Kinera Verdandi Review: An absolute spicy relation!

Kinera Verdandi Review

‘How beautiful an IEM can be!’—that was my first impression after holding the Verdandi in my hands. This is one of the most beautiful IEMs I have seen until now. They are comparably bulky in size but very lightweight; that’s fantastic! My first impression about the sound is kind of mixed! I mean, I’ve expected a warm, balanced kind of tuning, but due to the wrong source choice, it felt like there was only midrange with the vocal on my face and nothing else. Then, after exploring the IEM with different sources, I realize that this is a very thoughtfully tuned earphone with good texture & details.

Source pairing is very important with this set. I’ve done a lot of mix & match to find the best pairing, which I will describe later in this review. Also, the tips and cable played a big role. Though the supplied cable and tips are excellent in quality, a little shuffling & rolling can give a different experience. There will be a dedicated part about this in the review as usual.

Hisenior Mega5EST

DISCLAIMER

KINERA was kind enough to send me the Verdandi to review. I am not affiliated with Kinera, and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘Kinera Verdandi review’ are my subjective thoughts.

One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape & depth of the ear canal.

For your personal purchase, checkout GEEK MART or KINERA for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated links).

GEAR USED

●   DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Cayin N3 Ultra, iBasso DX180, Tempo Tac V3
●   DAC: KAEI Design TAP2, ifi Hip DAC 2, xDuoo XD-05 Plus (with BB OPA 2604), Cayin RU7, iBasso DC04 Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, Celest CD-10, Celest CD-20 Hidizs SD8 Pro Robin, Moondrop Dawn Pro.
●   Smart Device: Poco X3, Xiaomi MiPad 5
●   Files: Spotify, local Hi-Res FLAC & DSD files.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

● Driver: 1 BC, 1DD, 2 BA, 2 EST
● Frequency response: 20Hz- 50kHz
● Impedance: 14Ω
● Sensitivity: 105db
● Cable: Monocrystallin Copper + High purity 4N Silver
● Pin Type: 2 pin, 0.78mm
● Cable Length: 1.2m
● Plug Type: 4pin ditacheble (4.4mm & 3.5mm)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

● Kinera Verdandi IEMs
● Silver-mix cable
● 4.4mm & 3.5mm plug
● 3 pairs Crystal ear tips, 5 pairs final E tips, 3 pairs silocon tips, 1 pair Foam tips
● Lether made carrying case
● Cleaning cloth & brush
● Some official papers

UNBOXING EXPERIENCE

This experience is premium. When you encounter the hexagonal pack, you may remember the Freya. But this one is more beautiful. Inside the box, everything is organized very well in foam cutouts. The IEMs are in the middle, and the interchangeable plugs are on the left & right. On the upper side, the Azla Crystal & Final E (black) tips are seated. And in the bottom part, there lies a cute little carrying pouch, inside of which you will have the stock cable with foam and silicon tips.

It will give you a very welcoming environment, and you will feel the premiumness of unboxing a kilo-buck IEM.

BUILD & DESIGN

Named after a mythological character, the Verdandy’s build and design are eye-catching and fantastic. Completely built with resin, it’s light but sturdy. The faceplates are designed with attention, and they look like cosmic paintings. The black background is decorated with gold & white swirls, almost like shiny stars in a midnight sky. The cable quality is equally impressive and has a golden sparkle in it. It is a silver-mix monocrystalline copper cable that looks stylish and feels durable. The interchangeable terminal is tight & sturdy, and the plugs don’t come off easily.

Do I need to mention anything about Azla Crystal & Final E (black) ear tips? I don’t think so. Let’s talk about the little pouch. Made with leather, the carrying pouch is a sweet-looking thing, I must say. Though it’s not big & bulky, it has enough room to hold the IEMs with the cable attached—no problem at all. Overall, the build and design quality of Verdandy are awesome in one word.

FIT & COMFORT

The shells are on the bigger side, but not huge. Remember, it holds six drivers inside. Due to the ergonomic shape of the shells, it feels comfortable in the ear. But it may give you some discomfort in longer listening sessions. 1-2 hours of listening was OK for me, but when it comes to marathon sessions, I felt it a bit painful for my ears to hold them. The supplied ear tips are top-notch and are very comfortable. If you are already on this audiophile journey, I think you know how comfortable Azla & Finals are! The cable is soft but a bit tangly and with memory, but that’s not a huge problem. There is almost no destructive microphonics it creates.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS

My first impression of this IEM is not that pleasant at all, due to its forward vocal presentation. But then I realize that it acts differently with different sources (it’s normal, right?). With any mid-centric source, the midrange feels a bit forward with too-forward vocals. But if you pair it with warm, analog kinds of sources, the experience will be very different. So, before we jump in, I need to mention that I tested this IEM with all of the sources in my possession to find out its different characteristics. My review on the ‘sound section’ will be based on that experience.

Here is the frequency graph (courtesy: Gizaudio):

Let’s dive deep…

SUB-BASS

The Kinera Verdandy has a bone conduction driver for the bass region. That means you can ‘feel’ the sub bass more than you can hear it. And to get the most out of it, the selection of ear tips is important. Just select one size smaller than your regular fit to sit the IEMs in your ears briefly; that will do the magic. With balanced and warm sources, the sub-bass comes out with good body and texture. And with more neutral and bright sources, the sub-bass shows a good texture but lacks its body. It is your personal choice which kind of presentation you like. I’m a true warm head, so I pair this IEM with my N3 Ultra, TAP2 (with tube on), and xDuoo XD05 Plus and got a fantastic experience.

While listening to “Run Like Hell (PULSE)” by my favorite band, Pink Floyd, it feels like the sub-bass is all around me. The lower notes are coming to me like fluids, and they float all around my head. The song’s driving rhythm and deep bass lines are rendered with impressive clarity and depth. As the track progresses, the IEM captures the pulsating bass guitar and kick drum with precision and a true-to-life type of texture. It is really a captivating experience.

MID-BASS

The mid-bass is punchy and has its speed. The quality and quantity are really very good. The bone conduction driver also plays a good role here by adding a little haptic feedback kind of sensation. And the warmth in sub-bass also makes the mid-bass region a bit warm. And for that, it doesn’t feel dry, even though it has a very good texture. I personally love the weight in every thump it delivers. This area is one of the most enjoyable parts of Verdandy, from my point of view. You won’t miss the speed, but it still isn’t dry or like the mid-bass you’ll hear in any analytical set. It has details, texture, & warmth at the same time.

This IEM shows its rich and deep bass response when I was listening to “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits. The bass is plentiful and full-bodied, yet it doesn’t overwhelm the listener. This balance allows me to fully appreciate and enjoy the groove and energy of the song. The mid-bass is so impactful that you will feel like you are there in the studio while the band is recording the song. It’s a very well-balanced and engaging portrayal of music.

VOCALS

This is where this set shows some problems for some listeners. This set is tuned in a manner where the vocals, both male & female, are presented forward in the soundstage. The vocals are super clear and don’t mix with any other frequency. But the forwardness sometimes will let you miss the enjoyment of ‘total music.’ And if you use it with warm analog sources and PEQ a bit (especially in the 4K to 5K region), this problem just goes away. But if you are someone who loves forwarded vocals, you will enjoy them any time, any day.

MALE

Male vocals presented a bit dry but very textured due to the utter separation. I already mentioned it, but I will mention it again: the vocals are so, so clear, and they don’t mix with anything! But to me, this little less warmth and weight in male vocals is not enjoyable. I used PEQ to tame it down, and boooom… they came out just right.

Moody vocals of David Coverdale in “Soldier of Fortune” by Deep Purple presented with proper note and texture. It creates an airy presentation, with the energetic upper midrange adding a sense of spaciousness without sharpness. I enjoyed every bit of it, and I even listened to this song 10-12 times in a row!

FEMALE

As I said earlier, the vocals are so clear and forward, and for that, the female vocals feel super energetic and sparkly. If you love this kind of female vocal presentation, then you don’t need to do anything other than enjoy it. But if you are someone like me who is sensitive to shiny female vocals, PEQ is your friend here. The female vocals also have good texture, resolution, details, and tone, though a bit thin if you don’t EQ it.

Dido’s calm and smooth voice in her “Thank You” track is a testament to the ability of Verdandy. It allows the nuances of Dido’s performance to shine through. It didn’t miss a single detail; even when she was breathing in between the lyrics, it felt like she was breathing close to my ears… wow!

INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION

Listening to music with the Kinera Verdandi is like being in a large room where every instrument has its own place. The earphones sound quite wide, with good depth and height, so you can easily pick out different instruments. This spacious presentation makes instrument separation better, and you can more easily hear individual sounds within complex tracks. The tuning of the IEM contributes to this effect.

Though recorded in 1985, John Denver’s “African Sunrise” is a masterpiece of engineering when it comes to layered music presentation. This set delivered the track with perfection. Left-right separation is fantastic with a very good height. In a part of this song where an African-style bamboo percussion was played, it felt like it was playing over your head. And in the ending, where tribal people chorus together, you can feel it start from a distance and then slowly come forward. This is such an awesome experience.

TREBLE

I’m a treble-sensitive listener and don’t like sparkly, bright treble. I find the treble in Verdandy as sweet as Mega5 EST, MP145, & MagicOne. This is so sweet. It has loads of texture and decays slowly, so you can feel the grain of the upper region. And air? Oh my God, it basically can be a perfect example of ‘airy treble.’ It’s bright and full of life but not the ear-biting kind of thing. Every high-pitched note is alive in the mix with a soft smoothness that makes the whole listening session a captivating experience.

I love to hear Metallica, especially their legendary creation “Nothing Else Matters,” where you will hear lots of music that hits the upper frequencies. Some IEMs that have poor treble presentation or uncontrolled brightness in the upper region gave me fatigue while listening to this song. But with Verdandy, the journey is totally different. Every high-pitched guitar riff, Larce Ulric’s open hi-hat, and cymbal hits came to me like smooth waves. No harshness, no pick, just true music with utter quality.

SOUNDSTAGE

It produces a big stage, like you are in a big concert hall. What it also does is create a wide and deep soundstage in which each instrument and each vocal has its place. It engulfs you like you are completely wrapped up in it, and the depth of the soundstage is actually pretty amazing, with great three-dimensionality. That depth gives more realism to the music, making it sound more lifelike and dynamic. Tracks with good mastering & mixing will give you a different experience with this IEM.

There’s magic in every live performance because it gets you into the feeling of being part of something huge, part of something alive. I decided to put on “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel, taken from his iconic Secret World Tour. The soundstage was fantastically wide. It seemed that each instrument had found a position, just like a performer, to take a limelight view on stage. The guitars tingled from the left, the bass grooved from the right, and the drums—oh, the drums—had this incredible level of depth, each beat reverberating from its unique space. Even Peter Gabriel’s voice seemed to hover right in the middle, commanding the room without overpowering the other elements. It wasn’t just a song; it was an experience. Though I’m not a technical listener, this kind of detailed & spacious soundstage always gives me joy!

TECHNICALITIES

The Kinera Verdandi excels in delivering dynamic and speedy performance, with a focus on creating an immersive and natural listening experience. Exploring the technical performance of the Kinera Verdandi reveals its strengths in three key areas:

DYNAMICS

The Verdandi is alive with sound, capturing the subtlety and power peaks of music. Such dynamic range makes recordings alive, catapulting listeners through the emotional spectrum of their favorite tracks.

SPEED

Housing a 6mm dynamic driver, Verdandi moves as fast as the fastest musical passages. Such rapid movement in sound will make complex rhythms or fast sequences taken care of with precision, leaving no room for blurring or muddying of sounds.

ANALYTICS

The Verdandi offers a very natural and easygoing sound signature; it is probably not the strongest performer when it comes to analytics within its bracket. The addition of a bone conduction driver adds a little more in terms of holographic staging and layering of depth, but all in all, it’s a fun listen.

SOURCES

Sources are to provide power and give you a good/bad synergy that can bring out the potential or the weaknesses of the IEM. I will divide this section into two subsections. Let’s jump in right away.

POWER

This is not a power-hungry IEM. But a hybrid set always shines with good power. I used it directly from my smartphone; no problem to drive it. But the sound? It’s so crap; just the upper mids and treble region are there… ha ha ha ha! And I tried it with almost all the sources I’ve got and found that powering up is a good thing if you want to bring the best out of this IEM. A decent, powerful DAC dongle can do; you don’t need a kilobuck DAC-AMP setup to listen to it. But as always, a good source setup can make the difference, right?

SYNERGY

Verdandy goes very well with warm, analog types of sources. End of discussion… ha ha ha ha. Actually, it depends on personal choice, right? If you like a bright or analytical kind of sound, you will pair any of your IEMs with those sources because you like it. But I always love to explore and try different sources to find the best pairing. If you pair it with bright kinds of sources, the forward vocals will feel more forward, and that may disturb your enjoyment.

CABLE & TIP ROLLING

The package comes with a handful of accessories, including four types of ear tips that contain Azla Crystal & Final E black. In my honest opinion, you don’t need to waste a single penny and buy other tips for this IEM. But if you have something in your collection, you may explore. In my opinion, I find the Final E tips go very well with Verdandy. Though it has a tendency of narrowing the stage a bit, if your source has some good stage, it won’t affect your music.

The stock cable is good and very well built; sadly, it’s not perfect for Verdandy. I mean, it makes vocals and midrange more forward. I used copper cables like the Dunu Lyra Mini, NMD Audio Neptune, and some custom-made ones with it and found a good result. By ‘good result,’ I mean the sound I really love—warm and musical with tamed-down midrange. That’s it. But if you love the stock sound of the Verdandi, you don’t need to shuffle cables.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

In my testing sessions with each IEM I reviewed to date, I always try to shuffle sources, cables, and ear tips to find the best match. With Verdandy, I tried my best to find my type of sound, which is warm and musical. To find it, I do all the stuff I need to do. The last thing I discover is that this set is not made for basic kinds of setups, not even a simple setup like pairing it with just a good DAC dongle when it comes to warm analog kinds of music preferences. After almost three weeks of exploration, I got the output I’ve been searching for, and it’s a stack setup. Cayin N3 Ultra line-out to TAP2 line-in (both in tube mode), then from TAP2 HP out to xDuoo XD-05 Plus (with BB OPA2604) Aux-in, with the Dunu Lyre Mini cable & final E black tips on. No EQ, just turned on the ‘bass’ on xDuoo and got everything right on the spot. Even the forward vocals are also tamed and fall in between the line, not in front or in the background.

Though it’s not an ‘everyday scenario,’ it works for me. And it’s not a mobile setup if you wanna roam around. My mobile setup is just the N3 Ultra with a little bit of PEQ in the 4k to 5k region.

CONCLUSION

It’s a kilo-buck IEM, so you should keep every point in mind before you buy it. If you love this IEM out of the box, then nothing to say here. But if you are someone like me and forwarded vocals disturb the enjoyment, then you need to explore your sources to match your preferences. Whatever the scenario is, like every other audio gadget, you need to have an audition before you take any decision.

RECOMMENDED FOR

● Who loves quality bass.
● Who loves forward vocal presentation.
● Who loves powerful female vocals.
● Who have warm, analog sources.
● Who loves to explore different audio gears.

NOT FOR

● Those people who are sensitive to forward vocals.
● Those people who hate EQ.
● Those people who have basic sources.
● Budget-friendly audio gear seekers.

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