60$ For Something Big

Ratings

Pros

• Excellent soundstage, separation, three-dimensionality, clarity and transparency.
• It is very suitable and enjoyable for certain genres and warm music.
• Good level of detail for the price.
• Overall, the value for money is very high.
• The wooden design and colour are very attractive.
• Comfortable fit and simple but effective design.
• The connection chosen for the headphones is very good.
• The cable is not bad for the price with its textile coating.
• Two sets of ear pads to vary the sound to your liking.

Cons

• No carrying case or box included.
• Very long cable with no shorter option or 4.4mm balanced connector.
• The ear cups do not rotate from their vertical axis.
• The bass is very limited for electronic music, with heavy and complex bass tones. The sub-bass is lacking in naturalness and feels distinctly coloured.
• There are gaps in the midrange and treble that unbalance the sound, although the velvet ear pads improve this aspect.
• With the vegan leather ear pads, the midrange is thin and the sound can feel excited, splattered, even too energetic between the upper midrange and early treble.
• The level of resolution is not very high.

Purchase Link

https://kiwiears.com/products/kiwi-ears-altruva

Link to the WEB

https://kiwiears.com

Introduction

At this point, there is no need to introduce one of the most prolific brands of recent years: Kiwi Ears. The brand remains committed to offering the market the best solutions in terms of price and sound, not only in IEMS, but also in other areas, such as large-format headphones. This is not the brand’s first foray into this sector (Ellipse, Division, Atheia and Serene), and I must admit that I tried the Division without much enthusiasm. I recognise that I prefer IEMS and earbuds to large-format headphones, and I hardly have any old ones left in my collection. I have a preference for the physical and immersive sensation offered by IEMS and, to a lesser extent, I also enjoy earbuds. So much so that my old Hi-Fi stereo system, which I bought for over €1,000 many years ago, is now unused (also because I don’t want to disturb the neighbours). In any case, large-format headphones are neither comfortable nor useful for me. I live in a very small flat and this type of headphones takes up a lot of space. In addition, it is very hot here for most of the year, which is why I have waited until now to write this review, when it seems that the cold weather is arriving and we are almost in December.
But, returning to the most important thing, the product, I received these new Altruva earphones thanks to the kindness of Kiwi Ears, despite all these previous considerations, as they are very confident in the quality of their product. And it is true that there is a qualitative leap forward compared to the Division model.
The Kiwi Ears Altruva are equipped with a customised 50 mm full-size dynamic driver. They have an open nature and offer studio-accurate sound, rich in detail, with balanced tonality and an impressive soundstage. The Altruva offers a sound profile designed for audiophiles and professionals. The bass is fast and powerful, delivering punchy low-end energy without interfering with the mids. The mids are neutral and balanced, accurately reproducing vocals and instruments in their true tonal form. The treble response is clean and airy, providing excellent detail and clarity without harshness. With its studio-like tuning, Altruva ensures a faithful and immersive musical experience.
At the heart of the Altruva lies a newly designed 50mm custom dynamic driver, created exclusively for this model. Thanks to powerful neodymium magnets and a reinforced diaphragm, the driver excels at reproducing mid and high frequencies in detail. Its custom PU and PEK composite diaphragm, combined with an ultra-pure copper ring, ensures high sensitivity, fast response and refined tonal control, providing a balanced and immersive audio experience across the entire spectrum.
With an open architecture at the rear, Altruva headphones allow air to circulate naturally through the ear cups, reducing internal reflections and creating a spacious, airy sound. This design significantly improves the sense of space and directionality, so instruments and vocals are perceived more clearly and realistically. The result is a wide soundstage, similar to that of a concert, which brings your music to life with depth, clarity and dimension, ideal for critical listening and immersive enjoyment.
The Altruva headphones are designed to offer elegant aesthetics and excellent sound quality. They are made of PVD-coated stainless steel for durability and a sleek finish, and feature real wood accents and soft vegan leather padding for comfort and style. This combination of premium materials not only enhances the look and feel of the headphones, but also contributes to their acoustic integrity, ensuring a refined, high-fidelity listening experience worthy of the most discerning audiophiles.
The brand description is very extensive, and in my review, I will try to provide other usual details, as well as my opinion on the sound.

Specifications

• Driver Type: Custom dynamic driver with 50mm PU and PEK composite diaphragm, combined with an ultra-pure copper ring.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40kHz
• Sensitivity: 98dB ± 3dB.
• Impedance: 32Ω.
• Headphone Cable Type and Connection: Detachable with individual 3.5mm SE connector with textile coating.
• Cable Length: 3m.
• Jack Connector: 3.5mm SE + 6.35mm adapter.
• Starting Price: $59.49.

Packaging

The Kiwi Ears Altruva box is just the right size, measuring 229 x 243 x 120 mm. On the front, there is a real photo of the headphones in the centre, above wavy letters that form the model name. The logo is in the top left corner, and in the opposite corner is the full model name and a short description. All the letters are white and the background is dark blue with waves. The photo is repeated on the back, this time in a smaller format. All the icons and logos for the certifications achieved are in the top left corner. Below the photo are the brand and importer details. On the sides of the box there is more information, as well as a sticker specifying the chosen model (the Altruva are available in two finishes: grey and brown). On the other long side are the product specifications and a QR code that links to the brand’s website.
The box opens upwards. The headphones are covered by an elongated whitish plastic cover. They rest in a custom-made white cardboard mould. In the centre, a piece of white cardboard in the shape of an inverted triangle separates each earpiece and maintains the shape of the product, preventing them from moving. Under the cardboard mould is a tray with the rest of the accessories. In summary, the contents are as follows:

• Kiwi Altruva headphones.
• 1 detachable audio cable (3.5 mm to dual 3.5 mm)
• 1 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) adapter.
• 1 additional pair of velvet ear pads (left and right).
• 1 user manual.

It’s strange that the website says there’s a case for the headphones, but I can’t see it anywhere.
The packaging is simple, but it seems quite practical and protects the headphones well. It’s a shame that the case mentioned on the website isn’t included. In any case, the two additional velvet ear pads and the fabric-covered cable are very useful.

Construction and Design

The design of the Altruva Kiwi Ears is almost minimalist, but well thought out. The headphones are large and my model has a wooden finish, although I don’t think it’s real wood, despite what the product website says: ‘The frame is made of PVD-coated stainless steel for durability and an elegant finish, combined with real wood details and soft vegan leather padding for comfort and style.’ The structure consists of two very flexible black stainless steel bands. The almost round ear cups are held in place at the midpoint of their edge by a semicircular arch that gives continuity to the double structure. The ear cups have only one degree of freedom; they cannot swing, only rotate slightly up and down to fit the ears. At the top of the double band is a rectangular plastic piece that displays the brand name on the outside and, on the inside, the channel and the logos of the certifications it holds. From this piece, more specifically from the upper inner part, two thin cables slide out, connecting the upper headband. This band has two plastic pieces at each end that connect it to the two wires that add elasticity for comfort and a simple but secure fit. The band is slightly padded on the inside, thin and made of vegan leather.
As I mentioned, the ear cups are quite round and large. On my model, the outer surface simulates wood and is dome-shaped, with a double diameter and a black metal grille inside which is the brand’s logo in white. Inside, the large black synthetic leather ear pads can be replaced using a mechanism that detaches the plate that supports them, which consists of four U-shaped pieces. After turning this plate, the pieces separate from the other part, which contains the dynamic driver protected by black foam.
The ear pads are held in place by pressure exerted on their circular tab-like edge, which fits onto the outer ring of the plate. It is not easy to change the ear pads because this tab is not very elastic.
The ear pads, which are thread-shaped, are thick and, although round on the outside, are more oval on the inside to provide a suitable shape to accommodate the ears in the correct position.
The cable is 3 metres long and has a black textile coating. It has a 3.5 mm SE connection for each earpiece. The covers of each earpiece are black, slightly lacquered, and have a white touch with the letter of the corresponding channel. The cable outlet is made of hardened black rubber. The splitter is made of hard plastic and has flexible protectors at the output of each cable. It is Y-shaped and its construction is as simple as it is effective. The cover of the plug that connects to the source is made of thicker black plastic and is also slightly flexible. At the base of the plug there is a thread to secure the 6.35 mm adapter. All connectors are gold-plated.
The model I have, the WoodBrown, imitates real wood very well and makes it more attractive; it even looks more expensive than the Grey option (at least that’s my visual impression).
The design is simple but effective. I find the weak points to be the durability of the two elastic bands that connect the band to the metal structure and the fact that the ear cups only fold down, they do not rotate.

Adjustment and Ergonomics

My head is not small, but it is more elongated than round. The simple adjustment mechanism on the top band provides the necessary firmness and adequate softness so that the band does not squeeze too tightly, but feels moderately snug. The fit is not very firm, and the overall comfort is slightly compromised by the fact that the ear cups do not rotate. Their slight downward tilt is sufficient for the ear pads to fit gracefully around the ears. Softer ear pads or a tighter fit would have resulted in greater immersion, more punch and a better impression of bass and detail. However, it seems that long-term comfort has been prioritised, and it should be noted that the headphones are more comfortable than expected, even when wearing glasses for close reading, as one is getting on in years.

Sound

Profile

The profile of the Kiwi Ears Altruva with standard vegan leather ear pads is a rising V, with slightly sharp upper mids and moderately emphasised bass in the middle range. I find the overall sound to be brighter than warm, and I miss a little more punch in the bass. The sub-bass is noticeably light, shallow and with a low physical presence. Despite being a V-shaped profile, the mids are not very recessed and male voices have a good presence. Thanks to their open design, the sound is quite spacious and airy, with a good three-dimensional and separate feel.

Bass

Comparing the bass of IEMS with that of headphones of this format makes no sense, and my tests of very low frequency pure tones do not provide an adequate response either. Even so, I will tiptoe through this test. The first tone is very audible and is perceived more by vibration than by actual sound, as it has no physical component. This is the case up to 40 Hz, which is when you can start to feel something more like real bass. The vibration aspect is high, which makes the test unrealistic for this format, but it gives an idea that it is a mid-focused bass, with some speed, good recovery, volume, physicality, and low depth. When transferred to the real world and faced with my electronic music playlist, the impact is neutral, without too much punch, which persists for a short time, agile, but without much force, depth or physical or sensory sensation. There is quite a lot of colouration, and even the vibratory character is present in the environment in the deepest bass, when it is powerful and the volume is turned up. This creates a certain amount of vibration control that would require a firmer adjustment or softer, more absorbent ear pads. It is not very suitable for fast bass, but for more relaxed electronic music it might be more suitable. I find that it performs better with bass lines than with fast bass. This is demonstrated in my test of dirty, complex and unfiltered bass. The sound is not the most suitable, as it lacks volume and physicality, and is very weak in terms of darkness and depth. More complex bass lines do not sound good and are not reproduced properly. Trip-hop is not its forte, nor is electronic music in general. Let’s move on to the next range.

Mids

With the standard vegan leather ear pads, I don’t find the sound too warm, although male voices have a good presence and are better defined in the soundstage. I find them thin and lacking in physicality, body and a thicker, broader presence in the soundstage; on the contrary, the high end is overemphasised, as are nuances and breathing. The Altruva are ideal for dark and warm compositions, as they bring them back to life. With those that are more tonally suitable, they become more sprinkled with that clear tendency of the upper mids.
The instrumentation in the first half also lacks body and the sound is too light, with little density and weight, giving a feeling of low load and greater volatility.
I expected the female voices to have more prominence and clarity, but I was surprised to hear a certain distance. There is not as much distance between men and women. And again, I miss a physical and upper foundation component, both in the female voices and in some of the instrumentation. There must be some valley or mismatch in the upper mids towards the transition to the highs where some cohesion is lost in all the mids.

Treble

The Altruva speakers have a good initial spark, but I perceive a fairly clear loss of control that attenuates the treble before reaching its midrange. This detracts from a certain sense of sparkling brilliance and gives the treble a more linear and ascending aspect. There is an obvious strong point that sprinkles the sound and sharpens the notes in a narrow range. However, when the treble requires greater extension and longer harmonics, that more excited V-shaped orientation is noticeable, but it is also more reduced and concentrated in the first treble frequency band.
On the other hand, there is a good sense of air and extension in the upper range, allowing for a graceful and distinguishable halo.

Soundstage, Separation

Without a doubt, the most interesting thing about the Altruva is the space it creates, the distance, the separation and the feeling of clarity. Although it is not an analytical sound, you can detect a good three-dimensional impression, even though the ensemble is not very deep. This is due to its sound sprinkled with fine, expansive notes, the feeling of openness and the enveloping impression of sound from the mid-range to the very close range. The details are vivid and projected, although it lacks the precision and level of resolution necessary to be consistent in this regard. Micro-details can be observed, but when there is greater complexity, it is not very skilful and only shows part of it. This implies a certain lack of resolution and a more superficial than deep representation. In a way, the Altruva is deceiving, and this sensation is addictive. There are compositions that sound great with them, and the spatiality generates a delicious and delicate sound, with a fairly clear distance between the elements and a persistent feeling of airy and expansive sound. However, they lack foundation and a more physical and forceful body; they tend to be light and thin, which limits the impression of volume, darkness, and depth. Even so, both the soundstage and separation are among the best of the set.

Sound appreciation with velvet ear pads

With the second set of ear pads, the sound seems more relaxed, less V-shaped and more balanced. I don’t think the bass loses that much weight when listened to in isolation, but it’s possible that, with the mids closer, less bass is perceived. In my opinion, it’s just that the balance makes them less prominent.
Now I do find a greater warmth in the overall sound, with richer mids and a more pronounced body that makes male voices broader and gives them a better foundation, without losing clarity or prominence.
Female voices still don’t come out of the hole completely, but now they are more expansive, thicker and more textured.
On the other hand, the sound is no longer as splashy and vivid; there is more control and also more delicacy.
The greater balance improves the level of resolution and the background micro-detail appears more clearly, where before it was imprecise and fluctuating.
The treble is more coherent and the extension is perceived as more balanced, resulting in a less obvious or profound drop in control. This gives the treble a more consistent and extensive brightness, improving the realism and naturalness of the treble and harmonics.
The sound is somewhat more relaxed, less speckled and expansive. But it remains quite clear, separate and open. The fact that it is more cohesive and balanced limits the three-dimensional feel, but it gains in depth and base, with more thickness and a broader texture.

Conclusion

Kiwi Ears’ omnipresence at the forefront of the audio product market is backed by years of experience, even though it may seem that each new model is launched overnight. This is not the case; rather, there is a long period of development behind it that has now come to fruition. This does not mean that they should not continue to improve. Kiwi Ears has released a large-format headphone model at a very affordable price. Their design is very simple, as several good ideas allow for savings in production costs. These are necessary and evident in the Altruva, headphones with an excellent quality-sound-price ratio. I’m not a big fan of their profile, but I must admit that they have bass with a certain impact and speed, a more remarkable early midrange than I thought, and some other gaps in the upper midrange and treble. It is a V-shaped profile with a slight tendency towards brightness and clarity. The lack of deep bass, a certain thinness in the mids and an open, big sound may make it tempting to turn up the volume, but that’s when the Altruva becomes more spicy, revealing a somewhat unbalanced excitement. Fortunately, it includes velvet ear pads that help balance the sound and make it more cohesive and interesting. However, the Altruva’s strong point is its open and spacious character; the three-dimensionality of its sound is above all its other characteristics. And that’s good, but also bad at the same time, because it leaves you wondering what would have happened if the rest of the features had been up to the same standard. We would certainly be talking about a much higher price. And perhaps Kiwi Ears is already thinking about how to improve this model, which is more than remarkable as standard.

Sources Used During the Analysis

• Burson Audio Playmate 2.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + OpAmp Sparkos Labs SS3602 + Aune ND7.
• iFi GO bar Kensei.