Moondrop SSR Super Starship Reference Review

This is my first review.
Critics are welcome.

The SSR is a very unique IEM to me, not only from the design, but the sound is very unique.

In bunch of hundreds of bass-cannons IEMs, i think the SSR is a special one. The SSR really stands out in the $40-50 range. Although i got it cheaper for Rp.480k ($31).

What really makes the SSR different than other IEMs i have used so far is; The Vocals.

A lot of people agree that the SSR highlights the vocals and mids quite well. For me as well, i agree that the vocals are clear and highlighted, not quite sure about the mids, but overall they're both very clear.

Bass 6/10
The bass for me, is pretty hidden. I think it's because the small DD size, compared to the SSP; the SSR is quite weak at bass. Maybe because of the standard tuning, so you need EQ tweaks to achieve your preferred sound. I use Poweramp on both of my Samsung A52s & M14 5G

Mids 8/10
The mids are really confusing for me, i can hear the vocals pretty well but sometimes i cannot hear some instruments in the mid range. Maybe due to the song's mixing and mastering that caused the problem. Overall it's pretty good and clear.

Highs 8/10
The highs for me are good, i can hear cymbals crashing clearly in some songs, some songs the cymbals are just pure distortion chaos. But it's pretty good and clear overall, even in standard tuning.



The SSR comes in a pretty awesome packaging, ya know, common moondrop W.

The packaging is really tidy and neat. No need to say more tbh.

Cables, feels cheap. It feels so "plasticy" (?). But i think it doesn't really affect performance.
It has no mic, so y'all gamers might buy a cable with mic too.

Also you get a small pouch to carry your IEM(s) around without the fear of getting your IEM stuck with other things in your bag/pocket.


I think it's a pretty good IEM overall, i like it, i love it.
Also it's quite small compared to my ZS10 lol, so i think people that really thinks about size would like this one.

Sound wise, it's good, but like i said; might need EQ tweaks to achieve preferred sound.

Build Quality 7/10
Sound 7.5/10
Ergonomics 8/10
Price 7/10 (9/10 for me because i got it for cheaper.)
Overall 8/10

Device(s) used : Samsung A52S & M14 5G
EQ app used : Poweramp
Eartips used : TINHIFI Memory Foams

Intro:
The Super Spaceship Reference (SSR) is a roughly $35 offering from Moondrop, it has a single Beryllium-coated dome + polyurethane suspension ring & a 16Ω output impedance. I specifically got this pair as an alternative to my Final E3000’s as I was using a warm source at the time (Shanling UP4) which led to some muddiness at times with certain tracks on my E3k’s. Auditioning the SSR at a local retail store I observed that this had less muddiness & paired better with my warm source due to its diffuse-field (DF) neutral signature. I was also very curious how a mid-centric device would perform, the SSR has a twin brother the Super Spaceship Pulse (SSP) which has an emphasis on the low end, I didn’t bother auditioning this because I knew what I wanted & SSP wasn’t it.



Sources used during review: Shanling UP4 & Fiio BTR5

Tips used during review: Final E Tips

Pro’s:

• Forwards mids with emphasis on upper mids, really makes you pay attention to the lyrics in a song. On my first listen I realized I was just enjoying music all this time, without really paying attention to most of the lyrics. So, I really appreciate the SSR teaching me something new.
• I think detail retrieval is best in class at this price point, I could notice those small instruments & vocals in the background which other IEM’s at this price point failed to highlight.
• It has an above average sound stage both is terms of width & depth. Acoustic Instrument timbre is surprisingly good!
• Treble is bright & has good extension achieving a good amount of clarity & separation with a feeling of airiness to it
• The sharpness of treble actually makes the SSR sound more detailed and gives cymbals a nice splash. There is no harshness or fatiguing peaks present here.
• The bass is fast & tight here without bleeding into other frequencies but there is definitely a lack of quantity compared to other more V shaped competitors in this price range. Using a warm source like Shanling UP4 & Final E Tips, certainly gives the sub bass more of a presence & rumble.
• The heart shaped enclosure/housing of the SSR is extremely light weight which makes it a joy to use for longer listening sessions. I hope Moondrop seriously considers making more IEM’s with similar design, comfort being a main priority.
• The 2 pin 0.78mm sliver plated cable is a nice addition, it’s soft, doesn’t get tangled up easily & I didn’t notice any microphonics with it. The cable isn’t too stiff and has a rubbery feel, although the addition of a chin slider would have been appreciated.

Con’s:

• Due to the emphasis on upper mids the SSR can sound quite shouty at time specially at higher volumes & during high pitched notes.
• As a result of this shouty-ness the SSR will not please those loudness junkies, although I too like to listen to my music loud, I found in most cases I was able to listen to the SSR loud enough without it getting too shouty.
• Since SSR has a diffuse-field (DF) neutral tuning & analytical nature notes can sound cold & thin. SSR won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, especially those looking for a musical & fun listen.
• The lack of bass quantity doesn’t make the SSR ideal for bass forward genre’s like EDM & Hip Hop. Due to its neutral tuning & analytical nature The SSR will sound dull & lifeless when compared to more V or U shaped IEM’s.
• The SSR is very source picky & does require amping. Testing it directly from a 3.5mm jack of the Xiaomi K30 Pro there was definitely a lack of volume & the sound felt hollow. Using a mid-tier dongle like DD TC35B or Bluetooth dongle like Shanling UP4/Fiio BTR 5 certainly fixes the issue.
• The tips provided in the box are not that great & I could get a decent fit but didn’t like how they sounded & felt. Tip rolling is advisable in this case, for me personally the Final E tips worked great.

Comparisons:

Blon Mini: I guess these two are polar opposites, while the blon mini is big on sub bass rumble. Has recessed mids & dark sounding, the Moondrop SSR sounds neutral with a boost in upper mids & and has good treble extension. Bass-heads will definitely be impressed with the Mini, while personally I liked the analytical nature & detail retrieval of the SSR better.

Final E3000: Final E3000 has very different tuning than that of the Moondrop SSR, its extremely smooth, fun sounding, with a good amount of mid bass & the mids are thick & lush. While SSR has more of a cold & analytical nature with thinner notes & very forward yet thinner upper mids. Again, polar opposites in terms if tuning, although the E3k’s are a power-hungry beast, the more power you feed the more they shine!



Conclusion:
As I mentioned in my con’s list the SSR won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but in a sea of V shaped & bass heavy tunings the SSR is indeed a gem. Usually, these V shaped IEM’s lack in departments like mids & details retrieval & treble extension, this is where the SSR excels. If you are planning on getting a pair of SSR’s I would definitely giving them an audition before buying a pair. And if you are already familiar with how diffuse-field (DF) neutral tuning sounds, you know what you’re getting into! Kudos to Moondrop for providing more variety in the $30 to $40 range.

Moondrop’s latest has a fantastical and grandiose name, but at a very affordable price. Featuring a flat, diffuse-field neutral tuning, could this be the baby Etymotic you’ve been waiting for?

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s… love? Lunar-related violence aside, Moondrop has been one of the most refreshing in-ear monitor (IEM) brands to appear as of late, winning acclaim and accolades with each new release. As you know I’ve taken quite a liking to Starfield, their budget superstar, and fervently look forward to their new releases and subsequent buzz.



Moondrop’s latest offering goes a tier lower in terms of price, and is called the SSR or Super Spaceship Reference, the nomenclature an ode to their earlier IEM, the Spaceship. In medical parlance, SSR stands for sick sinus rhythm, a disease of the heart that prevents it from maintaining a regular beat on its own. Nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart. Moondrop’s heart-shaped SSR hopes to resuscitate your ailing heart and introduce rhythm into your life. Corny, I know.

The SSR is a tiny, reference-tuned IEM, housing a single dynamic driver (DD) in each earpiece. Why reference? As with other Moondrop releases, they’ve done their homework, and based SSR’s sound on the diffuse-field (DF) neutral signature. This is the first of a planned twin release by Moondrop, the other being the SSP, or Super Spaceship Pulse, featuring a fun, bass-oriented signature.

The SSR is available in 4 colors, which are silver, white, pink and green. You can currently purchase them via :

• HiFiGo
• Amazon
• Aliexpress

I’d like to extend my thanks to the Moondrop team for the review unit.

Have a heart, give to chair-ity.

Equipment Used

DAP

1. FiiO M15

IEMs

1. Moondrop SSR
2. Etymotic ER4XR

Albums

1. Amber Rubarth – Sessions from the 17th Ward
2. Bruno Mars – 24K Magic
3. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
4. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
5. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
6. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
7. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
8. Melissa Menago – Little Crimes
9. The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over
10. The Weeknd – After Hours

Technical Specifications

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40000Hz (1/4 Free-Field Mic)
• Effective frequency response: 20Hz–20000Hz (IEC60318-4)
• Driver: Beryllium-coated dome + polyurethane suspension ring
• Housing material: Liquid metal alloy
• THD: ≤ 1%
• Cable Material: 24 AWG Litz 4N OFC
• Cable Connectors: 0.78 2-pin
• Sensitivity: 115dB/Vrms (@1khz)
• Impedance: 16Ω (@1khz)
• Voice Coil: φ 0.035mm-CCAW [Daikoku]
• Acoustic Filter: Patented Anti-Blocking Filter

With more accessories than you can shake a stick… oh.

Packaging and Accessories
You have a waifu! The Moondrop girl is ubiquitous in their packaging as of late, and she adorns the front of the box, smiling, decently dressed, and using Moondrop IEMs as sort of a double advertisement. I know some fans love this, and frequently ask for her to be featured in more promotional material. Well, you do you, guys.

The SSR is packed in a square white cardboard box, displaying the technical specifications and frequency response graph at the back, and yes, your lovely waifu in front. The accessory kit is threadbare and disappointing. You get the IEM, cable, three pairs of silicone ear tips in varying sizes, a tiny fabric pouch and a manual. I would rather a zippered or hard case instead of the pouch, to better protect the SSR.

The provided cable looks much like Plastics One, but with quality insides, namely silver-plated 4N oxygen-free copper (OFC) with Litz wiring. Some similar cables already cost more than the SSR, so this is a smart move by Moondrop. The cable isn’t too stiff and has a rubbery feel, lessening Jada Pinkett-style entanglements. The ramen-like springiness and awful memory effect irks me though, so handling the cable isn’t good.

Petal to the metal.

Design and Build Quality
Within these tiny earpieces are quite a bit of technology. The main driver is a beryllium-coated dome surrounded by a polyurethane suspension ring, retaining rigidity and flexibility. At the base of the driver is a copper-clad aluminium wire (CCAW) voice coil and a high-density magnetic circuit. When a current runs through the voice coil, a magnetic field is produced which moves the diaphragm.

The driver unit is protected by housing made of single-casted amorphous metal alloy, or liquid metal like T-1000 heh. The SSR’s long nozzle is at a right angle from the housing, and at its tip resides Moondrop’s patented 3-layered anti-clogging filter and acoustic damper unit. This combined filter/damper unit keeps earwax at bay, and shapes the sound before being directed towards the ears.

The tiny, heart-shaped SSR earpieces are lightweight and a delight to hold. Despite some visible corners, the edges are smooth and seamless and showcase a robust build quality. While not as pretty and aesthetically perfect as the Starfield, the SSR possesses an industrial charm with its simple and compact design. If I were you I’d choose pink though. That’ll make a great Valentine gift.

When you don’t know which side to choose, sit on a big fence.

Fit, Comfort and Isolation
When viewed from the side, the SSR is small enough to be mistaken for earrings. Earrings of steel hearts, baby. The shells measure only half an inch from all sides, coupled with the long nozzles confer a precise and snug fit. This is intentional so the SSR will fit ears of all sizes. Comfort is superb too, and I can lie on my side while listening. Moondrop did a great job here. I can’t get over how tiny the SSR is. One sneeze and they might disappear.

The SSR has a vent on the base of the nozzle of each earpiece, to accommodate the dynamic driver. As such, keeping external noise levels as low as possible proves to be a challenge. They don’t isolate well at all. You’re out of luck in a busy environment, as outside noise more often than not seeps in and dilutes your enjoyment. It’s hard to be caught up in the music when real life interferes, as always.

Well, you asked for gold bars.

Sound Quality
So far, the SSR has a lot going for them, but we arrive at the make-or-break sound section. Get ready your mittens.

Overall Sound Signature
As you know, Moondrop are teacher’s pets. They have studied, memorized, dissected, and re-interpreted the two cornerstones of neutral signatures ad infinitum, becoming masters of both DF and Harman-neutral. This is reflected throughout their product line, which showcases tweaked versions of both tunings. Curiously, DF-neutral is found in their most expensive IEM, the Solis, and the cheapest, the SSR.

DF-neutral, and SSR in effect, is characterized by a flat, sterile sound, or what I call textbook neutral. The emphasis is on detail retrieval and technical nuance above musicality and euphony. For better or worse, the signature works more as a tool for audio engineers to use as studio monitors, rather than something to kick back and relax with.

So SSR possesses a dry, textured bass that is uncolored and unenhanced, delineating every note clearly up to the mids. The mids is a stalwart of clarity and clinical precision, before taking it to another level in the upper mids, in what I can only describe as a detail-lover’s avalanche. Here, forwardness and aggression dictates proceedings until the lower treble, before retaining sensibility and rolling off in the uppermost regions.

Beyond the valley of the shadow of doubt.

It’s an intense ride not for the squeamish. Make no mistake, this is a musical scalpel, fully armed to extract every bit of detail from your music. The dedication to information is such that enjoyment very often takes a backseat, as you hear familiar song after song presented in bright, near-hostile fashion. Notes often have a thin, cold slant, and the question remains whether this kind of neutral is accurate at all.

Listening Conditions
Critical listening was done after 100 hours of burn-in, reducing the toxic levels of beryllium and hopefully making the signature easier to stomach. Unfortunately, nope. I hear no difference before and after burning in, so the cold dish of revenge, I mean neutrality, remains. The principal review rig is FiiO’s M15 player, with the included cable and medium ear tips.

Bass
Flat as a pancake and probably just as dry, SSR’s bass challenges your perception of just what a reference should be. Bassy instruments like cellos and drums normally share attributes like authority, slam, roundness and fullness, especially from a speaker system. But those words won’t really describe the SSR, in fact, it doesn’t sound true-to-life much.

Instead, our ears are treated to a richly-detailed and well-layered bass section, with a palpable texture more akin to denim than silk. There is a bit of punch, warmth, and smoothness, but it’s more a case of dropping teasers and appetizers without arriving at the full meal. You won’t feel satiated, and the rough, gritty texture is definitely not for everyone.

The sub-bass performance is adequate, with a little rumble. The flat mid-bass will however, drive you nuts. You wait for the beat to drop and when it finally does, you think “that was it?” The SSR opens your ears to new bass frontiers, because you’ll hear details and layers that were not obvious previously. But when you want a physical bass to take you over, he takes out his reading glasses instead. This does not please the people. It’s no secret I’m not a fan of diffuse-field neutral, and the anemic bass performance is the #1 reason why.

The lesson is, the real treasure has been inside your ears all along.

Mids
Like polar bears, the mids are the most polarizing factor of the SSR, both a highlight and a hindrance. First off, the SSR possesses outstanding clarity and transient response, probably unheard of in this price range. Notes are thin, tight, and hit with rapid precision, with clear separation from one note to the next. Mids texture is crunchy and delicate, providing heaps of energy and urgency. Decay is swift as well, leaving the stage clean and crisp. Technically and tactically astute, that’s their name of the game.

For all the heroics in detail retrieval though, tonal accuracy takes a big knock, a TKO in fact. Mids are placed too forward and can be invasive and fatiguing. The note edges need smoothening too, as the dryness and grain distract and takes much away from emotional engagement. Vocals sound breathy and throaty, while instrument timbre is bright. You barely have time to feel or register a note before it’s hurried on to the next.

The worst is yet to come, as a steep rise in the upper mids results in a spiky and strident sound. Instruments trade body and fullness for tizziness and sharp edges, while ‘s’ and ‘t’ sounds are accented. Coupled with the raspy vocals, it’s a grating listen. The upper mids are like a car crash you can’t look away from, because it’s so prominent and forward it overwhelms the rest of the spectrum with its “hey-look-at-me” mannerism.

Take heed pal, I hear the signature’s a real live wire.

Treble
Like turning over so your back gets as much sun as the front, the treble is just bathed in brightness. The adage “leave no stone unturned” is apt here, because every loving treble note is left bare, revealing oodles of micro-detail and shining, shimmering texture. It’s time to wear your sunglasses.

The lower treble continues the dirty work of the upper mids, working in tandem to provide a forward and crispy tone. Tons of sparkle are handed out, almost like a charity. Cymbals and hi-hats ring clear and true, with a bright, zingy finish. It’s perhaps too energetic and the notes could use more fullness, but there’s not much to fault with the timbre here at least.

Thankfully, from the middle treble upwards, the SSR finally slows down and engages a lower gear, showcasing some restraint and control. No doubt smoothening over the edges here will deny the signature some air and spaciousness, but this provides much-needed respite from the unforgiving upper mids assault. Brightening the treble any further would’ve rendered the SSR unlistenable.

The true meaning of neutral is really a grey area.

Soundstage and Imaging
As a kid, one of a litany of punishments I’ve endured after misbehaving was to stare straight at a wall, with the nose touching it. The SSR’s soundstage reminds me of that happy circumstance, ample width with almost no depth. Music occurs mostly inside the head, an effect of the forward mids placement. I am saved from further congestion thanks to the effective diffusion of sound to the left and right.

Claustrophobia aside, layering and separation are rather effective here, as the SSR displays astute technical chops in letting each note have its own space. The precise imagery and placement is of course enhanced, thanks to SSR’s thin notes and quick decay, since a clean stage allows details to pop out unabated. So it’s ice chips for dinner, hooray.

So near, sofa, so good.

Comparisons

Etymotic ER4XR
You can’t mention DF-neutral without a nod to Etymotic, the godfather of IEMs. Etymotic built its name and entire legacy on the one signature other brands fear to tread, and sounds as distant from commercial as you can imagine. But you have to admire their grit and tenacity, sticking to their sound until today, like Absolut Vodka thriving on the same ad campaign for decades. Mmm vodka.
First off, this is not a fair, apples-to-apples comparison. The ER4XR is Etymotic’s current flagship and costs almost 10 times the SSR, and if you’re not in the mood to read further, the EX4XR is better. But I won’t be comparing them if SSR didn’t put up much of a fight.

The ER4XR performs like a supercharged SSR. For all the SSR is capable of, the ER4XR boasts even better technical merits, with resolution and clarity hitting like a splash of cold, expensive water to the face. Moreover, the Etys sound more balanced because of increased bass presence and a tamer upper mids rise. These two factors alone make ER4XR the more complete IEM, with some fun thrown in for good measure.

The showdown of the ear-piercers.

While their signatures are more similar than not, ER4XR surges ahead with a distinctly dynamic and airier sound. This is possible thanks to the Ety’s quicker note decay, deeper and better-defined soundstage, and less aggressive upper mids. Music has more space to breathe compared to the borderline-uncomfortable intimacy of SSR.

Where the SSR surprisingly wins, is in tone and timbre. I’m not a fan of either one to be frank, but SSR sounds more natural and realistic throughout, compared to the Etys which fancy a bump in texture and brightness wherever possible.

The ER4XR is undoubtedly more energetic in the higher registers, but the upper treble presence lends a hot, digital glare to the tone. You can spot a tinny harshness throughout the spectrum especially if the recording is poorly mastered. There’s your scalpel at work.

When the dust settles, considering the much cheaper price, the SSR is the value-for-money prospect, easily positioning itself as a viable alternative to the mighty ER4XR, with better tonality to boot. To answer an earlier question, yes, we’re looking at baby Etymotics here.

Waifu power overcomes all.

Final Words
At the day’s end, I am conflicted. The SSR and other DF-neutral monitors sound a country mile away from my preferred signature, and having one in my collection serves more of an academic purpose than anything else. There isn’t a day in the calendar where I’d like to listen to a cold and brutally honest interpretation of my music library. Like Jack Nicholson might say, I can’t handle the truth.

Moondrop’s SSR though, is willing to throw caution to the wind, and give a good go at a classic tuning. There’s no denying that you get more than your money’s worth in clarity, speed, note texture, and all the technical shenanigans. In the same tier, the SSR practically has no direct rival, and that alone might pique your interest, especially for the price of a few cups of fancy coffee.

If nothing else, the SSR serves as a reminder of Moondrop’s tuning versatility, with an ever-expanding repertoire of tried-and-true sound signatures. And now, with a loyal fanbase, they are bolder and taking more risks with their innovations. In the works are a flagship-grade dynamic driver IEM and over-ear headphones. The sky’s the absolute limit for them.

DISCLAIMER

The Moondrop SSR was borrowed from a coblogger at Audioreviews for the purposes of this review, and was returned after the review was done.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Moondrop SSR is a budget single DD set that is tuned somewhat diffuse-field neutral with an upper mids boost. It has excellent technicalities and timbre (for acoustic instruments), but unfortunately the upper mids do get shouty especially at louder volumes (Fletcher Munson curve). Sibilance is also present in spades. It sounds good at low volumes, but those who like to blast their music may need to look elsewhere. In addition, it may not be an all rounder due to the lack of bass, and the tuning is quite niche to say the least. Having said that, the Moondrop SSR has one of the best technical performances for a sub $40 USD single DD set.


SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver unit: Beryllium Coated Dome + PU Suspension Ring
• Sensitivity: 115 dB
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20000Hz
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Cable: 2 pin detachable 0.78 mm
• Tested at $39.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

In addition to the IEM, it comes with:

1. Silicone eartips (S/M/L).
2. Silver-Plated 4N-Litz Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) cable – For non cable believers, nothing to see here, please move on. If you are a cable believer, I prefer pure copper cables on the Moondrop SSR as they seem to me to tone down the treble/upper mids a tinge compared to the stock SPC cable.
3. Carrying pouch
4. Anime waifu box – Never ever underestimate the power of the anime designed box marketing. For some, it may actually be the most important item in this purchase, more important than the IEM itself!

For the purposes of this review, I stuck with the provided stock cable and tips, but I personally preferred Final E tips with the Moondrop SSR, as they helped to tame the sibilance and upper mids spike a tinge. I also preferred copper cables with the Moondrop SSR to add a bit of bass warmth, but YMMV as we have different ear anatomies and beliefs in cables.


BUILD/COMFORT

The Moondrop SSR is actually much smaller than it looks, and it is heart shaped and made of sturdy metal. It is very comfortable and light, I can wear it for hours with no issues. I didn’t detect any driver flex.

I liked that it came with a 2 pin connector, as I’m not a fan of MMCX connectors due to potential longevity issues.


ISOLATION

Isolation on the Moondrop SSR is below average. Personally, I wouldn’t bring it for commuting due to the poor isolation letting it outside noise, for which one may try to boost the volume to overcome the external noise, and this is not good for hearing health in the long term.

Secondly, bass frequencies are the first to be lost in a noisy environment, and the Moondrop SSR is already bass lite to begin with. So from my subway trip with the Moondrop SSR, I lost a lot of bass frequencies in my music and as the ears take the frequency spectrum as a whole, the upper mids 3 kHz peak could get very hot, especially if one tries to pump up the volume to compensate for the bass loss.


DRIVABILITY/SOURCE

I tried running the Moondrop SSR with a Khadas Tone Board -> Toppping L30, Khadas Tone Board -> Fiio A3 amp, Shanling Q1 DAP, Ziku HD X9 DAP -> Fiio A3 amp, a low powered smartphone and the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro.

The Moondrop SSR is actually not the easiest to drive, and scales better with amping.

Also, as the Moondrop SSR is on the brighter side, I find that pairing it with warmer sources manages to give the bass a bit more heft and evens out the 3 kHz area peak. Analytical sources may overemphasize the glare of the 3 kHz region and sibilance, so for my preferences, I wouldn’t recommend it.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES




The Moondrop SSR is tuned somewhat diffuse-field neutral with an upper mids boost. This said upper mids area is pretty controversial and has very polarizing opinions. The Moondrop SSR actually sounds very good at low volumes, but those who like to blast their music may need to look elsewhere. The upper mids 3 kHz area gets shouty especially when the volume is increased (Fletcher Munson curve), with sibilance in spades. Most users/reviewers do not mention the volume they play their music at, but the Fletcher Munson curve really affects this set a lot, so this may explain the polarizing reviews we see about it.

Having said that, other than volume, upper mids/treble sensitivity is a very personal thing, since we all have different hearing health (due to age/occupation exposure/leisure exposure), different ear anatomy that may affect the pinna gain, and we also use different sources, different tips and have different levels of treble sensitivity/trebleheadedness. I know some friends who really like the Moondrop SSR (but they are low volume listeners or those that like a brighter signature), so YMMV.

The Moondrop SSR thankfully has very good technicalities for the price, considering it is a sub $40 USD single DD set. Lately there have been a lot of beryllium (coated/plated) single DD releases, of which the Moondrop SSR is one of them, I’m still on the fence whether this is a marketing gimmick or not. But for sure, I can say the imaging in the Moondrop SSR is very good, with good clarity, instrument separation and details too. Transient speed in the Moondrop SSR is fast, possibly due to the said beryllium drivers. I dare say the Moondrop SSR probably beats most other single DDs in the sub $40 USD region in technical performance.

Soundstage width and height on the Moondrop SSR is above average, depth is about slightly more than average. Music didn’t sound too congested on the Moondrop SSR during complex movements.

Note weight on the Moondrop SSR is rather thin and the tonality is cold for me, with the tuning veering towards the analytical side. Timbre is accurate for acoustic instruments, but vocals sounded a bit brittle, especially for female vocals.


Bass:
The Moondrop SSR has a rather neutral midbass, with subbass roll off. The bass is quite well textured with minimal midbass bleed and good speed. The subbass lacks rumble, but then again, I’m a basshead, and though the Moondrop SSR’s bass is not my cup of tea in the area of quantity, the bass is of good quality.

This lack of bass quantity may render the Moondrop SSR not that versatile for certain genres where bass forward music is present, eg EDM. In addition, this lack of subbass actually compounds the boosted upper mids (which we will talk about in the next section), as the ears take the entire frequency spectrum as a whole, and this gives a somewhat shouty and harsh upper mids skewed tuning.


Mids:
The lower mids are pretty neutral on the Moondrop SSR, but then it spikes up around +10 dB in the upper mids, which as discussed above, is a big bone of contention. This is especially so when the volume is boosted (Fletcher Munson curve), as the ears perceive the sound to be more V shaped at higher volumes, whereas it is perceived to be more U shaped at softer volumes.

Female vocals are hence more forward than male vocals, and there are excellent microdetails and clarity especially along the upper mids. Trumpets and horns and higher vocals can get quite harsh at the 3 kHz regions, especially in poorly recorded material. Due to the huge dynamic differences from lower to upper mids, sometimes female vocals and violins “jump” out and adds a glare and an unnatural tonality. Personally, I’m rather sensitive to the 2 – 4 kHz areas, and the 3 kHz area is a dealbreaker for me for the Moondrop SSR, but as always, YMMV.


Treble:
Lower treble is about the same level as the aforementioned upper mids, but the higher treble has some roll off. Higher treble is actually quite safe for treble sensitive folks, and cymbals are emphasized but not splashy. Compared to the overcooked upper mids, thankfully the treble manages to gear down nicely. Microdetails and clarity are good in the treble. Unfortunately, the dreaded S word, sibilance is present, and in spades, especially when the volume is jacked up.


COMPARISONS

As per comparing apples to apples, I left out multi BA/hybrids/exotic drivers from the comparisons, as the different transducers have their inherent strengths and weaknesses. Also, since the Moondrop SSR is an upper mids boosted set, I decided to pick some budget single DD types that have a boosted upper mids for comparison:


HZSound Heart Mirror

The HZSound Heart Mirror is a neutralish bright single DD set. Both sets have good technical performance for a single DD set, maybe the Moondrop SSR edges it slightly in clarity, details and imaging. The Moondrop SSR has a better soundstage than the HZSound Heart Mirror. Timbre for acoustic instruments is very good in both sets. The Moondrop SSR has quite bad sibilance and a thinner note weight compared to the HZSound Heart Mirror. Isolation is better on the HZSound Heart Mirror.

After doing A/B testing using the same source, tips (and even cable), I’ll take the HZSound Heart Mirror any day over the Moondrop SSR, as the 3 kHz peak and the sibilance on the SSR is a deal breaker for me, whereas the HZSound Heart Mirror balances a very fine line of pushing forward vocals without going into shouty territory. The HZSound Heart Mirror is smoother and very rarely gets harsh or sibilant. The HZSound Heart Mirror also has a slightly deeper subbass extension, even though both are not basshead sets for sure.

To summarize, the Moondrop SSR actually has better technical performance than the HZSound Heart Mirror, but a worse tonality along the upper mids, so different strokes for different folks, it depends whether technicalities or tonality is a higher priority.


BLON BL-05S

The BLON BL-05S is a mild V shaped set, with a slightly boosted upper mids region and slightly boosted midbass. The BLON BL-05S has a warmer tonality and thicker note weight, with better isolation. The BLON BL-05S is the more bassy set and is less sibilant. Moondrop SSR is shoutier at the upper mids/lower treble than the BLON BL-05S, especially when used at louder volumes (Fletcher Munson Curve).

Moondrop SSR is the technical superior of the BLON BL-05S in the areas of better clarity, imaging, details and instrument separation. Moondrop SSR also has a slightly better acoustic instrumental timbre, and has better treble extension. They are rather different in tuning and would suit different sonic signatures/music preferences.


Tin T2 Plus

The Tin T2 Plus is U shaped, with more bass and less upper mids than the Moondrop SSR. Tin T2 Plus is more analoguish and warmer, though the Moondrop SSR has better technicalities and is more analytical. I find the Tin T2 Plus more balanced and very inoffensive in tuning, and it is pretty non fatiguing in contrast to the Moondrop SSR (especially at higher volumes). Note weight is thicker on the Tin T2 plus too, though I occasionally find it a bit lacking in dynamics. Due to the boosted bass, the Tin T2 Plus is more versatile in tuning, being more all rounded for more music genres than the Moondrop SSR.

The Tin T2 Plus is plague by MMCX QC issues though, there’s been quite a few reports in the forums (my set has a wonky MMCX too). I would strongly advise you to only buy the Tin T2 Plus from places with a robust returns policy (eg Amazon), in case a lemon comes in the mail.


CONCLUSIONS

The Moondrop SSR is a budget single DD set that is tuned somewhat diffuse-field neutral with an upper mids boost. It has excellent technicalities and timbre, but unfortunately the upper mids get shouty especially at louder volumes (Fletcher Munson curve), with sibilance. It sounds good at low volumes, but those who like to blast their music may need to look elsewhere. Most users/reviewers do not mention the volume they play their music at, but the Fletcher Munson curve really affects this set a lot, so this may explain the polarizing reviews we see about it. Having said that, other than volume, upper mids/treble sensitivity is a very personal thing, since we all have different hearing health (due to age/occupation exposure/leisure exposure), different ear anatomy that may affect the pinna gain, and we also use different sources, different tips and have different levels of treble sensitivity/trebleheadedness. So YMMV.

In addition to only using the Moondrop SSR at low to moderate volumes, I will also not take this set outdoors due to the suboptimal isolation. The Moondrop SSR is not an all rounder due to the lack of bass, and bass forward music does sound pretty flat on it.

As such, I would say the Moondrop SSR’s tuning is quite niche, and is probably not a universally safe recommendation for everyone, especially those that listen to bass forward music, or are treble/upper mids sensitive, or those who like to blast their music. I know some friends who like it though (they are low volume and indoor users and/or trebleheads), so different strokes for different folks. Even though personally this tuning is not my cup of tea, I still applaud what sets the Moondrop SSR apart, and that is the excellent technicalities at the sub $40 USD asking price for a single DD set. It really beats most of the other sub $40 USD single DD sets in this department. Timbre for acoustic instruments is also quite authentic on the Moondrop SSR.

I very much look forward to the upcoming Moondrop SSP (Pulse), which is supposed to be a bassier variant of the Moondrop SSR. Hopefully the SSP’s bassier frequencies counteract the upper mids peak (since our ears take the entire frequency spectrum as a whole), or at least Moondrop softens the 3 kHz area peak a bit, but still preserves the excellent technical performance of the Moondrop SSR. They might have a true gamechanger then, if the Moondrop SSP’s price is similar, especially since a bassier sound may also be more compatible with more music genres.

Moondrop ssr

Crisp mids and treble, brightish sound accurate, inexpensive

Monitor like, stops just short of being harsh ,Bass is quick and defined

Comfy fit , cool shell, good stock cable

Precise vocals , speedy driver keeps up with fast tracks ,Good soundstage

Easy to drive ,Fun and energetic

Not a bass head iem but not anemic either with good seal. Female vocals stand out.

Very detailed mids and lower treble for a dynamic driver.

Can approach harsh and shouty at higher volume levels

Excellent at low volume levels

Personally , I wouldn’t use this as a daily but I can see how some could like its signature.

Not the best for bass heavy music or edm, almost sounds like the dd is in too small of a box and rolled off sub bass.

Soft recommendation

Introduction

Moondrop is a relatively recent brand, as they were launched in 2015. Formed by several amateur engineers, they initially focused on bringing audiophile earbuds to market. After their first steps, with the VX and Liebesleid models, they became a company known for developing high-performance earbuds. After these, came the IX, the Kanas series, Blessing, A8... until now, with the SSR. It is worth noting that in these 5 years, Moondrop has become a brand known to all fans of this world, something that demonstrates its growth as a reference company. Its philosophy is based on investing to explore new possibilities for reproducing high quality sound, through the application of new technologies.

On this occasion, I have the pleasure of analysing the new SSR, a fairly economical model, which has brought about a small revolution in the market. After an intense advertising campaign, including a contest to specify the meaning of its acronym SSR (it won the Super Spaceship Reference), SSR came out on the market. These are tiny IEMS with a heart-shaped, all-metal shape. Its diaphragm has a beryllium dome together with a suspension ring, made of PU. Its magnetic circuit consists of a high density N52 magnet. But what is most surprising, is its curious frequency response, which has a first half (up to 1kHz) quite smooth and then a gradual rise that shows a clear emphasis, from high mids to high highs. Perhaps it is typical of many other IEMS, but the truth is that I consider myself a bass lover and few of my IEMS have a similar curve. Let's see what these iron hearts look like.



Specifications

• Drivers type: Dynamic with Beryllium-Coated Dome diaphragm + PU Suspension Ring
• Magnetic circuit: N52-High Density Magnetic Circuit.
• Frequency Response: 20-20000Hz
• Sensitivity:115dB/Vrms @1kHz
• Impedance:16Ω @1kHz
• THD: < 1%
• Material of the capsule: Liquid Metal Alloy Housing
• Coil: ⱷ 0.035mm - CCAW [Daikoku]
• Acoustic filter: Patented Anti-blocking Filter.
• Connector Jack: 3.5mm in angle
• Cable: Silver Plated 4N-Litz OFC
• Capsule Connection Type: 0.78-2pin

Packaging

The SSRs come in a white, virtually square box. Its dimensions are 116x115x42mm. On its main side there is a drawing of a Manga girl, as a classic image of Mondrop, something that has been repeated in other models, even in other brands. On the back side, there is a diagram with the breakdown of the interior of the capsule, the specifications, in Chinese and English, as well as the frequency response. I want to emphasize that, by presenting such a graph, Moondrop is not fooling anyone. If you know how to interpret a graph, you can tell where the SSR profile will go, which is a daring thing to do, just by displaying it on the box.

Once the box is uncovered, you can see the SSRs, with their cable connected, embedded in a very black foam mould. At the bottom, there is a small elongated box, made of black cardboard, with the brand logo in silver letters. Inside it there is a small black bag, with the logo in white, in the lower right corner and a bag with the silicone tips. In short, the complete content is:

• The two SSR capsules.
• The 4N-Litz cable with 3.5mm angled gold-plated connector. The 2 pin 0.78mm connectors
• Transport bag.
• Instructions and warranty card.
• 3 pairs of dark grey silicone tips, size SxMxL.

The box is very compact and tastefully decorated, with the inside of the capsule and the FR standing out. The transport bag is too small and is not suitable for storing the SSR, because the task is not easy, nor fast. The set of tips is the minimum necessary.



Construction and Design

I must emphasize that the design of the SSR capsules, I find most original. They are really small and you can choose between 4 colours: metallic grey, white, green and pink. In my case, I chose the white ones. The capsule is made of a liquid metal alloy. Its external face is asymmetrical, one half looks like a classic drawing of a heart and the other, an inverted little house, drawn by a child. At the lower vertex, a completely gold-plated allen screw stands out, its tip protruding from the inner side. There is a large hole next to it. The letters R and L, which identify the channel, are deeply inscribed in the metal. The nozzle is mounted on a large cylindrical base, approximately 5 mm long and 5.5 mm in diameter. Its interior is protected by a dense metal grid. At the foot of the metal cylinder, near the tip of the screw, there is a slot with a hole in the part closest to the nozzles. The 2Pin connection plate is embedded in the base of the "house". It is made of transparent plastic and the two hollow connection cylinders are gold-plated.

The Litz cable is 4-core silver-plated. It is covered with transparent plastic. The Jack connector is 3.5mm, angled and gold-plated. Its sheath is also transparent plastic, in a classic style. The dividing piece is a black plastic disc; on one side is inscribed the brand logo and on the other side its name. There is no adjustment ring. Near the two-pin connectors, there is a semi-rigid coating, to facilitate the adjustment on the ear. The two-pin connector is rectangular, slightly more bulky at the top and the two pins are completely external. A red ring, located next to the connector, serves as a channel indicator.

The capsules are actually very small and are painted bright white. Their design is special, and does not go unnoticed. But their small size, can damage the reproduction of the very powerful bass, perhaps there is not enough space for the complete elongation of the diaphragm.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

Such a small capsule, despite the design of the nozzle column, can only offer a superficial fit. Its small size allows rotation inside the hall. This makes the choice of tips essential for a long-lasting fit. In my case, I have to resort to larger or foam tips, to ensure their position and a good fit. On the other hand, for small ears, the size may be very adequate; for me, it has been a little more problematic. However, these problems have not been related to ergonomics, but rather to the sealing and, above all, the sound obtained. I have had to search through many tips until I found the best relationship between the lace and the best sound, something that is usually not very complicated for me.



Sound

Profile

The profile of the SSR is not quite normal, it has a clear enhancement in the upper part of the mids, with some treble present, without being offensive, and a light lower area centred on the mid-bass.Summing up, we could say that the profile is mid-centric and brilliant, and I'm very happy to describe it as such...

On the other hand, I would like to comment that the SSR are not entirely easy to move. Its small driver requires some power, while it is delicate when the volume is excessive. This makes their working range seem limited, in this respect, compared to larger IEMS.



Bass

Personally, I believe that SSRs are not suitable for Bass-Lovers. This is not their profile. SSRs are not even designed to withstand very heavy bass playback. Many songs on my test list contain hard, distorted or unfiltered bass. The small driver of the SSR, from a certain volume, is not able to handle them properly, reaching the audible distortion. But I must emphasize that this happens at a high volume, it is a warning to those who like to listen to music at high volume or for those who try to equalize the bass a lot, to give them more prominence

Returning to the general and calm description of the lower zone, the SSRs have a light emphasis, focused on the mid-bass, without their whole being very noticeable. The lows are light, clearly lagging behind the high mids, technically adequate, with good speed, realistic and contained hitting, clean decay and medium speed. The sub-bass is perceptible, never omitted, with good capacity of expression, but it has a sensitive fall at its lower end. With the right volume, isolating the area from the rest and good recordings, SSRs are able to deal with complex bases, providing an adequate sonority, with good speed, but without being able to fill the scene with all the nuances, details and bass planes, in relation to the rest of the audible spectrum.

The texture of the bass is soft, with medium roughness. But it is still capable of providing a light sediment or noticeable effect, which makes it very pleasant clearly, on a qualitative, technical and sound level. In short, the SSR has a bass that is very suitable and capable for those who are not particularly interested in a superior presence of the lower zone. They fulfil their role, adjusting their quality to their profile.



Mids

SSRs have a clear emphasis in the upper mid-range, which is quite common these days. What is not so common, is that its lower zone has a negative, so clear, face-to-face distance. In this sense, the sound of the SSR is polarised. Its lower part could be qualified as underexposed, at medium distance, while its details, sparkles and harmonics, are splashed and more present. This presents a sound where small aspects become more important, than male voices, for example. The timbre is not incorrect, but the melodies belonging to the lower range, come to feel somewhat omitted, while their sparkles and harmonics surpass them in presence. This causes a different pattern, which is difficult to get used to; more so, if you come from typical V profiles or warmer ones, where the bass and lower midrange has a higher prominence, as opposed to the upper half.Despite all this, the SSRs do not feel completely bright, but have a slight warmth that distances them from an explicitly clear or analytical sound. But I really think that in this way, more importance is given to the accompaniment elements, than to the instruments that really carry the weight of the melody. As I say, the details are more exposed than male voices or a bass line. Thus, the cymbals and those details with a sharper fundamental sound above the main line of a song. But this doesn't mean that the rest sounds bad. But some may try to raise the volume, to bring the main body closer, which is actually a bad choice, because the details will still dominate over the lower mids. Thus, the first half of the middle range lacks a wide and vigorous body, the scene does not feel flooded and the sound does not have the right pulp and roundness. The male voices are drawn fine, with good timbre, smooth and with a very soft texture, which does not enjoy many details, nor nuances. The same happens with the main instruments of the area. On the other hand, the upper half of the voices are very cold and bright, and will become splashed and vivid, perhaps more than usual. All those details and classic nuances of this upper half will fly around in your head in a clear and perhaps even too persistent way, but without losing the realistic tone, it is just a matter of more energy, not an analytical, cold or eminently sharp timbre. By way of example, female voices do sound fuller, but even, from the beginning to the end, including breathing, sighing and hissing. In short, a lot of cymbal and little bass drumming, for a middle zone that could be very good, if the tuning had been flatter, in that happy upper half.



Treble

Luckily, the high notes have an energy more in keeping with the exposure to detail, but without being overpowering. On this occasion, I feel that the upper zone has a more correct tuning, stopping at the right point and suitable for not losing that slight warmth, which the SSR enjoy. The treble has a good relationship between its amount of energy and its width: it doesn't look completely fine or sharp, nor does it rise beyond the upper midrange, which makes it a good match and a better accompaniment, for the rest of the range. Even, its extension is very well achieved, providing a very good feeling of clarity, separation and an adequate dose of air. In this way, the high notes are not excessive, nor sharp, nor only brilliant or exasperating. On the contrary, they can be enjoyed without restriction, thanks to their good measure, exposure and correct execution.



Soundstage, Separation

Both the scene and the separation are positive points in SSR. Without reaching excellence, the recreated scene appears quite round, with a good relationship between the three coordinates, although the width predominates. The perception of the sound is semicircular, eminently frontal, although slightly surrounding, thanks to the notable exhibition of the details, its correct location, origin and drawing. The cleanliness of the sound is quite high, which generates a good feeling of space and separation. The background is not completely dark, since it is possible to perceive how the notes come together in the deepest part, perhaps as a result of the omnipresence of the high mids and their echoes. It is likely that this fact is also to blame for the fact that details and nuances are over exposed and that micro details are perceived as more omitted, covered up by the greater presence and prominence of those details.



Comparisons

Faaeal Hibiscus

Duel between Hibiscus girl vs Moondrop girl. Both models share a drawing of a manga girl on the cover. Currently, the price of the models is almost the same. In terms of accessories, I prefer Hibiscus: although the SSR cable is good, Hibiscus have the best cable in the range and I could say that, below $100, there is no model that brings a better cable than this one (this is a personal opinion, among all the models I own).

Hibiscus are made of plastic with a large, thick semi-custom capsule. Its ergonomics are not bad at all, but its thickness may be excessive. SSRs are much smaller and metal. In my ears, they barely touch, while the body of the Hibiscus, is more noticeable, without bothering me. Amongst other things, the ergonomics, although different, provide a similar degree of comfort and a superficial fit.

As for the sound, the curve, roughly speaking, points to similarities that are then not so obvious. Hibiscus have a very linear low zone, but descending towards the sub-bass, which limits the presence of the low zone and the body of the mid-low. The SSRs, comparatively speaking, offer more bass, and are even technically superior. The lower zone of the Hibiscus is so light and harmless, that it is difficult for them to do badly, even though their speed is not very fast. In this sense, the lower zone of the SSR, with its more noticeable mid-bass, adds a very flattering warmth to their sound. Hence, the lower middle zone is perceived as more complete and closer, where the Hibiscus shows an excessive hollowness, neutrality and lightness, which provides an incomplete sonority in the male voices and instruments of this zone. They feel colder and pushed upwards, thinner and less natural. Despite all that has been said about SSRs, they generate a tonal sound that is more appropriate and natural, with a more realistic timbre and without that incomplete feeling. On the other hand, the high mids in Hibiscus have more control and balance, and sound more natural and less aggressive. At the top, the highs feel more limited and softened. The SSR, on the other hand, has a more complete, complex, present, explicit and full upper zone, with a more accurate tuning, as well as greater extension. The detail is more marked in them, while the micro detail is better perceived in the Hibiscus. In these, there is a greater sensation of air, a more ethereal and aural scene, thanks to the more distant sound it offers, being perceived with greater three-dimensionality and more volatile. The greater dispersion of the sound, increases its sense of separation and its background is perceived as more empty. SSRs sound denser and more complete, with a more marked, exposed and longer detail, which covers the micro nuances and brings the background together. The scene, although quite good, is smaller, appearing flatter and closer.

Finally, it should be noted that the Hibiscus can withstand much better, the positive equalisation, especially in its lower zone.



Conclusion

Ever since the SSRs came out I have been curious to try them out. First, because of their size and outstanding design. Second, because of their frequency response, although this did not fit within my preferences. In this sense, I want to emphasize that this graphic is real. In this way, any fan can have an idea of what he is going to find, in general terms. And it really doesn't deceive anything. SSR have a neutral low zone, over exposed mid-high and adequate treble. They have a certain warmth and a preference for presenting more details than the main thing. However, tonal and timbral, they are not out of the way, although both have a brighter character. On the other hand, the first half of the spectrum feels somewhat orphaned and distant, which makes the sound suffer in the representation of the musical body, losing in pulp and juiciness. However, the scene and the separation continue under the premise of realism, generating a clean, present sound, with good separation and quantity of air, which flees from the congestion and the narrowness.

Personally, I think that the tuning is not the most adequate to my personal taste, if the low zone would have more emphasis, above all in the sub-bass (without overdoing it) and the presence of the high mids would be limited in the same proportion, perhaps a very convenient balance could be reached, which could satisfy many, or at least me.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• Burson Audio Playmate
• Qudelix-5K
• xDuoo XP-2Pro
• HyBy R3 Pro
• Tempotec Serenade iDSD

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 90
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 80
• Accessories: 60
• Bass: 73
• Mids: 72
• Treble: 82
• Separation: 80
• Soundstage: 80
• Quality/Price: 88

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank SHENZHENAUDIO, especially Cloris, for their kindness and for sending me a unit of these IEMS, for their objective review.

Purchase Link

You can read the full review in Spanish here

Super Spaceship Reference | Overall Score: 8.5/10

Driver Setup: 1 Dynamic Driver (Beryllium-plated Dome with a PU Suspension Ring diaphragm)

Price: $45+/- (SGD)

Check out more reviews at: www.perrivanaudio.com

Intro


Disclaimer: This review set was graciously lent to me by a friend for review and the review is written of my own accord.





This is a review on the Moondrop Super Spaceship Reference earphones, or more commonly known as simply "SSR". Moondrop has been one of the audio companies that I felt has been the most consistent in the realm of Chi-Fi and despite its minor slip-up in the first batch of SSRs, I am glad that they are back in the market stronger than ever. Without further ado, let's to take a look at Moondrop’s attempt at conquering the budget market.

Accessories (Score: 6.5/10)

The unit comes in an anime-themed box (typical of Moondrop) and it comes with the IEM itself and cables rolled up in a box below. It also comes with a set of ear tips which I find it sub-par and I had to resort my usual final audio ear tips again to achieve that seal. As usual, this sections typically highlights unmet expectations which for $40 I am not going to nit pick much given its great price-to-performance ratio.





Build Quality and Fit: (Score: 8.0/10)

The unit is quite small and in sits in nicely into my ears which I find a huge plus. The shell is made from metal and it does feel as though it's built like a tank in my hands. Its barebones design may leave some disappointed, but Moondrop has you covered with an array of colour schemes available. However, I must say I am quite a fan of the minimalistic design. Its cable is built well especially at this price range, not much weak spots and is of significantly higher quality as compared to typical budget IEM 2pin cable.





Sound: (Score: 8.0/10)





Frequency Response for the Moondrop SSR

The SSR does sound like a reference IEM with and somewhat diffuse-field tuned frequency response but with a more aggressive take on what we usually coin as “neutral”. Overall sound presentation is slightly skewed to the right with the upper parts to be more prominent but still maintaining a good balance with its lows and midrange.

Sources used

• Ibasso DX120
• iPhone XR
• Atom DAC and AMP

Music and Albums, I listened to
- Alan Walker
- Billie Eilish – When we all fall asleep, where do we go?
- Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
- Chainsmokers
- Cigarettes After Sex
- The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
- One Republic
- Keane – Fears and Hopes
- Nino Rota – The Godfather OST
- Kygo
- Studio Ghibli
- ACDC – Highway to hell
- Turin Brakes
- Amber Rubath

Bass (Score: 8.0/10)

Basslines on this unit displays some agility and it sounds quite linear without much boosting detected in this region. The sub-bass extends pretty okay but not deep down such that you can enjoy that rumble that many other bass centric IEM possesses. What surprises me is that bass notes still hit hard, and notes are generally well textured despite not having much frequency boosting in this region. I am quite pleased with the bass performance of the SSR at this price point but I do notice that although separation is decent enough, it sounds to me that the decay is relatively longer and may result to muddiness as the response hits lower.

Mids (Score: 7.5/10)

This is a tricky portion to review as it has slight jump in its upper mid-range which can potentially border on being glaring or shouty. Now, it boils down to preferences with regards to energetic vocals that keeps the overall presentation vocal centric and its center of attraction or being overly dominating which drowns out other lines. Its lower mids sounds uncoloured and tuned to be neutral which really helps boost that idea of having forward mid to upper midrange which I am leaning more towards satisfactory than otherwise. Instruments wise, violins and trumpets tend to suffer from that glare which is very apparent in pieces that are played loud and those that have huge dynamic ranges.

In general, I admit that the mid-range on this IEM is spectacular and I do enjoy it most of the time other than its overly present upper midrange which is really uncommon in this price bracket.

Treble (Score: 8.0/10)

I find the treble region to be tuned well as it does not sound sibilant. The SSRs are airy and cymbal shimmers are delightful and not overly splashy. You can have such clarity without being overly boosted and this unit may be one of the better tuned units where there is clarity and speed which can be found on pricier units. The treble on this to be slightly forward as compared to typical neutral-touted monitors which I do appreciate that energetic uplift sometimes, but it may lead to some fatigue over longer listening sessions.

Overall

I really do enjoy Moondrop’s take on this new budget reference IEM which is a direct competitor to Tin Audio’s T2 in the sub-$50 range where the SSR was tuned to be more forward and energetic in its upper mid-range to satisfy some form of sonic cravings which I really appreciate. Its timbre is accurate enough, nothing sounds too artificial to me, imaging is above average, soundstage is wide and spacious and lastly, its tonality is just my only gripe with the unit with it being slightly skewed to being hollow.

Conclusion





I wouldn’t call the SSR a neutral or a $40 reference IEM pick but more of a slightly coloured IEM that carries certain traits of a neutral set. The SSR does have lots to offer, its packaging and design exceeded my expectations and I am able to experience this sonic signature under $50! I sincerely recommend the unit if you are looking for something that is slightly north of neutral and something that does not cost much, the SSR is unique enough and technical enough to be one of my long term rotations in the future.

disclaimer: Shenzhen Audio offered the Moondrop SSR for review and I gladly accepted. I have had the opportunity to try several other Moondrop models and find them to be a good value with performance typically outperforming their price point. I have no financial interest in Moondrop or ShenZhen Audio, nor have either had any input in this review. If you are interested in the SSR, visit the Moondrop Website or follow them on Facebook. The SSR can be purchased directly from Shenzhen Audio.

Unboxing / Packaging:

Those familiar with Moondrop will recognize the packaging as it has another of the highly stylized girls that grace the covers of their products on the front of the packaging. The box rear has the specs in both English and Chinese along with an exploded diagram and an FR chart. The kit is fairly sparse but we have to remember this was an effort to get reference tuning into as budget an in-ear as possible so most of the attention was spent on tuning and driver and less on fit/finish and kit. A small bag, cable, earpieces, and 3 sets of tips round out the package.




Build/Fit:

The first thing that jumps out is the industrial style vibe with the the single large screw holding the faceplate in place and the tip of that same screw visible on the under side as its exit combines with the venting. My sample is coated in a mint green epoxy paint that seems durable if not my favorite color. Other colors are also available. Basically this is a standard barrel shaped iem as the driver is entirely housed in the round portion of the case immediately behind the nozzle. The large projections marked L/R on the underside are solely a housing for the bi-pin connector and housing the vent for the driver. There is a very visible seam between faceplate and inner shell and the single screw is indeed all that is holding the faceplate as when I removed the screw to take the photos in the internals section, the faceplate fell off without having to break any glue or sealant lose. With the larger than normal seam and the single screw attachment point, it is possible for slight mis-alignment of components that could create an accidental vent and change the signature in the process. As an example I invite users of the SSR to remove the faceplates entirely and take a listen. It is a very different iem when configured as an open-baffle. At some point I am going to try putting a small amount of dacron or kapok in behind the driver to how it changes the signature too.




Internals:

The SSR uses a single beryllium coated dynamic driver with a PU suspension. Moondrop does not specify the exact size of the driver so I did what any fool would do and took it apart to find out. The driver is entirely in the nozzle section and is roughly 7mm in size. I stopped short of trying to remove it from the tube as it appears to be glued in. The driver is reported to use an N52 strength magnet for additional speed. Nominal impedance is listed as 16Ω with a sensitivity of 115dB/Vrms @ 1kHz. Be careful when comparing this to others as the sensitivity is listed per volt rather than the more common per Watt measurement and while no quick conversion is available, the rough equal is 102 db/mW. The SSR should be very usable from a phone or tablet based on the numbers but did like a bit more power than a typical phone will provide. It does better with a dongle or external amp.



Cable:

The provided cable with the SSR is a 4N Litz made of silver plated oxygen free copper in a clear outer casing. Starting at the southern end, it has a 90º jack with good strain relief. Cable is a single strand in the Tinsel style. The Splitter is a coin style in black plastic with moondrop logo. No chin slider is provided. At the northern end, cables terminate with pre-formed hooks, and 0.78mm bi-pin connectors. A red-ring immediately above the connector denotes the right hand side. The cable is about what we have come to expect with budget iems and is well constructed and functional, but lacks a few of the nicer touches of more expensive models (no front/rear reference on connectors or chin slider).




Sound:



Bass:
Sub-bass is not emphasized but is present in good proportion and has good texture. Roll-off really doesn’t become evident until the 30Hz range. Mid-bass follows the same pattern, not emphasized, but well proportioned and with good attack and decay speed that give it a natural feel as decay is a touch slower than attack but not so much so as to become blurred or thick. Because of the lack of emphasis, bleed into the mids is nonexistent and the transition is very clean. The SSR certainly wont please the bass head crowd, but for most of the rest of us it offers a fairly natural presentation of bass that is a rarity in the budget segment where elevated bass has become the norm.

Mids:
This is where the SSR becomes a polarizing iem. Lower mids are on the same plane with the mid-bass but climb steadily as we move up with a peak in the upper-mids/lower treble that absolutely dominates every other feature of the SSR. The previous sentence probably gives it away, but I fall on the side of “Its too much” while others find it “mid-forward but likeable”. Because of this large elevation in the upper-mids, female vocals jump forward at the listener and seem artificially so, especially when in concert with lower voices that sit well behind them in the picture. This is unfortunate as clarity is good and strings are nicely rendered (if a bit too far forward for upper strings as well), and detail is quite good too. I find a bit of EQ required here to make the SSR more palatable and once I set a band between 2.5kHz and 4.2kHz with a -5dB change, I can really enjoy the SSR. Without that same EQ, vocals are shouty at times and a bit brittle.

Treble:
Lower treble starts out at the same peak reached by the upper-mids, but drops back fairly quickly which helps keep the SSR from becoming strident as with the mids lifted it simply doesn’t need the added brightness that a lift here would bring. Once it falls back from its early peak, treble continues to dip a bit and while the SSR does have some top-end air, sparkle is limited by that fallback. Snare has good rattle and cymbals are not metallic but lack a touch of energy they need to sound entirely natural. Overall, the treble is very polite and might just be a bit too much so.

Soundstage / Imaging:
Stage is wider than deep with some height but overall no dimension is particularly large and it winds up feeling fairly intimate as a result. Seating the orchestra is fairly straight forward although at times things sound more side by side than front to back due to the lack of depth. Luckily instrument separation is quite good as I can see this becoming a mess quickly if it weren’t. Imaging is about average for the class with movement around the stage easily followed but precise location is a bit harder to identity at times. The SSR does show some compression as tracks get busy but it takes a lot to make it thicken up and slur the bass. It might be heard on slash metal or other super fast genre with lots of low end, but for most pop and rock it won’t be noticed.


Thoughts / Conclusion:

The SSR is quite a polarizing IEM as it turns out. The shells are very well made, but a bit industrial looking for some. The kit is a typical of a budget iem, but the carrying case is too small to fit the earpieces and cable in. The sound is near neutral with one glaring exception. You see where I am going here. Some will be willing to dismiss all of those short-comings and will find the SSR quite usable. Others will find it shouty, strident, or fatiguing. I find it a bit like a painting of a pretty landscape with one bald peak that is central enough to draw the eye toward it and away from the other features. The pronounced upper-mids distract from an other-wise very nice signature. The SSR has good speed of both attack and decay that helps lend a natural feel, great detail throughout, and is fairly neutral with that one glowing exception. I’ve had repeated conversations with another reviewer trying to figure out if we got an early release and a production model, or what else was accounting for the difference in our opinions of the SSR. At the end of all that what it comes down to is a matter of differences in tolerance for certain frequencies, and differences in personal tastes. The SSR is the first Moondrop product I can say wasn’t for me, at least without some EQ, but that doesn’t mean it might not be for you. It is definitely one to audition before purchase as the lines seem fairly clearly drawn with little middle ground on this one.

Moondrop has just dropped (pun intended) a new earphone that actually has a different tuning than its usual lineup. Let's look at it today!

Disclaimer : This unit is a personal unit purchased at retail price

INTRO
Moondrop is one of those brands that never cease to amaze me with its value-for-money, good sounding earphones. It has a sound signature that never disappoints and would most likely be the go-to brand for most people. This time round, Moondrop has released the Moondrop SSR, a new budget earphone that takes a different direction than the usual "Harman-tuned" earphones, with the SSR sporting a neutral sound. As an enthusiast, I was super intrigued by it and decided to get one to try because, why not?

As the SSR faced some cable issues during production, Moondrop suspended the sale of the SSR but has since re-launched the SSR with 3 new colors on top of the default silver. I have gotten myself the white ones after the re-launch due to some miscommunication with the seller but it still looks good.


QUICK SUMMARY
Sound : Neutral/Balanced


Driver : 1 x Dynamic Driver
Socket : 2-pin (0.78mm)
Price : 39.99 USD
Where to buy it : Shenzhen Audio

Suitable Genres : All-rounder but a tad better with jazz or vocal tracks

WHAT'S IN THE BOX


1 set of each different sized eartips (S, M, L)
1 x Moondrop SSR
1 x Silver-Plated 4N-Litz Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) cable
1 x Water-resistant carrying pouch

I am glad that Moondrop has provided just enough accessories for the average user, with the pouch and the eartips. However, if you lose the eartips, then you should get some spares. The pouch feels like it is made from a water-resistant material and it feels like it will not break easily. Though one point I have to make is that since the earphones are packed in a felt-like material, some of the felt has fallen off and got itself stuck onto the earphones, which is hard to remove and is very visible since the felt is black and the earphones are white. Maybe Moondrop can consider using a white/grey felt instead of black instead to make it less visible.

Overall, I feel that the accessory pack is adequate, though it would be nice to include another extra set of eartips just in case.

BUILD QUALITY



The SSR feels like a very well-polished earphone as it is made from "liquid metal alloy" (information pulled from Shenzhen Audio). It also comes in 4 colors, silver, white, pastel green and pastel pink.

Pink, White and Green Colors of Moondrop SSR (Image obtained from Shenzhen Audio)


Though I can still see the gap at which the earphones are being joint at, it still does feel very premium with its smooth glossy finishing. These earphones also have a substantial amount of weight to them though it does not look like it, adding bonus points to the premium feeling of these earphones . The 2-pin connectors are also recessed, so you can be sure that the cable fits inside the earphone very firmly. Overall, you can tell that these earphones are very well-built despite their 39.99 USD price tag!

COMFORT AND ISOLATION
The earphone is smaller than most and despite its odd heart shape, it actually sits nicely in my ears though if I were to tilt my head, I can feel the earphones moving slightly though seal doesn't break. Switching the stock eartips to the SpinFit CP100 does help the earphone to have a better grip of my ears. I would recommend getting an eartip that has a shorter nozzle since the nozzle on the SSR is already longer than most earphones and might jut out even more with a longer nozzle eartip.

Isolation is decent enough that I generally tend not notice any outside noises when listening to music. However if I were to listen out very closely, I can still hear the faint noises of my keyboard while typing or when someone calls me from the door of my room as I am using these earphones. I did notice that there were 2 vents on each side of the earphones so these could have attributed to the slight lack of isolation.

SOUND
The SSR is a very balanced earphone that does not color the sound. Despite that, you can still enjoy a life-like sound in all segments of the music. Everything is at an equal volume with no bias, so you get a comfortable listening for long hours. Coming from my usual V-shaped sounding earphones that have more treble and bass, it does take me some time to adjust myself to these pair and hence I took a while to get myself used to it before writing this review. However once you adjust to these, you start to appreciate the way Moondrop has tuned these earphones.

Highs
Highs on these pair sound very realistic with some thickness in them. Highs have decent extension but does not sparkle as much and hence might not sound as exciting. I also noticed that the highs also have a decent amount of air in them, giving the high hats a crisp sound still with enough space in them.

Testing on Polyphia's "The Worst", the high hats are definitely there but when the cymbals crashes, you definitely don't get that level of energy/excitement as compared to an earphone that has a better treble extension. As mentioned previously, the high hats still retains that space between notes so you can still distinctly tell each beat of it.

POLKADOT STINGRAY's "Free" also has a ton of high hats which you can clearly hear though slightly laid back with all the instruments and vocals ongoing. However, as with the previous song, there isn't as much energy to the high hats and cymbals.

Since the highs lack energy, I decided to try it out with some soothing jazz songs. From the Shanghai Jazz album track 12, "情人的眼泪" sounds very soothing here. The subtle cymbals in the background and guzheng really calms you down after a long day of work and makes you want to lay in bed while listening to this song.

In conclusion, I like that the highs have a semblance of thickness to it which makes it sounds more realistic and that you can still tell apart each note. Highs tend to lack that high energy required in certain genres of songs such as rock due to it not having that much of an extension. However when paired with the right genre of songs, the highs can actually sound really suitable for it.


Mids
I actually think that the mids here are very decent for its price. Upper mids are decent with enough bite to it, while the lower mids are comfortable to listen to as the SSR generally has a thicker sound. Vocals are also very realistic and I think they are great for vocal tracks.

When I listen to Vulfpeck's "Darwin Derby", I always listen out for the electric guitars (whether they have enough of bite to it) and for the snare drums (for its attack). For electric guitars, they sound good enough, it could use a little more bite to it though. However snare drums tend to be a little lacking, there's not enough impact for it to be fully felt, only heard. This could be slightly mistaken for kick drums if you're not paying attention to it.

Decided to then try it out with something heavier such as Kana-Boon's "Worry Hero" and the first thing that somehow came to my mind was "This sounds comfortable". I was able to hear everything; the drums, guitars and vocals. However, as the separation is not the best, the music does sound like one unit which is not ideal in situations when you're trying to tell each layer apart.

Shifting the focus to the vocals, I personally feel that vocals perform the best in the mid range. VoicePlay's "Love on Top" is a great demo track for vocals as you get a bit of everything in the vocal range. The vocals on this track are very realistic and comfortable to listen to, and when the vocals go higher, you are still able to feel the intensity of the vocals! In fact, in any genre of song that I have tried on this, the vocals are always the ones that stand out the most to me as being the nicest and most realistic as compared to the other sounds playing.

Overall, mids are done in a way that allows the listener to be very comfortable with it, providing just enough energy for higher vocals and electric guitars but not so much for drums. Vocals tend to outperform the rest of the instruments so I would recommend this for vocal tracks!

Lows
Bass on the SSR is alright if you are light on the bass. Bass does not go very deep. It has enough for it to be felt but it doesn't overwhelm. Mid bass is just enough and most of the time, you would actually hear this more than the sub bass.

On Masaki Suda's "Soft Vinyl Figure", you actually hear the bass more clearly because most of it don't go very deep too. Even when it does, it tends to fade out quickly and doesn't linger for long.

So with more mid bass in mind, I decided to test this out with Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Hump De Bump", and it sounds good because you get to feel more of Flea's bass as it's supposed to be more quick-fire in this song, filling in the gaps of the music. Though I have to admit that the bass doesn't go deep on the SSR.

If you're a light bass listener like me, then listening to bass-heavier songs would be more comfortable to listen to. "Tarinaieye" by Frederic is a great example of this. When I am tired, I don't want the bass of this song to overwhelm and just want some light bass in my listening sessions. The SSR achieves that, but of course if you want more bass, then it doesn't provide that quantity as it has a neutral tuning.

Overall, bass on the SSR is more of a mid bass. It does not go deep, but still provides decent quality bass that is very comfortable to listen to.

OTHER NOTES
The soundstage is generally wide on the SSR and sounds like you're listening to music in a hall. On several instances, these earphones still do reproduce certain sounds of the music in a out-of-head experience, though most of the time it still sounds beside you.

Separation on the SSR is not the best as the sound produced comes out as a single cohesive unit. You are still able to tell apart instruments by listening more closely, but not as easily as with more technical earphones where each instrument is a layer in itself.

One question that I commonly get after telling people that this earphones are neutral sounding is : "Why would anyone want this kind of sound?". In response to that, I would say that music composers and even audio engineers might want this kind of neutral sound, where each frequency sounds the same to the listener. This is so that they can properly listen out to all the sounds in their music without any coloration to the music and hear the music as a whole. You would want a neutral sounding earphone/speaker when dealing with music production and this is the same reason why studio monitors are used as they generally have a flat/neutral sound.


CONCLUSION
This is a very interesting take on a balanced sound done by Moondrop. Though I still prefer a V-shaped sound, this is still a very comfortable listen and I can tell that they are actually experimenting with it. If you are someone that wants a very comfortable listen for any music genre but with a slight edge in vocals, then the Moondrop SSR is for you! Actually even without vocals, if you want a balanced sound for a budget price, then this is the one for you! To Moondrop : keep up the good work on these tuning, I can't wait to see how you evolve the SSR in the future!

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Intro :

Owned the Moondrop SSRs for about a week now. Gotta say that these have definitely exceeded my expectations. I've been running them pretty much solely off the Questyle QP1R using Final Audio E2000 series tips. Listened to an exceedingly diverse selection of music.



Disclaimer about Tips :

I tried both the stock tips and horn tips and was not a fan. The stock tips and horn tips are prone to almost excessive sibilance as well as not the best timbre and detail / separation / imaging. I would recommend these solely with the Final E2000 tips, as they seem to mostly solve all of those issues.

Sound :

Excellent for the price with the Final Tips. Timbre is good for a dynamic driver, and phenomenal for the price. Impact and dynamics are above average. Punchy music (like Every Hero Needs a Villain by Czarface) is given close to appropriate impact in the bass and snares. Subbass extension is good and, even though there is a subbass rolloff at a reasonable point, is able to deliver in the vast majority of tracks. Not a basshead IEM, but it does a damn god job of it when properly driven for $40. Mids are a little wonky. Well detailed, separated, and dynamic, but almost lose a bit of detail in the lower mids while being peakyyyy in the upper mids. When well driven, this is mitigated, but it is nevertheless still present. Treble is slightly peaky, but much better than the upper mids. The treble / mid tuning are on the bright side. V shaped. Treble, bass, and mid detail are phenomenal for the price. Resolution and texture is great as well.

If someone had asked me to pin a price on the sound sig alone I would've put these at about $115-$150 (same or more than the Starfields).



Fit / Build :

Build looks a little cheap, but feels solid af. IEMs fit great with not too much weight and an appropriate shape with no harsh edges touching anything important. Stock tips are sucky. Stock cable looks cheap, but is excellent imo. Doesn't kink, sounds good on other iems, is appropriately curved around the ears, and is honestly miles better than the stock starfield or lz a6 mini cables.

Conclusion :

Well built and phenomenal sounding iem for the price. While they don't punch about the $200 mark, with their very obvious flaws with the peakiness / sibilance, they are still competing with everything up to that pricepoint imo. Would highly recommend. If you have a good DAP I would recommend these over the starfields without hesitation based off of tuning and price v sound quality. These recommendations are contingent on using Final Audio E2000 tips to replace the crappy stock ones though.

The latest model from Moondrop is the Super Spaceship Reference, otherwise known as the SSR. This new $39 In-Ear Monitor (IEM) is on the lower end of the Moondrop lineup and is a step up in price and quality from their popular Spaceship model.

First off, I was sent this SSR review unit by Shenzhen Audio, who are both an online retailer and distributor of Moondrop and other audio brands. You can find this product on their retail site at http://www.shenzhenaudio.com as well as their storefronts on Amazon and Ali Express.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/moondrop/products/moondrop-ssr-super-spaceship-reference-in-ear-earphone




Build & Accessories
The SSR is a tiny IEM which is made of aluminum and looks to be possibly die-casted. It also has some sort of enamel clear-coat on the outside giving it a glossy appearance and feel to it. The front of the shell has a large torx screw that may be mistaken for a vent in photos, however the vents are present but located on the ear facing side of the shell and next to the nozzle. The small appearance actually does fit very well in my ears and kind of floats in your ear making little to no contact, depending on your ear shape, and is pretty comfortable overall.
The IEM houses a single beryllium-coated dynamic driver and uses recessed 0.78mm 2-pin connectors. The cable that comes with the SSR is a silver-colored and silver-plated copper wire that winds up nicely and is surprisingly very easy to maneuver and handle, and doesn’t feel to springy and would be hard to knot up.

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Sound

The Moondrop SSR can be described as a warm diffuse-field tuned IEM, which features a mid-bass focused lower end and a typical diffuse field type tuning which peaks up to 3KHz and gradually drops down and rolls off in the upper treble range. This IEM can be described as a possible reference tuning but it does lean a tad bright and possibly shouty with it’s large rise in the upper mid-range.

The low end is quick, punchy, and very tasteful, while having enough of a bass boost to provide a warmer than neutral sound. It doesn’t stray towards the rich, thick, and gooey type sound in the bass and lower mid-range however, and I believe that is partially due to the upper mid-range rise. That said, I find that the low end is acceptable for most rock music, and has a nice bass response that falls in-line with how much bass I like. It paints a clear picture without bloat.

The mid-range is predominantly dominated by that 3K peak with vocals pushed rather forward and occasionally sharp, particular with female vocals by much more forward and slightly strained. I found this less of an issue when switching to foam tips, as those typically tame some sharpness in my experience and seems to work here as well.

When I listen to Chris Stapleton, who’s deep gritty voice is backed by his roots-style americana rock, I find his voice sounds well defined and with enough power to sound accurate to my ears. Guitars plucks do come across a tad forward perhaps, but nothing that I’d consider fatiguing or sharp.

Treble on the SSR is actually balanced and generally smooth, however still rises a little higher than I prefer, especially in the lower treble range. Some may find the 3K rise to be fatiguing due to shoutiness or being overly sensitive in that area, with singers like Alison Krauss and Lauren Mayberry as prime examples of female vocals sounding a bit too overly bright.

Chromeo’s funky-dance songs are examples of music that can become fatiguing. They beats feature a lot of high-hat-type hits and snares that can seem a little too extreme for my ears. The bass lines do sound nice and clean, with punch, and the accentuated focus on the lower treble does make this song a little more exciting. The bass isn’t as powerful in the slam factor as songs like “Must’ve Been” deserves though.

My impressions on some of its more technical aspects are actually very positive for this $39 price tag. Like I mentioned before, the punchy and quick bass doesn’t seem to have any issues with muddiness and offers a clean bass representation that has some weight to it. The mid-range does steer towards the upper range however vocals and instruments do come in with good representation and clarity for this price point.

Imaging is at least better than average to excellent in this price point and is one of the better imaging IEMs I’ve heard under $100. This probably helped by the SSR having a decent soundstage and some depth. I was able to pick out instruments across the soundscape that wasn’t just in my head and instrument separation is actually a strong suit for this IEM even when I threw on songs with buzzing guitars and a lot of noise, like Sonic Youth’s Sonic Nurse record.


Comparisons

So where do I put this in the Moondrop Lineup? Without ever hearing the Crescent and Starfield, it’s a little hard to really compare it against the closest in it’s price range outside the ultra-budget Spaceship. In that case, the Spaceship is clearly outdone by the SSR and this marks a similar but improvement upon the $20 Spaceship. While the general tonality is similar, the SSR has a more balanced sound to it with less muddy midrange and improved fit makes getting seal a lot better. The technical capability is much improved with the change to the Be-coated driver and the new housing design.

I think the SSR is still a step or two below the KXXS and Kanas Pro though. Those two IEMs have a much easier to appreciate tonality that will cover most genres and individual preferences more so than the brighter tuned SSR. In addition, I think the shell design is better with an overall better package.

That said though, when comparing this IEM to it’s peers, I find this to fall somewhere in-between the V-shaped BLON BL03 and the diffuse-field targeted Tin T2. The SSR has a little bit warmer and punchier bass signature than the T2 but doesn’t get to the occasional muddy and elevated nature of the BL03. The SSR actually may be brighter than the T2 and the BLON however, but doesn’t have sibilance issues that I find occasionally present in the T2 and BL03, as it’s treble is tamed down a bit in the areas that I find most sensitive to sibilant consonant sounds.

Wrap-Up
In general, this SSR is a nice addition to Moondrop’s lineup and also a nice addition to the budget-tier IEM market. It has its own unique flavor that I don’t think any IEM in this price range currently has, in that it’s a punchier and warmer T2, which is still quite unique at this price range, even today, a few years after its initial release.

The biggest knock against it is that it does have a large emphasis in the upper mid-range and lower treble that may not appeal to some, and that’s a legitimate thing to be wary about, and it doesn’t necessarily extend that well down to sub-bass and upper treble range, but it works decently for most music.

Finally, I think the SSR is definitely well priced and can compete against others, with consideration for each individual’s personal preferences and tastes. Either way, it’s a nice little package that fits well, has a unique design and good build, and really comes ready to use.

Thank you SHENZENAUDIO for letting us give our honest take towards the MOONDROP SSR. Given that the review unit is from them and is free of charge, it doesn’t affect the honesty and integrity of this review.

Shop Link:

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/moondrop-ssr-super-spaceship-reference-in-ear-earphone

The Company

MOONDROP has been making audio gears since 2015, they became quite popular in 2019 due to their Kanas line up but i personally liked the Nameless when I bought it in 2018, it is very underrated and it features a very clean tonality. They became even more popular with their KXXS, STARFIELD and their ultra budget the Spaceship series. MOONDROP's flagship IEMs have good reputation too, both the Blessing and A8 have very good reviews from reviewers and users as well.

The MOONDROP SSR

The SSR is the 2nd iteration of fhe Spaceship lineup, the last year's MOONDROP spaceship managed to het considerably good feedback despite being released along with the BLON BL03 which is the spotlight of budget IEMs last year. The SSR intends to give high price to performance ratio without compromising build quality and I believe that the SSR managed to kept their vision. The SSR has a great and unique build quality for the price, it didn't use any of common IEM shell at this price point, the shell isn't as smooth as the BL03 or the T2 Plus, but it feels slightly better than VX's shell.

Frequency Response: 20-40000Hz(% Inch Free field MIc)

Impedance: l6Ω@lkHz

THD: 1%

Housing Material: Liquid Metal Aloy HousIng

Dlaphragm: Beryllium-Coated dome+PU suspension Ring

Coil: 0.035mm - CCAW (Daikoku)

Magnet: N52-High Density Magnetic Circut

Acoustic Fiter: Patented Ant-blocking Filter

Cable: Silver Plated 4N-Litz OFC

Connectors: 0.78 -2pin

Packaging

The packaging is quite generous for the price, you'll be greeted by an anime woman which has been a trademark for MOONDROP, it is very rare to see a carrying pouch in this price segment, although the pouch is on the smaller side it is still way better than not having one. The cable feels really nice too, it is coated and unbraided but based on my experience, the Nameless' cable didn't oxidize since the time I purchased it which means that the company really cares with the accessories. They also included 4 pairs of black silicone ear tips which I didn't liked but it feels better in the ears than the stock ear tips of KZ.

Fit and Comfort

The IEM shell of the SSR is on the lighter side despite using metal (liquid alloy) as material. I won't consider the shell to be ergonomic, there's a good curve on the shell that fits in my ears but it doesn't provide enough sound isolation, I prefer the shell of the T2 Plus or even the TRN VX since it is large enough to fit in my ears. On the other hand, I didn't felt any discomfort even when using it for hours and this is due to the fact that it is light weight and small. There's a striking industrial feeling to the design but I would've prefer a low profile shell cause it will provide better noise cancellation when listening in noisy areas.

Sound

I love gears with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (Background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Billie Eilish – wish you were gay (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Micro details)
3. Rex Orange County – Untitled (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Reese Lansangan– My Sweet Hometown (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Polyphia – Goose (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Utada Hikaru ft. Skrillex – Face My Fears (Imaging Layering, Bass, Mids, Treble, Coherence, Quickness)
8. Polyphia – 40 oz. (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
9. Polyphia – GOAT (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass
Subtle bass and minimal sub bass, rumbles are present but it sounds faint because it isn't rich in quantity luckily there's ample of details making textures sound really nice. Playing through Billie Eilish's "bad guy" rumbles are far from elevated, if you are used to listening with warm sets like the BLON BL03 then you'll definitely miss the quantity but the SSR is much faster making it sound more coherent and controlled. I tried "G.O.A.T" by Polyphia mid bass lacks weight and quantity, thump-y is the best way to describe it, it is fast in both attack and decay and it is quite resolving too, it is placed neutrally. This isn't a warm set and no bass-head should buy this one cause it isn't made for that market, the subtle bass response of the SSR will be suitable for those who wants a detailed set and who are easily getting tired of warm/bassy IEM, nonetheless I'm quite impressed with the details, adding a little more thickness and weight should've made the SSR a quite formidable all-rounder.

Midrange

I used "Untitled" by Rex Orange County for testing the lower mid-range and its balance between leanness and warmth and the SSR is just a bit biased towards leanness, it isn't as dry as the TRN VX for example but I slightly prefer the note thickness of Tin Audio T2 Plus or the BLON BL03, nonetheless there's zero audible bass bleed in this set which is nice, it is detailed even with instruments. Upper mid range is emphasized but with my source (iFi hip dac) it is far from being overdone, the upper midrange is just right for my ears, I played "Face My Fears by Utada Hikaru" and the timbre sounded accurate to me, it doesn't sound harsh to my ears, it is rather sweet and intimate, it's not sibilant too and it is pretty resolving for both vocals and instruments. Finally I played "My Sweet Hometown" by Reese Lansangan and it's just intoxicating, I usually listen during my one hour break and the sweetness I'm hearing from this sub 2000 Php/40 USD IEM is just insane, the whistle part on this track is just nicely presented, details and transparency is the weapon of the SSR but if you really hate emphasized upper mid-range then this isn't your cup of tea for sure.

Treble
Treble is clean, sparkly and has good extension, it is slightly emphasized but it is quite resolving and airy, the sharpness of treble actually helped it to sound more detailed and give cymbals a nice splash. Playing "Asphyxia" by Co Shu Nie sounded fairly nice, I expect it to be harsh and chaotic but the SSR has quite commendable attack and decay speed for both bass and treble, it sounded quite sharp at times but never congested. I'm not a treble person but the emphasis of SSR is more on the upper midrange than the treble that's why I still find it manageable, the peaks on the T2 pro and T3 are harsher than the SSR, despite the emphasis, the SSR impressively managed to retain a natural timbre and tonality. If you are a treble sensitive and using an analytical source, I won't recommend the SSR because you may find it bright but if you are neither of the two, the treble of SSR sounded great especially for the price.

Sound Stage and Resolution
This is where the SSR amazed me, it packs a lot of details for the asking price without sounding artificial. If we're talking about details and imaging, multiple driver IEMs from KZ and TRN can provide it at the same price but expect a thinny timbre especially on the mid range. The SSR easily render details from mid bass to treble, sub bass isn't the most detailed cause it doesn't go too deep, overall texture is quite commendable. Sound stage feels pretty large, there's enough vertical expansion and somewhat more than average width and depth. Layering and imaging are unexpectedly great too, unlike the Blon Bl03 that slightly suffers due to slow bass, the SSR is damn fast making the sound decay quicker and having better overall coherence.

Sound Signature and Synergy
The SSR took a quite rare tuning especially in this price tier that is saturated by Harman, warm and V shaped signature IEMs. The SSR leans toward being analytical with emphasis on the upper mid-range and treble. Expect good resolution on the mid-range and treble department, mid bass is quite detailed too but it lacks quantity and depth in my opinion which means that a nice warm source like the iFi Hip Dac will complement the SSR nicely. Pairing it with a neutral source may sound good too but expect some shoutiness on the upper mid range.

Ifi Hip Dac (3.5 and 4.4)

The Hip Dac has a warm tonality but I want to clarify that it doesn't sound bloated in any way, bass isn't emphasized but the overall presentation is thick making it sound warm. The SSR pairs perfectly with the Hip Dac, in fact I never suffered with the hotness of its upper mid range and lower treble that a lot of reviewer told in their review, bass has moderate depth, texture and remarkably quick. Mid-range sounded quite lean but never hollow, both vocals and instruments sounded clean and is not fatiguing in any way. Treble has moderate sparkle, nice transient speed and great extension. Turning on the xBass will make the SSR even more balanced with additional oohmp and throttling down the upper mid-range peak.

Using it with Satin Audio Chimera 4x, the SSR sounded cleaner, the cable also add some weight on the overall sound of the SSR. The mid range and treble didn't benefit too much with the cable but due to the termination, the SSR sounded more quiet, layering slightly improved too.

Comparison

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TinHifi T2 Plus
The SSR is cheaper than the T2 Plus thus, I expected it to have inferior sound compared to the latter and my findings isn’t as straightforward as what I imagined. In terms of resolution, sound stage (size) and transparency, I’d pick the SSR over the T2 Plus but everything else goes to the T2 Plus. The layering and imaging of T2 plus is just nice, the stage isn’t grand but it is well layered and separated despite using a single dynamic driver. Timbre easily goes to the T2 Plus too, given that the SSR doesn’t sound that thin, I still prefer the control of T2 Plus with regards to note thickness, there’s no sign of shrillness too unlike with the SSR that can sound harsh at times. Bass sounds deeper, more textured and punchier on the T2 Plus too which is nice because it never sounded excessive it is just that the bass of SSR is subtle. The two doesn’t sound the same but having one between the two is more than enough, T2 Plus is easier to recommend overall due to its balanced sound.

BLON BL03
The Blon BL03 is one of the best budget IEMs of 2019 and can still fight its way in 2020. The SSR packs way more details and has slightly better imaging and layering capabilities, on the other hand the Bl03 has better tonality/timbre, it is smoother and sounds a bit more natural compared to the SSR. For the bass, it is a matter of preference, the BL03 will offer deeper sub bass and more elevated mid bass that decays quite slow (bass leaking to the mid-range and struggles with complex passages), while the SSR will offer much faster, tighter and more detailed bass at the expense of weight and depth. Midrange sounds more natural in the BL03 but it may be too smooth for some, the SSR sounds a bit dry but it packs good details, it is kinda peaky to especially when used with bright sources. Lastly, the treble of the SSR offers more brilliance, extension, speed and resolution while the BL03 sounded smoother yet airier treble that is much easier to listen. Technicalities easily goes to the SSR but the BL03 is tuned safely to the point that almost anyone can like its sound.

TRN VX
The VX and the SSR are almost parallel in terms of technicalities but I prefer the timbre of the SSR which is quite natural despite the midrange thinness. Bass goes deeper with the VX but they are equally resolving except that the SSR sounds more lean and has less weight into it. Midrange sounds dry on both IEMs but the SSR sounds more natural compared to the cupped midrange of VX. Both have excellent resolution, the SSR has more forward sounding midrange compared to the more laidback VX. The treble sounded more detailed on the VX, both sounds a bit sharp for me but they are both technically comendable.

Conclusion

The SSR is back on sale now, the unit I received the mk1 yet I'm truly satisfied with how they were able to make a dynamic driver sound as technical as this without the timbre sounding whack. It pairs really well with the Hip Dac but it sounds sharp with the Cayin N5 mk2. The build quality is very good since it is made out of metal yet it is lightweight paired with nicely crafted cable and ear tips. This isn't the easiest to recommend due to its peaky upper mid range but it is probably one of the most technical entry for the price, definitely a good buy for those who prefer technical performance without having unnatural tonality, good job MOONDROP.

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:

The Moondrop Super Spaceship Reference (SSR) is an in-ear monitor (IEM) using a beryllium-coated dome diaphragm dynamic driver. The SSR retails for $40 at Shenzhen Audio. I received the Moondrop SSR from Shenzhen Audio in exchange for a fair and objective review.

This review is also available on my blog: https://medium.com/@darmanskirata1136/moondrop-ssr-review-914188a84895

SOURCES:
I have used the Moondrop SSR with the following sources:

• JDS Labs The Element
• Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle
• Meizu HiFi Pro dongle
• Fiio BTR1K Apt-X Bluetooth Receiver

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:

The Moondrop SSR comes in a square white box illustrated with the infamous Moondrop anime waifu in full color. Technical specifications for the SSR are provided in English and Chinese on the back of the box. The package includes a detachable 2-pin cable, three silicone eartips (small, medium, large), a synthetic fabric drawstring bag, a contact card written almost exclusively in Chinese, and a user manual, also written almost exclusively in Chinese. For the price, I can’t complain about the accessory selection. However, I encourage Moondrop to include at least one pair of their MIS foam eartips in future products.

BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN:

The Moondrop SSR has low-profile aluminum housings with a glossy clear coat. The faceplates have a black nut set into the surface, and there are several vents on the inner face of the housing and on the side of the nozzle. “L” and “R” are inscribed into the inner faces of the housings. The 2-pin connections are slightly recessed. The nozzles do not have a lip to secure eartips.

The 2-pin cable has a transparent plastic sheath. The Y-split is a black plastic disc embossed with the Moondrop logo, and the L-shaped 3.5mm jack hardware is clear rubber. There is strain relief only above the jack and there is no chin slider. There is a red O-ring on the right-side cable in addition to the typical raised “L/R” indicators. The cable has pre-formed rubber ear guides. The fit of the 2-pin connectors is extremely tight.

COMFORT / FIT / ISOLATION:
The Moondrop SSR is intended to be worn cable-up only. The earpieces have a moderate to deep insertion depth but are comfortable to wear for extended periods. When worn, the entire housing falls below the outer surface of my ear, making the SSR ideal for use while sleeping. Secureness of fit is excellent, but isolation is average. The SSR does not have driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:

My measurements were conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The headphones are driven using my Element, which has an output impedance of no more than 1 ohm. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. The measurements are presented with 1/24th smoothing. There is a resonant peak at 8k. Measurements above 10k are not reliable.

SOUND:
If one were to evaluate the Moondrop SSR based on the graph above, one could describe it as a Diffuse-neutral IEM with a slight mid-bass emphasis. sound signature with a forward midrange. My subjective experience with the SSR has been different. I perceive much more bass than measured, presumably because of my ear anatomy and the insertion depth I listen to the SSR at. I have small ears and insert the SSR as deeply as possible. Other reviewers with access to measurement rigs have found that blocking the SSR’s vents significantly increases its bass response. My guess is that these vents are mostly blocked when I listen to the SSR. For me, the sub-bass is emphasized over the mid-bass, though there is an ample amount of both. The bass response has excellent speed, articulation, and texture. There is a fair amount of mid-bass bleed, but it serves mostly to give the SSR’s lower-midrange body rather than creating sonic mud. The SSR has surprisingly great resolution throughout its frequency response.
Reviews of the SSR have been mixed in large part because of its polarizing midrange emphasis. I used the Moondrop SSR exclusively with Moondrop’s MIS tips, which bring the upper-midrange even further forward than the measurement above indicates. Male vocals are significantly less prominent than female vocals, though vocal intelligibility for both male and female vocals is excellent most of the time. The quality of the imaging and instrument separation is such that instrumentation panned to the left and right is easily distinguished from centered vocals despite the forward upper-midrange. The shouty quality of male vocals is most noticeable with vocal harmonies and gang vocals that are panned to the sides and overlap with instrumentation. Male vocal intelligibility suffers when this occurs. Female vocals have a breathy, mild sibilance to them but are not shrill to my ears. Harsh male vocals have good bite. Timbre is realistic if slightly dry.
The upper end of the SSR’s frequency response is weighted towards a gentle lower-treble emphasis, with limited upper-treble extension. There is a fair amount of sparkle but little air. Transients are not splashy or overly diffuse but also not unrealistically quick in their attack. Soundstage is expansive for a single dynamic driver IEM.

EQ:
I am a huge fan of Toranku’s target curve, which elevates the Moondrop S8 to a new level of clarity and does wonders for the KB EAR Diamond’s overemphasized upper midrange. However, equalizing the Moondrop SSR to this curve resulted in a subjectively overwhelming sub-bass response. I also did not find the equalized midrange response to be a clear improvement over the raw response.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:
The Moondrop SSR is surprisingly demanding in terms of its amplification needs and requires a competent dongle or dedicated amplifier to achieve volume levels I find acceptable. The UAPP workaround may be necessary for Apple dongle users. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:


The Moondrop SSR stands apart from most IEMs at its price point because it is clear just from looking at its frequency response that its tuners had a specific target in mind for it, as opposed to shoving a mishmash of drivers into a shell and pushing it onto the market. That target may not be to everyone’s taste, but some measure of intentionality counts for a lot. The Kinera Tyr is one of the few competing IEMs that I feel deserves to be in the same conversation as the SSR because it too measures and sounds as though effort and care were taken to make it sound like something. If one is sensitive to upper-midrange “shout” the SSR should be avoided. If not, the SSR is a surprisingly technical monitor that is well worth its price.

Greetings!

Today we're checking out an earphone that I was very excited to receive, the SSR, or Super Spaceship Reference.

That second S for 'Spaceship' is why I was so pumped to review the SSR. The original Spaceship was one of my favourite purchases in 2019 and served as a near perfect daily driver for my listening needs. Small, comfy, and with a level of sound quality that belied the very low price tag. It reminded me of the sort of hidden gems I'd find back when I first dove into the hobby when Chinese hi-fi products were just starting to build steam. A time when there was nowhere near the coverage and hype we see nowadays.

The SSR at 39.99 USD isn't quite as budget friendly as the Spaceship or some of my now obsolete gems, but with the slight price increase came some significant changes to aspects that people disliked about the Spaceship. The SSR has a more stylish, low profile shell with an over ear design that helps provide a more secure fit. The cable is also removable now, and uses a common 0.78mm pin size so you have lots of third party options available should you break it.

I'm not going to mince words; the SSR is awesome and easily up there as one of my favourite earphones of the year so far. Read on the find out why.


What I Hear The SSR does not stray far from the signature found in it's predecessor, the Spaceship. That is very much a good thing in my opinion, as I quite enjoy that wallet-friendly, micro-dynamic equipped earphone. That said, there are some notable differences that lead me to expect the SSR will be slightly more universally appreciated.

Like the regular Spaceship, the SSR presents its treble with a smooth, grit-free sound that is tight and well controlled. No splash, no harshness. I find the SSR a hint warmer with a bit more weight to notes, yet it loses none of the airiness and space between notes. As a result, the SSR handles congested tracks just as comfortably. As with the original, I find the SSR to place more focus on the presence region instead of that upper treble brilliance, through the transition from one region to the other has been improved and balanced out. This combined with the slightly warmer sound results in similar detail, but within a more refined, smoother presentation. While detail is quite similar, I find the regular Spaceship just a hint more textured thanks to it's slightly cooler sound. Regardless, the SSR's treble presentation is maturely tuned and an absolute massage for the ears. I can listen for hours without fatigue settling in.

For the most part I find the general midrange emphasis basically identical to the original Spaceship. That is, the SSR pushes the mids forward, particularly vocals. The drop of additional warmth I was hearing in the treble is present here too, and I've been enjoying it more than I was expecting. I tend to enjoy a slightly, lean, dry sounding midrange, descriptors I cannot levy at the SSR in any way. Vocals aren't thick per say, but they've got weight and girth to them with female vocalists carrying the torch. Sweet and intimate, with plenty of detail. Because I enjoy the SSR so much and find it entirely non-fatiguing, for a good chunk of my testing I was listening at much higher levels than the usual “is anything even playing” volumes I prefer. Sibilance was impressively well-controlled, even on Aesop Rock's notoriously unforgiving “Blood Sandwich”. Since pretty much everyone says the SSR can be shouty, I looked for comments that actually included the tracks where they tested this. I know I'm not particularly sensitive to peaks, but even raising the volume to levels that caused clear distortion, nothing sounded shouty. Loud, oh yes, but shouty? Na. You want to hear something shouty pick up a Blue Ever Blue 2000EX and set yourself a new bassline. I hear this midrange as tonally accurate with great timbre, and with an absence of the occasional tinniness I heard in the previous model.

Despite nearly identical low end measurements to the Spaceship, I perceived the SSR as the warmer, bassier of the two. Extension is similarly good with some roll off in the lowest regions. Like the Spaceship the SSR can provide some decent thump and solid visceral feedback, but it's not going to rattle your eardrums. Where they really differ is in how that low end is presented. To my ears, the SSR is slower and softer with less texture. It seems to handle rapid double bass just as well, but grungy notes from The Prodigy and Tobacco are smoother. The differences aren't terribly vast, but they're certainly noticeable and give each a unique character, especially when you bring back in the mids and treble which are a hint cooler and less refined on the Spaceship.

The SSR's sound stage houses some similarities to the Spaceship, but in general I find it clearly superior here. Like the Spaceship the presentation is quite wide with effects able to careen off into the distance. There is a depth to the SSR's sound that the Spaceship lacks, giving the SSR a more dynamic and natural feel, especially with live recordings. I found imaging to be quite good with vast sweeps of movement channel-to-channel. Instrument separation is also quite impressive for such an inexpensive earphone, though a hint behind the Spaceship, with layering falling clearly into the SSR's favour. Where the Spaceship could sound a little confined on particularly busy tracks, the SSR remains open a spacious.

Overall I think this is a brilliantly tuned earphone. While not unanimously better than the original Spaceship, the SSR will without question proudly join it on my list of favourites under 50 USD. It can also now be the one I point people to when they say they wanted to try the Spaceship, but were turned off by the bullet-shaped shell or fixed cable.


Compared To A Peer (volumes matched with Dayton iMM-6)

Kinera SIF (39.99 USD): I quite enjoy the Sif and while I think it's a good earphone, the SSR outclasses it. Treble out of the SSR is smoother and cleaner sounding with a better overall balance. The Sif's midrange is less forward with slightly less warm tone. Detail and clarity are good, but a step behind the SSR, as is timbre which takes on a lighter feel than is otherwise natural. Close, but not as nice as what the SSR outputs. Bass is where the Sif is going to win many over since it offers up notably more presence in both mid and sub regions. The presentation is more forceful and powerful with an even more visceral response to the deepest notes. Midbass is a little bloated feeling compared to the SSR, but it offers up more punch and a bit more texture. Neither sound particularly quick, though the SSR has a clear edge when it comes to rapid double bass notes thanks to the extra definition it provides between each hit. The Sif has a good sound stage, but the SSR's less intimate default vocal positioning gives it a better sense of space. Imaging is similarly clean between the two, while I find the SSR more layered and dynamic and instruments better defined and separated on congested tracks.

When it comes to build the Sif's plastic housings match the SSR in terms of fit and finish, though I prefer 2-pin designs to MMCX so I'll give the SSR the edge. Isolation is much better on the Sif with overall comfort being quite similar. The SSR will probably suit more users though since it has a distinct size advantage, despite the Sif not being particularly large. Cables are bout on par. The Sif's twisted cable looks fantastic and shares a similar aesthetic while being even softer and more pliable. The sharply angled preformed ear guides do result in even more annoying tangles to deal with should you store the Sif carelessly.

As you probably gathered, I prefer the SSR. It sounds more mature and refined with better technical capabilities. Other aspects like design, shape, cable, and comfort are a bit more personal or preference driven.

TinHifi T2 (49.90 USD): The T2 has been a staple recommendation of mine since I first covered it way back in October of 2017. In this hobby, that is some pretty ridiculous staying power. The T2 earned it though thanks to excellent build quality and a neutral-leaning tune that was unlike pretty much anything else on the market, all at a price that most could comfortably afford. I think it's time to let the old dog retire though, as to my ears the SSR is a step up in many ways. Treble is smoother and tighter with just as much detail and none of the roughness, though the T2 provides more sparkle and general energy to the sound it outputs. The midrange is more forward and vocals more coherent out of the SSR, and instruments presented with more accurate timbre. Bass digs deeper, is tighter, faster, and overall more refined, though I'll give T2 the nod for texture. The T2 holds it's own when it comes to sound stage though, offering up an experience that is just as spacious and more even when it comes to width and depth. I'd say the imaging out of the T2 is a hair more accurate and laying a hint improved, though I find the SSR to better separate individual instruments.

When it comes to build both are very well done, though the T2 gets the edge. Fit and finish is better with less visible seams and a design that works just as well cable up as it does in a more traditional cable down setting. I love the cable on my original T2, but I get why it was replaced for later iterations. It is somewhat stiff, rough to the touch, and has a great memory for sharp bends and kinks. Newer versions come with a much more flexible and manageable cable, though one with less character. When it comes to fit the T2 has not developed a particularly favourable reputation in the community. Personally, I find it fine for a product of that design. Stability is okay and I don't have to constantly reseat it. Others were not so lucky. I suspect those who own both will find the fit of the SSR to be greatly superior.

I love the T2. It was a revelation and I hope it's never forgotten. That said, it is starting to show it's age next to products like the SSR and even Tin's own T2 Plus that was recently released. It's still better than 90% of the offerings in the price range though.


In The Ear The SSR features well-constructed, liquid metal alloy housings. Forged from two pieces and held together with a single hex screw, it looks and feels very study though the seam between the two parts is quite visible. Spacing is uniform and tight all the way around though. The cables plug in tightly and with a recessed design should be well-protected from accidental bends. The metal nozzle grills with integrated tuning damper have been neatly installed, as have the inner filters and vents found just under the L/R markings which have been forged into the body instead of printed or painted on. I have no issues with the way the SSR has been constructed, and also enjoy the design which pulls clear inspiration from the FLC 8S in terms of the general shape. The placement of the various vents/filters/screws also mirror the filter location on the 8S, further strengthening the similarities. That said, the SSR is not a ripoff given it is significantly smaller, does not feature an in-depth filter system, and is overall much more blocky around the edges.

The silver-plated cable I am quite fond of being that it is very similar to those found on a few favourites from my past. It is soft and pliable though the preformed ear guides, while flexible and comfortable, do lead to easy tangles if you aren't careful when putting them away. The clear sheath also works in this cables favour allowing you to see the silver-plated strands within. It is quite visually striking when you take a close look. The hardware Moondrop selected is also a plus, as least in most areas. The 90 degree angled jack is compact and well-relieved, as are the tiny 0.78mm 2-pin plugs carried over from the Starfield (though here they are clear, not blue). While the plugs are labelled with L and R lettering to denote channel, it is extremely difficult to see so Moondrop added a red rubber ring to the right size to help out. That's a thoughtful touch. The y-split is my only area of concern since it is quite sizable and lacks strain relief out either end. A chin cinch would have also been a welcome addition, but one is absent here. It's easy enough to make one with a twist tie or something similar though, if you feel it is needed.

When it comes to comfort, I found the SSR to be quite nice to wear. The small size and light weight combined with rounded edges and a reasonably long nozzle means it is quite stable during heavy movement. I can also comfortably lay my head on a pillow with them in since they sit so flush with the outer ear. Isolation is pretty sub-par though, at least without music playing. Since there are vents all over the place, plenty of sound leaks through. I can pause my music to chat with my wife while leaving them in, for example. Not too many earphones out there I can do that with. Now, bring music back into the equation and oddly, isolation feels pretty good. Little volume compensation seems to be needed to block outside noise, especially if you opt to squeeze on some foam tips.


In The Box The SSR arrives in a squat, square box with the usual flair Moondrop is known for on the front; attractive fonts and anime artwork. This little lady was so popular, they even made an acrylic stand of her. If I saw this in a store I would have no idea it was earphone packaging. Honestly, it's really quite refreshing and a welcome change of pace from the usual packaging trends. Flip around to the back and you find more traditional and helpful details; an exploded image of the SSR showing off it's component parts, an accurate frequency response graph (not the usual marketing-guided fakery we typically see), and a spec list.

Lift the lid off and you find the SSR's earphones with cable attached resting comfortably in a foam insert. Alongside the foam insert is a smaller cardboard box embossed with the Moondrop logo in silver foil, inside which you find the included extras. In all you get:

• SSR earphones
• 0.78mm Silver-plated 4N-Litz OFC cable
• Single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Fabric carrying pouch

While you are not provided a ton of extras with the SSR, what you do get is quality. The tips are the same ones included with the original Spaceship and the Starfield, using a soft, grippy silicone. They provide a great seal and are very comfortable. The fabric carrying pouch is thick and dense and feels like it could stand up to a ton of abuse. It's too bad it's so small though. Even after wrapping up the cable tightly with a three finger wind, there is just barely enough space to hold the SSR, and certainly not comfortably.


Final Thoughts The SSR is yet another class leading product from Moondrop. Like the Starfield, its performance is so very clean and reliable with few faults, all of them minor. My only real complains are levied at somewhat pointless stuff, like a lack of extras and a carrying pouch that is barely large enough to cram the SSR into. Other than that, it's all good. The SSR is small and comfortable, well-built with a quality cable, and sounds great thanks to a creamy midrange and refined treble. Bass could use a hint more slam and texture, but that is just in comparison to the regular Spaceship. It is still quite satisfying, even on bass heavy tracks where you feel the SSR might be out of its element. It all sounds quite spacious too with excellent technical presence for such an affordable earphone.

This is one happily joins the Shozy Form 1.4 as one of my personal favorites of 2020, and as a result gets an easy recommendation. If you're looking for something in this price range, the SSR is well worth checking out.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

Disclaimer Big thanks to Moondrop for sending over a sample of the SSR for review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on a couple weeks of use. They do not represent Moondrop or any other entity. At the time of writing the SSR was temporarily removed from sale due to some issues with a recent batch of cables, but when it returns it will retail for 39.99 USD on Moondrop's official AliExpress store: https://moondrop.aliexpress.com/store/4980017

Specifications

• Impedance: 16 ohms @ 1kHz
• Sensitivity: 115dB/Vrms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 20-40,000Hz
• Driver: Beryllium-coated diaphragm with PU suspension ring
• Cable: 0.78mm Silver-plated 4N-Litz OFC
• THD: <1%

Gear Used For Testing LG Q70, FiiO M3 Pro, FiiO BTR3K, Earstudio HUD100, Earmen TR-Amp, Asus FX53V, TEAC HA-501

Some Test Tunes

Supertramp – Crime of the Century
Slipknot – Vol 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
King Crimson – Lark's Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy
Steely Dan – The Royal Scam
Porcupine Tree – Stupid Dreams
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends

Full Disclaimer: The review unit was sent to me by Shenzhenaudio in exchange for my honest opinion on this IEM. I'm not getting paid by them nor I'm affiliated with the store or by the Moondrop company itself. This entire review will be coming from my own experience with the IEM.

You can directly purchase the Moondrop SSR from Shenzhenaudio official store for the price of $40


Introduction:
Since most people who are into chifi has probably known Moondrop at this point, I'll just skip this part to keep things shorter.

Unboxing:
The box is pretty simple, the mascot girl is at the front cover and there are a graph and specifications of the iem at the back. The size of the box itself is not very small but not that big either.




The included accessories are:
- Silver Plated 4N-Litz OFC
- A small black pouch
- 1 set of silicone tips (S, M, L)
- Manuals & QC card

Built Quality & Fit:


Housing - The housing of SSR is made of liquid metal alloy housing with a glossy finish. It has some weight on it since its metal, but it's still very lightweight when you wear them on your ear compared to their bigger brothers like KXXS/Starfield. With its shape resembling the FLC 8s or a heart, safe to say they are very comfortable and easy to get the right fit with. They also will not cause any fatigue or pain if you wear them for a long time.

However, the isolation on SSR is not as good as other iems with bigger housing. Here the isolation level is more or less similar to a bullet style iem.


Cable & Tips - The SPC is really nice for the price, it's soft, no microphonic nor does it retains memory when you roll them up. It has a tiny red ring near the right 2-pin connector for L/R markings and a rubber-made round splitter, which IMO, better than the one on the Starfield or the B2 since it has no sharp edges. But just like other moondrop cables, it doesn't have a chin slider.

The silicone tips included is similar, or maybe the same as the one provided on Starfield. They are usable out of the box, but for better a fit and comfort, I would suggest doing some tips rolling.


Carrying Pouch - It's tiny. Maybe even a bit too tiny. Even the og Spaceship with a $20 price tag has a much bigger pouch than the SSR. But despite the tiny size, it's still can be used since the cable is pretty soft to be roll up, so just roll it smaller & it will fit into the pouch nicely.

In terms of the material, the outer was kind of the water-resistant type instead of cloth material like the og, which can help to protect the iem from accidental splash of water.

Sound Analysis:

Gears used in this review:
• DAP: Shanling M5s
• Cable: Stock cable
• Tips: Ortofon
• Playlist: Korean R&B, Neo Soul, Hip hop, Jazz, Jpop, Western pop, Orchestral

Utilizing the beryllium coated-dome, SSR is the newest budget single-DD line from Moondrop to replace the Spaceship.


SSR measurement was done using an IEC-711 clone with 10k as resonance peak. The data is raw & uncompensated, so flat in the graph is not flat in real life.

Unlike their other IEMs that used their own VDSF reference tuning, SSR instead was tuned into the warm diffuse-field sound signature with a slight midbass boost and a peak at the 3kHz before it starts to roll off.

Lows - The bass on the SSR is pretty decent for its price, IMO. It is quite tight and fast without bleeding to other frequencies while still delivering enough amount of punch, texture, and body to the mix with the about 5db boost on the 100Hz (lower midbass).

However, what makes the bass here not the best is the lack of bass rumble. The early roll-off on the sub-bass has significantly made the rumbles almost doesn't exist. It's still there, but it's very short and faint. So, if you need a good sub-bass/deep bass rumble on your iem, I would suggest you to just skip the SSR.

But honestly, after using the Blessing 2 for a while, I unexpectedly able to enjoy the bass on SSR without much of a problem since the first time I listen to them. It may be because it has more bass punch than on the B2 too.


Mids - The main highlight of SSR that get a bit controversial.

With the unusually high boost on the upper mid-range, it is pretty obvious that SSR is not going to be for all kinds of ears. If you are used to a thicker sounding IEM, you'll surely find them too shouty (went past borderline), thin and doesn't have much body. I personally didn't get too bothered much, but it does sound a bit too thin for my taste too, so if they lowered down a few db, it will be much better.

But since they are pretty laid back, they didn't sound harsh even with that excessive boost. And in terms of the positioning, the vocal is definitely more forward than instruments.

The tonality here is not as bad as few reviewers had stated. They are quite less accurate but they are still tolerable. The timbre, however, still surprisingly sound natural.

Highs - The treble on SSR is safe as usual. It has some nice shimmers to it but it's still pretty smooth overall. Instruments like cymbals or high hats also still sound natural enough with a sufficient amount of air and crispness. I didn't detect any harshness or fatiguing peaks on it.

Soundstage and Imaging - The size of soundstage is pretty in the average with the dominance on the width than the height. The sense of depth is also a bit lacking, so layering is still a little flat and feels less 3D. But for instrument positioning, they are still very good considering the price is only $40.

Resolution and Separation - For the price, I think they are good enough. Detail & resolution is a bit above the average, but instruments on SSR are separated and defined well than their price tag, as they didn't sound congested or getting mixed a lot as on the Starfield.

Comparison:


Blon BL-03 - Bl03 is totally the opposite of the SSR. They are much warmer and midbassy, contrasting the neutral-bright signature of SSR, which overall a much safer tuning that can be accepted by most people.

The bass on blon is also much slower, looser, and bloated, resulting in them to sound much warmer. But unlike SSR, the sub-bass on Blon has a much better presence than on the SSR.

For treble and technicalities, SSR definitely better since I can hear the cymbals playing more clearly and detailed than on the Blon.


Moondrop Crescent - Since the unit I received have bass problem (crazy bass boost up to almost 20db), I have done some modding to bring them down to the level close to Starfield. So this comparison is with a modded crescent.

Crescent also has a more relaxed tuning like the blon 03 that focused more on the midbass. It's much harder to drive, but bass punch and rumble is much better here. The mid is also thicker but with a bit lower in clarity due to bleed. Crescent is also a more in-your-face type, so the soundstage feels more intimate and narrower than on SSR.


Moondrop Starfield - Easier to drive, better in almost all aspects except instrument separations, clarity, and transient. The mid-bass is also more bloated here since it has slower speed and longer decay, but they have better lower end extension and bass punch. The soundstage on Starfield also has a better presence when you listen to them, which makes it feels more spacious and in-depth than on SSR.

Conclusion:
SSR is another solid IEM from Moondrop in the entry-level range. It has good technicalities, decent accessories out of the box and they are tuned close to the Diffuse Field instead of a more fun sound signature like the v/u-shape like other IEMs in the same price range.

It definitely can be a steal for those who want to taste the DF tuning that is mostly only available on higher budget IEM or Moondrop's own neutral VDSF that's only available on their higher-end IEMs or just want a daily beater IEM that can play weeb music or orchestral well.

But then again, if you aren't a fan of this kind of shouty tuning since the beginning of time or you've tried other Moondrop IEM and feel they are just too shouty for you, you can just skip the SSR because you aren't going to lose much.

Please view the review on my site here for the ideal viewing experience. I have a few other IEM reviews too.



Introduction

If you’ve read my Blessing 2 review, then you’ll know that I have high regard for Moondrop as a company. Moondrop is mainly known for two things: Their excellent taste in waifus and their incredible lineup consistency. And to the credit of the latter, they’ve proven time and time again that they know what they’re doing. In fact, they practically have a monopoly over the sub-$1000 range with their Starfield, Blessing 2, and S8 trio of IEMs. These IEMs are geared towards the mid-fi crowd though, and the SSR (Super Spaceship Reference) which clocks in at $40 is simply them revisiting the IEM budget-arena and attempting to further exert such dominance.

You can purchase this IEM here from Shenzhen Audio, although I believe they’re currently out of stock.

Disclaimer: I purchased this IEM with my own money, and I have no conflict of interest with Moondrop. As usual, everything that follows is my honest thoughts.

The Tangibles

S-tier waifu without a doubt. Read on to find out about the actual sound though.


The SSR arrives in a square, cardboard box. Accessories include the cable, eartips, and a synthetic pouch. The IEMs themselves are made of metal and have an outer coating to prevent oxidation/rust. People hate on Moondrop's cables, and production is halted because of a cable quality issue, but this is probably their best yet. Tragically there's still no chin slider; it's covered in a clear, plastic coating, so it won't tangle as easily.

Fit, Isolation, and Comfort

Given the, let’s just say interesting, ergonomics of the SSR, I was somewhat worried about this aspect, but the minuscule size should mitigate most issues. Personally, I can keep them in my ears comfortably for several hours. Isolation is poorer than normal because they don’t fully seal off your canal like some larger IEMs might. As usual, standard disclaimer that fit is 100% subjective and that it’ll depend on your wholly unique ear anatomy. But the SSR are absolutely tiny, and if you can’t at least fit them in your ear then you’re probably cursed and should just quit IEMs altogether.

Sound Analysis

Testing Methodology:

• Stock cable and stock tips.
• FLAC files off of a Shanling M0.
• Burn-in – Don’t believe in it unless we’re talking about your brain and ears getting used to the sound. For what it’s worth, I rarely hear differences after the fact.
• SSR takes a surprising amount of power to drive. No trouble running it off of any of my sources, but I had to give it more juice than usual. I also rarely listen at more than 75dB, so take that for what you will if you’re a head-banger.

Bass: The SSR is very light on the bass; it’s good ‘ol DD bass with a distinctive punch and texturing. It runs close to neutral with a very slight boost and is pretty clean. If I have one real knock on the bass, it’s a lack of sub-bass extension. But I’m sorry, there also isn’t enough quantity. And hear me out – it’s not strictly a problem with the bass itself (which is very good), but an issue with the boosted upper midrange and treble that I’ll elaborate on more below. There just needs to be more bass to balance those higher frequencies.

Midrange: This is normally where Moondrop IEMs shine, and to a certain extent this is still the SSR’s standout, but it’s simply too pronounced. Whereas the other IEMs in their lineup already border on shouty-ness in the upper midrange, the SSR takes it not just one, but several steps further with a very liberal boost at 3kHz. I know what they were going for here – they’re tuning towards weeb music and anime OST tracks – but this is too much.

Thus, especially with female vocals, it has an inverse effect: The SSR comes off as almost shrill. Take for example “LIKEY” an upbeat, energetic track with a lot of synthetic sounds and higher-pitched vocalists by TWICE; it was almost painful to listen to. To be fair, I found it does work nicely with Aimer, a J-pop female vocalist with a unique, huskier voice and some SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] stuff whose vocals are normally too recessed with most IEMs. In typical Moondrop fashion, vocals are thin, lean towards smooth, and have good clarity for the price nonetheless.

Highs: Admittedly I don’t focus a lot on the highs while listening, and I’ve mentioned this in some previous reviews. As long as there’s nothing too out-of-place, I’m a happy camper. To this effect, I think the SSR’s treble presentation is actually fine. It’s clean, pronounced, and has a nice sparkle to it. Depending on one’s preferences, I could see this being either good or bad, but again – there’s nothing inherently wrong with it.

This is probably the most egregiously tuned Moondrop IEM yet; there’s an almost exponential rise to the mid-range at around 1kHz that extends to the treble region. It’s bright to the point of shouty-ness at times, and coming from the Thieaudio L3/L9 I recently reviewed – which are much darker – it was a real slap. I did grow accustomed to it after hours of listening, but I know that not everyone will. It’s not a laid-back tuning to me, and it’s a bit of a niche for sure. Maybe if you have some hearing loss in the upper frequencies this could be considered a pro – no, I’m serious.

Let’s briefly talk about technicalities because at least Moondrop hasn’t completely dropped the ball here. Timbre is good, and I don’t hear any issues here as should be expected with a dynamic driver. Soundstage is average, but imaging is particularly good, punching well-beyond it’s price point not unlike the Blessing 2. Something else I was pleasantly surprised by was the transient speed. Sure, it’s not BA fast, but for the price? It’s pretty darn good, and has no trouble keeping up with some busier tracks. Resolution and detail retrieval seem par for the SSR’s $40 price tag.

Test Tracks (some of the ones I went through)

• Aimer – Hakuchumu, i-mage <in/AR>, Brave Shine
• Brooks & Dunn – Red Dirt Road
• Eden’s Edge – Amen
• Eric Church – Springsteen, Hell on the Heart
• Keith Urban – Defying Gravity (Album)
• SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] – Best of Vocal Works (Album)
• Taeyeon – My Voice (Album)
• Tiffany – I Just Wanna Dance (Album)
• TWICE – LIKEY

The Verdict

The SSR is like that kid-brother you love to death, but won’t ever shut up. I really want to like it, but simply put, the tuning is too shouty for the vast majority of people. It’s not a very agreeable tuning in the most objective sense, and it’s just weird to see Moondrop do something so esoteric because they’ve played it safe so far. We knew it was going to happen eventually though, and it looks like Moondrop finally has a miss. For $40 I’m definitely inclined to say it could’ve been a lot worse, but the SSR still isn’t as good as it could’ve been with the solid “VDSF” tuning that they normally follow. Hopefully they don’t make the same mistakes with their upcoming SSP! For now though, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt plus the usual cultured, waifu art bonus points.

Given my blatant critique of the SSR, I suspect this review won't grace the front-pages of Head-Fi like my last few reviews have. Make no mistake that the SSR’s still far from being horrible; in fact, it’s an acceptable entry point for someone interested in the Moondrop sound. But I do consider myself a straight-shooter, and I cannot in good faith cut Moondrop slack here despite my affection for the brand. Personally, I’d save my money for the Starfield or the Blessing 2 as they’re much better value propositions (relative to their price brackets) despite their higher cost of entry. So as much as I hate to agree with a certain reviewer who takes their cues from 2Pac DSD, this one should be a hard pass for most buyers and even die-hard fans of Moondrop.

Moondrop SSR “Super Spaceship Reference” Earphone Review – Walking On The Moon

This review was originally published on https://www.audioreviews.org


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Moondrop SSR are a close-to diffuse-field-neutral tuned earphone that sonically excel by their non-sterile/non over-analytical balanced and fluid signature mainly fuelled by an outstanding dry and articulate, well-dosed low-end. The very small shells provide for excellent comfort and fit.



INTRODUCTION

The Moondrop team from my favourite Chinese city of Chengdu, Sichuan, have impressed us lately with a series of affordable dynamic-driver earphones in the budget to mid-tier segment. The $190 Kanas Pro Edition “KPE” placed the company in the league of the big dynamic-driver players – and their budget spinoff, the $30 Crescent, flew underneath everybody’s radar – and disappeared as fast as they had come out of the woodwork. Both earphones graphed almost identically approaching the Harman Target curve.

Moondrop dynamic-driver earphones, clockwise: SSR, Spaceship, Crescent, and Starfield.

I personally found the KPE not fluid enough for my taste, particularly in the transition from a strong, warm bass to a neutral midrange, the latter being part of Moondrop’s “house sound” for single DDs (audioreviews.org is still working on qualifying for reviewing Moondrop’s upscale multi-driver offerings) – and I blasphemcially preferred (and still love) the Crescent, which to me were a premium earphone in disguise. You find tons of in-house reviews of these Moondrop single DDs in our “earphone index” (you better bookmark it, tons of interesting reads in there), we did alone three different ones for the KPE.

The KPE received an overhaul in the $190 KXXS and its $109 Starfield spinoff, which started Moondrop’s new tuning trend – away from Harman and towards diffuse- field neutral (a signature mastered by Etymotic research). In other words, both models received a less bassy signature, Moondrop literally “flattened the curve” (please excuse this innuendo).

I much prefer this new approach and, to my delight, the Moondrop SSR were tuned along these lines. To give you the three most interesting points about the SSR imo, they are:

1. Superb low end
2. Fluid, homogenous, natural, never sterile presentation
3. Excellent ergonomics

OK, some may still find the upper midrange “too harsh” but we will discuss this in detail below.


SPECIFICATIONS

Driver Unit: Beryllium-coated dome+PU suspension Ring Coil: 0.035mm – CCAW (Daikoku)
Impedance: 16 Ω @ 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 115 dB/mW
Frequency range: 20 – 20000 Hz
Cable/Connectors: 0.78 mm – 2 pin
Tested at: $39.99
Moondrop Company Page: https://www.moondroplab.com/
Purchase Link: Moondrop Official Store





PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

As you remember, I am not a fan of window dressing and therefore of boxes etc., I tacitly accuse luxury companies overpricing their stuff based on presentation…BUT…yes, but…Moondrop present even their budget offerings with tasteful, eyecatching yet subtle and therefore appealing Japanese anime. I did an unboxing video, if you are really keen on seeing it…

In the box itself is the usual: the two shells, three pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L), a baggie, and the paperwork. The shells are small…really small (big bonus!)…with long nozzles – and they go deep into my ears, which results in an ok, but not fantastic seal, however great fit and comfort. As we speak, I have been listening to them for hours. The earpieces are made of metal and don’t feature the classic Moondrop KPE/KXXS-type chrome coating but rather a grey, industrial powder coating I know from IKEA office furniture. There are two vents and bassheads will be eager to find out how to tape them off in order to alter the sound for the bassier…I advise against it. Overall a very pragmatic industrial design in both shape and appearance. Build is very good.

In contrast to the $20 Moondrop Spaceship, the SSR’s cable is detachable – hurrah – although I don’t see a reason to detach it at all. It is a silver-plated 4N-Liz OFC cable with the classic round cross-section that appeals through its pearly white colour and its pliability. It features that classic puck-like Moondrop splitter but lacks a chin slider. Well, next time…

Overall, the haptic of the package is very good. One big bonus is that everything works right out of the box. No upgrade cable is needed and the largest tips fit my gigantic ear canals just fine. As to the source, hey, that’s a tricky one. I used iPhone and Mac, both sources connected to the ifi hip dac, and the iPhone also by itself. The iPhone is a neutral source and the hip dac is a warm source – and the sonic result with the SSR was totally different with either. Read on…


TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained


To give you the “helicopter view” first: the Moondrop SSR are, as said, a neutrally tuned earphone that is never overly analytical or sterile and therefore never boring to some listeners, such as, for example the original Tinaudio/Tin Hifi T2. Moondrop stroke a balance between analytical and “musical/fun” and delight us with a liquid and balanced sonic presentation.


Measurement corrected to emulate an IEC711 coupler.



Raw graph.

When using a warm source such as the ifi hip dac or ifi Nano BL, the signature can be quite warm – not what you expect from that graph. But, using my iPhone on its own, you get a less coloured sound.

So, what does the Moondrop SSR sound like? Actually, pretty good.

Independent of source, the star of the presentation is the low end. Simply fabulous how Moondrop dosed driver quantity and quality (speed is relatively fast for dynamic). While sub-bass extension doesn’t break any records, the bass articulation and dryness are very appealing to my ears. The low end is completely linear – no mid-bass hump pounding against my eardrums. The bass is marginally “underfed” so that my ears, while crying for instant satisfaction and more, more, more…they don’t quite get it – which makes for a non fatiguing and appealing Sisyphus experience. An analogy would be Jimmy Page’s rhythm guitar (the dude from Led Zeppelin)…it is never as raunchy and predictable and uber-satisfying as – let’s say – Green Day sonic one-trick pony. And you know which of the two made it bigger! As said, this low end is relatively new for Moondrop and it even undercuts the Starfield’s.

The articulate bass also has its effect on the lower mids as they don’t get painted over by it. The lower midrange features Moondrop’s house sound in that it is not the richest and densest. Combined with the bass, this keeps the vocals in the foreground (as much as the driver quality allows it), but they are never too intimate – and it provides for clarity and cleanliness in the midrange.

OK, the upper midrange is still elevated for the Western gusto but the resulting “shoutiness” is desired by the Asian markets – so I was told. This attenuates the vocals a bit and sharpens them by adding that famous “extra energy”. And that’s where the source comes in: my ears are really sensitive in he 2-4 kHz range, but the warm ifi hipdac/Nano BL dac/amp source iron this kink largely out. No problem. When listening with my phone, the upper midrange is still not fatiguing at moderate volumes (it is getting closer, though), however sensitive listeners can opt for the 3M micropore mod – as described in my Moondrop Starfield review and in our Modding 101 section (see toolbar above) [UPDATE: the 3M micropore mod does not work with the SSR, try a cheap 8-core pure copper cable instead to remove bite]. On the good side, the upper midrange adds transparency when listening at low to moderate volumes.

NOTE: some analysts find the upper midrange too hot such as co-blogger KopiOKaya, Crinacle, and Antdroid. Others, such as the Contraptionist don’t seen to mind. Handle with care!

The treble is rolled off a bit similar to but not as dramatically as in the Starfield. Trebleheads, don’t worry, the upper midrange helps you out sufficiently.

Technicalities? Yup, can’t complain either. The soundstage is rather wide but not so deep. It is not outright flat in the third dimension such as in an Etymotic earphone, but it is not as deep as in the Starfield because of its “lighter” low end. What sets the SSR apart from (much) more expensive models is the tallness of the soundstage, its ceiling could be a bit higher. Despite the dimensional stage limitations the spatial cues and three dimensionality are quite good. It could also bea bit vivid overall, it is playing rather polite in terms of dynamics.

As you would expect, timbre/natural sound reproduction is very good. That’s where the SSR can challenge more expensive earphones.

The other technicalities such as detail resolution/instrument separation and layering are also quite good but, as always, they don’t touch more expensive multi-drivers.


MODDING THE MOONDROP SSR

Many users complain about the strong 3 kHz peak. Our site offers instructions how to remove it by taping the nozzle filter over by 80-90% with 3M micropore tape. I tested it and it did not work in this case. The 3 kHz remained. Sigh!



My second attempt was to leave the upper midrange alone and increase the bass so that the low end created a sonic balance to the upper midrange. This was done by taping off the front vent with Scotch tape and the result is indicated by the red graph. The closed front vent essentially only raises the back end of the curve. I find the resulting “red” bass response a bit too strong. You can move the graph in any position between red and blue by poking small holes into the tape covering the front vent. It takes a bit of patience, but hey…




MONDROP SSR COMPARED

Since there are presently so many new single-dynamic-driver budget iems on the market, the choices are not easy – and comparisons are important – but read them all in all the other reviews, please, I am only a one-man guy. For purposes of comparison, I listened with my iPhone SE and the Audioquest Dragonfly Black. The reason why I used the Dragonfly is twofold: it strikes a balance between neutral and warm and I know it sonically very well. All of the models that will be mentioned in the following have been reviewed by us. You find the list HERE.

Let’s first have an in-house look at the $109 Moondrop Starfield and the $20 MoondropSpaceship. Though it may be a bit unfair to start with the much more expensive Starfield. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Starfield have more stage presence, more lower midrange (vocals) and depth in their imaging, the SSR are somewhat flatter, but wider, and less dynamic. The Starfield have more rumble in the bass, but the SSR have the better transition from the upper bass into the lower midrange. In fact they have the best transition in all the comparisons. The low end is where the SSR shines, that’s where the model’s main progress lies – and where the Starfield is somewhat congested in comparison. The Starfield is also easier to drive. Overall, the Starfield plays in a higher league and simply has “more substance”. It is like a car with bigger tires on a highway.



Tuning evolution from Moondrop Starfield (blue) to SSR (red): notice the toned-down bass/boosted upper midrange in the SSR. Ignore anything above 1 kHz as it is inaccurate.

The Moondrop Spaceship also have more rumble in the bass and are slightly less fluid and balanced than the SSR – and they are somewhat sibilant. Although the graphs of the two look almost identical from the lower midrange up, the SSR sail a bit smoother through the midrange, albeit the differences are not earth shattering. The SSR have the better ergonomics and a detachable cable.

In summary, the Spaceship are as good as they were 2 months ago and the diminishing return within Moondrop starts right there.


Tuning differences between the SSR and Spaceship only exist below ca. 600 Hz.
Ignore the peaks at the upper end, they are artifacts.

The $99 Tin Hifi T4, similar to the Moondrop Starfield, also play a league above the SSR: everything in the T4 is a bit bigger, the image is more intimate and there is more rumble in the bass. Nevertheless do the SSR score on the bass/midrange transition and therefore their fluidity again. Where the T4 lose ground is their iffy fit and their rubbery, MMCX-connected cable.

The <$30 KBEAR KB4 are punchier, more dynamic and with more depth than the SSR – and more sibilance. They are more on the fun side but stay behind in terms of tonal accuracy and homogeneity. I would chose the SSR for the living room and the KB04 for the city bus.

The perennial favourite of 2019, the $30-40 Blon BL-03 are difficult to compare, as mine are heavily modified with 3M-micropore tape, pure copper upgrade cable ($$) and “Azla SednaEarfit Light” silicone tips ($). The Blon BL-03 don’t work right out of the box and the have fit issues because of their short nozzles. The Moondrop SSR don’t have any of these challenges and no additional investment is necessary to enjoy them. The Blon BL-03 cannot be topped in terms of timbre, they have a stronger, rumblier but also less tight low-end compared to the Moondrop SSR, they are more three-dimensional in their imaging and more lively in their dynamics. The Moondrop SSR are more homogeneous, less gritty, and dynamically more on the flat side in comparison.

And no, I don’t have the Blon BL-05 and Tin Hifi T2 Plus yet.


WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY?

The above comparisons bring out the strengths and weaknesses of the Moondrop SSR. We have heard over and over again that the SSR excel in their low and and their fluidity, but they are prone to shoutiness (at higher volumes). One of Moondrop’s tuning characteristic is that boosted upper midrange, desired by the Asian markets however not so much by the – admittedly – smaller western ones. Maybe Moondrop will address this for the western customers in the future. I heard a bassier version of the SSR will be released soon, the Moondrop SSP, which may actually take care of this issue. Let’s hope…

The other issues are a relatively shallow stage and a dynamic flatness, however that’s probably the limitations of the driver and an artifact of the tuning…meaning…you change one end and it automatically affects the other. But hey, we should not forget this is a budget model and Moondrop offers plenty of alternatives in upper-scale dynamic driver earphones.


CONCLUDING REMARKS

I know, I wrote a lot in this review – much more than usual. The reason for this is that the Moondrop SSR imply inspire me by their fluid sonic presentation – and let’s not forget their handling. Once again, it is as simple as that: good quality + good sound + good value = great fun.

And you know what? I’d take the SSR over the KPE any day of the week. Moondrop are certainly on their way with their tunings as well as their design to conquer a bigger segment of the western market – and to move away from just being another Chi-Fi player.

By the way, these little rascals are still in my ears as we speak.

Until next time…keep on listening!



You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.


DISCLAIMER

The review unit was sent to me from Moondrop upon my request. Thank you very much.

Get the Moondrop SSR from Moondrop Official Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About our measurements.

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

General Information
Design, Build and Comfort
The SSR design takes a fresh direction from the original Spaceship elliptical shape. The design, an almost “heart” shaped from the faceplate perspective, the right-angled straight nozzle and the cable pin connector placement, at first sight, created much puzzling questions on fit and comfort. And when you pick the SSR up for the first time, it all made sense. The solution, the size. The SSR is one of the smaller sized iem you can find on the market. The small size made wearing the SSR natural and fit excellently. Just a slide in, twist forward and with the right tips, they sit snuggly in the ear.

The SSR housing uses Liquid Metal Alloy material. It has a gloss-like gunmetal textured finishing and is very lightweight and feels incredibly solid. There’s confidence in handling them without worrying if it will break or warp under rough use. The faceplate and shell are held together with a black rivet, to complete the industrial design look and feel. A small air vent is located along the inner side of the length of the nozzle. An interesting placement for the vent. The nozzle ends with a tightly knitted mesh (patented triple layer anti-clogging acoustic filter) to keep ear wax and dust out. The other end of the “heart” shaped design sits the 2-pin connector (which accepts 0.78mm 2-pin cables) and the L and R indicators clearly embedded in the housing, making cable rolling a breeze.

The stock cable comes in an interesting clear pvc jacket that houses the Silver-Plated 4N Litz cable. Something refreshing from the now common bare braided stock cable. The cable itself is more than fairly soft with a little “springy” feel to prevent tangling up. Also the 2-pin ends are fitted with a flexible memory rubber guard that retains the ear hook shape, yet easy to stretch and bend when wearing them over the ears. The right ear cable comes with a red-ring to indicator. Small details but very comfortable thought out solutions on Moondrop’s part. We can swap out the stock cable for other cables to satisfy our cable rolling needs and also add those new Bluetooth add-ons and turn the SSR into a TWS iem as well.

The heart of the SSR iem, rest the Beryllium-plated Dome with a PU Suspension Ring diaphragm, accompanied by a N52 High Density Magnetic circuit (among the highest grade of magnets available in the market) to form the engine.

Fit wise, the SSR design works excellently with my ears and the M-size tips provide very good isolation without feeling ear ache or fatigue over long listening sessions (of about 2 hours straight).








Sound Quality
For this section, the SSR iem with stock cable, were put through over 120 hours of continuous playback and followed with 24 hours of “resting” the drivers, since they arrived. This ensures during the review period, the iem sound characteristics have reached adequate maturity.

Choice of portable set-up employed in this review.

1. The Dethonray DTR1 Prelude player paired with its headphone amplifier companion HDA-HA2, through a Toxic Cables Silver Widow interconnect.

A little note, to get (what I would consider) the correct fit, after insertion, try a track that has drums and “thump” in their impact. If we hear a solid “thump”, the insertion, tip used and isolation is ideal.



Starting things off, my immediate impression.
The SSR Super Spaceship Reference iem, given its performance, is perhaps incredibly surprising that it sits in its price bracket (USD39.99). Surprising. When we read that an iem “punches way above its price”, it has never carried more precedence than the SSR.

Moondrop’s SSR is another step in raising their game in terms of performance to price. Pushing the value chain upwards in terms of performance while keeping the price attractive.

As soon as the SSR sit in my ears and the music starts, I was greeted by the familiar Moondrop signature sound. Which connected me back to the time I first heard Moondrop’s StarField. Am not sure if it’s a coincidence or is it Moondrop’s way of connecting its range of iems in a familiar way. After some thoughts, I would say it is a positive feel good move. And that is as far as the similarities go between the StarField and the SSR.

Detail Retrieval
The SSR has a taste of picking details to be spotlighted. This nature is more evident when the SSR itself tends to have a very dark background itself. It came to my attention when playing Fleetwood Mac’s Sara and Not That Funny tracks from the Live album. The way the selected details were highlighted like the organ keys that were struck, mainly the higher keys were more pronounced and that presented the track to be heard differently from how it is usually done. Lindsey’s vocals especially the screams sounded very natural and the nuances in his scream could also be heard. Even Yanni’s Santorini track had more pronounced emphasis in some of the upper register side of the music. Be in for an adventure to hear your music a little differently.

Score : 7.5/10


Dynamics
The immediate sonic delivery is pure energy. The SSR is energetic. There is amazing energy and speed in delivering a reference-like and uncoloured sound.

The highs are vividly sparkling and shimmers before fading at the end without effort. High hats with Chimes ripple and fades almost like as quickly as it came. In most experiences, such energetic treble delivery comes with some visceral impact, and with the speed that SSR does, tend to be fatiguing in short listening sessions. Not so here. In Bee Gee’s Night on Broadway, Yanni’s Point of Origin and Ayumi Hamasaki’s We Wish tracks, it gives very clear examples of this.

An area to note though, out of the box, the volume between layers of vocals and instruments, seemed pushed upfront, leading to music tracks sounding two dimensional with little separating the louder and softer passages. After 60 hours of running in the drivers, the separation of louder and softer passages in the music improved significantly.

Score : 7.5/10


Imaging
From the Live recordings, the instrument placements were adequately highlighted. More of either left, right or somewhat meshed in the centre. In better recordings, the instruments and vocal placement do improve. Though I feel is reasonable given it’s target budget segment.

Score : 7/10


Soundstage
Turning to the Live recordings once more, the SSR staging is respectably wide. Enough to give the performance a good sense of air and space. There is more sideways perceived staging than height and depth. This can be roughly measured during the level of applause from the crowd in the recording. And thanks to its somewhat dark nature, the quieter passages of piano keys stand out for its intimacy.

Score : 7.5/10


Speed
One of the early findings and as true then as of this writing, the SSR is a fast sounding iem. That beryllium coated dome and N52 magnet of a circuit moves at incredible speed. They keep up with just about every fast track I could throw at it, including A-Ha’s Train of Thought, where the starting portion of the track is too incredibly fast for many dynamic drivers to replicate accurately, is replicated flawlessly here.

Also Kylie Minogue’s Disco Down, the electronic beats in the background were rendered beautifully. The synthesiser beats come alive in the SSR, where they would normally be more “in the background” and muted sounding in other dynamic driver iems.

Score : 8.5/10


Timbre
Kris Allen’s In Time track, has rattles, guitar strings, drums and the works. The drum rumble ripples with very light (but enjoyable) low end decay across the starting of the track and brings in the soft natural rattles in concert with Kris’ finger style guitar strums and plucks. Each string just sounded natural and life-like as they can be rendered. Similarly can be heard in Fleetwood Mac’s Oh Well from the Live album. In standalone string albums, such as Kaki King’s Great Round Burn track (and by extension the whole album, Glow), sounded exceptionally good and enjoyable. The string pluck displays layers and they just pull you in as you listen. Truly mesmerising.
Vocals have a natural tone to them though they may sound somewhat less inviting due to that lack of warmth many would be accustomed to listening. You know, that warm wrapped around feeling. However, some recordings are done with a warm sounding slate, such as Yanni’s I Genitori, which sounded splendid (I’d attribute this to a fine mix of warmth, clarity, detail, all nicely shaken into a perfect cocktail flavour. Synergy.)
Perhaps this portion may be the decisive part for those who would like the SSR or perhaps look to other Moondrop iems. In terms of the vocals, string instruments and even the high hats, the natural almost uncoloured sound would be the SSR’s strength. For most, the very light mid bass bump may be enough to enjoy the music. Though the low end drum decay may be too light to sound “complete” for those who are used to more warmth and “meaty” presentation.

Score : 8/10

Tracks used for the review,

1. Yanni - Santorini (Live)
2. Yanni - Point of Origin (Live)
3. Yanni - I Genitori
4. Fleetwood Mac - Sara (Live)
5. Fleetwood Mac - Not That Funny (Live)
6. Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well (Live)
7. Bee Gee - Night on Broadway
8. Ayumi Hamasaki - We Wish
9. A-Ha - Train of Thought
10. Kylie Minogue - Disco Down
11. Kris Allen - In Time
12. Kaki King - Great Round Burn

The Child that is smart and also a tease
The SSR Super Starship Reference monitor, by my account above, may seem to be a tricky iem to figure out. It does make you work hard to understand it better. The music we know so well, takes interesting turns in the way its detail is spotlighted and hidden.

After running through more music tracks than the ones listed here, I’ve come to the realisation that the SSR excels well with fast tracks in the electronic genre, and on string element albums from such as Kaki King and Lindsey Stirling. They sound very good for their price, and even exceptionally more so on said genre of music.

The SSR in my books make an enjoyable and fun sounding outdoor monitor. The energy and speed makes listening more exciting. Am sure some may even find this addictive especially with fast sounding tracks. It also complements other Moondrop monitors such as the StarField. Especially so if you need more bite and energy in your instrumental library, the SSR delivers.

Overall it is a welcoming new addition to the Moondrop family and another signature high quality of work.

The Package
The SSR comes with the following,

1. The Super Spaceship Reference iem
2. SPC cable
3. 3 pairs of silicon tips (S, M and L)
4. Small pouch
5. Moondrop card
6. Warranty document

Product Specification


If this review interest you, and the product could be something you’d like to try or add on to your collection of sounds, you may find themselves available on here.

Disclaimer:
The SSR Super Starship Reference monitors were provided by Shenzhen Audio for the purpose of this review.

I was invited to provide my honest and unbiased opinion and have no affiliation or receive any form of compensation for this review.

This review did not go through Moondrop or Shenzhen Audio, meaning they will see this review at the same time as you are here.
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