Pros: Ambitious effort
Smoother character
Affordable
Cons: Not the most musical
Sounds artificial in many areas
Not really better than competitors
Kefine Klanar ($119): A new kid on the planar block.
Score: 3.4
Intro:
The Klanar is a new planar IEM from Kefine, Dongguan Kefine Electronics Technology, CO; Ltd. Using a 14.5mm “driver” with your choice of 3.5mm se or 4.4bal, it enters the ultra-competitive sub-$150usd market with high hopes.
The unit was sent to me pre-launch for an honest assessment. The words are mine and mine alone. I thank Kefine for the sample and know it may be asked to be returned at any time. Unless specified, it is mine to keep. The unit is now on sale.
Specs:
Transducer type: Planar wired IEM
Transducer size: 14.5mm
Frequency response: 20Hz-40kHz
Sensitivity: 105dB+/-3dB
Impedance: 16ohm
Connector: 0.78mm 2-pin, covered
Cable length: 1.2M
In The Box:
Klanar
Case
7 sets of silicon tips (UV-large hole, silicon-bass in s, m, l)
Velcro cinch wrap
Dual wrap cable
Gear Used:
Astell & Kern AK120 Titan
Music
Jazz
David Bowie
B.B. King
Unboxing:
A white sliding sleeve shows the Klanar is slightly larger-than-life size on the front and the measurements on the back. Sliding the sleeve off, you are met with a plain black box. Taking the top off showcases the IEM on top, with the cable attached, and wound through medium-soft foam to the case on the bottom half.
Inside the case is the rest of the cable along with a plastic bag of tips. The case is longer than deep and tall; and as a result, winding of the wire with IEM attached results in longer loops. Otherwise, the case is hard to zip closed. The zipper is hard enough, without that happening. Another 1/2’’ of height in the case would have made for a much easier-to-use case, without having to worry about smashing either the cable, tip, or IEM.
Build/Finish/Fit:
Since the Klanar uses a rather large driver in the 14.5mm planar unit, you would rightly expect the unit to be large. The Klanar isn’t. Stemming from a thinly shaped (0.2mm in some places) 5-axis CNC machined single-piece aluminum shell, the Klanar is not only light at 12.5g per earbud but small in shape. Fit as a result was quite good, with the longer nozzle inserting deep into my canal.
Two vent holes on the inner sides allow for air dispersion, with a tasteful-looking flat faceplate, laden with the simple Kefine name on it. Understated elegance. A longer hard plastic bent towards the back allows for the cable to exit the earbud higher, and the memory plastic sheath then takes effect. Although this arrangement made for a bit higher bend on my ear, the supple cable laid nicely behind my ear.
The materials look well-made and above cheaper plastic IEMs, which may adorn this price point. The cable color of black and copper (two wires in each), adds to the mature look. Subdued might be a better word. The dark color of cable and IEM help keep that theme.
Slight microphonics are heard through the cable, but only when moving quite a bit or actually thumping on the cable. That cable is a four-wire variety with 54 cores in each. Two wires (the black casing ones) are 0.05mm silver-plated Litz copper, while the other two are OFC copper of the same size and number. The cable was of good length, but another 6” (15cm) would not hurt for pocket use.
The Klanar fit flush into my ear, which was nice, and added to the excellent isolation using the stock medium bass tips.
Technology:
The Klanar uses a 14.5mm planar driver, with a PET composite diaphragm for speedy response. An N55 magnet rounds out the closed driver unit. As mentioned above, the CNC machined single aluminum piece not only makes for a lightweight shell but a smaller one, too. This definitely aids in the fit. With a sensitivity of 105 dB and a lower impedance of 16 Ohms, the Klanar is also easy to drive.
Sound:
Summary:
The Klanar is promoted as natural and balanced. Acoustic instruments are supposed to sound lifelike as a result. And mostly they do. Jazz piano, sax, or bass sound like you are present in the club. Bass is of good quality, with decent quality; but not as much deep extension as the literature promotes. The bass provides good weight to the notes, but I would not call it authoritative. Smooth mids and a good treble extension make for a pleasantly smooth signature, without much effort. All of the above is tip and depth insertion dependent, but generally within the same sphere of reference.
moar:
Promoted as one of if not the smallest planar IEM units on the market, I could wear the Klanar for hours without bother. Isolation was tip dependent, but very good, which gave me a better grasp of the sound signature.
The bass does have good weight, but it cannot compete with a dynamic driver of the same price range for sheer punch. That weight also translates into an accurate representation of instruments in the low range. I found upright bass’ to be quite good in which to listen as part of jazz recording solos. While sub bass was lacking overall, the sound was good due to the smooth presentation and enough detail to keep me involved.
The mids come across as detailed and pushed slightly forward, but not upward. Piano notes along with sax came across as realistic and natural, if not completely organic. The smooth character while presenting good detail and clarity also lacked a bit of note weight. Not enough to really bother me, but piano solos took on an almost isolated texture, which was good for the solo, but slightly disconnected. It really did not bother me, though.
The treble hit my sweet spot, without any harshness and that continued smooth character. The definition of cymbal hits was lacking, but if I had my preference, it would be for a treble, which does not grate on me. Cymbal crest hits seem almost digital-sounding and reserved. Detail was lacking, but here it is better to look at the whole, instead of the parts.
The soundstage was fairly wide with an out-of-head experience and good height; but not great. Depth seemed a bit lacking as well, making for a wider, shallower stage. Not bad, and good for instrumental pieces, which take up a large stage, but with not as much depth as I would have liked. As a result, instrumentation was good, with separation better. Working together this made for a smooth character, but lacking a bit of definition in overall signature.
The smooth timbre of the Klanar makes for a natural-sounding planar IEM. This provided me with a nice mellow characteristic only punctuated by the occasional lapse in the upper mid and lower treble area. The definition was left a bit wanting there as a result.
finale:
Kefine is a new start-up IEM manufacturer in the heart of the Shenzhen region of China. As a result, there are a multitude of other brands close at hand. This provides plenty of competition for the brand, and there are other planar IEMs out with which to compete.
I found the Klanar to be acceptable, but unspectacular in any area. The smooth character makes for an almost niche-defined style of listening. Jazz sounds good but with the shortcomings mentioned above. I did not mind knowing the unit’s price.
If you are looking for a detail-oriented IEM, you should look elsewhere. It isn’t that there is a lack of details present, but the focus is elsewhere, instead. There is enough vibrancy to the smooth character to make up for the lack of detailed sound, but do not expect top-tier clarity. That isn’t in the cards.
The Klanar is hard to define. It is affordable (but in a brutally packed price bracket). It is very well built (as are most nowadays). The fit is excellent and flush without bother. The smoothness of sound did draw me in somewhat, but I feel that really isn’t enough for most genres. This is good for jazz, or female vocal music, which relies upon smoothness for character. But that may not be enough. You will have to decide.
Thank you again to Kefine for the review sample of the Klanar. It can be found at the links above, but you will want to compare it to others in the price range. You may end up with others. Or you may end up with the Klanar. It is your choice.
