HIDIZS MS1 GALAXY REVIEW

>>I am brazilian and I speak portuguese, so forgive my english, I’ll use translation tools to help<<

INTRO:

After Hidizs released the MS1 Rainbow in 2020, it’s now time for the Hidizs MS1 Galaxy, the brand’s new entry-level earphone. The MS1 Galaxy is a Single Dynamic Driver (DD) earphone, meaning it has only one dynamic speaker per side.

Price: $15,99 USD
Color: Black, Blue, Red, Transparent
Cable: With Mic ou without Mic

Hidizs reviews: AP80 PRO, MS2 (only in portuguese)

LINKS:

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DE7d7kd

SPECIFICATIONS:

Single DD:
(1) 10mm PU+PEEK Dynamic Driver per side

– Frequency range: 20Hz – 40kHz
– Sensitivity: 108dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
– Impedance: 32Ω
– Cable: Silver-plated Copper OFC
– Termination Plug: 3.5mm (L design)
– Connectors: 2pin 0.78mm
– Cable size: 1.2m (detachable)
– Shell material: Plastic
– Earphone weight: 3.5g (one side)(without eartips)
– Cable weight: 12.2g
– Total weight (packaging, iems, etc): 81.7g
– Packaging size: 11.2cm [L] x 7.5cm [W] x 4.2cm [D]

UNBOXING:

PHYSICAL ASPECTS:

Construction: The MS1 Galaxy is made of plastic. I generally consider an IEM to be made of plastic when it comes in two separate parts – the shell and the faceplate – and these two parts are joined either by a snap-fit or glue, as is the case with the MS1. Being plastic, the earphone is quite lightweight, which is great for comfort, but on the other hand, it requires more care because its durability may not be as good as that of a metal or even a more elaborate resin earphone. An interesting detail is that this transparent version of the MS1 allows you to see everything inside the earphone (I think I made that quite visible in the unboxing video).

Eartips: Only one type of silicone eartip came with the MS1, in sizes S/M/L. Well, there isn’t much variety, but what’s interesting here is the quality of the eartips, it surprised me when I started unboxing. The silicone is very soft, unlike the common eartips that come with cheaper earphones. These MS1 eartips remind me of the softness of SpinFit CP145 or even FiiO HS18 eartips, which are very comfortable. A big positive point for the MS1. If it didn’t deliver in variety, it certainly delivered in quality. That’s why I did the review using the stock eartips in size L. I think there’s no need for an upgrade, but of course, this is a subjective point.

Cable: The MS1’s cable was another aspect that surprised me during the unboxing, but in a positive way. The MS1’s cable is really good, I liked it a lot. It’s very lightweight, thin, easy to wrap, doesn’t retain memory, and has no microphonics. The braiding is excellent, and it’s very flexible. I only see positives in the MS1’s cable. I might say that it tangles a bit around the earhook area, but nothing too complicated to resolve. The cable doesn’t come with a chin slider, I think that’s because the MS1 has a version with a microphone, and in such cases, companies usually omit the chin slider. It’s really about practicality in the manufacturing.

Other two positive points about the MS1 cable that I found were the earhooks and the connectors. The earhooks are smooth, without any curling, which provides excellent comfort for the ears (in my opinion, it’s the best type). The connectors are 0.78mm 2-pin connectors, which are also the best for me. The difference here is that the connectors don’t have that extended part above the pins, which makes this cable less compatible with other earphone models in the market. However, the base where the pins enter the earphone is certainly compatible with many other 2-pin cables. The connectors have the L & R (left and right), and they also have blue and red colors to indicate the correct side for insertion.

Fit and Comfort: In terms of fit, there were no surprises, the MS1 fit very well in my ears and had excellent stability (thanks to the earhooks as well). I felt that the MS1 protruded slightly in my ears. The earphone has a lot of empty space internally, and it would be interesting for the company to reduce that space and make the earphone slimmer and smaller (in my opinion). The isolation was average, and the insertion was also average.

In terms of comfort, the MS1 is excellent. It feels like I’m not wearing anything in my ears, it’s very lightweight. This is a significant positive aspect of the product, as expected from earphones made with the type of material used. The MS1 is highly ergonomic and suitable for people with small, medium, or large ears. I’d like to note that for those with very large ears, since the earhooks are pre-molded, there might be some contact points. However, in my case, it was great, no pressure points. Comfort is a subjective thing, but in my opinion, the MS1 is a good choice for extended listening sessions.

Accessories: Unfortunately, the MS1 Galaxy doesn’t come with any additional accessories. Just like its price competitor, the TangZu Wan’er SG, it also lacks accessories, so there’s nothing to criticize. Of course, for my taste, it would be nice if it came with a semi-rigid case… but that’s life, and we move forward.

SOUND ASPECTS:

The sound signature of the Hidizs MS1 Galaxy, I understood as a Mild-V Shape, meaning it’s an IEM with a V-shaped sound profile, but in a more subtle manner. The IEM have a boost in the bass region, slightly recessed mids (though not excessively so), and present treble (with linearity). The MS1 has a warmer sound signature, making it very pleasant to listen to. The presentation is both fun and smooth.

In terms of price range, the strong competitor for the MS1 would be the TangZu Wan’er SG. Unfortunately, I don’t have the Wan’er on hand for a direct comparison, but I remember that its tonality was very good, although technical performance was somewhat lacking. With the MS1, I notice slightly better technical capabilities compared to the Wan’er. However, if I had to choose based on tonality alone, I think the Wan’er aligns better with my personal preference.

Bass:

Quantitative: I consider the bass to be moderate and above. It’s the kind of IEM that doesn’t fall into the basshead category, but it also doesn’t disappoint in terms of bass. They are certainly above neutrality. I noticed that the MS1 emphasizes the mid-bass region more than the sub-bass, although it does have some sub-bass presence. I didn’t perceive any roll-off, the bass extension is good. I think they work well for genres like POP, Rock, Reggae, Hip-Hop, etc. For EDM, they should perform decently too, although they’re not my preferred type of bass for that musical style (I prefer more sub-bass and less mid-bass, or a balanced approach).

Qualitative: The bass has body and warmth. It fills out the presentation, making the music enjoyable. The definition is good, although not mind-blowing, reasonable for the price range. There’s an interesting texture, and a touch of physicality. The impact is strong and more open, rather than a dry thud. For example, when you hear the kick drum in a song, you feel the punch more vividly, and the sound resonates. These aren’t boomy bass notes, nor are they muddy, they don’t bleed into the mids. They’re slightly bloated, but not excessively so. As mentioned earlier, the emphasis seems to be on mid-bass, which often gives the bass this characteristic. The standout here is the sound of the bass guitar, it asserts itself in the presentation.

Mids:

Quantitative and Qualitative: The mids are recessed, giving the sound a “softer” quality. However, in the pinna gain region, there’s no sense of recess, it’s not like the older V-shaped IEMs that had that midrange dip. So, when it comes to vocals, you hear them with good projection. On the other hand, snare drums beats come across in a smoother, non-aggressive manner. The MS1’s mids have a nice definition for this price range. They are full-bodied and silky, devoid of any harsh or fatiguing sound.

Vocals: In this IEM, I found that male/low voices take the spotlight. This is because the MS1 has mid-bass and sub-bass presence, which adds texture to lower-pitched voices. Female/higher-pitched voices also sound good, partly because of the projection in the pinna gain region. Additionally, being a Mild V-shape IEM, it has some treble presence that helps with higher-pitched tones.

Treble:

Quantitative: I found the treble of the MS1 to be at a moderate level. In very few instances, the MS1 may exhibit slightly more quantity than what’s considered moderate. This depends on whether the recording emphasizes the treble, for example, the introduction of Pink Floyd’s song “Time”. Despite any peaks shown on graphs, this aspect didn’t manifest significantly in terms of sound. I recommend the MS1 even for those who don’t prefer IEM with pronounced treble. Of course, if someone prefers a darker sound signature, it’s better to explore other options. V-shaped or Mild V-shaped IEMs tend to have a bit more treble. There’s no noticeable roll-off, and the treble extension is good.

Qualitative: The MS1’s treble is versatile, offering good detailing and definition without any coloration or fatigue. The airy is decent. The sparkle leans toward crystalline but never makes the treble sound artificial. These trebles aren’t sharp, strident, harsh, or fatiguing. The MS1 doesn’t show sibilance. Technically, the MS1 differs from the Wan’er SG mainly in having more detail, better imaging, and spatiality (or soundstage, if you prefer). The IEM deliver excellent detail with instruments like mandolins and acoustic guitars. Cymbals and Hi-Hats sound well-defined.

Soundstage: The soundstage of the Hidizs MS1 Galaxy is good. While it doesn’t possess an absurdly expansive spatiality, it’s worth noting that the midrange of these IEM isn’t overly forward. As a result, the sound doesn’t feel like it’s right up against your ears. The MS1’s best dimensions are width and depth.

Imaging: The instrumental separation is good. String instruments are well-distinguished in the presentation, both steel-string acoustic guitars and double basses. I was particularly impressed that, in certain situations, I could perceive the position of instruments playing from a distance or coming from behind. This level of separation is not easy to find in this price range (note that separation can also vary based on recording quality and other production processes).

Driver Flex Test: The MS1 features a Single Dynamic Driver (DD), and entry-level Single DDs can sometimes exhibit driver flex. I can confirm that the MS1 passed the test. There was no sign of driver flex noise during insertion into my ears.

Amplification: I used the FiiO KA11 for this review. I connected the dongle to my notebook and set the Windows volume to 25%. The MS1 is an IEM that doesn’t require extra amplification, it performs well with any source. I tested the IEM directly with my notebook’s onboard audio and also directly with my smartphone (without a dongle), and it played easily on both devices. As always, I recommend having a good dongle to enhance the audio output quality.

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Music is subjective, so below is the list of some musical genres that I personally think that was better with this IEM. Remember that were only few genres and few artists tested. If I describe that one genre was better and the other don’t, it doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to your favorite music genre with this IEM and love it. So, here goes:

PLAYLIST:

GRAPHS BY IAN FANN:

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