Introduction

Kefine has dominated the budget segment by delivering good sounding IEMs with excellent build and accessories at an affordable price. Klean was one of their budget hits and was on almost everyone’s recommendation list.

Now, the Klean gets an update with the Silver Version. Klean SV comes in a silver finish, as the name suggests, along with an upgraded set of accessories, including extra nozzles and eartips.

But accessories aside, what truly matters is how it sounds, let’s start with the sound.

Sound

Klean SV comes with 3 tuning nozzles in the box. Each nozzle makes a considerable change to the sound.

• Gold - Bright sounding with boosted upper mids
• Silver - The middle ground, but the upper mids were still too boosted for my taste
• Black - Upper mids are tamed compared to all other nozzles, making this my favourite nozzle of all

This review is done primarily using the black nozzle.

Bass

The bass of Kefine SV leans more towards a controlled and clean presentation. The sub bass rumbly, but it doesn’t sustain for long and decays rather quickly, more like a BA bass.

This gives the bass a tighter character instead of a bouncy or lingering feel. Despite the faster decay, the bass hits with sufficient note weight behind each impact and never feels weak or hollow.

The attack of bass notes is fairly sharp and well defined, without sounding smeared off. Although it is not the best when it comes to texturing, it is decent for the price.

Now, Klean SV is boosted a lot in the upper treble. This boost makes the bass feel tactile and nimble sounding on some occasions. Overall, it may not be the most dynamic sounding bass, but for the asking price, there is very little to complain about.

Mid-range

Moving on to the midrange, Kefine SV presents vocals in a fairly natural manner with a pleasing sense of warmth and richness to it.

Male vocals in particular sound rich and full. Female vocals, however, can occasionally exhibit a slightly pronounced “ss” sound due to the excessive upper treble lift. It doesn’t cross into harshness for me, but it can make certain tracks sound a bit unnatural at times.

Personally, I found the black nozzle to offer the best balance for midrange accuracy. With this nozzle, the upper mids do not feel overly forward and the overall vocal presentation sits at just the right level for my ears.

Treble

The treble tuning of Kefine SV is mostly solid. But its emphasized upper treble region introduces a noticeable amount of zinginess to the mix.

On the positive side, this boost helps every note come across as crisp and well outlined, giving the overall presentation a bright and lively character.

However, listeners who are particularly sensitive to upper treble peaks might find this tuning a bit bothersome. It all depends on the preferences of the listener.

I generally prefer this type of tuning where the upper treble is elevated while the rest of the treble remains controlled. As it keeps the sound energetic without necessarily becoming harsh.

Overall, I did not find the treble to be harsh or sibilant for the most part. As Klean SV is relatively smooth in the lower to mid treble. This worked really for me, as I am usually sensitive around the 5-6 kHz region.

And I don't mind the upper treble boost that much. But in this case, it feels like the upper treble is pushed slightly beyond what I would personally consider fully natural sounding.

Presentation

The exaggerated upper treble response makes Kefine SV sound “technical” on the first listen. However, when it comes to actually extracting micro details, the performance is more in line with its price bracket.

Even so, I still prefer this style of presentation, especially when paired with the black nozzle, as it keeps the sound engaging without becoming overly shouty or bright.

Imaging performance ranges from average to good, offering decent positional cues without razor sharp precision. The soundstage leans more towards the intimate side rather than sounding wide or expansive.

Instrumental separation and layering are solid for the price. Klean SV handles moderately busy tracks without much struggle.

The sense of dynamics, however, is only average. The faster bass decay and lack of bounce make it sound slightly less dynamic than what I would typically expect from a dynamic driver.

Overall, it performs really well in regards to its price bracket.

Build, Comfort and Accessories

The build quality of Klean SV is fantastic. It features a metal shell with a matte-like silver finish. The shells feel sturdy and weighty, making it feel more expensive than what the price suggests.

Despite being a metal shell, Klean SV fits very well in my ears. I didn’t face any comfort or pressure issues even when wearing them for an extended period of time. But it doesn’t isolate that well compared to resin shell IEMs.

As for accessories, it comes with:

• A small carrying case
• 6 pairs of eartips
• 3 pairs of nozzles
• A good quality cable (3.5 or 4.4 or Type C)

That’s a lot of accessories packed in the box for a $50 IEM. I like how compact the packaging is, yet it’s filled with all these accessories.

Conclusion