Introduction :

Moondrop is one of the fastest growing “Chi-Fi” IEMs maker. They gained immense popularity in 2017 after their release of Kannas Pro and the budget oriented Starfields last year. They tend to follow harman curve across all their IEM range. Their IEMs illustrate aesthetics and superior sound and that’s why they are so liked in the community. The Aria is supposedly the “budget” version of Starfields coming in at only 80$.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 80$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by HiFiGo for review in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

HiFiGo (Global Link)

Unboxing and accessories :

Unboxing experience was simple and just enough. The box is beautifully made with waifu art on top. After removing the cover you have an actual box with Aria printed in gold accents. Presentation is neat and clean you’re provided with 6 pair of eartips and a carrying pouch.



Case and Cable :



Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. It’s a 2 pin (0.78) which is black in color to complement the black matte finish on Aria. Y split has Moondrop logo printed on it. There are no microphonics. The cable braiding is not the best one we’ve seen, the cable is braided in fabric and it gets tangled very easily and forms knots inside the case or pocket. The cable is one of the biggest flaw of Aria.



The case is a semi-hard shelled round carrying case and it’s very smol. On top, “Moondrop Co.” is written in a gold accent. We really think Moondrop could’ve provided a bigger carrying case as you’ve to really wind the cable tightly to fit in the IEMs.

IEM Quality and fit :



Aria is made out of the same metal shell as KXXS and Starfields but with no diamond cuts. These have a matte finish on top along with gold accents to prevent paint chipping like in Starfields. You’re technically getting a build quality of sub 200$ IEM for 80$ so they are built pretty well. They have some weight to it. The Starfields and KXXS fit better than Aria because the inner cavity of Aria is towards a slim profile and they just sort of hang around your ears. They don’t fit as well as Starfields.

Sound Isolation :



Aria are made up of metal shell, they block out outside noise pretty well. On medium to high volumes it’s hard for you to listen to your surroundings. The default silicone tips are very bad and couldn’t get a proper seal with any of it. You might want to invest in some third party tips for the best seal.

The Driveability and sources used :

Aria is easy to drive. They do not ask a lot like Starfields do, but amping them helps a lot with soundstage and clarity. These are straight off easy to drive compared to Starfields.

Sources used are :

• Apple lightning to 3.5mm
• FiiO BTR5
• Shanling M0.

Measurement :


Note: Frequency Response graph of Moondrop Aria, courtesy of Crincale. All the credit for the graph goes to the author.

The sound (4/5) :



Bass (4.5/5) :

Moondrop Aria carries the very essence of Moondrop in the whole representation of the low end frequencies, but with a small change in the character made in Aria makes a huge improvement over the other Moondrop IEMs. The low bass is extended now and provides a meaty response with proper detail and texture deduction, the sense of rumble is more pronounced now and for the people who disliked the bass response in the Moondrop line up we request them to listen to this as Moondrop has definitely improved upon it. The only negative that we found with the bass delivery is that the bass still is on a loose side which is a characteristic that we found more profound in Moondrop IEMs.

Mids (4/5) :

Aria is on a warm side and lends a natural timbre to the mids. Male vocals are presented quite beautifully, the heft is present which actually defines the weight of the singers voice, female vocals we found improved much better than before as compared to the other Moondrop IEMs as the little changes made in Aria makes it go bigger and better. The lower mids are good but we think as Aria follows smooth U shaped curve the lower mids take a hit and can some times sound a little thin in some tracks. The higher mids are very good and actually helps the female vocal representation. Instruments also sound very airy as the higher mids have been improved. The mid slam in the music is too good and very smooth which makes it easier to listen to longer hours.

Treble (4/5) :

There is an improvement in treble as well which makes it more detailed and technical in reproduction. Lower treble has improved due to which there is a sense of airy and wide feel in the instruments. The improved nuances in treble actually helps uplift the texture and more details in the song. Higher treble range remains almost identical to the other Moondrop IEMs lending it a smoother response overall and there is no presence of sibilance making it more soothing. The major downside to this is that the treble is not as sparkly as we would have liked.

Imaging (4.5 /5) :

As we see the improvement in the treble due to this there is a huge improvement in the placement of the staging. The instruments come alive and sound wide and open as the overall placement is very airy. Separation is on point and we were actually surprised by the overall LEFT and RIGHT positioning of the overall stage. Width of the sound is grand and height is produced amazingly. As mentioned above as well the sparkle is what making the deal come off had it been better the imaging would have been a solid 5 star from our side.

Soundstage (4/5) :

It is because of the improvement happened in the lower treble and higher midrange, the sound becomes more airy and huge. The soundstage is wide and the instruments sound as of coming from back. The imaging actually many times fools the perception of soundstage as in some tracks the soundstage appears to be very wide and in some it feels narrow, but there is a good amount of space felt. The lack in lower mids sometime affects the soundstage which is apparent in some of the tracks.

Comparison ( Aria vs Starfield ) :


Note: Frequency Response graph of Moondrop Aria vs Starfield, courtesy of Crincale. All the credit for the graph goes to the author.




Both of the IEMs are actually very similar in many of the ways but some changes done in the tonality of Aria, it actually makes it better in some areas where the Starfields struggled, but also comprises in other where Starfield still shines like a star.

Bass - Aria

We see a huge improvement in Aria as the starfields are amazing in every way but the bass was very loose in reproduction, the overall textures and details in the bass always lacked in Starfields due to which after some time it feels dull and predictable, Aria on the other hand has punchy bass and well textured response which actually sounds refreshing and energetic and with the same energy we welcome the change.

Mids - Starfield

Starfields always excelled in the mids reproduction and we believe that is the case still. The perfect balance of higher and lower mids striked is just amazing to hear whenever we listen to Starfields. The smoothness of mids is just unbelievable, it is like melted butter. Aria on the other hand has a more U shaped graph and this makes it excel more in higher mids which improves the female vocals but also takes a hit on male vocals due to which Aria sounds a little thin on some track.

Treble - Aria

The sparkle and texture with all the technicalities shine all because of the treble reproduction and this we can say Aria is a clear winner here, Starfields sound dull and lifeless as there is no sparkle in the treble range which we can say Aria excels in, the overall improvements done with Aria makes it more exciting and energetic but remaining smooth as well at the same time.



Soundstage and Imaging - Starfields

In our review we defined Starfields as the king of soundstage and imaging and to our surprise it is still the king, Aria does perform slightly better in terms of imaging owing to better treble reproduction, but the Soundstage is huge in Starfields as compared to the Aria. Starfields are more wide but Aria is more energetic.

Conclusion :

The Aria is a solid recommendation for anyone who is looking for an all rounder. It handles bass and treble better than Starfields, although the midrange on Starfields sounds a little bit better. At 80$, Aria is a no-brainer and should be picked without any hesitation. The build quality is fantastic along with excellent sound reproduction, while it may not have the best technical abilities it does everything well for the asking price. A very well tuned IEM from Moondrop!



Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

Hidizs is a very famous brand among audiophiles, they have been around since 2009 and their AP80 and AP80 pro was a true game changer with outstanding sonic capabilities. Following the same design theory of AP80, they came up with an affordable BT receiver, H2. On paper, it supports everything ranging from CVC to UAT, microphone, volume controls and NFC pairing.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 65$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by HiFiGo for review in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

HiFiGo (Global Market)

Specifications :


Source : Hidizs.

Unboxing and accessories :



Since this was provided by HiFiGo for review purposes, no sort of packaging was provided apart from H2, rear clip and a USB C cable. Apart from paper work, we are not missing much here. The H2 comes in quite a fancy packaging with accessories which are enough for charging, connecting H2 as DAC and clipping it around. Box accessory set includes:

• H2
• Clipping case
• USB C to C
• USB C to A
• User manual
• Warranty cards

Build Quality :

The Hidizs H2 is a very small and compact BT receiver/DAC, for a quick comparison it is equivalent to a SD card adapter in height and just a tad bit more in width. Since it comes in a square shape, it makes it very easy to carry around in a pocket. H2 is very light weight coming in at only 12 grams. The body of H2 is made out of resin with glass finish on front and back.



The front of H2 boasts a simple and clean design with only NFC logo without any sort of distractions like blinking lights or display. Personally, we are a fan of clean and elegant designs and H2 definitely looks like a small piece of art when held in hands.





On the bottom you can find USB C which can be used for both charging the H2 as well as plugging it in DAC mode. The DAC mode supports plug and play without any external driver requirements (more on that later). On the top you can find a microphone as well as single ended output which supports a maximum power delivery of 16mW combined. On the left side you have your volume rockers and on the right side you can find a power button along with a sample rate indicator.

Battery :

AAC Tested ( 5 Hours )
LDAC Tested ( 2.5 Hours )

Sound Quality and amplification :

Amplification : The SNR value of 92dB and low power output didn’t seem that attractive on paper until we tried it. The signal is surprisingly clean although it definitely lacks some power in the sub-bass region. The amplification is done by MAX97220 chip with a total power output of 16mW.

Sound : The overall sound quality of H2 is very neutral and transparent. H2 presented songs in a very neutral manner without any sort of coloration which is always appreciated.

Bass : Although, the sound is fairly neutral but a lack of energy was felt in the sub-bass region when compared with BTR5, AP80 and BTR3 (Not to mention that these devices also cost a lot more). The lack of sub-bass was not prominent until some tracks really demanded it like “Run The Jewels - Oh mama” and it’s very hard to make out a difference but it’s there. Mid-bass slams are perfect and natural.

Mids : The mid range is delivered fairly detailed and neutral. The vocals sound natural without any weird harshness or peaks. The male vocals have the heft that is required and female vocals also sound natural without getting too thin. Overall, H2 delivers quite a respectable midrange.

Highs : The higher frequencies are very well extended and airy. Cymbals and high hats don’t sound sibilant or aggressive. On some complex tracks like “Pink Floyd - Echoes” the imaging seemed a little bit fuzzy but it would be nitpicking at this price point.

Soundstage : is wide and tracks don’t sound congested. Different instruments have space in them and complements the imaging well. It’s not very holographic as it lacks some height but overall it’s a big step up from regular smartphone DAC.

Connectivity :

Now this is where things get interesting, for 65$ you’re getting all sorts of Bluetooth codecs ranging from UAT, APTX-HD, APTX, APTX-LL, LDAC, AAC, SBS to CVC. The Hidizs H2 can act as a BT receiver as well as USB DAC. Hidizs H2 supports Hiby blue app which is available on both iOS and Android but due to some reasons it didn’t seem to work on iOS at the time of writing this review. The app is very well designed and shows the BT codec it’s playing along with battery left. The app also supports EQ/gain settings/firmware update which is very handy for a device like this.

USB DAC mode :

The DAC mode of H2 extends quite well from Android, Windows, macOS to iPadOS. All you need is a USB C to C or USB C to A cable which comes out of the box. The cherry on the top is that you don’t need support of any external device driver for H2 to perform its just plug and play which not only saves time but also good for consumers who don’t like to fiddle a lot around settings. When plugged in Windows the maximum sample rate it supports is 16bits 48kHz which can be a bummer for many. It does play higher sample rate files without issues but this is the limitation of the device which needs to be pointed out.

Plug’n’play support.

Bluetooth mode :

Pairing up H2 with your smartphone is very simple and quick. To pair H2 with your phone, you’ve to keep pressing the power button until it says pairing mode. The H2 was paired with both iOS and Android. In our testing, no connection dropouts or delay was noticed. On Android devices, H2 can easily be paired with NFC. H2 supports all BT codecs and that’s the USP of H2.


Pairings :

• H2 + Moondrop Starfields
• H2 + Thieaudio Legacy 3
• H2 + FiiO FH3
• H2 + NiceHCK EBX21

Conclusion :

H2 costs only 65$ and provides excellent price to performance ratio. It supports all possible Bluetooth codecs, works as a dongle DAC, has microphone for calls. Overall, H2 is a very versatile player and can be great stepping stone in the audio hobby without spending a lot. It does sound great with decent battery life and ticks almost all the boxes. Only thing that brings this down is power limitations and you can't pair this with hard to drive IEMs. Something like Etymotic ER2XR would totally sound under powered with it.



Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

HZSOUND is one of those brands who got hyped because someone in the community bought them from Aliexpress, they loved it so much that they wrote about it on forums and people jumped on the hype train. HZSOUND has been around since 2014 but lately the Heart Mirror got so much attention for being the best in ear monitor under 100$. They pretty much look like the Moondrop Kanas Pro and coming at only 50$, they look pretty impressive on paper.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 49$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by KeepHiFi online store for review in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

Keephifi (Global Market)

Specifications :



Unboxing and Accessories :



Straight up after opening the box, we were surprised by the amount of accessories and the professional packaging it came in. Not to mention that these costs only 50$ and blows away competition when it comes to unboxing experience. There’s a little pull tab to slide out the box and there are IEMs in foam along with case and other accessories. Box accessory set includes:

• Heart Mirror
• IEM carry case
• 7 pair of tips
• 3.5mm 2 pin wire
• Extra nozzle filters
• Key hook
• Documentation

Cable :



Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable and shouldn't come at surprise at this price point. It’s a 2 pin cable and material of choice HZSOUND went with, is silver plated OFC. The cable braiding is very tight, has a L-type termination jack and behaves fairly well. The Y-split is made out of aluminium and there is no chin slider. Cable is more than what you can ask for at this price point and there are no microphonics with the provided cable.

Case :



The case straight away reminds us of the Sennheiser Momentum TWS. The case is made out of the same material with fabric finish along with HZSOUND branding on top. It has enough room to fit in both IEM and an additional dongle dac. Since these do require some amplification to sound best, you’ll find yourself carrying an additional dongle dac. More on that later.

IEM quality and fit :



The Heart Mirror is built like a tank. It has a shiny mirror like finish on top, hence the name heart mirror. They are quite small and can fit almost any size of ears easily, they weigh fairly light and are quite reminiscent of Kanas Pro and TRI I3. The outside coating is prone to scratch easily and loves to catch all types of fingerprints. Bottom line, they are built really well and sturdy.

Since these are fairly small, the fit of Heart Mirror was great. Nothing was uncomfortable for long usage neither did they create any sort of pressure inside ears.

Sound Isolation :



They are built out of aluminum so they do quite a good job at blocking outside noise. The great fit on these helps with sound isolation, BUT, you need to have good tips with these. The out of the box tips pair very poorly, they are slippery, itchy and don’t do justice to the IEM. Swap out with some good Final Audio tips and not only they sit tightly in your ears, but also sound great.


The Driveability and sources used :



Driving Heart Mirror is the main task, THEY ASK FOR power. While testing these out, they behaved exactly how Etymotic ER2XR does, with the right source they sound amazeballs. They don’t require Tin P2 level of power but if you’re thinking to drive these with a phone then you’re not doing justice to these as they need some amplification.

The HZSOUND Heart Mirror benefits a lot with a good powered source. It scales really well with FiiO BTR5, but a good dongle dac will also complement them well.

Sources used are :

• Shanling M0
• Topping NX4 DSD
• FiiO BTR5

Sound (4.5/5) :



Bass (5/5) :

You must have heard of a very renowned phrase - quality over quantity, well it's the case here, there is nothing to complain here, the bass is very well textured and the midbass is just amazing. The low end bass extensions are simply awesome and easily we can say it does outperform the competition in this regard. We have not come across any IEM in this price to perform close to this. We can easily say that this brings a sweet teaser of how reference audio sounds in a very affordable price bracket. The bass is very tight and decay is very responsive which makes these sound perfect, there is no bass bleeding in mids and overall we can say this is the perfect balance of bass any IEM can achieve at this price which is pure bliss.

Mids (4.5/5) :

Hitting very close to perfection, the mids are just perfectly tuned on this IEM, the timbre is very natural and the overall representation is very close to neutral. The lower mids is almost hitting the right spot but in some tracks the male vocals can sometimes sound thin which can be corrected but contrasting to this the female vocals sound just beautiful and perfect or spot on !!! The vocals take a center position in the song and the way the instruments are depicted come to life is just we miss in the competition. The higher mids are also very close to being perfect, overall very impressed according to the price range it comes in.

Treble (4.5/5) :

As is the case with the bass and mids, it is a similar case with the highs reproduction as well, the lower end of the treble is slightly elevated due to which the sound can sometimes become shouty and sibilant in some tracks but it does not happen often. The instruments and female vocals representation in a song is just beyond explanation, they sound very life like which is in line with the overall sound signature. However as mentioned above as well, the treble can sound sibilant in some tracks due to the additional boost in the higher range of the treble which can become a deal breaker for some but can be rectified if used with foam tips. Still our recommendation to HZ is to tune the highs a bit and the amalgamation of this would be crazy.

Imaging (4.5/5) :

Owing to its amazing higher notes reproduction, the imaging of this IEM is at par with the whole sound reproduction. It becomes very easy to make out the exact position of the instruments in a song, the clarity and crispness of the instruments is unheard of in this price range, full marks to HZ to pull on something like this in this price range. The instrument's definition is represented on X and Y axis fluently and that shook us for the price this is happening.

Sound Stage (4.5/5) :

With an amazing imaging comes great soundstage as well, the width of the sound is next level, if one closes the eyes, the transformation from the listeners position to the stage happens immediately, not only this , it performs very decent in the height department as well but we see that there is a scope for improvement in this regard, but at this point we are just nitpicking.

Conclusion :



In our quest to find the perfect sounding IEM for the price, coming across something like this makes our journey worth a while, as we explore more and more the more we are surprised on a daily basis, one such surprise is HZSOUND Heart Mirror. We are singing all praises for it as this gives the listener a taste of what reference tuning sounds and the way HZ has priced the mirrors is actually bang for the buck. We fully and wholeheartedly recommend these to anyone who is seeking a signature towards a neutral side of the spectrum.

Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

Tipsy is definitely not a new player in the audiophiliac market and their Dunmer Pro was very well received by many reviewers. Tipsy first started out in 2016 out of china and they have seemingly great build quality and sound quality for a new brand. Their TWS TM1 proved that good sounds TWS do not need to be very expensive and we have Dunmer from Tipsy which is roughly 45$ more than it's predecessor, Blue Aurora.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 119$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by Tipsy for review in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable Link :

Linsoul (Global Store)

Specification :



Unboxing and Accessories :




Unboxing is pretty straightforward and the included accessories set is sufficient for the price that they come for. The box has Tipsy branding on it and under the box you’ll find Dunmer sitting nicely in foam. Box accessory set includes:

• IEMS
• Cable
• Eartips
• Magnetic pouch
• Usermanual

Cable :



Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. The cable is better than what we have seen on Blue Aurora. The connector does feel good and robust but due to material it behaves poorly and doesn’t like to stay in place. The connector has an aluminium cladding on which “Tipsy” is etched. There were no microphonics with the provided cable.

Pouch :

Dunmer comes with a default leather like pouch which feels very good to hold in hands. The pouch closes securely and tightly with magnetic lips and it’s a very well made overall case.

IEM quality and fit :

Dunmer are built very well and they have really strong acrylic housing. The faceplate has a liquid black pattern. The top of the faceplate has tipsy branding with golden accents and it’s covered inside resin. The nozzle is pretty long which helps almost all tips to stay in place without falling off.

The IEM is fairly small and fits the ear of all sizes and shapes, they are very comfortable for long usage and neither did they create any sort of pressure.

Sound Isolation :

The Dunmer are built from acrylic resin and do a decent job at blocking outside noise. Since they are pretty small they don’t block out noise like we have seen on other pairs of IEMs. Volume compensation can provide good sound isolation other than that there's not much to say here.

The Driveability and sources used :



Tipsy Dunmer are fairly easy to drive, with only 16 Ohms of impedance and sensitivity of 105dB they are easily driven off by any source. Nothing major is required to drive them but a good Dongle DAC would help Dunmer here.

Sources used are :

• DDHiFi 3.5 mm to lightning
• Shanling M0
• FiiO BTR5

Sound (3.5/5) :

Bass (4/5) :

Overall nature of the bass is very punchy and boomy, due to the V-Shape curve of the sound signature, bass is elevated and is actually very detailed as well. Boomy is good for the emphasis of overall bass signature but a drawback of the same is it bleeds into the mids and that is exactly the case here, mids are overshadowed by the bass to a greater extent. Low end bass is present in abundance and has never let us down. Mid bass could have been much better, the overpowering and punchy nature of bass makes the mids fall short.

Mids (3/5) :

Biggest drawbacks of tuning the IEM to V - curve is the mids take a serious hit and thats exactly what is happening here, bass is overpowering the mids due to which considerable bleeding is heard making mid bass too shabby, lower mids are very recessed resulting the lack of male vocal heft and presence. However the female vocals sound good as the treble definition is good and higher mids do the job of female vocal portrayal. According to our recommendation, Rock and hip hop is the genre to go with these.


Treble (3.5/5) :

Detail retrieval comes from a good treble tuning, Dunmer does a pretty good job of resolving the music to its core but quantity does not mean quality, going by this we feel the treble is overly sharp and can become sibilant on various tracks which is slightly disappointing, however the female vocals and instrument separation is very good owing this to treble representation.

Soundstage (3.5/5) :

Dunmer have an average soundstage to speak of, the v - curve pushes mids down making the music sound a little darker and hefty which is why the sense of space and grandeur is missing, the perfectly tuned mids and treble empowers the soundstage. In some tracks the sense of height is represented very well and it amazes us.


Imaging (4/5) :

The separation on instruments is just spot on, as mentioned above as well as owing to the treble boosted nature of the IEM the imaging is at par with some of the rivals. Width of the stage is represented by well and the most amazing part which we never expected is the height or the vertical representation of the instruments, it is very amazing.

Conclusion :

Tipsy Dunmer has a very different tuning compared to it's younger brother, Blue Aurora. While the Blue Aurora lacked both left and right extension, the Dunmer delivers a more engaging, fun sound. The bass is authoritative, detailed and fast. The female vocals sound fantastic and imaging is very good for the price. The Tipsy Dunmer comes in at 119$ which we think is a little overpriced as there are contenders like Moondrop Starfields. Though, we still think that's its a solid IEM for bass enthusiasts and someone who is searching for Blue Aurora upgrade.



Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

Tipsy is definitely not a new player in the audiophiliac market and their Dunmer Pro was very well received by many reviewers. Tipsy first started out in 2016 out of China and they have seemingly great build quality and sound quality for a new brand. Their TWS TM1 proved that good sounding TWS do not need to be very expensive and we have Blue Aurora from Tipsy which is focused towards a more budget oriented segment.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 75$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by Tipsy for review in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable Link :

Linsoul (Global Store)

Specification :



Unboxing and Accessories :



Unboxing is pretty straightforward and the included accessories set is sufficient for the price that they come for. The box has Tipsy branding on it and under the box you’ll find Blue Aurora sitting nicely in foam. Box accessory set includes:

• IEMS
• Cable
• Eartips
• Magnetic pouch
• Usermanual

Cable :



Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. The cable is very thin and drapey, the connector does feel good and robust but overall it’s just a badly behaving cable. The connector has an aluminium cladding on which “Tipsy” is etched. There were a few microphonics with the provided cable.

Pouch :

Blue Aurora comes with a default leather like pouch which feels very good to hold in hands. The pouch closes securely and tightly with magnetic lips and it’s a very well made overall pouch.

IEM quality and fit :

Blue Aurora are built very well and they have really strong acrylic housing. The faceplate has a design that resembles Blue Aurora at first glance and they can please almost anyone. The top of the faceplate has tipsy branding with golden accents and it’s covered inside resin. The nozzle is pretty long which helps almost all tips to stay in place without falling off.

The IEM is fairly small and fits the ear of all sizes and shapes, they are very comfortable for long usage and neither did they create any sort of pressure.

Sound Isolation :

The Blue Aurora are built from acrylic resin and do an amazing job decent outside noise. Since they are pretty small they don’t block out noise like we have seen on other pairs of IEMs. Volume compensation can provide good sound isolation other than that there's not much to say here.

The Driveability and sources used :



Tipsy Blue Aurora are fairly easy to drive, with only 16 Ohms of impedance and sensitivity of 105dB they are easily driven off by any source. While using phone as source, they were generally played at a higher volume even though the specs suggest something else, a good Dongle DAC would help Blue Aurora here.

Sources used are :

• DDHiFi 3.5mm to lightning
• Shanling M0
• FiiO BTR5

Sound (3/5) :

Bass (3/5) :

The bass is not the strong point here depicted by the score, the bass is practically the aspect which gives energy to the music, not only that it provides the body to the music and the instruments that are played in the music so that they don't sound incomplete hence a very big factor. Tipsy falls short in this department as the bass roll off is very steep and very early due to which the IEM sounds incomplete and the energy is missing. Low end is not there and is completely lacking, mid bass on the other hand is very good and does the job pretty good. Talking about the texture the bass feels very undefined and texture is missing due to which it bleeds into mids, due to this sound is very notchy.

Mids (4/5) :

The mid region is where these shine and saves the day for Tipsy, the vocals sound very natural and smooth in representation, the lower mids seem to be boosted due to which the male vocals sound very life like and hefty which is non fatiguing and one can listen to any amount of hours, but this not tuned very well in higher mid which powers the female vocals due to which the female vocals sounds very heavy and not natural. As the bass is not tuned well the bass bleeds into mids and instruments sound not real also the vocals do not play in front heard in some songs.

Treble (3/5) :

Another hiccup felt in the performance is in high note reflection, lower treble is not present as per expectation as highlighted above, the female vocals needs definition which is lacking and sounds very mushy, the treble helps bring sparkle and excitement in the song, but lack of same makes this IEM sound very boring and unenthusiastic. Same as bass the treble roll off is very steep resulting in muddy and average resolution.

Soundstage (3/5) :

The score above depicts that the soundstage is very small and it literally plays in listeners head not over. The sense of grandeur is missing at great extent, there is no height and width perceivance. To sum up - below average.

Imaging (3/5) :

When talking about imaging one needs to understand that a well treble goes hand in hand with exciting imaging, not the case here as there is a very early roll off in treble with this IEM due to separation and imaging is below average.




Conclusion :

Blue Aurora is a very well made pair when it comes to aesthetics. When it comes to sound, it lacks extension on both the ends but vocals is what makes this pair unique, they are portrayed beautifully. The sound signature is very relaxed without any offensive tuning, a good pair when it's a busy day and you just want to relax with your music library. With somewhat average technicalities, decent accessories it can be a good buy under 75$ if you’re someone who loves lush midrange.



Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

BGVP is a quite a known contender when it comes to making universal as well as customized in ear monitors. BGVP was formed in 2015 and they are famous for their “All BA” sets like DM6, DM7 and their latest flagshipmDM8 which is what we are reviewing here today. They have received a lot of positive feedback for DM7 in the past as well. BGVP makes IEMs ranging from 80$ to all the way up to 2,000$, their ArtMagic series are specialized electrostatic custom in ear monitors made for vocalists and working professionals.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 350$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by BGVP for review in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

HiFiGo (Global Market)
Penon Audio (Global Market)

Specifications :

Unboxing and Accessories :



When it comes to unboxing DM8, BGVP has nailed this one. The box is small yet packs accessories which are more than needed. The cover has fluidic shades of orange and blue which resembles the wood version of DM8 (which costs 30$ more). After sliding the cover you have a box which contains all the accessories fitted nicely in foam. Box accessory set includes:

• DM8
• IEM carry case
• 10 pair of tips
• 2.5mm MMCX wire
• 3.5mm and 4.4mm Adaptor
• Cleaning tool

The included adaptors make the default wire very versatile making it possible to pair with any DAP/AMP. The included tips are presented greatly in a holder. Memory foam tips do an amazing job and everything feels like quality. This type of unboxing experience is expected from other competitors as well and BGVP has set the benchmark at 350$ as they know how to provide accessories.



Cable :

Cable that comes with the box is a 2.5mm balanced cable along with adaptors which make it a really versatile cable to go along with any DAP or AMP. The only drawback of this cable is that it’s pretty heavy and the ear guides have sharp corners and lack a little bit of refinement. It’s a MMCX cable and material of choice BGVP went with, is copper. It has a rubberised texture to it, the cable braiding feels secure and tight. The Y-split is made out of aluminium and the chin slider works pretty well. The connector has an aluminium cladding on which “BGVP” is etched. There were a few microphonics with the provided cable.



Case :

Nothing fancy here, it’s a round case with BGVP branding on top of it. Inside is covered with micro fabric to protect IEMs. Its a very small and easily pocketable case and cannot fit anything apart from IEMs, sorry dongle DACs!



IEM quality and fit :

The IEMs are made out of acrylic which are hollow in nature unlike Moondrop Blessing’s 2 which are filled with resin that give them heft and sturdiness. The DM8 comes in two variants, Transparent clear and Stabilized wood. The faceplate had unpolished edges, the aesthetics and quality felt not so great for the price considering we have Blessing 2 which has solid build quality.

The fit of DM8 was great, nothing was uncomfortable for long usage neither did they create any sort of pressure inside ears.



Sound Isolation :

The DM8 are built from acrylic resin and do an amazing job blocking outside noise. With the default pair of eartips the seal achieved was satisfactory. They isolate sound very well considering the fact that they are made out of resin. One shouldn’t be concerned about isolation on this pair.

The Driveability and sources used :

BGVP DM8 are fairly easy to drive, with only 12 Ohms of impedance and sensitivity of 110dB they are easily driven off by any source. They are quite sensitive IEMs and you will be benefited from a clean signal output. A good DAC/AMP combination is recommended as it was quite evident in testing with FiiO Q5 on balanced it does scale really well. Being easy to drive we were still able to reach 70% on Q5 and they were steady as a rock, they didn’t increase in volume much but they did have an impact on both left and right extensions.

Sources used are :

• DDHiFi 3.5 mm to lightning
• FiiO Q5
• FiiO BTR5

Sound :

Bass (5/5) :

This came as a shocker, owing to its build and driver setup we were not expecting the bass to be this good, DM8 has a 8 BA setup and the overall reproduction of bass is punchy and crisp, the drum kicks and that deep engulfing bass almost feels life-like. The details and texture of the bass is on point, lower bass is present but never for a second we thought it overpowers the presentation, the bass extends very well and is satisfying overall. Mid bass packs a solid punch, instruments really pop out to life and if eyes are closed one can be fooled to be present on the stage listening to live music as the bass is so precise and fast, highly recommended to people who enjoy listening to instrumental music, believe us this IEM does justice to the music, this is the kind of bass that we expect from an IEM and this does a fantastic job of portraying the sheer perfection in terms of bass representation to sum it up - No More No Less, Perfect It Is !!!

Mids (4.5/5) :

One thing we have noticed during the trial of many IEM that if the all BA setup is tuned well the overall sound uplifts which is the case here right from the very beginning the bass being spot on it's time to talk about the vocals, just like the bass the vocal representation is very natural and slight front set. Lower mids are tuned so well that it does not make the vocals sound too hefty but also does not make the vocals sound thin and tinny as some of the IEMs out there do. Higher mids see a bit of dip due to which we think that female vocals experience slight warm sounding but nevertheless vocals sound very natural and does not feel artificial, as compared to the music and instruments that music has the overall perception of vocal are right in the center position of the staging right in the head which makes them sound very natural. For the given price what these offer, we think that it does check almost every possible box present. Slight change in upper mids and they can expect all 5 stars from Team EM.

Treble (4/5) :

The overall signature that we think is close to being warm and natural in the way this IEM portrays the vocals and highs, being a bit warmer we feel there is a slight dip on the higher side of the spectrum, there is an early roll off on the highs and it does not feel so sparkly and bright sounding as we expected on the basis the driver configuration, again shocked by the overall presumptions we had prior, but again the overall presentation is very natural and life like. Higher range of treble is lacking making the sound not exciting and we really want BGVP to work on this and if this gets fixed there is no stopping it to beat some big contenders in the market.

Imaging (4.5/5) :

The separation and placement of instruments feels like to be in a sphere and the detail retrieval is just beyond the words can describe. Vocals take center staging and the instruments sound exactly where they are being played, the most emphasizing thing about the imaging is top level instruments sound on top of head which is very rare to find but it does portray these according to the recording. In conclusion the imaging is stellar but if highs can be fixed a little bit then the imaging would also improve.

Sound Stage (4/5) :

Staging on these are the only thing that makes us think that this needs to be worked on. At the first go nobody can tell that these have average soundstage as the imaging is so good anybody can be easily fooled by that, but spending some time with the IEM and playing some various tracks it became evident that there is a lack in sense of space and grandeur. Playing Hans Zimmer's OST tracks from Inception and Interstellar it became evident that the width of the stage is not so wide but surprisingly the height depiction is stellar at the same time, soundstage can be a very big factor in purchasing the IEM, but we recommend going for this IEM as an overall package is of great value.


BGVP DM8 Vs Moondrop Blessing 2 :

When it comes to overall unboxing and accessories, the DM8 punches way above Moondrop Blessing 2. Moondrop Blessing 2 lacks the accessories that DM8 comes with. DM8 comes with a balanced cable, better case and better tips overall. The build quality of Blessing 2 is far superior than that of DM8. They feel more expensive and tastefully done.



Bass :

The bass is obviously better on DM8, it makes the sound seem very rich and smooth, on the other hand moondrop does a very good job of portraying the neutral sound but it can sound thin sometimes due to that. Bass obviously goes to DM8.

Mids :

Vocals both come neck to neck but we would give the edge to the Blessing 2 as the overall instruments and vocals are inline which is not the case with the DM 8 which has the tendency to keep vocals in front in each of the songs played.

Treble :

Highs is the area where Blessing 2 easily defeats the DM 8, male and female vocals sound much better in comparison and the overall signature is slightly brighter which makes it reveal a lot more in terms of detail and sounds more sparkly, crisp.

Imaging :

Imaging is actually amazing on both but again instruments sound more realistic on Blessing 2 so a slight edge to be given on that to Moondrop for that alone, separation is almost same on both so it can be considered a tie.

Sound stage :

Moondrop has actually nailed this region and it is miles better if compared to any other competition leave alone DM 8, it is actually the very opposite of DM8, the stage and grandeur is huge to that extent that it blows away the competition.

Conclusion :

Considering both are almost similar in price we think they sound so similar yet so different in their own regards. It boils down to personal preference now, if you are someone who likes neutral sounding IEM then Blessing 2 can be your affair otherwise if you like a little warmer sound with great bass DM8 is the way to go!



Conclusion :



The latest flagship from BGVP, DM8 costs 350$ and it's definitely not cheap, they have entered a very competitive market in this price point where there are perfect contenders like Moondrop Blessing 2 and they do deliver up to the expectations. DM8 is a well accessorised, well tuned IEM and definitely ticks all the boxes. All genres of music sound fantastic on this pair and you cannot go wrong with it. While it certainly doesn't hold the title for "Best IEM under 500$" but it clearly does what it is supposed to do and that is to sound energetic, enjoyable and smooth.

Rated :



All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

SeeAudio is a new audio company originated from China. They were known for a few CIEMs that they used to make. Their new lineup includes Yume/Anou, Neo and Kaguya. While Yume and Anou are the same IEMs but Anou is Japan exclusive, both are sonically identical but have different faceplate designs. While Neo and Kaguya both are meant for those who are seeking TOTL sound. Both Kaguya and Neo are expensive pairs while Yume/Anou is the perfect way to enter into the budget segment of 150-200$ price bracket.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 169$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by SeeAudio for review in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

HiFiGo (Global Market)
Linsoul (Global Market)

Specifications :



Unboxing and Accessories :



At the time of reviewing Anou, SeeAudio didn’t send in the complete packaging of the product because it was not prepared. However, it came with IEM, wire and some tips. The final box of Yume/Anou will have the Rinko character. In terms of accessories, you have the IEM itself along with a hard case, inside the hard case you’ll find 5N OCC cable. Coming to the tips, you have a total of 6 pairs and it’s enough for anyone who likes tip rolling. Not to forget some basic literature it comes with. Unboxing experience should be pleasant with this one and suffices the 169$ price bracket.


Source: SeeAudio Telegram.

Case and Cable :

Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. It’s a 2 pin (0.78) cable and material of choice SeeAudio went with is copper. It has a rubberised texture to it, the cable braiding feels secure and tight. The Y-split is made out of aluminium and the chin slider works pretty well. The connector has an aluminium cladding on which “SeeAudio” is etched. The cable build quality feels very superior and it behaves pretty well. There are no microphonics with the provided cable.

This unit was sent out for review by SeeAudio in the early days of production when box and case was not decided, due to obvious reasons, can’t comment anything on the make and quality of the case. It’s a round metallic case with SeeAudio logo on top.





IEM quality and fit :



SeeAudio did a splendid job with the aesthetics of the IEMs. The Yume/Anou come with 2 different types of faceplates and both of them have this “glitterish” gem type design which changes color under different lighting conditions along with some SeeAudio branding. It looks very tasteful and it doesn’t feel overdone in any way. The shells are made out of acrylic resin and are quite reminiscent of Audiosense DT200 shells. Both Yume and Anou look really good when held closely in hands. Coming to the fit, since these are made out of acrylic resin, they are really light weight. They are not like those heavy metal shells like KXXS or FH3. The nozzle is short and doesn’t go in very deep but they are very comfortable for long usage and are ideal for anyone who doesn't like heavy shells.

Sound Isolation :

The SeeAudio Anou are built from acrylic resin, they are shaped like the inner ear. They share the exact same shell as Audiosense DT200 and both do an amazing job blocking outside noise. With Final Audio tips the seal achieved was top tier. They isolate sound very well considering the fact that they are made out of resin. One shouldn’t be concerned about isolation on this pair.


The Driveability and sources used :

SeeAudio Anou are fairly easy to drive, with only 32 Ohms of impedance and sensitivity of 106dB they are easily driven off by any source. A good DAC/AMP combination is recommended as it was quite evident in testing, it helped open up soundstage and didn’t lack any sub-bass that it did with DDHiFi tc35i. The best pairing came along with BTR5 and Topping NX4 DSD, the sound was clean without any noticeable hissing, the bass had an impact and the overall sound felt complete.

Sources used are:

• DDHiFi 3.5 mm to lightning
• Topping NX4 DSD
• FiiO BTR5

Measurement:


Note: Frequency Response graph of SeeAudio Anou courtesy of Crincale. All the credit for the graph goes to the author.

The Sound (4/5) :



Bass (3.5/5) :

To cover all the low-end frequencies, SeeAudio is using 9.2MM “liquid silicone” diaphragm. The bass sounds neutral and enough to please everyone. The midbass emphasis was felt greater than subbass. There’s no bleeding of midbass into lower mids, the bass is fast, punchy and accurate. Due to the subbass being a little shy, the energy and rumble was missing and always felt a little more to be desired. It’s very neutral overall and the quality seems a priority here rather than quantity.

Mids (4.5/5) :

The mids are neutral and do not sound recessed nor do they sound too forward. The male vocals have the heft they need, the female vocals sound a little more forward than male vocals. Lata Mangeshkar from “Jiya Jale” felt lifelike and full of emotions. Some may find 1Khz to 3Khz slightly more boosted than they like but overall midrange is non-offensive without any harshness in instruments or vocals.

Treble (3.5/5) :

The Anou’s detail retrieval is excellent thanks to a well extended treble. The treble has a peak from 6Khz to 8Khz which makes the treble fatiguing to listen to after some time. Not everyone would find this offensive but at least to my ears, I found it fatiguing over time. Tip rolling helped to tame down the treble spike a little bit with the help of foamies and after many hours of listening, the “mental burn-in” set in and it was not as harsh as day one. The cymbals sound great, the high hats in Led Zeppelin's Whole lotta love sound the way they should, it made the overall pair very engaging and enjoyable. The only concern would be the 6Khz-8Khz peak.

Imaging (4/5) :

Imaging is great with this pair, it gives a 3 dimensional experience and instruments project themselves at the right place. Enigma MCMXC a.D which has so many instruments and opera verses which Anou handled with ease.It became very easy to pinpoint location of every instrument placed in 3-D sphere of audio immersion.

Soundstage (5/5) :

Soundstage is the USP and forte of Anou. Soundstage is exceptional for the price. It’s one of the best in this price range, rather it’s one of the best under 300$ price brackets. It has both height and depth presence which actually represents the sound on a huge scale due to this. It is very immersive and you can make out different instruments playing at different distances very easily. It stays true to recording and doesn’t make anything sound thin and unnatural. It sounds like a hall with big speakers. Once you close your eyes, Anou takes you in a very huge room.

FiiO FH3 vs SeeAudio Anou :



FH3 already received a lot of praises from reviewers all around the globe claiming to be one of the best IEMs in 2020 under 200$, so it is fair enough to compare FH3 to Anou since both of them punch way above their price point. Both share exactly the same configuration of 1DD + 2BA, although the dynamic driver on FH3 is beryllium coated and helps with bass texture a lot. (will touch on this later)

Accessories set : Both come with plenty of accessories out of the box, both come with a hard case and countless tips for those who like tip rolling. Main concern here has to be with FH3 since it comes with a wire which is not really great. It is stiff and doesn’t behave well in comparison to Anou’s cable.

Build : Both of them are built really well but FH3 feels more premium to hold in hand due to that aluminium body, Anou looks more pleasing to eyes.


Note: Frequency Response graph of SeeAudio Anou vs FiiO FH3 courtesy of Crincale. All the credit for the graph goes to the author.


Sound : First off, let's start with the overall tonality of both IEMs. The FH3’s tonality is balanced with a lot of emphasis on the bass, whereas the Anou’s tonality is just a little bit towards the bright side. When it comes to bass, the FH3 blows away Anou. Looking at the graph above, both Anou and FH3 show approximately the same amount of low end presence but somehow Anou’s quantity felt a lot less compared to the graph. FH3’s bass was textured, fast, thumpy and enough to satisfy bassheads as well as non-bassheads. The main reason for this could be the beryllium coating on FH3. Mids shine better on Anou as compared to FH3, FH3 midrange isn’t recessed in any way, but the female vocals on Anou really makes it a great set. Mids on Anou are lush, they sound accurate, female vocals sound more forward compared to male vocals. Some may find Anou’s upper midrange a little bit forward as compared to FH3. Nonetheless, both have excellent midrange but giving Anou a point extra for well done female vocals. Both pairs have a very well extended treble, Anou’s detail retrieval is greater than that of FH3, there’s a slight treble spike in Anou making it fatiguing to ear’s after long listening session, now this can change from person to person but I did find it fatiguing. FH3’s treble is a little tamed from 6Khz to 8Khz, making it smooth, non offensive and a “fun” tonality overall. Technicalities is what makes Anou stand above FH3, the extra 40$ you spend for Anou is if you’re after the enormous soundstage that Anou offers. Anou’s soundstage is a lot bigger compared to FH3, the soundstage depth is amazing and feels like you’re sitting in a room with speakers. Testing IEMs on a daily basis and never have I come across soundstage this big under 300$ while staying true to recording. Imaging is also on point but I found FH3 imaging to be better. Making out different positions of instruments is easy on both of the pairs.

Fun sound signature : FiiO FH3.
Technicality master : SeeAudio Anou.
Detail retrieval : SeeAudio Anou.
Well executed bass : FiiO FH3.
Value for money : FiiO FH3.

Reference Tracks :

● Lata Mangeshkar - “Jiya Jale” for female vocals.

● Yosi Horikawa - “Bubbles” for imaging.

● Enigma MCMXC a.D - “Callas Went Away” For detail in instruments.

Conclusion :



SeeAudio entered a very competitive market under 200$ when there are options like FiiO FH3, Moondrop KXXS and Tanchjim Oxygen. SeeAudio proved that newcomers can compete very well with every other IEMs in this territory. The contents, the wire it comes along, the beautifully crafter color changing shells, the sound, the technicalities all come along and make it a very robust sounding pair. It can be easily recommended to buy this set without thinking twice. This is very “Audiophiliac” tuning and will please almost everyone.

Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

CatEar Audio, a fairly new audio company that has started new in 2019. They started their journey with Mia which was a sub 99$ IEM. Their mother company, Sunshi which was established in 2007 is known for making excellent cables. Their new bud MiMi is a sub 10$ bud which is supposed to sound better than anything in this price point, but will a 10$ bud quench the thirst of an audiophile ?

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 10$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by CatEar for review in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable link :

HiFiNage (Indian Market)

Specifications :



Unboxing and Accessories :



CatEar comes with one of the smallest and cutest packaging we have seen in a long time, it’s box size is very small and inside the box you’ll find a mint like container with CatEar logo on it. It’s built pretty well and inside that you’ll find earbuds along with one pair of extra donut foams. You need these donut foams because the housing is very large and the housing has some sharp corners that might get uncomfortable after some time.

Cable :



Cable that comes along with MiMi is non-removable due to obvious reasons, the material of choice for cable that CatEar went is silver plated LC-OFC. It’s an outstanding wire for the price. It is 1.2m long with a 3.5mm termination along with a stylish metal Y split which is useful and does the job pretty well. The wire has a very “rubberish” texture to it, it doesn’t tangle on its own and behaves well even after folding in case. It’s a perfect wire to go with these buds and you CANNOT ask for anything else.

Case :



Have you seen those small little mint cans that come with peppermint? It’s sort of like that with a very small footprint, though, we would have loved a can with less width and bigger radius because you have to really wind the wire tightly to fit it inside this case. It’s not bad in any way, it is solid and feels good to hold. The cute paws on top make it even more cute and it goes really well with the aesthetics of the buds. For the price it was surprising that it even came with a case this good.

Buds quality and fit :

Coming to the build, they are built really well and sturdy. The shells are made out of acrylic with a metal trim on top which says “MiMi”. They are built better than some of the expensive buds that we have tried so far. It feels solid to hold in hand everything from the 3.5mm connector to the wire and buds go hand in hand. Exceptional build quality for the price. CatEar has done a splendid job on this one!

Sound Isolation :

Since these are buds, they don’t really go inside your canal rather they sit on your ear’s conchal bowl. They do not block outside noise and they are not designed to do that either, on higher volumes you should not be able to hear most of the things around you and blocking outside noise shouldn’t be your priority with any buds.

The Driveability and sources used :
MiMi are fairly easy to drive, with only 32 Ohms of impedance and sensitivity of 110db, not the most sensitive bud like Moonbuds, but they are easily driven by any source. You can use your smartphone and they will sound amazing out of the box too. With BTR5 and M0, it sounded better than a phone’s source and scaled well too.

Sources used are:

• DDHiFi 3.5 mm to lightning
• Shanling M0
• FiiO BTR5

The Sound (4/5) :



Mids (4.5/5) :

Owing it to the bigger driver unit which is 15.4 mm in size, the character of the sound changes as compared to the IEM’s , the MiMi buds sound very wide and airy in the mids region, the added warmth in the sound make it a very neutral sounding pair, they seem to be tuned higher in the lower mids which makes the male vocals shine and have the heft that is required, but higher mids are rolled off as compared to lower mids due to which the female vocals lack the tonality and sound hefty, but all is very little to pick for the price to performance ratio they offer.

Bass (3/5) :

As they sit out of the ear and one would not expect them to perform crazy in bass department and that's the exact case here, due to lack in isolation the MiMi buds do not provide the oomph in lower bass area and the lower bass is quite rolled off to that point where the expectation does not meet the requirement, however it delivers in the mid bass area, the Indian classical music sounds so great because it has tabla as a main instrument and it basically plays in mids, we can say for the price we have not heard a better classical playing buds or IEMs for that matter. The bigger driver playing the mid bass is very well contained and gives a powerful representation.

Treble (3/5) :

One area we would really want CatEar Audio to improve on is the treble reproduction, the roll off is very steep and it is felt in the overall detail reproduction is not up to the mark and we do no recommend it to the people who are looking to find each and every detail in a song or to assess the song for analytical listening. After 500 hz we feel there is a very steep decline in the treble character due to which sometimes it may sound muddy but it can be corrected with a slight tweak in the EQ and they do perform good afterwards, for the price we think that they sound very good but a small change can bring a bigger impact.

Imaging (3.5/5) :

Above average imaging for the instruments, but due to lack in treble detail which affects it very much and imaging, though for the price is good but overall not as per our recommendation, the feeling of sphere and the height separation is not there so as a result the sound is felt in somewhat 2 dimension panning well left and right but coming back to the price range it performs on point.

Soundstage (3.5/5) :

Staging is above average for the given price, the perceived space is wide and huge but lacks the depth and height due to lack in low bass, as the sound is very airy it helps to trick the brain that the seating is in rather bigger area and that is very good to have at this price point, Cat Ear Audio has done a splendid job of providing the space and airiness to these buds

Reference Tracks :

● Crash test Dummies - “ Afternoon & CoffeeSpoons “ for sound stage.

● Colter Wall - “ Thirteen Silver Dollars “ for male vocals.

● Iron Butterfly - “ In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida “ for drum solo at 6:30.

● Radio Head - “The National Anthem “ for bass guitar and separation.

● Mame Khan & Milli Nair - “Badri Badariya” for female vocals.

Conclusion :



The MiMi buds are super affordable coming in at only 10$, they punch way above it’s price point. The added accessories like the case and coming with a good cable out of the box is surprising at this price point. The lush mids coming along with decent soundstage make it a purrrrfect pair to rock whenever you’re tired and don’t feel like using IEMs. There’s no reason not to buy these buds, an absolutely amazing job done by CatEar!

Rated :


All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

Tipsy is definitely not a new player in the audiophiliac market and their Dunmer was very well received by many reviewers. Tipsy first started out in 2016 out of China and they have seemingly great build quality and sound quality for a new brand. Their new TM1 promises a lot on paper but does it sound as good as other TWS or IEMs or is it just a miss?

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 137.79$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

This item was graciously provided by Tipsy for review in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. The review was written by the team in our own accord and no thoughts or judgements were altered in any way.

Purchasable Link :

Tipsy Official Store



Specification :





Unboxing and Accessories :



Unboxing is no shorter than expected, the box is fairly small with a cover on top. The cover has some specification written to it. Once you open the box which is magnetically attached, you are presented with a case that is fairly small and sitting in foam along with left and right buds. Under the foam you’ll find some paperwork, manual and a USB C to A cable along with some sets of eartips. Coming to eartips they are not the best, wide bore and thin tips. For a better result we recommend using Final Audio tips or Spinfits.



Case and Buds :

For a good, portable TWS, case size matters a lot. You don’t want to be annoyed fitting it in your pocket everyday. TWS is all about convenience and TM1’s case footprint is really small. It’s easily pocketable and it won’t bulge out of your pocket. The case feels really dense and well built and has a ceramic finish to it. Due to ceramic finish it is prone to fingerprints and scratches on daily usage, we didn’t find build quality an issue and it shouldn’t be because it’s built really well. Coming to hinge design, it’s a two stage hinge and the opening/closing of the case feels snappy and tight. It's all built to last long and material choices are excellent. The buds are fairly small and they are shaped like a typical in-ear monitor with a beautiful faceplate on top. It sits really well and the sound isolation is on point and does a great job of blocking outside noise. The outside faceplate acts as a touch control area. You can play/pause or skip some tracks by just tapping on the faceplate. The touch is responsive and not super sensitive which is a good thing as it shows no signs of ghost touches. The last thing you want in your TWS is music pausing because of ghost touches.



Connectivity :

For connectivity it uses Bluetooth 5 paired with Qualcomm’s QCC 3040. QCC 3040 is an entry level class-D chipset, the connectivity is reliable. There are no hiccups while music playback or video playback. No call dropouts were noticed in our testing as well. To pair TM1 with your phone all you need to do is press on both left and right buds for about 3 seconds until they enter pairing mode and then they can be connected with your phone. They use the “Master-Slave” technique to connect to each other. Pairing process could’ve been a little bit better like other TWS but it’s not a deal breaker either.
Our testing was done on iPhone 11 Pro, there is no lag while watching movies or listening to music. There was very slight, negligible lag with few games. That being said it performs really well for it’s price.

Battery :



Tipsy is claiming for 6 hours of playback on the buds and 50 hours on the case. In our testing it came a little shorter than expected, on high volumes with roughly 80-85% they lasted for roughly 4 hours and 40 mins and then they were back in case for a quick charge. The case gives roughly 40 more hours of additional juice. They support both wireless and wired charging via USB-C.

Sound Quality :

Bass (8/10) :

Considering the fact that these are TWS and provide wireless IEM experience, we were really shocked by the quality of the bass that is reproduced by these TWS. The bass is fast and punchy with a lot of presence that is felt, some instruments came forward like never before. As said earlier as well the bass is very precise and hard hitting not like Campfire or Blon - BL03, due to this precise nature of bass the note definition becomes crystal clear and there is no lingering effect of loose notes making the sounds tight and responsive. Overall it's a fun sounding pair and we do not recommend these for analytical listening but if you want a fun and engaging sound this is all you need.

Mids (6.5/5) :

In our testing we found that due to the slight V-Shape kind of signature the mids take a hit in overall reproduction, going by the score we found the presence of mids is set at the back and does not present the way we would have liked them to. Lower mid presence is lacking and upper mids are a little boosted due to which the sounds sometimes becomes slightly sibilant, the female vocals are good and clear but the male vocals take a hit and do not sound as we expected. Overall we were slightly disappointed by the mids reproduction as we heard in the Moondrop Starfields, although some may find it perfect who really like V-shape signature or rock music.

Treble (4/5) :

V signature means the treble is forward centric, the treble is sparkly and very defined with the overall resolution being ultra clear, the lower range of treble is slightly boosted and the higher range of treble definition is on point making the sounds not too harsh yet very resolving, while listening to the track Billie Jean by Michael Jackson we were clearly able to make out the cymbals and high hats which were more coming forward and we were able to make out the very places of instruments. Treble is a very defining character of an earphone and we are happy to report that these are just flawless in that regard.

Soundstage (4/5) :

The way we got surprised with the bass, similarly we got surprised by the width and depth of the soundstage that they present. To our shock these have above average soundstage, we were able to make out the height of the instruments in a sphere which is very remarkable thing for a TWS to achieve, however had there been more emphasis given to the mids, the soundstage would have become even more wide , but nevertheless still what they managed to do is commendable.

Imaging (4.5/5) :

Upon closing the eyes one can easily feel the difference in each and every instrument that has been recorded, Tipsy did an exceptional job with the driver and the design of the casing, the separation of the instruments is so evident that it becomes very easy to imagine the placing and distance of the mic to the instrument. This became more evident when we played Highway To Hell by AC/DC.

What can be improved ? :

Sound : Our only complaints regarding sound was with the way these handle mids, lower mids take a hit and if we were allowed to change anything, we would have slightly boosted lower mids with the toning down the upper range slightly.

Connectivity : The way these pair up with phones is slightly different from other sets of TWS out there, you have to press and hold both left and right buds to pair them. A dedicated button for pairing would have made it a lot easier for those who are new to TWS.

USB-C : USB-C charging port is placed very oddly on the front which interferes with the aesthetics of the case, it doesn’t have any issues regarding functionality. A cleaner design would have been cherry on the top.

Tracks used :
1: Amused to Death - Roger Waters
2: Highway to Hell - AC/DC
3: Freeway Jam - Jeff Beck
4: And the Healing Has Begun - Van Morrison
5: Tundra - Amber Rubarth
6: You’ll Lose A Good Thing - Barbara Lynn

Conclusion :

Overall, Tipsy TM1 provides features and sound above it’s price point. It's built really well and sounds as good as a few IEMs out there. There are no compromises as such and it's a great pair to rock for gym or casual listening.

Introduction :

iBasso is not a new name and they have been catering the audiophile audience for long. They have an excellent range of DAPs, IEMs and bluetooth solutions like the newly launched CF01.
The DX200 was a very renowned DAP famous for it’s amp swap units, DX160 is a remarkable DAP for its price and sonic capabilities but can the DX120 justify its price tag with no streaming capabilities?

The DX120 is a very different player from all of iBasso’s lineup. It's a purist player with no frills. The player is not intended for everyone but those who seek pure music pleasure.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 340$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

The item was purchased from Headphonezone.in from our own money.

Purchasable Link :
Headphonezone
HiFiGo

Specification :

Source : iBasso

Unboxing and accessories :

Unboxing is pretty straight forward, the box has a cover which has an iBasso logo on it and slides right out. The main box opens magnetically and the player is secured in a piece of foam. The player is packed inside a plastic pack to prevent it from any scuffs. On the player, a sticker with the summary of specification along with a pre applied tempered is present. iBasso has definitely thought of the accessories and there are enough accessories out of the box to justify the price point at which this player comes in. There are no complaints and we think iBasso has provided everything an end user might need.


The packed accessories include :

1. DX120 : The player itself, in our case Earth Brown.
2. USB C cable : Tough, braided cable. Metal terminations on both ends, really well built.
3. Tempered glass : To be applied on screen, nice touch to provide these out of the box.
4. A burn in cable : Meant to be used on the balanced port, has some sort of resistor built it.
5. Coaxial cable : For coaxial output.
6. Bumper silicone case : Not the greatest case, but does the job. Does not protect from back and has sharp corners. Player is hard to use when applied, so it’s better off without a case.
7. Some warranty paperwork.

Build Quality :

The DX120 is built like a tank, it’s hefty, compact and easily pockatable. It has a very unusual design for a DAP. A very streamlined, fluidic look full of curves and lines is what makes this DAP unique. The bezels definitely don’t make it look any futuristic but the body does.

The right side has all the buttons that one requires to switch between songs, increase/decrease volume, turn on/off the device and play/pause the music. The buttons are made out of plastic and they don’t feel that great as they miss out on tactile feedback. A volume knob on the side would have been a cherry on top.



On the bottom you’ve all the outputs you need. There’s a single ended (SE) and power out (PO) port which is shimmered in gold accents. The 2.5mm balanced output is also present on the right side, it doesn’t have any gold borders like the single ended output which makes it looks non uniform. The 2.5mm balanced output is quite powerful delivering out about 400mW combined at 32 Ohms load. The single ended output is moderately powerful with about 100mW combined at 32 Ohms load. The SE out is perfect to pair up with IEMs and small earphones while the balanced out can power most of the headphones. All the outputs have well built jacks and they feel solid to use.



On the top of the DAP you have access to coaxial out for digital outputs, 2x micro SD card slot which can hold storage up-to 2TB and USB C for charging. It supports Qualcomm quick charge.



The back is made out of glass with an iBasso logo in the middle and on the bottom it has the model number “DX120” and some regulatory information. The back is a fingerprint magnet you’ll find yourself wiping it all day. Material choices are excellent for a DAP priced roughly 350$.

Operating System :

The choice of operating system iBasso went with is their own custom Linux based OS. It’s named Mango OS. It’s built well and it’s really stable and gets OTA updates quite often. The operating system is very well optimized for a great battery backup, and the main reason most DAPs suffer from battery longevity is Android OS. Although it comes with some caveats, it’s not the smoothest OS. The OS boots up really quick and takes around four seconds to boot up. There are few bugs that we encountered during our testing. The album scrolling is really sluggish and slow, seeking timeline on songs can get a little tricky and the whole OS feels really compact to use. It can be great for some who want hassle free experience but boring for others who are coming from Android based DAPs. The UI and navigation is pretty straight forward, the home screen is basically the last song you played. Swiping left reveals playlist, songs, albums etc and swiping right reveals gain, digital filter, sound mode, advanced.

Some OS screenshot here :





Battery :

iBasso has promised 16 hours of continuous playback, and thanks to Mango OS which is well optimised for extensive playback. In our testing we found the player to last us approximately 13 hours on high gain using IEMs on balanced output. Obviously, the file you play, the cans or IEMs you drive has a big impact on battery drainage but this is a player unlike other Android DAPs where battery and sound quality is the number one priority. You don’t have to worry about plugging it into the charger everyday as you will have enough juice to last a couple of days. The battery capacity is rated at 3700mAh. It supports Qualcomm quick charge out of the box and doesn’t come with any adapter. It takes roughly 2 hours or less to charge completely on a quick charger but if you try any other charger you’ll have a hard time charging as it takes forever.

Sound Quality :

DX120 is a very different type of DAP with no streaming capabilities, simple OS without much customization and there’s a special market for these kinds of DAPs. People who want the best music experience without worrying much about other things. DX120 wouldn’t make any sense if it didn’t sound good, like it has to sound good to overcome the cons. Does it sound good? YES, Does it sound better than it’s competitors at this price point, HELL YES!

DX120 is accompanied by AK4495 DAC which is one of the top DACs that AKM makes, the DAP is priced very well considering the output power and DAC used. The DX120 sound signature is fairly neutral with stunning resolution and clarity. The overall spectrum of frequency range from low end to high are smooth and detailed. The balanced output on DX120 spices up things a little more with more dynamics and soundstage added, not to mention the amount of power it pushes out via balanced port is also remarkable.

Bass : The bass is smooth, neutral and full of texture but it lacks the amount and attack that Pioneer XDP-300R had. It was more attacking and powerful and DX120 falls a little behind as compared to XDP-300R. Overall, the bass is accurate as it should be.

Mids : The DX120 flaunts ability to do wonderful mids which are detailed, neutral and well placed. Doing constant A-B from Shanling M0 and DX120 we found Shanling M0 quite bright as compared to DX120, it produced “life-like” vocals and mids stand out more as compared to bass. It even performs better than XDP-300R in terms of midrange frequencies. It is technical, detailed and neutral at the same time.

Highs : The highs have excellent reproduction. Everything about DX120 is natural and so is the treble, it’s non-offensive and neither bright nor flat. On brightest of the tracks like Travis Scott’s Stargazing the treble was not biting rather really smooth and welcoming.

Pairings :

DX120 + Moondrop Starfields
DX120 + Moondrop Kanas Pro
DX120 + Jade Audio EA1
DX120 + KZ ZSTx

Possible upgrades over DX120 :

1. The DX160 : is a nice upgrade over DX120, 70$ more can get you a much more versatile player with MQA decoding along with more powerful outputs like 4.4mm balanced out. A bigger, more beautiful screen to enjoy those aesthetic album arts and a build that looks much more futuristic. The DX160 sounds as good as DX120 with a tad more resolution and dynamics.
2. Shanling M5S : a nice upgrade over iBasso DX120 in terms of sound, OS, and power. A bit lacking compared to DX160 and fairly bright sounding DAP with “Shanling’s signature”.

Tracks used :

Conclusion :

DX120 is a great DAP with amazing sonic capabilities, long lasting battery life and quite powerful to power your headphones. It feels really nice to hold it and there are no compromises in build whatsoever. It will take some time to get used to low frame rate UI and classic menus. You should get this DAP without thinking twice if you’re someone who puts sound quality as their first priority, someone who is looking for a smooth, well placed, neutral overall tonality. iBasso’s customer support is top notch and the accessories included with the box are also adequate. DX120 is priced just 340$ and can even be found for as low as 299$, this DAP really sounds way above it’s price point. DX120 is very easy to recommend if you’re on a budget and looking for TOTL sound quality.

DX120 is a DAP that should be chosen wisely, are you ready to give up streaming and listen to only downloadable flacs ?



Grade :

All grades are given keeping price to performance ratio in mind, better grade doesn't mean it's the best.

Introduction :

Campfire Audio needs no introduction, they are very well known, well established and easily the most recommended IEMs in high fidelity portable audio. Each of their units is handmade in Portland, Oregon.
The name “Campfire” skyrocketed after the release of Andromeda and since then, they are leading in the audio industry. Campfire is proud of their build and they know how proud their owners are.They have a prime image for Andromeda and Solaris in the audiophile community for being class leading. But does the Polaris V2 stand up to the high expectations?

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 499$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

The item was purchased from Singapore by an acquaintance. The unit was borrowed for an honest opinion and review.

Purchasable link :

Campfire Audio
Headphone Zone (India).

Specifications :



Unboxing and Accessories :

The unboxing experience is grand, Campfire never disappoints any of its users in terms of unboxing. The Campfire lineup of IEMs follow the same packaging irrespective of the price range. A beautiful box wrapped inside a sheet which opens upside down.



On the box, Campfire branding is present. Once you open the box, you have an extraordinary carrying case, just below the case lies another box which is filled with ample amounts of accessories. Inside the smaller box you’ll find tips ranging from Final Audio Type-E tips to silicone tips and foam tips. 3 mesh bags with Campfire branding are present which come in handy for storing IEMs, some paperwork for warranty and the Polaris which are sitting snugly inside the carrying case along with the wire. Unboxing is done very tastefully and nicely.



Cable :



Cable that comes along with Polaris is amazing. It's a Campfire Audio smokey litz cable with beryllium plated MMCX connectors and L-type termination. It's an unbalanced cable. The Y split is made out of Aluminium and its fairly light weight. The chin slider does the job and doesn’t slide automatically. There are no cable microphonics. The provided cable quality is really good and doesn’t really need any upgrade.


Case:



The case is made out of leather, it’s shaped like a women's clutch. The chain has Campfire branding on it and on the inside, the case has wool lining. The case feels very premium and sturdy and you can feel safe carrying around your IEMs in this case.

IEM Quality and fit :



The Polaris have an icy blue color which is matte in texture. It shares the same shell as IO and Andromeda. The pair is made out of aluminium and they are quite light in weight. The finishing and material choice is excellent, every part from nozzle to PVD screws feels premium and well built. Campfire has a history of paint chipping on this particular chassis, and our unit was no different. Irresponsible and rough use will lead to paint chipping and you don’t want that to happen on a 499$ pair. Our testing was done with the famous Final Audio Type-E tips and we have to say, this is one of the best fitting IEMs. They sit in ear concha very well, extruding out quite a bit.

Sound Isolation :

It's no doubt that polaris are built well, the aluminium construction helps a lot with sound isolation. With Final Audio tips the seal we got was above expectations. They isolate sound very well and one shouldn’t be concerned about isolation on this pair at least.

The Driveability and sources used :

Polaris are quite a sensitive pair. With only 17 Ohms of impedance and 107dB of sensitivity, it gets pretty loud with almost any source. It works well with almost any smartphone and we tested it on an iPhone and the volume was pretty adequate to enjoy.
Sources used are:

• iBasso DX120
• Shanling M0
• iPhone with lightning to 3.5 adapter

Final Audio Tips :

All of the Campfire Audio lineup comes with pre included Final Audio Type-E tips (xs/s/m/l/xl). The tips are quite comfortable, enhanced the soundstage a lot and despite being universal they surprisingly fit really well. There’s no other tip that fitted this well be it Campfire marshmallow tips or silicone tips. The acoustic response and the bore width was just enough to satisfy both the comfort and sound.




The Sound (3.5/5) :



Bass (4.5/5) :

The one thing which really over shines the other aspects of the Polaris is the BASS, the presence of which is felt with dominance and the way it is reproduced may become difficult for the rivals to match. The texture of bass is thicc and is filled with low end, on the right tracks one could actually feel like an earthquake emerging right inside of the head which could even shake the seismograph!!!, having said that due to excessive low end and rumbly nature of bass the speed of hitting notes takes a hit and due to this when one bass note ends and the second starts , the presence of first is still there which actually should not happen. Overall Polaris is the one for the bass heads undoubtedly and for those who love hip-hop and rock.

Mids (2/5) :

Owing to the fact the Polaris is amazing for the bass reproduction, but due to excessive presence of bass the mids take a serious hit. Mids are completely recessed if anyone wants to hear vocals , then the disappointment is what prevails not the vocals, though if EQ’d properly, it does improve the lacking mids but still the bass overpowers mids which is kind of a let down at this price range. Lower mids are non existing and upper mids are boosted which makes the whole signature very bright and fatiguing. Talking about detail retrieval, does an average job of reproducing the details, nothing aww worthy , no micro detail retrieval as such. As stated due to the bright signature the Male Vocals lack the oomph and sound thin and tiny, but female vocals sound decent nothing exceptional though.

Treble (3.0/5) :

According to the bright signature of the Polaris the treble is also boosted but that does not mean that it is detailed, the overall treble signature is harsh due to which the listener cannot listen to it for longer hours as the sound starts biting and those who have sensitive ears may not like the sound. As there is a peak in upper mids and treble the sound becomes sibilant though it can be adjusted by EQ as these respond very nicely with the EQ. higher mids are lacking due to which the sound lacks the details hence not as sparkly, cymbals sound realistic though.

Soundstage :

As seen with polaris, the lack of mids and higher treble result in a very narrow soundstage as the way the mids and treble is implemented the feeling of air is very less, once Eq’d properly the soundstage can improve but not drastically as we find the whole purpose of this IEM is not for analytical listening. These are a fun sounding pair for those who want to enjoy the music.

Imaging :

Imaging is very appropriate with them as Polaris is able to differentiate the use of different instruments used to reproduce the sound , but we feel due to narrow soundstage the imaging also take slight hit, but nothing negative as such. Right and Left separation is good due to which instruments do find the places in song correctly hence confirming to good imaging overall.

Reference track :

● Crash test Dummies - “ Afternoon & CoffeeSpoons “ for sound stage.

● Colter Wall - “ Thirteen Silver Dollars “ for male vocals.

● Iron Butterfly - “ In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida “ for drum solo at 6:30.

● Radio Head - “The National Anthem “ for bass guitar and separation.

● Mame Khan & Milli Nair - “Badri Badariya” for female vocals.



Conclusion :

The Polaris have 2 sides just like a coin. Either it’s loved to the core or it’s not liked much. Without wasting any further time, this is a true basshead IEM. If you are someone who needs constant rumbling bass which is humongous and energetic in sound and you’re only a fan of bass, go for it! It’s made for basshead, it’s advertised as “bassy” IEM and the Polaris serves what it says on paper. The dynamic driver on Polaris is tuned to go pretty low. They are a little subwoofer inside a metal shell ! It’s not a very musical IEM, the midrange is recessed and treble is not sparkly. Polaris adapts the EQ really well and with proper tuning you can get a lot from them. It’s a fun IEM with a hefty price tag and it’s not for everyone.

Introduction :

KZ also known for making “Super Budget” IEMs are famous for their price to performance ratio. KZ Acoustics was founded in 2013 with a simple goal to provide good sound at relatively less price. It’s one of the most famous “Chi-Fi” IEM makers and they push multi hybrid setups every few months. KZ gained a lot of popularity after their release of KZ ZST and ZS10 Pro which sounded much fuller than its competitors.

Disclaimer :

The review was tested at 24$ (16$ Now) and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

The item was purchased from Amazon.in (Indian region) from our own money.

Purchasable link :

Linsoul.
Headphone Zone (India).

Specifications :



Unboxing and Accessories :

KZ unboxing was small and the presentation was on point. On the outer cover, ZSTx are made with the respective color inside, on the back of the cover there are specifications. After removing the cover you have an actual box in which ZSTx are sitting tightly in foam. Beneath the foam you have a KZ Silver wire, Starline tips (S/M/L) and a documentation to support the monitors.



Cable :

Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. It’s a 2 pin (0.75) qdc connector which is silver in color. Y split has a transparent boxy shape and it doesn’t have any chin slider. There are no microphonics. The cable braiding is good and tight. If you ever wish to upgrade cable, make sure to use a qdc cable. The cable is amazing for its price. It uses a “L-type” termination jack.



IEM Quality and fit :

ZSTx are made out of basic semi-transparent plastic. It comes in two colors, Purple and Cyan and both of them look good at the price they come in. They have ZSTx printed on the faceplate with silver colour which is prone to chipping. We saw ZSTx fading in our unit. They are very light weight and you don’t even feel them in your ear. The fit is good and comfortable but they do stick out of the ears just slightly.



Sound Isolation :

ZSTx are made out of plastic shell and to no surprise, they fail to block outside noise. With the right seal and enough volume it’s definitely hard to hear outside noise. Sound isolation can be improved with the right tips on this pair.

The Driveability and sources used :

KZ ZSTx is very easy to drive, so much so that you can overdrive them very easily even on low gain. It can be paired with any phone perfectly with only 12 Ohm impedance. It’s one of the easiest to drive IEMs. We have tried different DAPs and sources but sound remained the same throughout the testing.

Sources used are:

• iBasso DX120
• Shanling M0
• iPhone with lightning to 3.5 adapter

The Sound (3.5/5) :



Bass (4.5/5) :

As mentioned these pair of IEMs are a fun sounding hence the bass is punchy and on a boomy side due to which some times bleeds into the mids resulting in bass over powering but nothing disappointing, the sub bass is present but does not actually have the authority as heard in the Blon BL03 that said KZ did outperform the other KZ products in the bass region in this price range or above, not a basshead iem but can easily pass as fun sound in terms of bass, lacks a proper articulation or control on the bass but is fast in terms of response and one would actually love these for the bass kick that is present.

Mids (4.5/5) :

The actual selling point for these are the way these handle the mids, they are absolute delight in this price range, they are slightly V curved which actually rolls of the lower mids perfectly to depict a more lively presence of artist and the vocal representation is what amazed us, the way the vocals are resolved, it is a surprising phenomenon under the 20$ price range. Male and female vocals do sound close to real reproduction and does not feel thin at any given point which again in the price is amazing to achieve.

Treble (3.0/5) :

Treble is what breaks this product on scoring high. The sharpness of treble weighs down the entire spectrum. It’s biting and fatiguing and at same times feels unnatural on many tracks like “You and your friend from Dire Straits” the drumming sticks sounds very sharp which feels very unnatural. The wrong crossover design or BA selection is the main culprit of it, KZ would’ve achieved a very smooth overall tonality with better tuning.

Soundstage :

Soundstage is narrow with average depth and height. You can hear left to right cues, thanks to it’s decent separation. It is not congested nor it feels gigantic, it’s there but minimal. At this price point, it’s performing like it should and soundstage is not an issue.

Imaging :

Imaging is good and you can make out the position of every instrument in space quite easily. With many instruments coming in together, it does get overlapping sometimes but it’s acceptable at this price point. “Whole Lotta Love from Led Zeppelin” shows an example of average imaging where hi-hat at 1:25 lacks precision.

Tracks used:

• XXXTentacion - “Jocelyn Flores” For male vocals.
• Dr. Chesky - “Transcendental Tripping” For soundstage.
• Led Zeppelin - “Whole Lotta Love” For soundstage and imaging.
• Run The Jewels - “Call Ticketron” For bass response and low end.
• The Marias - “I don’t know you” For female vocals.

Conclusion:

KZ ZSTx is a wonderful pair coming in at just 16$. It comes with everything out of the box and you don’t have to spend anything extra on upgradations like wire and tips. It is sibilant on almost all tracks with higher volume, if you’re someone who likes to listen to music fully cranked up, this might be too sharp for your ears. But do remember it is a very bright sounding IEM. With 10$ more you can get Blon BL03 which we think is a serious upgrade from this pair in every possible way, although you do have to buy a new cable and tips with Blon.

Introduction:

Moondrop is one of the fastest growing “Chi-Fi” IEMs maker. They gained immense popularity in 2017 after their release of Kannas Pro and the budget oriented Starfields early this year. They tend to follow harman curve across all their IEM range. Their IEMs illustrate aesthetics and build quality and that’s why they are so liked in the community.

Disclaimer:

The review was tested at 110$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

The item was purchased from HIFINAGE (Indian region) from our own money.

Purchasable link:

HIFINAGE
Moondrop Global Store

Specifications:

Unboxing and accessories:

Unboxing experience was simple and just enough. The box is made out of a paper cover with a waifu watching stars. After removing the cover you have an actual box with Moondrop logo printed in silver.



Opening the box, you will see Starfields sitting tightly in foam and a carrying case just below it. The case contains a purple wire and basic silicone eartips. Beneath the foam you have some documentation and a tweezer with 3 pairs of extra filters



Case and Cable:

Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable. It’s a 2 pin (0.78) which is purple in color to complement the Starfields. Y split has Moondrop logo printed on it and it doesn’t have any chin slider like the rest of Moondrop products. There are no microphonics. The cable braiding is not the best one we’ve seen. It definitely gets the job done. It’s not a bad cable in general but we’ve seen flawless cables from FiiO and Tin at this price point. Not to mention, the Kanas also came with a very superior cable. It uses a “L-type” termination jack.

The case is a semi-hard shelled round carrying case and it’s very smol. On top, “Moondrop Co.” is written in a gold accent. We really think Moondrop could’ve provided a bigger carrying case as you’ve to really wind the cable tightly to fit in the IEMs.



IEM Quality and fit:

Starfields are made out of the same metal shell as KXXS with a paint job on top. They reflect different colors under different light. You’re technically getting a build quality of sub 200$ IEM for 110$ so they are built pretty well. They have some weight to it. Many users have reported chipping paint but we’ve not seen it in our unit yet. The shells fit in your ear concha pretty snuggly and fit is not an issue with this pair. They are comfortable for long use and they don’t stick out of your ears.

Sound Isolation:

Starfields are made up of metal shell, they block out outside noise pretty well. On medium to high volumes it’s hard for you to listen to your surroundings. The default silicone tips are very bad and couldn’t get a proper seal with any of it. You might want to invest in some third party tips for the best seal.



The Driveability and sources used:

Starfields are mediocre to drive. They do not ask a lot like Kanas do, but amping them helps a lot with soundstage and clarity. With weak sources they tend to sound a little distorted and dry.

Sources used are:

• iBasso DX120
• Hidizs AP80
• Shanling M0.

Measurement:


Note: Frequency Response graph of Moondrop Starfields courtesy of Crincale. All the credit for the graph goes to the author.

The Sound:

Bass:

Bass is not the forte of Starfields, out of box they sound very tinny after burn in of 60+ hours we saw a huge improvement in bass reproduction. It’s slow and loose in character. The bass takes a backseat in each and every song whether the song is bass heavy or not. The Bass notes are not so pronounced rather are very subtle and fluttery which needs very keen listening to feel the presence, the drums kicks are not that hard felt as it felt for other pairs in this price range. Talking about the lower bass range, it does rumble but on very low end bass tracks. To sum it up, these are not a fun pair in terms of bass, if bass is what you seek then don’t consider this as an option also.

Mids:

This is where these shine like they do in terms of paint job, the mid range is tuned so well it actually covers up all the shortcomings one would feel with the bass. Starfields sounds so wide, natural and multi layered that with eyes closed you will be taken to the recording studio the moment you press the play button, the kind of imaging that is produced is speechless, upon close listening a trained ear can pin point the exact location of various instruments used in the song which is very rare in this price point. Lower mid presence is on point which is why these do not sound muddy, and the transition from lower to higher mid range is perfectly balanced due to which it produces clean male and female vocals that are smooth and have weight to it.

Treble:

According to our listening the Treble is very relaxed and smooth in Starfields, it is actually so smooth it feels creamy and buttery in texture which is why no matter for how long you are listening to songs there is not even a slightest hint of fatigue. The treble reproduction is so precise and detailed that in each and every song you will be noticing something new as instruments sound clean and so detailed that there is no overlap in every instrument and is heard distinctively which is very difficult to find in this price range. They have a dip around 3 KHz in their tuning to avoid any type of sibilance or sharpness which is why these sound so smooth. They have excellent resolution, but treble roll off is rather quick and you do miss some macro-details.

Soundstage:

Soundstage is incredible for the price. It’s one of the best we’ve tried in this price range. It has both height and depth presence which actually represents the sound on a huge scale due to this It is very immersive and you can make out different instruments playing at different distances very easily. Every instrument is lively and has his own space to breathe. Testing the soundtrack “Cornfield Chase“ from the movie Interstellar which showcases the brilliant use of church organ by Hans Zimmer to depict the feeling of scale and grandeur is reproduced by Starfields exceptionally well and immediately we were shocked to hear the natural reproduction of the instrument.

Imaging:

Imaging is exceptional with this pair, it gives a 3 dimensional experience and instruments project themselves at the right place. Layering is amazing and opens up the recording very vividly. Testing the same via the track “Callas Went Away” from album - Enigma MCMXC a.D which has so many instruments and opera verses which Starfileds handled with ease, every instrument could be heard distinct and crisp clear due to which the whole experience transported to studio recording space and it became very easy to pin point location of every instrument placed in 3-d sphere of audio immersion.


Tracks used:

• George Ezra - "Shotgun" For male vocals.
  
  
• Michael Jackson - "Wanna Be Starting Something" For detail retrieval in upper treble.
  
  
• Run The Jewels - "Call Ticketron" For low end rumble.
  
  
• Interstellar - “ Cornfield Chase” For layering and scale.
  
  
• Enigma MCMXC a.D - “Callas Went Away” For detail in instruments

Conclusion:

Under 110$, this pair is a no brainer. We can easily recommend this pair to anyone who wants mids and amazing sounding male and female vocals with just the right amount of soundstage. If you’re someone who likes a great amount of low end and listen to treble focused tracks, then this might not be the pair for you. If you like the Moondrop harmanish tuning then go for it.

Rated:

Introduction:

FiiO, a brand well known in the audiophile community and space, launched two new sub 80$ In-ear monitors later this summer. FH1s and FD1. Both of them share the same shell, same box and accessories set, but the technicalities differ. FD1 has a single dynamic driver of 10mm which is beryllium plated while FH1s comes with a 13.6mm dynamic driver with Knowles 33518 BA.

Disclaimer:

The review was tested at 80$ and all the judgement was made keeping the exact same price in mind. We're not responsible for any price change that might alter this review.

The item was purchased from fiio.co.in (Indian region) from our own money. This is not a comparison between FD1 and FH1s, this is a standalone FD1 review.

Purchasable link:

FiiO Indian Store
FiiO Global Store

Specifications:

Unboxing and accessories:

Unboxing has always been great with FiiO, they provide plenty of accessories and a good packaging experience. Same goes with this model, you are provided with a box that opens sideways magnetically, after opening the box you’ll see IEMs sitting in foam securely. Just below that you have a box in which you’re provided the FiiO waterproof case, 7 pairs of tips including foam tips and long bore silicone tips.





Cable:

Cable that comes with the box is a 3.5mm unbalanced cable, which is absolutely fair at this price point. It is a 2 pin (0.78) dark copper cable with thicc braiding and a chin slider with FiiO branding on it. The chin slider is functional and the cable is flawless. Since the IEMs have detachable cable, you can always purchase a balanced cable from FiiO if needed. Cable is a 10/10 at this price point and some of TOTL IEMs don’t even come with a cable of this quality. The only thing that I could point out was 2 pin connectors can be of better quality, but again it’s nitpicking at this point.



Case:

Case is a FiiO branded waterproof carry case with diamond-like cutting beneath the surface. It looks really impressive and serves the purpose. It’s an amazing box and one of the best boxes we’ve seen a manufacturer provide. Pairs perfectly with your IEMs.



IEM Quality and fit:

FD1, at the time of writing this review comes in only 2 colors. Black and blue, which we feel is quite less and should come up with our favorite color, purple. It has a celluloid faceplate on top, which means every FD1 will have a different pattern. A sweet touch from FiiO’s side, the IEMs are made of acrylic. Edges are smooth and feel durable in hand. There are 2 vent holes for pressure relief. They weigh in at only 9 grams(approx), which means they are not putting a lot of weight on your ear. They are comfortable for long usage but they do stick out a little because the IEMs are thicc. All in all, great job done by FiiO for build quality.

Sound Isolation:

Since they are made up of acrylic they do not completely block outside noise. Sound isolation is decent with right pair of tips and pressure relief holes to provide non fatiguing sound.



The Driveability and Sources used:

FD1 is perhaps very easy to drive. One can plug it in a phone and call it a day. Although, with right amping it might help open up the soundstage. You don't have to fuss a lot for amping these as they sound great with any source.
Sources used are:

• Shanling M0
• Pioneer XDP-100R
• iBasso DX120

The Sound:

Bass:

At the time of review we tested the FiiO FD1 with Shanling M0 and after listening to great hours we came to a conclusion that FD1 is not a bassy pair, in fact to some it may sound less bassy. Speaking of low end it lacks the low end rumble that is present in Blon BlO3 (which is a pair considered specifically for low end), however it has very punchy and fast bass which has tonality in it that which fills the spectrum.

Mids:

It is very well understood by the characteristics shown by FD1 that it is not bass heavy which means it really has space for the mids to shine. Talking about the upper mid presence it has a lot and due this it feels very airy and spacious in vocals, but a drawback of this is that sometimes it may seem a bit harsh in the representation of female vocals as the upper mid presence is bit more as per our liking. Coming to the lower mids FD1 is perfectly balanced giving the voice of the artist the heft that is required to perfectly represent the soundstage. To put in perspective anybody seeking a pair under 80$ for vocals should really consider this as in our span of testing various IEMs, till date we have never heard a product under 80$ handle mid and soundstage this good.

Treble:

FiiO FD1 no matter how hard you try to drive them, we never heard a slightest hint of sibilance whatsoever, higher treble range rolls of at the right position and moreover the treble is not sharp and biting rather it is smooth and linear which portrays a dominance in lower range of treble as compared to Higher range which is not crisp in nature, however we would have liked some spark and crispness added so that details would also come forward like the ways mids do in this pair.

Soundstage:

The main USP according to us is soundstage. FD1 does a phenomenal job of recreating the stage before the listener, again highlighting the price which is under 80$ it outperforms our expectation and rivalry. Soundstage is so wide that it actually gives you an immersive experience of extreme caliber which is shocking and scary but in a good sense, there were many tracks in which we experienced certain nuances for the first time and that is where these shine. The soundstage extends in length but due to lack in low end reproduction of bass, the depth of the presentation seems to take a hit but not so much to ruin the grand experience.

Imaging:

The position of instruments is projected to the listener perfectly and accurately, If eyes closed one can pick the positioning of the instruments effortlessly and it almost feels like 3 dimensional which is a very big thing to accomplish in this price segment. They are so good in imaging that it reflected the same in games, playing Valorant and CS.GO. The player positioning was accurate and on point.



Reference track:

• Johnny Cash - “ Hurt ” For male vocals, space and details.
  

• Crooked Still - “ Little Sadie ” For imaging and female vocals.

• The Rolling Stones - “ Sympathy for the Devil ” For Soundstage and treble.

• Mac Miller - “ Nikes on my Feet “ For bass and decay speed.

• Chuck Berry - “ Maybellene” For Separation in old recordings.

Rated: