Kinera Celest PhoenixCall Multi-Driver Tribrid IEMs

First of all, I'd like to thank Kinera for sending me this beautiful IEM earphone, in exchange for my honest thoughts and review, with the emphasis that everything I say here should be of my own volition, and to take my time in reviewing this.
My perception of Kinera as an audio company is; that they belong in the mid-range to high-end class company based in China, their products always have artful and beautiful designs with lore behind them, Celest is a daughter brand of Kinera.

The Celest PhoenixCall cost 129.99 dollars but can be bought with discounts at my local shops in Lazada and Shopee, The packaging quality of the PhoenixCall is excellent, and the included cable is very good, and better than the included cables from my Moodrop Blessing 3 which cost 320 dollars and the Hidizs MP145 which cost around 150 dollars. The included ear tips are good too and doesn't feel cheap like the included tips from the Blessing 3. The build quality of the IEM itself looks and feels the same as the Blessing 3, which is very good as they both have 3d printed resin as shells, ensuring better production accuracy and consistency.

The PhoenixCall is a tribrid IEM, meaning it uses three types of drivers, a 7mm dynamic driver, a pair of micro planar drivers, and a pair of balanced armature drivers. it uses sound tubes to direct the sound to the ear canal.



The pre-installed white ear tips are good sounding, but I like the stock black ear tips much better, I love the sound of the PhoenixCall with it, It has better bass texture and note weight, better soundstage and even more natural overall sound, the PhoenixCall seems to be tuned with those tips in mind, but even so, I still tried the other tips in my collection and found the KZ Starline tips and the Moondrop Spring tips tend to make the bass sound thicker and the high frequency reduced, the Acoustune and Kbear 07 tips tend to increase the mid-range and upper mid-range, I also like the TRN T-tips and the Acoustune AET08. I highly recommend experimenting with other tips to get the best out of it, and again, I love the sound with the stock black tips.


I mostly used the Topping G5, Moondrop Moonriver 2 and the Fiio KA11 for this review, while the PhoenixCall can be driven easily with small and less powerful dongles, it needs your best quality dac/amps for the best result, as it can easily reveal the deficiency of lesser quality dac/amps. No equalization or any sound processing was used.


The sound:

Tonality and sound signature;

This is undeniably V-shape sounding to me, But some call it W-shape, because the mid-range and vocals may sound a little recessed, but they also sound very clear. The overall sound is very natural, clear and nonfatiguing, the sound presentation is like the sound of a high-end speaker system.

Technicalities;

Simply above average, it has clear and defined images, that are presented in 3d, layered and separated manner in a big soundstage.

Bass;

There is a little warmth in the bass, but the overall presentation is natural. The bass sounds fast, fairly detailed and never lean sounding, the dynamics are also very good and sound energetic. The sub-bass is rolled off but not devoid of it, I can still hear some sub-bass.

Midrange;

A little recessed but with very good clarity, this is not like most V-shaped IEMs where the mids are recessed and muddy, this is very clear and natural, I've listened to this for many hours and went through my music library to find faults, I haven't found any, There is no honkiness, shoutiness, glare and other coloration, all I hear is natural sound.

Treble;

Detailed, airy, clean, clear, noncongested and elevated, yet still sounds natural. I find no fatiguing sharpness, unnatural sibilance and muddy distortion.

Sensitivity, Power handling and Dynamics;

Now, this is the bonus part about the PhonixCall, I never expected this and only became aware as I listened more intently, the sensitivity is just average and it is easy to drive, but the power handing is excellent, it can take more power and go louder than the Blessing 3 and MP145, without distortion, mechanical noises and obvious dynamic compression. I have only tested this for a short time though, otherwise, my hearing would have been damaged by now.


vs the Hidizs MP145 (150usd)
The MP145 sounds warmer and darker on some songs, the bass on the MP145 sounds bigger and the vocals are more forward and fuller. The PhoenixCall on the other hand has more apparent details, treble air and overall clarity, both are very musical, natural and engaging sounding they sound different enough that I cannot recommend one or the other, I recommend them both.

vs Moondrop Blessing 3 (320usd)
The technicalities of the Blessing 3 are simply a class or two above PhoenixCall's, It is more holographic in image presentation, has more separation, layering and resolution, and has a bigger soundstage, but the downside is its lean-sounding note weight, on some songs it is okay, but on some, it sounds a little cold and clinical. On the other hand, the PhoenixCall sounds warmer, more engaging, more forgiving and more pleasant to listen to, on a long listening session. In terms of technicalities, the Blessing 3 wins, But in terms of listenability, the PhonixCall wins easily. Again, I can't recommend one over the other because they sound different enough to be used on different occasions and moods.

vs Simgot EA500 (80usd)
If you like the EA500 with the black nozzle, You'll gonna love the PhoenixCall, I consider the PhoenixCall a legit upgrade to the EA500, It has similar tonality but the PhoenixCall is warmer, less shouty, smoother, has more resolution, airier, clearer and so on, there is nothing in the EA500 I could find to be better than the PhoenixCall, I highly recommend the PhonixCall as an upgrade to the EA500, or at least, that's what I feel about it.

vs Mondrop Starfield 2 (110usd)
The Moondrop Starfield 2 is within the price range of the PhoenixCall, If you are asking which one to buy, Just buy the PhoenixCall, It simply has better overall sound, The Starfield 2 sounds fatiguing at times and not as airy in the highs.

vs CCA Rhapsody (40usd)
The Rhapsody is very good for the price, but cannot compete with the PhoenixCall in every way except the price. If you are looking for an upgrade to the Rhapsody, I highly recommend the PhoenixCall.

vs Moondrop May (60usd)
The sound signature of the May sits between the MP145 and the Rhapsody, and I find it to sound a little better than the Rhapsody overall, The May sounds warm and a little dark at times, I can't say the PhoenixCall is an upgrade to the May, The MP145 is the more likely candidate for that. But in terms of overall sound quality, the PhoenixCall is simply better and more natural.


No IEM is perfect, and that includes the PhoenixCall, I spent many hours finding faults with it, I only wish it had just a little more sub-bass and this is a nitpick, I really love the sound of this IEM with the stock black tips, but in any case, the PhoenixCall sounds so good that it made me curious about other Kinera IEMs in the higher price range, including those from the sister brand of Celest, QOA, or Queen of Audio, I'm seriously thinking of getting.

Thank you for reading and Happy Chinese New Year to all. Cheers!

2-10-2024

NOTES:

Celeste is yet another sub-brand of Kinera. I have had experience with a number of the Celeste offerings including the Gumiho and Pandamon, both of which were quite good. Still, I try not to let my past experiences influence my present iem reality.

I can’t say that there is discernible house sound that defines or separates Kinera from it’s sub-brands Celeste & QoA. I do know that there have been more than a few great iems released regardless of the branding.

The Phoenixcall is a very distinctive looking iem with a sound that features a v-shaped tuning with added emphasis to the upper-midrange and lower treble. Driver compliment includes a single dynamic driver in concert with two balanced armatures and two FPD (microplanar drivers). That’s a lot of tech beautifully displayed through the semi-translucent shells. Sound tubes are used in great measure here as well. It is obvious that much attention to development was spent with respect to the Phoenixcall.

The Phoenixcall is moderately difficult to drive. Your typical cellphone I don’t believe will provide the optimal experience. In fact, I can say that this iem does like power. Good clean power is a must here but nothing over the top, just more than usual for an iem. The Phoenixcall also synergized best with a warmer source given its upper range energy.

Tip selection also is important here and was heard to perceptibly change the sound. The Phoenixcall also sounded best with a deep and secure ear insertion.

Read on to find out more.

SPECS:

Acoustic Drivers：1DD+2BA+2 Micro Planar drivers（FPD）
Interface: 0.78 2pin
Sensitivity: 103db
Wearing Type: In-Ear
Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-40kHz
Impedance: 32Ω
Weight (earbuds+cable): 9.8g+30g ( ± 0.2g )
Plug: 3.5mm / 4.4mm
Cable length: 1.2m

BUILD, FIT & QUALITY:

The Celeste Phoenixcall has looks that will be polarizing. I personally found them to be stunning. The two earpieces, left if blue/purple and right is red, are each made of a beautifully finished semi-translucent resin through which much of the inner workings can be admired. Each shell has an imbedded graphic that I also find very attractive. For better or worse, this iem is a conversation piece, at least with respect to looks.

The nozzles are formed as an extension to the shell as opposed to an addon part. They protrude enough that getting a good insertion was easy to achieve with the proper tip selection.

Retail presentation is also above board, typical of Kinera and its sub-brands. The unboxing experience is well thought out and interesting. Whoever is in charge of retail packaging at Kinera needs to be recognized for their great work.

The included accessories are all of great quality with the look and haptics of the stock cable being a standout. This cable is one most would gladly purchase third party and the fact that is comes in the box is a nice plus.

The Phoenixcall is on the large side of medium in size but its shape afforded a very comfortable fit without any fatigue, even on long listening sessions. Very nicely done.





SOUND:

BASS:

The Celeste Phoenixcall has a bass that goes deep with mid-bass more emphasized than sub-bass. Bass is punchy with good control and speed. It is a very agile low end that just misses slightly when it comes to the metric of detail. Mid-bass does not stray into the lower midrange adding only a small lift of warmth.

“Angel” by Massive Attack has a driving bassline anchoring the track. The power and drive were all there, missing was some of the finer details. Likewise in the standout track “No Worries” by the Robert Glasper Trio. The double bass was right there in the mix as distinct as ever but missing some finer detailing.

On bass heavy tracks the sub-bass prowess of the Phoenixcall did shine with great control and adequate power. At times though I felt that the upper midrange and lower treble emphasis did overstep the bass. This was heard clearly on busier tracks with lots of upper midrange energy. The bass here then took a backseat losing even more detail as the more prominent upper frequencies stood out front and center.

Still the bass is commendable when it is allowed to shine.

MIDRANGE:

The midrange of the Celeste Phoenixcall has good resolution with macro over micro details present. The lower mids are more recessed than the upper-mids which are more forward as the Phoenixcall has a substantial pinna gain that extends into the lower treble. Even with this raise in the upper midrange, I did not find the Phoenixcall shouty. In fact, it is not harsh nor grainy. The Phoenixcall has good detail retrieval but I wouldn’t call it an overly technical set. I would put forward that the Phoenixcall is more fun then technical.

Female vocals were emphasized and more forward than male, consequent to that upper midrange rise where the lower mids were more recessed than that of the upper. Clarity and detail were all on point here with all the vocal attributes easily heard.

Surprisingly, male vocals still fared well. Listening to “Tenderhearted Lover” by John Stoddart revealed a full sounding and articulate playback that was pleasing and did relay to a great extent the emotional delivery of his vocals.

Layering and separation while good, were not class leading. Still the Celeste Phoenixcall does not sound closed in at all, on the contrary it sounds reasonably open. On the track “In Passing” by the Robert Glasper Trio, all the instruments could be clearly discerned, yet not with the with that level of air around each that for example the Hisenior T4 excels at reproducing. Still the track did sound good.

Timbre was ok but sometimes did sound somewhat off. This could be due to how the upper portion of the frequency band is tuned. Dynamics were handled very well, just remember to drive it with ample power. Transients were managed well, if for a little extra lingering energy up top.

The Celeste Phoenixcall has a midrange that excels in clarity. It’s energy at times did overshadow the bass. While it was not always my cup of tea, I prefer a more balanced approach to midrange sonics, I see how may will like this vibrant and energetic approach to tuning.


TREBLE:

The treble of the Celeste Phoenixcall is fairly well extended with lots of sparkle but to a lesser degree air. It is well detailed with good clarity.

The treble here compliments the midrange though the upper-treble does fall off. Treble is actually well done without harshness.



IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE:

The Celeste Phoenixcall throws up a moderate sized soundstage. Instrument placement is solid with it not feeling congested. This can suffer on busy tracks with lots of upper midrange energy where some finer details of air and space can get lost. That being said, this is infrequent and happens only at higher volume levels.

Width is well portrayed with height and depth relayed to a lesser degree.

VERSUS:

-Hisenior T4-

The T4 is a 4x BA per side iem with no dynamic driver in sight.

Bass power and slam are more prominent with the Phoenixcall, T4 in balanced mode, but comparative with the T4 in “Bass+” mode. The T4 is better at conveying bass details and textures.

In the midrange the T4 takes a decidedly balanced approach while the Phoenixcall offers a more energetic upper midrange. With respect to technicalities the T4 also gets the nod here as well as offering superior micro detail retrieval and timbral accuracy. Note wight is a touch better on the Phoenixcall but just.

Treble is more of the same where the T4 is more balanced with arguably better detail retrieval and air.

Overall, the Hisenior T4 is just a more musical and organic set. The Phoenixcall fails to dethrone it here.

-Hisenior T2-

Almost verbatim with respect to the T4 vs Phoenixcall. The T2 is even more relaxed in tuning vs the T4. Bass does not go a low as with the Celeste offering. Midrange is balanced on the T2 vs energetic on the Phoenixcall. Technicalities are slightly better on the T2. Treble rolls off slightly earlier on the T2 and are again more balanced.

These two do NOT sound alike at all and the decision will really be up to the buyer and their personal preferences. Forward and energetic vs balanced and controlled.



CONCLUSION:

With the Phoenixcall, Celeste have given us a beautifully built and energetic sounding iem that many will like. It is a mid forward tuning that excels in sounding detailed yet without undue harshness.

I will admit that I did not warm up to its tuning but I am just an individual with my own preferences and can see how many will like its sonics. Still at its asking price of $130usd it is definitely worthy of consideration if this type of robust and forward tuning is your preference. Hats off as well the Celeste for providing a fantastic retail package as well and quality accessories.

This Kinera Celest PhoenixCall IEM was originally written and posted on my website.​

About the Kinera Celest PhoenixCall​

Company Overview​

Kinera is a Chinese brand based in Dongguan that has been around since 2016 when they released their first IEM, the BD005. They are one of the older brands in this space. Over the years they have released a handful of IEMs, but I never got the chance to try out their offerings, even though I have always admired their IEM designs.

Specifications​

• Acoustic Drivers: 1DD+2BA+2 Micro Planar drivers（FPD）
• Interface: 0.78 2pin
• Sensitivity: 103db
• Wearing Type: In-Ear
• Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-40kHz
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Weight (earbuds+cable): 9.8g+30g ( ± 0.2g )
• Plug: 3.5mm / 4.4mm
• Cable length: 1.2m

What’s Inside the Box​

• Celest PhoenixCall IEMs
• Celest 221 Vocal Eartips S/M/L
• Celest C-07 Eartips S/M/L
• 3.5mm 5N Copper Silver Plated Cable
• Storage Box
• Metal Bookmark
• User Manual

Review​

I have always admired the design of Kinera’s in-ear monitors including their sister brand Queen of Audio (QoA). This IEM comes in 2 color variants – transparent, which is what I have, and a two tone purple-blue.


In this review, I used my Cayin N6ii and Venture Electronics Abigail Pro amplifier with Spotify and Tidal as music sources.

Frequency Graph​

Frequency response of Celest Phoenixcall courtesy of Practiphile.

Experience​

For its looks, this is probably the most beautiful IEM I have had the pleasure of trying. From its box to its cable and IEM faceplate, it’s perfect and well-designed without being over the top, though this is what Kinera is known for – their faceplate designs are works of art.


The form factor makes the fit immaculate, and the included tips are the cherry on top. I can wear them all day working with no complaints – it’s almost like wearing custom IEMs. Comfort depends on your ear shape as the shells are on the chunky side.

One thing I want to point out is it’s pretty sensitive to improperly grounded electric circuits. You will hear buzzing or humming unless you put your feet on non-conductive materials like rubber.

Music​

After listening to the Celest PhoenixCall, I do not have many complaints. I may even consider it a budget Dunu Falcon Ultra due to its similar tuning. However, it lacks the technical capabilities of the Falcon Ultra. It somehow lacks control of the frequencies, especially on busy tracks and in chaotic games, which I will tackle more shortly.

It also lacks the 3D effect in tracks – it sounds like plain old stereo, just left and right. The PhoenixCall also lacks micro detail, which might be due to its well-controlled treble that lacks the sparkly frequencies to make micro details shine.


Enough of that comparison, let’s dive into how this IEM sounds. The Celest PhoenixCall doesn’t have any quirks or unevenness in its frequency range, at least based on my experience with headphones and IEMs.


The sub-bass and mid-bass quality is very good – full and impactful without bleeding into the mids/vocal region. This makes listening to rock or pop music make you want to tap your feet. Vocals, especially female voices, sound organic and are well-placed – not too forward but not behind the mix either. The treble is well-controlled, without piercing highs or sounding rolled off. It won’t sound lacking unless you love that sparkly Beyerdynamic-style treble.

Overall, I don’t have complaints about its tuning. It fits my preference well, which is why I loved the Falcon Ultra. It’s very versatile for any music genre, maybe a bit less on Classical which has strings.

Gaming​

When it comes to gaming, this is an area where the Celest Phoenixcall falls a bit short, at least on games with a lot going on like Overwatch. It sounded full but the imaging is below average. You would have a slightly hard time pinpointing the direction of enemies due to the frequencies being somewhat cramped – you will be overwhelmed by everything sounding all at once. However, I must say it performed exceptionally on less chaotic games like Counter Strike 2 or Valorant. You can hear footsteps very well and the directional sound is accurate and extends far.

Conclusion​

In conclusion, if you’re looking for an under $150 all-rounder IEM, I’d recommend the PhoenixCall, weighing its technical capabilities, especially for gaming use. For $129.99, it’s a great package considering the build quality, appearance, and sound.