Kiwi Ears Ardor

A Budget ANC Headphone with Audiophile Ambitions​

Kiwi Ears has made a name for itself with high-quality IEMs, but in recent months they are bringing that expertise to the headphone market and now specifically in the ANC Headphone market with the Kiwi Ears Ardor.

Priced at $99, the Ardor is positioned to compete with other pragmatically priced “Audiophile friendly” ANC headphones in that sub $200 range, such as the Final Audio UX3000 or the Sennheiser Accentum Series, by focusing on great sound quality out of the box rather than the typical bloated bass that most ANC headphones provide. Featuring a dual-driver setup it seems like Kiwi Ears are bringing some of that IEM knowledge of multiple driver configurations and crossovers to the headphone market.

So, having spent a few weeks with the Ardor, using it both indoors, but mainly I used it in various noisy environments, walking around a noisy city center, in a coworking environment and on public transport to get proper idea of the quality of this headphone. So were Kiwi ears successful in creating an audiophile friendly ANC Headphone?

But before we get into the sound quality lets start with the unboxing experience:

Unboxing and Build Quality​

The Ardor comes in nice clean packaging, with all the essentials included:


Here is the back of the box:


But it was a nice surprise to see an excellent carrying case at this price point:




Everything is stored inside the carry case:


I do like the look of the back “plate” on each ear cup - more premium texture that what is typical in the price range:

Here are the complete contents:

• The headphones themselves
• A USB-C charging cable
• A 3.5mm audio cable (for wired listening)
• An excellent quality carry case

Design and Comfort​

One of the standout aspects of the Ardor is its comfort. Specifically when compared to competitors like the Final Audio UX3000, the larger earcups on the Ardor provide a more spacious fit, making it an excellent choice for long listening sessions.
Here are some measurements:

Specifically here is the Ardor compared to the UX3000 (Ardor on the right) you can hopefully see it is a larger and therefore for me much more comfortable:

The headband is also well-padded:


And the overall weight distribution ensures that clamping force is gentle yet secure unlike say the Sennheiser Accentum Plus which was very stiff and had very high clamping force.

Some comparisons​

To give an idea of the comparative size the ear cups here are 2 photos of the Ardor with my Final Audio UX3000 (on the left) and my Sennheiser Accentum Plus on the right:

And just comparing it with the much more expensive Sennheiser Accentum Plus:

Finally, here are 2 more comparisons with more “consumer” orientated ANC headphones a Soundcore Q30 and an Earfun Wave Pro:

Features​

Lets drilldown into the feature set:

Physical Controls​

The physical controls are straightforward and easy to use, with tactile buttons for volume control, playback, and ANC modes:

I liked the layout specifically as the ANC button was on it own on the left ear cup and therefore difficult to confuse with volume and power buttons. While the Ardor does not have “touch controls” like more expensive Sennheiser Accentum Plus it is arguable more usuable as touch controls can cause some problems.

Coaxial Dual-Driver System​

The Ardor’s coaxial dual-driver setup is possible one of its unique features. Unlike most ANC headphones that rely on a single driver, the Ardor combines a 40mm driver for deep bass and mids with a dedicated 10mm driver to enhance treble clarity and soundstage width. This type of setup is very typical in IEM’s, and it is a welcome innovation to see this type of dual driver setup on ANC headphones, whether it provides the same benefit it can with the typically tiny drivers in IEM’s is debatable, but let’s get into my sound impressions and the ultimately some measurements.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)​

The Ardor features a custom hybrid ANC system with a 5-microphone array, reducing ambient noise by up to **35dB ** for a flawless listening experience. Compared to the Final Audio UX3000, ANC performance is noticeably stronger, particularly in low-frequency noise reduction.

But again the lack of a companion app means there’s no way to adjust ANC levels for different conditions like Wind ANC, which some even cheaper ANC headphone models offer, for example the Earfun Wave Pro. Despite this, for a sub-$100 ANC headphone, the noise cancellation is impressive and makes a significant difference in blocking out everyday noise. I found the ANC to be as effectvely as the $200 Sennheiser Accentum Plus but not as good as the state of the art ANC that my Apple Airpods Max provide.

Exceptional Battery Life​

The Ardor offers up to 140 hours of playback with ANC off and 72 hours with ANC on, making it one of the longest-lasting ANC headphones at any price point. A quick 10-minute charge provides 8 hours of playback, making it perfect for users on the go. I mainly used this Ardor with ANC enabled (I have lots of other headphones to listen to in quieter environments) but I never felt the need to charge the Ardor even after a few days usage.

USB & Wired Support​

For those who prefer wired listening, the Ardor supports USB playback with its built-in DAC/AMP chipset, allowing for high-resolution music playback across Apple, Android, and Windows devices.

The inclusion of a 3.5mm jack further extends its versatility, but I did find some issues with the sound when just using the 3.5mm jack which I will demonstrate later with the measurements, basically the bass rolle off much earlier when using the 3.5mm jack.

Sound Impressions​

The tuning is clearly aimed at audiophiles who prefer natural tonality and clarity over excessive bass boosts the bass is nicely ended into the sub-bass, but I did not get any mid-bass bloat which is typical of cheaper ANC headphones. The midrange was excellent but the treble has some unevenness and possible this is related to the dual driver setup but let’s get into the details

Bass​

The bass performance is well-controlled with a tight and punchy low-end response. It avoids the overblown, muddy bass that plagues many budget ANC headphones, offering a more refined and articulate bassline instead. Sub-bass reaches deep but never overwhelms the midrange.

Mids​

The midrange is natural and full-bodied, making vocals and instruments sound clear and lifelike. Whether listening to acoustic music, vocals, or orchestral pieces, the mids remain coherent and detailed. Compared to the Final Audio UX3000, the Ardor has a slightly warmer midrange with more emphasis on clarity and separation.

Treble​

This is where the Ardor has a slight drawback. While the treble is definitely airy and detailed, there was
some noticeable sibilance on some tracks for me as high frequencies were a bit harsh at times. This would benefit from EQ adjustments, but since there is no app, users will need to rely on external EQ solutions. That being said, it still outperforms most sub-$ 100 ANC headphones in clarity and extension.

Specifications and Measurements​

Key specifications are the exceptional battery life. Unfortunately, even though the specifications mentions AptX I
found on my Android DAP that I could only activate SBC or AAC:

Measurements​

Note: The following measurements were taken with my KB501X soft ear Pinna and a 711 clone coupler. They are available on my measurement database here.

Frequency Response​

Let’s start with a look at the frequency response within the boundary and other than that treble peak I mentioned you see an exceptional tuning:

It compares well even against the FiiO FT1:

So, I added 2 talking points to this graph:

1. The sub-bass boost - which is very typical of ANC headphones and as ANC headphones are mainly used in noisy environments a little sub-bass boost is welcome
2. Treble peak - this was the one area that is problematic with the Ardor sound profile as it was not just a measurements artifact as I could hear some sibiliance in some tracks, and it showed up while doing a “sweep” in that area.

With some very simple EQ that region can easily be reduced - but treble “peaks” in that area need personalised / manual EQ rather than just using a graph like the one above as it will be different on your head, and it may not be an audible on your head. It also will be interesting to see how it measures on a BK-5128 as this area can change dramatically with different measurements rigs.

I also noticed that moving the headphone forward on the measurement rig caused a different FR where that treble peak disappeared:

I noticed that the Ardor took to wearing glasses (even thick framed ones) very well:

ANC on and off only subtly changed the Frequency response:


And the USB and ANC performance was similar but the analog input one seems poor as if one of the dual drivers was not configured correctly via analog:

Here is a comparison of the Ardor with some other ANC headphones I mentioned earlier in the review:

Overall I thought it does very well against these headphones, the Ardor is the cheapest headphone on this graph.
Finally, here it with the 2 other Kiwi ears headphones I have recently reviewed.


And you can see of these 3 headphones it stays well within the preference bounds for most of the frequency response:

Distortion​

Distortion levels are well within acceptable ranges:

And as a percentage:

Rating​

I am giving the Kiwi Ears Ardor a 4.5-star pragmatic rating because it provides excellent sound quality, decent ANC, and great comfort at a budget-friendly price. The lack of a companion App for updates, ANC configuration and to provide some basic EQ specifically for that treble peak means I cannot give it a full 5-star rating, but it was close as it still outperforms most other sub-$100 ANC headphones and competes very well in sub-$200 ANC headphone market.

Conclusion​

The Kiwi Ears Ardor is an impressive first entry into the ANC headphone space, bringing Kiwi Ears’ IEM expertise into a wireless format. With a decent sound profile, strong ANC, and excellent codec support, it’s one of the best budget ANC headphones for audiophiles. While the lack of an EQ app limits customization for those who like to customise things but the out-of-the-box tuning is well-executed, making it a fantastic value at $99.

I would call the overall sound signature a basic Harman, that it owns a warm balance and provides just enough bass, that while itemized and positioned, the bass is enjoyed yet never imposes on the mids. Sure this signature could be looked at at 80% midrange, as even the treble is not fully sparkly, but that is the long listening magic at hand. That really for most music the technicalities and tune bring a smile to my face, and in the end that's all that matters! There are these funny little treble items in imaging that seem to fall slightly outside the medium large stage, finding life separate from the stage and becoming endearing in their own exquisite way.



Kiwi ears Ardor ANC full-size headphone:
Redcarmoos Labs February 27th, 2025
I’m no expert in the field of portable full-size headphones. Yet out of the huge line-up of full-size Kiwi ears just released I was most curious about the Ardor?

Kiwi ears known previously as a IEM maker and portable Amp/DAC maker has expanded into full-size headphones with a bang.

The Aventus Full-size at $89.99
The Ardor Full-size at $99.99
The Atheia Full-size at $349.00
The Ellipse Full-size at $79.00
The Division Full-size at $49.00

Now what really makes your head-spin is each headphone in this series will appeal to a slightly different user, in addition to the buyer’s price point. So you could say Kiwi ears in the span of a month entered the full-size market.

Yesterday I was at the gym and it started raining, I sat in the lobby and to my curiosity the Bose Quiet Comfort headphones were laying on a table in-front of me.

So I couldn’t help but notice the resemblance. Though owning Bose about 15 years ago I could guess this idea of a tune would be more bass laden, but what do I know, I did check the price of the Quite Comfort and they were $50.00 more. If you do end-up going with the Quiet Comfort headphones………do not get the silver ones, get the black ones! Such a Silver headphone was truly a mess. Now keeping-in-mind I’m into headphones but never study what people are using at the gym. This pair was literally laying on a table in-front of me like a sandwich! And sure, maybe it was super old, but not only was the silver scuffed-up, but parts of the lamination process were peeling off and rough around the edges. Yes, it obviously still worked (she was using them) but the look was truly ghetto.

On to the review:
So we have three ways to use the Ardor:
Though an upgrade going with wired using 3.5mm the DAP/amp of the Sony WM1A. Next best is the wireless TWS, and third best is wired TypeC USB. Though keep in mind it depends how much you value lip-sync on Youtube videos or movies, as TypeC and wired offer no split-second delay like wireless does. But the Wireless Mode gets louder than TypeC and louder than a regular phone in 3.5mm, but the Audiophile DAP gets louder than the Wireless ANC way. For audiophiles anyway, I could see using the ANC mode (wireless) outside walking, though if you want a slight increase in fidelity, switching to 3.5mm while in a coffee shop. With in 3.5mm mode you still have the option of getting Automatic Nose Canceling or turning it off.

The three ANC modes:
1) Well when the simple desktop fan is on in my room there are three levels where one is Transparency Mode, with the fan showing extra ambient room treble, I guess you want this mode when someone is talking and you don’t want to take the headphones off? That or extra transparent sound, I'm not sure. The extra sound is coming from the 5 headphone microphones and piped into the mix. I’m guessing?

2) Then you have ANC off which is using the actual headphone cups to block a little sound.

3) Then ANC on mode, being used to reduce the outside sound around 32dB to 35dB. At this point the fan is now totally silent! Silent!

The usage scenarios:
Such ideas are going to be chosen by the user for obvious reasons of practicality. One, you are probably going to go wirelessly it going for a walk outside due to convience? Then of course you may use the 3.5mm X 3.5mm cable for the walk…….I mean maybe? And finally depending on your use, you may choose USB TypeC.
Let me get this out of the way right off.

Edit:
There are three basic ideas of audio quality connected to how you decide to connect and your source chosen......maybe? I know reviews are suppose to be more set in stone, only after burn-in the wireless mode (ANC off) challenged the 3.5mm wired mode for fidelity while using the Sony WM1A DAP?

Let’s start at the best:
1) Wired connection with 3.5mm from a DAP or desktop amplifier:
This method showcases exactly just how good the Ardor can get to. As the DAP or desktop amplifier and DAC would be of better quality than the on-board equipment installed inside the headphones. Now the crazy part is the use of a standard phone with 3.5mm output is actually one of the very worse ways to go having me choose Bluetooth over it, and probably even TypeC connections over it! Yep! Later in this review we will try to scale into the very best level of output Ardor sound with the Sony desktop TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP!

Why would you do this? Audiophiles are crazy, in-case you didn't already know!


Edit: After burn-in really the wireless way and this 3.5mm (from a DAP) way were almost equal, only truly getting better with use of the Ardor with a separate $2199.00 TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP desktop amplifier.


2) Next is Bluetooth:
Here subjective ideas as to sound quality have to do with both definition and loudness able to be obtained. This means that Bluetooth is actually better than 3.5mm from a standard phone, due to getting louder and seemingly being higher definition?


Here showing Bluetooth with the MacBook Air:


3) And finally TypeC:
This starts to get complicated, except to keep it simple going TypeC from a (USB TypeC) DAP output, or adding the TypeA adapter to join the cable to a full-size computer, allows a lesser quality signal and lower volume level than Bluetooth.

Now to quantify the usage scenarios here, there is still a great sound from all three ways, except the signal from an Audiophile DAP or Desktop is noticeably better. And secondly Bluetooth finds itself right in the middle as far as sound quality goes, except after burn-in Bluetooth started to challenge 3.5mm wired from an audiophile DAP in a big way?

And finally TypeC USB ends in the most compressed and lowest volume style of connection. What this ends up in use is you probably will always use Bluetooth when on the computer, unless voice synchronization is a priority, then TypeC or 3.5mm wired will take the priority here.

1) 3.5mm cable plug:
2) Bluetooth wireless:
3) USB cable TypeC Plug:

Transparency Mode:
Now ANC is available for TypeC, Bluetooth and 3.5mm wired. Only this extra ANC function called Transparency Mode is not available in 3.5mm connection. So on the back of the left cup is the ANC control button. Such a mode may mean the actual 5 on-board microphones go on to pipe the outside sound in? What ever Transparency Mode is for, you can hear the regular ANC-OFF physical cup sound occlusion in the middle, the Transparency Mode has a hight treble sound, and finally the ANC ON blocking roughly 32dB to 35dB of outside noise.

To tell you the truth the actual manual has literally pages of writing so out courtesy I have placed it here.

A small red LED goes on to let you know the Ardor is accepting a change and goes out when fully charged. The Ardor comes fully charged out of the box. This LED is the same that flashed blue and red to let you know it is chasing a Bluetooth signal. once a signal is found the Ardor communicates such with a female voice through the ear-cups, as is the confirmation of ANC modes. Such a voice may describe other features like a low battery warning, I’m not sure, read the manual if curious.

The extended MANUAL copied for you my reader:

5 days passed since the start of the review:
Usage:
For me I will use the Ardor probably always in wireless mode. I loved the under 290 gram suggested weight, it weighs 286 on my kitchen scale. I totally love the freedom of 140 hours of battery life when ANC is off. Now I did have a test to see where the battery life extended to. What I did was perform a 5 day burn-in. It was easy as I plugged-in an old phone to the wall outlet, then turned on Bluetooth with music playing to the Ardor.

There was a slight difference in volume with the ANC Off showing slightly louder, now I have seen (other headphone ) graphs that show at times there is a frequency response change when the ANC is turned on or off, but in this case really, it's not too different between the two modes in my humble opinion.

Probably the greatest thing is the fitment here, this is a sturdy full-size (that due to low weight is) something I would wear to the gym, or walking down the street with. Sure, getting a 3.5mm audio signal from a Sony WM1A brings the extra amplifier quality and DAC imaging to the table, and that is always the option sitting down. Though I have more to disclose here. After 5 days of burn-in the wireless performance pretty much equaled 3.5mm, almost. I mean I can’t make this stuff up, but these kinds of changes occur when you do a 5 day review. Yet more than that (I know this is crazy) but the wireless functions even got better and the best in my personal history of wireless. What I mean is the first test was going to my kitchen scale when the Kiwi ears Ardor arrived. It cut out slightly changing (from the upstairs level) to the downstairs level of my house. Now the ultimately crazy part is now the wireless performance allowed me to (uninterruptedly) go from the upstairs to the downstairs kitchen, then out the front door of the house and into the yard! All while the cell-phone was laying on a bed upstairs. Never even a moment of signal loss, none! Incredible! We are now living in the future kids, it is 2025!


The bomb:
The actual bomb in this review:
As far as tone goes the Ardor is a variation on the Harman tune, as is the Thieaudio Ghost full-size headphone. I mean if you have been around the block with IEMs/headphones you can guess the sonic engineers at Thieaudio and Kiwi ears share break room talk, if not the exact same break room? And guess what, that while the Ghost’s 40mm Sapphire drivers jumped-up a notch when powered by my Sony TA-ZH1ES flagship desktop, the sonic results of the two Ardor and Ghost were very much the same out of the Sony WM1A DAP, strangely with the wireless now gaining volume and emersion?



Yep, this is all hard to believe but true. Sure even with the coaxial 10mm and 40mm Ardor drivers, they could not keep-up with what the $129.00 Ghost was doing powered by a Flagship desktop, but this is not the intended use I think. Personally I loved having the Ghost on-hand to compare, and with both being 3.5mm powered from the Sony DAP I got a glimpse of how they were really tuned the same. But the crazy part was I actually now preferred wireless from the Ardor as opposed to the WM1A DAP and 3.5mm Ardor..........go figure, burn-in may do a lot to loosen up drivers and make them respond better to power. Maybe the amplifier inside the Ardor improved with burn-in, maybe the 4 drivers? I mean sure this could be mental burn-in, except I don’t think selective mental burn-in?

Anyways to understand where Harman comes in, we have bass but a subtle additive that never interferes with the mids, and believe it or not my favorite attitude about a sound signature is when it gives the illusion of all mids, and that is what we have. Sure the 10mm extra driver must add to the slight separation into which we can perceive the treble, but it is never a drawback with incoherence or unnaturalness. The treble is clear yet never scathing or harsh, as such there was a little of this treble tone that was almost grainy, which went away (with burn-in) and even then it was only noticed upon arrival when I cranked it all the way!

So burn-in really did a number here, as the bass is now very well separated and visually located into the sound signature, offering a specific cameo in formation, a far different idea of bass than the Bose idea of a murky mess I encountered 15 years ago. This Ardor midrange too has a floating and smooth idea of image creation which really makes the sound become both full and apparently not missing a thing? Where the treble is there, but never too bright or scathing or anything………..I don’t want to write prefect, but that’s the town it is driving too. Where sure the Ghost had extra details and realizations of detail becoming imaging into the upper midrange over the Ardor, except this was only found with comparing the two from a $2199.00 TOTL desktop amplifier. So for regular use, both inside the house, walks outside, or the gym……this setup from the Ardor is pretty close to perfect. Is the Ardor more comfortable than the Ghost? While sure we are comparing two different animals here, the Ghost weighs 269 grams, but is much larger, the Ardor weighs 286, except it is way smaller which to me makes it seem to fit better outside, plus the cups are way smaller, yet delivering better sound from the 3.5mm DAP, and wireless mode of use.


Features/build:
The outside of the cups showcase a very mature look, not succumbing to a big name marketing mission. Here we find a vegan leather style outer-cup material with air-vents conveniently roofed from rain under the cup holder bar-material. This could in fact be the place for the other external microphones, as I can only visualize three of the chrome faceplate microphones? There are supposed to be five microphones in total for ANC noise reduction?

Phone calls:
I don't own a cell phone hooked to a service. Lol

Features/build continued:
The actual headphone itself is built primarily from plastic with steel reinforcements inside the headband. There is nothing cheap or clacky about the build, seemingly silent if you take it off your head and shake it. Now one main difference here from the Ghost is the Ghost utilizes a felt ear-cup material and the Ardor is 100% vegan leather. Also the Ardor cups tend to fit more snug being the ear-pads are about 75% thinner. Inside the cups shows a R for right and an L for left. These cups are notably more shallow (on the inside) than the Bose Quiet Comfort cups. Yet I like the whole arrangement. On the right external cup you have an back facing switch for the volume/song rocker and the on and off switch. On the left facing backwards you have the ANC button.

Probably one of my most favorite attributes here, second only to the bulletproof signal stability, is the ease of use. Meaning 3.5mm takes priority over wireless, meaning if you are on wireless and plug in the 3.5mm plug, the headphones switch over automatically. To switch back you need to push play once more on your phone, and remove the cable. There may be another way to do this, but this my friends is a full review not an instruction manual…………

I didn’t try to remove the padding on the cups, I will leave that for another reviewer if possible. And finally if you do lose charge I mean you have days and days (140 hours ANC OFF and 72 hours ANC ON) of remembering to do this, but if you do lose charge you can plug the USBTypeC cable in and listen while you charge, or plug-in any USBTypeC and just a quick 10 minutes of charge (from dead) gets you an additional 8 hours of life!

Value:
Truly I’m a fish-out-of-water here to estimate an actual value. Really ANC full-size headphones are not my thing. But, I will use this Ardor ANC headphone all the time as I totally blend with the sound signature. The weight and comfort is probably my most comfortable (full-size) headphone, especially for out of the house. The fact that the battery lasts forever and the fact that the functionality of the buttons are stable and make sense. Where really the only thing I use will be the on/off indicator which flashes blue and red to let you know it is searching for a signal. That and the volume rocker. I use my phone to find the albums, as I’m more of an album listener. Using the volume rocker to adjust volume at the start. When using YouTube the wireless had a slight delay, still some of the best voice sync I have experienced. Though if wanted TypeC and 3.5mm do slightly better here.

And…….finally the value is really in the Bluetooth 5.4 connection, that range is something that we can put in the history books. I mean this Ardor never ever cuts out ever with normal use, and I always took for granted that the cut-outs were part of going wireless, but not in 2025!

But the other value is just how easy it syncs with your gear, the word Ardor is always waiting at the top of your BT list on your phone………….and this may not seem like a big deal to some, but my time is extremely important, and the last thing I want to do is fiddle with BT.

Package:
The Ardor as such comes in a nice zippered case, included is the 10 page operations manual, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm and a TypeC to TypeC cable. Probably the other best thing is the cables are not big or heavy or coiled in anyway…….I like that.









Conclusion:
So here is the conclusion of our review. Probably many are going to question sound quality in reference to other Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones. And truly I have no reference to compare, but I can confidently say the Ardor beat out the Thieaudio Ghost (in 3.5mm and a Sony WM1A DAP) when you got the extra Ardor volume from wireless?

This wireless mode is how I intend to use the Kiwi ears Ardor in the future as my primary wireless monitor.

Getting the Thieaudio Ghost the extra juice from a top-of-the-line desktop showed who was totally greater in the end…….the Ghost. Only you can’t take the desktop and Ghost out around the neighborhood. I mean you can, but you would need a wagon toting a multi-battery set-up and 120V converter with the desktop laying on-top! No one would go to such lengths for audiophile sound......not even seasoned audiophiles. Lol

So for practical reasons the Ardor simply does everything it was designed for and more. This is one device that has done exactly as it was described by the manufacturer.

Everything worked without fault…………..plus it has my balanced sound signature and is fun to wear. Really what else do you want?

The battery lasts forever, and the ANC blocks out 32dB to 35dB of sound when you are out and about! I’m not sure I can promote the Ardor any better than the Ardor does simply by being itself? An honest value at $99.99, though I’m starting to see the prices upscale into $150.99 in certain places of retail. Is it worth $150.99? You bet the Ardor is, get yours while you can!

Bluetooth 5.4
Noise Reduction Depth -32dB±3dB
Drivers Dynamic 40mm + 10mm (Coaxial)
Audio Codecs SBC, AAC
Sensitivity 100±3dB @1kHz 1mW
Frequency Response 20Hz ~ 40KHz
Impedance 32Ω
Battery Capacity 1100mAh
Playback Time 72 hours (ANC on), 140 hours (ANC off)
Fast Charging 10 mins = 8 hours playback
Inside the Box

• 1x Kiwi Ears Ardor
• 1x Earphone Case
• 1x USB-C Cable
• 1x AUX 3.5mm Audio Cable
• 1x User Manual

$99.99
https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-ardor

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
The Kiwi ears Ardor full-size headphone has had a total of 5 days of burn-in.

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kaitlyn of Linsoul for the love and the Kiwi ears Ardor Headphone review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 3.5mm single ended
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 3.5mm single ended
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03 3.5mm single ended
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Samsung Phone 3.5mm
HiBy R3 II DAP 3.5mm



One final extra I learned was the Bluetooth symbol would show the charge level in a small pulldown window on the MacBook Air......and I really like seeing where the charge is at.

========================================================================
Disclaimer:

• - Linsoul sent this unit to me in an exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will do its best to devoid from any bias/es as much as possible.
• -The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• -No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• -Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

========================================================================
Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 5 days.

Essential Product Specifications:

• Bluetooth 5.4
• Drivers Dynamic 40mm + 10mm (Coaxial)
• Noise Cancellation Hybrid ANC, Noise reduction depth -32dB±3dB
• Battery Capacity 1100mAh
• Playback Time 72 hours (ANC on), 140 hours (ANC off)
• Fast Charging 10 mins = 8 hours playback
• Impedance 32Ω±10% @1K Hz
• Sensitivity 100±3dB @1kHz 1mW

Inside the Box

• 1x Kiwi Ears Ardor
• 1x Earphone Case
• 1x Charging Cable
• 1x Headphone Cable
• 1x User Manual

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

• Just like most wireless headphones you’ll be seeing under and within 100 USD, the Kiwi Ears Ardor sports a balanced, mildly warm sound signature, which is quite evident when used with the ANC mode turned on. Everything sounds very mature and controlled for a wireless headphone with ANC under 100 USD, which most headphones in this price range are having a hard time achieving, based on my experience, at least. The technical performance also in the Ardor is quite improved when compared to the other contenders you’ll find within its price range, particularly on the separation and layering. My guess is due to its tuning and dual driver configuration, which is quite new to my vocabulary. There is also a slight sound difference when used with the ANC turned off, as the bass elevates a bit more, making it a bit more bassier, warmer and exhibiting a mild v-shaped sound character. Let me be honest with you: While there are some significant improvements and pros that the Kiwi Ears Ardor has on its own to offer to the competition, it isn’t a huge leap, or a night–and-day difference when compared. To my perspective in this context, the Ardor is tuned to cater not only those who are in the “audiophile hobby” who are looking for a solid, budget headphones with ANC, but it also prefers to cater those people who are not into hobby, and just simply wants an all-rounder, versatile ANC headphones. These thoughts made me conclude that Kiwi Ears implemented Ardor really well to fit in for everyone.

Build Quality:

• In a nutshell, there is nothing to write home about the build quality of the Kiwi Ears Ardor. It is your usual, plasticky build quality that you’ll see and experience with most headphones within the 100-150 USD mark,and even levels itself with the well-known brands such as the Sony WH-1000XM3 and JBL Tune 670NC. Fortunately, the Ardor exhibited also those “premium qualities” that the aforementioned models have, such as the rigid plastic material, zero build hollowness, nearly zero creaking. The headphone cups swivel up to 200 degrees and fold upward. As for comfort, the Ardor fits well on my ears comfortably and has no problem being used for hours, which is a plus to me since I am usually working at my desk 8 hours a day. If I were to nitpick, The headband extension may come across as a bit “small” to those people with bigger heads. To give you a context, my head is on the “normal” side of size, and my height is 160cm, and the Ardor is already on the half of the extension, when compared to the WH-1000XM3 where I usually don’t even bother extending the headband just to get a proper, comfortable fit. This isn’t really a deal-breaker to me, but I have to point it out as a heads up. Despite my nitpick with the Kiwi Ears Ardor, I can confidently say that this is well-built and will withstand daily usage, as long as you take care of it before, during, and after usage, like we should always do. Oh and by the way, the earpads are also replaceable, which is a nice touch!

Device Compatibility, Features:

• I have no problems using the Kiwi Ears Ardor with my sources given that they all have Bluetooth. Everything connects and works with ease, without any hiccups or errors during my testing. The Ardor only supports SBC and AAC codec, which can be a deal-breaker to some, but not really a problem to my experience in actual usage. The buttons here in this headphone are quite tactile, intuitive, and easy to remember. Microphone quality on this set is also decent and is clear most of the time as it filters out unnecessary noise pretty good. ANC quality is also very good in these headphones in my opinion, as it cancels out most ambient noise based on my experience using it both indoors, outdoors, and commutes. You can also use this wired in two modes, as you can use it wired with a usb-c cable which also charges the headphones in return, or with a 3.5mm jack, making it very versatile and a reliable headphone, in my own opinion. The ANC mode and Transparency mode also works even on wired mode.

Battery Consumption:

• In all honesty, I had a hard time draining the battery of the Kiwi Ears Ardor, even with the ANC mode turned on! It has been a week since I used these headphones without any charge and I’m still at 80% in charge, which made me conclude that it is very reliable and will have no problems lasting throughout the week. Charging time may take an hour or more to fully charge, as Kiwi Ears themselves advertised that a 10 minute charge will last up to 8 hours of usage.

========================================================================
Pros

• The closest to “balanced” sounding headphones I have reviewed under 100 USD! (with ANC mode on)
• Relatively balanced yet “musical” sound character!
• Well-controlled, thick, rumbly subbass response!
• Warm, smooth mids!
• Non-fatiguing upper frequencies!
• Quite good separation and layering for a wireless headphone under 100 USD!
• Hassle-free bluetooth connection!
• Versatile, multiple modes of connection!
• Works optimally without any app required!
• Excellent battery life for its price!
• Reliable, solid ANC under 100 USD!
• Decent mic quality!
• Very comfortable fit and comfort!
• Simple, straightforward usage!
• Intuitive simple controls!
• Minimal yet practical inclusions!

Cons:

• Treble may come across as “too safe” to those who prefer extra clarity.
• Only supports SBC and AAC codec (not really a problem/ deal breaker but I have to point it out)
• Adjustable headband extension may come across as “a bit small” to those with larger heads (subjective).
• Headphone design may be seen as “not unique” by some people (I have no problems with it so it is subjective)

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

The innovations and improvements of wireless headphones and IEMs have come a very long way since it was introduced to the market, and this really shows here in the Kiwi Ears Ardor. Its versatile modes of usage and reliability makes it stand out to me as a recommendation for reliable, flexible wireless headphones. Like what I said before, I myself had a hard time draining its battery throughout the week! Not to mention that it also has a decent ANC and mic quality, which are some overlooked features that a commuter or those people who use this an everyday carry needs. I wholeheartedly recommend the Kiwi Ears Ardor if you are looking for a wireless headphones with ANC that has little to no compromises to the overall sound quality while maintaining a solid reliability and flexibility. This is definitely an EDC must-have, Kiwi Ears!


Thank you for reading!

========================================================================
Non-affiliated links here!:

https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-ardor

Additional photos here:

Spoiler: A little about myself and my musical taste.

Hello, and thanks for taking the time to read my review. I really appreciate it!
I’m Vlad, a former semi-pro FPS player, mainly in CS:GO, and now an audiophile and reviewer of audio devices.
My passion for music started with a classic Japanese Panasonic boombox. Later, I got my first headphones - Koss Porta Pro, which I absolutely loved. I spent years listening to music on those and the Sennheiser CX200. Back then, my playlists were filled with Linkin Park, DMX, Dr. Dre, and Eminem. Hip-hop and rap captivated me, especially the deep, rumbling bass and the distinct rap-style delivery.
Now, I consider myself a music enthusiast who enjoys a wide range of genres, from metal to classical music, choosing what to listen to based purely on my mood.
When it comes to sound, I prefer a neutral-warm V-shaped tuning. I appreciate a rumbling, well-defined bass and would consider myself more of a basshead than a treblehead. In the midrange, I have a particular fondness for male vocals, as I find them the most engaging and essential in modern music. What do I dislike? Harsh treble, a lack of bass, and a narrow soundstage.
You can learn more about me in my portfolio

---

---

• Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connection
• Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC;
• Dynamic 40mm + 10mm Coaxial Driver Configuration;
• Impedance: 32Ω±10%;
• Sensitivity: 100±3dB;
• Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz;
• Noise Cancellation: Hybrid ANC, Noise reduction depth -32dB±3dB;
• Battery Capacity: 1100 mAh;
• Price:100$.
  
  
  

• Headphones itself - Kiwi Ears Ardor;
• Wired headphone cable 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm;
• Сharging cable Type-A to Type-C;
• Carrying case;
• Small manual.

---

---

---

---

Battery Life


Active Noise Cancellation

---

"

---

---