Every so often, a product lands on my desk that genuinely challenges what we should expect from a certain price point, and the Kiwi Ears Altruva is exactly that kind of headphone. You see these listed for about $69.99, and it’s easy to be skeptical. But Kiwi Ears, a brand that has already earned its stripes in the competitive IEM market, didn’t just phone this one in. They’ve stepped into the over-ear arena with a headphone that’s marketed for its “studio-grade clarity” and flat, uncolored tuning.
Here’s the thing, though—that marketing only tells half the story. While the Altruva is built around large 50mm dynamic drivers designed for precision, my experience, and that of many others, points to a headphone with a lot more personality.
First Impressions
Inside the box, Kiwi Ears includes a generous set of accessories. You get a very long, 3-meter braided cable that terminates in a 3.5mm jack, along with a screw-on 6.35mm adapter for professional gear. But the real surprise is the inclusion of a second pair of earpads. The pre-installed pads are a plush vegan leather, and tucked away is a set of soft, breathable velour pads. This lets you customize the feel and sound signature without spending extra money.
Right out of the box, the Altruva makes a statement. The build quality is simply outstanding for this price. The frame is constructed from PVD-coated steel, giving it a reassuring heft and rigidity that you just don’t find in its price bracket. You have two options for the earcups: a modern industrial gray or the classic wood grain finish I have here, which adds a touch of class.
Comfort
The comfort on the Altruva is, without a doubt, one of its greatest strengths. Kiwi Ears nailed the design with a self-adjusting suspension strap. This thin, padded leatherette band automatically conforms to your head shape, eliminating the need to fiddle with manual sliders. You just put them on, and they fit. The clamping force is perfectly judged—secure enough to stay put when you move your head, but gentle enough that I felt no pressure points on my temples, even while wearing glasses.
Combined with its lightweight construction, I found I could wear the Altruva for hours-long gaming or work sessions and almost forget it was there. The open-back design adds to this, allowing your ears to breathe and preventing the heat buildup common with closed-back models. Of course, this design means you get zero sound isolation—you will hear your surroundings, and anyone near you will hear your audio. For streamers, be warned: a sensitive microphone will likely pick up sound leakage.
Swapping the earpads is also a breeze. A simple counter-clockwise twist releases the mounting disc, allowing you to change between the leather and velour pads in seconds.
Sound Quality
This is where the Altruva really diverges from its marketing. Billed as a reference monitor, I was expecting a flat, perhaps even boring, sound profile. That is not what I heard.
The bass is what hits you first. There is a definite low-end emphasis that gives music a satisfying punch and rumble. Kick drums in rock tracks are forward and evident, and the sub-bass provides a satisfying foundation for electronic and hip-hop genres. This isn’t a bass-head-level slam, but it’s far more energetic and present than any true studio monitor I’ve used. This coloration makes the Altruva an incredibly engaging and fun headphone for everyday listening.
Because of this bass boost, there can be a slight bleed into the lower mids on particularly busy music tracks, which can sometimes veil a tiny bit of detail. However, the upper-mids are pushed forward enough that vocals, both male and female, cut through the mix with excellent clarity and presence. The sound is a bit colored and warm, but it’s a very pleasant and musical presentation.
The treble benefits immensely from the open-back design. It’s crisp, airy, and detailed without ever becoming harsh or fatiguing. Cymbals and hi-hats have a natural sparkle, contributing to a wide, spacious soundstage.
For Gamers
I can confidently say the Kiwi Ears Altruva is one of the best budget gaming headphones on the market. That energetic, well-textured bass makes shooter games sound incredibly lively and cinematic. Explosions have a satisfying impact, and gunshots are sharp and punchy.
The soundstage is wide and immersive, and the imaging is shockingly precise for a $69 headphone. In competitive shooters, I had no trouble pinpointing the direction of enemy footsteps and other audio cues. Environmental sounds in narrative-driven games feel incredibly realistic; there were moments I had to pull a cup off my ear to check if a sound was coming from the game or from my own house. Activating spatial audio software takes this to another level, creating a truly three-dimensional and believable sense of space.
For gaming, the slight mid-bass warmth I mentioned in music seems to be a non-issue. Footsteps, which often sit in the lower-mids, remained clear and easy to track even amidst chaotic firefights.
The Final Word
The Kiwi Ears Altruva is a fantastic piece of kit. It’s a headphone that feels premium, is supremely comfortable, and delivers a sound signature that is just plain fun. It may not be the hyper-accurate, uncolored reference tool some audio engineers might be looking for, but for the rest of us, that’s its greatest strength.
It’s an amazing all-rounder. It provides a deeply immersive and advantageous experience for gamers, a lively and engaging sound for music lovers, and the clarity needed for content creation and editing. When you consider the top-tier build, all-day comfort, and the fact that it only costs $69, the Kiwi Ears Altruva isn’t just a good value—it’s one of the easiest recommendations I can make.
