About Kinera Urd
The Kinera URD is a three-in-one headset. The configuration consists of 2 Sonions EST + 2 titanium crystal diaphragm coaxial DD + 1 Kinera Customize 11021 BA. The EST driver was selected as Sonion's EST65DB01. The configuration consists of 2 Sonions EST + 2 titanium crystal diaphragm coaxial DD + 1 Kinera Customize 11021 BA. The EST driver was selected as Sonion's EST65DB01.
This marvelous design is finished in a special hand-painted color that represents the calm lake. Kinera recently shared in their Facebook account how they colored the panels, which was fascinating. The unique design of Kinera headphones has been around for a while. As a brand, they are definitely playing to their strengths and improving every year.
wrap
Again, in classic Kinera fashion, the Kinera Urd comes with a hexagonal box. The boxes and the things inside are very satisfying, especially since they represent the premium "Imperial" series of products. Kinera retains this experience in every iteration, including low-cost models like Freya and Idun gilded.
In the package, you will get 3 modular adapters for the cable; 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm. Yes, Kinera proposes a modular approach to using stocked wire, which I mentioned in my previous Idun gilded review. It's a really good solution, and it's great that their entry-level headphones offer this design as well.
In addition to this, we have 5 pairs of Final Type E sets (one of my long-standing favorite ear caps), seven pairs of custom Kinera ear caps and two pairs of memory foam sleeves.
The storage box is also a very authentic design, with a light blue color scheme and an original shape. This is one of the best designs I've come across recently.
This wire is similar to other models of wire. It reminds me of Freya and Nanna's wire, which is soft to the touch, comfortable in material, with good tensile strength and flexibility. The connector is located in a slightly recessed recess area. So I don't have any concerns about the quality of the construction here.
Construction, design and assembly
Well, surprise; the new Kinera Urd looks great. The shape is the same as other models in the Imperial series, but the panel design is obviously a different matter. The shades of blue and green look perfect on a white base. They all know how to make attractive headphones.
Kinera claims it's the first of its kind in 3D panels, and the color design was made by the designer. The results were simply fantastic, especially the panel area was outstanding. The build quality of the seamless transition and integrated nozzle structure is satisfactory and impressive. There is nothing to worry about here.
The headphones feature a three-hole design and the tip can be well fixed to the nozzle. These headphone caps are ideal for a rigid and safe fit. For most ears, Urd is in a very good shape. It is not too large and contributes to a very comfortable fit. The package offers a number of headphone caps to choose from, and I'm sure you'll find the perfect pair for your ears. I really like the Final e set myself. Remember that it is not a sleeping headset, so don't try to sleep with it.
sound
Kinera Urd offers a smooth and enjoyable 3-in-1 experience. It has Nanna qualities in many ways, but is not as confident and clear-cut. Instead, it stays safe in terms of tuning. It is smoother and less aggressive in terms of bass and treble.
It sounds balanced, natural and pleasant, with a moderate low volume, plenty of treble and a gentle sound. The overall presentation is smooth, fast, and resolved with good detail. It's mostly a headset that sounds very smooth.
bass
The bass has good punch and body, but feels like it's coming from a weird single iron. It's very fast, but a little bass is missing in the process. It's more defined around mid-bass, but you can control the presentation well. The overall bass wasn't cloudy at all, nor was there a rumbling sound, but it also lacked Nanna's character and authority. This custom dynamic driver doesn't actually look like the other dynamics we're used to. For a dynamic driver, this is very fast without any excessive rumble or presence.
It's a headset that doesn't want to upset anyone, so you get a very safe bass response. The driver has good control but doesn't offer an excellent texture. It still has a great impact on certain tracks, but it makes you want more presence and definition. Overall, I find the bass tone too smooth and safe.
intermediate frequency
The midrange has good clarity, good resolution and good detail. The timbre is just right in a very realistic way, and the body of the tone is excellent. The weight of the midrange is also very good, with a good sense of fullness and bloodiness. So I think it's a very successful headphone in terms of tuning, but not in terms of the overall level of transparency.
For pure transparency and detail, there are headphones out there for more detail and problem solving. Urd's safe, smooth, and easy-going tuning makes it a very detailed or analytical monitor. The resolution here is certainly not that bad, but it's not as impressive as Nanna's.
Midrange sounds natural, but requires more energy and attack to engage better. The instruments and vocals sound real and full, with creamy smooth properties. Transparency and dynamism are not the best. Beautiful and organic tones are popular, but only if combined with powerful attack power and energy, that will be a great headset.
treble
After the impressive Nanna, I expected these EST drivers to make similar treble, but that wasn't the case. The treble is smooth, but it's a bit lacking in energy and definition. The treble is not too impressive in this regard. This is the biggest difference from Nanna. If you like your treble very smooth and harmless, this may be more suitable for you.
The treble resolution is good, but it takes more expansion and definition to make it an alternative to Nanna. But neither aspect is very impressive. Curiously, however, despite this approach, treble has excellent microscopic detail and resolution.
In fact, as a standalone headset, Urd's quality in terms of treble is not bad at all. But out of necessity, I compared it to Nanna, and the results automatically became less impressive. If you're a tweeter, you might find yourself a little bored after a long listening session because it's not bright or sparkling at all.
Technical performance
The sound stage is good, with good width and depth, although the length of the stage is not so impressive. You'll get a studio-like impression, it's very nice but not as spacious as Nanna. But it's good for the price. Despite the complete and fluid presentation, the soundstage has an impressive width and a good sense of layering.
The background was dark and I found it a success. The headphones have good resolution and microscopic detail. The instrumental timbre is one of its strengths, and thanks to its good background quality, everything is well separated, making it easy to pick every element of the song. Again, however, there isn't much room and air for midranges and trebles, so you get less clearance between air and elements.
Among the other headphones in this price range, the overall resolution is quite good, but there are definitely better. So I think overall it's good technical in some ways, but limited in some ways.
compare
I've compared Urd to Nanna in several aspects of this article, but let me summarize it again. Nanna has excellent treble and bass, similar to midrange, but with better transparency and energy. Overall, all aspects are better, and the sound also has certain characteristics.
conclusion
The quality of the packaging and design is very good, but it would be a better headset with more finishing work on tuning. I personally love the headphones because they have good control and balanced sound and excellent tuning.