Sound Impressions
I used a Luxury & Precision W4 dongle set to 42 volume with a Penon Totem USB-C cable to evaluate the KE4s, as I generally listen at lower volumes. Here is the Tidal Playlist used to evaluate IEMs.
The KE4s utilise 2DDs in isobaric configuration for bass, one BA for mids & another BA for treble. Their character is smooth & well balanced, with slightly emphasised sub bass & uppper midrange and fairly sedate, inoffensive treble. I find them mildly reminiscent of Harman tuned IEMs.
Bass
KE4 bass output is very capable with ample quantity for bass-driven music. I find there’s a slight emphasis towards sub bass, and feel a little more midbass presence would’ve been nice to give instruments like cellos some extra weight.
Sadly KE4 bass texture isn’t the greatest – this is often the hallmark of 2DD IEMs, who’s bass can decay fairly quickly which is terrific for overall responsiveness but can leave you missing some of that visceral meatiness IEMs with slower single-DDs can possess.
Bass is by no means lacklustre, but I wouldn’t call it class-leading at this pricepoint.
Midrange
The KE4 midrange is slight skewed towards emphasising upper midrange which aids vocal articulation, and indeed vocal resolution is correspondingly impressive for this price. However there’s a lack of earthiness, which means vocals can feel a little floaty and lacking in weight at times.
Instruments like guitars are articulated extremely well despite the smooth overall character of the KE4, yet I’d love a bit more warmth to give voices more body.
Tonally the KE4s are quite neutral which leads to them sounding very clear & distinct, there’s a slight reminiscence of the nasally upper-midrange forwardness of Harman IEMs but it’s very minor.
Treble
Treble is fairly muted on the KE4s, and I find treble notes tend to lack solidity and will at times feel grainy, but that’s to be expected from an IEM in this price with a just two BA drivers.
Treble notes lack the body & sweetness present in high-end earphones (particularly those with EST drivers) and violins can come across as a little shaky & indistinct.
That said if you’re particularly treble sensitive you’re unlikely to encounter issues with the KE4s.
Technical Performance
KE4 resolution is slightly below average, not vague enough to feel important details are being obscured but I do need to hunt for details occasionally, and notes can feel slightly blunted & soft.
Dynamics are slightly disappointing, largely caused by the stock cable. Upgrading to almost any balanced cable rectifies this greatly, but out of the box dynamics are below par.
Soundstage is about average for this price range, there is some sense of depth but width is slightly narrower than many other IEMs under $500. Again this is another attribute improvable with a better cable.
Imaging & separation aren’t bad, more treble emphasis would probably help here. The KE4s are not technical monsters even at their respective pricepoint, but instead encourage you to focus your attention on their smooth, non-fatiguing nature.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
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