The Jade Audio JT3 and Kiwi Ears Altruva are both $69 full-size dynamic driver headphones. In this comparison review, we will examine the differences in physical design and sound quality.
JADE AUDIO JT3 SPECIFICATIONS
- Open-back full size headphones
- Driver: 50mm dynamic driver
- Impedance: 80 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 97 dB/mW
- Frequency Response: 10Hz–35kHz
- Cable: 1.5m – with mic
- Cable connectors: 3.5mm dual plugs
- Cable termination: 3.5mm TRRS jack with 6.35mm adapter included
- Microphone: On the cable
- Ear pad material: Velour
- Weight: 330g (without cable)
Current price and availability:
KIWI EARS ALTRUVA SPECIFICATIONS
- Open-back full size headphones
- Driver: 50mm Dynamic Driver
- Impedance: 32 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 98dB ± 3dB
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40kHz
- Cable Length: 3 m
- Cable connectors: dual 3.5mm on headphone
- Cable termination: 3.5mm jack with 6.35mm adapter included
- Colours: Gray and wood imitation
Current price and availability:
BUILD AND COMFORT
Both the Altruva and the JT3 have arc headbands with suspension straps. The Altruva features a self-adjusting strap with hidden elastic bands, while the JT3 has a mechanism that lets you click it into position manually. Elastic bands are great for multiple users, but they tend to loosen over time.
They are both full-size headphones and quite large but comfortable. The pads use different materials: the FT3 uses velour while the Altruva uses pleather, with full pleather on the outside and face but perforated on the inside for sonic benefit. Both headphones have detachable pads. The FT3 uses a special attachment mechanism while the Altruva uses the standard lip and notch system, which I much prefer. It makes it very easy to attach third-party pads. I am a big fan of swapping pads because it lets you adjust the sound and comfort.
Neither of the two is foldable. I find them both to sit comfortably on my head with no complaints.
The FT3 comes with a 1.5m cable while the Altruva ships with a 3m cable. Both have 3.5mm termination jacks and both use dual 3.5mm jacks on the headphones. The FT3 comes with a microphone on the cable, on the right part of the Y-split.
LISTENING COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Bullet In Your Head by Rage Against the Machine
The Altruva is nice. It is quite neutral but in a relaxed way and punchy enough. The FT3 kicks way harder, but the vocals sound much darker.
Angel by Massive Attack
The JT3 has deep and dynamic bass and sounds quite spacious with a nice sense of depth. Vocals are nice but a bit too dark. The Altruva is more neutral, but lacking in low-end punch. The vocals are more neutral and upfront.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
The Altruva delivers excellent vocals and the bass is pretty good, nicely balanced and not overwhelming. On the JT3, the bass is much more dynamic, organic, and satisfying. Vocals are also nice here, so I favor the JT3.
The Tunnel by Tord Gustavsen Trio
Moving over to some slow piano jazz, this sounds a bit too dark and uninspiring on the JT3. The crisper and brighter Altruva is better, even though the general detail level is pretty similar.
Rocket Man by Bob James Trio
This piano trio track also sounds very good on the Altruva. It is very nicely balanced, nicely crisp but not too bright. It also sounds very good on the JT3; the bass is more alive and the percussion is snappier.
Daddy Lessons by Beyonce
Even though the mid-range sounds a bit dark, this track sounds very good with the JT3. The bass is especially good, dynamic and textured. The Altruva is significantly brighter sounding and more neutral, but I like the dynamics of the JT3.
Escape Route by Boris Blank
This sounds good on the Altruva but better on the JT3. The Altruva does nothing wrong; it is neutral and well-balanced but lacks the dynamics of the JT3. The JT3 also has more bass, which is nice here.
Spontaneous Compositorius by Thomas Agergard
This is a great track to test treble performance. The bright percussion sounds nice on the JT3, but it is more open and clear sounding on the Altruva, which also has a more neutral saxophone timbre. The JT3 is a bit darker.
Maple Noise by Greene Serene
This is a great track to test dynamics. The Altruva sounds good, neutral and pleasant. The JT3, however, is much more exciting. There is just more action, and even though it’s a bit more colored, the superior dynamics are hard to beat.
Never Enough by Loren Alred
This is a track I often use to check out how forgiving a headphone is. It can often sound quite bad because of the mix. The dark and warm-leaning JT3 sounds great. The Altruva is brighter but still quite forgiving, though less so than the JT3.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
On this string quartet track, the Altruva sounds energetic and crisp. The JT3 is surprisingly not too far away, but it’s a bit darker but also more dynamic.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The Kiwi Ears Altruva has a very neutral tuning, slightly laid back. The Jade JT3 has a dark mid-range and a rich, bold bass.
Treble
The treble is pretty similar, nice and clean without being too sharp.
Midrange
The mid-range is very different. Vocals and instruments have a dark tonality with the JT3, while the Altruva sounds neutral and more “correct.”
Bass
The bass is also very different. The Altruva delivers quite good quality bass with nice presence, but the JT3 has not only more bass quantitatively, it also delivers much more punch and dynamics and has better texture and detail.
Soundstage and Imaging
The soundstage is larger with the Altruva, more intimate with the JT3. Imaging is pretty much on par, but which is better depends on the track and the frequencies that are dominant.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
In general, I find them to be equally detailed but in different ways. Typically, the JT3 has better detail in the bass, the Altruva offers more detail in the mid-range, while the treble is pretty equal.
When it comes to dynamics, the JT3 is almost always superior, especially when there is bass involved.
The timbre is pretty different. Midrange timbre is more neutral and generally natural with the Altruva.
CONCLUSION
The Jade JT3 and the Kiwi Ears Altruva are quite different headphones when it comes to sound. The Altruva is very neutral, impressively so for the price point. The JT3 is much more colored; it is darker in the mid-range and has a fuller-bodied bass. However, importantly, it is much more dynamic. Which sounds better depends on the music. For bass-heavy, bass-dependent music, the JT3 is better. For neutrality, the Altruva is the better choice.
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