Kaiku Wave: Sound Designer's Final Audit

Information:

Release year: 2026
Manufacturing Country: Finland (Design, final assembly and quality control) & China (pre-assembly)
Wood Options: Oak and walnut wood
Price: 449 €
Available in Finland: Yes
Type: Closed, over-ear
40 mm dynamic drivers (slight tilt towards the ear)
Ääniliitännät: Bluetooth 5.3 ja 3,5 mm
Bluetooth Codecs: aptX (Adaptive, HD and Classic), AAC and SBC
Charging port: USB-C
Battery Size: 1000 mAh
Battery Life (ANC OFF): Up to 100 h (volume 60%)
Charging Time: Not specified
Adaptive Noise Cancelling Function: On / Off
Weight: 360 g
Accessories: USB-C to USB-A charging cable and headphone cable
Warranty: 24 months

Review sample: Provided by the manufacturer
Note. I participated in the development of the headphone model

Finnish headphone manufacturers are still few, but new things are happening even among them. Until now, Valco, which led the pack, got a new challenger in the over-ear noise-cancelling headphone category when Kuopio-based Kaiku Acoustics launched Wave-model. Instead of a direct challenger, however, it is a slightly more premium option, as Wave's recommended price of 450 euros competes in a different league with Valco's products.

Wave is Kaiku Acoustics' first noise-cancelling headphone, as the one released in 2024 Kaiku Tone did not yet include noise cancelling. Because improvements have also occurred in design and general functionality, Wave feels like a clearly more mature product compared to Tone. In the same way, the accumulation of experience is also seen on the manufacturer's website and in branding, which have gained a more professional approach in a good couple of years. This has certainly facilitated the expansion of the reseller network. In an article by Finnish Entrepreneurs Kaiku Acoustics' owner, Markus Laukkanen, indeed states that he aims for internationalization by conducting reseller negotiations with, among others, Japanese, German, and Spanish parties.

Wave's price might be daunting, but there are justifications for it in the materials and manufacturing method. The headphone cups are anodized aluminum, and serving as the headband's arch is a 5-layer wood veneer bent and installed in Finland. The outermost layer is, according to the buyer's choice, either oak or walnut wood. Kaiku Acoustics states in its FAQ section openly that Wave is manufactured in China based on Laukkanen's own designs and molds. The headphones arrive pre-assembled by the production partner in Finland, where final assembly, finishing, and quality control are still done. As the only fully pre-made parts, Laukkanen has mentioned the battery and the sound-producing drivers – everything else has been designed for this specific headphone model from scratch by himself or with partners. The work has involved, among others, a design agency from Tampere.

Regarding sound quality, praise and criticism can be directed partly towards me, as Tone model's like, I participated in refining Wave's DSP profile. We improved the headphones' frequency response with the manufacturer based on my measurements and recommendations. I have also acted over the years as a kind of sound design mentor.

Having helped the manufacturer in the development work for a fee, I am biased to evaluate the headphones completely impartially. Therefore, I am not writing a traditional review, but I will present Wave on a more general level and go through the sound quality based on the design process and measurement results. Getting the final retail version in hand was still exciting, as based on the development versions, I could not yet get a complete feel for the finished product. Let this therefore be a kind of final inspection of Kaiku Wave.

Independent review videos of the headphones have been published so far by Kuulokehemmo (before the latest update) and io-tech. Wave can also be tested at the Helsinki Hi-Fi Fair in early September (2026).

Packaging and accessories

Wave arrives in a light-colored box with the cups turned horizontally. The package includes a user manual, a USB charging cable, and an analog headphone cable. The owner should note the warning in the instructions regarding the headband: the wood veneer should not be bent or stretched too much.

The manufacturer has not designed a carrying case for Wave, at least not yet, nor does it come with any kind of protective pouch. The headphones are therefore better suited, for example, for a desk than for continuous mobile use. This direction is also indicated by the manufacturer's separately sold Root headphone stand, which is available in both wood and, surprisingly, concrete. In terms of style and design, the stands are suitable for many other headphones as well.

Build and comfort

Wave's design has been streamlined compared to the more angular Tone model, but in terms of size and its 360-gram weight, it is a more robust noise-cancelling headphone than usual. The closest comparison would be Apple AirPods Max, as its cups are also manufactured from aluminum. Wood, however, is practically not seen in this product category, so the headband's arc distinguishes Wave from its competitors. Its visible parts also do not use any plastic at all, unlike mass-produced headphones.

When new, Wave's headband presses the head quite firmly to ensure a secure fit and good sound isolation, but with use, the structure gives way slightly and conforms to the user's head. Its newness also shows mechanical tightness in the height adjustment, which is exceptionally stiff to move. The selected position certainly stays in place, but adjusting it requires a surprising amount of force. Springs have been installed at the attachment point of the arch and cups, which help turn the bottom edge of the cup against the head.

Since there is only a moderate amount of padding in the main headband, the suitability of the arc's shape to the user's head anatomy becomes essential for the fit. The ear pads, in turn, are likely universally compatible, as the opening size (60 x 40 x 20 mm) mimics other noise-cancelling headphones. The pads detach by twisting counter-clockwise, meaning the mechanism corresponds to Valco's headphones. Kaiku Acoustics has already added replacement pads to its selection at a pair price of 29 euros.

Despite its tight fit, Wave fits my head surprisingly well, and no single feature causes significant discomfort. However, since designing a structure that works for everyone is almost impossible, such a more angular implementation can also cause disappointments. That's just part of life.

Technology and noise-cancelling function

Wave's wireless connections are based on Bluetooth version 5.3 and Qualcomm's chipset. For sound quality, the best codecs are aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, in addition to which the headphones also support basic aptX, AAC, and SBC. However, the lack of Bluetooth LE Audio and Multipoint support may deter some buyers.

There is no dedicated app for the headphones for adjusting settings or sound quality. However, firmware updates can be done manually with the iFi-Gaia program, which the device manufacturer iFi Audio also uses in some of its products. Wave purchased before August 2026 should be updated to the latest version if a more consistent sound is desired between ANC ON and OFF modes. However, the update process may require an Apple device: I was able to update my headphones with a Macbook, whereas the Android version of the app could not interpret the ID tags of the headphones and the firmware file as compatible.

Wave's battery life is stated to be up to 100 hours at most, when the volume is set to 60 percent. The figure is impressive, although it is not clear from the information whether it is achieved with noise cancellation activated. In any case, the 1000 mAh battery is one of the largest on the market. The headphones cannot be used during charging, but they can function with a cable without power if needed. In this case, however, one should not expect as much from the sound quality, as digital sound enhancements are out of play.

Considering the manufacturer's first attempt, the active noise cancellation function in Wave is surprisingly mature, as it does not exhibit noticeable background noise. For comparison, among the market's top products Bose QuietComfort Ultra hiss more.

Wave dampens noise well already mechanically, which activating noise cancellation enhances even further. I didn't expect the headphones to beat Valco's latest VMK25.2-model, but based on my standard noise cancellation tests, it seems so: Low frequencies attenuate slightly more with Wave, and the higher frequencies' noise also softens a bit to be more tolerable than with Valco. On the other hand, products from larger manufacturers can still do better. For example, the recently tested JBL Live 780NC's noise cancellation is a notch more capable. Unlike the VMK25.2, Wave does not have a transparency mode, and after powering on, noise cancellation is always off by default. The latter feature appears to be a conscious design solution, meaning the noise cancellation function is offered as an additional feature that can be activated whenever needed.

Wave also allows for making calls, although a small manufacturer cannot compete with larger players in microphone sound quality.

Sound quality

A word on the design of noise-cancelling headphones

Activating noise cancellation changes the frequency response in most over-ear headphones, especially at bass frequencies, because the acoustic conditions inside the ear pads change. This must be taken into account in the sound quality design, which in Kaiku Wave – as in almost all modern noise-cancelling headphones – is based on DSP correction (digital signal processing). The headphones' sound is thus finalized by equalizing them directly through the chipset.

In some headphones, a single DSP profile controls all usage scenarios. In this case, the manufacturer must choose whether to optimize the sound for listening with noise cancellation on or off – or create a compromise between the situations, where the sound works in both cases, but is not necessarily the best possible in either. Kaiku Wave, however, contains separate DSP profiles for ANC ON and OFF modes, which has allowed both modes to sound quite similar to each other. Initially, Wave also used only one profile, but the latest firmware version supports two separate adjustments.

The headphones' sound profile was fine-tuned with neutral and natural reproduction in mind, but also considering the preferences of the general public. My role was to ensure that the end result did not deviate too much from objectively good headphone reproduction. This allowed the manufacturer to confidently embed desired special characteristics into the sound. The result was a moderately V-shaped sound with reinforced bass and energetic treble. The manufacturer was not aiming for a studio reference, even though musicians provided favorable feedback on the development direction along the way.

In closed-back headphones, one should always consider the effect of head and ear anatomy (more broadly HRTF) on the resulting sound. In Wave, moving the cups forward or backward on the ears changes the energy of the upper midrange and thus the clarity of the sound. Additionally, the headband loosens somewhat with use, which slightly evens out the amount of bass compared to when it is new.

Measurements

The headphone frequency response measurements were performed with equipment compliant with the IEC711 standard and KB501X model silicone ears. The graphs use the Harman target curve (2018 version), optimized for this equipment, as a reference. This curve is a generalization, based on scientific research, of what kind of frequency response would sound good to most people and correspond to balanced loudspeakers in a well-acoustically treated room.

The Harman research was conducted with silicone ears that ”hear” sound slightly differently than the ear types sold today. For this reason, the target curve used by Kuulokenurkka is based on the diffuse field response according to the KB501X ears” own HRTF transfer function, to which, however, the core findings of the Harman research have been adapted using filters. In practice, the result still corresponds to the ideal frequency balance indicated by the Harman research, but as the equipment used by Kuulokenurkka would ”hear" it based on its characteristic acoustics. Thus, it is possible to make more precise observations of the headphones' frequency response between 2–20 kilohertz than when using the pure Harman 2018 curve as a reference.

More information about the measurement equipment can be found on the Headphone Measurements-page. Wave's frequency response can also be compared with other measured headphones. Squiglink .

The headphones also work with a 3.5 mm cable in addition to a Bluetooth connection, either with power on (in which case the sound matches the Bluetooth connection) or off (in which case sound corrections are not in use). The firmware update released in July changed the sound, especially in noise cancellation mode, so I will present both the original measurement results and the situation after the update. If someone bought the headphones before August 2026 and likes their sound, the update is not necessary.

Frequency response before July 2026:

Wave naturally reproduces bass significantly more powerfully without noise cancellation, so the sound could not be adjusted to be identical between the two operating modes with a single DSP correction. Therefore, as the most reasonable compromise, the ANC OFF mode would have had to sound very bass-heavy or the ANC ON mode relatively neutral. The manufacturer opted for the latter option: with the original firmware version, Wave sounds almost reference-like balanced and slightly mid-range focused with noise cancellation on. Without noise cancellation, the bass, in turn, sounds clearly fuller and more reminiscent of competitors' noise-cancelling headphones. I would usually characterize such bass as excessive, so I will do so this time as well.

Two different presentation styles offered two very different listening experiences. However, since noise cancellation is primarily used in noisy environments, more punch and energy were desired in the sound in that mode through a software change.

Frequency response after the firmware update:

With the latest firmware version, the differences between the two operating modes remain quite small, because the sound settings could be defined independently. Bass now reproduces louder with noise cancellation on than before, and the manufacturer also boosted the treble between 5–7 kilohertz in both use cases. The changes resulted in a more V-shaped presentation, which is intended to excite rather than just sound good and normal. On the other hand, apart from the bass, the reproduction is still classifiable as neutral. Headphones will be delivered to consumers with this newer software in the future, and previously purchased headphones can be updated independently if desired.

Based on the measurement data, I would personally fine-tune the midrange to be slightly flatter in ANC OFF mode, because it dips between 400–800 hertz and thus sounds a bit distant. I also notice this when listening to Wave, which is why I prefer the sound with noise cancellation on. However, since the amount of bass decreased slightly in ANC OFF mode, it also sounds more balanced than before. As a general improvement, there is no longer as large a dip at 4 kilohertz either.

Wave vs. Tone:

For the Kaiku Tone I tuned a couple of years ago, the starting points for DSP correction were very different, as the headphones were on-ear models. They also do not have a noise cancellation function, so we decided to adjust the sound to be a couple of notches more neutral than in Wave. The new model's intentionally louder bass and treble are immediately visible from my measurements. If someone appreciates a calmer and more mid-range focused reproduction, Tone can still be a very viable option. However, the listening experience differs significantly already due to the headphones' different ear pads and size class.

I still find it interesting how flat a frequency response Tone's structure offers, even though the cups are completely closed. Thanks to this, there was no need to correct narrow-band dips or peaks in the headphones, but the response was brought to the desired position with gentle fine-tuning. This clearly shows how noise cancellation and larger over-ear sized ear pads increase the challenge factor in headphone sound design – and thus working time and costs. On the other hand, inverse examples can certainly be found.

Wave vs. Valco VMK25.2:

Since this is a Finnish product, a quick comparison to Valco's headphones is probably appropriate. VMK25.2 never served as any kind of model for Wave, so it is quite surprising to notice a certain similarity between the two. Of course, someone could argue that all V-shaped tuned noise-cancelling headphones resemble each other.

As differences, the VMK25.2 reproduces lower mid-frequencies more robustly and the upper treble clearly brighter than the Wave. In the mid-range, the Wave, based on measurements, is somewhat more natural – especially since the bass boost does not extend as far into the lower mid-range as in Valco's headphones. In summary, the VMK25.2 is a slightly sharper and possibly more sense-activating take from the same orientation, while the Wave is a notch more balanced. On the other hand, it's worth remembering what the VMK25.2 sounds like with noise cancellation turned off, as it then becomes very similar to the Kaiku Wave, with the exception of a small treble difference.

Concluding remarks

Now that Kaiku Acoustics and its Wave headphone model have received more publicity, the product's high price seems to have generated the most discussion. Some have also suspected the headphones of being a cheap Chinese OEM product, to which the manufacturer merely glues wood and their own logo – a similar dismissive story has been heard before regarding Valco. The price can certainly be criticized freely, but the claims about China should be forgotten, as they are not true. In part, consumer skepticism is certainly due to Kaiku Acoustics not having made much noise about itself for a couple of years, meaning many are encountering the brand for the first time only now.

The manufacturer deserves credit for managing to design their own unique headphones and having them manufactured on the other side of the world, despite their limited resources. Collaboration between a small operator and Chinese factories, ensuring they are not cheated or their ideas stolen, is anything but easy. Having molds made for aluminum parts is also not a cheap endeavor; one must commit to the task without certainty of how well the product will sell. Many things can go wrong in the overall process. Furthermore, having the wooden part installed in Finland requires its own arrangements and likely limits the production rate of the headphones. The Wave is fundamentally an interesting noise-cancelling headphone from a small boutique, for which there is no direct equivalent on the international markets.

This does not mean that one should automatically like the headphones. In truth, they are technically quite simplified, and their features do not compete with those of large manufacturers. Perhaps such a product should be considered somewhere between noise-cancelling headphones and hi-fi headphones. Some of us buy wired headphones costing even several thousands of euros, whereas for more technologically complex wireless ones, 300 euros feels like a large sum to many. This is worth wondering about, as we are happy to pay more for other electronics. Perhaps portable headphones are perceived as an everyday tool that is not sufficiently appreciated. In my opinion, the Kaiku Wave is best suited for those who would be willing to pay a little more than usual for wired headphones as well. On the other hand, I know many who want to support a Finnish company when the opportunity arises.

The manufacturer plans to next release wired headphones manufactured in Finland (Kaiku Lite), with a pre-order price of 149 euros. Wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, which will include wood, are also under development. I have not participated in the development of these two products, at least not yet, so we will see if I can eventually provide a more independent review of them than of the Wave. Let me also mention at the end that I do not earn money from the sale of the Wave, if anyone was wondering. Otherwise, it would be impossible for me to impartially review other noise-cancelling headphones in the future.