Pros:
- One of the most affordable in-ear monitors with variable tuning
- Great set of accessories
- Good technicalities
Cons:
- Slight upper mids aggressiveness in the Balanced and Treble valves
Introduction:
Having started in 2009, Hidizs can definitely be considered a veteran in the field of portable audio. Their first product, the digital audio player AP100, was launched three years after the company was founded. And now, a decade later, Hidizs continued to progress and vastly expanded their product offerings. The MM2 is the newest addition to their lineup of in-ear monitors. This one features a total of three tunings through the replaceable tuning valves. As of writing this review, the MM2 retails for 79 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
Specifications:
Driver units: 6 mm low voltage balanced membrane magnetostatic + 10.2 dynamic, polyetherketone diaphragm
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 104 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The MM2 comes in a relatively medium sized sleeved black box. Removing the sleeve reveals a hard plastic inner box, which is nice because it can be reused more than the regular cardboard boxes. Inside, there are the earphones inserted in a piece of foam. Below it is a smaller box that contains the leather case, and inside that case are the chunk of metal that holds the Bass and Treble tuning valves, a small silica gel packet, and two sets of silicone eartips. One in medium sized bores, and another with wide bores. Underneath the foam, there is another box that contains the cable with a velcro strap. There is also an instruction manual, a warranty card, and a card for Hidizs' website information.
Build:
The shells are made of resin, with a metal faceplate and nozzle. The faceplate has this kind of a polygon design with a matte surface. This is also where the valve is situated, which is kind of unusual since a replaceable nozzle is what's commonly implemented. The valves are also made of metal and classified with their color. Rose gold for the Balanced, red for Bass, and silver for Treble. There is a small vent right below the female 2 pin connectors, and another one at the back side of the shell. The nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filter and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a 4-core twisted hybrid of oxygen-free copper and silver plated copper. There is only very minor microphonics. The cable is also very soft, light, and with good flexibility. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic while the splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
I will be using the Balanced valves for the sound impressions, and then compare it later against the Bass and Treble valves.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are partially boosted and smoothly textured. Subbass is reproduced with very good depth, alongside a decay and amount of rumble that are both just slightly above average. Midbass is also emphasized to some degree and shares the same weight as the subbass.
Overall, the MM2 has your usual type of lows in a warm sound signature. It can also be noticed that the texture here feels smoother and cleaner than other in-ear monitors in the same price range.
Mids:
The mids display great clarity and are a tad forward. The thickness of the lower mids is pleasantly accentuated, but the notes become thinner and thinner as it shifts to the upper mids. As a result, female vocals are positioned slightly ahead of the male vocals.
Overall, instruments have good transparency in this section. The lower mids are great for classical music, and while the upper mids does get a little shouty on some tracks, it is only minuscule and nothing to be worried about.
Highs:
The highs provide an adequate amount of energy. Treble reach is decent with an average level of decay. There is a subtle highlight in the lower treble but on some tracks, it is not enough to bring out the vibrancy in the instruments especially when a number of them starts playing in the background.
Overall, on its own, MM2's treble is actually good. But the upper region of the treble can get overwhelmed sometimes by the upper mids affecting the details and general technicalities.
Soundstage and Imaging:
There is moderate expansion in the soundstage. Width is just average but the height has really good amount of space. Imaging accuracy is very good, different instruments can be identified and their positions pinpointed with ease. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
with the Bass valves
The Bass valves greatly improved the depth of the subbass. Decay is also slightly more extended. The amount of rumble is of course increased as well. Midbass became thicker but not too much to the point where it feels bloated. Mids are pushed down a bit, and that bump in the upper region is now smoothened. Treble reach and extension stayed the same. There is a slight reduction in the height of the stage, but the width and other technicalities did not change.
with the Treble valves
There is a very slight decrease in the depth of the subbass while the decay became slightly tighter. With the midbass, there are no changes. The mids are still slightly forward but the thickness of the lower mids is reduced, and then the upper mids became even thinner, amplifying the minor shoutiness from the Balanced valves. The reach in the treble is improved. Decay also became partially longer. Instruments are now livelier and more crisp. The stage widened a bit, and the imaging became slightly clearer.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. KZ ZES (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 32 USD)
Depth in the subbass seems to be equal, but the ZES has more quantity in the rumble. The ZES also has the longer decay, but not that much difference. The MM2 though, presents smoother, cleaner note texture. The MM2 also has more forward mids, but the ZES has slightly thicker note weight. Instruments have better definition and sound more spacious in the MM2. With the treble, the ZES has slightly better reach, but they are equal in terms of the decay. That being said, the MM2 still manages to present details clearer due to its overall better technicalities. Imaging is a lot more clearer in the MM2, as well as better instrument separation. In the soundstage, the ZES has the larger width, but the stage is taller in the MM2.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. IKKO OH2 (1 dynamic, 79 USD)
The MM2 can certainly reach deeper in the subbass. Rumbles are also more powerful and extends longer in the MM2. Midbass punches harder and with heavier, thicker note weight in the MM2. The positioning of the mids are identical in both of them, but the mids in the MM2 can sometimes be perceived as slightly more forward due to that bump in the upper mids. Lower mids are thicker in the MM2. The MM2 also has slightly better reach in the highs. The decay is almost equal but the MM2 presents a very, very tiny edge. The OH2, on the other hand, has slightly better presence in the lower treble. Imaging clarity and accuracy are identical, as well as the width of the soundstage, but the stage of the MM2 is slightly taller.
Conclusion:
The magnetostatic driver is not something new in the world of portable audio, but Hidizs managed to give it a new twist in the MM2. The way they implemented the tuning valves sure is attractive, especially at this price point. The Bass valves do give the MM2 the hard hitting lows most bassheads seek, but it's a little confusing that the MM2 is already warm sounding with the Balanced valves, and the Treble valves did not sound the way that I expected them to be. For its asking price, the MM2 surely performs well, and the tuning valves is a great idea by Hidizs, they just fell a bit short with the execution.
Tags:
In-Ear Monitors