Softears Enigma VS Kinera Imperial Loki

Endgame-level detail paired with great tonality. Exceptional detail, high-quality bass, balanced tonality, and excellent timbre. The bass has a fast decay.

Gizaudio Axel original ranking

Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel - Gizaudio Axel

The Softears Enigma is a flagship tribrid IEM using a 12-driver array (2DD+6BA+4EST) with a hybrid 5-way/4-way crossover and an aluminum shell; the package also includes a premium Effect Audio cable. Street pricing centers around $3,699 USD and multiple reviews note the surprisingly comfortable fit despite the larger shells.

Tonal reports describe a warm-leaning, neutral-with-bass-boost balance: essentially an RSV-like midrange with extra low-end weight and smooth lower treble, extending well up top. Show impressions from Precogvision characterize it as “RSV with a dynamic driver and some extra bass,” which aligns with long-form reviews calling the Enigma warm, full, and balanced rather than aggressive.

Technical performance is a strong suit: reviewers note clean separation, high detail retrieval, and stable imaging; the EST tweeters can benefit from capable sources, while isolation is average. Factoring in its high MSRP, the Enigma’s execution is impressive but its value proposition is challenged by lower-priced alternatives (including Softears’ own RSV) that deliver broadly similar tonality at a fraction of the cost.

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- IEMRanking AI

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

Great bass texture with slightly hot upper mid-range and well extended treble. Remarkable technical performance.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

- Nymz

Packaged well but feels like an Alien is in your ear.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel - Jaytiss

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 Hifigo (affiliate)

- IEMRanking AI