EDIT 2020-10-20: From 4.5/5 to 3.5/5. Surpassed by the NiceHCK DIY MX500 that is much cheaper, while the K´s Bell-LB is on a similar SQ (better technicalities in the VX classic) and has similar shape while it is cheaper.
EDIT 2023-08-25: If you are not aware, I am selling my own Earbuds, called RikuBuds: https://rikubuds.com/
Disclaimer: Bought on HifiGO with a discount for this review, thank you very much
Price: 60 usd
Specifications:
Impedance: 16Ω
Frequency response range: 20-20 kHz
Drive type: moving coil
Wire: 4N Litz OFC
Line length 1.2m
Unit diameter 13.5mm
Cavity diameter: 15mm
Cavity material: CNC brass chrome
Diaphragm: Polyethylene Terephthalate
Coil: Daikoku CCAW
Magnet: N48 neodymium magnet
THD < 1%@1kHz
Sensitivity: 102db@1kHz
Accessories:
2 pairs of full foams
2 pairs of rubber “wheels”
Clip-on
Carry pouch
Cable: This is the same cable they have on their Spaceship (iem). It is pretty thick so it feels durable, there is a “rubbery” texture on it that makes it less slippery. There is some slight microphonics when you rub it but nothing when used normally. I prefer the cable on the Nameless so that is unfortunate that they went with a worse cable for this one. No chin-slider
Build: Made out of metal with a chrome finish and feels very solid and durable. Vents are on the back. L/R markings are printed on them but is hard to see due to the color, but the left bud has a “bump” so you can identify it.
Fit: The fit is pretty bad for me, as it too large to get into my ear canal and too small to properly attach itself to the outer ear. Have to adjust it pretty often and feels like it might slip out anytime. I get better sound if I wear it diagonally but then the fit is really loose, wearing it down help fit a bit but sound takes a hit. (I wear it diagonally.)
Comfort: Comfort is good and not a problem, especially since it isn’t very big it doesn’t get too warm. Although since it is made out of metal it will very likely be very cold when it is cold outside.
Isolation: None, it is an earbud after all.
Setup: Fiio M11, Full foams + rubber “wheels”
Lows: Very little bass overall but sub-bass is actually quite ok with quantity. It is the tight, fast and clean type of bass. Almost no rumble in the sub-bass at all. No bleed into the mids and stays very clean.
Mid-bass: clean, tight and fast so it fits rock/metal but I would still like a little bit more quantity here. (unfortunately, since the fit is bad for me the bass will suffer and especially the already quite low mid-bass).
Sub-bass: Rumble is near zero so look elsewhere if you want rumble. Although the punch is there and it is tight, fast and clean so on those kinds of songs it is just fine but definitely still low in quantity. For example, Will Spark – Sick like that (03:08 – 03:22) the bass is there but if you are familiar with the song you will know that the bass quantity is higher but the texture is quite good. On Djuro – Drop that bass -original mix (01:15 – 01:45) you can hear that there is some very slight rumble but it could also be mistaken as a very loose bass if you don’t know that it is supposed to rumble.
Mids: Extremely good female vocals and quite good male vocals. Not a single hint of sharpness at all. And instruments like electric/guitars, pianos sound very natural and detailed.
Female-vocals: Spectacular, very natural, detailed and forward while also avoiding any kind of sharpness. The testament to that is on Evanescence – Bring me to life (00:55 – 01:40), I was looking for the sharpness that nearly all my other iems/buds have with it but didn’t hear anything sharp at all. On slower/acoustic tracks like Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday and Bios-delta the female vocals are just pure heavenly bliss.
Male-vocals: very good male vocals as they have the necessary warmth, they need to sound natural, although I would still have liked a bit more thickness to them for them to sound even better. But still very impressive when you consider that it has very low mid-bass quantity. On Skillet – Live free or let me die (02:36 – 03:08) the male vocals sound extremely good with perfect amount of thickness and warmth. But on something like Dead by April – Beautiful nightmare (01:16 – 01:28) it needs more thickness and warmth for the “monster” vocals to sound more natural.
Highs: It has a very neutral treble quantity, extremely close what I consider “true neutral”. It isn’t sharp at all despite the perceived treble quantity being high (due to the low bass). Quality wise it is spectacular in how airy and natural it is. On a track like Hiroyuki Sawano – Zero Eclipse-instrumental version every single instrument (except the bass that needs more quantity) sounds extremely natural
Soundstage: Extremely big it takes the massive soundstage in the Nameless and makes it better by making it better at depth, so it is more 3d. With this soundstage the VX Classic really excels at Live music.
Tonality: warm-neutral, analytical. Top-tier timbre (except the bass that needs more rumble and quantity).
Details: Very high detail reproduction and impressive.
Instrument Separation: Separation and imaging is also very good and on a track like Nier Automata – Weight of the world even though there are a lot of instruments the separation and imaging makes it very easy to tell apart where everything is.
Songs that highlight the IEM: , , , , ,
Good genres: Acoustic songs, Rock, metal, OSTs, Orchestral, Live, actually very versatile.
Bad genres: Rumble focused Sub-bass songs
Comparisons:
Moondrop Nameless: The treble quantity is a bit lower on the VX Classic and removes all the sharpness that was occasionally present on the Nameless. More natural sounding and less fatiguing as a result, while having more extension and air.
Female vocals on both are amazing but the VX Classic really takes it to the next level by providing a cleaner, more natural and most of all removes the tinniest of sharpness that can be present on the Nameless.
Male vocals on the Nameless is too thin and needs more warmth to sound natural, while the VX Classic fixes that and sounds very good.
Bass is muddier on the Nameless, being a bit looser, slower and therefore less clean and with slightly worse texture. Otherwise it is quite similar here. With both being basically just as bad when it comes to rumble and low bass quantity overall. Although since the VX Classic is warmer in comparison the perceived bass quantity is a bit higher but not by much.
Soundstage is similar in width but the VX Classic has more depth making it more 3d. Detail is a bit better but not by a lot (the Nameless has the treble quantity to help with that). Instrument separation is much better on the VX Classic. Timbre is a bit better on the VX Classic by having more natural male vocals and no sharpness in the sound (they both are bad at having a natural bass since the quantity and rumble is very low).
The VX Classic would have been a complete upgrade over the Nameless if it was as bright. But since it is warm-neutral instead of Bright-neutral it isn’t. But pretty much everything is better on the VX Classic (except the bass that doesn’t have any improvements really). VX Classic is better if you want warm-neutral and less fatiguing while the Nameless is better if you want a bright-neutral bud (I have better fit with the Nameless, so the VX Classic basically won with a “handicap”).
He 150Pro: Treble quantity is kind of similar, but the VX Classic just sounds much cleaner, refined and more natural.
Female vocals sound recessed in comparison to the VX Classic and duller. Quite a big difference in quality here with the VX Classic dominating the 150Pro.
Male vocals are thicker and warmer but the bass makes the entire sound muddier on the 150Pro so the VX Classic has better male vocals too.
Bass is the only thing better on the 150Pro, with much more rumble, quantity and texture but with the cost of making the entire sound muddy. While speed, tightness and cleanliness are better on the VX Classic.
Soundstage, details, Timbre and instrument separation are vastly better on the VX Classic.
150Pro is better if you want bass, but otherwise the VX Classic sounds better in every way.
VE Monk Lite (40-ohm version): The treble has more quantity and some sibilance in the monk lite. But the VX Classic is on a completely different level here, with it being much more natural and less fatiguing.
Female vocals are harsh and less natural on the Monk lite. Male vocals are more similar but the VX Classic is still better here.
Bass is the only thing better on the 150Pro, with much more rumble, quantity and texture. While speed, tightness and cleanliness are better on the VX Classic.
Soundstage, details, Timbre and instrument separation are vastly better on the VX Classic.
150Pro is better if you want bass, but otherwise the VX Classic sounds better in every way.
Moondrop Blessing 2 (iem): Treble is more extended and has more quantity on the B2 and is a bit less harsh and a bit more natural (very close in quality!!!).
Female vocals are extremely similar but just a tad better on the B2. Male vocals sound cleaner on the VX Classic but is more natural on the B2 as it has the added warmth and thickness from the bass it needs.
Bass on the B2 is completely decimating the VX Classic on rumble, quantity and texture and are similar in speed and tightness.
Soundstage is bigger on the VX classic in width but especially depth, simply stunning. Timbre and details are a bit better on the B2.
60 usd vs 320 usd? Damn close, and shows that earbuds aren’t something to make fun of. The biggest difference is the bass and soundstage, everything else are just some minor differences.
Tin Hifi P1 (micropore mod): Treble is extremely similar but the P1 has more extension and air, making it sound more natural.
Female vocals sound more natural and is more forward on the VX Classic but is less detailed. Male vocals are more natural on the P1 (because of the added warmth and thickness from the bass).
Bass quantity, texture and rumble (not a lot of rumble) are better on the P1 but the VX Classic has a cleaner bass due to being faster and tighter. Essentially trading quantity for quality with the bass.
The soundstage is much bigger on the VX Classic but timbre, details and instrument separation are better on the P1.
Overall, the P1 is a more complete experience due to the bass but the VX Classic is probably better for more people due to the P1 having a horrible fit and NEEDS much more amplification than the VX Classic. (the no-micropore mod P1 is probably even closer sounding to the VX Classic.)
Conclusion: The VX Classic is an astonishing good sounding earbud and it completely shattered my expectations from it. With the mids and treble being only rivaled by some of the best iems in that regard (like Moondrop’s own Blessing 2 and Tin Hifi P1). Sadly, the bass is the singular factor to why I cannot give it a 5/5, but it is extremely close to that. Thanks for reading.
