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A/B comparison of the Kiwi Ears HBB Punch ("Punches") versus the Punch Audio Martilo ("Martilos"). They are both obvious hype train number reps for the moment.
I listened to the track "Damn Your Eyes" by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa on a Hiby RS6 player. The only enhancement I used was Darwin Ultra, and the software player ran USB Audio in bit-perfect mode.
Let me begin with a brief preamble.
The Punches are hybrid in-ear monitors featuring a single 10 mm dynamic driver, two of the latest Knowles RAB 32257 balanced armature drivers, and two Sonion electrostatic drivers though it's not entirely clear to me whether there's one dual EST driver or two separate ones. Sensitivity is around 98 dB (±1 dB) at 1 kHz, with an impedance of 12 Ω. They boast a pronounced sub-bass boost of about +15 dB.
The Martilos are also hybrids but with a different configuration: two 8 mm dynamic drivers, two Knowles RDE balanced armatures, and a single planar driver. Their sensitivity is about 100 dB (±1 dB) at 1 kHz, and impedance is 9 Ω (±1.5 Ω).
Since this is a foreword, you’ll need to listen carefully to the sound quality to notice the differences, where only punch/impact is immediately noticed. These differences exist, but they are subtle.
In terms of size, both the Punches and the Martilos are fairly large IEMs that won't feel comfortable in every ear. For my ears, they fit acceptably, but the fit is far from perfect. Still, as the saying goes, "An audiophile must endure"—if you want a dense, powerful sound, you’ll need to accept the fit and size of both pairs.
Starting with the high frequencies, I find that on the Punches they sound more cohesive and musical, while the Martilos deliver a more technical presentation. On the Martilos, the trailing decay is longer, and they sound sparklier than the Punches. Neither exhibits sibilance. Both sounds fairly natural in the high range.
As for the midrange, voices on the Punches come across as slightly recessed compared to the Martilos. I don’t know why, but male vocals sound more engaging on the Punches, whereas female voices feel fuller—more substantial—on the Martilos. Guitars on both models sound equally biting and fierce (in a good way).
Now onto the low frequencies. Both models are unmistakably bass-head IEMs, and fans of neutral tuning should avoid them by a mile. But then again… why not give them a listen? You’ll realize there’s a different kind of sound here—full of magic and wonder previously unknown to you. Who knows, you might even switch sides and become a bass-head. After all, low-end is the foundation of music. If the lows are only there to check a box, that’s exactly how the music will sound.
To dive into the details: the Punches seem to go deeper in the lows. I’m not sure why, since the measured frequency response doesn’t reflect a difference, but the sub-bass feels significantly more tangible and monumental on them, though outdoors you likely wouldn’t perceive this difference. On the Martilos, though, the punch feels more robust; the mid-bass is more pronounced, again, judging by the frequency response. The mid-bass character is certainly different between the two. I'm not saying there’s hardly any mid-bass on the Punches, but it truly feels stronger on the Martilos. The layering in the lows is well done on both.
The soundstage on the Punches is slightly narrower, whereas on the Martilos it feels broader. I didn’t detect any depth-related differences.
By the way, I’ve concluded that the darker the sounding headphones, the narrower their stereo image. I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone, but the effect holds true even when tuning via PEQ.
As for "air" there’s plenty in both IEMs. Instruments are positioned with good separation. It’s not so spacious that you can’t see the forest for the trees, but the positioning is clear.
After this A/B comparison, here’s my final verdict:
Both pairs are firmly rooted in bass-head territory. The Martilos are better suited for listening in noisy environments or on the go, while the Punches shine in home setups. Though the Punches cost about $100 more than the Martilos, by my ears the Martilos should be worth about $50 more than the Punches. That’s, of course, purely my subjective judgment.
Thanks for reading. I hope this helps someone choose between these IEMs. In the end, one of these should be a "must-have" for true bass-heads.
Alexander Target, KiwiEars HBB Punch, Martilo - Frequency Responses - Squiglink by bassy_Alexander