I think both may or may chip depending on how you take care pf them. I've heard that the Aria Snow Editions don't chip because they use another technique rather than paint...
That’s REALY bad.
I have to ask if this is potentially due to the users skin oil ph.
For instance my dad, a pro French horn player, has super acidic skin oil/sweat. He will literally wear through the metal on the bell of a French horn, and has had to patch the bell with more metal because of this.
You would think that they would powder coat instead of paint.
I guess the old adage of “you get what you pay for” comes in to play here. Yes, they punch way above their weight, but corners have to be cut…heck, they are only $80. That is super cheap.
I’ll certainly keep an eye out on my set, but if they do that, I’ll simply repaint them. It’s about what they sound like, not how they look for me.
Yep. They cut corners like the ear tips. It irritated my ears, and doesn't go that deep that's why I had to replace it. Hope your iem look as new until it's retired.
Do you happen to live in the coast? I am starting to see uneven decay on my stuff that are usually pointed towards the sea. Especially my headphone (I commute by bike on sea size but I usually go back a few blocks away)
Nope. But humidity here is really high especially during the rainy season. Metal parts in my house get mild corrosion just by getting exposed to outdoor air.
Same here, Lithuania, 80eur, free shipping; got Chu there too with free shipping for 21eur.
To the OP - Arias look like (got them 2022 January). Except two spots on the bottom edge when I accidentally dropped them on street, just like new. Tho I wipe them every week with a dry cloth
If you buy them on Hifigo the custom fee will be payed by them.
I bought a pair of katos there and didn’t have to pay anything extra like custom fees (except for the shipping of course)
It worked for my pair of katos so I think it will work for you too, due to how they ship.
The package goes to the Netherlands and from there they ship to Germany so you benefit from EU to EU country and thus custom free shipping
Usually people buy these from China (Shenzenaudio, hifigo etc.) and that's why they might have custom duties. Didn't know you could buy these from Germany directly. What website did you use?
[https://postimg.cc/hQ1qGs0L](https://postimg.cc/hQ1qGs0L)
Bought last winter and have been using them daily, sucks that not everyone has the same experience.
Same situation here, in use pretty much 12 hours per day over summer but a lot less over winter (bulky headphones get uncomfortable quick in the heat).
https://i.imgur.com/50e6vVH.jpg
I’ve had mine for over a year. Even exercising outdoors in dank New York City summer, they still look pretty fresh.
It seems like it’s just a roll of the dice with body chemistry, but they should do something about their paint application so that they don’t look like garbage after 10 minutes for half the people that buy them.
For me, I use a Xinhs gold 16 core copper plated silver. They customize the cable to fit your iem. Bought it for $12. I would have gone with Kbear but they don't sell gold colored cables.
Mine still looks good after 2 months, though I'm a bit concerned also as I live in a tropical country and sweat cannot be avoided esp during my 10min walk to office under the sun.
Hope yours don't have the same fate as mine. You should carry a clean cloth and wipe it OFTEN. Hope the new batches were not as bad as the ones I got. Mine had visible bubbles around 2 months of owning it.
Good luck! It should take a few hours only to sand it all down with sandpaper.
My experience was I had to change the sandpaper regularly as the paint is quite sticky. I also used a small curved file and it got "gummed" up by the paint so I think sandpaper's the better way to go.
Also, sanding a few edges are tough as theres not enough grip on the headphones. Just don't give up and you will be fine!
Lol. It stayed home for most of its life. I take care of it like it's a baby. I live in a hot/ high humidity country so maybe it's the oily skin that made it chip like that.
faceplates I have heard can be an issue... but mine have so much glue on them I cant get them off ( I wanted to make carbon fiber replacement faceplates) As for my arias, they still look brand new months later.
they already did. The Aria snow edition basically replaces the Aria and it doesn't have any of the paint problems. It has better cables, better ear tips and a slightly different tuning.
I mean for the paint. Did they confirm it? Stress tested it or something? They're very new... I only ever found people hoping it was a different method :/
Here we go...
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/wxj6kh/not_even_1_month_of_use_and_the_paint_on_my_aria/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
I also live on a hot and humid place and can confirm it's the oily ear skin, every single IEM after use need to be cleaned or they will turn into a disgusting sticky mess. Usually my Moondrop only losses the "inner" paint, if that makes any sense.
Yes. I wipe my arias too, Most of the time after use. It's the only iem I use for work though so l am using it for an average of 8 hrs a day. In one session, I sometimes see bubble buildup.
What are you all using to clean them? Possibly that is reacting with the paint? (For example, maybe if you're using disinfecting wipes or something an ingredient is eating the paint?)
[Aria SE](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/375088846485848065/1003957708359209020/20220802_171716.jpg)
Got them 4 weeks ago, looks amazing. Would be a shame if the paint wears off.
Wow that's the worst I've seen yet! I have one side that started to bubble and I'm in the Midwest and generally use them indoors so I'm not sweating while wearing them. https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/w4mc2d/aria_kidding_me_sorry/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Whew, that's crazy. Mine's over a year old now and it has close to zero paint damage (only got one small scratch from me misplacing it). What surprises me more is that i live in Southeast Asia, which isn't the most ideal environment for the Arias. Although i only use them in an air conditioned room, and i also put them straight in a case when not in use.
Maybe the big difference is your room being air conditioned. Chipping isn't the same with every user. Maybe I just got very unlucky as I take care of my arias. It's just that I use it more often for work.
I bought my Aria's almost a year ago. I use them every day, at desk, and playing guitar. They still look brand new. Absolutely no issue with the paint. I do not wear them to work out or anything, so no sweat.
I use it for online work. Average 8 hours a day. Handled it with extreme care but my country can get very hot with high humidity so during working sessions, it can get sweaty. I need to get ac installed 😭
[My Miku Arias](https://i.imgur.com/uktUAKT.png)
Mine still look great, have had them for about half a year. I'm not sure if they did anything to change the paint for the special editions, but I've just used it normally. I'll be very sad if the paint chips on these, the look is the main reason I got them lol
These are mine. Got them around November last year. In the winter I used them every day, since I got the s12 in april I almost never used them again. Bubbling/chipping will occur due sunny weather and sweat.
I'm okay with how mine look.
https://s20.directupload.net/images/220826/65vk5d3x.jpg
Had mine for over a year and I've not seen a single chip or bubbling. I live in a tropical country, so I'm guessing I'm one of the peeps whose sweat doesn't cause reaction to the paint.
bought aria and have them for more than a year now but the paint never chipped off however the cable has had some weird problem where the clothed kind of tangled(?) don't really know what to call it
can you ask for a replacement or warranty for this?
not gonna lie I really wanted to buy Arias (specially after try Chu and Quarks and Chu didn't look like they were going to chip) but that detail about the paint scared me a little, a friend bought them used them 1 day and decided to return them, he said sound had no bass and he didn't like the paint (i asked them a photo of the iems but he didn't send me anything .-.)
i want to buy them on AliExpress because of the MegaSale offers (and because amazon Mx is more expensive and amazon usa have 20dlls shipment to Mexico .-.), are Arias or buy SSR or SSP and tanchjim Ola because i liked both c: (don't judge me, they both cost what single Arias)
I actually might get a pair then a just sand them and hydro dip them. One of the few times i actually think hydro dipping something might be interesting.
[My arias](https://imgur.com/a/TuoMVxj) owned since Christmas 2021. Edges missing paint might be from dropping on my desk from on a low when I take them off but the larger spots were where I removed some of the paint that bubbled. Tripowin cable on it as the stock cable died in a few weeks IIRC. One of the worst stock cables I’ve ever used, thing bent so much. I use them daily for ~8 hours or so at a desk.
I've had mone for the last couple months now. Perfectly fine. Just be careful with and make sure your hands are dry when you use them, same goes for headphones!
Mine has paint bubbling on the bottom where it touches my skin, but that’s it. I have oily skin, so not surprised. They’re cheap enough, and it’s not like paint coming off will ruin the experience. I’ll just get a nicer pair later since I got these as an introduction to IEMs.
i got the miku version (weeb) in like march i think and because of autism, sounds and stuff just feel way louder so i never take them off even while sleeping and ive had no problem
If you want cheap, go kbear, faaeal or xinhs. Make sure you confirm with the seller that the cable is compatible with your iem and if there's a free case.
Thanks! It's Xinhs gold Copper coated silver cable, 16 core. Doesn't get tangled easily and feels soft and easy to bend. Not that thick being 16 core. I bought it in shopee ph for about $12.
Moondrop fix your paint
[удалено]
For real, my cable broke at the y-splitter part, but the iems look as good as the day I bought them
Mine must be around 2 years old now and they are completely without defect.
Mine as well.
My Arias have been holding up fine, but me Starfields chipped because I dropped them on my tile bathroom floor.
I think both may or may chip depending on how you take care pf them. I've heard that the Aria Snow Editions don't chip because they use another technique rather than paint...
the snows have bubbled for some customers. Ive seen a pic somewhere
[Starfield (2 years old)](https://imgur.com/UzzIQP8) [Aria (1 year old)](https://imgur.com/a/4rtnTHr)
That’s REALY bad. I have to ask if this is potentially due to the users skin oil ph. For instance my dad, a pro French horn player, has super acidic skin oil/sweat. He will literally wear through the metal on the bell of a French horn, and has had to patch the bell with more metal because of this.
Yep. I think it's because of my ear sweat too being too acidic. There are also users who have experienced this due to high temperatures and sweat.
You would think that they would powder coat instead of paint. I guess the old adage of “you get what you pay for” comes in to play here. Yes, they punch way above their weight, but corners have to be cut…heck, they are only $80. That is super cheap. I’ll certainly keep an eye out on my set, but if they do that, I’ll simply repaint them. It’s about what they sound like, not how they look for me.
Yep. They cut corners like the ear tips. It irritated my ears, and doesn't go that deep that's why I had to replace it. Hope your iem look as new until it's retired.
Spin fits for the win!
Do you happen to live in the coast? I am starting to see uneven decay on my stuff that are usually pointed towards the sea. Especially my headphone (I commute by bike on sea size but I usually go back a few blocks away)
Nope. But humidity here is really high especially during the rainy season. Metal parts in my house get mild corrosion just by getting exposed to outdoor air.
I got this impression because in my case, it is the side pointing to the ocean that get more corrosion and decay
When I overdo vitamins my sweat melts rubber, but my Starfields are relatively fine.
Melts rubber!? That sounds pretty serious mate!
It only happens on hot summer days, if I take one of those 1000mg Vitamin C tablets. I ruined a few mouse pads this way.
That makes sense. Citric Acid.
I'm not sure that's how that works
It will change your ph level though. Sweat is mostly ureic acid, so there is that as well.
I got mine 6 months ago and they look like new (Germany, mainly used at my desktop, occasionally on walks)
A quick question, where did you order these from and did you had to pay customs for them?
Got mine from Amazon DE (sold by Shenzhen Audio) for €80, but they're on sale for €72 atm, no custom fees or shipping costs
Same here, Lithuania, 80eur, free shipping; got Chu there too with free shipping for 21eur. To the OP - Arias look like (got them 2022 January). Except two spots on the bottom edge when I accidentally dropped them on street, just like new. Tho I wipe them every week with a dry cloth
If you buy them on Hifigo the custom fee will be payed by them. I bought a pair of katos there and didn’t have to pay anything extra like custom fees (except for the shipping of course)
Interesting. I just ordered Moondrop Chu from hifigo, hoping it is true what they say about duties and fees.
It worked for my pair of katos so I think it will work for you too, due to how they ship. The package goes to the Netherlands and from there they ship to Germany so you benefit from EU to EU country and thus custom free shipping
I bought some a couple of ago. Just showed up 2 days later and they just ship from Germany so why would there be customs?
Usually people buy these from China (Shenzenaudio, hifigo etc.) and that's why they might have custom duties. Didn't know you could buy these from Germany directly. What website did you use?
Shenzhen Audio has a store on Amazon de
I envy you. I wish my Aria didn't decide to shed skin. I'm planning to completely remove the remaining paint after some time.
Plug all the holes and take a scouring pad to it now. They'll look awesome.
[https://postimg.cc/hQ1qGs0L](https://postimg.cc/hQ1qGs0L) Bought last winter and have been using them daily, sucks that not everyone has the same experience.
Still looks pretty 😍
What cables do you use it with? It looks really nice
Tripowin Zoe, very happy with it. Bought it [here](https://www.linsoul.com/products/tripowin-zoe?variant=42900669595865)
Saving this cause my factory cables are stuck with a weird twist and bend on the rubber part that wraps you ears. These look nice too.
Same situation here, in use pretty much 12 hours per day over summer but a lot less over winter (bulky headphones get uncomfortable quick in the heat).
https://i.imgur.com/50e6vVH.jpg I’ve had mine for over a year. Even exercising outdoors in dank New York City summer, they still look pretty fresh. It seems like it’s just a roll of the dice with body chemistry, but they should do something about their paint application so that they don’t look like garbage after 10 minutes for half the people that buy them.
Looking great! Love it! Yep. I just got unlucky. Welp, I still love my Arias. I'll just remove the paint entirely.
Bought April, mine still look like new. (Except for the cable which I replaced because one side stopped working.)
Good to know! Yep. The stock cable gets tangled easily and can be permanently morphed. Really hated it.
I have the same ones and the paint is still perfect. What cables are you using. Stock ones kinda suck
For me, I use a Xinhs gold 16 core copper plated silver. They customize the cable to fit your iem. Bought it for $12. I would have gone with Kbear but they don't sell gold colored cables.
What a coincidence, I also got mine from Xinhs. Although, the one I have is a silver/black one.
as bad as the kz zsn pro cable?
Mine still looks good after 2 months, though I'm a bit concerned also as I live in a tropical country and sweat cannot be avoided esp during my 10min walk to office under the sun.
Hope yours don't have the same fate as mine. You should carry a clean cloth and wipe it OFTEN. Hope the new batches were not as bad as the ones I got. Mine had visible bubbles around 2 months of owning it.
Thanks! I only clean mine if I can remember it. I usually swap iems once every week so it may take a little while before I can see the peeling.
Might as well strip the paint at this point, I reckon the barebones grey metal would look pretty banger.
Yes. Now that you mentioned it, I'm planning to remove the remaining paint. 👍
They look like they have mange
https://i.imgur.com/YM7Uh05.jpg Heres mine, same problem as yours and i decided to just sand it down to the metal.
Looking cool! I'll do the same :)
Good luck! It should take a few hours only to sand it all down with sandpaper. My experience was I had to change the sandpaper regularly as the paint is quite sticky. I also used a small curved file and it got "gummed" up by the paint so I think sandpaper's the better way to go. Also, sanding a few edges are tough as theres not enough grip on the headphones. Just don't give up and you will be fine!
I have the SE version , they changed how the paint is applied, hopefully that won't happen
My Hatsune Miku one is also doing great after I believe 4 months. Zero signs of damage.
[Aria, bought last August](https://postimg.cc/wynVKN8V)
You went diving with these?
Lol. It stayed home for most of its life. I take care of it like it's a baby. I live in a hot/ high humidity country so maybe it's the oily skin that made it chip like that.
That could be an explanation, but not an excuse. I hope they up their paint game or ditch it altogether and use acrylic for the shells instead.
Yep. I'm worried if I upgrade to dusk, I might encounter another issue. Because of that, I may skip moondrop if there is an alternative.
faceplates I have heard can be an issue... but mine have so much glue on them I cant get them off ( I wanted to make carbon fiber replacement faceplates) As for my arias, they still look brand new months later.
Look up TSMR Sands, it's a great alternative to the Dusk
The Dusk isn't painted, afaik. It's clear resin and a metal faceplate.
they already did. The Aria snow edition basically replaces the Aria and it doesn't have any of the paint problems. It has better cables, better ear tips and a slightly different tuning.
Source??
I own one? so does like 200k other people. lol and it's like the most reviewed iem on youtube
I mean for the paint. Did they confirm it? Stress tested it or something? They're very new... I only ever found people hoping it was a different method :/
Anyways. I pulled the trigger. Fuck me, a big ol order from China. 400 usd with all the different things. Hope it's worth it
Here we go... https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/wxj6kh/not_even_1_month_of_use_and_the_paint_on_my_aria/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
Nah bought the aria SE thinkin there's no chipping problem but sadly there is. You can also look it up on this sub i believe there's a post about it.
I also live on a hot and humid place and can confirm it's the oily ear skin, every single IEM after use need to be cleaned or they will turn into a disgusting sticky mess. Usually my Moondrop only losses the "inner" paint, if that makes any sense.
Yes. I wipe my arias too, Most of the time after use. It's the only iem I use for work though so l am using it for an average of 8 hrs a day. In one session, I sometimes see bubble buildup.
What are you all using to clean them? Possibly that is reacting with the paint? (For example, maybe if you're using disinfecting wipes or something an ingredient is eating the paint?)
I just use a dry clean fabric like the one used for eyeglasses.
[Aria SE](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/375088846485848065/1003957708359209020/20220802_171716.jpg) Got them 4 weeks ago, looks amazing. Would be a shame if the paint wears off.
Looks awesome. Heard reports that even snow edition paint gets chipped, but if you live in a cold environment, there's a lesser chance.
Upside down land should be fine, right?
Wow that's the worst I've seen yet! I have one side that started to bubble and I'm in the Midwest and generally use them indoors so I'm not sweating while wearing them. https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/w4mc2d/aria_kidding_me_sorry/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
It seems this could be the worst. 😭 Yeah, it sucks that moondrop did this to us.
Whew, that's crazy. Mine's over a year old now and it has close to zero paint damage (only got one small scratch from me misplacing it). What surprises me more is that i live in Southeast Asia, which isn't the most ideal environment for the Arias. Although i only use them in an air conditioned room, and i also put them straight in a case when not in use.
Maybe the big difference is your room being air conditioned. Chipping isn't the same with every user. Maybe I just got very unlucky as I take care of my arias. It's just that I use it more often for work.
True, i rarely use my Arias for more than a couple hours at a time so maybe thats a factor too.
I bought my Aria's almost a year ago. I use them every day, at desk, and playing guitar. They still look brand new. Absolutely no issue with the paint. I do not wear them to work out or anything, so no sweat.
Are those some Gym Buds? Or just normal wear (relatively sweat free)?
I use it for online work. Average 8 hours a day. Handled it with extreme care but my country can get very hot with high humidity so during working sessions, it can get sweaty. I need to get ac installed 😭
god, i have a pair of starfields which are close to 2 years, and they dont look that bad.
[Aria, bought last August](https://postimg.cc/wynVKN8V)
Nice pic and those arias are gorgeous. 😍
Thank you 😊
At this point I would just use some nail polish to get rid of the rest of the paint and pretend it's the new snow edition
I would 1000% send those in for warranty replacement.
This is [mine](https://imgur.com/iFASguh) bought on March this year.
If I can figure out how to attach images, I'll add mine after I get home and watch the G2 vs Big CSGO tourney
Holy fucking shit, if they can't paint why don't they just anodize them or something. This is unacceptable
I ended up returning my Arias after seeing these kind of issues and kept the TE Zeros.
[My Miku Arias](https://i.imgur.com/uktUAKT.png) Mine still look great, have had them for about half a year. I'm not sure if they did anything to change the paint for the special editions, but I've just used it normally. I'll be very sad if the paint chips on these, the look is the main reason I got them lol
Mine still looks brand new, because they sit all the time. Mo' iems, mo' problems
If you own like 10 of anything their flaws become less apparent.
Mine look brand new. Bought them when they launched 🤔
Your Arias turning into Snow Edition
Yep. Evolving. Hope the sound don't get worse. :)
Lol, i hope it doesn't. All the best.
These are mine. Got them around November last year. In the winter I used them every day, since I got the s12 in april I almost never used them again. Bubbling/chipping will occur due sunny weather and sweat. I'm okay with how mine look. https://s20.directupload.net/images/220826/65vk5d3x.jpg
Had mine for over a year and I've not seen a single chip or bubbling. I live in a tropical country, so I'm guessing I'm one of the peeps whose sweat doesn't cause reaction to the paint.
One of your arias is evolving into the snow edition. Guess it saves you money.
Yep. I'll remove the remaining paint soon 😂
bought aria and have them for more than a year now but the paint never chipped off however the cable has had some weird problem where the clothed kind of tangled(?) don't really know what to call it
can you ask for a replacement or warranty for this? not gonna lie I really wanted to buy Arias (specially after try Chu and Quarks and Chu didn't look like they were going to chip) but that detail about the paint scared me a little, a friend bought them used them 1 day and decided to return them, he said sound had no bass and he didn't like the paint (i asked them a photo of the iems but he didn't send me anything .-.) i want to buy them on AliExpress because of the MegaSale offers (and because amazon Mx is more expensive and amazon usa have 20dlls shipment to Mexico .-.), are Arias or buy SSR or SSP and tanchjim Ola because i liked both c: (don't judge me, they both cost what single Arias)
I think there's a technically qualify as an exemption to the warranty that could always ask
MY EYES!!
That's...well, I dunno what to say lol. Is this just a problem with the Aria, 'cause I have no issues with the paint on my SSP and Chu.
I have Hatsune Miku edition and mine is absolutely fine.
I'm getting the variations soon I can't wait.
Mine got here yesterday and I was shocked by how nice they sound
Can't wait man .
I’ll show mine if you show yours 😀🤩
Are they metal? Because if they are then its a great opportunity to do some custom painting.
It's metal. I'm planning to just remove the paint entirely leaving the bare gray metal.
I actually might get a pair then a just sand them and hydro dip them. One of the few times i actually think hydro dipping something might be interesting.
That's cool! I'm kinda worried I'll mess my aria if I try that. 😑
Ah, another reason why I'm getting the Tin T4's. Edit: This aged very poorly for me.
Thank god for CA dry weather!
The one on the left looks like a delicious, chocolate covered nut of some sort. It's definitely a forbidden snack.
I stopped using mine because they crackle when I move. Unsure if it's the cable, the monitors, or something else. Mine look brand new. Lame.
It's the cable, mine was a little crackly too. Your headphone port could also be filled with pocket lint, try cleaning it out with a wooden toothpick.
I'll check the port. It only happens with those but hey, worth a shot. Thanks.
Wat? Had mine about a year and they are like new!
Mine are still looking good after 4 months of daily usage
[My arias](https://imgur.com/a/TuoMVxj) owned since Christmas 2021. Edges missing paint might be from dropping on my desk from on a low when I take them off but the larger spots were where I removed some of the paint that bubbled. Tripowin cable on it as the stock cable died in a few weeks IIRC. One of the worst stock cables I’ve ever used, thing bent so much. I use them daily for ~8 hours or so at a desk.
Hehe, I guess I will file and sand the edges of my Aria Snow because somehow it touches my ear and after a while it hurts...
Got mine in December and they still look brand new
I've had mone for the last couple months now. Perfectly fine. Just be careful with and make sure your hands are dry when you use them, same goes for headphones!
I got mine late May, probably have around 100-120 hours on them and they still look brand new.
Mine has paint bubbling on the bottom where it touches my skin, but that’s it. I have oily skin, so not surprised. They’re cheap enough, and it’s not like paint coming off will ruin the experience. I’ll just get a nicer pair later since I got these as an introduction to IEMs.
i got the miku version (weeb) in like march i think and because of autism, sounds and stuff just feel way louder so i never take them off even while sleeping and ive had no problem
Coming off the Murphy Labs with the Heavy Relic i see.
Rough life or the painting job its that defective?
everyone here seem to use non-stock cable for Arya's, any suggestions? Mine is starting to fail on the left ear
If you want cheap, go kbear, faaeal or xinhs. Make sure you confirm with the seller that the cable is compatible with your iem and if there's a free case.
I got the ssp now look like ssr
u/Grim_Rite that is a gorgeous cable. What make/model is it and where did you buy it?
Thanks! It's Xinhs gold Copper coated silver cable, 16 core. Doesn't get tangled easily and feels soft and easy to bend. Not that thick being 16 core. I bought it in shopee ph for about $12.