Yanyin Moonlight

Yanyin Moonlight... twinkle twinkle little, eh - oh, never mind...



Introduction and caveats

Yanyin have been on my radar for a while - I've read a lot of good reports on some of their previous offerings and when Moonlight was launched, the initial impressions and reviews led me to figure it would be something I might enjoy. I have experience of tribrids with the same configuration of DD, BA, and EST but at much higher price points; i.e. Traillii and X - I was very curious to hear what's possible in a $650 set, a few thousand dollars cheaper - let's just say I'm impressed, and as always in this hobby, left scratching my head as to the massive difference in price when you reach for the top tier sets up there in the stars, when maybe the moon is a sufficient journey to take.

I'd like to thank Penon Audio for providing a rewiew discount. As always, opinion on use is absolutely my own and no influence from Penon or requirement to read it before publishing. In addition, I am not a professional reviewer by any stretch of the imagination - this is my hobby, I get great enjoyment out of trying various sets and sharing my impressions on Head-Fi.

The Yanyin Moonlight is available from Penon Audio at $649 - HERE

Specifications (as per Penon website)

• Driver: 10mm Bio-diaphragm dynamic + 4 Knowles independent balanced armature + 2 Sonion electrostatic units
• Technology: 4 crossover + 4 independent tubes
• Frequency response: 5Hz-50kHz
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Sensitivity: 118dB
• Cable material: 4 strands graphene wrapped with silver-plated cable
• Cable length: 1.2m
• Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
• Plug: 3.5mm (it is also available as 4.4mm)

Unboxing and Accessories

Moonlight arrives in a white outer box which once opened, reveals the inner blue case with the earphones and accessories inside - you get:

1. Tips in large, medium, and small
2. Soft drawstring pouch
3. Airplane adapter
4. 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter
5. Large carry case

While it's absolutely fine and you have all you need, I feel they could push the boat out a bit more - DUNU is my current 'north star' when it comes to an unboxing experience and accessories, so maybe my expectations are too high - but absolutely room for improvement.



Shells

The shells are nice and small considering the driver configuration. They have a smooth finish with no hard bits sticking into my ears and can be worn for extended periods without any discomfort. As a comparison but I can't take a photo as I no longer own them, they are quite a bit smaller than MEST MKII for example.



Not as widely known (sadly, but that appears to be changing...), the Aroma Audio 'Thunder' pictured below on the left - Moonlight on the right. From memory, MEST MKII is a few notches bigger than Thunder, so that might help with context.



Case

The case as noted is quite large. It appears to be made of some sort of plastic with a zip to open and access inside.

There is a soft inner felt-like fabric with the facility to store the earphones and cable securely when not in use - always good to protect our precious investments. I feel there was a missed opportunity here to include more practical storage in a case this size, maybe a net or something to hold spare tips etc securely.



I like the metal 'Moonlight' insignia on the outside of the box, it has a premium look and feel to it and gives a sense of being a flagship product.




Listening Impressions

The bulk of my listening has been via the Shanling M9 with some also with the Lotoo P6K. Moonlight doesn't need much power at all, very easy to drive and sounds fantastic out of either - the M9 pushes extra stage and certainly drives more bass but I really enjoy on either. This is certainly not an IEM that needs a Rolls Royce engine to power, hooked up to The Large Hadron Collider to ensure every particle is sucked out...

Genres tested are wide and include: ambient, modern classical, jazz, rock, punk, house, techno, D&B, IDM, classical, reggae and hip hop - good news... Moonlight does them all. More on that later.

Oh and for burn-in believers, these have clocked up more than 100 hours at this stage.



Signature Summary

Moonlight have a wonderful relaxed, well balanced signature with no real extended emphasis on any one area. They lean somewhat warm to my ears, and have a beautiful smooth delivery. They are not bass-head, nor are they treble-head but have great balance and sound quite neutral or reference. This signature lends itself to great flexibility with basically any genre, never too much energy up top to create sibilance or harshness, and not too much down below to muddy the mids or have you skull pounding with deep sub bass. For an IEM with multiple drivers, they offer excellent coherency with nothing sounding out of place. What's really surprised me and likely means Moonlight will be with me for the longhaul is that even older recordings I own even sound excellent - often not the case with IEMs that have a particular frequency emphasis, especially in the upper mids or highs.



Lows

First of all, I appreciate 'good' bass and I've found recently that not only do I want decent sub bass extension, but I also want mid bass to kick with nice slam and authority - a lot of my music needs it, and if the IEM is lacking in this regard, I don't fully enjoy my music. In addition, sub and mid bass must have good definition in isolation and distinction between them - I dislike a mid bass kick that is overshadowed by sub bass, or indeed the reverse. With that out of the way, I can happily report that Moonlight is to my satisfaction - as noted above, it doesn't over emphasise anything but represents what I believe is the appropriate level for the recording, or thereabouts - it's difficult to say for sure of course what is the absolute intention in the recording, but I think a reasonable measure is to what it extent music I've known and loved for years is represented, not sounding like it has an extra sub-woofer hooked up. Mid bass kicks have that 'stereo' sensation where the sound is projected to both ears, resulting in a central 'thud' in my head, extending out to left and right. Sub bass reaches far enough to sound correct, but doesn't rumble through to your core. If you want bass-head, this is not the IEM for you - but to be very clear again, it has fantastic 'realistic' bass which delivers in every way for my broad library.

Mids

The mids are clear, lush, melodic, and wonderfully captivating. Instruments have ample room to play and are presented perfectly in the stage with great clarity, and indeed as a cohesive whole. There is good body to the notes, and both male and female vocals sound authentic and precise. There is no sense of congestion or bass bleed, and the overall transition across frequencies seems to complement one another incredibly well. Yet again, this balanced tuning means pretty much any genre will sound at least good, and mostly excellent. While the timbre is very good, I would not class it as spectacular - that said, where timbre is at it's absolute best, I find there is typically a trade-off somewhere else, often leading to a genre that is less suited to the earphones. With that said, anything from strings to piano, drums to synths all sound excellent and it might just be the absolute purists who want the most accurate representation of their favourite instrument(s) that might be left only very slightly at a loss here, especially if expecting a dynamic driver style of delivery.

Highs

This is where I could have run into difficulty as I have before on sets much more expensive. The issue I've found with EST treble at times is that it can present itself too forward in the mix, as such sounding incoherent and out of place. This was exactly my issue with the otherwise excellent Vision Ears EXT - a far more expensive set vs Moonlight, and ultimately the reason why I sold it - now to comment here, I've not heard too many reports of this with EXT, as such a big 'YMMV' in terms of that set. As per my preamble with the lows, I am again very happy to report that treble here is spot-on for my taste. The highs have very nice, captivating sparkle and energy - with a nice bite where necessary, but never harsh, sibilant or indeed, out of place. They allow for really nice realism of presentation for any instruments in this upper level, and what I would consider an 'optimal' level for delivery in any genre, plus squeezing out those micro details and widening the stage. Hats off to Yanyin for a wonderful delivery of ESTs, I am super impressed.

Technical

The stage to my ears has very good width and decent height and depth - I've heard larger, which doesn't necessarily mean better, it really depends on the rest of the tuning (I'm looking at you MEST MKII...) The detail retrieval is excellent - it sort of reminds of me of my now sold Sony IER-M9 in ways - that being a polite, and inoffensive tuning that is both relaxing and allows you to focus on details as necessary. The layering and imaging is fantastic, very easy to pinpoint instruments and vocals within the stage, with stunning realism of position and plenty of accurate separation. There is zero congestion, even in the busiest of tracks I've tested - always plenty of room, respectful to one another as to their position on stage. I would say 'smooth and effortless' is a good way to summarize the overall presentation, but all of the detail is there should you choose to zoom in on it, or indeed just relax and enjoy the full presentation. In addition, I would say they have that excellent ethereal and visceral quality to them, super-engaging but also incredibly relaxing. The 3 drivers work seamlessly together, with wonderful cohesion.

Test Tracks

The following are the specific tracks I chose for the purpose of the review. I of course have listened to many more over the course of the last few weeks, and had already arrived at the conclusion that Moonlight are a solid all-rounder, and could very easily be the 'one and only' if someone chose to... depends on your objectives in terms of an endgame or rabbit hole, I fall (literally) into the latter.

A good measure of my appreciation for Moonlight was actually while cycling through test tracks and taking notes. For each track, I wanted to just push my notebook away and sit back to enjoy the music! I must say also, this focus to write the review has made Moonlight go even further up in my estimations, both for it's price point and indeed how it drives home the notion of 'dimishing returns'.



Bersarin Quartett - Niemals Zuruck (electronic / modern classical)



There is an immediate sense of an eveloping atmosphere, which is absolutely captivating - a combination of soaring /swirling synths and sweeping orchestral strings. Excellent layering, easily managing multiple components and presenting comfortably across the stage. Everything sounds correct and absolutely nothing harsh or jarring. A good measure actually while listening to this track was my desire to step away and just enjoy the whole album as it sounded fantastic.

London Grammar - Wasting my Younger Years (vocals/indie/pop)



This is a track I often test and know it inside out at this stage. Hannah Reid has a stunning voice with a huge range and always a good test - coupled with often quite a few instruments, both electronic and non. The piano intro sounds beatiful, vocals then centred and I would say more in line rather than forward to the instruments. Guitar sits nicely left and right - percussion well balanced and positioned relative to vocals, piano and guitar. An effortless and very relaxed presentation, a recurring theme with Moonlight.

Nas - N.Y. State of Mind (rap/hip hop)



Percussion intro immediately stands out with authority and realism. Vocals, this time male again feel pretty much level but maybe slightly forward versus Hannah before. I love the sense of space between the vocals, percussion, and instruments - Moonlight isn't pushing any emphasis on anything, not shoving anything down your throat - pounding your head or sizzling your underpants.

Orbital - The Girl with the Sun in Her Head



I'm a fan of Orbital since the early 90's, this track and album rank among my favourite of all time and I've heard it countless times over the years. I only revisit now and then, but thought Moonlight was an opportune time to give it a spin. My FLAC recording is ripped from my original 1996 CD and I find many IEMs can be unforgiving with recordings like this - they can sound flat or lifeless at best, or even harsh and unlistenable at worst. Moonlight amazed me here I must say - it sounded to me, like I expect it should sound - I think the 'safe' tuning of Moonlight, with the wonderful balance allows tracks like this to still shine all these years later, even if not a fantastic recording. Note to self here: listen to that full album on Moonlight again very soon...

Todd Terje - Johnny and Mary - with Bryan Ferry (chilled, downtempo, vocals)



This is a fantastic cover of the original by Robert Palmer. Slower, electronic and with Bryan Ferry on vocals - beautiful, and worth a listen for any who might be curious. Anyway - the bass kicks off wonderfully with great authenticity and digs as deep as it's supposed to. Bryan's voice pretty much bang in the middle, and level with instruments. As all instruments hit the stage, it sounds smooth and uncongested, with excellent width and realism of delivery. Mids always sound to my ears warm, lush but with great clarity. The uppers are sufficiently crisp to make themselves known - cymbal hit with nice energy, albeit in a somewhat intimate and inoffensive way.

Idles - I'm Scum (punk)



This is a serious test for an IEM in my opinion. As the song progresses to a climax, it can often sound harsh and a real challenge to listen to - my last review was for the DUNU VULKAN and sad to say it failed miserably with this one - way too harsh, horrible to listen to. Moonlight has it covered - guitars, drumming, vocals... even at the most hectic and in-your-face anarchy way, it doesn't falter - yet again, it delivers what it should - this is an energetic track, so it doesn't sound smooth - but nor does it hit a brick wall. By the way, this features in an episode of Peaky Blinders for those of you who have watched it...

Keleketla - Broken Light (world music, jazz, fusion)



The drumming intro and bass kicking off this track is fantastic, proper toe-tapping stuff the minute it starts... wonderful kickdrum thuds, snares bite, and cymbals hit with yet again wonderful realism and cohesion - vocals enter again slap in the middle and in line with instruments. This is an uplifting track with a real summer vibe, I can close my eyes and imagine chlling somewhere maybe in the Caribbean - only to open them again and see I'm clearly in Ireland, with the rain beating off the windows in late July... Yet another track with a smooth, engaging, realistic delivery - another where I just want to kick back and listen.



Conclusion

As already alluded to, Moonlight could very easily be an IEM endgame that doesn't have to cost the moon and the stars - it is a solid performer for absolutely any genre, that has a captivating and engaging tuning, and not to the detriment of technicalities. It is smooth, with an effortless presentation and sounds way above it's $649 price tag - I think this would get high praise even north of $1,000, and possibly more attention too. I think the packing and accessories could do with a bit of improvement, but a small niggle really considering the performance of Moonlight.

I intend to add some comparisons, and the first up in the coming week will be the new Oriolus Szalayi - stay tuned!

Introduction: Yanyin is one of the newer Chinese IEM manufacturers to appear on the scene, although it was formed by a group of industry veterans — and it shows, as the four models they have released so far have each been tuned masterfully. I reviewed their entry-level model (the Aladdin) last year, and while I found it to have a very pleasing and versatile tonality I also thought that it was held back somewhat by its mixed technical performance. Nevertheless Yanyin stood out in my mind as a company to keep an eye on, and so this summer when I read about the release of the Moonlight, a 1DD+4BA+2EST tribrid, there was very little hesitation before I blind bought it prior even to seeing a graph. Spoiler: I do not regret my decision one bit.

I would like to thank Penon Audio for providing me with a discount on the Moonlight in exchange for my honest review. You can purchase a copy for yourself here at an MSRP of $649. The specifications are as follows:

• Driver: 10mm Bio-diaphragm dynamic + 4 Knowles independent balanced armature + 2 Sonion electrostatic units
• Technology: 4 crossover + 4 independent tubes
• Frequency response: 5Hz-50kHz
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Sensitivity: 118dB
• Cable material: 4 strands graphene wrapped with silver-plated cable
• Cable length: 1.2m
• Connector: 2pin 0.78mm

Packaging & Accessories: Yanyin ships the Moonlight with no packaging other than the storage case itself, which is quite spacious and premium. Inside the faux-leather exterior the IEMS themselves sit on a velvet tray with cutouts for the IEMs and cable; the tray can be removed if one desires, which leaves plenty of space to store or transport a DAP, the IEMs, and various accessories. It’s a very nice case, although it is so large that I don’t actually have much use for it and it simply sits in my closet; and it would have been nice if Yanyin had included a smaller carry case instead of the velvet bag that comes with it instead.



As far as the other accessories, it’s pretty sparse going here given the price point: there is a single set of silicon tips, the stock cable, and both an airline and a 6.35mm adapter. With that said, the stock tips are very serviceable and an excellent match sonically with the Moonlight, and the stock cable is probably my favorite out of all stock cables I have ever received. It is 4 cores of graphene with silver plating, with 2-pin connectors and a choice of terminations when ordering. (As an aside, early units shipped with protruding 2-pin connectors but later units have switched to flush connectors to match the flush ports on the Moonlight.) It is not at all microphonic, and is the perfect thickness for my tastes while remaining very supple and ergonomic. There is no need to cable-roll in my opinion, though I do highly recommend ordering with a 3.5mm connection rather than balanced due to the very low impedance of the Moonlight; at the very least, consult with your source OIs and the rule of eighths (basically, your source should not have an output impedance greater than 1Ω to ensure that you don’t accidentally skew the frequency response).



Build & Comfort: Yanyin continues to utilize German medical-grade resin in pouring their semi-custom shells, and all three Yanyin models I have tried fit my medium-small ears nearly perfectly and give me only minimal fatigue even after long listening sessions (which the Moonlight is apt to induce). Isolation is very good, though not class-leading; there is a single large vent on top of the IEMs, color-coded to mark the left and right units. The shells do protrude a fair bit from my ears, meaning that side-sleeping is not an option. I did get a bit of driver flex while inserting the Moonlight into my right ear, although tip selection and technique together serve to mitigate this fairly well; it’s not nearly as egregious as some other models, but it is there.



In addition to adding two EST drivers to the 1DD+4BA configuration used for the Canon, Yanyin has also upgraded the bio-diaphragm dynamic driver in the Moonlight. As I mentioned earlier, they have also lowered the impedance to a mere 8Ω, meaning that source selection is very important but also that the Moonlight is requires very little power and is quite easy to drive.



Signature: If I had to define the Moonlight in one phrase, it would be: “exquisite tonal balance.” This isn’t simply a clinical, ruler-flat neutrality; rather, it is an absolutely masterful portrayal of all three frequency bands in their fullness, each perfectly orchestrated as partners which never impede, but only enhance, one another. If I were to give a more formal answer, I would define the Moonlight as possessing a bass-boosted neutral signature. The bass elevation is almost perfectly aligned with the level of pinna gain — each possessing about 7 dB of boost — and the modesty of both allows the midrange as a whole to retain an excellent fullness yet without any marked coloration. There is no question that Yanyin has truly outdone themselves in tuning the Moonlight.



Bass: While the low end of the Moonlight is characterized by moderation, this does not at all imply any lack of quality. On the contrary, the new bio-diaphragm DD Yanyin is using here produces one of the most subjectively pleasing bass responses in my entire collection. There is excellent extension and tactility, and the moderate level of boost means that there is plenty of both sub-bass impact and mid-bass punch when the track calls for it, but never so much that it masks the other frequency ranges or comes across as in any way unnatural or exaggerated. Texture is quite excellent, and there is also very good tightness and agility. In summary the Moonlight is not an IEM for bassheads, but it is very much an IEM for those like myself who love a naturally full and expressive low end that is in perfect balance and sync with the rest of the music.

Mids: Yanyin’s entry-level Aladdin was tuned to really showcase the midrange, and they clearly have further refined this already excellent tonality in the Moonlight. The bass boost descends organically into the lower mids, yielding a supremely natural note weight and body to instrumentation and male vocals, yet without any sense of bloat or bleed. This is perfectly balanced with the ear gain push into the upper mids, with female vocals and strings sounding properly energetic and incisive without any danger of shout or stridency. The midrange in general (aided by the superb technicalities) manages to keep an excellent sense of openness — with each voice and instrument being given its own proper space — yet remaining organically connected with one another in a single tapestry of sound. Coherence in this range is excellent, with the transition from the DD to the BAs being essentially unnoticeable, and timbre is very good as well.

Treble: My biggest reservation after the graph of the Moonlight came out was the lower treble tuning, namely the presence of an anti-sibilance scoop in the lower treble region. Often such a tuning decision results in the muting of instrumental harmonics, leading to a hollow and dull sound. I was also a bit surprised to see a relatively laid-back upper treble response, given the presence of the EST super-tweeters.

I am happy to report that my fears were entirely unfounded. The treble on the Moonlight is beyond superb, giving full justice to its name: everything is bathed in a bright soft glow, yielding superb levels of detail yet delivered in an exceptionally smooth and non-fatiguing manner. Extension is much better than the graph leads one to to believe, and there is certainly no lack of air, shimmer, or sparkle. The 8k valley is also nicely restrained, and while certain harmonics are indeed muted they are also not buried, and I think the tradeoff is well worth it — though certainly not dark by any stretch, the Moonlight is also perfectly suited for marathon sessions since fatigue is nowhere to be found.

In terms of timbre and coherence, the BAs used for the lower treble perform very admirably and I have very little criticism here; it’s not single-DD level but it gets surprisingly close. On the other hand the ESTs in the upper treble do have their own unique flavor, but although I can certainly tell that I am listening to a tribrid I also am not bothered by it at all — and I say this as a bona fide timbrehead.



Soundstage & Technicalities: The Moonlight is the most well-rounded and technically accomplished earphone that I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. This technical proficiency allows the superb tuning to really shine; despite the technical ability, it is always firmly grounded in — and supportive of — the musical tonality of the Moonlight. This is not to say that the Moonlight cannot be put to analytical uses; it’s simply not clinical in sound. The standout feature is the soundstage, which is amply (although not absurdly) expansive, and moreover quite well-rounded not only in width and height but also in depth — perhaps the one area which (for me) truly separates high-end earphones from bang-for-buck models. Imaging is quite accurate and precise. Layering and separation are astonishingly good, although once again not in an artificial and clinical sense — nothing ever sounds isolated or disjointed despite the excellent sense of space. Resolution and detail are also more than ample, undergirded by a nicely incisive attack.



Select Comparisons: vs. Yanyin Canon: The Canon is only a little more than half the price of the Moonlight, and many people who have heard and love the Canon are no doubt curious about exactly what double the money will get them. The Moonlight lacks something of the Canon’s versatility in that it has no tuning switches; its tonality is closest to the 010 switch configuration of the Canon. Yet what the Moonlight might lack in variability it makes up for in refinement, and indeed its tonality is actually extremely versatile and can play my entire library with aplomb. I do prefer the Moonlight’s tuning to any of the switch configurations of the Canon. The bass and mids of the Canon can get pretty close to the Moonlight, but it falls decisively behind when it comes to the treble as it simply cannot match the magic of Yanyin’s EST implementation — even though the treble of the Canon is no slouch. It also falls clearly behind the Moonlight in technicalities, especially imaging and soundstage depth — again, despite the fact that the Canon is actually very good technically for its price range. I agree with @Dsnuts that the Canon is the best bang-for-buck earphone that Yanyin produces, but at the same time the Moonlight gets much closer to TOTL-level sound for those who are willing to put up the extra cash.



Conclusion: It’s an inherently dubious claim to make in this hobby, but I’m still ready to say it: the Moonlight is my endgame, and this will be my last review for, at minimum, the foreseeable future. Other than a few quibbles regarding accessories, I truly struggled to find any area of even mild criticism. Both tonally and technically there is truly nothing that I want changed — much less improved. Everything about the Moonlight’s sound is exceptionally well-rounded, masterfully balanced, and pleasingly refined. It has my absolute and enthusiastic recommendation.

Yanyin Moonlight


If you aren’t familiar with Yanyin IEMs, their name and their reputation has been growing among enthusiasts recently and it has everything to do with their products. The company is composed of earphone design veterans that brought them together to form Yanyin in 2020.

What is remarkable about all their earphones is that each one stands tall on its own at the price ranges they are sold for. When I heard they were producing their first tribrid. I had to get me a set to try out and more importantly let you all know how I heard them. It seems these folks just can’t do anything wrong with their earphone designs. For the most part their earphones have been well received and you can certainly read more about Yanyin IEMs on their dedicated thread here. Overall enthusiasm for their products has been a testament to how well these guys can take a bunch of drivers and tune them to be not only proper, but arguably some of the best sounding earphones in the industry.

Their Aladdin was an eye-opening intro hybrid from the group, and I am guilty of helping spread the word about this remarkable hybrid. These are a great starting point for enthusiasts that want a complete sound experience with their trademark balancing and a smoother tonal character. You can read my take on them here. They added an additional driver and brought out their more energetic and versatile Canons, adding the ability to use an effective 3 tuning switch variants that actually works giving an outstanding 8 different sound tuning variations. One of the best bang for buck hybrids in the industry, you can read about them here.

Now we have Yanyin's newest, Moonlight. Utilizing 7 drivers per side, 10mm bio dynamic handling the bass + 2 Knowles BA for mids + 2 Knowles BAs for highs + 2 Sonion ESTs for ultra-highs. 4 crossovers and 4 sound bores all in a compact all resin semi custom smaller side of medium sized shell. Extremely comfortable due to their smaller medium size with solid all resin isolation and a decent passive isolation. These earphones, my friends, are serious business.

Tribrid designs are nothing new to the market but getting all them drivers to gel in perfect harmony will be a challenge for any designer no matter how experienced they are. Coherence should be the goal for such designs and the first very positive aspect of the Moonlight design is indeed its reference level of coherence. No jaggedness in its tonality or drivers from one part of the sound taking over another. The seamless cohesion of the Moonlight was the very first thing I noticed when listening to them. But then they go far beyond a higher level of cohesiveness for a tribrid.

Masterful in how even and natural their tonal balance is across the sound spectrum, the Moonlight is tuned for versatility and ultimate immersion. The advantage of an 8 ohm sensitive IEM. The Moonlight needs a simple source to bring out a full bored sound from them. A portable dongle, phone or dap will suffice nicely. The disadvantage of an 8 ohm IEM is that you do have to watch what you're connecting them into. A high output impedance source like a powerful desktop amp will actually be a negative and will skew the overall sound of all Yanyin IEMs including the Moonlight.

Moonlight's level of balanced tuning is not just dedicated for the uber expensive TOTL IEM. We have a tribrid that performs exceedingly well in the Moonlight that is nowhere near the cost of a TOTL level iem. Its fluid transients and a higher degree of technicalities are what makes the Moonlight stand out at any price, let alone what they are asking for a set.

Disclaimers; I would like to thank Penon audio for the discount on Moonlight. I paid for these albeit at a discount. I had to get em for the collection. Plus Yanyin needed some exposure for these. The Moonlight for me was a no brainer. You can purchase a set for you on Penon sales pages here. I burned in the Moonlights for a period of a week's time and now are ready for review using my Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s connected to Ibasso PB3 amp. Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021 and IFI Gryphon, IFI black label for amping.

What you get. A unique package?
I am an admitted accessories whore much more than I would like to admit. Just how does a manufacturer present their earphones when you get that brand new sealed box for me anyways, matter. What they include in the box with their IEMs shows just how much they want the consumer to be impressed. After all, the first thing we do when we open a package is inspect what was included right? Little things about the package start to affect how you view the “package.” Who doesn't like to get that sealed package and having that anticipation of opening it up to see what was included with the earphones. It is Christmas all over again.

This being said, I usually knock down a peg in my rating system for earphones that don’t provide enough tips or worse provide a cable that makes the earphone sound worse than it has to be. This happens more times than I would like to admit. You don’t buy a new Mercedes Benz to find out your tires are cheap is my point. I might be more critical on the accessories tip than most but after reviewing so many I can clearly tell who is paying attention and who doesn't give a rip on the end user experience. How did Yanyin do here? Let's find out.

The Moonlight you get a very large rectangular zip up carry case, lined inside with a take out formed piece of plastic also covered with a soft velvety short furry material. This rather larger 3inch by 6inch zip up rectangular box case is actually what you get for the “package.” Meaning this is the entire presentation and something that ends up being useful. You can take out the plastic piece on the bottom of the case and now you have room for an amp, dap, a box of tips, at least 2 sets of different cables and the Moonlight. Very unique and useful in what you get.

Inside that case was the Moonlights, a soft velvety pouch, airplane adapter, a stereo plug adapter which is only made for a single 3.5mm jack. Unfortunately if you order a balanced version of its cable this will be useless. Most folks don't end up using this anyhow. Also included is a single set of silicones and a nice boutique level graphene cored silver plated cable in litz configuration.

OK one set of tips? For a $650 earphone? That is really not excusable to be honest but in this case. You're not going to care. In fact it is like Yanyin knows already you're going to dig deep into your tip canister. In a way they are forcing you to tip roll and for a good reason. Will get into that in the read. But for now yes a measly single set of tips which are unremarkable, let me put it that way. Your best aftermarket tips most definitely apply here.

The cable on the other hand is excellent. One of the best included cables in the industry and I would go as far as to say they made up for the lack of tips with this particular cable. I am a cable guy and therefore a great added cable is much better than the lack of tips provided easily. From what the descriptor says it has a graphene core covered with a silver plated copper litz cable in 4 cores. My cable came in a 4.4mm pentaconn plug.

You can order your Moonlight in any connection you need for your source so that is a plus. The cable is very high quality, one of the best included cables for an IEM and nearing boutique level in its quality. I am familiar with graphene type IEM cables which helps with the technical aspects for an IEM, a highly refined cable for a highly refined phone and absolute superb match for the Moonlights. The Moonlight is fairly consistent in its sound characteristics regardless of cable you attach to it, but the matching cable here gets a huge plus as you will not need to go out and buy another cable for it.

A side word about single ended or balanced use on the Moonlight. So you would figure going balanced using the Moonlight would be the way to go. Not exactly, here is what I mean, due to the very low impedance being 8 ohms. Single ended might actually be the better way to go with the Moonlight. My point is that most earphones benefit from being balanced out from your sources but Moonlight might not. All Yanyin IEMs have very high sensitivity and therefore you need a low output impedance from your source and single ended connection is the lowest. In balanced, you get double the output impedance in most cases the difference between 2>ohm out vs 4>ohm out. Yes it can and does affect the Moonlight in a negative way. It will skew them to sound thinner and brighter than they actually are. I highly advise trying out a single ended connection through your source if you find my sound descriptor does not align with yours and that is after you fully burn them in. I know that is counter intuitive to what the threads tell us about using our gears in balanced but. This is a case where simplicity might actually be better. Oh and I don't need to tell you, you have to use your sources in low gain with these. I am gonna mention that just in case you forget to turn your high gain on your players to low gain.

Sonics. Balanced heads unite!
Yanyin now has a house sound, I have 3 examples from the group and it is one of implementing a reference level of balancing as all their earphones have superb balancing. The Moonlight is in my estimation one of the very best balanced earphones and I am talking about from the 100s of earphones I own. It's the type of sound balancing that others strive for but does not quite achieve. Why utilize 7 drivers to do a deep V shaped signature when you should bring all parts of the sound to be full on? Is my point, and that is exactly what the Moonlight represents. Its balancing is unbelievably good which is just a part of its tuning make up. Then they have outstanding technicalities on top of that. Each driver here plays an important role in the make up of why the Moonlight is playing at a much greater level.

What makes the Moonlight name so proper? It is what I would describe as a romantic sound. Moonlight brings a sound quality level that is one of the absolute best at the price level it is asking for a set. The Moonlight is tuned a bit like their intro level Aladdins but playing on a much higher level. It incorporates 3 types of drivers in a very cohesive manner but also has so much right about their tonal, timbral, balancing and technical output. Yes you can say these are the embodiment of a real reference level of sonics.

Technicals, separation is bad for you and your girlfriend but great for an earphone.
A complete standout for why I consider these flagship worthy. I already touched upon how coherent and balanced the sound is. Then when you start listening to your favorite tracks. You get a nice broad, wide, deep and fairly tall stage. I can officially say Moonlight has the widest stage from their prior IEMs both the Aladdin and Canons. The sound field takes a leap in stage vs the other two. The scope of sound is grander. Then there is the sound layering. Using 4 high precision Knowles BAs for mids and highs the Moonlight sound separation is ideal and this is what separates a really good iem into a different territory in sound. Everything is separated nicely on the moonlights with zero disjointedness or incoherency. Which leads to a class leading level of imaging. It has ambience and air around each note, each vocal, each drum hit.

That sound separation adds to the imaging aspect so much you can say they are intertwined. The Moonlight's liquid imaging is what makes them sound ‘romantic’. Folks that take a premium to macro and micro level details really need to pay attention to how the Moonlight dissects each instrument, vocals and percussion using its wide presentation. A highly dimensional sound that embodies all this into a larger spacious field for earphones with pinpoint accuracy on top of that. BAs will have BA timbre but the Moonlight somehow manages to make you forget your listening to multiple BAs, some ESTs and a dynamic. Timbre is about as good as it gets for utilizing BAs and hence I have no issue with the timbre aspects of the Moonlight sound. When taken as a whole, prepare to fall head over heels with how the Moonlight presents your music.

A reference level neutral tonality with ample fullness and body to the sounds. The Moonlight is neither cold nor warm sounding IEM. It is right smack in the middle of tonality with a very slight smoothness that just adds to how liquid the entire presentation can be. The end results of its high level of technicalities is that your music sounds like you're standing right there with the artists. A transparent clear glass level of a transient quality that just doesn't happen too often for earphones. The tool you need to really hear your music on the correct. If you're reading this. Sell your other earphones. Get yourself a Moonlight and be done with. Much higher end IEMs that sell for crazy prices aren’t going to be a leap over these. You're better off getting a nice source and more music instead.

Treble. Shimer in all the right places.
The trebles of the Moonlight utilize 4 drivers. 2 Knowles BAs for treble and 2 Sonion ESTs for the ultra highs. In using 2 types of drivers just for the highs not only is the treble ideal in emphasis but in its ability to have an extension, a lot of earphones are missing. EST implementations are not all exactly the same. The idea that somehow if you use more ESTs you will get better quality treble is simply not the case. Yanyin is utilizing these drivers based on their strengths. Some of the best treble articulation and details come from the specialized treble BAs and ESTs are best utilized for their upper treble extension with realistic air, decay and sparkle. Combine both and you have one of the most complete, accurate and refined trebles with an ideal extension for earphones. What Yanyin has done with using 2ESTs is far and away better than some I have heard utilizing 4ESTs.

It's not just that they are using these drivers to their full ability but how they are tuned as well. Unlike a lot of IEMs that rely on spikes in the treble region to “enhance” their treble presence. The Moonlight has one of the most balanced trebles in its emphasis from lower to upper trebles. This in turn brings the Moonlight to have a very evenly articulate, smoother, airier, rangier trebles for its presentation all with every detail and proper tonal character for every treble note from every track your listening to. .

Yes it is yet another harmon balanced IEM but with some superb reference level of massaging for its sound. As the saying goes, it is the little things that count. These are like the goldilocks of everything. Highs, mids lows. That smoothness in its trebles are capped off by some very addictive shimmer and sparkle from the EST implementation. It is a complete treble with an ideal airy presence. I wouldn't consider myself a treble head but the quality of the treble here is quite addictive in how it presents. Some might prefer a bit more treble presence, well that is if you're a true treble head but overall the trebles here are absolutely satisfying, rangy, delicately detailed and much like the overall sound, fluid in its overall presentation.

Mids. The wagyu beef of sound.
I am very certain the BAs being used for the Moonlight are a much higher level of Knowles BAs just based on their flagship level of technicalities for the mids. Folks come out of the woodwork and always ask is this better than that. How's the mids compared to that? Well I can tell you there is a clear reason why Yanyin is asking $650 for a set of these earphones. The mids are simply spectacular. This is the reason why you pay to play as they say. Mids on the Moonlight have the right combination of roughly 8dbs of upper mids emphasis with proper body of note, accuracy showing just the right amount of clarity and or a natural slight warmth for its sound foundation. The mids are based on a reference level of space, its ideal layering, precise imaging, uncanny detail, natural sounding timbre and tonality to really separate the Moonlight from most if not all of the other midfi counterparts. There is no part of the mids that I hear that is behind or recessed in anything. Everything is frontal and right where it should be for its imaging in space. Its highly technical and dimensional nature means you will be able to hear every note from your tracks to their full extent.

There is a slight warmth and body to male vocals which again sounds very natural with a broad dynamic range to female vocals that make hearing vocals on the Moonlight a treat. I really can’t point out any aspects of its mids that I can point to and say, this is not right or this is too little or that is too much. None of that applies to the Moonlights mids presentation. Mids will make or break a higher end IEM and the mids for the Moonlight are some of the best of the best in the industry. So that means the treble and the bass is 2ndary right? Nope. All 3 parts of the sound bands are equally good.

Bass, the soul of your music
The Moonlight descriptor says it is using a NEW 10mm bio dynamic. Yanyin seems to be a huge fan of this particular dynamic as they have used a version of it on every IEM they have. Though I have yet to hear the Rosemary which is their flagship IEM. The Moonlight has what they say is a newer version of this dynamic dedicated for its bass. You figure since the Moonlight is playing on a higher level, Yanyin would be going for some specialized higher end dynamic for the Moonlight. This is a case of why change a good thing? All prior Yanyin products use the bio dynamic and it has to do with how natural and realistic the bass end are on their IEMs. Yanyin IEMs are not going to be known for their bass presentations but they certainly will not be known to have weak bass performance for their IEMs either.

The Moonlights treble and mids performance are so spectacular, the bass end as good as it is, plays more of a supporting role for its overall presentation and that is how they tuned the bass for the Moonlights, to be natural, impactful, realistic and always in control.

The bass end of the Moonlight is focused a bit more toward the sub bass but also has some solid impact for its mid bass. Its bass is natural and clearly agile in its ability with a tonal range that covers every type of low note in existence. I think it is due to their naturalness that Yanyin has chosen this dynamic to represent their house sound. It sounds just as good for synthetic bass as it does for percussion sets. It has what seems to be about 7 dbs of bass which is just slightly below my goldilocks for bass emphasis at 8 dbs but you would never know it as tips here makes a big difference for bass. As I mentioned earlier, Yanyin provides a single set of unremarkable standard silicone tips. Yes they focused on the end sound of their Moonlight more so than providing a set of tips you will probably not use anyway. So you are forced to tip roll.

Tips make a difference in how you want to hear the Moonlights. Its bass emphasis is highly dependent on your tip selection. A tight sealing tip like the Azla crystal tips. Bass comes out to play. I have a fairly large library of eclectic music and I would say about 70% of it absolutely requires proper bass. Lets just say I would never give an earphone a 5 star rating if it doesn't have the bass end to keep up with the rest of the sound. You want the best sounding Moonlights? Use your best aftermarket tips. JVC Spiral Dots, Azla, Symbio, Final Es. To name a few and each one will provide something a touch different with better emphasis for the regions of sound you care for.

Yanyin picked a good one here in the bio dynamic. I have always loved its tonal qualities and its ability to reproduce the bass note with a proper bass decay and tightness. It's not the speediest of bass presentations nor is it the end game for Bass lovers but there is really nothing that hampers the low end presentation of the Moonlights. It keeps up with speed metal just as well as providing a big, reverberant note for orchestral scores. Bass provides the rhythmic soul of any good recording and in that regard the Bass end here is superb in its natural ability to reproduce an accurate bass note. Its quality and definition is right up there with the rest of the sounds on the Moonlight. Yanyin folks not only tune with the best of them but they seem to massage every part of the sound presentation. Bass in the end will not be overlooked nor is it an afterthought, and plays a key role into that reference level of sound tuning on the Moonlight.

Finally, the one to rule them all.
I can safely say the Moonlights are about as good as it gets in the tribrid realm. These are remarkable in so many ways. They provide a reference level of so many things that you can just say they are truly a reference tribrd earphone. A cohesive balanced foundation for its tuning, Their treble is addictive, smooth yet highly detailed with excellent articulation and an airy extension. The mids, clear and liquid in its tonal character with superb technicalities, sound layering, separation, imaging and detail that presents a higher end sound. Their bass supports with a superb quality, the right amount of emphasis with an impactful, tight, textured supreme and a natural broad tonal range. All encompassed in a spacious wide sound scope of a stage that really sounds like a window to your music. When your IEM disappears and you're right there in the recording hearing every note and every nuanced detail of the recording, this says a lot about the IEMs you're using.

The Moonlights are a huge success and I feel will become a classic among classics. The one consistent with Yanyin earphones is that these guys know how to tune an earphone at all levels of their IEMS and you can hear how well tuned the Moonlights sound, and this is a rare case where your $650 gets you more than what you paid for a set in my opinion. Considering newer higher end IEMS nowadays requires a month of hard works wages. Yanyin has one of the best tribrids in the Moonlights that will be cherished by yours truly for years to come. I look forward to what these guys have in store for the enthusiasts next. Whatever they are doing these guys seem to have superstar tuners in their midst that know exactly what they are doing. As always, happy listening. Now go sell off a few of your unused stuff. Get yourself a Moonlight…. And some tips.

Comparos. Cus everyone asks how is this vs that?


Aladdin
Here is where the difference in resolution, extension, tonal refinements and stage is clearly evident vs the Aladdin. I mentioned earlier the Moonlights have more in common with the Aladdin vs the Canon. Its balancing is similar but that is where the similarities ends. Treble on the Moonlight alone is vastly superior with much better articulation and extension. Bass while using similar dynamics seems to have a greater impact and is slightly tighter in presentation vs the Aladdin bass. Don't know if it is due to having a newer slightly larger dynamic but the good news is the Moonlight to my ears does sound like it is improved over the Aladdin bass. Moonlight's overall tonality sounds more natural, with superior timbre, its technicals are playing on a completely different tier of earphone as it should. However I do have a suggestion. If you are in any way a fan of the Aladdin and would love to hear a much higher end TOTL version of the Aladdin. Yes, that is what the Moonlight is. A much higher end reference level Aladdin. Get yourself a Moonlight… And some tips

Canon
Canon is perhaps the best value Yanyin in the market due to its sheer versatility and its more energetic technical nature in tuning vs the Aladdin. The Canons are closer to the Moonlights in its technical traits and has a bit more for its lower treble and mid bass impact vs the Moonlights. Folks ask if the Moonlight would be an upgrade on the Canons. Oh yes make no mistake. Moonlight has a more expansive stage and clearly shows it is using some upgraded drivers for its sound vs the Canon. Moonlights show a refinement level that the Canon does not quite reach. Its higher level of sound separation and imaging alone will be a nice upgrade on the Canon but also its airy treble expansion via Sonion ESTs. 010 configuration comes closest to the Moonlight tuning. Imagine in this configuration a wider stage with more black space around instruments. Imagine treble with more air, slightly smoother and more articulation and you might get a good idea of how the Moonlight would be. Don't Imagine my friends. Get yourself a Moonlight… And some tips.

Vs some other popular Tribrids in the price range.
Penon Volts.
Penon and Yanyin house tunings are clearly different. Penon has balancing on its house sound signature as well but takes that smooth tonal quality into the rich organic territory. Volts stage vs the Moonlights are comparable but the difference really comes down to higher end Sonion BAs vs higher end Knowles BAs. The Sonion BAs used for the Volts emit a rich organic sound quality that Penon has taken as their main special sauce for their house sound and their Tribrid the Volts. Volts use 7 drivers much like the Moonlight but uses 4 Sonion ESTs for the highs + 2 Sonion BAs for mids and a 10mm graphite fiber silk paper dome dynamic for bass.

Volts have one of the best present broad and rangy mids for any earphone and you can even say the Volts are tuned more to highlight the mid range. The treble aspects are where the Moonlight has the upper hand. The Moonlight uses 2 BAs for the bulk of its treble, while extension for both sets sound great due to the EST implementations, the difference is the ability of the BAs lower treble presence vs the ESTs on the Volts. It is well documented that ESTs struggle a bit for lower trebles hence this is the reason why they are used for upper trebles where they show their strengths. Moonlight's treble sounds more complete, a bit more present and articulate due to having more ample lower trebles vs the Volts treble.

However the Volts make up for it with a superior warmth, greater note weight and dimensional character from their mids, while the Moonlights does not lag behind much in these aspects. The mids are a trade off from that rich organic euphoric mids in the Volts to a fluid transient highly technical mids presentation of the Moonlights..Otherwise these two trades punches for their technicalities and their overall end sounds. Volts are euphoric for vocal performances and their instrument presentation with one of the richest tonal characters for earphones. Its bass presentation is a bit more forward sounding, otherwise these two sets are clearly playing at the level they were intended for and trade punches vs each other for superior tribrid presentations for their given house sounds.

ISN EST50
Here is the flagship ISN earphone but ISN also has an identity of their own. ISN uses ample lower mids and bass presence on their IEMs. Bass specialists? Yes indeed. EST50s have a very nicely tuned L shaped tuning done right. Bass is your thing than you need to look into an EST50. The crazy aspect of the EST50 is that they also have good balancing considering it has the most brawny bass out of these earphones I have compared to the Moonlight thus far. Take that extra brawn from the bass end to put that into a much more complete and extended treble end of the Moonlight with added higher level of technicalities for its mids and you get the immediate differences in their sound presentations.

EST50 uses a highly specialized 10mm silicone dynamic for bass+ 1 Sonion BA for mids+ 1 Knowles BA for treble +2 Sonion ESTs for highs. Uses 5 drivers vs its bigger brother the Volts and Moonlights which both use 7 drivers. When comparing these two earphones again the house tunings are the main differences. One thing I appreciate from expert tuners in the IEM game is that they have an identity. Folks like Penon, ISN, Yanyin have a clear direction of what type of IEM and what type of sound tuning they are clearly going for. ISN is more focused on their lower mids and bass presentations while clearly having the rest of the sound tuning to be balanced. Moonlight being much more even handed in its overall balancing is most definitely a superior earphone on a technical level but it really comes down to if you put bass as your favorite part of a sound tuning. I can’t imagine what the Moonlight might sound like with the silicon dynamic the EST50 is using. Ya you want to have your cake and eat it too. That would be what that is. I mean the bio dynamic is no slouch for bass but it isn’t quite at the level of the silicone dynamic being used on the EST50. Less drivers means less in its price. The EST50 is a more affordable tribrid for using 5 drivers vs 7 in the others. The great aspect of the EST50 is that it clearly has an identity and makes no excuse that it is a bassy yet balanced and technical IEM also showing a rich tonal character via higher end Sonion BA.

Last but not least the Taniso Mirai Lands
Lands are using 6 drivers for its make up. 10mm composite dynamic for bass+ 2 BAs for mids+1 BA for treble 2 Sonion ESTs for upper highs. The Tansio Mirai Lands is the opposite of the EST50 in its sound tuning focus. Tansio Mirais house tunings in general are more predicated on their level of detail, upper mids imaging with its foundation on treble presence. Land's focus is more on its full trebles with a physical bass and a deeper than taller sounding mid range. It has one of the widest stages for tribrids. A hair wider than the Moonlights in fact. Lands are a broad U shaped tuning and has greater fuller treble presence with a punchier mid bass end. It owes its wider stage presence due to the laid back mid range. While detailed and layered well it's mid range is the least frontal of all the tribrids I have compared the Moonlight to. Lands are more or less made for treble heads that want some complete full bored treble and a deep hitting bass end to go with it.

Losing some hearing are you? You like some full range treble? Try the Lands as it has more treble presence than any of the tribrids. Its treble tonal qualities and details are where they share some similarities to the Moonlight. Roughly equal in its treble extension the main difference is in the emphasis of the treble vs the Moonlight. You need the right source, cable and tips to tame that upper frequency ability of the Lands. The Moonlight treble sounds full on using your cell phone. Moonlight has a more proper mids presentation here as well. As it is much more forward, more euphoric in how it presents its mids. I do like the mids of the Lands but it needs to be a touch more forward in the mix to approach what the mids of the Moonlight represents. Their technical level is also somewhat similar in execution but Moonlight having a taller more proper mids presentation. Bass is separated to a greater degree on the Lands due to their laid back mid range hence they sound like they have more bass quantity vs the more fluid transition on the Moonlight bass to its mids.

Optimized Moonlight.
DX300Max +Penon Mix hybrid cable + Moonlight + Azla Crystals