Kinera Idun Golden (Idun 2.0) Review

Known for specializing in affordable, good-quality In-Ear Monitors, Chinese HiFi Company Kinera gained a lot of attention with their Idun Hybrid IEMs back in 2018. They recently released an improved version of these IEMs, the Idun Golden (Idun 2.0). At $169, they sit at the lower end of the price spectrum for HiFi IEMs, and I’m very curious to see how they hold up.

What’s in the Box

• One pair of Kinera Idun Golden ( Idun 2.0 ) in-ear monitors.
• One Modular 8 cores OFC + OFC with silver plated cable.
• Modular Adapter 4.4mm & 3.5mm
• Foam Eartips
• K-07 Balanced Eartips
• K-285-02 Vocal Eartips
• PU Case with inner velvet protection.
• 5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
• User Manual

Look and Feel

I can tell a ton of time was put into developing both the product and the aesthetic concept for these. Derived from Norse Mythology, Idun was the goddess of youth who would pick golden apples that gave people eternal life and vigor. That’s quite a name to live up to. The packaging is adorned with gold and blue artwork that feels regal, but not overstated. Like its namesake, the IEMs look equally celestial, sporting a golden tree design on the backplates of both headphones and a cerulean silver braided cable. The Iduns are a fashion statement, but the design is aesthetically pleasing. Most importantly, they feel great and secure (though I only used the balanced ear tips).

Design

The Idun is a balanced hybrid IEM 2BA1DD unit. Its drivers include a 7mm Titanium Plated Dome PU for lows, a Knowles RAF-32873 for mids, and a Kinera Custom BTC-30095 for highs. Kinera went to impressive lengths to make sure the drivers resonate and bring out the best characteristics in each derivation of the frequency range. The housing is custom designed using real ergonomic data to get the best fit for the largest amount of people.

The Kinera Idun Golden has a frequency response of 20 Hz – 20 kHz and an impedance of 32 Ohms.

Soundstage

With IEMs, getting an appropriate soundstage can be tricky, and the Iduns elegantly achieve that balance. The stereo field feels great in these, and I can get a good sense of the intended imaging. At times I felt that changes in width could be more drastic, but that’s more a matter of personal preference. The dynamics are impressively clear throughout; even at both volume extremes, I can still tell what’s going on in the mix. Loud songs still have presence at the softest volumes and soft songs aren’t squashed at loud volumes. Iduns hold up to other IEMs in terms of noise cancellation, which help make the soundstage more immersive.

Lows

The lows feel great on the Iduns. They work symbiotically with the low-mids to maintain richness and presence, without being overpowering. They’re smooth without feeling they had to sacrifice impact or forsake the rest of the frequency range to achieve smoothness.

Mids

The midrange does a great job of supporting the mix. Lead instruments are brought to the forefront, but background parts find a new space and emphasis that breathes life into the mix. I didn’t hear ugly resonant frequencies in the mids that distracted me from my listening experience. Overall, the mids are supportive and have a body to them that serves the sound character well.

Highs

The highs (and by extension the entire sound character of the Iduns) tend toward the brighter side. High sounds come out clearly and help accentuate the effect of the soundstage, and rarely falter in clarity. I heard some harsh sibilance at times, but never to the point where it broke my immersion. You can tell the slightly brighter character wasn’t due to a compromise in design, but rather a choice that comes down to taste.

Overall

For this price, I was surprised by the Idun Golden. With a unique sound character, subtly balanced range, and excellent craftsmanship, the Idun is a very special In-Ear Monitor. Kinera went to great lengths to make sure these would stand out among other IEMs and outperform both in and above its price bracket. The Idun Golden does its namesake justice and I look forward to seeing where Kinera takes this concept.

You can buy the Kinera Idun Golden (2.0) at Audio46