I've got the Kato and I must say it blows me away. I understand that price and performance do not correlate but hearing a $189 IEM sounding this good still makes me wonder how good the TOTL Moondrop or Softears single DD IEMs could be. Do you consider the Illumination and Turii to be the state of the art? What do they brings to the table? Do they have the 7kHz canal resonance issue that no one talks about? I am thinking about getting the Turii as my endgame but I am not sure that is the right choice.
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Has anyone tried the Moondrop Aria?
- Thread starter Acerun
- Start date
Bought the Blessing 2s with their upgrade "Bort" cable.. I thought they put a joke on me when I saw the 120 USD cable... Stiff AF and really uncomfortable. It would take the IEMs out of your ears!!
I also think that quality wise, Moondrop stuff is lacking. As for the earphones themselves, not impressed.. Crinacle's recs are definitely not for me.
I also think that quality wise, Moondrop stuff is lacking. As for the earphones themselves, not impressed.. Crinacle's recs are definitely not for me.
fieldcar
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Did you have any of the other moondrop iems? I had the aria's, but misplaced them. So I got the kato's to replace them. While the kato's are pretty much my ideal tuning, I would say that they aren't really a big upgrade from the aria's if memory serves me correctly. I do think the kato's can go much louder though. Maybe it's the new low thd driver. Or it's the marketing getting to me. Heh.
I have or had the KXXS, Blessing 2, Blessing 2 Dusk, and Softears RSV. The high frequency on Kato is the smoothest.
fieldcar
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Oh. Wow. Thanks for the feedback. I would have thought the dusk would have been king. Is there any reason to check it out if I've got the Kato?
The Dusk has more treble and less mid-bass, making it brighter and thinner than the Kato. What I liked about the Dusk is that it added more sub-bass rumble on top of the original blessing 2 and attenuated the sibilant treble. Female vocals on the Dusk are excellent. It's on the verge of being sibilant yet very sparkly. Piano and orchestral music is clean and crispy. Male vocals are a bit too thin but acceptable. For heavy and intense music like metal or even pop songs, however, the Dusk does not have enough weight due to the lack of mid-bass.
So If you listen to a lot of female vocals, you might enjoy the Dusk. I personally think Kao with the steel nozzle is neutral and the brass nozzle is warm neutral. I don't consider the Dusk "neutral" but pleasantly colored. But it is still Moondrop, it is still more neutral than most IEMs out there.
phoenixsong
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Warning: Long post incoming! I did some tip comparisons for a friend but due to the immense effort involved, I feel like it is worth sharing here for Aria owners and buyers alike 
Shorter bore = usually more sub bass
Wider bore = usually more upper treble
Short and wide bore = usually more v shaped
Longer bore = usually more mids
Long and wide bore = usually more airy and distant/thin
4 main factors apart from audio gear affecting how we can hear differently- first is our own ear anatomy (based on nuraphone's app my hearing is slightly less sensitive at the upper treble region- the diagram was shaped like a perfect upright roundish pentagon with a mild concave in the top left sloping face- meaning I might like a bit more treble air than others, but information from the app might not be transferable for IEMs/non-nuraphones -> needs verification). Second would be the listening level (the louder you listen to stuff the more bass and treble you hear according to the Munson Fletcher Curve). I personally listen at quite low levels, so take that into account. Third would be the seal (with better seal there would be more bass). I also hear different sizes of identical tip models differently and wonder if someone with M sized ears hear M sized tips the same way I hear S sized tips with my S sized ears, or if they hear them the way I hear M sized tips. Either way, this shows that small variations in tip sizes, such as between the same size of different brands, will inevitably affect perceived sound. Last of all is age (hearing experiences increasing roll of in the upper limit of the human audible frequency spectrum with age- mine cuts of at just under 18kHz currently; it was clearly above a few months back).
Disclaimer: Not going to note down every single tip I have and tried with the Aria in the past, since there are too many and many of which sound terrible (including Spiral Dots and ++ and all the other Spinfits). I didn’t expect the results of the CP100+ and Final Type E tips from the comparisons, because of prior negative auditory experience with nearly all other Spinfit tips including the CP100 non-plus version, and because the super narrow bore of the Final tips is usually an indicator of much darker, muted/congested sound. All tips tested should be in S size according to my memory unless stated otherwise and tested on the Moondrop Aria fitted with KXXS filters and NiceHCK GoldenFall SPC cable, driven by my Motu M2.
Narrowest bore tips:
Dunu/Fiio Red bore grey silicone- short bore (Decent soundstage, gobs of deep tight bass, smooth treble, slightly lacks upper mids and lower treble)
FAudio Instrument (In between Dunu/Fiio tips and AET08. Tonality of the Ostry with the presentation of the stock)
Final Audio 2021 Type E in Clear/Red with nozzle adaptor (Like FAudio above, but more focused on upper mids than lower mids, so less dark/heavy sounding. Very similar to the Dunu/Fiio, with a bit less relative bass and thus less dark. Still some bass congestion compared to wider bore tips, but it’s miraculously kept to the bass. Overall on the brighter side for narrow bore tips, with nice mid-treble detail)
Acoustune AET08 (Closer soundstage than Dunu/Fiio tips, more mids, less smooth treble)
Acoustune AET08A (Same as above but with more treble- splashy in nature)
Whizzer Easyfit Vocal tips (Sounds like the Ostry but with hazy treble)
*MH750 translucent white (Tonality close to the Ostry with the presentation of the Starlines, with slightly more upper mids. Bit more mids than the Final. More forward upper mids than stock hence less dark mid tonality with less treble shimmer; soundstage is similar but might be perceived to be more spacious due to said tonality. Given the price and quality of the IEMs it is packaged with I’d say it’s a worthy collection for a slight twist)
Close to stock bore width tips:
*Moondrop Aria Stock (Compared to Dunu/Fiio, a bit more upper mids and less bass, less dark sounding. Less bass pressure than Final Type E)
Ostry KC06A narrow/reference grey (Very similar to stock with a bit less presence, less upper mids but more treble- has its peak in higher frequencies? Upper mids is a bit too recessed for my liking. Feels less impactful but smoother, easier to appreciate sense of depth and space- similar to Tanchjim Cora narrow bore in this aspect)
Tanchjim Cora narrow bore (Very close to stock but transition between mids and treble is smoother with less sibilance/glare. Sense of immediacy and realism in the cymbals suffers a little though. Less perceived bass thickness which increases perceived soundstage width)
*KZ Starline M-sized (Wide soundstage due to its mid and treble presentation and reduced bass pressure, tonality overall slightly brighter than stock. Sounds like the MH750 tips with less bass and more treble. Lower to middle mids sound very similar to the Spinfit, bass is a bit less sub bass focused, treble a bit less smooth but more energetic and fun sounding. Price is *chefs kiss*)
*Spinfit CP100+ (More balanced sounding version of the Dunu/Fiio tips, soundstage is large and better presented than the Starlines’ in a more hemispherical fashion, with cleaner imaging and better separation. Would be perfect using huge curved monitors or IMAX screens lmao! Mids isn’t particularly loud or forward but its detail is surprisingly very good. Overall seems to best fit the Harman Curve in my head, pinna gain and all. Soaring upper mids with silky treble and weighty but not congested bass. Bass is probably the least characteristic trait- it is not especially tight or congested at my low listening level but is just there. At times I wish it had a tiny bit more upper treble, but it could be because of my relative insensitivity to that frequency region, at least according to the nuraphone app’s assessment, together with low volume listening levels which yields a lower perceived treble response in turn -> Munson Fletcher Curve. My favourite in said configuration)
Wide bore tips:
*BGVP A07 (One-of-a-kind pairing with the Aria in mentioned configuration. Vocal-oriented version of the Spinfit, bass is relatively less prominent as a result. Treble is smooth and clear but the velvety vocals take the forefront of the stage, which is great and has good height portrayal but slightly closer in proximity compared to the Spinfits’. Violins have a live, airy feel “
”. Works magic on tracks like “
” and “
” where vocals are slightly behind ideal in the mix, overly thin/bright, could be spotlighted, or where upper treble can be increased for extra air and liveliness. With “
” for example, where vocals are already warm and forward and air is sufficient, it still sounds great but the balance seems a little off for general track appreciation *Spinfit CP100+ sounds phenomenal on that track and also performs better on general pop songs where bass should be more prominent. The A07 tips is a vocals champ though; it handles everything from Disney to campfire songs and is the only tip which makes me feel like singing. I don’t listen to ASMR but I daresay it would be the best tip for that purpose as well. Given how well it complements the Spinfit I’d definitely keep both)
Acoustune AET07 (Less lower treble than BGVP A07. Soundstage suffers a bit as a result, but quite similar)
Philips Fidelio Grey bore (Compared to stock, main difference is in the treble- stock treble captures more lower frequencies and sounds more fleshed out. The Fidelio seems like it has slightly less upper mids too. Darker with less upper mids and more lower mids than the one size up)
Philips Fidelio one size up (Slightly brighter and tighter sounding than the similarly sized Starlines in M. Might have better lower mid transition, but somehow treble imaging does not stand out as much though there’s no shortage of it, possibly due to competition from upper mids. Upon repeated testing I find it overall too bright)
Green bore tips packaged with GR37 Anni or GR07X (Compared to Spinfits, less upper mids-lower treble and more congested sounding)
Acoustune AET07A (Mids too thick sounding)
KBear/NiceHCK 07 (Quite similar to Green bore tips but with a little more upper mids- lower treble hence clearer sounding. More bass and less soundstage compared to A07 tips)
Whizzer Easytips ET100 (Woolly sounding in the bass to mids, treble is clear though)
Whizzer HE01 Reference (Close to stock with greater sense of air throughout. Somewhat like the Ostry but effect is more exaggerated. Less upper mids than the ET100, and treble might be too unnaturally airy/splashy for some- cymbals seem to be lacking in the lower frequencies)
Forgotten IEM black with red bore (Close tonality to stock but more V-shaped with better defined bass and increased, brighter airier treble. Too much treble imo, especially considering I’m listening to it at lower volume and supposedly have reduced sensitivity towards upper treble. Audiophiles be audiophiles tho)
FAudio Vocal (Too much bass and maybe lower mids, mids- especially upper- can be more forward)
Fiio F5 black (Slightly more natural than the F5 coloured bore in orange, but no strengths really worthy of note. Slightly shouty)
Fiio F5 orange bore (Like the Forgotten IEM tips but less smooth, with more lower mids and bass weight. A little congested/nasally sounding though, as if the pinna peak has been pushed up the frequency too much)
Azla Xelastec (More focused sounding in the than the Crystal. Treble emphasis is lower in the frequency region compared to the Short- less air and more bite. Quite unique sounding, somewhat unnatural and hard to describe. It’s a bit like bassy instruments only contain bass and cymbals only contain treble, while this sounds better integrated through other tips like the Forgotten red bore)
Super wide bore tips:
Azla Crystal Standard (Like the Spinfit with less bass and more treble. A bit too much treble air and bass isn’t very focused/solid, but soundstage is still good)
Azla Sedna Earfit Regular (Spacious, distant soundstage, but quite annoying to listen to because of all the extra upper frequencies present)
Azla Sedna Earfit Light (Sounds less annoying than the Regular version, wasn’t expecting this. Soundstage is still large but vocals sound a little thin and unfocused)
Azla Sedna Earfit Light Short (More focused vocals than the Light. Soundstage is less artificially wide but is very open sounding)
Azla Sedna Earfit Short (More balanced than the Light Short with added low end, a tad more congested sounding. Top end is still a little excessive due to the extra wide bore so sound can be described as V-shaped)
Concluding Favourites for this configuration of the Moondrop Aria using the Motu M2:
Stock S sized (Comes with Aria at no extra cost, good reference point XD)
Spinfit CP100+ S sized (Best all-rounder with great soundstage and separation and refinement)
KZ Starline M sized (Budget version of the Spinfit with same tonality and soundstage but less dynamism due to different bass region focus and also less refinement a.k.a. not as smooth and clean sounding)
MH750 S sized (Slight twist to stock with more upper mids and less upper treble. Comes with outstanding super budget IEMs as an affordable package)
BGVP A07 S sized (Unparalleled pure vocal bliss for little. Nuff said)
Shorter bore = usually more sub bass
Wider bore = usually more upper treble
Short and wide bore = usually more v shaped
Longer bore = usually more mids
Long and wide bore = usually more airy and distant/thin
4 main factors apart from audio gear affecting how we can hear differently- first is our own ear anatomy (based on nuraphone's app my hearing is slightly less sensitive at the upper treble region- the diagram was shaped like a perfect upright roundish pentagon with a mild concave in the top left sloping face- meaning I might like a bit more treble air than others, but information from the app might not be transferable for IEMs/non-nuraphones -> needs verification). Second would be the listening level (the louder you listen to stuff the more bass and treble you hear according to the Munson Fletcher Curve). I personally listen at quite low levels, so take that into account. Third would be the seal (with better seal there would be more bass). I also hear different sizes of identical tip models differently and wonder if someone with M sized ears hear M sized tips the same way I hear S sized tips with my S sized ears, or if they hear them the way I hear M sized tips. Either way, this shows that small variations in tip sizes, such as between the same size of different brands, will inevitably affect perceived sound. Last of all is age (hearing experiences increasing roll of in the upper limit of the human audible frequency spectrum with age- mine cuts of at just under 18kHz currently; it was clearly above a few months back).
Disclaimer: Not going to note down every single tip I have and tried with the Aria in the past, since there are too many and many of which sound terrible (including Spiral Dots and ++ and all the other Spinfits). I didn’t expect the results of the CP100+ and Final Type E tips from the comparisons, because of prior negative auditory experience with nearly all other Spinfit tips including the CP100 non-plus version, and because the super narrow bore of the Final tips is usually an indicator of much darker, muted/congested sound. All tips tested should be in S size according to my memory unless stated otherwise and tested on the Moondrop Aria fitted with KXXS filters and NiceHCK GoldenFall SPC cable, driven by my Motu M2.
Narrowest bore tips:
Dunu/Fiio Red bore grey silicone- short bore (Decent soundstage, gobs of deep tight bass, smooth treble, slightly lacks upper mids and lower treble)
FAudio Instrument (In between Dunu/Fiio tips and AET08. Tonality of the Ostry with the presentation of the stock)
Final Audio 2021 Type E in Clear/Red with nozzle adaptor (Like FAudio above, but more focused on upper mids than lower mids, so less dark/heavy sounding. Very similar to the Dunu/Fiio, with a bit less relative bass and thus less dark. Still some bass congestion compared to wider bore tips, but it’s miraculously kept to the bass. Overall on the brighter side for narrow bore tips, with nice mid-treble detail)
Acoustune AET08 (Closer soundstage than Dunu/Fiio tips, more mids, less smooth treble)
Acoustune AET08A (Same as above but with more treble- splashy in nature)
Whizzer Easyfit Vocal tips (Sounds like the Ostry but with hazy treble)
*MH750 translucent white (Tonality close to the Ostry with the presentation of the Starlines, with slightly more upper mids. Bit more mids than the Final. More forward upper mids than stock hence less dark mid tonality with less treble shimmer; soundstage is similar but might be perceived to be more spacious due to said tonality. Given the price and quality of the IEMs it is packaged with I’d say it’s a worthy collection for a slight twist)
Close to stock bore width tips:
*Moondrop Aria Stock (Compared to Dunu/Fiio, a bit more upper mids and less bass, less dark sounding. Less bass pressure than Final Type E)
Ostry KC06A narrow/reference grey (Very similar to stock with a bit less presence, less upper mids but more treble- has its peak in higher frequencies? Upper mids is a bit too recessed for my liking. Feels less impactful but smoother, easier to appreciate sense of depth and space- similar to Tanchjim Cora narrow bore in this aspect)
Tanchjim Cora narrow bore (Very close to stock but transition between mids and treble is smoother with less sibilance/glare. Sense of immediacy and realism in the cymbals suffers a little though. Less perceived bass thickness which increases perceived soundstage width)
*KZ Starline M-sized (Wide soundstage due to its mid and treble presentation and reduced bass pressure, tonality overall slightly brighter than stock. Sounds like the MH750 tips with less bass and more treble. Lower to middle mids sound very similar to the Spinfit, bass is a bit less sub bass focused, treble a bit less smooth but more energetic and fun sounding. Price is *chefs kiss*)
*Spinfit CP100+ (More balanced sounding version of the Dunu/Fiio tips, soundstage is large and better presented than the Starlines’ in a more hemispherical fashion, with cleaner imaging and better separation. Would be perfect using huge curved monitors or IMAX screens lmao! Mids isn’t particularly loud or forward but its detail is surprisingly very good. Overall seems to best fit the Harman Curve in my head, pinna gain and all. Soaring upper mids with silky treble and weighty but not congested bass. Bass is probably the least characteristic trait- it is not especially tight or congested at my low listening level but is just there. At times I wish it had a tiny bit more upper treble, but it could be because of my relative insensitivity to that frequency region, at least according to the nuraphone app’s assessment, together with low volume listening levels which yields a lower perceived treble response in turn -> Munson Fletcher Curve. My favourite in said configuration)
Wide bore tips:
*BGVP A07 (One-of-a-kind pairing with the Aria in mentioned configuration. Vocal-oriented version of the Spinfit, bass is relatively less prominent as a result. Treble is smooth and clear but the velvety vocals take the forefront of the stage, which is great and has good height portrayal but slightly closer in proximity compared to the Spinfits’. Violins have a live, airy feel “
Acoustune AET07 (Less lower treble than BGVP A07. Soundstage suffers a bit as a result, but quite similar)
Philips Fidelio Grey bore (Compared to stock, main difference is in the treble- stock treble captures more lower frequencies and sounds more fleshed out. The Fidelio seems like it has slightly less upper mids too. Darker with less upper mids and more lower mids than the one size up)
Philips Fidelio one size up (Slightly brighter and tighter sounding than the similarly sized Starlines in M. Might have better lower mid transition, but somehow treble imaging does not stand out as much though there’s no shortage of it, possibly due to competition from upper mids. Upon repeated testing I find it overall too bright)
Green bore tips packaged with GR37 Anni or GR07X (Compared to Spinfits, less upper mids-lower treble and more congested sounding)
Acoustune AET07A (Mids too thick sounding)
KBear/NiceHCK 07 (Quite similar to Green bore tips but with a little more upper mids- lower treble hence clearer sounding. More bass and less soundstage compared to A07 tips)
Whizzer Easytips ET100 (Woolly sounding in the bass to mids, treble is clear though)
Whizzer HE01 Reference (Close to stock with greater sense of air throughout. Somewhat like the Ostry but effect is more exaggerated. Less upper mids than the ET100, and treble might be too unnaturally airy/splashy for some- cymbals seem to be lacking in the lower frequencies)
Forgotten IEM black with red bore (Close tonality to stock but more V-shaped with better defined bass and increased, brighter airier treble. Too much treble imo, especially considering I’m listening to it at lower volume and supposedly have reduced sensitivity towards upper treble. Audiophiles be audiophiles tho
)FAudio Vocal (Too much bass and maybe lower mids, mids- especially upper- can be more forward)
Fiio F5 black (Slightly more natural than the F5 coloured bore in orange, but no strengths really worthy of note. Slightly shouty)
Fiio F5 orange bore (Like the Forgotten IEM tips but less smooth, with more lower mids and bass weight. A little congested/nasally sounding though, as if the pinna peak has been pushed up the frequency too much)
Azla Xelastec (More focused sounding in the than the Crystal. Treble emphasis is lower in the frequency region compared to the Short- less air and more bite. Quite unique sounding, somewhat unnatural and hard to describe. It’s a bit like bassy instruments only contain bass and cymbals only contain treble, while this sounds better integrated through other tips like the Forgotten red bore)
Super wide bore tips:
Azla Crystal Standard (Like the Spinfit with less bass and more treble. A bit too much treble air and bass isn’t very focused/solid, but soundstage is still good)
Azla Sedna Earfit Regular (Spacious, distant soundstage, but quite annoying to listen to because of all the extra upper frequencies present)
Azla Sedna Earfit Light (Sounds less annoying than the Regular version, wasn’t expecting this. Soundstage is still large but vocals sound a little thin and unfocused)
Azla Sedna Earfit Light Short (More focused vocals than the Light. Soundstage is less artificially wide but is very open sounding)
Azla Sedna Earfit Short (More balanced than the Light Short with added low end, a tad more congested sounding. Top end is still a little excessive due to the extra wide bore so sound can be described as V-shaped)
Concluding Favourites for this configuration of the Moondrop Aria using the Motu M2:
Stock S sized (Comes with Aria at no extra cost, good reference point XD)
Spinfit CP100+ S sized (Best all-rounder with great soundstage and separation and refinement)
KZ Starline M sized (Budget version of the Spinfit with same tonality and soundstage but less dynamism due to different bass region focus and also less refinement a.k.a. not as smooth and clean sounding)
MH750 S sized (Slight twist to stock with more upper mids and less upper treble. Comes with outstanding super budget IEMs as an affordable package
)BGVP A07 S sized (Unparalleled pure vocal bliss for little. Nuff said)
phoenixsong
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Oh for treble airheads who don't mind sacrificing bass focus and body in the vocals, meaning it would be somewhat thin and airy sounding, the Sedna Light Short would be my recommendation for a treble tip (or Sedna Short if regular bass is desired along with the treble)
Last edited:
swamps
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I'm obviously not John but you can easily see the ear canal resonance on Crinacle's graphs for example. Virtually all shallow insertion IEMs have this peak, so I'm very curious when he said the Kato doesn't have it.
Do note that the resonance peak shown on graphs is very unreliable, just take it as an indicator of how bad it is. When you do a sine sweep the frequency and magnitude will most likely shift.
Yes I understand. What I'm curious about is that John always says ear canal resonance is at 7kHz. Is it just in his ears? Or also seen in measurements?
If we look at the measurements,
Crin always put the coupler resonance at 8kHz.
Yes, we can actually check our own ear canal resonance using a sine sweep. Just curious about the 7kHz number that John meant.
Does this possibly mean i won't get ANY vocal shoutiness? VS of various degrees is the constant bane of my audio-life, and on the Arias it is particularly intolerable.
I have never heard the Aria and don't know what IEMs you found not shouty. Is difficult to convey what shoutiness means to you without specifying the corresponding frequency region. For me vocal shoutiness comes when the 2-3kHz "pinna gain" is too high.
My first guess would be that shallow insertion is not for you. The nozzle on the Aria is not too big, and it doesn't go deep into the ear canal. That causes significant bass leakage which can result in vocal thinness/shoutiness. IEMs with thicker and longer nozzles should fix this issues.
My second guess would be that you might prefer the sound of non-pinna-gained IEMs. In my first few years into this hobby, I was used to the sound of IEMs from manufacturers that didn't incorporate the diffuse field/pinna gain in their target responses, like the old models from Westone, Sennheiser, Shure, and Ultimate Ears. They had many other issues but I didn't found their vocals shouty because their 2-3kHz region was simply too low compared to any diffuse field targets. Any Moondrop IEMs will sound complete different from these.
Either case you are likely to find the Kato shouty as well.
Thankyou very much for this response. I have yet to fully appreciate the meaning of 'pinna gain' but I'm working on it! Do iem blurbs actually state this? Whether or not they are 'pinna gained' ? Longer nozzles are yes, a "no-brainer' for me as i feel that my canals are positively cavernous from all the incessant digging into them in Search of the Lost Seal. Thankyou again for your counsel; my more technical education proceeds apace...
phoenixsong
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Pinna gain is a really well-known term amongst IEM users, synonymous actually with the Harman Curve. Nozzle length does affect the frequency of peaks from what I've read, but I forgot if longer nozzles shift them up in frequency or otherwise
Just tried KATO (sorry not showing photos). Peak 7kHz still available with silver nozzle. However, when using a brass nozzle, the 7kHz peak completely disappears, making Moondrop KATO peak-free.
Even though it's peak-free, I find the KATO treble isn't completely linear, I find notche at 8k-9kHz.
Even though it's peak-free, I find the KATO treble isn't completely linear, I find notche at 8k-9kHz.
phoenixsong
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Yeah, I might try the Tin Hifi T3 Plus. Had the T2 but didn't like it, and never tried their products since then. But quite a number of people have said the T3+ sounds more natural than the Aria and like it more- measurements seem good too
Yeah, T3 Plus measurement better than other Tin Hifi product. But I think Moondrop has better treble response than T3 plus
phoenixsong
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I have had the Aria for quite some time, and really like what it gives for its price. I've even messed around with the filter and cable and tried so many tips that I don't want to see tips anymore for awhile lol! But recently one of my friends told me how he didn't like the Aria's treble.
"I’m ok with the mids and the lows... the bass is there... but the internal background and the highs- especially the finest details of the music- felt like (they are) flying away/ascending somewhere" were his exact words.
Having listened to IEMs and headphones of all price points since 2012, and having scoured review and measurement sites alike, I am familiar with how fickle human (my) auditory perception is as well as the effect memory has on impressions. Not wishing to be complacent, I though it would be pertinent for me to try the T3+ myself before coming to a conclusion and concurrently reassessing my own preferences. The only thing holding me back is the channel imbalance detected amongst some of the T3+ units. I think it could also be the reason why there are mixed opinions in reviews comparing its soundstage against the Aria's
Hello Aria users,
Some experience sharing here about choosing tips if it can prevent other people beginning with IEM to do the same mistakes.
Finally I was not fully convinced by Aria as mids was a bit harsh, fatiguing.
It was my first impressions too when I tried Starfield for a couple of days before switching for Aria.
It was obvious when I listen to Christian Scott and his trumpet. Of course this instrument has an acid sound but with the Aria it was too pronounced and after a couple of minute I wanted to pull them off.
I started to question the Harman curve for IEMs.
"Are IEM harman curve too elevated in mids to my taste ?"
Weird thing as I like it for headphones (I use the AKG K371) and the target is pretty much the same for headphones and IEMs at 1 or 2 dB in mids.
If the curve is the same my ears can't be ok with it when using headphones and not ok when using IEMs...
My mistake was in the way I choose tips. Because of what I read several years back on forums on how to choose tips, I always thought of sealing and bass response first.
"Where better bass response there is, better seal there is so the better choice it is !"
And it was my only criteria of choice.
Rooky mistake.
So when I did tips test, it was in mono with a different tip in each ear, switching balance from L/R for direct comparison.
That way it is very hard to have an overall impression of the full spectrum.
Ahah ! I was missing so much about depth insertion and how it affects the global FR !
I tried the three sizes of foam tips sold by Moondrop, and the three of silicon ones provided.
When I tested foam ones in mono direct comparison, L size was very impressive because of the most solid bass response among all the possibilities.
So I putted L foams on both side for stereo daily use.
Very impressive at first, "big sound"... but at the same time mushy in high mids (lack of details) and aggressive in upper trebles with cymbals (I regularly read on forums that foam recess trebles, not sure about that).
I changed for M ones. More balanced, still this impressive sound at first but still aggressive in the upper after several minutes.
I tried S ones, seal not good enough, no bass at all.
So I went back to silicons.
L ones, too large, no sealing, no bass.
Standard M silicon, still the best compromise at the time and I stick with it a long time.
Much more balance in mids and trebles but as there isn't this bass boost compensation that foams have, it is when I started to wondering about this mids harshness. For a pleasant sound in long listening I had to EQ it and remove almost 3 dB in all the 1k-4kHz area.
Back then I tried very quickly S silicon tips in mono comparison only, I thought it was too small, first impression was "not the higher bass response so not the best seal so not the good choice". What a shame Lack of patience and curiosity to not have tested it in stereo at this moment.
I got back today to the S ones on both sides.
Still not the higher bass and the most impressive sound at first but....... from afar the best choice with my ears !
Of course it is the ones with deepest insertion in my ear canals.
Mids harshness gone. Tight sound in mids because in measurements it pretty much follows the Harman curve but no fatigue, no impressions of peaks in 1k-3kHz area and no envy to pull the IEMs off.
I didn't read a lot of stuff about depth insertion (I know Etymotic works with deep insertion but are Moondrop IEMs made for ?) but I guess deepest insertion avoid resonance problems of ear canal.
One test song I think is the good old Creep by Radiohead. The guitars are so thick and straight it is pretty easy to detect any problems in our most sensitive hearing area.
I would say to stick with the silicon tips, even if Moondrop sell foams I don't think Aria were designed for (no good results here with any size of foams) and of course, to choose tips, don't stick only on the seal criteria according to high bass level.
I read that too often on forums, it's a mistake that I perpetuated and I was about to sell these IEMs for a bad choice of tips...
Still wondering about trying See Audio Yume though :
Some experience sharing here about choosing tips if it can prevent other people beginning with IEM to do the same mistakes.
Finally I was not fully convinced by Aria as mids was a bit harsh, fatiguing.
It was my first impressions too when I tried Starfield for a couple of days before switching for Aria.
It was obvious when I listen to Christian Scott and his trumpet. Of course this instrument has an acid sound but with the Aria it was too pronounced and after a couple of minute I wanted to pull them off.
I started to question the Harman curve for IEMs.
"Are IEM harman curve too elevated in mids to my taste ?"
Weird thing as I like it for headphones (I use the AKG K371) and the target is pretty much the same for headphones and IEMs at 1 or 2 dB in mids.
If the curve is the same my ears can't be ok with it when using headphones and not ok when using IEMs...
My mistake was in the way I choose tips. Because of what I read several years back on forums on how to choose tips, I always thought of sealing and bass response first.
"Where better bass response there is, better seal there is so the better choice it is !"
And it was my only criteria of choice.
Rooky mistake.So when I did tips test, it was in mono with a different tip in each ear, switching balance from L/R for direct comparison.
That way it is very hard to have an overall impression of the full spectrum.
Ahah ! I was missing so much about depth insertion and how it affects the global FR !
I tried the three sizes of foam tips sold by Moondrop, and the three of silicon ones provided.
When I tested foam ones in mono direct comparison, L size was very impressive because of the most solid bass response among all the possibilities.
So I putted L foams on both side for stereo daily use.
Very impressive at first, "big sound"... but at the same time mushy in high mids (lack of details) and aggressive in upper trebles with cymbals (I regularly read on forums that foam recess trebles, not sure about that).
I changed for M ones. More balanced, still this impressive sound at first but still aggressive in the upper after several minutes.
I tried S ones, seal not good enough, no bass at all.
So I went back to silicons.
L ones, too large, no sealing, no bass.
Standard M silicon, still the best compromise at the time and I stick with it a long time.
Much more balance in mids and trebles but as there isn't this bass boost compensation that foams have, it is when I started to wondering about this mids harshness. For a pleasant sound in long listening I had to EQ it and remove almost 3 dB in all the 1k-4kHz area.
Back then I tried very quickly S silicon tips in mono comparison only, I thought it was too small, first impression was "not the higher bass response so not the best seal so not the good choice". What a shame
Lack of patience and curiosity to not have tested it in stereo at this moment.I got back today to the S ones on both sides.
Still not the higher bass and the most impressive sound at first but....... from afar the best choice with my ears !
Of course it is the ones with deepest insertion in my ear canals.
Mids harshness gone. Tight sound in mids because in measurements it pretty much follows the Harman curve but no fatigue, no impressions of peaks in 1k-3kHz area and no envy to pull the IEMs off.
I didn't read a lot of stuff about depth insertion (I know Etymotic works with deep insertion but are Moondrop IEMs made for ?) but I guess deepest insertion avoid resonance problems of ear canal.
One test song I think is the good old Creep by Radiohead. The guitars are so thick and straight it is pretty easy to detect any problems in our most sensitive hearing area.
I would say to stick with the silicon tips, even if Moondrop sell foams I don't think Aria were designed for (no good results here with any size of foams) and of course, to choose tips, don't stick only on the seal criteria according to high bass level.
I read that too often on forums, it's a mistake that I perpetuated and I was about to sell these IEMs for a bad choice of tips...
Still wondering about trying See Audio Yume though :
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