giant Panda could. Meaning as my list of comparisons like the DM6 and Legacy 4 lose points because the Giant Panda is more cohesive and coherent than they could ever wish to be. Though in relation to the Allure it’s completely contrary, contrasting and different. So different that the two IEMs end-up actually being good friends as in they are complementary in sound signatures. Where the Panda is a bike that can swerve though the city, the Allure is a big car that takes turns slower. On the straight-away the Allure simply has more heft and ultimately is maybe more fun, with its thicker presentation. Where the Panda is on a diet, the Allure eats and performs like an Olympic Powerlifter. The Allure can be a little sloppy at times…….but becomes a force of nature when it comes to getting its point across. The sound is just big…..the low-end is almost as big as the IER-Z1R.

The Sony IER-Z1R Universal IEM:
KiiBOOM has made a dark IEM, there is no way to avoid that description. The Allure is maybe darker than the IER-Z1R. It doesn’t have quite the phase correctness of the IER-Z1R or bass sculpting for that matter, but it’s fantastic for the price and what it is. The Z1R has a Hybrid array which offers a more complex and complete treble. With the IER-Z1R musical elements are found spread out farther in those upper (soundstage) regions. And interestingly the reason I thought the Allure was slightly darker than the IER-Z1R is because of just that, the treble involvement seems to make the IER-Z1R less dark. Where the Allure is offering a style of coherence due to being a full-range single driver. So even though there is more midrange in the Allure and vocals normally come-off more forward, generally the IER-Z1R seems less dark, but only by a little. Maybe if you remove the IER-Z1R upper emphasis mental focus it will become as dark as the Allure too?

Basically the Allure has the total sound signature I’m into, as does the IER-Z1R. Both could be ultimately looked as as dark. But once you’re under the ether, the darkness goes away and is replaced by natural tones. Still the Allure ends up more soupy and unified in tone. Where the IER-Z1R is the ultimate Hybrid, the Allure is the ultimate single full-range dynamic driver. Interesting too, the Allure is actually better tuned than the DUNU ZEN as far as I’m concerned. It does not have that pinna issue to worry about.....ever!

RAPTGO HOOK-X Universal IEM:
The HOOK-X is a demanding IEM. That is if you’re not listening to it constantly, you have to readjust your hearing to its demands. It’s not that there is anything at all wrong with it, in fact it is perfect in many ways. It’s just that you need to acclimate to it’s charms for a while after not listening to it………..for even a day. It’s like your Wife rearranged the living-room furniture while you were away at work. You recognize everything but need time to get reacquainted with the basics. The bass is absolutely there but comes off reserved and thin slightly in comparison to the Allure. No greater part of this review goes to substantiate that the Allure’s sound is from the golden age of HI/FI….the 1960s. Where the HOOK-X is from the distant future. The Allure has slower bass, sloppier bass and way more bass. It’s analogue where the HOOK-X is a product of the digital age. Don’t get me wrong, the HOOK-X is still a warm IEM, it’s just the Allure is that much more………warm. Where the HOOK-X is desk-top speakers, the Allure are full-on floor-standers. The planar is at its worst thin and agile yet fully revealing, the worst of the Allure is that it can possibly offer a slowness at times. It’s just the size of the Allure sound can’t get out of it’s own way at times. Where the HOOK-X never ever has that issue. The problem with the HOOK-X is thinly recorded music sounds always like that……thin. The HOOK-X literally replays what is there, and it’s a great IEM if your dispositioned to want that sound with 1980s new wave. Where the Allure is always romanticizing the romance. Things are more lush, more warm and bigger in size. In some ways the Panda and the HOOK-X are the same. Prim and proper, they are never sloppy or unclear. Clearly showing you what is there, but the Allure comes off as more well rounded due to showing equal love to all files and music genres. I mean the HOOK-X needs your best tracks to sound it’s best.

Conclusion:
Today we learned about resonance panels and how IEMs are like small musical instruments. We talked about how each driver methodology obtains its own character. We learned about KiiBOOM/THIEAUDIO’s strategic sound goals, and how they obtained them. We talked about IEM color, frequency response and technicalities. We reiterated about the possible paradox of a warm yet detailed sound. We discussed graphs, methods of altering playback plus the idea of a flat response. And finally we compared the Allure to other IEMs. In fact that this is not a normal IEM release………it’s special. But most importantly that KiiBOOM cares about sound. Not only do they care about sound, but have the R/D resources to pull it off. KiiBOOM has brought about subtle shift in the IEM paradigm. Personally, I like the KiiBOOM Allure color a lot better than the Elixir's color. And while the change may be looked as minimal, having a clean fresh silver look somehow changes the experience? The ear-tips really work and come in a practical array of sizes, I ended-up using the large-size for all my testing to verify that the Elixir release and this new Allure release were exactly the same products. The cables were a second set of tests to confirm identical build materials and methodology, even if the cable color and material is different. The case the KiiBOOM comes with is clearly an upgrade, and the fact that the whole package cost more than $100 less, means you know which variation I would be purchasing. And while it seems every week a new IEM arises to showcase new ideas and technology the Elixir/Allure sound still holds incredible value. Probably the newest release to be compared would be the DUNU Kima. Yep, a 10mm DLC dynamic driver to challenge the Allure. Same exact price too! Where upon listening to them side by side the Allure still offers a more formed existence of musical elements into the stage. Yep, everything is slightly bigger and ever so slightly more real with the Allure. The crazy part is they almost seem to have the same driver, yet the added resonance due to the wood faceplates seems to add that extra bit of dimension to the sound. The Allure sound characters are ever so slightly bigger, living slightly farther outwards into the stage, yet containing almost the same style of frequency response, the same signature in the end. The DUNU Kima wins hands down as far as packaging and included accessories, yet at the same time, you don't listen to accessories? So, it is what it is.



The KiiBOOM Universal In Ear Monitor

• Stronger Pole Magnets and a Completely Copper Voice Coil Actuator
• Handcrafted From Precision Printed and CNC Components
• High Quality Litz Cable
• Balanced and Natural Tonality
• Best Possible Acoustic Performance
• Note: Faceplate designs may differ due to the material used

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Driver 3-Dimensional Velocity Transducer Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
Connector 0.78mm 2PIN
Cable 8 core 7N oxygen-free copper litz cable
Cable Length 1.2m
Frequency response range 10-20000hz
Plug Type 3.5mm

Get them here:
$99.00
https://www.kiiboom.com/products/kiiboom-allure

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

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Jennifer from KiiBOOM for the love and Allure review sample.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm/3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm/3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Apple iPad



This is the Allure shown with KiiBOOM's other release the Evoke, reviewed here.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiiboom-evoke-universal-iem.26224/reviews#review-29750