Hidizs MS3

Very V-shaped, hard-rockin ear cannons from DAP/dongle specialist Hidizs. Build and aesthetics are commensurate with the MSRP and cable is very well-made, if somewhat heavy. I found these slightly uncomfortable, esp. since they require deep penetration to show their true colors, but isolation is very good.

Even with the “Balanced” or “High Frequency” tuning filter, the MS3 is a very hopped-up, bassy phone with a thick, throbbing but musical low end which does have some bleed into the higher frequencies. (Avoid the “Low Frequency” filter, which sounds boomy and blurs high end detail). Treble is well extended and full-bodied and (despite the low end bloom) instruments are very well separated across a wide, deep soundstage. 

My reservations about the MS3 are twofold. First, percussion (esp. snares and hi-hats) sounds splashy and unnatural. Second, integration between the frequencies is less than seamless—the big low end tends to dominate the proceedings and to deflect focus on the vocals.

To a large extent, the MS3 typify the sonic differences between hybrid and conventional DD designs—compared to a comparably priced DD like the Whizzer Kylin or Moondrop Kanas Pro the MS3’s BAs present more microdetails and sparkle and more accurate imaging , but have a more synthetic timbre and less coherence.

Its imperfections notwithstanding, these are an exciting, immersive listen which make heavy music sound heavy. Hidizs is promoting these at a $119 introductory price, which registers as good value. Recommended, if not unqualifiedly.

Hidizs MP145

Priced in the same range as the MS3, the planar MP145 is a completely different beast sonically—midforward and conspicuously lacking in subbass depth and speed. Large ovoid provide for good seal and isolation but feel uncomfortable after an hour or so. In contrast to the frenzied, party-hearty and brightish MS3, the MP145 seem to be going for a more neutral, laid-back quality, without a lot of sparkle or shimmer at the high end. 

Mids are very well-resolved here—male vocals sound full and quite natural, and there’s sufficient high-end detail, with much more accurate reproduction of drums and percussion than on the MS3. However, lowend is, for lack of a better term, amorphous—it’s discernible but wholly lacking shape, speed or punch and has the effect of murking up the the rest of the spectrum.

I’m not sure what Hidizs was aiming for with the MP145—they’re too reserved for uptempo genres and not clean or open-sounding enough for acoustic or vocal fare. Frankly, these should not have escaped the lab.

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood.

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The post HIDIZS MS3 And MP145 Review (2) – Fun Fun Fun Till Her Daddy Takes The Crackpipe Away appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $25 Moondrop Space Travel are absolutely marvellously sounding TWS earphones, my find of the year. There is nothing on these that would indicate their low price.

Pros — Wonderful cohesion and fluidity, organic sound; superb comfort and fit for my ears; decent ANC, incredible value.

Cons — Relatively short battery life; not the loudest maximum volume.

The Moondrop Space Travel were kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

Moondrop were once big into space – now they are back. Just like the USA. Since their takeoff from Chengdu, Sichuan, China, in 2015, they have travelled with Spaceships through Starfields to boldly go where no man has gone before. They experimented with diffuse field neutral and Harman Kardon, and recently appeared to have settled for their own interpretation of the latter, called VDSF (see below).

When I was a space cadet myself in Chengdu (yes, we had an office there), most of the Moondrop protagonists were children or teenagers.

Apart from alternating tuning trends in the “tonalities of the season”, Moondrop sometimes were their biggest competitor, even enemy. For example, their $30 Crescent rivalled their $180 Kanas Pro Edition back in 2019. Needless to say that the Crescent disappeared very quickly and mysteriously from the company’s catalogue. Faster than Yevgeny Prygozhin.

As history ALWAYS repeats itself, I hope the $25 Space Travel will stay in the market a bit longer. They are THAT GOOD. I don’t know the other Moondrop TWS models but am completely satisfied with this one. It could be the one for the lonely island for me (provided there will be enough chargers available).

Specifications Moondrop Space Travel

Physicals and Operation

In the box are:

• Space Travel * 1
• Charging Cable * 1
• User Manual * 1
• Product Card * 1
• Earphone tips * 3 pairs (S/M/L)

The case is made of solid, hard polycarbonate and looks futuristic, like the love child of a pencil sharpener and a water flosser. A bit awkward in one’s pocket but a great looking accessory to any desk. The earpieces (without their antennas) are rather small and have an excellent fit on my ears: super comfortable with a great seal. Stock eartips work well. Haptic of both earpieces and cable is great. No hint that this set is only $25.

Operation is intuitive when you have used TWS earphones before: different taps and clicks operate next/last song, play/pause, turnoff/off voice assistant and ANC. This works smoothly. You can customize these gestures with the free Moondrop Link app…see below.

The voice assistant is actually quite cool: a snoddy young girl’s (or waifu’s?) voice advising the listener in a sometimes funny way. May cause repeated chuckles and good mood.

What you cannot do with tapping is adjusting the volume. This needs to be done on your music source. Speaking of volume: Space Travel’s maximum volume is not as high as that of its more expensive competitors such as the 199€ Earsonics AERØ or the $150 final ZE3000, but it is loud enough for “normal” listening.

Bluetooth Functionality

The Moondrop Space Travel features Bluetooth 5.3 and actually really operates over a distance of 10 m, unobstructed, as claimed. I tested it. Bluetooth operation is very smooth. When alternating between the Space Travel and the final ZE3000, the iPhone recognizes each model automatically. No fiddling with the setting necessary.

Active Noise Cancelling

It works, and surprisingly well as long as you do not expect wonders. The Moondrop Space Travel’s ANC filters out static noise such as remote traffic, wind in trees, or a fridge sound quite effectively. It does not do much for dynamically changing noises such cars passing by or the traffic helicopter above you. The use can choose between noise cancelling, regular, and transparency mode.

Battery

That’s where more expensive models leave the Moondrop Space Travel in the dust. You get max. 4 hours of uninterrupted listening out of them, not quite enough for most international air travel out of Canada. Recharging takes approximately one hour. The case allows three re-charges to a total of 12 hours. It is re-charged within 1.5 hours.

The free Moondrop Link App

I downloaded the free Moondrop Link app from Apple’s App Store. A Google version is also available. The app works for a series of Moondrop devices such as TWS iems and dongles, and serves the purpose of fine-tuning them.

For the Moondrop Space Travel, the Link app allows for two things: first, customizing operational gestures (“Custom Touch”) such as play, pause, next song, ANC on/off etc.

Second, the user can adjust the tonality with a choice of “Reference, Basshead, and Monitor”. The difference between the three is the bass perception. Monitoring has the flattest bass for the most neutral sound.

I mainly use “Reference” in the middle as it is closest to the Harman Target (with a bit of bass rumble). If you are on a noisy train or bus, you may choose “Basshead” in order to support the ANC in suppressing the ambient noise.

Once selected, the Space Travel memorizes the setting.

Tonality and Technicalities

The sound of the Moondrop Space Travel is absolutely superb. This may be a blanket statement but that’s how I perceive it. I have used the Space Travel around the clock (or moon?) since its arrival. Its natural sound rivals my $150 final ZE3000 TWS gold standard. Surprised?

With three selectable tuning configurations you can tweak the Moondrop Space Travel’s tonality to your liking. All three hover around Moondrop’s Virtual Diffuse Sound Field (“VDSF”) target, their interpretation of ideal sonic quantities across the frequency spectrum. The VDSF (and therefore the Space Travel) avoids annoying peaks and is broadly similar to the Harman target.

The “Reference” tuning comes closest to the VDSF target, The “Monitor” shifts the experience somewhat towards neutral. Basshead is not as extreme as it sounds and can polish some flat old recordings up quite a bit.

Bass is in all cases reasonably tight with natural decay — and with good control and decent attack. Mids are a tad on the lean side (but only a tad), and they excel in note definition and articulation. Midrange resolution and clarity are very good.

The interplay of bass and mids makes for excellent spatial cues. You get a real room feeling. And since the upper mids are well controlled there is absolutely no shoutiness. Gone are the days of the piercing Moondrop SSR and the likes of. Treble is safe and well rounded by Bluetooth’s own limitations.

The Space Travel sound wonderfully cohesive, fluid, natural, and relaxed, but with great dynamics nevertheless. Staging is wide with reasonable depth, separation and layering are unbelievably good considering its price. Even microdynamics is surprisingly good.

It is the whole composition that is so enticing to my ears.

In comparison, the superb $150 final ZE3000 are somewhat richer sounding and play louder. But the Space Travel have better articulation (!!!). The ZE3000 also play longer before recharging but have much bigger earpieces.

The 199€ Earsonics AERØ may be built more rugged but have some degree of unpleasant harshness compared to the Space Travel.

None of these pricier competitors offers ANC.

A word on the microphone’s recording quality: pretty good, my voice comes across quite clear in an echoey environment (over hardwood floors):

Concluding Remarks

Since Chinese budget iems have first flooded the western markets some 5 to 7 years ago, consumers have been “holygrailing” to find that $$$ iem at a bargain price. But these killer deals never materialized. This resulted in hoarding for many jumping from one model to the next in short order like Tarzan from tree to tree. It has been a bottomless barrel – and an expensive one cumulatively.

Not quite sure whether the Moondrop Space Travel will satisfy this clientele 100% either, but they are Wall of Excellence material in my opinion. They offer a natural, cohesive listening experience that is nothing less than irresistible to my ears. Greatness independent of price.

My find of the year! It is as simple as that. Why pay more? Get them before they are being pulled – again.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post Moondrop Space Travel TWS Review (1) – Reaching New Galaxies appeared first on Music For The Masses.

BEGINNINGS

I never thought I would see my Starfield again, but then the Universe delivers the Moondrop Starfield 2 to my doorstep. Not much of a spiritual individual, I was still thankful I get another chance to reminisce.

Truth be told, the Aria would have been more my type to boogie with, but it was released later than the Starfield. Like all impatient audio junkies, I wanted the quick fix of what was new now.

The new Moondrop Starfield 2 is better than version one where the treble brilliance took a trip to the basement and never came back. We should take hints from kids, always shine a light before embarking on a trip to the darkness.

What to expect from the new version? A more forward upper midrange paired with a less gradual decline in treble output with a topping of sparkle and tighter controlled bass.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Borrowing 1960’s hot-rod paint jobs or old amusement park rides for the kids in us, the Moondrop Starfield 2 utilizes the familiar shell that helps to keep tooling costs down for production. The iridescent paint is beautiful on top of the cast alloy zinc shell.

I believe there were reports of the original Starfield paint had a tendency to chip off. That does not mean the Starfield 2 would suffer the same fate, but painted metal things bouncing against each other will eventually show wear, call it patina or just be warned.

Inside they have stuffed the Moondrop Starfield 2 with a new 10mm dynamic constructed of Magnesium and Lithium alloy that claims to be more rigid and lighter than pure Beryllium.

This should equate to precise and quick transients, and hopefully push the breakup mode of the driver past our threshold of hearing. That is usually the goal of extremely rigid driver materials.

The faceplates are flat vs the angled ones from the Kanas Pro and Kato designs. Moondrop chose to make the screw a decorative feature. The tips of the nozzle also unscrews to change the mesh screen.

I have taken pictures in the past of these screens, and they are rather intricate and specialized to not only keep the moisture out, but apply acoustic filtration.

Also new the Moondrop Starfield 2 are vent hole plugs, in comparison to modders using micropore tape in the past to increase bass. You need patience to attach them, but once attached they increase the bass to bass head levels in a straight liner shot to the bottom. There are also plugs with holes, but it did not seem to change anything different than just leaving them out. 

The 2 pin cable is a striking blue color of twisted silver strand wrapped in a slightly rubberized texture sheath. The brass accents standout and match the brass nozzle. It’s rather weighty at 32g while both ear pieces clock in at 22g together. Microphonics are rendered moot, but the weight of the cable puts a damper in another way.

SOUND

Tested with the Shanling UA2 Plus and SMSL DO100 with HO100, the Moondrop Starfield 2 is a lightweight with the bass, easy on the lower midrange and focused on upper mids with a sprinkle of sparkle. This is the essence of Moondrop’s VSDF target curve many of their products follow with varying degrees of refinement.

The dynamic driver feels quicker than past iterations and the sub bass rumble is adequate. The vent plug drastically changes that, so if you desire they respond well to EQ instead. Still the midbass has a soft start but a tight finish. Despite the relatively minor bass lift it rolls into the lower midrange nicely avoiding sounding too thin.

Midrange clarity is excellent for this tier of IEMs producing well rounded vocals that sound exciting and pure. Note definition has proper decay exhibiting good depth making instruments sound believable. The upper midrange lift is more than my personal preference by a few decibels, but it hangs back ever so slightly before it steps out of bounds. This pinna gain aids in the clarity perception.

The Moondrop Starfield 2 treble is in-offensive and delicate, brass never sounds honky in quieter passages and picks up the slight flutters of saxophones and flutes. A little kick in the brilliance at 10Khz adds excitement and helps to uplift the final stage keeping it from sounding too flat. Purists will probably object, but the original Starfield was too tame for me near this area. What can I say, I enjoy some spice.

Lately I have been giving the Ibasso IT01 some light of day, I felt another oldie but goodie that was frequently recommended in this price bracket deserves a chance. Some might remember the Pioneer SE-CH9T, if not no worries.

They share similarities in the bass department until the Moondrop Starfield 2 except the Pioneer goes flat before making it to the midbass, quantity and quality are equivalent. I find the Starfield 2 has more note weight when listening to stand up bass. 

The Pioneer is more balanced overall, it doesn’t quite have the sharpness at the pinna gain around 3khz. Staging sounds wider on the CH9T and some dips in the treble take the edge off and push the whole stage backwards in comparison to the Starfield 2 with its more forward nature.

I picked up some resolution improvements in the presence region on the Starfield 2. Shakers and cymbals sparkle on the Moondrop Starfield 2 and shine like watching a newer movie shot with digital cameras. The Pioneer feels more analog with a grainy quality. 

Another one of my favorite picks between the $80-100 mark depending on purchase date, the TinHifi T4 is a good match-up for the Moondrop Starfield 2. While following a more similar target to the Pioneer, the T4 has more mid-bass thump and grunt compared to the Starfield 2. Upper midrange on the T4 is a more pleasant and longer session tune for me, but the Starfield 2 has snappier snares. 

While the stage sounds wider on the T4, I do not sense as much separation when compared to the Moondrop Starfield 2. Micro detail resolution winner is the Starfield 2. I clearly pick out each instrument and place them as if listening live, the T4 otherwise sounds more like a great recording.

So what have I missed, perhaps at this point I should mention they offer between good or great isolation. While I sort of miss the sticky and unique Spring ear tips, I think the sizing on them was off and not appreciated by the masses so instead we get rather generic eartips. Storing them is easy in the flip top leather case that can also be found with the Kato.

SO WHAT NOW?

Moondrop really hangs their hat on the VSDF tuning which is more diffuse than the Harman tuning. Moondrop Starfield 2 enhances a few areas on the old Starfield while dare I say, undercutting the previously popular Kato in terms of technical abilities. It will be a shining star for those that crave sharp definition and resolution while not overdoing either in air or bass (unless you want to). 

I have personally bought my way up the Moondrop ladder with the Kanas Pro (retired), Starfield (lost), Kato and Blessing Dusk 2 still in rotation and have previously reviewed the Alice TWS.

I can say the Starfield 2 is good company however not kicking older brothers and sisters out of the house. Kato and Alice still deliver more technicalities than the Starfield 2, but the $100 buys a fantastic floor seat to a great concert anchoring itself at the gate for others to attempt to push past.

Disclaimer: I thank SHENZHENAUDIO/Moondrop for providing these at no cost. While I have purchased the original Starfield, Kanas Pro, Kato, and Blessing Dusk 2 on my own dime you could say I am a bit of a fanboy – I still keep my biases in check.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Open Vent vs Plug
• Moondrop Graph Comparison of Starfield and Starfield 2

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The post Moondrop Starfield 2 Review (1) – Deadly Electric Boogaloo With An Old Friend appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Aria SE are prone to discoloration of the shell over time
– Lack of sub-bass rumble
– Slight tizziness in the upper-treble
– Average staging and imaging
– Not the most resolving
– Competition is stronger now

INTRODUCTION

I will keep this review short and sweet, since the Moondrop Aria SE (Snow Edition) are more of a side-grade to the already reviewed Moondrop Aria (2021).

The primary differences lie in the color, the driver (and corresponding tuning), and of course – accessories.

I think Moondrop could have just named it something else entirely since apart from the shell – nothing else is in common with the Aria 2021. Then again, Aria 2021 is a very popular model, so it’s not a bad idea to piggyback on that popularity.

Let’s see if the Aria SE can become popular on their own right, or are they overshadowed by the already-accomplished predecessor.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Shenzhenaudio sent me the Aria SE for evaluation.

Sources used: Questyle CMA Twelve Master
Price, while reviewed: $80. Can be bought from ShenzhenAudio.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

It’s not a Moondrop IEM without anime-themed (or “waifu”, for those men of culture) packaging, and the Aria SE are no exceptions.

Inside, you get a noticeably better cable than the OG Aria, Moondrop’s own “Spring” tips, and some spare nozzle filters. I am not a big fan of the Spring tips since they attenuate treble abruptly and even the largest size won’t fit those with larger than medium canals. Your mileage may vary.

BUILD QUALITY

The shells are the very same one that OG Aria uses, which means a composite metal shell, colored with (seemingly) baked enamel processing. I have seen numerous Moondrop Arias with discolored shells, and I suspect the Aria SE are not going to be any different. It’s the price you pay for the striking design, I guess.

Other than paint chipping off, general build is very good given the price. The 2-pin ports are thankfully recessed, which further strengthens the connection. The two vents are located on the inner-side, just like OG Aria.

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

General comfort and fit are excellent. I felt no fatigue in long listening sessions. Isolation is unfortunately below average.

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

The Aria 2021 are fairly easy to drive, so any decent budget dongle will be enough to power them. However, they do benefit from better quality amplification, which tends to improve the bass texture and slam to a degree. For this review, I used the Questyle CMA Twelve Master and the Spinfit CP-145 tips.

DRIVER SETUP

Moodrop Aria SE replaces the LCP driver of the Aria 2021 with a 10mm DLC-plated diaphragm. This is the same driver that the 2019 Kanas Pro use, which used to be a $150+ pair of IEMs. So in a sense, you are getting the same driver for half the price.

The shell has two vents to equalize pressure inside the chamber, and there are dampers placed inside to suppress specific peaks in the frequency and control resonance.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

The general tuning of the Aria SE can be described as “warm-neutral”, with rolled-off sub-bass. I will compare the Aria SE with the Aria 2021 throughout this sound section, thus the lack of a formal “comparison” section in this review.

I think bass is the weakest aspect of the Aria SE, which is somewhat surprising since that was one of the strengths of the Aria 2021. The bass sounds hazy, especially the mid-bass. Sub-bass rumble is lacking and sounds rolled-off, though the graph says otherwise.

Things get better as we move into the mids. Lower-mids are warm, albeit a bit recessed. Snare hits have good body. Male vocals sound tonally correct, while female vocals have a smooth, relaxing undertone. Strings and pianos have very good timbre, and the way Aria SE renders these instruments are perhaps their strongest suit.

The biggest difference between the Aria SE and Aria 2021 is in the treble response. Treble sparkle better than the Aria 2021. The Aria 2021 sound overly dark in the treble at times, so this is definitely a welcome change.

However, the Aria SE sound somewhat over-emphasized in the upper-treble region. Depending on your sensitivity to upper-treble, this may not be a noticeable issue. I found the random “zing” in the treble distracting though. Tip-rolling can help with restraining the upper-treble issues to a degree.

Imaging is kinda average. Stage height, width, and depth are average as well. This is a downgrade from the Aria 2021 which have a wider stage width and taller stage.

Finally, microdynamics are rendered fairly well, with subtle gradations in SPL being noticeable to a degree. Sadly, macrodynamic punch is lacking, so sudden bass-drops and orchestral rise do not exhibit their dramatic nature.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

So, the Aria SE are a warmer version of the Aria 2021, with better treble sparkle and extension. In a vacuum, the Aria SE are good IEMs for those who want a mostly relaxing listen, without completely sacrificing treble response.

Unfortunately for Moondrop, the competition is stronger than ever. Dunu’s Titan S offer a tighter bass response with superior staging and imaging and cleaner mids. Dunu’s Kima have a similarly warm, analogue-ish tuning with better staging and imaging. Truthear Hexa offer a competent hybrid setup with superior resolution and technicalities. Tin T4 Plus have a similarly relaxed tuning with a cleaner bass.

That’s just four offerings from three manufacturers, and I am not even scratching the surface of the numerous collabs, planar offerings, and the usual FOTM (flavor-of-the-month) syndrome that plagues this hobby.

So the Moondrop Aria SE remain a decent alternative, but fail to elevate themselves into something special. The market has reached a saturation point, and there isn’t much the Aria SE can do about that.

MY VERDICT

3.75/5

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The post Moondrop Aria SE Review – The Yang appeared first on Music For The Masses.

PRESS START

Welcome the $189 Moondrop Alice with pixelated fonts I get an eerie sense of being watched by an AI fembot out to seduce and destroy. She does have a cheerful peppy voice and ready to send high quality sounds to your ears. True Wireless Stereo (TWS) has been making progress but these feel next level. In case you are new to Moondrop, they continue to add to the growing list of well received products of the likes of Kato, Aria, Starlight, Kanas Pro, Blessing 2, and such.

When the Moondrop Alice were offered up all I knew was that they were a TWS wireless set with price tag set at $189. When I first popped them into my ears I was instantly awarded with Moondrop’s VDSF (Virtual Difuse Sound Field) sound and it was recognizably clean, clear and spacious sounding. It was not until more details came out that it became clear, these were Moondrop Katos unleashed.

Disclaimer: Set sent free to me from Shenzhenaudio, much appreciated but still free from mind control for now…. muhahaha!

SOUND

Test with LG G8 Hiby Player and IPhone 8

I am not kidding when I say the Moodrop Alice is a wireless Kato (sound only). The bass has the typical Moondrop softness that is accentuated by the bluetooth amplifier blunting the bottom end a bit and doesn’t give it full breathing room. That is something I feel happens on every bluetooth set I have tried most likely a result to conserve battery power.

As usual though you would not find any bass bleed into the mids. The midrange is pleasantly enhanced to the typical Harman curve that rides the fine edge of not too forward and not too recessed sounding. What lifts these above is their ability to give plenty of spaciousness to the instrumentation and vocals that give a better sense of realism.

The treble has nice lift for presence but not overly bright that they feel goosed in the upper treble avoiding unnatural airiness. Cymbals sound natural and ring true with great clean precision while flutes and strings have good loft.

TECHNICALITIES

The Moondrop Alice tackles instrument separation wonderfully and provides excellent resolution. They sound wider than deep, but still provide great depth. Pause on that for minute, because there is more to discuss about this. Volume is a tad limited, but I still found them faithfully loud enough to enjoy and probably take some years off my hearing. Isolation is below average, so combined with the lower than average sound output they loose a half a heart deduction.

VDSF+

Un-pause, so the Moondrop Alice have this feature called VDSF+ which didn’t seem like active noise control otherwise they would have said so. Upon listening to enabled I sensed a slight bass change and staging change. There was also a bit of treble coloration. After looking more into it, Moondrop added crossfeed or the act of inducing crosstalk (a little bit of the left signal goes to the right, and right goes to the left, delay it, level it down, some filtering-there are many ways to do it).

The concept for those that do not know is that in the non-headphone world our two ears create a bit of a timing difference heard from the same sound and filtered and bit due to blocking of our head. With headphones, this delayed mixing of sound signal is removed completely and you get that “in your head” experience.

The goal of crossfeed or VDSF+ in this case is to make it sound more “normal” and move the stage away from the imaginary line between your ears to further in front of your face. So it is a neat feature at the expense of a little comb filtering that mucks with the treble a bit. I think it is so subtle that I prefer it with the VDSF+ on, a slight bass boost and added staging realism.

COMPARISONS

Sony WF-1000XM3 ($60-80 used market/ $300 when new)

Sony makes great wireless products and can be in the same ballpark in terms of pricing compared to the Moondrop Alice. The WF-1000XM3 can be found for insanely low used pricing, but the XM4 version is closer in price currently. I bought the Sony WF-1000XM3 for 3 reasons, first was sound signature and technical abilities (app), second ANC, and third the battery can be replaced if you are handy.

The Sony app gives you control over EQ, active noise cancellation settings and transparent mode. This is why you buy the Sony. The Moondrop Alice on the other hand provides supreme sound quality better treble resolution and tonality, the Sony WF-1000XM3 have a V shaped signature making the treble sound enhanced only at the top end and do not bring out the micro nuances of say the triangle strikes in Pink Panther.

The Sony have a thicker midbass enhancement, while the Moondrop Alice is bit thinner here with more snap. The Moondrop Alice sound lighter and 3 dimensional with better layering, the Sony sound a little flat. Rock and Pop are favored on the Sony, while the Alice lean classical and jazz centric, however this does not mean you cannot use them for either or.

Drop Axel Grell ($150-200 Indirect comparison)

I have not had a chance to catch back up with Loomis who last reviewed the Drop Axel Grell, so I will have to refer back to my memory to compare against the Moondrop Alice. The Drop Axel Grell had a different bass profile centered on midbass, so given that the Sony sounds fuller than the Moondrop Alice, the Grell will further increase that gap with less controlled sub-bass region. The Alice will sound neutral in comparison.

The upper mids, treble follow the Harman curve similar to the Moondrop Alice, whereas the Sony has a warmer and treble knob boosted treble. The Grell seems to have a flat sounding midrange and the Alice will sound more dimensional. While the Grell’s treble was their best feature, I think the Alice is still hard to topple here.

One final nail in the coffin is the Moondrop Alice clearly have better battery management when sitting unused. They retain a charge just as well as my Sonys. The Grell seem to discharge and never enter a deep sleep mode like the others. I wonder if this is something that can be fixed with a firmware update.

DESIGN FEATURES

So why are the Moondrop Alice a wireless Kato? They use the same third generation U.L.T DLC (ultralight, diamond like coated) driver. Moondrop designed them around sound first, form second so the electronics in the shells were placed in position as to not interfere with their sound goals. The flat faceplates serve as an easy to use control surface and taking calls on them was simple and sounded good.

They paired quickly and easily with both my IPhone and Android and stay paired with both at the same time. This is handy because sometimes I listen to music on one phone, but get work calls on the other. No need to pull them out, I just take the call. The carrying case entertained my child with it’s magnetic flip top and additional cardboard protective cover. The Cardboard cover however makes it bulkier, I probably would skip it.

The battery life is great they claim about 8 hours + 40 more due the charge the case holds, taking 1.5 hours to fully charge the earphones. I have no reason to doubt this, and they stay charged unlike the Drop Axel Grell that annoying discharge just sitting there. It has 4 lights on the case to indicate charge level of the case taking 3 hours to charge up. To top it off, use the included USB-C cable (although no charger included) and it also offers wireless charging too when you place it standing in an upright position, not laying down.

The box was hard to slide the sleeve off but inside they give you a collectible anime artwork, the earphones, the case, the case cover and the S/M/L spring tips as well as the sticky feeling S/M/L tips. The Moondrop Alice are rather lightweight and fit ok, but they rely solely on the eartips to stay in place. The inclusion of the sticky feeling eartips are helpful in this regard. The were comfortable enough.

They lack sensors to turn them off if you take them out of your ears like the Sony WF-1000XM3, so they will keep playing music or just sit there turned on until you put them back in their charging case and close the lid. Controls include the following functions:

1. Voice prompt – 3 taps left or right earpiece
2. Play/Pause – 1 tap on left or right earpiece
3. Previous track – 2 taps left earpiece
4. Next track – 2 taps right earpiece
5. Answer or hangup call – 1 tap left or right
6. Refuse call – long press left or right
7. Toggle VSDF+ on/off – long press right or left

BONUS FEATURES

To unlock bonus features for the Moondrop Alice, the Moondrop Link app is essential. They have 10 different sound EQ presets that seem to be planned, I was unable to see them during testing. There is also a 10 band parametric EQ, but lots of apps already include an EQ of sorts.

Firmware updates are also done through this app. The firmware version I tested them with was 0.1.3, upon connecting with the app there was a version 0.1.9 that claimed upgraded sound, a version 1.2.0 that says reduced noise, but neither would update. Hopefully this gets sorted out, if something changes I will update my review to reflect.

I did take some calls through them and while I could hear my calls just fine, the microphone didn’t seem to make it easy for the person on the other end. I love that they can pair to 2 devices at once. I am a weirdo that typically hauls around a work phone and a secondary “music” phone. So while listening on the music phone, if a call comes into my work phone it pauses the music on the other device and I can take the call.

GAME OVER

I strongly recommend these to anyone that wants top quality sound first, and doesn’t need ANC. Moondrop dropped a boss level TWS into our laps and just upped the bar as usual. The only reason not to get a set is if you want ANC, or if you still want to accessorize with fancy cables, DAC’s and amplifiers then you have the Moondrop Kato instead. Or maybe you do not care for the Harman inspired Moondrop VDSF tuning model and need a bassy set.

Battery life is excellent, wireless charging is nice, they stayed paired without issue but just a reminder that as a headset they are not the best option. The app functionality is a bit freshmen, I would not buy it based on features that rely on the app, and talking into the mic, but if that is a deal breaker I would talk to Moondrop or stay tuned to the forums Head-fi, SBAF, etc for updates as people are eager to relay updates and fixes.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Earphones with U.L.T Dynamic driver and Qualcom 5151 Bluetooth 5.2 SoC
• Wireless Charging Case
• A Cardboard Case for your Case
• S/M/L Spring tips
• S/M/L Sticky Softears Brand Silicone tips
• Waifu Artwork Card
• Manual

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Alice

• Model: ALICE True Wireless Stereo
• Driver: 10mm U.L.T super-linear dynamic driver
• Diaphragm: 3rd generation DLC composite diaphragm
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Bluetooth protocol: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP
• Codec protocol: AAC/SBC/aptX Adaptive
• Charging plug: Type-C
• lmpedance: 32Ω±15%@1kHz
• Working distance: about 15m (barrier-free open environment)
• Input: 5V-0.5A
• Battery Life: about 8+40hours

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DISCLAIMER

Get it here from ShenzenAudio priced at $189 at time of publishing.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop Alice TWS Review (1) – Level Up appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The Moondrop Stellaris is…hmmm…bright…

The Moondrop Stellaris were kindly supplied by SHENZENAUDIO for my analysis – and I thank them for that. You can get them from SHENZENAUDIO for currently around $100.

Introduction

Planar-magnetic earphones came into fashion (again) when a YouTube salesman hyped the $220 7Hz Timeless per spaceship into a starfield (excuse the pun) not even a year ago (setting the scene to cash in on a “collab” with the next release of this technology). The Timeless feature a driver that had been dismissed by major manufacturers a couple of years earlier. Admittedly, this model was good enough for co-bloggers Biodegraded and Durwood to purchase one :).

LETSHUOER were the next company to pick up on this technology with their $135 S12, which likely features the same driver as the 7Hz Timeless, but with a different tuning. I compared both models in this article.

What followed was “a race for space”. Many manufacturers wanted to have a piece of the cake, which resulted in “planar wars”, artificially constructed by another bunch of attention-seeking YouTubers. I only got part of the tail end of it with the $115 TINHIFI P1 Max and the $199 Dunu Talos. More planar-magnetics are flooding the market as we speak (I am eagerly awaiting the Akoustyx S6 from California).

In the past, planar-magnetic earphones had been overpriced and underperforming. Not anymore…which was actually a good thing about the 7Hz Timeless hype.

But what makes a planar-magnetic earphone distinct? First, the driver digs deep down, it has a tight bass response, low distortion, it is easy to drive, has a great imaging and a deep stage.

On the downside, a planar-magnetic earphone may lack slam, may be rather lean in the lower midrange, and be bright (“more lean than bright”), which may contribute to midrange clarity but exposes a lack of richness. Treble may be robotic through an overly fast note decay. Many planar magnetic iems do not do a good job in the reproduction of acoustic sets (“classical music”) – too artificial sounding.

Prices have come down even further since the release of the 7Hz Timeless. Moondrop offer the Stellaris at $109.99, on par with their Starfield and between their $79.99 Aria and their $189.99 Kato (all single DDs). The Aria is generally considered to be one of the best iems below $100, and it outclasses the Starfield. Therefore, Moondrop appears to create their own in-house competition in search of the class leader.

Who are Moondrop? They are one of the world’s most innovative earphone companies out of Chengdu, Sichuan, a city I know well and love. We “audioreviewers” have analyzed many of the company’s models (see below).

Specifications Moondrop Stellaris

Physical Things and Usability

The Moondrop Stellaris was costmetically modelled after the Moondrop Starfield. Both share the same coating with its characteristic luminous bluestone that shimmer…and chip if abused (no chipping on mine so far).

But what’s different is that the Moondrop Stellaris is big. Big and heavy earpieces…little monsters…ouch…but with long nozzles, good for my ears. The earpieces need to be deeply inserted into my ears and I wished today’s generations of planars were as small as, let’s say, the current Sennheiser single-DD iems.

So if you do this to your ears, you’d expect some reward, which would be sound quality. However…

Tonality and Technicalities

The Stellaris are tuned according to Moondrop’s own VDSF (Virtual Diffuse Sound Field) target response, the company’s version of the Harman target. You find more about this on Stellaris’ product page. They have their low-end boost in the sub-bass (rather than the mid-bass) for a dryer bass response and well extended treble. The midrange is a bit odd with a large spike at 2.5 kHz.

Other than that – as in so many other cases – the graph sells us little about the IEM’s sound. The Stellaris’ overall signature is uneven: warm at the bottom and bright on top.

Let’s face it, the Stellaris are most of all bright, very bright. Bright right up to the uppermost registers. Cymbals and hats are dancing arround my eardrums, the bass is partially swallowed and the vocals are somewhat honky. Well, that monstrous pinna gain between 1 and 2.5 kHz does not help either.

The signature is unbalanced, which throws the Stellaris out of the orbit of my sonic enjoyment. This iem lacks cohesion. So much for the general validity of target response curves.

Other than that, some of the individual aspects are not bad. For example, the bass is reasonably deep reaching and somewhat controlled. A bit dry, perhaps, as it peaks towards the bottom end. Punch is decent and reasonably well dosed.

The lower midrange is…weird…voices are pointy and lean…nasal that is, and the opposite of rich and full. They are so thin that even the sub-bass kick overshadows them. Well, and then there is this mess at the top end.

Technically, the Stellaris are capable: big stage, good midrange clarity, decent imaging, but overall they fall easily behind the likes of the LETSCHUOER S12 and TINHIFI P1 Max – and, if you go up to $200, the Dunu Talos. Hence no reason to discuss them further.

Concluding Remarks

The Moondrop Stellaris are a disappointment to my senses: they are bulky in my ears and uneven sounding. They simply lack soul despite their technical prowess…and are therefore a great advertisement for the $79 Moondrop Aria, which remains one of the best iems in the $100 area.

Get the Aria instead.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post Moondrop Stellaris Review – Champagne Supernova appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Granted, there’s some evidence of cost cutting—no balanced outs, and the front panel switches and volume knob on the headphone amp seem a bit flimsy, but work as intended. Little of this would, of course, matter unless the SU-6/SH-6 sounded good, but fortunately they do.

As a headphone amp, the SH-6 isn’t a powerhouse (it hits its limits with my  250 ohm Beyers), but immediately impresses with its low end impact and control—slightly boomy IEMs like the Moondrop Kanas Pro  sound tighter, while more balanced pieces like the Whizzer Kylin HE03D or the 7Hz Timeless show palpably more low end depth and presence.

Other than juicing up the bass, the SH-6 is quite neutral in tone—neither bright nor warm–and added very little coloration across the spectrum. Compared to my trusty (tube) Aune T1 MK2, the SH-6 played louder, had the more expansive soundstage and presented a lot more high end detail; the Aune had the more analog, organic timbre, with the SH-6 sounding a bit leaner and more processed, albeit more resolving.

My ($150)  Project Head Box S2 actually was a close match tonally for the SH-6, with a comparable level of high-end detail, but lacked the bass thwack and speed  of the SH-6.

Moving to the headphone section of the pricier Chord Mojo gets you a richer, fuller-bodied sound, with noticeably better loud/soft dynamics and a wider stage. However I actually thought the bass on the SH-6 was crisper and extended deeper than the Mojo’s, which sounded smoother and not as sculpted.

The SH-6 likewise functions very serviceably as a digital preamp, again maintaining its neutral tone and tight bottom end, although careful pairing with sources/speakers is necessary, as the SH-6, in high-gain mode, can get a tad shrill with higher output devices or very sensitive speakers. 

The SU-6 DAC was initially the more intriguing of the pair, largely because of its lineage from the genuinely great ($450) SU-9, with which it shares a variant of the ES9038 chip. While I usually avoid measurements and graphs (which often skew my impressions on how a piece actually sounds), I cheated on this one and checked out Audioscience Review, which showed extremely good measured performance, including very high SINAD. In fact, the SU-6 was dead quiet, with no audible distortion.

As a standalone DAC (decoupled from the SH-6), the SU-6 sounded slightly bright, with a taut note texture and mostly balanced throughout the spectrum, with an etched, slightly sharp-sounding high end which can sound a little intense on amplified instruments (note that the adjustable digital filters have a small but audible effect on mitigating the intensity).

Microdetails are very present (you can clearly hear the difference between 32/768 files and lower rez stuff), though Bluetooth streaming sounded like typical Bluetooth—compressed and somewhat rolled off at the high end.

Paired with the SH-6, the SU-6 takes on the bassy-but-not-bloated character of the amp, while retaining its slight harshness at the highest frequencies. It’s a good combo nonetheless, with a high level of resolution and good PRAT. The 3x pricier SH-9/SU-9 combo, at least from memory, is more powerful and refined at the high-end, though the qualitative differences are incremental. 

Most of the other reviews I’ve read have labelled the SH-6/SU-6 a good “beginner setup”, and like anything else you can certainly spend more and get better. Frankly, unless you’re driving 600 oHm planars I wouldn’t feel a lot of compulsion to upgrade from this little stack—it does many things well and its bass quality trumps a lot of pricier pieces. Bargain.

Disclaimer

This stack was sent to me by SHENZHENAUDIO for review purposes and I thank them for that. It will go to Durwood for a 2nd opinion.

SMSL SU-6 DAC: tested at $169.99. Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO.

SMSL SH-6 amp: tested a $119.99. Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO.

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SMSL SU-6 and SMSL SH-6

The post SMSL SU-6 DAC and SH-6 Headphone Amplifier/Preamp Review (1) – Bargain… appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Instead of first impressions, we offer completely flavour-neutral optical treatments before following up with our exhaustive reviews of the products’ performances.

Current Photography

1. BQEYZ Autumn vs. BEQYZ Summer (Jürgen Kraus)
2. Hidizs MM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
3. IKKO OH2 vs. IKKO OH1S (Jürgen Kraus)

Vintage Photography (prior to March 2022)

1. AME Custom Argent Hybrid Electrostatic (Jürgen Kraus)
2. Anew X-One (Jürgen Kraus)
3. Blon BL-05 Beta (Jürgen Kraus)
4. Blon BL-05 Beta (Jürgen Kraus)
5. Blon BL-05 MKI & MKII (Jürgen Kraus)
6. BQEYZ Spring 1 (Jürgen Kraus)
7. BQEYZ Spring 2 (Durwood)
8. CCA CA16 (Durwood)
9. Drop + JVC HA-FXD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
10. Fidue A65/A66 (Jürgen Kraus)
11. FiiO FD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
12. FiiO FHs1 (Jürgen Kraus)
13. Hill Audio Altair • RA (Jürgen Kraus)
14. iBasso IT01 V2 (Jürgen Kraus)
15. Hilidac Atom Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
16. Ikko OH1 (Jürgen Kraus)
17. KBEAR Believe (Jürgen Kraus)
18. KBEAR Diamond (Jürgen Kraus)
19. KBEAR hi7 (Jürgen Kraus)
20. KBEAR KB04 (Jürgen Kraus)
21. KBEAR Lark (Jürgen Kraus)
22. Kinboofi MK4 (Jürgen Kraus)
23. KZ ASX (Jürgen Kraus)
24. KZ ZSN Pro (Slater)
25. Moondrop Crescent (Jürgen Kraus)
26. Moondrop Illumination (Jürgen Kraus)
27. Moondrop Kanas Pro Edition (Jürgen Kraus)
28. Moondrop SSP (Jürgen Kraus)
29. Moondrop SSR (Jürgen Kraus)
30. Moondrop Starfield (Jürgen Kraus)
31. NiceHCK Blocc 5N Litz UPOCC OCC Copper Earphone Cable
32. NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus)
33. NiceHCK NX7 (Jürgen Kraus)
34. NiceHCK NX7 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
35. Queen of Audio Pink Lady (Jürgen Kraus)
36. Revonext QT5 (Slater)
37. SeeAudio Yume (Jürgen Kraus)
38. Senfer DT6 (Slater)
39. Sennheiser IE 300
40. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO
41. Shozy Form 1.1 and Shozy Form 1.4
42. Shozy Form 1.4 (Jürgen Kraus)
43. Shozy Rouge (Jürgen Kraus)
44. Simgot EM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
45. Simgot EN700 Pro (Slater)
46. Smabat ST-10 (Jürgen Kraus)
47. Tin Hifi T2 Plus (Jürgen Kraus)
48. Tin-Hifi T4 (Jürgen Kraus)
49. TRN-STM (Jürgen Kraus)
50. TRN V90 (Jürgen Kraus
51. TRN-VX (Jürgen Kraus)
52. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (Jürgen Kraus)

The post Photography appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Thanks to Whizzer for giving us a chance to check out the new Whizzer Kylin HE03D, they did not arrive in a whiz or a jif as expected, but got hung up in the delays our ongoing pandemic has created. Like the similar named Whizzer roller-coaster at the local Six Flags, they provided me with some form of entertainment watching the tracking and perusing their product page on Aliexpress.

The original HE03 was a 3 driver hybrid. Instead these are a $199 ($159 pre-order price) DLC (Diamond Like Coating) 12mm dynamic driver with premium styled packaging, nice “vegan” leather case and 3 different types of easy eartips promising to accentuate various aspects of the earphones. Satisfyingly, they did provide the enhancements they promised so off to a good start.

While I find no enjoyment removing things from boxes and rarely critique packaging, I can see they wanted the unboxing experience to feel premium, with magnetic flaps that satisfyingly snap shut including the manual nicely tucked behind another magnetic flap in an envelope labled “Work of Whiz”.

Upon opening it reveals a jewel like faceplate presentation. The Diamond Starburst is reflected by the 3D curved glass surface in a very beautiful artsy aesthetic. They are correct that different angles catch the luster of the Starburst design by J.IDEA+ Studio.

These attention grabbing solid construction flagship earphones focus on a tight boosted mid-bass reproduction with a neutral middle and an unassuming wobbly top end and an array of eartips for simple tuning. This has to be the longest intro I have ever written.

Disclaimer: Provided free from Whizzer with the only stipulation to review them by February 9^th, unfortunately shipping delays forced me to fail at the only request. I don’t blame others though so pretend this is February 9th as you read this.

GOOD TRAITS

• Feels premium, materials are all top notch
• Varying eartip designs that alter the sound in easily definable ways
• Tight controlled bass due the Helmholz resonator M.D.B.S Denisity System
• Relaxed sound signature non-fatiguing

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Can sound a little dark with the reference eartips, sharp with the soundstage tips
• Resolution impacted by the wobbly treble
• Sounds crowded on a smart phone, amplification helps
• Bass hump higher in frequency impacting sub-bass reproduction

DESIGN

The Whizzer Kylin HE03D sports a full metal shell with tight fitting 6N OCC 2 pin cables marked only one side with a red dot that matches the red dot on the right shell, no other markings to indicate the channel.

Inside there a 5^th generation 12mm DLC dynamic controlled by a Multiple Damping Balance System (M.D.B.S) Density system aka Helmholz resonator to control the airflow in and out of the cavity, while taming offensive resonant frequencies of the cavity of the shell. This is said that in combination of the front cavity pressure damping, it better controls the overtones and noise.

Since this is more of a semi-open system rather than typical venting designs with smaller vents, the Whizzer Kylin HE03D isolation is below average. This is the fourth generation of the Kylin series so I guess maybe that is where the “D” comes from in the naming convention.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Case

The Vegan leather case is fits the jeweled nature of look they were going for, although just as I found with the TinHifi T4 case, feels a bit too bulging in my pocket. It snaps closed via magnets, just like the rest of their packaging

Easy Eartips

Like Goldilocks, I set out to test the ear-tips, first the “Reference” tips with a large protrusion, they tend to darken them up too much for me, sucking the top end life out allowing the user to focus more on the warmth of the low to middle range. They went on the nozzle and fit well.

Next up was my typical large mouth “soundstage” marked tips I usually go for that included 4 pairs, while the other two kinds only had the typical 3 pair sizing. These caused sharpness and metallic timbre to jump out of the shadows. Again the diameter fit well with the nozzle sizing.

Surprisingly, I preferred the final narrow opening “vocal” tips as it balanced out the traits I picked up with the widebores. The diameter of the vocal tips are smaller, so it takes some finesse to attach. The rest of the review will be based on the vocal tips.

SOUND

Tested with LG V30, Sony NW-A55, Liquid Spark Dac + JDS Labs Atom

To quickly describe the sound, it is warm W absent of sub bass with an emphasis in midrange over upper treble. Right away it was clear the Whizzer Kylin HE03D focused a lot of energy on a tight controlled bass probably due to lows falling off a cliff, with warmth into the lower midrange to add fullness to female vocals.

Sort of similar to open back headphones with a quick fall off. The bass hump is so wide that the bleed is not noticeable, but the lack of sub-bass is disappointing for me.

Treble is subdued but avoids sounding dark unless you choose the reference tips. I liken it to using a fullrange driver to cover midrange and treble- it does a pretty good job at covering the range, but you loose some dynamics that a separate midrange tweeter combo achieves.

Electric guitars take front and center stage with this type of tuning, but I find cymbals to be lacking some shimmer due to the W roller coaster. There will be fans of this type of tuning, but others might find it a little dull and washed out sounding on some instruments.

TECHNICALITIES

I find the Whizzer Kylin HE03D narrow sounding even with the soundstaging tips, I blame it strictly on the lack of upper end extension. As a result of the narrow stage, instrument spacing takes a hit as well.

The resolution is there, clarity is good, but sparkle would aide to bring it up a notch. Phasing is good, but timbre sounds a little metallic.

COMPARISONS

Shozy Form 1.4 ($189)

The Shozy Form 1.4 and the Whizzer Kylin HE03D share a similar warm subdued treble tuning, the Whizzer has a tighter dead bass feel, more focus in the vocal department, the Shozy Form 1.4 sounds sharper due the tight peak in the treble along with a bit more sparkle and luscious more elevated bass. The Shozy Form also comes off as less congested, but it s also a 5 driver hybrid.

Moondrop Kato ($189)

The Moondrop Kato sounds thinner in the bass department given that the bass elevation resides in the sub-bass region compared to the midbass centric Whizzer Kylin HE03D. The Whizzer bass has some more overtones than the Moondrops, but transient speed is fairly close.

Given the Moondrop Kato includes sub bass the winner is the Kato. Hoping back and forth, the VSDF tuning on the Moondrop will sound edgier and more forward in the vocals compared to the Whizzer.

Those who like more focus on the midrange sound will prefer the Whizzer, but at the expense of clarity, vividness, and just the right amount of sparkle to make things interesting that the Moondrop brings to the table.

Tforce YuanLi ($119)

Originally I was going to compare to another Moondrop (Kanas Pro), but chose the Tforce Yuanli instead since it is also a DLC driver albeit a 10mm vs the 12mm of the Whizzer Kylin HE03D. The Whizzer bass is better articulated, but both carry a similar warmth.

The soundstage is less recessed on the Whizzer, whereas the Tforce has more manufactured depth as a result of the V tuning. The Tforce also exhibits a sharpness in the treble, but it messes with the timbre. So while it sparkles more, the boost is too narrow and the Whizzer sounds more balanced in that regard.

I would rather see a broad lift instead of the Tforce’s narrow treble peak. While the Tforce Yuanli is a more exciting tuning, I would prefer the mellow tuning of the Whizzer Kylin HE03D for longer listening sessions.

OUTRO

The build quality and look is a stunner for the Whizzer Kylin HE03D, the tuning is great for those who don’t want the emphasis to be on the treble or the sub bass. Fit is great, feels very smooth, but are also on the larger heavier side. Nice range of eartips and a fancy looking carrying case fit well in this price bracket.

Personally I would prefer more treble extension and a slight lift while pushing the bass peak lower to bring in sub-bass to round out the tuning and give it more pizzazz, but that might not have been the goal.

I cannot comment on how this fourth generation Kylin model compares with some of the earlier models, but from a design standpoint it is very gorgeous to ogle at. It has tough competition in this mid-tier price bracket, and it is not going to be a majority crowd pleaser, not that there is anything wrong with that.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Eartip Plots
• Whizzer Kylin HE03D, Moondrop Kato, Tforce YuanLi Overlays

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from the official Aliexpress Store, or various distributors of your liking.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Whizzer Kylin HE03D (Review 1) – Can Anybody Beat The Whiz!? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

To the extent I ever think about cables, I’m a moderate—generally, I neither believe that all well-made cables sound the same nor that you can radically change an IEM’s  tuning with a cable. I’ve also previously rejected as fantastical the notion that silver cables are brighter than copper or that heavier gauges are somehow better. However, the Leyding did have enough of a sonic impact that I’m starting to rethink some of my preconceptions.

The plastic-sheathed 8-core braided Kinera Leyding doesn’t look or feel especially luxe, except for its modular output design, which provides for detachable 2.5mm balanced, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.5mm balanced plugs. Build seems solid, with metal connectors and gold-plated plugs, but the 3.5mm plug is too stubby to fit in the protective case on my mobile (I had to use a M to F extender, which admittedly is not a great sacrifice). The cable does feel soft and supple around your ears, and (in contrast to the stock Bravery cable) is free from microphonics and awkward memory.

Contrary to my preconceptions, the Kinera Leyding very significantly changed the presentation of the SeeAudio Bravery. First and foremost, it boosted the volume considerably—while I leave measurements to my more technogeek colleagues, I hypothesize that the Leyding has lower impedance than the stock Bravery cable (less impedance=greater volume).

However, it also made the already-bright Bravery brighter and made the low end, which had somewhat slow decay with the stock cable, audibly tighter. Not all of these changes were favorable—guitar strings and female vox with the Leyding sounded a little more shrill/digital, albeit more detailed. Overall, however, the Kinera Leyding was an improvement.

Results with the ($49) KZ ZS10 Pro were less successful. Again, the phones sounded louder with the Leyding than with the stock copper cable (which is $9 on KZ’s website) and notes seemed weightier. However, the Kinera Leyding tended to bloat the bass to a painful level, which was better-controlled with the cheaper original.

With the Moondrop Kanas Pro, whose stock cable is thinner but also silver plated copper, the differences were much more subtle—I may have heard a bit more weight in the notes with the Leyding, but I can’t swear that there wasn’t some expectancy bias in play. 

I’m happy to own the Kinera Leyding—the detachable plugs are useful gimmick, it’s very comfortable to wear and a definite enhancement to some phones. You could probably find an equivalent performer for less  (though given its lavish presentation the Leyding seems fairly priced). Above all, it made me actually care about cables for the first time, which is worth something. 

Disclaimer: gifted by and available from HifiGo. Thanks, guys and gals. 

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Contact us!

The post Kinera Leyding .78mm 2 pin Cable Review – Better Living Through Science appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Included “Spring Tips” too small for big ear canals.

Executive Summary

The Moondrop KATO か と is a well-balanced, smooth sounding single DD earphone that sets a new standard in the $200 region.

Introduction

In the Japanese syllabary of Hiragana, か と stands for “ka to” or Kato, which is the 10th most Japanese surname. I struggled with these characters in my Japanese class at university during the mid 1990s…in order to end up in China later – many times. And yes, it was Chengdu, Sichuan, the home of Moondrop. C’est la vie. But we digress.

The 10 also stands for the number of Moondrop iems I have reviewed, following the company’s odyssey of tunings, always with micropore tape on standby to tame the iems’ upper midrange.

But, to my absolute delight, there is no more tape needed for the か と, pardon “KATO”. It is as smooth as silk. I said it weeks earlier in the SBAF forum, Moondrop are raising the <$200 bar with this model.

Now, before you pull the trigger on your order, please read on. The fact that this iem is astounding still does not mean everybody will love it. There are some strange listeners out there, after all.

The か と, erm…well…you know…is a further development of the $190 KXXS, which was a modification of the $190 KPE (Kanas Pro Edition). I don’t know the KXXS but found the KPE incoherent in that it was warm and thick at the low end and overly lean and neutral in the midrange. I did not like it.

The $110 Moondrop Starfield was said to be very similar sounding as the KXXS (although some disagree), but they are somewhat “loose” at the low end compared to the Kato.

The $90 Aria has recently rolled up the Moondrop field from underneath for being coherent, articulate, but it is also a bit peaky, which nevertheless made it my favourite Moondrop model so far…until now. Spoiler alert: the KATO is even better in that it is smoother and richer. Everything in the KATO is bigger compared to the leaner Aria. It is like a cappuccino with generous whipped cream vs. a strong cup of black tea.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

In the (rather big) box are the two earpieces, 2 sets of screw-on tuning nozzles (steel and brass), a carrying bag and a carrying case, a set of foams and a set of Moondrop’s own “Spring Tips”, the earphone cable, and the unavoidable paperwork. Generous!

The steel earpieces are virtually identical with the KPE’s and KXXS’ from the outside, but inside they host a new Ultra-Linear Technology driver for improved dynamics and resolution (info on product page). All these earpieces have the same comfortable fit.

The cable is bordering on spectacular – and you know I usually don’t care much about those. It is of medium weight and intermediate stiffness with fantastic haptic and no microphonics.

The in-house developed “Spring Eartips” also feel superb: they have a rather thin membrane and feel extremely grippy. Unfortunately, they are rather small so that even the largest pair does not fit my ear canals. In contrast, the foams are of generous sizes. And since foams generally do not do it for me, I have good results with the Final E tips (clear version). With those, isolation is ok.

The Moondrop KATO can be driven with a phone, but they get more life when amplified.

Tonality and Technicalities

Equipment used: Sony NW-A55, MacBook Air + Audioquest DragonFly Red/Earstudio HUD100/EarMen Eagle + AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ; steel and brass stock nozzles; Final E tips (clear version).

Sonically, the Moondrop KATO has no sharp corners or other sonic vulgarities, everything is well measured and well composed. To achieve this, low end and midrange have been dialled back compared to previous models.

Despite lesser quantity, the low end is digging deep down into the lowest frequencies with the bass climaxing at the transition to the sub-bass. This avoids a thumpy midbass. The low end is weighty with enough rumble, and the mid bass has a good punch, but both are well dosed and not overwhelming – and rather smooth and subtle. Decay is realistic and there is no bleed into the lower midrange. The bass adds some colour to the mix.

In contrast to its predecessors such as the KPE, the KATOs’s midrange also has some colour which harmonizes much better with the low end. The KATO’s midrange is fuller bodied with well rounded notes and a good weight but also offers great clarity, transparency, and spatial cues.

New is the lack of an upper midrange (and treble) peak which attenuated and sharpened vocals in the Starfield or, to a lesser extent, in the Aria. Nothing aggressive in the KATO. Hurrah, Moondrop finally did it and I can retire my micropore tape I used to stick onto so many Moondrop nozzles to tame the upper midrange.

Treble has better extension than (many) previous Moondrop single DD models but always remains sweet, composed, and well resolving, contibuting to KATO’s overall cohesion.

Staging and imaging are outstanding. Soundstage has good depth and height at average width. There is no congestion, great three-dimensionality, very good separation and layering. Transients are realistic, which adds to the smoothness.

I summary, the Moondrop KATO is one of (if not) the smoothest and most homogenous iems I have tested.

All of the above was determined with the steel nozzle. The brass nozzle adds body to the sound but also removes clarity. I therefore prefer the steel nozzle, which was also used for the comparisons below.

Moondrop KATO compared

Since Moondrop have pursued their VDSF target in their recent single DD models, their frequency responses are all rather similar – but not their sound. The biggest difference is probably between the KATO and the $800 Moondrop Illumination in that the latter has a much more boosted upper midrange, which made it somewhat shouty to my ears. I much prefer the much cheaper KATO.

In comparison, the Moondrop Aria has more bass and a prominent treble peak, which makes it overall more aggressive sounding. The Aria is also leaner, cooler, and edgier sounding with inferior imaging. So yes, the KATO is a worthy upgrade.

The Moondrop Starfield is looser and less measured across the frequency spectrum with earlier treble rolloff and a narrow stage. It is also behind the KATO in terms of technicalities and I even prefer the Aria over the Starfield.

The $250 single DD JVC HA-FDX1 (on our Wall of Exellence “WoE”) have been a very highly regarded standard staple for the last 2 years, mainly because of their rather accurate tonality at a very reasonable price. The JVCs are more neutral and crisper in their attack compared to the warmer, smoother and more immersive KATO, which lack the JVC’s upper midrange glare.

The JVCs have a flatter stage, the perfect bass, they are harder to drive, but they are tonally very accurate and are even cleaner sounding than the KATO. It is a bit silly to compare these as both are superb in their own way.

The IKKO OH10, also on our WoE, has a more pronounced V-shape than the KATO with a thicker, boomier, more impactful/more satisfying bass and more recessed leaner and sharper, that is more energetic midrange. This results in a huge soundstage. Again, the IKKO OH10 are a different beast and not exchangeable for the Kato.

Finally ddHiFi Janus2 (taped) is shouty and thinner (in the midrange) sounding than the KATO. It also has less bass. The Janus2 is not remotely as smooth and cohesive as the KATO.

Concluding Remarks

Moondrop finally got it 100% right. Their KATO is a super smooth performer with a superb overall presentation. It is technically and tonally good enough to please both analytical and recreational listeners. You cannot do better at this price, as simple as that. Just bo and guy it. What…?

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The KATO was kindly provided from Moondrop via their distributor Shenzhenaudio – and I thank them for that.

Get the KATO from SHENZHENAUDIO.

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Percentage of Single Pedestrians Wearing Headphones or IEMS: 60%

Wireless vs. Wired: 65%

Apple vs. Non-Apple: 60%

Headphones vs. IEMs:  5%

Over-ear cable IEMs: <1%

Conclusions:

1. A surprising number of people are plugging in—when I made the same informal survey two years ago fewer than half were wearing headphones or IEMs.
2. Wireless is the future.
3. We traditionalists, who tout fancy over-ear IEMs with  cable upgrades, external amps, etc., are a tiny, ever-dwindling minority.

Digression aside, I confess to approaching this review of Hidizs’s new $69 dongle with a fair amount of skepticism, mainly because its rated output power (55mW@32Ohm) is underwhelming on paper. However, as Sir Isaac Newton (or perhaps Ted Bundy) once stated, all milliwatts are not created equal—it’s all in the implementation. In any case, the Hidizs S3 Pro is a pretty impressive piece of kit whose performance, within its limitations, belies its modest specs.

The Hidizs S3 Pro is a well-machined, if diminuitive thing which, unlike the Hidisz S9, is strictly plug and play with my Android phone. It does run warm and seems to suck up an above-average amount of power.

Like the S9, the S3 Pro is by no means neutral-sounding—it has a bright tone and a forward, adrenalized L-shaped sound signature which, when paired with efficient (16-32Ohm) IEMs, has the effect of tightening and deepening the low end. Some of my more “referenced-tuned” IEMs, such as the TY Hi-Z G3 or the Vivo, which are conspicuously bass-shy when driven by my mobile, actually sound pretty punchy with the Hidizs S3 Pro, while the voluminous but slightly flabby low end of my Moondrop Kanas Pro sounded conspicuously faster and better-sculpted with the Hidizs S3 Pro.

The net result is to create the impression of more space between performers (since the low end has less bleed into higher frequencies) and, correspondingly, to make the soundstage seem wider. 

Results with less efficient phones such as my 150 Ohm Faeal Snow Leopard earbuds were less impressive—the Hidizs S3 Pro drives ‘em okay, but other than, again, a tighter and more impactful bass, didn’t really get louder than or improve on my LG V50 in high-impedance mode, which sounded less colored and truer to source.

The S3 also really struggled to drive my Beyerdynamic DT990 cans, which, in fairness, aren’t designed for portable use. However, the combination of the Hidizs S3 Pro with my power-hungry Shozy Rouge was revelatory—the Shozy took on a physicality and fullness I hadn’t previously heard.

The big distinguishing feature of the Hidizs S3 Pro is its ability to decode MQA. MQA has become the third rail of the audio world, with many churlish types opining that it’s somehow an overhyped scam because it’s a ”lossy” format. As presented by the Hidizs S3 Pro, however, you can fully hear the difference between FLAC and MQA masters on Tidal—the MQA is mega-detailed and more expansive, albeit somewhat overbright and overemphasized in the treble, which is more of a function of the recording than the S3. I did find the lower-rez FLAC tracks to be less fatiguing and more natural-sounding, but of course you may well think otherwise.

Ultimately, the pressing question is whether the Hidizs S3 Pro is a good buy  at $70 given the fact that a perfectly adequate dongle like the Meizu Master Hi-Fi can be had for <$25, while more powerful, well-reviewed pieces like the Hidizs S9, Cozoy or various Audioquest can be had for around a hundo.  

Well, unless you intend to pair the S3 Pro with challenging loads, I’d opine in the affirmative—in terms of refinement and esp. bass control the S3 is a step up from the budget class, while its beefier, pricier rivals get louder but don’t necessarily sound better. I’m sufficiently enamored to use the Hidizs S3 Pro as my daily driver, at least until a newer shinier toy comes along.

Disclaimer: Not like I needed or wanted another dongle, but the Hidizs S3 Pro was sent for review, unsolicited and free, by Hidisz.

Tested at：$70

Product Page/Purchase Link: Hidizs.net

Discount code：KEN5

5% off for AP80/AP80 pro/(DH80s/80)/MS2/MS4/S9 pro/MS1/H2 and bundles

Discount code：KEN3

3% off for S8/MS1 rainbow/Seeds/H1/BT01

(Customers will enter this discount code at checkout)

For everyone

One use per customer

Visit the Hidizs YouTube Channel

The editor: I think you are purchasing through an “affiliate link”. Any “kickback” will be 100% donated to charities, as done in the past. To avoid conflict of interest, we do NOT keep any of this money, not even for covering the operational cost of this blog.

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So this the part where all blogs tell you Tforce Audio is another one of those OEM/ODM companies in China that decided they should stamp their name on their own product. Sure why not, everyone else is doing that. Smart move to actually pick a name that makes sense to western customers and not just a keyboard mashup. There seemed to be some interest brewing for the Tforce Audio Yuan Li throughout the community of earphone users.

I thank Hifigo for providing this set to a fellow who had no idea what these entailed. This wholly balanced easy going set is a cheese and wine earphone, something that is very relaxing and pleasant to listen to after a busy day.

GOOD TRAITS

• Tuning, Tonality, Timbre
• Nice assortment of eartips

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Bass is over-damped and needs amplification. I would like to see it tuned a little lower and with more freedom to articulate and provide slightly more definition.
• Plastic feeling cable, it does resist kinks pretty well though

COMFORT / ISOLATION

Isolation on the Tforce Audio Yuan Li is pretty decent slightly above average. Comfort is excellent for me even with the considerable heft of the shell weight. Not a lot of fiddling is required to make them sit correctly.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Tforce Audio Yuan Li comes in a highly decorative box having that old world feel. Collectors will love it while people like me will repurpose or recycle it. The earphone case is reptilian skin-like leather inspiring a high class feel which is what they must have been going for. It follows the trend that bigger boxes inspire a more premium product lays waiting inside. Have to love marketing mind games, I am on to you.

The Tforce Audio Yuan Li itself is a trip down memory lane with throwbacks to the Moondrop Kanas Pro period. It’s chrome and uses a DLC coated dynamic driver. The shell is rounded and smooth, no sharp edges and is well assembled.

Cabling is of the twisted variety and has a stiff plastic feel, but it doesn’t tangle as easily as some others. The slider tends to stick to the cable, but that’s ok because then it stays in place where you put it.

Tforce Audio comes supplied with two sets of eartips. They got you covered with a balanced set which means a wider bore, and the bass tips which equates to narrow bore. Then there is the one set of foamies. I personally preferred the widebore, which is pretty much always.

SOUND

Sources: LG V30+ and Sony NW-A55 (mobile)/ Liquid Spark Dac + JDS Labs Atom (stationary)

The Tforce Audio Yuan Li tuning is a diffuse field near neutral with a warming bass lift. I will classify as completely neutral, but for others neutral equals rolled off bass. This just has flat bass in quantity and quality. Bass is heavily damped, smart phone users and even stand alone daps may struggle to really extract the bass from this set. They are more appreciated with amplification.

Tforce Audio manages to keep the bass controlled maybe a little constricted, but definitely not as slow like the Moondrop Kanas Pro. Carries notes well when amped, but a little too curt when using something like a smartphone. You will have to use the volume at a higher level to bring the bass to life. Lowest of the lows will not tickle your pickle, but it’s not chopped at the end either. Overall it is lays out some warmth without stepping out of bounds. Articulation could see some improvement.

Lower mids present vocals naturally and with a dark background. Pianos as well as guitars sound realistic too without sounding one dimensional. The Tforce Audio Yuan Li come off a little forward on the vocals. There is not a single hint of “added” sibilance just smooth as can be and nicely done. This is a western tuning, with a mild rise that avoids coming off shouty.

Treble on the Tforce Audio Yuan Li also follows suit remaining controlled with no sharpness except when needed for trumpets and sax. It doesn’t contain any fake airiness but also manages to sound fluid when presenting cymbals and flutes. It’s easy to hear the notes float avoiding any kind of dullness. No detection of any weird anomalies that mess with the timbre.

My only complaint again is that maybe it is too controlled, I would like to feel the cymbal crashes a little more but this is nitpicking. Overall Tforce Audio Yuan Li manages a well balanced treble that mates up with the slight warmth in the bass.

TECHNICALITIES

Timbre is nailed by the Tforce Audio Yuan Li, and coherency is not a problem either because it is a single dynamic. Spacing is handled well and congestion is not an issue. Enhanced width with only a minor drawback in depth. Resolution is what I expect in this price range, it does out-resolve the $50ish offerings and fits nicely in the $100-150 range, with some other multiple driver units sometimes besting it.

This might just be a function of the diffuse field tuning however when comparing other sets that place extra emphasis towards 5khz. If I had to give it a letter grade on technical merits perhaps a B-.

COMPARISON: Tforce Audio Yuan Li ($119) vs. Moondrop Kanas Pro ($179 discontinued)

I would have liked to compare to the Moondrop Starfield, but I stupidly misplaced them for eternity. So, the Moondrop Kanas Pro seems like a good stand in being a DLC driver earphone like the TForce Audio Yuan Li however being discontinued and nearly double in cost. I already mentioned the slightly more controlled/damped bass, the treble is a tad brighter on the Moondrop Kanas Pro while the Tforce Audio Yuan Li takes a relaxed path on treble so that it is not overbearing. This is the difference between a diffuse field peak and a Harman plateau. It really is not a huge difference between these two, I actually forgot which one I was listening to when trying to compare. The weight, the feel and the sound are very similar.

FINAL REMARKS

For a virgin product, the Tforce Audio Yuan Li is a force to be reckoned with. Honestly this comes real close to a cheaper Moondrop Kanas Pro with tightly damped bass. If you were sad to miss out on the Moondrop Kanas Pro or the Sony MH1C seriously consider picking these up. Let’s hope these are not a one hit wonder, and Tforce Audio can crank out some other options to satisfy other tunings. Pleasant vocals with a hint of warmth and sprinkle of sparkle treble, these hit the mark. The Tforce Audio Yuan Li is on my approved list.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Tforce Yuan Li vs Moondrop Kanas Pro vs Sony MH1C

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DISCLAIMER

These were provided free of charge by HifiGo which sells them on their website here and also on Amazon. There must have been a good sale on chrome plating, because my desk is starting to look like a scene from T2 with all this chrome laying around.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post Tforce Audio Yuan Li Review (1) – Harmonious Doppelgänger appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — 10 kHz driver resonance peak introduces some hardness at higher volumes.

Executive Summary

The Moondrop Aria is a cohesive sounding single dynamic-driver (“DD”) earphone with a good timbre and excellent technical competence that may suffer slightly from a treble peak. It is a “substantial sidegrade up” from the “slower” Starfield at a lower price.

Introduction

I claim to know a bit about Moondrop single-dynamic-driver earphones. Following their trends from with the Harman-target-tuned Kanas Pro Edition (KPE) and Crescent, through the slightly bass-reduced Starfield variety, to the near-diffuse-field tuned SSR and SSP, I recently ended with the premium Illumination. To be continued.

This is not Moondrop’s first Aria model. The previous one has the same cylindrical shells as the Crescent, and both went somewhat under the radar and were discontinued, prematurely (imo). The $30 Crescent was undermining Moondrop’s own marketing by being competition to their $180 KPE. Yes, it was that good. Will the “new” Aria, which has absolutely nothing in common with the “old” one, also be able to compete with Moondrop’s higher-priced models?

The “new” Aria is Moondrop’s first ~$100 model in over a year. It follows the Starfield by frequency response, which is broadly a bass-reduced Harman target – now with a treble boost. Sound wise both follow the same scheme with the Aria being more cohesive and “disciplined” to my ears. It differs from the lower-priced SSR/SSP by its reduced hotness and better staging.

The similarities between the Starfield and the Aria have been recorded by many reviewers. While this does not come as a surprise, there are distinct differences and – spoiler alert – I prefer the Moondrop Aria for many reasons, from haptic and ergonomics to sound. I actually like it A LOT.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

Yes, the Moondrop Aria also offers improved ergonomics. The earpieces have shrunk compared to its older $100-200 single-DD siblings, at least on the outside: the faceplates have become flat so that they sit flush with the ears, the “cherries” don’t stick out as far anymore. Fit and comfort are as good as before and isolation is ok.

The textile cable has no mentionable microphonics and feels as smooth and attractive between the fingers as the earpieces themselves with their matte metal finish. The homogenous presentation is rounded off by the nifty box – could have been a bit more roomy. I take it, Moondrop’s target keyword for the Aria was “compact”…from storage through appearance to sound.

Tonality and Technicalities

Equipment used: MacBook Air/iPhone SE (1st gen.) + AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt; iPod Classic (6th gen.) with Helm DB12 THX mobile amp.

The elephant first: from my holistic view, the Moondrop Aria is a single DD with a tight bottom and a well extended top end, the synergy of which results in a very articulate presentation with extremely good cohesion. The midrange definition further benefits from a 10 kHz driver resonance peak that also introduces some hardness. Nevertheless is the Moondrop Aria a sonic delight that works well with a phone but also does justice to more expensive days/amps.

Don’t tell us it’s got a long trunk, fat legs, and rough brown skin. Tell us instead it’s an elephant!” – RON FROM MEXICO CITY

Sure, the the Moondrop Aria broadly follows the Starfield in its tuning. Apart from some tiny differences at the low end and a slightly reduced upper midrange, the Moondrop Aria features the aforementioned prominent driver resonance peak at 10 kHz, which is clearly audible. But quantities tell us only half the story…let’s focus on the sonic qualities.

Frequency Response Diagrams of Moondrop Aria and Moondrop Starfield

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Whereas many claim there is not much of a difference between Starfield and Aria, the devil is in the small details…which ad up to a snowball effect, at least to my ears. According to the manufacturer, the Moondrop Aria, with its new liquid crystal polymer (“LCP”) diaphragm promises to deliver “excellent transient response and high resolution sound details”, and this is actually true in my opinion. So, what you expect is that the LCP diaphragm should have a better distortion characteristic for low frequencies.

And yes, that’s what I hear. The bass is articulate and well textured, no hint of fuzz or boom, fast bass sections do not get smeared. The well extended low end is well controlled and composed, it fits in like a brick in the wall. One could compare it to a tight sportscar suspension. It was its bass boom the Starfield had been criticized for.

The bottom shelf has consequences for the transition to the lower midrange, the Achilles heel of previous models. It is seamless. In some previous Moondrop DDs, a soft, voluptuous bass led into a lean, neutral vocals department, which did not harmonize at all. In the Aria, bass and vocals are from the same mold. And while the midrange remains neutral and well sculptured in the Moondrop Aria, the less distorting/less smearing bass brings it out better and this also results in midrange clarity and transparency. The upper midrange was kept pretty much the same as in the Starfield – which avoids shoutiness – but only by a hair.

Another difference to previous <$200 Moondrop single DDs is a better treble extension, which also introduces a driver-diaphragm resonance peak at around 10 kHz. This adds some crispness to the overall presentation, but also some hardness at higher volumes. But since it contributes to midrange clarity also, moderate volumes benefit from this resonance.

Adding all this up not only translates to a very articulate, accurate presentation, it also contributes to a reasonably wide (but not the most expansive) and tall soundstage, with a good depth, great spatial cues, as well as a really good definition, separation, and, most of all, to an outstanding note definition and cohesion across the frequency spectrum. Very good technicalities. All this makes for a great listen independent of the Moondrop Aria’s modest price.

Moondrop Aria Compared

Back to the Starfield. Its slower low end and its reduced treble extension makes the whole sonic perception less crisp and cohesive. The differences become most obvious when listening to the whole frequency spectrum in context. It is the cohesion and the faster transients that make the Aria most appealing to my ears. The elephant, you remember…

Compared to the SSP/SSR, the Moondrop Aria is much less spicy and grainy, notes are better defined, and the ceiling on the stage is higher. The Aria sounds simply more homogenous, and is technically better, but you see/hear the handwriting from the SSP/SSR.

Frequency Response Diagrams of Moondrop Aria and Moondrop SSP

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Another recent find is the Whizzer Kylin HE01. It is by no means worse than the Moondrop Aria, just different. And quite a bit.

Frequency Response Diagrams of Moondrop Aria and Whizzer Kylin HE01

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Apart from it retro appearance and its resin build, the Whizzer is easier to drive and more on the fun side. It is exuberant, forward, with more and slightly looser bass, and very intimate vocals.  Moondrop Aria is more disciplined, controlled and composed, and more technical. 

If the Whizzer was the guy in the jeans outfit with a Volkswagen cabriolet on the beach, the Moondrop Aria is the chap in a suit with a mid-sized BMW in front of the opera house. I’d say the Whizzer works better with cheap electronics and you tickle out more of the Aria with a good dac-amp.

YouTube Video

Concluding Remarks

What makes Moondrop distinct from many of their competitors is that they invest in real R&D, that they continuously evolve their technologies, and that they always have some good ideas. And this progressive development shows.

The Moondrop Aria is a winner. It may look inconspicuous and generic on a first glance, but wait until you put them into your ears and switch the music on. Actually, only until you hold them in your hands…It is another step up in Moondrop’s single DD offerings below $200, and that at a lower price. I prefer it over the Starfield based on its cohesion and faster transients. And it likely even puts Moondrop’s KXXS to shame. What else do we want?

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The Moondrop Aria was supplied from Moondrop in Chengdu (but dispatched from Shenzenaudio), and I thank them for that.

Get the Moondrop Aria from the Moondrop Store

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You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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Nozzle mesh screens sometimes look like a decorative piece or something just to keep the ear juice out. They can create problems though when they wick up too much moisture or modders decide to remove them completely. Below you can see up close images of various nozzle mesh screens serving a vital function – to dampen unwanted resonances. The screen openings themselves (number of holes + diameter of holes) can also factor into the tuning of the earphone, but this was not included as part of this investigation. Below are samples of certain earphones where nozzle screens were discussed in more than passing on certain forums, as well as a popular modder tool otherwise known by the name of micropore tape or paper tape.

KZ ZS3

It was quite the rage to remove these screens and I see why. Mine was actually two plastic screens stuck together. Was this a mistake or on purpose?

SONY MH755

Reviewed here. Modders like to remove the foam plug, but do not remove the black mesh screen. It tames the peaks at 2.8kHz and 5.3khz giving it almost a textbook Harman curve. Very much important noted by certain modders like Slater.

BQEYZ SPRING 1

Our takes on the Spring 1 here. Modders claimed by removing the screen it would get rid of the woolly bass. I removed mine and the quality of the bass did not change, but treble peaks were turned up giving the illusion of improved bass. The bass was just masked by the extra treble punch. Again, I do not recommend removing unless there wasn’t enough upper midrange in the stock tuning. I have heard that other BQEYZ models employ tuning filters directly on the BA units, so this might explain why the screen only has a minor impact.

MOONDROP KANAS PRO

We covered the KPE exhaustively here. Notorious for clogging with moisture in high humidity areas or sweaty ears, Moondrop eventually started selling replacement nozzle screens and included them in subsequent models like the Starfield. They have an interesting arrangement of a small rectangular area with extra damping coverage. Similar to using a partial piece of micropore tape. Again removing it introduces peakiness. Not recommended.

MICROPORE TAPE (3M NEXCARE PAPER TAPE)

Micropore tape has a very irregular pattern. Not much to say about it other than it doesn’t seem to target any specific frequency. All the other filters are uniform and tend to dampen certain frequencies. Useful as a butter knife, not a scalpel.

SUMMARY

So personally, I do not recommend removing nozzle mesh screens unless planning to replace or mod with something else. There might be exceptions such as pure balanced armature IEM’s that utilize resistance damper filter plugs on the end of the balanced armature itself. Therefore the nozzle screen is not like putting a screen door on a submarine, most appear to be used as resistive dampers to tame the frequency response. I’m not suggesting it is wrong to remove the filters, but be aware of the consequences. If there are other earphone modding materials you would like to see up close and personal, leave a comment below or feel free to get in touch with us and we will see what we can do to expand this article.

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DISCLAIMER

Sometimes I stare blankly at walls.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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Cons — Very source AND volume dependent; rather bright and therefore aggressive sounding at higher volumes; shallow soundstage; music bleeds to bystanders; LACK OF TUNING FILTERS; haptically not much different from the company’s budget/mid tier offerings; mediocre accessories for its class; expensive.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Moondrop Illumination is a warm-bright single-dynamic-driver earphone that will please the purist but it can be aggressive sounding for many at higher volumes.

INTRODUCTION

I like single-dynamic drivers. In fact, I prefer them over hybrids. Yes, I sacrifice technical competence for natural sound. What good is it when a symphony sounds detailed but artificial?

Reviewers have to listen analytically for the review’s sake in the short preparation period, and there is a tendency for many to find ever new and unusual adjectives, fancy attributes, and flowery language to make themselves and their review stick out.

But apart from advances in prose one should also have the recreational listening experience in mind, looking ahead to the everyday use of the product beyond a review. How long will the appeal last? This long-term enjoyment, which defines the real value of a product, relies less on strict technical performance but on factors such as “sonic comfort”, for example. And that’s where dynamic-driver earphones are typically underrated.

I have been following Moondrop for the last few years observing their shift in tuning philosophy from Harman target towards diffuse-field neutral. Together, we steered our Spaceships and Super Spaceships (Pulse and Reference) through the odd Starfleld across the Milky Way. We are now reaching the outer edge of our galaxy, where we encounter some…erm…Illumination. And, while asking for forgiveness for my flat humour, I will describe this phenomenon as follows.

SPECIFICATIONS

Drivers: 11 mm dynamic
Impedance: 25 Ω @ 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 124 dB/Nrms @ 1kHz
Frequency Range: 20 – 20,000 Hz (IEC60318-4); 10-50000Hz (1/4Inch Free field Mic)
Cable/Connector: OCC copper with SPC shielding + replaceable plugs (2.5 mm single ended, 2.5 mm/4.4 mm balanced); 0.78 mm, 2 pin
Tested at: $799
Product Page/Purchase Link: Moondrop Official Store

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

In the boox were the earpieces, the occ copper cable with replaceable plugs, airplane adapter, spare filters with tweezers, eartips, and a case.

The haptic of the earpieces is not much different from the discontinued $180 KPE or the current KXXS models…other than that the colour is golden and not silver. The silicone eartips are the same as in all other Moondrop models. Even the twisted cable is not out of the ordinary (it works). The only extravaganzas are that monstrous retail box and the Louis-Vuitton-grade carrying case. Overall, I am missing the “little luxury” expected from this price category.

The metal earpieces are reasonably small, not too heavy, they fit me well and are comfortable over longer sessions. The nozzles are long enough even for my problematically huge ear canals, and they don’t have a lip (but I never “lost” the eartips). Isolation is quite good for me…but not for my wife next to me (or the guy on the bus), as sound bleeds owing to the design. And I had to swap the stock eartips for the SpinFit CP145 to optimize seal.

The Moondrop Illumination are driven very easily.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

Follow these links for some background information:

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

Equipment used: MacBook Air alternating with Khadas Tone2 Pro (balanced circuit) and AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt; ifi Audio Nano BL (IE Match).

The Moondrop Illumination follow the classic recent Moondrop tunings of being slightly warm towards the bottom end but bright-neutral in the midrange and with a relatively early rolloff towards the top end. In fact, the Moondrop SSP’s and Moondrop Illumination’s graphs track each other.

I tested using mainly two dac-amps which produced slightly different results and enjoyment levels with the MacBook Pro. It became clear early that the Illumination rely strongly on source and that a warm amp produces the best results.

The natural Khadas Tone2 Pro (“T2P”) produced great headroom and w i d e soundstage but a robotic, metallic, digital timbre and lots of harshness. The warmer Dragonfly Cobalt (“DFC”) eased that pain with a more organic, natural, bassier sound adding lightness/ease, overall body but a smaller soundstage (in all dimensional) with lesser technicalities. And the midrange still remained somewhat on the bright side, which is unpleasant for my ears at higher volumes. As a last resort, I rolled the warmest of all my possible dac-amps in: the ifi Audio Nano BL, but it did not make a huge difference to the DFC in terms of temperature.

In detail, bass of the Moondrop Illumination is relatively subdued (more so with the T2P, but clean, well textured, and well extended). It is slightly meatier with the DFC. Bass by itself is actually excellent.

The elegant, minimalistic bass moves the midrange into focus, which is shouty and harsh with the T2P at higher volume while yielding a nice transparency at lower volumes. The elevated upper midrange improves clarity and transparency, but it can hurt my ears.

Midrange is lean to varying degrees depending on dongle, but vocals and piano notes are intimate, well sculptured, well defined, and, yes, you heard it before, they can be sharp. I’d attach a smoother, less edgy midrange to a premium earphone.

Treble rolls off early, classic Moondrop, but any high note I hear has very good definition (for a single DD earphone). The T2P produces the treble in a robotic manner whereas the DFC introduces a more natural and therefore slower attack and decay. T2P’s cymbals sound metallic and overpixelated.

Soundstage is rather wide with the T2P’s balanced output but not very deep, independent of source, that’s what you expect from a moderate low end. Technicalities certainly lag behind multi-driver earphones, which is also no surprise. Separation, layering etc. are good but they did not blow me, the budget guy, out of my socks with the DFC, they were better with the T2P.

What is actually very well implemented is dynamics. Listening to a symphony, the impulse is very natural and so are attack and decay, and this also works very well for electronic music. Good balance in this department.

Also very good is the natural timbre, despite its bright spin. At low to moderate volumes, it ads that layer of silk and smoothness you want from a single dynamic driver. It is like adding a tube to your ears…

THE MOONDROP ILLUMINATION COMPARED

Yes, technicalities in the Moondrop Illumination are better than the Sennheiser IE 400 PRO or IE 300, those cannot compete in terms of clarity, definition, and refinement, but they are more cohesive sounding, at least at higher volumes. The Illumination, in turn, sound more open. You can turn the Sennheisers up without regret where the Moondrop Illumination start screaming.

The Moondrop Illumination are also technically better than the JVC HA-FDX1 with their wider stage and their cleaner sound across the frequency spectrum. The JVCs sound less refined in comparison.

The identically tuned Moondrop SSP sound a tinge more aggressive than the Illumination, have a smaller stage, and can’t compete with their timbre either – BUT BUT BUT, they come at 1/20th of the price. I like the Moondrop SSP for quiet listening sessions – but moving up to $800, expectations are naturally much higher.

In any case should you pair the Moondrop Illumination with a warm dac-amp. A neutral analytical dac-amp will make them sound too aggressive for many. I wished Moondrop had gone for a tuning similar to their excellent $30 Crescent, which were premium earphones with sloppy technical competence.

VALUE

OK, at $800 the Moondrop Illumination do not come cheap. They face much competition from multi-drivers in this segment, but none from any single-dynamic driver, other than perhaps the Beyerdynamic Xelento and the Dunu Zen…none of which I have tested (Zen loaner is on its way). And you can go up to $2000 in that category. Value above a certain price is perceived as – and we know that – diminishing return. In the end it depends on what type of buyer you are.

In the case of the Moondrop Illumination, you have to like a bright midrange in an otherwise warm sounding iem. I find it problematic that, at this price, you have to pair the Moondrop Illumination very carefully in order to make them sound decent (at least for ears like mine). They should work universally. And cable and eartips are rather basic for “premium”.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Moondrop Illumination appear to have been tuned for the Asian market with their boosted upper midrange. But depending on source and volume, you can actually get the pleasant dynamic-driver sound I expected from them. It is a good and bad earphone in one from my perspective.

I am surprised that Moondrop, with their outer-space vision, did not equip this model with tuning filters (as the aforementioned JVCs and even some $10 iems such as the KZ ED9) to appeal to a universal, not to say a galactic audience….and to generate a broader market appeal. Adding brightness to the usual technical limitations of a dynamic driver, the Illumination will probably have a tough stand against their hybrid competition.

For me, these Moondrop Illumination mainly work well for naturally generated sounds/acoustic instruments.

But that should not keep you from having a good look at them if you do like this kind of tuning.

And while I just mailed this unit to the Super* Review YouTube channel for “further processing”, I am eagerly awaiting the Moondrop Dusk Crinacle from audiodiscourse.com. That’s great and that’s how it should be.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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DISCLAIMER

The Moondrop Illumination were provided on loan by Moondrop up my request. And I thank them for that. Following my review, I sent them on to Super* Review, a popular YouTube channel.

Get the Illumination from Moondrop Official Store

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About my measurements.

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Measurements

The post Moondrop Illumination Review – Good And Bad…But Not Ugly appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Unlike most of the biased media today competing for viewers in a echo chamber of their desired audience, there were ways to achieve neutral viewpoints in 2020. Earphones are hardly earth shattering topics, but they are providing us hopefully with some nice relaxation time in the age of exceptional abnormality. Sometimes there are multiple ways to reach a neutral-ish signature. The Ibasso IT00, Tin Hifi T2 Plus, and Moondrop Starfield all meet my criteria for neutral-ish, but each deciding to highlight a particular range of the frequency band. Ibasso’s trick is bass, TinHifi T2 Plus was midrange, and Moondrop Starfield highlighted a nicely done non-offensive treble. Since these have all been reviewed to death and are all highly recommended for approximate $100 or less choices, I thought it would be interesting to summarize them and highlight the differences.

Ibasso IT00 ($69-79) Bassy neutral

The bottom third of the frequency spectrum dominates this neutralish signature, with a flattened top end. I wouldn’t call this bass bleed because the whole lower midrange is very full as well. Painted with a broad brush, the bass tends to linger into the midrange giving bass hits a bathroom decay while the top end comes in feeling more living room decay. Cymbal hits and such are soft as if being struck by chopsticks, missing some visceral impact. In other words most of the space or atmosphere comes from down low. Mids are pleasant and clear, but a little recessed to prevent it from sounding too in your face. Guitars and pianos have stage presence, but the rest gets a little lost. Male vocals sound very full, and female vocals have a singing in the shower essence. The Ibasso is easily driven, but with more volume comes stronger bass. Timbre is nice with the only coloration coming in through the lower midrange.

Staging feels a tad crowded ok for girl and guitar, but bigger band stuff are all competing for attention. One of the biggest annoyances is the driver flex due to the thin diaphragm of the driver which makes it easy to drive. It’s hard to know if this leads to long term issues or not, but something I find very annoying. Fit is traditional universal, very lightweight due to the plastic shell. Two different sets of tips- black and white, the white ones have a thicker stem at the base which adds more controlled bass, while the black ones give the feeling of less bass impact. The Ibasso IT00 seems like a middle ground between the IT01 and the IT01s as far as the tuning goes. I have to wonder if they just installed a thinner screen filter to allow the lower treble to accentuate the experience. If I had the newer IT01 with removed screens, it would be an interesting experiment.

Tin Hifi T2 Plus ($40-59) Mid-centric Neutral

Closest to neutral pleasing mid-centric while adding a splash of bass. The more abstract astronomically themed appearance of the bunch, the Tin Hifi T2 Plus channels alien spaceship to finally give us a comfortable Tin Hifi model. The slippery little suckers pop right in broadcasting immediately focused vocals, while the here one minute gone the next bass is masked by the midrange focus on this set. The Tin Hifi T2 Plus bass is fuller than the Moondrop Starfield that has a lower bass impression making the Starfield sound a little thin in comparison. The bass and treble are only there as backup support to the sweet candy middle on the Tin Hifi T2 Plus. It really highlights the layering present in the Tin Hifi T2 Plus while at the same time exposing the Ibasso IT00’s rather arid mid-section. I think Tin Hifi’s holographic midrange however tops the bottom fullness of the Ibasso if trying to compare their strengths. Bass is gentle with a slight roll off on the lowest octave giving bass notes good weight, but not enough gogo juice to tickle, making the bass heard but not felt. The treble is signature Tin Hifi, but without the typical sibilance found in the other T2/T3 models. Where the Moondrop Starfield starts to drop in treble output the Tin Hifi T2 Plus rises slightly to a final peak coming off a little sharper than the Starfield. Sharper and slightly agitated treble lead to brassy crescendos. Snares pop while cymbals tingle. Less constipated sounding than the IT00, The Tin Hifi T2 Plus lets loose in the lower treble to help give the midrange extra clarity. The Tin Hifi T2 plus has a wider stage footprint than the IT00 and more depth as well. In terms of driveablity from a mobile device, both require nothing extra with the IT00 edging out all three in terms of sensitivity.

Moondrop Starfield ($95-109) Neutral slighty bright

The Moondrop Starfield is second kid to the Kanas Pro/KXXS. It lacks the finer things in life the first child received and may get the hand me downs (same shell, less premium cable), but it also gained the wisdom of their parents to tweak the path forward. The Moondrop Starfield’s bass is snappier than the the Tin Hifi T2 Plus, and unlike the Ibasso IT00 the bass was painted with a finer brush focusing more on 100hz and below only. Cymbals and snares have almost equal emphasis with snares still lightly edging out cymbal crashes. Both the Tin Hifi T2 Plus and the Ibasso IT00 seemed a little scared to take on the presence region, and this is the standout region of the Moondrop Starfield. It sounds more mature, less grungy, no constipation. The vocal midrange is more soft spoken than the slightly honky Tin Hifi T2 Plus, but not as boring sounding as the Ibasso IT00. As we follow the midrange down to the depths of the bass region we have a nice level playing field with the bass coming in only at the end. The bass kind of floats by itself which allows it to add grunt only to lower bass. You don’t get the same guitar grunge from the Ibasso IT00, again a little more mature. Cellos and bass have less of a boxy feel, which allows for a less tiring sound. Moondrop Starfield’s soundstaging feels more distant allowing everything to pull away from your headspace. They all seem to have different staging, with the Ibasso IT00 recessed, the Tin Hifi T2 Plus forward, and the Moondrop Starfield fairly even. I like what Moondrop has achieved with the treble on the Starfield over the Kanas Pro, that has a slight timbre off-ness in the upper treble.

OUTRO

So there is no right or wrong here, only what is preferred and all good contenders for something vanilla. If these were ice cream sundaes, the Ibasso IT00 is covered in hot fudge (bass), the Tin Hifi T2 Plus is hold the nuts and go easy on the fudge, and the Moondrop Starfield is drizzled with a hint of fudge and topped with whipped cream (sweeter treble). Since I already owned the Ibasso IT01 and the Moondrop Kanas Pro, the Ibasso IT00 and Starfield are minor changes. Personally the Tin Hifi T2 is the interesting one to own out of these three, giving it a ranking of nice to have neutralish IEM.

GRAPHS

• Ibasso IT00 Stock vs Filter removed
• Tinhifi T2 Plus Left vs Right
• Moondrop Starfield Left Vs Right (a little troubling this particular set has a level mismatch in the bass.)
• IT00, T2 Plus, Moondrop Starfield

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post Ibasso IT00, Tin Hifi T2 Plus, Moondrop Starfield – Neutral DMZ for 2020/2021 appeared first on Music For The Masses.

As with the Kanas and KXXS, the Starfield goes for the Harman target, which emphasizes midbass and upper mids, and presents a warm, energetic signature with meaty note texture. However, although possessing decent depth and rumble, the Starfield tones down the low-end quantity, which gives these a more coherent presentation; like the Kanas Pro the bass isn’t the fastest and some smudging into the mids is discernable, but the overall effect is very live-sounding. Mids are aggressive, with a lot of presence and drive, while treble is smooth and wholly free of stridency, with a gentle roll-off around  8k or so. The Starfield doesn’t aspire to the hyper-revealing detail and precision of good BAs, and cymbals and percussion may lack some crispness. However, these have an inalienable lushness and silkiness; they’re the polar opposite of clinical.

Soundstage here is wide and deep; probably because of the slightly loose bass imaging isn’t class-leading, though these remain uncongested, with good air between performers.  Tonality isn’t free from coloration (“syrupy” comes to mind), and it’s not the most resolving, but is wholly non-fatiguiging and very musical. More expensive recent DDs like the NF NM+ and the KBear Believe image better,  present more nuance and sparkle and have quicker transients, but lack the realism of Starfield; the NM+ and Believe sound over-processed and metallic in comparison. The Starfield also cuts the similarly-priced Tin T4 by a good margin, with a richer timbre and a less spiky treble.

The Starfield isn’t a purist’s earphone; it won’t satisfy detail junkies or bassheads and isn’t as technically accomplished as some peers. However, it’s the kind of piece that simply sounds better than the sum of its parts and, at least for me, is tough to beat at this bracket. Highly recommended.

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Starfield
Driver Unit: CNT carbon nano tube diaphragm-10 mm dual cavity dynamic driver
Sensitivity: 122 dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
Impedance: 32Ω ± 15 %(@1 kHz)
Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 36 kHz(free-field 1/4 inch MIC, -3dB)
Effective frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Cable: 24 AWG Litz 4N OFC cable
Pin: 2pin 0.78mm
Tested at: $109
Link: Aliepress Moondrop Official Store

DISCLAIMER

Forwarded from Jürgen who had received it from Moondrop in Chengdu. Thank you very much.

Product Link: MOONDROP Official Store

Manufacturer’s Website: Moondrop Co.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

Contact us!

The post Moondrop Starfield Review (2) – Another Country Heard From appeared first on Music For The Masses.