MOONDROP Aria Snow Edition

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

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

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

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

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Shenzhenaudio sent me the Aria SE for evaluation.
This review originally appeared on Audioreviews.
Sources used: Questyle CMA Twelve Master
Price, while reviewed: $80. Can be bought from ShenzhenAudio.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES​

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



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

BUILD QUALITY​

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



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

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT​

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

SOURCE AND EARTIPS​

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

DRIVER SETUP​

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

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

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES​

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

CONCLUDING REMARKS​

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

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

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

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

Moondrop Aria Snow
The Aria snow edition comes in a beautifully adorned winter themed box. Inside is the Aira, a white case, tips, and a much improved cable.
The shape and fit are exactly the same, I found them comfortable and isolation is excellent.
Look wise the silver color and white design are very fetching in my opinion. Build quality is top notch and as I said previously the silver cable is a vast improvement over the cloth cable and tangled mess of the original.

Sound:
The Bass of the snow has better overall dynamics, it's cleaner and more natural bass.
The Mids are neutral and more transparent, both Aria are well tuned in this but I think the SE is just a little better.
Treble is much more airy and have better extension and more clarity.
Soundstage is wider and more detailed, good accuracy and separation as well.

Afterthoughts:
The Moondrop Aria SE is different but similar, maybe tuned just more towards my liking, the bass is a little less powerful but more detailed overall.
To me the Snow Edition is an improvement across the board. From the beautiful design to the neutral rich sound itself, the SE is a great offering.

INTRO​

Moondrop is now well known by audio community and have a solid fan base too. This chinese audio company always been serious about sound quality and tuning refinement, pursuing a tonal balance ideal inspired by Harman target acoustic calibration curve.

Their best seller like Moondrop Blessing 2 and Aria have proove to have past test of time and can be now call classic. The last IEM I review and appreciate from this company is the Kato, which you can read a detailed review HERE.

As a big fan of the Aria, I was so intrigued by the Snow version that I decide to buy it with my own money, even if i absolutely don’t need more IEM, even less so following the Harman curve.

Priced 80$ like the first Aria, the Snow don’t use a LCP (liquid crystal polymer) dynamic driver like it’s older sibling but a first gen DLC (diamond like carbon) dynamic driver which is suppose to be very same one as the Kanas Pro model which sell for 180$. While the use of this driver doesn’t promise similar timbre than first Aria, it sure promise high sound to price performance.

Let see in this review if the Aria Snow distinguish itself from other Moondrop offering.

CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10​

The Snow use exact same housing than first version Aria, but with a matte grey finish and beautiful snowy logo for backplate design. First Aria get complaint from consumers about paint chip issue which question aesthetical durability of it’s housing, I haven’t encounter this with my Aria which is still in perfect shape after 2 years of intense careless use. So, my theory is that it’s perhaps an issue that occur only in very hot and humid environment.

Personaly, i find the construction very good, sturdy and durable, Housing is made of thick solid metal and 2pin connector are recessed for secure connection.



Packaging is OK, the waifu on the box is quite beautiful and elegant, but overall presentation is mi nimalist as well as number of accessories. You have 6 pairs of silicone eartips including the very usefull Spring tips. You have a carrying case. But the cable included is only average as expected in this price range. Its the very same entry level silver plated cable found with their SSR and SSP IEM.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS​

(Gear used for this review: Tri TK2, Ibasso DX90, Questyle M15 and Xduoo Link2 Bal)

TONALITY: 7.5/10​

Vivid neutral to crisp W shape with light bass, the Snow is not exactly cold as winter but sure mature and serious in it’s sound presentation.
Tonal balance is of an inversed L shape to me, where both bass and mids feel a bit lean and softed in attack edge while whole treble follow a slight lift and extend far to add sens of air and openess.
We can call the Snow, big CHU brother, certainly an upgrade both in technical and tonal aspect, and even a hint more punch to otherwise lean and dry bass.

The Snow have mature audiophile tonality, focusing on sens of clarity and attack snap, that avoid to be plain boring or dull by adding a hint of punchyness to it’s mid bass and alot of snap energy and treble intrigue. When big bass occur, like with Soul and R&B music, result can be what i would call a fun high fidelity balance. The mid range is all about clean and vivid presence, yet with a restrain sens of openess and distant dynamic impact apart the upper mids part wich are on borderline shouty time to time, avoiding sibilance and harshness with a softed edge in definition, just a gentle one. Treble is the whole Snow Show here, it’s the tour-de-force that merit applause since it achieve very crisp and lively clarity and extract micro details like an humble champ, not overly pushed fowards yet the highs snap tend to attract our attention and entertain the listener with a captivating and refined musicality.

Timbre is as said on the dry and cold side, even with warm euphonic dongle like the Xduoo Link2 Bal, the Snow keep and icy feel to the female vocal for ex. Density is on the thin side too, yet well textured and nuanced in colors…but far from lush or full bodied. Let say we have more presence of timbre skin than meat (or tofu if your vegan)

TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE: 8.5/10​

The Snow offer high resolution with very extended crispy treble. Attack speed is very fast and it have a tigh speedy sustain too, that add crunch and snap when needed. Even with ultra busy and fast excited jazz rock track like Skink from Elephant9, the Snow keep up it’s pace and it’s clean resolution, yet not in the most dynamic way, in a cold slightly distant way, free of disortion and with slight emphasis on treble.
This dynamic part is always hard to explain, but let say Moondrop tend to be light in weighty impact, especially in mid range which seem tamed in loudness scaling, since bass is light too here, dynamic is more felt in upper range, which tend to be more open, airy and edgy-snappy-bity.


Again, clarity is mind blowing with the Snow, it’s clean too, a hint airy, level of micro details will be high with a source like Questyle M15.
Imaging is excellent, vividly accurate and precise, yet the lean mids make us focus more on higher range instrument or sound positioning.
Spatiality being clean, it tend to add deepnest to IEM soundstage, but not so much wideness.

MUSICALITY APPRECIATION: 7.5/10​

This is the subjective part of my review, and it can’t be just black or white in conclusion, it would be too vulgar since i’m open minded about different tonality flavors.
For me the Snow is like fine wine with cheese, depending of the pairing you do, the yumyness will differ. With electronic like drum&bass, Snow will not cut it and sound too dull, lean and dry and lacking lower extension and rumble in low end, with classical, it will depend since symphony will be very accurate and precise yet strings quartet will sound a bit dry and distant as well as not lush and vibrant enough in timbre.
In fact, personally I don’t find the musicality of Snow appealing, it keep me emotionaly distant due to dryish brightish vocal, borderline shouty sometime as well as light note weight for piano or lack of warmth and lushness in overall timbre. I do feel tone is affected by higher harmonic presence sometime too, yet not to the point of making any instrument sound wonky…just a bit ”unbodied” if we can say.

COMPARISONS​

VS HZsound Hearth Mirror (1DD-50$)

Yep, my love for these sub-50$ budget serial killer isn’t done yet, far from it in fact…and again the HZM show how Elite he is in its technical perfomance here, yet it doesn’t offer same tonal balance, being notably more crisp W shape and energic in bass and mids too.
Bass extend deeper, have more rumble and well define body than dryer lean Snow where it feel notably less vibrant, resonance and physicaly present than HZM but more focus on mid bass thickness where HZM is sub bass resonance and lead impact of mid bass which isn’t chunky and as textured.
Mids are brighter and more spiky with the HZM, it have better sens of openess and heavier note weight as well as better define attack edge, female vocal jump at you and are a hint more prompt to sibilance with bad source but more resonance and wide in presence, more bodied too and less saturated in texture-tuby sounding. Here, it will be a matter of taste, since Snow is more relaxed as a whole too.
Treble is interesting fight, again, HZM is more spiky and snappy, but deliver more sparkleand longer and more natural decay-resonance too, this add a sens of transparency the Snow is lacking with it’s more gently crunchy treble that seem to deliver different part of micro details and have more polished definition. We have more sens of air and cleaned space between instrument with the HZM, yet treble is a hint fuller with the Snow.
Soundstage is wider with Snow and deeper with the HZM.
Imaging is great with both, but bass and mids have better layering and sharper separation with HZM.
All in all, in term of technical performance, HZsound Mirror haven’t been detrone by this 30$ pricier Moondrop Snow which offer on par resolution capacity with a more laidback dynamic. HZ being sharper and more W shapen in balance than the Snow, your tonal preference will decide which is your favorite, for me the bass being more resonant, mids more alive and treble more sparkly, it sincerly prefer my beloved Hzsound Hearth Mirror. If the Snow would have deliver lush and appealing vocal that surpass the HZM, might opinion would have surely change.

VS BQEYZ TOPAZ (1DD-80$)

The Snow is cleaner, clearer and more neutral sounding. Bass is faster in attack and leaner in response, not as opaque and textured and a bit less dynamic. Mids are biggest difference here, it sound wider, fuller and more open, as well it’s less recessed but a bit leaner in attack too. Seem like the Snow are more prompt to sibilance while the Topaz more at risk of slight shoutyness.
Resolution and imaging is notably superior with the Snow. Treble is more extended too, more snappy, airy and crisp, you have greater amount of clean micro details with the Snow. Soundstage is wider and deeper as well. Timbre is thinner, colder and with greater sens of transparency and less fuzzy texturing.
All in all, the Snow sound more technical and have cleaner resolution but isn’t as immersive and musical to my ears as the lusher and more energic Topaz.

VS TRI KAI (1DD-80$)

The SNOW is more neutral and refined, with greater sens of transparency and clarity as well as notably less boosted bass. KAI is more U shape, with thicker sub bass and more physical slam, warmer and less textured and more prompt to bass bleed than the Snow which offer leaner dryer bass response, less boomy, faster and more articulated in attack.
Mids are clearer-cleaner and more present in definition with the Snow, but leaner in dynamic and bit thinner in vocal timbre, especially male vocal which are more bodied and upfront with the KAI, for female vocal, its a bit more shouty and fatiguing. With fast busy music the Snow keep its clarity and accuracy unlike Kai that can go messy and unbalanced, especially if their heavy bass line or hit.
Treble is fuller with the Snow, and offer more texture nuances and sound info, definition is cleaner and sharper, transparency doesn’t get messy, percussions are more detailed and fuller restored while KAI can pick up part of it and let other part in the dark, swallowed by bass and mids boost.
Soundstage of both is similar in wideness tallness, but notably deeper with the Snow.
Imaging is without a doubt superior with the Snow, more accurate due to more transparent sounds layers and sharper static definition of instrument positioning, as well, separation have cleaner space.
All in all, if you find your Snow boring, the KAI seem a logical sidegrade since it follow similar tonal balance with more bass and more lively dynamic presentation. Technicaly it’s inferior especially in resolution, attack speed and control, treble isn’t as well balanced and lack mature refinement of the Snow.

VS NICEHCK YOUTH (1 DD-90$)

Firstly, the Youth is notably brighter and more V shape, it’s balance is more wonky and unbalanced in treble part. Snow is notably more refined and balanced, sounding neutral to mid centric yet with higher resolution, especially in mid range. Treble is better controled and more linear, making Youth feel dark in some part and overly boosted in other, more spiky and shouty.
Bass of Youth is chunkier and move more air, yet isn’t as realist in timbre. Male and female vocal are better with the Snow, with richer timbre and fuller body as well as cleaner presence.
Treble is a mess with the Youth, it feel more airy and snappy than Snow still, but in an unbalanced way while Snow deliver a smoother yet richer treble, less overly focus on higher harmonic making instrument like acoustic guitar tone more realist in timbral balance with fuller restitution of presence. Both these doesn’t offer biggest soundstage but the Youth feel wider and deeper due to extra treble air. Imaging is unrealistic with the Youth and become muddy in mid range faster than Snow, which have better transparency and more appropriate instrument placement and separation tough they can feel more compressed than the Youth.
All in all, the Moondrop is from another league here, both in tonality and technicalities and offer a more refined and mature neutral tuning which could be consider less fun and exciting for basshead and treblehead.

SOUND VALUE CONCLUSION: 8.8/10​

The SNOW high performance and refined mature tonality it offer wasn’t findable under 100$ some years ago. I remember 3y ago that Starfield was praise as good value, which now feel from a very lower league in term of plain performance. The dynamic driver used in Snow is excellent and deliver fast transient with clean resolution and effortles detailing. While I still prefer Aria timbre and more wide open and smooth presentation, especially due to fuller and more natural female vocal, the Snow deliver crisper resolution and more accurate imaging, and have a more dynamic and textured mid bass punch that will feel like an upgrade for those finding the first Aria boring or too organic.
All in all, while Moondrop IEMs begin to feel like more of the same again and again, they continue to improve their dynamic driver tech to deliver high sound benefit value.

——–

PS: I wanna thanks Keephifi for the gentle 50% discount they offer me even if Moondrop wasn’t willing to send free sample to me. This is a proof of respect towards my independance of mind when it come to critical audio impressions that isn’t make in a promoting format nor emphased on hyping positivity. As always, this is my unbiased audio impressions.

You can buy the Moondrop Aria Snow for 80$ here and enjoy fast free shipping (unlike Aliexpress):https://keephifi.com/products/moondrop-aria-snow-edition

For more diversify and honest review, give a read to my No Borders Audiophile website HERE.

Intro
The original Aria released in the year 2017,which sports completely different design,i have also reviewed the 2021 Aria and they were good,technicalities and everything else,but the tuning was just too “safe” to many other people including me. Fast forward to 2022 June,Aria has been re-released with some changes to it. The driver has been replaced with Diamond Like LCP Diaphragm,cosmetic changes,and also some changes in terms of tuning. Safe to say I personally prefer this tuning over the 2021 Aria.

Packaging/Build/Comfort
The packaging is the usual Moondrop styled packing.”Waifu” printed box cover. Unboxing it will reveal IEM itself,two types of eartips,the grey colored and three sizes of Spring Tips,a small carrying pouch and also the cable. This time around the cable is different from the 2021 Aria’s,I believe it could be the majority of users who feedback that it got tangled very easily hence they’ve decided to swap it out with Moondrop SSP/SSR’s cable. Personally i do find that the cable can be better as it is definitely limiting the performance of Aria Snow Edition.

In terms of build,the size is similar to the 2021 Aria and the changes from what i can see is only the colour and perhaps the design is laser etched instead of painted (I am not 100% sure,do take it with a grain of salt).In terms of comfort,i don’t have any fitting problem with the 2021 Aria,so i don’t have any issue with snow edition as well as they have the same shell size/design.



Source
Foobar2k -> Questyle M15 -> Moondrop Aria Snow Edition
Foobar2k -> TRI TK2 -> Moondrop Aria Snow Edition
Foobar2k -> Moondrop Dawn -> Moondrop Aria Snow Edition
Foobar2k -> Onkyo DAC HA200 -> Moondrop Aria Snow Edition

Sound (Stock Cable with Audiosense’s S400 eartips)
First and foremost,I do not have the 2021 Aria with me anymore for the A/B test,the comparison is solely based on my memory and time spent with 2021 Aria. The first thing that I noticed when I put on the Aria Snow Edition is that they are distinctively different in terms of tuning. Personally I prefer Snow Edition’s tuning over 2021 Aria. Snow Edition is more dynamic compared to 2021 Aria and it doesn’t sound that “safe”,however in terms of bass,it does take a step back in terms of quantity. Let’s break it down below:

Bass:

• Bass transition is linear and smooth from sub to mid bass and has good texture to it
• Mid bass has got good thump to it,slams good enough on Alice Cooper’s Go to Hell
• Sub bass does sound a little roll off,you can’t really hear it but rather “feel” it when the track calls for it. You can still listen to EDM with it,but of course it is nowhere near basshead level but good enough for adequate “fun”

Mids:

• Mids are lush and it is very evident in Sinne Eeg’s We’ve Just Begun,plenty of details in the midrange and very pleasant to listen to when paired with Questyle’s M15
• Vocal positioning is slightly forward but not intimate
• Both male and female vocal has got good texture and doesn’t sound thin at all
• The instrument’s timbre sounds natural and correct to my ears

Highs:

• The treble to my ears has got a bit more energy compared to 2021 Aria
• Treble is smooth and not fatiguing to listen to despite being slightly more energetic,no sibilance or harshness at all
• Detail retrieval is good enough at this price point,it is not overly done to the point where it is too analytical
• Good amount of air hence the music doesn’t sound too “congested” and contributed to a soundstage presentation

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is not exceptionally wide,slightly out of head and a little lacking in terms of height
• Imaging is average,instruments can be pinpointed easily but on some busy track,it does suffer a little

Driveability

• Very easy to drive,decent volume out of smartphone’s 3.5mm jack
• Does scale with better source,best to pair with some dynamic dac such as Questyle’s M15 or Tri TK2 to give the top end a little more energy if you prefer

Comparison (Ikko OH2)

• OH2 is mid centric and warm in general,smooth and laid back
• Sub bass on the OH2 is slightly rolled off and they sounded more or less the same on both OH2 and Aria Snow Edition
• Mid bass on both is pretty similar
• Treble regions are where both of them are different. OH2 is smooth and non fatiguing at all,whereas Aria Snow Edition is slightly more energetic but still possibly to be considered as safe by some
• In terms of soundstage and imaging,OH2 has a more in your head kind of soundstage whereas Aria Snow Edition is slightly out of your head,in terms of imaging capability,both are more or less on par
• I would say both OH2 and Aria Snow Edition are tuned differently,catering to different audience,technicality wise,Aria Snow Edition is better

Final Thoughts
Aria Snow Edition might not be marketed as an upgrade to 2021 Aria, but to me they are definitely an upgrade for me because I like how it sounds compared to 2021 Aria. Although many favoured the 2021 Aria,they are too “safe” sounding to me and nothing really stands out no matter what kind of mod you put on it,cable rolling,eartips,filter change etc etc.

The snow edition is more engaging to listen to,I will put it as more musical than the 2021 Aria,not to mention that the snow edition is also using a different driver compared to 2021 Aria.
If you seek musicality and don’t wish to spend a lot of money for it,get the Aria Snow Edition.
This is not a set for critical listening nor it claimed to be one. Get one,and enjoy it!

*Moondrop Aria Snow Edition has been sent over by ShenzhenAudio,as always,I thank them for their opportunity and generosity.However I am in no way influenced nor paid to produce this review,all thoughts are of my own.

If you are interested in grabbing a pair,head over to ShenzhenAudio’s webstore at the link below: *Not affiliated
Moondrop Aria Snow Edition

The Aria Snow edition (snow from now on) was kindly provided by Shenzhen audio free of charge in exchange for my honest and subjective evaluation.
I only covered import fees and tax, I didn't receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don't use affiliate links.
The price is $79.99 and you can order it from Shenzhen audio.

Aria Snow edition

Launched in 2021, the Aria featured a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm and a composite structure that resulted in exceptional performance.
They were widely acclaimed for their timbre and tuning, and became an
instant hit.
Many discriminating users, however, noted that the popular tuning of the Aria had deviated somewhat from
the classic Moondrop tuning they had come to love.
The Aria Snow Edition is the emphatic response to this
valuable feedback.
As the name suggests, the sound of the Aria Snow is clear,
transparent, and rich in detail.
The Aria Snow replaces the
original LCP diaphragm of the Aria with the same first-generation diamond-like carbon (DLC) composite
diaphragm used in the Kanas Pro Edition while retaining
the Arias tried-and-tested driver and cavity structure.
This combination of old and new preserves the Arias
delicate treatment of high frequencies, while taking
advantage of the Kanas Pro triple-frequency balance
style, thus delivering high-quality detail and pure, clear
timbre.



Technical highlights

Utilizing a 10mm diameter dual-cavity dynamic driver, the Aria Snow inherits much of the component configuration
and the acoustic structure of the original Aria.
It also adopts an ultra-fine imported Daikoku CCAW voice coil to form a lightweight suspension system, and a brass inner cavity controls the volume to regulate the natural frequency of
the system.
The most notable difference in the Aria Snow is the adoption of the same first generation DLC composite
diaphragm used in the Kanas Pro. The Kanas Pro was launched in 2018 and received high praise for its excellent sound quality and high cost performance.
The DLC diaphragm is a composite of nano-thickness diamond-like
amorphous carbon deposited on high internal resistance base material.
The high rigidity, high damping, and lightweight of this composite material results in outstanding
electroacoustic performance.
The Aria Snows high-frequency waveguide structure has
been carefully modified to take full advantage of the new DLC composite driver.
The Aria Snow not only leverages
the excellent performance of classic legacy materials, but also integrates new structural improvements, delivering a smoother and more refined treble with rich detail.
In common with all Moondrop dynamic driver products,
the Aria Snow uses a composite cavity, multiple tuning
holes, and multiple acoustic dampers with different parameters for accurate frequency response adjustment.
The resulting tuning meets all technical objectives and
delivers an exceptionally satisfying listening experience.



The frequency response of the Aria Snow is highly
consistent with the Target Response which combines HRTF
(Head Related Transfer Function) and Room Response
Function.
Without resorting to boosted bass frequencies aimed at coloring timbre, the Aria Snow delivers real timbre
performance and a wider vertical soundstage close to the
original studio sound.



Build quality and appearance

The ear shells are made from CNC milled aluminium with a brand new surface texture coating that emphasizes its metal texture with a complex and esthetically pleasing snowflake pattern that perfectly
matches the visual theme of the earphones.
They are very beautiful and visually appealing and I like them much better than the Aria 2021.

Ergonomics and isolation

The ear shells are very lightweight and follow an anatomically shaped design that offers a very conformable and stress free fit that isn't too deep.
I wore them for hours without any signs of discomfort.
Passive noise attenuation is good but not the best although it gets the job done so you can certainly use them outdoors.



Cable

The Aria Snow Edition comes with a replaceable 6N oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable with a high-permeability insulating protective layer
It features a 0.78mm 2-pin connector that gives users the option to easily
replace the stock cable.
The cable is of good quality, it has low microphonic noise and is tangle free but the plastic 3.5mm doesn't inspire too much confidence.
Anyway this specific cable is of better overall quality and handling experience than the one that came with the Aria 2021.



Accessories

The Aria snow edition comes with the classic Moondrop carrying case, this time in a white color and two sets of eartips in three different sizes each.



Listening impressions

The Snow is pretty easy to drive so a good quality USB DAC dongle should do the job.
I have mostly used the FiiO KA1, iBasso DC05 and Violectric Chronos.
As per usual practice the earphone was left playing music for about 100 hours before critical listening.



The overall tuning is absolutely balanced, the snow is natural sounding with spot on tonality where all instruments are heard with their real timbre.
The snow is fairly transparent and clear while it is musical, expressing and organic sounding, making for a very enjoyable listening experience.
It can perfectly reproduce all kinds of music, pop - rock - EDM, you name it but where it really shines is with naturally recorded unamplified instruments.
The bass response is the reference kind without any unnatural coloring and it has a surprisingly good sub-bass extension followed by a naturally downsloping curve up to the mid range.
The snow is not a "bass-head" earphone but it can easily handle bass heavy electronic music with great results although it is not recommended if you love your bass shaking and boosted.
On the other hand, all acoustic bass instruments are reproduced with exemplary fidelity and tonal accuracy without the slightest hint of mid-bass masking or overlapping of the mid range.
Texture is not very visceral but not lean either, balanced is the word to use, while clarity and definition are way above average.
Dynamic behavior is satisfying and realistic, of course not in the same level of physical impact as earphones with larger, beryllium plated, dynamic drivers but still very convincing.
The driver is fast with a quick recovery, the bass sounds very tight and controlled with great layering and instrumental separation, it can do Mahler without even sweating.



The mid range timbre is again natural and tonally correct, very suitable for listening to acoustic instruments without tonal shifts that could color the sound.
All types of voices sound equally intense and just a step forward, they are present, well defined and clearly articulated.
The harmonic saturation is plentiful, overtones get clearly expressed, the snow is not dry nor boring, it is rather lush with the ideal quantity of warmth.
What I liked very much was how well voices and solo instruments blended together like when listening to the famous Handel aria "Let the Bright Seraphim'' for soprano and natural trumpet that is part of the "Samson" secular oratorio.



The treble tuning is smooth and controlled but not muted or subdued, it might be lacking in top end extension and vividness but it really shines in tonality, something certainly preferred over ultimate detail retrieval and artificial brightens just for the sake of sounding more technical and analytical.
As long as you can listen to one hour of solo harpsichord music without getting a headache then the tuning is spot on and you shouldn't really care about the lack of overall refinement or the deepest micro detail retrieval.
Soundstage might not be the last word in imaging accuracy, holography or the scale of the presentation but then it is quite extended with a surplus of air so it doesn't sound congested while positioning cues are satisfying.
Anyway, technicalities are certainly up to the task for a $79 single dynamic driver earphone that otherwise excels in tonal accuracy and musicality.



Vs. Moondrop Aria 2021 ($79.99)

The Aria 2021 is the slightly warmer and more bassy sibling of the snow.
The Aria 2021 has the better sub-bass extension and a more emphasized bass tuning with a more visceral texture but the snow has the most convincing tonality (at least if you care about acoustic instruments) and the edge in bass technicalities including speed, control and layering.
Upper treble might be a touch more sparkling in the Aria 2021 but the snow sounds more refined, less grainy and cleaner.
Choosing over the two is pretty easy, if you like your music bassy and warmer go for the Aria 2021 but if you prefer more natural and correct timbre with improved technicalities then let it snow.



Vs DUNU Titan S ($79.99)

The Dunu Titan S has a different form factor, the Aria Snow is more discreet, lightweight and comfortable fitting but the Titan S has more modern, industrial looks and it comes with a slightly better quality cable, a special carrying case and one more set of eartips.
The Titan S tuning is neutral with an upper mid range/treble emphasis that makes for a more forward, sparkling and bright sound signature while it is more detailed and analytical.
Otherwise they sound quite alike in the bass and the mids with the snow being more organic and natural sounding while the Titan S is cleaner, slightly more dry and artificial but it has better technicalities, especially in the bass which is more impactful.
If you mostly listen to electronic music or you prefer a more analytical, detailed and luminous sound then the Titan S should suit you better, else just let it snow.



In the end

Snow weather is cold and icy when you are wandering outside but it gives you a cosy and relaxed feeling when safely watching from your warm home and this is exactly what the Aria Snow edition is going to do with your senses.
Balanced with the most natural timbre and an organic sounding nature it is one of the most musical and engaging earphones you can buy for less than $100.
Get one, choose your favorite music, sit at your armchair and let it snow.

Test playlist

Copyright - Petros Laskis 2022.