KBEAR Ink V2 Review - Worthy upgrade
KBEAR is a brand that most audiophiles/hobbyists in ChiFi should be aware of. The V2 is a successor to the OG Ink according to KBEAR in which I personally also agree based on the listening experience and comparison between the OG and V2. KBEAR Diamond,Believe and Ink they share similar shell design/shape. I have not heard of the other two which is very unfortunate and I hope that I am able to get my hands on them sometime soon.
Packaging and unboxing experience is very good,it came with several sets of eartips,a good looking carrying case,and also a 8 core SPC cable.
INK V2 feels very solid and you can definitely feel the weight when you are holding it in your hand,yet it is very comfortable to wear on your ear. I have no problem wearing them for long listening sessions,I don't feel any discomfort throughout my listening session. The build and shape is essentially the same as the OG with the exception of different faceplate.
Gears used for this review
Earmen Angel Dac/Amp
Earmen ST-Amp
Hiby FC6
Sony WM1A
KBEAR INK V2 stock cable and eartips
Sound
I would describe V2 as having a V shaped tuning. The mid range is slightly recessed compared to the OG being a V shaped IEM. This is not to say that being v shaped means that it does not sound good. This is more of a preference rather than good/bad. Tonality is on a slightly brighter side. Bass is thunderous and it does rumble.Timbre sounds natural to my ears most of the time with the exception of several instruments which have a slight metallic hint to it
Bass:
Sub bass has got good rumble and extension,but to my ears,it is nowhere near basshead level
Mid bass has got good thump and punch,it does occasionally bleeds into the mids as it is not fast enough during complex track
The bass’s texture is average to my ears,not too thin or thick
Mids:
The mid is slightly recessed
Vocal positioning is slightly laid back and definitely not intimate
Male vocal has got good texture and doesn’t sound thin at all
Female vocal sounds thicker than male,Adele and Kate Bush sounds fantastic on this due to the slight upper mids boost
Highs:
As expected from a V shaped tuning, this is the spectrum where the treble is also emphasised
The treble is energetic but never sibilant or harsh, compared to the OG, it is actually slightly smoother and will definitely please those who complained that the OG has too much treble previously
It has got good extension and detail retrieval is average,some details are hard to pick up but this is purely nitpicking especially at this price point
V2 has got good amount of air and sparkle to give the sense of “open” sounding
Soundstage/Imaging
Choices of eartip will affects the perceived soundstage fyi, using the KB07 eartip, the V2 has good width and depth but slightly lacking in terms of height
Imaging is good enough for the price,instruments can be picked up easily,but it does struggle a little when playing back complex track such as Slipknot’s Duality
Driveability
Very easy to drive,decent volume out of smartphone’s 3.5mm jack
Doesn’t benefit much from amping
Does scale with better source,best to pair with slightly warmer dac to smoothen the top end
Final Thoughts
Is the V2 considered an upgrade to the OG? In my opinion, it definitely is. Bass does sound a little bit fuller and sub bass does rumble a little bit more compared to the OG.
A slightly smoother top end will definitely please a lot of people out there, of course there will also be some who like their set to remain energetic, after all, one can’t aim to please everyone. If you’re in the lookout for a good set of V shaped IEM, do consider this and i’m sure it’ll put a smile on your face. Cheers, till next time!
INK V2 is sent over by KBEAR for the purpose of this review. I thank them for the opportunity as always.
Head over to their store if you’re interested in getting a pair:
KBEAR Ink V2 - Non affiliated
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