KINERA IDUN GOLDEN: Rejuvenating And Reinvigorated Tuning

Idun, Idunn or Idunna is a Norse Goddess which is correlated with the golden apples that grants immortality to other gods and goddesses. She is a goddess of juvenescence among those who venerated her who were seeking eternal youth. Her tale revolves around her abduction by Thjazi due to the machinations and schemes by Loki that affects the youthfulness of most pantheons in Asgard. (I'm familiar with Norse Mythology, History of Scandinavia and Viking sagas)

It seems that Kinera somehow fixated on Norse mythology with their products as their naming convention on their model items are  based on the deities of Norse mythos. I'm actually familiar with the Kinera brand since 2018 and I've tested their Kinera Seed before and my initial impression on it is very unpleasant and leaves me with a cranky face.

After four years of being active on the audio enthusiasts community scene, I have this new set from Kinera due to the insistence of a fellow reviewer and one of my closest mate in the audio community to at least try it out and I finally obliged on his request. (thanks Edz a.k.a. RemedyMusic)

Kinera Idun/Idunn Golden is a variant of the Kinera Idun which was released in 2018. The difference of these variants appears to be on the implementation of drivers which Idun Golden has upgraded balanced armature drivers, one of them is a Knowles BA driver. Because of the included premium Knowles BA, Idun Golden is almost twice the price of the original Idun.

The transducers implemented on Kinera Idun Golden are two (2) balanced armature drivers and single 7mm titanium-plated with polyurethane diaphragm dynamic driver for bass. Regarding these balanced armatures, the Knowles BA driver that I have mentioned before was implemented in this item is a Knowles RAF-32873 which is a full-range frequency BA and it handles the midrange and a customised Kinera BA (probably a custom Bellsing) for treble range.

We are aware that Kinera products are one of the best lookers out there with their eye-pleasing aesthetic design on its shells and Idun Golden is no different. It's shell chassis that encloses the transducers is made of medical-grade resin and it is so light that it really rests well in my lug holes. Its aesthetic design on its faceplate reminds me of a Norse world tree called Yggdrasill. Good thing that Kinera still implemented a 2-pin connector which is more logical and proven to be more durable than other types of connector.

Wearing the Kinera Idunn Golden is a pleasurable experience on how it sits well to my concha along with a good passive isolation through insertion to my lug holes from external noise. Certainly that this is one of the UIEM shells that I've encountered that really fit snugly without any hint of discomfort or stress.

Another thing to heed upon Kinera Idun Golden is how they presented their product in a very presentable and orderly manner. The packaging box is of a hexagon shape which also corresponds with some archeological findings of metal works such as brooches and rings in Norse culture in Scandinavia.

Here are the inclusions inside of the packaging box:

● Kinera Idun Golden IEM.

● A cream coloured zippered IEM case.

● 2 pairs of memory foam ear tips.

● 7 pairs of silicone ear tips of different standard sizes.

● 4.4mm termination plug.

● 6.35mm adapter plug.

● A hexagonal-shaped paperwork.

● A Kinera Ace modular cable.

Speaking of Kinera Ace modular, it is an 8-core, 4N OFC silver plated cable. Due to its modular design, you can replace and plug it with another termination plug like 4.4mm balanced beside its 3.5mm TRS termination plug. I was really impressed by its design and you will really feel it with its high quality build on it.

As for driveability, Kinera Idun Golden can be powered with decent power output sources from multimedia devices such smartphones, laptops and tablets. But if you want the best sound experience for this set, feed it with better device sources with quality Hi-fi DACs/amps and it really defines the dynamic and full potential of sound quality of Idun Golden.

Regarding its tonality, Kinera Idun Golden is of reference-neutral sound signature, it is a type of neutrality which has a more prominent midrange and treble with just a sufficient elevation on the bass region to give a more balanced sound in overall frequency range spectrum. This is actually one of my preferred sound signatures.

Here's my observation of sound characteristics of each frequency range section.

LOWS/BASS:

Due to its reference-neutral sound signature, The bass quality of Kinera Idun Golden is precise, articulate and well-regulated. It gives a really clean and tight bass response that a reference-neutral should sound like.

Sub bass is somehow agreeable that I discerningly hear those reverberations and rumble with a gradual ebbing towards its depth. I can assuredly share my observation on this one due the fact that I listen to some of my favourite synth-pop tracks with sub bass driven instruments like synthesizers, electric drums and some bass guitars.

Midbass is adequately textured that it gives an ample body on bass guitars, bass kicks and bass-baritones vocals. It gives a resonant and enough broad sound of bass guitars, a rumbling and sonorous sound of bass kicks (I'm actually enjoying to listen those detailed bass kicks on Skas and 2-tones tracks here), and lastly, an ample depth and sustaining vocal clarity on bass-baritone which has an enough note weight on them.

Due to a clean bass response, other part frequency ranges have defined its own segmented characteristics and clean delivery that not a hint on bass spillover was detected.

MIDRANGE:

This is absolutely the strength of Idun Golden, its clean, neutral, translucent and detailed with a sufficient  amount of texture and warmth to make all instruments and vocals sound very organic and life-like.

If you are already a reader of my previous review articles, Midcentric tuning is one of my preferred tuning and I want vocals and instruments to be presented forward in the sonic canvas and good thing that Idun Golden delivers it. Both male and female vocals work pretty well as it has a dense note weight, a fair reasonable power on male vocals to have that gruff and gravelly to give  authoritative delivery in all vocal types and registry especially on tenors and falsettos. Female vocals sound very open and energetic, brimming with details that all I can  speak about is that it has a very euphonic, luscious and soothing sound. It really mesmerises my vocal-centric senses after all. Soprano singers indeed have an angelic-like and very provocative articulation.

Instruments on this set sounds especially the strings and woodwinds very natural that some listeners who were used to attuned on sharper and eddy definition as a bit obtuse on their liking. Guitars have a sufficient crisp, good presence and well-defined overtones as its specific tuning of some guitar-laden tracks ( I listened to some Jimmy Hendrix , Jimmy Page of Led Zep, Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big fame and Malmsteen tracks), a vibrant and lively sound of a violin, a velvety sound of saxophone and brilliant to shrill sound of a flute. Percussives also exhibit an organic and well-heeded sound that gives a marked sound of a snare drum to be sharp and cracking, tom drum sounds sonorous and hard hitting and finally the sound of a piano evidently has a vivid and lively sound for every stroke on its keys.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

My initial impression of the treble of Idun Golden is more on the brighter side, with such pristine and quite particularising but there are some significant factors that I'm nitpicking on this one which I will describe later.

It has some inherent peaks on the upper mids to presence region that it will give a whisper of sibilance especially in sibilant-laden tracks but not really my concern as I think it remains restrained not to give any more hisses. Stridency isn't particularly an issue as I don't hear any grating and harsher tones.

For every cymbal strikes that I hear, it gives me that lustrous sound and yet soft soughing as it gives me an impression it has the lack of that snap and crash that I really want. It has  even just an average sizzle that give me that unremarkable airiness which I think is just a middling extension. Hi-hats seems pretty accurate as it has this distinct "chicky" sound which I describe as a shortened sizzle.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

Idun Golden has an average to above average soundstage, with equally proportionate depth and height in which it gives a decent headroom on the spatial sound field which give me some holographic feel.

Imaging is fair enough to be creditable that I can locate the placements of instruments and vocals within its perceived spatial points. It has has sufficient gap and separation on each element but layering capabilities isn't one of its technical strengths as its distinct dynamic and layering isn't well-defined on its arrangement but surprisingly despite of that particular issue on layering it doesn't give me a sense of turbulent and congested  sound  even when I listened to a more complex and instrument tracks which leave me on state of bewilderment.

Resolution capabilities is more of an above average in my rating as it has good detail retrieval and a valid macro-dynamics presentation.

The coherency of its hybrid driver setup with its performance seems to have a very cohesive and solid performance with its good speed, decay and precise attack without any hitches nor distortion. Tonal colour is on natural sound with just a tad of brightness.

PEER COMPARISONS:

See Audio Yume Regular (2021)

● Both have equally beautiful IEM shells, See Audio has a silicone diaphragm dynamic driver with 2 Knowles BA drivers which is similar  Idun Golden has titanium coated DD and 2 BA drivers, one Knowles and one "customised" Kinera. They have both good cables but I prefer Kinera's stock cable due its thicker and has an option of modular terminations.

● Despite that they both have neutral tuning, Yume is more of a balanced-neutral and Idun Golden is a reference-neutral set. Yume is more sub bass focus while Idun Golden is mid bass which I really prefer. Mids of both IEMs are equally good mids which gives me a hard choice on choosing between them on which has an advantage. I still prefer the Yume for its more detailed and crystalline sound quality, especially on vocals. Trebles of both sets are eerily similar but I give it tonIdun Golden by a hairline due the fact that it has more air than Yume but still not the best when it comes to airy extension.

● Technicalities on both sets are even similar in performance, but Idun Golden has wider soundstage. They even have this sense of holographic feel. Yume is better on the layering aspect.

AUDIOSENSE DT300 (2021)

● Again, both have aesthetically eye pleasing shells, DT300 is a tad hefty compared to lighter Idun Golden. It has an all-BA setup and all of them are Knowles drivers. DT300 uses a durable MMCX connector while Idun Golden has a more sturdy and proven 2-pin connector which I prefer.Both of them are equally generous when it comes to inclusions, Idun Golden has better stock cable while DT300 has a good Pelican-like IEM Case.

● As for tonality, this is where the real clash on both IEMs really matters as to why DT300 has an upper hand over Idun Golden. Both have different approaches on neutrality, DT300 has balanced-neutral with almost uncoloured tonality. Bass is even more well-defined with even more punchy despite that it has a Woofer BA, Midrange is more textured which gives a lusher and even more organic but retain its detail clarity on the DT300 either on vocals and instruments. Treble on this DT300 is more smoother, good details and even has more air. Sibilance on DT300 is absolutely absent.

● Technicalities-wise, Idun Golden stood no chance against the DT300. DT300 has a wider soundstage with equally good height and depth that gives a very spacious headroom with its spatial field, Not even on imaging, separation and even layering capability, DT300 has more accurate on pinpointing the placement of elements on a track whether its instrumentalists or vocalists, it also has a  very noticeable spacing and gap of each instruments and very well-arranged placement of respective frequency layering in the mix. As for resolution capability, its up to the listener's preference, a more sharper definition of Idun Golden or a more naturalness of DT300.

To conclude this review, Kinera Idun Golden is a very astonishing good set. With a  gorgeous looking shell along with quality inclusions inside the box, a very capable modular cable and a likeable, neutral sounding for people who want to experience a high fidelity sound in a reasonable price, Kinera Idun Golden will be an easy recommendation.

Nonetheless with my preferences, Kinera Idun Golden still needs some refinement when it comes to technical aspects and just a little bit on the treble part. But with its tonally neutral tuning and an enough analytical performance without being too dry and clinical sounding, Kinera Idun Golden will certainly outweigh those particular concerns after all.

Kinera Idun Golden is currently price around US$169/ £149.50.

Interested in purchasing Kinera Idun Golden, Just click HERE.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: KINERA IDUN GOLDEN

IMPEDANCE: 32Ω

SENSITIVITY: 113dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  20Hz – 20KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M

PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVER

PROS:

● Definitely has a very gorgeous looking shell and also a lightweight one for comfortable listening session.

● High-quality stock cable with modular capability.

● Neutral and clean tuning.

● Transparent and detailed midrange.

● Above-average soundstage width.

●  Appealing  and engaging vocal-focus tuning.

CONS:

▽ Some occurrences of sibilance. (on sibilant-laden tracks)

▽ Inadequacies on treble air and whack on cymbal strikes.

▽ Well, tough luck on adherent bassheads on this one.

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 *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to KINERA 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 thank Edz Cuizon a.k.a. RemedyMusic Reviews for lending me this review unit. Please checkout his reviews also, He is one of the most capable and competent audio reviewer out there.