Moondrop Aria Snow Edition Review
Moondrop Aria Snow Edition Review
Introduction:
Moondrop is a popular Chinese Portable Audio brand that was once a small studio by several hobbyist engineers, which has been emerged in 2015 with focus on products like Earbuds, In-Ear Monitors and now USB DAC/Amplifier dongles.
The Aria Snow Edition that I will now review for you has the same shape of the original Aria 2021. However, it comes now with a brand new silver finish and beautiful faceplate (Snow-Flake Design) design and features Moondrop’s DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) diaphragm with dual-cavity dynamic drivers instead of a LCP diaphragm unit that was used on the original Aria 2021. The Aria Snow Edition follows the companies VDSF target tuning curve.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Moondrop and Shenzhen Audio for providing me the Aria Snow Edition for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Moondrop or Shenzhen Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.
Price & Availability:
The actual price of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition is 79,99 US$. More information’s can be found under the link below;
Package and Accessories:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition came inside a rectangular box in white color with a nice Snowflake motive on the top, which was wrapped with a stylish cardboard with the Snow Edition theme on its surface.
The box contains the following items/accessories;
- 1 x pair of Moodrop Aria Snow Edition In-Ear Monitor
- 1 x detachable cable with 0.78mm diameter 2-Pin connector and 3.5mm headphone jack
- 3 x pairs of Regular Silicone Ear Tips
- 3 x pairs of Moondrop exlusive Silicone Ear Tips
- 1 x White Zipper case
- 1 x Print Material (Warranty Card, Product Instruction, etc.)
Design, Build Quality and Fit:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition has beautiful looking In-Ear Monitor that shares the same comfortable design that we have seen on the original Aria (aka 2021). The optical difference is the color of the shell that is now silver instead of black and the Snow Edition faceplate design that reflects a gorgeous looking Snowflake pattern.
The metal shell was made with a metal injection molding and CNC carving process However, the main difference is the Moondrop’s new DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) diaphragm dual-cavity dynamic driver that replaced the 10mm diameter LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) diaphragm that was used inside the Aria 2021.
At the rear surface of the monitor shell is the sound nozzle and two vents for the dynamic driver. One of the vents is near the sound nozzle while the second one is near edge of the back part.
The sound nozzle has a slightly angled profile that features a metal mesh on the top to avoid the insertion of small particles like dust or earwax in to the monitors shell.
On the top of the monitor shell is the recessed 0.78mm diameter 2-Pin female connector that offers a tight and secure fit to the male connectors. The build quality of the housing looks of high quality and fulfills my expectations from a product in this price category.
Detachable Cable:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition comes with a High-Purity Silver-Plated OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) detachable cable with 2-Pin connectors. The cable has a transparent insulation that shows a minimal microphonic effect.
The 0.78mm diameter 2-Pin connectors to have a transparent plastic housing with R (Right) & L (Left) markings and a red color indicator ring for the right channel. Near the connectors are PVC heat-shrink ear guides that are useful for a comfortable over the ear wearing experience.
The cable sports a plastic (rubber) Y splitter in black color that sports some product related brandings (Moondrop) on its surface.
The 3.5mm Single Ended headphone jack has an L profiled headphone metal housing with a plastic strain relief for extra durability.
Fit, Comfort & Isolation:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition offers a pretty ergonomic fit thanks to its relative small size and ear concha friendly inner shape.The passive noise isolation of the Aria Snow Edition is on an average level that is sufficient for the use in public transportations like bus, metro, bus or train.
Pairing & Drivability:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition has an impedance of 32ohm and shows a sensitivity of about 119dB@1kHz which makes it to an easy to drive IEM for sources like Smartphone’s, Tablets and smaller sized DAP’s with weak amplification capabilities.
Specifications:
- Driver Type : 10mm Dual-Cavity Magnetic Dynamic Driver with DLC diaphragm
- Freq. Resp. : 20Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity : 119db
- Impedance : 32 Ohm
- Plug Size : 3.5mm Single Ended
- Core length : 1.2m
Sources used for this review:
- IEM’s : Moondrop Aria Snow Edition, Hidizs MM2, Ikko OH2
- DAP/DAC’s : FiiO M11 Plus, Moondrop Dawn (with ddHiFi 4.4mm Adapter)
Albums & tracks used for this review:
- Adele – My Little Love (Spotify)
- Randy Crawford – On Day I Will Fly Away (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Hayley Westenra – Odyssey Album (Dezzer HiFi)
- Dionne Warwick – Walk On By (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sarah McLachlan – Angel (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Sertap Erener – Aşk (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Edith Piaf – Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
- Aretha Franklin – I Say A Little Payer (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Sonya Yoncheva – (Giuseppe Verdi) II Trovatore, ActI (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- David Bowie – Heroes (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Elton John – Rocket Man ((Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Barry White – Just The Way You Are (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Isaac Hayes – Walk On By (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sting – Englishman in New York – (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- B.B. King – Riding With The King (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Bro Safari, UFO! – Drama (Deezer HiFi)
- Armin Van Buuren – Vini Vici (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Really Slow Motion – Deadwood (Deezer HiFi)
- Jo Blankenburg – Meraki (Spotify)
- Lorde – Royal (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Toutant – Rebirth (Deezer HiFi)
- Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (Spotify)
- Charly Antolini – Duwadjuwandadu (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Ferit Odman – Look, Stop & Listen (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Chopin – Nocturn No. 20 In C-Sharp Minor (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Fazıl Say – Nazım Oratoryosu (Live) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Deezer HiFi)
- Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Lunatic Soul – The Passage (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove it) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Opeth – Windowpane (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Rush’s – Leave That Thing Alone (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Slayer – Angel of Death (Spotify)s
- Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
- Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (Spotify)
The Sound:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition shows a tad warmer than neutral tonality and fairly balanced overall frequency response. The lower frequency area has a relative balanced, somewhat linear tuning. The midrange on the other hand is pretty transparent and detailed for an IEM at this price level, while the treble range on the other hand is nicely smooth, fatigue free and offers a good sense of control.
This review has been written after a burn-in period of about 60 Hours. I have used the Moondrop exclusive silicone ear tips and the stock cable that are included to the package.
Bass / Midrange / Treble / Soundstage:
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition has a fairy linear bass response from the subbass up to the midbass area. It offers a good grade of authority and speed in this region especially in for an In-Ear Monitor at this price tag. The subbass region is moderately pronounced and slightly less highlighted compared to the midbass region. The Aria Snow Edition offers a sufficient level of depth and intensity, while wont show enough rumble for bass heavy genres like EDM, Bassline, Dubstep, Trance, etc.
The midbass region of the Aria Snow Edition has a pretty safe and fairly linear tuning with good grade of transparency, speed and control, especially for a single dynamic driver IEM at this price range. I didn’t hear any audible muddiness or mixings in even in some bass heavy songs, which is one of the highlights in this area. The sense of clarity and resolution is decent for a product below the 100 US mark.
The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition shows a pretty transparent and airy midrange character with a fairly forward presentation. The general tonality of the Aria Snow Edition is pretty natural and can be described as a bit warmer than neutral. It offers a good sense of air and space between instruments and vocal that I really enjoyed when I did pair it with device like the FiiO M11 Plus and xDuoo Poke II.
The lower midrange is moderately highlighted when I listen to male vocals or to instruments such like a viola or guitar. The upper midrange is the focal point of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition that is produced with a decent sense of clarity and resolution when I do listen to instruments like a violin, piano or flute or to female voices like Adel or Aretha Franklin. I didn’t notice any remarkable sibilance or harshness, which is another remarkable highlight of the Aria Snow Edition.
The Aria Snow Edition has a pretty smooth and natural treble tuning that is relative energetic but not overly bright, sharp or ear piercing. This area is shown with a good grade of authority, separation and extension that is not outstanding but that is produced in a way that will fulfill the expectation from a product at this price level.
The lower treble region of the Aria Snow Edition is more highlighted and detailed compared to the upper treble register. The lower treble range shows an audible roll-off after the 6 kHz region that is tuned in a controlled manner. The presence of this area creates an efficient sense of clarity while listen to percussions, flutes or pianos.
The upper treble region is less energetic and detailed, while it offers a sufficient grade of extension when I do listen to instruments such like hi-hats or cymbals. The sense of airiness and sparkle that is produced in this area is on a moderate level.
When it comes to the soundstage performance, I can say that the Moondrop Aria Snow Editions shows a sufficient sense of depth and wideness. The separation and placement of instruments and vocals is fairly precise for a product at this price range.
Some Comparisons:
Moondrop Aria Snow Edition versus Hidizs MM2:
The Hidizs MM2 has a slightly more colored overall sound signature with a tad warmer tonality in direct comparison to the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition, which shows a more balanced general presentation.
The subbass of the Hidizs MM2 shows slightly more quantity and depth than those of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition. The midbass region of the MM2 is more highlighted that sounds more impactful and entreating with genres like EDM, Trance or Pop music. The Aria Snow Edition on the other hand has the slightly edge when it comes to the authority and clarity in this area.
The midrange of both In-Ear Monitors is close to neutral in terms of tonality. However, the Aria Snow Edition is superior to the MM2 in terms of transparency and airiness. The MM2 sounds a bit more emotional with male vocals, while the Aria Snow Edition is more successful when I do listen to female voices or to instruments such like a piano, flute or guitar.
The upper midrange and treble region of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition offers a slightly better sense of extension and control, while both IEM are pretty equal when it comes to the resolution.
The soundstage of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition shows slightly more wideness compared to the Hidizs MM2, while both are pretty similar when it comes to the depth and height of the stage.
Moondrop Aria Snow Edition versus Ikko OH2:
Both the Ikko OH2 and the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition do feature a single dynamic driver configuration. The Aria Snow Edition has a CNC engraved Metal housing while the OH2 has a monitor shell made from Metal and Transparent Polycarbonate material.
The Aria Snow Edition has a tad warmer tonality compared to the OH2 that is produced in the lower frequency register. The Ikko OH2 shows a slightly more linear bass response compared to the Aria Snow Edition that has a bit more midbass depth, body and intensity. Both the OH2 and the Aria Snow Edition do offer a pretty similar sense of clarity and resolution in the lower frequency area.
The midrange of the Ikko OH2 sounds slightly more forward and a bit brighter in tonality, when compared to the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition that shows a tad warmer and fuller overall midrange character. The upper midrange of the Aria Snow Edition has a bit more dynamism and resolution, while the difference is very minimal but audible to my ears.
The treble range of the Moondrop Aria Snow Edition is slightly more crisp, energetic and detailed than those of the Ikko OH2. The upper treble region of the Ikko OH2 has an audible roll-off around the 10 kHz region, which is the reason while the Aria Snow Edition shows a bit more airiness in this area.
Both In-Ear Monitors do offers a fairly precise placement and separation of instruments and vocals. The Aria Snow Edition has the slightly edge when it comes to the depth of the stage, while both IEM’s do have a relative similar performance when it comes to the wideness of the soundstage.
Conclusion:
The Aria Snow Edition is another gorgeous looking IEM from Moondrop with its beautiful Snowflake faceplate design. It follows the companies popular VDSF target frequency response, which is a safe, balanced and pretty enjoyable tuning, produced with its latest DLC diaphragm dynamic driver. The competitive pricing, esthetic design and balanced sound profile do make the Aria Snow Edition to an easy to recommend earphone.
Pros & Cons:
- + Good implementation of Moondrop’s VDSF target frequency response
- + Linera Bass Response that shows good sense of clarity and resolution
- + Natural & Balanced Midrange Tuning
- + Smooth & Fatigue Free Treble Character
- + Very Esthetic Looking Faceplate Design
- – Roll-Off in the Subbass Area
- – Not the most Ideal Choice for Electronic Music
- – Small Carry Case
Thank you for the Read!
