Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK

[Chromatischism]

Super*Review

 

[CedarX]

Super*Review

I have watched and read several reviews + Head-Fi comments: Dusk being better with the DSP cable is a “problem” for the audiophile community. They don’t like the ramifications and therefore tend to dismiss it, like in this review: “it does not work for me because I use a DAP (even if it works perfectly with my phone)”

 

[Chromatischism]

I have watched and read several reviews + Head-Fi comments: Dusk being better with the DSP cable is a “problem” for the audiophile community. They don’t like the ramifications and therefore dismiss it, like in this review: “it does not for me because I use a DAP (even if it works perfectly with my phone)”

He gave 3 reasons.

1. Didn't play well with his DAP
2. Didn't prefer the quality of the cable, and a personal preference for no volume controls that make wrapping the cable less neat
3. Audible artifacts during quiet moments in audio

The last one would be the only deal-breaker for me. I wonder if that is a widespread issue like he alludes to.

Personally I would use my own means of EQ as I am properly equipped for it.

 

[Somafunk]

He gave 3 reasons.

1. Didn't play well with his DAP
2. Didn't prefer the quality of the cable, and a personal preference for no volume controls that make wrapping the cable less neat
3. Audible artifacts during quiet moments in audio

The last one would be the only deal-breaker for me. I wonder if that is a widespread issue like he alludes to.

Personally I would use my own means of EQ as I am properly equipped for it.

There’s a number of reviewers who’ve reported on audible artefacts whilst listening and especially when changing tracks, the implementation of the dac is being beta tested on users and the app is apparently shit, for a company with the market share and engineering skills of Moondrop that’s really poor and I consider it, using the Scottish vernacular, to be “taking the f*ck*ng piss” .

 

[mc.god]

There’s a number of reviewers who’ve reported on audible artefacts whilst listening and especially when changing tracks, the implementation of the dac is being beta tested on users and the app is apparently shit, for a company with the market share and engineering skills of Moondrop that’s really poor and I consider it, using the Scottish vernacular, to be “taking the f*ck*ng piss” .

Free Dsp cable is on the market for several months now and while i read everywhere the consensus on the bugginess of the app I don't remember here users blaming about artifacts, so it seems kind of strange if it only does it when connected to the Dusk. But again, if it could be taken as acceptable for something like the May (65€), surely for what you pay here you should get something nearly perfect in every aspects, that it doesn't seem the case.

 

[CedarX]

Free Dsp cable is on the market for several months now and while i read everywhere the consensus on the bugginess of the app I don't remember here users blaming about artifacts, so it seems kind of strange if it only does it when connected to the Dusk. But again, if it could be taken as acceptable for something like the May (65€), surely for what you pay here you should get something nearly perfect in every aspects, that it doesn't seem the case.

I have several FreeDSP cables, and I have not noticed any artifacts, but it does not mean it’s untrue!

If I’m not mistaken Super*Review talks about the first few seconds of a track. That’s something I have not paid much attention: for example, what happens if I alternate tracks with different sampling rate / bit depth… I typically don’t do that much, but this is something to test for sure.

As for the app: it’s just “not great” IMO. The main issue is when the FreeDSP cable is unrecognized for whatever reason. So you often have to plug/unplug the cable and/or restart the app.
But… I leave my FreeDSP cables with their respective IEM (or HP) and don’t fiddle that often with the app, so overall, its not that bad… Playing music is very reliable in my experience, so the UAC-2 interface is pretty good.

To develop and test a PEQ, I prefer to use a Qudelix 5K, and only when I’m happy, I load the PEQ onto the FreeDSP, and forget it.

 

[Chromatischism]

Most reviewers seem to feel that the sound (tuning) is a lot better with the DSP cable. I think Crinacle is underselling the "minor" corrections.

My personal theory...I feel like what's happening is that Moondrop wants to promote their DSP cable and app. They want to show just how great things can be when using it, so some tuning was held back from the IEM. Crinacle probably isn't a huge fan but likely wasn't able to override this packaging decision. They'll both benefit because they will sell a lot of them anyway.

I could be wrong. Maybe the bass drivers really did need EQ to bring their levels up, etc. But Crinacle freely supplied the filter values so you could do your own EQ on them, so props to him.

 

[MacClintock]

I am not inclined at all to spend a lot of money for an IEM that apparently only sounds best when using a DSP cable. Why not use free EQ in the first place, then, which works with any cable of my choice? The next, obvious, question is then, of course, if you are already using EQ, why spend much on an IEM and not use a much cheaper one to start with and EQ that one?

 

[CedarX]

Most reviewers seem to feel that the sound (tuning) is a lot better with the DSP cable. I think Crinacle is underselling the "minor" corrections.

Audiophiles—and subjective reviewers in particular—tend to exaggerate differences, whether they are audible, measured (e.g FR), or on paper (e.g. ESS vs. AKM). Better? Yes… A lot better? I’m not so sure…

My personal theory...I feel like what's happening is that Moondrop wants to promote their DSP cable and app. They want to show just how great things can be when using it, so some tuning was held back from the IEM.

Maybe with the $65 May, but helding back a $360 IEM to promote a $30 upgrade cable?

 

[markanini]

Thinking that a manufacturer would make an included accessory incrementally improve the performance makes total sense, it's done all the time.

 

[MayaTlab]

Audiophiles—and subjective reviewers in particular—tend to exaggerate differences, whether they are audible, measured (e.g FR), or on paper (e.g. ESS vs. AKM). Better? Yes… A lot better? I’m not so sure…

The difference between the two (analog vs default USB-C) should be easily audible in a blind test though.

 

[MayaTlab]

Free Dsp cable is on the market for several months now and while i read everywhere the consensus on the bugginess of the app I don't remember here users blaming about artifacts, so it seems kind of strange if it only does it when connected to the Dusk. But again, if it could be taken as acceptable for something like the May (65€), surely for what you pay here you should get something nearly perfect in every aspects, that it doesn't seem the case.

I have the May at home and, when connected to a MacBook Pro, I've heard a few artefacts when starting / stoping playback for now, but I'm not quite sure yet if I can systematically reproduce them consistently.

Regardless of price, given the importance of DSP for sound quality and where I think the headphones / IEM industry should be going, I don't find it particularly acceptable. Hopefully they'll sort it out quickly, but if a software fix can do it, can Moondrop's USB-C DAC's firmware be updated by the user ?

 

[MayaTlab]

Listener wrote a review of the Dusk here : https://headphones.com/blogs/all/moondrop-x-crinacle-dusk-an-inconvenient-truth

Interestingly, as an example of the sort of signal that triggers the Free DSP's noise issues, he suggests the track "Weird fishes" by Radiohead, and with the cable that I have at home (from the May, but it's the same as the one sent with the Dusk), I have to say that for me too this track makes the issue blatantly obvious in the first few seconds.

 

[digitalfrost]

Since the DSP/EQ settings were released, I don't consider the DSP cable necessary. A question that I want to post to other IEM manufacturers is rather this: Why don't they release EQ settings meant to improve what is already there?

 

[MacClintock]

I have the May at home and, when connected to a MacBook Pro, I've heard a few artefacts when starting / stoping playback for now, but I'm not quite sure yet if I can systematically reproduce them consistently.

Regardless of price, given the importance of DSP for sound quality and where I think the headphones / IEM industry should be going, I don't find it particularly acceptable. Hopefully they'll sort it out quickly, but if a software fix can do it, can Moondrop's USB-C DAC's firmware be updated by the user ?

Sure, if that would result in a noiseless, high quality cable with great EQ software, that would be fine. But currently, as far as I can see, the software is awkward to use, buggy, does not allow positive gain (or was it negative?), has only peak filters, no shelfs and so on. So there might pass years until all of this will be resolved, then I might consider it. But they should also work on using it with an iPhone, because when I am listening at home, I much prefer real EQ on my MacBook or my streaming phone with UAPP.

 

[Phorize]

Release EQ settings meant to improve what is already there?

I suppose that many manufacturers would say customers aren't generally interested in parametric eq. Another reason may well be that the marketing hype is often all about FR tuning. Enthusiasts are buying iem after iem in the search for that perfect tuning. If eq becomes easy for the average person that's the end of that gravy train.

 

[carlcamper]

Listener wrote a review of the Dusk here : https://headphones.com/blogs/all/moondrop-x-crinacle-dusk-an-inconvenient-truth

Interestingly, as an example of the sort of signal that triggers the Free DSP's noise issues, he suggests the track "Weird fishes" by Radiohead, and with the cable that I have at home (from the May, but it's the same as the one sent with the Dusk), I have to say that for me too this track makes the issue blatantly obvious in the first few seconds.

Could the issue be related to the XMOS chip in the DAC? If so, there is a potential workaround here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...os-driver-settings-for-no-cutoff-delay.25838/

I'm getting my unit later today, and will test as well.

 

[mc.god]

Could the issue be related to the XMOS chip in the DAC? If so, there is a potential workaround here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...os-driver-settings-for-no-cutoff-delay.25838/

I'm getting my unit later today, and will test as well.

FreeDSP cable doesn't use the Xmos chip

 

[carlcamper]

FreeDSP cable doesn't use the Xmos chip

Thanks. Confirming I don’t seem to hear any artifacts from my Crinacle Dusk in USB-C from an iPhone 15 Pro Max. Really enjoying it so far!

 

[MacClintock]

Thanks. Confirming I don’t seem to hear any artifacts from my Crinacle Dusk in USB-C from an iPhone 15 Pro Max. Really enjoying it so far!

So it does work with the USB-C iPhones? The app as well?