Pros: Build Quality, Clarity and Details, Value, Ease of Use

Cons: Fit, Isolation

Driver Setup: 10mm DLC Dynamic Driver IEM

Price: 29.99

Intro

Disclaimer: The Kiwi Ears Belle was provided to us at no charge courtesy of Linsoul. However, this was done with the understanding that I would provide my honest thoughts and opinions on the Belle. The Belle is available for purchase here, should you find yourself interested in a pair, or feel free to use your links.

The Kiwi Ears Belle is a budget IEM featuring a singular dynamic driver. I was sent the unit with the USB-C termination with Mic, which is an additional $4, though you could go for the conventional 3.5mm termination.

Accessories

Packing and accessories are minimal but do include all you need to get started. There are 2 sets of silicon tips included. However, with the shorter nozzles, I found myself having to look for a tip with a longer nozzle for me to get a better fit. The included cable looks durable and works well out of the box, and there should be no concern with having to look for a replacement.

Build Quality and Fit

The Kiwi Ears Belle has quite a small and light shell and feels quite weightless in the ear. The overall build quality is decent and is in line with what we expect to see from IEMs in this price range. What I especially liked was the feel of the cable. It coils very nicely and feels of a very nice quality. It is functional and suits the overall sleek aesthetic of the IEM well.

Sound

Sources Used

• iPhone 15 Pro
• MacBook Air

Music listened to

• The Weeknd
• The Carpenters
• Shaboozey
• MAAPS
• NEEDTOBREATHE
• The Eagles
• Noah Kahan
• John Mayer
• Michael Buble
• etc

Bass

The bass is present and supports the sound well, giving it an overall slightly bass-boosted tuning that should be quite versatile with most genres, especially pop, edm, etc. The bass boost can be a little jarring in acoustic and instrumental tracks, where I noticed the balance of the tuning is a little off from what I am used to and can come across as less natural and accurate in tonality. The bass is also not as punchy and crisp as I would have liked and suffers from slight muddiness in the mid-bass on some tracks.

Mids

The dynamic driver claims to provide “unmatched speed and accuracy”, which comes through in the mids. The vocals and overall detail retrieval in the midrange are quite impressive for this price range. This would make it quite the Swiss Army knife for most of your daily needs, be it gaming, movies, podcasts, casual listening, and others. Vocal energy comes through well, especially on male vocals. I especially enjoyed the clarity and energy in the male vocals in instrumental band tracks. The Belle is able to make it very musical, and the contrast with the powerful bass is very engaging.

Highs

The treble extension in the highs is nothing to shout about. Though not superb, it is decent considering the price point of the IEM. It does well in not becoming sibilant while providing enough treble energy to keep the tuning fun and engaging, and not one-dimensional. The treble is non-fatiguing and I have no issues when using the Belle for long listening sessions at my desk in the office.

Overall

Imaging and layering on the Belle is minimal, and the sound comes across as quite intimate. I would have preferred if there were more breadth to the sound. As I earlier mentioned, tonality is also not the most accurate. Vocals have good weight and texture to them, and when combined with the bass presence, can give quite a responsive and atmospheric musical tuning that is quite enjoyable.

Conclusion

While the Kiwi Ears Belle is quite a good value proposition, I wouldn’t personally find myself reaching for them as they do not have my personal tuning of choice. I personally prioritise tonal accuracy in a budget IEM, and the bass boost on the Belle kind of throws off the balance for me. I also find myself struggling to achieve a perfect fit due to the shorter nozzles on the Belle, and there is significant leakage on my daily commutes on public transportation.

That said, the Belle is overall a very well-built and well-designed IEM and packs all the features one would need from a wired IEM and gives someone who has just stepped into this hobby a reason to reach for these and use them without them. My gripes with them may very well be down to my personal preferences.

Overall Grade: B

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