Kiwi Ears Halcyon's Review - MEMS within reach

 

General Info/Comfort/Build/Packaging

The Kiwi Ears Halcyon features a genuinely fascinating driver configuration that actually lives up to the hype on paper, you are getting a unique tribrid setup consisting of one dynamic driver, three balanced armatures, and one microscopic MEMS driver, If you aren't familiar with MEMS technology, think of it like a microscopic speaker meticulously etched directly onto a silicon chip rather than a traditional diaphragm moving air, the biggest barrier to entry with MEMS drivers is that they require a dedicated DC bias, meaning you'd normally have to lug around a specialized external energizer just to get them to work, best part about the Halcyon’s implementation is that it doesn't require any additional external energizers or complicated setups to run,  you just plug them in and listen, which completely removes the annoying burden usually associated with this tech. Alright, enough with the introduction of MEMS, let’s move on to the build quality

Build quality is solid and the shells are very sturdy, and feels reassuringly premium without being unnecessarily heavy. The faceplates feature textured logo pattern that catches the light beautifully, and rather than just slapping a standard cap on top, the faceplate actually sits neatly into the main chassis like a lid, this gives the entire profile a much more refined, less bulky aesthetic. Comfort and ergonomics wise, I have nothing to complain about, the fit and seal is good and throughout my entire listening session with Halcyon, which lasted approximately 3-4 hours alternate days, I don't find them to be uncomfortable at all.

The packaging itself is your very typical, consistent Kiwi Ears unboxing experience. Inside, you’ll find a rather generic-looking  carrying case. You also get a standard set of ear tips that are functional but will likely be replaced if you are someone who likes tip rolling, and also Kiwi Ear’s modular cable.

Gears used for this review

• Nipo A100

• xDuoo XD05T

• xDuoo Link 3

• Foobar2k Offline DSD Files/Flac, Tidal Streaming

• Kiwi Ears Halcyon with stock 4.4 cable and eartips

Sound Impression 

The overall sound signature of the Halcyon is quite versatile and easily caters to a wide variety of genres that I usually listened to (JPOP, Classical, Rock, Pop, Jazz). Timbre sounds quite natural and not too off to my ears, tonality is neither too warm nor cold, note weight is just right to my ears

Bass

• The sub bass definitely has enough rumble to it when it’s called for,but it is definitely nowhere near basshead territory, for tracks like Billie Eilish’s bad guy, you can notice that the rumble doesn’t extend that deep

• Mid bass is slightly tucked has good slam to it and it doesn’t bleed into the mids, keeping the mid range clean, and also well controlled bass and tight 

• Very good speed for the price, capable to reproducing the drumming of Metallica’s Lux Aeterna’s high speed drumming without sounding muddy

• Bass texture and control is good overall for the asking price

• In terms of speed, it is good for the asking price

Mids

• The mids are clean overall and they’re neither recessed or forward, somewhere in between

• Vocal positioning is not overly forward, and also not overly in your face nor intimate

• Male vocal especially Zhao Peng who sings at low baritone is slightly lacking texture, doesn’t sound as full

• Female vocal sounds very pleasant as well, listening to Faye Wang’s song, i would say the voice is rather sweet and well textured, and also thanks to the slight boost of the upper mids, it is also very lively

• The upper mids as i mentioned earlier, good energy and lively, but never once shouty (this ultimately depends on individual’s tolerance)

Treble

• This is where the MEMS implementation gets to flex its muscle, the extension is effortless and at the same time, it is non offensive

• Detail retrieval is good based on my ears and the MEMS are definitely doing something magic here

• Cymbals and hi hats are not prominent due to the nature of the treble, but they are not overly recessed as well with relatively good texture

• The treble is nicely tuned in general and not offensive even when you crank the volume up

Soundstage/Imaging

• The staging capabilities perform admirably well for the price bracket. The soundstage projects a slightly larger-than-average sense of space, giving you a tangible feeling of width and height

• Imaging and positioning are also spot-on, It is easy to tell exactly where vocals and specific instruments are located within that stage, and nothing feels vague, artificially stretched, or blurred, nicely implemented

Driveability

• The Halcyon is not hard to drive, but it order for it to perform at its best, a mid range DAP or slightly better dongle will help

• Otherwise, entry level will be sufficient but not sufficient to squeeze out the max from it

Comparison (Ziigaat Crescent)

• Coming in at roughly the same price point, the Crescent features a 2DD and 2BA configuration housed in a slightly larger resin shell

• The Crescent offers a punchier sound overall because it brings far more energy into the upper bass and lower mids, giving male vocals a bit more thickness and presence but lacking the extension that Halcyon has. Halcyon’s treble implementation is slightly more refined to my ears

• The Halcyon sounds much cleaner through the lower mid-range, offers superior layering, and keeps the high frequencies far more smooth and controlled

• In terms of imaging and soundstage, the Crescent might cast a slightly wider stage, the Halcyon is much better organized and precise with its imaging

• The Crescent does win out slightly on accessories, offering a nicer case and better ear tips, while Halcyon’s going for the minimal approach

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, whether you manage to grab these at the $199 super early bird Kickstarter price or you pick them up later at the $259 retail MSRP, the Halcyon is a genuinely fantastic deal offering good sonic performance while keeping the price within reach. 

It doesn't desperately try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to tuning, it has its own identity based on its own configuration. It’s a beautifully built, musical crowd-pleaser with strong genre versatility that is very easy to recommend. Now I am interested to see how the implementation of MEMS in the upper mid range will look like in terms of sonic performance as well as pricing.

*a big thanks to Linsoul for sending this over for the purpose of this review

It is currently available at Kickstarter now, don’t miss out the opportunity to pre-order it

Kiwi Ears Halcyon - Non affiliated