Fortune Favours The Bold

Introduction

If you are a long time Chi-Fi fan, you may have heard or even own at some point the famed IEM from HZSound, the Heart Mirror for their amazing, unique tuning of a bright sounding IEM that doesn’t skip on their build quality and with their superb low price. The Heart Mirror has since been one of my favourites even till this day and they have been rather inactive in the IEM segment after the release of the Zero version of the Heart Mirror in 2022. As we approach the end of 2024, HZSound has decided to make a comeback from their long hiatus and take a dive into the planar driver pool with their all new Luna sporting a moon rock design that is pulchritudinous. It is a refreshing sight to see them being back in this segment and hopefully to recreate the glory days of the Heart Mirror. 

A huge thanks to Evelyn from KEEPHIFI for this early opportunity in reviewing the Luna and I am truly grateful. Will Luna hit another home run in the IEM scene? We shall find out here.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the all new HZSound Luna;

• Driver: High-Performance 13.3mm Planar Magnetic Driver With Dual-Voice Coil Flat Diaphragm.
• Shell: CNC-Machined Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy Shell With Resin Faceplate.
• Cable: High-Purity OFC Silver-Plated Copper Cable with Standard Flush 0.78mm 2-Pin Connectors And Detachable Termination Plug(3.5mm/4.4mm).
• Impedance: 28Ω.
• Sensitivity: 102±3dB.
• Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-40kHz.
• Distortion: <0.5%@1kHz.

The HZSound Luna can be purchased directly from KEEPHIFI and they do carry other HZSound products as well as a wide plethora of products in a good price with fast shipping to Malaysia;

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging here comes in a medium sized box but they do look and feel premium. Inside we are greeted with a black box encasing the product and they are neatly presented upon unboxing. The package includes the earphones head itself, a high quality modular OFC cable with 4.4mm and 3.5mm connectors, 6 pairs of various sized silicone eartips (3 pairs of wide bore, 3 pairs of narrow bore) encased in its own box, a manual, a nice rectangle leather box with a carabiner and to top it off, 2 pairs of extra metal mesh. A superb packaging from HZSound and one of the best unboxing of a product in this price range.

Design

The design is where the Luna wowed me upon unboxing as it is gorgeous and generous in this price range. The faceplate is adorned with a black moon rock theme that has a 3D effect that has a unique depth upon close look and they are covered in glossy imported resin with metal side inlays that screams premium all around. It’s pretty amazing what HZSound brings to the table here with their solid design and build as they have near perfect finish that is usually found in products double the asking price. The inside of the shell is made with CNC aluminium magnesium alloy that has an anodic oxidation process which gives a more durable and scratch resistant body. The Luna shell has a mild matte finish and possesses a good ergonomic fit with a medium sized body that is comfortable even for long periods of

The Luna is equipped with an all new 13.3mm planar magnetic driver which is rather small compared to the competition, not that it matters and they are equipped with dual voice coils that drive the flat panel that has undergone magnetron sputtering coating and a TPU base that increases their stability and durability. It has an array of  7 parallel N52 magnets on each side that HZSound claims will reduce resonance to provide a cleaner overall sound.

Both types of ear tips come with their own plastic case that has their branding on them and they come in 3 different sizes. 3 pairs of eartips has a slightly larger bore with a shorter body while the other 3 has a narrower bore with a slightly longer body.

The hard case is made from leather with a gold coloured metal zipper. The case does have a small lip slot for users to use with the provided carabiner.

The Luna has a standard flush type of 0.78mm connection. The vent is located at the sides of the body and another vent is situated near the nozzle. They have virtually 0 flex and that usually indicates it has a well vented design.

The cable provided is a high quality black and silver 4 core silver plated oxygen free copper with metal splitter, a chin slider and a modular plugs that includes a 3.5mm single ended head and balanced 4.4mm head. The cable does feel good with a soft and pliable cable along with a screw type, low profile modular connectors that are very suited for daily usage. As for the sound, they do possess a great detail retrieving capabilities and clarity but they do sound a tad thin in their midrange

Gears Used for Comparisons

Fiio Q7

Questyle M15

Hiby FC6

FiiO BTR7

Intime Sho DD

Hidizs MP143

Letshuoer S08

TangZu Xuan NV

RHA MA750i

Hiby Lasya

Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro

Moondrop A8

Dunu Luna

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the HZSound Luna is a neutral balanced sound that has a bright tone to them. They do have an bold ‘L’ shaped sound that has a boosted treble with an energetic high frequency that possesses a great, crisp and sparkly sound. They sounded neutral flat in their midrange and low end providing a rather natural, clean and clear sound that blends well with the strong high range presence which gives the Luna a rather unique signature with a decent overall technicalities that possess a great amount of details and clarity across the board.

Soundstage

The Luna possesses a good width soundstage along with a decent height but overall they are rather mediocre when compared to the competition around this price range. The soundstage does sound quite holographic with an accurate spatial sound that doesn’t feel boxy at all. They do possess a good amount of air especially in the higher region that gives a good ventilated feel.

Separation and Timbre

Separation is superb, typical of a well implemented planar driver producing the whole frequencies and they have superb coherency that presents music harmony without any gaps present. Crosstalk issues are non-existent with a wide stereo sound that distinguishes left to right well along with great imaging. Timbre here is energetic and piercy and does not possess a typical planar timbre but they do sound a tad dry due to their bright signature. The higher timbre is where I do feel the Luna excels as it is able to provide a crisp, strong highs that is very well controlled though it is piercing.

Drivability

The HZSound Luna is rated at 28 ohms at 102 dB sensitivity which may look normal apart from  a little low on their sensitivity, but they do indeed need just a little more than usual driving power to sound their best and to provide adequate listening volume. Simple dongle, bluetooth or normal audio jacks won’t do justice to the Luna and they do sound thin with a lacklustre bass along with a low dynamics in their overall presentation. That being said, the Luna does scale very well with a proper source and a good matching will reward you with a superb listening experience. I personally do find Cirrus Logic and AKM based setup matches the Luna perfectly with a thicker, lusher sound that makes them a serious performer in this price range. They are unforgiving in their track selection as well as flaws in music are shown quite evidently, therefore a good mastered music and a higher bitrates music is very recommended for them to perform their best.

The Bass (Low)

The bass that the Luna bass here is a neutral flat bass that is accurate and natural to listen too. It has an organic, linear bass that doesn’t interfere with the music play and doesn’t incur any bleed or overpowering issues. On the other hand, the bass is rather lean for my taste and they are certainly not for those who yearn for a thumpy, shaking bass but they aren’t hollow in any way as they do perform when called upon. The bass here doesn’t have a strong mid bass lift that gives a strong, immersive bass but this type of bass does match well with acoustics and vocals as they bring the focus to the midrange providing a clearer tone without any masking on the bass region. Extension on the bass is actually quite good as they provide a good amount of air and they extend well into the sub-bass region. Sub-bass has a good, accurate and great amount of rumble to compensate with the overall bass to provide a more present, realistic bass response. Transparency here is superb with a clean and clear overall bass response along with great resolving low end that is typical of a good planar driver.

The Mids

Midrange here has a mix of a bright and slightly warmish tone and they have a neutral sound signature that focuses towards the higher end of the spectrum or the upper mids. It possesses amazing clarity and a great detail retrieval capabilities that be it macro or micro details, the Luna certainly excels in this department. Transparency here is superb with a bright yet natural sound that has minimal coloration yet having a vivid resolution that sounds full along with a decent amount of space. On the upper mids, they do borderlining a peaky sound but on good sources, they manage to sound pretty well under control. The overall mids may display some dryness partly due to bright signature and may lack musicality but a good source matching will remedy this region marginally. Vocals here perform superbly as they are clean and clear with a good intimate sound that sounds natural. Vocals on the Luna sounded sublime as they do provide a crystal clear sound that has an accurate colourless sound with some intimacy mixed in and the Luna tends to sound better on female vocals due to the added brilliance on the upper mids but on certain male vocals they do tend to lack depth albeit still sounding clean.

The Highs

High range here is the star of the show and it has a boosted signature with a well extended frequency producing an airy presentation. It has a great amount of details along with an amazing clarity that showcases a well tuned high range and they remind me of the legendary Heart Mirror high range. The highs here are sharp and possess a superb, lively sparkle with a crisp decay without any usual metallic planar high that may affect the transparency in this region which is rare in this price range of a planar driven unit. That being said, treble sensitive users might want to take note as they are indeed strong in this region with a peak circa the 8 to 10 kHz that borderlines sibilance and they are piercing albeit never overdone and for treble lovers like me, they are a treat as it produces a lively, brilliant energetic sound with some bite added. Treble here has a decent intensity and they are on the higher side but not too severe that it causes fatigue in a short amount of time. On some bright setup, they do cause fatigue pretty quick so proper matching does go a long way here.

Comparisons

VS Letshuoer S08 VS Hidizs MP143 Salt

3 way entry planar shootout

All of these planar IEM are the latest releases and they are all fitted with a planar driver. The S08 has the smallest diameter planar coming in at only 13 mm versus Luna at 13.3 mm and Salt at 14.3 mm. All of these IEM have great packaging but the upper hand is given to the Luna for a more luxurious build and a more complete packaging as well as the best fit among these 3. The Salt does have more sound versatility for their tuning nozzles that gives more flexibility to users to fine tune the sound to their liking.

As for sound signature, the S08 has a darker sound with a focus on the bass region while the Salt has a mild V shaped sound that sounds the most musically fun among these 3.

High range

Highs on the Luna have the upper hand in their amount with a more evident sparkle and a superb crispness for a livelier presence that the S08 high range lacks but it does have a smoother, more laid-back style of treble. The Salt high range is in the middle for their strong high range but still smoother than the boosted highs of the Luna and not as laid-back as the S08 but they do possess a mild planar timbre here. Details and clarity goes to the Salt and Luna with their clean and clear high range.

Luna > MP143 Salt > S08

Midrange

Mids here varied as the Luna sounded more toward a neutral balanced, a thicker, forward mids of the S08 and the slightly recessed neutral mids of the Salt. Details and clarity does go to the Salt and Luna with the S08 slightly behind. The S08 does have the upper hand of being lusher and more intimate along with a more resolving sound and followed by the salt with a more musical midrange that is fun and the Luna with a more transparent sound but slightly dry versus the other. The Salt and Luna excels in female vocals while the S08 has better male vocalisations for their thicker, deeper mids.

S08 = Luna > MP143 Salt

Bass

Bass on S08 has the best bass response here for their dynamic-esque bass that is well textured and meatiest amongst these 3 followed by the salt with their linear boosted bass that has a good mid bass lift and a sharp decay. The Luna bass here does have a more natural sound but they are indeed flat and do not suit bass heavy tracks. Details and clarity on all of these 3 is rather similar but the Salt and Luna does sound clearer but only marginally. Sub-bass on S08 has a deeper extension followed by the Salt and Luna.

S08 > MP143 > Luna

Soundstage

The soundstage on the MP143 does sound bigger followed by S08 and Luna where they are actually similar. Airiness goes to the MP143 Salt and Luna with the S08 slightly behind especially on the high range.

MP143 Salt > S08 = Luna

Conclusion

All of these 3 entries are actually very competent in their price range and they complement each other as they do sound very different, Users may choose from a laid-back sound of the S08, a musical, fun sound of the MP143 Salt and their treble intense Luna. They are all highly technical in their price range and do possess the fast transients, wide and rich sound qualities of a planar driver.

Synergy

Hiby FC06

Hiby FC06 is a miniaturised version of an R2R architecture named Darwin in a portable audio dongle form. They have a smooth, analogue sound that is lush and organic with a good technically in their sound and they match the bright sound of the Luna superbly. They only have a 3.5mm single ended output but have an adequate power delivery that is enough for most IEMs out there, the power hungry Luna included.

Bass sounded clearer and tighter with a slight mid bass lift that gives the bass more presence. Bass has a wider extension and they have a slight air added.  Resolution is better as they have a more vivid texture. Sub-bass amount is added by a stronger rumble with a slightly extended depth.

Midrange possesses a thicker sound and has a lusher sound but still slightly dry. Vocals sounded more controlled especially on higher pitch and had better tonal balance. The midrange does blend better in the overall frequencies and they give a more musical sound that is more enjoyable than usual. Resolution is better with transparency remaining mostly the same.

High range has a slight decrease in their treble intensity but they are still strong in their overall high range. Sparkle and crispness seems the same but they sounded wider and airier with more control that lessened fatigue while keeping their energy. Details and clarity stayed mostly the same.

Soundstage has seen improved width and height with the same size headroom.

FiiO Q7

The FiiO Q7, the beast of a DAC amplifier even by the end of 2024, they are still the flagship in the Q series in FiiO and have a strong foot in the portable amplifier segment. They are equipped with a single Sabre ES9038pro dac chip along with dual THX 788+ that pushes a maximum 3000 mW power with the DC power supply. They tend to have a slightly bright to warm sound that has loads of power to drive any IEMs and most of the headphones around. The matching here tends to bring out the maximum potential of power hungry gears and the Luna is pushed to their maximum potential in terms of driving dynamics.

Bass is tighter, faster with a decent mid bass lift sound with a faster pace. They have a cleaner, clearer sub-bass extension with a slightly deeper rumble. Details have a slight increase and they sound airier with an overall cleaner bass response with the same clarity. The Luna also has a stronger bass that somewhat amplifies the amount but only marginally. The bass here actually sounded fuller and not as flat.

Midrange has a more forward approach and is pushed slightly towards the ears to  make the overall sound a little more intimate and more balanced, blending better in the lower region. Vocals sounded lusher and intimate with an increase in their spaciousness. There is an improvement in their resolving capabilities and the mids aren’t as dry as they possess more body and weight.

Highs has a better defined sparkle with better extension with the same crispness. Details and clarity stayed the same but they sound smoother and more refined. Treble here stayed the same with a strong intensity that sounded lively and energetic. The overall highs don’t feel as peaky or shouty as usual and they have a much better quality here.

Soundstage height and width is better with a wider, airier sound overall.

Who Is It For?

The HZSound Luna is another solid entry planar IEM that is highly competitive and they are for those who want a bright planar signature that has plenty of treble energy without any major peaks and shouts. It is suitable for those who listen to vocals, acoustics, classical and pop but for EDM they might lack a strong mid-bass and for metal, they tend to sound a little hot on the higher range. The Luna may also suit gaming for their clarity and accuracy but for movies, they might lack immersion. Fit and build is top notch here and they are very well made for on the go usage as well as long listening sessions. For critical listeners, the Luna is actually decent for their natural overall sound with a high range boost and will suit casual treble loving users as well. Bassheads will be left wanting though for their flat bass response.

Final words

HZSound is back and they are back with a bang indeed as I truly enjoyed the time with the Luna for their amazing clarity and the ever strong treble that is very well tuned. They certainly do have the signature of the OG Heart Mirror but with a planar quality that is faster, richer and wider overall. The included package is excellent and they have an aura of premium oozing when it is on hand. I may say that the tuning here is unique and bold but as the saying goes, fortune favours the bold and HZSound truly has produced another classic with these Luna. Though they are a little thin in their mid-range and strong in their highs, but with proper amping and source, they will reward you with a listening experience that is rare in this price range. Awesome job HZSound and thanks KEEPHIFI for the opportunity.

I would rate the HZSound Luna a 4 and a half stars over 5

Pros

Cons