Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk VS Ziigaat Horizon

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk and Ziigaat Horizon use 2DD+2BA+2PLA and 1DD+2BA+2Planar driver setups respectively. Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk costs $400 while Ziigaat Horizon costs $329. Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk is $71 more expensive. Ziigaat Horizon holds a slight 0.2-point edge in reviewer scores (7.7 vs 7.9). Ziigaat Horizon has significantly better bass with a 1-point edge, Ziigaat Horizon has better mids with a 0.5-point edge, Ziigaat Horizon has slightly better treble with a 0.4-point edge, Ziigaat Horizon has significantly better dynamics with a 2.8-point edge, Ziigaat Horizon has significantly better soundstage with a 1-point edge and Ziigaat Horizon has better imaging with a 0.8-point edge.

Insights

Metric Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk Ziigaat Horizon
Bass 7.3 8.3
Mids 7.1 7.6
Treble 7.8 8.2
Details 8 8
Soundstage 7.5 8.5
Imaging 7.5 8.3
Dynamics 5 7.8
Tonality 7.2 8.2
Technicalities 7.8 8.1

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Fresh Reviews
Bad Guy Good Audio Jaytiss Tim Tuned Gizaudio Axel Shuwa-T Jays Audio Head-Fi.org
Super* Review Audionotions

Average Reviewer Score:

7.7

Strongly Favorable


Ziigaat Horizon Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Jays Audio Web Search
Head-Fi.org

Average Reviewer Score:

7.9

Strongly Favorable


Reviews Comparison

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 7 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
Inoffensive safe tuning, less fatiguing uppermids good for jpop/kpop. Vocals lack the last bit of extension, detail, and power. DSP APP is a shit show. Heavy competition from Nova, Cincotres, Hype 4.
Youtube Video Summary

Stock tuning lands in the safe-and-smooth lane: a gently warm balance with a slight treble emphasis, nothing egregious and nothing especially standout. It works well for J-pop/K-pop at mid volume thanks to tamed upper-mids that keep sibilance in check. The trade-off is softer, “vanilla” vocals that miss the last bit of extension, air, and micro-detail; turn it up for more presence and the treble gets spicy—not helped by unit variance that can throw a 16k peak. Cymbal detail is decent with minimal “planar timbre,” but it can get a touch sizzly.

Against the field, Dusk struggles to justify the premium. Truthear Nova plays the same all-rounder role for much less while feeling more open up top; want a bit more top-end than Nova, there’s the Chopin at ~$200. Hype 4 comes off as a more well-rounded Dusk—better low-end texture, a hint more vocal reach, and less sharpness—and Quintet delivers a similar idea for cheaper. Even with EQ in the mix, Blessing 3 can match or better the result (smoother treble, no channel imbalance). Net: the sound is good but not special, and the value calculus isn’t favorable.

The supposed differentiator—DSP—isn’t it. The app feels unstable (settings not applying, frequent crashes), Android-only for adjustments, and awkward with external DAC/amps where EQ may not pass through. There’s a minor noise floor between pauses. Of the presets, “Stock 3.5mm (Analog)” and Bass+ are the only keepers; “Stock USB” is warmer but needs more upper-mids, and the Diffuse Field Tilt lands awkwardly. Phone amps also bottleneck staging; better sources open it up—but then the DSP conflicts. Add in QC concerns, and the verdict is clear: a pleasant, inoffensive listen, yet overhyped and overpriced for what it delivers; a solid sub-$200 proposition, not at its current bracket.


Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
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Price: $399

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Ziigaat Horizon reviewed by Jays Audio

2025-10-09
Jays Audio 7.5 Reviewer Score
S- Tuning
A+ Tech
"Meta" inspired tuning, basically a slightly more detailed Astral with smoother treble and less sub-bass. Less aggressive/in your face vs Astrals.
Youtube Video Summary

Ziigaat’s Horizon follows the current meta-inspired recipe—think Astral, Metas, Crescent—but pushes the focus upward: the treble is the most prominent piece here. It’s bright-leaning without turning harsh, giving a crisp, “OCD-like” sense of transient bite and pinpoint imaging. Low end and vocals sit a touch behind the highs, so the presentation feels clean and lively rather than thick; at mid-volume, the top end drizzles detail over the mix like raindrops—engaging and textured, not shouty.

On the technical side, Horizon pulls strong detail retrieval and resolution for the price—above sets like Supermix 4 and near EM10/Volare —yet it doesn’t scale massively because of that treble lift. The bass is snappy and controlled, with good separation, but lacks the slam and rumble seekers of impact will want. Pairing and playlist matter: avoid hot, highly produced pop/K-pop/J-pop or most hip-hop where the combo of elevated highs and lighter bass can feel edgy; it shines with slower pop, R&B, indie acoustics, ballads, and classical where the sparkle reads as “high-fidelity.” Warmer sources help a bit, and tip-rolling (stock black/clear, or bass-adding options like Final E/divinus) can balance things—just skip anything that pushes treble further.

Against close competitors, Astral hit harder down low and feel more V-shaped and contrasty; Crescent is warmer and smoother but not as clear or micro-detailed. Horizon is the cleanest and brightest of the trio, with the most refined treble focus and “tickly” transients. Verdict: a value-minded all-rounder for detail lovers who prefer clarity and air over bass authority—technical, tidy, and energetic at sensible volumes, provided the library isn’t a treble minefield.


Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
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Price: $329

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Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Head-Fi.org

Head-Fi.org 7.5 * score rescaled + normalized
5 community members have rated the Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk at an average of 4.0/5 on Head-Fi. Overall sentiment: Very Positive.

URL to full Review

Head-Fi.org original ranking

Ziigaat Horizon reviewed by Head-Fi.org

Head-Fi.org 8.2 * score rescaled + normalized
3 community members have rated the ZiiGaat Horizon at an average of 4.4/5 on Head-Fi. Overall sentiment: Excellent.

URL to full Review

Head-Fi.org original ranking

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk (more reviews)

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 8.5* * score rescaled + normalized
Overall high engagement factor.
Youtube Video Summary

The new Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk borrows the Blessing 3’s ergonomics and accessory spread—spring tips, a lightweight 3.5 mm cable, and a braided USB DSP cable—while switching to a tribrid driver array: 2DD for bass, 2BA for mids, and 2 micro-planars for treble. The shell is medium-large yet secure and comfortable, with a narrower nozzle than earlier Blessings and a cleaner faceplate design. The DSP cable can sweeten tonality, but there are caveats: occasional artifacts, spotty DAP compatibility, and an Android-only app with EQ limits (no tweaks below ~60 Hz or above ~10 kHz).

On the analog cable, tonality lands neutral and mid-centric with a tasteful sub-bass lift and slightly eased presence region—still a touch clinical, but now with added body and engagement. The star is the bass quality: tight, punchy, and tactile without masking the mids. Imaging/separation are clearly above average, and treble has better extension and metallic timbre than older Moondrops. Swapping to the DSP cable warms the mids and adds a bit of mid-bass punch (less brightness, richer tone), trading a hint of separation for extra smoothness.

Comparisons: vs OG Dusk, the new set’s bass is less blammy but higher quality, and the treble timbre is more realistic; vs Blessing 3, this is fuller, deeper, and less thin; vs Hype 4, stage width and bass quantity favor the Hype, but the Dusk keeps vocals cleaner and more balanced. DSP experiments show Blessing 3 + DSP can get very close to the Dusk’s FR, and even the budget Moondrop May narrows the gap—yet the Dusk still wins on bass tightness, treble refinement, and overall technical polish. As an analog IEM around $360, this is the one to beat—an easy 5/5.


Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Audionotions

Audionotions 8 Reviewer Score
I came close to writing this off because it relies on DSP to achieve the target tuning. Thankfully my curiosity got the best of me. Putting aside any issues pertaining to the DSP cable, this is a fantastic IEM in either DSP or analog set up. This IEM checks off so many boxes and I'm hardpressed to think of another IEM that does timbre, techs, and engagement as well as Dusk. I do prefer the Default DSP tuning slightly in most cases but even in analog set up, it's still very capable and sometimes I would take this tuning over DSP. In Analog, bass has a very satisfying, tactile/physical character, with good subbass extension and rumble. Mids are clean very crisp sounding, and treble is well extended with a lot of air. There is a slight thinness/metallic character in analog mode but it's not unpleasant and isn't really noticeable except on A/B. Switching to DSP retains the phsyical character while adds a very nice richness and weight to instruments and vocals, balances out the treble a bit, and eschews that smidge of unnatural/metallic sheen, becoming, quite frankly, one of the more natural sounding IEMs I've heard. In either configuration, techs are fantastic. Imaging and instrument separation are phenomenal. Dynamics are excellent. Transients are very well defined and there is an incisiveness to the sound that is super engaging. Details are very good for the price. This is the IEM to beat in 2024 and of the recent wave of fantastic releases. Leans a bit to the clinical side. I'd rank this higher if it didn't rely on DSP. Previously Owned

Audionotions original ranking

Website (Audionotions)

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Bad Guy Good Audio

Bad Guy Good Audio 7.9 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
A+ Tech
check links for more info:

Bad Guy Good Audio original ranking

Bad Guy Good Audio Youtube Channel
Bass: A- Mids: A- Treble: A+

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 7.8 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
A+ Tech
Just a tad on the bland side.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: B Treble: A+ Dynamics: C+ Soundstage: A+

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 7.5 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
Pros: Balanced tuning with world class timbre decay.

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Bass: A+ Mids: S Treble: A+

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Gizaudio Axel

Gizaudio Axel 7.5 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A Tech
Excellent tuning and a highly detailed, all-around performer. Great bass quality, rich vocals, balanced tonality, sparkly treble, and excellent resolution. I prefer more bass.

Gizaudio Axel original ranking

Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Shuwa-T

Shuwa-T 7.2 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
A Tech
The most neutral of the triple threat, caters to the safest of tunings

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

Bass: A- Mids: B+ Treble: A- Soundstage: A- Details: A+ Imaging: A

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk reviewed by Fresh Reviews

Fresh Reviews 5.5* * The score of this reviewer influences only the Gaming Score

Ziigaat Horizon (more reviews)

Ziigaat Horizon reviewed by Web Search

2025-10-09
uses AI-Search to turn user, reddit and head-fi reviews into clear, concise summaries.
Web Search 7.9 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech

Ziigaat Horizon is a tribrid IEM that combines 1DD + 2BA + 2 planar drivers, positioned at an MSRP of $329; this configuration aims to split bass, mids, and treble duties across specialized transducers for coherence and headroom. These fundamentals are confirmed on the brand’s product page and storefront listings.

Subjectively, community impressions describe robust sub-bass from the dynamic driver, clean mids from the BAs, and airy treble from the planar tweeters, with multiple listeners highlighting a notably expansive soundstage. Head-Fi reviews and threads also call out treble extension claims “up to 40 kHz” and above-average staging for the price class.

In tuning terms, the Horizon trends U-shaped: lifted bass and upper-treble energy provide excitement and perceived width, while midrange presence is more neutral than forward—favorable for pop and electronic but less ideal if you prioritize warm, intimate vocals. Reports also note that pairing and tips can influence perceived brightness and staging, so synergy matters if you’re treble-sensitive.


Bass: A+ Mids: A Treble: A+ Dynamics: A Soundstage: S- Details: A+ Imaging: A+

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk User Review Score

Average User Scores

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Ziigaat Horizon User Review Score

Average User Scores

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Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

7.4

Gaming Grade

A-

Ziigaat Horizon Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

7.8

Gaming Grade

A

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A-
  • Expect an inviting tonal blend that adapts well to genres while staying largely composed. It strikes a nice blend of warmth and clarity.

Average Technical Grade

A
  • You get a well-rounded technical package that keeps separation, detail, and staging in harmony. It's a solid middle ground between fun and fidelity.
Bass A-
The bass hits with conviction, offering both punch and clarity. It reaches low with confidence and control.
Mids A-
Midrange performance is excellent, with natural timbre and great detail. Vocals feel lifelike and full-bodied.
Treble A
Highs feel superbly executed, revealing micro-detail without hint of sibilance. Highs stay smooth even at volume.
Dynamics C+
Expect solid impact overall, even if finer gradations feel a touch smoothed. Micro-details could still be sharper.
Soundstage A
All dimensions bloom together, producing an expansive venue that feels carefully rendered. You can map the ensemble easily.
Details A+
Complex productions unravel completely, letting you examine every thread. Textures are rendered with exquisite finesse.
Imaging A
Excellent imaging delivers precise, stable placement with instruments occupying tangible points in space. It locks each element into a steady position.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations. Value-to-cost may not be optimal for gaming-focused users.

Ziigaat Horizon Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • The tonal balance is polished and expressive, highlighting emotion without sacrificing accuracy. It keeps emotional weight without sacrificing accuracy.

Average Technical Grade

A+
  • You get an articulate, polished performance with immersive stage depth and great control. There's a sense of polish across the whole spectrum.
Bass A+
The bass digs deep with authority while staying impeccably textured. No sense of bloom muddies the mids.
Mids A
The mid band shines with organic tone and finely rendered textures. Long sessions remain fatigue-free.
Treble A+
The treble performance feels luxurious, marrying air, control, and excitement. You can place every high-frequency element.
Dynamics A
You get outstanding dynamic agility, from subtle nuances to big hits. Impact comes with quick recovery.
Soundstage S-
Immersive holography surrounds the listener, making the venue feel tangible and enveloping. It delivers a grand, cinematic presentation.
Details A+
No subtlety is too small; the presentation exposes it all with composure. Complex tracks remain crystal clear.
Imaging A+
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision that creates a palpable sense of placement. It creates a near-holographic placement.
Gaming A
Clear spatial presentation handles directional cues effectively. Distinguishes key gameplay sounds while maintaining decent immersion. Value-to-cost may not be optimal for gaming-focused users.

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk User Reviews

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