Sound Impressions: In-depth, Neutral Bass
Let’s first talk about ThorKing’s overall sound signature. Kinera has shown many styles of sound signature across their product range, but this one strikes me differently. ThorKing shows a rather flat (though not actually flat) or, should I say, a carefully w-shaped tuning. This means ThorKing’s bass is quite linear and flat, perhaps about 25% elevated from flat. The impressive part is that ultra-lows and sub-bass are extremely coherent in timbre, tone color, and presence, keeping a highly stable presentation across the low range.
Reference-IEM listeners or Etymotic-heads would surely dig this tuning, but not so much for bassheads for obvious reasons. However, ThorKing makes itself clear what it’s trying to achieve – It focuses on neutrality and vibrations of bass, accurately showcasing the bass that the source music originally has. Despite its gentle bass quantity, the ThorKing bass is thick in color and has great ultra-low extension.
Calm and leveled bass – not dull or light.
Along with the thick colors and extension, there’s another element that prevents ThorKing’s low-end from sounding empty – the body. ThorKing’s bass is surprisingly large and expansive compared to its controlled sub-bass quantity. You can feel the bass using the chamber as a soundbox, letting the bass ring in size and naturally. Prominent depth, color, and body allow the bass to properly serve as a cornerstone upon which ThorKing’s sound can be built.
What differentiates ThorKing’s “rather flat” bass from other flat IEMs is the strike and decay. While flat IEMs tend to have extremely fast roll-off, as if omitting a large portion of the reverbs the music source had. While this may make the lows snappy, it also makes the lows sound choppy. Unlike that, with the right rigidity for tight and agile bass but also creamy and meaty, ThorKing keeps the bass ‘breathable’ where the bass strikes fast but lets the bass breathe through the chamber (only to an extent that it won’t tarnish the atmosphere). This also introduces natural decay for the low-end.
Sound Impressions: Vocals & Soundstage
Perhaps some of you who are familiar with different sound signatures and IEMs may have already assumed that vocals are where ThorKing is truly fascinating, which I also find to be one of ThorKing’s noticeable strengths. Especially for the female vocals. For example, try listening to Seoul City by Jennie – the subtle breezes of air, vocal reverbs, and decay fully encapsulate the headroom with such an atmospheric tone and mood. The more you can tune into the smallest details, the more enjoyment ThorKing returns for you.
Sure, there are many IEMs that offer you strong airiness and transparency, like AME Raven, AME Gaia, or Campfire Audio Solaris: Stellar Horizon, though the way ThorKing does its airiness and impacts the sound is completely different from them (not that they are bad, but simply different). Let me address the core differences between the mentioned IEMs and ThorKing’s ‘airiness and transparency’. The airiness and transparency from the mentioned three IEMs have strong rigidity, if not stiff. This makes them sound neutral-bright, snappier in response, and extra resolving. In exchange, such sounds would eventually cause ear fatigue after prolonged listening compared to warmer-sounding IEMs.
Reference-level Clarity, but with Stunning Neutrality
On the other hand, speaking of warmer-sounding IEMs, ThorKing desires a neutral-warm tone, all while creating a breathable headroom and airy vocals. Alongside, I personally find warmer-sounding timbre is a lot more difficult to make enjoyable and charming than cooler timbre, as warmer sound is prone to sounding boring or ‘too old school’. Oriolus Traillii, Forte Ears Macbeth, and PMG Audio Apx SE are good examples that managed to achieve a warm timbre while making them sound addictively charming. ThorKing is another perfect example that I’d include in this field – to keep a neutral-warm tone while making the timbre sound very delicious. The vocals remind me of a ‘mini version’ of Oriolus Traillii (but take it with a grain of salt, of course).
Other significant elements that make ThorKing’s vocals charming are resolution and layering. Mid-range is spatial with superb separation, all while staying cohesive and harmonic. This becomes especially evident when listening to tracks that are emotional and dreamy, as ThorKing portrays stacks of vocal layerings separated cleanly. Alongside, while keeping a high-resolution sound, ThorKing has an extremely smooth and fatigue-free nature, not leaving any traces of spikes or sibilance. To prevent the possible ‘stuffiness’, Kinera opened up an extra bit for upper mids, introducing more shine and transparency for the vocals to keep an open-ended, airy field.
Sound Impressions: Sparkly Smooth Trebles
Trebles are slightly toned down in quantity than the other frequencies – and I mean only the quantity, as ThorKing didn’t compromise when it comes to clarity and resolution. ThorKing’s calm, delicate nature also continues for the trebles (just like it did with the rest of the frequencies), but less for treble technicality. Nonetheless, trebles still sound
ThorKing surprised me with how the trebles sound, as it’s a type of treble I don’t recall seeing from Kinera until now. ThorKing’s trebles reminded me of Technics TZ700 or JVC FW10000, which are IEMs I love and are also popular due to their refined textures. For me, treble textures and timbre in particular.
The sparkly, silky textures are very enjoyable to listen to. ThorKing’s trebles are highly refined and organic, as if coming from a dynamic driver. The textures are very even in quantity, texture, and density. Like many or most IEMs, ThorKing doesn’t create ‘clumps’ for the treble, meanwhile still maintaining them tactile and tight.
Next Page: Compared to Nostalgia Audio Durandal / Canpur CP74E