Another Killer Moondrop! - Variations TRIBRID Review

Variations Here - apos.audio/products/moondrop-...
Also mentioned Aria - apos.audio/products/moondrop-...
TOP 3 FAVORITE OPEN BACK HEADPHONES
🥇 DIANA V2 - abyss-headphones.com/products...
🥈 Arya - amzn.to/3rEaFBu​
🥉 DT1990Pro - amzn.to/31qJvmK​
TOP 3 FAVORITE CLOSED BACK HEADPHONES
🥇 Sony Z1R - amzn.to/3cF6EWX​​​​​​​
🥈 M1060C - amzn.to/39vDkQU​​​​​​​
🥉 1More Triple Driver - amzn.to/2wGC2ni​​​​​​​
TOP 3 FAVORITE BUDGET HEADPHONES
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🥈 SHP 9500 - amzn.to/32ZQJ0S​​​​​​​
🥉 K361 - amzn.to/2P1Adux​​​​
TOP 3 FAVORITE AMPLIFIERS & DACS
🥇 THX AAA Dual 788 DACAMP - amzn.to/3cHHTJC​​​​​​​
🥈 THX 789 / 887 - amzn.to/2TwsvZg​​​​​​​ / massdrop.7eer.net/DmW0n​​​​​​​
🥉 DX3 Pro - amzn.to/2wJGp0X​​​​​​​
IEMS
🥇 Fir M5 - www.firaudio.com/store/m5​​​​​​​
🥈 ODIN - empireears.com/products/odin​...
🥉(budget Option) - Tin T2 - amzn.to/2xeGvxT​​​​​​​
SPEAKERS
🥇 SVS ULTRA Towers - amzn.to/3w9gbiR​
🥈 Vanatoo T1E - amzn.to/3m3M73G​
🥉 Micca RB42 - amzn.to/3rzjNqG​
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🥇 Soundrise Pro Stands - amzn.to/3aCpb4i​​​​​​​
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#Moondrop​​ #Variations​​​​​​​ #REVIEW​​
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[@cheapaudioman]

This is one of the prettiest videos I’ve ever seen. The first shot pulling back through the cord was incredible. Perfection, JV

[@Blxnksy]

It seriously feels like your production quality goes up with every video. Another fantastic review

[@mirzaangon]

Your b roll is always mesmerizing to watch. Sometimes I get too lost in them to listen to you and end up having to rewind the video XD

[@AliArghavan]

It's kinda crazy you never reviewed blessing 2 though.

[@mehmetgurdal]

He didn't get to try it

[@kook7147]

@@mehmetgurdal apos has it so I don’t think it would be too hard to get a hold of

[@kylerclarke2689]

Everyone and their grandma reviewed the B2, man. Everyone knows that it's good

[@AliArghavan]

@@kylerclarke2689 yes but when he's constantly comparing to other moondrop IEMs I feel like B2 should be in there for benchmark.

[@AdityaBandaru13]

Yeah I heard about them, they sound pretty good I think

[@mk_787]

Buddy keep up the awesome work! I love your videos. These videos are treats for my eyes and ears. I'm a big fan of your clean camera work and highly useful review.

[@leekenyon4099]

Excellent review Josh. As usual very thorough and fun to watch.

[@taidee]

Great review as usual Josh, thanks for the information man.

[@soyanchd5439]

Damn feel like your last video was updated eons ago, glad to see another quality videos!

[@neogenesus]

Love mine so much that I bought another one for backup. Used to buy 1964 audio IEMs back then when they still cost under $1000 then went to cheap chi-fi (KZ and CCA mostly). Got the Aria and love it. I also like Moondrop's tuning on their IEMs. Got the Variations despite not having many reviews yet and the jump in sound quality is huge.

[@ari-athbadminton0301]

Those variations are the end game of many hobbyist. The price alone keep peoples way sadly.

[@tanzhonghui]

That macro shot for the title was stunning!

[@kylerclarke2689]

This seems awesome! Probably not worth side-grading from the B2 for me. Still going to get an S8 when the time comes. Moondrop's tuning philosophy is just excellent.

[@KajHard]

I think you might be the king of b rolls. That title shot is straight gorgeous!

[@MichaelBruceTaos]

Nice review Josh. Enjoyed it.

[@Thiago_TS_BR]

Very good this format of short review.

[@jonathanlerner7427]

I love my er2xr it’s pretty awesome as long as you can get used to the fit while I haven’t tried the aria it’s got a really natural tonality if a bit dark for my taste and has awesome vocal isolation for the money

[@vegard2000]

That b-roll zoom out at 0:22 was really cool. Almost like watching hardware canucks.

[@skrounst]

I was gonna say the same thing. Seeing the parts of the cable come into focus as he panned out was cool. I would have left more of the cable in the shot but still cool though.

[@MannyScoot]

I loveeee my Variations ! and can't believe you compare them to the Aria...... The Aria is like listening to music in a can......The Dynamics of the Variations is out of this world !

[@jtcrichton]

That title reveal and the audio .. wow~~~~

[@SUV2949]

I took the Tanchjim new Hana for an upgrade of my Moondrop Aria and it’s awesome for the price. Now I’m looking for the Thieaudio Oracle. The iems are very fun!

[@ryuoyourboat]

Question. you had mentioned the sound stage for the aria as pill shaped and for this one you mentioned it being intimate and for a lack of a better word short compared to the a4000. so is this sound stage pill shaped too or a spherical shape?

[@scottmckenna]

Great review brother.

[@britishskiing]

Great review as always. I have one issue with your use of the word ‘accurate’ with regard to tuning. Define ‘Tuning’. I only ask as the Variations follows the response of the Harman curve almost perfectly!

[@okktok]

I’m definitely buying it

[@Vamp898]

Still waiting for the Sony IER-M9 review :o how could you resists an 5-way 5-BA design for so long?

[@gregjones2472]

Josh, how about an update video on the SVS Ultras. Are you still liking them as much as you did in the review, or has your opinion changed any since them? Thanks

[@bonkiru9818]

wonder how long the glue on the shell faceplate going to hold this time

[@towsifshahriarshovo]

Have any plan to review Apos caspian?? Looks pretty interesting 😍

[@SteelyDanUnofficial]

Most of the time I don't even care about item, but still watch just to see beautiful b roll

[@Gholdwayne]

How is the bass of your voice in your head when you speak or sing with these on? As in, the occlusion effect?

[@MartinJablonski]

Would love to see you review some IEMs by Rose. Like the BR-5 mk2 for example.

[@ferryjunigwanmurdiansyah4307]

Hey josh, i read that the faceplate can come off quite easily. Do you have any opinion on this? Just because of this reason im cosnidering the oracle. What do you think

[@caradoacre]

Great video, do you think it's better than tanchjim prism ?

[@alexandrosacholos746]

Have you heard Dunu EST112 ? If yes, do you suggest Variations as well ? (got EST112 a while ago and its an iem made in heaven .......cannot stop listening to it...)

[@brokelatino2587]

i bought these but the right and left channels are switched anyone know how to fix them

[@johnmerriman274]

How do you think the sa6 stacks up against the variations?

[@russeltechtips]

Watching right now, Im using moondrop quarks dsp, this budget iem mind blowing , best budget 2022 earphones

[@h1a8]

I had the clairvoyance and had to return them because they were extremely uncomfortable and very hard to get (and keep) a seal. I hope these aren't similar in that regard.

[@salemkhamis6788]

Is it better thwn the moondrop blessing 2?

[@varunu4176]

Great piece, that SRP777K1

[@taliosnz]

How much larger physically are these from the Arias? They look quite chunky…

[@nemuritor7370]

For mid range you should try the Etymotic EVOs. I own them and find them pretty Good. Bass and mid range are really good, they just lack a bit in the highs.

[@jameshernandez1451]

Would anyone recommend these over the aria as a 1st time Iem buyer?

[@kw3046]

I watched your Final B3 review. In 2022, between Final B3 and Variations which one would you recommend for Jazz, 80’s Pop music? Reliablity is an important criteria for me too. Thank you🙏🏻

[@natalyakeane]

I'd love to hear your opinions on the 64 audio u12t, the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, or the Thieaudio Clarvoyance / Thieaudio Monarch. I feel like good IEMs make a lot of sense as an audio source as they are by far the most portable and (passively) noise isolating. Personally I like the idea of having a decently high end hi-fi speaker system at home, then IEMs for everywhere else. I feel like headphones (esp open back) have most of the limitations of speaker systems, and very few of the benefits of IEMs.

[@Hari-kx2er]

No open back headphone will be anywhere near as loud as a high power speaker system. Open back headphones are very good for at home use.

[@francescosomma4284]

Mi puoi spiegare le dirreneza tra le variations e le ie 900 ?

[@hameedn.b7004]

Seiko turtle I see You are a man of culture as well

[@xtianva5250]

Saw a turtle. A true hard working man kind of watch. Nice review.

[@siddhantdeepful]

How does this compare to ThieAudio Clairvoyance?

[@riyuiwashere]

do you still recommend this IEM for now?

[@kevingeorge6705]

Hey, Joshua, please review the KZ ZSN PRO X, it's a great iem for beginners who want to start their journey, even affordable by students, please review it. Keep up the good work. Love from India ❤️

[@salemkhamis6788]

Bro can you pls make a video of the top 10 best sounding iems according to you no matter the price just the top 10 best sounding iems

[@zuyanhe]

The config is actually 1DD + 2BA + 2EST.

[@jamessinnett5710]

What is the song at the beginning?

[@LoveMachined]

I know youre on a bit of an IEM kick, would you mind taking a stab at the ZMF headphone line? Specifically Aeolus and Auteur?

[@LorenzoFrausto]

Variation or Excalibur?

[@Thiago_TS_BR]

What about to review 7Hertz Timeless, a planar IEM ?

[@Viewer13128]

The Blessing 2 sounds like the mids you're looking for. If constantly comparing to MoonDrop IEMs, you need the Blessing 2. Even if other reviewers have reviewed them, you need to as a benchmark comparison.

[@vincentellsworth7905]

i like them better then variations; blessing 2 is too good for its price

[@xzpyth]

B2's are the best headphones (not only IEM's) under 500 USD in my opinion

[@Firekids147]

@@vincentellsworth7905how come? i’m torn between the two right now

[@derrickcrocker4265]

Cool video. I been wanting the Arias ,so good to get the comparison. Off topic but have you tried the Hifiman 400se?

[@devaxionrl8189]

That headphone is boring, flat, and trash

[@WyattOShea]

@@devaxionrl8189 Sounds like the Sundara then?.

[@Harvester88]

Crap, I had just narrowed it down to either Blessing Dusk 2, FD5, or the Oracles, now I need to throw these in the mix.

[@partyincali1519]

I just realized you changed Diana to the #1 spot

[@Bentakur]

Your Intros are too HOT to handle!

[@sangramkapre]

Nice review! Very keen on knowing your thoughts on Blessing 2 dusks as well (can loan my pair for a review). Cheers!

[@EduRB99]

Hello there, do you think the B2 dusk is a worthy upgrade from the Kxxs? Thank you!

[@leonardlandicho7491]

@@EduRB99 absolutely

[@EduRB99]

@@leonardlandicho7491 thank you very much!

[@That_AuCh_Geek]

Dude, do reviews the Moondrop Quarks

[@paxvobiscum7521]

I have a question. For music and gaming, whats better? IEMs, headphones or headsets? and if headphones, open or closed back? price range 100 - 200€/$ what are generally the best brands in that price range? bose, marshall, sennheiser, moondrop?

[@bestkoreanorth5696]

Akg K712

[@kimchi3600]

I love your reviews especially when it comes to production quality, but given that there's a huge influx of IEMs out there and counting, I feel like the review would be so much more helpful with a lot more comparisons. Descriptions like average, good or excellent kind of loses its meaning without knowing how much in what context. The few comparisons you make like it not being 5 times better than the Aria is a good starting point, but it would be so much more helpful if you compare specific areas like soundstage, detail retrieval, etc. against a lot more popular sets like some of the Thieaudios, Dunus, Fiios, Kineras, etc. since those are what's being talked about for the most part.

[@PostLagone]

Frq graph shows everything about how a iem sounds. Variations are the closest to objectively neutral iems right now.

[@juanblanco7898]

I think you should look into the Kiwi Ears Orchestra as a really good midrange focused set in this price range. It's an all BA set with a very reference-style tuning which is frequently compared with the Dunu SA6, although that one is a bit less midrange focused than the Orchestra

[@devaxionrl8189]

Neutral iem

[@pfx2259]

For a little less thump and more mid-forwardness, try S8

[@TheUjjwalarora]

Between MOONDROP SSP, Tripowin TC-01, CCA C12 which one should i go with for long term?

[@kungfubrandon6886]

I'd say c12 based on what I've heard and my experience

[@chewkenghong]

Have opportunity to demo these As I saw the configuration and am interested in tribrid w est. and for me, it didn't last 5mins. Didn't like it though it was ranked highly in lots of places. Audio is really a subjective hobby.

[@user-lb2qf5of2v]

Благодарю!😀

[@ryN45678]

YES there's such a lack of vocal/mid focused IEMs at $500. Bass canons and neutral tunings as far as the eye can see... Looking for someone to make something that's kind of LCD2/Elex-y tuning at this price. Dunu Zen looks close-ish, albeit at $700.

[@duz2270]

what portable DAC/AMP would you suggest for mobile use? looking at the THX Onyx or do you have anything in mind that is better?

[@arturiapendragon6760]

fiio btr5

[@johnhayes8476]

Fiio q5s is great

[@PostLagone]

Apple dongle

[@itsvjsingh]

Please a video on JH Audio Roxanne IEM!!

[@Harry-li7fo]

So beautiful

[@mohamedomer6134]

I bought it on 2022 Black Friday for 412$ on aliexpress. 🤙🏽

[@szmr]

Alright... cool intro

[@Orteth]

Any thieaudio review on the way? Would love to see your insights on this brand!

[@FaziHut]

This. Give ThieAudio a try.

[@holeechit1054]

Thieaudio monarch, one of my fav iem which sounds better than campfire andromeda imo

[@bowow0807]

Ever gonna do a review on the Mangird Tea? Really eyeing that one and considering everything people have said it would be great to hear another voice on it

[@bowow0807]

@Jesse From what I've seen and read the Tea is really sensitive when it comes to eatips and seal, which can affect how it sounds especially the subbass and bass, perhaps that's why it sounded sterile and boring to your ears

[@bowow0807]

@Jesse What's your playlist and preferred sound signature? That's also a factor for liking or disliking any headfi gear. Of course a lot of things in headfi are quite subjective as well

[@bowow0807]

@Jesse Though I'm new to hifi, I'm more of the camp of "certain IEMs can make xx genre shine more than others" But that can also fall into personal preference as well. I guess an extreme and unusual example I can think off the cuff would be say an IEM that has a big bass boost wouldn't really fly with the majority of people who listen mainly to classical and orchestral music but there could be someone out there that's a orchestral and classical music basshead and loves playing his playlist through them. Well I haven't pulled the trigger on the Tea just yet, right now waiting for it to get to be stocked in the local shop to demo first before doing anything right away. Currently looking for my first actual set of IEMs that are a clear upgrade compared to my daily driver of the Audio Technica CKR50

[@bowow0807]

@Jesse Thanks, and might take a month for them to get new units. The shop I talked to was expecting to get 3 units with 2 that had been preordered so I could demo it and potentially buy it, but only got 2 so now I'm waiting for the next batch of units. If I'm not totally happy with the Tea then might save up for a while and squeeze out for maybe a tribrid like the Thieaudio Oracle. And I'm pretty sure the Dusk is a Shenzhen audio exclusive so demo-ing it is pretty unlikely unless someone local is selling theirs or a shop buys from shenzhen and has a ludicrous markup on the price. I've seen some sellers based here with online shops try and sell the regular blessing 2 for 3 to 5 times the normal price. Granted they are pretty sus sellers in any case so I'm not gonna fall for something like that.

[@432HigherMind]

I listened to the Blessing 2 and also to the mangird tea. I also heard the thieaudio Monarch, l4 and own the UM Mest MK II. And to be honest for me and a friend of mine the Blessing 2 is absolutely not worth the money. On a good DAP like the IBasso DX300 the mangird tea sounds way better then Blessing 2. (In my opinion)

[@jaanbanaan69]

Doesn't Variations have 1DD, 2BA and 2EST?

[@SHENZHENAUDIO]

Yes, 1DD+2BA+2EST Tribrid

[@greenneon9606]

I loved the kinera nanna 2.0

[@legendredux1291]

I was interested then I saw its 700+ cad :( gonna stick to my kato for awhile

[@0dyss3us51]

These days I have really great bluetooths for on the go, I have a hard time to go back to cable unless it is at my work desk tbh, but these def could tempt me.

[@danielsandoval8345]

Look into Fiio's BTR5, a bluetooth DAC/AMP that has many better quality lossless Codecs than any mainstream bluetooth earbuds.

[@andrewronnberg5725]

Review unique melody mest mkii pleeeaseeee

[@wrliggin2]

1:25 Z will love the waifu they put on the box

[@ijackiepie7901]

can u compare this with sundara? bass and mid?

[@ijackiepie7901]

also soundstage

[@hollowheart6537]

🌼

[@BlueSpectre]

Time for a lil heresy and tap into that massive kz lineup from kz adio, would love some vids on their higher end ones. They've come a long ways from their early days

[@brianbaker2062]

64 audio? Supposed to be some the highest end technologies for iems in world

[@he.236]

Under 30dollar which is best sound earphones or iem

[@mberlinger3]

Probably blon bl03

[@mohamadanas2641]

Pls review fiio fh3

[@Emira_75]

Josh you can't only review moondrop IEMs and be surprised they all sound good, you have almost no reference! Its like taking car advice from a guy who has only ever driven Toyota's.

[@petesadler3154]

massdrop vs moondrop?

[@kook7147]

Definitely moondrop right now

[@attilav.8749]

Razor thin depth of fields there

[@jaroslavfricek7772]

Josh you did not look very enthusiastic😃😂… maybe S8 would cheere you up❗️🙋‍♂️

[@mrheru8627]

Hmm.. The real drop is my wallet right now 🙂

[@Armbrust210]

IEMonday

[@kook7147]

That would be pretty cool, on Mondays (obviously not every Monday) he either reviews or talks about different IEMs that he likes at different price ranges.

[@ethanoux10]

What is the best low noise budget amp for iems?

[@shufflix4036]

I'm guessing he would say the IEMagni from Schiit Audio, I personally like JDS better, because of their smoother tuning and their customer support is crazy good.

[@kylerclarke2689]

For portable I love the Fiio btr5.

[@johnhayes8476]

Qudelix is great too

[@object1418]

Aria pro

[@jackofallstudios6393]

Variations or IE600?

[@thomasferrarojr.9772]

Great question.

[@SeptienPatterson]

Aria on steroids? I'm intrigued now.

[@dragofx_5472]

Well it's $500, it better be at least this good!