Moondrop Aria High Performance LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver IEMs in-Ear Earphone

Product Information

The E3000 are an L-shaped warm and very bassy set of IEMs. These have a more flabby and nebulous bass, with much more bass quantity and note weight than the Snow Edition. The E3000 are darker in the treble too, with way less air and extension. Externally, the cable is a braided woven fabric, with a standard adjustable chin slider to help with cable control. This is just as well since this cable is a bit memory retentive and can tangle quite easily. I would like to thank Ms. Cloris and Moondrop for providing a review unit of the Aria. Rest assured that my impressions written in this review are my own personal thoughts and opinions and in no way influenced by outside parties. As for what to look out for when upgrading. This really depends on you, cause some people prioritize tonality, whereas some want outright technicalities (eg soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, micro-details). It kinda depends on your preferred music genres too. Personally I’d go for better timbre/tonality any day over technicalities, if I have to choose. It is not difficult to find a technical monster, but finding something with good tonality is more difficult IMO.

The OLA are tuned to the unique head-related transfer function (HRTF) frequency curve. The OLA have slightly better clarity, imaging, and instrument separation but are weaker in soundstage. I prefer the ear-hook design as it is easier to get the right seal when placing the IEM in my ears. I struggled to get a proper seal with the Mia while I did not have this problem with the Aria. It’s pretty common that the sequel to a highly-acclaimed movie usually can’t live up to the previous iteration. Suffice to say, the Snow Edition do hold their own against the Aria 2021, but they are mostly a sidegrade or marginal upgrade at best. This segues us to the million dollar question: is there any value-add for existing owners of the Aria 2021 to get the Snow Edition?

One of the biggest highlights to come out of both of these IEMs is their soundstages that appear far more advanced than they should. Although some models like these have impressed me in the past with their level of clarity, the Aria and Starfield operate on a whole other level. Their spatial imaging is some of the best you can get in its generous price range, fulfilling articulate spatial imaging that surrounds your headspace in intricate ways. But which one is better? It’s difficult to choose a clear winner here because of how dramatic these IEMs sound compared to IEMs around the same price, but when compared to each other, they show many similarities. In terms of design, both monitors are designed to look good when worn. The Aria has a matte silver finish with a detailed snowflake pattern on the faceplate. The Ola on the other hand has a minimalistic brushed silver faceplate with a transparent resin shell. The Moondrop Aria is a Liquid Crystal Polymer IEM with a metal-injected chassis, brass inner cavity, and a crowd-pleasing Harman Curve tuning. For IEM aficionados and newcomers alike, this is a great choice for anyone wanting to dip a toe into Moondrop’s oeuvre without smashing the piggy bank.

The Moondrop Aria has a slightly larger soundstage compared to the Cat Ear Mia. You do get a feeling that the Aria extends a bit better with more headroom with its airier tuning and a crisp and natural sound. SummaryLiving in Glasgow, Scotland but born and raised near Milan, Italy, I got the passion for music listening as a legacy from my father and my grandfather. The carry pouch is one of the nicer ones I’ve seen, with a rugged exterior and gold embossed Moondrop branding, with a matching gold zipper handle. A touch that I’ve not encountered before, and one that will extend the life of the Arias, are spare nozzles for the earbud speaker ports. There are two different kinds, and a set of tweezers for handling them, which is just as well because they’re tiny! Thank you for the reply! And yes that is basically what I have experienced as well. I bought Tanya, Ola and Chu just to try different signatures (well perhaps not Chu and it is just as you say it becomes a side-grade that it doesn’t see much uses at all) to see what I actually prefer because all the IEMs I had were mostly V-shape where the mids are nowhere to be seen. The first comparison involves sibling rivalry, pitting the Snow Edition against their older sister, the Aria 2021. Graph of the Snow Edition versus Aria 2021 via IEC711 compliant coupler. The midrange is mostly even, striking a good balance between the lower and upper midrange. There is no noticeable drop between male and female vocals. Instruments also have accurate timbre, with their natural tonality.

Please keep in mind that these are rough estimates and shipments can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, like postal strikes or severe weather. In terms of tone, the Starfield provides just enough more detail to place it over the Aria. While both IEMs succeed in providing a sense of naturalness to their midrange timbre, the Starfeild is slightly more tonally rich than the Aria. It’s really a matter of coloration. As the Aria’s low-mid emphasis help complete a warmer timbre, the Starfield showcases more clarity and evenness. You could say it is less of a fun sound compared to the Aria, but it retains more noticeable detail across more frequency bands. It can be intense yet balanced, striking a good level of spatial integrity with instrumentals and effects. However, both IEMs are still tunned to feature a striking vocal response that places performances forward in a commanding fashion. HighsThe only problem I encountered with them is that the ear tips that came with the earphones were uncomfortable for me. For this, I’d suggest getting an aftermarket ear tip replacement if you can. Wearing the Aria feels very solid due to the metal build of the shell. It is heavier than other IEMs, making it stay firmly in my ears.