MoonDrop Armature Art 24 Review: 2 Dozen Reasons To Upgrade

When looking for budget IEMs, people automatically look to MoonDrop and other similar brands. These in-ear monitors are pretty fantastic value at lower prices, but what do their top-of-the-line models sound like? Here at Audio46, we had the pleasure of being able to listen to the MoonDrop Armature Art 24 IEMs. These IEMs have a 24-driver configuration, as their name suggests, and advertise a subwoofer arrangement that makes the low end more powerful and punchy. How does this IEM stack up against the competition? Is MoonDrop entering a new class for their products? 

First, we look at the physical design of the earphones. MoonDrop makes some very pretty IEMs, and the Art 24 joins a lineup of very impressive builds. The Art 24 has a clear shell with a gold-colored outside, and the design on the outside is an intricate ice-flower pattern. It highlights the details of the logo and keeps the Art 24 looking sleek yet stylish. The shell is larger, but it is ergonomically shaped to fit the ear surprisingly well. I found that with the right eartip, you can achieve a very comfortable and effective seal that blocks out all outside distractions. The nozzle is on the larger size, so be careful when putting on some third-party eartips; they may not be compatible. Luckily, the Art 24 comes with a large collection of eartips made from different materials for you to choose the ideal fit. 

The cable for the Art 24 is pretty thick and woven on the outside for a softer look. It connects via a 2-pin on the Art 24 itself, then has an interchangeable termination on the other end. This allows you to change out the cable if you so choose, but you can pair it with any DAC or amplifier right out of the box. For my listening, I wanted to use a high-end DAC with this pair of high-quality earphones, so I chose the iFi GR 2. I also used smaller dongles like the FiiO QX13 or the GO Link 2 Max, but the GR 2 offered better synergy and power matching to really make the Art 24 sing. With the few filters on the GR 2, you can customize your listening pretty easily and get the sound that you like. 

• Driver: Sixteen-in-one bass balanced armature driver module + Four mid-range balanced armatures + Four treble balanced armature drivers
• Frequency Response Range: 7Hz-35kHz
• Effective Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz (IEC60318-4, -3dB)
• Impedance: 5.8Ω±15% (@1kHz)
• Sensitivity: 119dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
• THD: THD≤0.7% (@1kHz, 94dB)
• Earphone Jack: 0.78-2pin
• Cable Plug: 4.4mm Balanced / 3.5mm Single-ended

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

When I first put on the Art 24, I was immediately struck by how forward the detail was. From the bass to the treble, the Art 24 was impressive in making sure you heard every last detail in your tracks. The sound was decently wide, with horizontal space being very vast. It wraps around your head to create a very immersive listening environment. The space in the Art 24 earphones was great for separating out all the individual elements in a track, and you could clearly distinguish different instruments. The depth of the soundstage is heard very clearly through the midrange layers and the sub-bass extension. The height was decent to make the signature not as heavy, and the entire signature was lighter because of it. I found the Art 24 easy to listen to for extended periods because of the openness, and you didn't feel as claustrophobic while listening. 

Overall, the profile of the Art 24 earphones is quite balanced but still dynamic. I wouldn't categorize this IEM as reference sound, as the reproduction is far too fine-tuned for that. It is fun, dynamic, and punchy in every genre you put it through. Heavy metal was a favorite of mine on Art 24, where detail and punchiness complemented each other very well to create an entertaining listening session. The instrument timbres sounded natural and realistic, but still tuned in their own unique way to highlight details that other earphones may miss. I really enjoyed listening to these not only for music, but gaming and movie-watching were also a highlight because of its expansive soundstage. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

From my experience, IEMs generally have stronger bass, and the Art 24 is no exception. The bass in these earphones was thick but still detailed to really highlight the timbres of instruments. I was impressed that you got some decent sub extension while still maintaining punchiness. Despite how many of the drivers were dedicated to the subwoofer design, there wasn't a moment during listening that I found the bass to be too much or overwhelming. It was a great balance between detailed listening and foundation-building. The bass was natural but still colorful to remain engaging in all genres. I found that EDM tracks highlighted the sub-bass very well, and how the subwoofer arrangement gave an extra layer of depth to the signature. You could hear the colorful notes of bass guitars in rock music, and the texture of cellos and bass strings in larger ensembles. The Art 24 separated these elements out distinctly and still had frequencies flow seamlessly from sub-bass to the low mids. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The Art 24 had a midrange that was full of detail and precision. I loved how the mids were pulled to the front, but still stayed level with other ranges and took up plenty of space in the signature. You could really hear the depth of the sound signature in this range, letting the midrange layers separate and filter backwards with ease. The detail throughout the midrange allowed you to really pick apart individual instruments and appreciate the textures and timbres. The vocals came to the front and center, becoming the feature of any track they were in. The midrange provided a lot of colorful detail that made the original timbres all the more interesting, but you didn't lose any of the original sound to make things unrecognizable. I appreciated the clarity in the midrange so you could catch all the details in larger ensembles, and you could hear the intricacies in solo instruments. The Art 24 did a great job in making the midrange perfect for analyzing detail, but still being musical.

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

The treble was very bright, and it opened the signature to make it less compressed. I was a fan of how the treble was bright but still controlled so as to not be too piercing or overly sharp. The treble made everything lighter and much more spacious, which helps when IEMs can lean towards the bass. The treble in the Art 24 kept the entire signature sharp and precise with detail. This detail made it easy to hear the more minute characteristics of instruments, like the scrape of guitar strings in acoustic tracks or post-production ear candy additions in hyperpop. I was definitely immersed in my listening with the Art 24, and the treble reproduction only aided in engaging me in my listening by providing a new lens to hear my favorite tracks. 

What competes with the MoonDrop Art 24? A simple answer would be its predecessor: the MoonDrop Art 12. This IEM has half the number of drivers as the Art 24, so does that mean it's only half as good? Or can you get the same sound with significantly less tech? I did some side-by-side listening, and the additional drivers do a great job in elevating your listening experience in the Art 24. The Art 12 is pretty detailed and has a decent soundstage, but the Art 24 does have more distinct separation between elements. Each element gets great attention to detail in Art 24, where Art 12 has a similar sound that sounds slightly more cohesive and together. The separation isn't as distinct, and there is a more treble push in the Art 12, so the Art 24 gives you a more dynamic and engaging sound. 

The MoonDrop Armature Art 24 comes in as a flagship for this company. At $1,499, you get an extensive and highly detailed driver setup that produces some equally detailed sound. The large shell is beautifully designed and shaped to have a snug fit in your ear. The sound profile shows off a thick bass response with glittering treble, which is perfect for a number of genres for you to enjoy. I really liked listening to the Art 24, and would certainly put it up against some other high-end IEMs in the same price range. Listening to these against the Noble Audio Lu Ban or the Campfire Bonneville will allow you to get a full scope of what you can get for the same $1.5k price point. 

You can get the MoonDrop Armature Art 24 at Audio46.