Kinera recently has brought back some of their iconic products like the Baldr, Nanna and the Odin for a 2.0 version. The Idun is one of their older products so it's about time they bring it back too right? Well good news for us. It's back and it's better. Today I'll be talking about the Idun Golden 2.0. It is a remake of their original Idun tuned for musicians apparently.
This unit was kindly sent by Kinera for me to review and doesn't need to be returned. I will remain honest and share my thoughts without any bias. Thanks Kinera for letting me review this. I really appreciate it.
For those interested to purchase the Idun Golden, you can visit Connect IT to purchase the Idun Golden.
By now most should know Kinera and QOA are sister companies. I have reviewed QOA IEMs but the Idun Golden is the first I officially review from Kinera's side. I have tried Kinera's IEMs before but have not reviewed them. After QOAs flop with the Affinity I was a little apprehensive but I'm glad the Idun Golden 2.0 turned out well. (For convenience sake I'll refer to the Idun Golden as Golden) I need to make a disclaimer about the Kinera IEMs. I am not out to destroy Kinera's reputation but apparently the graphs are copies of the original graph drawn by hand hence resulting in some of their products sounding so different from it actually is. But anyways, graph aren't accurate. What matters is how it sounds.
Packaging:
As usual, Kinera has no problems delivering top tier design packaging. I really respect their designers who design them. It is certainly much better than using anime in my opinion. Anime is an easy way out since it is popular but Kinera has always been very original with their designs. I believe that one day they will reap what they have sown into their brand.
Accessories:
Unfortunately the provided stock tips didn't work too well for me. I wished they just stuck to the black tips that came with the Adonis. For this review, I have used some random tips that fit well for me.
Kinera really outdid themselves with the cables this time. They are the cheapest IEMs with a modular cable as far as I know. It is a relatively simple plug and play system which I like. This cable is called the ACE. It also can be purchased separately at a really cheap price.
They also included the 6.3mm which is very thoughtful of them. I remember they included it in the Freya.
They also have this case that I find really cool. It looks like wood but it is actually just a normal case. I got tricked so badly.
Build:
The Golden is a 2BA+1DD hybrid set up which is pretty common including Kinera 7mm titanium-plated dome PU composite high poly fiber suspension diaphragm dynamic unit, Knowles RAF-32873 BA unit and Kinera customized BTC-30095 BA driver.
Kinera never fails to exceed my expectations. Every time they just have to drop something out of this world. This is easily one of the nicest IEMs I have seen to date. The Golden has a red gem and gold branches. I am assuming the red gem is the apple and the branches are the tree according to the mythology which I am not the most familiar with so cut me some slack if I'm wrong. Anyways what is important is that the Golden looks gorgeous.
Sound:
The Idun Golden is very sensitive to sources so results may vary so you will have to take my words with a pinch of salt. (You guys really didn't need to carry over the source sensitivity issue like the Original Idun but it's not a 2.0 if it doesn't have traits from the original. Just kidding)
First impressions of the Golden was that is a neutral with bass boost tuning. But compared to things like the B2 Dusk, it was warmer. Much warmer.
This graph is by BGGAR. Unfortunately my graphing stuff is damaged so hope you don't mind me using yours. (Also as mentioned Kinera's graphs are unreliable after what I found out recently) Anyway, I think a possible reason is that the bass goes all the way up to 500hz which is why it sounds warmer.
Bass:
I think this is the part most affected by the sensitivity. I used the Audirect Atom 2 most often as I felt it sounded the most ideal for me. Bass was surprisingly well controlled considering that it went all the way into potential bleeding territory. It has a good punch and sub bass extension. There is a minor roll off but I found it rather natural sounding. It has a good amount of rumble and can go really low when necessary. It is also quite detailed and has no speed issues. It is able to keep up with any type of music and never came across as slow during my listening period.
(Do note with certain sources it can become super bassy and have bleeding issues and become a complete mess because the Golden is really sensitive.)
Mids:
Mids here were not bad a all. No bass bleed with the source I was using. It also sounded realistic . It was not thin or harsh on any occasion, neither was it overly thick. It also seemed to be highly detailed. With the rise of more IEMs focusing on midrange, most end up becoming to thin and harsh but the Golden keeps things organic sounding and realistic. and that is what I like about it. I would even say it's more realistic than the vocals on the DT600 which I thought was pretty close to realistic already. The mids while not recessed are not overly intimate so it doesn't get overwhelming unlike maybe something like the Yuan Li. It doesn't shove it in your face. Instruments here also sound really great and I have no complains. It's the star of the show.
Treble:
The treble on the Golden is not bad. The treble is very well controlled and I did not experience any sibilance or harshness with the gear I was using during the review. It has got a good sparkle to it and sounds fantastic. Treble extension is really not bad but for those who want something more like the CCA CRA I suggest looking somewhere else because the Golden will not satisfy you. It has got a good amount of detail and resolution to it and personally I feel there is nothing much lacking here.
Technical Performance and soundstage:
The Golden has fantastic soundstage and its imaging is also no slouch. Details and resolution however can come across as smoothed over with certain sources due to the tuning which is meant to be musical however, when paired with the right gear, the Golden can display its full potential and exhibit it's great detail and resolution.
Source:
The source really makes a difference for the Golden so I recommend playing around and seeing what works best. There is also a balanced plug so make full use of it as it can unleash the potential of the Golden.
Conclusion:
The Idun Golden is indeed a entry into a new golden era. It not only displays top tier looks but displays proper realistic tonality. The Idun Golden is able to perform well under most circumstances and will certainly serve very well as a all rounder. It is something I highly recommend. With the current competition, the Idun Golden is certainly a competitive piece especially with the included ACE cable. What a great way to start of 2022!
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