CVJ KE-S Earphones Review – Warm as a Toast

CVJ KE-S Earphones on top of a box

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Current testing methodology is v1.2

I’ve tried a couple of earphones from CVJ and both of which were quite good considering that they’re budget sets. They offered decent sound and overall good quality.

The CVJ KE-S is one of the brand’s newest additions to its budget IEM catalog. Of course, I had to try it out and see for myself if it performs as well as the other models.

Editor’s Pick

CVJ KE-S

A versatile and all-rounder IEM for $10

4/5
Price Range: $
Brand: CVJ
CVJ KE-S Earphones - What's on the box

TL:DR;

The KE-S is CVJ’s new addition to its budget IEM lineup. Sporting a warm V-shaped sound signature that produces enough rumble to get you off and moving, the CVJ KE-S is a well-built all-rounder IEM ready to take on what you throw at it.

I’ve enjoyed using the KE-S as it brought colors to the tracks I’ve listened to. With its bassy sound signature, bass heads alike would be captivated by how it performs, considering its price.

It’s incredible how you can get so much value for such little money nowadays, and the CVJ KE-S is proof of that.

The Specs

  • Driver:  10mm Single Dynamic Driver
  • Cable:  3.5mm angled plug / 0.75mm detachable cable
  • Frequency:  20-20,000Hz
  • Impedance:  22Ω
  • Sensitivity:  122±3db

What’s in the Box?

  • CVJ KE-S earphones
  • 3 pairs of silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
  • 2-pin detachable cable
  • Instruction manual

Stuff I like

  • Excellent sound quality for its price
  • Decent bass presentation
  • No sibilance

Stuff I like less

  • Cable quality
  • Highs aren’t as polished
  • Driver flex

Comparable products to consider

KBEar KS1
KBEar KS1

The KB Ear KS1 is a lightweight and comfortable IEM t has a V-shaped sound signature with a warm sound.

CCA CRA
CCA CRA

For less than $20, the CCA CRA is a great entry-level option that’s suitable for bass heads.

Review Metrics

Sound Quality: 9
Bass: 8
Mids: 7
Treble: 8
Sound Isolation: 8
Build Quality: 8
Comfort & Fit: 8
Value for Money: 8
Accessories: 8
Review Metrics Average: 8.00 / 10

First Impressions

The CVJ KE-S came in standard packaging so it’s nothing special. However, I like the in-box presentation of IEMs since they’re a bit different.

The earphones were presented well in the box and came with some pretty standard accessories, such as a few pairs of silicone ear tips and a 2-pin detachable cable. 

It comes in three color options and there’s also a variant that comes with a microphone. I decided to go for the amber-colored shell since it looked so tasteful in the photos online. When I got the product, it didn’t disappoint as the actual color of the shell matched how it was presented online.

CVJ KE-S Earphones - Design
Transparent resin shell with a stunning bright color | Make Life Click

Build Quality

The CVJ KE-S has an average build quality as it uses cheap materials, such as polycarbonate resin, for its shell. This is a common move for budget brands as it helps them minimize production costs.

The upside is that it’s pretty lightweight. The faceplate design is also unique and tasteful, although it’s relatively simple.

The cable is also decent, with not much going on – it’s just your average silver-plated cable, which is common with IEMs in this price range. Thankfully, it’s detachable, so you can swap it out with whatever cable you like, whether it’s 6-core or 8-core.

Fit and Comfort

The CVJ KE-S has a polycarbonate resin shell which means that it’s light and comfortable to wear. The shell shape is pretty standard and straightforward, with no grooves or indents, which means that it doesn’t cause any issues regarding the fit. 

The KE-S has its ear hooks pre-molded into the cable, which provided enough tightness to secure the IEM on my ears. The fit is good and it didn’t cause any discomfort.

The ear tips are your typical cheap silicone ear tips, and while they do a decent job of providing fit and comfort for my ears, I’d suggest swapping them out for a better-quality set for an improved wearing experience.

CVJ KE-S Earphones - Diaphragm
Equipped with dual magnetic dynamic driver | Make Life Click

Sound Quality

The CVJ KE-S has a V-shaped sound signature, offering tons of bass and rumble, recessed mids, and subtle highs.

Bass

The bass of the CVJ KE-S is relatively good for its price. It has a clean and warm presentation with a very punchy mid-bass. 

Although the bass is prominent in the mix, it rarely bleeds through the other frequencies and it remains well-controlled most of the time. The sub-bass extension presented sufficient rumble and added extra thickness and weight to the tracks I’ve listened to.

Overall, the KE-S has a solid and colored bass presentation and it did a great job of highlighting the bass frequencies of the tracks.

Mids

The mids on the CVJ KE-S are recessed due to the midbass bleed and, of course, its V-shaped sound signature. The lower mids can get smeared by the mid-bass bleed, sometimes making them lose definition.

The instrumental mids are positioned slightly behind the bass frequencies in the tracks. While they’re lush and natural in performance, they lack a bit of top-end to produce that bite that I usually look for, especially on the guitars.

CVJ KE-S Earphones - Cable
Comes with a standard OFC 2-pin Cable with a 3.5mm plug | Make Life Click

The lush presentation is also present in the vocals, as it didn’t produce any sibilance or aggressive frequencies even with this smoothed presentation. 

Again the lack of bite on the top end may come off as dull for some people but this is just a nitpick on my end. Other people, based on their preferences, may appreciate the smoother texture of the upper mids.

Overall, the midrange of the KE-S may be flawed but it’s still pretty great for the price.

Treble

Even though the CVJ KE-S has a V-shaped sound signature, where you can expect the bass and the treble to be boosted a bit, the highs aren’t prominent in the mix. Still, the treble is well presented.

The percussive hits are present and have a bit of harshness, while the texture of its presentation remains well-controlled. The same goes for the cymbals, as the splash isn’t as wide and the

airy characteristic is quite short.

These characteristics I’ve mentioned may not be the sound that other people are looking for but for a warm V-shaped IEM, the KE-S is decent. Plus, treble-sensitive people would find these characteristics good.

Test Tracks

I have tested the CVJ KE-S on different genres of music to get a proper understanding of how they sound and here are my findings.

CVJ KE-S Earphones on a palm
Lightweight design | Make Life CLick
  • Metal / Rock – With the test tracks, the V-shaped sound signature had shown itself in the positioning of the vocals – they weren’t in front of the mix but instead, they sit a bit far back from the bass and the treble. This presentation allowed more instruments from the treble and bass to stand out more which, for me, didn’t sound that good. The CVJ KE-S produced a warm and bassy presentation highlighting mostly instruments in the low end. The bass had a slow response and decay due to the sub-bass extension, which sounded good on some tracks but fatiguing on other tracks. The kicks were evident but not as booming in the mix. Guitars, on the other hand, sat right behind the drums in the mix. Tracks used: I Don’t Love You (My Chemical Romance), All The Small Things (Blink 182), Ignorance (Paramore), Cold (Korn), Cliffs of Dover (Eric Johnson)
  • Pop – The bass on the tracks was noticeably elevated as the CVJ KE-S added more thickness to their presentation. Vocals stayed relatively present in the mix but not as forward. Instruments had a natural timbre and neutral tonality without appearing smeared but they lacked body as they appeared thin on some tracks. The same goes for the vocals as they lacked some push from the lower mids. The presentation remained colored and very warm, and even though the treble appeared veiled, not all details were tuned out by the rolled-off presentation on the highs. Tracks used: Snooze (SZA), As It Was (Harry Styles), Yours (Maye)
  • Hip-hop – The sound signature of the CVJ KE-S worked the best with the hip-hop genre. The bass sound quality did the heavy lifting for this genre as the impactful slams and rumble did a lot in adding color to the tracks. The well-controlled treble didn’t produce harsh frequencies that could mess up the presentation of the songs. However, the vocals sounded congested at times because of the mid-bass bleed. Overall, the bass frequencies were very aggressive as evident in this genre. Tracks used: LOVE. (Kendrick Lamar, Zacari), sdp interlude (Travis Scott), I Wonder (Kanye West), Superhero (Metro Boomin & Future)
  • R&B / Soul – In this genre, the vocals weren’t pushed too far back in the mix even with the V-shaped sound signature. Again, the bass frequencies stood out the most in the presentation. The highs within the percussions and vocals weren’t too harsh and they were free from sibilance, even on higher volumes. The highs remained well-behaved most of the time. It’s worth noting that the sub-bass extension produced reasonable amounts of rumble than expected. The mid-bass extension also did a great job of adding impact and weight to the drum kicks. Tracks used: LA FAMA (Rosalia, The Weeknd), Blessed (Daniel Ceasar), Moonlight (Kali Uchis), Traingazing (Sam Wills ft. Honey Mooncie), Always (Daniel Ceasar)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ONE?
CVJ KE-S

Conclusion

The CVJ KE-S is a good example of a well-made and well-tuned budget IEM. For what it’s worth, it’s a solid budget performer.

The KE-S nails the warm V-shaped sound signature for me. I love how it performs even though I would’ve liked some bite on the top end. 

For around $10, it beats a lot of the competition and it’s incredible how CVJ managed to work with just a single dynamic driver to make this happen. Although, with that being said, it also has the limitations of a cheap single dynamic driver as it lacks clarity and definition in some parts of the spectrum.

To be honest, at this price point, it’s hard to be nitpicky. Overall, the CVJ KE-S is a budget all-rounder that’s worth the try.

CVJ KE-S Earphones on a palm
CVJ KE-S
Sound Quality
Build Quality
Comfort and fit
Value for money
4

A man of many interests, Querho is passionate about discovering new things that stimulate the mind. When he is not writing about the things he is passionate about, Querho can be found making music at his home studio.

This post was last updated on 2025-01-16 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.


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