Kiwi Ears Cadenza II Review: The Mature Man’s Budget IEM

Clean, Balanced, and Affordable. What’s Not To Like?

Kiwi Ears is an Eastern HiFi brand focused on high cost-to-performance portable audio products. They’re released countless popular models in the past, ranging from the intensely-affordable Cadenza to the more-expensive meta-tuned Astral. There’s a model for basically anyone and everyone in their lineup, even for those that want to delve into the open-backed IEM space — but today we’re not looking at an experimental, pricey earphone. Instead, we’re covering the Cadenza II: a stepped-up evolution of the popular OG Cadenza, and an IEM that fights hard to justify its price bump. Let’s get into what makes the Cadenza II so appealing!

You can find the Cadenza II for sale on Linsoul for $50. As of writing, the Cadenza II is on sale for $45.

About My Preferences: This review is a subjective assessment and is therefore tinged by my personal preferences. While I try to mitigate this as much as possible during my review process, I’d be lying if I said my biases are completely erased. So for you, my readers, keep this in mind:

• My ideal sound signature would be one with competent sub-bass, a textured mid-bass, a slightly warm midrange, and an extended treble.
• I have mild treble sensitivity.

Testing equipment and standards can be found here.

The Big Picture

Pros:

• Lightweight and ergonomic
• Balanced and expressive tuning
• Deep sub-bass extension
• Organic vocal timbre
• Strong midrange layering capabilities
• Soft, tangle-resistant cable

Cons:

• No included carrying case
• Subtle upper-treble smudging
• Not much bass weight
• Mediocre stock eartips

Key Specs

• Driver: 1x 10mm dynamic
• Sensitivity: 106dB SPL/mW
• Impedance: 18 ohms
• Cable: 0.78mm 2-pin w/ 3.5mm termination
• Shell: Plastic w/ aluminum faceplate

Sound

Graph, for the sniffers. Source: Linsoul.com

The Cadenza II is a north-of-neutral IEM, deviating slightly from reference-style tuning to deliver a bit of additional engagement. It features a slightly lifted sub-bass that gently rolls into a linear mid-bass. The Cadenza picks up a bit of warmth in its lower-mids and blends into a forward, but not artificial, upper-midrange. The Cadenza II’s treble is airy and open without sounding overly-bright, rendering a decent amount of tonal contrast against the lower-register. The Cadenza II’s lower-treble is nice and linear, but picks up some extra sparkle with a few strategic peaks in the upper-treble.

Refinement Through Restraint

The major philosophy behind the Cadenza II’s tuning is clearly “restraint”. Sure, you can crank the treble to artificially fill-out the listeners perceived sense of detail, but at what cost? The Cadenza II’s treble side-steps this urge, proving that even humble budget IEMs can be hosts to truly refined treble tuning. Tracks like The Boys of Summer; The Ataris play well through the Cadenza II, leveraging its drivers to render surprisingly-distinct hi-hats and cymbals. Even during busy choruses, the Cadenza II manages to project an organic and cohesive array of treble elements. The Cadenza II integrates a solid level of detail into its treble performance, blending metallic percussive elements and electronic synths together nicely in tracks like Midnight City; M83.

That said, there are certain tracks that push the Cadenza II a bit beyond its treble’s comfort zone. In the Bittersweet Symphony; The Verve, the Cadenza II does a great job of staging the bright, sweet string instrumentation — but had a harder time keeping the separate and distinct as more layers came into the mix. This track’s chronic upper-register congestion is tough on a technical level, but I’m still satisfied with the tonal solidity offered by the Cadenza II’s treble, even under pressure.

Clean, But Rich, Harmonics

I generally enjoy the Cadenza II’s midrange tuning. It features a clean, but sufficiently-rich, style that pairs nicely with a broad variety of music. This type of presentation feels quite mature, lining up well with the Cadenza II’s overall “grown-up” vibe. I found the Cadenza II’s mids to synergize well with the high-contrast performance in Flawless Execution; Peirce the Veil, offering clear and distinct vocals across a deep and nuanced soundstage. Between the layers of electric guitar and energetic percussion, the Cadenza II captures a sufficient amount of detail to project a sense of immersion. The Cadenza II smooths-over a few bits of texture here and there, but performs well relative to its peers nonetheless.

Well Extended, Moderately Present, Bass

The Cadenza II’s bass is distinctly “dynamic-driver” in character, projecting a solid sense of weight and extending nicely into the sub-bass. Bassy electronic tracks like Ironheart; Flux Pavilion render with depth and contrast. The Cadenza II responds well to chaotic EDM songs like In The Cut (VIP); Marshmello, producing a respectable degree of sub-bass rumble without losing out on texture. The Cadenza II’s bass, while present overall, does include a subtle sensation of dryness, however, which sometimes manifests in tracks like Lift Me From the Ground (Noko Remix). The Cadenza II sounds deep and articulate, but doesn’t lean in heavily-enough to sound fully-realize and dynamic.

Rock and Alternative tracks typically play well with the Cadenza II’s bass, generating weighty and organic drum beats. In EVERY OTHER WEEKEND; Blink 182, the Cadenza II projected a pretty substantial amount of mid-bass punch. The synths in Supermassive Black Hole; Muse were likewise dynamic and engaging, sounding deep and well-rounded.

Unboxing

Coming soon!

Build

The Cadenza II, being a $50 IEM and all, isn’t exactly dripping in blind — but that doesn’t it isn’t built well. It features solid, cleanly-molded plastic shells with nice-feeling aluminum faceplates.

The top of its shells feature flush-set 0.78mm 2-pin sockets, set firmly in place.

The Cadenza II’s cable is likewise built nicely, featuring a soft, lightweight chain braid that resist tangles pretty well. It comes with a 3.5mm termination housed in plastic, but doesn’t feel frail or at risk of premature failure. There’s plenty of strain-relief on the 3.5mm jack, so I’m not worried about long-term usage.

Comfort

Comfort is a metric that relies heavily on factors influenced by your individual ear anatomy. Mileage will vary.

Given the Cadenza II’s diminutive footprint and smooth shells, it was easy to wear for extended listening sessions. I never had to take a break due to physical discomfort, and often found the IEMs “disappearing” once properly set within the ear. My wife’s (very) small ears, however, weren’t so lucky. The Cadenza II’s shape simply didn’t line up well, and she couldn’t get enough of the nozzle within her ear to get a secure fit.

Accessories

Inside the box you’ll find:

• 1x 3.5mm cable
• 6x pairs silicone eartips

And that’s about it. This is, at the end of the day, a budget IEM — but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have included a few other bits and bobs. Cheaper IEMs include carrying baggies, foam eartips, or even modular cables. The Cadenza II’s sparse offerings, while not a deal-breaker for me, do necessitate a bit more spending to round-out its day-to-day user experience. Between a carrying case and some aftermarket eartips, you’re looking at anywhere between $10 and $30 — a meaningful percentage of the IEM’s MSRP. That said, you can stick with the stock eartips and use something you already have to store the Cadenza II, if you’re really stretching your budget.

Comparisons

Comparisons are selected solely based on what I think is interesting. If you would like me to add more comparisons, feel free to make a request in the comments below!

Kiwi Ears Cadenza

The original Cadenza is a small, simple, resin-shelled IEM. It also features a single dynamic driver per-side, and costs $35. As of writing, it is on sale for $31.49. It comes with a few extra pairs of silicone eartips compared to the Cadenza II, but features a thinner stock cable that doesn’t feel as nice in the hand.

Sound-wise, the OG Cadenza is more V-shaped than the Cadenza II. It features a brighter, more-forward treble and upper-treble as well as a cooler lower-midrange. The Cadenza II has a deeper, more extended sub-bass, but doesn’t lift its mid-bass as far as the original Cadenza does. The Cadenza II’s more-reference-style is warmer and more linear, but lacks much of the subtle bits of excitement offered by the original. The Cadenza II offered a smoother, more-refined take on treble, but doesn’t seem to capture much more detail than the original does. In terms of performance, the one region where the Cadenza II appears to eclipse its predecessor is bass. The Cadenza II is better extended, offers more texture, and delivers increased levels of sub-bass control relative to the Cadenza.

Between the two IEMs, I prefer the original Cadenza. While it may feature cheaper-feeling cables and shells, it actually is cheaper. That, combined with its more open-sounding and similar levels of performance make it the more appealing option for me. If I’m in the mood for critical listening, or am listening to a sub-bass heavy album, I might reach for the Cadenza II — but the general, every-day use case win goes to the Cadenza.

NiceHCK Tears

The Tears is a plastic-shelled dynamic-driver IEM featuring a single driver per-side. It includes either a 3.5mm or USB-C cable in the box, ranging from $35 to $37 depending on configuration. The Tears comes with a few more pairs of eartips and a little carrying baggie, feeling more-complete out-of-the-box than the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II comes with a much-nicer cable, though.

Sonically, the Tears has a more V-shaped sound signature than the Cadenza II. It features listed bass across the board a slightly warmer lower-midrange. The Tears’s vocal range is more forward, bringing singers closer to the listener. The Cadenza II has a more-relaxed upper-register, lacking the extra brightness found in the Tears’s treble. The Tears’s treble is more energetic and airy, allowing complex tracks to breath a bit better than the Cadenza II. Hi-hats and cymbals feature more lifelike and extended decays on the Tears, and it seems to layer high-pitched elements a bit more-carefully on the whole. That said, there’s a small sensation of laziness present in the Tears’s bass. The Cadenza II’s bass is, by contrast, faster and more-controlled. It delivers improved texture and detailing in a number of tracks, but sounds comparatively dry on a tonal front.

Between the two IEMs, I’m selecting the Tears. It does have cheaper-feeling shells and a thinner cable, but its lower price point and improved tonal balance make for a compelling value that I don’t quite see with the Cadenza II. Had the Cadenza II been a bit less dry, I think that the choice would have been a lot more difficult.

Kefine Klean SV

The Klean SV is the second iteration of the Klean, featuring all-metal shells, tuning nozzles, and a single dynamic driver per-side. It comes with a proper carrying case and costs $56, making it $6 more-expensive than the Cadenza II. Both IEMs have solid stock cables, though I like the Cadenza II’s cable more due to its superior ergonomics. I do, however, appreciate the extra weightiness of the Klean SV’s shells, as they feel sturdier in the hand.

The Klean SV comes with three distinct tuning filters, my favorite of which is the black (bass) nozzles. As such, I’ll be using that nozzle on the Klean SV for this comparison.

The Klean SV’s is a brighter, leaner IEM than the Cadenza II. In some ways, they almost feel like opposites — the Klean SV prioritizing bright, clean-room tuning with the Cadenza II approximating “reference” tuning by being as linear as it can get. The Cadenza II as such possesses a deeper and more-prominent bass response, clearing levels of punch and rumble that the Klean SV does not even attempt. Its lower-mids are warmer and thicker, while its upper-mids are lifted, compared to the Klean SV. The Klean SV has a more-prominent treble and upper-treble, highlighting sparkle and shimmer in Rock and Alternative tracks that the Cadenza II leaves within the mix.

The Klean SV does have a nicer accessory package and metal shells, but I just don’t enjoy its sound signature as much as the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II, though a little lacking in air, does possess a more complete-sounding tuning, especially when listening to bass-focused tracks.

DUNU Titan X

The Titan X is DUNU’s new budget IEM, featuring metal shells and costing a mere $35. That’s $15 cheaper than Cadenza II, while still offering a decent stock cable and some nice eartips. The USB-C variant costs $37, which is still more than $10 cheaper than the Cadenza II. The Titan X includes more, higher-quality eartips than the Cadenza II and a little carrying baggie.

Sonically, the Titan X (USB-C) has a bit more mid-bass and lower-midrange juice than the Cadenza II. Its upper mids breath more freely, generating a sense of space and air more-easily than the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II’s more-judicious dose of warmth and bass allows it remain a bit cleaner and clearer during complex EDM passages, but its lacks the sparkle and high-contrast engagement offered by the Titan X. The Titan X’s treble is a bit brighter and slightly more-forward than the Cadenza II, offering improved timbre as well as easier detail-surfacing in the upper-register.

Between the two IEMs, I’m going with the Titan X. Its cheaper, offers seamless USB-C compatibility with my daily-carry devices, and produces a larger amount of better-toned bass. It does give up a bit of technical capabilities in the low-end, but matches my preferences much better elsewhere.

7Hz G1

The 7Hz G1 is a small, single DD IEM featuring all-metal shells and coming in at $35. It comes with a cheap-feeling 3.5mm cable and gummy-case, which is really only useful for static storage from a protection standpoint. The Cadenza II’s cable is much nicer and ergonomic, which is a big plus if you plan or wearing it for extended durations.

In terms of sound, the G1 has a more-forward sub-bass with a less-dry sub-bass than the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II’s bass is tighter and deeper, delivering both improved extension and superior control over the lower register versus the G1. The Cadenza II’s upper mids aren’t as far forward, placing vocals and instrumentation deeper within the mix. The G1’s treble is brighter, but has a subtle grain to it that isn’t as timbrally-appealing as the Cadenza II’s smoother treble.

It’s a tough call to choose between these two IEMs. Neither perfectly suite my tastes, and each have meaningful strengths that the other does not. The G1’s overall tonality is more engaging, but it lacks much of the technical acumen of the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II features a nicer cable and better stock eartips, but doesn’t have durable all-metal shells like the G1. Ultimately, if you’re someone that’s wants a reference-styled sound signature and prefers to maximize technical abilities, the Cadenza II is your go-to. If you want to save some money, or are more interested in a traditional, less-dry tonal balance, stick with the G1.

Tripowin Vivace

The Vivace is a budget single-dynamic IEM from cable-maker Tripowin. It costs more than a full $20 less than Cadenza II, coming it at $29.90. It comes with a basic, but functional cable and equally-utilitarian selection of eartips. Sparse, but acceptable given the Vivace’s low price. The Cadenza II doesn’t do much better on the accessory front, only materially outperforming the Vivace with its nicer-feeling cable.

Sound-wise, the Vivace is brighter and cooler than the Cadenza II. The Cadenza II has a broader and more-imposing lower-register, offering bigger bass drops and increased rumble. The Vivace sound “cleaner”, placing a greater emphasis on detail surfacing, particularly with brighter textures on string instrumentation. The Cadenza II’s more-linear, warmer approach works nicely to establish a thick atmosphere in tracks like Lisztomania, but doesn’t always synergize with busier, leaner tracks.

Honestly, these are very different IEMs. The Vivace is better-sounding on some tracks, but sounds too lean on others. The Cadenza II offers greater bass extension and control, but demands a good deal of brain burn-in to adapt to its thicker, more-linear presentation. The Cadenza II is my clear choice, even as the more-expensive IEM, for electronic and bass-heavy genres. The Vivace is more-entertaining on a full-library shuffle, given its more-engaging top-end and airier tonal styling.

Conclusion

The Cadenza II is in a bit of a tough spot. It features a sizeable percent-increase in price over the original Cadenza, and faces tough competition across the board. That said, it does possess some of the best bass performance in its segment. Its cable is also excellent, though you could get something of similar quality in the aftermarket and simply attach it to any of the Cadenza II’s competitors. While I’m certain there’s a crowd out there that will enjoy the Cadenza II and its improved technical abilities, its tuning choices haven’t made it appealing enough to take my attention away from other budget IEMs like the NiceHCK Tears.

Who This is For

• Those looking for mature, reference-style sound
• Listeners that enjoy sub-bass focused tuning
• Budget-buyers that want high-performance treble without sharpness

Who This isn’t For

• Bassheads
• Those seeking traditional V-shaped sound signatures
• Listeners that enjoy hearty, warm lower-registers
• Buyers that are sensitive to “dry” timbre
• Those looking for bright, treble-oriented tuning

As always, happy listening!