:
+All rounder tonality
+Snappy bass
+Transient
+Build
+Minimalistic Look
:
-None at this price
KEFINE Klean
1DD DLC Diaphragm
$49USD
Hi everyone, welcome back! In today’s review, we’ll be talking about the Kefine Klean, a $49 USD 1DD DLC IEM.
Before we get started, a big thanks to KEFINE for sending the IEM in for review, but as always, this review will be 100% my honest opinion.
Unboxing
Let's start with the box itself.
The box is just OK. On the front you can see the IEM, but too bad, the printing I think did the IEM dirty.
Why? While usually the picture on the box looks better than the real product, this one, the real product looks better than the picture.
On the back there’s the spec of the IEM.
Here’s what you get inside the box:
- IEM
- 2 pin 0.78mm type-c cable
- Manual, QC Card, Nozzle Card
- Eartips
- Case
Build Quality and Comfort
The build quality of the IEM itself is nice, I think the IEM is built from all aluminum or some kind of metal because it is cold to the touch.
The faceplate has this minimalistic pattern and the body of the IEM itself is kinda slim, I have 0 issues wearing this IEM for long listening sessions, pretty sure this IEM would accommodate everyone unless the individual has cauliflower ear.
The cable itself, KEFINE, was supposed to send me the single ended cable with a type c cable outside of the parcel, but for some reason they sent me a type c variant with another type c cable.
Anyway, the cable itself is quite nice, lightweight, and very malleable. The type C cable itself has a mic, the mic sounded just fine for daily conversation. It also have media control button.
Specs
They marketed the IEM for having DLC, which is kinda too old for 2025? DLC hype was like 5 years ago or something, but they said the IEM to have a powerful bass, warm midrange and smooth treble which is 100% true with the silver nozzle.
As for the cable, it uses a silver plated OFC cable.
OK without further ado lets talk about the Sound section of this review.
Sound
Setup Used:
- Kefine Klean, Stock Cable, 3rd party 4.4mm cable, Stock eartips.
- FIIO BTR11, JIEZI budget dongle from Jade Audio, Poco M6 Pro, Arturia Minifuse, FIIO QX13.
- Music from Apple Music (covering J-POP, Rock, EDM, Metal, Jazz, and Rap)
My first impression with this IEM is that, huh it sounds… Nice?
For the overall tonality itself, I would describe this as harman inspired tonality.
As for the bass itself, it has a very harman like tuning, with extra mid bass. It doesn’t present us with overbearing bass, but it's just right. Maybe balance is the more correct word to describe the bass.
Just as your typical DLC IEM, it has a snappy transient, which not gonna lie, very nice to use for double pedal music.
So not exactly powerful but just right, nice and balance.
Midrange? Yeah warm with the silver nozzle, though if you want more clarity you can use the black nozzle, though personally IMO the black nozzle made the IEM to be borderline shouty, 0 issues with the silver nozzle one.
This IEM is also free from the infamous metallic timbre ahem Aria 2.
As for the treble, It sounds smooth, not too extended but has decent detail for sub $50 USD IEM
Technicalities
Using the stock type c cable, for $50 USD the technicalities are good
Stage: medium sized for sub $50 USD
It still has this in your head presentation but definitely not claustrophobic.
The shape of the stage is symmetrical between width and depth.
Imaging: as always, I would categorize this as 2.5D sounding, and what do I mean by that, it's not holographic, but it doesn't just randomly throw sound at your ears either.
Though with a good cable, connected to QX13 from FIIO, this thing actually could present us with eerily close to be called for having a holographic imaging.
Separation & Positioning: Very good, since the overall tonal presentation is quite balanced, It affect the separation and positioning too, overall sound are decently separated and the positioning is quite sharp even with the stock USB cable.
Detail Retrieval: Decent, the DAC in the type C cable is definitely the limitation here.
Tested using decent 4.4mm cable with QX13, it has a very good detail retrieval though the extension is still just ok.
Comparison
EarAcoustic STA-K
Dual DD
$49USD
Bass focused, the build quality of STA-K is not as good as the Klean, It also has less detail, but more fun presentation.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a sub $50 USD IEM, and you’re specifically searching for a harman like tonality with just a tiny bit more punch on the mid bass, this IEM got a YES go for it from me, it doesn’t have any flaws for its price. The price and value ratio is great.
OK that's all from me for now.
If you find this review helpful, leave a like, and kindly subs to my channel below, thanks !
[Video here soon]
