Hey audio folks, we are here to dig into the latest offering from Hidizs, the MS2 Pro. If you remember the original MS2, it was a colorful little hybrid that made some waves a few years back. Well, Hidizs has decided it needed a glow-up, not just in looks but in sonic muscle too. This new "Pro" version comes in swinging with a 1DD + 1BA hybrid configuration and a very distinct "Rhino Horn" design philosophy. It’s priced competitively around that $70-$100 mark, aiming to be your daily driver for energetic listening. Let's see if this rhino actually charges or just stands there grazing.
Hidizs MS2 Pro Review
I’ve got a little weakness about Hidizs, as my first DAP was their AP80 Pro-X. That was my first portable digital audio device after the Panasonic Walkman that I used to use at my young age. And also for their MP145, which in my opinion, the best planar IEM ever made! And for that I tried almost all of their products I got my hands on. When Hidizs send the MS2 Pro for Sonic Mantra, I got exited for the driver configuration, cause 1DD+1BA always seem interesting to me more than single DD set-up. And guess what, it didn’t disappoint me.
It really hits above its price point, genuinely! I used all three filters but mostly stick with the ‘balanced’ one for review purpose. And of course, I roll tips, as the stock ones didn’t give me the perfect fit & comfort.
DISCLAIMER
Hidizs was kind enough to send me the Hidizs MS2 Pro to review. I am not affiliated with Hidizs, and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘Hidizs MS2 Pro review’ are my subjective thoughts.
One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape and depth of the ear canal.
For your personal purchase, checkout Hidizs for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated link).
GEAR USED
● DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Cayin N3 Ultra, Hiby RS2, Hiby R4, Snowsky Echo Mini, F.Audio M20.
● DAC/AMP: xDuoo MT-604, Fosi Audio GR40, Hiby FD5, KAEI Design TAP2, ifi Hip DAC 2, xDuoo XD-05 Plus (with BB OPA 2604), Cayin RU6, Cayin RU7, iBasso DC04 Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, Celest CD-10, Celest CD-20, Hiby FC05, Hiby FD03, Hidizs SD8 Pro Robin, Moondrop Dawn Pro.
● Smart Device: Poco X3, Xiaomi MiPad 5.
● Files: Tidal, Spotify, local Hi-Res FLAC & DSD files.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
● Driver: 10.2mm DD & HIDIZS Silvercore BA™
● Frequency response: 20Hz – 40kHz
● Impedance: 17Ω
● Sensitivity: 111 dB
● Cable: Silver-plated OFC cable
● Pin Type: 2pin, 0.78mm
● Cable Length: 1.2m
● Plug Type: 3.5mm/ 4.4mm
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
● MS2 Pro IEMs
● OFC Cable
● 3 pairs Pneumatic sound tuning filters
● 3 pairs of balanced tips (S/M/L) & 3 pairs of high frequency tips (S/M/L)
● PU Leather carrying pouch
● User Manual & warranty card
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
No luxury here, just the basic things at the end. We saw a lot of Chi-Fi companies are offering a lot of useful accessories at this price point, like interchangeable cables, good-quality ear tips, and sturdy carrying pouches. But you won’t find it here. The IEMs are securely nested in a foam cutout, and underneath that, you will find an almost unusable carrying pouch. Inside that pouch all the accessories are stored. Hidizs made the new trend of adding tuning filters with almost all of their IEMs nowadays, and they are also here with the MS2 Pro. That’s it. No special unboxing experience here.
BUILD & DESIGN
This is a very well-built IEM with ZA12 Zinc Alloy Integrated Molding. We are seeing a lot of alloy-made IEMs in the current market with this price point, which is a very good move. At least budget audiophiles will have confidence in their portable audio gear. The build of this IEM feels so sturdy in hand, and they carry a good amount of weight. Hidizs said this is “Rhino-Inspired Design.” And the faceplate shows a rhino-like abstract design that is made of leather. The cable is silver-plated OFC cable and feels soft without any microphonic or tangle issues. And I don’t want to talk about the ear tips or the carrying pouch; they are so cheap!
FIT & COMFORT
Even though this IEM carries two drivers inside, they are relatively small in size; I mean, not that bulky. But the main challenge is the weight, which you easily solve by choosing the right ear tips. With this, they fit really well inside the ears, and they are comfortable too. Even I didn’t feel any uncomfortable feeling in my long listening sessions. Keep in mind that you must need aftermarket ear tips to achieve that fit & comfort. The stock cable is also comfortable to use. As I mentioned earlier, it has no tangle issue or microphonic issue.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS
I think Hidizs put a good effort into tuning this IEM. Though the final sound you’ll hear depends on your choice of tuning nozzles. But for the sake of this review, I stick with the ‘balanced tuning nozzle.’ With this nozzle, it feels like warm-balanced tuning, kind of W-shaped. With the ‘low frequency nozzle,’ the bass region becomes more prominent with a bit of pullback in the midrange area and a controlled treble section. And with the ‘high frequency nozzle,’ the bass region stays warm, but due to the forward nature of the midrange, the bass stays a bit in the background, and the treble shines a bit more.
Here is the frequency graph:
Let’s dive deep…
SUB-BASS
The 10.2 mm dynamic driver can push the lower region very well to satisfy any audiophile. It has a very deep and serious rumble in it that you may be looking for. Considering the price, the quality of the sub is fantastic. But as with some other warm-tuned IEMs, the rumble extends well with a slow decay. You shouldn’t expect some ‘fast thing’ here. Even with the ‘high frequency nozzle,’ the sub-bass stays slow. And with the ‘high frequency nozzle,’ it just gets a bit warmer. That’s it.
MID-BASS
The mid-bass of this earphone has a good and enjoyable punch. The kick drums have a nice impact that brings the rhythm to life. The bass is present here with good authority, even with the balanced nozzle. And with the low-frequency nozzle, it is more audible and also enjoyable. But there’s a little problem, I mean a slight drawback if you listen carefully. The mid-bass bleeds a little bit to the midrange; it’s not huge, but it does. And with the high-frequency nozzle, the problem is surprisingly solved. Though with this filter, the mid-bass loses a bit of warmth.
VOCALS
It’s the cherry on top of your delicious cake! This IEM delivers fantastic vocals, both male and female.
MALE
The dynamic driver handles the male vocal here, I think. It delivers a warm and meaty male vocal that I personally love. You won’t miss the perfect weight, which makes any male vocal enjoyable. Every emotion is alive here, whether it’s high-pitched or low-pitched. The textures are also good. Like many musical warm-ups out there, the male vocals feel a little bit laid back and not that much forward.
FEMALE
If you love powerful female vocals that don’t hurt your ears with sibilance, then this can be your top pick. Yes, I mean it. I love to hear that kinda female vocal presentation, and this IEM delivers my preferred sound with ease. It delivers female vocals with proper power, texture, and emotion and is able to bring the smoothest breath into it. But as usual, any poorly recorded or brightly mastered track can give you uncomfortable feelings with those S, SH, and T consonants.
INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION
For a hybrid in this price segment, the separation is quite decent. You should be able to distinguish the guitar from the synth quite well. The crossover for the hybrid works satisfactorily to remove the low frequencies from the highs. While listening to complex tunes with many layers, the midrange might seem a bit cluttered. It doesn’t provide that same silky-smooth separation that way more expensive IEMs provide.
TREBLE
The BA driver has a lot of detail and breadth. Cymbals sparkle, and there is a nice snappy attack to the percussion. It has a high-quality sound presentation. Like some budget BA drivers, it can be a bit metallic or tizzy at times. It’s not the smoothest-sounding treble section out there, and those with treble sensitivity will find the low-frequency nozzle a better option.
SOUNDSTAGE
The stage size is surprisingly broad, extending well to the left and right for a sort of cinematic experience. Depth is average. Sound space is a much more contained phenomenon, sticking out in front of you in a sort of wall-of-sound fashion, instead of surrounding the head in a 3D pattern. If you consider the price, it’s acceptable, right?
TECHNICALITIES
Dynamics: The macro-dynamics are amazing. The quiet-to-loud shift is impactful. The bass slam impacts the sound in a very dynamic way. The micro-dynamics are only mediocre. The subtle details, such as the musician’s breath in singing and the decay of a piano note, aren’t as highlighted as the big, loud moments.
Speed: The BA driver is quite fast and responds well to treble-transited fast notes. The dynamic driver responds a little bit late to the BA driver, creating a slight mismatch in speed while listening to extremely fast-speed metal songs, but it’s totally fine for the remaining 99% of the tunes.
Analytics (Detail Retrieval): It captures a whole bunch of surface detail. You’ll hear things in the high end you might miss on other warmer sets. Sometimes, it confuses “brightness” with “detail.” It pushes the fine details right in front of you instead of revealing them naturally.
SOURCES
Remember the impedance of the MS2 Pro? It’s just 17Ω, which means it’s an easy-to-drive gear. But you shouldn’t attach it directly to the 3.5mm jack on your smartphone. I will recommend you to use at least a decent dongle DAC like the Jcally JM-20, BQYEZ Lyn, Moondrop Dawn Pro, or Dunu DTC 480. Any balanced-sounding DAC can do.
CABLE & TIP ROLLING
You don’t need to worry about the cable, as the stock one is good enough to deliver the perfect sound. It is comfortable and almost microphonic-free. But you must need aftermarket ear tips, because the supplied ones are super cheap and not comfortable in long listening sessions. I will suggest Spinfit MP135, Dunu Candy, or Final Clear for fantastic fit & comfort and also for their good sound-providing capability.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Let’s wrap this up with some final words from an audio enthusiast (a big laughing emo). One thing I must say is that, with the $100 price tag, this IEM is a good contender among all the sets in this price range. Especially if your focus is longevity, then the build quality of the MS2 Pro will win your heart. And when it’s come to the main point, I mean the sound, then I will recommend you to give it a try. And don’t forget to shuffle the tuning nozzles; they really change the sound!
WHATEVER YOU’RE THINKIN’ OF BUYING—DAC, DAP, IEM, HEADPHONE, AMP, WHATEVER—JUST MAKE SURE YOU GIVE IT A DEMO RUN FIRST. TRY IT OUT, LISTEN TO IT WITH YOUR OWN TRACKS. SERIOUSLY, ONE QUICK AUDITION CAN SAVE YOU A BUNCH OF MONEY AND REGRET LATER ON.
AUDIO TESTING PREFERENCES
I desperately love the music from the 60s to 90s era. Music was alive then. The genre I love most is ROCK ‘N ROLL. Though Jazz, Blues, Country, Metal, Disco, Pop is also my favorite genres. I have a collection of albums with high dynamic recording. Most of the time I teste audio gears with those albums to understand sonic capability of the specific gear. If you have tidal subscription, you may click here to get the playlist.
You are welcome to read other reviews by SONIC MANTRA.
