Moondrop Blessing 3 IEM Review
Moondrop Blessing 3 IEM 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 Blessing 3 is the successor of the Blessing 2 that was a big success for Moondrop within the audiophile community. The Blessing 3 features a Hybrid Driver Setup that is a combination of 4 Balanced Armature Drivers (2x Mids + 2x Treble) + 2x Horizontally-Opposed Dynamic Driver that are carefully integrated in to a classy looking transparent medical grade 3D printed resin shell.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Moondrop and Shenzhen Audio for providing the Blessing 3 IEM 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 Moondrop Blessing 3 is available for 319.99 US$. More information’s can be found under the link below;
Package & Accessories:
Moondrop has packed the Blessing 3 in to a stylish looking white box with a nice hinged design that sports some brandings and an anime character on the front, while the rear surface shows some technical details and a disassembled illustration of the Blessing 3.
The box of the contains the following items/accessories;
- 1x pair of Moodrop Blessing 3 IEM
- 1x detachable cable with 0.78mm diameter 2-Pin connector and 3.5mm headphone jack
- 6x pairs of Silicon Ear Tips
- 1x Storage Case with zipper1x Fight adapter
- 1x Print Materials
Design & Build Quality:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is a gorgeous looking Universal IEM with its transparent shell and esthetic looking faceplate design that gives it a premium look and feel.
The monitor housing is made from DLP-3D printed medical grade of highly transparent resin material.
You can clearly see the Six Driver Advanced Hybrid Driver Configuration, which is a combination of 4x Balanced Armature Drivers + 2x 10mm Dynamic Drivers that are integrated in to a Specially-Developed H.O.D.D.D.U.S (Horizontally Opposed Dual Dynamic Driver) module that is visible in blue color.
The Blessing 3 features an eye-catching CNC machined and hand polished stainless steel face plate that has the Moondrop logo on the left and Blessing 3 branding on the right surface. However, the faceplate is a bit prone to finger prints, which could my only complaint about the monitors.
Each faceplate sports also a small vent opening dedicated for the Double Dynamic Driver setup.
The rear surface is equipped with sound nozzle that has three opening, which is part of the 3-Way crossover system.
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 monitors do show an excellent craftsmanship that fulfils my expectations from a product in this price category.
Detachable Cable:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is equipped with a detachable Silver-Plated OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) Wire cable that sports 0.78m diameter 2-Pin connectors and a 3.5mm headphone plug. The cable has a transparent TPU outer insulation and shows a braided design.
The 0.78mm diameter 2-Pin connectors to have a transparent plastic housing with R (Right) & L (Left) markings that are not very visible, which is my only complaint about the cable. Near the connectors are PVC heat-shrink ear guides that are useful for a comfortable over the ear wearing experience.
The cable sports a metal Y splitter and chin slider, while the y-splitter has the Moondrop branding on its surface.
The 3.5mm Single Ended headphone jack has a straight profiled housing made from the same metal material.
Fit, Comfort & Isolation:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 has a quite ergonomic monitor design thanks to its semi-custom inner surface shape that fits to my average sized ear concha’s without to hurt them even after long listening periods. The nozzle of the Blessing 3 is has a smaller nozzle diameter compared to the Blessing 2 that has got some negative feedbacks.
The passive noise isolation on the other hand is above average with especially with the right ear tips. It is efficient enough for the use in fairly noise environments such like public transportations including bus or train.
Paring & Drivability:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is a quite easy to drive IEM thanks to its impedance of 14.8Ω and a sensitivity of approx 120dB/Vrms @1kHz. This makes the Blessing3 ideal for the use with a wide variety of equipments including Small Players and USB Dongles and even Smartphone’s or Tablets with a Headphone output.
Technical Specifications:
- Model : Blessing 3
- Driver Configuration : Hybrid Driver
- Driver Type : 4x Balanced Armature + 2x Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Response : 10 Hz – 30 kHz
- Sensitivity : 120db/Vrms (@1kHz)
- Impedance : 14.8Ω±15% (@1kHz)
- THD : ≤0.5% (@1kHz)
- Plug Size : 3.5mm Single Ended
- Core length : approx. 120cm
Sources used for this review:
- IEM’s : Moondrop Blessing 3, Hidizs MS5
- DAP/DAC’s : HiBy R6 GEN III, FiiO M11 Plus ESS, FiiO KA5
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)
- George Michael – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- 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. 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)
- Daft Punk – Doin’ it Right (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Jo Blankenburg – Meraki (Spotify)
- Lorde – Royals (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Massive Attack – Angel (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Toutant – Rebirth (Deezer HiFi)
- Gogo Penguin – Raven (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Gogo Penguin – Murmuration (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (Spotify)
- Max Richter – On the Nature of Daylight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- 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)
- Metallica – Master of Puppets (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)
- Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
- Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (Spotify)
The Sound:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is an impressive sounding IEM thanks to its crystal clear and highly balanced presentation. Moreover, it satisfied me with its general technical performance and the airy sound atmosphere that is produced with its Hybrid Driver setup. The grade of transparency and resolution form the highs to the lows are excellent for an In-Ear Monitor at this price level.
This review has been written after a burn-in period of approx. 70 Hours. I have used the stock cable and silicone ear tips that do come with the Moondrop Blessing 3. My sound impression below are mainly based on my pairings with sources like the HiBy R6 GEN III and FiiO M11 Plus ESS Digital Audio Player and the FiiO KA5 USB DAC Dongle.
Bass:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 shows a very natural & balanced bass response, which is also able to produce an excellent grade of resolution in this area. The subbass region stands out with its fast and natural decay, while the depth and rumble of this area in songs like Daft Punk’s “Doin’ it Right”, Lorde’s “Royals” and Massive Attack’s “Angel” are exciting.
In short, while the subbass is quantity is quite enough for my personal taste, it may won’t satisfy does who are looking for a rumble on a “basshead” level. It’s more about the naturalness, speed and authority where the Belssing3 shows its potential that is quite impressive for an IEM at this price tag.
The midbass region on the other is produced in a pretty tight and controlled manner. This area is shown with just a slightly amount of coloration that I could be sound a bit fuller. However, the biggest benefit of the actual tuning is that it avoids any unwanted conditions such like a muddiness or midbass hump. The Blessing 3 offers in general a great sense of clarity and resolution in this area that was pretty audible in songs with complex bass passages such like Gogo Penguin’s “Murmuration” or “Raven”.
Midrange:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 shows an extremely transparent and fluid midrange presentation with a resolution and technical capability that can easily compete with much pricier In-Ear Monitors on the market. The Blessing 3 offers both a decent sense of clarity and airiness thanks to its well adjusted upper midrange tuning.
The lower midrange is produced with a moderate sense of depth and fullness that could be sound a tad fuller for my taste, which can be easily changed with a touch of EQ adjustment since the Blessing 3 shows a very good response in this regarding. Male voices such like Dave Gahan, David Bowie or Barry White are reproduced in a pretty clear and natural manner, while instruments like strings or snare drums do have a moderate sense of depth and intensity.
The upper midrange is the area where the Moondrop Blessing 3 truly shines with its nicely pronounced, fairly detailed yet relative controlled tuning. Female voices such like Adel, Aretha Franklin, Sertap Erener and Diana Krall are reproduced in a pretty vivid, emotional and detailed manner without to show an annoying grade of sibilance or harshness for my taste. Instruments on the other hand such like a piano, violin, clarinet or guitar are shown with a decent level of extension, clarity and resolution.
Treble:
The treble range of the Moondrop Blessing 3 is pretty pronounced and stands out with its resolution, which offers at the same time a good sense of control in both the lower (presence) and the upper treble (brilliance) regions.
The lower treble region shows slightly boost around the 5 kHz register that reinforce the sense of clarity and definition in this area. Only some poor mastered songs did show some sharpness at higher volume levels. The transitions towards the upper treble register are in general pretty controlled, especially when instruments like electro guitars do play with high distortion.
The upper treble region on the other hand is slightly less accented, which has a mildly peak around the 8 kHz region that adds a nice sense of air and sparkle. Percussion like cymbals, hi-hats or snare drums are reproduced with an adequate level of extension and brilliance. The treble area of the Blessing 3 shows in general a good sense of saturation and offers a pretty good level of sharpness, extension and resolution.
Soundstage & Imaging:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 offers an excellent sense of transparency and airiness, which creates decent conditions for pretty realistic and accurate separation of instrument and vocals. The soundstage has an above average depth and wideness, which fulfills my expectation from an In-Ear Monitor at this price level.
Comparison:
Moondrop Blessing 3 vs Hidizs MS5 (Balanced Filter):
The Hidizs MS5 has a slightly warmer tonality and a fuller presentation in the lower frequency register. The Moondop Blessing 3 shows a slightly brighter tonality and balanced presentation, which stands out with is lively and crystal clear overall sound character.
The subbass region of the Hidizs MS5 has more depth, rumble and extension, while the Blessing 3 has the upper hand when it comes to the transparency and resolution in this area. The midbass region of the MS5 sounds fuller and is also more impactful, while it can’t compete with the clarity, authority and speed of the Blessing 3.
Both IEM’s do offer a pretty airy, transparent and detailed midrange presentation. The main difference is tuning of the lower midrange and upper midrange area. The Hidizs MS5 shows a tad warmer midrange tonality and has also a slightly fuller lower midrange response. The Moondrop Blessing 3 on the other hand has the upper hand when it comes to the clarity and resolution in this area. The Blessing 3 is the IEM with the more energetic and detailed upper midrange tuning.
The treble range of the Moondrop Blessing 3 has a more natural timbre in direct comparison with the Hidizs MS5, which sounds not that organic in this area. The lower treble region of the MS5 is a bit thin and also prone to over-sharpness, especially with the treble filter. The Blessing 3 has the upper hand in terms of treble extension especially in the upper treble register that creates higher sense of air and sparkle.
The soundstage of both IEM’s sounds quite airy and spacious, which creates good conditions for a fairly precise separation and placement of instruments and vocals. The Blessing 3 the upper hand in terms of wideness, while the MS5 has the slightly edge when it comes to the depth of the stage.
Conclusion:
The Moondrop Blessing 3 impressed me immediately with its crystal clear and highly balanced presentation, which offers also satisfying experience in terms of technical performance. The airy and spacious sound atmosphere that is produced with a Hybrid Driver setup is another significant characteristic of the Blessing 3. This sound is packed in to a gorgeous looking Universal IEM with a pretty comfortable fit and isolation, which makes it to a great choice for a product at this price level.
Pros & Cons:
- + Excellent Technical Performance
- + Overall Clarity and Macro Detail Retrieval
- + Bass Speed and Authority
- + Lively & Natural Upper Midrange Response
- + Separation & Extension of the Treble Range
- + Spacious Soundstage Atmosphere
- + Beautiful looking design
- – The lower midrange could sound a bit fuller
- – Needs some fine adjustments (EQ) to show its true potential
- – The faceplate is a fingerprint magnet
Thank you for the Read!
