Moondrop Aria IEM Review

Moondrop is an interesting brand that’s been on my radar for a while. I’ve heard some praise for their IEMs through the grapevine and have been excited about checking them out myself. I was able to get my hands on their Sparks true wireless earphone and was very satisfied considering their price. The Moondrop Aria goes for even less at $79.99, and I’ve finally been able to give this IEM a shot. Let’s see if it can make a good impression.

What You Get

The Aira comes supplied with the essentials for any IEM. You get the earphones themselves, along with a carrying case storing the rest of the Aria’s contents. Along with the wrapped 3.5mm cable, you get a nice assortment of silicone ear tips. There should be 6 pairs in various sizes. As far as the cable goes, it’s not the most extravagant I’ve seen in this price range but doesn’t take away anything from the Aria’s design either. My only issue with it is how prone it is to entanglement. No matter how I wrap it, the cable just seems to unravel a little too easily. It’s not a huge dealbreaker, but it could make the Aria trickier to store properly.

Look and Feel

There’s a unique design sported on the Aria. It forgoes the glossy appearance of most IEMs, and stick to a matte-style metal. The solid black with golden streaks makes for a classy design that’s properly striking. It reminds me of something you’d get in a fancy box of chocolates. Its housing shape feels like the perfect size, and the cavity is ergonomic with a thin spout. Any size tips should squeeze right onto its nozzle while providing perfect support while in your ear. I thought the fit was comfortable and easy to wear. I was able to keep them in with little adjustment for long hours of listening.

Design

In terms of the interior build, the Aria boasts some neat components within its hosing. The Aria supports a 10mm dynamic driver, with a liquid crystal diaphragm, and a dual cavity magnet. With the crystal diaphragm, Moondrop aims to deliver a better transient response and higher detail retrieval. They also designed a brass volume control to articulate a more balanced response and the ultra-fine voice coil is implemented to make the sound feel more transparent and natural. 

Output

With the Aria, it isn’t necessary to use any other accessories to get enough signal flow from the IEMs. I was able to get a sufficient amount of amplitude from the Aria without having to crank up the volume. Any 3.5mm headphone jack should suffice, although using a DAC/Amp dongle will always be more ideal. The Aria has a nice natural output that doesn’t come on too strong. It’s well balanced and brings enough power to be set at a comfortable gain.

Soundstage

When I first started listening to the Aria, I was immediately shocked by its grand soundstage. The imaging here makes the sound field appear massive and airy. You almost get a bubble of sound that expands so effectively, it leaks out and becomes semi-holographic. In some instances the sounds can jump all around you, making for a wide and immersive sensation. While some great layering and separation are going on too, some depth feels lacking. I love what the Aria does with its headspace, but if the sound had a bit more back-to-front layering, this stage would be considered worth far beyond the IEMs current price point.

Low End

There’s a nice thickness to the lows that resonate with a much cleaner response than you’d think. They’re particularly well-balanced in the sense that the bass helps lift the timbre to a much bigger scale, rather than showcase a certain character. You get plenty of detail and texture, but with a much more subtle tonality. You can feel a great rumble that emanates with a nice smoothness at certain points, but that’s as forward as the bass gets. 

Mids

I was quite pleased with the sense of naturalness in the midrange. At times the tone can lean into the warmer area of the timbre but stick to clarity and detail. You receive a pleasant output of body from the mids, and instruments and effects feel properly impactful within the sound signature. Vocals appear commanding in certain areas, pushing the mix forward with increased momentum. The upper mids have a sweet resonance that brings a lot of spaciousness to the mix and further characterizes the timbre with extensive details.

Highs

With a lot of the treble frequencies, there’s a wispy aura to them that establishes crisp coloration and height. You get some nice details and a timbre that’s consistently smooth and digestible for those who might be sensitive to the high-end. There’s not much else here offered in the treble. It possesses a sweet tonality, but if it added a bit more sparkle, it would appear all the better. 

Summary

The Moondrop Aria is an extremely solid IEM that is worth well beyond its price. Its sound signature is spacious and highly enjoyable from its great bass to its elegant highs. The design and fit are also top-notch for an IEM of any kind. For only $79.99, the Moondrop Aria will definitely satisfy listeners of all tastes in genre.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Soundstage, Thick bass, Solid mids, Comfort, Price, Design 

Cons: Cable

The Moondrop Aria is available on Amazon.