Introduction
The Blessing series, the cult of Moondrop’s anime girl and analytical sound. I’m here with a review of Moondrop Blessing 3, the latest model in the Blessing series. I purchased the product myself to provide an independent review. I listened to Blessing 3 for about 130-150 hours before I started writing this review.
Design & Build
In a Moondrop classic, we are greeted by an anime girl. I love the way the box opens, it feels premium. It comes with a very nice white cable, 5 pairs of tips, some papers, an aviation adapter and a carrying case. I was skeptical about the exterior quality of the case at first, but the interior quality is great. The tips are not very good, most of the time (95% of the time) I would recommend a wide tip.
Let’s talk about shells. It continues to reflect the design line of the series. I wish the glossy metal surface was harder to scratch, but otherwise the shells are pretty stylish. I can say that it is a little above medium in terms of size. The fit is good, but it still doesn’t have as good a fit as the Aful Magic One. Magic One had one of the best fits I’ve ever encountered. I never judge Blessing 3 in this regard, the 1ba vs 2dd+4ba fit comparison is not fair. The isolation is just okay (I think it might be related to the tips).
Synergy
Moondrop Blessing 3 has, first and foremost, a very analytical sound character. It’s obvious that details are prioritized when adjusting tonality, so it’s slightly bright not too much. I think it’s a good match with the Hiby FC6, which was the first pairing that came to mind. The FC6 strikes a great balance between the analog-like warm character and the analytical, slightly bright side. With Blessing 3 you can also use warmer sources and get good matches, matches like Cayin Ru7, Looto Paw s2 will probably be better than matches like DC Elite or Dc06pro/07pro. It’s as easy to drive as any iem, you can drive it with any dongle without any problem.
Sound
First of all, Moondrop Blessing 3 has quite high resolution. It sounds close, the stage width and depth is average, very detailed and slightly bright. I know, you immediately thought of a chaotic sound. I have some very good news. The separation is good, the instruments are picked out clearly and the layering is fine. So there is no chaotic sound. It’s a very niche combination. It’s debatable whether this sound character is for everyone. It has an analytical sound and saves the job in terms of timbre. The microdetail reproduction is incredible for the price. The instruments can be thin in places but not to the point of being uncomfortable. The treble is very well tuned, the shift of detail weight to the instruments is very reasonable at this price point. Moreover, the Blessing 3 handles complex tracks very well.
Bass
The 2 dynamic drivers facing each other have captured a great note weight. It won’t be enough for bassheads but for me it has great punch and depth in the pop-hiphop-R&B trio. The speed is good but the amount of extension is a bit low and this has caused a slight lack of body in the midbass. On B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone, I found the body enough on the bass guitar sound, which means it’s not the case for every track.
Mid
Transparent, detailed and high-resolution. The midrange could be a bit more balanced, with the violin sound overpowering the guitar. Both are clear and have good timbre. As for the vocals, unsurprisingly the female vocals are a bit ahead. I would say that the overall presentation shifts from neutral to a sparkling analytical character, especially in the mid-range. Other than that, the separation in this part is good and doesn’t allow any confusion. In Loreena McKennitt – Skelling, the strings and woodwinds before the vocal sounded very natural and emotional.
Treble
It’s very well adjusted. The high resolution and the detail potential is well used. However, the amount of extension is excellent, capturing natural sound without sacrificing analyticality. Smooth enough to hear small nuances. In general, the upper range is in harmony with mid-range instruments. I would have liked the treble to be positioned a little further away from the stage, which would have made the stage perceptually feel wider. This is just a personal wish, not a criticism, as I know this would bring a tonal difference.
Moondrop Blessing 3 ($319) vs Dita Project M ($325)
Both of them are well-made iems. But Dita Project M has a performance well above its price point. Let’s start with the soundstage, project M has a much bigger soundstage in 3D in every dimension. The separation is close but in terms of layering the Dita project M is superior and has better imaging. In the lower frequencies Blessing 3 is a bit more intense and closer to the surface while Project M has more depth and better texture. The Dita project M also has more bass extension. In the midrange, Blessing 3 has a more transparent presentation, while Project m is both more realistic and better at conveying emotion. While both have similar detail achievement, the Dita Project M has slightly more resolution in the mid frequencies. Dita Project m has more body. Female vocals are more prominent on Blessing 3. Blessing 3 also has better guitar timbre. When we come to the upper range, the trebles on Blessing 3 are more balanced and the upper treble is softer. In the treble of the Project M, air frequencies are more prominent and, as expected, have more extension. Both succeed in capturing the subtle nuances of the upper treble.
Overall, technically the Dita project M is more resolving and wide. Blessing 3 shines in the female vocals, Project M in the air frequencies. Blessing 3 has a more linear and analytical presentation. Project M has a more dynamic presentation in overall. The midrange is more prominent in the Blessing. The lower treble is slightly further back on Project M. Dita Project M is an iem that requires a little more power.
I don’t want this comparison to overshadow Blessing 3 because Blessing 3 is a nice iem. What you need to know here is that the abnormally good one is Dita Project M. Blessing 3 is not weak, Project M is too strong for its price. In fact, just comparing Blessing 3 to Project M shows how great Blessing 3 is.
Last Words
With a price tag of $319, Moondrop Blessing 3 is a pretty cool iem. With its analytical character, well-tuned trebles and very high detail reproduction, it will keep its place in the market for a while. I know there are still some of you who are waiting for a Dusk version of this IEM. I don’t think you should wait. Blessing 3 is already good enough.