A Casual's Review of the Hidizs MP143 Salt IEMs

 

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not an audiophile, and this review does not delve into the technical aspects of the IEMs. My impressions are based on my personal preferences, and others may have different experiences with this product. I also have a very limited experience with audio products so please take this review with a grain of salt.

The Hidizs MP143 Salt was lent to me as part of a review tour in the Philippines.

Pros

  • Amazing soundstage and imaging
  • Tuning nozzles are a great addition to switch things up
  • Introductory price via Kickstarter is great value
  • Help save whales when you buy this set!

Cons

  • Large and heavy shell. May not fit all ears.
  • Pouch may not offer enough protection for the IEMs

General Product Details

Package Inclusions

  • IEM shells & cable
  • Carrying Pouch
  • 6 pairs of Eartips
  • 3 tuning nozzles
The IEM Shells
  • The shells are CNC-ed from one piece of aluminum and has that bare-metal look. The sample I got was silver, but I know that there’s a bluish-black variant. The faceplate has the Hidizs logo printed with black ink (?) and below that are grooves in a staircase pattern (for lack of a better description)
  • Each earpiece weighs 7.8g without eartips. These are probably the heaviest IEMs that I’ve ever tried on!
  • These IEMs use the standard 0.78mm 2 pin connectors, so they are compatible with most aftermarket cables.
The Cable
  • Feels just like my Truthear Hola cables, nothing fancy on the outside.
  • My review unit had the 4.4mm jack so I had to use the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha as source when using my computer instead of my ifi nano LE
The Carrying Case
  • The pouch is made of polyurethane leather, with the Hidizs logo printed in black. The pouch is easily opened and closed by a cinch.
  • It honestly feels cheaply made, and I don’t think this will last for a long time. I suggest using a hard case or one that has more padding to safely carry around your IEMs.
Extra: The Tuning Nozzles
  • This is a first for me to be able to use IEMs that have replaceable nozzles! Each nozzle changes the tuning slightly, and are of different colors to easily identify what each one is for.
  • The Red nozzles change the tuning of the IEMs and give it more BASS.
  • The Silver nozzles changes the tuning to have more TREBLE.
  • The Rose Gold nozzles are for a more balanced tuning. These are what I use and are my favorite!
Subjective Review

General Usage Impressions
  • I was super hyped to try these out, but the first time I tried them on and the right IEM wasn’t going in well. The IEMs are heavy and have a large shape, which reminded me of the Elysian Pilgrims since I had the same problem with them as well.
  • Due to the above, I am unable to get a good seal, and have to constantly adjust the right IEM so it won’t fall off, which just made it frustrating to use.
  • I love the concept of tuning nozzles, it’s a great way of appealing to a crowd that have differing preferences, and makes the IEMs flexible enough to appeal to the majority. It was very easy to switch nozzles: just twist to remove and replace.
  • Since the MP143 I received only had the 4.4mm jack, I had to use a mobile DAC/AMP, I used the HIDIZS S9 Pro Plus Martha that was loaned to me by Mars.
Sound Impressions
  • I used the Rose Gold nozzles the most since I prefer the more balanced tuning than more bass and treble. The Red nozzles boosts the bass while reducing the the higher frequencies. The Silver nozzles do the opposite of this, reducing the bass while boosting the higher frequencies.
  • The first thing I noticed was the soundstage and details. These are AMAZING for listening to music and gaming! Definitely a set that I would want to use to give me a competitive edge when gaming
  • Listening to a busy track like Hatena by Penguin Research, the MP143 had great clarity and detail. I was able to hear specific instruments when I focused on them.
Final Thoughts
The MP143 sounds, looks, and feels amazing, the price to performance and value you get out of the box is a great deal! Plus you get to help protect whales, as Hidizs has partnered with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation! If you hadn’t noticed, they chose not to add plastics in their packaging. Thanks Hidizs!

But no matter how much I wanted to love this set so much, and how I was looking forward to get myself a pair, the fitment issues were the biggest detriment for me. If you do have larger ears, it’s a no-brainer, grab the Hidizs MP143 while it’s still on Kickstarter to save yourself 60 USD, and also save the whales!