Moondrop Golden Ages 1979 Review: A real planar TWS, A real dis…
Moondrop Golden Ages 1979
The Moondrop Golden Ages 1979 offer a unique and analytical sound experience that prioritizes clarity and detail. While the build quality and stock eartips leave room for improvement, the exceptional sound signature and wide soundstage make these earbuds a compelling option for audiophiles seeking a true planar TWS experience. However, if top-notch build quality or thunderous bass are your top priorities, you might want to consider other options.
Positives
- Exceptional clarity and detail across the frequency range
- Wide and beam like soundstage
- Tight and controlled bass (good for accuracy, not heavy bass)
- Well-extended and smooth treble
Negatives
- Build quality feels cheap
- Stock eartips don't do justice to the sound quality (aftermarket replacements recommended)
- Bass might be subdued for bass-heavy music lovers
For a while, I’d been searching for true planar earbuds. Having experienced the joy of planar speakers, I craved a similar option in the convenient form in TWS earbuds. While Hybrid options were common, a fully planar solution seemed either rare or way out of my range.
Enter the Moondrop Golden Ages 1979, a TWS by Moondrop that was just been launch recently.
Priced at around RM350 to ship to Malaysia, the Golden Ages 1979 pays homage to the 1979 release of the first Walkman, a pivotal moment that ushered in the portable music era. This nostalgic inspiration is evident in the design, which mirrors the Walkman’s color scheme and even features similar prints.
Beyond aesthetics, Moondrop strives for top-tier audio quality. They’ve opted for a Chinese-made SOC solution within these pure planar earbuds, aiming to deliver exceptional sound.
In this review we give our honest feedback on how well the Golden Ages 1979 sound and our general impressions on the TWS.
Moondrop Golden Ages 1979 Audio Quality
Bass
The bass response is unique. It’s tight, articulate, and accurate, focusing on detail rather than room-filling rumble. This aligns with the typical characteristic of planar speakers, which excel at deep bass reproduction but tend to be more controlled.
Listening to “I was made for lovin’ you” by Kiss. A bassy music was transitioned into an acoustic heavy piece. The drum feel subdued as the bass takes a more balanced role alongside other instruments.
Same thing happens with “Touch Too Much” by ACDC. Bass and drums were again pushed to the background and less intensive, the overall energy of the song changed dramatically.
Mid-range
The midrange is the true star of the show. It’s exceptionally clear and detailed, offering a faithful representation of vocals and instruments.
This clarity is evident in “Careless Whisper” by George Michael, where every breath and inflection in his vocals is reproduced with stunning accuracy. The saxophone and melodies intertwine beautifully, creating a rich and immersive soundscape.
In “Stayin Alive” by Bee Gees, again the vocal took front stage. The Gibbs brothers’ unique vocals are well recreated and become energetic with no fatigue. The thinner focus of planar speaker complimented the vocal, with the raspiness of their vocal is well presented.
Treble
The treble is smooth and well-extended. It reaches high notes gracefully without becoming harsh or sibilant. This smooth character is particularly noticeable in cymbals and hi-hats, which shimmer and decay naturally.
In “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc, strings and syn are play graceful, higher female notes are extended and elegant, very energetic. I really ensure the fast and swift movement of instrument were moving, not only vertically also horizontally.
Listening to “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, Agnetha & Anni-Frid’s vocal was put under limelight with the melodies well layers at background. This is the rare few times we get to listen to an uncolored female vocal from earbuds and the Golden Age 1979 really deliver.
Sound Stage
The Golden Ages 1979 boasts a wide soundstage thanks to the planar drivers. This spaciousness extends horizontally and vertically, creating an immersive listening experience.
The focused audio delivery, as opposed to a radiant wave, can also be more relaxing for extended listening sessions, especially with busy tracks that might sound overwhelming on some earbuds.
Golden Age 1979 Design & Comfortability
Inspired by the original Sony Walkman, the Golden Age 1979 not only carries the same color scheme, the drawings on it also pay homage to the same prints on the Walkman.
While the design pays homage to the Walkman through its color scheme and prints, the quality of materials falls short. At the RM350 price point, one might expect better plastic construction, on par with Moondrop’s Space Travel model. Close inspection reveals uneven surfaces and unpolished edges on the earbuds.
The eartips are another area for improvement. Despite the inclusion of various sizes, they struggle to fully complement the sound quality. In my experience, replacing them with aftermarket Coreir Metal Silicone Eartips by Pentaconn significantly enhanced the overall listening experience.
Golden Age 1979: Acoustic genius, disappointing built quality
The Moondrop Golden Ages 1979 presents a compelling case for planar audio on the go. Its sound signature is fantastic, offering exceptional clarity and detail across the frequency range. The wide soundstage adds an immersive element to the listening experience.
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