Moondrop Blessing 3 Review

[raif71]

Very nicely done. Promoted to home page.

Thank you for your Blessing

 

[Joffy1780]

Speaking of it, assuming the speakers/monitors at the tips of a equilateral triangle are the reference, how come the IEMs, playing at the sides of the head, have smaller L/R separation?? Doesn't make sense to me.

I was wondering why the 'ideal playback' illustration isn't symmetrical. Looks very cool though and I love the depth illustration.
I wonder if @Cuckoo Studio would be kind enough to offer more information on this?

 

[lewdish]

What were they measured on/with for the measurement rig? Something that Amir's prior reviews have shown was that traditionally BA drivers tend to have distortion figures up to around 7% but here they are sub 1% across the broad spectrum.

 

[majingotan]

What were they measured on/with for the measurement rig? Something that Amir's prior reviews have shown was that traditionally BA drivers tend to have distortion figures up to around 7% but here they are sub 1% across the broad spectrum.

They weren't measured at 114 dB. Distortion figures for competent IEMs are usually below 1% at 90-94 dB SPL

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

I didn't realise that those test were done by the reviewer? I thought they were manufacturers own test them as they are presented much slicker than any test lab I have ever seen with the company logo and grad background.

Some minor decoration to make the review look more pleasing to the eye.

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

They weren't measured at 114 dB. Distortion figures for competent IEMs are usually below 1% at 90-94 dB SPL

Yes, our maximum sound pressure level test only reaches 104dB, while Amir's usually tests at a higher sound pressure level. The data is similar at the same sound pressure level.

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

Very nicely done. Promoted to home page.

Thank you Amir

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

I was wondering why the 'ideal playback' illustration isn't symmetrical. Looks very cool though and I love the depth illustration.
I wonder if @Cuckoo Studio would be kind enough to offer more information

The top right corner of this 3D image is labeled with the type of instrument, and just like in real life, a high-frequency percussion instrument can be a hihat on the left and a ride on the right, while instruments can be a guitar on the left and an electric piano on the right, and they won't be completely symmetrical. In fact, the ILD data in the middle is the most important.

 

[AndreaT]

Great review! Any indication in your measurements about impedance and efficiency? Are they demanding in terms of HP amplification?

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

Great review! Any indication in your measurements about impedance and efficiency? Are they demanding in terms of HP amplification?

We haven't tested data in this area, but a while ago I used a regular laptop jack while on the go, and with just a little volume gain, I achieved a very high sound pressure level. They are easy to drive.

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

Hi @Cuckoo Studio, thank you for sharing some interesting data and illustrations. Do you have an explanation anywhere of the equipment and techniques you use to come up with these? I had a quick look on your profile and youtube channel but couldn't see anything mentioning the methodology? It was a very quick scan though so I may have missed it! Also in the 3D 'spatial' images I notice the disclaimer mentions 'Horizontal sound field has no scientific data support, only for subjective reference'. Am I correct in concluding that some parts of these illustrations are created using the measurements and some are based on your subjective impression? I'm still trying to process exactly what they show but that's just down to me being a bit slow at figuring out new graphs!

Edit: Noticed there are some answers to my questions here - https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-600-headphone-review-by-cuckoo-studio.36490/

Actually, I explained more details about the 3D image in this post: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-these-199-iems-were-originally-1000.40626/

let me copy an important part here:
"It seems that there is no specialized software that can convert the state of sound into such 3D graphics, and software like Mathlab is also somewhat difficult for me. The spatial sense of sound in music(Not referring to a specific positioning system for humans) is probably only a subjective feeling and is difficult to be specifically translated into scientific models.it's inspired by "The Art of Mixing" by David Gibson, a way that mixing engineers may use to imagine the sense of space in music."

"Further to that, this is indeed a very subjective image and I really wish that scientific models could directly translate such images, but it seems difficult to do so currently. However, I have established some rules in an attempt to make this image as comparable as possible when comparing different models of headphones for value and reasonability.

On the front graph, the vertical contraction from top to bottom is determined by the frequency response. If the high frequencies are more compared to the flat target, then compared to the flat room playback graph, elements such as high frequency percussion will become larger. If there is a decrease or increase in the part from Mid, the volume of the instruments and main vocals will also contract upwards or downwards. The same applies to bass.rule on right is 6dB/unit.

The horizontal sound field has not yet been scientifically proven and is only a subjective feeling. It is also explained in the text in the lower left corner. The ILD in the middle is the representation of skew, the frequency response difference between L&R，the smaller the better.

The contraction on the side graph is calculated based on a certain rule by THD+ILD. In the mixing process, it is commonly observed that the bigger the distortion adds to the instruments, the heavier the coloration, and the smaller the dynamic feeling, so headphones with high distortion will have a contraction on this graph. Overall, this is a graph that intend to make my description of headphone sound more vivid. Language descriptions of headphones are really useless, so here it comes."

(Perhaps I need to create a separate post to explain this graph in more detail, and copy the link to the bottom of each review's graph note, so that friends who have questions can quickly resolve them.)

 

[Jochen]

Nice review! Although I will not get the Blessing 3 as I already own the Variations. @Cuckoo Studio, it would be so nice to have an equivalent review for them, could you please do that? I am especially interested in the distortion measurements, the Blessing 3 has them well controlled, so much to the myth that BA necessarily have high distortions.

 

[Jochen]

Very nicely done. Promoted to home page.

Didn't you promise quite some time ago a S8 review?

 

[Music1969]

View attachment 283269

Welcome to Cuckoo Studio review. I'm Anzol, The following content is presented from the perspective of a mixing engineer.

If you prefer video version:

We have received the Blessing 3 sent by MOONDROP, let's take a comprehensive look at its performance. The packaging of Blessing 3 is mainly white, includes earphones, instruction manual, and a headphone bag in the same style, containing earplugs and a 3.5mm cable.

View attachment 283270
View attachment 283271
View attachment 283272

As a product positioned in the anime style, it seems that the new waifu is also a top priority for some people. The earphone weighs 8.5g and has a solid feel. The body is silver-blue and white in color, with a silver glossy stainless steel cover on the front panel that creates a multi-mirror effect through different angles.

View attachment 283273
View attachment 283274

The MOONDROP and BLESSING 3 logos are also engraved on it, making it look very transparent and clean overall. The body is transparent, allowing you to see the internal parts directly. The horizontally aligned dual dynamic coil, combined with a quad balanced armature structure, can be seen from the nozzles, indicating its design as a three-way frequency characteristic.

View attachment 283275
View attachment 283276

With such an appearance, what kind of core does it have? Let's take a look at how it performs in terms of sound.
Frequency Response: Using Harman 2018 as the standard, the frequency response of Blessing 3 is almost flat in all aspects, with slight low-frequency gain between Harman 2018 and 2019v2. There is no sense of excess in reality. There are some small fluctuations between 5-8KHz, but the amplitude is only about 2dB. At 8KHz, it is around 3-4dB. From 15KHz, there is an overall sense of airiness and high-frequency gain, but this part has almost no actual musical content, and many adults are unlikely to hear this gain. The measurement data was obtained with shallow insertion, which is similar to the depth I experienced during actual wearing and listening. On a very flat basis, this is a pair of slightly airy headphones.

View attachment 283277

Distortion: Blessing 3 maintains an excellent level of distortion. The gain of the third harmonic can be seen in many balanced armature+dividing design headphones, which is usually an inherent characteristic and has a low amplitude. Basically, it can be controlled below -50dB. The second harmonic can maintain an extremely low level whether it is at 86dB, 96dB or 104dB SPL. The distortion of the third harmonic will not increase with the increase of sound pressure level, and the playback is very clean. The distortion of the left and right ears is consistent, and there are no quality control problems.

View attachment 283278View attachment 283279

Now let's enter the Cuckoo Studio mixing space. The very flat frequency response makes the playback of Blessing 3 objective and neutral. All major instruments and vocals are in their correct positions without any exaggeration or reduction. The low frequency is slightly more than expected, which increases the volume of low-frequency instruments such as bass and kick, and also adds some warmth. The high frequency gain may be heared different for different people. For me, the high frequency has a just right sense of airiness without any harshness. The high consistency of the frequency response in both ears without any bias allows for a solid central image. The low distortion and no bias characteristics make the playback of Blessing 3 clear, three-dimensional, and without any coloration or smearing. Putting aside the parameters, Blessing 3 is a reference-level accuracy for me, with dynamic performance and natural low-frequency relaxation, without any sense of dragging.

View attachment 283281
View attachment 283282
View attachment 283283
View attachment 283284

As in-ear headphones priced at about $300, Blessing 3 is like a tiger in sheep's clothing.
It has an appearance and product positioning in the anime style, but delivers extremely professional reference-level sound quality. It is also completely sufficient for mixing. These pair of earphones are worth recommending. This is Cuckoo Studio review. Please stay tuned. I will continue to explore the secrets of headphones with you.

View attachment 283285

View attachment 283286

What equipment you use to measure?

I don't see it mentioned in your images.

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

What equipment you use to measure?

I don't see it mentioned in your images.

an IEC 60318-4 ear simulator, its data is very accurate. I have compared the differences between 20+ IEMs of its data and the one made by GRAS.

 

[ALaylowguy]

thanks for a great review. My wish is that you can give your personal comparison with other iem you have measured based on price and performance.

 

[uwotm8]

Cuckoo Studio logo

CUCK(birds)OO - what a genius made that logo

 

[RangerAudio]

View attachment 283269

Welcome to Cuckoo Studio review. I'm Anzol, The following content is presented from the perspective of a mixing engineer.

If you prefer video version:

We have received the Blessing 3 sent by MOONDROP, let's take a comprehensive look at its performance. The packaging of Blessing 3 is mainly white, includes earphones, instruction manual, and a headphone bag in the same style, containing earplugs and a 3.5mm cable.

View attachment 283270
View attachment 283271
View attachment 283272

As a product positioned in the anime style, it seems that the new waifu is also a top priority for some people. The earphone weighs 8.5g and has a solid feel. The body is silver-blue and white in color, with a silver glossy stainless steel cover on the front panel that creates a multi-mirror effect through different angles.

View attachment 283273
View attachment 283274

The MOONDROP and BLESSING 3 logos are also engraved on it, making it look very transparent and clean overall. The body is transparent, allowing you to see the internal parts directly. The horizontally aligned dual dynamic coil, combined with a quad balanced armature structure, can be seen from the nozzles, indicating its design as a three-way frequency characteristic.

View attachment 283275
View attachment 283276

With such an appearance, what kind of core does it have? Let's take a look at how it performs in terms of sound.
Frequency Response: Using Harman 2018 as the standard, the frequency response of Blessing 3 is almost flat in all aspects, with slight low-frequency gain between Harman 2018 and 2019v2. There is no sense of excess in reality. There are some small fluctuations between 5-8KHz, but the amplitude is only about 2dB. At 8KHz, it is around 3-4dB. From 15KHz, there is an overall sense of airiness and high-frequency gain, but this part has almost no actual musical content, and many adults are unlikely to hear this gain. The measurement data was obtained with shallow insertion, which is similar to the depth I experienced during actual wearing and listening. On a very flat basis, this is a pair of slightly airy headphones.

View attachment 283277

Distortion: Blessing 3 maintains an excellent level of distortion. The gain of the third harmonic can be seen in many balanced armature+dividing design headphones, which is usually an inherent characteristic and has a low amplitude. Basically, it can be controlled below -50dB. The second harmonic can maintain an extremely low level whether it is at 86dB, 96dB or 104dB SPL. The distortion of the third harmonic will not increase with the increase of sound pressure level, and the playback is very clean. The distortion of the left and right ears is consistent, and there are no quality control problems.

View attachment 283278View attachment 283279

Now let's enter the Cuckoo Studio mixing space. The very flat frequency response makes the playback of Blessing 3 objective and neutral. All major instruments and vocals are in their correct positions without any exaggeration or reduction. The low frequency is slightly more than expected, which increases the volume of low-frequency instruments such as bass and kick, and also adds some warmth. The high frequency gain may be heared different for different people. For me, the high frequency has a just right sense of airiness without any harshness. The high consistency of the frequency response in both ears without any bias allows for a solid central image. The low distortion and no bias characteristics make the playback of Blessing 3 clear, three-dimensional, and without any coloration or smearing. Putting aside the parameters, Blessing 3 is a reference-level accuracy for me, with dynamic performance and natural low-frequency relaxation, without any sense of dragging.

View attachment 283281
View attachment 283282
View attachment 283283
View attachment 283284

As in-ear headphones priced at about $300, Blessing 3 is like a tiger in sheep's clothing.
It has an appearance and product positioning in the anime style, but delivers extremely professional reference-level sound quality. It is also completely sufficient for mixing. These pair of earphones are worth recommending. This is Cuckoo Studio review. Please stay tuned. I will continue to explore the secrets of headphones with you.

View attachment 283285

View attachment 283286

Thanks for sharing. I really appreciate your graphs. Not often do I want to read and see more from reviewers.

 

[sarumbear]

Some minor decoration to make the review look more pleasing to the eye.

I can assure you coming from a media person they are not minor. Well done!

 

[TK750]

Actually, I explained more details about the 3D image in this post: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-these-199-iems-were-originally-1000.40626/

let me copy an important part here:
"It seems that there is no specialized software that can convert the state of sound into such 3D graphics, and software like Mathlab is also somewhat difficult for me. The spatial sense of sound in music(Not referring to a specific positioning system for humans) is probably only a subjective feeling and is difficult to be specifically translated into scientific models.it's inspired by "The Art of Mixing" by David Gibson, a way that mixing engineers may use to imagine the sense of space in music."

"Further to that, this is indeed a very subjective image and I really wish that scientific models could directly translate such images, but it seems difficult to do so currently. However, I have established some rules in an attempt to make this image as comparable as possible when comparing different models of headphones for value and reasonability.

On the front graph, the vertical contraction from top to bottom is determined by the frequency response. If the high frequencies are more compared to the flat target, then compared to the flat room playback graph, elements such as high frequency percussion will become larger. If there is a decrease or increase in the part from Mid, the volume of the instruments and main vocals will also contract upwards or downwards. The same applies to bass.rule on right is 6dB/unit.

The horizontal sound field has not yet been scientifically proven and is only a subjective feeling. It is also explained in the text in the lower left corner. The ILD in the middle is the representation of skew, the frequency response difference between L&R，the smaller the better.

The contraction on the side graph is calculated based on a certain rule by THD+ILD. In the mixing process, it is commonly observed that the bigger the distortion adds to the instruments, the heavier the coloration, and the smaller the dynamic feeling, so headphones with high distortion will have a contraction on this graph. Overall, this is a graph that intend to make my description of headphone sound more vivid. Language descriptions of headphones are really useless, so here it comes."

(Perhaps I need to create a separate post to explain this graph in more detail, and copy the link to the bottom of each review's graph note, so that friends who have questions can quickly resolve them.)

Great, thanks =]

'(Perhaps I need to create a separate post to explain this graph in more detail, and copy the link to the bottom of each review's graph note, so that friends who have questions can quickly resolve them.)' - I think this would be a helpful!