KEFINE LORIC REVIEW

>>I am brazilian and I speak portuguese, so forgive my english, I’ll use translation tools to help<<

INTRO:

KEFINE has entered the battle of the “ultra-budget” earphones – those super-cheap models costing under $25. Their latest release is the KEFINE LORIC. As I mentioned in my review of the ARNAR, everything I’ve heard from KEFINE so far has been very good… they really know what they’re doing.

Price: $25 USD
Color: Silver or Black
Cable: 3.5mm without Mic, 3.5mm with Mic, Type-C

KEFINE REVIEWS: KLEAN, QUATIO, KLEAN SV, ARNAR.

KEFINE LINKS:

https://amzn.to/4xjtUlM (US)

https://amzn.to/4hVwTMP (UK)

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4Wxfl6B (PC)

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4OgFzcF (APP)

SPECIFICATIONS:

Single DD: 1 driver per side

(1) 10mm Dynamic Driver (DD) PU + Titanium

– Effective frequency: 20Hz – 20kHz
– Impedance: 20Ω
– Sensitivity: 107dB±3dB
– Connectors: 2pin 0.78mm (detachable)
– Cable Plug: 3.5mm (straight design)
– Cable size: 1.20m
– Cable material: Silver plated Copper
– Shell: Plastic
– Faceplate: Zinc
– IEM weight: 6g (one side)(without eartips)
– Cable weight: 15.2g
– Total weight (packaging, iems, etc): 107.4g
– Packaging size: 10.7cm [H] x 10.7cm [W] x 3.5cm [D]

UNBOXING:

PHYSICAL ASPECTS:

Construction:

Plastic shell and metal (zinc) faceplate.
Modern, minimalist design.
Features one vent per side.
Good build quality.
Faux leather carrying pouch. Non-rigid.
It could have come with a semi-rigid case (like the Klean‘s).

Eartips:

2 types of eartips: white and gray. Sizes S/M/L.
White: wide bore; Gray: standard bore (narrower opening).
They are generic eartips, but they get the job done.
It’s always nice when companies offer more variety.
There isn’t much to complain about, given the product’s price.
You can also use third-party eartips (this is a matter of personal preference).
I did this review using the gray eartips (Size M).

Cable:

Excellent cable! I really like it.
I always prefer thinner, lighter cables.
For me, this type of cable is ideal.
Better than many expensive cables I’ve tested.
Aesthetically pleasing.
Great usability.
Good malleability.
Very light and very thin.
Doesn’t tangle.
Doesn’t develop “memory” (creases).
No microphonics.
The chin slider doesn’t slip.
The earhooks are also great.
I see no need to replace it (subjective).
Versions with a mic or USB-C are available (choose in the purchase).

Fit and comfort:

Great fit, great stability.
Very comfortable earphones.
Good shape for all ear types.
Good for long hours of use.
At 6g, they are quite lightweight, considering the metal faceplate.
Medium insertion depth.
Good isolation.

Earphone kit (accessories):

Loric Earphones.
3 pairs of white eartips (S/M/L).
3 pairs of gray eartips (S/M/L).
3.5mm cable.
Carrying pouch.
User guide and QC pass.

SOUND ASPECTS:

Sound:

A relaxed, fun, and musical sound signature.
V-shaped tuning with controlled treble.
Delivers fun without going overboard. Cohesive.
Not an energetic-sounding earphone.
Leans towards the “warm” side.
Prominent bass, slightly emphasized mids, and linear treble.
Tonally very effective at achieving its goal: a laid-back sound.
Technically, I found it merely good (there is competition).
I’d say it works best with popular genres: EDM, Pop, Hip-Hop, etc.
Beating the GK Kunten in this price range is a tough task.
The Klean / SV are a step above.

Bass:

– Quantitative:

Moderate or slightly elevated.
Not for bassheads.
Sub-bass and mid-bass have good presence.
Sub-bass is slightly more prominent than mid-bass.
I like bass, and I enjoyed the amount here.

– Qualitative:

The bass is warm, fun, full, and substantial, with good extension.
It has great weight, texture, and physicality.
Definition is good/ok.
It’s the kind of bass that fills out the recording.
It is more voluminous than “dry.”
The impact is softer rather than “tight.”
It doesn’t bleed into the mids.
To my ears, it’s not overly technical, but rather musical.
It isn’t boomy, muddy, or bloated.
It works best with bass-heavy music.

Mids:

– Quantitative and qualitative:

Natural mids.
Neither recessed nor forward.
Comfortable pinna gain, without harshness.
Good definition and detail.
Good clarity, airiness, and transparency.
Mids lean towards the “warm” side.
No fatigue in the upper-mids.
A pleasant, relaxed feel.
More musical than analytical.
Snare drum hits sound smooth.
Saxophone sounds warm and velvety.
Guitars have great texture (visceral).

Voices:

Great for lower-timbre voices.
Lots of texture and warmth for low-timbre voices.
Recommended for male/deep voice libraries.
High-pitched voices are tamed here.
Not as much energy for female/high-pitched voices.
Good for tenors, baritones, and basses.

Treble:

– Quantitative:

Moderate treble.
Not for treble heads.
No treble fatigue.
Recommended for those with sensitivity.

– Qualitative:

Smooth, linear, and controlled treble with good extension.
Natural, gentle brightness.
Good detail and airiness.
Not strident, sharp, or harsh.
I didn’t notice sibilance, peaks, or coloration.
A very comfortable treble response, without any loss of quality.
Treble that stays true to the recordings (neither lacking nor excessive).
Drum cymbals sound pleasant and possess a natural shimmer.

Soundstage:

Good soundstage.
The sound has a good sense of spaciousness.
V-shaped IEMs tend to be more spacious (isn’t a rule).
Good depth, height, and width.

Imaging:

I found the instrument separation to be average/okay.
For this price point, that’s what you get (with rare exceptions).
It performs better with calmer or instrumental genres.
Good recordings also play a role here.
With very fast genres (like Metal), the separation suffers.

Driver flex test:

The Loric didn’t show driver flex characteristics.

Amplification:

Easy to drive.
Doesn’t require a powerful amplifier.
A DAC/amp dongle is sufficient.
I tested the LORIC with the FiiO KA11.
KA11 at 25% (out of 100 on Windows 10).

COMPARATIVE:

As I said in the sound aspects paragraph, in this price range, it is very difficult to beat the GK Kunten. And we need to remember that the Kunten has an even lower price. In physical aspects, the Loric wins easily, the accessory kit I think is much better, this all adds value to the final price of the product. Now, in terms of sound, I think the Kunten performs a little better. The Kunten, compared to the Loric, has a cleaner bass, more detail in the treble, and a feeling of more transparency in the midrange. The tuning of both is very similar, but I see that there are small differences between them. The Loric has a warmer tone, and bass that fills recordings more. Kunten’s midrange presents itself with a little more clarity… it’s as if Loric had mids slightly more recessed. And in the treble, the Loric is smoother, with less sparkle. The soundstage of both is very similar. As for the imaging, I think Kunten is a little better. Both are easy to push, and I used the KA11 at the same volume for both (25%).

PROS AND CONS:

– Great value for money
– Good build quality
– Modern, minimalist design
– Relaxed and fun sound signature
– Good/ok imaging
– Good soundstage
– Easy to drive
– Comfortable to wear
– Good for long listening sessions
– Suitable for all ear types
– Excellent cable

– Non-rigid case
– Generic eartips, but okay
– Bass not very technical
– Competition in this price range

GRAPHS BY PRACTIPHILE:

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