In my line of work, you get used to a certain level of predictability. You test countless gadgets, and after a while, you can almost guess how a product will perform just by looking at its spec sheet and price tag. It’s rare to find something that truly breaks the mold, something that genuinely makes you sit up and pay attention. The Kiwi Ears Ellipse is one of those rare finds. When I first put these headphones on, I was expecting a competent, perhaps slightly compromised audio experience typical of the sub-$100 market. Instead, what I got was a moment of pure clarity. Something just clicked.
Kiwi Ears has been steadily building a reputation for delivering impressive audio quality at affordable prices, but the Ellipse feels like its flagship product. These aren’t just another pair of headphones thrown together to hit a price point; they are a thoughtfully engineered product aimed at delivering a clean, studio-monitor-like sound for everyone.
After integrating them into my daily routine for the past couple of weeks—for music, gaming, and editing—I can confidently say they’ve earned a permanent spot on my desk. This is my hands-on experience, walking you through exactly how they feel, how they perform, and whether they are the new benchmark for budget audio.
Design & Build Quality
The unboxing experience of the Kiwi Ears Ellipse immediately sets a positive tone. Pulling them from the packaging, the first thing that struck me was their solid construction. For a headphone in this price range, they feel remarkably robust. The earcups are crafted from cool-to-the-touch aluminum, featuring a semi-open back design.
The grill is a beautiful woven mesh that catches the light in a way that reminds me of the grooves on a vinyl record—a subtle, classy touch. The overall aesthetic borrows cues from legendary studio headphones like Beyerdynamics, which is high praise. There are no audible creaks, no flimsy plastic parts; it’s just a clean, well-assembled device that feels built to last.
Comfort is king for any headphone I plan to use for more than a few minutes, and this is an area where the Ellipse truly reigns. The ear pads are massive and incredibly plush. Made from a soft faux leather, they are deep enough to completely envelop my ears without any part touching the driver inside, which is a huge plus for long-term comfort.
During one particularly long editing session that stretched over four hours, I almost forgot I was wearing them. There was no excessive heat buildup and no uncomfortable pressure points. The clamping force is perfectly calibrated—snug enough to feel secure as I move my head, but gentle enough to avoid that dreaded “head-in-a-vise” sensation. The padded headband adds to this, distributing the light weight evenly across my head.
The included cable is another practical highlight. It’s a generous 3 meters long, braided in a durable fabric sheath that resists tangling. While this length might be a bit much for a simple desktop setup, it’s a godsend for anyone working in a studio or needing the freedom to move around without being tethered to their gear.
More importantly, the cable is fully detachable, using standard 3.5mm mono connectors for each earcup. This is a feature often missing on budget headphones, and it means you can easily replace or upgrade the cable down the line, significantly extending the life of your investment. Kiwi Ears also includes a screw-on 6.35mm adapter, ensuring compatibility with everything from a laptop to a professional audio interface.
Sound Quality & Listening Experience
This is where the magic truly happens. The sound signature of the Kiwi Ears Ellipse is tuned for balance and naturalness, leaning just a hair to the warmer side of neutral. It’s a sound that is both accurate and incredibly listenable, avoiding the analytical sterility that can sometimes plague studio-focused gear. It’s an easy-going sound that invites you to listen for hours on end without a hint of fatigue.
The bass is a masterclass in control. It’s linear and tight, with a pleasant punch in the mid-bass that gives kick drums and bass guitars a satisfying weight and presence. However, it never bleeds into the midrange or becomes boomy. This isn’t a headphone for bass-heads seeking earth-shattering rumble; instead, it offers a clean, articulate low end that serves as a solid foundation for the rest of the frequency spectrum. This restraint is what allows the finer details in a track to shine through.
The midrange is perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the Ellipse’s tuning. Vocals and core instruments sit just slightly back in the mix, a characteristic often found in professional monitors designed for long-term use. This deliberate tuning choice prevents any harshness or “shoutiness” in the upper-mids, which is a common cause of listening fatigue.
The result is an incredibly smooth and forgiving presentation. On tracks with complex layers, like an orchestral piece or a dense rock mix, every instrument has its own space without fighting for attention.
The treble continues this theme of smooth refinement. It’s buttery soft, delivering crisp detail without any sharp peaks or sibilance. Cymbals have a natural shimmer without sounding glassy, and the subtle textures of acoustic instruments are rendered beautifully. This relaxed top end means you can turn up the volume to catch every last nuance without ever feeling like the sound is attacking your ears.
For an open-back headphone, the soundstage is more intimate than cavernously wide. It doesn’t create the illusion of being in a massive concert hall, but rather places you in a well-treated, focused listening space. This intimacy works wonders for imaging and separation.
This focused presentation proved to be a surprising asset in gaming. While testing in games like Call of Duty and Valorant, the accurate positional cues were uncanny. I could easily pinpoint the direction of footsteps and gunfire, and the excellent layering meant that the soundscape remained clear even during chaotic firefights. The depth perception was spot-on, giving me a real sense of how near or far an opponent was.
Price & Value
Priced between $60 and $75, the value offered by the Kiwi Ears Ellipse is simply staggering. It’s exceptionally rare to find a headphone that delivers this level of build quality, comfort, and sonic refinement for under $100. They consistently perform like a product from a much higher price bracket.
When you put them head-to-head with other entry-level open-backs, the Ellipse often comes out on top, especially in terms of comfort and its forgiving, balanced sound. It’s not just a good headphone for the money; it’s a genuinely great headphone, period. It has become my default recommendation for anyone looking for their first pair of serious headphones or for a budget-friendly addition to their studio.
The Kiwi Ears Ellipse doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It simply takes a classic, proven formula for great headphone design and executes it to a standard that is almost unheard of at this price. For my money, it’s not just a contender for the budget headphone of the year—it’s the current champion. Would you consider making the switch to a pair that offers so much for so little?
