If IEMs are a sea of different models and tunings, earbuds are an ocean.
These new ones from KBear feature a very modest price which might contribute to stimulate the curiosity of trying them. I would not call them all-rounders as they do come with some quite sharp pros and cons, but what they do well they actually do really well – so should their up sides match your musical tastes they would be not a bad addition to your collection at all.
I got this pair of KBear Stellar earbuds as a review unit from my friends at KEEPHIFI (www.keephifi.com) entrusting me to an unbiased analysis and openhearted subjective evaluation, which is what I’m reporting here below. You can purchase Stellar at Friendly Audio Store (Keephifi’s official store).
Bass-boosted neutral on a W signature, at least in the tuner intentions.
Sub-Bass
Very present, dry and quite detailed. One of the fortes of this model.
Mid Bass
More elevated than sub-bass, not particularly fast not sloppy either. Definitely inlfuencing and often veiling both sub-bass and lowmids.
Mids
Unrecessed, they sound much better on their higher side than on their lows. Classical guitars, for example, come accross just great.
Male Vocals
Quite oddly pumped up posssibly to try and compensate vs the midbass, they often sound un-natural and – rarely – even boxy.
Female Vocals
Infinitely better than males, mid-forward but unbloated, moderately bodied, not sibilant. Quite nice, actually, although still not at “female vocal specialist” level.
Highs
Polite and brushed-clean, highmids and trebles are very pleasant to me. Their sole problem is the push-up imposed on midbass and male vocals which tends to annihilate them – on track where low voices are less present trebles really shine.
Technicalities
Soundstage
Quite average – read: not as extended as one normally expects from earbuds, but not narrow nonetheless
Imaging
Average, and possibly even something less. Too often I hear instrument and voices tending to position towards the center of the stage instead of being more properly distributed around it.
Details
Too often only average due to the inherently good trebles detail retrieval being covered by the lower half of the presentation.
Instrument separation
Good, except of bass-dense tracks where it all goes quite mixed.
Driveability
Very easy at 115dB @30 Ohm. Most phones will be ok
Physicals
Fit & comfort
Classical Japanese flat-cavity shape, ideally to be worn oblique and with stock full foams.
