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Moondrop Blessing 2 Review (IEM)

Rate this IEM:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 2 0.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 15 6.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 99 44.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 106 47.7%

  • Total voters
    222

phoenixsong

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Looks like Moondrop decided to release a 20$ IEM with pretty much identical FR to the Blessing 2:
View attachment 200099


If distortion numbers are not terrible, that could be a pretty awesome product.
It graphs quite similarly to the Tripowin Lea which I just tried (and interestingly liked best with the Moondrop Spring Tips, the very same tips the Chu here comes with). I think I'll like this slightly better than the Lea as it is more evenly filled out in the treble region, which the Lea has audible dips in. Still, too little bass for my low listening level :) (I prefer a level somewhere closer to the Aria's for the same level of mids and treble)
 

RHO

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someguyontheinternet

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Which target is it that you're comparing against here?
Amir uses the 2017 Harman target which is publicly available.
The target on the graph I got from Crinacle's website uses the second version 2019 Harman target.

The targets are very similar to each other so aside from a couple of details they can be used kind of interchangeably.
 

Blank Verse

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Simply not true. Eymotic's IEM have many strengths, but low distortion ain't one of them.
There are numerous, much cheaper IEMs with lower distortion:
Bl-03 ($27):
View attachment 199988
Final E2000 ($35):
View attachment 199989
KZ ZSN Pro ($15):
View attachment 199990
MH755 ($7):
View attachment 199994
That is mirrored by Earfonia's IMD measurements
I think I remember hearing someone mention the ER2SE has one of the lowest amounts of Linear Distortion within a given range of frequencies, maybe that's where my notion of it having less distortion comes from.
 

edahl

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@amirm did you get the Moondrop Variations too? The Harman IE 2019 v2 tracking seems quite incredible.
 

Jimbob54

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@amirm did you get the Moondrop Variations too? The Harman IE 2019 v2 tracking seems quite incredible.
I know he has the S8 for review. Not seen mention of the variations. Don't think the company are sending these to him but I wish they did. Given they tune to Harman or thereabouts they will likely get favourable reviews.
 

edahl

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To the extent "BA timbre" is a thing, could it simply be a matter of high distortion?
 

Jimbob54

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To the extent "BA timbre" is a thing, could it simply be a matter of high distortion?
Personally, I think its more of a "thing", like ESS "glare" or the like. Someone doesn't like the sound of some equipment so lays the blame on the underpinning technology (chip maker, driver type etc) rather than the failings of that particular design.

Plenty of dynamic headphones and iem have high ish distortion but we don't say they have "BA timbre".
 

edahl

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Personally, I think its more of a "thing", like ESS "glare" or the like. Someone doesn't like the sound of some equipment so lays the blame on the underpinning technology (chip maker, driver type etc) rather than the failings of that particular design.

Plenty of dynamic headphones and iem have high ish distortion but we don't say they have "BA timbre".
I agree with this, the thought just struck me though.
 

Jimbob54

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I agree with this, the thought just struck me though.
I think (I will be proved wrong) that you can find DD IEM with lower distortion than any BA , but I dont think its fair to say all BA have high distortion. Again, comes down to implementation and compromises. The Ety BA's arent exactly distortion boxes.
 

Blorg

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Variations and S8 here, the Variations is very close to Harman particularly in the bass. I have it, I do think it's very good. I think I'd have a slight preference though if it were flat from 200-1kHz rather than upsloping. This is Harman, Harman does this dip down below and then slopes back up to 1kHz. But I think flat maybe works better. The vast vast majority of IEMs are flat [or have a declining slope] here, Moondrop I think were trying to match Harman very exactly on this.

EDIT: added "or have a declining scope", thank you @phoenixsong

1653476581371.png


Monarch Mk2 is also very close, but flat 200-1kHz.

1653476553579.png
 

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phoenixsong

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Variations and S8 here, the Variations is very close to Harman particularly in the bass. I have it, I do think it's very good. I think I'd have a slight preference though if it were flat from 200-1kHz rather than upsloping. This is Harman, Harman does this dip down below and then slopes back up to 1kHz. But I think flat maybe works better. The vast vast majority of IEMs are flat here, Moondrop I think were trying to match Harman very exactly on this.

View attachment 208797

Monarch Mk2 is also very close, but flat 200-1kHz.

View attachment 208796
I disagree that "The vast vast majority of IEMs are flat here (200-1kHz region)", many in fact possess a declining slope to varying extents in the region
 

edahl

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Variations and S8 here, the Variations is very close to Harman particularly in the bass. I have it, I do think it's very good. I think I'd have a slight preference though if it were flat from 200-1kHz rather than upsloping. This is Harman, Harman does this dip down below and then slopes back up to 1kHz. But I think flat maybe works better. The vast vast majority of IEMs are flat here, Moondrop I think were trying to match Harman very exactly on this.

View attachment 208797

Monarch Mk2 is also very close, but flat 200-1kHz.

View attachment 208796
The rising slope from 200-1kHz is there because of ear gain, so Variations is more accurate there than e.g. Monarch Mk2.
 

Blorg

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I disagree that "The vast vast majority of IEMs are flat here (200-1kHz region)", many in fact possess a declining slope to varying extents in the region
I mis-phrased that, they are either flat through the lower mids OR they have a slope down. What the Variations and Harman has is a slope UP.

Many have some flatness in the lower mids, after a bass shelf. They come down (at some point), and then are flat to 1kHz. Flatness here tends to sound "clean" and keeps the bass boost from bleeding into the mids:
1653481425329.png


It's also common that an IEM has a declining slope from the bass all the way to 1kHz, that is super common. Many IEMs do that.
1653481274148.png

What Harman does (and the Variations does) is reverses that, it's lower at 250Hz than 1kHz and then slopes back up to 1kHz. That's not common, at least I have maybe 30 IEMs and the Variations is the only one I have that does this. But this is actually the Harman in-ear curve, it does have this specific dip in the mid-bass. Maybe clearer here, plotted against IEF neutral which is totally flat from 20-1kHz:
1653481099686.png
 

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Gio

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I think many people would very much like to see the review, pleeeease.
People also would like to see much cheaper gems. Thank you.
 

Matias

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People also would like to see much cheaper gems. Thank you.
People actually would like to see the cheapest gems that are great for any price..
Chu comes to the rescue, reviewed by Crinnacle.

 

Chyżwar

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What Harman does (and the Variations does) is reverses that, it's lower at 250Hz than 1kHz and then slopes back up to 1kHz. That's not common, at least I have maybe 30 IEMs and the Variations is the only one I have that does this. But this is actually the Harman in-ear curve, it does have this specific dip in the mid-bass. Maybe clearer here, plotted against IEF neutral which is totally flat from 20-1kHz:

The Samsung Buds+ have almost identical tuning. Personally, I think it's too much V-shaped sound. And the bass doesn't sound natural to me. But you know, different people have different tastes :)

harman.png
 
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