HIDIZS MS3: Is It Hype Worthy?

We will be reviewing the Hidizs MS3, which is the more affordable counterpart of the Hidizs MS5. To be honest, the MS5, despite being a midrange IEM, didn't particularly impress me. While it does have its strengths, its overall sound didn't strike me as distinctive to other offerings in the midrange market. I also heard some points to my peers the MS3 is quite average, while some praises it. How will it fair with me? Let's find out!

DISCLAIMER:

• I have no affiliation with HIDIZS and have not received any monetary compensation during or after writing this review. This is a loan unit in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
• As a non-professional reviewer, I aim to use simple terms that can be understood by both beginners and experts in the hobby.
• Please keep in mind that the opinions expressed in this review are subjective and based on my personal experience with the unit. I encourage you to try the product yourself to form your own opinion.

PACKAGING

The packaging of the Hidizs MS3 has the typical Hidizs style, featuring the brand's logo and a preview image of the IEM on the sleeve. Upon opening the box, the contents appear to be neatly organized and straightforward. Here's what you'll find inside:

• Hidizs MS3 drivers
• 3.5mm cables
• 3 pairs of bass eartips
• 3 pairs of vocal eartips
• 3 pairs of balanced eartips
• 3 pairs of tuning nozzles
•  Leather earphone pouch

BUILD QUALITY

The Hidizs MS3 has a 2BA+1DD configuration. The shells bear a striking resemblance to the MS5 in certain aspects, but the MS3 sports a matte faceplate as opposed to the MS5's glossier finish. Furthermore, the MS5 features a pseudo-semi-open back structure (can't really say), allowing you to see the grills inside, while the MS3 is entirely enclosed. The included cables are not only appealing but also robust. While I acknowledge that they have not adopted a modular cable approach, it's reasonable given the price point.

SOUND

The MS3 offers a V-shaped sound signature. You can also experiment with the included tuning nozzles if you want to swerve to the default rose gold nozzles.

BASS 

The bass delivers a forceful punch, mainly focused on the mid-bass. The mid-bass has tendencies to bleed into the mids. Sub-bass presence is minimal, providing only a subtle rumble. The mid-bass impresses with its impact, thickness, and thump, yet it lacks precision, clarity, and transient response, leading to a bass profile that feels somewhat muddy and unrefined for my personal taste.

MIDS

The midrange exhibits a recessed character, offering a lush and rich presentation of vocals, particularly highlighting the intimacy of female vocals. Male vocals, in contrast, may lack a certain thickness and intimacy in body compared to their female counterparts. When subjected to poorly recorded tracks, vocals tend to become shouty, gritty, and unnatural. My sentiments toward instrument reproduction are mixed, with instruments having tendencies to sound metallic and unnatural. However, stringed instruments like violins, cellos, and acoustic guitars sound full and lush to my ears. The upper-mids can sometimes come across as shrill or shouty, with noticeable peaks on certain tracks. If you're like me who prefer upper-mids that are well-balanced and have a buttery-smooth quality, the MS3 is not just our cup of tea.

TREBLE

The treble is emphasized, complementing the V-shaped sound signature along with the bass. Cymbals, bells and chimes, and hi-hats truly stand out with a sparkling quality. However, while the treble has a crisper and detailed sound, there are instances when it can become screechy, grainy, and somewhat piercing, leading to fatigue. The peaks introduce an unpleasant abrasive emphasis to S and T sounds.

TECHNICALITIES

The MS3 excels in detail retrieval, consistently delivering commendable quality. When it comes to soundstage, it maintains an average level of width, depth, and height. While it may not possess the widest soundstage, its openness manages to create an artificial soundstage effect that compensates in that aspect. Furthermore, its imaging capabilities are quite impressive, effectively capturing a significant amount of macro and micro details with remarkable clarity.

The Nozzles

The following IEM is reviewed using the balanced rose gold nozzle, but I also tested the included nozzles. I won't dig deeper into a detailed analysis of these alternative nozzles but will instead focus on highlighting the differences compared to the rose gold filter.

Silver - It doesn't have any difference from the rose gold filter but it does tone down some peaks and sharpness evident on the rose gold nozzle

Red - It offers a warmer and bassier sound profile, effectively reducing most of the peaks, although at the cost of sacrificing some resolution and clarity. If you think the rose gold is bassy enough, it can go all the way with the red filter.

DEVICES USED

• Astell&Kern SR25
• HIDIZS S9 PRO PLUS
• Fosi Audio DS1
• Audioquest Dragonfly Red

TEST TRACK

DISCLAIMER: For my testing purposes, I don't use Spotify. I have high-resolution copies of my test tracks, maintaining a backup copy of these playlists on my Spotify account as a reference in case I lose my playlist.

CONCLUSION

Pros:

• Punchy and impactful bass
• Treble has a sparkling quality
• Female -focused vocals with a rich and lush timbre
• Selective nozzles for tuning in to your preferences
• Decent build quality and lightweight
• Fits perfectly on your ears due to the universal fit design

Cons:

• Overly recessed midrange
• Exhibits an unnatural timbre
• Don't expect a modular cable with this one
• That midbass bleed T__T
• Can get fatiguing and shouty
• For 169USD? No, please, sorry T__T

The MS3 boasts a sturdy build quality that closely resembles the MS5, all while having a budget price to boot! I can't say the same when it comes to the sound, as I'm not particularly fond of the V-shaped tuning of the MS3. This tuning makes it challenging to enjoy prolonged listening sessions without experiencing fatigue.  For the price of $169? I don't think so, not this time Hidizs.