WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:

PROS:

• Mature V-Shaped presentation
• Insanely tactile yet tight bass 
• Warm midrange with minimal recession
• Good vocal energy while minimizing shout
• Comes with tuning switches
• Decent accessory inclusions
• Beautiful and well-made build
• Stable fit and good seal

CONS:

• Not the most natural timbre or tuning
• Bass might be too much for some people
• A bit edgy and sharp on higher volumes
• Air pressure build up
• Source sensitive
• Not the cleanest or most refined sounding IEM

WHO THIS IEM IS FOR:

• People looking for an endgame V-Shaped IEM
• People who like big, impactful, tactile but tight bass
• People who like tuning options
• People who are not sensitive to air pressure build up
• Bassheads
• People who like an occasionally spicy treble

WHO THIS IEM ISN’T FOR:

• People who are sensitive to air pressure build up
• People who want a “neutral-balanced” tuning
• People who want good timbre
• People who don’t like big bass
• People who don’t like tuning switches
• Treble sensitives

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• HipHop
• R&B
• Jazz
• Pop

SHORT REVIEW:

Moritz proved themselves worth talking about by providing the listeners a Paradise of bass. This has got to be one of, if not, the best v-shaped IEM under $1,000 if you enjoy an occasionally edgy but fundamentally fun IEM that is unlike anything you’ll ever hear. And while its imperfections might seem out of place and the choice to go BC over EST seem radical, there’s no denying that there is fun in Paradise. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW:

Price of in-ears can be quite daunting at first. You’re often lead to believe that the more expensive you invest in audio gear, the better your experience is. But I’ve personally lived to tell myself that that’s not always true. You can get a more satisfying listening experience with some cheaper gears. So why invest in expensive gears then?

Tech and implementation. There’s only so much that good tuning on a decent driver can do before it gets bottlenecked by raw tech and innovation. That’s the case with today’s in-ear monitor, but how much better is it really than cheaper sets? 

DISCLAIMER: 

The Moritz Paradise was sent in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not paid or compensated to say anything about the product

WHO LIVES IN PARADISE?

I think an explanation is due in place. What the heck is Moritz? If you’re like me before I got the opportunity to review the Paradise, I didn’t even know Moritz existed. Well, thanks to a rather clever connection with me and the rep finding my post going to SIAS because I used hashtags, they invited me to their booth during the event and the rest is history. But, who even is Moritz?

They are a boutique brand from Hong Kong with a founder that is so passionate for providing high quality audio products that he made his own stereo at the ripe age of 12. And in 2017, he put all this experience and passion into what we now know as Moritz. 

Fascinating story, but still doesn’t explain why we only heard from them now. Well, this is mostly because they’ve been tackling the domestic market for the entire 7 years and only decided to expand to the international market in 2024. So what do they have to offer?

Right now, they have their premiere flagship set, the Gloria as well as 2 new entires this 2024. The Dragon, a single DD beast that I got to try during the SIAS and the Paradise, a set that fascinated me so much that I said I needed to review this. This 2DD + 4BA + 2BC hybrid prized at $729 is one to be both appalled and amazed by, so let’s take a deeper look into it. 

UNBOXING EXPERIENCE

I’ve had my fair share of flagship products and know what a flagship unboxing experience is. Unfortunately, I also know that budget sets have been killing it when it comes to the unboxing experience and sets that are 3-4 times cheaper can get better value inclusions than a lot of flagship sets.

The Moritz is just one example as that case isn’t there to hide a plethora of treasures. That’s there for the massive case and a smaller leather case. 

Here’s a full list of the inclusions:

• IEMs
• Cable
• Hard case
• Softcase
• Eartips
• Modular Jacks
• Paperwork

One is wise not to say that bad inclusions means bad products. It isn’t. That just means their focus was more on the development side rather than the accessory side. This is perfectly depicted with despite the accessories being just decent, they fit the Paradise quite well. Those basic 07 style eartips combined with those thin red eartips don’t really complement well, but that large case paired with the smaller case makes this a surprisingly easy to store set in its entirety. 

BUILD & FIT

Another aspect I’ve realized doesn’t connotate high end prices is the external build and fit. It’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?

And inside the Paradise is a dual CNT dynamic driver, quad Knowles and Sonion Hybrid armature driver and a dual Sonion Bone Conduction driver. You may think it’s foolish not to include an EST, but I’m just glad they opted out as I’d love to see a company work around TOTL specs and sound with the usual hybrid configuration with a twist. 

As for the aesthetics, you can’t deny that amber orange is a rare sight in IEMs and it really should not be. This is such a gorgeous looking IEM with how the transparent orange shell bleeds the flowery faceplate and just barely shows the beautiful internals of the IEM. A darker shade would have looked awesome, but this is something that makes the Paradise so compelling in terms of its aesthetics. 

But what is just a tad bit more compelling is their decision to add dip switches. At $729. A person in my impressions commented that it’s a sign of insecurity with their tuning, but I’d argue that it’s a sign that they’d like for you top choose your own experience. We’ll get more into the sound later. 

As for the quality, it’s right about what you’d expect from resin IEMs. Lightweight and not the most premium feeling. No qualms as resin is meant to be like that and other resin IEMs with twice the price can have worse interface (trust me, I’ve felt worse)

My qualm, however, is in the comfort. This thing fits in the ear pretty well. It’s no Intuaura Plume or Kiwi Ears Quartet, but it sits in the ear with good stability and little discomfort outside the ear. Where the discomfort rears its ugly head is in the air pressure build up. Despite the 2 dynamic drivers that the Paradise sport, the complex tubing ensured that the amount of venting and air that is allowed to go through your ear from the IEM is minimal. It’s really not as bad as other hybrid and, God forbid, all balanced armature IEMs. But it’s nasty enough that I have to stay still in order to enjoy this. 

As for the cable, you can’t deny that this is an older style of modular cable with its insecure modular design unlike many of the advanced modular systems today. However, it’s a perfectly adequate considering that it’s built really well and looks really good. Good material of people with sensitive skin like me and the earhooks wrap around your ears nicely. Maybe an upgraded modular system would be nice in the future, though. 

SOUND

NOTE: Because the Paradise feature tuning switches, I will only talk about the natural mode during the main review and compare it to the other modes in its own section.

Sound Signature:

This thing is probably the pinnacle of the pre-flagship V-Shape tuning. This thing is so damn fun that I caught myself vibing for the few minutes that this was in my ear before the air pressure build up bothered me. Such a distinctly rich and vibrant tone that’ll get you moving and grooving while also being amazed with how nuanced this set is. It’s not a treble beast, although it might be closer to being a bass beast than anything, but the overall nuance on both ends is fantastic. Timbre might be a slight pain point, especially in the top end. But it personally didn’t bother me as much and kept me moving all-throughout. 

Source Pairing

With its ridiculously low impedance of 9 ohm but also a somewhat low sensitivity of 100dB, this isn’t necessarily the easiest or hardest IEM to drive in my collection. It falls well within my boundaries of “decently easy to drive”. Where I genuinely think the Paradise shines, however, are cleaner sounds that allow that bass to open up while smoothening that top end. Cheaper sources emphasize that icky mid treble region while good sources emphasize the dynamic presentation. Granted, it’s not night and day compared to other IEMs that are genuinely hard to drive, but it’s recommended to use this with a better source. 

Listening Volume

This one is the toughest nut to crack because despite me wanting to go all the way with the volume, the mid treble kinda bars me from going too high. Maybe this is a good thing for my ear health, but I do want that bass to go brr even more. Mid to high is possible but maybe no more than 75%. 

Bass

This is, by far, one of the best sounding bass-centric IEM that I’ve heard in the market today. If I were to compare this with another bass-centric IEM, it’d be the HiBy Zeta. And I called that one of the best v-shaped flagships! I’d argue that the BC has to do with this, but the superb tonal balance between the midbass and subbass is just fantastic. It’s a deeper subbass over punchier midbass type of IEM, but the way that the BC interacts with your ear makes the bass sound more tactile and richer and more nuanced than any other “big bass” IEM in the market. This honestly competes with the Symphonium Crimson, although Crimson does admittedly have an even tighter bass with a surprisingly good level of tactility.

My go to genre here was not HipHop, surprisingly. It was metal. I cranked up some of that Slipknot and bopped to Duality and Before I Forget and quite literally forgot that I was listening to a $729 IEM with how much I enjoyed the listening experience. From those grungy bass riffs on Duality to the complex breakdowns in Before I Forget, the Paradise rendered them near perfectly with amazing nuance and tactility while being tight enough not to muddy up the presentation. Even my mud reference album titled The Other Side by SOS sounding amazing on the Paradise despite having more bass than basically any other IEM I’ve enjoyed with that album. It’s crazy good well-done but fun the bass of the Moritz Paradise is and I’m 100% certain this is the best balance of bass quality and quantity under $1000 by far. 

Mids

While not as spectacular as the bass, the mids of the Paradise is also worth fawning about as it didn’t fall into the overly recessed region while also not being shouty in any way. Instrument timbre might not be the most perfect and it still falls on the wayside compared to the bass and treble, but damn do I find the midrange on these quite compelling. It’s definitely on the thicker side due to the bass emphasis and the bump around 1.5khz, but I wouldn’t complain too much unless I listened to Laufey or Samara Joy.

The ideal vocals here is definitely male vocals like in The Other Side by SOS. Another contender for best pairing is surprisingly SOAD with Toxicity (the album and the song). Serj’s vocals that aren’t quite deep but not that bright fits in that odd space that the Paradise presents nicely. Generally, male vocals sound better than female vocals on the Paradise, but I would say that Mica’s vocals on Imaginal Disc sound pretty good. Well, that entire album sounds AMAZING on the Paradise but that’s besides the point. Again, gripe would only be the odd timbre that pushes instruments and some vocals too forward and too boxed in your head, but nothing I’d take away from this sets phenomenal balance.

Treble

Now here is the part where I’d get a little tough on the Paradise and why I do get why people say that an EST should have been in here. It’s a relatively sharp and snappy treble presentation with good details and separation, what you might expect from a near TOTL IEM. Details are well-defined and tactile with good transient hits. However, they’re not what I’d call “near-TOTL” level of treble with how occasionally harsh it can get. Granted, the natural mode is the best balance in terms of getting a solid and full attack without going too hard, but depending on the volume levels you might find these to hit a bit too hard. 

Thankfully, it’s mostly on poorly mixed or bright leaning tracks like Sabrina Carpenter’s Bed Chem where from the start, you get a sharp treble presentation and Sabrina’s somewhat anemic vocals (that are thankfully aided with good weight on the Paradise). Red Wine Supernova by Chappell Roan fairs a little better with the low end taking over and the treble smoothening thanks to it. Same goes for You Know What by N.E.R.D and is by far the best pairing in terms of treble emphasis. But it’s that sharp attack that is its double edged sword as it is a superbly detailed and well-defined set at the cost of occasionally harshness. 

Technicalities

As you might expect from a $700, the techs are phenomenal. Dynamics are out of this world and the separation and layering is second to none at this price range. Where it slightly falls off is the resolution where it isn’t necessarily unresolving by any means, but I’ve heard more resolving single DD sets closer in this price range. It could be due to that nasty peak at 8k that dips post 10k that I call the “low res zone” or just the fact that an EST would have made that transition an itty bitty smoother. Regardless, it’s a justifiably technically capable set in the low end and a slightly unrefined one in the top end. 

vs Vocal Mode

The Paradise in vocal mode was one I thought I’d fall in love with. I love vocals, I love brighter sound signatures, so it only makes sense that I’d like this too. Unfortunately, the Vocal mode suffers from its own definition. The Vocal mode is, for all intents and purposes, way too focused on vocals that it takes away from the magic of the Paradise. Don’t get me wrong, the bass still stands out even on vocal mode. However, the emphasis then moves unto the upper mids and treble which, as I mentioned, isn’t the most spectacular aspect of this IEM. The sharpness and metallic tone of the treble is further emphasized here and interestingly enough, only affects the lower treble and not so much the upper treble. So the air remains, but the energy is boosted and, due to the bass being pushed down, makes it quite thin and lean sounding for my expectations with this IEM. 

vs Texture Mode

If you liked the bass of the Natural Mode but thought that you wanted more, the bass mode is EXACTLY the mode for you. This turns the Paradise into a bassy Paradise, literally. It’s boosted considerably more than the Natural mode while keeping the tightness and texture. It rumbles like nothing I’ve heard before while maintaining a controlled presentation. It also tames the upper mids which, may be a bit contradictory but is welcome enough for me to enjoy how fun this thing sounds

COMPARISONS: 

vs Simgot EA2000

On paper, they may seem like two completely contrasting IEMs with different ideas. Different tuning tech, different variable tuning ideas, different materials. But listening to both sets yields a similar goal. Create an extremely nuanced listening experience that is unlike anything you’ll hear in its price point. The main difference is that the EA2000 takes a more raw and unhinged approach that leaves it surprisingly competitive against the Paradise in terms of details and technicalities. The bass is somehow more mature on the EA2000 with the top end detailed sounding better defined. The Moritz, however, is a far more listenable affair compared to the EA2000. The EA2000 is best savored by those with a keen ear on treble while Moritz made sure that the Paradise is a set you can enjoy more songs with 

vs Yanyin Canon II

The Canon II occupied the previous spot of the set that broke my preferences with it being a complete contrast to my usually bright preferences. So how did the Paradise beat the Canon II? By being basically a better version of it in every single way. Bigger, thumpier, more textured bass, better and more refined treble and a genuinely effective tuning switch. However, the Canon II is still the more “conventionally” good sounding IEM as the mids are more forward and fuller compared to the Paradise. The Paradise flaunts its technical prowess over the Canon II at the cost of a more “balanced” sound. 

vs Simgot EA1000

While seemingly an unfair comparison due to its price range, I want to highlight the fact that the EA1000’s technical ability is so good that I think that it’s just slightly less capable than the Paradise, particularly on the bass. The EAxxxx series that feature a passive radiator has some of the best quality bass of any IEM under $1000 for a single DD and it does not disappoint even under duress from the Paradise and its BC. However, just like the EA2000, the Paradise is a more versatile IEM due to its tuning options and its more fun overall sound. I still think that the EA1000’s tighter bass makes it just a tad bit more mature than the Paradise, but the Paradise will serve you with more genres and a more immersive sound

vs Intuaura Splendor II

From one boutique brand that expanded in 2024 to another, the Splendor II is clearly a more “audiophile” tuned IEM overall compared to the Paradise, but the Paradise brings out a considerably more mature and stronger sound that the Splendor II cannot compete against. This is probably the most unfair comparison as I am comparing a primarily DSP single DD IEM with a tribrid with tuning switches, but I thought it was a pretty fun comparison between two sets that I first came across during the SIAS. 

CONCLUSION:

In the world of cheaper and cheaper audio, experiencing a set that one-tricks a particular feature is something to adore. The Paradise is a beast in its bass presentation that is unlike anything I’ve heard and has grown to become a favorite of mine for vibes listening. 

A near perfect bass balance from sub to mid, a soothing and well presented midrange and an aggressive and nuanced treble that makes this a true flagship v-shaped set unlike anything. Its technically capable to keep up with the competition and edges them out in its phenomenally mature balance. 

Though it might not be the most refined and that vocal mode may have slightly disappointed me as it emphasized the worst aspect about the Paradise more, it’s a set that I can completely forgive for putting all of its eggs into its bass presentation. In that case, the Paradise truly is one to lay your head back (or back and forth depending on what you’re listening to) and vibe with for hours on end. 

Thank you for reading my full review on the Moritz Paradise. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://moritzaudio.com/products/moritz-paradise