Build: full-metal build. The faceplate is flatter than the KXXS/Starfield but the shells seem to be made from the same mould. Feels sturdy, durable, and a bit on the heavy side. Moondrop has done an excellent job with the low end on the Aria. They reach down easily into the sub-bass, and have a full, colorful, and rhythmic bass response. What impressed me was how well these Arias captured the intimate powerful bass typical with IEMs, without becoming overbearing. Instead of blowing me away and tiring my ears, the Arias delivered their bass at just the right intensity to keep me listening for longer. Both IEMs have an ear-hook design with a 2-pin 0.78mm termination. The cable on the Aria Snow does feel more high quality and tangle-free than the ones in the Aria. Both cables are terminated with a 3.5mm L-shaped plug. Mids: Are neutral and sound organic and have a good timbre but are a little on the lean side. Vocals are placed well and have good body and emotion.

Living 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. Tripowin Olina – very good technically, great soundstage, imaging, micro-details and instrument separation. However, it can be a bit fatiguing for those who are treble sensitive due to a boost at the lower treble region. The standard Aria 2021 is not as “flat” as the Aria SE. The Aria SE has a thinner note weight, and less bass, and it is just a tinge better in technicalities and clarity. I think the BLON BL-03 is closer to the Aria 2021 in sound, and it is also less shouty. Timbre: LCP-diaphragm sounds natural with no metallic tint to it and is quite organic-sounding. No problems here. The Moondrop Aria Snow Edition are a worthy addition to the ultra-competitive budget single DD segment. They don’t reinvent the wheel but bring a sublime midrange, organic timbre, balanced tonality, and beautiful aesthetics to the CHI-FI table.However it has some flaws: even on the bassiest switch, this is not a basshead set, the bass is just a tinge north of neutral. And it may have driver flex (or pressure build up sensation in the ears) for some users.

The OLA have a notoriously poor fit due to the round shape of the shells and short nozzles, and if not fitted well, they do not sound good and cause discomfort. The Snow Edition are relatively easy to drive, though robust amplification can give better dynamics and bass tightness. Frequency response graph of the Snow Edition via an IEC711 compliant coupler. The E3000 are much harder to drive and require amplification due to their low sensitivity. The E3000 are meant to be worn cable down (bullet-style design) and have a noodle-thin microphonic and non-detachable cable, which may be a deal-breaker for some. My first impression, sweet highs. In a few days, I recognized it as dull highs instead, even at maximum volume.

The Snow Edition will be compared against seven other dynamic driver budget competitors below. From left to right: the Snow Edition, Aria 2021, Tripowin Olina, Tanchjim OLA, Dunu Titan S, Tin HIFI T3 Plus, Final Audio E3000, and the HZSound Heart Mirror. With an impedance of 32Ω and a sensitivity of 122dB, the Aria is not terribly hard to drive. Even an iPhone 12 PRO Max delivered a decent performance and a relatively low current demand at just 25% volume levels. The fit of the wire is slightly unsatisfactory but it depends on each person. I will swap it out if it doesn't feel good over time The KZ Zas is at the same pricepoint as the Aria. While the fit is quite similar, the KZ differs by using hybrid multi-driver approach against the single DD of the Aria. The bass slam on the KZ is stronger, with excellent treble energy. The Vocals on the Aria are slightly forward than the KZ. It is a matter of preference between the two and you will not be wrong for choosing either.

I read your review on Olina but I’m still having a hard time deciding on which one to get because it seems like Olina has great technical performance but it is also commented that it brings out female vocal more than the male vocal, which is something I wish to fix here from Ola.

it is similar to Ola when it comes to midrange and treble region where instruments and vocals are portrayed cleanly. It doesn’t have to be forward but I prefer it not to be recessed. I'm a person who doesn't have the patience to burn in headphones for hours , I like to use them as soon as I buy them, but in case of Aria , Moondrop specifically gave instructions in the manual to burn them for 100 hours. So I patiently did that and also listened to them in between in the process and noticed that the imaging started to improve after crossing 50 hours burn in and soundstage opened up a little or it maybe my perception because of the improved imaging but the point is it did improve quite well after burn in. Build and Comfort: A safe shell design that should work for most ears without any comfort issues. It’s actually perfect, in a sense – not too small where it has an unsecure fit, nor too large where it becomes too bulky to use. Just the right size.

Glad that you have narrowed it down to the titan S. Yeah it is quite a nice neutralish single DD, does most areas above average at least. There’s some sub bass roll off, and it is not as technical as the OLA or Olina, but yeah I think it is a midpoint between the OLA and Tanya. I find treble on the Aria impressive. It is airy and open, with a lot of sparkle that is quite pleasant and which offers a good counterbalance to bass. Extension is quite good as well, though there’s a cliff in the upmost area. Before that there are a couple of peaks and dips which can make music a bit fatiguing on the long run if it’s especially rich of cymbals; conversely, the dips are felt in that it sounds as if some pieces are missing. Overall it’s still quite a well-tuned treble region. The level of detail is impressive for the price, even more so as it is heard effortlessly. Moondrop Aria Comparisons The Moondrop Aria is a great value option for those looking for a similar sound quality that the Moondrop Starfields provide but for a slightly lower price.Both IEMs integrate a 10mm dynamic driver as its main unit. The Aira uses a liquid crystal diaphragm, while the Starfield uses a carbon nanotube weave. Usually crystal diaphragms indicate a better transient response, while the nanaotube diaphragm helps give the IEM a smoother and tougher signal that help identify timbral characteristrics a lot more clearly. Soundstage The lower midrange is just a tinge depressed but is quite transparent without a big mid-bass encroaching into this area. The upper midrange is boosted but not too shouty or fatiguing. Like the other Moondrop earphones, the Aria target the Harman curve. This makes them sound neutral to most people as it is in fact a great compromise between the various components of the sound. The Aria use a 10 mm dynamic driver using the “liquid crystal polymer diaphragm” technology. Its low impedance and very high sensitivity mean that any source is virtually able to drive them to their fullest potential, including most smartphones and laptops. YMMV, as we have different ear anatomies, but I find the Spring tips do compress dynamics somewhat, dampening the bass and treble. As such, they give a more mid-centric flavor when installed. The included Spring tips are quite a popular set of eartips; they have a special structure that purportedly reduces distortion from the nozzle and suppresses unwanted resonances. A unique radial double support structure also reportedly decreases bass loss. It does sound a bit lean while still being forward only when necessary though, which is something I didn’t expect. It has a nice balanced tuning for my ears.