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The New Kinera H3 Triple Hybrid IEM
Mar 5, 2018 at 6:35 AM Post #287 of 344
Brooko said:
Please tell me the tuning is better than the H3 :)
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My understanding is that it is tuned to appeal to a larger number of people

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BTW, those are really unexpensive, yet that cable looks so freaking high-end! Kinera Seed will become the first entry-level IEM to have detachable 2-pin cables at their price?
 
Mar 7, 2018 at 8:42 PM Post #288 of 344
Update: Apparently, my SEED is a pre-production model, Kinera have since revised the treble tuning to provide a more balanced sound. I will re-evaluate the new and improved model when it arrives.
 
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Mar 7, 2018 at 8:51 PM Post #289 of 344
ryanjsoo said:
SEED Mini-Review

Kinera popped up out of nowhere to a surprising spontaneous explosion of interest. The H3 kicked off ther popularity, a $100 USD triple hybrid driver that garnered mass appeal on account of its big, extended bass, warm midrange and crisp treble. It wasn't realistic or balanced, but gave listeners the engagement they were looking for. They followed up their success with a fantastic budget earbud that demonstrated many improvements in instrument timbre and versatility beyond IEMs. The SEED is their latest creation, a dynamic+BA IEM with a very palatable asking price. More in the following sections.

Design & Build:
To set expectations, the SEED is only $30. Regardless, it's a beautifully designed IEM that looks almost as stunning in person as in renders. The build is also very good, the plastic housings are a little light but the metal nozzle and removable cable are rarities at this price. The cable is actually excellent and much improved over the H3. It's thicker, sturdier and less plasticky with a smoother texture. My only gripe is the lack of strain relief on the jack. The SEED fits very well and sits quite flush with the outer ear. As such, wind-noise is minimised and they would make for a decent sleep IEM. Isolation is good, easily sufficient for public transport and commute despite having a small vent on its outer face.


Sound:
EusDLdo.png


Notes:
- Bass roll-off is not due to a lack of seal, this measurement was taken about half a dozen times with different fit depths and tips, all with the same result.
- 20hrs of burn-in, insignificant to those that don't believe, probably not enough for those that do, but I wouldn't expect a huge degree of change.
Bass:
- Light bass, poor extension in measurement and listening
- Bass is still well-present but never holds focus, what bass is reproduced is of fine quality for the price
- More upper-bass than the H3, smoother transition into its midrange
Mids:
- Lower-midrange still very laid-back, if to a lesser degree > male vocals lack density/body
- Centre midrange bump > female vocals not as laid-back as the H3 but still behind
- Upper midrange sounds slightly veiled, perhaps by contrast to the SEED's large treble emphasis
Highs:
- Immediate treble focus
- Crisp, aggressive lower-treble > thin instrumentation but some will enjoy the clarity
- BIG middle treble > heaps of air but tends to dominate the SEED's image
- Treble extension is pretty good for the price
Soundstage:
- Soundstage is large due to focus on air, distant midrange accentuates perception of size
- Poorly organised due to uneven signature
- Separation is fairly good as the SEED lies on the cooler, thinner side in tone and body

Verdict:
The SEED comes across as an okay earphone. Where listeners were critical of the H3 lying closer to $100 USD, I suppose some may be willing to spare the $30 SEED. Still, it demonstrates the same faults, and though its midrange is more even in signature, the nature of its bass and treble tuning result in a presentation that is just as unnatural. That's not to say that the SEED is a terrible earphone for it is one of the few treble-focussed earphones I've heard around this price, making it quite unique. I would still recommend the similarly priced but far more accurate and balanced Final E2000 and Adv M4 for the vast majority, though those less critical of timbre looking for an airy, comfortable earphone with a stable fit and removable cable (a big plus for durability) will no doubt want to check out the SEED.
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Very interesting take, Ryan

Is this before or after the Seed retuning?
 
Mar 7, 2018 at 8:54 PM Post #290 of 344
Dobrescu George said:
Very interesting take, Ryan

Is this before or after the Seed retuning?
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When did the retuning occur? From what I've heard, this may be before unless there are 3 variants out there.
 
Mar 9, 2018 at 5:09 AM Post #292 of 344
Steve13 said:
Its worst than h3. Trust me, otherwise why its only 49usd ? So yeah its much worse than h3 . So treat it as a cheap beginning iem, a daily use one rather than for audiophile. Thanks
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Can't tell if joking or not. But if this thing is worse than the H3 (and IMHO the H3 had some serious flaws sonically), then why did you release it?

If FiiO can release an earphone like the FH1 (which seriously is better than most of the competition up to $200) for USD 75.00 - then is it too much to expect that your new earphone (regardless of cost) is an improvement on the H3?

Sorry Steve - you lost me .......
 
Mar 9, 2018 at 5:23 AM Post #293 of 344
Ouch - just looked at the graph from Ryan, and his comments.

I know Crinnacle has a pair on order - will be interested to hear his thoughts. Looks like not a lot was learnt from the H3.

And to give an example - in following graph - green is my reference point (Alclair Curve). It is a little light on bass (due mainly to the nature of the BA), but you can see how balanced it is. FiiO's FH1 at $75 is the blue. The Kinera H3 is the red.

h3 v fh1 v curve.png
 
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Mar 9, 2018 at 6:53 AM Post #294 of 344
Brooko said:
Ouch - just looked at the graph from Ryan, and his comments.

I know Crinnacle has a pair on order - will be interested to hear his thoughts. Looks like not a lot was learnt from the H3.

And to give an example - in following graph - green is my reference point (Alclair Curve). It is a little light on bass (due mainly to the nature of the BA), but you can see how balanced it is. FiiO's FH1 at $75 is the blue. The Kinera H3 is the red.

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@ryanjsoo stated a new variation was coming. I have a new one coming, too (as well as the old). Albeit I am probably not the expert to which you need a response from, Paul. My ears aren’t good enough (being serious, here).
 
Mar 9, 2018 at 7:12 AM Post #295 of 344
ngoshawk said:
@ryanjsoo stated a new variation was coming. I have a new one coming, too (as well as the old). Albeit I am probably not the expert to which you need a response from, Paul. My ears aren’t good enough (being serious, here).
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I'd just like to see them do well with their tuning. They have the basics there, and they are very good with ergonomics. Get the tuning right, and they are onto a winner. They need to understand less is more though. Thats where Trinity went wrong. They tried to do vivid, exciting, coloured - and ended up with a mess. Here's hoping Kinera can get it right.
 
Mar 9, 2018 at 10:23 AM Post #296 of 344
Why would anyone say that. I mean if you're making a cheaper product, at least give it potential. Don't straight up say that it's gonna be worse than everything else that's slightly more expensive.

I've had $50 IEMs before that could easily compare to others that are worth twice that.
 
Mar 9, 2018 at 7:20 PM Post #298 of 344
Mar 9, 2018 at 9:13 PM Post #300 of 344
Dobrescu George said:
@HiFiChris what happened to your blog? O_O

@airil H3 has a very specific tuning with a strong treble, if you like lots of treble, it should be good.

I do not know 1more trilple, so cannot compare to that
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George,
It's the E1001, reviewed by Chris, but his blog isn't available anymore. Or is it just me?
 
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