The market for wireless headphones under $100 is an absolute battlefield. It’s crowded with options that often promise the world but deliver a compromised experience—muddy bass, non-existent mids, and battery life that has you reaching for a charger by lunchtime. So, when a brand known for budget in-ear monitors, Kiwi Ears, announced their first over-ear Bluetooth headphone, the Ardor, I was curious but skeptical.
After spending weeks with these, my skepticism has been replaced by genuine astonishment. The Ardor isn’t just another cheap headphone; it’s a statement piece that redefines what you should expect for your money.
First Impressions:
Unboxing the Ardor, the first positive sign is the included hard-shell zipper case. This isn’t some flimsy cloth bag; it’s a proper, protective case that you’d typically find with headphones costing twice as much. Inside, you get the headphones, a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging and wired audio, and a 3.5mm auxiliary cable.
The headphones themselves feel solid. While the body is primarily plastic, it has a pleasant matte finish that resists fingerprints. The earcups are adorned with a soft, leather-like material that gives them a touch of class.
At 286 grams, they are noticeably lightweight, which is a huge plus for long-term wear. The ear pads are incredibly plush and soft, creating a nice seal around the ears without excessive clamping force. I wear glasses, a common pain point for over-ear headphones, and I had no issue wearing the Ardor for hours on end without any discomfort.
The Sound
This is where the Kiwi Ears Ardor truly separates itself from the pack. Under the hood, it rocks a dual-driver setup—a 40mm driver for bass and mids, and a separate 10mm tweeter for the highs. This is unusual and ambitious for this price, and the result is a sound profile that is surprisingly refined and balanced.
Soundstage:
Most budget closed-back headphones sound congested, like the music is trapped between your ears. The Ardor immediately impresses with a wide and spacious soundstage. There’s excellent separation between the left and right channels, allowing instruments to breathe and layer over each other with clarity. The imaging creates a dome-like space around your head, making for a much more immersive listening experience than I ever anticipated.
The Low End:
I went in expecting the typical boomy, bloated bass that plagues budget headphones. Once again, I was wrong. The Ardor’s bass is surprisingly controlled and smooth. It reaches deep, delivering a satisfying sub-bass rumble that adds weight and warmth to tracks without muddying up the rest of the sound. It’s more of a throaty, clean bass than a head-rattling one, focusing on note clarity over pure impact.
The Midrange:
The midrange performance is, without a doubt, the Ardor’s biggest surprise and its best attribute. Headphone makers in this price range often scoop out the mids to create a generic V-shaped sound. Kiwi Ears did the opposite. The mids here are full, energetic, and packed with detail. Vocals come through with presence and clarity, while instruments have a tangible shape and weight. The level of transparency here is simply unheard of at this price point. I’ve heard headphones costing well over $200 that don’t handle the midrange this well.
The Highs:
The treble continues the theme of clarity, but it’s the one area that isn’t quite as refined as the rest. The highs have a nice presence and add a bit of edge to the sound without being overly harsh. However, there are some bright spots, particularly a peak between 6kHz and 10kHz. For some listeners, this can make certain sounds, like cymbals or high-pitched synths, a little sharp and could introduce a bit of sibilance. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re particularly sensitive to bright treble.
Features:
Beyond the fantastic sound, the Ardor is packed with practical features that work well.
The Battery Life
This is the headline feature, and it’s absolutely monstrous. Kiwi Ears claims 140 hours of playback without ANC and 72 hours with ANC on. My testing confirms these numbers are real. I used these headphones for a full week of work, casual listening, and gaming before even thinking about charging them. The battery percentage on my phone seemed frozen at 100% for the first few days. A quick 10-minute charge gives you an additional 8 hours of playback. You can essentially forget that these headphones need to be charged.
Active Noise Canceling (ANC)
The ANC here isn’t going to dethrone Sony or Apple, but for a $99 headphone, it’s impressively functional. It does a solid job of suppressing low-frequency hums like air conditioners, engine noise, and general office chatter. It’s activated with a simple physical button and is more than effective enough to help you focus or enjoy your music in a noisy environment.
Connectivity and Codecs
The Ardor uses Bluetooth 5.4 for a stable and quick connection, and it supports multi-point pairing to two devices at once. It also offers the flexibility of wired audio through both USB-C and the 3.5mm jack, which is a fantastic touch. The one letdown for audiophiles is the codec support, which is limited to just SBC and AAC. The absence of LDAC or aptX HD is noticeable if you’re used to high-resolution audio, but given the excellent tuning of the headphones themselves, most listeners won’t feel short-changed.
Where the Ardor Falls Short
No product is perfect, especially at this price. The Ardor has a few quirks. The biggest is the lack of a companion app. This means there’s no way to customize the EQ, which is a shame because a small tweak to that treble peak could make these headphones nearly flawless.
Finally, the built-in microphone is just okay. It’s perfectly usable for phone calls or meetings, but your voice won’t sound crystal clear.
The Final Verdict: Is the Kiwi Ears Ardor for You?
The Kiwi Ears Ardor is a phenomenal value. For just under $100, you are getting a pair of headphones with a comfortable design, truly class-leading battery life, and a sound signature that is shockingly detailed and balanced for the price. The midrange clarity and spacious soundstage alone are worth the price of admission.
This is the perfect headphone for students, commuters, or anyone who wants a great-sounding, feature-rich wireless experience without breaking the bank. It’s for the person who values ridiculously long battery life and a comfortable fit for all-day listening.
You might want to look elsewhere if you absolutely need high-resolution codecs like LDAC, require a top-tier microphone for constant calls, or are extremely sensitive to bright treble. But for the vast majority of people, the Kiwi Ears Ardor doesn’t just check the boxes; it sets a new, higher standard for what a budget headphone can be. It’s more than just good for the money—it’s just plain good.
