Ziigaat Horizon is a tribrid IEM with a total of five drivers: a dynamic driver for the bass, two balanced armatures for the midrange, and two planar magnetic drivers for the treble. It was released in October 2025 and typically retails for 329 USD.
Kiwi Ears Orchestra II is a 10-driver balanced armature IEM, an evolution of the Orchestra and Orchestra Lite. It was released in November 2025 and typically retails for 349 USD.
ZIIGAAT HORIZON SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver: 1DD + 2BA + 2 Planar
- Driver Details: 10mm bio-diaphragm + Knowles 30262-163 + custom composite dual planar drivers
- Impedance: 24 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 102dB
- THD: 0.55%
- Frequency Response: 20Hz–35kHz
- Detachable 1.2m 4-Core Cable
- Cable connectors: 0.78mm 2-pin
- Cable termination: 3.5mm / 4.4mm interchangable system
Current price and availability:
- Linsoul: Ziigaat Horizon
- Amazon: Ziigaat Horizon
KIWI EARS ORCHESTRA II SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Configuration: 10 Custom Balanced Armatures
- 4 x Way Crossover
- Sensitivity: 109dB SPL/mW
- Impedance: 19 Ohms
- Frequency Range
- 20Hz-20KHz
- Cable Connectors: 0.78mm 2 pin
- Cable Length: 122 cm
- Cable Material: single crystal copper, silver-plated (SP-OCC)
- Cable termination: 3.5mm / 4.4mm jacks, interchangeable system
Current price and availability:
- Linsoul: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
- Amazon: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
BUILD AND COMFORT
Both IEMs have resin shells. The Horizon features metal nozzles, while the Orchestra II has resin nozzles. The Orchestra II is slightly larger, but both fit comfortably in my ear. They come with high-quality cables that have an interchangeable 3.5/4.4 mm plug system.
COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Blessed Feet by Tord Gustavsen Trio
The Orchestra II is wonderful here, with drums that have a strong physical presence and an overall natural, organic sound. The Horizon is very similar, though slightly less full-bodied and a touch drier, not in a negative sense but simply a different character.
Rambling Man by Laura Marling
Both are excellent: natural and neutral. The Orchestra II is slightly warmer, richer, and darker, while the Horizon is a bit crisper and drier.
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Both are very neutral, offering a well-balanced sound. With the Horizon, vocals are drier and crisper, with more texture, while the Orchestra II presents vocals that are smoother, more velvety, slightly laid-back, and a touch darker.
In The Mountains by Espen Eriksen Trio
The Orchestra II has a powerful low end and a slightly dark presentation, while the Horizon’s low end is a bit less pronounced. That said, the difference between them is subtle.
Angel by Massive Attack
The Orchestra II delivers powerful but controlled bass, with a warmer presentation and slightly thicker tones. The Horizon has less bass presence, a cooler sound, and less rich tones. The difference is subtle, but the Horizon can be considered more neutral.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
The Orchestra II has a meatier, fuller bass, while the Horizon is drier and leaner, offering better texture but less body. The rest of the frequency spectrum is very similar.
Bullet in Your Head by Rage Against the Machine
The Orchestra II is generally a bit more rounded, with richer bass, sounding more natural and engaging. The Horizon is slightly drier and more neutral.
Daddy Lessons by Beyonce
Here the difference is unusually clear: the Orchestra II has more bass, rounder and warmer mids, and smoother highs, while the Horizon has less bass and is noticeably crisper and drier.
Buster Rides Again by Medeski, Martin and Wood
Both are similar, but the Orchestra II is thicker and meatier, with a warmer and smoother sound, while the Horizon is crisper, slightly brighter, and drier.
Never Enough by Loren Alred
This track can often sound harsh on some earphones due to its extremely dry mix. The Horizon handles it relatively good, but the Orchestra II makes it sound noticeably more organic.
Midnight City by M83
On this busy electronic alternative pop/rock track, both IEMs have the technical ability to keep it clean. Both perform well, but the Horizon’s textured crispiness makes it slightly more enjoyable here.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
The Horizon sounds excellent, with outstanding separation and clarity, delivering a fast and effortless performance. The Orchestra II is great, but a tad thicker and more rounded, with a warmer and darker presentation. Still very good, but I think the Horizon is better here.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
The Orchestra II has a warm, slightly rounded timbre that is very pleasant. The Horizon feels quicker and more effortless, but also brighter and drier.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
Both the Orchestra II and the Horizon are fairly neutral, but the Horizon is more neutral overall. The Orchestra II offers a pleasant bass lift and a warmer tonality.
Treble
At first listen, they are not radically different, but over time it becomes clear that the Horizon’s treble has more resolution, slightly more energy, and feels more effortless. The Orchestra II also has good treble, but it feels thicker and a tad slower in direct comparison, with a more laid-back presentation – that certainly can be appealing.
Midrange
The mid-range also differs slightly, not so much in detail but in tuning. Depending on the track, the Orchestra II tends to sound darker, yet warmer and richer – the Horizon a bit brighter and crisper.
Bass
The bass differs as well. The Orchestra II has more quantity—not bass-heavy, but with a slight lift—and sounds richer, fuller, and warmer. The Horizon is leaner, with more texture, giving it a crisper feel.
Soundstage and Imaging
I find both to have a good soundstage and similarly strong imaging capabilities.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
In terms of raw detail retrieval, the Horizon has the edge, especially in the treble, which feels more effortless and revealing. Its bass also carries more texture. Dynamics are not radically different, but the Orchestra II generally has better macrodynamics with more snap and punch. I’d say it also has better microdynamics and articulation, but with less of a margin.
The timbre is different, and which you prefer is a matter of taste. The Orchestra II is richer, bolder, and warmer, while the Horizon is drier, crisper, and more neutral—some might even call it more clinical.
CONCLUSION
The Ziigaat Horizon and Orchestra II are both excellent IEMs at the same price point of 330–350 USD. They are not radically different, with both tuned to sound fairly neutral.
However, the Horizon is even more neutral than the Orchestra II, slightly drier, with more raw detail. The Orchestra II has more bass presence and generally sounds bolder and richer.
Even though I personally adore the tuning of the Orchestra II, the Horizon is very close, and I can wholeheartedly recommend them both.
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- Linsoul: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
- Amazon: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
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