Review: Kinera Odin – Musical

Kinera Odin

Sound

The last Kinera unit I reviewed (Idun) has a hybrid configuration. Now with their flagship, Kinera chose to go with a full BA setup, which we’re used to seeing with flagship IEMs. Of course this is a different sound than a hybrid IEM, so let’s see how the Odin performs.

The Kinera Odin sounds like typical BA monitor with a mid focused signature. The presentation is on the warmer side, and it has a very controlled approach. I can say the tuning is pretty much on the safe side. There’s nothing in this IEM that can bother you or make your ears tired. So it’s safe to say that Kinera created a very  likable IEM overall with a musical sound.

Bass

The bass quantity in the Odin is quite ideal and pretty much hits the sweet spot. The subbass is not dominating in any way and it doesn’t go impressively low, but the mid bass and sub bass balance is good. The focus is mostly on mid bass though, which is not a surprise from a BA monitor. So quantity and balance-wise things are very good.

However the bass is a little slow when it comes to delivering those kicks in high speed. The texture also isn’t particularly impressive. The resolution of the bass is good and the hits are very very nice. They don’t get in the way of the other frequencies which is also nice, but lows lack some texture and speed altogether. The recovery is not very fast so that sometimes forms a somewhat congested presentation. The tightness of the bass simply is not a strong suite of the Odin.

Kinera Odin

Kinera Odin

If you don’t play bass songs often, then these points that I pointed out are not a big issues, but if you like to listen to some bassy tracks, you might not be satisfied. Overall the bass quantity, the balance and kick are really good, but the quality of the bass is not the most impressive in this IEM.

Mids

The mids are very clean and crisp with the Odin. They also have nice definition and the sweet mid bass gives a nice foundation to the instruments. Vocals especially sound very sweet and lively. I really loved listening to famous female vocals with it. The body and timbre is just right with the Odin as well. Tonality is on the musical side with some amount of coloration, but not too much.

The instrumental separation is wonderful and although not being extremely sharp like some IEMs double the price, it’s quite satisfying for this price level. The transparency level is fairly good and the mids really have a musical tone. This reminds me the old FitEar TG334 and the Warbler Prelude. Both are mid-centric IEMs with great tonality and definition. The Odin reminds me of their presentation, and although it’s not THAT impressive, it still impresses me with its musical quality and full bodied approach.

If you like piano, guitar, sax and vocal oriented music, you will love the Odin.

Treble

Highs are on the safe side in the Odin with a controlled approach. They’re a bit thicker then my reference point –PEARS SH3-, but they’re nicely articulated. The mids are a bit more upfront than the treble so this area is not the highly focused area of the Odin. The extension of the treble is not particularly impressive, but the positioning is very good.

Kinera Odin

Kinera Odin

The Odin has the same qualities of the Idun model on a higher level, such as positioning, realism, micro detail delivery and control. I would love to have a bit more extension and openness in treble though, which are not disappointing but sometimes you want a little more. The transparency in this area can be improved as well.

So overall the positives are; good and realistic positioning, nice articulation, good detail pickup. On the negative side there’s the transparency level, extension and air.

Technical Performance

The Kinera Odin has a very realistic stage with both good width and depth. The layering is nicely done and the musicality is very satisfying. You will like the tonality of the Odin which is somewhat analog-like. It has a quality touch in it like few IEMs give you in the market. So I really liked what I heard in terms of instrumental performance and presence.

However when it comes to resolution and transparency, the Odin does not excel compared to other IEMs at the TOTL range. It’s not bad in any means, but this IEM could’ve been a perfect monster for mid-lovers out there, if it had a greater transparency and resolution. Despite this, I really like listening to vocals and instruments with the Odin, and that explains how good it is when it comes to timbre and tonality.

Instrumental separation is very good together with the overall clarity. The background is nicely black and the imaging capability is impressive. It also has good dynamics but this could’ve been even better with a bit more resolution. Still, it’s one of the best IEMs I tried for pure musicality. Another positive point of the Odin is its good control over the upper mids and treble. There aren’t any aggressive areas that can feel sharp and uncomfortable.

The review concludes on PAGE 3 with comparisons and synergy.

4.3/5 - (38 votes)
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A keen audiophile and hobby photographer, Berkhan is after absolute perfection. Whether it is a full-frame camera or a custom in-ear, his standpoint persists. He tries to keep his photography enthusiasm at the same level as audio. Sometimes photography wins, sometimes his love for music takes over and he puts that camera aside. Simplistic expressions of sound in his reviews are the way to go for him. He enjoys a fine single malt along with his favourite Jazz recordings.

6 Comments

  • Reply April 9, 2019

    Ryuzaki

    can you compare it with anole v6?

    • Reply April 9, 2019

      Berkhan

      I can’t I’m afraid. I don’t have it.

  • Reply April 12, 2019

    Lord Sinister

    Thanks for the review.

    IMHO, it would be great to see at least 1 comparison of an IEM that can outperform the reviewed product. The majority of online reviews seems to be comparing closely matched items to benefit those looking at same/similar price range but I’m sure there are others who would be very interested in knowing, from your experience, the next level up…at least I do 🙂

    • Reply April 27, 2019

      Berkhan

      You can find outperforming IEMs such as MK2 and CE-5 in the comparison section.

  • Reply May 24, 2020

    Dave

    Hello Berkhan, thank you for the review.
    Could you please compare the Kinera Odin with the Empire Ears EVR and/or Noble Audio Kaiser Encore?
    thank you 🙂

    • Reply May 26, 2020

      Berkhan

      Hi Dave,

      I can’t compare it with the EVR, but I can say the Encore technically is a much better IEM than the ODIN. Not as much as musical or warm though.

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