Kinera Celest Wyvern Pro and Celest Ruyi Review

We are going to review the Kinera Celest Wyvern Pro along with the Celest Ruyi, this is Kinera's budget upgrade cables with boom mic. Pretty much like the Gramr but this one is more affordable I believe. Meanwhile, Kinera Celest Wyvern Pro is Celest's latest budget in-ear-monitor which costs around $25-$30. Technically this is a sub-$30 in-ear-monitor. 

PACKAGING

The packaging of the IEMs are simple yet elegant. Inclusions are mostly barebones and does not include any case but it has extra pair of eartips which is a plus. However, I used my TANGZU Sancai tips for this one since I prefer the comfort of these eartips. Inside the box you have a nifty looking charm which is cool and adds a unique touch to the product. We also have the cable and the detachable boom mic.  The Ruyi's packaging is similar to that of the Wyvern, and it is straightforward. Cables, boom mic, mic filter, that's it!

BUILD QUALITY

The Wyvern Pro features a 10mm LCP diaphragm configuration housed in a CIEM-shaped shell. It's surprising to encounter such craftsmanship and quality in a very cheap product. The stock cables are outstanding, although the mic placement can be a bit awkward. For a sub-$30 product, it has outstanding features and build quality.

SOUND

The sound has a balanced sound signature. For a $30 in-ear -monitor it does what it needs to. 

BASS

The bass places an emphasis on the sub-bass, while delivering a subtle thump in the midbass range. The sub-bass carries significant weight, with a commanding rumble in the lower frequencies. While the midbass punch is not as pronounced, it maintains a subtle presence and a soft impact without overpowering the mids. This balanced power on the bass prevents unecessary bleeding into the mids and lessens lower frequency fatigue for some listeners.

MIDS

The mids has a forward, clear presentation for an IEM priced at 30USD. The Wyvern is very vocal providing a clean, forward, sound. Meanwhile, I found instruments lacking in certain aspects. The resolution  is not that refined and lacks a well-rounded quality but it's not the worst out there. The upper mids contribute ample forwardness which adds a little energy and bite to the vocals and instruments like snares, trumpets, sax, and guitars without being overly emphasized. However, in some tracks, higher-pitched vocals, electric guitas, cymbals, and some snares can become unpleasant and jarring.

TREBLE

The treble is not excessively pronounced but carries sufficient energy. While it doesn't sound entirely safe, it lacks the utmost detail, and crispness in the higher frequencies. Instead, it provides a decent amount of smoothness and air, enhancing a somewhat perceived soundstage in the Wyvern without any excelling remarks in this aspect, it's just right but not excellent. It falls short in retrieving micro-details, delivering crispy cymbal strikes, claps, and hi-hats. Overall, it maintains a satisfactory balance of smoothness and energy.

TECHNICALITIES

As with other cheap, budget in-ear monitors, the Wyvern is not exempted with how average these IEMs can go with its technical performance. The soundstage is somewhat decent though but not the widest around there. Layering is somewhat underwhelming but expected, some background harmonizing vocals and instruments are often overwhelmed especially on busy tracks, they have weaker impact and presence compared to the main vocals and instruments. Imaging is average, not the most accurate but it elements are decently perceivable within the sound stage. Detail retrieval is average; it performs adequately but may not capture all the essential nuances in sound. 

CELEST RUYI CABLES

The Celest Ruyi is an upgraded cable developed by Kinera Celest, featuring a dedicated boom mic. This cable is specifically designed for audiences, particularly gamers, who heavily rely on communication. The mic also have advanced features such as a mute switch which is very rare for a cheap cable which can be beneficial for meetings and online conferences on-the-go. It also has an answer button, and volume buttons. While I wouldn't categorize the Ruyi as professional-grade due to the absence other advanced features like active noise isolation, it still outperforms the stock boom mic of the Wyvern and the built-in mics of many earphones. 

The voice quality is average, with the potential for a slightly muffled sound, but overall decent. The Ruyi offers good isolation, even though it lacks an active noise-canceling feature. It also doesn't have an annoying hiss or feedbacks when I used it on voice-chats. It may not block out noises at the level of, for example, at 80dB which is equivalent to the sound of a bustling busy street.

TEST TRACKS

CONCLUSION

Pros:

• Great aesthetics and build quality
• Very affordable 
• It has a boom mic
• Good balanced sound

Cons:

• Average technicalities
• The upper-mids and treble can be spicy at times
• Not the most refined sound 

Taking into account all aspects, not solely relying on sound alone, the Kinera Celest Wyvern boasts an exceptionally stunning design, good quality, and inclusive features like a boom mic. I initially stated this as an A-tier product; after giving it much thought I concluded this to be at the B-Tier.  Also, for less than $30 (not including the Ruyi, that's another $29 for you) you get a balanced sounding in-ear monitor, while it does have some upper-mids spice at times for me, and I still have one personal favorite in this budget range, it is one of the few respectable in-ear-monitors to consider under the budget IEM range with a decent sound, and new features you wouldn't find in any other offerings in the budget-IEM market.