Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk IEMs 2DD+2BA+2Planar Earphones with 0.78 2 Pin 3.5mm/USB-C Plug

first iem, but not my only. it's been my daily driver ever since i got it. comes with a lot of stuff, 2 cables (analog and dsp), nice case and extra tips which are really nice. objectively it sounds amazing, with both dsp and analog cables. it's a very invasive iem, and it fits my ears fine, although i do have to angle it a bit for it to not make my conch a bit sore. it's also, really heavy and built like a tank, so definitely something you should consider.i haven't tinkered with the app, nor do i plan to, as it's a sketchy app asking for way more permissions than it needs. it also is very wonky, so if you want to factor that free app into the price, you can. although the app kinda sucks, and all of the other recommended tunings on the app also suck from what i hear.i used the dsp cable/tunings, which is nice. but since i've gotten it i've switched to a different analog cable, which as of now i do prefer. very rich vocals (especially female vocals), timbre is nuts and everything just sounds right.you are getting what you're paying for, and probably more. if you have the disposable income, i highly recommend the crindusk.

Missed out on the Meta from Crin, and in spite of my better judgement, I tried these for the second time. Again, the DSP cable failed to work with not one of FOUR separate DAPS. I tried them with a balanced two pin cable off another set and found that the right bud was lower by about 10 dB. This is roughly the same experience I had the second time I ordered them. The first time, the Amazon seller attempted to scam me. Moondrop makes some really nice sounding IEMs, but the unholy mess that is the Dusk just needs to go away. If you’re reading this please take note; I’ve ordered these 3 times, gotten 2 sets and been able to use 0 of them. Good luck people.

So at this point I think I have most/all of the Crinacle collaborations and I generally agree with his reviews. At this point I can confidently say that if you - like me - enjoyed the 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Dioko you're gonna love these. Value-wise, the Dioko wins, but the Dioko never impressed me the way the Dusk does.So that default USB-C tuning? These are...not what I'd call neutral. They're a little weird. There's a LOT of sub-bass. There's some very very crispy treble that sometimes veers into being unpleasantly crackly. You even get some mids. They remind me more than anything else of my Andromeda Golds; some tracks absolutely take my breath away and some...don't. The staging/imaging/separation is consistently at least good and occasionally hits the kind of spread and clarity I'm used to hearing from multi-kilobuck gear.I think my biggest issue is that tracks that aren't particularly diverse - lots going on in a narrow region, hitting one of the three sets of drivers - sound muddy. The songs that sound like they're just playing on 2BA are...not fun to listen to here. It reminds me of the kind of experience I got and hated with the Etymotic ER4XR. So yeah, these aren't going to elevate a poor mix.I can't review the non-stock tunings because I don't have a compatible phone (Android only; seems to require installing a specific APK, the published one doesn't work and the iOS app doesn't support the DAC cable yet - April 2024, will try to update if this changes) to throw at the problem. I'd say this is a significant part of why you'd want to buy these; if you aren't planning to use this cable and USB-C sources, I think you'll want to look elsewhere.These are really good-looking, but not flashy, IEMs. The cable matches the design, feels nice, and has acceptable microphonics. Strain relief at the right points, no memory wire, a 3-button remote, and fits perfectly in the opening of the official iPhone 15 Pro Max case. There's a nice little presentation box (the rattling you hear is some loose manuals and a postcard) with a durable, if forgettable, leather-ish case. The USB-C DSP cable feels and looks substantially nicer than the analog cable, although the tolerances involved meant I had to use quite a bit of force to plug the two-pin in and was worried I'd bent or broken it. Three sets of Moondrop's signature silicone tips - there's no ridge on the IEMs so you'll want to use very grippy tips if you plan to swap them out. Deep insertion is going to require different tips - the nozzle's relatively stubby.