KIWI EARS Forteza

Kiwi Ears Forteza Review

The Kiwi Ears Forteza is a hybrid, 1BA and 2DD, in-ear monitor that retails for $59. Yes, you have read it right, one balanced armature and two dynamic drivers and not the opposite. The Forteza uses one high-mid balanced armature, one 10mm mid-range dynamic and 10mm bass dynamic drivers. This unique combination fulfills a full sound from 20Hz to 20kHz. The drivers are carefully implemented with the aid of a three-way passive crossover system that is tuned for a rich and lush sound signature. All three drivers are in-house developed by Kiwi Ears.

Non Audio stuff

The ear-shells are 3D printed using a skin friendly resin compound and have a semi-custom anatomical shape. They are lightweight and compact thus very comfortable to wear. This is a clean and beautiful looking earphone that isolates well and is suitable for all day use without causing any discomfort. The Kiwi Ears Forteza is available in blue, black and purple.

The Forteza uses a 2-pin detachable cable with high quality aluminum plugs. It is a soft and lightweight cable without much friction noise but it is also rather thin, it gets easily tangled and looks fragile. The package also includes three types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each and a very nice carrying case with a side zipper.



Audio stuff

The Kiwi Ears Forteza (32Ω - 103 dB/mW) is moderately easy to drive, it doesn't need special amplification but a powerful USB DAC dongle is strongly recommended if you want to move these two dynamic drivers. As an example, the FiiO KA1 is sufficient enough but the iBasso DC03PRO and the Shanling UA1 Plus are better and more effective.

The Kiwi Ears Forteza has a deeply “V” shaped tuning which emphasizes bass and treble, pushing mid-range at the background. The low-end is very extended with plenty of punchy sub-bass and emphasized bass. A fun and warm tuning that is very enjoyable with all kinds of modern electronic music as the Forteza has the means to reproduce the deepest bass notes with a hefty and visceral texture. The bass is dynamic, explosive and impactful but not that tight and well controlled, decay time is longer than the ideal, there is an audible cup reverb and it gets a bit challenging for the driver to keep up with timing and definition at busy passages. The bass is emphasized and prominent but it is not annoyingly dominating while bleeding into the mid-range is not that much as to severely affect clarity and transparency.

Despite the upper mid-range getting the lion's share, the overall tonal balance is rather acceptable and the Forteza doesn't sound too shouty or shrill as long as you don't listen too loud. Clarity and separation are good for the category, resolution is above average but while the timbre is not that artificial it sometimes lacks in tonal accuracy and realism. The use of a dynamic rather than a BA driver for the mids helps with textural coherency, the sound is full and weighty just like in the lower frequencies while the Forteza has an open sounding presentation that is not claustrophobic.

This doesn't happen in the treble though which is less weighty and thinner sounding than the mid and lower frequencies thus compromising overall texture integrity. The treble is emphasized in order to counterbalance with the accentuated bass, adding energy, airiness and sparkle to the sound. The Forteza is a bit bright sounding but not that harsh or piercing. The real issue that makes the treble the weakest link of the Kiwi Ears Forteza is its textural and timbral qualities. The quality of the treble is below average, the sound is too artificial and metallic with a paper-thin texture and bad tonal accuracy, as a result most higher pitched instruments sound fake and out of tune. You can still get plenty of enjoyment with several types of music, like electronic but the Forteza doesn't fare well with acoustic music.

Conclusion

The Kiwi Ears Forteza is a very comfortable and lightweight IEM with a polarizing tuning that can be fun and engaging with some kinds of music and rather uninspiring with others. If you don't care much about tonal accuracy and you like plenty of sub-bass that is combined with mid-range clarity and a sparkling treble then the Kiwi Ears Forteza might be the right choice for you.

The Kiwi Ears Forteza was kindly provided free of charge by Linsoul.

The price of the Kiwi Ears Forteza is $59 and is exclusive available by Linsoul

“Cause, baby, there ain't no mountain high enough, Ain't no valley low enough, Ain't no river wide enough”


~~line from Ain't No Mountain High Enough, a song by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.


Kiwi Ears as an audio company was established recently and they have a good relationship and strong connection with LINSOUL, a popular online store that serves as a distributor for Chinese portable audio products for international markets. I actually did a substantial review of products for them and I also published a substantial number of review articles on Kiwi Ears products that I'm quite transparent about.



What I have here is their latest IEM with hybrid driver configuration for entry-level offering, The Kiwi Ears Forteza. The Kiwi Ears Forteza as an IEM with hybrid driver set-up, it has two (2) dynamic drivers and one (1) balanced armature driver which is quite an uncommon configuration.



The dynamic drivers that were implemented on this set are 10mm and 6mm which are used for lows and midrange frequency respectively. The lone custom-built balanced driver is a tweeter-type one used to support on the midrange up to ultra-high frequencies for more crisp, brighter tone and better clarity. It is said that these drivers are connected with 3-way passive crossover to achieve that lush, dynamic and musical sound quality that makes it more appealing and engaging.



The drivers were encased in a medical-grade resin shell which are known to have some hypoallergenic properties. Like all Kiwi Ears IEMs, The Forteza also has an UIEM-style shell chassis that surely offers superior fitting and comfort to all ear sizes. It has a blue-ish green colour scheme with Kiwi Ears logo at faceplate. The 0.78mm 2-pin connector was still used on this set as it is the most stable and known to have a consistent interchangeable mechanism among all types of connector.



With the UIEM-style shell chassis that the Forteza has, it really snugs well to my ears and I don't encounter any issues in terms of comfortability. The passive noise isolation of this one is excellent as I could barely hear a considerable amount of external noises from the outside surroundings.



The stock cable of this set is somewhat average for its price given that I've encountered better stock cable from other sets. It has 4-core silver plated copper that was twisted with a 3.5mm termination plug that was gold-plated, although if I compare it to other sets, this one is on the leaner side. But still, it is quite supple and flexible to hold it.



The product packaging of the Forteza is a medium-size one but it is fairly bulky as it accommodates its contents.



Here are the following contents inside of its packaging box:

• Pair of Kiwi Ears Forteza IEM transducers
• Stock cable
• a rounded square zippered carrying case
• Three (3) pairs of white-coloured silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of black-coloured silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of transparent grey-coloured silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• User guide

Regarding its power scaling, The Kiwi Ears Forteza is quite hard to drive given its impedance of 32 ohms. To my surprise, my LG phones will automatically activate the high impedance mode, so I surmised that its impedance rating is probably much higher as it was stated on its official specification. If it was amplified with decent power amplification in the state of low gain mode, it would not give us dynamics and texture as it sounds a bit underpowered and quite lean. Devices with medium gain or high gain mode are a must to be paired in this one.



As for its tonality, the Forteza is clearly a V-shaped sounding one as it has more emphasis on lows and highs and a trough midrange just as the line of song that I put in the introduction.



(The frequency graph was provided by @baskingshark , credits to him)


LOWS/BASS:

This is the most prominent frequency of the Forteza as it has quite a boomy, authoritative and physical bass response. This bass quality and quantity harkens back to the late 2000s up to the mid-2010s where Beats By Dre, Skull Candy, Sol Republic and even V-modas cans rule the audio market aim for more consumer-friendly sound rather than a nicher Hi-Fi sound quality.

Its sub-bass presence is quite perceivable as I definitely feel its deep rumble and reverberations from instruments such as low tone bass guitars, drum machines, synthesisers and octabasses. Mid-bass on this one appears to have a warm, sufficiently textured and it definitely bleeds across the midrange. Bass guitars have weighty and earthy sound on every plucking, slapping and strumming on its strings while bass kick drums have thunderous and fullness on every kick although its a bit sluggish in fast double bass kicks on some rock and metal tracks, and then, the bass-baritones have heavy, voluminous and darker with a very full tone on their voices.


MIDRANGE:

The midrange response of this set is on a steep and recessed on its overall presentation as it sounds a bit distant despite the smearing of mid-bass response. Most vocals and instruments were noticeable behind in the mix. Despite its recessed presentation, it still has some texture on its note weight and somehow energetic sound for female vocals and string instruments.

Male vocals sounds quite textured and has a heft on it as baritones have rich and plush sound on their vocals, tenors have brassy, ringing and dazzling though I noticed that in some tenor types like spinto and dramatic ones seems a bit less emotive and rich sounding in my opinion but quite good on leggero and lyric types as they sound graceful and bright. Countertenors have a tender and smooth sound on their voices enough to project their unusual high pitch falsettos. On female vocals, contraltos have smooth and smoky voice quality but lack of heftiness and depth that its intended timbre should have that rich and dark tone. Mezzo-sopranos have rounder, tender and sensitive vocals as I find them sweet and melodious. Meanwhile, sopranos have that bright, full and metallic sound which quite suits all types of sopranos vocals albeit they might be too piercing and shouty to some listeners.

On instruments, strings like guitars and violins, a crisp and bright sound on guitars and a vibrant and metallic sound on violins. Then on woodwinds, piccolos have bright and penetrating sound, concert flutes have bright sound and also has penetrating sounding one too, clarinets have a shrill and lively sound, and then saxophones have reedy and forceful sound. Brass instruments such as trumpets, trombone and horns, trumpets have a brilliance with some hint of metallic sound while trombones have penetrating and tense sound, and then horns have bright and metallic sound that compliments well with other instruments in brass sections in an orchestral ensemble. On percussion instruments, snare drums have bright and shrill sound on every stroke while field drums have booming and sombre sound, Tom-toms have warm and resonant sound on every hit on its batter head, and kettledrums have booming and rumbly sound. Pianos appears to have a warm and uneven sound on them.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

Since that this set's frequency response has elevated upper-mids up to the brilliance part of the treble region which makes it a brighter and crisper sound but it might sound too intense to treble-sensitive folk out there. That accentuated upper-mids and presence part gives more pronounce and definition on female vocals and sharper attack on instruments. But in most cases, sibilance is quite evident and there are some instances of harshness in some tracks.

On the brilliance part of the treble region, it is quite sparkling with a fair amount of treble air. Cymbals have metallic, harsh and sizzling sound, hi-hats sound a bit exaggerated as it has more splashy instead a shortened buzzing sound, celestas have too much shimmering sound on them and glockenspiels have jingling, strident and piercing sound on them.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

The overall perceived sound/speaker stage dimensions on Forteza is on average to above-average as it has median width span, a good height ceiling and depth as it seems more proportional within my headroom.

Its stereo imaging is atypical two-dimensional presentation and locating a certain element like instruments or vocals seems decent as I was to pick it up in a soundscape. Separation of instruments is somehow acceptable while its layering is up to par but not that well-defined one that I want to.

The cohesiveness of its hybrid driver configuration isn't particularly impressive given that the dynamic driver that was implemented for bass response isn't that fast enough as the lows seems to be a bit sluggish. This set is quite resolving in terms of resolution capability as it has a solid macro-dynamics while it has sharp micro-detail retrieval as it is capable of extracting some nuances and details from an extracting albeit on overall tonal aspect, it sounds a bit unnatural and too digital sounding.


PEER COMPARISONS:

TANGZU FU DU VERSE I

● TANGZU's first hybrid driver configuration IEM. It has a single dynamic driver and two balanced armature drivers which is more of a contrasting driver implementation of FORTEZA, and it was encapsulated in a 3D-printed resin shell chassis with aluminium alloy faceplate. FU DU has high quality ear tips but FORTEZA has a better carrying case.

● Tonality-wise, FU DU has a U-shaped, balanced-warmish sound profile that makes it more balanced sounding and even a refiner one in my opinion, while its doesn't have a more authoritative bass response and brighter sound on FORTEZA, FU DU has a cleaner, well-balanced and smoother sounding and definitely not a hint of sibilance. Technicality-wise, they are quite a match in some aspects but separation and layering, the FU DU is better while FORTEZA has a sharper micro-detail definition due to its elevation on high frequencies.


CVJ MEI

● CVJ's hybrid set with Knowles BA driver, it has 1 DD + 2 BA set-up and it was encapsulated in a composite shell chassis. It is noted that it has toggle switches that makes this set more versatile. But in terms of inclusions, it is quite inferior to the FORTEZA from the quality of cables up to the carrying case.

● Due to implementation of toggle switches, MEI offers 4 types of sound profiles but I will compare this set to FORTEZA in 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA. Bass is more punchy and cleaner, midrange is more textured, balanced and cleaner, and then treble is more refined as it sounds smoother and less offensive sounding on MEI. On technical aspects, both sets are quite similar but MEI has better separation and layering a bit while FORTEZA is quite more resolving due to its micro-detailing definition.


ZIIGAAT CINNO

● ZIIGAAT's first hybrid driver model, it has a single 10mm LCP dynamic driver and four (4) balanced armature driver set-up and it was encased in a resin shell chassis, it doesn't doesn't have any storage case and a meagre amount of ear tips.

● CINNO has a mild U-shaped sound signature with a warmish-balanced tuning. Compared to FORTEZA, its bass response is a bit tighter yet cleaner while it has less recess on its midrange presentation and it has sufficient texture and vocals and instruments sound quite more organic sounding, and then smooth and a bit darker treble response. Technicality-wise, both have similar sound/speaker stage proportion, stereo imaging, layering and separation, but cohesiveness of its driver, CINNO is a bit better due to faster transient speed response while FORTEZA has more resolving and well-defined micro-detail definition.


To sum up my review on the Kiwi Ears Forteza it seems that they are trying to be different once again as they are having some throwback moments on delivering this set. The Forteza is truly a coloured sounding one that will give more listening satisfaction towards more consumer-oriented tuning which is simply more musical and doesn't really matter on more technical and tonally correct sound that caters more on critical-type of audio enthusiasts. If this set was released in the late 2000's, I might like its sound quality as it sounds a bit better to some cans that I've tested at that time. Again, if you are looking for a set which sounds fun, engaging and lively just to listen casually, this one is one of them that I will recommend.


The KIWI EARS FORTEZA is available exclusively on LINSOUL, You can check out the unaffiliated link that I've provided below.

★★KIWI EARS FORTEZA★★


For more KIWI EARS product review, check out the links below:

■ KIWI EARS CADENZA

■ KIWI EARS QUARTET

■ KIWI EARS QUINTET

■ KIWI EARS MELODY

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: KIWI EARS FORTEZA
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 103dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78mm)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (2) DYNAMIC DRIVERS + (1) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS


Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to KIWI EARS  nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to MS. KAREENA TANG of LINSOUL for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Kiwi Ears Forteza
2DD + 1BA
$59

Before I even start this review, first let me thank Linsoul for sending me this IEM in for review.
Rest assured, my review as always 100% my own personal opinion.
You can get the Kiwi Ears Forteza here : https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-forteza

Unboxing
Build Quality

The shell is made from hollow resin, it is very ergonomic but a bit on the larger / chunky side.
It is also very lightweight.

While the cable is just OK for its price, its nothing special.

Comfort
The Forteza at least on my ears its one of the most comfortable IEM that I can wear for hours

Sound

Tested using FIIO KB3, Stock Eartips, Stock Cable
Music is mostly from Apple Music (J-POP, K-POP, EDM, RAP, Metal, Jazz)

Tonality in General
V-Shape

Bass : The Forteza has a very satisfying bass IMO, it is full, dense, deep and rumbly.
Bass quantity of the Forteza is boosted quite a lot actually, and I think bass head might love the Forteza bass quantity and quality.

The bass speed is actually can keep up with double pedal songs, but I don't think metal genre and music with double pedal is suitable with the Forteza, it is going to be too intense.

Midrange : Slightly recessed / behind the bass and treble. It sounds a bit lean / thin to my ears.
The midrange while it is a bit recessed and on the leaner / thin side, it is free from shout and sibilance, which is a good thing.
One thing I noticed is that male vocal such as Frank Sinatra losing a bit of its charm because of the leaner / thin midrange presentation.

Treble : Sparkly and a bit forward, complementing the big bass of the Forteza.
It sounds “Sparkly” without being “Spicy”
The treble boost is mainly on mid treble area, so make sure if you allergic to mid treble, the Forteza might not be the IEM for you.

Technicalities
Good

Stage : Good. The Forteza has decent stage size, it is on the larger side for its price range, probably thanks to its V-Shape tuning and sparkly treble.

Stage shape is actually symmetrical in width and depth.

Imaging : Average, nothing special tocomment here, not holographic either.

Detail Retrieval : Above Average, It has decent amount of micro details, especially on the treble area, probably due to its boosted treble creating an illusion of sounding detailed.

Separation and Positioning : Very Good, it has very good separation and positioning despite its big bass. I can easily pinpoint and locate sounds coming from.

Conclusion
Is the Kiwi Ears Forteza any good?

The answer is YES, the Forteza offers a good V-Shape tuning, with a very satisfying deep dense bass that bass lovers would definitely love.

SO, yeah if you're a bass lovers or anyone who wants a fun sounding IEM with a budget around $59 USD, definitely don't skip, or at least check the Kiwi Ears Forteza.

Thanks for reaching this far !

-littlenezt.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Linsoul for providing the Forteza unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-forteza (no affiliate links).





SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x balanced armature + 2 x 10 mm dynamic drivers
• Impedance: 32 Ohms
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 103 dB/mW
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; 3.5 mm termination. No info on cable material
• Tested at: $59 USD

ACCESSORIES



Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone ear tips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone ear tips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of "balanced" silicone ear tips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Semi-rigid carrying case

Accessories are more than decent for a budget set, perhaps other than the lack of foam tips. I've definitely seen pricier IEMs with a stingier accessory line-up.




We have 3 variants of silicone tips on offer. The black ones are the most soft and pliable, with the widest bore; these will increase treble and air. The grey tips are the narrowest in bore, and these boost bass. The white ones are a mid-point between the above two. Do explore to see what suits your needs.




The stock cable is a 2-pin one. There is no information provided on the cable materials, but it is nothing to write home about - the cable is very tangly and thin, though thankfully it has minimal microphonics, and has a chin cinch.

Lastly, we have a semi-rigid case, which is soft internally with webbing. It is large enough to carry the Forteza with room for accessories.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock narrow-bore silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



The Forteza housings are fashioned from semi-transparent resin, with a gorgeous sparkly faceplate. The shells are a real looker, and one can opt between a purple, black or blue hued earpiece during ordering.



The shells are lightweight, with solid ergonomics. There's a concha protrusion for grip, with smooth inner aspects. Despite the Forteza being on the larger side, I did not encounter any discomfort even for longer listening sessions.

Isolation is quite decent, despite being vented. I did not find any driver flex on my set.


INTERNALS

The Forteza packs an uncommon 1 x balanced armature driver + 2 x dynamic driver setup.

Interestingly, the sole BA handles the upper mids and treble, whereas one 10 mm DD takes care of the midrange. The last 10 mm DD settles the bass frequencies. Unfortunately, we have no information on the driver brands used.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Forteza with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

While it can be driven off a weak phone, this IEM has a lowish sensitivity at 103 dB/mW, and would benefit from amplification in terms of scaling (for soundstage, dynamics and bass tightness).


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

Graph of the Kiwi Ears Forteza via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak, but there is an actual peak heard on actual listening there.

While most modern day CHIFI releases follow a Harmanish curve, tonally, the Forteza is tuned to an old-school deep V-shaped profile, reminiscent of the embryonic stages of CHIFI of a few years ago. Bass and the treble are pushed forwards in the mix, and there is a scoop-out in the lower midrange.

The Forteza is a sub-bass focused IEM. There is a deep visceral rumble called for when bassy tracks are played. The mid-bass is deemphasized, so for folks that want a big thump in basslines, it is best to look elsewhere. Quality is middling though: bass texturing is average, and can be one-noted at times, with the bass smearing with complex or rapid bass movements.

As per the deep V-shaped signature, the lower midrange is unabashedly recessed. Midrange lovers will wince at this tuning choice. The upper mids hit around 9 - 10 dB ear gain - though the big sub-bass balances it off to some extent - it is still at the verge of shoutiness, and can be quite fatiguing with louder volumes (Fletcher Munson curve).

The Forteza is a treblehead IEM, make no bones about this. We have good treble extension, with sparkle, though sibilance is present in spades. Cymbals and high-hats can be splashy, and this IEM is not recommended for our treble-sensitive brethren. Once again, when used at louder volumes, the treble will probably be an overkill for most non-trebleheads, so the Forteza is best utilized at low to moderate volumes only.

Sadly, this IEM has bad timbral accuracy. Nasal vocals and metallic overtones for acoustic instruments are present. Notes have a hollow weight and sound highly artificial. If you are sensitive to timbre or listen to a lot of classical or jazz, this will be a dealbreaker.

In technicalities, the Forteza redeems itself to some extent. Clarity, micro-detailing and imaging are above average, though instrument separation and soundstage are acceptable but not class-leading.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made against other budget hybrids. Planars, single DD and pure BA IEMs are omitted, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.




7Hz Sonus

The Sonus is a U-shaped pair, with less treble and bass. The midrange is more balanced - it is not as recessed as on the Forteza - which makes the Sonus a better fit for vocal and midrange lovers.

The Sonus has a hair smaller soundstage. Imaging and instrument separation is similar, thought the Forteza has the upper hand in micro-detailing and clarity, which is a function of the boosted treble.

The Sonus has better timbre, and is easier to drive.


CVJ Mei

The CVJ Mei has 4 tuning options, so it is a more versatile IEM. To make it similar tonally to the bright Forteza, when toggled to the brightest option, the Mei is U-shaped, with less bass and treble than the Forteza.

Both sets aren't paragons in timbre, but the Mei has improved technicalities, with better soundstage, imaging and instrument separation. The Forteza has a bit more micro-detailing, but this is once again contributed by the zealous treble.

The Mei is easier to drive, but may generate hiss on some sources with a poor noise floor control.


CONCLUSIONS



The Forteza sports a unique 2 DD + 1 BA setup, with a bright V-shaped signature. While ergonomics, accessories, isolation and aesthetics are great - with above average technical chops - the rest of the sound has too many compromises in my opinion.

For one, the overly V-shaped profile will alienate midrange lovers, and the treble is too spicy for all but the trebleheads amongst us. Sibilance and splashiness greets listeners, and timbral accuracy is despondent. The Forteza is also not the easiest IEM to drive, due to a lowish sensitivity. While sub-bass has immense rumble, bass quality won't uproot any trees.

Kiwi Ears has churned out some solid releases in recent months - such as the Cadenza and Quintet - but I'm afraid the Forteza does not belong in such esteemed company. If the Forteza was released a few years back, there would be no quibbles about the old-school aggressive tuning - but this is now 2024, and there are so many other worthy rivals out there that perform way better sonically.

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - Kiwi Ears Forteza

The Kiwi Ears Forteza have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. Linsoul have not made any comments or requests and I will do my usual best to be as unbiased as possible in this review.

You can find a link to the Forteza via Linsoul by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.

As always, it is a non-affiliate link.

To avoid being repetitive in my reviews, you can find all the info about how I create the reviews, equipment used, how I receive the products and how to interpret my reviews by visiting: About my reviews



Intro…

It’s no secret that I am a big fan of some of the Kiwi Ears models. The 2023 Acho Awards resulted in both the Cadenza and the Quintet being my top pick for the Sub 50€ and the Sub 500€ respectively. I also reviewed the Quartet and the Orchestra Lite last year and, while they may not have been amongst my top picks, they are still decent IEMs.

The Forteza is a new release from the brand, coming in just outside the ultra budget category at a little over 50€, that feature a dual dynamic drive paired with a single balanced armature driver. These are distributed, according to the spec, as using a DD for the bass, the other DD for the mids and the BA for the “high-mid”, which I am guessing refers to upper mids and treble.

The tuning of the Forteza is quite a bit different from previous models I have reviewed but I’ll get to that in just a moment, let’s first take a look at the overall package.



Presentation…

One look at the box identifies this as a Kiwi Ears product without a doubt. All of their boxes are very similar and in the case of the Forteza, it is even more similar than others. I say this because, to my amusement, one side of the Forteza outer sleeve claims it is a Kiwi Ears Quintet Obviously when redesigning the packaging, someone forgot to update the model name on that side.

Removing the outer sleeve reveals the usual black box with the silver Kiwi logo, inside of which we find the IEMs on the top layer and a storage case below containing the accessories.

The accessories are the case (of course), the cable, 9x sets of tips in three different types and the usual user manual. These are exactly the same contents as we got with the Orchestra Lite (although that included a little tool for changing the dip switches) and the Quartet (although the cable was different in the Quartet), so I really don’t think we can complain about the same contents at a quarter of the price point.



Build and Aesthetics…

I have to say that Kiwi make some very nice resin shells. The Quintet had a simpler aluminum faceplate but the other models have all feature a kind of swirled finish that I really am a fan of. Here, instead of the swirled design, they have opted for a two tone sparkle design that I am also very fond of. The version I have received is what the refer to as “purple”, yet I think it was designed for FC Barcelona fans as I would call it “blau-grana” (the colours of the team). While I am not one for sparkly attention seeking finished, I have to say that I do like it, it seems to be tastefully done and, while sparkly, doesn’t really demand attention.

The build and shape of the IEMs matches those of other models yet maybe the lightest of them all (I should really put them on a scale before saying that, but that’s the impression I get from memory). This means I have no issue with the fit or comfort.

The included cable is the same as the one included with the Cadenza, which is not exactly a high end cable but it does its job and I cant really complain here either. The hardware is metal and the cable itself is a simple black, so there really isn’t much to say about it.



Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

As I said a moment ago, the tuning of the Forteza is different to that of other Kiwi models I have tried previously. Before getting into it, let’s take a look at the graph, with my preference target as a reference and with the Cadenza as a comparison:



Starting off with the subbass, there isn’t really much more than on the Cadenza, or the Quintet for that matter, however, there is a lot more focus on the lower notes. The subbass is quite prominent to say the least. With my usual test of “Chameleon”, the track starts out quite calmly, with just a few bass hits here and there, which makes you think, this is quite calm and collected. Then the first rumbling bars come in and you start thinking, hmmm, this is quite a lot of bass. Then more bass kicks in, then some more, and suddenly you have this wall of rumble that, if it was a subwoofer, would quickly empty any shelves in the room.

While the subbass doesn’t do a bad job of keeping the pace, it is noticeable that things aren’t quite as clean as they would be with less. There were actually parts of the track where the subbass became very fatiguing for me, which is not usually the case, I am usually fatigued by midbass and not subbass.

If we switch to “Crazy" which is actually my test for mdbass fatigue, the fatigue actually goes away. This is because the upper part of the midbass actually falls away and, as the reverb of this track is located in those ranges, things seem a lot cleaner.

Heading back to something a little more electronic, such as “Shot Me Down”, the bass comes across as much cleaner with more controlled bass hits, being quite impressive in this matter. Again, this is due to the focus of the lower ranges being moved towards the lowest of notes and with tracks that don’t have a lot of rumbling subbass, this can be quite beneficial.

Moving into the midrange, there is quite a noticeable dip in the center of the mids, following that slope down that starts halfway through the midbass region and doesn’t really come back until around 1kHz. This moves the focus both towards the subbass and also the higher ranges.

The upper mids a just a little too hot for my tastes, with a slight hint of harshness on female vocals, such as Daniella Andrade, but it is above this range where things get even spicier to my ears. There is a double peak, just below 3kHz and just above 4kHz which is not quite as painful as a peak in the 5kHz range for me but is still a little harsh to my ears.

Vocals, especially female vocals, can come across as rather thin and brittle, with a bit of nasal touch to them. Depending on the specific singer and, more importantly the actual word and tone, things can be a little brutal in these ranges.

As we move into the treble, things don’t get much better I’m afraid. While I have heard other Kiwi Ears sets that use BA for the treble, or even all BA for the full range, the Forteza seems to bring some of that metallic texture that reminds me of other BA implementations from other brands in the past. The treble can again be a little thin and harsh, with a sensation of air and detail that is overshadowed by that metallic texture and overall brittleness to the higher ranges.



Conclusion…

I’m afraid that the Forteza are not joining my list of great products from Kiwi. I do think that they are great looking but unfortunately the tuning is not something that I find enjoyable. As always, everyone has their own tastes and I am just one opinion but the overall presentation of sound from these headphones reminds me of things that were coming across my desk some years ago.

They are a very nice looking set of IEMs, with a very good price point, but I feel that they are not up to the usual standard of Kiwi IEMs as far as sound and performance goes, which is a shame, as it's no secret that I am a fan of the brand.

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As always, this review is also available in Spanish, both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on http://achoreviews.squig.link/

small>All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on http://achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

Introduction!
Hello friends!
Today we’ll talk about hybrid headphones from the KiwiEars company, called Forteza and their cost is $59.
And they come in a nicely designed small box, there is the name of the model, the company logo and an image of the headphones themselves in the blue color that I chose.

Here on the side the technical characteristics are indicated and the sound here is answered by a combination of two dynamic drivers with a diameter of 10mm, and they are complemented by an armature driver, but the sensitivity is 103dB and they received a standard 32ohm impedance and, of course, they are quite easy for drive.

Let's take a look at what's included!
And the first thing that greets us here are the headphones, which in my opinion look very cool considering their low cost, the front panel has a bunch of bright sparkles that also shimmer cool, and the company logo also has a place here, and of course I’m glad that they are made of very pleasant smooth resin and have a turquoise blue color.

And the inside of the body is transparent, so you can see absolutely all the emitters, whether dynamic or a very small reinforcing one, which is located here and above it a little higher there is one compensation hole and there is a standard 2-pin connector for connecting the cable, but the nozzle here is not very large, slightly elongated but It is anatomically correct, it has a small protrusion and the ear pads hold up perfectly, and the fit is generally good the headphones sit in the ears very tightly and there is no discomfort.

Accessories!
Now we come to the accessories, which are in a very good tight case with the inscription KiwiEars, and there is a completely standard 4-wire cable that has a 3.5 jack plug, and 2-pin connectors with well-formed eartips, and of course there are ear tips here too these are 3 different sets for every taste and color.

How do these headphones sound?
Now let's talk about the sound of this model and I think for sure that bassheads will be happy, but first things first, I think it’s immediately clear from the frequency response graph that we have a very energetic and super perky pronounced sound, and of course lovers of neutral tuning probably won’t appreciate this, but all the other guys should definitely taste such a dynamic presentation.

Low Frequencies:
Low frequencies definitely occupy almost the main position and they are perceived as very deep the sub-bass here is really very well developed, and the mid-bass for basshead headphones has super correct and precise control without at all interfering with the mid frequencies as it was in the 7Hz legato, although there will be a lot of it here smaller but it has an excellent punch with a characteristic clear attack that definitely makes me happy, that is, it doesn’t feel as relaxed as it did in 7Hz legato and on the contrary, it is very accurate on impact, which, in my opinion, is the correct implementation for basshead headphones, and the textural elaboration here is much better, it is more transparent and the saturation is now even better, due to which the bass does not sound warm and monotonous.
Mid Frequencies:
And the mid frequencies are literally a powerful and energetic substrate for the bass, their energy literally goes over the edge, if in 7Hz legato they were more neutral and softened and closer to my target, here they clearly decided to squeeze the maximum out of this range by adding more saturation and weight to the vocals and the drums, which in some tracks stand out very clearly and are already right on the edge and in some places it was even too much, especially in bad recordings, and of course, due to this, male and female vocals are presented here super richly and surprisingly with quite good resolution and amount of air, that is, there is no constriction or crampedness in this area, but in my opinion it would be better if this area was made more neutral and less highlighted and so it turns out that it won’t be possible to fix it with the same filter as I usually did with headphones that are bright for me, since it simply won’t attach to the nozzle, and you’ll only have one option left, which is to use an equalizer to tidy up this area, but then again It's all a matter of taste.
High Frequencies:
The high frequencies here surprisingly have a very familiar approach to tuning, they feel quite smooth but at the same time have good and more prominent detail with no less hidden technicality and neat long aftertones, although the clear technique here is not at the level of some top-end planars or hybrids, but don’t forget that these headphones cost much less than them.
But in general, of course, I wouldn’t call the presentation of this area monitory and analytical; this model is definitely not about that, and the area doesn’t feel dry, and on the contrary, everything here sounds very emotional and not as neutral as I’m used to, so all the music in them plays very well. bold and sometimes exciting, but of course the tuning here is definitely tasteful.
Stage and stereo panorama:
Well, the sound stage here turned out to be quite optimal in width and depth, without excessive stretching of images and a pseudo-wide panorama, that is, everything is quite normally localized and there are no particular problems with sound definition.
My conclusion on these headphones:
KiwiEars Forteza turned out to be incredibly beautiful inexpensive hybrid headphones, for lovers of powerful collected textured bass and very energetic and emotional high and mid frequencies.
Link where you can buy them!
Linsoul: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-forteza
Aliexpress: https://aliexpress.ru/item/1005006313954379.html
I will be glad if you subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch this full review on KIWIEARS FORTEZA!

Kiwi ears Forteza


Kiwi ears
Coming almost out of nowhere, the brand Kiwi ears made its mark in 2023. I reviewed the Kiwi ears Cadenza in January 2023, and then the Orchestra Lite next in March of 2023. There was a fever and a focus of intent present. While Kiwi ears produced a $499.00 original Orchestra in August of 2021, it truly has been overshadowed in popularity by the Orchestra Lite. Really the original Orchestra and the $109.00 USD Quartet are the only two Kiwi ears I haven’t received (for free) and reviewed.

Kiwi ears Orchestra 8BA $499.00

Kiwi ears Cadenza 10mm DD $34.99

Kiwi ears Quartet 2X 10mm DD $109.00

Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite 8BA $249.00

Kiwi ears Dolce 10mm DD $24.99

Kiwi ears Quintet 1DD +2 BA + 1Planar + 1PZT $219.00

Kiwi ears Melody 12MM Planar $89.00

Kiwi ears Forteza 1BA x 2DD $59.00


It is safe to say from all I have heard that Kiwi ears is not traveling down the same IEM path twice. Imagining new ideas as to sound performance by utilizing different driver scenarios each and every time.

Now of course the Kiwi ears $249 Orchestra Lite was more IEM than the $34.99 Cadenza…..yet both were very different beasts being the Orchestra Lite was an all BA affair and the Credenza was a single 10mm Beryllium DD. I went on to review the 5 driver Kiwi ears Quintet and at $249.00 and it ended one of my most favorites of the year! The $24.99 10mm DLP Kiwi ears Dolce was interesting, and while not finding it special at the start it grew on me. Finally in November of 2023 I reviewed Kiwi ears Planar IEM…..the Melody. We will in-fact compare (today) the $89.00 Melody today against the Forteza. So in hindsight 2023 was the year for Kiwi ears to cause quite the stir in the audiophile IEM community. Probably the Melody and the Quintet are my favorites? Why? They offer both a unique take on balance, and perform technically well for their asking price. While very different, there has been a very consistent level of quality emitted from the manufacturer Kiwi ears…….so much so that a level of respect is given even before hearing the IEM. And………it really is safe to say there is a house sound hidden in there somewhere amongst each and every IEM. While very different they can be thought of as having common similarities in places.



You:
And while each listener is very different, it is finding acceptance within the entire audiophile group that makes new companies gain respect and subsequent fame.

Meaning we as reviewers not only look at each individual IEM, but try and read and do research as to understanding of the whole community's acceptance and track record on a company's IEMs.

The downside:
And to put it lightly, Kiwi ears 2023 out-put was a roaring success. With-in that success certain individual IEMs have been more successful than others. I would have to say the Forteza will end-up one of the lesser successful IEMs for the brand. IMO And even though my opinion is simply my own, I have researched and discovered it to be fairly common amongst listeners who have given the Forteza a go. Such qualities even have me polarized in opinion. What this comes down to is treble. Yep, the Forteza has a slightly hot treble. Now in all fairness to the Forteza I have spent weeks and weeks with it, maybe my longest (to take) review in the last 6 months? I did burn-in, and I did burn-in some more, I switched cables, DAPs and ear-tips………..I pulled out all the tone altering devices I know of, and while at times the treble was subtly reduced, what was left wasn’t always that great in tone or texture?

In reality I have not read any formal Forteza reviews or seen any video reviews. I simply confirmed through feedback from individual owners what the Forteza personality was like, to make sure my unit didn’t display any unit variance that would make this review unfair/untruthful. And while I’m not saying the Forteza is all bad, it is not holding the balance that other Kiwi ears IEMs have held in the past. Even though the Quintet was rumored to have a hot and spicy treble for some, I feel it does not offer the overall heat of the Forteza. Where the Quintet has small hot spots possibly to those that are sensitive to such displays, the Forteza treble is more of a broad wash of tone encapsulating the whole bandwidth of treble, as probably a hint too of too much energy even in the upper midrange. IMO



The beginning:
When I first laid eyes on the Forteza I thought it was amazing, I mean look at it. Also I thought the idea was revolutionary, being it was two DD and a single BA. The looks represented a far more expensive IEM than the cost at just $59.00? The feel of the Forteza in your ears is fabulous. The build quality is supreme. Even the stage that occurs is far above the pricepoint, only it is topped off with a style of sizzle? Yet the lower sections offer a creamy inviting smoothness that is both well controlled and images well.

Burn-in:
While my first impressions haven’t changed too much, there was an added amount of cohesiveness and smoothness to the two DDs after 100 hours of burn-in.

The Forteza drivers:
This review was so hard to write as I truly didn’t want to rate the Forteza lower in score. I rotated amps, DAPs and found that (yes) putting on narrow bore ear-tips helped with the replay, they diminished the treble to a point, yet there was still a question of treble balanced never to be fully rectified by ear-tips. As such I have to summarize the treble that is introduced by this middle frequency/high frequency single BA driver is the culprit? Where there is a single 10mm bass driver and a 10mm midrange driver.

1) 10mm DD bass
1) 10mm DD Midrange
1) Single BA mids/high frequency


Comparisons:
All comparisons were done with medium bore ear-tips, the Simgot Audio LC7 cable and Sony WM1A with MrWalkman's firmware.

The Kiwi ears Melody:
A Melody stout and fully definable clarity into which bass speed and separation are found. Yep, this is where the money is with the Melody. A smorgasbord of fun happening bellow the belt! Sorry. But this bass action is real, more clear, more separated and even the guitar timbre is better and finding the guitar examples to be more realistic despite the subtle Planar timbre. This Melody is simply more dramatic and technically better as well as holding a better tonality of all musical constituents! Sign me up for this, all day long.........simply better.......I know I'm repeating myself.

Where no better example is found to hold this Forteza (while still analogue) bass, the display is of a slower and less defined bass. Where the Melody kicks.......and is simply a better overall tune, I'm sorry to say. Treble is slightly less focused than the Forteza, but that was the needed down-tune with the Forteza..........a gift we were asking for, but didn't get for Christmas.

The 7Hz Salnotes Zero 2:
I can make this comparison really simple here. Haha, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero 2 is simply more even, complete and correct. It has less treble. What this does in the end is promotes longer listening times with the treble perception coming off, simply more real and natural. While bass action has been improved over the original Zero, there is still room for dynamite vocals to take place with the Zero 2, heck I don't need to go on, read my Zero 2 review if you want more gushing.

Music tests:
Here I run through a few of my favorites. Upon starting this test I refer back to others' opinions as well as my own, that with this particular IEM, we must pick and choose our music to enable success. Yet here today these are chosen songs which have not been picked to make the Forteza good or bad, I simply don’t know what the outcome will be in the end?



KMFDM
PARADISE
Oh My Goth
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
To start off with this song gets chosen due to how the rock bounce and groove that takes place. Meaning there is an interaction of all these elements which somehow are integrated into musicality and fun. Part of the success here is the fact that while low in tone, the bass is snappy and fast. I mean I really have to hand it to Kiwi ears for at least delivering the goods in the bass section, and how the rhythm plays out? Though the exact problem here is the guitar are thin, not exactly holding harmonics, and as a result not doing their job. This song I have thorough experience with and it turns out to maybe be the farthest from the best in use today? I don’t need to go on.



KMFDM
IN DUB
Amnesia Dub
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
I used the Sony WM1Z with the SIMGOT LC7 cable and medium bore ear-tips. The important part of this equipment use was to see if the more prominent bass of the 1Z made a difference. Meaning this is a DUB song, so bass is critical and necessary for the whole vibe of the song to take place. And in truth this was some of the best I have heard the Forteza. Now the bass did have sub and there was a spread-out formation of stage encountered. So much so that I listened to the song over and over. As this is one of those songs that seemed to make the Forteza more than a $59.00 IEM. Way out to the sides at 01:18 we find the synthetic piano. In reality all the effects have a special itemization and expanded placement into the farthest reaches of the stage, of course part of this is a TOTL DAP, probably. Still there is a faint air of the synthetic thin treble showing-up? While vocals do have a little weight, and there is definitely expansion and speed into which these treble elements find themselves generated, I can’t get over the overall tone? This tone was the first noted on first impressions, and still found here too? It is slightly off, and of a thinner almost in the direction of steeliness that it is formed. I realize that this cutting presence was needed as a counterbalance to the nice and rewarding bass, but I wish they would have simply spent more time and even charged more to get a better BA character in the end.

Robert Miles
Dreamland
Children
44.1 kHz - 16 bit
In 1996 Dreamland caused quite the stir among club goers and fans of EDM in general. It could actually be stated that Dreamland made the sub-genre DREAM a house hold name. There were 100s of imitators and followers of the style, with so many DREAM compilations, And even though Robert Miles is no longer with us, his music lives on as Children still sounds just as fresh and fun today as it did upon release. This song for whatever reason is probably the very best yet today with Forteza playback. The bass synth intro is whole and deep holding roundness and fun. Even the fake thunder sound at the start is interesting. When the piano keys come at 00:42 it’s truly nice and not holding as much metallic timbre as you would guess by reading the above? To back-track there is a deep layering to the bass and an exquisite separation that is normally not found at this price-point? This sounds like just more money, maybe $150-$200?

At 00:35 there is this ambient sound, I can’t describe what it is? Yet the Forteza somehow grabs all of this ambiance and we hear birds chirping and small branches breaking, all bright and brought forward into the stage, there are even fast transients of such background sounds? It is of course Hybrid separation at hand, and the very reason I love Hybrids the most. Because not only do we hear these sounds but we also experience the reverb added to the signal. It is not until the 02:18 mark that the driving beat takes place………a tell-tale trait of the DREAM style. Remember this is only a 07:06 minute song to to wait simply lends to being more involved into the music before the beat takes place. As prior many would start the beat much sooner in EDM. So here we have it, the song elements are all in place………and there is good separation of the cymbal strike on tempo with the beat. There are fluid background synth additives flowing with the music way off to the sides, fully separated. The vocals? There are none. But with how this is done, really it all works so fabulously, so much so that if this was the style of music you always listen to I can fully recommend the Forteza to you! This was the music style that we were alluding to as being its forte.



Dead Can Dance
Anastasis
Kiko
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here the style of the recording makes many headphones shine. As even at 00:05 we are taken away with the shear size of the drum beat. It is this stage which takes place (maybe) due to the two DDs, which is big and involving. The stage is mostly right to left but also somehow gets involvement with front to back and up and down. The drums sound full and natural with the highlight of cymbal accent taking the whole thing over the top. The snare drum is slightly hot and truthfully cutting really way more than needed? The different snares' emphasis in strikes can be fully noted and taken apart for what they are, yet still too hot. Too hot and of a slight thinness that is not appealing? Still that is only a small feature, as when the bass hits, it is incredibly big, way bigger than the price of the Forteza would have you believe? At 01:31 the vocals find themselves fully separated and out-front, yet so is that timbre the Forteza always (pretty much) emits, I don’t need to go on.

Build:
Found to be built in the most lovely of ways, the full hollow resin build in a semi-custom fit and feels marvelous. A single vent next to the 2Pin guarantees no driver-flex or too much air-tight fitment. You can fully look inside and see the two DDs facing one-another, you can see the single BA driver and the three-way crossover electronics. Nozzle length seems just right, and there are two sound tubes exiting. Outside sound occlusion is medium due to the hollow shell and maybe venting. Though it should be noted the sem-custom fit is fabulous. At only 4 grams a piece in weight they are on the more low-weight side of the street. Combine the weight with medium shell size and we truly have a winner in the comfort department. Flush two-pins make cable change-outs a breeze.



Cable:
There is nothing wrong with the included cable. While minimal to be expected at this price point, I kept going back to it to reference the style of sound Kiwi ears was after. Yet the option of trying a different cable allowed me to access 4.4mm balanced in amplification from both the WM1A and WM1Z.



Packaging:

Conclusion:
While I do get what Kiwi ears was after…..they were attempting to procure lesser off-timbre by inclusion of a midrange DD to complement the bass DD. Having less unnatural metallic off BA timbre can at times be good. Yet, they needed treble, and through the choice of the chosen BA.........to cut through the midrange and bass to offer clarity. And yes, there is definite clarity here, that and imaging of great full frequency elements into the stage, and sure it is very good technical wise for the money. Only………….as always, tone beats out on technicalities and I would rather have the 7Hz Salnotes Zero 2 with lesser soundstage and lesser separation at hand. Why? The Zero 2 simply comes-off more natural in the end, and that makes for easier listening and longer listening times. I look at the Forteza as more of an experimental release and the low point in all I have heard from Kiwi ears. Yet as a stepping stone it does show imagination and excitement in possibly being the precursor to the Forteza Two. Yep, maybe an IEM with the same two DDs in place, yet with maybe (the addition of) 2BAs of smoother and more refined character? Heck, it would be worth way more money just to see Kiwi ears go one step farther in their attempt to realize this adventure. They were so close here, just so close? You see BAs can be found to be able to be (metallically) toned down and still offer the frequency, to be set back and still not be dark or underwater. At times they need to use two BA to accomplish this, but it can be done. I would think such a Forteza 2 sound could be worth $100.00 to even $200.00?

$59.00
https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-forteza


Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Kareena Tang from Linsoul for the opportunity to review Kiwi ears Forteza IEM.

Disclaimer:
I spent 17 days with the Kiwi ears Forteza IEM to come upon these findings.

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

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm and 3.5mm

These are the experiences and thoughts of a single individual, your results may vary.

A gorgeous IEM to add to your collection​

If you are at all interested in building a collection of IEM’s, I believe that you should have at least 3 different IEM ’tunings’, a balanced ‘Harman’ IEM, mid forward/centric tuning and finally a V-shaped ‘fun’ IEM tuning. Having a small collection with at least these 3 options really allows you to get the best from a wide range of your music, each IEM in your collection can extract different aspects of the music and the Forteza makes a great choice for those looking for a V-shaped tuning.



Read on to see if it is the right IEM for you to add to your collection.

Design and Build Quality​

The Forteza utilises a fairly unique combination of drivers with 2 Dynamic Driver’s (one for bass and one for the midrange) and a single BA handling the treble. This is an excellent design choice as it lowers the potential for any distortion (if you were to really push these IEM’s) where each driver has a set range of frequencies to handle.

Whats in the box​

The Kiwi Ears Forteza comes in a nice box with a three sets of ear tips and a pretty good cable for this price point.



I do like a little bit ear-tip rolling so having a good variety of stock ear tips is great but as you will see later in the review, I also tried and measured a few others ear tips to get the best sound out of these IEM’s for me.



The Kiwi Ears Forteza boasts a gorgeous slightly transparent shell housing where you can see the drivers. As a nerd I always appreciate being able to subtle see the electronics inside the shell, unlike ‘dark’ shells used typically on the many IEM’s at this price point. The shell does give the Forteza a premium look and serves as a taster for the premium shells available on some of the more expensive Kiwi Ears models.

Comfort and Fit​

The design of the Forteza ensures a comfortable fit for most users. The earpieces are ergonomically shaped, and when combined with the right selection of ear tips, they provide a secure and comfortable fit, making them suitable for long listening sessions or even out on a long walk. I found as comfortable as my Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite and a more stable fit than my Gizaudio Chopin’s.

Hopefully in this comparison photo you can see that the nozzle is smaller than the Truthear Zero and therefore for most people it will be a much more comfortable IEM to wear (the Forteza is on the left):



As a size comparison, here is the Truthear Zero, the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite and finally the Forteza on the right:




Overall, I found the shape of the shell used on the Forteza as well as the nozzle size to the perfect shape for my ears.

Sound Quality​

So as I mentioned in the intro the Forteza has a ‘fun’ V-shaped sound signature, I believe this is a good move by Kiwi Ears as the current IEM is flooded with good and cheap ‘harman’ tuning IEM’s like the Truthear Zero Red while the there are not many quality V-shaped IEM’s priced less than $100 making the Forteza a great deal at $59.99.

Lets get into what you can expect from the sound of the Forteza …

Bass​

The Forteza’s excellent bass is immediately apparent, it is both deep and punchy, catering well to genres of music that benefit from a more robust low-end presence. The bass is not overly dominant in any one area so even listening to a ‘sweep’ you get a smooth transition through the bass frequencies, allowing for a balanced listening experience without overshadowing the mids and highs. It’s a perfect V-shaped bass, giving you a visceral bass punch yet still allowing the treble detail to shine through. So on tracks like Billie Ellish’s Bad Guy and Xanny sounded great and Massive Attack’s Angel had that bass punch it needs without overwhelming the treble.

Mids​

Despite the V-shaped tuning, the mid-range remains surprisingly clear and detailed and though I did find in some track that the vocals
took a slight backseat to the more pronounced bass and treble frequencies. That said tracks some very mid-centric tracks from the classic Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” album sounded better than I have heard them in a while with the overall listening session getting something unique from that classic recording. So I believe the Forteza is suitable for a wide range of musical genres and will allow you to hear your music in new and unexpected ways.

Interestingly, I found the Forteza almost the opposite tuning of the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite which is mid-forward, so between the 2 Kiwi Ears IEM’s you get a very interesting contrasting music experience which is great fun to try on your collection.

Treble​

The treble range is where the Forteza truly distinguishes itself. While exhibits an elevated treble response, which contributes to an overall sense of clarity and detail in the music. This elevation in the treble range enhances the listening experience for tracks where high-frequency details are pivotal. However, this elevation might, depending on your preference, occasionally lead to a perception of sharpness or sibilance, particularly in tracks with already prominent high frequencies. So, for example, in the new Japanese House song ‘Over There’ I felt the treble on the female vocals where a little sharp. This is where either some EQ or some ’tip’ rolling can be used to relax the treble frequency slightly.

Soundstage and Imaging​

The soundstage of the Kiwi Ears Forteza is commendably wide for an IEM in this price point, providing a sense of space and directionality that enhances the overall listening experience. I believe the high quality drivers mixed with the elevated treble help provide some precise imaging, allowing for accurate placement of instruments and vocals within the soundstage.

Specifications and Measurements​

Here are some of the key specifications:

The specifications show that the Forteza is very easy to drive, a simple Apple USB-C Dongle adapter could be used when on mobile and these IEM’s will sound amazing without needing to switch to high gain on even a modest desktop headphone Amplifier. I tried them on various equipment from an Apple USB-C dongle onto my iPhone 15, with the headphone jack on my Macbook Pro and with various desktop headphone amps including the FiiO K11 and K7.

Measurements​

These measurements were carried out on my IEC711 ‘clone’ coupler using REW

I decided to measure the frequency response various ear-tips provided with the Forteza as well with 2 sizes of ‘flange’ based ear-tips and a comply foam ear tip.

Firstly here are some measurements of the different ear-tips provided:



As you can see the different stock tips had a very similar response.

But as I mentioned earlier I am a big believer is getting the right ear tip for you for a given IEMs as this can change not only how well they fit in your ear (so how they affect the bass response) but can also affect the treble (sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing the treble) depending on your personal HRTF and I did feel when listening to this IEM that some people will like a slightly reduced treble in specific regions and a different Ear tip is a great way to subtly manipulate the treble response.



So for example the triple flange reduced the treble peaks, but this effect will be different as everyone ear shape is slightly different, but I think it’s a great way to tame the treble response if you have a bunch of different ear tips to play with.

Finally, here is a comparison of the Forteza with a few other IEMs:



As you can see the Forteza has great bass and an elevated treble (which can be tamed as I mentioned above) and slightly recessed midrange giving it that classic V-shaped sound signature.

I have uploaded all these measurements and others to the new Pragmatic Audio Squig website here

Distortion​

I did noticed that the 3rd harmonic was a little high in the midrange - but still below audible limits - just posting it here for completeness:

Rating​

I have given the Forteza a rating of 4, it’s V-shaped tuning while a great addition to a collection is probably not for everyone but the Forteza represents a good deal for a quality IEM with the looks and comfort of a much more expensive IEM.

Conclusion​

Note: I would like to thank Lillian @ Linsoul for providing the Kiwi Ears Forteza - if you are interested in purchasing it here is a non-affiliated link to their store: here

The Kiwi Ears Forteza are a compelling option, particularly for listeners who are looking for something different than the usual ‘Harman’ sound at this price point and wanting to build their IEM collection with different sound signatures. Its robust bass response, detailed yet slightly recessed mids, and treble make it a versatile choice for a variety of music genres. While the treble elevation might not suit all preferences, it contributes to the clarity and detail that many will love.

The combination of sound quality, comfort, and build quality makes the Forteza a noteworthy IEM in its price range.

General/Packaging/Build/Comfort
By now, I’m sure Kiwi Ears needs no further introductions. They’re back with another budget set, namely the Forteza, which is a 2DD+1BA IEM. The build quality has been solid based on several IEMs from the brand which I have reviewed. The shell is a resin shell with a very beautiful faceplate in my opinion, no weird protruding edges and seals and fits very well in my ears. Packaging is the usual Kiwi Ears style, no changes, a simple hard carrying case, two types of eartips, wide and narrow bore, as well as the stock cable.

Gears used for this review

• iFi Hip Dac 3
• Earmen Tradutto -> Earmen CH-Amp
• Hiby R6 2020
• Kiwi Ears Forteza with Final Type E eartips and stock cable

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Upon listening, Forteza is undoubtedly a V shaped tuned IEM. It is fun and dynamic, however, not all will appreciate the energy on the top end as some might find it a little too much, i belong to the latter category, hence I'm writing this review with Forteza on Final Audio Type E’s eartip. The tonality is leaning towards slightly bright and it does have a little BA timbre. Forteza is one of the IEM where the highs are slightly tame after a burn in period for approximately 12 hours +-

Bass

• The bass is fun, good amount of bass coupled with quality and control
• Sub bass goes deep and rumble whenever the track calls for it, it doesn’t over power other frequencies
• Mid bass is punchy and tight, doesn’t sound muddy and bloated at all
• Speed is decent for the price, It handled Metallica’s Lux Aeterna’s speed drumming without sounding muddy

Mids

• Mids are slightly recessed
• Vocal positioning is slightly recessed as well, which is to be expected from a V shaped tuning
• Male and female vocal has good texture to it, doesn’t sound thin
• Upper mids on some tracks might be a little hot when you are listening at high volume

Treble

• Forteza’s treble is energetic and very dynamic
• Detail retrieval and resolution is good for the asking price
• If you are sensitive to treble, it’s best to pair the Forteza with a warmer source, such as iFi’s to tame the treble a little, or tip roll
• Average listening volume, Forteza’s treble is acceptable for me, but when pushed to higher volume, the energy might be too much for some and on certain track it is borderline sibilant

Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is slightly out of your head, good depth and height for the asking price.
Imaging is good with the ability to pinpoint instruments easily, further comments will just be nitpicking, so it’s best to set the right expectation as the Forteza cost only 59$

Driveability

• Forteza is very easy to drive, doesn’t need any amplification to perform at its best
• My personal preference would be to pair the Forteza with a warmer source to tame the highs a little
• It does scale with source in terms of bass control, treble, as well as soundstage

Comparison (7Hz Sonus)

• Sonus’s tonality is leaning towards neutral
• Bass quantity is not as much as the Forteza, but control and texture and quality wise, both are quite on par
• The mids on the Sonus is slightly forward compared to Forteza, Male vocal of certain artist is a little thin sounding, female vocal on the other hand is sweet and doesn’t sound thin
• Soundstage is slightly smaller compared to Forteza, imaging is on par
• Sonus has a more balanced sound profile whereas Forteza is leaning towards the fun and dynamic sound profile

Final Thoughts
Should you get the Forteza you ask me? It depends on your preference. If you are looking for a fun sounding set of IEM, by all means, go ahead. Make sure to burn them in for a little while and the highs will smooth out a little and make it better overall. Cheers and thanks for reading guys!

*Kiwi Ears Forteza is sent to me from Linsoul in exchange for this review. I am in no way under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review. All thoughts are of my own.

Head over to their store to purchase one if you are interested
Kiwi Ears Forteza - Non affiliated

Review Of The Kiwi Ears Forteza​

Introduction​

Chinese company Kiwi Ears has achieved great things since last year and keeps bringing innovative and noteworthy products to the market that people who love audiophile products like me adore. Since Kiwi Ears released their orchestra lite, I have been following them and have heard every single IEM they have released, including the quintet and Cadenza, each of which has its own distinct sound and character. Since last year, Kiwi Ears has never let me down. Recently, they released two new IEMs: the Melody, which I recently reviewed, and the Forteza, which I was fortunate enough to obtain. I will therefore be analyzing the Forteza to determine whether or not they continue to live up to the expectations of their fans.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the kindly people at Linsoul, I am grateful to them. And 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 “Forteza.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Forteza based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

One balanced armature driver and two dynamic drivers make up the multi-driver configuration found in the Forteza. A single balanced armature driver handles the mid-high frequencies, while one of the two dynamic drivers—a 10mm driver handles the bass and another 10mm driver handles the mid range. The shell is composed of resin and has a translucent blue appearance that lets you see inside. The shape of the shells is similar to the Kiwi ears quartet. The brand name is printed on both shells of the faceplate, which features a lovely glittering pattern.The cable is typical of what Kiwi Ears offers with other IEMs in this price range; it feels decently made and acceptable for the price. It has two pin connectors on one end and a straight 3.5mm termination plug on the other. The comfort and fit are both excellent. Three additional pairs of eartips in various sizes and a carrying case round out the accessories. Regarding the technical details, the sensitivity is 103dB and the impedance is 32 Ohms. The range of the frequency response is 20 Hz–20 kHz.

Sound​

Most people will think the sound is tuned in a V shape, but from what I could hear, it's actually more of a neutral sound with a lot of bass—pretty much the most controlled and physical sound I've heard in this price range. The FR graph displays an extremely extreme graph with a lot of bass and eccentric energy in the lower treble and upper mid range. The lower treble region is more prominent in the overall mix, which kind of overshadows the upper extension where I find it takes the hit. If it had better extension, though, it would have been the most practical IEM because the sound and tuning bring a unique sound in this price range and the presentation is lively, fun, and detailed all at once, which I have never experienced like this on any other IEM except Forteza. So, to be honest, neither of the regions brings anything extreme to my ears. This IEM offers far more than sound compared to others in this price range, and it's a sight to behold. But not everything is sunshine and cookies; in fact, there are instances where I find the Forteza to sound extremely artificial or tinny, which I will go into more detail about later.

Treble​

Undoubtedly not the most well-balanced IEM available, but let me clarify: the energy and presence give it a nice, detailed sound with more expression from the notes, even though there may be some misunderstanding. The vocals and instruments can both soar further because of the ample air and spacious stage, which is made possible by the subdued upper treble that doesn't allow much extension or air. The vocals and instruments in the lower treble seem a little off and the most detailed in the entire response because of this presentation, which makes sense given the amount of energy in this area. The instruments provide a lively response that nicely balances the vocals, which sound lively, alive, and very clear. The instruments and vocals may now sound extremely thin and tinny. It's the leanest I've heard in this price range, I think, but I also believe the BA handling needed more power, which I gave; as a result, the response was less lean and more forward, but the peakiness remained, which might be a bit too much for some. The only BA that has been pushed or given more attention in the presentation is to blame; if more BA had been used, the response would have been more sophisticated, specific, and had better clarity and resolution. Nonetheless, the treble region is presented in an aggressive, vibrant, and clear manner overall.

Mid Range​

The mid range offers a similar presentation to the treble region, but with more mature features because the response is more sensible and reasonable. The energy in the upper mid range resonates with the lower treble, and the quality stays the same, making it sound forward and light like the treble region. With less sharpness but still great detail, the instruments sound less sharp and more forward in the vocals. However, after hearing more intricate music, I can categorically state that the BA is overwhelmed and produces sibilance. As for the response, I think it sounds lean and light and has clear details, but it also has a hint of offensiveness. In actuality, though, this IEM works better with warm sources because they soften the response in the bass range and allow for more subdued upper frequencies. I'm genuinely curious as to how the BA is able to add clarity and details to the mid range and treble region while controlling to sound as less offensive as possible, given that the dynamic driver and BA are handling the mid range. There is no doubt that this is not an IEM that will satisfy every audiophile's preferences. The energetic response does make it sound stimulating, but I believe it is more of a fresh take on a V-shaped tuned IEM. Another area I would like to go into detail about is the lower mid range. The lower mid range has much less energy than the upper mid range, which is why the vocals and instruments sound clean and subdued rather than hazy. This is another reason why the higher frequencies seem lean. Another contributing factor is that the mid-bass doesn't spill over into the lower mid-range. Consequently, the mid range region has a forward, bright, and lively overall presentation.

Bass​

The frequency response graph may lead one to believe that the bass is significantly present in the bass region, but this couldn't be further from the reality.The bass is made to sound more subdued and less provocative by the Forteza tuning. The explanation for this is that the response as a whole has equal or greater energy at the higher frequencies. When listening to music with a lot of bass, the bass was booming and rumbling like a subwoofer on steroids. I think my favorite bass now has a fun and captivating sound. My favorite basshead IEM, the Thor Mjolnir MKII, responds in the same way, though the Forteza's bass physicality is easier to understand and the Thor's is more detailed and scalable. Returning to the forteza's bass response, the sub bass has a strong emphasis due to its deep extension, which generates a good quantity of rumble and punches that feel like they are hitting hard. While slams aren't always audible in the mix, the mid bass presence is sufficient to create a pumping and thumping bass sound. With the exception of the speaker's can in-ear monitor, the bass texture and details are adequate because the presentation is more akin to a physical speaker than an in-ear driver. Strong and stimulating bass is produced by the somewhat isobaric configuration, which I believe is more than enough for an IEM in this price range. As a result, the bass region's overall presentation is controlled yet thumping, punchy, and pounding.

Technical Performance​

Due to the excessive effort put in by the single BA handling all of the high frequency, the Forteza's technical performance is not the best, but it is still better than average. Of course, the clarity and details are superb, but the separation and resolution might not be the best at this price point. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

Even after the close stage, the surround holographic imaging makes it sound more natural while bringing subtleties into the mix. The stage is more intimate than immersive. Although I can easily identify the source of the sound, I don't think the notes are particularly distinct or far apart at this point in time. What matters is the type of sound that is being produced.

Speed & Resolution​

The resolution is mediocre, but the micro details are more muted than expressive, while the macro details are expressive. Even the subtleties that are heard and felt are present, but they are scarce and elusive. The attack and note decay happen quickly because there is no disarray or unevenness in the response.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

Sony WM1A - The Forteza and WM1A combination produces softer, more calming sounds that are better for the ears and mind. The bass has become more subdued in the mix, while the higher frequencies have been turned down a notch. The increased space on stage facilitates the presentation of other subtleties and allows for note separation. The best part is that, although there are occasional offensive nuances in the presentation, it is lessened overall.

Tempotec V6 - The combination of Forteza and V6 sounds the best because it produces a more powerful response that keeps me alert. The response is livelier and more energetic. In addition to the bass being more noticeable and the treble being equally effective, the midrange also sounds higher overall. The offensive sounds are only occasionally audible, despite the fact that the response is clearer and the lower mid range is less approachable in the mix. There is a greater tactical and pronounced response overall. Overall, I think this pairing is the best.

Tracks​

Luna Haruna - Glory days
Luna Haruna - Overfly
Rokudenashi - The Flame of Love
LMYK - 0 (zero)
ORESKABAND - Jitensya
Marina Horiuchi - Mizukagami no Sekai
RADWIMPS - Suzume
Indila - Love Story
Indila - Tourner dans le vide
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Blue Oyester Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Gojira - Amazonia
TV on the radio - Wolf Like Me
Bring Me To The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart
Bring Me To The Horizon - sTraNgeRs
Avril Lavigne - Dare To Love Me
Travis - Love Will Come Through
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
DJ Shadows - Six Days (Remix) [feat. Mos Def]
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Flo Rida - Low
Sebastian Lopez & Flug - Electronic Measures
Federico Mecozzi - Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Wayve - Not Enough
Kai Wachi & TeZATalks - Ghost
NGHTMRE, Zeds Dead & Tori Levett - Shady Intentions
Zeds Dead, DNMO & GG Magree - Save My Grave
Skrillex, Noisia, josh pan & Dylan Brady - Supersonic
Skrillex & Nai Barghouti - Xena
Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
Kaifi Khalil, Eva B & Wahab Bugti - Kana Yaari
A.R. Rahman, Javed Ali & Mohit Chauhan - Kun Faya Kun

Conclusion​

In summary, based on my experience with the device, I have concluded that Forteza might not be suitable for everyone. This is because its response is distinct and appeals to a particular demographic of gamers and audiophiles, who may have different tastes in music. I believe that the Forteza unmistakably gives people who desire such a response a fun, lively, and energizing response; the sound helps to stimulate their mind and soul and gives them a positive energy.