A Closed-Back Planar That Almost Nails It

The Kiwi Ears Serene is kind of a curveball from a brand I mostly know for their IEMs. They're trying something harder here: a closed-back planar magnetic headphone that's supposed to give you isolation, punch, and decent technical chops without asking you to empty your wallet.Do they pull it off? Mostly, yeah.

Build & Comfort

First impressions are good. The Serene feels solid without being heavy, and it doesn't have that cheap plastic vibe you still see on some budget headphones. The cups look clean, nothing flashy, and the hinges give you enough movement to get a proper seal.

Comfort-wise, I'd say it's good for most sessions. Clamp is totally fine, pads are soft enough. My one gripe: the earcups are a bit on the small side, like really small and I am not a fan of this. If your ears are on the larger end, you might get some contact with the inner edge after an hour or two. Not terrible, just something to know going in.

One thing I really appreciate—the isolation is actually solid. For a planar, the Serene blocks out way more noise than I expected. You can use these at your desk without feeling like you're bothering everyone around you, which is rare for this type of headphone.

The Sound

Alright, so here's where things get interesting.

The Serene isn't trying to be neutral or reference-grade. This is a fun and goofy headphone, plain and simple. The bass hits hard, stays kinda tight, and has that planar speed and texture that makes busy tracks feel almost controlled instead of messy. It kinda works. Mids are smooth, maybe a touch laid-back and absent at times. Vocals sound fine, but they're not front-and-center. If you want that super intimate, emotional presentation, this isn't really it. What you get instead is something more energetic and rhythm-focused.

The Treble Issue

This is where I start to lose some enthusiasm. There's a sharpness in the highs that bugs me. It's not always there, and it's not like... painful or anything. But it's present enough that certain tracks can sound a bit edgy or slightly aggressive when I'd rather they didn't.

At this price, I was really hoping for smoother treble. Something more refined, more cohesive with the rest of the sound. Instead, the top end feels a little unfinished, and that keeps the Serene from being as relaxing to listen to as I'd like.

It's not sibilant exactly, and it won't ruin your day, but it does add up over longer sessions. That's the main reason this isn't one of my go-to headphones right now.

Technical Stuff

The planar driver still brings benefits—fast response, good clarity, nice separation even when things get crowded. Soundstage is wider than most closed-backs I've tried, though you're not going to confuse it with an open headphone. Imaging is solid. Good enough for casual gaming, good enough for picking apart a mix. But again, this feels more like a "sit back and enjoy the music" headphone than something you'd use for critical work. It's easy to drive, too. Works fine off my desktop setup or a decent portable amp. Does scale a bit with better gear, but nothing crazy.

Who Should Buy This? The Serene makes sense if you:

• Want a closed-back planar with actual isolation
• Like punchy, energetic sound more than flat reference tuning
• Want to try something different from the usual dynamic driver options
• Need a fun daily driver, not a surgical tool

If you're treble-sensitive or you want something sweeter and more balanced, there are probably better picks in this range.

Final Thoughts

The Kiwi Ears Serene is a mostly solid headphone that just doesn't quite get all the way there. I genuinely like what Kiwi Ears is doing. The build is mostly good, the isolation is ok, and the planar driver makes listening feel fast and engaging. But that treble sharpness and overall sound keeps pulling me out of it. It stops the Serene from sounding as polished as I think it could be.

This isn't a bad headphone at all. It just feels like it's 80–85% of the way to being great, instead of fully dialed in. Still, if you want a closed-back planar with personality and energy, the Serene is worth checking out. Just know what you're getting into and wait for sale at best.