I’m by no means the best at reviewing things, I don’t really do it but figured this might be a fun thing to try. So why not pick probably one of the hardest and most subjective areas to tackle - audio!
Ever since I was a kid I’ve had the privilege of having good audio equipment, my dad has always been into HiFi so I grew up with custom built kit speakers and amps. My first amp was a hand me down Cambridge Audio P30, it sadly no longer works but I’m hoping one day my dad will fix it for me. From then I inherited a pair of custom built kit speakers from Wilmslow Audio, these things are older than me and are now the work horse of our media centre in the lounge (despite the cracked tweeter).
Around the time of the before times (pre COVID) I started getting into Chifi (I hate this word but it seems to be the term used for Chinese Hifi) IEMs (In Ear Monitors).
All my IEMs:
- KZ ZEX Pro (Crinacle)
- Shure something
- Etymotic HF5
- Thruthear x Crinacle Zero: Red
- Moondrop Chu
- Moondrop Starfields
- Moodrop Blessing 2
- Moondrop Dusk
- Crinacle Project Meta (777)
It should be clear I really like Crinacles tuning, overall I much prefer a neutral sound with bass boosted slightly.
Of the ones I’ve listened to the most here’s my thoughts:
| Blessing 2 | Dusk | Project Meta |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral | Neutral Tuning | FUN |
| Flat | Great bass response | Bass is kinda crazy, booms, some bass heavy music is hard to listen to at times, EDIT: I’ve grown to really like this now! |
| Lacking Bass | Kinda fun to listen to | Treble is responsive and not muddied by Bass |
| Clinical | Treble is really nice and crisp | Shells are a lot smaller than B2s and Dusk and more comfy |
| Overall not that fun to listen to |
Moondrop Blessing 2#
These we’re my first “expensive” IEM, I spent ages researching the sound profile and reviews. I wish I’d bought the Dusk variant as I think it fixes a lot of the issues I had with the B2s. I got my pair custom engraved with the icon I use for this site which is cool.
Moondrop Dusk#
I was super excited when these we’re announced and pre-ordered straight away. They’re absolutely amazing and have become my gold standard for IEMs, my only issue is that the shells are freaking huge like the B2s, I got used to the size but after switching to the Metas it’s kinda hard to go back.
CrinEar Project Meta#
It’s kinda a shame that the Project Metas are limit to 1000 units, they’re really good and at a great price point (around ~£250). I’m really glad I managed to get a pair they’ve replaced the Dusks as my go to IEM now. I can’t see that changing any time soon.
Moondrop Spring Tips#
All my IEMs use these tips, they’re really comfortable and fit my ears well.
Conclusion#
This is a bit of a rambly post, I’m not a reviewer let alone an audio one, I just really appreciate good gear. If your looking for a new set of IEMs I think the CrinEar Daybreaks might be a good choice.