Disclaimer:
The Hidizs MP143, or the “little” sister of the MP145, was the release I was waiting for with the most interest. Given the success and hype of the MP145, expectations were high. I can already tell you that, considering it is a lower model, it is still a really interesting IEM.
Like the previous one, this series is the result of a collaboration with the WDC for the protection of cetaceans and dolphins, and in fact, the design recalls, as always, a bit of the whale’s skin. I really appreciate Hidizs initiatives; there are not many brands that do collaborations for animal protection or the environment.
WDC Site: https://uk.whales.org/
I thank Hidizs for sending me a test unit.
However, the review will still be 100% honest and, in no way, biased.
I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.
So I’m not going to use super-technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
Tech Specs:
- 14.3mm large Planar Magnetic Driver
- Impedance: 17 ohm
- Sensitivity: 103db
- Frequency response: 20Hz-40kHz
- Hidizs Pneumatic Sound Tuning Filter
- Target H-2019 Curve
- Fully Symmetrical Magnetic Circuit
- High-purity oxygen-free copper twisted wire – 0.78 mm, 2-Pin
- Customized Pouch for MP143
- 3.5mm or 4.4mm cable
- Weight: 16gr
- Early Bird Price: 99 USD (Super Early was 79 USD)
Packaging:
The packaging of the Hidizs MP143 for the launch price is certainly well made, with thick cardboard and attention to detail. Opening the package, we immediately see the Hidizs MP143 in the Blue variant. The packaging seems to have been made of recycled cardboard and is an added value, especially given the collaboration with the WDC.
In the lower part, we find the tips that instead of the usual plastic bag, use a cardboard stick (brilliant), Inside the bag, there is the cable and the tuning nozzles. The pin that you see is an accessory that arrived to me separately, and I can’t tell you if it is included with all those who purchase the MP143.
Accessories included:
- Pouch bag
- 2 sets of tips
- Balanced cable
- Manual & Warranty Card
The only thing missing from the standard equipment is a hard case. I’m not a fan of soft bags because it’s easy to ruin the IEMs. The rest of the accessories are of excellent quality. The cable might be a little thin for some but at least it’s light.
Design/Build quality:
Let’s talk about construction quality; the difference in terms of materials and finishing does not differ from the MP145. The Hidizs MP143 maintains an extremely high but simpler construction level. As you may have noticed, the construction does not include air vents on the faceplates. The design always recalls whale skin; in my coloring, the effect is even more marked. We can notice two ventilation holes, one placed on the inside and the other near the connector. In terms of size, I thought they were smaller; in fact, the difference is not huge, and the shape could still create some problems for smaller ears.
The faceplates, as you may have noticed from the photos, have a detail that is slightly “out of place.” The Hidizs writing, in my opinion, is backwards; when I wear them, the writing is upside down. I don’t understand if there is a valid reason for having put it backwards.
Initial sound impression:
Given the expectations, I rushed to try them almost the same day they arrived. You can immediately tell that they come from the same brand; I didn’t have the same effect as the MP145 (I was really surprised with the first ones), which actually remains one of my favorite planar IEMs. The main difference is in the much less enveloping soundstage but in terms of tuning, they follow the same target.
The main difference, I think, is in the internal cavity and the fact that there are no real ventilation holes on the back. Despite this, the performance is still very high; it seems to me L-shaped or U-shaped at times, even if it should be more V-shaped. The bass is still decidedly present—a bass that is halfway between the planar timbre and the dynamic driver. Honestly, it’s really hard to hear the planar timbre. Mids, despite being recessed from the graph, still stand out significantly in the mix. Treble with a good extension but in terms of air, I think we could have hoped for something more. But being safe and smooth, they are tolerable on almost all occasions and also allow above-average listening volumes.
Comfort/Fit:
As I anticipated in the design section, the Hidizs MP143 is not much smaller than its bigger sister. I would say it is a beautiful young whale. Ironically, the MP145 fit me better and for those who have seen my review on the subject, you will have seen the photos of how they fit me. However, even with these, it was only necessary to find the tips that could slightly fit into the ear canal, ensuring a stable grip and an excellent seal. Even given their weight, I did not notice any discomfort or painful pressure. To be honest, I had to use some teardrop-shaped Eartips (Divinus Velvet) to slightly lengthen the nozzle.
Equipment used for the testing above:
Device:
- OSX
- Poco M4 Pro
Software:
- Amazon Music UHD 24bit 96kHz (Both)
DAC:
- Moondrop Dawn Pro
- Fosi SK02 (most used)
- Fiio KA11
- Fiio KA17
- Fosi DS2
- Simgot Dew4x
- EPZ TP20 Pro
- Hidizs S9 Pro Plus
- EPZ TP50
- Creative SoundBlaster X5
Final sound impression:
I start this part with an important premise. First, I reviewed the BQEYZ Cloud, which is decidedly bright compared to the Hidizs MP143.
As always, the good thing is that there are tuning nozzles, which do not distort the tuning but can vary it slightly. The eartips always remain the accessory that changes the sound more decisively.
My final opinion is given by the results obtained by the balanced nozzle and the Divinus Velvet.
I confirm the first impressions I had; even after several hours of burn-in, there were no differences. With the balanced nozzle, what is missing is a bit of fizz on the treble but it can be obtained with the silver nozzle. The performance is very respectable if we consider the price of 79 USD at launch.
As expected, the tuning differences are minor; the main sound variations are caused by a slightly smaller driver and fewer ventilation holes, resulting in slightly lower performance than the MP145. Being a less expensive IEM also makes sense.
They are IEMs with a considerable amount of bass; the sub-bass has a good emphasis; they are slightly warmer than the MP145; the mids are slightly recessed; but in any case, the driver brings them back clearly and cleanly separated from everything else. Are they IEMs that I would use every day? Absolutely yes, because they fully reflect what I would like to hear in my ears.
Tuning Nozzle:
Although the review was mostly done with the balanced nozzle, after a long time of use, I decided to try the other nozzles, and the difference is noticeable even if graphically there is not a huge variation. I will explain the variations to you in a moment.
Nozzle Colors:
- Red (Bass):
Honestly, I don’t think it will be the most used nozzle; unless you are extremely sensitive to high frequencies, this nozzle would take away detail and brightness from an IEM that already enhances the low frequencies. Using this nozzle will decrease the brightness, adding warmth. Even if the change is minimal, I found it to have no positive effects. In fact, if you remove the nozzle and look inside the nozzle, you will notice that there is a sponge that already filters the sound.
- Rose Gold (balanced):
It’s a good compromise between the other nozzles; honestly, I don’t notice any particular shortcomings but it takes away some air on the high frequencies, dampening their brilliance a bit. It is useful if you are not super tolerant of high frequencies. In my opinion, performance is inferior to the MP145 on balanced; soundstage and air are not comparable, nor is the level of detail.
- Silver (Treble):
In my situation, the magic occurred here. With the silver nozzle, the Hidizs MP143 reduces its gap with the MP145. The presence of air is re-established; I feel some more sparks that somehow also restore detail and clarity to the image that before seemed slightly veiled. Somehow, there is no longer all this difference from the MP145 except in terms of soundstage and definition. The MP143 is richer in bass than the MP145, which makes them suitable for the use of the silver nozzle. In my opinion, the combination of Divinus Velvet and silver nozzle is definitive.
Starting from a balanced result richer in bass and slightly less in treble extension, the use of the less filtered nozzle brings it to the level of the balanced MP145.
Bass
A decidedly marked presence of bass with a rumble on the subbass superior to the bigger sisters. They are not exactly the same enveloping and cavernous bass of the MP145; also, the sound pressure is channeled more into the ear and makes you feel a slight fatigue if you listen at high volumes (I have become slightly sensitive to the pressure of the bass). The MP145, with its particular system, discharged the pressure very well to the outside through the holes on the faceplates. Here, the presence is more substantial, but the quality is not superior.
Mids
The mids are slightly recessed, but the planar driver maintains good separation, so voices are still audible and not too hidden. The tonality is not the most natural and silky, but the result is coherent. Perhaps there is just a hint of planar timbre. The musical instruments are clear and well separated from each other. The only flaw is that the bass is a bit overbearing and goes a bit into the mids, from what I hear.
Treble
The treble lacks a bit of definition, especially with the red or rose gold nozzles. The presence of sparks and air is a bit limited given the type of driver; you could have aimed for something more. Fortunately, using the silver filter, you can re-establish a bit of balance and also raise the perception of micro and micro details. The difference between rose gold and silver nozzles is not very marked but with careful listening, in my opinion, you can notice benefits along the entire spectrum.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Needless to say, the Hidizs MP145s do better but considering the launch price of 79 USD, for me, the performance is still astonishing. The soundstage is not huge but it develops well in width and also a bit in height. The image is not the most defined in terms of planar drivers, but it is still above average for the price range. The separation and layering, like any planar driver, are precise. We are not faced with the performance obtained by the MP145 but we are still at above-average levels.
Comparison:
Vs. Hidizs MP145
I have owned the first model Hidizs MP145 for quite some time. They remain my favorite planar IEMs, both for sound and build quality. What Hidizs MP143 does is done better by the MP145. It is undoubtedly a more refined IEM; perhaps the larger shell allows the planar driver to express itself better, and perhaps the particular ventilation makes them more open. The soundstage of the MP145 is huge, cavernous, and totally enveloping. The bass has a texture and depth that I have not yet found elsewhere.
As the photos show, the shell dimensions are very similar. You won’t see a big difference in terms of comfort but they definitely allow more positioning.
Vs. Letshuoer S08
I thought they would be the turning point but somehow the fit is still not easy. The compact size of the Letshuoer S08 made me hope that they could be the definitive choice for those with similar ears but perhaps the nozzle angle does not allow much comfort in positioning. Everything is solved with the use of alternative eartips. However, the soundstage for a planar is much more compact, with good imaging and separation but in my opinion, Hidizs MP143 is slightly superior.
Vs. Kefine Klanar
Possibly the only viable option with notable comfort. Even though we are not as good as the MP145, we can still compete with the MP143 and S08. Though it has a signature heavy on bass, it still sounds fantastic and has a more refined soundstage than the S08. We are more towards the level of the MP143 with more rumble. Unfortunately, there are no tuning nozzles so even if the price is similar, the Hidizs are superior.
Conclusion:
I was waiting for it with considerable interest, curious to know if they could do better or something more compact for those with smaller ears. In reality, they have produced a model that raises the quality of entry-level planar IEM. I can’t tell you that its slightly smaller size or its performance are a turning point, but if you consider the price of 79 USD (the super early bird price) for an IEM with a planar driver, CNC machined shell, and tuning nozzle, well, it’s fantastic. Think of the Kefine Delci, which is positioned at 20 USD less but has a less elaborate shell, no tuning nozzle, and a dynamic driver (of quality). The requested amount of 79 USD is extremely low—it is comparable to the 109 USD requested for the MP145 launch. Regarding sound quality, there is not much to complain about at this price range. Even though the price is reasonable for all wallets, you might not like the tuning. The only criticism I can make is to pay more attention to the size of the shells, which, even in this case, will not be suitable for everyone.
The price has now gone up to $99 but I still consider it to be an extremely competitive price.
I am curious if we will ever see an even larger planar driver in a Hidizs IEM. I would be extremely curious to see either a compact model like an MP138 or an extremely large one like an MP150. Let’s see what the future holds; in the meantime, let’s save some whales thanks to the collaboration with WDC.
8.9/10
Pros:
- Legendary build quality (same as MP145)
- Slightly improved comfort and fit
- Extraordinary isolation
- Tuning Nozzles
- Great Bass and Sub-bass
- Macro & micro details
- Quite Wide Soundstage
- No Driver Flex
- Crazy low price
Cons:
- Shell is still big (not a real problem for my ears).
- Needs power to fly (4.4mm recommended)
- Tips rolling needed to achieve maximum sound quality
- Lacks a little bit of air and trebles extension
- MP145 is still better
