Shure se435 VS Kiwi Ears Septet

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

IEMRanking.com Home Compare IEMs

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

Shuwa-T

Average Reviewer Score:

4.3

Unfavorable


Kiwi Ears Septet Aggregated Review Score

Kiwi Ears Septet Average Reviewer Scores

Jaytiss
Jays Audio
IEMRanking AI

Average Reviewer Score:

7.3

Generally Favorable


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

4.3

Gaming 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

7.1

Gaming 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.
Bass C
Subdued bass response that stays mostly in the background. Lacks energy and impact but maintains basic definition.
Mids C-
Midrange is passable but unrefined. Lacks detail and smoothness, with occasional harshness in upper mids.
Treble C
Average treble performance - present but lacking refinement. Some graininess or splashiness affects clarity.
Soundstage C-
Average soundstage - adequate width but flat presentation. Reasonable instrument separation but lacks layering and depth.
Details C+
Decent detail retrieval. Handles most textures adequately though micro-details and ambient cues could be more pronounced.
Imaging C-
Average imaging - reasonable localization but lacks specificity. Instruments have general positions but lack pinpoint accuracy.
Gaming C-
Minimal environmental definition provides only general audio cues. Suitable for games where positioning isn't critical. Value-to-cost may not be optimal for gaming-focused users.

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.
Mids C+
Decent midrange performance - balanced but unremarkable. Adequate clarity for most genres without notable flaws.
Treble C+
Decent treble with acceptable extension and detail. Can sound slightly unrefined but avoids being harsh or sibilant.
Dynamics B
Good dynamic expression with solid impact. Handles volume contrasts well while maintaining good transient snap.
Soundstage A-
Excellent spatial presentation - wide, deep and tall. Precise instrument placement with clear separation in all dimensions.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations. Value-to-cost may not be optimal for gaming-focused users.

Shure se435 Reviews

Shure se435 reviewed by:

Shuwa-T 4.3 Reviewer Score
C- Tuning
C- Tech
Imaging is strange, and tuning is still all over the place

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

- Shuwa-T
Bass: C Mids: C- Treble: C Soundstage: C- Details: C+ Imaging: C-

Kiwi Ears Septet Reviews

Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by:

Jays Audio 7 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
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

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
- Jays Audio
Ad
Using this affiliate link for ordering your Kiwi Ears Septet or any other IEM helps fund our free service at no extra cost to you.

Price: $269

Buy Kiwi Ears Septet on Linsoul

Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by:

Jaytiss 6.8 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
C+ Tech
A unique open back iem.

Jaytiss original ranking

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

Kiwi Ears Septet reviewed by:

IEMRanking AI 8 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S- Tech

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

Shure se435 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 Septet 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?

Footer