Shure se435 and Kiwi Ears Septet are in-ear monitors. Shure se435 costs $290 while Kiwi Ears Septet costs $269. Shure se435 is $21 more expensive. Kiwi Ears Septet holds a decisive 3-point edge in reviewer scores (4.3 vs 7.3). Kiwi Ears Septet has significantly better mids with a 1-point edge, Kiwi Ears Septet has better treble with a 0.5-point edge and Kiwi Ears Septet has significantly better soundstage with a 3-point edge.
Insights
Metric | Shure se435 | Kiwi Ears Septet |
---|---|---|
Bass | 4.5 | 7.3 |
Mids | 4 | 5 |
Treble | 4.5 | 5 |
Details | 5 | 7.3 |
Soundstage | 4 | 7 |
Imaging | 4 | 7.3 |
Dynamics | 4.3 | 6 |
Gaming capabilities | 4.3 | 7.1 |
Shure se435 Aggregated Review Score
Shure se435 Average Reviewer Scores
Kiwi Ears Septet Aggregated Review Score
Kiwi Ears Septet Average Reviewer Scores
Shure se435 Details
Driver Configuration: n/a
Tuning Type: n/a
Price (Msrp): $290
Support our free service! Buying through our affiliate links costs you nothing extra:
Kiwi Ears Septet Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD+4BA+1Planar+1PZT
Tuning Type: Neutral-bright
Price (Msrp): $269
Support our free service! Buying through our affiliate links costs you nothing extra:
Shure se435 User Review Score
Shure se435 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 Septet User Review Score
Kiwi Ears Septet 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!
Shure se435 Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
4.3Gaming Grade
C-Kiwi Ears Septet Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
7.1Gaming Grade
A-Shure se435 Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
C-- Significantly flawed tuning. Noticeable frequency imbalances and unnatural timbre distract from music. Lacks versatility across recordings.
Average Technical Grade
C-- Limited resolution; finer nuances are masked. Soundstage feels narrow, and complex passages cause muddiness. Transitions lack finesse.
Kiwi Ears Septet 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
A-- Competent technical presentation. Handles separation and detail well in most tracks, with modest soundstage and acceptable imaging capabilities.
Shure se435 Reviews
Shure se435 reviewed by: Shuwa-T
Imaging is strange, and tuning is still all over the place
Kiwi Ears Septet Reviews
Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by: Jays Audio
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 Youtube Channel
Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by: Jaytiss
A unique open back iem. Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by: IEMRanking AI

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.
Shure se435 User Reviews
"This is an example review"
Pros
- Example pro 1
- Example pro 2
Cons
- Example con 1
- Example con 2
Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.
You need to be signed in to write your own reviewKiwi Ears Septet User Reviews
"This is an example review"
Pros
- Example pro 1
- Example pro 2
Cons
- Example con 1
- Example con 2
Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.
You need to be signed in to write your own review