MOONDROP SPACE TRAVEL 2 ULTRA REVIEW

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

INTRO:

The Moondrop Space Travel burst the audiophile bubble and helped spread the brand’s name to a wide range of people. Several YouTube tech channels reviewed them, which greatly helped popularize the brand and product. Now, Moondrop continues the Space Travel saga with a new updated version.

In theory, I should have been reviewing the Space Travel 2, but strangely, the company released the Space Travel 2 and shortly thereafter released the ULTRA version. So, I preferred to go straight to the ULTRA version. Looking at the specs, the ULTRA version offers some upgrades over the Space Travel 2.

Price: $39.99 USD
Colors: Gray

MOONDROP LINKS:

https://amzn.to/4pTb8Os

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3UZnp1P

SPECIFICATIONS:

Planar Magnetic:

• (1) 13mm single-magnetic annular planar driver

– Touch Controls
– Bluetooth 6.0
– Profile: A2DP / AVRCP / HFP / HSP
– Codecs: LDAC/AAC/ SBC
– Signal range: 10 meters
– ANC and Ambient sound
– Moondrop APP – EQ presets & customization
– Low Latency Game Mode (55ms)
– Mic AI ENC for calls
– Dual-device connectivity
– Battery life of earphone: 7h + 24h (AAC)
– Earphones battery: 3.7V/35mAh
– Charging case battery: 3.7V/380mAh
– Input: 5V-1A
– Charging by USB-C port
– Earphones material: plastic
– Case material: plastic
– Case size: 4.3cm [H] × 5.3cm [W] × 2.5cm [D]
– Weight: 3.8g (one side)(without tips)
– Case weight: 32.8g (without earphones)
– Total weight (box, earphones, etc): 105g
– Packaging size 10.2cm [H] x 7.3cm [W] x 3.5cm [D]

UNBOXING:

PHYSICAL ASPECTS:

Construction:

• Plastic shell/body.
• Plain plastic (same as the ST1 and Ultrasonic).
• Clear plastic case scratches easily.
• Earphones with oval nozzle.
• LED charging indicator (on the front of the case).
• Attractive design (like the other models in the line).
• Compact and lightweight charging case.
• Good battery life.
• The earphones don’t always fit properly in the case (see the unboxing video).
• The oval nozzle isn’t the best format for earphones (in my opinion).
• Earphones can fall out of the case (see the unboxing video).
• A protective case is required.
• The company doesn’t specify the water and dust protection (IP) rating.

Eartips:

• Only one type of eartip available.
• 4 pairs included: 1 pair S, 2 pairs M, and 1 pair L.
• Simple but good-quality eartips. Soft.
• I usually use M, but I needed to use L.
• Those with larger ears may need larger eartips (subjective).
• Upgrades may be necessary (subjective).
• I tested the sound with L.

Connectivity:

• Pairing occurs when removing the earphones from the case.
• Good/okay range (reaches the recommended 10m in a free field).
• Good signal stability when used close to the source; if used too far away, the signal can cut.
• No latency.
• Very responsive gestures, the touch area is very sensitive.
• Multipoint connection works perfectly (enable in the app).
• Isn’t possible to activate multipoint connection and LDAC simultaneously (or one or the other).
• Only one side can be used (mono function).
• Unfortunately, I can’t use BT 6.0, as my smartphone is BT 5.2.

APP:

• Download from the Google Play Store (for Android).
• The app layout is very simple. It was worse in the past, but now it’s better.
• The app is slow in some situations.
• There is no battery life indicator (in %).
• Firmware update via OTA.
• 3 presets: Reference, POP, and Monitor.
• Parametric equalizer.
• 3 gain levels: Low, Middle, and High.
• Section with EQ presets from other users available for application (interactive DSP).
• The interactive DSP and EQ cannot be used with the LDAC codec.

ANC and Transparent mode:

• ANC: It only slightly softens the sounds. I found it to be of average quality.
• Transparent mode: It really works, capturing surrounding sounds well.
• You can switch from one mode to the other directly through the earphones.
• Same alert as other models: shhh, hum, and hey!
• Switching between modes interrupts music playback.

Microphone:

• In a quiet environment, it’s audible, but the sound is muffled.
• In a windy environment, it’s inaudible and there’s a lot of wind noise.
• I wasn’t surprised. The quality is average to low.

Fit and comfort:

• Good fit.
• Recommended for casual use.
• Comfortable, good ergonomics.
• Good for long listening sessions.
• Shallow insertion.
• OK isolation.
• Very light, only 3.8g.
• Not so good for intense exercise (may fall out of your ear) [subjective].
• Walking/weight training, yes. Cycling/running, no.

Earphone kit (accessories):

• Space Travel 2 Ultra earphones.
• 4 pairs of eartips (S/M/L).
• Charging case.
• USB-A to USB-C cable.
• Manual, warranty, QC Pass.

SOUND ASPECTS:

Sound:

• Better than the Space Travel 1 but inferior to the Ultrasonic.
• Neutral with Bassboost tuning.
• Slightly prominent bass, slightly forward midrange, and smooth treble.
• Natural sound, with a touch of fun from the bass boost.
• I tested with the “POP” preset and high gain.
• I didn’t notice any significant differences between the EQ presets.
• Tonally quite interesting, technically with limitations.
• I think it could have more detail and airy.
• The only reason it’s not an all-rounder is because the treble leave something to be desired.
• It’s worth the price for the upgrade in features (compared to the Space Travel 1).
• If you want more quality: Moondrop Ultrasonic.

Bass:

– Quantitative:

• Moderate.
• Not for bassheads.
• Light focus on the sub-bass.
• Mid-bass is also present.
• The difference between the regions is subtle.

– Qualitative:

• They have good bass impact, weight, good definition, and good extension.
• The texture and physicality are more subtle and not impressive.
• They have leaner bass, especially in terms of impact.
• They don’t invade the mids.
• They’re not bloated, boomy, or muddy.
• Good for a variety of musical genres.
• They can stand out in the presentation but don’t steal the scene.
• The kick of bass drum is more tighter and dry.

Mids:

– Quantitative and qualitative:

• The midrange is neither recessed nor too forward.
• Compared to other TWSs, we can say they are indeed forward.
• The midrange is tonally well-resolved, but technically not so much.
• They don’t cause fatigue, nor aggressiveness.
• Definition and transparency are good/okay (not impressive).
• The sense of detail and airy is average.
• Not the best for those looking for technical midrange.
• Good for those who want to avoid very high upper-mids.
• Piano tones have an interesting timbre, but they lack resolution.

Voices:

• Good/okay for both male/low and female/high voice types.
• However, it’s not excellent with either type.
• Lower voices perform slightly better.
• Female/high voices suffer from low airiness and detail.
• Technically, it’s not the best earphone for those who enjoy vocals.

Treble:

– Quantitative:

• Recessed treble.
• They don’t stand out in the presentation.
• Unfortunately, this is the least pronounced frequency.
• Not for trebleheads.
• Recommended for those sensitive to treble.
• Comfortable (doesn’t cause fatigue).

– Qualitative:

• Smooth, soft, comfortable, and discreet treble.
• Roll-off in the high treble.
• Definition is good/okay (I expected more from the Moondrop).
• Very discreet sparkle.
• Low sensation of detail and airy.
• Not shrill, sharp, or harsh.
• I didn’t notice any sibilance, peaks, or coloration.
• High-pitched instruments don’t stand out in the presentation.
• Ride cymbals sound discreet, lacking vitality.

Soundstage:

• The soundstage is average.
• It doesn’t sound compressed, but it doesn’t sound wide either.
• It’s average in all three dimensions: height, width, and depth.
• For the price range, it’s okay.

Imaging:

• The instrumental separation is average.
• Songs with a lot of instrumentation and speed can drop the performance.
• It usually improves with calmer songs and better recordings.
• In this price range, wired earphones has more advantage.

Driver flex test:

• On a few occasions, I heard a noise similar to driver flex, but it was something more subtle.

Amplification:

• Just a note about the volume.
• I don’t consider the ST2 Ultra to be loud.
• You can use them at maximum volume without feeling uncomfortable (I listen to music at low volumes).
• I used them most of the time at volume 13, out of the 15 available on Android.

PROS AND CONS:

GRAPHS BY CSI-ZONE:

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