YOU ARE AT
Home » Reviews » Earphones » Kinera Tyr Review – Redemption

Kinera Tyr Review – Redemption

Pros –

Comfortable and well-isolating design, Solid metal housings, Natural midrange tuning 

Cons –

Cheap fixed cable, Muddy sub-bass

Verdict –

The Tyr is a great choice for those entering the hobby wanting to see what a more balanced sound is all about while retaining key features consumers value.


Introduction –

China-based Kinera has made waves with their range of earphones over the years ranging from super budget to premium with their electrostatic flagship Nanna. Though their hybrids have been well received, their budget offerings have been somewhat controversial for their unique tonality. The Tyr has been designed to append that, delivering what Kinera states is a natural and smooth sound. Sporting a 6mm micro-driver tuned in-house alongside a metal enclosure, the Tyr achieves feature parity with class leaders in its very modest price range. This is another competitive offering with a conservative $30 USD asking price. You can read more about the Tyr and buy one for yourself at HiFiGo and Aliexpress.

Disclaimer – 

I would like to thank HiFi Go very much for their quick communication and for providing me with the Tyr for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

Accessories – 

DSC07868

The Tyr has a charming unboxing with hexagonal hard case that opens up to reveals the earphones coiled within a protective foam inlet. Also included are warranty and manual papers, a bag of Kinera ear tips and a bag of Final Audio’s excellent E-tips. It should be noted that the E-tips are some of the best I’ve personally tried and a common choice for most of my IEMs, a bag costs more than half that of the Tyr making it a very respectable addition that does tangibly enhance fit and sound. The Tyr also comes with a leather button-up case that is slim and pocketable.

Design – 

The Tyr has been designed to optimise ergonomics and simplicity of use. Its housings are metal with a premium anodized black body with silver accents. The nozzles are lipped to hold ear tips firmly onto the end. Their straight-body design permits comfortable cable down and over-ear wear, though due to the position of the strain-relief, I experienced a deeper and more stable fit when worn over the ear. The cable is also soft enough not to spring over the ear.

DSC07872

Once fit, the earphones stay put well, their enclosed design forming a strong seal, especially with E-tips equipped that are designed to conform to the bends of the ear cannal. Comfort is superb, as the earphones are so compact, they don’t contact the outer ear and form no hotspots. Isolation is good for a dynamic earphone, not quite sealed BA level, but easily adequate for public transport, especially with foam tips (not included).

DSC07875

The cable is fixed which may limit longevity and is of generic quality overall. It features a standard rubber jacket which is soft but also a bit tacky. The 3.5mm straight plug is low-profile and case-friendly. Of note, it is a 4-prong connector as the cable includes a handy inline remote, something missing from most competitors. The strain relief is average, just a small amount of rubber at each termination. Though not outstanding, the cable is what one would expect from a budget earphone but still doesn’t match something like the braided Adv M4 cable which feels appreciably sturdier.

Next Page: Sound, Comparisons & Verdict

SHARE.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Ryan Soo

Ryan Soo

Avid writer, passionate photographer and sleep-deprived medical student, Ryan has an ongoing desire to bring quality products to the regular reader.

RELATED POSTS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent posts

Sponsors

Categories