Forte Ears Macbeth VS Kinera Imperial Loki

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

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Forte Ears Macbeth and Kinera Imperial Loki use 5BA+4EST+2BC and 1DD+6BA+4EST+1BC driver setups respectively. Forte Ears Macbeth costs $4,000 while Kinera Imperial Loki costs $3,099. Forte Ears Macbeth is $901 more expensive. Both score 8.5 from reviewers. Kinera Imperial Loki has better bass with a 0.8-point edge, Forte Ears Macbeth has significantly better mids with a 1-point edge, Forte Ears Macbeth has significantly better treble with a 1.5-point edge, Forte Ears Macbeth has significantly better dynamics with a 3-point edge, Forte Ears Macbeth has significantly better soundstage with a 2-point edge, Kinera Imperial Loki has slightly better details with a 0.3-point edge and Forte Ears Macbeth has slightly better imaging with a 0.3-point edge.

Insights

Metric Forte Ears Macbeth Kinera Imperial Loki
Bass 8.3 9
Mids 8 7
Treble 8.5 7
Details 8.8 9
Soundstage 9 7
Imaging 8.8 8.5
Dynamics 8 5
Gaming capabilities 7 6.7

Forte Ears Macbeth Aggregated Review Score

Forte Ears Macbeth Average Reviewer Scores

Smirk Audio Shuwa-T

Average Reviewer Score:

8.5

Excellent


Kinera Imperial Loki Aggregated Review Score

Kinera Imperial Loki Average Reviewer Scores

Jaytiss
Nymz
Jays Audio IEMRanking AI

Average Reviewer Score:

8.5

Excellent


Forte Ears Macbeth User Review Score

Forte Ears Macbeth Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Kinera Imperial Loki User Review Score

Kinera Imperial Loki 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!

Forte Ears Macbeth Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

7

Gaming Grade

A-

Kinera Imperial Loki Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

6.7

Gaming Grade

B+

Forte Ears Macbeth Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • Refined execution with coherent frequency integration. Natural timbre reproduction and engaging presentation. Strong versatility.

Average Technical Grade

S-
  • Excellent clarity and detail. Precise imaging and expansive soundstage. Manages complex passages with minimal smearing and good transient speed.
Bass A+
Excellent bass response - powerful yet controlled. Deep extension with authoritative slam while maintaining clarity.
Mids A+
Superb midrange that's rich and resolving. Exceptional transparency and micro-details with perfect vocal/instrument balance.
Treble S-
Superb treble: effortless extension with crystal clarity. Perfect balance of sparkle and smoothness with exceptional detail.
Dynamics A+
Superb dynamic range - powerful yet nuanced. Exceptional transient response with lifelike impact and subtle volume gradations.
Soundstage S
Reference-class soundstage: perfectly spherical presentation with infinite space. Utterly realistic instrument placement and venue reproduction.
Details S-
Exceptional resolution that uncovers the deepest layers. Retrieves even the most minute details while maintaining natural timbre.
Imaging S-
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision. Creates a palpable sense of physical placement with perfect positional stability.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Kinera Imperial Loki Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • Refined execution with coherent frequency integration. Natural timbre reproduction and engaging presentation. Strong versatility.

Average Technical Grade

A+
  • Very competent with articulate presentation. Well-defined layers and precise imaging. Soundstage is immersive and handles dynamics well.
Bass S
World-class bass performance. Perfectly balanced between visceral impact, texture, and depth with zero bleed into mids.
Mids A-
Excellent midrange with natural timbre and great detail retrieval. Vocals are forward and emotive with lifelike instrument reproduction.
Treble A-
Excellent treble: airy, extended and well-controlled. Great micro-detail retrieval without sibilance or harshness.
Dynamics C+
Decent dynamic performance. Good macro-contrast but micro-dynamics could be more nuanced. Satisfactory impact.
Soundstage A-
Excellent spatial presentation - wide, deep and tall. Precise instrument placement with clear separation in all dimensions.
Details S
Reference-class detail: microscopic resolution with perfect texture reproduction. Nothing is lost, revealing the absolute truth of the recording.
Imaging S-
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision. Creates a palpable sense of physical placement with perfect positional stability.
Gaming B+
Respectable environmental presentation favors atmosphere over precision. Detects obvious directional cues while conveying game world ambiance. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Forte Ears Macbeth Reviews

Forte Ears Macbeth reviewed by:

Smirk Audio 8.3 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A+ Tech
check links for more info:

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

- Smirk Audio
Bass: A+ Mids: S- Treble: A+ Dynamics: A+ Details: S- Imaging: S-

Forte Ears Macbeth reviewed by:

Shuwa-T 8.7 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S Tech
Feels like a remastered VX in terms of clarity and staging The tonality is too off for regular listening, timbre is also off in general

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

- Shuwa-T
Bass: S- Mids: A Treble: S Soundstage: S Details: S Imaging: S

Kinera Imperial Loki Reviews

Kinera Imperial Loki reviewed by:

Jays Audio 9 Reviewer Score
S Tuning
S Tech
Super clean and clear sound. Beautiful vocals. Everyhting is extremely well balanced. No special sauce tho.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
- Jays Audio
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Price: $3,099

Buy Kinera Imperial Loki on Linsoul

Kinera Imperial Loki reviewed by:

Jaytiss 6.8 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
C+ Tech
Packaged well but feels like an Alien is in your ear.

Jaytiss original ranking

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

Kinera Imperial Loki reviewed by:

Nymz 8.7 Reviewer Score
S- Tuning
S- Tech
Great bass texture with slightly hot upper mid-range and well extended treble. Remarkable technical performance.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

- Nymz
Bass: S Mids: A+ Treble: S Details: S Imaging: S-

Kinera Imperial Loki reviewed by:

IEMRanking AI 9.5 Reviewer Score
S Tuning
S+ Tech

The Kinera Imperial Loki delivers a technically impressive W-shaped signature that balances sub-bass depth, vocal clarity, and sparkling treble extension. Its standout feature is the bone conduction driver, which adds palpable texture and physicality to low frequencies, creating a uniquely visceral rumble without bleeding into the mids. While the slightly scooped lower mids can thin out some male vocals or brass instruments in busy tracks, the overall presentation excels in detail retrieval and holographic imaging, offering an expansive soundstage with precise instrument placement.

Accessories elevate the experience, including 13 ear tips (Final E, AZLA Crystal, SpinFit CP145, Symbio F) for fine-tuning fit and sound, plus two quality cables—Effect Audio’s copper cable for warmth and Kinera’s hybrid cable for enhanced resolution. The lightweight resin shells ensure comfort despite the complex driver array, though fit-dependent bass response and occasional BC driver "ringing" during voice playback are minor quirks. At $3,099, it competes fiercely in the summit-fi tier, particularly for those prioritizing technical prowess and dynamic engagement over absolute neutrality.

Buy Kinera Imperial Loki on Linsoul (affiliate)

- IEMRanking AI
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Price: $3,099

Buy Kinera Imperial Loki on Hifigo

Forte Ears Macbeth User Reviews

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Kinera Imperial Loki User Reviews

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