Intro
Woah-nelly, hot-damn, and holy homerun Batman! The Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk is by far the best IEM I’ve had the pleasure of listening to. It is also by far the most expensive IEM that I’ve put ears to.
If you’ve been in the IEM scene for even a very short amount of time, you’ll certainly have heard of “Meta” tuning, and well, this is it. This is Crinacle’s take on “Meta” until the newly announced CrinEars Meta is released. I don’t want to take the time away from this review to describe what Meta is. I recommend a quick Google or Youtube search and you’ll get some excellent explanations.
While the Dusk delivers impressively, there are also some notable shortcomings – luckily not with the sound. So let’s dive right in.
Tech Specs
Driver Configuration: 2 Dynamic Drivers + 2 Balanced Armature + 2 Planar Magnetic DriversSensitivity: 121db/Vrms@1kHz
Sensitivity: 119db/Vrms@1kHz
Impedance: 14.5Ω
Frequency Response: 20 – 20 kHz
Connector: .078mm 2 pin
Price: $369.99 (early adopter pricing), now $399.99
What’s in the Box?
As mentioned in the introduction, the Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk has some notable shortcomings, primarily in its accessories. For the price, the included accessories are simply inadequate.
The Dusk comes with three pairs of Moondrop Spring Tips (small, medium, and large). These eartips have consistently been problematic for me, and they certainly don’t pair well with the Dusk’s somewhat chonky nozzle. Given the price, at least three additional pairs of different eartips would have been appreciated, if not more.
Next are the cables. Yes, plural: cables. The Dusk includes a USB-C DSP cable and an analog 3.5mm cable. This dual-cable approach seems promising, but it falls short in execution. The 3.5mm cable is remarkably cheap, feeling identical to the Moondrop Quarks cable (a $15.99 IEM) with added braiding on the lower half and a bright silver color. Frankly, I didn’t even use it; it remains wrapped up in my pile of misfit cables.
The DSP cable, in contrast, appears superior. However, when compared to cables included with IEMs priced under $200 (half the Dusk’s cost), it’s mediocre at best. It’s an unremarkable cable that neither impresses nor disappoints. It simply exists. Additionally, as a Mac and iOS user, I found that the Moondrop app is unusable, preventing me from switching DSP tunings. Fortunately, the default DSP tuning is the one to use anyways.
Furthermore, some users have reported noise issues with the DSP cable. Thankfully, my unit was quiet. However, I also tested the Dusk with the Qudelix 5k, using the exact DSP settings provided by Crinacle online. This could be a $110 alternative to a potentially noisy DSP cable.
While I understand the inclusion of an analog cable to showcase the Dusk’s dual nature, its quality should have been significantly higher considering the price.
On a positive note, Moondrop includes a very nice leather carrying case. Aside from the IEMs themselves, this is the only accessory that feels premium and justifies the price point.
The Dusk themselves have a subtle, discrete, and yet sexy (yes, I just called an IEM sexy) visual style. The faceplates feature a carbon fiber-like material with alternating shiny and matte finishes. The right IEM subtly displays the word “DUSK.” I’m a fan of non-flashy faceplates, and these perfectly suit my taste. The rest of the shell is made of clear 3D-printed resin, showcasing the internal components, which is undeniably cool.
The IEMs are, however, quite large. The bulk of their size is in depth, causing them to protrude significantly from the ear. The parts of the shell that fit into the outer ear are reasonably sized, though slightly on the larger side. It’s fair to say that if you have smaller shaped ears, the Dusk should be one to pass on.
Fit, Comfort, & Isolation
Despite their substantial size, the Dusk is quite comfortable with some tip rolling – obviously your mileage could vary. Since they aren’t very heavy they don’t pull on your ear-holes with gravity nearly as bad as a heavy, full metal IEM. I found that using slightly smaller and shorter eartips was necessary for optimal comfort. Isolation is surprisingly effective for a vented IEM; the Dusk even managed to block out loud music from an adjacent room.
Sound
Overall
Analog Cable
Overall, the sound signature is very much in line with “Meta” tuning. If you’re familiar with Meta-tuned IEMs, this follows a similar profile, albeit with slightly less warmth. It features elevated sub-bass, clean and natural upper bass and lower midrange, smooth upper midrange, and a smoother treble response with a touch of added sparkle above 12kHz.
DSP Cable
The DSP cable introduces a warmer tonality across the entire frequency spectrum. It achieves this effect remarkably, not by boosting the bass, but by subtly attenuating the pinna gain around 1.25kHz and reducing some of the treble. While these individual adjustments are subtle, they create a significant overall change. With DSP engaged, the Dusk leans towards a richer, warmer sound, yet manages to retain a good balance between warmth and neutrality.
Analog Cable with 10Ω Adapter
The standard analog tuning felt somewhat lean to my ears after experiencing the Dusk with DSP. On its own, the analog version of the Dusk is perfectly acceptable. But knowing that the grass is greener on the DSP side kept niggling at me, particularly when using devices or DAPs lacking EQ or USB-C connectivity.
Adding a 10-ohm adapter from the Truthear Red significantly improved the tuning. This adapter effectively bridged the gap between the standard analog and DSP versions of the Dusk. Similar to the DSP, it attenuated some of the treble, but retained a greater sense of airiness and avoided the 1.25kHz pinna dip. This resulted in a light U-shaped sound signature, balancing fun with the original tuning’s integrity. The 10-ohm adapter brought the analog Dusk to approximately 95% of the DSP version’s performance, while adding a subtle touch of excitement.
Bass
In DSP and 10-ohm adapter configurations, the bass has much more impact than what the frequency response graphs indicate. However, it’s not a one-dimensional performance. The bass quality on the Dusk is truly remarkable. It demonstrates exceptional speed when required, and appropriate slowness when the music dictates. It delivers impactful presence when necessary, and subtle gentleness when the music calls for it.
Simply put, the bass is a shape-shifter. It responds perfectly to the demands of the music, consistently delivering an outstanding performance. The texture and resolution are also excellent, contributing to the overall exceptional quality of the Dusk’s bass.
In analog, while the bass quantity remains consistent with the DSP settings, the overall sound feels more balanced but slightly lean in the upper bass and lower midrange due to the enhanced treble. However, all the positive attributes mentioned previously still apply; they are simply overshadowed slightly by the emphasized treble.
Mids
While the bass might seem like the star of the show, the midrange is equally impressive and deserves its own spotlight. The Dusk masterfully balances an engaging presence with a relaxed, non-fatiguing delivery. The mids and vocals are remarkably smooth and present, creating a natural and lifelike listening experience. In my experience, the Dusk boasts the finest midrange reproduction I’ve ever encountered.
In analog, there’s a slight emphasis between 1kHz and 1.25kHz, which brings the midrange more forward compared to the DSP tuning. However, this adjustment doesn’t compromise the smoothness or overall balance. It feels more like a subtle 2-3dB alternate tuning, which is hardly a point of contention.
Treble
The most significant difference between the DSP and analog Dusk lies in the treble. The analog version exhibits a slight emphasis (approximately 2dB) between 4.25kHz and 6.5kHz, which the DSP tuning flattens. Additionally, there’s a noticeable treble spike at 14kHz (about 5dB too high), which the DSP also effectively reduces. The DSP tuning is exceptionally smooth and extends well beyond the bounds of hearing. Given that the dual planar drivers handle the majority of the treble reproduction, the sound remains remarkably even and controlled, without exhibiting the typical drawbacks associated with planar drivers.
The analog version is slightly more pronounced in the aforementioned frequency ranges, resulting in an overall sound that feels marginally bright and thin.
In both tunings, my only critique is the occasional (and recording-dependent) sharpness in the treble, reminiscent of planar drivers. However, this sharpness is fleeting, lasting only a fraction of a second, before returning to its characteristically smooth and extended presentation. This phenomenon has occurred only a handful of times during my nine months of ownership, indicating that I’m essentially searching for imperfections in an otherwise exceptional IEM.
Technicalities
Overall, the Dusk’s technical performance aligns with its price point. Detail retrieval and resolution are excellent without being overly analytical, and the soundstage is notably expansive. To my ears, the soundstage is quite wide, surprisingly tall for an IEM, and possesses a degree of depth, a characteristic often lacking or poorly executed in most IEMs.
While I consider some Harman-tuned sets, such as the Truthear Nova, to possess exceptional imaging capabilities, the Dusk performs comparably. Although the Dusk may not surpass the Nova’s expansive soundstage, it achieves 90% of its performance, which is more than adequate. Instruments and vocals are distinctly positioned within the soundscape, avoiding any sense of smearing or overlapping.
It’s particularly impressive that the Dusk manages to excel in all aspects of technical performance simultaneously, rather than excelling in only one or two areas.
Conclusion
Although the included accessories are underwhelming, the Dusk firmly establishes itself as a dominant contender in the $350-$400 price range. While other IEMs may excel in certain areas, they often fall short in others. This is where the Dusk truly distinguishes itself, by consistently delivering exceptional performance across all metrics.
I’ve enjoyed extended listening sessions with these IEMs without experiencing any fatigue, yet they consistently pique my interest and encourage further exploration of my music library. The Dusk is the first IEM in my collection that I consistently choose over others, surpassing even the Simgot EW300 DSP and the Kiwi Ears Quintet (which are some of my all-time favorites). The Dusk always wins. To conclude this review, in Crinacle’s words: ‘Buy Dusk.’