Moondrop • IEMs
Moondrop Aria 2
Open pageThe Aria 2 is a single 10mm dynamic driver IEM whose most concrete gains over the 2021 Aria are physical: a milled zinc alloy shell, a replaceable brass nozzle, a modular cable terminating in both 3.5mm and 4.4mm, and a leather-style zip case. It is easy to drive, carrying manufacturer figures of 122 dB/Vrms and 33 ohms alongside an impedance curve reported as effectively flat, so source pairing is not a concern. Tuning is broadly balanced with a mild U shape. Bench measurement shows a dip near 500 Hz, a consistent lift of about 3 dB from 1 kHz to 3 kHz, and extra energy between 3.5 kHz and 6.5 kHz. That upper-midrange lift is the most complained-about trait, drawing repeated descriptions of shoutiness. Coverage splits sharply on bass: one reading hears it as noticeably deeper and more extended than the original Aria, another hears very little sub-bass gain and prefers the first Aria there. Treble draws the same fork, read either as comfortably tamed and short on sparkle or as energetic with an audible 7-8 kHz peak that can turn sharp. Staging is called impressive for the bracket in some listening and merely average in other listening, and a measured immersiveness sub-score of 3.8 was the weakest of its three audio sub-scores. Comfort is generally good, though at 11.8 g per bud very small ears and pressure-sensitive listeners were flagged as at risk. Verdicts range from a clear recommendation in the bracket to a lateral refresh where the packaging does the persuading.
Strengths
- Milled zinc alloy shell with a replaceable brass nozzle and removable filters, a durability step up from the chip-prone original Aria shells
- Stock modular cable terminates in both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced, so a balanced source works straight out of the box
- Easy to drive from a phone or dongle, with an impedance curve reported as effectively flat across a range of sources
- Midrange is the most consistently praised region, credited with clarity, natural instrument shape, and well-layered vocals
- Instrument separation and localization hold together through busy passages without congestion
- Boxed package adds a leather-style zip case and swappable plugs, an unusually complete kit near this price
Weaknesses
- Upper mids sit forward enough to be described as shouty, matching a measured lift of about 3 dB from 1 kHz to 3 kHz
- Sub-bass quantity is modest, and electronic material is explicitly called a poor fit
- A dip in the lower midrange can leave vocals sounding slightly thin
- Treble carries an audible peak near 7-8 kHz that can read as sharp or sibilant
- At 11.8 g per bud the shells are heavy, a flagged risk for exceptionally small ears and pressure-sensitive listeners
- Only three pairs of plain silicone tips are supplied, called out as a disappointment