Kinera is well known in the market for its premium in-ear monitoring headphones. They have also received many awards for their exquisite craftsmanship. Most of their in-ear monitors have rich hand-drawn cavities. Previously, I tried some of their products, including Norn, Skuld, IDUN Gilding, and TYR. I've found that most of their headphones perform quite well, and my favorite is the Norn because of its fun and engaging sound features. What I have today is the latest product URD from Kinera. Without further ado, let's start with today's URD review.
About Kinera URD:
The URD is a configuration of five sound units with a single-sided coil static iron with two EST+2DD+1BA drivers on each side. Similar to Kinera's other headphones, urDs have beautiful hand-drawn cavities. This is their third three-in-one headset after flagship Baldr and Midfarmary Nanna. But unlike those, URDs have an attractive price of $650. Kinera also follows its tradition of naming and designing its headphones based on Norse mythological figures with URDs. URD is actually part of the Three Sisters of Destiny Norn. Remember SKULD, according to Norse mythology, SKULD is the youngest of the three goddesses. URD is the eldest of them, she is the ruler of the past and the goddess of death. She is the guardian of a sacred spring under the Tree of the World, also known as the Fountain of Ould.
Design and build quality:
Spectacular here feels like a fewer words. You can take a look at Kinera URD's stunning hand-drawn cavity, and I'm sure you'll explain its beauty in words. Every time I try a Kinera product, I feel how they can improve the design of this product, and next time they will surpass themselves with a better looking product. I remember when I tried Norn, I was like, "Wow, that's so pretty," but then I tried Skuld and it still seems to me to be one of the best designs they have in headphones. Then I saw the URD this time and was completely blown away in terms of appearance. The beautiful resin chamber fills the area covered by turquoise blue and green tones. I say "fill" here because, literally, Kinera designed the pair as a "fountain of URDs" with endless bottoms. As far as I know, they 3D printed a cavity with a beveled design on the cover, and then the professional designer filled the cover with a combination of turquoise blue and green. The entire housing is made of white resin material with one-piece design.
The right earbud has an URD printed on the center of the panel, and the left earbud has the Kinera brand logo printed in the center. The shell here is slightly larger. Kinera insists on using a 0.78mm two-pin connector. There is a vent on the side of the URD cavity. In terms of design, like I said before, URDs have gone beyond Kinera's previous designs.
Fit & Isolate:
The cavity here is slightly larger than a normal resin cavity. They're as big as Norn, so people with smaller ears can have problems getting a perfect comfortable fit. For me, my ears are medium in size and there are no problems in getting good sealing and comfort. Using the Final Audio Type E, the fit was good, but I found that the sound gained an extra punch at low frequencies, so I used my favorite wide-hole headphone cap.
Front-end requirements for URDs:
URDs work well on regular smartphones, but to perform their best functions, you need a decent digital audio player or USB DAC/AMP. I tested the pair with my Redmi Note 10 Pro and it sounded good. It doesn't have two-end extensions, but just give it a high-resolution audio player like the Mountain Spirit M3X and you'll have a great experience. I personally use it with the Astell & Kern SE100 and Luxury & Precision W2. Both give it ample momentum and show excellent dynamics. I recommend using URDs with digital audio players like M3X.
Sound Impressions:
Kinera URD's music presentation features fast low frequencies, melodious midranges, and smooth and detailed high-frequency responses. The lower end exhibits a good texture for bass. This pair makes good use of two dynamic drives, I don't know the exact crossover, but I'm sure the low frequency uses one because it has the impact, impact, and speed of the dynamic drive. The mid-range shows a good atmosphere and the vocals are warmer. They sound very pleasant to the ear. The treble area is very detailed, has good resolution, and is not offensive or too bright at all.
URDs have smoothly tuned W-shaped sound profiles. UrD dynamics, such as Staging and Layering, are very good. The soundstage is beautiful, wide, and also has good depth, and the different instruments are presented in good layers. UrDs have some flaws in their sound performance, and they may be my personal preference. First and foremost, the sound image is created closer to the listener. I mean, because of the forward-facing pan, there's a sense of intimacy in this combination. Even though the width of the soundstage is good, the duo sounded immersive and closer to us. Second, it's a picky thing (honestly, I'll compare it to headphones that are twice as expensive as it is), and Treble can use more air. It's not crowded, but the instruments sound closer to each other. Having used Kinera's other headphones (two at similar prices), I would say Kinera has fine-tuned urDs. This is the best I've heard so far. (I haven't heard of the flagship Nanna or Baldr, but I've had experience with Norn and Skuld.)
Low frequency:
As I mentioned earlier, the URD makes good use of its dynamics. The lower end has good impact and depth. Prior to URD, I used two pairs of headphones, sony IER M9 and Campfire Audio Andromeda, both of which were full BA devices. After putting the URD in my ear, I immediately fell in love with the BASS response of the URD (let me tell you, despite the BA, the bass of the M9 is very good). This pair has good control over low frequencies, sounds fuller, and has good tonal weight for instruments such as cello and bass guitar. UrD's bass response is so deep that you don't have to increase the volume to feel the impact here, it hits you every time the bass drops. One can feel the rumble of the subwoofer getting deeper and deeper, and the bass stress track of the mid-bass leaves a shocking impression on your chest. Don't get me wrong, it's not overwhelming, but with URD tuned very well bass. I originally liked Norn's bass response, which was a real upgrade in my hands.
Test Tracks:
>DUB With Power by Puscifer.
>Walla Walla by Glass Animals.
>Change Your Mind by LCD Soundsystem-American Dream.
>Just Give Me A Reason by P!Nk.
>Prelude to War from Battlestar 2 OST.
>As We Fall by Klergy.
>Oceans by Evanescence.
intermediate frequency:
URDs have a pleasant midrange tone. The vocals are strong and the presentation is very clean. Vocals are at the top of their performance, but in a safe way. They don't sound loud or too close to the face, they just move closer to the listener, creating a sense of intimacy. The vocal texture here is better than what we did on Norn or Skuld. Although there is a pronounced BA timbre in the vocals, this may disturb some listeners. If you're someone who loves vocal-centric music, I can guarantee that URD will be your first choice. The acoustic instruments also have great details, and just listen to the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over and you'll love the great details that the headphones get in the introduction at the beginning of the song. The good thing here is that instruments such as pianos, acoustic guitars, etc., have a good tonal weight for them. They sound natural and clean.
>You and Whose Army by Radiohead.
>Ragpicker’s Dream by Mark Knopfler.
>Hotel California By Eagles(Hell Freezes Over).
>Animals Were Gone by Damien Rice.
>Starving(Acoustic) by ZEDD.
>Your Biggest Mistake by Elle Goulding.
treble:
I was most impressed by the high-pitched response of the URD. Probably because my previous experience at Kinera always required something to do in the Treble area, but now it feels really good. No harshness, no tooth sounds (even my favorite NORN has a little tooth sound). It sounds detailed and well controlled, doesn't sound too compact, and has good clarity. The only thing that can be improved here is that it requires a little air in the treble area. The instrument sounds very close. I'm talking about nitpicking here, mainly because, as I said before, I compare it to headphones that cost twice the price (Sony M9 and CA Ara).
>United We Are by Hardwell.
>Hate Me by Blue October.
>Billie Jean by Michael Jackson.
>Sultans Of Swing by Dire Straits.
>Starry Eyes by The Weeknd.
dynamics:
URDs show pretty good dynamics in their sound. It has a nice layered presentation on a wide and deep sound field. The soundstage also has a good height, and I would say very nice 3D soundstage feel. The finalization and layering of the instruments is very good, and even in complex repertoire, such as Queens' Bohemian Rhapsody or RHCP's Dark Necessities, you can position the instrument well. Yosi Horikawa's binaural tracks are also great for URDs.
Kinera URD and Kinera Norn:
The driver configuration is not the same, but the Kinera is priced close to the IEM. Norn I auditioned it last year and I love its fun and engaging sound. It has a five-unit hybrid configuration with 1DD and 4 BA drives on each side. The new URD has a 5-driver coil static iron configuration with 2EST+2DD+1BA on each side. That's my idea in between (my previous impression of Norn's written review and my collection of images).
> URDs have better impact at the low end.
> midrange sounds a bit warm on URDs, Norn might be more natural in this regard.
> treble response has a better separation and extension from the URD.
> the Norn soundstage is closer, and the URD's soundstage is wider, but the feeling of intimacy is still there.
I know it feels like I'm raving about URD here, but I just feel like it's a huge step forward over Norn here.
Kinera URD VS Thieaudio Monarch MK2：
The driver configurations here are comparable (two triples), but they differ a little extra at their price points. Monarch MK2 is priced at $1,000, which is $350 more than urds. It has a 1DD+6BA+2EST configuration on each side. Here are my thoughts on both.
> URDs have better impact at low frequencies, and tones and instruments respond well to them.
>monarch MK2 sounds slim here (both use the same source SE100).
> the midrange is ahead of the URD, monarch MK2 feels a bit far away here.
> URD feels more close to the ear, and the Monarch MK2 feels wider and deeper.
> the Monarch MK2 takes a leap forward in high-pitched performance. It has a sense of air and a little bit of resolution in the treble.
> in terms of timbre, the Monarch MK2 is slightly brighter, while the sound of the URD has a warm and rich feeling.
That being said, both headphones are very good, but they both cater to people with different preferences. I, for someone who loves the warm sound of URD, the impact in its sound also adds a sense of musicality and atmosphere here. The Monarch MK2, on the other hand, sounds wider and cleaner, but in comparison, the vocals and instrumental endings are more refined.
summary:
I would say that urds are a step in the right direction for Kinera. It offers impressive acoustic performance while also looking great. It also has some flaws in itself, mainly that if we compare it to this associated headphones (mainly the Monarch MK1), Treble may have a more pronounced sense of air. Although I noticed that urds sound more smooth when zoomed in. Other issues, such as the TIM of the BA and the frequency response curve, were just my nitpicking on the pair, and Kinera actually did a great job of designing and tweaking the URD. Well, that's all I have to say about Kinera URD, and I thank HiFiGo again for organizing this audition for URD. Hope you enjoyed my article.