Hidizs MS2

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Hidizs MS2 is a hybrid IEM using a single BA Driver as well as a newly developed 10.2mm Dynamic Driver. It’ll cost you $79.

Introduction​

Hidizs is a company that I know specifically from their affordable Digital Audio Players. This is my very first attempt in terms of their IEMs and I’m curious to see what kind of house sound they have. Let’s find out!

Packaging & Build quality​

One of the nicest cases I’ve ever had for an IEM.

I have to say this is one of the biggest surprises in terms of this relatively cheap IEM, because what we’re getting in the box is a very high quality set of accessories. First up, 6 pairs of ear tips in 3 sizes. 3 of them are balanced ear tips and the other 3 are what Hidizs calls “crisp eartips”. They do change frequency response a bit focusing more on treble. One of the best things about this whole package in my opinion is that case. True, it is plastic but it’s also one of the nicest finishes I’ve ever seen. It is a square box with slightly round edges, it has some sort of brushed metal finish to it and what’s most important, pretty strong magnet inside, so even if you flip the case upside down and try to shook it, it won’t open.
Next up, the cable which is actually pretty interesting in its design. It is a quad-core mixed braid cable that contains 2 high purity silver wires and 2 high purity OFC wires. It’s rather thin but I’ve never managed to make any tangles on it. Also, other elements of this cable are just so nicely made, especially this tiny metal slider which, as you might remember from my previous reviews, is a necessity for me. From one side we will find standard 3.5mm Mini-Jack and from the other your most standard 0.78mm 2 pin. I can only point out an issue in this part. Earhooks on that 2 pin side of a cable tend to make swirls so that requires a moderate amount of stretching to get a comfortable experience with this cable.

Speaking about build quality, it is kinda love and hate relationship in my regard. Shells are fully plastic. When you pick them up all you think about is something like KZ ZST, except that this pair costs about $15 and there were offers where you could buy them for as low as $8 back in the day. It simply looks very cheap and also feels cheap, but so far after my extensive usage, there was no damage or scratches introduced so that’s a plus. However what I love about them are these faceplates. These are easily one of the best looking faceplates I’ve ever seen on any IEM and I’ve even went through flagships of most respectable IEM brands. Hidizs calls it a Phosphorescent Panel. It is that kind of design that is supposed to give you a 3D effect, that these shapes are located deep into IEM shell. It looks simply stunning and I was so happy while shooting photos.

Pretty unique cable with this mix of Silver and Copper.

Comfort & Isolation​

Despite their rather big size and bulky shape, MS2 is actually pretty comfortable and I had no issues while wearing them even for longer periods of time. Isolation is slightly disappointing though. I would describe it as slightly below average which results in leaking more noise from your surroundings. Of course, you can bump up the volume to counter it, but it’s not the best solution.

Sound​

Look at that faceplate… LOOK. AT. IT.

So what is this house type of sound that Hidizs delivers? Well at first I wanted to say it is a safe choice because I noticed some V-shape characteristics, but the more I listened to it, it turned out to be more W-Shape instead. However, they also give us the ability to make them more… crispy. I’ve mentioned these crisp eartips before which converts them to U-shape also adding more clarity and resolution. They certainly do focus on the treble and honestly, I preferred them over normal balanced tips. Let’s proceed with describing the sound, shall we?

Gotta admit I was a huge, slow, and muddy bass lover back in the past. Empire Ears Vantage was a pair I was dreaming about. These days however with more and more headphones and IEMs I’m testing I have to say my taste has shifted a little bit, because I still love powerful bass but very controlled at the same time. It’ll punch you but won’t disturb any other frequencies. That’s exactly what I’m experiencing with MS2. Good resolution and no distortion whatsoever. That’s the kind of bass I like the most right now.

The midrange was the part that made me doubt my first v-shape assumption and for a good reason. After further inspection and thorough listening, I’m surprised that I have to describe midrange as neutral and detailed. Yes, we’re still talking about $79 IEM. They provide great clarity to both male and female voices and it does always sound clean. I highly recommend crisp tips here because what you’ll get is more clarity and perceived resolution compared to balanced tips.

Definitely, we got a looker here.

Now onto the treble, what I would describe as the star of the show, especially with crisp eartips. Treble is something that differs MS2 highly in this IEM price range. With balanced tips, the treble is detailed but rather smooth in its overall presence. The fun part starts with crisp eartips that makes it, well… more crispy if I’d like to describe it in two words. I have to say that with these tips lower parts of the treble can get into harsh levels in specific songs, so they are not for everyone. Although what you gain from this in my opinion is certainly worth it, not to mention it excels my expectations in this price range specifically. MS2 provides a moderate amount of sparkle with superb level of clarity and detail. It’s very well controlled. Treble extension is so good, it fully utilizes its balanced armature driver in this regard. I just cannot believe I’m still describing an IEM that costs only $79. Also, I cannot believe I’m saying that about an IEM that in its overall experience sounds more fun than analytical and that’s a great aspect to them.

Imaging and soundstage are also very strong points of MS2. As mentioned before isolation is not the greatest but thanks to that these IEMs provide a very airy sound, gives you that feeling of enormous soundstage however it only goes towards sides. The front and back are rather limited. Imaging is very good in most of the tracks but with very complex classical music pieces it starts to fall apart a little bit… in comparison to flagships such as Campfire Audio Solaris LE. Which I would say is amazing because they don’t cost nowhere near $1500 price tag of these. In fact, they cost almost 19x less.

Pairing​

Hidizs MS2 is very easy to drive. My Poco X3 was even able to drive it to its fullest. Also, it’s not that sensitive so you’ll be fine even with a moderately noisy amp. While providing them a significant amount of power out of JDS Labs Atom I’ve noticed almost zero differences.

Summary​

Their look is simply AMAZING!

Hidizs MS2 is a unique IEM in pretty much every aspect. A unique box as well as the cable, shells with beautiful 3D design, and such a unique audio experience that simply I cannot believe I only have to pay $79 for the whole package. A lot of detail, airy soundstage, beautiful design… can’t really finish that review without these two words, which are:

Recommended. Highly.

You can get your Hidizs MS2 here.

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Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:

• Headphones – Oriolus Finschi, Tripowin TC-01, Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 LE, Anthem Five E2, Etymotic ER4XR
• Sources– SMSL M100 MK II, JDS Labs Atom, Sony ZX300, Poco X3

Disclaimer
Hidizs kindly reached out to me to offer the MS2 Mermaid (from here, referred to as the MS2) for review. While I am grateful to them for providing a review sample, I remain committed to providing an objective review. This review is based on my own experience and may differ from your own. Any comments or reflections from your end are most certainly welcomed and thanks for reading.

This review is also on ChiFiReview.com.

Introduction
Hidizs is a Chinese audio company with a wide range of products, many of which are used and enjoyed by head-fi members today. Making everything from DAPs, DACs, amps, and most recently earphones, they have managed to expand their portfolio of products to create a blossoming audiophile ecosystem.

My first experience with one of their products was the Sonata HD amp/dac dongle. Overall I really enjoyed the portability, build quality, sound, and customisable firmware for such a simple product, and I still use it to this day with great effect.



The MS2 is the first earphone that I have tried from Hidizs, and it enters a challenging market, especially in the IEM space where Chi-Fi has established a powerful position in the value/performance arena over the last several years. As the name alludes to, these are set up with 2 drivers, one being the now-famous Knowles RAD-33518-P183, while the second driver is Hidizs’ very own proprietary 10.2mm dynamic driver made from a macromolecular compound. Both drivers are contained within two chambers. The MS2 capsules are built from german-made, eco-friendly resin.

Will the MS2 hold its own? Let’s crack open the packaging and find out!

Specifications

• BA Driver: Knowles RAD-33518-P183
• Dynamic Driver: 10.2mm, Dual Voice Coils & Dual Voice Chambers (Hidizs Newly Developed Macromolecule Composite Diaphragm V2.0
• Appearance: German Eco-friendly Resin Body, Phosphorescent Faceplate, Gold-plated Sound Nozzle
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-40Khz
• Sensitivity: 112dB
• Impedance: 18Ω
• Cabling: Mixed Braiding of Quad-Core Wires (2×High Purity Silver Wires & 2×OFC Wires), 1.2m in Length
• Earphone Connector: Detachable 0.78mm 2pin Gold-Plated Socket
• Plug: 3.5mm Gold-Plated Plug
• Weight (a pair): Approx.10g (w/o cable)
• MSRP Price: $89 USD

Retail Packaging & Accessories
The MS2 is stored in nice packaging, and I received my copy directly from Hidizs with some blemishes and dings due to the shipping process. Overall the packaging was sufficient to protect the earphone, and other contents within. On the front of the packaging is an image of the right IEM, with Knowles and Hi-Res AUDIO logos, along with the Hidizs logo brandished on the box. The box seems to be the same for whichever colour you decide to purchase, with a sticker found on the bottom denoting the colourway of the MS2 inside. I was sent the red version. Details on the product specifications were located on the back in both simplified Chinese and English.

Contents of the retail packaging are good, considering the price of the earphone. This includes documentation, a very nice storage box (I mean, really nice… actually surprisingly nice!), a reasonably good 4-wire cable with 2-pin connectors, terminated with a gold-plated 3.5mm stereo jack.

Also included are several silicone tips, and while the selection is good for most ear types, I would have liked to see a pair of foam tips for variety. Still the tip sets provided differ in terms of bore diameter, with the smaller aperture tips placing emphasis on the bass response, and the wider aperture tips providing a slightly more mid- and highs-centric sound signature. These differences are slight and I chose to use the medium-sized, narrow-bore tips for testing, as they fit better while providing a bit of emphasis on the low-end, which is my personal preference.

I decided not to tip-roll with other tips in my collection, in order to better describe the out-of-the-box experience. Funnily enough, I found that installing the tips onto the MS2 to be a bit of a challenge, which is probably a testament to the tolerances of the tip mounting diameter to the nozzle… either that or I just have clumsy fingers! It’s also worth noting that the firmness and density of the silicon mounting shaft on the narrow tips are harder than the silicon flange itself, providing a secure grip when mated to the MS2 nozzle.



Zooming into the cable, while generic, is well-built, and I had no issues with the 3Ms of IEM cables: malleability, memory and microphonics. While there were the tiniest amounts of microphonics on the cable during insertion, that all went away once the cable was wrapped around my ears and the chin cinch was deployed. It’s obviously not made with 1k stand Vibranium from Wakanda but is a combination of silver and copper wires. As a stock cable for a sub-$100 USD earphone, it works well and I have no issues with it, other than the plastic-formed ear hooks (never was a fan in the first place, but you might like it). The chin sinch also works well and additionally included is a velcro tie to keep everything neat and coiled. As the MS2 is configured via 0.78mm 2-pin connectors, looking for replacement cables shouldn’t be an issue for the most diehard earphone cable collector. If you really want to connect your 1k palladium cables to what most would consider a budget earphone, you’re completely able to.

Overall the packaging and accessories included are well thought out, includes the usual fare, and comes with a great storage box to boot.

Earphone Design, Materials, Construction & Fit
The MS2 are very similar to the MS1 Rainbow, sharing the shell design and materials from the previous model. The red version is probably not the first colourway I would personally go with for something that I would wear in public, however, I do have to admit that the reflective faceplates lying underneath the translucent shells are pretty. Lightweight aluminium nozzles are mated to the translucent, composite resin housing. Speaking of the nozzles, the portholes are protected by what looks to be a non-replaceable metal mesh. Tolerances in the construction are good, and while I do feel the slightest of seams around the nozzle and front housing, I have no concerns over build quality and finish.

Overall the material selection allows for a lightweight earphone that is comfortable for my ears and offers moderate isolation using the included tips. The driver selection and amount allow for a compact form factor and are noticeably smaller than some of the multi-driver offerings we are getting more used to. Par for the course, when compared to other plastic-based IEMs in its price category, and while probably not as robust as a full-metal-jacketed IEM (I wouldn’t want to sit on these accidentally if placed in my back pocket, or swimming at the bottom of a book bag), I have hopes that these will last from the wears and tears of EDC use, but only time will tell.

In terms of fit for my ears, I found them to sit a bit shallow in my ear canal, which is counter to my preference for deep insertion. Still, I found the MS2 to be comfortable for my ear shape. Once I found the right size tips, I had no issues securing these to my head and they remained mated to my ears even during mad dashes to catch the bus.

Testing Setup
I tested the MS2 with a variety of setups, in order to simulate the various use-cases I could imagine these earphones being used in. This included listening to them on my testbench, with various portable gear, in the library, on public transportation and even using them for Zoom meetings connected to my Macbook Air M1. The music used was all FLAC ripped from my personal CD collection or purchased online, and are listed below as a Spotify list for your convenience.

Testbench

• Musician Audio Pegasus
• Massdrop THX AAA 789

Portable

• iBasso DX300
• Hibry R3 w/ Chord Mojo
• Huawei P30 Lite

Work

• Apple Macbook Air M1

Tracks

• For a list of the tracks I use for testing, please check out this Spotify Playlist.

Sound

Profile Summary
The Hidizs MS2 offers a balanced, maybe even pedestrian sound signature, which should appeal to a wide audience of users across all genres. The V-shaped signature offers decently punchy upper-mids, with pretty good treble extension without sounding sharp or sibilant. Bass has a slight emphasis with a nice presence and texture, without muddying the rest of the sound signature. The MS2 doesn't sound overly sparkly nor dark. Resolution is admirable for a sub-$100 earphone, with staging sounding more tall than wide from my personal experience.

Treble
I found the BA drivers in the MS2 to control sibilance to be good, with a natural timbre and quick decay. By no means splashy or overly bright, I found the treble to be well-controlled and with sufficient resolution, just shy of being sparkly. Overall the presentation is clear with noticeable precision and definition. When compared to the other budget IEM I have on deck, the TinAudio T2 pro, I found the MS2 to perform significantly better in terms of definition, separation and clarity. Notes were fast and clear, without any sharpness to my 40+ years. Overall treble is well controlled without any blatant high-pitched emphasis. On classical piano tracks, the air in notes was apparent and quite enjoyable. Listening to Blossom Dearie was also pleasant due to the clarity the MS2 offers in the upper-midrange registers. Those of you looking for good treble extension, resolution and speed, without being too sharp should like what the MS2 has to offer.

Mids
Upper mids seem to be controlled by the BA driver and here, we have much of the same performance as the treble section, with maybe a slight de-emphasis of the mids due to the V-shaped signature. Lower mids are possibly controlled by the proprietary dynamic driver and offer good decay and texture. To my ears, these are not overly warm in terms of timbre, but avoid any muddiness or darkness an overly emphasised mids signature may stumble into. And while these are not mid-centric IEMs, the MS2 does provide a decent presence when balanced with the treble and bass. They sound natural even with the mids taking a supporting role to the treble and bass. Vocals from Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town by Pearl Jam sound good without taking over the entire track. Vocals from Brown Skin Lady by Black Star also sound good, with decent separation from the highly-textured instrumentals. Again and much like the treble, the mids play a great, collaborative role with the rest of the registers in the overall sound signature.

Bass
If there is anywhere for improvement, I think the bass is where the MS2 could use some slight tuning. Don’t get me wrong, the bass is well textured, fast, dry, and with a well-balanced amount, but the resolution and depth could use some improvement. With that being said, Hidzs should be commended as there is only so much one can do within the price target of the MS2 and the drivers used. Timbre was very natural and does not dominate, colour or muddy the rest of the sound frequency at all. The bass was smooth and might be a bit source dependent, as while it sounded slightly light on my iBasso DX300, on the Hibry R3/Chord Mojo combination, it sounded thicker. Where the bass excels is in the MS2s speed and recovery from bass notes. With just enough rumble in the mid-bass, although I do wish for more sub-bass. Still, in playing with the theme of the overall sound signature of the MS2, the bass is well balanced and plays well with the mids and treble. While these are not basshead earphones, the overall offering is very competent and should work well with all genres, yet may leave a bit to be desired in only the most demanding of songs.

Soundstage & Separation
For me, this is really where the MS2 shines as an overall offering. The soundstage is well proportioned and spherical, without any artificial sounding width, height or depth. The resolution, air, clarity and separation are excellent, with a perceivable three-dimensionality that is notable. Depth and width are equally represented and offer a natural staging that is quite good and is able to adapt to all of the tracks that I threw at them effortlessly. Details are well supported by the overall sound characteristics and do not sound surgical or analytical at all. If there is one reason to audition the MS2, it is for the qualities of its soundstage and separation characteristics.

Conclusion
Hidizs is obviously putting in a lot of good effort in providing competent audio gear and the MS2 represents an excellent yet incremental offering in their IEM line. The MS2 is a very good earphone that should play nice with all genres and a wide range of listeners. They are well designed, compact, light and comfortable, offer a reasonably decent set of accessories (did I mention that the included earphone storage box is great?), and best of all, sound excellent for their price range. The overall balance of the sound signature, without any strong emphasis on any aspects of the sound spectrum, all the while providing great staging and good resolution makes these a wonderful backup IEM for someone with a collection of earphones, or for people who want a one-and-done set that won't break the bank. And while there will always be areas to improve, the overall offering is highly competent for listeners of many genres. I would not hesitate to recommend an audition for anyone looking for a good yet budget-minded, multi-driver setup, and can’t wait to see what Hidizs can pull off with more complex configured driver earphones in the future if this is the in-house tuning they are going for.