Moondrop Blessing 2 Impressions
I ordered my first Moondrop headphones last month, an SSR and Quarks, arriving this next week. Amazingly, an offer came up to buy a set of Moondrop Blessing 2. A set that had taken a bit of damage but work and sound fine. So after a couple days of listening I have my initial impressions.
My personal reference benchmarks for headphones are Focal Utopia, ER4SR, HD800, and HD600/650.
The Blessing 2 has a neutral/warm character. While I enjoy bass, I'm glad to have the OG Blessing 2 instead of the Dusk. I have a SubPac to deliver tactile low frequencies, beyond anything any headphone could create, and it pairs well with gear that isn't too bass heavy.
The mid-range really is incredible. Plenty of texture and detail. The top end is a bit hazy/smoky to me. It still has enough bite to it, and is not overly analytical. Bass quality is sufficient, and enjoyable. Pretty much is a sound signature that you can sink into for hours. For some, this signature may be bordering on sleepy or boring. To me it is rather transparent and liquid-like, coated with a bit of warm haze.
Used with binaural audio recordings or spatial DSP (DTS-X via nPlayer Plus and Waves NX) it sounds like a large well-damped hall.
Fit, seal, and stereo balance is excellent for me, and I had a chance to test a pair out before I bought mine. Cable, while not super high-end is practical and light.
Some quick comparisons:
- Compared to ER4SR - the Etymotic is less warm, a bit more clinical, but also a bit more accurate in its timbre. It is less expansive, but surprisingly has more prat and snap to its bass when turned up. This is in part due to the single BA configuration, but also the tuning. The Blessing 2 is more sonorous, larger, warmer.
- Compared to Fiio FH5S - the FH5S is instantly more vivid. Where the sound of the Blessing 2 can come across as more unified, it also can feel a bit closed in, even with spatial DSP. The FH5S, is massive. If the Blessing 2 is more akin to an HD650, the FH5S would be an HD800. The low end of the Fh5S is incredible, and can hit lower, with incredible clarity and fast transient for a dynamic driver. This is aided by its open back design (while less isolating, also relieves any pressure on the ear). While some people may look at the FH5S as being a bit more v-shaped, an argument can be made that it is actually the FH5S that sounds more realistic, but it can also be harsh with certain recordings. Whereas the Blessing 2 sounds like you are in a well-damped large room, the FH5S can sound like you are in stone cathedral.
- Compared to Blon BL-05S - I've written a review on this set here on head-fi. It is an excellent single dynamic driver set. It has more presence and bass kick than the Blessing 2, while still never being overly sharp in any frequency band. It is a tricky balance to pull off, and for those wanting an all-rounder the signature of the 05S may be more appealing. Nevermind its low price, it is really quite good imo.
As someone with a bit of background in synthesis, the Blessing 2 is like opening the filter on an old Roland Jupiter 6 analog synth. There is an infinite natural depth to its sound, primarily in the mid-range. The great comfort and isolation aid in this total immersion.
Simply put, the Blessing 2 is benchmark material.
My setup for the Blessing 2: iPhone X running Waves NX and nPlayer Plus (headphones, speakers in-front setting) -> Apple dongle -> SubPac (1st gen) -> Blessing 2. 
) these 2 Moondrops can achieve remarkable results for their categories. I really appreciate phase coherence and the S8 sounds like a more articulate single driver IEM in that regard.
