[SilverEars]

It's not a perfect iem but if I were to have a benchmark iem it would be this. I consider this the perfect all rounder. Super resolving for a DD iem, without any of the weird BA timbre/harmonic distortion that doesn't sit well with me. Its a little bright sounding but I consider it neutral with the blue nozzle + foam tips. I find the sound better balanced than the dusk. It doesn't try to color music in any way or make it fun, I would call this just a very accurate sounding iem. Soundstage and imaging is alright but it's not as good as stuff like the dusk, this is where it kinda falls short. This is just a well balanced iem, not too little or too much of anything. Most DD iems have pretty big dips in the treble but these don't have that, the trade off is that they do sound a bit bright, but it's not so bad with the right nozzle and tips. These have a lot more clarity and detail than any DD iem I've tried, it comes close to the dusk in that regard but it does it in a way that feels truer to intended sound if that makes sense, while iems like the moondrop stuff tries to make stuff sound a little better than they are. I got these used for $133 shipped from someone who bought these back in august, had less than 20 hours on them. I think most ppl would still like the dusk more since it's a little more fun sounding but it really depends on the type of genre you listen to. For one, these absolutely blow anything I've tried before out of the water for rock, electric guitar sounds great on these. This is the closest I've heard electric guitar sound to the real thing on an iem. The bass is pretty lacking in quantity for my taste but it's still easily the best quality bass ive heard in an iem. These are also the first bright tuned iems that I don't find too fatiguing (I'm very treble sensitive). There are a few downsides, one, they're very heavy, and the only thing holding them in place are your tips (and wire if you've got them wrapped around your ear). They're also still not as easy to listen to as the starfields. As I mentioned before, they don't have the soundstage and imaging chops of multidriver iems like the isn h40 and dusk. They also aren't fun sounding as some ppl might like, especially if you want bass quantity. For me I would have liked a tiny bit more sub bass and mid bass. It's also slightly clinical sounding, like the dusk, because it sacrifices a bit of lushness for clarity, which I kinda missed a little in my starfields. These are still the first iems in a long time to make me consider using over my starfields, not even the dusk managed that.

My personal preference ranking ATM goes something like this (these are all really good, this is just by subjective preference/taste):
1. Starfield (I like that it's easy to listen to, and it's more fun tuning)
2. FDX1
3. Isn h40
4. Kbear believe
5. Penon Orb
6. Dusk
7. Mele (I rate these very closely to the dusk tbh)

Here's my ranking for overall ability though, and what I think others would like more (only listing my favorites and most liked here, which is why these are all very good, down to the last ranked one)
1. Dusk (good balance between technical ability and being fun)
2. FDX1 (very accurate no frills reproduction with little coloration)
3. Isn h40 (the most fun sounding iem here but very tastefully done)
4. Kbear believe (very impressive DD, but a bit v or u shaped)
5. Penon orb (best bass here, super smooth, great sound, but these sound very 2 dimensional)
6. Tied between mele and starfield, they're suited to different things. Starfield is an easier listen and has a more agreeable tuning (love it for vocals, timbre and tonality), while the mele is a better all rounder (better for bass, details and clarity) and more dynamic sounding (it's a bit more v shaped).

I'll be completely honest, I don't think it's worth spending more than just an aria or mele for iems. I think you get like 90% a dusk in the mele but without the weird ba timbre/harmonic distortion, and personally I still haven't found a sound I like more than my starfields which is identically tuned to the aria. So unless you're really into this hobby and have the money to blow I wouldn't go past those two iems. Also buying used is a fantastic way to save money.

Reading your other post, I understand your sentiments about FDX1. It is a very technically proficient iem that performs well. Nicely built with good durability. I use it for even watching movies (I was surprised how well it images for movies).

It is brighter like you say, but I wouldn't say Moondrop stuff makes things sound generally 'better.' Certain things like vocals Moondrop sounds more enjoyable due to a more laid-back response.

It's (FDX1) response with the stock filter is akin to a scalpel, imaging very clearly. So, it's very technical, and I actually prefer it over kilobuck BA iems. It sounds more accurate. But, the only aspect I don't like is, regarding vocals. Vocals doesn't not sound all that smooth, and there's some sibilence caused by it's response (in which you get used to after prolonged listening). This is fairly common with headphones/iems that perform well with instruments, but vocals not so much. Moondrop responses are more laid-back compared to FDX1, so vocals sound fairly smooth.

When it comes to technical ability FDX1 is probably the best value out there.

Funny thing about FDX1 is that, it's unlike other JVC models. I've heard even their most expensive JVC model, and tuning is generally bad. FDX1 seems to be the best tuned JVC model regardless of price.

I'm kinda curious about Kato. Is it more proficient technically? FR looks more controlled than previous Moondrop models I've seen.

 

[morndewey]

I owned/sold FDX1. Good iem but fit can be an issue. Shells are heavy and protrude rather far out from ears, wide rather than tall. Also, stock cable was quite stiff and itself on the heavy side

 

[LexSombra]

Has anyone tried the Spinfits CP500?
I think I will get it over the CP155 for my Moondrop Variations.
From what I've seen, it also fits the variations (same size as CP155) but it's more comfortable and secure (won't get stuck in the ears).

 

[Lamim Rashid]

Reading your other post, I understand your sentiments about FDX1. It is a very technically proficient iem that performs well. Nicely built with good durability. I use it for even watching movies (I was surprised how well it images for movies).

It is brighter like you say, but I wouldn't say Moondrop stuff makes things sound generally 'better.' Certain things like vocals Moondrop sounds more enjoyable due to a more laid-back response.

It's (FDX1) response with the stock filter is akin to a scalpel, imaging very clearly. So, it's very technical, and I actually prefer it over kilobuck BA iems. It sounds more accurate. But, the only aspect I don't like is, regarding vocals. Vocals doesn't not sound all that smooth, and there's some sibilence caused by it's response (in which you get used to after prolonged listening). This is fairly common with headphones/iems that perform well with instruments, but vocals not so much. Moondrop responses are more laid-back compared to FDX1, so vocals sound fairly smooth.

When it comes to technical ability FDX1 is probably the best value out there.

Funny thing about FDX1 is that, it's unlike other JVC models. I've heard even their most expensive JVC model, and tuning is generally bad. FDX1 seems to be the best tuned JVC model regardless of price.

I'm kinda curious about Kato. Is it more proficient technically? FR looks more controlled than previous Moondrop models I've seen.

I didn't say moondrop makes things better, I said it sounds like that they're trying to make things sounds better than they are. What I was trying to say there, it seems like they try to color sound in a way that will be pleasing to the listener. Most times the most enjoyable listening experience will not be the most accurate one. That's why ppl like things like tube amps, they add pleasant (to some) harmonic distortion.

 

[Lamim Rashid]

I owned/sold FDX1. Good iem but fit can be an issue. Shells are heavy and protrude rather far out from ears, wide rather than tall. Also, stock cable was quite stiff and itself on the heavy side

Stiff and heavy cables usually have the least resistance from what I've been able to tell, not that it would ever matter on a DD iem like this one. Yeah fit kinda sucks though, unless you loop around the ear and use something like a foam tip.

 

[jsmiller58]

I didn't say moondrop makes things better, I said it sounds like that they're trying to make things sounds better than they are. What I was trying to say there, it seems like they try to color sound in a way that will be pleasing to the listener. Most times the most enjoyable listening experience will not be the most accurate one. That's why ppl like things like tube amps, they add pleasant (to some) harmonic distortion.

Well, I for one listen for pleasure, and in my case I gravitate to a more V shaped and slightly warm sound, because that brings me pleasure. So I appreciate an audio company making a product that will enhance my listening pleasure. But I understand that others enjoy critical listening and wouldn’t want the music to be made to “sound better“ than it is. To each their own!

 

[voicemaster]

I didn't say moondrop makes things better, I said it sounds like that they're trying to make things sounds better than they are. What I was trying to say there, it seems like they try to color sound in a way that will be pleasing to the listener. Most times the most enjoyable listening experience will not be the most accurate one. That's why ppl like things like tube amps, they add pleasant (to some) harmonic distortion.

Umm... consumer level gears are mostly targeted for "fun", "entertain", incite your pleasure and leisure. If you want a more RAW, flat and uncolored, there are "studio monitor" level gears that can do that. Most chifi are consumer level gears and targeted to regular consumer who "most" doesn't even care about detail and technicality. We, in headfi, are actually just a small percentage (niche group) of the whole sales of chifi, I believe.

 

[voicemaster]

Well, I for one listen for pleasure, and in my case I gravitate to a more V shaped and slightly warm sound, because that brings me pleasure. So I appreciate an audio company making a product that will enhance my listening pleasure. But I understand that others enjoy critical listening and wouldn’t want the music to be made to “sound better“ than it is. To each their own!

I rarely see someone liking those flat curve gears. Most people associate a mainstream sound to a more elevated bass, but elevated mid and high are also not true to the recording either.

 

[seanwee]

What is the "materialess filter with a moondrop KXXS filter" you were referring to? Do you have a link to the product?

Stock filter (white) should be the materialess one. Heres a link to the KXXS filter https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...ssories-for-spaceship-kxxs-starfield-earphone

Reading your other post, I understand your sentiments about FDX1. It is a very technically proficient iem that performs well. Nicely built with good durability. I use it for even watching movies (I was surprised how well it images for movies).

It is brighter like you say, but I wouldn't say Moondrop stuff makes things sound generally 'better.' Certain things like vocals Moondrop sounds more enjoyable due to a more laid-back response.

It's (FDX1) response with the stock filter is akin to a scalpel, imaging very clearly. So, it's very technical, and I actually prefer it over kilobuck BA iems. It sounds more accurate. But, the only aspect I don't like is, regarding vocals. Vocals doesn't not sound all that smooth, and there's some sibilence caused by it's response (in which you get used to after prolonged listening). This is fairly common with headphones/iems that perform well with instruments, but vocals not so much. Moondrop responses are more laid-back compared to FDX1, so vocals sound fairly smooth.

When it comes to technical ability FDX1 is probably the best value out there.

Funny thing about FDX1 is that, it's unlike other JVC models. I've heard even their most expensive JVC model, and tuning is generally bad. FDX1 seems to be the best tuned JVC model regardless of price.

I'm kinda curious about Kato. Is it more proficient technically? FR looks more controlled than previous Moondrop models I've seen.

Stock filter FDX1 is indeed a bit sibilant, which is somewhat resolved by the blue and green massdrop filters but a few of us from the FDX1 thread wanted more treble and after some experimentation the KXXS filter was the best fit.

I owned/sold FDX1. Good iem but fit can be an issue. Shells are heavy and protrude rather far out from ears, wide rather than tall. Also, stock cable was quite stiff and itself on the heavy side

Its definitely the worst part of the FDX1. Wearing it down feels significantly heavier versus wearing it over the ear though. That and the rotating shell is a pain to position right every time you want to use it. I taped mine down after finding the position that fits me best.

Stiff and heavy cables usually have the least resistance from what I've been able to tell, not that it would ever matter on a DD iem like this one. Yeah fit kinda sucks though, unless you loop around the ear and use something like a foam tip.

And here i am using a cable that is twice the weight and three times the thickness lmao. That said the thicker cable spreads out the weight better lol.

Sound wise there is definitely a difference between the stock and upgraded cable. Imaging is even cleaner and overall bass tone moves down to emphasise the subbass. Add a small bass eq on the 31hz and 62hz bands and its pretty much perfect for me. Even throws hands with the far more expensive IER-M9 upgraded with an 8 core silver cable. (Sony stock cables sound quite warm)

 

[Lamim Rashid]

Well, I for one listen for pleasure, and in my case I gravitate to a more V shaped and slightly warm sound, because that brings me pleasure. So I appreciate an audio company making a product that will enhance my listening pleasure. But I understand that others enjoy critical listening and wouldn’t want the music to be made to “sound better“ than it is. To each their own!

Umm... consumer level gears are mostly targeted for "fun", "entertain", incite your pleasure and leisure. If you want a more RAW, flat and uncolored, there are "studio monitor" level gears that can do that. Most chifi are consumer level gears and targeted to regular consumer who "most" doesn't even care about detail and technicality. We, in headfi, are actually just a small percentage (niche group) of the whole sales of chifi, I believe.

I mean that's why I still like my starfields slightly more. I was just trying to explain the differences I've noticed for those that would be interested. Starfields for more fun sound, FDX1 for more critical listening.

 

[Bitsir]

Man I hope The Kato won't disappoint me as someone who has never heard the Moondrop sound before. I'm after a beautiful, easy-to-listen-to sound that is distinctly DD in transient onset. A true jack off all trades that just works and never really fails.

 

[dialogue]

if i had T-force Yuan Li final ver. Want upgrade micro details in treble area, and more airy and sparkle, which is better Hana 2021 or Kato?​

which is better 3d imaging presentation and holographic effect, Hana 2021 or Kato?​

 

[H T T]

if i had T-force Yuan Li final ver. Want upgrade micro details in treble area, and more airy and sparkle, which is better Hana 2021 or Kato?​

which is better 3d imaging presentation and holographic effect, Hana 2021 or Kato?​

You will need to wait until the Kato arrives in people’s hands. There might be a couple reviewers that have them both.

 

[mmkzero]

So, I've had the Moondrop Variations for about a month now and had a lot of time to listen to them as well as gather my thoughts. tl;dr: These are one of the best IEMs you can find and a benchmark below 1000$.

For those who don't know, the Moondrop Variations is a lot Tribrid IEM with a current price tag of 520$. They incorporate a single 10mm LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver (DD), two Sonion Electrostatic Drivers (EST) and two Softears Customised Balanced Armature Drivers (BA).

I found the cube shaped Packaging to be quite nice. The included cable with interchangeable termination is good although can get a bit tangly at times. You get the usual Moondrop silicon ear tips as well as Foam ear tips. I did not use either though because I have SpinFit CP155. These were already a perfect fit for the Blessing 2 and the same can be said for the Variations. They just fit on the nozzle and make the IEM both easy to insert into my ears as well as super comfy to wear for me.

The IEM itself are very well built. The resin body with smoked look and metal faceplate looks great and has a nice weight to it without being heavy. The IEMs weight 9g per side, so 16g in total.

The first thing I noticed when putting them on and listening to music was how crystal clear and transparent these sound. The Variations are the definition of a neutral with bass boost tuning. The Bass is elevated primarily into the sub bass and extends all the way to 20hz. This is one of the reasons why the Variations sound so clean to me: there is zero Bass bleed into the mids, which leads to vocals just sounding extraordinary. The Bass is impactful, tight and well controlled. When the music calls for it the DD will produce rumbling, detailed bass that's just so much fun to listen to. The "Hardwired" EP by mitch murder for example is a bliss to listen on with these. Especially "Hardwired" and "Reconnaissance" show what the Dynamic Driver of the Variations is capable of. Bass hits deep, sharp and has a textured body to it while always sounding controlled and never overwhelming anything else. "We Could Get More Machinegun Psystyle! - And More Genre Switches" by Camellia shows the Variations handling vastly different subgenres of Electronic music flawlessly. Especially the Speed and Decay of the DD is made apparent by the Speedcore kicks or DnB parts.

The Mids continue where the Bass left of: Excellency. Both male and female vocals sound crystal clear and fill the room, being brought into the centre of attention when a song wants them to. This is where I need to mention the Variations imaging capabilities which are simply impressive. The Variations provides a Deep and Wide Stage that's above average in height and knows how to put it to good use. Different instruments are easy to distinct and pinpoint in space. Within those aspects the Variations puts Vocals on a podium and makes them the centre of the song, almost as if the real vocalist is there. I can best describe this podium as then being moved to where the vocalist is in relation to the other instruments as well as more in front or far back given how prominent they are supposed to be.

With the separation and imaging comes great resolution. Macrodetails are resolved beautifully and make the Variations sound very natural and organic. Within all of these qualities the Variations retains coherency between the different parts of the frequency spectrum, which solves one of the biggest gripes I had with the Blessing 2, be it OG or Dusk. The MTV live performance of "Hotel California" by the Eagles lets the Variations demonstrate all of it's mentioned qualities and makes for an immersive listening experience.

Now while the mids and vocals in general are close to perfection on the Variations, male vocals sometimes lack the slightest bit of body and weight, making them just a hair less full sounding than they should be. This is nitpicking on a high level, mind you. Female Vocals however take all of the mentioned qualities and crank them up to 11. I cannot make this clear enough: Female vocals are a bliss to listen to on the Variations. Crystal clear, airy, detailed and with a resolution very few IEMs could ever hope to achieve. Going even further I need to talk about an entirely different kind of headphone: the open back Sennheiser HD600. Even 24 years after their initial release they are still a benchmark in open back headphones and widely beloved. It speaks for itself that they are still being manufactured and sold to this day. Their biggest quality by far is their incredible midrange, with slight rolled off bass and smooth, but not any less detailed treble resulting in a very musical and enjoyable, non fatiguing listening experience. I have heard a lot of headphones, many much more expensive than the HD600, and almost none of them made vocals sound as great and beautiful like the HD600.

Which leads me back to the Variations. They sound to me as if Moondrop was able to fit the HD600 inside of a small IEM shell, swap the rolled off bass for one of the cleanest and best executed bass responses I have ever heard, and improve on the Treble, giving it much more energy, air and sparkle while still not being fatiguing. Or: the Variations are IEM HD600 on steroids. The HD600 are one of my favourite headphones that I own, and I could not be any more happy how much the Variations remind me of them and improve on their shortcomings. On "NEUROMANCER" by RIM the female vocalist absolutely shines in an experimental-induced track.

I have already touched on it, but at this point you should not be surprised: the Treble on the Variations is excellent as well. It sounds quite airy and energetic with a sparkle that I would almost describe as "brilliance". The two EST Drivers are implemented very well and round off the Variations into one tonally and technically coherent package.

The Variations improves on the Blessing 2 (OG or Dusk) in pretty much every single aspect. It is the technical and tonally superior IEM in my opinion. More detailed and resolving, with a bigger stage, even better separation and most importantly much, much better coherency. The Blessing 2 sometimes sounded a bit "smeared" over, especially on busy tracks where the Variations just keeps on going and retains a much clearer sound image. The lack of mid bass elevation also leads to the Variations being the much more reference-like IEM compared to the Dusk.

Compared to the Aria it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Variations outperforms it by a significant margin. Still, the Aria is one of my daily drivers when I go out and want to listen to music, and it's warmer tonality is a great complement to the Variations neutral tuning. The Variations truly is an excellently tuned neutral reference that is never boring thanks to it's bass boost, stellar mids and sparkly treble.

I'm just really happy with the Variations. It gets my highest recommendation and has set the bar in the sub 1000$ price range incredibly high. I'd say it's the benchmark for anything near it's price point, both in tonality and technicalities.

(This was my first real "review", so input and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!)

 

[H T T]

So, I've had the Moondrop Variations for about a month now and had a lot of time to listen to them as well as gather my thoughts. tl;dr: These are one of the best IEMs you can find and a benchmark below 1000$.

For those who don't know, the Moondrop Variations is a lot Tribrid IEM with a current price tag of 520$. They incorporate a single 10mm LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver (DD), two Sonion Electrostatic Drivers (EST) and two Softears Customised Balanced Armature Drivers (BA).

I found the cube shaped Packaging to be quite nice. The included cable with interchangeable termination is good although can get a bit tangly at times. You get the usual Moondrop silicon ear tips as well as Foam ear tips. I did not use either though because I have SpinFit CP155. These were already a perfect fit for the Blessing 2 and the same can be said for the Variations. They just fit on the nozzle and make the IEM both easy to insert into my ears as well as super comfy to wear for me.

The IEM itself are very well built. The resin body with smoked look and metal faceplate looks great and has a nice weight to it without being heavy. The IEMs weight 9g per side, so 16g in total.

The first thing I noticed when putting them on and listening to music was how crystal clear and transparent these sound. The Variations are the definition of a neutral with bass boost tuning. The Bass is elevated primarily into the sub bass and extends all the way to 20hz. This is one of the reasons why the Variations sound so clean to me: there is zero Bass bleed into the mids, which leads to vocals just sounding extraordinary. The Bass is impactful, tight and well controlled. When the music calls for it the DD will produce rumbling, detailed bass that's just so much fun to listen to. The "Hardwired" EP by mitch murder for example is a bliss to listen on with these. Especially "Hardwired" and "Reconnaissance" show what the Dynamic Driver of the Variations is capable of. Bass hits deep, sharp and has a textured body to it while always sounding controlled and never overwhelming anything else. "We Could Get More Machinegun Psystyle! - And More Genre Switches" by Camellia shows the Variations handling vastly different subgenres of Electronic music flawlessly. Especially the Speed and Decay of the DD is made apparent by the Speedcore kicks or DnB parts.

The Mids continue where the Bass left of: Excellency. Both male and female vocals sound crystal clear and fill the room, being brought into the centre of attention when a song wants them to. This is where I need to mention the Variations imaging capabilities which are simply impressive. The Variations provides a Deep and Wide Stage that's above average in height and knows how to put it to good use. Different instruments are easy to distinct and pinpoint in space. Within those aspects the Variations puts Vocals on a podium and makes them the centre of the song, almost as if the real vocalist is there. I can best describe this podium as then being moved to where the vocalist is in relation to the other instruments as well as more in front or far back given how prominent they are supposed to be.

With the separation and imaging comes great resolution. Macrodetails are resolved beautifully and make the Variations sound very natural and organic. Within all of these qualities the Variations retains coherency between the different parts of the frequency spectrum, which solves one of the biggest gripes I had with the Blessing 2, be it OG or Dusk. The MTV live performance of "Hotel California" by the Eagles lets the Variations demonstrate all of it's mentioned qualities and makes for an immersive listening experience.

Now while the mids and vocals in general are close to perfection on the Variations, male vocals sometimes lack the slightest bit of body and weight, making them just a hair less full sounding than they should be. This is nitpicking on a high level, mind you. Female Vocals however take all of the mentioned qualities and crank them up to 11. I cannot make this clear enough: Female vocals are a bliss to listen to on the Variations. Crystal clear, airy, detailed and with a resolution very few IEMs could ever hope to achieve. Going even further I need to talk about an entirely different kind of headphone: the open back Sennheiser HD600. Even 24 years after their initial release they are still a benchmark in open back headphones and widely beloved. It speaks for itself that they are still being manufactured and sold to this day. Their biggest quality by far is their incredible midrange, with slight rolled off bass and smooth, but not any less detailed treble resulting in a very musical and enjoyable, non fatiguing listening experience. I have heard a lot of headphones, many much more expensive than the HD600, and almost none of them made vocals sound as great and beautiful like the HD600.

Which leads me back to the Variations. They sound to me as if Moondrop was able to fit the HD600 inside of a small IEM shell, swap the rolled off bass for one of the cleanest and best executed bass responses I have ever heard, and improve on the Treble, giving it much more energy, air and sparkle while still not being fatiguing. Or: the Variations are IEM HD600 on steroids. The HD600 are one of my favourite headphones that I own, and I could not be any more happy how much the Variations remind me of them and improve on their shortcomings. On "NEUROMANCER" by RIM the female vocalist absolutely shines in an experimental-induced track.

I have already touched on it, but at this point you should not be surprised: the Treble on the Variations is excellent as well. It sounds quite airy and energetic with a sparkle that I would almost describe as "brilliance". The two EST Drivers are implemented very well and round off the Variations into one tonally and technically coherent package.

The Variations improves on the Blessing 2 (OG or Dusk) in pretty much every single aspect. It is the technical and tonally superior IEM in my opinion. More detailed and resolving, with a bigger stage, even better separation and most importantly much, much better coherency. The Blessing 2 sometimes sounded a bit "smeared" over, especially on busy tracks where the Variations just keeps on going and retains a much clearer sound image. The lack of mid bass elevation also leads to the Variations being the much more reference-like IEM compared to the Dusk.

Compared to the Aria it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Variations outperforms it by a significant margin. Still, the Aria is one of my daily drivers when I go out and want to listen to music, and it's warmer tonality is a great complement to the Variations neutral tuning. The Variations truly is an excellently tuned neutral reference that is never boring thanks to it's bass boost, stellar mids and sparkly treble.

I'm just really happy with the Variations. It gets my highest recommendation and has set the bar in the sub 1000$ price range incredibly high. I'd say it's the benchmark for anything near it's price point, both in tonality and technicalities.

(This was my first real "review", so input and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!)

Very nice review, superlative for a first try. There are few areas that maybe need work: drop the conversational tone; be systematic-@dsnuts has great systematic flow, @AmericanSpirit's rubric reviews/impression are very helpful for me; and have more comparisons to other IEMs. I look forward to more of your reviews.