The second product that Kiwi Ears sent together with the Orchestra II is the Serene wired closed-back planar magnetic headphones. This product is a collaboration with “ZeosPantera” (Z Reviews), a prolific reviewer of audio products, so essentially the audio is tuned in favour of his preference. They retail at USD 159 at the Kiwi Ears website.
You can watch his lengthy YouTube video sharing his insights on the Serene, which he said took about 6 months to tune. He tuned them for low-volume listening, which is why it is called “Serene”. The bass boost is intentional, and so are the thick ear pads to achieve passive noise cancellation. The custom-size 72 x 89mm drivers is housed in plastic closed-back chassis, fitted with purple aluminium accents and yoke. The detachable braided cables uses 3.5mm connectors which are easily upgraded.
True to the name, these headphones do not sound intrusive. They are musically warm, the mid-bass is filling and detailed, the midrange is relaxed, the treble is rounded and recessed. When listening to music with lots of action, the bass tends to take prominence while the treble performs subtly. You cannot get much listening excitement with these headphones, and if you turn up the volume, the bass just takes over with rumbles. Also, it depends on your source: take Michael Jackson Billie Jean or Thriller, the Serene will bring out a more balanced performance where the treble is less spicy while the bass line gets you grooving.
I find these headphones pair great with recordings between 60s and early 80s where the mastering is skewed towards brighter mix and less generous bass. They definitely offers a more laid back listening experience for everything else, especially instrumental genres. With the noise-isolating pads, you can immerse in the music at a low listening volume and enjoy the subtle musicalities. The stereo imaging creates a close sound stage that is not exaggerated.
I would listen to the Kiwi Ears Serene if I need headphones to isolate myself while listening music at a lower volume where stronger bass is appreciated. The earcups are small but deep so it’s not uncomfortable. I would also recommend these headphones to consumers who want a bassier planar headphones which are not common.
