Tanchjim Origin VS Moondrop Meteor

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Tanchjim Origin gets the “Legendary” treatment for good reason: it’s a clarity-first single-DD that puts finesse over flash. The full-metal shells feel premium but can be slippery and a bit tricky to seat; expect some tip-rolling. Build notes include a semi-recessed 2-pin, a well-cut nozzle, and finish wear that can show with time—ergonomics are fine, just not as contoured as newer designs.

Tuning skews neutral and mid-focused: bass is clean with a light, non-exaggerated thump and controlled mid-bass, so no boom. The midrange is the star, while the treble brings smooth extension and a surprisingly refined sparkle. Technicals impress—pristine resolution, tidy separation, and standout imaging—but there’s no “thunder” down low; some listeners may notice a touch of brightness in the mid-treble. Swappable filters exist, yet their effect is subtle.

Reception has been bullish: Zeos called it obsessively neutral and nearly perfect; Timmy praised it as one of the year’s best with lovely, smooth treble; Super* Review rates it among the better sets under ~$260 while preferring the Chopin. In today’s field—with value picks like Tanchjim Bunny (to sample the signature cheaply) and modern darlings like Softears Volume S—Origin still stands as a refined, resolving choice under $300. Verdict: an A+ recommendation for listeners chasing cleanliness, mids, and imaging; bassheads should look elsewhere.

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Moondrop Meteor arrives as a hybrid with one dynamic, two BA mids, and four treble planars, now priced around $550. The shell is massive but well-contoured resin with a flat 2-pin connector; fit can be good after some tip rolling, though the nozzle runs large. The stock cable feels cheap for the price and the accessory pack is underwhelming—no DAC, a basic case—so the unboxing doesn’t add much value.

Tonally this is a treble-focused set that sounds clean, clear, and crisp, with pleasing air and microdetail. Bass is the weak link: quantity and slam are light, leaving dynamics and note weight on the lean side; lower mids could be richer. Graphs show typical Moondrop-leaning tuning that sits close to target but wants ~2–3 dB more bass. It measures stable with impedance, which, paired with precise imaging and tidy staging (good, not “huge”), makes it a plausible studio monitor-style choice.

Against peers, Variations brings more energy and is the safer pick; Moondrop’s own Concerto and even Caden-line sets feel fuller down low. Cheaper rivals like EPZ P50 and AFUL P7 offer more fun, while HiSenior Mega 5 EST and Softears Volume S present stronger overall value and bass presence. Verdict: a solid, airy detail-getter with attractive aesthetics, but not an upgrade to bass-richer favorites; recommended on the used market or with a discount, and an easy skip at full MSRP if seeking warmth and impact.

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Tanchjim Origin targets a balanced and clean tuning with a sprinkle of mid-bass. Dynamics come across smooth like the EA500LM but a touch cleaner; low-end is punchy, textured, and well separated, just not as tactile in attack as EA1000. The spotlight is vocals: female voices sound sweet, open, and extended without thinness or shout, though there’s less chest depth and a desire for a bit more sparkle. Stage feels tidy rather than expansive—EA1000 projects a more open headspace—so the Origin reads as “very correct,” not showy.

Treble is smooth, clean, and well-extended with no harshness; not Helios-level airy, but enough. Resolution sits close to EA500LM, while EA1000 delivers sharper transients and a slightly more resolving edge. Character map: Origin = balanced/clean, EA1000 = slightly bright/sparkly, EA500LM = warmest/bassiest. All three are mid-volume listens stock. With mods, EA1000 proves the most flexible and gains that engaging “special sauce” with more tactile bass and vocal energy; Origin is easier to dull or darken; LM can tip into too much bass with added damping.

In today’s market the Origin sits in a tough spot: EA1000 beats it on price, engagement, and mod scaling, while EA500LM undercuts it with better bass texture and value. With contenders like Nova, Chopin, Quintet, and Hype 2 swirling around, Origin makes the most sense if a balanced, smooth single-DD is wanted without a mid-bass scoop. The extra nozzles don’t meaningfully change things, and a price near $150 would feel far more justified. Otherwise, waiting for the next wave may be the smarter play.

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Moondrop’s new “flagship” Meteor lands with a decent first impression: a natural planar timbre that avoids the overly sizzly or peaky upper ranges found in rivals, and clean, forward vocals that shine on ballads at mid volume. The overall tuning sits neutral with a tilt toward female vocals, and technical performance is good—competitive but not class-leading at its bracket. Fit is on the thicker side with a quirky curve, so a demo is wise. The catch: the low end is tame to the point of feeling clinical, lacking slam, authority, and bass-guitar/drum texture in busier rock and metal. Treble is balanced with some extension, yet it lacks air and micro-nuance, making the presentation feel less special. Net result: more a side-grade to Dusk than an upgrade—and at $500+, that stings.

Energy genres expose more issues: the boosted 1–3 kHz pushes vocals shouty past ~60–65 dB and the set doesn’t scale well, especially with K-Pop/J-Pop and mainstream pop where even the Dusk can sound more engaging with better contrast and more low end. Value is the real problem: the EPZ P50 at roughly half the price brings more bass, more air, and similar accessories; competitors like IO Volare (4×EST), Oracle Mk1, or a sale-priced Variations offer smoother, airier treble, finer micro-detail, and better all-round balance. The Meteor’s use of micro-planars instead of ESTs, plus unchanged accessories (think Aria 2/Dusk level), makes the premium hard to justify. Overall, it edges sets like “Brain Dance/Damage” on timbre but gives up technicalities and versatility. Recommendation: skip—grab the P50, go IO Volare/Oracle/Variations, or EQ a Variations (fill the scoop, ease 1–2 kHz) for a result that outclasses Meteor. Bonus note: Moondrop’s new flagship Psyche also gets side-eyed—$2,000 without ESTs feels more cash-grab than value.

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Tanchjim Origin shows up with grown-up design, a slick logo, and a surprisingly nice stock cable—though it’s only 3.5 mm. Under the hood: a single dynamic driver and interchangeable nozzles. The “Dynamic” nozzle thickens the bass into a chewy, fun thump; the “Light” nozzle unlocks the magic—shockingly clean, near-neutral tuning with a tight low end. Tip rolling pays off (foam-filled silicone adds a touch of seal and snap), and the shells feel like proper adult jewelry. The carry case is comically huge, and the 2-pin posts are long, but build is otherwise dialed.

Sonically, Origin hits that “how is this this clean?” tier: vocals are dead-on, the treble stays smooth without bite, and the low end sits ~a hair north of flat for just the right weight. Staging isn’t stadium-wide—image arcs just behind the eyes—but layering, punch, and overall polish scream high-end without needing a mega amp. Swap to the Light nozzle, get a good seal, and it’s a full send: one of the best-sounding single-DD sets in this bracket, the kind that could still be recommended even at a higher tag. Call it a 9/10—dock a point for the non-modular cable and oversized case—but the tuning and refinement are spectacular for the price.

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Origin aims to update the classic Oxygen recipe with a mid-bass lift and a long bass arc, but the execution pushes the upper mids (3–5 kHz) too high and adds an oversized air/upper-treble shelf. The net effect is a neutral-bright balance where mids lose weight and naturalness, while the supposed sub-bass roll-off is mostly a masking effect from the hot top end.

The bass arc itself is solid, yet it stays masked unless another 1–2 dB is added around ~50 Hz; vocals come across lighter and faster rather than organic, and the extra air sounds more like artificial sheen than true resolution. With so much top-end energy, the stage flattens into the head and becomes fatiguing at moderate volume, undermining the otherwise capable driver and leaving little genre flexibility compared with Oxygen.

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The $500 Moondrop Meteor packs an oversized 13mm dynamic driver for bass, two balanced armatures for mids, and four micro planar drivers for treble. Objectively, its frequency response is fantastic—neutral with a tasteful sub-bass lift and exceptionally smooth, reserved treble that avoids harshness. Vocals sound natural and forward without edginess, and high-frequency percussion retains realistic timbre. Build quality impresses with a glossy, semi-transparent shell and a unique "meteorite" side panel, though the bulky design compromises fit stability versus sleeker Moondrop models. Accessories feel recycled from cheaper offerings, including a basic case and functional but kink-prone swappable-termination cable.

Subjectively, however, the Meteor feels unengaging. Its bass lacks punch and definition despite the large driver, coming across as soft and undynamic. Combined with the relaxed treble, this results in a lackluster sense of separation, layering, and imaging—music sounds cohesive but lacks incisiveness and visceral impact. While tonally balanced, the presentation is overly cautious, missing the excitement expected at this price. Even Moondrop’s own $360 Dusk outperforms it with tighter bass, sharper imaging, and greater overall engagement.

Comparisons highlight its shortcomings. The Dunu DK-31BD offers superior bass impact and more expressive treble at the same price, while the HiSenior Mega5EST delivers better definition and layering despite a warmer tilt. Ultimately, the Meteor’s excellent tuning can’t compensate for its dull technical performance. It’s a competent monitor but fails to justify its cost against rivals—or even Moondrop’s cheaper offerings.