[AmericanSpirit]

I mentioned 'busy music' broadly because there's generally a decent range of music I listen to but a lot of it tends to fall along certain cross-sections. Also because it's a simple answer and you know. =)~

Metal tending toward power, progressive, and symphonic. Rock is typically more of the progressive variety, which would include both traditional prog and newer stuff like math or post rock. Electronic tending toward melodic and cinematic, sometimes with a classical streak. Pop is generally fairly theatrical, sometimes tending toward 80s synth and sometimes a bit folkish. Some film and game scores, although that's more of a home headphone concern. Occasional hip-hop, again not a major concern, and frequently involving heavy sampling from other genres anyway.

If you're curious, here are some of the specific sections I often listen to (all on Tidal) when I first try out headphones to see if they can handle certain things:

BT - Flaming June (Electronic Opus album) - 2:28 to 2:56
Spock's Beard - Something Very Strange - 2:39 to 3:08
Dream Theater - Count of Tuscany - 2:37 to 3:02
Erra - Dementia - 2:11 to 2:55
Lindsey Stirling - Don't Let This Feeling Fade - 1:15 to 1:50
Frost* - Black Light Machine - 2:55 to 4:58
Nightwish - Last of the Wilds - 3:58 to 4:58
Polyphia - GOAT - :17 to :55
Sabaton - Night Witches - :00 to :30(ish)
The Mars Volta - Agadez - 3:10 to 5:15 (severe brightness warning, turn down volume)
Carpenter Brut - Roller Mobster (Live) - Entire Song (general volume warning, turn down volume before playing)
Volkor X - This Means War - 2:45 to 3:54

Most of that is complexity testing but a few are other things. Sabaton is because that song blows the **** out of cheap bass. Mars Volta is to see how much ultra brightness hurts my ears. Some other stuff. Usually I'll pair the specific sections with music from artists such as Florence and the Machine, Particle House, Coheed and Cambria, Two Steps from Hell, Skyzoo, and some others. Mostly because those sounds aren't really represented in the specific section testing.

Ah for that I’d choose Dusk. Better bass drum impacts.

 

[SavoryTruffle]

Ah for that I’d choose Dusk. Better bass drum impacts.

I'm usually a bit skeptical of more/better bass because I'm used to using mostly sub-$300 gear where 'bass' often also means the complete destruction of entire layers of my music. I would certainly hope/expect that either version of the Blessing 2 is good enough on the technical end to not have to worry about that sort of thing. I can't help but have a slight hangup on the Dusk because of my experiences though.

One of the things I'm looking forward to after getting a vaccine and a job is being able to afford a home headphone with slam that can still handle all the complexity. That's just very rare at prices I've typically spent on audio and if I have to choose between slam and being able to clearly hear every instrument I'm going to choose the latter every time.

 

[H T T]

Late to the train, but I finally got the chance to review the Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk. And my hand hurts typing this one -_-.
https://banbeu.com/moondrop-blessing-2-dusk-review-inherited-sidegrade/




Speaking of which, I might receive the Moondrop Aria also, let's see if there is any change comparing to the Starfield and KXXS.

Nice review! I was considering a Dusk for the longest time. I ended up getting the Penon Globe instead from @Dsnuts comparison to the B2 and then @tgx78 assessment of the Globe's abilities presentation of classical music. The Globe filled a niche in my present and future IEM herd. Plus, I plan on getting the successor of the KXXS when that comes. I don't want to have just one company's IEMs!

I will do a Starfield vs. Aria comparison after I have had some time with the Aria.

 

[Kris77]

I look forward to it. Do you have a way to compare Aria with BElieve?

 

[H T T]

I look forward to it. Do you have a way to compare Aria with BElieve?

I don’t have the BElieve, sorry.

 

[Kris77]

I don’t have the BElieve, sorry.

Too bad, but I look forward to the Aria review.

 

[1TrickPony]

Blessing 2 maxed with the Shanling M8. This DAP fills up the sound quite nicely. A very good pairing.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

I'm usually a bit skeptical of more/better bass because I'm used to using mostly sub-$300 gear where 'bass' often also means the complete destruction of entire layers of my music. I would certainly hope/expect that either version of the Blessing 2 is good enough on the technical end to not have to worry about that sort of thing. I can't help but have a slight hangup on the Dusk because of my experiences though.

One of the things I'm looking forward to after getting a vaccine and a job is being able to afford a home headphone with slam that can still handle all the complexity. That's just very rare at prices I've typically spent on audio and if I have to choose between slam and being able to clearly hear every instrument I'm going to choose the latter every time.

Bass destruction usually cause by two factors:
Tonal imbalance, the relative dB Frequency responses of sub-bass & mid bass, in this regard B2&dusk both manages perfect balance IMO, and many other headfi& notable reviewers agree with the tonality.
Coherence: this, only very few could be good at, very very hard to keep mass-production with perfect coherence, Ety is good with this, and Moondrop/softears engineer is, almost obsessive to this. It’s the hardest thing to keep, because coherence affects all key technicalities,l such as focus/natural sound diffuse field(sound stage)/ transient / positioning and lastly 3D vectors and momentum expressions. If coherence fail, bass will bleed a hot mess into mids. The main reason I feel of all elements, bass is the hardest thing due to it’s longer wave-length, to keep intact.
I’ve noticed Blessing2 is very very cohesive to the level of TOTL class. So you will experience a great difference.

 

[G777]

I impulse bought the Aria too

 

[AmericanSpirit]

I impulse bought the Aria too

yep! Moondrop with their sole engineering project, things wouldn't go wrong

 

[G777]

Looks like Crin did an unboxing: https://crinacle.com/2021/03/29/moondrop-aria-2021-unboxing/

Very similar to the Starfield.

 

[H T T]

If the Aria is that similar to the Starfield, as Crin describes, I might just keep the Aria boxed and send it as a gift to family or a friend. I am sure they will be quite happy.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Looks like Crin did an unboxing: https://crinacle.com/2021/03/29/moondrop-aria-2021-unboxing/

Very similar to the Starfield.

lol the measurement coincides with Starfield. I have both and would like to see if anything other than the frequency response chart could tell.

 

[macaddicted]

Blessing 2 maxed with the Shanling M8. This DAP fills up the sound quite nicely. A very good pairing.

Waiting to find out how it is with a Shanling M3x. Tomorrow, it’s only a day away…

 

[SavoryTruffle]

Bass destruction usually cause by two factors:
Tonal imbalance, the relative dB Frequency responses of sub-bass & mid bass, in this regard B2&dusk both manages perfect balance IMO, and many other headfi& notable reviewers agree with the tonality.
Coherence: this, only very few could be good at, very very hard to keep mass-production with perfect coherence, Ety is good with this, and Moondrop/softears engineer is, almost obsessive to this. It’s the hardest thing to keep, because coherence affects all key technicalities,l such as focus/natural sound diffuse field(sound stage)/ transient / positioning and lastly 3D vectors and momentum expressions. If coherence fail, bass will bleed a hot mess into mids. The main reason I feel of all elements, bass is the hardest thing due to it’s longer wave-length, to keep intact.
I’ve noticed Blessing2 is very very cohesive to the level of TOTL class. So you will experience a great difference.

I won't pretend to understand the details of everything you say here, but I feel like I understand your general points. And yeah, everything I've read about the Blessing 2 from a bunch of different sources all suggest that I won't run into issues. I only have very slight reservations about the Dusk version. It's not like BL03 where I'm basically just like 'not for me.' I'm probably leaning slightly toward Dusk at this point. Realistically, I might just flip a coin when I get my stimulus in (any day now...) and I'm ready to order.

Also, I might just blind buy an Aria instead of a T2+. Nice timing.