Moondrop - Variations

The more important question is: IEMs with anime boys when? OK but serious answer time: my favourite IEM anime girls have to be Moondrop Variations, followed closely by Moondrop Psyche. Variations girlie has a very pleasing striking colour palette and the outfit is very tasteful. I mean you can’t go wrong with berets! Psyche girl has more lethal face card and better hairdo but I need to see the rest of her outfit. She kinda gives me Otome Isekai girls vibe.  (Yeah both of them have pastel pink hair, I have a taste you can tell). Sharing 3rd place is Tangzu Wan’er Blue and Tangzu Wu Zetian Legend.

It's hard to explain. When I tried the Moondrop Variations in Japan it was MAGICAL. Music sounded sooo immersive and the highs were airy and sparkly... It's hard to explain. You have to experience it to understand.

You already have a better set than Tea Pros. I'd suggest saving & getting a $500 set; the two I recommend are the Moondrop Variations (technically better, still fun - overall better for me & excellent build quality) & the Hype 4 (more fun technically not as good, build nowhere near as good - I love Thieaudio, but their shells are really not good, with the exception of the Valhallla - the Thieaudio Prestige Ltd I had to CIEM/resell after 10 months of daily use as they were getting worse for wear despite me looking after them well). The jump between 300-350 sets & the right 500 sets is massive. Kids here genuinely hate the fact that diminishing returns after $300 is bollocks.

To be honest I wouldn't recommend any of those except for the Hype 4, but I think Moondrop Variations is much better at, that price point (obviously they are quite different, but I would definitely give a better overall score to the Variations). Build quality was a BIG priority when I put this list together before buying all of them. This is my artillery. Source is ideally a Mojo 2, but I'll use a FiiO BTR17 on the go & I only take my Variations outside with me as I live in Bangkok & it's very humid. IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R/Moondrop Variations

But very few that will be genuinely fantastic will. If any at that sort of price point... there might be a a few that are as good & similar to existing sets, but better? Hmm. If I can't listen to something myself (firstly, I usually don't buy it), I'll tend to wait 6-9 months to see if people are still going nuts about them & they were not just some flash in the pan - exactly as I did the Canpur 622B - that's a big spend & I couldn't test them, I waited nine months & the only feedback was still that for what they do, nothing comes close & they're absolutely one of the best audio products ever made & worth every penny. Turns out they were. Certainly for me, there is nothing that has beaten the Moondrop Variations at the $500 mark since they came out & that sentiment was echoed on a poll on here a few months ago... but I don't think they'll be for this chap.

I'd look on the second hand market & get a set of UM Mext. There is a set on Head-Fi classifieds for $440 now (theyre about $1100 new). They have absolutely incredible build quality - a super strong resin that really looks & feels ultra premium, even with a few scratches. They were released a couple of years ago, but they truth is there isnt anything new under $700 that competes for the kind of sound you seem to be talking about. The Thieaudio Hype 4 are really decent & on a similar path, but not a patch on the Mext in either sound or build... and having been into audio gear since the 90s, I've really learnt how important build quality is. My personal favourites new at $500 (if you're lucky - most places are selling for $700 now a they're so difficult to find & I believe they're out of production) are the Moondrop Variations & they won a poll here a few months ago as the best in that price bracket - but I don't think they'll be your thing. Good luck! Always remember: music >>>>>>> gear.

I was in exactly the same e-earphones about a month ago, ready to buy something nice. I sat down with fiio fh9, moondrop variations, letshuoer ej07m, final something or other, and something else I can’t remember the name of now, along with my trusty fiio fh5 as reference. As you get more expensive they all get very specific. They all sounded pretty different to each other, all good but different. Before trying them and just from reading reviews I was convinced I was going to be walking out with the fh9. I really didn’t like them in the end. Came home with the ej07m instead. They’re definitely a set up over my fh5. Are they twice as good? Nope. Find a sound you like, try and find what you like that matches that in your price range. And all the better if you go somewhere like e-earphones and try them out. It’s hard!

Should I return my Moondrop Variations for these?

Does good audio get dated though? Lots of other threads recommending to keep the Variations, so maybe I’ll just stick with what works for me

About 60% of the most-recommended IEMs in this thread didn't exist 6 months ago. I think the oldest one mentioned is 18 months. None of those IEMs will suddenly become bad, but what you can get for the same amount of money, or less, will be completely different 6 months from now. The Variations is a massive outlier as far as chi-fi goes. I don't think anything else has outlived it. It's the pinnacle of Harman-tuned IEMs, but you've got to like that (and the bass tuck that comes with it). New releases nowadays in that price range are all anti-Harman, so it's unlikely the Variations will be unseated in its particular niche any time soon either.

This will be a very quick review. About me: I am coming from the Moondrop Variations as my daily driver. I just wanted something non-harman/meta-tuned which does not break the bank. I tested many IEMs in different price ranges. After I daily used the Odyssey now for a few weeks, I feel confident enough to write a short review. The best thing about the Odyssey is no doubt the tuning. It's rooted on the new meta with adding a bit more excitement in the bass and treble, but really just a bit. It sounds very different as my last daily driver, which have a much more colorised tuning (harman IE 2019) - which can sound great, but they are really hit and miss depending on the song. That's the reason why I decided I need something more versatile which works with all sorts of content (basically all music genres, movies, gaming). I consider this a "common sense endgame", because if someone wants to enter the expensive world of IEMs, the Odyssey can be reasonable advised as an one-and-only purchase because of it's sound signature. This can be of course also said about other meta-tuned IEMs in that price range. They don't really differ a lot in how they sound. If you looking at higher price ranges, there is the Monarch MK2 with a similar tuning but much better technicalities. I A/B tested both while testing and can say with confidence that the difference here is not worth the decreased comfort and increased price for the MK2. Maybe I am not "audiophile" enough to hear a big difference or I had not enough time to test the Monarchs. Another thing is how easy the Odyssey can be driven. Connected to the 3.5 Audiojack of a Macbook 16% of audio volume is a sweet spot. You basically have no volume problems on any source. Connected to a Qudelix 5K DAC/AMP they sound the same. Using a DSP/EQ to normalise the sound to JM-1 - I like the native sound signature more than the original new meta (JM-1) - it just adds some excitement without being too much. It can be still considered as neutral with bass boost. One drawback is how sensitive they seem to be. Connected to a "poor DAC" (e.g. Playstation Portal 3.5 Audiojack or DualSense Controller 3.5 Audiojack), there is a noticeable background hiss and noise floor when a sound is played. This is not so noticeable when gaming, but I would definitely not advise the Odyssey if this is a use-case for you. Compared to that, the Variations do sound absolutely clean connected to the DualSense or PS Portal. In it's price range, I would easily give the Odyssey a 10/10 Score with the Label "Endgame for most". If price doesn't matter, maybe a 8/10.

The Variations still sounds a bit airier with a bit better resolution EQ’d to the odyssey (airier because of treble isn’t easy to EQ and resolution because of better technicalities - I mean, the variations are still much more expensive and you hear that a little bit and only when A/B testing). But roughly they sound almost the same tonality wise when EQ’d. (which is expected). The question arises why I even bought the Odyssey when I’m already into EQ’ing - I have reasons for it. The variations are not as comfortable over time as the odyssey, which are really lite-weight and I don’t have the option to EQ on all sources.

I've only ever done short demos on both but vocals on the Top Pro sounded overall really clear and engaging, I just wished it had more bass (for my preference). I think I enjoyed the Variations more with my music though.

Currently I've already tried many iems under 1000, and I think I'm ready to approach endgame. Problem is, which one should I choose? I've tried I/O Volare, Moondrop Variations, Moondrop Beautiful World, Moondrop Crinacle Dusk, Crinear Daybreak. Out of all of them, I like the sound of the I/O Volare the most. I have a Moonriver 2Ti DAC as well to go with whatever endgame IEM I'm gonna buy. Any suggestions?

Sorry for the late reply lol. TLDR at the bottom if u don't wanna read I won't say anything technical comparing these iems, I'll just tell you my general feel listening on all 3. I use spinfit tips on every one of them btw The Dusk and Variations all sounded great, however there were some general problems with these. 1, I never dabbled too much into EQing iems, and when I did try it didn't work that well. This is very much a skill issue, and I know the Variations is very much a great EQ IEM and could sound infinitely better if I had better skill at tuning. I'm not a big fan of the stock tuning of the Variations, though, but I've had people disagree with me. The Dusk on the other hand sounded great in a lot of the songs I listen to, I do feel like there's a difference between this and the Volare but the difference isn't too big. However, I do a bunch of stage prep work and recording engineering, and one day when I was out of the studio and didn't have my studio headphones, I tried to use the Dusk to listen to the recordings of the orchestra. I found that I couldn't really discern the panning and staging that well using it, and when I tried with the Volare next I could hear an immediate improvement on the clarity and separation of the instruments. Probably because of these electrostatic drivers. But yeah these are my subjective opinions. TL:DR I still think moondrop crinacle dusk is great and very similar to Volare at a cheaper price, but I only really heard the difference once I listened to recordings of ensembles and orchestras for work and found that the staging and separation of the instruments were tremendously better on the Volare.

I went straight for Variations and am loving the set. 

Имею наушники в распоряжении больше недели, очень доволен. Есть также трибриды с EST-Moondrop Variations, Yanyin Mahina, были Shozy Magma. Среди всех, у данных- самая большая сцена, если у Вариаций- большая сцена, то здесь-еще больше в ширину. Отличная визуализация и чистота. Возможно, кому-то будет мало веса, тела  инструменов, но зато есть техничность и точность. Бас по качеству лучше даже, чем у Variations, более текстурный, артикулированный.(Recoil, Alan Wilder), ВЧ- более яркие чем у всех трибридов, что были у меня. Теперь по амбюшурам- хвалят прозрачные с голубой сердцевиной, но мне с ними звук показался светлым и слишком мягким, типа KBEAR 07-сухим и плоским. Самый лучший вариант был с Rseselsa SoundCocon, или же с аналогичными от CatchEar,.  У данных амбюшур более плотная сердцевина, в результате-звук более собран и тугой. Слушаю на Ibasso DX180. Очень хорошие наушники!!! 

I like the Blessing 2 and 3's - they're great IEMs. Despite the parts that aren't perfect (Kinda wish the USB C DSP cable wasn't so necessary- even if it's actually a nice cable) I prefer the new Dusks for their increased bass impact over the Blessing 3. The new Dusks are over your budget but, IMO, there's something to be said for 'buy once, cry once'. Your post suggests that you'd rather have just one set of IEMs and the Dusks are very decent. Of all the IEM sets that my non-audiophile colleagues at work have tried, the Dusks and Variations have received the most positive feedback. Can also highly recommend the Moondrop Variations but they're well over your budget and IMO there's a lot of diminishing returns considering how much more they cost than the new Dusks. But like the other posters have said, your personal sound preference counts most of all here. Over 200 USD, there are few IEMs that are objectively bad - they're mostly just *different*. Unfortunately you say that you don't yet know what you like. I can only suggest that you try another popular headphone or IEM and make a list of the things that you really like and the things that don't like and this will give you a much better idea of which >250 USD IEM will best suit you.

Tbh the only models I own are the May and Variations, so my opinion may be a bit skewed lol

Moondrop Variations Moondrop dawn pro Very simple but very effective setup. Has saved me from spending money for over a year. Listen to variations everyday at work for 5-6hrs

moondrop variations. get your wow and then you wont spend money for a very long time.

take a grain of salt with \^ comment because I strongly dislike the variations especially over the tea pro.

It’s just preference my guy. I can’t say everyone is going to like the tea pro more but most people I know have had the same experience as me. Especially depending on the type of music you listen to the variations has some pretty big flaws. I own much higher end iem’s than the variations so I’m not just spewing opinions coming from other budget sets

Tea pro es un Mangird Top lite. No recomiendo la versión "lite" en ningún dispositivo (teléfonos, tabletas, auriculares...). Sugeriría 4 iems en 4 rangos de precio. Menos de 100€: Clavelon Delta (cálido, abierto, limpio y buena tonalidad). Menos de 250€: KiwiEars Quintet (más clínico pero divertido, buena técnica, muy abierto). Menos de 350€: Ziigaat Estrella (sonido atractivo, buen timbre debido a que no tiene una tonalidad puramente audiófila, buena técnica, limpio, aireado). Menos de 600€: Moondrop Variations (más versátil, más técnico, muy abierto pero un poco débil en algunas canciones). Edición: \-Dinámica: Variations=Estrella>Quintet>Clavelon. \-Apertura: Variations>Quintet=Estrella>Clavelon. \-Resolución: Estrella=Variaciones>Quinteto=Clavelon. \-Inmersión: Clavelon.

Mid-high: Moondrop Variations, Sa6 Mk2 (530€) Both better than all you wrote. High: 7hz Supernova, Monarch Mk2 (800-900€) And there are much more better +1400€ For me, of your list I think best overall will be Estrella, Tea pro and Odissey. Different tunning.

Please note that this may not be the best advice but I tend to find that Harman tuned IEM's perform well for gaming so I personally like to use the Moondrop Variations for gaming. To my ears they also give a good sense of direction too so I can use them for any game. Other than that, people tend to recommend what you've listed it seems so they should all hold up well but I personally haven't tried most of the options you've listed.

The XENNS Top are a better Variations. Variations have shoddy built quality, and were from the few IEMs that didn't fit my ears.

I have/had them both, man. Basically kept the Top and sold the Variations. I couldn't stand the spilled glue that had leaked from underneath the faceplate to the smoky transparent body as well. If you really want ESTs, go for the EJO7. Much more comfortable shell than the Variations monstrosity and similar tuning. I shouldn't have even replied to you being disrespectful. You are a disgrace to the community.

Moondrop Variations for me. Sounded lifeless, wierd, grainny and compressed. I had very high expectations before hearing them, both my friend and I found them to be absolutely horrible. Used multiple tips and that didn't change a thing. I also didn't like 64 Audio Volur when I heard em, sounded peaky and brittle. Thieaudio Monarch MK3, CA Trifecta, Hidizs MP145, Letshuoer S15 and Truthear Nova on the other hand were amazing. To each his own, It's all about the music library, tastes and ear anatomy.

I used to own Variations, I think it will do you good considering your libary (I listen to Ado, Yorushika, Suisei and Utsu-p too) My lastfm: [Last.fm](https://www.last.fm/user/La1n02) and if you listen mostly to female vocal, Variations is the way :)

Very good sound stage and I really love the treble from the Variations, you won't be disappointed. About the bass tho, the subbass is rumble, goes really deep but the midbass for metal might be a bit too lacking and it was the only reason why I sold my Variations becuz im more leaning towards metal/rock rather than jpop at this point. Funny enough, I just sold my Variations for a dude, he was A/B them with his wh1000xm5 and he told me the Variations blows away wh1000xm5. Btw, If you like some metal vocaloid stuffs, I really recommend Okamep

Variations probably, I used to own both and can tell if people like May enough they would love Variations too

20-50 - experimental range. May have decent FR curve but trash details (single layer of details, like you cram all the musicians in a ball and make them play) 50-100 - pick and choose - harsh FR curve resulting jn good details or mid focused romantic sound, or bassy - or very recently harman tuned FR curve. Details are half decent. 100-200 - things get exciting here - details finally start showing up. More focused listening by an above average listener at 85 plus decibels will perceive difference in HiFi (atleast imo... If you disagree please don't comment about 320kbps being equal to Hi-Res.) FR is expected to be tuned very close to various preference ranges - otherwise the IEM is bound to be a flop. Imo 200 is the range where wired IEMs noticably sound better than TWS iems. Above 200, depends. For example, my moondrop variations reaches 90 percent of the microdetails available in 1500$ iems (demo'd QDC Anole VX). BUT FROM 200, the diminishing returns start. In the 200 plus range, Sources matter. The way the amp is delivering sound matters. The DAC matters. Upto 600$ is where i find IEMs meaningfully compete with over-ear headphones. In general I find a lot of details and imaging is possible by IEMs compared to headphones, with the exception of HD800S. But nothing beats speakers... The sensation of standing in the middle of a concert and musicians playing their instruments is nowhere to be found except speakers (personal experience after demoing GoldenEar Triton and B&W 802 D4.) Also, at some point, the details start mattering less, and the FR starts being insignificant. The preference curves get thrown out a window, and tubes start sounding best. YMMV.

Almost 10 years since i had first bought my KZ ZS5 - been demoing iem at various places ever since. Hmm, i might have undersold my experiences a bit. But i would say binary acoustics x gizaudio collab iem is pretty nice - since 11.11 is coming up soon you should probably pickup Davinci by Dunu, or if you are very very tight on money you can opt to pick up Truthear Pure. If you want harman tuning, theres always the truthear novas. As far as I know the Novas sound 95% identical to Moondrop Variations, and the details should be there as well. I daily drive moondrops at the gym. Best of luck.

IEMs photographed left to right in first two photos: Unique Melody Mest MkII, Moondrop Variations, Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK, TSMR Halo, Thieaudio Monarch MkIII, Elysian Annihilator 2023, Elysian Diva 2023. I’ve also put a close-up photo of each IEM in the order they appear in photo one. Photography is not my skill so the photos are awful; whoops! This is just update post for my collection. Again, the post is mostly for me to look back on myself in the future (for example, I said in my last post I was looking for Diva 2023 and I finally got it courtesy of a Head-Fi seller). I’m not expecting anyone to care or be interested. But on the off-chance someone cares I’ll list a few rankings off here. You can also see the driver configurations of each IEM in photo three, listed top to bottom in the order I acquired the sets. My rankings are coming from the point of view of someone who values detail and treble extension primarily, with bass a secondary concern. Sound (most important of course): 1. Elysian Annihilator 2023 2. Elysian Diva 2023 3. Unique Melody Mest MkII 4. Thieaudio Monarch MkIII 5. TSMR Halo 6. Moondrop Variations 7. Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK Comfort/Fit (essential for long listening sessions): 1. Unique Melody Mest MkII 2. Elysian Diva 2023 3. TSMR Halo 4. Elysian Annihilator 2023 5. Moondrop Variations 6. Thieaudio Monarch MkIII 7. Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK Stock Cable (maybe interesting, maybe not): 1. Unique Melody Mest MkII 2. Elysian Diva 2023 3. Thieaudio Monarch MkIII 4. Elysian Annihilator 2023 5. Moondrop Variations 6. TSMR Halo 7. Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK (both cables) Finally, not photographed except for the boxes are my two DAPs. The iBasso DX340 is clearly the better of the two but I hesitate to say it’s ‘worth it’ as an upgrade to the R4. They’re both fantastic but as a value proposition I think the R4 is great. To conclude, clearly the IEM hobby is something of a chase for perfection which you will never achieve. There are tradeoffs to every IEM, DAC, DAP, cable and eartips. If you’re seeing this post and thinking about things like diminishing returns and these sets being nowhere near ‘worth’ their price – I’d say I agree. Diminishing returns (not a phrase I like much because everything has diminishing returns but I digress) set in quite early imho. For an all-rounder that you can use with practically any device the DUSK (as an example from my sets) could easily be the pinnacle of what you’re looking for and there’s really no need to chase the latest releases or constantly be looking to upgrade. Then again, I also disagree with people who look down on someone for owning more than one set – do we limit ourselves to one pair of shoes just because we only have two feet? (Bad example but maybe you get my point.) At the end of the day, yes, the IEM hobby is rife with consumerism, as are all similar tech products, but I think the craftsmanship and the various different designs, sound signatures and so on make it a fascinating hobby to be involved in. And on second-hand sites like Head-Fi (where I got my Mest, Diva & Halo from) or even r/AVexchange you can sometimes snag yourself a bargain, or at least meet more people to talk about this great hobby with. I’d be happy to discuss anything photographed if anyone has any questions (and made it all the way to reading this)! Take care and all the best, Rob

Only a fool wears $500 IEMs out of the house. Size is irrelevant as long as they are comfortable while sitting or lying down. Looking forward to learning how they compare to my Variations, which are the best I've ever heard to date.

If you like the Hype 4's technical performance but want less bass, check out the Symphonium Meteor or the Moondrop Variations—both offer great clarity with more balanced tuning. Also, maybe give the Etymotic EVO a look if you're okay with a deeper fit. Solid options under $500!

Variations is a solid upgrade but has QC concerns. Check out Dunu SA6 MK2, Elysian Diva 2023, or ThieAudio Oracle MKII for similar tuning with better technicalities. Symphonium Meteor is worth a look too!

Moondrop Variations absolutely wipe the floor with both & are somewhat in the same $ realm; could get lucky 2nd hand excellent condition... or you could push your budget a touch. Variations are way way better than either - this isn't an incremental jump - this is a very significant leap in difference of how good they are. The ESTs drivers are beautifully implemented & are rarely in anything sub 1000. People can day about things about it all being subjective, but I genuinely believe they are objectively much better IEMs, period.

I'll take a bucket of salt with your statement; the Tea Pro are absolutely terrible. Yes I've owned them & I couldn't sell them quick enough. There's a good reason there are waiting lists for Variations, even a few years after release & they're regarded as one of the best IEMs of all time. The Tea Pro seem to be flavour of the month for people who have finally decided to spend more than $70 on a pair & they will defend them to the death. Utter dogshit & not 10% as good as the Tea 2.

I'm not 'your guy' you condescending mug & if you had more serious sets/knew what you were talking about, I don't believe you'd think the Tea Pro were anything except utter crap with horrific mids, dreadful bass & terrible treble - the Tea 2 were much better. The Variations are my out & abouts. Only the Hype 4 are another pair I'd consider for that spot. If you're comfortable staying with the opinions of others - it seems most of the people who bought the Tea Pro are the guys with 20 pairs of 15-50 USD IEMs & suddenly went for a big boy set. I'm pretty sorted... IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R/Moondrop Variations  HEADPHONES - Focal Clear MG Pro/ Focal Stellia/Focal Celeste/Sennheiser HD800/Kennerton Magni/Kennerton LSA-H1/Meze Emperyean/FiiO Ft1

If they didn't fit you, that's not a negative - you understand that, right? Build quality is totally decent on the Variations. Significantly better than anything by Thieaudio, besides the Valhalla. Top have no EST's which are so well implemented on the Variations & that's what makes them go from good to great. Sounds to me like you read that opinion elsewhere & took it as your own 👀

They do absolutely everything better than the Tea Pro. This isn't about libraries. And it's very easy to push the bottom end down a little & vocals sound absolutely fine. FYI my Hype 4 were my out & abouts. They're a very safe recommendation but I personally now have Moondrop Variations as my out & abouts but they are not as safe a recommendation - personally I prefer them. I only want one pair of out & about as my main six sets are 1600-3000 & I don't want to take them out due to the humidity where I live. The only 500 & under IEMs I will genuinely recommend are the Hype 4 & the Variations. I've tried dozens at that price point. Maybe 100. There may be others, but there is very good reason both of these are absolute classics...

Yeah, even the original Top was only slightly better than the Variations. Don't get me wrong, Variations is awesome, but it's getting a bit dated.

Three, even two years is a long time in IEMs. Drivers crossover, and implementation tech changes so fast. The variation's kinda below average—barely a 9, in my book—making it a bad value at $600. You can get the same performance for half the price now. It's just my opinion tho. Alot of ppl might think otherwise.

I'm on this same mission now Have read the oracle mK2 might also fit this profile can i ask where you landed? I picked up the variations, because 'i also wanted to try them' but they are way too opinionated and i'm looking for something much flatter

Maybe not a mistake. My first IEM was the IE200 and I still wear them for longish flights (4+ hours) as they are the most comfortable and the sound is good. The longest session was about 8 hours. The IEMs I have that sound better were twice the price or more but I can’t imagine wearing my Thieaudio Origins for more than an hour or two. I wore some Moondrop Variations for about 3 hours and that was about the limit.

I just bought the Thieaudio Origins last week and absolutely love them. They have a completely full range bass feel and the bone conduction adds a little something to it that I have a hard time explaining. I can definitely tell it’s there as it feels different than my other IEMs. The others in my collection are Aful Performer 5+2, Truthear Zero Red, Oriveti Lowmaster, Moondrop Variations, Sennhesier IE200. For bassy music the Thieaudio is my go to.

I’m currently trying to downsize - if you’re interested in trying Moondrop variations vs thieaudio hype 4 vs sennheiser ie600, I’m down to send them to you as long as you buy one of the three and send the other two back!

Tried them. Returned the IE600, kept the dusk and variations from Moondrop. Those two I wasn't expecting the size of them, the tube seems to help making the sound a bit more airy. Dusk is quite neutral, a bit more airy than variations, and less fatique on long run. But tuning I preper variations a bit more. Both are very nice. Quite a step up from my old SE846. Thanks.

The fr you show is similar to Moondrop VDSF or Woodenears target, which has a very natural timbre in my opinion. But the main problem in flat and neutral bass are the seal. Depending on the shape of the ear, tips and IEM the quantity varies. And the most used scenario are noisier enviroments (in a house is better a open-back over ear), when you need to compensate lower frequencies. There are two solutions: add a dip in mid-bass like a Harman tuning, or use a low shell filter in lower frequency (90 Hz or less, which uses new Crin target). The 2nd solution change less the timber of male voices and guitars.

VDSF Moondrop is my favorite budget tuning. Gets me just as happy as thieaudios monarch line!

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.