Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones review

REVIEW – Whenever I see the opportunity to review sub-$100 headphones, I am always interested since I have what I call a series of reviews that target headphones in this price range. Just about all the headphones I have reviewed in this category are wireless or hybrid. It is about time that I check out some wired headphones in the same category to see if I am missing anything without the wires. I like that I get to start my wired testing with these Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Kiwi Ears website, Amazon

What is it?

The Kiwi Ears Altruva is a full-sized, open-back headphone designed for audiophiles and studio users, featuring a custom-developed single 50mm dynamic driver.

What’s included?

• 1 x Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones
• 1 x Extra Pair of Earpads
• 1 x Audio Y-Cable
• 1 x User Manual

Tech specs

• Driver Unit: Custom 50mm dynamic driver (PU+PEK composite diaphragm, neodymium magnets, copper ring)
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Sensitivity: 98dB ±3dB
• Frequency Response: 20Hz–40kHz
• Design: Open-back architecture for a wide, immersive soundstage
• Build Materials: PVD-coated stainless steel, real wood accents, vegan leather earpads
• Cable: 3m, detachable, includes 3.5mm and 6.35mm adapter

Design and features

• 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜:The Altruva is tuned to have a studio monitor-like sound profile. The bass hits hard and fast for a thumpy kick that doesn’t disturb the midrange. The midrange is natural and balanced, providing complete accuracy to instruments and vocals in their fundamental ranges. The treble is clear and transparent, with excellent air. The Altruva is designed for audiophiles who seek to replicate a professional studio-like sound in their music.
• 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝟓𝟎𝐦𝐦 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫: The all-new OEM 50mm dynamic driver has been developed specifically for the Altruva. With stronger neodymium magnets and a stronger diaphragm, the driver performs exceptionally well in the mid and upper frequencies. The driver features custom-made PU and PEK composite diaphragms with an ultra-pure copper ring.
• 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧-𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧: The open-back headphone design allows uninterrupted airflow into the headphones. This feature enhances the soundstage and imaging in the music, bringing your music to life. You can experience the life-like width of a concert right in your headphones.
• 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝:The Altruva is constructed from coated steel, wood, and vegan-leather materials to provide a premium feel as well as audiophile-grade sound.

The Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones are lightweight and feature a sleek and attractive design. The design features an open-back design with a mesh overlay. The materials used to build the headphones include stainless steel and real wood accents, which add to the durability. The earpads are made from vegan leather and are soft, plush, and removable. Connectivity is accomplished by using the included detachable, 3-meter cable, and both 3.5mm and 6.35mm adapters are also included.

Performance

The Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones are a great value for the price. I especially like the open-back design, the comfort, and the fit and finish. They are constructed from a lightweight alloy with accents made from real wood and earpads made from plush velour or vegan leather pads. They are very comfortable and can be used for extended listening sessions. The headband flexes easily to accommodate various head shapes and sizes. It is important to note that while the design incorporates good materials, they still feel a bit flimsy in my hands, and the feel by itself gives the impression that they are cheap headphones. I would tell anyone not to go by the initial feel. These headphones sound remarkably good with just about every genre of music I tested, and they work well if I am editing videos or just listening to YouTube media content.

Of course, to keep the playing field level for sub $100 headphones, as I did before, I maintained the previous music selection I used to test. Again, this selection is purely based on my taste and preferences. I listened to tracks like “All in Love is Fair,” “Distant Lover,” and “I Want You” by Michael McDonald, “Europa” by Gate Barbieri, “Winelight” by Grover Washington Jr., and “Angela (theme from ‘Taxi’) by Bob James. In addition, some Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, Mariah Carey, and some of the Flamenco genre with tracks like Govi’s Andalusian Nights. My relaxing sounds also included Mornin’ by Al Jarreau, “The Secret Garden” by Quincy Jones, and “Summer Rain” by Carl Thomas.

These headphones benefit from the 50mm dynamic drivers that deliver bass that is tight and provides low distortion even into the mid-bass frequency. The midrange is not as present as in some of the other headphones that I have tested, but it is clear and smooth. The highs are also very clear, which makes listening to music that features up-front vocals and instruments quite pleasurable.
The Y audio cable is quite long, which is great for me when I am rolling around in my chair in my studio. The cable is of good quality. This design also allows me to upgrade just the cables if I desire. I also tested these headphones with a desktop amp and a DAC, and they work well. They are quite versatile.

The 2 issues that I encountered were that there is a problem with the audio port on the right ear cup that requires me to insert the plug with unusual force to achieve a stable connection. Also, the left ear pad keeps falling off. It is attached using a twist-and-click function, and there must be a quality issue that is creating this issue.

For everyday use, these headphones are comfortable and provide a great listening experience. Kiwi calls them audiophile headphones, but I would not go that far. I have listened to amazing headphones that offer a high-end listening experience in both sound and design, and in no way are they an equal comparison to these. However, I would probably concede that the Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones are entry-level audiophile headphones if there is such a thing.

Final thoughts

The Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones are stylish, attractive, comfortable to wear all day, and sound pretty darn good. They are versatile enough to be applicable for many use cases when good, clean audio, along with comfort, are important. My sample does have an issue with the cable or audio port on the right side that requires me to force the plug in hard to ensure continuous connectivity. Also, the left earcup does not stay in place and frequently falls out. Regardless, IMHO, these headphones are a great bang for the buck.

What I like about the Kiwi Ears Altruva Hi-Fi 50mm Dynamic Driver Headphones

• The design is elegant and stylish
• The audio quality is good
• The audio cable is very long, making it easy for me to roll around in my studio chair
• They are very comfortable

What needs to be improved?

• My sample has an issue with the audio port on the right side
• The left earcup does not stay in place
• Overall quality control

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Kiwi Ears website, Amazon
Source: Kiwi Ears provided a free sample for this review. Kiwi Ears did not have a final say on the review and did not preview it before it was published.

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