Hidizs MP145: Is This One of the Best Planar IEMs under $200 ... ?

Pros

• Excellent build quality
• Tuning nozzles for fine tuning 
• Decent bass performance for a planar
• Warm, lush lower midrange
• Forward yet smooth upper midrange
• Decent treble sparkle and smoothness
• Excellent treble extension

Cons

• Big, heavy shells with uncomfortably large nozzles
• Uncomfortable ear hooks design on stock cable
• A little hard to drive 
• Bass can get a bit boomy
• Mild sibilance

Disclaimer

• Huge thanks to Hidizs for providing the opportunity for me to review the MP145 through a tour However, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and are not influenced in any way. 
• Please take this review with only a grain of salt, as everyone's hearing, fit, and gears may differ, so our experience may be different.

Price(MSRP)

• $169

Source(s)

• These are a little harder to drive than most IEMs I have tried since they are planar, but as long as you have a decent dongle DAC/Amp it should be fine.  
• Topping DX1
• Truthear Shio

Ear tips

• Acoustune AET07

Unboxing and Quick Summary 

Packaging

• Hidizs MP145 with rose gold nozzle attached to it
• Soft carrying pouch 
• Wide selection of ear tips.
• 3 pairs of balanced, generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• 3 pairs of bass, generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• 3 pairs of vocal, generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• 6N Silver-Plated Single-Crystal Copper Wire
• Build quality is ... fine. Not good but not bad, feels a bit on the cheaper side
• Ear hook's shape are really weird for my ears, so they do strain and make my ears a little pain after longer listening sessions.
• A small case containing nozzles
• 1 pair of silver nozzle 
• 1 pair of red nozzle

Build Quality

• Build quality is very good, shell is made entirely out of metal.
• Very sturdy but is very heavy. 

Fit

• Nozzle is HUGE in terms of width, while being slightly longer than average.
  
• Fits is excellent. Very lightweight and the shell is super comfortable. 

Tonality

• Mild V-shaped 

Tuning Nozzles

• Rose Gold
• Balanced mild V-shaped signature.
• Most balanced out of the 3 nozzles to my ears, nice mix of clarity and warmth.
• This will be my go to pick, and will be used throughout this review. 

• Silver
• Bright tilted mild V-shaped signature.
• Adds a little more sparkle and air, providing extra clarity and brightness, but also becomes a bit more metallic and thin at the same time. 

• Red
• Warm tilted mild V-shaped signature.
• Favors male vocals, but will mask some clarity especially for female vocals, and boominess will be even more apparent. 

Bass

• Bass is quite balanced between sub bass and mid bass, with a slight emphasis on the mid bass.
• Rumble and slams well, with decent definition & texture and good speed & decay to it.
• However, the bass lacks a bit of tightness, sounding a little boomy. 
• Overall, the bass performance is quite decent and satisfying for a planar, but the combination of boominess and quick decay of the bass makes it sounds a little weird. 
• Quantity is slightly on the bassy side, but not quite basshead level yet. 

Midrange

• Low midrange comes with some warmth, giving male vocals and instruments a nice weight and body without being muddy or bloated. 
• Upper midrange is very smooth and has just enough energy for vocals to pop out from the mix without being shouty at all to my ears.
• Note weight is on the slightly thinner side due to the elevated treble response. 
• Timbre is surprisingly natural for a planar IEM, which isn't as metallic as other planar IEMs such as the S12, but there is still a small hint of planar sheen. 
• Overall, the midrange is very well done in my opinion, especially for a planar IEM. 

Treble

• Treble has plenty of sparkle and airy, yet it remains quite smooth. 
• Treble extension is very good, giving a great sense of air to it. 
• However, there is a audible peak at the mid to high treble region, which does adds some harshness and sibilance to vocals.
• Details in the treble can be perceived easily due to how sparkly, smooth and extended the treble is.

Technicalities

Resolution

• Resolution and detail retrieval is great, on par with other planar IEMs that I have tried. 

Soundstage

• Soundstage is on the wider side and is quite spacious, with a decent depth to it. 

Imaging

• Imaging is quite accurate, as I am able to pick up direction of sounds with good accuracy. 
  

Separation

• Separation and layering is good, no issues with congestion on busy tracks other than the bass and midrange transition. 

Comparison 

Hidizs MP145 vs TANGZU x HBB Wu Heyday Edition

• Accessories:
• I can't compare this element as I only borrowed the Heyday from one of my good friends. 

• Fit and Comfort:
• Heyday is a lot more comfortable to my ears, as the MP145 is just too bulky and big. 

• Bass: 
• Heyday is significantly tighter with a bit more punch but less slam compared to MP145

• Midrange: 
• Lower midrange on the Heyday is cleaner than the MP145, with a slightly more emphasis on the upper midrange. 
• Female vocals will be the star of the show on Heyday instead of male vocals, as they sound thinner and less natural. 
• However, while female vocals isn't as good on the MP145, it has a much more balanced midrange, where both vocals are pretty decent

• Treble: 
• Different story from what the graph tells, the Heyday is actually a bit smoother to my ears, probably because of the better fit and deeper insertion, which I could not achieve with the MP145. 

• Technicalities: 
• Both have similar technicalities and they trade some blows but not by a large margin.
• The MP145 has a slightly larger stage while the Heyday has a slightly cleaner separation. 

• Overall, I enjoy the Heyday a lot more due to fit and comfort, and the overall sonic performance fits a little bit better to my preference.  

Conclusion

• Overall, the MP145 is one of the better sounding planar IEMs that I have tried in the price, but I can also see that the fit and comfort of the MP145 can be a huge problem for many people, considering that I already have larger ears than most of my friends.

• Is it going to dethrone the Heyday to be the king of planar IEMs under $200? I don't think so. 
• The Heyday pretty much still remains my favorite planar IEM for under $200
• However, the MP145 can compete directly with the Heyday in terms of sound, with some trade offs such as comfort. 

Thanks for reading!