KBEAR KB04 Review (2) – Good All Rounder for Beginners
Pros — Cheap, good price to performance ratio; all rounder, good for most music genres; good fit, comfortable, great build; above average technicalities (soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, clarity, details); bass on faster side; 2 pin connector (better lifespan than MMCX).
Cons — Meh accessories; occasional harsh upper mids/lower treble; slightly thinner note weight, and artificial timbre for treble frequencies.
SPECIFICATIONS
– Driver: 1BA +1 DD hybrid
– Impedance: 16Ω +/- 10%
– Sensitivity: 104 +/- 3dB
– Frequency response: 20 Hz – 40000 Hz
– Cable: 2 Pin 0.75 MM
– Price: $29.99 USD
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the IEM, the KBEAR KB04 comes with:
1) Detachable 3.5 mm stock SPC cable (2 pin) – On the thinner side but functional. Minimal microphonics and stiffness.
2) Two types of stock silicone tips in various sizes. The black stock ones have wider bores. The grey ones have a narrower bore. These grey ones boost the bass and tame the upper mids/treble a tinge, whereas the black ones did the opposite.
3) Shirt clip
PHYSICAL THINGS
Build/Comfort:
The KB04 is made of zinc-alloy and is very sturdy. The shell is on the heavier side due to the metal built, but it is very comfortable, ergonomic and well fitting, with no sharp edges.
One thing to note is that the metal mirror like finish may attract fingerprints, so the OCD among us may not appreciate this.
Isolation:
Slightly above average.
SOUNDSTAGE
Above average soundstage width. Height and depth of stage is about average.
SOUND
The KB04 has a mild V shaped tuning, and should be quite an all rounder for most music genres.
I found the clarity, instrument separation, imaging and details to be above average for its price range. In fact, it is not too far away from some budget sub $50 multi BA/hybrid CHIFI in the area of resolution, eg KZ ZS10 Pro and Jade Audio EA3, and it has better resolution than most single DD CHIFI around that pricing like the BLON BL-03.
The timbre of the KB04 is slightly artificial in the treble frequencies though the lower frequency timbre handled by the DD sounds very natural. Note weight for the higher frequencies are also on the thinner side, and voices occasionally sounded nasal and dry in timbre. Voices were clear and very intelligible.
The KB04’s subbass is a tinge lower in quantity than the midbass, with moderate decay and a slight lack of rumble. The midbass has good punch, with a slight hump that elevates it north of neutral, but not at basshead levels. The KB04’s bass is on the faster side and is quite well textured.
Mids on the KB04 are detailed and clean. There’s some depression in the lower mids with an upper mids boost. The upper mids may occasionally be harsh with the black wide bore stock tips, but the good news is that the grey narrower bore tips provided (and other narrower aftermarket tips) can tame this area.
The KB04’s lower treble is elevated and has good details and clarity. Thankfully, majority of the time the treble is not on the fatiguing side. I’m treble sensitive and felt that the KB04’s treble was still manageable compared to brighter similar configured sets like the Jade Audio EA3. As per the upper mids, narrower bore tips (like the stock grey tips) can help tame the treble in comparison to the black wide bore stock tips. Or pairing the KB04 with a warmer source might also help, in addition to some tape mods (see KopiOKaya’s post).
There’s some good air in the KB04 and I think trebleheads will enjoy this set for the great clarity and details at the treble region. Sibilance is mild and quite track dependent, but occasionally snares and cymbals may be splashy.
COMPARISONS
1) Jade Audio EA3:
The EA3 is a sub $50 set that has a similar configuration (1 BA + 1 DD). The EA3 is more extended at both ends, with more subbass and treble. Timbre and technicalities are about on par between the two sets. The EA3 has better soundstage width and isolation.
However, the EA3 is a much brighter set with more sibilance and treble harshness.
2) BLON BL-03
The BLON BL-03 is a single DD set that is also sub $30. They couldn’t be more different beasts. The BL-03 excels at timbre and tonality but is on the weaker side for technicalities. In contrast, the KB04 trumps the BL-03 in technical aspects like details, clarity, instrument separation, though at the expense of timbre.
The midbass of the BL-03 is of slightly more quantity than the KB04 but the BL-03’s bass is less textured and speedy than the KB04.
There’s a treble roll off in the BL-03, with less clarity and details than the KB04.
Isolation and fit is poor on the BL-03 with stock tips/cables. The KB04 is good to go OOTB and has good fit.
3) Westone 3
The Westone 3 is a 3 BA set, and believe it or not, the KB04 can hit almost the same technical quality at 1/10 the price of the Westone 3. The Westone 3 is slightly more V shaped, with harsher upper mids/lower treble and a more prominent midbass hump. Timbre and soundstage is about on par, but the Westone 3 has better isolation.
SUMMARY/TLDR
The KB04 would be a good set for those who are new to the Chi-Fi circuit, especially for those who are still discovering their preferred tuning. It would make a good gift for friends and family too, without burning a hole in the pocket.
For the $30 pricetag, it boasts good price to performance ratio, is quite an all rounder, and has above average technicalities and comes in a good build.
In fact I think Chi-Fi beginners would cover most of the bases in their budding audiophile journey with a BLON BL-03 and KBEAR KB04; The former for timbre/tonality that is good for predominantly acoustic instrument genres, and the latter for something more technical than the BL-03 with a consumer friendly tuning; they would compliment each other nicely.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the music!
MY VERDICT
You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.
DISCLAIMER
The review unit was supplied by KBEAR. Thank you very much. It is available from KBEAR Official Store and Wooeasy Earphones Store. My views are my own and not influenced by any party.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
RELATED…
Loomis’ review of the KBEAR KB04
Jürgen’s photos of the KBEAR KB04
KopiOkaya’s reflections on the KBEAR KB04’s tuning
