Perhaps not having heard the MOONDROP Blessing2 or Blessing2:Dusk was a blessing (heh) in disguise. This allowed me to judge the new Blessing 3 by itself and not simply compare it to the predecessor models that no doubt many will do. There are no expectations here as I went about purely examining the Blessing 3 beginning from the unboxing experience all the way to its sound. I will admit that knowing this set costs $320 did make me think the accessories could have been better, especially when you can get more ear tip options—often well arranged and explained—as well as cable connector options, if not a modular cable itself. Perhaps MOONDROP had to skimp here to hit the same $320 that the Blessing2 cost at release in a world that has become increasingly more expensive since. I can respect this, especially given that the stock ear tips are likely to work well for most people and the cable is plenty fine in its own right.

This does mean that the IEMs themselves need to justify the price tag and I am not sure MOONDROP has done a good enough job to convince me. The good things first, shall we? I know very well the comfort, fit, and seal issues arising from IEMs that have a large nozzle, let alone one that is large and also angled awkwardly while being stubby too. I dare say that this was the biggest thing people were concerned about when it comes to the Blessing 3 and, even with a relatively thick nozzle that is 5.8 mm wide, this was plenty comfortable for me. Part of this was the use of a mildly angled nozzle that is also uniformly thick and long enough to provide a deep and secure fit, and there is also the part where the shells are sculpted to have a more flush contact with the concha—I had a great fit with the Blessing 3 in my ears. A randomly picked retail sample also happened to have the very best channel matching I have ever measured which bodes well from a quality assurance and control perspective for those vary of purchasing IEMs from China.

The bass quality with the Blessing 3 is also worthy of consideration. The MOONDROP KATO offers one of the better bass experiences at the $200 price point and I use it even today. The Blessing 3 is a tangible improvement on that front offering not only plenty of detail but also being one of the more dynamic IEMs on the market no matter the price point. The new dual-DD system MOONDROP has come up with is one I want to see used more, especially given how well it handles EQ filters without any perceived distortion. This is good because, in my opinion, the base tonality of the Blessing 3 has plenty of room for improvement. I firmly believe the bass is the best part here and it's left reduced to make for a sound signature that is bright-leaning, if not unbearably so for many. The lower mids is also leaner than I'd like and there's a slight bass tuck affecting some instruments too. Vocals are not a strong point either going from recessed to overly prominent/shouty. I dare say that the average person who looked at the Blessing2:Dusk would not say they'd want less bass and more upper mids/treble, and these are complaints in general when compared against other IEMs too. If MOONDROP had spent some time to offer a tonality that was at least different from the norm in a better way I would have respected it. As it stands, the Blessing 3 tries to goes the safe route but then messes it up with a questionable execution to where I can't recommend it unless you are up for tinkering around with EQ. If you are, then this is easily one of the more technical IEMs for the money and worth the asking price!