Review: Kinera Odin – Musical

Today I take a detailed look at the Kinera ODIN, the most assertive in ear monitor from the Kinera brand yet. Let’s see how it performs.

Disclaimer: I received the Kinera Odin from Kinera as a review sample, and it does not have to be returned. The MSRP for the Odin is $799USD. For the sound evaluation, I used the Hugo from Chord Electronics most of the time.

About Kinera

Kinera operates in China under Yutai Electronics, which was established in 2010. This electronics company has the determination to develop a new generation of high – tech products for the consumer market.

Our goal is to bring the most valuable earphones to the market.

This is the second product we review from Kinera, first one being the IDUN. When I was writing that review there was a dedicated website for Kinera, but now however that website is nowhere to be seen. But you can still go to their Facebook page to get information.

About ODIN

Kinera normally are focused on budget IEMs with competitive price levels. The IEMs like Seed, SIF, Idun and “Teletubbies” are all positioned as affordable items. But with this model, Odin, Kinera targets to compete in the Mid-Fi to Hi-Fi range. Lots of work had to be done to push it into the market. (Ps. Teletubbies IEM was an April fool’s joke)

The Kinera Odin has 8 BA drivers with a 4 way crossover network. The distribution of the drivers is as follows:

• Lows – Sonion x2 ( 33AJ007i9 )
• Lower Mids – Sonion x2 (33AJ007i9 )
• Upper Mids – Knowles x2 (29689 )
• Highs – Knowles x 2 (31736 ) 

Odin is one of the most complex and enigmatic characters in Norse mythology.

Kinera Odin

Package

The Kinera Odin arrived in a quite generous package with a hexagonal shape. I thought I received a fine Swiss chocolate package at first sight. To me the box and its content are satisfying for an IEM with this price tag. A “thank you” card which is written by the founder of the brand welcomes you when you open the box. Here is the rest of the content :

• 6N OCC + Silver Foil Braided Cable
• Waterproof Hard Case
• 3.5 to 6.3 Adapter
• Nozzle Brush
• Foam Tips x 2 Pairs
• Final Audio Silicon Tips x 5 Pairs

Yes, Kinera collaborated with Final Audio to give the Odin customers a good experience in terms of fit. Type E series of Final Audio tips are chosen to be supplied in the package. The Final Audio’s “all time best fit” solution includes an optimum shape to reduce the feeling of the force inside the ear canals. Silicon rigidity is also at the optimum level to provide a tight seal.

The carrying case is a proper one for a flagship IEM and we’re used to seeing this case with many monitors over the years. So it nicely completes the package content for securely protecting your Odin.

Design & Build Quality

To me, Kinera nailed it for the design of the Odin. The IEM simply looks gorgeous with its purple base color and gold particle details. The Kinera logo on the face plate area finalizes the design nicely. You also have a chance to put your name or something else inside the shell, under the 2 pin socket. It’s a nice personalizing touch.

The build quality of the shell is incredibly good and the IEM feels like a one piece gem. I can barely see any face plate closing here. This is a clean cut work from Kinera. The nozzle itself seamlessly connects to the shell and the structural integrity is really great as a result. The only thing I can bring up about the chassis quality is the 2 pin socket. It’s relatively easy to remove the 2 pin cable from the IEM. It’s not very loose, but could’ve been a little tighter.

Kinera Odin

The cable is a 6N OCC + silver foil braided cable. It feels great in the hand and the overall quality is very nice. The straight 3.5mm plug is sturdy, and the cable itself is very flexible and soft. The wraparound is better than the Idun sample that I reviewed last year. The craftsmanship seems to be improved. You can purchase these cables from Kinera separately with different plug options, including the 4.4mm.

Fit

The fit is absolutely great with the Odin. The shape is actually a little large but it’s not too bulky and it’s shape is just right for my ears. I also let my friends who have smaller or bigger ears compared to me try the unit, and they were quite happy as well.

The Final Audio tips perform very good and have a tight seal and good isolation. That also ensures you have good bass response and a good foundation for the sound. The shape of the tips provides a comfortable fit which won’t bother you too much for long periods of listening.

The foam tips are also good but I prefer the silicons to have the best sound from the IEM. They also feel more comfortable to me. But of course, your experience may differ. The sure thing is the Odin comes with a nice set of tips and it overall has a great fit.

The review continues on PAGE 2 with sound impressions.