The Kiwi Ears Halcyon is a hybrid driver in-ear monitor (IEM) using three types of drivers: a 10mm dynamic driver, three balanced armatures, and a MEMS driver. It launched in early 2026 and is priced around 259 USD.
The Kiwi Ears Astral is also a hybrid driver IEM, featuring a 10mm dynamic driver for the bass and four balanced armatures handling the rest of the frequency range. It is currently priced between 239 and 299 USD.
When it comes to build and design, the Astral is made of resin and is significantly larger, while the Halcyon is much smaller and made out of metal. I find both comfortable in use.
You can read my full Astral review here, and my Halcyon review here.
KIWI EARS HALCYON SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Configuration: 1DD + 1 MEMS + 3 BA
- Impedance: 29 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 109 dB/mW
- Frequency response: 10-42kHz
- Distortion <1% (at 1kHz)
- Channel Imbalance <1.5dB
- Connector: 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
- Cable Material: 4N Single Crystal Copper
- Cable Length: 122 cm
- Cable termination: 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable
- Weight: 6 g
- Nozzle Size: 6.2mm
- Carrying case and tips included
Current price and availability:
KIWI EARS ASTRAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Drivers: 1 Dynamic Driver and 6 Balanced Armatures (3 dual)
- Setup: 1 DD bass, 4 BA mids and 2 BA tweeters.
- Impedance 23 Ohms
- Sensitivity,: 105dB
- Cable connector: 0.78mm 2-Pin
- Cable: 1.2 m with 3.5mm & 4.4mm interchangeable jacks
Current price and availability:
- Kiwi Ears: Astral
- Linsoul: Kiwi Astral
- Amazon: Kiwi Astral
LISTENING COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
- Tips: SpinFit CP145
TRACK-BY-TRACK IMPRESSIONS
In The Mountains by Espen Eriksen Trio
The Halcyon has a rich bass presence with polite, smooth mids and highs that are rich in subtle detail. The Astral has less bass and sounds more neutral in terms of tonality, but the soundstage feels smaller, and while it comes across as equally detailed, it lacks the same sense of subtlety and refinement.
Re-Melt by Tord Gustavsen Trio
The Astral sounds very well balanced, with nice texture on the percussion and a generally smooth character. The Halcyon has a bit more bass, but also a wider soundstage with an even better sense of detail.
Teardrop by Massive Attack
The Halcyon is excellently smooth and snappy at the same time, with a bass that never feels overpowering, just right. The Astral sounds less spacious and has a more polite bass.
Eye of the Day by Marta del Grandi
The Astral sounds excellent: very well balanced, high in detail, and with good vocal presence. The Halcyon, however, sounds even cleaner and offers a better sense of space.
The Hidden Camera by Photek
The Halcyon has a tactile, spacious bass with excellent detail and spatiality. The Astral is very good too, but a bit less refined and lacking the same impressive holographic delivery.
Sujet Tabou by Renaudin and Cahours
The Astral sounds excellent: very well balanced, dynamic and tactile. The Halcyon, however, is even more impressive. There is more space between instruments and again a better sense of refinement. The differences are not night and day, but they are there.
II. Allegro by De la Guerre – Album: Destinées by Sophie de Bardonnèche
The Halcyon offers excellent tonality and timbre, with great instrument separation and layering. The Astral sounds very similar, also very well balanced with comparable timbre, but again a tad less refined.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The Kiwi Ears Astral and Halcyon have a relatively similar sound signature, both slightly laid back and suitably lush without being too heavily coloured. The Halcyon does however have somewhat more bass, while the Astral is more neutral.
Treble
The treble intensity is quite similar between the two. The Astral is detailed, but the Halcyon has even better resolution.
Midrange
The midrange is quite similar between the two, both in terms of intensity and character. Both are nicely present with a warm tint without sounding overly bloomy.
Bass
While both have a good bass presence and sound dynamic and tactile, the Halcyon is the bassier of the two. It is not over the top, but it definitely has more bass quantity than what’s considered neutral. The Astral is more neutral.
Soundstage and Imaging
The Astral sounds wide and open, but in terms of imaging and instrument separation, the Halcyon is a step or two up.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
They are relatively similar in terms of general detail retrieval, but here too I find the Halcyon to be a step or two up. It sounds more refined and subtle.
In terms of dynamics they are comparable, and their general timbre is very close.
CONCLUSION
The Halcyon and Astral are both great sounding IEMs from Kiwi Ears, and both smooth and non-offensive. The Astral is more neutral, while the Halcyon has more bass. The Halcyon is generally better in terms of detail retrieval and imaging.
I like both very much, but my personal favourite is the Halcyon. It sounds more refined and delicate, and is also significantly smaller, which may or may not be a factor.
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- Kiwi Ears: Astral
- Linsoul: Kiwi Astral
- Amazon: Kiwi Astral
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