Kiwi Ears Altruva 1-Year Review: The $70 Open-Back Headphones I Keep Coming Back To
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Note: The Kiwi Ears Altruva was originally reviewed by me at Home Technology Review. This article is an independent long-term follow-up based on roughly a year of continued ownership and use. You can read my original review at HomeTechnologyReview.com
It's been about a year since I first reviewed the Kiwi Ears Altruva, and I keep coming back to the same headphones. Not out of nostalgia, not because I ran out of other things to test — I've had considerably pricier headphones pass through my hands since then. I just genuinely enjoy putting these on. I just saw these on my desk and was thinking, huh, I still actually like these a year later!
If anything, I think they sound better now than when I first reviewed them. Whether that's real break-in, the pads settling in, or just me getting more familiar with their sound, I honestly can't say for sure. What I can say is that a year in, these things still sound fantastic for the money, and I still have a hard time believing they cost $70.
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They Still Sound Ridiculously Good
My original take on the Altruva was that Kiwi Ears had built a surprisingly mature-sounding open-back headphone without charging much for it. A year of regular use hasn't changed my mind — it's only reinforced it.
The highs and mids are crisp, vocals come through cleanly, and the open-back design gives everything room to breathe. The soundstage is still the standout feature for me — open, airy, and spacious in a way you don't expect from headphones in this price bracket. Put on a well-recorded track, sit back, and it's easy to forget you're listening to $70 headphones.
Can You Tell They're Cheap? Yeah, a Little
I don't want to oversell these or pretend they make expensive headphones pointless. They don't. If you've spent real time with genuinely high-end gear, you can still hear where the Altruva falls short — there's another level of detail, control, and effortlessness once you climb the price ladder.
What's impressive is how well the Altruva hides that gap day to day. Nothing about them screams "budget headphone" when you're actually listening to music. I don't put them on and start mentally cataloging what's missing — I just start listening. That's a real compliment for something at this price.
How They Stack Up: Altruva vs. Sennheiser HD 560S
For years, Sennheiser has been the go-to recommendation for anyone wanting their first "real" open-back audiophile headphone — it's neutral, well-built, and widely praised for punching above its roughly $200 price tag. I’ve owned many pairs and yeah they good, but how good compared to the Kiwis? It's a fair benchmark here to consider.
The HD 560S still has an edge in overall refinement and low-end control, which makes sense given it costs almost three times as much. But the gap is smaller than the price difference suggests. The Altruva's soundstage feels just as open, and its mids and highs are arguably more engaging out of the box. If the HD 560S is the "safe, proven" pick, the Altruva is the one that makes you question whether you needed to spend the extra $130 in the first place. I would honestly skip em and get the Kiwis.
They've Held Up Great
This is where a long-term review actually earns its keep over a first-impressions piece. My pair still looks basically new. The pads have held up, they're still comfortable, and I haven't run into any durability issues that would make me walk back my original recommendation.
Comfort in particular is still excellent — they're light, breathable thanks to the open-back design, and easy to wear for long sessions without thinking about them.
The Perfect First Open-Back Headphone
This is where my recommendation has actually gotten stronger over the past year. If you've never owned an open-back headphone and you're curious what the fuss is about, the Altruva is a fantastic place to start. You get that spacious, airy presentation open-backs are known for, crisp highs and mids, and a barrier to entry that's about as low as it gets.
Here's the catch: these might be the worst "first" audiophile headphones you could pick, because they don't give you much reason to upgrade. I'm only half joking. It's easy to buy something cheap, enjoy it for a few months, and start wondering what another $100–200 buys you. The Altruva makes that upgrade path harder to justify, because it already gets so much right. There are better headphones out there — but when you're sitting comfortably with a $70 pair that sounds this good, chasing that last bit of performance starts to feel a little unnecessary.
A Good Buy Then. An Even Better Buy Now.
When I first reviewed the Kiwi Ears Altruva, I called it an excellent value. A year later, I'm more impressed, not less. I know now that they're comfortable after extended use, that my pair has held up without issue, and that the sound hasn't left me wanting to switch as newer, pricier headphones have come and gone. Most importantly, I still reach for them voluntarily — and that's the real test. Plenty of cheap audio gear impresses at first, then quietly disappears into a drawer once the novelty wears off. The Altruva hasn't done that.
Final Thoughts
I don't throw around "hidden gem" lightly — it's become a pretty empty phrase in product reviews. But the Altruva earns it. They're not perfect; if you compare them directly against considerably more expensive headphones, you can still hear the budget roots. Kiwi Ears just hides those compromises remarkably well.
Crisp highs and mids, a genuinely open and airy soundstage, excellent comfort, and — after a full year — zero durability concerns with my pair. For around $70, that's a little absurd.
If you're curious about open-back headphones and don't want to spend hundreds of dollars finding out whether you like the sound, start here. Just be warned: you might buy these as your first pair and realize you don't feel much urge to buy a second.
