Pros: Good bass, fatigue-free, design and fit, price to performance ratio

Cons: Hoped that it could be more technical, rolled off highs, too relaxed sometimes

Driver Setup: 1 Dynamic Driver + 1 Balanced Armature

Price: 33 USD

Intro

Disclaimer: This review set was graciously lent to me by a friend and the review is written of my own accord. Should you find yourself interested in purchasing a pair, you can find it online here.

While most of you might know, Kinera Audio launched QoA in December 2020 and we managed to get our hands on the Vesper, which was the last hybrid set we reviewed. Now with Kinera themselves launching a new hybrid model that was priced at a much more competitive point, how will the BD005 Pro perform? Let us take a look!

Accessories and Build Quality (Score: 5.5/10)

The Kinera BD005 Pro comes in a hexagonal box and the package comes with a set of ear tips, the IEM itself, a carrying case, and a detachable mic cable. Although nothing fancy, they covered all the necessities for a decent package. I do feel that the ear tips were not what I would expect, it is rather small like what you see with most TWS earphones. It is nothing big, but based on my experience with the BD005 Pro, I would prefer a more conventional design of the ear tips. The cable design is very common in the world of chi-fi as if they are all using the same OEM manufacturer with minor tunings in design to brand themselves.

Fit (Score: 8.0/10)

Fit wise, the BD005 Pro excels and it was really comfortable when wearing them over longer periods and I did not felt that my ears were stretched out or tired. The relatively ergonomic design did smooth out most of the contact points with my ears which is probably why I felt really comfortable with them attached to my ears. Seal wise, I felt that the ear tips had something to do with it where I couldn’t get that perfect seal sometimes but I guess it is due to the ear tips being smaller.

Sound (Overall Score: 7/10)

I would describe the sound to be rather warm with less aggressive highs as compared to other conventional V-shaped offerings. We were unable to graph the frequency response of the BD005 Pro, my apologies.

Sources used

• Ibasso DX120
• iPhone XR
• Atom DAC and AMP

Music and Albums listened with

• Alan Walker
• Billie Eilish – When we all fall asleep, where do we go?
• Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
• Cigarettes After Sex
• One Republic – Dreaming Out Loud
• Keane – Fears and Hopes
• Nino Rota – The Godfather OST
• Fedde Le Grand – Cinematic
• ARTY
• Halo 1 & 2 OST
• Czardas
• Lauv
• Scary Pockets
• Hans Zimmer
• Aladdin OST

Bass (Score: 8.0/10)

The midbass has a good punch to it as well as being impactful when listening to modern pop works. Similarly, its sub-bass lines are clear and steer clear from being muddy or mashed up while providing good meaty response and that is the best part about the BD005 Pro in my opinion. Although the overall response is quite authoritative with some texture and depth, its separation and layering are not as defined as what one would describe as perfect bass.

It is definitely one of those IEMs that have above-average bass qualities in the price bracket where it is quite emphasised but in a positive way that satisfies most listeners and put them in delight.

Mids (Score: 6.0/10)

I find the lower mids to be taking a somewhat backstage here which makes male voices underpowered when compared to its bass response. However, its upper mids have that boost to give that sense of energy and clarity but it causes female vocals to sometimes get shouty which isn’t a huge bummer to me but felt that it could be tamed a little more. I felt that the mids on this unit was rather boring but it still manages to tiptoe along the thin line of sounding wonky and off which is a good sign and something that any make and model should achieve.

Treble (Score: 6.5/10)

The treble on the BD005 Pro sounds rather rolled-off with cymbals and percussive sparkles dimmed. It also does not have much “airiness” which is part and parcel of the overall tuning stance with the BD005 Pro. Although sometimes it sounds slightly unrefined and splashy which is hard to avoid as seen in many budget offerings, it does not cause any fatigue at all. A very good track to showcase that trait was me listening to percussive heavy intros such as “Friend like me” from Aladdin which I do not experience fatigue at all.

Although the experience was rather okay, do not expect a resolving and shimmery response with the BD005 Pro but on the other hand, the unit is fatigue-free which might be suitable for those sensitive to treble.

Overall

Its layering and separation capabilities are somewhat average with its soundstage sounding rather closed. Its imaging is decent as I was able to discern between instruments and placements rather easily. Its overall tuning was set to be rather warm with less aggressive highs which may appeal to the typical consumer but not for those who are looking for that sparkle and energy. I just want to conclude its sound with the point that technical abilities aren’t the BD005 Pro’s forte but its tuning should be its main selling point.

Conclusion

The BD005 Pro is a good bassy and non-aggressive budget hybrid pick that has my attention due to its fit and design. It has a pretty sick value proposition which includes nice design choice, fit, and a safe-yet-fun tuning that can give you that bass boost that satisfies your cravings.  To conclude this review, I can describe the BD005 Pro as “tastefully emphasised bass with fatigue-free experience that you can relax with”.

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