KEFINE DELCI: Kefine's Cultivation Tuning

KEFINE makes a name on the audio industry since of its inception last year as the subsequent release of their first ever product model, The KEFINE KLANAR in which is an exceptional device on its own right with its build quality, comfortability and sound quality for a planar magnetic IEM. The KEFINE espousing this particular view that we consumers can have a high quality product at a fairly affordable price for budget-conscious audio enthusiasts.

And now I will introduce their latest product, the KEFINE DELCI. The DELCI is a single driver IEM and it uses a 10mm dynamic driver as its transducer's main component to transmit audio signals. The dynamic driver itself is a dual-cavity layout with composite diaphragm made of DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) and PU (Polyurethane) materials and these materials will ensure a precise and responsive vibration for a rich and deep bass, clear midrange and smooth yet detailed treble.

The driver is encased in a compact, CNC-milled solid aluminium alloy chassis that is rated to be an aircraft-grade one as it offers a high yield strength and fatigue resistance while maintaining a lightweight. The chassis were sandblasted and anodised to achieve that texture on its surface and it has gun metal grey colour finish on it. On its  faceplate, there's an embossing circle with the brand logo inside and also, there's two vent holes at the cavity base part of the shell chassis for releasing excess air pressure generated from its high performance driver. The connector that KEFINE implemented on DELCI is a standard bi-pin connector which makes cable swapping more easier to do and somehow more stable in connection.

As for its stock cable, it is quite flexible and supple to hold and its overall construction is sturdy enough and somehow of a good quality. It has a four-core structure with  multi-strand copper wires with a 3.5mm termination plug on its end.

On product packaging, the DELCI is quite neat and simple in presentation in a rectangular packaging box but at least it has some accessories that will be useful and touches the bases.

Here are the following contents included in KEFINE DELCI packaging box:

• Pair of KEFINE DELCI IEM transducers.
• Stock cable
• 3 pairs of balanced bore silicone eartips in different standard sizes.
• 3 pairs of wide bore silicone eartips in different standard sizes.
• PU-leather storage case.
• Paperwork like user manual, warranty card and Q.C. stub.

Regarding its power scaling, this set is fairly sensitive that it can be even amplified with sources with decent power output. However, if this set will be paired with more capable sources with better power output, it will sound more vivid that it encompasses the full range of its frequency spectrum

The KEFINE DELCI has a warmish-balanced tonality in a U-shaped sound signature as it has evident emphasis on lows and high frequencies rather than midrange frequency.

(Frequency graph was provided by [USER=516219]@baskingshark[/USER] , credits to him)

LOWS/BASS:

The first notion that comes to my thoughts about this particular section in the frequency range is that bass quantity and quality are somehow balanced between sub bass and mid bass section. The overall bass response is quite punchy, tactile and exudes with authority that makes it more smashing

I clearly felt the reverberating subbass presence that were generated from instruments like octobasses, synthesisers, drum machines and low octave sound from both bass guitars and double-bass. The midbass part is fairly well-textured as it gives more depth and volume on bass clef instruments and some male vocals note weight. The bass guitars have a broad, weighty and sombre sound in which the double bass  also share similar sound characteristics while bass kick drums have full and pounding sound that surprisingly can play well with fast double bass drums from metal tracks, and bass trumpets have full, warm and dark timbre on them. Meanwhile, both bass and bass-baritone vocals have ample deep, heft and volume on their respective guttural and boomy characteristics.

MIDRANGE:

On its midrange presentation, it is quite notched on its overall arrangement across its frequency range but it has a warmth, density and smoothness on vocals and instruments to sound full and natural. I consider this set as a versatile and all-rounder one on both instrument and vocal presentation.

When it comes to the vocal department on both male and female, baritones have smooth, lushness and velvety on their voices that covers from lightest light baritone up to the deep and fuller noble baritone type. Tenors have brassy, ringy and luscious on their voices as they sound tremulous and well-modulated while countertenors have tender, light and sweet characteristics on their vocals. Contralto vocals are depicted accurately on this one as it has rich, smokey and strong with a sufficient fullness and volume on their voices while mezzo-sopranos have velvety and golden sound to give an emotive and soothing feel, and then sopranos have creamy and silkiness that suits well with dramatic and lyric types of this particular voice type.

On instruments, It appears that they sound quite natural and pleasant on how most types of instruments are depicted on this set. Strings like guitars (acoustic) and violins sound a bit meaty with good decay and lustrous yet solemn respectively. The brass instruments with the likes of trumpets, trombones, tubas and horns, trumpets have magnificent and full sound, trombones sound solid and rounded, tubas have a sonorous yet soothing sound and then horns have these velvety and clear sounds. In reference with woodwinds on their sound, concert flutes have a mellow yet rich sound while piccolos have graceful sound, clarinets have warmth with some richness of its sound and saxophones have warm and a tad sombre sound on it. Regarding percussive instruments, snares drums have hard and sharp while tom-toms have warm and resonant sound, field drums have sonorous and tad boominess on their sound and kettledrums have a ponderous and heavy sound. Pianos seem to have a warm to balanced sound with some rich overtones on them.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

Smooth, relaxed and inoffensive, those are my initial impressions on how the treble response of DELCI was tuned. That noticeable evenness across the upper-mids and presence part of the treble region will give an overall pleasant sound even to the treble-sensitive folk out there will have less peaky and shrilly female vocals, so sibilance and harshness will be non-existent that will ever occur.

The airy presentation on its brilliance treble region appears to have less extension but somehow, it has a sufficient sparkle for cymbals, hi-hats, glockenspiels and celestas. Cymbals have full and resonant sound while hi-hats have a shortened buzzing sound. And then, glockenspiels have bell-like and lustrous sound either on keyboard or mallet-type and celestas have sweet and velvety sound on them to give that distinctly “heavenly tone”.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

The overall sound/speaker stage presentation is quite pretty above-average on its sound field dimensions with a median size lateral span on its width, excellent height reach and depth distance on how I perceived it within my head room that makes it a bit more intimate.

On its stereo imaging, it projects an almost atmospheric-like presentation in a decently layer of frequencies and tones from each instrument and vocals in a soundscape with remarkable separation for a single DD set. And so, playing some complex tracks will not be an issue on this one as it doesn't sound veiled and congested at all.

Coherence performance of its driver is quite pretty responsive on how it delivers a fast transient response without any distortion at all. Regarding its resolution capabilities, while this is not the most resolving single DD set that was tested, it has solid macro-dynamics and a rather acceptable micro-detail retrieval on extracting some nuances and details from an audio track.

PEER COMPARISONS:

ORIVETI OD100

• ORIVETI's current entry-level set at under US$100/£80 and like the DELCI, It has single driver configuration with a 9.2mm dynamic driver along with DLC diaphragm that was also encased in a solid aluminium alloy shell. In terms of quality and quantity of accessories, both OD100 and DELCI are quite similar as the two of them have good quality cables, some choices of ear tips and storage cases.
• The OD100 has a similar tonality with the DELCI but it has a more V-shaped sound profile with more emphasis on upper-mids and presence treble aside from a more recessed midrange presentation. It has a punchy with some hint of mid bass bleeding across the midrange to give that warmer and textured sound on vocals and instruments. Treble is a tad brighter compared to the DELCI but it has a corresponding modest airy extension.
• As for technicalities, if it was collated with the DELCI, the OD100 has a narrower sound/speaker stage size, a typical two-dimensional stereo panning, a rather bog standard layering and separation and less resolving particularly on micro-dynamics.

SIMGOT EW200

• Like the DELCI, it has a metal shell chassis and single dynamic driver arrayed in a dual chambered configuration with a newer hybrid composite material on its diaphragm. The shells of the EW200 have a mirror-finished surface  with similar compact size with the DELCI. While it has a good amount of inclusions but it only has one type of eartips inside the box.
• The EW200's sound signature still has a Harmanish-tuning that most SIMGOT sets are aligned with some slight modification to give some differentiating sound profile. Compared to DELCI, EW200 has more sub-bass presence with less textured mid bass to give that clean and tight bass response, a leaner but an energetic and more transparent midrange presentation and then, a bright, crisper and more sparkling treble response with moderate airy extension for single dynamic driver set.
• Regarding its technical performance, it has a similar sound field size and a typical two-dimensional stereo presentation in comparison with DELCI but EW200 is a bit better on layering and separation and pretty resolving in particular resolution aspect, micro-detail retrieval.

EPZ Q1 PRO

• While this set is also a single driver IEM with composite diaphragm on its 10mm dynamic driver, but its shell structure was made of medical-grade resin that was 3D-printed and takes a shape on a more UIEM-type form factor. On its included accessories, it has a velvet bag pouch as its storage case, a balanced bore eartips and a monocrystalline copper cable which are elementary compared to the DELCI which has more quantity in terms of inclusions.
• The EPZ Q1 PRO has a quite similar tuning with DELCI which also has a warm U-shaped sound profile. It has rumbly with ample textured mid bass to give a more tactile bass response, a warm and well-balanced midrange presentation and it has an accentuated upper mids up to the presence part but still retain some semblance of its smooth and inoffensive treble presentation with a moderate airy extension on its brilliance part of the treble region.
• As for its technical performance, the Q1 PRO has an average to above average sound field size, a concave stereo imaging presentation with mediocre layering but decent separation. On resolution capability, this set is also quite pretty resolving in both macro-dynamics and micro-detail retrieval for a single DD set.

Despite of being a new player in a portable audio industry, KEFINE seems to know the current state of the audio market pretty well and this product is the result of diligent research that it was developed to cater the demands of audio enthusiasts who were budget-conscious but wants a well-tuned IEM with good build quality at reasonable price.

This set is truly aimed towards audio enthusiasts who want a fun, musical and engaging type of tuning as it gives some vibes of a good analogue-ish type of tuning which is warm and pleasant to enjoy on a listening session. No doubt that I will truly recommend this set especially if you are a type of audio enthusiast that I mentioned to whom the DELCI is aiming for.

The KEFINE DELCI is now available to some online vendor platforms. Just simply check out the links below.

★★KEFINE DELCI - OFFICIAL STORE★★

★★KEFINE DELCI - LINSOUL★★

★★KEFINE DELCI - HIFIGO★★

For more KEFINE product reviews, here is my review of KEFINE KLANAR.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: KEFINE DELCI

IMPEDANCE: 28Ω

SENSITIVITY: 108dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m

PIN TYPE: 0.78 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S):  (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER

PROS:

● Affordable for its asking price

● While it has metal shell chassis, it still has the compactness and somehow, weighs fairly light

● Somehow, pretty well-accessorised as it has a good quality storage case and two types of ear tips to choose from.

● Quite easy to drive 

● It has an ample warmth and musical tonality 

● Relatively well-balanced bass response f

● Rich and smooth midrange presentation.

● All-rounder for vocals and instruments as almost they sound very natural yet engaging.

● Smooth and well-polished treble response

● Somehow, it has a capable technical capability for a single DD set.

CONS:

● Will not recommend this one to audio enthusiasts who prefer a neutral tuning and analytical technical performance.

● The treble air is rather modest.

● Wishing for a wider sound/speaker size and this set on the intimate side of a perceived spatial head room.

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 KEFINE 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 Mr. Collin Yang for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate his generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.