








Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Pros:
- Bass quantity is good, with reasonable slam and clarity for the price
- Sub-bass lift is present but kept in check, doesn't spill into the mids
- Midrange is warm and easy to listen to, with natural instrument timbre
- Minimal bass bleed helps keep separation and imaging reasonably clear
- Treble is smooth and non-fatiguing rather than harsh
- Imaging and soundstage are decent, nothing congested
- Build quality is a relative strength compared to similarly priced sets
- Comfortable enough for longer listening sessions
- Overall a fun, easygoing tuning that prioritizes listenability
Cons:
- Mid-bass rolls off quickly and slam softens somewhat as a result
- Bass and vocals can sound a bit veiled/recessed when the mix gets busy
- Male vocals lean thin; female vocals could use more air/sparkle
- Separation loosens up on denser, more complex tracks
- Treble is fairly reserved, so cymbals and hi-hats sit further back
- Upper registers sound a touch subdued due to the warm tuning
- Detail retrieval is average - subtler background elements aren't always easy to pick out
- Cosmetic : paint may chip off with use
Thanks to Collin Yang from Kefine for sending me this unit for review, all opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone.
Friendly Note : if you are reading this review for an idea of buying the product, this is my note to you, my opinion towards a gear when reviewing it is unbiased but hearing experience is subjective to individual and different from person to person. So, please consider this as an introduction or just an opinion of how the iem sounds in general and look to try the product before you buy it.
Thank you, let’s get into the review now.
My pairing setup is a tanchjim space 2 Dac amp + iphone 16e and a Snowsky Echo mini DAP. Eartips are Kbear coffee.
Overview
Kefine is a company that’s getting a lot of attention and traction in this market recently and it’s no surprise because they keep making banger products one after another starting with Kefine Klanar and now the Loric. Kefine loric is Kefine’s cheapest offering so far which is priced at around 29$ ( 3.5mm no mic variant ). Let’s see how good it is in the very oversaturated price point of the market ( 20-30$ )
Bass
The bass of Kefine Loric is not only of good quantity but quality as well. It has decent slam and adequate clarity to it, it’s not the most detailed or best textured bass out there but it sure is not a muddy or bloated blob. The low end tuning is a little tilted towards sub-bass but it’s not dominant over the mid bass. Sub-bass lift is mindful without being too much so that it doesn’t muddy the overall bass presentation or mids region. The Mid-bass is punchy and impactful but lacks control because of its quick roll off and the slam is a bit on the softer side. Loric is not at all a bass shy iem neither a bass bloated iem, it’s skillfully tuned to sound fun and also clean to an extent. It’s not an empowering bass, but an appreciable one.
Beat It by Michael Jackson is a track with an iconic bass line that is very rhythmic and groovy to listen to. The bass notes from the beginning of the track sound quite prominent, the drum case hits sound very full bodied with a visceral thud to it. It holds its place down while not overwhelming the other instruments providing a good bass attack and normal decay. Due to Loric being a warm tuned iem, the bass hits do sound a little recessed when surrounded with instruments - like under a veil, you feel the thud and slam to it but the sharpness / detail is not there. That being said, Loric is not for detail chasers, it sounds fun and that’s about it.
Mids
The midrange of Loric is warm and engaging to listen to. The vocals sound average but clear. The male vocals sound a little thin and female vocals have a tad bit less air to be called something like “crispy” or “sparkly” but gets the job done without dulling or hollowing their presence too much. The instruments have natural timbre. Thanks to the absence of bass bleed into the midrange, the separation and imaging capability is decent enough to listen to without getting too disappointed.
Bohemain Rhapsody by Queen is a magnificent cornucopia of sorts when it comes to music having a Capella, Ballad, Opera, Rock, Coda and what not. Truly a masterpiece when it comes to a blend of vocals, instruments and their cohesiveness. While listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on loric, the first thing that i immediately spotted is Freddie’s vocals lacking the full bodied presence, it’s not completely hollow or lifeless but just a little thin sounding presentation. The Operatic section however sounds very forward and powerful unlike Freddie’s solo vocals. The instruments sound very groovy, the layering and cohesiveness is very engaging to listen to. The imaging is good but when it comes to separation - this powerhouse of a track sounds like it got a little soupy in between, which means that the Loric cannot handle complex tracks with lot of things going in the background cleanly enough to cut through. Technicalities are just about good for the price and thats about it.
Treble
The treble region of loric is a bit reserved. It’s not dull or boring but can’t be classified as something bright or energetic either. It just exists on the plane in between both and definitely isn’t the best of both worlds - but as i said, it’s not boring and it’s quite relaxing to listen to. Held back presentation but not to a level where it feels like recessed. Instruments like Cymbal and hi-hats don’t have enough presence. Female vocals that are airy and reach the high registers will not sound lively because of the held back presentation but the warmth makes them sound lush.
Deep in a Dream by Marlene VerPlanck is a track that i generally listen to understand how an iem / headphone performs in the upper mids and treble region. Marlene VerPlanck’s vocals in this track feel very intimately closer to ears as if she is whispering into our ears and her shift between low notes and high notes with flawless diction and incredible range is just an absolute treat to listen to.
On loric however, Marlene’s lower register “I dim all the lights / I sink in my chair“ part sounds a little too warm and the high notes “Then from the ceiling / Sweet music comes stealing…..” part sounds a little less crisp because her voice is subdued by the warm tuning. Nevertheless, her vocals are not at all recessed or lifeless, just a little soft.
Technicalities
Imaging : Good enough to place instruments and vocals in their respective places without having much trouble
Sound Stage : Decent, nothing special to talk about - spacious enough to not sound congested
Separation : Separation is competent for the price.
Detail retrieval : Clear downside, logic has trouble retrieving subtle background sounds or elements. They sound too faint to understand and sometimes completely get buried in the mixes.
Build - Comfort - Fit
The Kefine Loric is a PU + Titanium composite dynamic driver with a N52 + N42 dual magnet architecture and a dual chamber acoustic design. Loric’s shell is very lightweight and translucent. Faceplate is built with premium zinc alloy. Loric is quite comfortable in the ears and doesn’t cause any discomfort, the nozzles are average size and dont feel like poking our ears.
Technical specifications :
Cable: Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin silver-plated copper cable available in standard 3.5mm, 3.5mm with a microphone, or a USB-C DSP variant.
Impedance: 20 Ω
Sensitivity: 107 dB
Box content :
Detachable 2-Pin Cable x1
Eartips(S/M/L) x6
Carrying Pouch x1
User Manual x1
QC Card x1
Comparison
GK Kunten
Gk kunten has better bass delivery compared to the kefine Loric, it’s punchy and doesnt roll off as quick as loric. Rest all elements (mids, treble, technicalities) are better on the Loric including the build and packaging. I know the price difference is much but Kunten punches way above its price so i compared it with loric.
Sound wise - Loric ,
Build wise - Loric ,
Packaging wise - Loric ,
Affordability wise - Gk Kunten
Tangzu Waner SG 2
Cult favourite waner 2 has very less bass compared to Loric, but the upper mids however sound better and energetic on the waner sg2. Vocals are better on Tangzu waner sg2. String Instruments, hi hats and cymbals sound better on waner sg2. Drums sound better and fun on Kefine Loric. But on the whole, kefine loric sounds more refined compared to Waner sg2. Packaging wise, Tangzu Waner 2 gets the win. But build wise i would still say Loric is better. Only minus point for Loric would be the paint which seems to chip off very easily
Sound wise - Loric,
Build wise - Loric,
packaging wise - Waner sg2 ( artistic touch and the sancai tips ofc ),
Affordability - both are very close to each other in price, pick whichever is your sound preference is
Tanchjim Bunny Gaming Edition
Tanchjim’s newest budget launch and a reiteration of the well loved “Bunny” for gaming. It’s around the same cost as Loric and comes with an upgraded DMT-5 driver which is already their latest advanced driver. I have the DSP version at the time of comparison, the Bunny Gaming DSP is a perfect opposite to loric as Loric is a warm bassy fun sounding iem and Bunny Gaming DSP version is an analytical and clean sounding gaming iem that’s more technically capable. The tuning ideologies are very different - loric is non fatiguing and bassy sounding iem that’s comfortable for long listening sessions and bunny is a bright leaning iem that has very good detail retrieval and separation capabilities for its gaming needs. The bass is very lighter on Bunny G and upper mids and treble sound shouty and sibilant but clarity is top notch h compared to loric. The tides shift in Bunny G’s favour with the DSP, where you can EQ it the way you like. Bunny G is built like a twig when put infront of kefine loric. The 3.5mm version of Loric i have doesnt have mic where as the Bunny G DSP version has a mic.
Sound wise - Bunny G DSP (EQ Required),
Build wise - Kefine Loric,
Versatility wise - Bunny G DSP,
Comfort - Kefine Loric,
Affordability - Both are close, pick one which you like.
Final Thoughts
The approach with Loric is pretty clear - it’s just like any other safe tuned Iem with an inoffensive treble department in the sub 30$ price range. It doesn’t standout with neither impressive technicalities nor impressive packaging / accessories and honestly? It doesn’t have to. As far as the sound is concerned, Kefine Loric is a very comfortable and fun sounding iem with slight setback in treble and technical advantages. It’s simply for those who are in for the tuning and not the technicalities.