Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW VS Kiwi Ears Airoso

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

IEMRanking.com Home Compare IEMs

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW and Kiwi Ears Airoso are in-ear monitors. Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW costs $150 while Kiwi Ears Airoso costs $130. Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW is $20 more expensive. Kiwi Ears Airoso holds a decisive 4.3-point edge in reviewer scores (2.5 vs 6.8).

Insights

Metric Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW Kiwi Ears Airoso
Mids 2.5 6
Treble 2.5 5
Soundstage 2.5 6
Dynamics 2.5 7
Tonality 2.5 7
Technicalities 2.5 6.2

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Crin

Average Reviewer Score:

2.5

Very Negative


Kiwi Ears Airoso Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Z-Reviews Jays Audio
Jaytiss IEMRanking AI

Average Reviewer Score:

6.8

Cautiously Favorable


Reviews Comparison

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW (more reviews)

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW reviewed by Crin

Crin 2.5 Reviewer Score
D- Tuning
D- Tech
Muddy bass with virtually nonexistent treble.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Kiwi Ears Airoso (more reviews)

Kiwi Ears Airoso reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 7 Reviewer Score
B Tuning
C+ Tech
Rich thick, enjoyable. Benchmark for me. Just epic.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: B Treble: C+ Dynamics: A- Soundstage: B

Kiwi Ears Airoso reviewed by Z-Reviews

Z-Reviews 6.5 * score normalized

Kiwi Ears Airoso reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 6.5 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A- Tech
A sightly more airy/detailed EW300 with better timbre. Warm leaning all rounder with good dynamic contrast.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Kiwi Ears Airoso reviewed by IEMRanking AI

IEMRanking AI 7 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
B+ Tech

The Kiwi Ears Airoso offers a warm, smooth sound signature characterized by a full-bodied bass with satisfying sub-bass rumble and quick decay, though mid-bass impact remains reserved. Its midrange shines with a natural and organic presentation, particularly excelling with female vocals, though some male vocals lack weight. Treble is relaxed and non-fatiguing, providing decent air but lacking sparkle and ultimate detail retrieval.

Comfort is a mixed bag; the lightweight resin shells with CNC aluminum/titanium faceplates are praised by some, but others report significant fit challenges due to the shell shape and nozzle design, requiring tip rolling beyond the included selection. The stock cable is widely criticized as basic and low-quality for the price point, though the detachable 2-pin design allows for upgrades. Soundstage is reasonably spacious but not particularly expansive, with imaging being competent rather than exceptional.


Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!

Kiwi Ears Airoso User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

2.5

Gaming Grade

D-

Kiwi Ears Airoso Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6.4

Gaming Grade

B

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

D-
  • Tonally jarring or fatiguing. Frequency clashes (e.g., piercing treble, bloated bass) make extended listening unpleasant. Poor genre adaptation.

Average Technical Grade

D-
  • Noticeably blurred or congested. Struggles with basic instrument separation; details are lost in simple tracks. Feels "flat" and one-dimensional.
Gaming D-
Compromised imaging significantly impacts gameplay awareness. Directional cues often lack accuracy or consistency.

Kiwi Ears Airoso Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A-
  • Pleasing tonal balance with good technical control. Minor quirks present but not distracting. Demonstrates decent genre versatility.

Average Technical Grade

B
  • Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
Mids B
Good midrange presence with solid clarity. Vocals are clear and instruments have reasonable texture and body.
Treble C+
Decent treble with acceptable extension and detail. Can sound slightly unrefined but avoids being harsh or sibilant.
Dynamics A-
Excellent dynamics with great contrast and speed. Transients are crisp and micro-details are clearly articulated.
Soundstage B
Good soundstage with proper width and depth. Instruments have clear positioning with reasonable front/back placement.
Gaming B
Decent spatial awareness for fundamental positioning. Creates satisfying atmosphere in story-driven games while handling basic directional cues.

Audio Technica ATH-CKS5TW User Reviews

Example User Posted on ...
0.0

"This is an example review"

Pros
  • Example pro 1
  • Example pro 2
Cons
  • Example con 1
  • Example con 2
No User-Reviews Yet

Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.

You need to be signed in to write your own review

Kiwi Ears Airoso User Reviews

Example User Posted on ...
0.0

"This is an example review"

Pros
  • Example pro 1
  • Example pro 2
Cons
  • Example con 1
  • Example con 2
No User-Reviews Yet

Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.

You need to be signed in to write your own review

Find your next IEM:

IEM Finder Quiz

new
Use this quiz and answer a few questions to get your individual IEM recommendation list
(1/2) How much are you willing to spend on the IEM?
(2/2) Which sound characteristics are particularly important to you?
Buy

Footer