Headphones — HIDIZS MS2 PRO

HIDIZS built the MS2 PRO as a wired in-ear monitor that pairs a dynamic driver with a balanced armature in each earpiece. It comes in Sunset Orange, Royal Blue or Midnight Black.

Key specs that matter

A 10.2 mm dynamic driver with a dual magnetic circuit and a dual cavity looks after bass and mids, while a HIDIZS Silvercore BA unit covers the treble. The makers list a frequency range of 20 Hz to 40 kHz, a sensitivity of 111 dB and an impedance of 17 ohm, together with a dynamic range of 109 dB. Each earpiece weighs under 13 g, or about 26 g as a pair. Distortion is given as below 0.05% at 1 kHz. The removable cable uses 0.78 mm two-pin connectors, is 1.2 m long and is sold with either a 3.5 mm single-ended plug or a 4.4 mm balanced plug.

Engineering and use context

The dynamic diaphragm is a composite of PU and PEEK with a nano-scale DLC coating rated above 2500 HV for hardness. Both the inner and outer magnetic circuits use N52-grade magnets. The shell is moulded in one piece from ZA12 zinc alloy, which HIDIZS says is five times harder than aluminium, and it has a mirror finish with a leather panel on the face. Tuning follows the H-2019 target curve. Three pneumatic tuning filters screw onto the nozzles, and combined with the two sets of supplied eartips they give six different response settings. The filters are told apart by a clear, a red or a black ring. HIDIZS develops the Silvercore armature in-house rather than buying a stock part. The regular price is USD 99 per pair, at times reduced to USD 79 in the maker's own sales. The cable is a hybrid of silver-plated high-purity OFC conductors with a pull strength of 38 kg.

Pairing

The high sensitivity and low impedance let the MS2 PRO run straight from a phone adapter or a pocket player without a separate headphone amplifier. The single-ended version plugs into standard headphone outputs. The box contains the three filter pairs, three pairs of black silicone tips intended for balanced tuning, three pairs of white tips intended for extra treble, a custom carrying pouch, printed instructions and a warranty card. The balanced version plugs straight into portable players and dongles with a Pentaconn socket.

Alternatives

The HIDIZS MP145 is another in-ear monitor from the same brand, listed beside the MS2 PRO and the MP145 PRO.