[H T T]

If that's the case, maybe try blessing 2, these are half open design, there are pressure vents for dynamic driver to balance inner/out pressure.(sacrficing some of the isolation)
(All our dynamic IEM have similar structure but others are not that open to ambient)

I just wanted to get back to this post as I have had my Starfield for several weeks now. I can happily attest that the Starfield are very easy on the ears when it comes to back pressure. Also, the Starfields are truly a set that deserves the hype. I look forward to more excellent Moondrop products.

 

[MRSallee]

My review of Moondrop S8:



When I got Dusk, @Precogvision came over to hear it and brought with him the S8 he had on loan, along with U12t. At the time, I was pretty heavily considering getting U12t, but held off from (a) the price natch, and (b) the midrange tuning which is not quite to my taste. Still very tempted. But hearing the S8, I thought... this could satisfy that itch.

S8 does not sound like U12t, tuning is quite different. Where U12t is warm, and kinda bombastic in its bass presentation (at least with m15 module I heard), the S8 is a leaner, more forward take on neutral with a sub-bass boost. To be honest, Harman isn't my preferred tune, and I think S8 squarely falls into Harman. Harman's midrange can be too lean, losing some richness from the recessed lower midrange. Tonally, the original Blessing 2 is closer to my preference. But S8 isn't far off, and is much closer to my preferred tune than U12t is. (S8 tuning is very similar to my ear to Dusk.)

Midrange resolution on S8 is outstanding. Which I could also say for Blessing 2 / Dusk. Excellent micro contrast in vocals and analog synth. Personally I prefer both S8 and B2 midrange detail to Dunu SA6, but would have a hard time picking a favorite between S8 and B2.

Treble quality, however, is where S8 really stands apart, and is what broke my focus away from trying to justify a U12t. Treble on S8 is just fantastic, not too forward, loads of detail, and a solid sense of air. More than anything, just an overall effortlessness that avoids any harshness or strident bite like Blessing 2 can sometimes exhibit.

Bass is solid, not Blessing 2 / Dusk quality but S8 bass is among the better BA basses I've heard. U12t is a clear standout in the bass quality, and S8 isn't on that level, but S8 bass is sufficiently satisfying and not dominating for my basslet tastes.

 

[captblaze]

My review of Moondrop S8:



When I got Dusk, @Precogvision came over to hear it and brought with him the S8 he had on loan, along with U12t. At the time, I was pretty heavily considering getting U12t, but held off from (a) the price natch, and (b) the midrange tuning which is not quite to my taste. Still very tempted. But hearing the S8, I thought... this could satisfy that itch.

S8 does not sound like U12t, tuning is quite different. Where U12t is warm, and kinda bombastic in its bass presentation (at least with m15 module I heard), the S8 is a leaner, more forward take on neutral with a sub-bass boost. To be honest, Harman isn't my preferred tune, and I think S8 squarely falls into Harman. Harman's midrange can be too lean, losing some richness from the recessed lower midrange. Tonally, the original Blessing 2 is closer to my preference. But S8 isn't far off, and is much closer to my preferred tune than U12t is. (S8 tuning is very similar to my ear to Dusk.)

Midrange resolution on S8 is outstanding. Which I could also say for Blessing 2 / Dusk. Excellent micro contrast in vocals and analog synth. Personally I prefer both S8 and B2 midrange detail to Dunu SA6, but would have a hard time picking a favorite between S8 and B2.

Treble quality, however, is where S8 really stands apart, and is what broke my focus away from trying to justify a U12t. Treble on S8 is just fantastic, not too forward, loads of detail, and a solid sense of air. More than anything, just an overall effortlessness that avoids any harshness or strident bite like Blessing 2 can sometimes exhibit.

Bass is solid, not Blessing 2 / Dusk quality but S8 bass is among the better BA basses I've heard. U12t is a clear standout in the bass quality, and S8 isn't on that level, but S8 bass is sufficiently satisfying and not dominating for my basslet tastes.

Picked up the S8 last year when they released. One year later and they still fit into my rotation and are a surprise when you match them up with the proper source. Moondrop tuning is better than most in my opinion

 

[chifihead]

Would you say the Kanas Pro is still a worthy buy in 2021, or is there better alternatives out there?

I'm currently on a Moondrop spree, after falling in love with the SSR, then moving to the Stardust (is it just me or are they a tad bassier than the SSR?) and the SSP (... eh.)
Then moving up to Starfield and then KXXS.. And now I've got my eyes on the Kanas Pro.

The itch I'm trying to scratch is how relaxed the Starfield and (to a lesser extent) the KXXS are. I'm looking for something tighter like the SSR. (That said, in all honesty, unless there's a better Kanas Pro clone out there, I'll still probably get the KPE if only for emotional reasons.)

 

[bhima]

Would you say the Kanas Pro is still a worthy buy in 2021, or is there better alternatives out there?

I'm currently on a Moondrop spree, after falling in love with the SSR, then moving to the Stardust (is it just me or are they a tad bassier than the SSR?) and the SSP (... eh.)
Then moving up to Starfield and then KXXS.. And now I've got my eyes on the Kanas Pro.

The itch I'm trying to scratch is how relaxed the Starfield and (to a lesser extent) the KXXS are. I'm looking for something tighter like the SSR. (That said, in all honesty, unless there's a better Kanas Pro clone out there, I'll still probably get the KPE if only for emotional reasons.)

I find the Starfield pretty dang tight in terms of note decay. If you are looking for something a bit brighter, consider the NM2+ or even the **** MT300. The Final Audio A4000 should also be a consideration, though its so new there aren't that many reviews of it yet.

 

[H T T]

Would you say the Kanas Pro is still a worthy buy in 2021, or is there better alternatives out there?

I'm currently on a Moondrop spree, after falling in love with the SSR, then moving to the Stardust (is it just me or are they a tad bassier than the SSR?) and the SSP (... eh.)
Then moving up to Starfield and then KXXS.. And now I've got my eyes on the Kanas Pro.

The itch I'm trying to scratch is how relaxed the Starfield and (to a lesser extent) the KXXS are. I'm looking for something tighter like the SSR. (That said, in all honesty, unless there's a better Kanas Pro clone out there, I'll still probably get the KPE if only for emotional reasons.)

I am not familiar with the Kanas Pro. I cannot help you with that. The FiiO FD1 has tight bass and more overall "energy" than the Starfield. It might be worth considering or possibly move up to the FD5. I don't know what your budget is set at. Maybe wait a bit as I am sure Moondrop will release a DD unit to compete with the FD5? (The Illumination being priced much above the FD5). Or follow @bhima's recommendations.

I find the Starfield pretty dang tight in terms of note decay. If you are looking for something a bit brighter, consider the NM2+ or even the **** MT300. The Final Audio A4000 should also be a consideration, though its so new there aren't that many reviews of it yet.

I agree. At the price point, I think the Starfield is quite competent in the bass department. And those mids...

 

[bhima]

I am not familiar with the Kanas Pro. I cannot help you with that. The FiiO FD1 has tight bass and more overall "energy" than the Starfield. It might be worth considering or possibly move up to the FD5. I don't know what your budget is set at. Maybe wait a bit as I am sure Moondrop will release a DD unit to compete with the FD5? (The Illumination being priced much above the FD5). Or follow @bhima's recommendations.



I agree. At the price point, I think the Starfield is quite competent in the bass department. And those mids...

we hear things mostly the same, but I diverge from you heavily on the FD1. The highs on the FD1 feel fake, and overcooked to me. Giving one the sense of resolution but its timbre is very metallic/digital--like the compression from a low grade mp3.

 

[Ike1985]

Bought my girlfriend the Blessing 2's. plugged them into my Hugo2, very impressed with he overall sound, very clear and fun. Note to A18t resolution or anything like that but for the price exceptional and hits far above what you're paying for it. Great value proposition.

 

[H T T]

we hear things mostly the same, but I diverge from you heavily on the FD1. The highs on the FD1 feel fake, and overcooked to me. Giving one the sense of resolution but its timbre is very metallic/digital--like the compression from a low grade mp3.

What I see as "energy" with the FD1 you see as "overcooked". I getcha! I have had some IEMs in the past that others have praised as "energetic" and they sounded "overcooked" to me.

 

[dasherzx]

any opinions on s8 vs illumination? i was quite impressed with the spaceship for its price. >_<
want to have something a little more neutral or different compared to my ier-z1r.

 

[chifihead]

I find the Starfield pretty dang tight in terms of note decay. If you are looking for something a bit brighter, consider the NM2+ or even the **** MT300. The Final Audio A4000 should also be a consideration, though its so new there aren't that many reviews of it yet.

I don't know if it's the transients or the tonality.. But I find their notes too thick (and slow? at least it seems slow to me)
I mean like a snare drum sounds too thick, almost like the stick is covered in a thin fabric?

Thanks for the recommendation! I do own the NM2+, and to me they're my end game. I can't imagine wanting something "better" than the NM2+.
I'm now pursuing the "fun" IEMs (which is sad for my wallet..)

I am not familiar with the Kanas Pro. I cannot help you with that. The FiiO FD1 has tight bass and more overall "energy" than the Starfield. It might be worth considering or possibly move up to the FD5. I don't know what your budget is set at. Maybe wait a bit as I am sure Moondrop will release a DD unit to compete with the FD5? (The Illumination being priced much above the FD5). Or follow @bhima's recommendations.

Thanks! Yeah, FD1 is actually one of my favorites..
The FD5 is already beyond what I'm willing to spend on an IEM for now. Before I get to FD5 I'd probably grab a pair of IT01S and Legacy 4 first

we hear things mostly the same, but I diverge from you heavily on the FD1. The highs on the FD1 feel fake, and overcooked to me. Giving one the sense of resolution but its timbre is very metallic/digital--like the compression from a low grade mp3.

I can kind of sort of understand what you mean. The FD1 sounds "dry" to me. Kind of equivalent to an overly sharpened photograph.

Thanks everyone for the responses! I stayed up late last night and ordered the Kanas Pro as soon as my self control was weakened......

 

[rattlingblanketwoman]

After a distinct lack of self control, I am currently contrasting a Blessing 2, Audiosense T800, NF Audio NM2+, and ISN Audio H40. (All used, which affects their relative values)
Coming tomorrow: Thieaudio L4
Coming soon: Penon Fan
They have different strengths but their overall vibe according to my tastes is B2 > NM2+ > T800 >> H40

I won't go into all the details now, and I'm still forming my opinion and comparisons... but the relevant part for this thread is that the B2 comes out on top. I'll have to decide if the extra $100 to fill in some warm gaps lower down and pull down some of the higher mids is worth it over the NM2+, but as a complete package it is very impressive.

The NM2+ is the one I'm coming from, I wanted to make some comparisons before I settled, to make sure that I wasn't missing anything or couldn't fix a couple of minor adjustments by spending a little more.

I certainly have no plans (and no ability) to spend more than $250ish, which is already far more than I'd ever imagined I'd spend on an IEM. It's ludicrous compared to how little I have spent on my phone/laptop and how frugally my family lives overall. I applaud the B2 for getting so much right, and so balanced, at this price - so that those of use who will never spend more than $20 on a cable and figure that the Apple dongle's DAC is more than fine can duck out satisfied. So glad I got to give it a try.

Again, any detailed comparisons I have to make between specific models should probably hold off for a little more listening, and of course no one should be amazed that the B2 is outperforming IEMs cheaper than it, I just feel that projecting the diminishing returns curve further than where I've reached so far, many people will happily set the B2 as their top rung and get back to listening. I can imagine wasting time trying lots of IEMs up to $500 and probably not liking them as much or not seeing enough improvement (emphasis on imagine - as I mentioned, spending that much money is out of the question for me and my family anyway). What I mean is that if a $450 IEM fell into my lap for $200 tomorrow, I would be struggling to imagine what it could add to the B2's balance and performance that I personally could actually detect. My restless curiosity is much decreased for having listened to these.

I was hoping I wouldn't prefer the Blessing 2 to the others, because I am going to find it hard to make the higher price be something I can pay off the credit for. But for the peace of mind of knowing I can hopefully stop review hopping, and that I'm not knowingly putting up with a blatant compromise or avoiding certain tracks/timbres that it will not perform well on, could be worth me trying to make it happen.

I love the NM2+, I truly do, but a couple of its strengths become drawbacks on the wrong tracks/genres, and it's just enough to keep me in the "I wonder if xyz IEM would address that" cycle of buying and reselling. The B2 pretty much does address it. It's an all-rounder. While it might not hit the breathtaking "right" to my ears that the NM2+ can in certain precious moments, I'll take that little edge off of the peaks of my listening for what seems like an inability to do "wrong".

 

[bhima]

I don't know if it's the transients or the tonality.. But I find their notes too thick (and slow? at least it seems slow to me)
I mean like a snare drum sounds too thick, almost like the stick is covered in a thin fabric?

with regard to decay, a really good song to test is Shake It Off. The refrain is extremely busy, with quite a few different instruments and vocals happening in syncopation. The Starfield does quite well to accurately place these instruments and differentiate them, pretty holographic in its presentation because there is a clear note delineation. Is it going to be Ety speed? Doubtful, but its quite fast for a single dynamic. Faster than the Believe. I'm assuming the NM2+ is even tighter here as it is tuned brighter and is likely slightly sharper on note decay because of it.

 

[CK Moustache]

[...] Starfield [...] Is it going to be Ety speed? Doubtful, but its quite fast for a single dynamic.

Indeed, compared to the ER2XR, my Starfield appear less tight/fast/controlled in the lows, but it's not that much of a difference (not a big one). They just "cave in" somewhat earlier on tracks with fast/busy/complex bass lines. Nonetheless decent in-ears in their price range, and I don't regret having gotten them at a reasonable discount on Black Friday.

 

[Precogvision]

Yup, I concur that the Starfield is not as quick as the ER2XR; it's particularly noticeable in their bass responses where the ER2XR is a little leaner in the upper-bass. The Starfield has something of a pillowy-ness to its transient attack and the decay is drawn out a tad longer. Stack on that extra warmth, and it tends to congest quicker than the ER2XR.

Personally, though, I don't mind it too much on my KXXS - it's actually kind of pleasing. The Starfield might've been just a tad softer from memory, which I can see coming off as thickish-slow like @chifihead mentioned.