Recently, Kiwi Ears launched the Astral and the Septet. These two new models are slightly more expensive than the former “junior flagship, the Orchestra Lite (249 USD), which launched in 2023. I’ve compared the Astral and the Septet here.
The Astral is a fairly typical hybrid driver IEM, featuring a 10mm dynamic driver for the bass and balanced armatures for the rest of the frequency range. Two dual (4 in total) balanced armature drivers handle the midrange, while a dual balanced armature tweeter covers the highs.
The Kiwi Orchestra Lite is not a hybrid. It features 8 custom-balanced armature drivers which are set up like this: Two ultra tweeters for the treble, four midrange balanced armature drivers for the mids, and two subwoofer drivers for the lows. The Orchestra Lite is a more cost efficient version of the top model from 2021, the 499 USD Orchestra.
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
- Distortion: THD <1%
- Frequency Response: 10Hz – 22kHz
- Cable connector: 0.78mm 2 Pin
- Termination plug: 3.5mm & 4.4mm Interchangeable
Current price and availability:
- Kiwi Ears: Astral
- Linsoul: Kiwi Astral
- Amazon: Kiwi Astral
KIWI EARS ORCHESTRA LITE SPECIFICATIONS
- Drivers: 8 balanced armature drivers:
- Setup: 2 Knowles BA for bass, 4 Kiwi Ears Customized BA for midrange, 2 x Kiwi Ears Customized BA tweeters.
- Impedance: 18 ohms
- Sensitivity: 112dB
- THD: 0.3%
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Detachable Cable: 1.2 m oxygen-free silver-plated copper
- IEM cable socket 0.78mm 2 Pin
- Cable termination plug 3.5mm single-ended
Current price and availability:
- Linsoul: Orchestra Lite
- Amazon: Orchestra Lite
BUILD AND COMFORT
The Astral and Orchestra Lite both feature universal custom-fit resin shells. The Astral has a metal nozzle with a wax guard grid, while the Orchestra Lite uses a resin nozzle with three visible tube holes.
I find them equally comfortable. The Astral comes with Kiwi Ears’ new interchangeable cable termination plugs (3.5mm and 4.4mm), whereas the Orchestra Lite includes only a fixed 3.5mm jack, but this might change if Kiwi Ears upgrades the cable of the Orchestra Lite.
COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Tide of Trepidation by EST
They sound quite similar, though the Astral has slightly more bass quantity.
Jambi by Tool
The Orchestra Lite is ever so slightly brighter in tonality, but otherwise they’re very similar. The Astral may offer a bit more detail.
Smile by Pearl Jam
Very similar tonality, with the Astral offering slightly more air and detail.
Almost Like The Blues by Leonard Cohen
The Orchestra Lite has a slightly thicker sound, but they are very, very similar overall.
Black Crow by Cassandra Wilson
Very similar sounding, though the Astral might be a bit more airy and have slightly more detail.
As Before by Olga Konkova
The cajón drum has a bit more punch with the Astral, while the piano is crisper with the Orchestra Lite. Vocals are similar—slightly more open and brittle with the Astral, a bit brighter and more energetic with the Orchestra Lite, which also gives the piano a more strident character.
It Could Be Sweet by Portishead
Very similar sounding.
Escape Route by Boris Blank
The bass seems to have a bit more texture with the Astral, and the mids feel slightly darker and perhaps a bit more refined—but the differences are subtle.
Spontaneous Compositorius by Thomas Agergard
Very similar—both are dynamic and spacious, with slightly different tonality but nothing particularly significant.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
They’re both good, with slightly different tonal characters. The Orchestra Lite comes off as slightly crisper and more strident, while the Astral has slightly darker upper mids. The Astral might also have a bit better detail retrieval, but both are solid performers.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
They’re still very similar. However, here the Orchestra Lite is a bit more strident and slightly more nasal sounding due to increased upper mid presence. The Astral is a tad darker and sounds slightly more subtle and refined.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The Astral and Orchestra Lite have very similar, quite neutral sound signatures. When compared directly, the Astral might have slightly more bass and somewhat darker upper mids, but on most tracks they come across as very, very similar.
Treble
Both have non-offensive, detailed treble with good articulation and presence, but no glare or harshness.
Midrange
The midrange is present and energetic in both, but depending on the track, the Astral is a bit more laid-back in the upper midrange, making it sound slightly darker, while the Orchestra Lite is a tad more strident.
Bass
In terms of quality, they are very similar, but the Astral sometimes feels like it has more texture. The Astral also occasionally comes off as having slightly more bass presence, though not always.
Soundstage and Imaging
They both have great soundstage and imaging. They’re very similar, but the Astral might be a tad better overall.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
They are also very similar in detail level, but the Astral sometimes has a tad more detail. Both are very dynamic. The timbre is generally very similar, but as mentioned, the Orchestra Lite has slightly more upper midrange energy. It’s not apparent on every track, but when it is, the Orchestra Lite can feel a bit more nasal and strident, while the Astral sounds slightly darker and more polite. In absolute terms, however, the timbre is very similar.
CONCLUSION
To be honest, there often isn’t much difference to be heard when comparing the Astral and the Orchestra Lite. They frequently sound essentially the same, with slight variations depending on the music. They do have minor differences in frequency response; sometimes these differences are quite apparent, while other times the two are nearly indistinguishable. The Astral more often has more bass, while the Orchestra Lite has more energetic upper mids. The Astral offers slightly better resolution, but this difference is often insignificant. Anyway, both the Orchestra Lite and the Astral are among my favourite IEMs in their price range, and are definitely worth checking out.
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- Kiwi Ears: Astral
- Linsoul: Kiwi Astral
- Amazon: Kiwi Astral
- Linsoul: Orchestra Lite
- Amazon: Orchestra Lite
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