Kiwi Ears Astral

Kiwi Ears Astral Review: Hybrid Personalities​

Kiwi Ears is a popular ChiFi brand, best-known for the blistering pace at which it releases new IEMs. Today we’re covering the Astral — a member of the newest wave of Kiwi Ears products. The Astral chases a true U-shaped sound signature, and does so while bringing undeniably impressive technical performance to the table. It is not, however, a perfect IEM. Let’s get into it.

You can find the Astral for sale on Linsoul for $299, here.

About My Preferences: This review is a subjective assessment and is therefore tinged by my personal preferences. While I try to mitigate this as much as possible during my review process, I’d be lying if I said my biases are completely erased. So for you, my readers, keep this in mind:

• My ideal sound signature would be one with competent sub-bass, a textured mid-bass, a slightly warm midrange, and an extended treble.
• I have mild treble sensitivity.

Testing equipment and standards can be found here.

Tech Specs​

• Drivers: 1x Dynamic Driver, 6x Balanced Armature Drivers
• Sensitivity: 105dB SPL/mw
• Impedance: 23 ohms
• Cable: 0.78mm 2-pin Detachable w/ Modular 3.5mm + 4.4mm Termination

Sound Signature​

Sonic Overview:​

The Astral is an IEM with an uncommon tuning. Its frequency response is U-shaped and leans heavily into this niche sonic style. The Astral features an emphasized sub-bass and upper-treble, with the mid-bass, midrange, and “lower” treble playing fairly linearly between them. The Astral’s midrange is neutral and isn’t warm. It features a responsible emphasis in the upper treble to aid with intelligibility, but avoids becoming outright sharp.

Sonic Breakdown:​

Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands, Satisfy, Little One, Show Me How To Live (Live at the Quart Festival), Bittersweet Symphony

The Astral’s treble is energetic, resolving, and smooth. It is quite emphasized, and sits at the forefront of the Astral’s presentation. This brightness gives the Astral a detail-oriented and analytical presentation. Synthetic treble elements, like those in Little One or Midnight City, are captured with painstaking detail and texturing.

Sharply-mastered tracks like Satisfy are somewhat overwhelming to me, owing to my treble sensitivity. I wouldn’t classify the Astral as a “sibilant” IEM. Instead, I’d say that it has a treble energetic-enough to toe the line of sharpness when a track isn’t well-behaved. Actual discomfort with the Astral’s treble was rare for me, but those with harsher sensitivities than me should be aware.

Tracks with chronic treble-congestion such as Bittersweet Symphony play nicely through the Astral’s treble. It manages to layer the complex and competing layers of string instrumentation and metallic percussion with care. Speaking of metallic percussion, the Astral is shockingly good at resolving the decay of high-hats and cymbals. Take those within In One Ear: the track is littered with slamming and crashing. The Astral manages to capture authentic-sounding texture and a striking amount of decay detail, even when the upper-register is busy.

Midrange: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Too Close, Little Black Submarines, Bohemian Rhapsody, Cash Machine, Chasm, Dead!, The Parts

The Astral’s midrange is fairly neutral. It portrays details clinically and without color or warmth. There’s a small recession in the lower midrange that facilitates this detached and analytical presentation. Conversely, the upper midrange has a mild emphasis in the 2KHz range that aids in vocal intelligibility and instrumental separation. The most intriguing aspect of the Astral’s midrange is, without a doubt, its cohesion with the rest of the sound signature. In spite of needing to blend into both a dramatically-emphasized sub-bass and highly-energetic treble, the Astral's midrange sounds organic and unstrained.

Both male and female vocals are highly intelligible. Female vocals posses a pleasant sweetness, likely owing the midrange’s slightly-recessed lower-midrange. Male vocals are well-textured and expressive, but lacking a small amount of weight and heft. Higher-pitched male vocals, such as those from Cash Machine are somewhat resistant to this weight deficit, which is a nice plus.

Bass: Songs used: Moth, Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), War Pigs (Celldweller Remix)

Unlike many other “bassy” IEMs, the Astral does not have a universally-emphasized bass. Instead, it features (very) forward sub-bass and linear mid-bass. This leads to many tracks having a “split personality” where the mid-bass elements are polite, even clinical, while the sub-bass elements are assertive and powerful. For those who are seeking reference-style tuning, just with a ton of sub-bass, this is likely an ideal configuration. But, for those who want a more-traditional bass tuning, it may take some getting-used-to.

Tracks with diverse bass elements such as War Pigs (Celldweller Remix) allow the Astral to flex its impressive ability to articulate the full lower register and layer bass elements. While its not as bombastic is it might sound through a more bass-head-oriented IEM, the Astral’s rendition of the track still produces quite a bit of deep rumble and depth. Other electronic tracks like In For The Kill rumble and shake the listener as though the Astral had a subwoofer within its shells.

Packaging / Unboxing​

The Astral’s unboxing experience is standard and, in true Kiwi Ears fashion, austere. The IEM’s packaging is designed to protect its contents and not much more.

Build​

Construction Quality​

The Astral’s build is solid. It feels fairly sturdy in the hand and features a resin shell with metal nozzles.



The Astral’s nozzles are precisely-cut and have debris-filters pre-applied. These filters are not actually a part of the nozzle, rather they’re affixed with a small amount of adhesive.


The top face of the Astral is home to a pair of 0.78mm 2-pin sockets. The block that houses the sockets is molded flush to the shells and is sturdy.


Kiwi Ears did manage to include a modular cable with the Astral, which is nice. Users can choose between a 3.5mm and 4.4mm termination, meaning listeners who make use of 2.5mm jacks are left to their own devices. And while I’m glad to see a modular cable in the box, this particular implementation of modularity is lacking. Firstly, the mechanism that connects the termination to the cable is insecure — it’s held in place solely by friction. Secondly, the length of the termination, once secured to the cable, is too long. This cumbersome lengthiness affects the Astral’s usability with devices like hand-held PC’s, laptops, etc.

The cable itself is constructed nicely, though. It utilizes a simple 4-core braid that splits into a twist-braid above the Y-splitter. The wire is lightweight and pliable, with a medium amount of body. The Astral’s cable has minimal microphonics and can be used while walking with little disruption. The termination, Y-splitter, chin-cinch, and 2-pin shells are all made of metal, which is a nice touch that adds to the hand-feel of the cable.

Comfort​

Disclaimer: comfort is a highly individual metric — no two people will have the same experience.

I found the Astral to be very comfortable. I can wear it for multiple consecutive hours without issue. I was able to nap on my back with it as well. Listeners with small ears may experience discomfort, however, as the Astral’s shells are fairly large.

Power​

At a mere 23 ohms and a pedestrian sensitivity of 105dB SPL/mW, the Astral is demonstrably easy to drive. Any reasonably competent integrated DAC/amp combo can drive it. Likewise, decent dongles will be more than sufficient to eek out most, if not all, of what the Astral has to offer. I was unable to detect any delta in performance between my usual smattering of sources.

Warranty and Repair​

The Astral features the standard Linsoul warranty of 1-year for the IEMs themselves and 3 months for the cable. For $300, I would have liked to have seen a longer warranty, but this about the best you’ll get from a ChiFi brand.

Accessories​

A common theme among Kiwi Ears IEMs is that they come with anemic, if not down-right incomplete, accessory packages. The Astral comes with 3 pairs of silicone eartips, a semi-hard carrying case, 3.5mm and 4.4mm cable terminations and… that’s it. For $300, Kiwi Ears can do better. Firstly, even the $89 Kiwi Ears Canta came with 9x pairs of eartips. That’s three times the quantity that comes with the much-more-expensive Astral. While the Astral’s eartips are of tangibly higher-quality, the IEM still lacks wide-bore and foam options in the box — something that many a cheaper IEM include.



The Astral’s case, as mentioned above, is much too cramped for the IEM. Its long-as-heck modular cable design combined with the Astral’s large shell volume makes it very difficult to properly store within the case. The picture above shows the Astral stored without being connected to the cable. This is not the way I recommend you store your IEMs, so I strongly suggest that owners of the Astral immediately swap to a good carrying case, like the Pelican 1010 (or similar).

Comparisons​

Comparisons are selected solely based on what I think is interesting. If you would like me to add more comparisons, feel free to make a request in the comments below!

1: KBEar KB16 Cepheus ($269)

The KB16 has less-pronounced sub-bass, stronger mid-bass, slighter warmer mids, and increased vocal presence compared to the Astral. Its treble is also tuned differently, prioritizing an emphasized, but linear, presentation. The Astral, by comparison, highlights the upper-treble while leaving the “lower” treble more in line with the midrange. These are both DD + BA hybrids, so they have similar psychoacoustic properties.

I hate the carrying case that comes with both IEMs, but the KB16 is smaller, and thus fits better, into its case. I prefer the thicker, heavier resin in the Astral’s shells, but think that the difference in hand-feel is minimal when accounting for the price delta. The KB16, with its lower price point, offers a more compelling price-to-performance ratio. That said, there are micro-details that were more intelligible in the Astral’s upper register. These elements were so fine that they were imperceptible on both IEMs when used in public or walking, so the diminishing returns here are pretty strong if you use your IEMs in anything less than a totally controlled environment.

My preference between these two IEMs lies with the KB16. It has a more ergonomic cable, more eartips, a lower price tag, and a more natural tuning (particularly in the lower register).

2: Rose QT-X ($329)

The QT-X features less-emphasized sub-bass, increased mid-bass presence, warmer mids, and less-emphasized upper-treble. This tuning is more towards my preference, as it more-organically renders punchy bass elements that lean on mid-bass emphasis and control. That said, there’s a distinct loss of sub-bass depth and power compared to the Astral, something that I wasn’t expecting to show through as much as it did. Treble-wise, I find that the Astral’s brighter, more analytical upper-register is more detail-oriented, though I still prefer the comfort and sublime smoothness of the QT-X’s tuning.

Both IEMs have resin shells and metal nozzles. The QT-X comes with a nicer cable, though it lacks modularity. It also includes a competent USB-C dongle and a solid suite of eartips — fronts on which the Astral doesn’t even attempt to compete. And while I am not a huge fan of the QT-X’s case, it’s at least large enough to comfortably house the IEM without compressing the shells.

The delta in “performance” between these two IEMs is minimal, though tipped in the Astral’s favor. If you’re partial towards sub-bass and bright treble, then the Astral will certainly be your preference. If you like W-shaped sound signatures, or value warmth and mid-bass balance, you’ll likely go with the QT-X.

3: BQEYZ Frost ($179)

The Frost has a sharper, less smooth treble. Its midrange is more linear with a flat upper-midrange. The Frost has a more-pronounced mid-bass than the Astral, but has a lighter, less-focused sub-bass. Between the two, the Astral’s tuning is likely to appeal to a wider audience thanks to its more-mainstream midrange tuning. That said, there’s a significant savings to be had with the Frost, and those who like its unique approach to true midrange linearity will also get the added benefit of a nicer cable and an actual accessory package. It also has metal shells, which is a nice plus.

That said, I am more likely to pick up the Astral on a random day than the Frost, simply due to its more-impressive sub-bass performance. The increase in mid-bass emphasis on the Frost’s side doesn’t entirely make up for its less-articulate lower register and grainier upper-treble.

Conclusion​

The Astral is an interesting high-performance IEM. Its U-shaped sound signature has multiple appealing sonic properties, but ultimately deviates from my preferred bass tuning more than I’d like. Its accessory package is incomplete and disappointing, both in terms of fit-and-finish and breadth-of-offering. So, while I do think that the Astral has a lot to offer sound-wise, its important that you understand who this product is suited for, and who it is not.

Who This is For​

• Listeners who want true U-shaped sound
• Those who prioritize sub-bass quality and quantity
• Buyers who want bright treble and extreme bass extension
• EDM fans who demand strong technical performance

Who This isn’t For​

• Buyers who want a complete out-of-the-box experience
• Listeners with small ears
• Those who want cohesive sub and mid-bass implementations
• Listeners who crave warmth
• Those with strong treble sensitivities

As always, happy listening!

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• 1DD + 6BA Driver Configuration;
• Impedance: 23Ω;
• Sensitivity: 105dB;
• Frequency response range: 10Hz-22kHz;
• Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm.;
• Cable material: OFC cable with PU sheath;
• Price: 299$.

• IEMs themselves - Kiwi Ears Astral;
• 2 pin modular OFC cable, 1.2m length;
• Detachable plugs: 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm
• 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S / M / L);
• Carrying case;
• User manual.

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Disclaimer​

Hello everyone! I want to start by letting you know that Kiwi Ears kindly sent me the Astral to review. I’m not getting paid for this, and they haven’t told me what to say, set any deadlines, or asked to see my write-up before it goes live.

Everything you’ll read here comes straight from my own time with the Astral. I always try to stay fair and objective, but at the end of the day this is just one person’s take, and our ears and tastes all differ, and that’s part of what makes this hobby so much fun!

Huge thanks to Kiwi Ears for giving me the chance to spend time with the Astral, and of course, a big thank you to you for dropping by and reading. Your support truly means the world to me!

The full review can also be found on https://mobileaudiophile.com/, via this link

Introduction​

Kiwi Ears has been on my radar ever since I heard about their budget Cadenza, which really showed how much great tuning can matter, even for an affordable IEM. Recently, I have reviewed their great planar IEM, the Aether, which I really loved! And today I've got with me the Astral, and honestly, I was very excited. The Astral isn’t a typical entry level IEM; it’s Kiwi Ears higher end territory with a seven driver hybrid setup and a price tag of 299$.

Inside, it’s got a fresh 10 mm bioceramic dynamic driver taking charge of the bass, alongside six balanced armature drivers handling mids and highs. On paper, this combo promises something pretty special, especially at a very competitive price point of $299, which has a lot of great IEMs at. They’ve aimed for a balanced but fun sound - a healthy dose of deep sub-bass rumble, clean mids, and a very sparkly top end.

I’ve spent a good time listening to the Astral, running through my favorite playlists to get a good feel for what these earphones can do. So, let’s dive deeper and see if Kiwi Ears nailed it with this one.

Unboxing​

The Astral arrives in Kiwi Ears’ familiar, minimalistic packaging. Compact, simple, and straightforward. Sliding off the sleeve and lifting the lid, the Astral earpieces are sitting in a dense foam, which keeps them safe and secure.

Underneath the foam, there's the usual Kiwi Ears black, semi-hard carrying case. Inside the case, I found the cable, and it immediately caught my eye: it’s a premium modular cable with a nice thickness to it, silver-colored with a blue-pinkish glow. It feels really high-quality, although it’s slightly stiff for my liking. Kiwi Ears includes two interchangeable plugs, 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced, for better versatility.

The shells themselves are beautifully made of resin with a smooth, glossy finish and metal nozzles. At the back, there's a small vent hole for pressure release. Kiwi Ears also included two spare pairs of metal nozzle grills, just in case.

As for the eartips, there are three standard sets (S, M, L) in white+blue silicone. Unfortunately, I don't like these stock tips; they are just like all basic tips and have that annoying mold line that always irritates and feels scratchy in my ears.

Aside from that, there's a small user manual. Honestly though, I'm fine with this minimalist approach, because I'd rather they focus on the quality of the IEMs themselves.

Overall, it's a simple yet effective unboxing experience; it's just that I would have loved to see some better eartips included.

Technical Specifications​

Specs​

Drivers: 1 × 10 mm bioceramic dynamic driver + 6 balanced armature drivers (hybrid 7-driver setup)
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 22 kHz
Impedance: 23 Ω (±1 Ω)
Sensitivity: 105 dB (±1 dB)
THD: < 1% total harmonic distortion
Connector: 0.78 mm 2-pin (detachable) interface
Cable: 1.2 m detachable cable, braided (includes swappable 3.5 mm & 4.4 mm plugs for single ended or balanced)
Weight: ~12 g per earpiece
Shell material: 3D-printed resin body with metal nozzle

Build and Design​

The Kiwi Ears Astral is solidly built with smooth, ergonomic 3D-printed resin shells and a metal nozzle. They come in two colors, blue or yellow, each with a glitter-like flakes effect and the Kiwi Ears logo, giving them a very attractive look, in my opinion. The fit is comfortable, not super bulky, but definitely large. They feel pretty secure in my ear, but after some time, it starts to hurt because of their bigger size, which pushes too hard on some parts of my ear.

Driver's configuration​

The Kiwi Ears Astral has a hybrid driver setup. It uses a 10 mm bioceramic dynamic driver to handle the bass, backed up by two sets of dual balanced armatures (four in total) for the mids, plus another dual BA tweeter for the highs. This whole setup, I guess, works in a three-way crossover, making sure each driver does exactly what it's best at. The Astral isn't easy to drive, and I found that it needs more power than a typical IEM to get loud.

Cable​

The cable is pretty thick, silver with a blue/pinkish glow to it. It is a very good quality cable, but it is a bit stiff.
The connector is a modular, friction-fit one, and although I would have loved it to be a screw-down type, this one is also fine.

Sound Performance​

Bass​

The Astral’s bass immediately grabbed my attention because it’s deep, punchy, and impactful. On tracks like "Consumed" by The Haxan Cloak, the sub-bass goes low and rumbles with a lot of power, giving me that brain-shake vibration. Yet, despite the powerful bass response, the Astral maintains excellent control and precision. Let's take, for example, "Taking Off" by Forest Swords, which highlights this perfectly, and it shows me how impressive the speed and the texture are. Each bass note feels distinct, defined, and never bloated or muddy, making it sound very dynamic and satisfying.

Mids​

The midrange on the Astral is genuinely amazing. Vocals feel beautifully upfront, natural, and rich with texture. Patty Gurdy's voice in "The Longing" or even in "Grieve No More" sounds amazing, with great clarity and emotion; her vocals stand out clearly, positioned perfectly in front of the instrumentation. The mids carry just the right amount of warmth—not overly thick, yet far from thin or sterile. Male and female voices alike sound realistic and well textured; all this makes the Astral excellent for vocal-centric music.

Highs​

The treble performance is probably Astral’s standout point. It feels airy, detailed, and long extended without any harshness or sharpness. Steven Price’s track "Gravity" demonstrates this beautifully; the high-pitched vocals reach effortlessly high, lingering with a delicate, long-lasting decay thanks to Astral’s superb treble extension. There's plenty of sparkle up top, and it just makes me smile when I hear, or shall I say, feel those very high notes. The treble is tuned so nicely that it can be really felt how it significantly contributes to the lifelike character of the Astral (because those very high notes are not really audible, they are felt, just like super low notes, which you can feel rather than hear).

Technicalities​

When it comes to technical performance, the Astral performs in the top class for its price. Imaging, in particular, is fantastic. On Hans Zimmer’s "Retreat and Reveille," I can easily pinpoint each instrument's position and clearly sense and feel every little finger flick on the goblet drums. The sense of space and layering is very good, and it gives me a wide and precise soundstage. In terms of detail retrieval, the Astral feels crisp, precise, and clean, easily picking up micro-details. It really gives me both technical performance and an enjoyable, natural-sounding tonality. It can just be said that it sounds "right!" and that's exactly what I look for in an all-rounder IEM.

Comparison​

I have decided to compare the Astral to these sets because of the similar amount of drivers and because they sit at about the same price range. The Performer 7 is priced at around 240$, the Septet is priced at around 270$, and the QT-X can be found for around 350$.

Astral vs. AFUL Performer 7 (P7)​

The first thing I notice is the overall similar sound signature, but the P7 leans to a bit darker and warmer presentation, while the Astral comes off cleaner and just a hair brighter up top. The Astral’s bass digs deeper and hits harder, but the P7’s low-end feels a touch quicker, with a faster response. Female vocals stand out more on the Astral, and I feel that they sit a step closer to me and sound slightly crisper, whereas the P7’s mids have that laid-back warmth. When it comes to detail, the Astral wins by a tiny bit; cymbal hits and tiny room echoes resolve with little more clarity. If you want a relaxed, easy listen, you can grab the P7, but for an all-rounder that still kicks, the Astral definitely has the edge.

Astral vs. Kiwi Ears Septet​

The Septet is the brightest of the bunch. Thanks to its semi-open back (I guess...) and the more forward treble, it feels airier and gives a wider sense of space, but that extra treble energy can get a bit hot on certain tracks. The Astral counters with richer sub-bass and a more even overall balance, so nothing pokes out or feels thin. Pure detail in the top end? The Septet shows off a little more sparkle, but the Astral’s treble is smoother and easier overall. Comfort-wise, I find the smaller Septet shell to sit better in my ears, yet the Astral’s resin build seals the outer world much better once I pick the right tips. So if you want to have a good noise seal, the Septet isn't for you because of their semi-open design.

Astral vs. Rose Technics QT-X​

The QT-X is a pretty classy V-shape: boosted lows and highs, dipped mids. That means kick drums and synth bass lines jump out, but vocals can feel recessed—especially male voices. The Astral, following the newer Meta curve, keeps the mids forward and lifelike, so Patty Gurdy or any singer-songwriter track feels more “in the room”. Up top, the QT-X has plenty of detail but rolls off earlier, which is similarly following the Harman 2019 treble, so it lacks some air and longer decay. The Astral stays lively all the way up, giving extra shimmer and a longer tail on things like ride cymbals and high strings. If I want big fun and don’t mind recessed mids, the QT-X has it, but for a balanced presentation with better vocal presence, the Astral is the easy pick.

Conclusion​

After a few solid weeks with the Astral, I keep coming back to one simple thought: this is Kiwi Ears hitting the Meta tuning amazingly. The hybrid driver crossover and tuning they achieved here, gives me the thump and texture that I want so much, and it never smothers things up. Vocals, instruments, and pretty much everything just cut straight through, crystal clear and full of emotion. Up top, the Astral stays lively and airy without ever being sibilant or harsh, so long sessions never feel fatiguing; it’s just that after some time, my ears start to hurt physically, but never because of the sound.

What really seals the deal for me is the balanced tuning. The Performer 7 is warmer, the Septet a touch brighter, and the QT-X more V-shaped, but the Astral is just right: punchy bass, lifelike vocals, crisp yet smooth treble, and very good technical performance for the price. Add the solid resin build and that thick and high-quality modular cable, and I find myself reaching for the Astral A LOT!

Is it perfect? No, those stock tips still itch like crazy, the cable could be a little less stiff, and the shells could have been smaller. But for 300 bucks, I’m getting an IEM that feels genuinely complete. If you’re after an all-rounder that really does it all, the Astral should be high on your shortlist.



Where to buy: (Non-affiliated! None of my reviews use affiliated links!)
Official Kiwi Ears Store

Kiwi Ears Astral



Shooting to the top of the list as Kiwi Ears’ most expensive new IEM is the Astral, that is of course if we ignore the Punch with it’s collaboration tax.
There’s a lot of reasons to like it despite two small quirks.

Video version of this review:

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Build, Design & Ergonomics

I want to start with the carry case.

Over the past year I’ve received a number of Kiwi Ears IEMs for review, 6 to be exact.
The first three, including the Orchestra Lite, Quintet and KE4 had the old rugged synthetic weave cases.

More recently, the Airoso and Aether both adopted the newer hard pleather case, which still feels like a bit of a downgrade.
Now the Astral case uses an even softer pleather which feels like it will start flaking off in 2 or 3 years.

This is unacceptable on a product costing around 265 Euros.




Moving on, the fairly large resin housings have a single vent, they terminate with the standard 2-pin socket and interface to your human listening components with 6mm metal nozzles.

I couldn’t get a good fit with the stock tips which have very hard bores, so after switching to some softer bore tips, everything was fine.

Initially I didn’t realize there was a problem because they did ‘fit’, I got a bass seal, they didn’t fall out easily and there was no discomfort, but the nozzles are actually really long, on par with the Rose Technics QT-X, a more expensive IEM at around 300 EUR, and one that I will be comparing the Astral to quite a bit in this review as well as the Kiwi Ears KE4.

So, ergonomics might be a problem if your ears simply can’t deal with the larger size housings with longer nozzles.
I don’t necessarily have a problem with them, but when I wear these there is very clearly a big gap between almost the entire housing and my ear, which is less than ideal.

The faceplate of the Astral is finished with a choice of either gold or blue glitter (not out of the box, you have to pick one when making your purchase) and while I think it’s tastefully done, it’s a relatively low effort finish that does not raise the bar in design or style at this price point.


The cable is an improvement over what we’re used to seeing from Kiwi Ears, with the ability to chose between 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, and above a certain price point Kiwi Ears does provide a better thicker woven cable.

While the ability to switch plugs is welcome and something I think many will hope to see across most of their price range in the future, I am on the fence about the cable, as it’s actually quite a bit less flexible than others, especially when I compare it to the silver cable that bundled with the Orchestra Lite which is easily one of my all time favourite cables.

However, since the reason for it being stiffer is actually because it uses a thicker gauge wire, this is easily forgiven.



Finally I want to address the main oddity.

The single vent at the top of the shells is the latest and greatest in vent technology!
It is huge and completely open!

With the right equipment, you can literally probe inside and see the drivers and cables etc.
So while it’s probably doing a lot of the tuning work, it has one big drawback – wind noise has an especially blown-bottle like quality to the sound.

You know when someone tries to blow over the mouth of a bottle to produce a tone, but fails and instead you just hear turbulent wind noises – that’s kind of what you get, which makes these a bit of a miserable experience to wear outdoors on a windy day.

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The Sound

On the bright side, almost literally, the tuning of these is really rather excellent.

It’s yet another variation of the meta tuning with a slight emphasis on both sub-bass and treble, making these a very tasteful gently U-shaped set of IEMs, bordering on V-shaped.


The tuning of the Astral is overall not as thick and warm as the KE4, which focuses more on adhering closer to the meta. So you could say the Astral is a more vibrant, contrasty version of the KE4.
Despite KE4’s more strict meta tuning, the Astral is also the more technically accurate and obviously more detailed of the two.
It’s not apples to apples, but you could very distantly make the comparison that if the KE4 was like the Sennheiser HD650, the Astral would be like the Sennheiser HD660S.
One is smoother and more relaxing, and the other is simply technically superior. Neither are the wrong answer, it just depends on the question.

I’m very happy to report that the sub-bass on the Astral has almost all the authority, slam and detail you might expect from something more than twice the price.
Only a few sets of IEMs I heard recently at High End Munich presented bass with the kind of greater slam, texture and volume that I yearn for, but at around 7-8 times the price.

The detail doesn’t leave you wanting, and the treble which is shockingly linear and well extended in manual tonal sweeps genuinely gives you a very well balanced, high-end IEM experience at a fraction of the cost.

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Comparisons

The Rose Technics QT-X shares many similarities with the Astral, with it’s long nozzle, resin-housing and problematic vent in windy weather; it especially shares it’s excellent bass performance, and distinguishing between the two is almost impossible.
The QT-X’s use of a stronger pinna-gain tuning and the inclusion of a treble spike makes them sound more fatiguing, but also more dynamic and detailed, albeit a sort of fake perceived detail that results from a stronger treble response.
For that reason, I pefer the Astral over the QT-X, although there may be others who prefer a stronger pinna-gain tuning, making the QT-X still a compelling alternative with an equally problematic noisy vent problem and long nozzle.


The Kiwi Ears KE4 shares almost all the usual Kiwi Ears DNA in it’s shape, size and vent position, but the vent is covered with a fine mesh and the nozzle length is closer to the normal average.
The bass performances of the two are about on par again, with the Astral edging out in the lead with a slightly more convincing texture and detail, which could also just be a placebo effect from it being a more U-shaped sound with a clearer upper-end and a touch less mid-bass, but it’s still a contributing factor nonetheless.

Compared to the Simgot EA1000, the Astral is obviously the easier listen compared to the classic Simgot focus on upper mids and treble which, while sounding endlessly detailed and articulate, can get quickly fatiguing with some tracks.

Comparing the Astral with the Orchestra Lite, the sub-bass is quite simply lacking in the Orchestra Lite.
If you’re happy to just boost the bass in EQ, I hear little reason to 'upgrade' to the Astral, given the superior isolation of the Orchestra Lite with it’s ventless design.
For that reason, the Orchestra Lite remains my favourite.

---

Final Thoughts

In all my listening with the Astral, I’ve only ever given them a small sub-bass boost of about 2dB especially in more noisy environments on my work commute and only my usual treble test tracks proved to be on the edge of piercing, as they should be with properly tuned headphones and IEMs.

On one hand, I can hear they present audio in a way that is very close to my perception of neutral where it even outclasses my beloved Orchestra Lite as there isn’t any part of the sound I can say anything bad about. It’s just fun, clean, vivid, detailed and gives some much more expensive IEMs a run for their money.

It does however come at the cost of superlative ergonomics, exhibits below-average isolation and has an underwhelming venting solution.

For some people I think it plays too close to the meta rulebook to be an exceptional IEM, and for others it will be exactly that strong adherence to the modern status quo that makes it a very safe bet and a way to get very close to upper-mid or flagship tier IEMs at a fraction of the cost.

Despite it’s quirks, the Astral does stand out as a very well-tuned step into mid-tier IEM territory that obviously stands above the over-saturated entry level crowd.

Kiwi Ears Astral

Disclaimer

I got a free review sample from Linsoul, and I can say whatever I want without any guidelines from Kiwi Ears or Linsoul.

All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical for me, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.





So what is Kiwi Ears Astral

Kiwi Ears is one of the brands distributed by Linsoul, they have both IEMs and headphones and is a growing brand that gets more and more recognition.

Astral is one of their newest mid tier IEMs, and is a hybrid model retailing at $299. Astral has one 10mm dynamic driver in bioceramic diaphragm and 6 balanced armatures, there is no mention of what type of BAs used but the quality is on pair with sets with Knowles or Sonion.





The packaging of Kiwi Ears models are okay, it's a banded box with sleeve around. The insert has secure foam to hold the Astral, with all the accessories under. While not premium it is also looking good for a product this price.



The Astral has a black resin shell with a glitter type of faceplate, I have it in the blue design and it's also available in yellow. The faceplate and shell is in good quality, I do like this style of faceplate as its subtle and not so flashy.

The position of the DD vent is positioned so it is not obstructed by the ear, also means its no ear pressure when using the Astral.



Kiwi Ears are good at making ergonomic IEMs, the shells are about medium sized and have an average sized nozzle at 6.2mm wide. The shell has the little ear fin to make it more secure, but it's on the subtle side so it should work on most ears.

The cable socket is the normal 2 pin variant, and has resin over the module. Also means that some cables can be a little tight to get in since resin can be in the way when you wiggle it in.

The nozzle is in metal, and has a special type of mesh filter instead of the usual salt and pepper style.



Stock accessories of Astral are good, I would have liked it to be delivered with another type of silicon tips that was wide bore also. But stock tips are okay, just a little firm inside the medium sized bore.

The stock cable is modular, with my only con being that the connector could be more firm or have some sort of locking mechanism.

I forgot to add the storage box to the photo, it is the original Kiwi Ears box that was on KE4 and Punch.



Sound impression

Most of my listening has been with the Shanling M8T in transistor mode and my desktop setup.

Going to use the ranges here in review:


Details and soundstage

Detail in IEMs is down mostly to quality driver and how it amplitudes the frequencies, when the drivers is faster it increases the resolution you hear.

This has an okay level of technicality when we consider the price point and tuning, it is not overly bright but still has a clear and smooth sound. While not exceeding at micro detail and picking up all nuances, it is also not bad at it.

Soundstage is very personal, and same here Astral is good but also not at a level where it stands out in the crowd. Good imaging cues that are well spread out, with average depth and width not wide or narrow.

Timbre

So when I talk about timbre I think about how accurate it sounds, for me the Astral is close to natural with just a little more warmth.

I have not compared it for the review, but this is actually a more normally tuned Kiwi Ears Punch with less bass. The sound is what I would call U shape, mids are not recessed but also not as in focus as the bass and highs.

Bass is a highlight and has excellent texture and punch, I would say it's more sub bassy than mid bass focused. But this does not mean it lacks mid bass, it has a good punchy sound. It actually has better mid bass than many of the recent releases, and stuff like drums sound full and natural.

Midrange is very nice, not aggressive but also not recessed in any way. I would say this is close to the meta tuning with how the balance is in the midrange, so natural and smooth sound that is never sharp.

Highs is also done very well, it has a good amount of shimmer and clarity making harmonics and overtones sound natural and airy. The BAs used lately for treble have quality that can rival many sets with EST, well implemented EST can still be more ethereal but BA is coming close.



Comparison

When evaluating the sets I use each of them over longer periods and also some shorter sessions swapping back and forth, it takes a long time and is not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly capable, together with volume matching to take away loudness variance.

I have decided to use Kiwi Ears Astral and Septet, with ZiiGaat Arcanis as the last one.



The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences, this is a subjective evaluation and reflects what I prefer.




Starting by size comparison the Arcanis and Astral have the same sized shell, what make them different is that Astral has more ergonomic curves. For me the Kiwi Ears models are way more comfortable than the ZiiGaat models, but this can be different for someone else.
The Septet is more similar to Arcanis as in having less curves, but has an even smaller shell. The quality of the shell is not resin on Septet, so it feels much more cheap.
I don’t have a photo of it here, but the accessories are better on Kiwi Ears than ZiiGaat. Especially since the cable is more normal, the cheap one on ZiiGaat feels way out of place.

Arcanis and Astral need about the same juice to get the same loudness and are easy to drive, the Septet needs about 10% more on most DAPs and dongles.



For sound Septet is way different than Astral, there is a bright and open sound that is unpleasant at times and keeps me playing the music on low volume to not get fatigued.

Even if it has a big bass shelf it is not enough to counter the metallic sharp highs. I really loved the design but the tuning is not for me at all. I also believe the planar and pzt drivers is the reason, the BAs of Astral are just more smooth and natural.
On technical level the Septet can sound very detailed at picking up microdetail, but I feel this is forced by the aggressive highs and metallic driver sheen making stuff like cymbals and other elements to pop more in the mix.

The soundstage also does not work well for me even if it has good depth, it sounds not as coherent so imaging cues are not spread out in an arc as it should.



The Arcanis and Astral are much better iems, they both have smooth and balanced sound. Where they are different is that Arcanis is more neutral and the Astral has more of a U shaped fun sound. The Arcanis is more sub bassy and tight tight, Astral is more mid bassy (but also more sub bass) and has stronger bass. Both are not slow in decay and are equal in quality of the bass driver, just a difference in quantity.

Midrange is clearer on Arcanis, it is more open and focused with nearer projection of voices and many sound cues in music. Astral is instead softer and more distant, since bass and highs take more presence. The treble measurement shows more on Astral, but in real life they sound about equal. Part reason for this is since the bass is more elevated and balances out some of the highs on Astral.

For soundstage and imaging both does a fine job, not standing out but also not lacking in any way.



Music

Click here for Audio with Leo playlist

When comparing IEM’s I have used the tracks listed here and more, I will also provide a few albums I have enjoyed during the review time.















Summary

The market is very competitive lately, and more and more good sets come out. Kiwi Ears Astral is one of those, it has a balanced but warm tuning that I think many would love.

What is interesting is that this is about the same quality as the flagship model Punch from Kiwi Ears, but here you get it for $299 and with less intrusive bass quantity. It is even delivered with better cable than on the Punch model, and while it is no EST it has BA that can almost rival the treble performance.

It is not perfect, I would have liked a more fresh design and also a little more mid bass weight. But these are minor cons, and it is easy to recommend the Astral if one looks after a new IEM in this price range.

Giving Astral a 4 star rating on head-fi, with a Audio with Leo score of 67/100.

KIWI EARS ASTRAL

Another Kiwi Ear's answer to META tuning.

Pro:
- Well-balanced tonality.
- Tasteful sub-bass boost.
- Intimate vocal.
- Anti "shout".
- Well-extended treble.
- Good transparency level.
- Good dynamic-range.
- Great value.
- Comfortable fit.
- Easy to drive.
- Good driver coherency.
- Finally, a 4.4 BAL cable!

Cons:
- Could use with better warmth and note-weight.
- Stage depth could be better.
- Trade musicality for technical performance.
- Not the most organic sounding within Kiwi Ears line-up
- Potential treble harshness on brighter pairings.


[MY PERSONAL HEAD-FI GRADING]
1 ★ - Appalling! please avoid this!
2 ★★ Subpar offering, there are better options out there!
3 ★★★ Decent with some caveats! Not a bad pick!
4 ★★★★ Not perfect but solid choice! This should be in your shortlist. A nice addition to your collection.
5 ★★★★★ One the best in class! You should go right ahead & buy one! A must have!

Kiwi Ears Astral 4★★★★
Driver Configuration : 10mm bioceramic DD + 6 BA
MSRP : $299.
DISCLAIMER
~ This unit is sent by Kiwi Ears @EvelynZ for a review.
~ Assessment took place after 100 hours of burn in for better sound stability.



▓▒░ SOUND-SIGNATURE ░▒▓
A variation of a sub-bass boost neutral profile with added air presence.

▓▒░ BASS/LOW-END ░▒▓
- The low-end exhibits a tasteful amount of bass boost, emphasizing sub-bass reach. It'll give off a greater sense of rumble than pronounced punch. It goes for a more balance approach rather than aiming for bass-head, offering fun yet precise bassline with slightly cold, analytical tonality.

- The sub-bass extends down low, giving a rather deep sense of rumble, drone and hum. It provides good texture and asserts convincing level of pressure. However, due to a shorter sustain, it may not create the most atmospheric bassline. Nonetheless, it maintains sufficient drive to keep genres like EDM and Dubstep engaging.

- The mid-bass, particularly in the upper-bass region, is dialled down. The attack could benefit from more depth, warmth, and body. Despite this, kick drums still throw a decent punch, albeit on the softer side. Bass guitars retain good clarity in the mix but lacks the sustained tone to truly stand-out. Drum strike has adequate slam to say the least. It is decent for as long as you don't expect a punchy, transient-heavy delivery.

- Ghetto bass has an acceptable springy quality. While bass-drop and bass distortion elements are well defined. Bass that is controlled and precise such as this one often applies to basslines that don't linger or become muddy, providing clarity and focus. Which also means it lacks overtone or reverb that give the bass character.

- In general, the bass is more about highlighting the pure fundamental frequencies. Having said that, it still has some good qualities, allowing it’s low-end to give a supportive role in the background.

▓▒░ MID-RANGE /VOCAL ░▒▓
- The mid-range presents a more forward presentation in the mix. Tonally, it has a subtle emphasis on upper region over the bass while avoiding shrillness and brightness. It goes for a cleaner tone, while maintain the natural quality of the voice. While it may lack the warmth and richness of more operatic or lush vocal styles, it maintains a natural and cleaner presentation. The voices have adequate sense of body and note-weight, ensuring they don't sound overly thin or dry.

- The vocal transparency and clarity are commendable. The added brightness coming from the highs, enhances the ability to discern subtle nuances on vocal textures. On top of that, the mid-range are well separated from the background, giving a clear and distinct image of vocals and instruments within the soundstage.

- Male vocal offers a broader dynamic range, with natural rises and falls that contribute to a livelier sound. In contrast, higher-pitched female vocals, while airy, may feel more restrained and controlled, lacking some extension at the upper end. missing that last bit extension upon reaching the higher pitch of the voice. This restraint can diminish certain emotional expressions, which might be a drawback for those who prefer a more ethereal or angelic female vocals. On the positive side, it makes it a proper "anti-shout" set with no exaggerated sibilance is heard. Unfortunately, on a poorly recorded tracks, male vocal can sometimes sound a tad harsh thanks to its brighter, analytical nature.

- Piano taps, violin strums, guitar plucks, and flute whistles, all of them have a rather crisp and smooth attack. However, the quick decay and shorter sustain, result in a lack of warmth, body, and overtones, making them sound less lifelike.

- Despite the inherit flaws, the key strength of the Astral still lies in its mid-range. For listeners whose primary audio library consists of vocal content, this could be a solid choice, offering clear and natural vocal reproduction.

▓▒░ TREBLE/HIGHS ░▒▓
- The treble leans on the bright side of the spectrum with both the lower treble and air regions elevated above neutral levels. While, the treble extension is no slouch, the mid-treble elements appear somewhat subdued in comparison.

- Thankfully, there is no excessive treble peaks, sibilance or graininess is heard. The level of brightness it carries should be tolerable to the majority of listeners.

- With such brilliance, the treble detailing is never lacking. It is well retrieved but borderline artificial on certain occasion.

- Instruments such as hi-hats, cymbals, and drum brushes are prominent in the mix, presenting a sharp metallic tone with a relatively quick decay. As a result, shimmering ends of note is less defined. Snare drum rattles are adequately rendered, while e-guitar could use with more grunt. Glockenspiels have an acceptable bell-like dings. Interestingly, the synthesizer like electronic zings, rings, rattles or buzzes come through with a more satisfying replay.

- When pairing with brighter gears, the treble's characteristics may become more pronounced. Hi-hats and cymbals might sound overly splashy and metallic, causing fatigue. Treble-sensitive individuals should exercise caution. Additionally, on poorly mastered tracks, the treble can exhibit a coarse or unpolished quality, revealing imperfections in the recording.

- Overall, while the treble may slightly fall short in timbral accuracy, particularly concerning analogue instruments, it remains competent and delivers a decent performance.

✧ ════ •TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE• ════ ✧
The SOUNDSTAGE presents a predominantly 2D spatial experience, offering a wide presentation with ample headroom. However, it lacks significant depth, resulting in an "in-your-head" auditory perspective. The background is not pitch black; a subtle layer of micro-grain or haze is present, slightly affecting the separation and clarity of elements within the mix.

IMAGING AND SPATIAL CUES is good but not excellent due to its limited depth of soundstage. Nevertheless, the placement of sounds is generally accurate, with clear delineation between channels. Vocals are well-centered without being overly forward, and instruments are appropriately positioned within the soundstage.

INSTRUMENT SEPARATION is done well. While separated elements may not have clearest of cut, their boundaries are consistently maintained. Notably, each sound image is slightly larger in size. On a more complex tracks, this can lead to a sense of crowding since there isn't much depth to stage.

For the price it competes, the image RESOLUTION is solid, it's big and clear. It conveys macro-detail well. Micro-detail, it gives off more than enough layers thanks to its extended low and high-frequency ranges.

The DYNAMIC-RANGE is rather wide, effectively capturing both the quietest and loudest moments in the music. This capability enhances the overall listening experience, providing a sense of liveliness and contrast.

The TONE AND TIMBRE of the Astral present a nuanced experience. Over extended listening sessions, it's evident that Kiwi Ears has aimed to infuse a more analytical character into the Astral. This approach imparts a certain sharpness and assertiveness, particularly in the upper treble region. While this enhances detail retrieval, it can slightly detract from the naturalness of vocal and instrumental reproduction. Additionally, the Astral's relatively short decay and sustain limit its ability to capture overtones and reverberations, resulting in a sound that leans more towards a Hi-Fi or digital presentation rather than an organic or analogue one. In comparison, its siblings, the Airoso and Aether, offer a more natural timbre. However, with the right synergy, the Astral can deliver a brilliant performance.

VOLUME-SCALLING on Astral is just average at best. The Astral performs optimally at lower volumes. Increasing the volume can bring the elevated treble energy into sharper focus, potentially leading to listener fatigue.

The driver COHERENCY in the Astral is notably impressive. Transitions between the bass and midrange/vocal frequencies are seamless, contributing to a cohesive listening experience. The Pace, Rhythm, and Timing (PRaT) are near excellent, achieving near-perfect harmony were it not for the treble response. However, the balanced armature drivers begin to reveal their limitations when striving for greater resolution. At higher frequencies, they can occasionally sound slightly unpolished or unrefined. It may be time for Kiwi Ears to consider implementing higher-grade drivers, as their recent tuning expertise is evident.

Speaking of DRIVEABILITY, the Astral does not require a powerful AMP to perform adequately. However, attention should be given to the DAC it's paired with. It's advisable to avoid pairing the Astral with sources that have brighter or more analytical characteristics, as this can accentuate the treble, making it sound sharp and harsh, leading to potential fatigue.


✧ ════ •BUILD/ PACKAGING/COMFORT• ════ ✧
- The resin shell is solidly built and lightweight, featuring a beautiful gold glitter or blue flakes faceplate option. However, due to its semi-custom resin mold, the shape has a comfortable fit even for a small ears like myself.

- The unboxing experience is fairly standard. It comes with a small carry case, a few sets of eartips, and Finally swappable termination cable ; 3.5mm SE and 4.4 BAL plug.

<BASS>
● Bass-Shelf : AS > ET > SEP
● Tonality (Warm-Neutral-Dry) : ET (WN) > SEP (WM) > AS (N)
● Subs Extension/Quantity: AS > ET > SEP
● Subs Attack : AS > SEP > ET
- AS has the highest pressure, SEP is close behind. ET is the softest, not as tight.
● Sub-bass detail/texture: AS > SEP > ET
- AS subs have ever so slightly better clarity and detail than SEP. ET rumbling detail & texture has a smoother edge.
Sub-bass Kick : AS > ET > SEP
- AS has the best tactile to the kick with the right body, decay and sustain. ET kicks softer than AS while SEP hits a smidge harder but not as full as ET.
● Mid-bass Presence: ET > SEP > AS
● Mid-bass Attack (Punch/Slam/Thud): ET > AS > SEP
- ET hits bigger and thicker than SEP. But SEP hits slightly faster, sharper and deeper. Meanwhile AS character is closer to SEP but with less substance or body.
● Mid-bass detail/clarity: AS > SEP > ET
- ET sounds the clear but slightly fall short in terms layering. AS micro-detail is the best of the of 3 while SEP is somewhere in between.
● Ghetto Bass (elasticity/decay rate): SEP > AS > ET
- ET has a flatter rebound rate. SEP is the bounciest while AS is slightly behind SEP due its quicker decay.
● Bass Distortion: AS > ET > SEP
- AS managed to retrieve them the best, while ET is close 2nd. SEP is the least clear.
● Bass Drop: AS > SEP > ET
● Overall Bass Quality : AS > SEP > ET
- ET has great bass presence with overall texture is abit smooth out. AS has the best bass dynamics and layering but lacks a touch of warmth and body that ET and SEP has. SEP has great bass control but not as vibrant as SAP nor as atmospheric as ET which makes it the most balance of the 3.

<MID-RANGE/VOCAL>
● Mid-Range/Vocal Intimacy = AS > ET > SEP.
● Male Vocal: SEP > AS > ET.
- On ET, chesty male vocals can sound abit hollow in body. The AS though has energy and sufficient body can sound abit sharp due it analytical nature. SEP however has the best balance of everything.
● Female Vocal: ET > SEP > AS.
- On ET, its beautiful. ethereal. The most musical female vocal of the 3. SEP sound the most correct and balance. The AS has more analytical nature with less emotional depth due to more subdue upper-range.
● Energy/Dynamics : ET > SEP > AS.
- AS has better energy on lower-region of the mids. But overall ET has the best micro-dynamics here. While SEP took the more laid-back and balance approach.
● Transparency: AS > SEP > ET.
● Clarity: ET > SEP > AS.
- The vocal on ET is super clear. While on AS there a hint layer of haze or low noise. While on SEP it is not as focus as the ET.
● Tonality (Warm>Neural>Bright): ET (W-N) > SEP (N-BAL) > AS (N-B)
- The warm hues and the extra reverb gives ET a more coloured tonality. Again SEP too the more balance approach while AS has this upper mids and air boost to make it sounds brighter than the 2.
● Tone & Timbre: SEP > ET > AS.
- AS treble sharpness tend to affect the naturalness of its mid-range. ET has such a pleasing vocal timbre but SEP gives a more correct timbre on both instrument and vocals.
● Transient/Attack: AS > SEP > ET.
- The SEP seems to have heftier note-weight. But the AS has a crispier attack. The attack on ET is the softest. These traits will become most apparent on instrumental replay such as pianos/guitars/violins/strings.
● Airiness: AS > ET > SEP.
- The AS sounds abit more airy-er. due its air region energy bump.
● Reverb Level: ET > SEP > AS.
● Sibilance Control: ET > AS > SEP. (nit-pick level)
- The AS is the least forgiving here. SEP is rather similar but less forward.
● Shout Control: ET > SEP > AS.
- The ET the most anti-shout set of the 3. The SEP is close 2nd while AS is on forgivable level.

<TREBLE/HIGHS>
● Tonality (Dark->Neutral->Bright): ET (D) > SEP (N-B) > AS (NB)
- Due to its forwardness, the AS perceived to sound the brightness. ET being darkest while SEP is brighter yet inoffensive.
● Air-Extension: AS > ET > SEP
- AS have the most air presence among the 3. The ET and SEP are closer to each other.
● Evenness: ET > SEP > AS
- SEP treble is smooth but ET is buttery smooth. While AS is considered smooth as well but not as smooth as the other 2 due to upper-end peaks.
● Transparency: AS > SEP > ET.
- AS is just a detail forward treble. It has the best layers here. SEP present its detail less forcefully while ET is no slouch despite its darker nature.
● Clarity: AS > ET > SEP
● Timbre: SEP > ET > AS
SEP timbre is nigh excellent, its crisp, smooth, good note-weight with accurate decay. ET sounds smooth yet still maintain organic touch. AS has gone for more analytical approach which tends sacrifice some of the naturalness of the treble.

< TECHNICALITIES >

STAGE-DIMENSIONS
● Width: SEP > ET > AS
● Height: ET > SEP > AS
● Depth: ET > SEP > AS
● Background Darkness: ET > SEP > AS
● Imaging (Accuracy + Sharpness): SEP > AS > ET
● Separation (Effortlessness & Consistency): SEP > AS > ET
● Detail & Resolution : AS > SEP > ET
● Instrument Replay/Timbre: SEP > AS > ET
● Dynamic-Range/Transient: AS > SEP > ET
● Ambience Level: ET > SEP > AS
● Clarity: ET > SEP > AS
● Build : SEP > AS > ET
● Comfort: AS > ET > SEP
● Drivability : AS > ET > SEP
● Value (As Tested): ET > SEP = AS
● Personal Enjoyment: ET > SEP > AS

"The ASTRAL proven to be the most technical set here with a versatile balance tuning. The SEPTET sounds the most organic sounding of the bunch. It is best suited for long listening session but it is the hardest to drive. The ÉTUDE is simply the most unique. It give a different musical experience and it is the cheapest by far."

◤FINAL THOUGHTS◢
The Astral is indeed of the more analytical yet balance sounding Kiwi Ears to date. The price performance is really competitive in todays market.
For just under $300 it is a solid recommendation for audiophile who seek versatile tuning, good technical performance, easy to drive, comfortable fit, well accessorized package without breaking your wallet.

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

【SOURCE & GEARS】
● Native FLAC Files [44.1Khz 16bits-96Khz 24bits]
● Foobar2000 [ROG Strix G814JVR (2024)] [USB C Thunderbolt]
● Samsung S24 Ultra [as my DAP phone][ App- Foobar2000]
● Tanchjim SPACE/LUNA Asano Tanch / xDuoo Link2BAL / Kiwi Ears Allegro Pro
● Eartips : Spinfit CP100 (M)
● Stock Cable 4.4 BAL.
========================================================================

【PLAYLIST／TEST-TRACKS】​

1977 Fleetwood Mac - Dreams ★
1982 Chicago – Hard to say I'm sorry. ★
2003 NARUTO Original Soundtrack I – Wakiagaru Toushi ★
2008 K.will (케이윌) – 소원 (Great King Sejong OST Part.1)
2009 Maksim – Exodus
2010 Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (OST) – Kokoro no Oku De Ha
2012 Imagine Dragons – Night Visions - Demons ★
2014 Grabbitz – Here with you now. ★
2014 BoA – MASAYUME CHASING
2014 Hyolyn – 안녕 Good bye ★
2015 KOKIA – I Found You ★
2015 K MISSING KINGS (OST) - New Kings
2016 K RETURN OF KINGS (OST) - Return of Kings
2016 K RETURN OF KINGS (OST) - If you die.
2017 Berry Goodman – Zutto (ずっと) ★
2017 SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki – ViEW
2017 Namie Amuro – Hope
2019 K SEVEN STORIES (OST) - In Pursuit Of
2019 K SEVEN STORIES (OST) - Lost Small World
2019 Blade & Soul (OST) – Half-Moon Lake
2019 CAROLE & TUESDAY VOCAL COLLECTION Vol.1 – Light a Fire ★
2020 Paradox Live Opening Show (1st E.P) – BAE – BaNG!!! ★
2020 Paradox Live Opening Show (1st E.P) – cozmez – Where They At ★
2020 倖田來未 (Kumi Koda) – GET NAKED (Kiyoshi Sugo Remix)
2020 倖田來未 (Kumi Koda) – again (MATZ Remix)
2020 premiere fleurs – プリンシパル
2020 Love Live! Nijigasaki – 朝香果林 (Karin Asaka) – VIVID WORLD ★
2020 Fujii Kaze – へでもねーよ”／Hedemo Ne-YoSeishun Sick
2020 King Gnu – 三文小説 ／Sanmon Shosetsu ★
2020 EMIN & JONY – Камин
2021 OWV – Fifth Season ★
2021 加藤 ミリヤ (Miliyah) feat. Yoshida Brothers – この夢が醒めるまで ★
2021 Aoi Teshima – ただいま★
2021 Official髭男dism – Cry Baby
2021 Chanmin BIJIN 美人 – Morning Mood
2021 門脇更紗 (Sarasa Kadowaki) – きれいだ
2021 Mirei Touyama – 美忘録
2021 SELECTION PROJECT Vol.1 – Only one yell -天沢灯ソロver.- ★
2022 Belle (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Million Miles Away (ENG vers.)
2022 rei (E-girls) – Dark Hero.
2022 rei (E-girls) – IDNY
2022 I can fly (Special Edition) – Bleecker Chrome - You will shine ★
2022 I can fly (Special Edition) – YOSHIKI EZAKI x Bleecker Chrome - UP ★
2022 BEAST TAMER (OST) – じんわり感じている幸せ
2022 Ado – 会いたくて
2022 Ado – 踊
2023 La prière – Sweet Dreams ★
2023 Bungou Stray Dogs 4th Season ED – Luck Life – しるし★
2023 UMAMUSUME PRETTY DERBY - Hat on your Head!
2023 Anna – 花のように (Hana no You ni)
2023 riria. – 貴方の側に (Anata no Soba ni)
2024 Dungeon Meshi OP – BUMP OF CHICKEN – Sleep Walking Orchestra
2024 Ernie Zakri, Ade Govinda - Masing Masing ★
2024 Paradox Live THE ANIMATION OST – 25 幻影武雷管 - Trauma ★
2024 Bartender Kami no Glass OP – Takaya Kawasaki – Stardust Memory ★
2024 Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf ED – Sayaka Yamamoto – Blue Star
2024 Spice and Wolf Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf OP – Hana Hope – Tabi no Yukue/ Destination of the journey
2024 Tonari no Youkai-san ED – Aoi Kubo – Iro no Naka (風媒花)
2024 Sayounara Ryuusei, Konnichiwa Jinsei OP – LUN8 – Together Forever
2024 Sayounara Ryuusei, Konnichiwa Jinsei ED – EverdreaM – 君と見た景色
2024 Natsume Yuujinchou Shichi ED – Toshiki Kondo – こまりわらい (Komariwarai)
2024 Hololive FLOW GLOW – FG ROADSTER ★
2025 Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte ED – The Gospellers – will be fine feat. Anly ★
2025 A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa OP – L.E.I. – Enter ★
2025 Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou S3 ED2 – iScream – Metamorphosis
2025 Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon S2 OP – Riria. – Shiawase na Yakusoku. ★
2025 ONE OK ROCK – DETOX (Japan & International ver) – This Can’t Be Us ★
2025 Татьяна Куртукова - _ MATUSHKA ULTRAFUNK (REMIX BY. Satirin) (SLOWED) ★

★ Main-Test-Tracks/ A glimpse of what listen to 90% of the of time.


Do take my words for what it’s worth. Afterall, I am just one man. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! HAVE A GOOD DAY WHEREVER YOU ARE! TAKE CARE!

Disclaimer:
- This unit is sent to by Kiwi Ears (@EvelynZ ) . Thank you so much for making this review possible.

Where to buy?


If you like me to review your gears, please do send me a message! I'll try to respond ASAP!

Extra Photos

Disclaimer: The Astral was provided by Kiwi Ears for an honest review.

Preamble:

Kiwi Ears has been busy. Someone must have lit a fire over there as the new releases are coming fast and furious.

The $299 Astral employs a hybrid driver configuration with one in house developed 10mm Bioceramic dynamic driver tuned to roll-off at 300hz, working together with six balanced armature drivers split up to handle the midrange and treble.

Tuning wise we have an overall balanced presentation with hints of U-shaped goodness. The sound of the Astral is precise while still being wonderfully musical. I had recently completed my review of the Kiwi Ears Septet and the Astral comparatively speaking highlights obvious contrasts between the two yet Kiwi Ears have accomplished something interesting in that both iem are standouts. They do sound different but both are nicely musical. Kiwi Ears have once again here achieved a set of balancing acts that all add up to great sound.

The Astral is definitely easier to drive than the Septet but, and yes I do realize I am getting repetitive here, deserves a quality source that is clean and resolving. The Astral in of itself is a resolving iem and care should be taken through tip rolling and careful source selection to maximize its sound potential.

Kiwi Ears is not your typical iem manufacturer. It has become obvious that they are quite skilled at not only the implementation of different technologies but also in using their expertise to craft wonderful sounding earphones. Case in point the in house developed DD is rolled off at 300hz allowing the precision of the BA drivers to shine through in the midrange on up. This seems like a small point but they seem to know the limits of the drivers they employ and use them in a manner where they will do best. They unashamedly detail their tuning approach on their Astral webpage which is refreshing to see.

The Astral is a musically engaging and eminently competent performer. Paired with a fantastic source, such as the Astell & Kern AKHC4, I often lost track of any critical listening I was supposedly trying to accomplish and just got lost in the music.

Read on to find out more.

SPECS:

Model: Kiwi Ears Astral
Drivers: 1 Dynamic Driver + 6 Balanced Armatures
Sensitivity: 105dB (±1)
Impedance: 23Ω (±1)
THD: <1%
Frequency Response: 10Hz - 22kHz
Cable Details: 1.2 Meter Detachable Cable

Build & Fit:

The Astral is attractive in the Kiwi Ears recent design direction of offering understated looks. The black resin shells are flawlessly finished and garnished with a top plate which looks like a starburst with Kiwi Ears branding tastefully added.

The included accessories, as also seen with the Septet, are a step up from previous Kiwi Ears offerings in particular with respect to the modular cable which comes with both 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced tips. This is a good cable with nice haptics and apparent build quality. On top of all that it just looks nice. There are also additional nozzle filters and tips included as well as the standard carrying case. Retail box design is typical Kiwi Ears.

The Astral is a larger sized iem but I found no fitment issues as its shape fit my ears securely, with proper tip selection of course.







SOUND:

Bass:

Bass has great control with ample power and slam when called for. Not a basshead set, the Astral is not lacking in power delivery by any means. Bass here is organic sounding with a natural delivery that is notable. The power, texturing and control is clearly evident on “Angel” by Massive Attack the Astral delivering a satisfying playback. Mid-bass is punchy with good detail and snap. The low end does not encroach on the midrange and remains in its place providing a solid yet not overbearing foundation to the rest of the frequency range.

The in house developed 10mm driver combined with well done tuning does a wonderful job in delivering a good bass experience.

Midrange:

The midrange is clean and open sounding with good quantities of both macro and micro details heard. There is a touch of warmth here that enhances the organic nature of playback without adding unnatural colour.

Both male and female vocals had that “correct’ sound not coming off as enhanced in particular with female vocals in the upper midrange so common in earphones these days. Listening to “He’s a Carioca” by Eden Atwood the natural delivery of her vocals was standout.

Pinna gain is kept in check and any harshness was nowhere to be found. The Astral is somewhat forgiving to poorly recorded tracks and sounds great on well recorded ones. Once again Kiwi Ears have achieved a sonic balancing act with a midrange that sounds precise yet not clinical and detailed yet not cold.

Layering and separation were notable even on busier tracks. Transients were cleanly reproduced and timbre was also done well. Note weight was also pleasing which is something I am sensitive to. Listening to a live Jazz recording from the Audiophile Hi-Res System Test, the natural sound of the instruments paired with the obvious venue sonics were palpable.

Treble:

The Kiwi Ears Astral offers a treble that is nicely done with again a natural delivery both with respect to energy and detail. There is ample air and sparkle with no unusual embellishments. Here again Kiwi Ears walks a fine line offering detail without sounding cold or unnatural.

Treble here does perfectly compliment the rest of the frequency range adding to the overall impressive coherence of the Astral.

IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE:

The Astral throws up a moderately sized soundstage with good width beyond the ears. Natural is a good way to describe the experience as the quantities of width, height and depth are more tuned towards sounding realistic rather than emphasizing one over the other.

Instrument placement here is precise and there is notable space around each. This is an engaging and often immersive presentation.



VERSUS:

Kiwi Ears Septet:

I had just finished my review of the Septet which I found was a great set. Bass on either is pleasing with ample power when called for. The Astral has a slightly more prominent sub-bass focus but neither lacks bass energy. In terms of bass, I am happy with both but the Astral gets the nod here. The low end has just that touch of greater control while each shares similar characteristics.

The midrange on either is satisfying yet different. With the Septet we have a midrange that is organic and musical while being a touch more open. The Astral does share these traits with arguably more detail, but here it is even more precise yet still musical. It’s hard to pick a winner here.

In the treble both are standout. Each have good detail retrieval and extension with ample sparkle and air. The S&A on the Astral may be a little more apparent as compared to the Septet but with respect to having a natural sound, they are both winners.

Soundstage is the biggest difference. The Septet has a more expansive soundstage with an almost euphoric width. The Astral has a smaller yet still immersive stage but is wonderfully natural in both dimensions and superior when it comes to precise instrument placement.

Both are keepers IMHO. The Astral is for those who prefer a more precise and technical sounding sonic experience while the Septet are for those who prefer the more expansive and organic sound. Both are wonderful to listen to and in a word are pleasingly musical.



CONCLUSION:

To say I enjoy this iem is an understatement. Kiwi Ears has a solid release with the Astral. It is an eminently musical yet precise performer which sounds great with any genre of music I cared to listen to. It is a testament to the expertise of Kiwi Ears in producing noteworthy products. Listening sessions at times lasted for hours and this can only happen when the listener is drawn into the music, which with the Astral happened often.

The Astral will stay in my collection for some time as its attributes closely match my tuning preferences as I am sure it will many others. The Kiwi Ears Astral gets a solid recommendation.

Available here: Kiwi Ears Astral

The Kiwi ears Astral Universal IEM
Redcarmoose Labs May 28th, 2025

Summery:
This is a kinda a long review. And when I got done writing it I thought really it is a write-up for just as much what the Astral is and what the new Astral is not!

What not is it...........you may wonder?
The Astral is not of bad timbre.
The Astral is not showy or garish either in sound nor in looks.
The Astral is not expensive for what it does.
There is nothing outlandish or experimental with the Astral design of 6BAs and 1DD.
The Astral is not big or small, it fits most due to the semi-custom form factor.
The Astral walks that thin line between boring and exciting, between carefulness and pizzaz.

What the Astral has:
Exceptional tonal balance.
Seamless gap between bass and midrange
2X dual midrange in-house BAs, maxing-out at 2.8kHz energy
10mm technical bioceramic dynamic driver
2 BA ultra-tweeters

Who’s it for?
The regular Head-Fi audiophile who is searching for a transparent and careful tune, or audio professionals seeking correct monitoring duties done.



Lets get on to the review!
The Kiwi ears company is no stranger around here at Head-Fi. Then just when you think Kiwi ears have put out enough stuff to cement their presence in the community, they come out with handfuls of more gear! Yep, recently 5 new full-size headphones, a Dongle then a whole slew of IEMs becoming one (if not the most) of the prolific manufactures of 2025.

The message held in this review is that even though this Astral Universal IEM has the Kiwi ears logo, and may hold slight characteristics like its brothers in production, the Astral does a unique job and should be looked at as a stand-out release both for Kiwi ears and the IEM community in general.

As of late:
The Kiwi ears Astral 1DD x 6BA Hybrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears Étude 1 Beryllium DD x 3BA x Vibration Transducer Hybrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears Aether 15.3mm Planar Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears Septet 1DD x 4BA x 1Planer x 1 PZT Quadbrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears Canta 1DD x 2 Planar Hybrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears x Crinacle Singolo 11mm DD Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears Airoso 1DD x 4BA Hybrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears KE4 2DD x 2BA Hybrid Universal IEM

There is the Division full-size, the Ellipse full-size, the Ardor wireless full-size, the Aventus wireless full-size and the Flagship TOTL Atheia full-size headphones.

Even the full-size headphones share the Kiwi ears house sound, especially the Atheia!

Now the crazy part is all these newer IEMs just came out and showcase slightly different ideas of replaying music, yet it is undeniable they all still share the Kiwi ears sound. Past IEM manufactured ideas are still valid and could even be your current destination of how to design and build an IEM............like the older Quintet, the Quartet or the original Kiwi ears Orchestra/Orchestra Lite.

Let’s not forget the 1DD x 2BA x 2 EST Kiwi ears x HBB Punch or the two new TWS offerings; the OWS Attiva ear-buds and sport OWS Spark ear-phones!

Kiwi ears make the Allegro DAC/Amp, the Allegro mini DAC/Amp and the Allegro Pro.

Kiwi ears makes a set of great custom “FLEX” ear-tips too! Just saying.....

Kiwi ears:
Kiwi ears make over 40 different retail items at this very moment. You would be forgiven for forgetting a few products here. Take the Kiwi ears Melody a 12mm Planar Universal IEM, or the Kiwi ears Forteza 1BA x 2DD Hybrid IEM. What about the Kiwi ears Dolce, a 10mm LDP DD and the 10mm Beryllium Cadenza?

All this production may seem like all too much, and it's easy to criticize the company for playing a game of chance, hoping to find a classic. But in reality there are quite a few solid releases that stand-out. In fact looking at the new factory tour video it shows them manufacturing the 2023 edition of the Kiwi ears Quartet, a very classic IEM in the marketing sense and popularity sense!



I will admit Kiwi ears have sent me out a bunch of their gear. Since January of 2023 I have reviewed 19 of Kiwi ears production line, with the new the Kiwi ears Septet Universal IEM coming next after this review, to make an even 20 products!

The Hybrid idea:
The idea of mixing a DD and BAs has been around for awhile. The first was 2006’s Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10, the AKG K3003. Then in 2016 there was a resurgence in interest in blending two different styles of drivers together. Technically the use of more than one style of driver is called a “Hybrid IEM”……….no matter how many of these new driver mixes manufacturers use (the term Quadbred is an example) that technically it is still a Hybrid IEM in the end.

This mixing PZT “piezoelectric” and mini-planars, ESTs “electro-static”, mini DDs…………….all combined with the standard “hybrid’ ideas of a BA and a DD seem to allow manufactures to study new ways of skinning the cat, more ways to get this job done of replaying music out of a tiny in-ear monitor.



Audio engineering:
In the end there is still no perfect IEM, only examples of the art which are closer to correct and other examples which detour into a style of character, or tonal sections of that replay in special character. You can almost see the audio engineers in their laboratory making or buying a new style of driver and hearing it for the first time, then wondering where it could be applied and how.

It is this quest for innovation, along with marketing sizzle that keeps our buying audiophile imagination afloat. How many times have you wondered about some new driver, some PZT, or EST addition, then the reviewer tries to describe how this new driver has a distinct personality different from the Plane Jane BAs and DDs that we have become used to.

So the question of the day is have the ideas of just using BAs or DDs only been played-out.

Meaning is this technology of just using BAs and DDs going to be boring? Are simple advancements in DD technology and advancements in BA technology still going strong, even though the naming of them seems to have run its course?

Facts:
I have spent a good while auditioning the Kiwi ears Astral. One of the very first things I noticed was just how good this new in-house 10mm bioceramic DD was. In fact after doing side-by-side comparisons I found this clarity in bass personality to stand out. This extra realized bass texture has a way of tricking the listener into believing there is even more bass than graphically represented.

Meaning this dynamic driver actually put-out bass textures and placed them into specific placement into the stage when called for…….call it realism! It was this 9dB bass addition of imaging contrasts which were that much more noticeable next lower midrange to specifically illuminate the bass character without messing with the mids.

The way Kiwi ears do this is by dropping this bass energy at a specific 300Hz. Into which 4BAs (a side) take over to showcase a 2.8kHz Pinna Gain to carefully reproduce the most sensitive part of our hearing, the Pinna region. And finally the treble showcases a smooth extenuation to 15kHz before rolling off. These 6 BAs a side are not messing around and show an increase in detail “fill-in” upon auditioning.

Custom BAs:
Not buying from name brand companies like Sonion or Knowles allows for manufactures to custom make BAs more to their specific needs as well there being no middle-man reach a new level of value.

This BA value for me is probably most noticeable in the fact that driver implementation, meaning tuning……can be just as important and the actual driver timbre response in gaining realism in tone.

And……………it goes almost without saying that these “custom drivers” used to be looked at with contempt and suspicion due to their unnatural timbre found in the past. So manufacturers can do two things to fight the off-timbre. One, they can bury the tone, or mix the tone keeping it low in the overall sound presentation mix to subdue the effects of off-timbre, or Two. They can use moderate tuning and showcase this correct timbre by having the BAs sit forward in the mix. This moderate tuning also allows for smoother clarity and 6BAs add detail due to the sheer amount of drivers used.

Simply speaking the better made custom BAs don’t have to hide anymore, and still reach a competent level of detail by using BAs in number.

In fact it is this added darkness (bass notes) in contrast to this white (treble and midrange notes) that makes the Astral both contrasty and entertaining, while still keeping its tune correct to the Kiwi ears house sound.

Testing:
That in so many ways the Astral ends being simply competent due to the values of correctness, evenness and completeness. This I will now show in the side-by-sides.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

Left to Right:
The 1DD+6BA Hybrid Universal Astral for $299.00, the ZiiGaat Lush 1DD x 4BA Hybrid Universal IEM for $179.00.

I’m using the SIMGOT AUDIO Black donuts ear-tips and SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 modular cable in 4.4mm with the Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s software and no EQ.

Kiwi ears Astral Universal IEM verses ZiiGaat Lush Universal IEM:
I’m not going to be the very first reviewer to say the Lush could possibly be the better tune here........due to it being just smoother!

It is going very much along the same tuning ideas, though the exact character of bass does not hold the stature of the Astral. The Astral just has a better bass DD no two words about it. But bass is bass, and what can be of way more importance is how the Lush walks a smoother, more romantic and lower Pinna Gain style of livability. Yet, the Lush can be more your friend costing less and having less BAs and (while still) being a lesser bass provider. Lol

Side-by-sides continued:

Left to right:
The Kiwi ears 1DD+6BA Hybrid Astral Hybrid Universal IEM
The Kiwi ears 1+10mm Beryllium+3BA+1 BCD Étude Universal IEM
The Apevoix 1 BCD and 4 BA Grit Hybrid Universal IEM
The ZiiGaat 1DD x 4BA Lush Hybrid Universal IEM

Now I did these comparisons before for my Étude review just last week. But, the Kiwi ears new included cable had not had a full six days of burn-in, nor the Kiwi ears Astral fully burnt-in then.

So out of the goal of completeness I’m completely redoing the comparisons here. Sure I could have copied and pasted the whole comparison section here, but short-cuts are not what Redcarmoose Labs are about.

At $299.00 USD Astral is the most pricy, with the Étude at $119.00 USD, the Apevoix Grit at $229.00 USD….......but there is enough difference here to find what I’m looking for, to help delineate the differences and show specific Astral IEM character. Heck, I like this newly done comparison set-up so much I rephotographed the opponents alongside the Astral.

The Étude Universal IEM verses the Astral Universal IEM:
The first thing that surprised me was the slight physical tickling of the Étude BCD mid-bass in my hands.

I mean come-on I just did the Étude review last week. I should not have been that surprised by that, but I was. Here we are focusing on a different stage, a lower stage holding a perceived (due to detail) less Étude sub-bass, but more mid-bass and lower-midrange girth.

It has been a week since the Étude review and technically sure the upper Pinna Gain is smoother than the Astral, and that in itself makes the Étude probably easier listening for longer times, yet both the Astral and Étude reacted the same when I started out using the Kiwi ears Astral cable with them, this was prior to full Astral burn-in (which made the Astral smoother) but we still were not out of the woods so to speak.

I mean something cool happens when you return to an IEM like the Étude and find out you don’t know it still 100%,, even though you wrote a full review on it! Meaning yes, the Étude does do vocals well, they just aren’t projected into the same average location that a more orthodox (Astral) IEM would do. Everything with Étude slightly downplayed, plus warmer.

In that regard the Étude and Astral are in-fact opposites. Take 6BAs and try to tame them, try to make them slightly smooth, though the Étude already has that smoothness working, literally the character is already there steadfast and real, to where the overall tone is more congealed and offering longer listening sessions, but lacking the critical imaging and contrasts the Astral simply does with its eyes closed. Better bass, more defined bass, faster bass and clearer bass than the Étude.

Though there is this Étude bass stage that is fun and big, while offering not quite the regular sculpting of bass the Astral has, and in part due to the Astral having a deep controlled sub-bass. Probably heard as more bass than the Astral graphically shows because cleaner bass is psychologically heard as more bass.

The Apevoix Grit Hybrid Universal IEM:


The Apevoix Grit Hybrid Universal IEM verses the Astral Universal IEM:
Here the Grit holds that extra BCD punch, yet beyond that punch the Grit has unmistakable mid-range attitudes. Looking at the graph it shows a prominent 3kHz to 5kHz peak showcasing vocals and whatever else in your music lives there. This careful bass setting leaves us with way more than we could grasp from the graph, while still maybe needing the BCD for physicalness.

This bass is generally big…..and in fact the whole darn imaging is so stupidly big……this imaging way outdoes the Astral in pure size. And yep, you guessed it, the stage is much bigger to the Grit. Do I like the Grit better?

I kinda do. It is just this stage giantess has a way of milking out more detail, a provocative sway……things that are bigger in size make more of a feeling of movement and emotion, like a semi truck passing by on the highway.

Still when we really look into this, the Astral has a more sophisticated and careful tuning, still I don’t care! The Grit has this funny big entertainment size, like going over to a friend's house and seeing his big screen for the very first time!

BIG! like a teddy bear!

Now going back to the Astral it is clear, offering a more real (cleaner) and put together idea of the song, a more detailed idea with a more balanced and even placement of instruments filling in a lesser size stage. But we all know that both careful clarity while a good mixing tool, is not always offering the musicality found with other IEMs. That you would think Kiwi ears thought adding this wonderful controlled and dramatic bass to the Astral would add musicality, and it does. It is just the bigger stage of the Grit grabs my emotion, and in the end the Grit also offers a smoother Pinna Gain, even though it may not stand-out as such when looking at comparison graphs.




Test music:
After the side-by-sides I was curious as to what would be the very best ways to do the music section? I have done burn-in on the Astral and spent 11 days on and off listening to it.

Though-out the burn-in process the Kiwi ears cable and Astral smoothed out a tad. That while really good I felt the SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 brought a tad more smoothness and stage expansion to the table.

I varied between my SIMGOT AUDIO Black donuts and the included blue and clear silicone ear-tips. Because they only give you three sets of ear-tips with the Astral I thought maybe they were an upgraded ear-tip?

And again after 11 days of use, and trial and error I am going with the SIMGOT Black donut ear-tips here, for the same reasons as the SIMGOT LC7 cable, the ear-tips brought about a nicer stage and a lower midrange expansion that was a style of success with the Astral.

The differences here are small and I don’t want to come-off as too critical, as if you were on a deserted island, the included cable and ear-tips would still be the cat's meow!

Here I’m using the Sony WM1A with MrWalkmans software with zero EQ.

DCD
Anastasis
All In Good Time
44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.

The first thing that is heard is this bass. Yes, it is rich in sub-bass constituents. Though again just like first describing the Astral, it is the contrast that occurs at 00:29 that makes Brendan Perry’s vocals become that much more of a standout. Meaning it is the extra BAs for the midrange simply make more sound. This vocal presence is pristine and showcases both all the reverbs used in production........and possible multitracks.

And just like how the Astral is, this bass at the beginning is profound, profound in its stance and drama.

Though like life, when a new stimulus comes about, meaning the vocals……..they overshadow this bass to become the correct focus of the music. At 01:19 the strings come in and find their placement again in a different part of the outer stage.

The thing is I use this song for very first impressions and coming back to it all I can say is the Astral responds to burn-in really well. The bass energy has become louder and bigger, the vocals now showcase an effortless stance, and everything is more cohesive and together.

This song must have some bass to it, as after listening again I questioned how the Astral could have so much bass, in that I didn’t always remember it as so omnipresent? A quick run over to In Dub We Trust by KMFDM’s 2022 album Hyena and we find that remembered bass balance. What I’m trying to say is yes we have ample doses of bass, but at the same time a careful and well done bass amounts.

All In Good Time:
There is a quality to this bass that shows detail, inside detail and still the texture which before allowed the Astral to jump ahead in the side-by-sides.

Then the way the vocals get placed on top allows for the feeling of getting it all, if positioned into the correct stage imaging, and we of course have that with 6BAs. So again the value here is 7 drivers total all in a very careful tuning, and innate make-up of realization.

The single giant air-flow vent on the side must be taking part in this magic? To where at 04:58 there is a nice expansion to those outskirt violins. Such instruments are the very tester of timbre. Yep, the sound of the violin can have many different ideas of playback, some closer to correct and some farther away from real life. Lucky here these custom BAs are equal to Knowles now or Sonion. ESTs……..you ask what about ESTs? The thing is it is all about tuning and correct implementation, meaning it doesn’t always matter tremendously to get ESTs, it is more about tuning. IMO

Plus remember ESTs are normally secondary provider products, not manufactured by the brand, which means normally the product will always cost more. Sure ESTs offer a different style of detail, but BAs if tuned right they can be providing very close to the same overall quality of treble, especially that we have 2 ultra-treble BAs, in support of (4) 2X dual midrange BAs!

What the treble after effects are shows up as small glistening imaging.........like the panning effect that sounds like paper being torn at 02:59. It is the small details that take precedence here and award with the entertainment.

And that's just the thing, these are not fully broadcast hyper bright details, but careful and useful images in the provided stage that make use of what sounds are there and delineate them according to where they should be.

This also goes hand and hand with imaging movement, in that the small unique sounds to a song may travel across the inner head playback area and create basic audiophile charm…….and especially if timbre is correct.


Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.

Look, I have used this song for years and years as a good test track example.

Here it takes the cake once more highlighting what we have. At only 02:23 in length it is really a short attempt at being a tool used fr background game music. Not having vocals or many of any microphone recorded sounds, these styles of game music are made direct to the mixing board in recording studios, and while maybe slightly boring to only listen to as music, they play an important role at understanding sound playback. Sure there are other songs on this album that have regular real 4 string bass, but here is a more paced affair of synth bass multi tracked and multilayered.

At 00:09 we are witness to a great example of how to do percussion sounds correctly. This beat is almost throughout the entire song with a small nice recess of the beat left out. The sound actually sounds fully natural and in-place. I have heard this tone a multitude of ways, some better, some not.

BAs still do not arrive at the fully organic tone of full-range drivers, but offer instead faster attacks and faster decays.

Here this beat metronome pace finding the perfect location in the mix, leaving way for that sub-bass to be heard and almost felt. But it is not until 00:42 that the next level lower midrange synth washes take hold of our emotions.

The other cool additive with this song takes place right before at 00:26. Such an add is simply an extra bass accent created only with the use of volume here. And sure they do it more times before the song ends, but it is the quick transient edge of the attack and the thorough sub-bass heard that makes my day.

As such the music producers know they can alter the volume of certain musical tracks in this recording and such creativity is welcome, anything to drum-up emotion here. Only this electronic bass is so special sounding with the Aerial, the bass size, the tone, and the inside tones heard.


Hans Zimmer
Wonder Woman 1984 (sketches)
No Hero Is Born from Lies
44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.

I could have chosen 4 other Zimmer OSTs to exclaim the same processes and qualities, only this song does it slightly better.

Here we are awarded with real instruments recorded on a soundstage. As such it is another level of sophistication, the reaching of a new and exciting level than a direct to mixing board example.

And sure the budget is here for such an accomplishment to occur. Due to this it could maybe said this is more audiophile in nature? Maybe not, but here now we have important playback demands. More crucial stage placement demands, more intense timbre demands, because these are real instruments there is no way to get around it.

After that......lol.....this synth bass is the first thing we hear. But to reinforce the drama of real instruments, there is also a chime right at the start as well as a set of real strings welcoming us to this musical event.

The important thing is that every aspect is heard without any nonsense getting in the way.

But what takes it to the next level is the sub-bass density here. Yep, even at 00:04 we can hear stereo mixing of such bass having it sway to the middle right and left. Then……..what sounds like deep kettle drums (timpani) and the ringing of chimes, then just like the last song an additive of bass volume in specific places. I mean sure emphases can be used with extra volume and that volume gets us just a little bit closer to the instrument and in a way it is like using the extra volume as a rhythm tool.

These two examples of mega bass are held in the 00:28 and 00:31. But then we find a quick movement into actual song progression, to where there are both a lot of hanging chimes and (different high-up toned) energetic violins.

Now this is a perfect example of balance, and maybe one of the most important realizations of this review.

Sure I have heard this more treble laden, there are extra hyper treble IEMs that are tuned to showcase this imaging and texture better, though here the strange part is there is just enough detail to show the true nature of the sound, only nothing is overboard, nothing is too dramatic or too subdued.

If anything this song exemplifies Kiwi ears goal for the Astral, not only the goals but the true achievement of those sound design goals. And just like always this Pinna Gain walks a careful path, to where it is surrounded on one side where it is maybe too intense, and on the other too boring with not enough spice. In this case I did a few source switches and landed on the Sony WM1Z. Here we are shown a deeper more physical bass, a broader treble holding a bigger stage placement and best of all a basically more real style of playback. The midrange energy is less too with the WM1Z.


Sony WM1Z Playback:
Pink Floyd
TDSotM 50th Anniversary Edition
Breath (In the Air)
192kHz -24bit

Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.

Pink Floyd for the win!
Such a classic song. Truly the test of any IEM ever made and those to be made far off into the future. We hear a Rhodes piano set of keys and chords arrived at.

Teamwork!
It is agreed upon as Pink Floyd understand this comradely needed amongst themselves, it is a band and a song, with maybe more chemistry than any other recording........... showing union of thought. The drums are so in the pocket, the slide guitar. And finally the bass to be heard, round and thoroughly fashioned into the best of moods……….those bass moods, you know the feelings I’m talking about.

Bass isn’t just a sound to be heard, no, it is a feeling of a sound…to be felt. At 01:18 the vocals finally make themselves known. David Gilmore now has our attention after all that musical lead-up.

Verse 1) Breath, breath in the air! Don’t be afraid to care, please don’t leave me, look around choose your own ground.

Chorus) For long you live and high you fly, And smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry, And all you touch and all you see, Is all your life will ever be.

Ever so quickly such words release their momentary thought processes into pure musical effects in the proceeding songs like On the Run. We are witnessing a message about what a lot of the 1960s counterculture movement was as Timothy Leary once wrote…..Turn on, tune in, drop out.

But to get to the bottom here the Astral has this song's DNA in it, it has most songs DNA, in that they sound both correct and natural, never too bright or boring, holding those drum accents at 01:01. Laughingly moving a drum accent around the panning soundstage was quite the accomplishment when The Dark Side of the Moon came out. And still to this day the effect is unique and sincere in its approach with the Astral. The drum sounding slightly wooden and holding correct timbre and volume.

There is the slight echo is heard and the bass tone departs.

Such a bass goes perfectly along with the drums, offering this marriage of sorts. Bass and drums are always supposed to have this intermingling of conversation, only here it is legendary! Listen on…………….


Overall sound:
Bass:
Why did I just start out with describing the bass? Well it is the easiest thing to recommend this IEM for. You see monitors can have a dramatic bass if it doesn’t interfere with the mids, and the Astral has that. Clear, punchy, fast and surprising due to these features.

Midrange:
The midrange is fairly complete..........except as the actual creation of BA drivers and their inherent tonal weakness makes full-range DDs that much better. Meaning nothing is perfect and the DD trade-off is slower transients, though the DD has better overall tone, better timbre normally. Though at times the Astral upper mids and treble can walk the near the line of too hot.

Still those concerns were very much taken to heart with the making of the Astral, keeping correct timbre somewhat in balance while still becoming forward enough that you can hear everything. This is the result of 4BAs (for mids) a side and not any BA but custom in-house BAs doing just what the invention was designed to do, making the most correct and clear idea of the musical replay within the constraints of price-point.

Treble:
The treble holds Kiwi ears signature sound, that sound walks the line of being well rounded and smooth. While still finding the details and projecting those same details into the stage, these 2 custom BAs a side allow for critical positioning of images, while never being too hot or strident.

Timbre, pace and decays:
The timbre is good, and on the best side of what is possible today. This due to the very nature and limitations of BA sound offers us a two sided sword. One side is the positive and holds the fast take-off and return of this close to microscopic piece of vibrating metal reed noise maker. The other side of the coin is the fact that a BA will never quite reach the timbre of great full-range DDs. There is a DD decay that is found that is more true to life with that aspect. As such we have great pace here, with good note weight that is reinforced by the added decays of the 10mm DD. Still it needs to be noted stuff like 6mm (non-full range) DDs have better decays, slower decays when added in unison to a 10mm DD.

Still there is a slight bit of timbre that could be improved upon, and no one is denying that, it is just what comes with this package.

Stage:
Here the stage is also dependent on the stage of the source and stage of the file. But it is both farther out to the left and right with a little thickness from bottom to top, and a little thickness from front to back. When finding the right file and source the stage walks outwards in all directions, grasping hold of the top and bottom position, then carefully asking for front to back, with an added realm of left to right. Yet even with the very best feeding the Astral the stage is big but not the very biggest in IEM land but truly nothing to ever worry about.

And this stage size characteristic is probably that imaging goes so well in how it is correctly separated and positioned and well as where it is originating from. Still doing direct comparisons to the Astral with many different IEMs it was found the stage is simply average, and that while able to be enlarged due to file and source really it has better imaging than anything, which kinda makes-up for the stage technicality. Also IEMs with better upper midrange and treble seem to naturally provide an efficient center wide stage and that is what the Astral does when given a quality signal.


Build:
At just 5 grams each the Astral is a work of modern day art. Why even the 2Pin holes are flush against the IEM sides. The universal custom back panel shows how it is done to allow such a combination of drivers to be joined that much farther into your ears. Such a big port off to the side for venting, the sound occlusion is just OK.There is only single vent off to the side of the Astral.

Though probably the best thing about fitment is they never move out of place or need adjusting, for me anyway. The Astral can come as Yellow (as shown) faceplate or Blue, and shows an individual serial number (along with the name “Astral”) for each set.


The included cable:
This cable is both a joy and a slight issue. It took a while to reach this conclusion, but at the early stages of the Astral investigation I thought the slightly peaky Pinna Gain was the result of the Astral themselves.......and that gain is still true to be from the tuning of the Astral. Though using various aftermarket cables that slight peak in the Astral could be dealt with accordingly.

That Kiwi ears need to be awarded for finally giving us modular cables and keeping up with the Joneses. Only using the included cable and Astral together was slightly more energy at times for this listener.

Only I wonder if the Kiwi ears Septet Universal IEM included cable will have this same slight boost in upper energy as the included Astral cable?

This energy can be good for some as it boosts treble and midrange detail, while I still feel a more pure OCC cable would have been a clearer success here.

Kiwi ears doesn’t say exactly what the make-up of the cable is, only I’m guessing it is not 100% copper. Including a 3.5mm and a 4.4mm plug such a cable has all aluminum hardware such as splitter and chin-cinch. The overall physical texture and feel of the included cable is super nice, the braiding and color tones are just beautiful, and truly maybe some will like the character, though I found the cable to be on the peaky side of town?

One of the most entertaining things about this review came when I decided to try out the Modular Astral cable on the ZiiGaat Lush. Yep, there was room in the Pinna Gain area of the Lush to make it really really good, to where I went and listened to Metal, and even bright EDM with a super focus on cymbals, and the Lush was so very smooth it made the Astral cable a keeper. I have not done the ZiiGaat Lush review yet, but definitely the Astral cable will make its way into that review! So there is a good chance you have other IEMs this fantastic cable will work with if you don’t find it the best cable in use for the Astral IEM.


The SIMGOT AUDIO modular LC7 cable and Kiwi ears included cable. I left out 3.5mm LC7 adapter.

The included ear-tips and the SIMGOT AUDIO Black wide bores.
Package:

Conclusion:
Well there you have it. The Kiwi ears Astral is very much down to business, and trying to be clear as a bell. Though keep in mind it still has a little Pinna Gain energy that could be a little much for some, and at times for me personally.

The included cable enhances this Astral Pinna Gain energy and does not smooth it out. For those into this style of energy it means extra light is shown on top of vocal and instrument tonal ideas. This simply blends more detail in, causing it to prosper and find life.

There are more contrasts due to this tuning and more drama when you add the included inherent bass talent.

The Astral is a musical tool for those trying to get closer to the file or the mix feed. The Astral is very much replaying music the way it is, clean and pure.

Some may find all business idea boring, and choose to live in a more colored world where certain aspects are boosted and slanted. And because this is music replay there are many different ideas as to the right way or the wrong way.

I wouldn’t exactly call the Astral dry, but it has some BA dryness as part of the proof it is replaying. I wouldn’t call the Astral totally fun sounding, but it is fun none-the-less especially due to how great the sub-bass is. Truly the ZiiGaat Lush is more reference maybe?

Even with less BAs and less heat in the kitchen the the ZiiGaat 1DD x 4BA Lush Hybrid is special. So special that I have had it for a while and have not finished the review it yet. But once in a while I wanted more sparkle to the Lush playback, and now we have that with the Astral!

You can’t ever totally win here, there are no perfect IEMs, only perfect listening moments. With that said many are going to find a home in the Astral, as it is a lot of sound for under $300.00. Probably the provocative way the bass can come about and just as fast leave the stage, taking truly a good size of that stage with it. The fact that the Astral does vocals well, and the fact that it has a well done treble, that while detailed is careful and complete.

Anyway, this review was fun and made me a better writer due to the intricacies and manor I needed to convey to where which way was up! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Cheers!

$299.00 in Blue or Yellow
https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-astral

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 Astral Universal IEM has had 6 days of burn-in.

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kaitlyn of Linsoul for the love and the Kiwi ears Astral Universal IEM 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 and 4.4mm balanced
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced
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 and 4.4mm

Review Of The Kiwi Ears Astral

Introduction​

Despite a month having passed since the beginning of the second quarter of 2025, the Kiwi Ears continues to provide new offerings. I’ve already been thoroughly impressed by their recent and promising IEMs, such as the Aether and Airoso, as well as their venture into two new markets: headphones and Bluetooth products. However, they’ve also surprised us with the revelation of three new IEMs, which I believe might be their first expensive yet mid-tier segment products after the Orchestra. Two of these IEMs have already been released: the Septet, a unique take on a quad-brid IEM, and Astral, their most expensive IEM yet. Their third IEM, the Etude, is also a uniquely configured IEM. Fortunately, I was able to get my hands on the new Astral for review purposes. Before proceeding further, I’d like to clarify a few points.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the kindly people at Linsoul, I am grateful to them. As I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as “Astral”
*I am using different ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Astral based on its performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically
*Please understand that all opinions expressed in this review are my personal perspective and are not intended to offend anyone’s beliefs or experiences. Therefore, I kindly request a respectful and thoughtful approach to this review, even if it differs from your viewpoint.

Specification​

The Astral is the first multi-hybrid IEM from Kiwi Ears to feature seven drivers per side. The hybrid setup comprises six balanced armatures and a single dynamic driver. The incorporated balanced armatures have specific roles: two dual mid-range drivers handle the mid-range, while a single dual ultrasonic tweeter handles the treble. The dynamic driver boasts a 10mm bioceramic diaphragm. The shells are crafted from resin and are black in color. The shape and design resemble other Kiwi Ears IEMs like Forteza, Orchestra, and Quartet, but with a more fluid and elongated nozzle. Despite the elongated shape, it didn’t cause any discomfort. In fact, it felt tailored to my ears, providing a snug fit. However, I needed to use extremely small ear tips to achieve the best seal and secure, comfortable fit. Even after wearing them all day, I had no issues whatsoever. The suction and passive noise reduction made it challenging to keep wearing them for extended periods. Therefore, I had to take short breaks after 3-4 hours. However, I would like to emphasize that the snug and deeper fit is essential for these IEMs to produce their best sound quality. I believe the body itself is not ergonomically designed. The shell’s body bears the IEM’s name, serial number, and left and right indication engraved just beside the nozzle. The faceplate features a black canvas with sparkling yellow/gold dust over the canvas and below the imprinted Kiwi Ears logo. It exudes a sparkling and beautiful appearance. The cable, which is ungraded from their usual cables, has multi-plug termination. It feels smooth and has a good weight to it, exuding a premium feel and behaving well. Overall, it’s a well-built cable for an IEM in this price range. The two-pin 0.78mm connector cable comes with two plugs: a straight 3.5mm and a straight 4.4m termination plug. These plugs can be used with the cable. The cable also features a chin-cinch that works flawlessly. The included accessories are three pairs of eartips in different sizes, multi-termination plugs, two pairs of nozzle grills, and a generic pleather carrying case.

Technical specifications:
- Impedance: 23 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 105dB
- Frequency response: 10Hz to 22kHz with total harmonic distortion less than 1%

Sound​

Not that I was expecting Kiwi Ears to release something in the mid-segment market, but I believe this is one of those releases that strikes a balance between the options available and proves to be more potent in such a market segment. Astral is one of those IEMs that leans towards a neutral sound with a good sub-bass boost. In simpler terms, the sound is analytical yet fun, offering a more lively experience compared to the likes of Blessing 3, Aurora, etc., but improving upon the sets like HYPE 2 and Cannon 2. However, it’s important to note that it’s not necessarily a better option than all the mentioned here. As I mentioned earlier, this is one option that can be considered if someone is seriously looking into the mid-segment IEM market. The reasons why you might prefer or prefer not to own these are mentioned below.

As I mentioned earlier, Astral also follow the response as depicted on the graph. The sub bass has a good amount of presence, with neutral and forward midrange and sparkly and vibrant treble. However, there are always some aspects that are not well discussed or, in my opinion, the graph doesn’t provide a comprehensive view. I have discussed these points in more detail after my evaluation of the Astral IEMs below.

The response leans towards a detailed description, particularly when it comes to the treble region. Many may notice a pronounced spike around 15k, which I initially feared might indicate a timbre-related issue or even an offensive response. However, my initial apprehension was unfounded when I observed how these IEMs are crafted.

The Shell body design is engineered to penetrate deeper into the ear canal, which contributes to a more subdued response that enhances the micro nuances. While it may not produce as sterile a response as the Blessing 3s or Aurora, it delivers a remarkably well-controlled sound that is detailed, sharp, and clear, which is precisely what one would expect.

However, it’s important to note that this body design may not resonate with everyone’s ears equally. Ears are shaped differently, and not everyone’s ears are shaped to suit the same IEM design. Additionally, the effectiveness of the IEM can vary depending on the chosen ear tip.

Nevertheless, the depth and characteristics of the notes are well-exposed and fluently expressed. Areas where instruments sound smooth and relaxed are completely noticeable.

The vocals and instruments maintain a consistent timbre, preventing an overly energized response or resulting in a provocative sound in the midrange. Their positioning strikes a balance, neither too forward nor too relaxed, similar to Blessing 3 with its increased note weight and cohesion. The holographic nature enhances both instruments and vocals, making them sound more impactful across the stage. Unlike Hype 2 or the recently reviewed Lush, it doesn’t spread out excessively. However, it manages to express intricate details without compromising the integrity of each note, which is quite impressive. This tuning often reminds me of how Thieaudio IEMs sound. The note weight is sufficient to produce a clear, smooth, and controlled response, without the instruments and vocals blending together to create a harmonious blend, similar to the Cannon 2 did for me.

The bass is forgivingly powerful, just as mentioned. The sound is like a subwoofer, and the dynamic driver acts like one. The bass has quite a heft and presence in the sub bass region, with the emphasis in the sub bass region. This makes the mid bass suffer, revealing the slams and warmth. Now, it’s well within the range of sounding noticeable, and the texture and details are really great. However, the fullness and whole-bodied sound is missing. To counter it, the sub bass is implemented to sound powerful and somewhat influential, but the fun and wholesomeness is not there. In other words, the bass is powerful, impactful, yet well articulated.

Kiwi Ears has never before delivered such a sound but it is similiar to their other offering Aether. They’ve always incorporated a warm bass in the sound signature of most of their IEMs. However, the Astral can be considered their definitive neutral sound, which, in a way, sounds enjoyable compared to the likes of Blessing 3, Aurora, and Hype 2, but never quite as enjoyable as Cannon 2. What truly defines the Astral is its detailed, clear, and sophisticated sound. It never becomes monotonous or uncomfortable due to its tuning. It’s a well-controlled and well-developed neutral sound.

Vocals ​

The Astral handles vocals exceptionally well, extending them to their fullest potential while maintaining control over the expression and revelation. This control results in a harmonious response between the vocals and the instruments, producing a vividly clean and crystal-clear sound that is also tonally natural and close to the original.

The track “Destination of the Journey” by Hana Hopes perfectly encapsulates this understaning. Her vocals are lighter and more transparent, allowing the nuances to be easily discerned. This clarity is maintained throughout the entire track, which is rare when listening to different sets. Even bass or other instruments don’t overpower the vocals, allowing them to shine. The dynamics of the vocals are consistently defined, regardless of the scale they reach. The listener is captivated by her vocal revelations.

Another track I listened to to assess its offensive quality, whether it was about to cross over and sound offensive, was “Mizukagami no Sekai” by Marina Horiuchi. The tonal balance is good, and her vocals are well-controlled, without any shrill or sibilance. However, the vocals are more centered and don’t spread out much, which reveals her expression in the track and catches the listener’s attention. This lesser airy and light representation allows for more details and subtle nuances that were previously unnoticed.

But when it comes to Black Water Lilies by AURORA, her breathtaking vocals still remain the same for me, even though they are less forward and spread out. Thankfully, the layers of vocals in the mix don’t clash or protrude into each other, allowing them to be perceived individually clearly. I think her vocals are somewhat smoother than clearer or sharper, but it does help the tonality and blends her vocals into the presentation much better.

Listening to Wonderwall by Oasis was a bit disappointing. There was a certain softness in Gallagher’s vocals, and they didn’t sound as powerful as I’m used to. Instead of being distinct and expressive, his vocals were more forward and revealing. This change in his vocal presentation however did added a fresh and exciting element to the track, as his vocals blended seamlessly with the instruments.

The catch is that the vocals are controlled to the point where they aren’t as vibrant, energetic, or expressive for a vocal fanatic. This means the vocals aren’t as intense, emphatic, or emotional as they would be on certain IEMs that are mid-centric or vocal-forward. Therefore, such a response clearly indicates that the vocals are more managed to sound balanced, which doesn’t cost the Astral to sound more vocal-centric but helps define a master of all.

Instruments ​

The instruments are spread out nicely, revealing the notes in a truly immersive experience. The notes are spread out cleanly and produce a vivid sound. The presentation is well-balanced with vocals, resulting in a well-expressed sound across the spectrum. The bass and treble has great extension on both ends, but it lacks a bit of lean quality in the lower midrange and mid bass, which discourages the warmth and engagement one would love. However, for those who prefer neutral tuning, it may sound warmer than neutral. Additionally, despite the powerful impact of the sub bass, the bass did sound articulated.

Here, I listened to two tracks: “Vicarious” from TOOL and “Kilonova” from Zeal & Ardor. Surprisingly, both sounded fantastic. The amount of details and the balance in tonal quality over technicalities were cleverly done, resulting in a dynamic, revealing, and sophisticated response.

Although the guitars and percussions were clean and distinct, the riffs weren’t too electrifying or rough enough in a sense. However, they weren’t too buttery either. The instruments had a sense of individuality thanks to the great imaging and positioning of the presentation. The cymbals and drums were vividly present, though they cost the weight or air in the presentation. They were tuned to sound ear-friendly and retained the note’s integrity, so nothing out of the blue sounded off.

The bass guitar can be a bit too clean and eccentric to my taste, but it weighs enough. However, I can’t resonate well because of the lingering effect I’m accustomed to listening to. As I mentioned before, the instruments don’t sound contradicting and sound distinct from the vocals yet blend well in the overall presentation.

The electronic tracks, such as Viridian by Shangai Doom and RSIH by Zeds Dead, have a lasting impact on how all elements are positioned and produce sound. In both tracks, each element is very revealing and distinct. They are not too soft or too bright, but rather have a balanced tone that allows for clear and distinct notes. Especially when listening to Viridian, the drops have a strong and powerful impact that is articulated enough to reveal all the elements happening simultaneously.

When the ocean ambience sound begins at the start of the track “RSIH,” it envelops and cleanses the listener. The smooth transition into the electric synths is particularly noteworthy, as they gradually take over and create a retro vibe with a modern twist. The synthwave sounds are smooth and clearly produced, though they are spread out from the center, allowing for a decent stage to immerse oneself in the music. Astral does an impeccable job of creating this immersive experience. The computerized vocals are more prominent, yet they allow each element to breathe and blend together, resulting in a very revealing and immersive sound.

The catch here is that the bass isn’t weighty and warm enough to sound more authentic and full-bodied. The intricate details are well-revealed, which can cause a bit of artificiality in the sound. In a sense, this isn’t what warm-sounding IEMs are supposed to sound like, and I’ve recently been exposed to META. So, the “artificial quality” into the sound was something my brain wasn’t accustomed to. However, the lean mid-bass doesn’t give it the liveliness and emotion that one expects when listening to music.

Technical Specification​

The Astral offers a holographic staging reminiscent of Hype 2, Aurora, and Blessing 3. However, I find that the panning is significantly better, resulting in a more complete and precise sound. The imaging is excellent, with clear and sharp notes. The layering is executed well, with distinct notes that help pinpoint their origin.

One aspect that truly impresses me is the retention of great tonality. The resolution is great, with both macro and micro details well expressed. While it’s not quite sterile like Blessing 3 or Aurora, it’s detailed and textured enough. The pacing of the notes is also quite fast for this type of IEM. The attack and decay are executed well and fairly, making it a very resolving IEM.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

Sony WM1A - While listening to the pairing of WM1A and Astral, I noticed a more bodied and mature sound. Regardless of which track I played through Astral, it sounded smooth, consistent, and more natural sounding than the rest of the pairing. While the details took a hit in terms of tactility and sharpness, it wasn’t a significant loss, as it still represented a very detailed sound. Especially when it came to the treble, the smoothness over the peak around 15kHz produced the same vivid sound but richer notes. The midrange still sounded light and somewhat airy, but the vocals found more pronounced notes while the instruments blended well. When it came to the bass, there was a sense of body and weight to the notes over the midbass. The bass guitars and drums felt more authentic and dense, making the presentation quite appealing and favorable.

FiiO M15S - While listening to the pairing of M15S and Astral, the presentation felt sharper and more direct across all frequency ranges, whether it was bass, midrange, or treble. This response didn’t compromise on quality but rather enhanced certain aspects. One notable change was that the overall presentation seemed more active, making the prominence and revelation of notes more pronounced. Consequently, the response ceased to sound as neutral as one might expect with great expressive treble, forward midrange, and potent bass. Instead, it focused more on macro details than micro details. The vocals sounded more forward than the instruments, which shone across and felt lighter and more airy. On the other hand, the instruments complemented the vocals. Overall, this response felt more lively than any other pairing I’ve heard.

iPod 5.5 Gen (RockBox) + Aune X7S - While listening to this stack with Astral, the response seemed more spread out with the same width but lacked depth. It sounded more frontal than holographic, allowing the presentation to sound more vocal-centric while also adding a hint of warmth that resonated from the blendful nature of the instruments expressed through this pairing. However, I would say that such a response made the vocals a bit sharper and slightly offensive at times, as they occasionally sounded sibilant. Despite the fun bass, the engagement didn’t lose the attractiveness of this pairing.

Celest CD-2 - While listening to the pairing of CD-2 with Astral, maintaining a tonally favorable sound, the response sounded clean and neutral, reminiscent of the pairing of Astral with the M15s. However, the vocal closeness due to a narrowed stage made the vocals more prominent and vibrant. Despite a more immersive stage, the bass felt warmer, adding that thump and slam in the mix that made the overall response sound better bodied. The treble revealed all the notes more precisely and closer, though the micro nuances were almost hard to notice as the macro details were spread throughout the presentation, bringing liveliness to the mix. Overall, the presentation didn’t bring any warmth or soothness; rather, it sounded more vocal-centric and refreshing to listen to.

Other Tracks​

Ai Higuchi - Akuma no ko
majiko - Kokoronashi
Uru - Kamihitoe
Anly - Sukinishinayo
LONGMAN - spiral
Kohana Lam - a few sentimental
RADWIMPS - The Great Escape
milet - Anywhere Anytime
Arika - Cigarette
Arika - blan_
The Sixth Lie - Shadow is the Light
Hiroyuki Sawano - 4eVR
Saiki - Tactics
Honoka Takahashi - LiLas
Creepy Nuts - Nidone
Beat Crusaders - woh i nee
Awich - Frontier
Rokudenashi - Eureka
Indila - Love Story
Rammstein - Sonne
Cutting Crew - I just Died in Your Arms Tonight
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy
Tom Petty - Free Fallin’
U2 - With or Without You
The La’s - There She Goes
Toto - Africa
Bobby McFerrin - Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Zeal & Ardor - are you the only one
Thy Art Is Murder - Keres
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
Jay-Z - Run this town
Kanye West - Stronger
AURORA - The Seed (LIve from the Royal Albert Hall)
AURORA - Runaway
Skrillex - MOSQUITOTOUILLE
Skrillex - MORJA KAIJU
Skrillex - Recovery
The Toxic Avenger - Aside From You
Dion Timmer - The Best Of Me

Conclusion​

Astral’s IEMs offer a neutral tuning with a sub-bass boost, in my opinion, the best alteration of such tuning within this price range. The tonality is well-distinguished, providing a safe and somewhat natural presentation while retaining great technical chops that rival its peers.

Unlike the Blessing 3, which is sterile and analytical, or the Aurora, which is overly detailed and revealing, Astral maintains a great tuning without offensive nuances that may be offered by other sets. It appears that Kiwi Ears is tuning their IEMs in a way that finds the safe and sweet spot to offer the masses, something subjectively new to such a saturated market.

I prefer this tuning, which is quite reminiscent of Thieaudio’s signature. However, it falls short of the HYPE2 tuning, which now appears somewhat immature when compared to Astral.

One thing to consider is that this tuning lacks the warmth, density, and weighty response that the new META tuning aims to achieve. If you’re seeking a safe-sounding neutral tuning, these are excellent choices. Notably, these remind me of how similar the tuning approach is between the Aether and Astral.

Thanks for the Linsoul for the opportunity to listen to the Astral. All thoughts are my own as always. I do these reviews in the hopes that it helps someone find an IEM that they love. I have many IEMs and Headphones (collectively nearly 250 now), and have had the opportunity to try many more. I write this with all of my listening experience taken into account, but they are opinions based on my ears so may vary for you. With that out of the way!

The IEM market is very interesting, ranging from dirt cheap sets through to tens of thousands of dollars. There is a sweet spot somewhere in there, where performance and price cross over. To me, this used to be around $1,000 USD, until the Astral came along…

Kiwi Ears have a lot of great IEM’s in their line up, I have nearly all of them ,and was eager to try our Astral when I was given the opportunity. Coming to us with one DD, and six BA’s, it isn’t the craziest setup to grace our ears, but it is done extremely well and as given away by my opening paragraph, it’s punching well above its price point.

It has standard Kiwi Ears packaging, the two standouts to me on the packaging front are the improved eartips over their cheaper offerings, and the modular cable. The new cable, which shares the same modular capability as the Septet (which I also have and will be sharing my thoughts on soon) is extremely well done and allows you to switch between SE 3.5mm and Balanced 4.4mm. The cable also has a great feel to it which I really like. Great job Kiwi Ears!



The shells also look lovely, something I’d be happy with at any price point. They fit my ears fine so no issues.





I listened to these over multiple setups, and they performed extremely well on all, my main setup for these impressions was my Luxury and Precision E7, for the first few days with the original card and then later on with the AD1955 card when it arrived. For more mid-fi sets I usually go with one of my cheaper DAPS, but this set scales as well as some kilobucks, so it’s deserving of a nicer DAP. Just know that it also works extremely well on dongles and cheaper DAPS.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first put these on but what I was greeted with made me stop for a minute and check the price of these. These present one of the best tuning’s I’ve heard, with detail, imaging, soundstage that rivals kilobuck and up sets. They sound big, they sound full, they have a lot of micro detail, vocals sound amazing. Layering is done well, they’re musical, engaging, get my toes tapping, and seemingly don’t really have any downside. On to some more detailed information:

Bass:

The Astral delivers a well-controlled bass response. Sub-bass extension is present but not overpowering, providing a subtle rumble when the track calls for it. Mid-bass is tight and punchy, offering good impact without bleeding into the mids. It’s not a bass head set but does have a decent bass shelf to not leave you wanting anything, unless you want a bass head set then you should look elsewhere.

Mids:

Midrange frequencies are clear and natural, with vocals and instruments rendered with accuracy. Both male and female vocals come through with clarity, and there's a pleasant warmth that adds a touch of musicality without veering into coloration. All up, the mids are done really well, nothing sounds out of place. They’re a great reference IEM to my ears, not as musical as some, not as clinical as some, just nicely in the middle.

Treble:

The treble is done really well on these, again walking that middle line to my ears between what you might get with other sets. Everything sounds good, I didn’t get any fatigue with these, plenty of detail. There is also a decent amount of air/space in the treble so nothing sounds congested.

Technicalities:

The Astral presents a moderately wide soundstage, with a sense of space that extends just beyond the ears. Imaging is precise, allowing for easy placement of instruments and vocals within the soundscape. While not the most expansive, the stage feels natural and coherent. Once again, it takes a measured, middle road approach. I have the Septet here which I’m reviewing too, and that has a wider stage (it is an open back), but I didn’t feel like this was congested when I switched between the two, the stage here is just nice and normal.

Detail retrieval, which I touched on already a little, is great at this price point and good at any. It handled busy tracks very well, never falling over itself. It does layering really well, when listening to something that has a lot happening you can easily focus on one piece of the track and pay attention to that or take a figurative step back and take in the beauty of what’s being delivered by the artist.

Subjective thoughts:

If it wasn’t clear, I love these. For an all-rounder I think that they’re unmatched at this price point and would be a contender up at the kilobuck tier. They scale well and take on the characteristics of your source. The E7 with its default card is a little bright, and this came through, with the AD1955 it has an old school, analog, neutral feel, and that’s what comes through. Switching to warmer sources, these also become warmer. A chameleon of sorts. At this price point sets often don't scale up well but these do, with my better sources lifting these up higher. I'd take these over some of the many kilobuck sets that I've tried over the years in a heartbeat.



Overall:

My number one recommendation at this price point as of today for an all-rounder. Well done, Kiwi Ears!

Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5

Kiwi Ears Astral Review


Hello audio lovers, I’m back for another review, this time with the fantastic-sounding Kiwi Ears Astral. It’s a hybrid in-ear monitor IEM with a big sound stage and smooth, yet energetic sound.

Disclaimer


Kiwi Ears sent this in exchange for my honest review. Rest assured that anything I say here is my thoughts and opinions. No money has changed hands in the process.



Price: $299-





Introduction



Kiwi Ears is a prestigious company that primarily offers carefully tuned in-ear monitors, starting with the famous Dolce and Cadenza IEMs, to the recently released mid-priced basshead IEM, the Kiwi Ears Punch.


I have the new Kiwi Ears Astral, a 7-driver set, with one dynamic driver and six balanced armature drivers.

What’s special about the Astral is its electrical design, which limits the sound from the dynamic drivers to bass frequencies only.

How does this compare to others in the price range, such as the Moondrop Blessing 3, Hidizs S15, and Dita Audio Project M? You will find out in my review below.







Features

A 10 mm bioceramic‑diaphragm dynamic driver that only reproduces the sound under 300 Hz, so it wouldn’t interfere with the midrange and treble, and should make the overall sound cleaner.


It leaves the 2 x dual midrange balanced armatures to reproduce the frequencies above 300 Hz, and passes them on to 2 x tweeter balanced armature drivers to reproduce the treble frequencies.



A pressure relief vent is included to release air pressure in the ear canal, which prevents pressure buildup and pressure changes, which can be felt when moving abruptly, and can sometimes cause nausea.

A modular cable includes 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs that the user can replace, which helps with versatility.

Four extra nozzle screens are also provided in case you damage the ones installed, which prolongs the longevity of the Astral.



Design



An ergonomically shaped resin shell houses all the drivers, with one vent on the side and the 2-pin connector on the other.

A very attractive-looking grill with a slotted design covers the nozzle to prevent any debris from going in.

Faceplates with embedded flakes cover the back of the shells, which sparkle like stars when hit with moving light. I have blue, which looks beautiful, but it is also available in yellow.



Comfort

It feels light, and the medium-sized shells are shaped to conform to the ears and do not cause discomfort in long listening sessions.

Packaging & Accessories



It’s a simple box design that efficiently uses materials and is easy to open. It includes a manual, a pocketable carrying case, three pairs of ear tips, a 3.5mm plug, a 4.4mm plug, a cable, 4 pieces of nozzle grills, and two earphones.



It would have been better if more ear tips were included with different sounds for different users.

Evaluation Method and Synergy



It never presented any load difficulties with all my dongles, including those tail-styled ones. It was driven to a reasonably loud volume with no issues.

Powerful and good-sounding sources must be used for the best sound quality, so I used my iBasso DC Elite, TRN Black Pearl, and Celest CD-2 for this review.


It’s not choosy with tonality in sources, but somehow, it sounds smooth on others while treble peaky on some, regardless of their tonality. So be prepared to experiment with sources to achieve the best sound.

I used the large-sized stock ear tips, which sound better than the medium-sized tips, and the stock cable with a 4.4 mm connection.




Graph analysis



There is a 9 dB boost at 30 Hz, which makes the bass, sub-bass focused. A very flat midrange follows, and a mild pinna gain of 7 dB peaks at 2.8 kHz, which makes the midrange relaxed and smooth.

There is a small peak at 5.1 kHz and a moderate peak at 8 kHz, which is partially exacerbated by the measurement artifact, and another peak at 15 kHz, which adds air to the sound.



The measured graph has practically perfect channel balance.





Sound Signature



A slightly U-shaped neutral sound signature that is smooth-sounding yet fun to listen to.

Bass

A pleasant boost in the sub-bass adds weight and impact, and lets listeners hear the ominous tension in movies and some songs.

It has good detail and articulation, and does not sound slow despite its big and weighty presentation.

Midrange


Lush, clean, and even, it sounds very smooth from the lower to the upper midrange. It renders the vocals with the correct warmth and the instruments the right note weight.

Most importantly, due to its careful pinna gain tuning, a fatigue-free midrange.

Treble


Open and airy, the treble sounds extended with good macro and micro detail presence.

Clean, airy, and highly resolving, the lower, middle, and upper treble are presented evenly.


The small peak at 5 kHz, the moderate peak at 8 kHz, and the peak at 15 kHz are perceptible, which adds an excitement factor and clarity to its sound, but could be harsh with the wrong source pairing.

Technicalities


It has a big, spherical sound stage, with a good surround sound effect, excellent lateral panning, good longitudinal panning, good front-to-back layering, and good instrument separation.

In other words, it has a very clear sound, but not too clear that it sounds analytical and cold.

The overall presentation is slightly laid-back, and the details and resolving capability are not pushed in your face; there is a good breathing space.



Selected Comparisons



Dita Audio Project M ($325)



It’s a hybrid set with 1 x 9.8mm dynamic driver and 1 x balanced armature driver for each side.


It has a resin shell and is available in clear, candy pink, and candy gray colors. I got the candy gray.


Project M has less bass and less upper midrange but has more upper treble, which makes it sound more airy but thinner in note weight compared to Astral. The Astral has more sub-bass and is more neutral in the midrange and treble.

In terms of imaging, Astral wins, but in terms of sound staging, Project M has the wider stage.

Letshuoer S15 ($328 when released)


It’s the flagship planar IEM from Letshuoer, which uses 14.8mm planar drivers with a 6mm passive radiator that fires into a printed front cavity housed in a plastic shell with a CNC-machined metal plate.

It is more tuned for analog-style sound. It has less bass and upper treble, and is more midrange forward. The Astral is U-shaped by comparison.

They have differences in technicalities, but overall, Astral is ahead, while S15, not far behind.



Moondrop Blessing 3 ($360)

Now, the real battle begins!

Blessing 3 is 2 years older than Astral, so keep that in mind. But it is the closest competition in my possession.


It has dual 10 DD drivers in opposing positions for the bass and four balanced armature drivers for the midrange and treble, housed in clear 3D printed resin and a metal plate. Unlike the Astral, the Blessing 3 lets the dynamic drivers play into the midrange frequencies.

It is a brighter and more forward sound presentation with leaner bass and more upper midrange and treble presence. The Astral is warm and bassy by comparison.

Technically, the Blessing 3 is more resolving with better imaging and overall wins in terms of technical capability, but at the cost of long-term listenability, it sounds very analytical and cold, which would cause listeners’ fatigue during long listening sessions. The Astral is behind in technicalities, but it is more comfortable to listen to.




Kiwi Ears Astral Technical Specifications

Product Name: Kiwi Ears Astral professional‑grade in-ear monitor

Model: Astral

Type: IEM

Cable Length: 1.2m ± 3cm

Jack Type: 3.5/4.4mm

Speaker Impedance: 23 ohms

Sensitivity: 105dB per milliwatt

Frequency Range: 10- 22 kHz

Driver type: 1 Dynamic Driver + 6 Balanced Armatures

Unit Diameter: 10 mm bio-ceramic

cable: 4-core modular

Pros


Excellent sub-bass extension and cleanliness.

Very good resolution and clarity.

Good value for money.

Cons


Finicky with sources, as some sources trigger treble peaks, while sounding smooth on others.

My Verdict


If this were released two years ago, there is no way I would believe it sells for only $300, as this kind of refinement used to be found only on IEMs that cost $500 and above.

It used to be at $500, where the point of diminishing returns resides in the hybrid IEM, but based on what I heard recently from review units and the recent SG CanJam HiFi show, that point has shifted to $300, and the Kiwi Ears Astral is one of those sets that helped bring that down.

But be careful pairing this with sources, as the upper treble could sound bright on some while smooth on others, regardless of their inherent tonality. Luckily, the majority of my sources sound smooth with it.

I may not have heard all the IEMs in this price range, and I know $300 is not cheap, but I believe that it offers great value for money, and thus, I wholeheartedly recommend the Kiwi Ears Astral.

Happy Listening!


Kiwi Ears

Non-affiliated purchase link:

https://kiwiears.com/products/kiwi-ears-astral

The Kiwi Ears Astral is what happens when a brand says, “Let’s stop playing it safe and just have some fun.” And fun is exactly what you get. With its 7-driver hybrid setup—one dynamic driver and six balanced armatures—the Astral doesn’t tiptoe around polite tuning choices or try to blend in with the crowd. Instead, it charges in with a bold, energetic sound that’s designed to grab your attention from the very first note.

It shares some genetic material with the Septet, sure—but this isn’t just a sequel or a gentle upgrade. The Astral feels more like a reimagining, with the energy dial turned way up. Where the Septet leaned toward refinement and balance, the Astral is all about vivid vocals, deep, rumbling bass, and treble that sparkles with just enough restraint to stay comfortable. It has its own voice, its own flair, and it’s not afraid to show it.

Whats in the box? here is my quick unboxing video of the Kiwi Ears Astral.

Design & Build
Visually, the Astral keeps things classic. The faceplates come adorned in that familiar Kiwi Ears colorful glitter aesthetic—tasteful, not gaudy—with a silver logo etched (or embossed) in neatly. The shells are molded from resin in a CIEM-style shape, offering a snug, ergonomic fit that gives a tight seal and excellent noice isolation. There's a single vent at the top of the shell—clearly there to keep the DD breathing without messing up pressure balance.




One thing I absolutely love? The modular cable. It’s a braided, good-quality unit with a clever push-pull system for swapping terminations. No more dealing with those finicky screw-type connectors—just a clean, simple pop-on/pop-off mechanism to switch between 3.5mm and 4.4mm. It's practical, well-made, and frankly, more brands should be doing this.



Bass
The bass on the Kiwi Ears Astral comes out swinging. This isn’t your shy, tucked-away low end—it’s big, bold, and full of rumble. The subbass digs deep and delivers a satisfying, physical kind of presence that gives the whole presentation a strong foundation. It’s the kind of low-end that makes cinematic scores feel thunderous and EDM drops hit with gusto.

That said, it’s not the most disciplined bass out there. The subbass tends to bleed a little into the midbass, which slightly softens its impact and precision. The midbass, while vivid and clean enough in tone, lacks a bit of the punch and weight that would have given it more authority. It leans a touch loose and can feel a bit thin in spots—especially when the track demands tight, snappy hits.

But for what it aims to be, the bass gets the job done—it adds life, energy, and a bit of swagger to the sound. If you enjoy a more fun-leaning presentation and don’t mind a bit of extra rumble, Just don’t expect razor-sharp tightness or a super-clean slam—this is more “dance floor shake” than “monitor-grade thump.”.

Midrange
Now this… this is where Astral really finds its groove. The mids are clearly the heart and soul of this IEM—as if the entire tuning revolves around bringing vocals and instruments to life. There's a naturalness and clarity to the mids that you don't often find in hybrid IEMs with this kind of energetic tuning. Vocals, in particular, are a standout—they’re full-bodied, textured, and carry a wonderful sense of presence that puts them front and center without sounding overcooked.

Despite being BA-driven, the midrange has an organic quality to it. It doesn’t come across as artificial or overly smoothed out. Instead, it delivers just the right amount of warmth and weight to feel lifelike, yet remains clean, precise, and fast. Instruments like guitars, pianos, and strings have excellent timbral accuracy, and the transient response keeps everything sounding agile and articulate.

This is where Astral earns its musicality and its ability to keep vocals emotive, instruments vivid, and everything in between well separated and coherent. It’s not just a mid-forward tuning—it’s a well-executed one that gives the entire presentation a solid anchor.

Treble
The treble on the Kiwi Ears Astral walks a fine line between excitement and finesse—and it walks it well. It’s lively and energetic, bringing just the right amount of sparkle to give tracks a sense of air and dimension. Fast transients and crisp articulation mean microdetails come through effortlessly—hi-hats sizzle, cymbals shimmer, and string overtones glisten, all without ever tipping into harsh or fatiguing territory.

What really stands out is how controlled it all feels. There’s no erratic peakiness, no sharp sibilance, and certainly no fake, metallic shimmer that some BA-heavy IEMs can suffer from. Instead, the highs here feel clean, purposeful, and naturally extended, adding clarity and space to the mix without drawing too much attention to themselves.

It’s the kind of treble that invites long listening sessions. Engaging, yes—but never aggressive. It keeps the overall presentation feeling open and layered, lending a nice sense of air and separation between instruments, especially when paired with the Astral’s nimble imaging. It’s not the brightest treble out there, but it doesn't need to be it’s articulate, mature, and tastefully done.

Soundstage & Imaging
The soundstage on the Kiwi Ears Astral doesn’t go for exaggerated width or cinematic depth—it keeps things more grounded, but still convincingly spacious. It’s not the kind of stage that wraps around your head or stretches out into the horizon, but it never feels cramped or congested either. There’s just enough room for everything to breathe, and more importantly, enough clarity to make it count.

What really elevates the experience is the imaging. Thanks to the speed and separation of the BA drivers, the Astral is able to place instruments and vocals with remarkable accuracy. You can easily track where things are coming from—whether it’s the snap of a snare just off-center or the reverb trail of a guitar floating somewhere behind the vocals. Layering is handled with confidence, making even complex mixes feel orderly and controlled.

It may not deliver a “grand” or holographic presentation like its sibling the Septet, but it nails the essentials: precision, stability, and spatial awareness. The result is a soundstage that feels coherent and immersive without trying too hard to impress.

Pairing it with my r2r dongle.
Since the Astral can lean a little clinical or sharp with sterile sources, i find it best to pair it with gear that brings warmth, smoothness, or a bit of analog soul.

so i tried pairing it with something like the Heartfield R1 R2R dongle, and a bit of magic starts to happen. The subbass tightens up, vocals gain a gentle warmth with a more relaxed, rounded decay, and the treble? Still airy, but no longer sharp just easy and musical. The R1 smooths out the Astral’s edges and gives it a more laid-back, analog vibe.

Tips i tried with Astral.
• Wide-bore silicone (e.g., Divinus) – Opens up staging and smooths out treble a bit. Good for clarity.
• Included Stock silicone - Balance, smooth and comfortable, good seal and isolation.
• Foam tips – Tames brightness, improves comfort, and helps with isolation but personally i dont like the feel of the foam so i usually use the regular divinus velvets for most of my reviews.

Astral vs. Septet
While both IEMs come from the same Kiwi Ears bloodline and share a multidriver architecture, their execution and personalities couldn’t be more different.

1. Tuning Philosophy
• Astral: Fun, forward, and lively. Emphasis on subbass, energetic upper mids, and sparkly treble. It’s tuned to grab your attention and keep it.
• Septet: Smoother, more mature, and refined. The Septet leans into cleanliness and balance, with a slightly relaxed treble and a more linear midrange presentation.

Bass
• Astral: Big, bold, and a bit loose. Subbass is deeper and more visceral. It’s less controlled but more exciting—especially for genres like EDM, hip-hop, or cinematic scores.
• Septet: Tighter and more disciplined. Bass doesn’t slam as hard, but it’s faster and better defined. More suitable for acoustic, jazz, or classical.

Midrange
• Astral: Emphasized and front-and-center. Vocals have great presence and energy, especially in the upper midrange. There's a mild sense of warmth and excellent naturalness.
• Septet: More laid-back and neutral in its midrange delivery. Vocals sit further back in the mix and feel slightly thinner but more analytical and clean.

Treble
• Astral: Crisp, fast, and vivid—detailed but not harsh. Adds air and excitement without sibilance.
• Septet: More reserved and smooth. Still detailed, but lacks some of the sparkle and bite found in the Astral.
•
5. Technical Performance
• Astral: Great clarity, strong imaging, and excellent transient speed. Slightly more energetic than resolving.
• Septet: Slightly higher resolving ability, especially in high-volume listening or complex mixes. A touch more refined and coherent.
•
6. Overall Presentation
• Astral: Engaging and emotionally energetic. Perfect for vocal-driven tracks, pop, and modern genres.
• Septet: Relaxed and articulate. A thinking man’s IEM—better for long sessions and analytical listening and more like a planar over-ear headphones

Verdict: Choose Astral if you're after excitement, vocal energy, and an engaging listen. Go for the Septet if you prefer refinement, smoother tonality, and a more balance presentation. Personally, I’m a bit biased toward the Septet—it checks all the right boxes for me and has easily earned a spot as one of my personal favorites.

Final Thoughts – Bold, Balanced, and Fun
The Kiwi Ears Astral is a daring entry in the hybrid IEM space. It’s not going to please every listener, especially those who crave absolute bass control or ultra-warm tonality—but it isn’t trying to. Instead, it delivers a fun, mid-centric signature with deep bass impact, articulate treble, and technical chops to match. It’s bold without being brash, detailed without being dry, and fast without sounding rushed.

If you're into forward vocals, lively transients, and a sound that leans clean yet engaging—this might just be the hybrid you're looking for. Just pair it with the right source, and let the stars align.

Link: https://www.linsoul.com/products/ki...hdJpate-e5d9lSpQf6awmkde2qXo8NxSjPOCG9bB1ydQ7

Hello dear readers! I am happy to see you here again in another review.

Today I am going to review the Kiwi Ears Astral, a 1DD + 6BA drivers IEM, that was sent to me by courtesy of Linsoul Audio in exchange for my honest review.

Let's jump into it!

Disclaimer​

I received the Kiwi Ears Astral from Linsoul Audio in exchange for my honest review, but still – my opinions about the IEMs are personal and written based on my own experience with them, and I was not paid for this review.


My goal in my reviews is to make it easier for everyone to understand the terms audiophiles often use, so even if you are a beginner and this is all new for you, you can feel comfortable understanding all the terms and make a better decision for yourself.

A little bit about myself​

I thought it could make it easier for you to understand what I am listening to, and if we are audio soul mates, maybe this review will talk to you more personally
I mainly listen to pop music and instrumental music, such as Lindsey Stirling. I am also an EDM lover, who enjoys both sides of the spectrum: bass and treble. My favorite artist, for example, is Snail's House, and I also listen to a lot of monstercat releases. Are we audio soul mates?

A little bit about this IEM – Kiwi Ears Astral​

On paper, the Kiwi Ears Astral doesn’t seem unique or outstanding. It sports a 10mm bioceramic dynamic driver for the bass and 6 custom BAs handling the mids and highs – a familiar recipe in the IEM world. But specs alone never tell the full story. Can the Kiwi Ears Astral still manage to surprise and stand out in an already crowded market?

What's in the box?​

In the box you will find:

• Carrying Case.
• Modular 3.5mm & 4.4mm Cable.
• Replacement Filters.
• 6x Silicon Ear Tips.
• User Manual.
• The IEMs themselves.

Carrying Case​

The carrying case is not too big, and it is also flat, which means it is even more pocketable than the usual Kiwi Ears case. There is also a room to store a dongle, and maybe some ear tips. THERE IS A BUT – I couldn't use it. The Kiwi Astral were too big to fit into this case, I couldn't close it, or at least I didn't feel comfortable doing so. I think Kiwi Ears should put their usual bigger carrying case for this IEM, like the one that came with the Aether and the Airoso, it worked much better with the Astral for me.

Modular Cable​

The cable of the Astral is one of the nicer cables from Kiwi Ears, it has good modular mechanism to switch between 3.5mm to 4.4mm. It is colored in silver, it is thick, flexible, doesn't tangle or has any sort of memory. There is a left and right marking underneath the connectors, the connector that has a blue color is meant to be used for the left IEM, and the connector that has a red color is meant to be used for the right IEM. Moreover, it is a recessed 2-Pin cable, which means you can use it on other IEMs that use these type of connectors. Overall, this is a amazing stock cable to get with an IEM, and I don't think anyone would want to ever replace it.

Silicon Ear Tips ​

Well, there are not a lot of ear tips to choose from, but from my experience – the provided ear tips works pretty well, and feels comfortable and quality. Yes, I would love to see more ear tips within this price range, but if the included ones are already good, then it is not a must.

Build Quality & Fit and Comfort​

The shell of the Astral is made of resin, with beautiful and sparkling faceplate that gives you a party vibe. It has a good shape the resembles the shape of the human ear and sits very well on the ear. That said, the shell and nozzle are HUGE. How huge? Usually I use the medium size ear tips, but here I needed to use the smallest one. And the shell is also a little bulky. So sadly, smaller ears folks would want to avoid it. To my ears it is a perfect match, but if it was even a touch bigger, I am not sure if I was able to fit them into my ears. They fit exactly my ears shape & size.

In Terms of Sound​

You can find the graph here.
To me, the Kiwi Ears Astral sounds U-Shaped, with deep bass response, flat mids, and well extended treble.

Sub-Bass​

The sub-bass, which covers the lowest frequencies and often delivers the rumbling sensation rather than distinct sounds.

The sub-bass of the Astral is deep, powerful, and uncompromising. You get both quality and quantity, and I don't think anyone would ask for even more. Not just that, it doesn't bleed or whatsoever and remains clear and clean. It sits in its own place and just adds its sauce when and where needed. Well-tuned sub bass.

Mid-Bass​

The mid-bass, where the bass becomes more distinct and perceptible, is equally well-executed. In this range, you hear kick drums and some male bass vocals more clearly.

The mid-bass of the Astral is clean, it has good impact but it is not the most punchy mid-bass. It does hit, but not the hardest. I would say that the focus here is more on the sub-bass, but still the mid-bass is not too recessed. It is rather clean than being too powerful. It doesn't bleed into the midrange and overall has good quality and punch for this style of tuning.

Mids​

The mids are the home to most instruments and vocals.

The midrange of the Astral is crystal clear, flat, you can hear everything just right. Vocals sounds forward, well separated from the instruments with good definition. Both male and female vocals sound good, there is a great balance. Instruments sound good, a little bright in my opinion since there is not too much emphasis from the mid-bass to make them sound warm. I must say, there is a great resolution for the instruments and vocals, they sound very detailed and clear, like there is no detail missing. I am amazed by the performance of the Astral in this region, just crystal clear midrange.

Treble​

The treble, which captures high-pitched sounds like cymbals, violins, and higher synthetic tones, adds brightness, sharpness, and sparkle to the music. However, excessive treble can lead to harshness or fatigue.

I have mixed feelings for the treble of the Astral. On one hand, it is not being graphed with too much treble, but to my ears – there is a lot of treble going on here. I like this emphasis, it is ideal for EDM, but I can see how it can become fatiguing in the long run. That's aside, I think the treble here is beautifully made with air and sparkle, it gives a lot of clarity to the sound and sound very resolving. That said, there is a slight sibilance, which means "s" could sound a little sharp, and it is not the smoothest treble I have experienced. The treble can be a little intense, for sure. But I think that if you are not sensitive to this region, then it would be fine, and you will just benefit from what the Astral can offer.

Technical Performance​

Imaging​

Imaging is the ability of the IEM to separate the left or right positions, put anything in the correct direction.

The imaging performance of the Astral is top notch, you can easily pinpoint where everything is located within the stage, it feels very accurate. Just great.

Soundstage​

Usually in IEMs this term is overused, but in general the soundstage is the feel of openness and wideness of the sound. For example, if the IEM provides a congested feeling to the sound, everything sounds in the middle, this is bad soundstage.

There is a good sense of stage, if something is far away or close to you – you feel it, the sound is open and has room to breathe. The good imaging of the Astral indeed adds a lot to the stage, and make it very immersive to listen.

Layering & Separation​

Layering & Separation is the ability to deliver you any piece of instrument or vocal in its own place, separately. The better it gets, the more resolving the IEM will be.

The layering performance of the Astral is just great, you can easily pick up a sound and follow it, everything sounds very clear. The separation is also very good, there is no bleed or whatsoever – just a well tuned U-Shape. The Astral is a very detailed IEM, you can hear a lot of details going on, it sounds very resolving, like listening to music in 4K. The last IEM I said this was the ZiiGaat Arcanis, and it was a 399$ IEM. Seeing this performance in a 299$ IEM is just amazing in my opinion and a no-brainer.

Comparisons​

Comparisons could give you a better idea of where this IEM stands within the market.

MYER-AUDIO Sliivo SL-41 Mk 2 (FULL REVIEW HERE)​

The Sliivo SL41 Mk 2 is a 1DD + 4BA hybrid IEM. When I listened to the Astral, the first IEM that popped on my mind was the SL41. They share a lot of similarities, both has a U-Shape tuning, and I would say they almost sound identical. To me, the Astral is the direct upgrade to the SL41. It fixes for me all its flaws. The stage & imaging are better, the resolution & details are a step up, the bass is more controlled and defined. If the Astral is out of your budget and you want to try something similar, my warm recommendation will be the SL41. If you already own the SL41 and looking for an upgrade, or you think you will like a tuning like this and you have the budget, I highly recommend the Astral.

Kiwi Ears Septet (FULL REVIEW HERE)​

The Kiwi Ears Septet is a 1DD, 4BA, 1 Planar, 1 PZT quad-brid IEM. The Septet is another IEM that was released along with the Astral. The Septet for me is a bright tuned IEM that sounds very smooth and is great for vocals. The bass of the Astral is indeed more emphasized than the Septet, and you can feel it more. The treble is even more intense than the Septet, which makes it less smooth than the Septet and could be too much for some. That said, I think the Astral has better clarity, and sounds crisper and resolving. Its technical performance is also better in terms of imaging and layering in my opinion, but the soundstage is better in the Septet thanks to its open back design. I will try to make it easier for you: If you are a vocal lover, you want smooth treble that is not too fatiguing and don't care to much about the most pinpoint imaging, and want stage that gives openness to the sounds, I would go with the Septet, no questions asked.
If you are into electronic music, or you like U-Shape tuning, good imaging, deep bass rumble, and you are ok with a lot of treble details, then the Astral is just for you.

To Sum Up​

The Astral is a great U-Shaped tuned IEM with deep bass response alongside with a well extended treble, and flat midrange. It has great clarity; everything sounds crystal clear and well defined. The Astral sounds very detailed to my ears, along with exceptional technical performance that will leave you wowed. It just does nothing wrong. That said, it is not for everyone: the treble might be too intense for some, and the shell is a little bulky for the smaller ears out there. But overall, I think the Astral is a strong IEM that has a lot to offer, especially for anyone who loves the U-Shape sound signature. It indeed gets my warm recommendation!

The Kiwi Ears Astral can be found for 299$ in this following link (unaffiliated)

Big thanks for Linsoul Audio for making this review possible, and I will see you in my next reviews.

– Avishai