Moondrop has given us a ton of great IEMs over the years. They have one of the strongest linups for affordable IEMs on the market. That lineup includes the original Starfield, and now there’s a new version of it that has just released, fittingly called the Starfield 2. Does it hold up to the original?
What You Get
- Moondrop Starfield 2 IEMs
- Silver-coated 2-pin cable with 3.5mm plug
- Nozzle filters
- 3 sets of silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- Small hard carrying case
- User guide
- Warranty card
Look & Feel
You can always expect a great design with Moondrop, and the Starfield 2 keeps up with that notion. Other Moondrop IEMs like the original Starfield, Aria, and Kato all have the same shape with different coats of paint. The Starfield 2 has a different artwork, but the same purple surface, with a matching cable to boot. It’s all a fantastic aesthetic, proped up by an unobstrusive fit.
Design
The Starfield 2’s 10mm dynamic driver uses a diaphragm made of pure metal. Part of this metal diaphragm is a lithium-magnesium dome, which is Moondrop’s answer to beryllium designs. It has a 3.5mm termination and can be driven from any device with a headphone jack.
Soundstage
With Moondrop you know you’re getting more than what you paid for, especially when it comes to the soundstage of their IEMs. The original Starfield had good spaciousness, but the Starfield 2 takes everything a bit further. You feel like the right and left channels are really filled out here, extending into a larger wingspan that protrudes through the outer shell. Everything feels properly spread out, thanks to good separation and layering in the stereo field. There’s good depth to it, but not to the extent that seems out of the ordinary for Moondrop’s catalog. You’re presented with a great wrap-around image that makes use of accurate positioning, heightening realism, and dimension. There isn’t much height to the instruments, but this is also far from a linear response.
Low End
This bass perfectly balances fullness and gain. While the bass doesn’t consistently pronounce itself, it always feels alive. Both the sub-bass and mid-bass appear very evened out, and it results in bass with elegance. You won’t get the most bodied sound, but there’s a vibration to it that underlines the sound signature with great texture. It’s a very clean timbre, exercising stacking frequencies with transparency. There’s no bleed or any qualities to the tone that will make the bass seem blown out.
Mids
The Starfield 2 possesses a mostly v-shaped sound signature, offering extended low and upper mids with some fundamental recession. It’s an inoffensive tuning that helps satisfy listeners who prefer a mix of warmth and crispness to the back and tail ends of instruments and vocals. That’s exactly what the Starfield 2 will give you, and it totally works for the price. Its coloration is easy to enjoy, with underlined vocal performances and instruments with good warmth and surface detail.
Highs
In the highs, you get a smooth treble response, but its roll-off is quite significant. It keeps the highs from really adding some height to instruments and vocals, but it also keeps the timbre from being uncomfortably bright. There’s still some life to the high frequencies, with a good amount of energy residing in the lower-treble region. You can sense that the sound elements possess a good tail, but their extension is still pretty limited.
Summary
The Starfield 2 improves upon the sound of the original, and gives it a fresh look to warrant a new version in the first place. Some of the biggest highlights are the enhanced soundstage and bass performances, with some notable detail in the mostly v-shaped mids. You also get Moodrops usual standard for craftsmanship and an incredibly affordable price. Moondrop likes to shoot above the limits of its price range, and the Starfield 2 is yet another example of that.
The Moondrop Starfield 2 is available at Audio46.
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