I find it difficult to evaluate the Kato and the ALBA individually in this case and can only understand the evaluation to a very limited extent.
1.) I do not know the reviewer’s sound preferences.
2.) I have no idea in which pairing the “sound experience” took place.
3.) EQing can be helpful, but it is no substitute for a natural symbiosis.
4.) and most important, the Eartips!!
Why am I writing this?
Well, my experience with both the Kato and the ALBA is completely contrary to Your experience.
Based on my experience with ChiFi =
I use them, usually with ifi dongles or amplifiers, as these harmonize excellently in 90% of cases, as is the case with the Kato.
I can understand the problem in the high frequencies to some extent if I use the wrong Tips or a Questyle or Apple dongle, for example, but with a selected playback device the Kato is an above-average ChiFi in-ear in its price range (in my opinion).
The Alba anyway, since I know that Meze works with both Chord Electronics and Feliks Audio, the pairing with the Chord Mojo2 is outstandingly good and I tend to say that the Alba in this pairing sounds far more “expensive” than it actually costs.
My experience with ChiFi planar in-ears is that they only really develop their true strength with amplifiers with decent power and I actually use them with my stationary amplifiers, xDuoo Tubes, or the ifi Signature.
But all of this is just my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the experience of others.
And I always want the devices to show their qualities, even if it requires a little effort.