With many many thanks to 1 of our loyal sponsors Better Audio US, I bring you the KBEAR KB06 Single Driver, follow the link if interested and it’ll take you to Amazon, where the price today looks something like this
Hi there. As you can see I’m in a quandary. What can we call 1 of my favourite companies? I think we must stick with KBear, which sounds cuter and less austere. It was only last week when I put the Believe to bed, with a huge piece of work done on a video, and a load of written info, much of which can be seen on this site
That same review, more or less, is doing the rounds at HeadFi.org and made the front page. I say it’s not quite the same because there are various extras you get here that you won’t get any place else. This is Subjective’s very own home, so we treat it special! Before then, I looked at the Lark. That was a post I did just around Christmas time. As I was putting the finishing touches to the Believe work, in comes the KB06. They could not look more different. They are poles apart in price. But are they just as nice?
About the KB06
I like the brand, they know how to shape an IEM, they have that ergonomic fit down to a fine art. There isn’t much skimping on the design elements either; both the Lark and the Believe offered something a little different from the boring, brushed steel affairs that don’t offend anyone. But neither do they excite. Excitement is what we want. Fun is what we want! We shall have some fun with KBEAR’s latest arrival, of that I’m sure. A brief look at what’s under the hood – this is a hybrid IEM, consisting of 1 dynamic for lows, and 2 balanced armature drivers to deal with mid and high frequencies.
Resistance is low, 24 Ohms, and sensitivity high, 111dB, the fit is an olive shape with memory wire and around the ear wearability. These 3 factors make these fit for the purposes of a $31.99 IEM; they’ll sound just dandy through your smartphone. Don’t be thinking of throwing a monster amp at these, no sir! You’ll blow the back doors off em!
Your ears too, most probably. I’m in wonderment that, yet again, a cheap as chips in ear has a detachable cable as a feature. Heck! My AKG K3003i and my Sennheiser IE800’s don’t have this as a feature! Shame on you 2! Not only the cable is swappable, it’s a QDC design too. This is great! I’ve said this ad nauseum; QDC is the way forward for a secure, long lasting connection to an IEM. Manufacturers, keep this up please. Of course, if there’s things even better around the corner, then I graciously await your latest innovations. For now, this kicks the proverbial tin roof off standard 2 pin and MMCX as far as I’m concerned.
Apart from a seriously good frequency response (7-40 000 Hz) which will be lost on me beyond 15 000Hz and some familiar looking extra grip silicon tips, that’s the KB’s out of the box, in my ears, plugged in, and ready to rock n roll!
Because I don’t have a playlist that I use to test all my earphones on that I wish to talk to you about, doesn’t mean that I’m not serious about bringing you the truth in audio. I have fun, but you need to have an idea, with this dizzying array of goodies, what’s out there and whether it’s worth buying. I appreciate some people have 1 earphone and they want to make it a keeper and they haven’t got a tremendous amount of spare cash with which to enjoy their music. I embrace that, and that’s what I’m here for.
What I tend to do is to listen to, either my newest purchase on CD, my latest discovery on Amazon Music HD, Bandcamp, Facebook or YouTube, just like a normal person would enjoy their music. I send so much spare time at this reviewing malarky, that a set list of music would drive me absolutely mad. I am recently rediscovering a favourite of mine; Astral Weeks by Van Morrison. This album, available on streaming everywhere if you don’t own it, at first sounds like a mess. The session players were given virtually no instructions from Van, he started playing and singing and they ad libbed alongside. I didn’t understand Astral Weeks for years. I revere it today. It fits no genre I’m aware of. The poetry of the lyrics, the intimacy and forlorn Irish quality of the vocals and acoustic guitar, the 60s backing, it all blends into a glorious mashup. I put on Madame George and I go back to a time that I never knew, probably a tougher time for most than we have now.
Sound quality
I shall keep this short, sweet, and as uncomplicated as I can. I read no reviews on items I intend to write about. This enables me to give you unexpergated, no onsnse original opinion. You then read the other reviews out there, and you get to a consensus, right? That’s the proper way to research. I have no wish to jump on any bandwagons, for that very reason. To help you, dear punter. Introductions over, I am, once again, able to tell you that the KB06 is a winner.
The stereo separation is first rate. Separation like this can only be achieved with a nice, clean sound signature and plenty of detail in the mid and high frequency ranges. There is a large air port on the outside of the shells of the 06’s, at first they looked a little unsightly. I’m pretty sure this is what is causing a semi open sound. I am getting visceral lows and visceral horns and flutes (these are in the mids!). I am listening to music that was released 52 years ago, and it’s a joy! The KB06’s sit in the ears with plenty of space; they nestle underneath the earlobe and angle into the ear canal entrance. That reflects the air vents the tiniest distance away from the inner surface of the lobe and that’s made for a great reflective surface.
At home in the Subjective Review Listening Office
Conclusion
I recommend the KB06. Without hesitation, I recommend them. The Lark is a lovely looking thing, but it doesn’t quite have the detail and visceral low and mid response that these have. If you prefer a smoother signature and you’ve fallen for the honeycomb of the newer KBEAR, I understand. The KB06 don’t look as good, but I think I can understand why. KBEAR, for sound like this, at this price, I forgive you, wholeheartedly
