In this article, we review the Kinera Celest Relentless, a hybrid IEM that retails for $169 USD.
Disclaimer: HifiGO provided the Relentless IEMs for this review. As always, the article reflects my unbiased opinion.
Kinera & Celest
Celest, a sub-brand of Kinera, focuses on budget audiophile IEMs and gaming audio gear, aiming to deliver high-quality sound at an affordable price. This makes advanced audio technology accessible to a broader audience, from audiophiles to gamers seeking specialized gear to enhance their music and gaming experiences.
Kinera was founded in 2011 as YuTai Electronic Acoustics in Dongguan, China, and quickly discerned itself by developing the world’s first high-resistance 5mm micro-dynamic driver for military hearing aids. Over the years, the company expanded its expertise in audio technology to become a renowned supplier of balanced armature drivers. They hold several patents in driver technology, including bone conduction. In 2016, under the Kinera brand, they launched the IEM BD005, the company’s first hybrid IEM, marking their entry into the consumer audio market. The following years saw the release of several successful models, such as the H3 and the Kinera Sif single dynamic driver, as well as a focus on developing and releasing products that combine innovation with user-centric features.
Kinera has committed significant resources to overseas markets while strengthening its presence in the domestic markets of Hong Kong and China in recent years. Their dedication to research and development is noticeable in their in-house capabilities in dynamic driver technology, enabling them to achieve independence in driver manufacturing. Kinera prides itself on a comprehensive approach to product development, from material selection to final assembly, ensuring high quality and high performance that meets the direct requirements of OEM customers and audiophiles.
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Kinera Celest Relentless Hybrid In-Ear Monitors
Kinera’s sub-brand Celest has released the Relentless, a hybrid IEM priced at $169 USD. It features a 7-driver hybrid configuration, making it one of the most affordable seven-driver IEMs in the market.
Just like Kinera, its sub-brand Celest also has a background story for each of its products. The Relentless takes its name from Chinese mythology. “Shanhaijing” Classic of Mountains and Seas. It tells the tale of Lass, the youngest daughter of Yan Di, who tragically drowned while swimming in the East China Sea. She was subsequently transformed into the bird known as Relentless. Relentless determined to prevent such a tragedy from befalling others. She took it upon herself to protect the living beings by reclaiming the Sea. The Relentless is available on HifiGO for $169 USD. It’s also available on Amazon & Aliexpress.
Specs & Highlights
- x1 Custom 8mm Dynamic Driver + x6 Balanced Armature | Hybrid
- 3D Printed Medical Resin Shells Made By HEYGEARS
- Hand-painted Feather Theme Faceplates
- 27Ω Impedance
- 105dB Sensitivity
- SPC Cable with 0.78mm 2-pins & 3.5/4.4mm Interchangeable Plugs
- Compact & Ergo Shape
Packaging & Accessories
The Kinera Celest Relentless arrives in a medium-sized box decorated with “精卫” (JingWei) in Chinese characters, reflecting its mythological inspiration. The Celest branding and driver configuration are also prominently displayed. The back of the box features a piece of “Shanhai Jing,” detailing the role of this divine bird in Chinese mythology, along with a list of specifications and accessories.
Sliding out the blue sleeve with the mythological bird design reveals a blue/purple-toned box with a gold interior. I really like the packaging, especially the gold part; it feels traditional, complementing Celest’s inspiration. The color contrast between the blue exterior and the gold interior is visually striking and adds a touch of luxury to the presentation.
Inside, you’ll find the earphones and a dark blue, faux leather carrying case. The case is conveniently sized to fit a dongle-size USB DAC-AMP alongside the Celest Relentless. The carrying case’s design is practical with a netted inside. The faceplates of the earphones are quite beautiful, with a hand-painted “feather theme” that adds an artistic and personal touch to the overall design.
A Jingwei bookmark printed on gold metal with Celest branding is also included. A very rich menu of ear tips is offered; there are three different sets of ear tips (x3 Celest 221 vocal, x3 Celest 608 balanced, and x2 Celest foam). Contrary to the naming, I found the vocal (gray) ear tips the most balanced in terms of sound quality.
As for the cable, we see an SPC 8-braid cable with interchangeable plugs. It is a flat braid and pliable cable with a chrome plug, pins, and Y-splitter. There are two different interchangeable plugs in the box, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced. The cable features a screw-in mechanism for the interchangeable plug, and it is very easy to switch terminations. I’d expect Kinera/Celest to use a cable in blue tones that would better suit the overall color theme here.
Overall, I can comfortably say that Relentless comes with a well-thought-out accessory array at a price band of 169 dollars. Especially the cable looks and feels quite nice with its SE/BAL use case. Looking at recent trends, I notice that manufacturers are slowly removing the old A&K plug with 2.5mm termination from the packaging. Let us know in the comments if you agree with this decision.
Design, Build & Fit
The shell of the Celest Relentless is a dark, semi-transparent black color, and in the light, it is possible to see the drivers and other components inside the shell. The faceplates are painted in a sophisticated color scheme that I liken to wave patterns, and the azure blue background makes the art pop beautifully. Kinera calls this the “feather” design. In terms of size, the chassis is not very small as it houses a seven-driver hybrid configuration, but I found it very comfortable thanks to its ergonomic shape and fit-enhancing details, such as the rounded inner section with no protrusions.
The air vent for the 8mm dynamic bass/midrange driver is located just below the 0.78mm 2-pin sockets and has an opening the size of a pinhead. In addition, the Relentless chassis is unibody, meaning there are no mounted or bonded ports. A metal mesh filter is used at the tip of the nozzle, and the lip of the nozzle is not forgotten, so it’s a design that won’t upset audiophiles who want to use third-party ear tips.
Kinera worked with a well-known 3D printing service provider called HEYGEARS for the Relentless housing. HEYGEARS currently makes casings for many headphone companies, and we’ve seen them work with Moondrop, Kiwi Ears, Soft Ears, IO Audio, and many others. I think they do a pretty good job in terms of case quality and resin durability. In addition, the cases printed by HEYGEARS are quite light, which is another aspect that affects comfort.
Overall, I have no complaints about the design, build quality or fit, and I think the design is quite impressive, especially for this price point.
The review continues on the next page. Click here or use the jump below.
Page 1: Kinera Celest, Relentless IEMs, Packaging & Accessories, Build, Design & Fit
Page 2: Sound Impressions, Low, Mid, High, Technical Capability, Comparison, Last Words
