Kiwi Ears Septet VS Hidizs mk12 x Ducbloke

Bright-leaning with slight warmness - has an unique sparkly/lush, airy, and spacious sound. Great tech for the price, treble is not overly harsh or peaky (at mid volume), pretty smooth with the extra mid-bass balancing out the treble boost. Vocals are pushed back/not fully extended and not as prominent. Mid-volume set, doesn't scale well. Gets spicy with energetic genres past mid-volume. Great for instrumentals, acoustics, indie, classical, etc.

Jays Audio original ranking

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A unique open back iem.

Jaytiss original ranking

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The Kiwi Ears Septet delivers a neutral-bright sound signature characterized by clear vocals and a notably forward treble that enhances detail retrieval, particularly in female vocals and acoustic instruments. Its bass response is neutral and controlled, lacking the weight of closed-back designs but offering tight, fast decay. While this tuning excels with well-recorded tracks, it can become fatiguing with bright or poorly mastered material due to its upper-midrange and treble emphasis. The open-back design contributes to an airy presentation, though it reduces isolation significantly.

Technically, the Septet showcases a wide soundstage with precise imaging and strong microdynamics, allowing subtle instrumental textures to shine. Its seven-driver quadbrid configuration (dynamic, balanced armature, planar, and piezoelectric) integrates cohesively through a sophisticated 5-way crossover. However, the low sensitivity (95dB) demands powerful sources to avoid dynamic compression, and the open-back design makes it less suitable for noisy environments despite its comfortable fit.

Buy Kiwi Ears Septet on Linsoul (affiliate)

- IEMRanking AI

Stock its really bassy, with eq it gets even better.

Jaytiss original ranking

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The Hidizs MK12 × DucBloke is a special-tuned edition built on the MK12 “Turris” platform, which uses a single 12 mm dynamic driver with a 91% magnesium diaphragm and a 1.5 T magnet system inside a CNC-milled metal shell. The base MK12 includes three swappable pneumatic filters and retails around $199 (often $179 on sale), with Hidizs officially confirming the DucBloke collaboration and demos at CanJam SoCal 2025.

Tonal balance with the MK12 platform is broadly warm U-shaped and can be shifted via the filters: Silver lifts treble, Rose Gold/Gold aims for a balanced profile, and Red boosts low frequencies while relaxing the upper mids—behavior documented across launch materials and reviews. This aligns with independent measurements/impressions noting the red filter’s fuller bass and the silver filter’s added upper-energy, giving the DucBloke edition a clear path toward a bass-weighted yet smooth top end.

Technical performance is competitive in the sub-$200 class: reviewers consistently describe a spacious soundstage, convincing imaging, and strong dynamics for a single-DD, while ultimate micro-detail and treble air are good rather than class-leading. With the right filter and tips, the set offers solid clarity without harshness and bass impact that should satisfy listeners seeking weight and physicality. Overall, the value proposition is strong at its street price, especially if the DucBloke tuning prioritizes the red-filter’s engaging low-end.

Buy Hidizs mk12 x Ducbloke on HiFiGO (affiliate)

- IEMRanking AI