Moondrop - Aria

My first iems were the moondrop aria (the original) and I used them until they literally fell apart, there are much better iems now at better prices now but I still have a soft spot for the arias, and I still think they are the most beautiful iems ever made, I'm a sucker for black and gold.

Call me simple, but I think there hasn't been a single iem that has been able to compete with the subtle sophistication and understated elegance of the original moondrop arias (paint chipping not withstanding)

I've heard a lot of good things about the Aful P5+2 and the Kiwi Ears Astral is doing a lot of rounds as well. I don't own any 80-300 dollar iem so i cant say for certain how they are, but people i trust said good things about them so i'd take their word. I've bought the Moondrop Aria (2021) and the Moondrop DUSK based on their reviews/impressions and i have no regrets. I wrote some things about the DUSK in another comment below and im going to copy and paste from there : "Though i must say it's completely worth it as a dusk user myself. For 2 reasons : 1.) DSP, not the cable but rather the presets, you can choose to buy the Moondrop FreeDSP Mini OR just input the data into your fav eq and get the same thing, allowing you to experience manufacturer approved edits to the sound, letting you experience some nice flavours if you want to try different stuff out. 2.) most important for me, the comfort. The shell isn't the most comfortable out there i think but the lightness is uncanny for me. So many drivers, such a big shell yet oh so light. It's kind of annoying actually, after an hour i forget they are there and i must make sure to check my ears so that i dont pull on em when getting up and stuff lol For me this is IEM Endgame till i get my whole audio setup up and running with speakers and headphones. Unlike a lot of others, i love both the default AND analog tunings, different flavours for me." These are just 2 EXTRA features that i was talking about. I didnt even delve into the sound. To me, it sounds ethereal. It's quite annoying to listen to with my eyes open, because when i close my eyes, all my brain power goes into listening and i feel like i can point out most things in a really nice manner, the one example that absolutely stood out to me is the rhythm guitar of any song. They're panned left and right with different audio sources and usually they blend together but on my DUSK i can not just feel the difference but HEAR it. Though i must say i only get to hear all that with my eyes closed, with my eyes open it gets a little busy imo. It might be weird to you, and trust me it is a bit weird to me too, but ig that's the ceiling of a \~400 dollar iem and that's where more expensive stuff shine, allowing you to analyse stuff with less effort. But I'm 90% sure that the DUSK are gonna be an upgrade over your 560s in all but soundstage and tonality, I think Sennheiser's tuning and the open back nature are gonna be hard to beat. But in imaging and especially bass im sure it'll be at least on par. Honestly tho, apart from the bass, i dont see the point of using them for movies/story-driven games (they're both the same nowadays imo lmao). I think headphones would be better for that purpose. But by itself, i find little flaws with the Moondrop DUSK. But there are flaws ofc, the price being one (imo), the packaging is lackluster compared to the competition i think and most importantly, Moondrop QC is said to be shoddy. As you're using a German made Sennheiser, you should be ready for proper quality for years to come but i think iems, especially chi fi stuff, arent going to last as long. That's just how it is, you trade longevity/reliability for sound quality at a lower price. For example, there's a black paint on the DUSK near where the side and backplate of the iems meet, and my hands get a little sweaty at times and i noticed the paint coming off. So yeah, just little things like that. So if you're ok with returning it OR you're ok with being a bit more careful than usual, then the DUSK is an absolute win, despite its high price.

Depends on what you consider "worth". For me a jump from an 80 dollar Moondrop Aria to the Moondrop DUSK was worth it, if i made a smaller upgrade like to a 200 dollar one i'd have been disappointed. People have made smaller jumps, like from 50 dollar to 80 dollar iems and called it "worth it", all a personal thing honestly. If you're able to return your Tea Pro and get the Top Pro, then yeah go for it. But if you have to sell your Tea Pro to get the Top Pro, meaning you're having to pay more, then i wouldn't really suggest it. Imo not worth the hassle. Maybe also think about other iems unless you're super duper careful as the Xenns Pro iems seem to be quite frail from what i've seen. They break easily.

i dont really know what my first iems were, assuming you're counting stuff like earphones/in earphones. But something i can talk is the samsung S series freebie bud. I really liked them. And then the akg freebies were exceptional. Thick juicy sound, looked great, was comfy. My first actual iems were the Moondrop Aria. And i would not change anything. Inoffensive? Yes. Did i love it to bits? Absolutely. I don't like too much excited sounds, perhaps a little if the whole region is slightly excited like 1k-3k region but if there are random spikes in loudness in the high frequencies or upper mids i find em uncomfy. So i really prefer inoffensive "neutral" type stuff with bass boosts. I'll never be able to listen to true neutral. I need muh bass. If i would start again, i'd still choose the moondrop aria. And since now you can get the better, Moondrop May, with a usb-c dsp cable, i'd absolutely go for that. But the 20 dollar stuff like the Moondrop Chu 2 is looking really nice as well. I'd go with moondrop cus i love their sound, huge fan. But you can also look at the Tangzu waner or 7hz zero 2.

go for a \~50 dollar IEM if you want to upgrade and ideally an 80-90 dollar one like the Truthear Hexa. For most people's use cases this is good enough and if you want an upgrade path after that i'd say you can choose whatever but stop at \~450 dollars. Imo it goes like this : You pay triple to quadruple the money for a game changing difference or at least an easily noticeable difference in quality I went from freebie Samsung AKG earphones to Moondrop Aria to Moondrop DUSK and i dont really want anything else. The Aria, for me, was exceptional and for the money i paid at the time there just wasnt much like it. And i had to pay SO much more for the DUSK to get the same difference in sound quality as found between the Moondrop Space Travel and the Aria. So that's how i came up with this pricing thing lol.

moondrop iems have been very relaxed/balanced/nice to listen to for me. If you want something that just does its job, the Moondrop May is for you. Not gonna wow you but is gonna sound great due to its good tuning. I had the Moondrop Aria and my friends and family all liked those, myself included. If you don't want dsp/usb-c functionality (cus you have a pc and only need 3.5mm) get the truthear zero red, cheaper.

exactly what im saying my friend. I had the Moondrop Aria and I had to spend 4.5x more to get the Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK. It was an absolutely monumental upgrade, just like the upgrade from my Space Travel 2 to the Aria was, but that's what im saying. IEMs see changes really fast and prices of good iems drop fast and all that, but it's really tough finding a proper upgrade. Like, the price difference is massive and it feels bad but the sound is so good I can kind of justify the move to the DUSK. But if i had spent 300 dollars and gotten a far less technical IEM, I'd have been felt like I was ripped off. That's why I'm saying try to either enjoy your set, look for different styles of tunings with similar technicalities or make sure to have a big jump. Your set is already an excellent one. That's the problem with buying great products, they're so good it's hard to replace them with a decent upgrade. I mean my Aria was hard to replace and your Hexa replaced my Aria for most people, it's more technical! And since you weren't wow'd by the Origin, just hold off my friend.

yap session incoming : yeah the DUSK has really good amounts of bass and so did the moondrop aria! Crin's recommendations were great for me! I also got the M40x based on his ranking and was absolutely friggin happy haha! And i DID use the Samsung x akg freebies, which were my main before the m40x and crin talked good about them as well! So yeah safe to say i trust crin's judgement haha, and super reviews praised the HECK out of the DUSK, even though it was only the analog tuning! Everyone dunked on this, saying the analog tuning sucks and stuff and i was concerned but i personally love both because the tech is great. And the one thing super review mentioned that stuck with me was bass quality, he said the bass of this is exceptional and he compares everything up to 500 dollars to this and this nearly always came out on top for him and no kidding, the bass on this, even in the analog mode with low quantity, is super high quality (for me) and quite addicting! And although he's bass shy, he's a proponent of good quality bass AND has similar tastes to me as well in terms of timbre ig, it's just that i like more bass and he likes more mids. The DUSK has been called analytical and a little sibilant by some, i didnt even think about it till i read about it lol, it's absolutely amazing for me. Whatever the case, these 2 guys just go over things in a nice manner and i trust em cus after buying their recs im thoroughly satisfied! And like, super reviews does his reviews after using them for a long time, that's quite an important factor for me, apart from crin, i dont really trust anyone who "tries" an iem out with some tests. It took me 5 days to properly get the fit down and to get used to the sound of my iems. Anyways sorry for the yap session lol And dang, wish i coulda helped you mess around with eq or something but admittedly, i hate eq'ing audio gear cus it's super hard compared to eq'ing when mixing for example, which i absolutely adore. Basically, i hate the eq process on audio gear but LOVE the end result, thanks for the duc recommendation, seems like a cool guy! hmm im talking about bass quality, yk speed/texture, those seem like they're good bass but LOTS of bass, i was also looking at the Europa but at that price i'd rather go for the Z1R, saving up for that one rn ahah, cant wait to experience dat bass yeah, it's just me, i just dont feel like spending that much money on used iems, different philosophies. Nope, the Maestro SE is at the price class of the Z1R and i'd rather go for the Sony, the complaints about fatfreq are also quite concerning to say the least but i think the sony is gonna be either more balanced or would have better staging, everyone comments on that and dang it im so interested now lol

My Moondrop Aria's (1st gen) paint has been peeling off for the last 2 years. Would you say that these are a good purchase if I'm looking to replace them?

I have the Cadenza and (had) the Space Travel (2 pairs lost while at airports, 1 pair brokey, waiting for Robin rn for both waifu and tune lol). Use(d) both semi-regular, now I'm rocking Moondrop Aria1 (discontinued) just because Cadenza tuning is a bit too safe and may be bored after a long while lol. Space Travel's bass is decent. HOWEVER, there are some songs that the Space Travel struggles (ala FF16 Find The Flame), it would buzz and a bit hissy. For those songs, I'd prefer the Cadenza. However trying out Daft Punk's Random Access Memory (both normal and drumless), both pairs work well, though I would prefer the Cadenza a weeeeeee bit more if not for wireless handy dandy. But for some rock songs (GG Strive OST lmao), Space Travel is quite pleasant, then again, both are p neck-to-neck w slightly different tuning. Then again, I would say Cadenza tune overall is a bit safe-y, comfy but may bored ypu after a long while listening. Space Travel is quite safe but more interesting (beside some weird limitation but kinda depend on the song itself), and also TWS soooooo...yeah. The ONLY issue I have with Space Travel is low volumn-ish. I'm already the lower volumn person yet must crank the bar quite high (70% or perharps more when outside). A trick is enable ANC mode to kinda isolate noises a bit but kinda useless when in a quiet room hmmm. *Space Travel is also so nice with ANC and on airplane tho* Edit: anyway I still prefer Aria if for bass among my pairs lol

Unsure if it's Aria1 or pre-Crin Blessing? The shell does look like Aria1 (I have Aria1 tho)

I got mine today. Have been using it with the apple USB C dongle. coming from Moondrop Aria, honestly I am not impressed. I feel like the Aria sounds more alive and enjoyable. I am going to give it some hours to "burn-in" and then see but so far, I feel like there is a lot of hype and everyone uses these vague words to explain/review an IEM but I at least havent felt like this has been an upgrade. idk if I am missing anything here.

I am not an audiophile, but was using hte OG Aria for a few years. then tried to see what else might be available, and read much praise about the S08 and bought it during hte holidays. I am not sure I like them any more than the Arias. yes, in some songs there is more details of instruments, but I feel like bass is slight harsh, and lacks the clean thump, if that the right word to describe it. idk, someone advised I use a dac with it, and I did order one off of Amazon, but then returned it as there wasnt a noticeable difference in sound quality. not sure if it is helpful, but just wanted to share my own experience with it. maybe there are some songs I enjoy listening to but its not for every song, and my playlist is a mix of every genre so I cant change iems in the middle of listening to music.

This is true, I have one, I believe Timmy from --gizaudio-- hangout has one too. It's based on the og moondrop arias.

Moondrop Aria Elven Maiden is pure peak

I’ve never owned the Moondrop Blessing 3, but I have owned the Variations, original Arias, Kato, Chu, Chu 2, Moca, Sparks, and Dawn Pro. While I liked all of these products at the time, I realized I was just buying them for the box art and not considering that I could have purchased “better” alternatives. In other words, I could have chosen an IEM from a company with better quality control compared to Moondrop or better price to performance. I think it's good to experiment with other brands and not stick to one, like I did. I hope all this makes sense, lol

The biggest difference between my Shure/Klipsch IEMs and Moondrop/7hz (I own Chu2 and SSR and demoed Aria, Starfield and 7hz Eternal) is how bright the modern ones are. Shure (along with Westone) has a reputation for dark signatures and many people don't like them, however in their defense, the filters can be replaced (Knowles BA filters affect the sound) and they respond to EQ extremely well. Klipsch X7i is like a more "fun" Etymotic ER4 to me, it recesses the treble just about right to make it non-fatiguing while keeping the detail and relative neutrality, and does similarly with bass. Aria and Starfield sounded extremely similar (in being V-leaning) but Aria had a wider soundstage. They're basically all-rounders in my opinion, though Aria's soundstage was really outstanding, out of everything I heard it's only second to XBA-A3/Z5 (but these are hard to beat). Treble makes them sound more lively than old BA sets. 7Hz Eternal actually reminded me of Klipsch because it also seems to try and balance between neutrality and the more popular V-shape. SSR tries to achieve "true" diffuse field signature and can get fatiguing but ends up sounding very detailed, and it's impressively "fast" for a single DD. Overall they have different strengths (Shure has insane isolation and build quality and I love how drums sound on them thank to their "speed" and impact, Klipsch is a great all-rounder and smallest of them all, Moondrop SSR has amazing technicalities for how cheap it is) and I can't pick a favorite, though I mostly use Klipsch right now.

I hate to be the "well acktooaally" guy, but not IEMs/headphones are the same. Yes, gamers get confused about the meaning of soundstage when imaging, layering and separation are more important. Yes, there are diminishing returns on more expensive IEMs. Yes, Aceu would wreck anyone without sound at all. Not all IEMs are good for gaming. The Moondrop Aria is great for music, but it can't image for shit. As I've gotten more competitive in games, the more I've valued audio for prefiring and prioritising threats. Most times I get called a cheater or wall hacker is basically knowing the direction AND DISTANCE of a player. But I'm a top % player. 95% of players could hardly tell the difference between a Crinnacle Zero and Monarch MK3 in game.

It's not a knock on IEMs. Just my personal experience. idk what it is but across my Moondrop Aria, Salnotes zero and 1 month of Artti T10s, I couldn't get much footsteps or real in game indicators of enemy whereabouts in ***Warzone***. Pulled out my 3 year old HyperX out of the dust and everything was more clear. But, my God , do i hate how hot these Headphones get (even with aftermarket pads) and I have to cool them down between games by holding it towards my fan Lol. still IEMs are my go to for everything else throughout the day, I just put up with the b/s headphones for Warzone. FWIW I believe they did design the audio of the game focused at the console market, i.e. 99.9% of them are using traditional headphones). side note: Fortnite is perfectly fine on IEMs fwiw. Played several years of tourneys on IEMs without worries. I think Warzone sound engine is just terrible.

KZ Castor Pro Bass - has bass but the other end of the spectrum was a hot mess. KBear KB02 - Having the BCD trigger at any frequency makes it only usable for music. Moondrop Chu - Not having earhooks made them constantly fall out. Moondrop Aria - Straight nozzle with no lip made it so the tips always came off in my ear.

Ah okey, is there any delay with adapters like that? I cant have any delay when i play because of the competitivness

I had moondrop aria before, do you know if moondrop star rail is any delay on the sound? I cant have any delay when i play

For years, my audio journey was anchored in the vibrant world of Chi-Fi IEMs—budget-friendly gems like the KZ ZS 10 pro, Moondrop Arias to Multi kilobuck killer - Monarch mk2/3, Mest, QDC VX. These in-ear monitors delivered thrilling soundscapes with their bold price to performance value, punchy bass, and sparkling treble. Yet, curiosity led me to the Westone Mach 80, a flagship renowned for its clinical precision and studio-grade neutrality. The transition wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a paradigm shift—a rediscovery of what music could be. Build and Comfort: From Plastic to PrecisionMy audio journey and experience, while impressive in sound, often felt utilitarian in build—oversized shells, hefty cables, and fit that demanded frequent adjustments. The Mach 80, by contrast, felt like a bespoke instrument. Its SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT (Yes in Caps), ergonomic design, molded from lightweight medical-grade resin, disappeared into my ears. The over-ear cabling and deep-seated fit provided a seal so secure and isolating like a Custom IEM that subway commutes became silent even without music playing. Westone’s decades of expertise in pro-audio ergonomics shone through; these were IEMs built for marathon listening sessions, not just casual use. Sound Signature: Chaos to ClarityThe first listen was… jarring. Gone was the bombastic bass slam or the polished midrange bloom. The Mach 80 greeted me with a stark, unapologetic neutrality. Bass was lean and taut, not thunderous. Treble was detailed but never sibilant. Mids? They weren’t “forward” or “recessed”—they just were, pristine and uncolored. It felt like swapping a neon-lit carnival for a sunlit art gallery. * Bass: The Mach 80’s 8 balanced armatures delivered bass with surgical control. Sub-bass rumble in electronic tracks like Jacques Greene’s “Feel Infinite” was textured and articulate, not bloated. Double kicks in metal tracks retained their speed but lacked the visceral “thump” I’d grown accustomed to. This wasn’t a deficiency—it was accuracy. The Mach 80 revealed how much of most of the iems was bass boosted. * Mids: Vocals and instruments emerged with startling realism. On Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why,” her voice floated with breathy intimacy, free of the midbass bleed that muddied my Chi-Fi sets. Acoustic guitars on John Mayer’s “Neon” showcased string plucks and finger slides I’d never noticed—a masterclass in microdetail, its surgically incredible! * Treble: Cymbals on TOOL’s “Pneuma” shimmered without piercing, and orchestral highs in Holst’s “The Planets” retained their airiness. The Mach 80’s treble wasn’t “exciting,” but it was ruthlessly honest, it’s very very smooth to listen. Soundstage and Imaging: From 2D to 3DThe Mach 80’s soundstage felt expansive and holographic, a stark contrast to the intimate, head-filling presentation of my Chi-Fi collection. Listening to Hans Zimmer’s “Blade Runner 2049” soundtrack, synths swirled around my head with pinpoint placement, while the decay of reverb tails in a jazz club recording felt almost tactile. Instruments weren’t layered—they occupied distinct spaces, like actors on a stage. The Adjustment Period: Learning to Listen AgainFor days, I mourned the loss of “fun.” Tracks that once felt anthemic now sounded restrained. But gradually, my ears acclimated. The Mach 80 didn’t impose its personality—it revealed the recording’s personality. Well-mixed tracks (think Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories”) became transcendent, while poorly mastered songs laid bare their flaws. This wasn’t an IEM for mindless head-bobbing; it demanded engagement, rewarding critical listening with revelations. The Chi-Fi Rat raceNowadays everyone is chasing the best of the best while many companies are releasing new items week in and week out, and we often forget to slow down and appreciate music more. And often with massive waves of iems releasing we often overlooked some of the brands that do not come out new model very often. Conclusion: A New BenchmarkThe Westone Mach 80 isn’t for everyone. If you crave bass heft, WOW factor or euphonic coloration, it might underwhelm. But as a tool for understanding music—for dissecting mixes, savoring acoustic textures, or simply hearing your favorite albums anew—it’s peerless. The is the most resolving IEM I have ever heard in any price range and I have heard a lot; and it’s redefined what I expect from them—and from music itself.

Yeah, if it's good stuff it will stay good. But the price sure is outdated, unless they reduce the price. Especially with tight competition like iems. Like my old moondrop aria, can be beaten by newest stuff at the same price like EW300.

Still go back to my first pair, owned 3 over the years Shure SE215 Cheap \~$100, super comfy and great sounding HM : Moondrop aria as a first IEM

Moondrop Chu, and no. The Kato is the only Moondrop iem I still have and use. I liked the Aria but gave it to a friend to try to get him into iems (I failed). The Chu was good enough to get me into iems, but not good enough to keep me listening. I don't even know where they are now, lol. Of the early iems that I bought, I only have and listen to the Truthear Hexa (lifeless but decent, with wonderful imaging) and that Truthear Harmon-tuned one that Crinacle did with the subwoofer (I forget the name). It is fatiguing, but it is exciting until it wears me down. Good for techno. I listen mostly to the Aful P5, the Chopin, the Letshour S12, and the Kato now. Sometimes at home, I listen to the P8 and the Xenn Mangrid Top (they are too expensive to lug around with me--I have a $200 limit on iems that I'm willing to take in my backpack).

Moondrop Aria is small.

AirPods Pro for me, mainly for the convenience. The thing is that because I wear glasses, I don’t really like the feel of over-the-ear headphones pressing the frame of the spectacles against my ears. https://www.khadas.com/tea I did try using the Khadas Tea, together with a cheap pair of IEMs (aria moondrop), but honestly, I couldn’t really hear the difference in Apple Music, and the presence of the headphone cable annoyed me more than I thought it would. I found it amusing to pay for what was essentially a very expensive headphone dongle, but it is what it is. 🤣

First one was Moondrop Aria, still using it. Then got the Final Audio A3000, using that too.

Ah sorry, the topic said what the first one was. I would say the Final Audio. Much more clear and better soundstage, just lacking in bass compared to the Aria.

Bruh I've tried foam tips myself on various IEMs. The second I use them no matter how strong or weak the seal is my bass just completely dies off and all I get is peaky treble. Unless my ears just hate foam or something else is wrong. I've tried them on the Arias, the Dusk, the Monarch Mk 3s, and the Oracle Mk 2s.

Moondrop Aria is only good for Val and CS, HEXA is good for everything but there are better stuff for less money ye

internal structure plays a big role with resonance, for example Moondrop Moca(it's a TWS) uses same driver as Aria, Aria is good for some games like CS and Valorant, Moca even EQd to sound like Aria is crap for gaming(it has 20-30ms latency over LC3, so it's not the delay) edit:/ also when you EQ an IEM good for gaming originally it can become worse because it just doesn't work with it's shell and resonance and stuff

Paid 41 dollars for these. Excited to hear them. My Moondrop Aria were starting to lose their paint so was looking for a new daily driver. Would you say it's a decent replacement for the Aria? I own the Artti T10 and they sound amazing but the fit isn't comfy enough to wear for a full working day.

The only other IEM’s I really come back to are moondrop aria. That is more when I am working from home.

It would be, but the dawn pro was the last product, outright defective that I bought from moondrop. The previous 2 were the chu which the cable came apart at the iem (on both ends!) which ok, they were really cheap and then the first aria lost a lot of its paint though I only had for several months at that time. As such 3/3 for me with qc issues so a big no for me for any future products from this sham of a company.

Om the rare occasion I commute it's the Moondrop Aria, it bangs

Up to you. For me though, I personally think that the Moondrop Robin is solid but it's a collaboration product, so it's likely that Moondrop didn't cheap out for this particular product because been using it for a few months and it held up much much better than the Aria ever could.

Over ear, comfort being prio 1 over everything. Comfort physically on your head and a non fatiguing sound, slower sound is ok. When commuting its the same but in item form. Eq if you like, if you can make something sound better to you thats great, dont be a slave to any frequency response curve. I have analytical headphones but almost never use them. Use a pair of moondrop Arias on the go (cheap, comfortable to my ears and good enough sound quality) Use a pair of Sony mdr z7 for daily use on my pc, same reason but better higher end.

OG Moondrop Arias. Still daily drive them after 3+ years. Don't know if it's because I've just got used to them but they just sound right to me(especially for YT + Gaming). I don't have many other IEMs, only KIWI EARS Cadneza (Arias miles ahead for me), but I do have high end headphones that I use time to time when I want to focus on the music (HD 660s2) but always return to old faithful :) Will probably upgrade in the future but will likely have to spend a bit more for a noticeable difference.

Only problem with them is I've had to replace the filters quite a few times which has been a known issue. I'm running out of filters :0

and also a bit of the coating coming off but I like my IEMs like I like my cars... If they do the job well, I don't care if they look rough around the edges

Yeah the Aria "Elven Maiden" Funnily enough a local store has some on stock

Odd diatribe. Are you some kind of mind reader who somehow knows that most IEM buyers are lying to themselves and are actually just getting hoodwinked into wasting money by spending more? And how can you possibly know that IEMs aren’t “worth” their price? Worth is subjective, in the eye of the beholder. I disagree with your central claim that IEM buyers are not “getting quality for what they are paying.” I’ve owned IEMs across a reasonably wide price range from $15 to $1,300. The list of them includes the KZ ATE, Moondrop Aria, 7Hz Timeless, Sony IER-M9, Thieaudio Monarch MK4 and Nightjar Singularity. I also listened to the Elysian Pilgrim and Pilgrim Noir for a week when they were sent around on a demo tour. My source has either been a dongle DAC/amp (L&P W2, Cayin RU7) connected to an iPad or the Chord Mojo 2 + Poly streaming Roon. Each of the IEMs I listed sounds different and the sound quality is strongly, positively correlated with the price of the IEM. So as an example, the $220 7Hz Timeless sounds good and most people would be happy with it, but it delivers wooly, somewhat bloated bass. It’s really noticeably inferior in sound quality when compared to the Monarch MK4 or Nightjar Singularity, both of which sound much better to me. When I consider whether to buy an IEM, I don’t care about aesthetics in the slightest. I use IEMs exclusively at home and neither I nor my wife cares how they look. What I do care about is whether an IEM will last, meaning I greatly prefer IEMs with recessed 2-pin cable receptacles or MMCX connectors and try to make sure that the IEM manufacturer offers good long-term customer support. I won’t spend more than $1,500 on an IEM and think the pricing of TOTL IEMs has become absurd. You can buy a really good 2-channel system that will last forever for the price of some IEMs. You’d have to be very gullible to be “tricked” into buying IEMs by YouTube reviewers or comments from internet randos. Most hobbyists do a fair amount of legwork before buying. Ideally, you attend meets to actually demo IEMs to narrow down to the ones you like. On top of that, it’s worth seeing whether a consensus forms around an IEM among people you personally know or at least trust from their post history on various forums, but only after a new IEM loses its flavor-of-the-month status. And it makes sense to talk to retailers to see if the brand offers good long-term customer support. Finally, headphones offer a different listening experience from IEMs. I own a high-end headphone rig to listen to a set of HD800s. Yes, it offers a more realistic soundstage and better dynamics than IEMs, but the downside is that good full-size open-back headphones (which almost always sound better than closed-backs) don’t block out external noise, they leak noise to people around you, and are heavy and uncomfortable to wear for long periods. IEMs are more “in your head” but I really like how comparatively weightless and comfortable they are and how well they isolate from external noise.

It’s crazy how fast the “under $100” meta moves. I wonder how my Moondrop Aria even compares to these

My 2 cents: First, get a decent headphone amp. Otherwise, the discussions about good or better headphones is not important. You won't plug in $200 phones into a Millennium MPS-850 or Alesis or Lemon $1 headphone amp. I don't know the Roland stuff. But they also won't sell modules with a way headphone amp, I guess. I use the Moondrop Aria IEM and Bayerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ω.

I definitely think you are making a mistake getting these over ChiFi. The IE200 are a bit of a mess compared to something like the Moondrop Aria (and I assume the Aria 2, but I haven’t heard them)

Yeah, I’ve tried them both. When I bought my current IEMs (Moondrop Kato) a couple of years ago, I tried the Aria, the IE200, CCA CRA+, and the S12. The IE200 were the most comfortable, but they come with an awful cable and sounded worse than everything else I tried besides the CRA+. The Aria were more comfortable than anything else I tried besides the IE200, including the Kato that I ended up keeping and sounded better than everything except the Kato.

I've had my aria for 3 years now and they still sound just as good as when I bought them

I prefer IEM and Earbuds. Comfort is inportant for long gaming session. I use the Samsung buds 3 pro( earbuds), sometimes change to Moondrop Aria( Iems) for no latency. They have wide soundstage and transparency, the midrange is smooth and the bass isn't stupidly bloated like many " gaming " headphones

This and (mostly) crin's sub has a lot of younger folks looking for sub $50 recs and I can't really blame them, if not for the fact that most game sound engines are not that good that you'd notice any real difference I can directly compare my Cantor, Doscinco, Ea1000 and Arias and all I can hear is "hmm yes the sound is slightly more sound-ier on the Cantor" but I barely play any competitive FPSes since cs2 playerbase is shrinking in Asia and valorant has a particularly bad sound engine You're not going to hear notable differences unless you're getting a soundstage monster like the HD800s or just speakers lads, but it'll probably be a great investment for any other use case

probably in the 50-70 bucks range like the Moondrop Aria's and the like if you never experienced good IEMs before. Y

Which one is considered the S tier of 2025 at price ranges? Last one I got before stopping was Moondrop Aria

New to the world of iems and daps. Watched some YouTube vids for recs and decided to try a few pairs out for my new dap. Really liking the hexas and the aria 2s reds are great as well they all sound nice. It's cool listening to the same song but different pair and hearing different stuff stand out. Think I got a problem though cuz I still have 4 more pairs coming in the mail lol 😆. Wanted to try a few lower end pairs and then maybe buy something more expensive.

My favorites out of the 4 are the hexa and aria. I got more pairs coming though. Listening to the hexas right now they sound great. Really like that the aria come with switchable jack to 4.4mm. damn wish I got into IEMs sooner. I'm blown away with how good they sound.

Out of those 4 pairs I really like the fit of the arias but all fit my ears fine. The arias are alot smaller than the hexas and zero reds and I find them the most comfortable. The zero twos are also 2nd smallest and fit very comfortably. At least out of these 4 the smaller ones seem to fit better / be more comfortable for me.

Seconded, I started with Aria's and wished I started with IEMs sooner

Truthear HEXA is one of the best value IEMs for FPS gaming. The aria is not a good option for fps gaming in particular. The hexa will give you better imaging and soundstage.

hexa + apple dongle, don't waste your money on a more expensive DAC to start out with, it really only influences the sound minimally. I'd rather spend the cash on a better pair of IEMs. hexa are nice for a clean analytical sound but the EM6L are still balanced but a bit more rounded and warm compared to the hexa and they tend to have fewer issues with the fit (hexa nozzles very large and people tend to complain about that). the Titan S2 could be an option as well but a lot of people find them shouty. no experience with the dz4 so I can't say anything them but the aria are more v shaped and the fudu (while I do love them) are very warm and soft and you might miss out on some detail in the highs which makes them bad if your expectation is for something truly balanced. legato are just not priced well for how they perform imo but maybe someone else who has more experience with the set can speak to that.

Sounds like you've been on quite the journey! For that warm, lush sound you’re after, have you checked out the Moondrop Aria? It's got a nice balance of warmth and smoothness with good tonal richness—perfect for someone who likes a lush sound but doesn’t want to break the bank. Definitely a solid step up from the QKZ x HBB without going too far into the pricey zone. Plus, it’s fun and pretty versatile, so it could pair well with a lot of genres!

For me a used aria or 500lm

I have been eyeing this iem for the past month but I am hesitant buying it blindly. Sadly, in my country, there are no physical stores where I can sound test before buying. Are they good in terms of detail retrieval, layering, soundstage, and female vocals? My music preference are usually korean ballads, pop songs, soft rock, and classical. Lastly, does pairing it with CX31993 dongle enough to maximize its potential? If not, are there any budget dac alternatives you can recommend? I am also planning to pair it with spinfit W1 eartips. My past iems are: Moondrop Aria -> Truthear Zero Reds, if that helps. Thanks!!

I only had the first gen AirPods Pro before getting a set of moondrop Aria ($80 or so then) and it was night and day. Now I have the Kadenz and those are even better ($200 or so). So if sound quality is what you are after, get iems. If you want ease of use and portability, it’s hard to beat AirPods and I am sure the third gen won’t disappoint.

The in ear that made me fala in love with headphones in general was the Philips SHE 9000. I had an Xperia Phone back then and I had a blast with those. First pair of proper iems were the KZ ZSN pro with the meizu HiFi Dac, mindblowing for the time. A While later I got the Moondrop Aria that made the KZ sound like trash and Just a bit after I got the 7hz Dioko that made the Aria sound like a muffled boomy mess too. And that went on for a While until I got to the Tangzu Heyday and 7hz Timeless AE. Now I have my endgame but I still collect cheaper iems.

A lot of years ago I was recommended the Moondrop Aria and stuck with them. My son asked me for an iPod and I got him the chu II, those are a great option too. I've also tried others but I'm happy to recommend these as I didn't really notice any difference with more expensive IEMs and I moved from FLAC to MP3 320 after some blind tests and realized I couldn't hear a difference between them, even with much more expensive IEMs.

Nice I also have the Aria's. [The pinned list](https://old.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1la65kr/top_5_iems_in_every_price_range_chosen_by_you/) is a good place to start. It's a popularity contest but they're all well regarded sets. Besides that, I'd suggest finding a tonality you're looking for or checking on some YouTube reviewers who have similar tastes. The market is basically at a point where you could throw a dart randomly at a board and most likely be happy with the IEM set you got.

Moondrop arias i got secondhand for 45 bucks. They survived two trips in the wash and still rock. No paint left, gives them a rugged look I like, I have to replace the filters once or twice a year, still my go to pair most times. Super comfy for my ear shape too, i wear them to sleep.

I go between open back headphones (HD650) and IEMs, the IEMs I use are Moondrop Arias, for the price the sound and comfort are very impressive.

I believe Fresh Reviews does decent game oriented IEM reviews and will likely have various safe picks. I think the soundstage and 3D-ness of gaming headphones are over inflated anyway (long term HyperX Cloud II and Audeze Maxwell use) and good IEMs will be enough to the point where you just cant outhear what the game itself provides. Though not reccomending I have used Arias to relatively high ranks and of no performance deficit in CS so you might as well reap the other IEM benefits, the escape from hairdents, swampy ears and comming too loud is worth it alone.

I haven't branched out too much into IEM's but I've had a few of MoonDrops's and I absolutely LOVE how good the quality is.