Kinera. I was recently introduced to this little up and coming brand. Last week, I tried Kinera’s Idun, and I was extremely impressed by the quality of sound (and aesthetics) for the price. So, I decided to check out one of their most affordable models, the Sif. And again, I was far from disappointed. At $37, what can you expect from these pretty white IEMs? Let’s take a look in this Kinera Sif IEM Review.

IN the BOX

FIT

The Sif is very light, and the smooth contours make them comfortable to wear for long periods of time.They’re also reasonably small, and fit very snugly in my little ears, providing some decent sound isolation as well.

DESIGN

It’s unusual to find such an affordable IEM with a detachable cable. And if you’re a budding audiophile on a small budget, the Sif is a great entry-level choice. 

Kinera is still working on a website, so there’s not too much info in terms of design. But based on the specs written on the box, the Sif sports a single 10mm dynamic driver and has a standard frequency range of 20 Hz - 20 kHz. With an impedance and sensitivity of 32 Ohms and 110 dB respectively, the Sif is also very easy to drive. And even my 95 year old grandfather said he got enough volume from these buds. Of course, I was playing Michael Jackson, and he thought it was Stravinsky. Details, details…

As for the IEM shells themselves, the plastic feels a little cheap and hollow. So, there’s not too much solidity to them, and I doubt they’ll outlive your cat. That being said, the cable is pretty thick and the terminations look relatively sturdy.

SOUND

Lows

Fat and forward leaning, this yuge bass gives tons of punch to pop tracks. There’s also some nice subbiness here too. And low end gives plenty of warmth and richness to rock tracks. So, if you’re a sucker for weighty, meaty sound, these buds are perfect. Moving onto classical string instruments, the detail was a little lacking and the tonality was less than natural, but that’s to be expected with this kind of sound signature at this price point.

Mids

There’s good presence in this range with a relatively even balance between the low and high mids. So, listening to rock and pop-rock choruses, you’ll get a full bodied and comprehensive sound, even if the bass frequencies overshadow the low mids at times. And because the upper mids avoid emphasis, you won’t experience any harshness in this range. So, in short, this a rich and easy listening IEM. In terms of separation, the Sif is also a very clean IEM for the price. The layering of instruments is tidy, especially as you reach the higher frequencies. At the same time, there’s a tenderness or softness in the way that the Sif handles acoustic instruments, like guitars. So, it’s certainly not a heavy-handed sound. And it reminds me a little of a Sennheiser IEM in this respect. In terms of detail, you’ll hear a little more nuance in this frequency range when listening to classical strings, for example. And it’s pleasingly cohesive and fluid, lending itself well to the gracefulness of these kind of instruments.

Highs

Listening to pop, you’ll get some satisfying crispy percussion that gives the track that snappy feel. Often, headphones at this price point (with this kind of sound profile) can have a slightly tinny character. But I didn’t experience this issue with the Sif.  And what’s most impressive in this range is the transparency. Violins had a good amount substance and resolve, while vocals revealed plenty of breath and subtle modulations.

Soundstage

The sound profile has a little reverb on it, giving the listener the impression of a more spacious soundstage. That being said, instruments didn’t reach too far in terms of width. Still, you will hear dimension in terms of height and depth. And there’s enough precision with respect to imaging to give the track a multidimensional feel.

SUMMARY

For 37 bucks, the Sif is a fantastic quality IEM. And I would put it up there with some of Final Audio’s most affordable models. It’s also relatively versatile, making it suitable for those who listen across genres. Add to this a detachable MMCX cable and effective sound isolation, and you’ve got a solid deal.

To purchase the Sif, click on the link below:

Kinera Sif