Moondrop Variations

Yes, The Moondrop Variations is almost 3 years old. Enough to be considered old in the ever fast moving world of IEMs. With something like the Studio4 that came out last year. How does it feel to life with this aging beast ? Should you still buy one ? Let’s talk about it.

This unit is here on my desk courtesy of Jaben Surabaya, who is kind enough to keep my weekly uploads going and really went out of their way to ship them here! Thank you Jaben Surabaya for the chance to review this beautiful beast. More on them in the video description. But, I digress.

First time picking them up, I thought they’re made of frosted glass. As it was slightly cold to touch and it is dense. The buds themselves are hefty. Oh, incase you didn’t know. This is a Moondrop Tribrid IEM, with 2 Electrostatic Drivers, 2 Balanced Armature, and a Dynamic Driver. Full specs will be in the Description and the link to Moondrop’s Website.

After unwrapping and putting them on, I jumped straight to testing their isolation. Keyboard sound does come through, when you don’t play anything. After that, I went and played Master of Puppets by Metallica. Where I wrote on a note “Closer to what I’m used to, but there are something different. Perhaps the Separations of Instruments and vocals ?” These notes are mostly just compared to what I’m daily driving, which is the Truthear Zero:Red most of the time.

But, I digress. The vocals are forward, airy, and well defined. There are slight possibility to notice some sibilance, but also not really ? And, this is I think my first time experiencing Electrostatic Drivers ? I’m not really concerned about driver configurations, so I don’t really look them up as much as I would like. I think the Imaging and Sound Staging is Exceptional with this pair. Again, this is mostly compared to my daily driver. I wish I could compare this to the Symphonium Crimson or the Studio 4 directly. Circling back to Master of Puppets, I think the song sounds engaging as ever and I consider it smooth even.

Before I totally forgot. The fit and comfort is okay. The unit is an absolute chonker! Your ears might feel packed when wearing them. But for me at least, after a prolonged use it’s overall okay.

Getting back to the sound department, Female vocals on Heavy Rotation by JKT48 are surprisingly separated, sparkly, forward, and airy. Bass performance is tight, with fast decay, punchy, and well presented. Definitely no sloppy bass here. Although, the slight mid-bass dip might be worth noting. But that might be a nitpick ? At least the Bass does not bleed to the Mids. Speaking about the mids, perhaps it’s another nitpick, but I think it could be a little forward. It’s not really a problem most of the time. But on some Rock songs, it does shows.

The experience is just… something else, especially when listening to The Velvet Underground’s Oh! Sweet Nuthin’. The sense of sound stage and imaging feels like I’m in the same room as they are playing. It was so expressive, full of character. I think I’ve never experience this before… or maybe I just didn’t listen to their song while testing other IEMs…

But I digress, hard, busy song like Megadeth’s Symphony of Destruction sounds really nice, the bassline is pronounced, the mids are engaging enough, and the treble are lively and airy. Meanwhile, on Unholy confessions. The Ride Cymbals are not only noticeable, the vibration also came through adding a little hint of detail to the overall experience.

While the details, imaging, and staging is pretty good so far. At first glance, playing some orchestral songs may result in a 50/50 gamble. On the not so busy part of The Mandalorian by Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Most of the time, the experience is really nice. However, I think moving up to some of the busiest part of the song, the instruments gets together a little too much ? and can sound a bit overwhelming. I thought of something funny when writing this, Can I call this like a “Stew” ? It doesn’t mean that the experience is bad, but it’s just everything is mixed up in there. After further testing however, I think you’ll need more volume on Orchestral tracks, as increasing the volume. It sounds overall better than before!

Games and movies sound amazing with this. You could say they are immersive. However, on e-sport titles, I don’t seem to notice a lot of difference or gain any competitive advantage with more expensive IEMs. I think that is it ? that concludes my review of the Moondrop Variations. Thank you again Jaben Surabaya for lending them for review!

Review Of The Moondrop Variations​

Introduction​

Moondrop, a well-known and reputable Chinese manufacturer of electro-acoustic products, has produced highly appreciated IEMs including the Blessing 2, S8, and others. Due in large part to their committed R&D staff, this 2015-founded company has never been dissatisfied with any of its audiophile products. Any audiophile who hears about Moondrop immediately assumes that they will never let them down with their intrinsic and extrinsic research. They have developed a large number of in-ear monitors, ranging in price from entry-level budget to high end, with such passion and attention to detail that they have recently indulged in dac/amps and headphones. I've heard and used every single one of their IEMs up till The Variations, which I consider to be one of their best achievements. The variation I'll be discussing today has the favourable tuning I like, although I have to acknowledge that I might exaggerate its accomplishments. Nevertheless, I won't let my prejudices influence my review. But first, a few things need to be clarified before we begin the review.

Disclaimer​

*I own this item, which I purchased three months ago; as a result, this review of the IEM is late. The thoughts I've presented below are all 100% unique and uninfluenced by anyone else; they are all concepts that I have forwarded. To learn more, go on this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as "Variations."
*I am using different Ear-tips and Cable for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Variations based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

A Tribid driver setup for the Variations has two electrostatic, two balanced armature, and one dynamic driver. The diaphragm of the 10mm dynamic driver is made of a liquid crystal polymer. There are 2 Sonion high performance electrostatic drivers and 2 Softears D-Mid-B customised mid range balanced armature drivers. The dynamic driver controls the bass, the balance armature controls the midrange, and the electrostatics control the treble. An enhanced version of the crossover utilised in the Blessing 2 handles all the frequencies from all the drivers. They created medical-grade UV resin shells with specific tubes for each type of driver in collaboration with HeyGears. The faceplate is composed of sandblasted stainless steel metal and has a resin body in the colour of black smoke. The ergonomic design of the iem shells fits my ear nicely. They are also quite lightweight and comfortable at the same time. As for the nozzle, it is too big for any eartip to fit on it, so Moondrop has provided 6 pairs of specially designed silicon and foam eartip sets in small, medium, and large sizes. A 2pin 6n purity single crystal copper cable with interchangeable terminations that are 3.5mm, 2.5mm, and 4.4mm was also available from the manufacturer in addition to the eartips. A carry case, six pairs of nozzle filters, and a set of tweezers are among the additional accessories. When supplied through the headphone jacks of mobile phones, it was difficult to offer the full potential of variations; however, no issues were experienced when using daps and dedicated dacs/amps. The technical specifications are as follows: impedance: 15.2 ohms; sensitivity: 118dB. Variations barely exhibits 1% total harmonic distortion over the frequency range of 9Hz to 40kHz.


* Three accessories are missing which are: a cleaning brush, a tweezer and a filter mesh. These three accessories were not included in my retail box.

Sound​

This IEM is the best I have heard at this price point, with qualities like light and neutral tonality and excellent stage and imaging technicalities. The sound of the variations is pure delight. Although the IEM has a neutral sound and the sound leans toward a U shape tuning, the sub bass has a lot of prominence in the mix in terms of the overall bass response. The entire experience seems like a little movie theatre. The treble is expansive and dazzling, the midrange is in the middle and focused over, and the subbass is deep. I agree that these are highly specialised tuned IEMs, which is accurate given that they are tuned closely to the V.D.S.F. target set by Moondrop. My interest in the answer grows as I give in to the sound more and more. I can honestly say that I have never listened to anything more satisfying. However, I do detect a hint of timidity in the lower midrange and midbass, but when everything is orchestrated together, the entire response more than makes up for it. Let's explore the sound more.

Treble​

Reading comments on groups and communities, where individuals specifically remarked that the variations sound a little bit better than the Blessing 2, other than that, it is the same, brought up the comparison of Variations with the Blessing 2 in front of my eyes numerous times. I have owned the Blessing 2 and the Variations, so I do not believe it. Unexpectedly, there are no traces of hotness or sibilance in the treble, which is airy and crisp. With excellent clarity and a strong sense of nuances, the high treble is exceptionally expansive. Similar to how the instruments are alive and charismatic, the vocals reach out to perform fuller and richer. There is no exploitative vocal or instrumental behaviour that could wear you out. Compared to the Blessing 2, the presentation is much more lively and clear. The mix's lower treble is well-balanced and smooth; it doesn't stand out or reveal any objectionable sounds. The lower treble is where the vocals and instruments have the most weight, and the higher octaves have good vitality and clarity in the mix. While the close approach to genuine presentation is taken, the vocals and instruments are light and unobtrusive, and I did sense it. Treble sensitive persons may find the treble area a little thinner to their taste but not objectionable. Overall, the treble region is airy, smooth, and lively.

Mid Range​

The midrange is expressive and organic. The reach of Variation is modest in the upper mid range, so it doesn't inherit the little shouty qualities from Blessing 2, which kept it more calming and appealing. The vocals and instruments sound their largest and most tonally warm in the high mid range, which is energising and lively. They have an expressive and roomy feel. However, the vocals occasionally sound a little peaky, particularly the female vocals, but this won't be heard too often. The entire presentation is in excellent control. Due to the absence of mid bass bloat, the lower mid range sounds surprisingly clean, clear, and detailed; it doesn't sound flat or muddy. Because the lower mid range is so well-resolved, the vocals and instruments have natural tones, and the balance between the lower and upper mid range is so perfect, I didn't feel the need for any additional mid bass, which would have made the music sound thicker. People will undoubtedly describe this as a lean presentation, and I might agree with them because, despite its richer and more natural-sounding qualities, I suspect my preference does not extend to the midrange. However, this does not imply that it is a bad thing because I don't find these objectionable. The presentation of mid-range is expressive, roomy, and appealing overall.

Bass​

When it comes to the bass region, the Variations case is unique. I'm referring to how the bass is tuned, which is different from other IEMs. The variations' bass response has a good deal of sub bass, but the mid bass is far back and shy. Most IEMs will emphasise the midrange more or almost spill into the lower midrange, however in the case of Variation, there is noticeable sub bass and a good dip after 200Hz that rises again after 500–600Hz. However, I won't complain because the sub bass prominence over the entire bass area is incredibly cinematic. The bass response has a sub woofer quality that doesn't exploit or feel loose; on the contrary, it goes deep. While the mid-bass notes have a presence in the mix but can seem hollow or unnatural due to muted and lighter notes, the sub bass has a solid rumble and punch while keeping a good texture and body in the sub bass zone. However, the overall response is not poor because the sub bass's texture and detail quality with a balanced tuning make up for it. Although clean and controlled, the overall bass has the character of a subwoofer and has amazing texture and details, however the mid bass is reserved and muffled.

Technical Performance​

In terms of technical performance, the Variations well surpass my expectations because to their fantastic soundstage, clear imaging, and superior separation compared to the rival IEMs in this price category. The sharpness and retrieval of details are both quite excellent. It feels fantastic to have notes perform quickly and accurately.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The Variations have a fantastic sense of air and presence, and the holographic stage is quite broad and vast. In my opinion, the imaging is clearer and forms better than any other IEM in this price range since it is tacky and sharp. Additionally, the separation is astounding; the notes are crystal clear, and it is easy to identify exactly where the sound is coming from. Every component sounds different, and they have enough of room to breathe.

Speed & Resolution​

The Variations, while not particularly outstanding, do capture my interest by presenting the attack and decay of notes at a very quick clip. The detail retrieval is excellent for the price they are being given at, demonstrating the IEM's great resolving capability as the details come out crisp, clear, and richer.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

Tempotec V6 - The Variations had a gorgeous and smooth tone when combined with V6. My attention is captured by the pleasant tonality of the expansive treble and the roomy mid range. Although the bass is quite adaptable, occasionally I sense a somewhat looser overall response. Despite a somewhat natural presentation, this combo brings out the best in the Variations.



Questyle M15 - The M15 and the variations work together to create a neutral approach with more resolving strength. The mid range sounds less coloured and has greater timbre quality, while the treble is more lively and more detailed. While listening to metal or female singing, sibilance hints are more noticeable. Although the sub bass rumble and punches are less noticeable, the bass is more textured and cleaner. The stage was another character I sensed was slipping away. The M15 is superior at bringing out more details and a more energetic approach, but I thought the V6 performed far better overall.



iFi Hipdac - In comparison to the V6 or the m15, there is a relaxation throughout the entire reaction. The lower treble and high mid ranges have more peaky features as well. The midrange has a more forward approach in the mix with peaky and shouty qualities, the bass got more warm and expressive in the mid bass, and the treble is the least expansive but smooth. The bass felt more organic to me. The Hipdac combination was a passable experience, but bass-heavy music felt wonderful.

Tracks​

Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno

Conclusion​

In the end, I would take my stance and recommend purchasing the Varaitions for their airy, light presentation and subwoofer bass. In my experience, I have listened to a variety of IEMs, ranging in price from low to high end, but the tuning of variations stole my heart. Absolute joy characterises the Variations toward music. Although I might suggest those who enjoy a warm, meaty approach to experience these first, these will nonetheless dazzle you.

I’ve been on a Moondrop binge as of late and while I’ve not had a chance to release any reviews of the units I tried, I still wrote the reviews and plan to release more Moondrop related reviews in the future. The Variations are Moondrop’s most recent tribrid release. This set is using a single DD, 2 BA and 2 EST drivers. This also a standard 2 pin IEM with a wonderful cable that uses swappable plugs.

Quick shoutout to @shenzhenaudio for sending the Variations to test and review. While I always appreciate the chance to test and review products sent in from manufacturers, it never affects the rating of my reviews.

The Variations can be picked up from Shenzhenaudio at their website below.
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...logy-in-ear-monitor-with-interchangable-cable

Onto the review of the Moondrop Variations! My personal preference is a hybrid/tribrid IEM where I get good hitting bass and have a detailed treble with decent mids. When it comes to an over ear headphone I prefer a spacious sound with a deep low end, the mids to be more forward and the highs to be a little bright with some sparkle. I listen to a lot of genres but I hover in the classic rock, blues and edm music with some rap here and there.

Gear Used​

IPhone 12 pro with headphone adapter, Aune BU2, iFi Go blu, SMSL SU-9 feeding the SP400 amp.

Looks and fit​

The Moondrop Variations come in a soft finished resin shell with a metal faceplate. The faceplate has a nice pattern with a simple Variations logo on it. The shell has a slight “frosted” transparency which looks really good to my eyes. The nozzles are flat and thicker. I would prefer a lip at the end of nozzles but I didn’t have any issues with tips coming loose.

Isolation​

Isolation is pretty good even with the small vent hole on the faceplate. I could still pick up some noise from my surroundings but for the most part, I was blocked off from outside noise. Sound does leak a little from the vent hole but in a normal environment such as a room or outside it’s not noticeable. In a super quiet room it would be easier to pick up what someone was listening to.

Packaging and accessories​

Inside the box we get a nice selection of accessories. The top part of the box has the carrying case(with cable and swapple plugs) and foam/silicone tips. The bottom section has a packet of info, pictures of a “anime waifu”, the IEMs themselves and the replacement filters should they fall apart over time. I like the presentation here and I think there is a nice chunk of accessories included with the Variations.

Sound(overall)​

These final impressions were done off a mix of the iFi GO blu and the SMSL SU-9 connected to the SMSL SP400. These are what the Variations sounded like to my ears. This was also using the CP145 eartips from spinfit. Things like ear tip selection and DAC/amp selection will produce different results and impressions vs what my ears hear on my specific gear.

I always look forward to a good bass presence when it comes to hybrids/tribrids. The star of the show here is indeed the low end frequencies. The bass comes in strong with impact on sub bass hits but still sounds really well controlled. I didn’t notice any real bleed into the mids and the Variations are able to reach down low when it comes to the detail retrieval of the bass. I don’t often get hung up on bass as I prefer a little thump without bleed but this is one of those moments I got excited from IEM DD bass. The mids are decent. Vocals come through more on the warm side with a little less detail. The treble starts to pick up what the mids are lacking which gives the impression of better detail retrieval. I find the treble a little hot with both the stock tips and the spinfits at times. This is a V shaped tuning for sure which is fine as the mids aren’t a disaster. The Variations do detail retrieval fairly well but it always feels like a battle over what I want to focus on more listening to music. Picking between the Variations lows and highs can be hard at times for me. Regardless, I would definitely say this is more of fun tuning but also a good “all rounder” IEM for those seeking a fun tuning.

Soundstage/Imaging​

Soundstage is fairly good with this set. I get a noticeably wider stage with a decent depth. Things are definitely in my face soundwise but It’s definitely a good balance in terms of depth/width. The width is pretty good for an IEM and it was the biggest thing I noticed when listening. Imaging is decent here. The bass impact can cause a little haziness to the sound so it kinda depends on what you’re listening to. With not bass heavy music, the imaging is good for an IEM. With EDM I had to focus a little harder when I wasn’t jamming out to the thumpy bass.

Stock cable​

I usually cable roll if I think the stock cable is bad or isn’t balanced. Lately a lot of new IEMs have their own in house cables with swappable connectors included. This is the same case for the Variations. I liked the stock cable and I was happy with the swappable connectors Moondrop is using. It’s not as nice as DUNU’s own Q-plus connectors but it does the job and the cable the Variations uses can be bought for a good price. The braid is a simple two strand braid but it holds well and doesn’t feel cheap. Moondrop is also nice enough to include a 2.5mm and 4.4mm Pentaconn connector with the Variations. I like to run 4.4mm personally so I’m happy it’s not something I have to buy separately. You can always play around with rolling different cable materials to try and adjust the sound but I think the stock cable is totally fine.

Tip rolling​

I didn’t really care for the stock tips and went with the CP145 as they gave me the best sound(for my tastes) and long term comfort. The included stock silicone tips are a medium size bore so it's about the same sound as the CP145 I ended up using but I just didn't get the right fit for my ears with the stock tips. I didn’t try the foam tips but I usually only resort to foam tips if an IEM is too sibilant. A wide bore tip might help with low end bass if it feels like too much to the listener. Since I had a good hit off the bat with the CP145, I honestly didn’t attempt to tip roll like I normally do.

Nozzle filters​

I thought it was interesting that Moondrop includes extra tuning filters and a little set of tweezers to replace the nozzle filter should it go bad. I haven’t had the need to replace my unit's filters so I simply opted not to mess with them. If I have issues replacing them down the line I’ll update this review.

IEM comparisons​

DUNU EST 112​

This is the direct competitor to the Variations IMO. Price is around the same(Variations is $30 more) and they both are tribrids. The Variations gets you one extra BA for the $30 but it also has a drastically different tuning than the EST 112. The EST 112 is a heavy mid-focused IEM. It sounds better to my ears for vocals but has decent bass and just average treble when compared to the Variations. The Variations has a better Low end impact as well as a reverberation that gives the bass a wider sound. The mids are more tamed and the highs have a brighter sound that helps offset the bass. I find the EST 112 a more genre specific IEM and the Variations a fun bassy all rounder. Both offer ok detail retrieval but both feel like polar opposites in tuning. I do like both and the EST 112 is what I use at night when settling down and when I’m at work. I use the Variations whenever I want to have a good time with some well done bass.

THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance​

The clairvoyance is my favorite set of IEMs under 1k so I'm always looking for something that can compete with them. The Clairs have a better balanced sound over the Variations. The bass still has some good impact on the Clair but it’s super controlled and allows more details to come in overall. The mids have more detail and the treble just has better detail retrieval overall. I love using the Clairs for 90 percent of my listening on my desktop setup or my portable setup. I think the Clair goes for a more detailed focus and while it's a good benchmark for me personally, I still like the fun tuning of the Variations. I would however pick the Clair over the Variations any day. I do find the Variations more comfortable than the Clairs for my ears.

Amping Combinations​

iFi GO blu​

The GO blu was able to power the Variations just fine. I used it balanced the entire time and there was no noticeable hiss from the pairing. The Variations aren’t a sensitive IEM so this won’t be an issue. The Variations still retained their overall tuning that I got from my desktop setup. The only thing I noticed was that they sounded a little less detailed in the low end and had less sparkle up top when used with the GO blu. The xBASS was way too much bass and everything was bloated and the xSPACE gave the Variations just a little too much treble brightness. Things had a metallic sound at times and I wasn’t a fan of either hardware EQ options. This was still a good pairing overall IMO.

Aune BU2​

The BU2 was the more interesting portable pairing I used with the Variations. It got me closest to the desktop setup I used for the final sound impressions. The bass had a hint of the “echo” that I got from the desktop setup which gave the Variations a wider sense of soundstage. The treble was a little sharper and made for a better sounding tuning. I found this pairing better than the GO blu in terms of overall sound quality. Since the Variations come with a 2.5mm and 3.5mm plug, you can use Aune’s 2.5mm jack on the BU2. This was my favorite pairing for portable use.

SMSL SU-9/SP400​

This is the main desktop setup I use to review all my gear since I got the “stack” a while back. All my sound impressions were based off this stack. The biggest difference between this and the portable units is the soundstage width, the bass detail/reverberation, treble sparkle and just a tighter tuning. I don’t think a desktop stack is needed for the Variations, but it seems to scale just a bit more off something more powerful.

Overall thoughts​

I really like the Moondrop Variations and these get an easy recommendation from me. This is what I would consider a “fun” “all rounder” IEM and It’s a set you can use daily and have a blast with. Those who want a more balanced sound will probably lean towards something else. I’m mixed on Moondrop's IEMs and while I unfortunately have some of their IEMs I absolutely hated, this is one of their best to my ears. Thanks for reading!