By aspect — in detail
Widely praised, with one consistent qualifier: it is sub-bass-led rather than punchy. Reviewers agree on depth, rumble and planar speed; the dissent is about weight — several note the mid-bass returns to level fast, so slam-seekers find it light, and one finds the mid-bass the more dominant of the two.
“Quick, deep and always on point, this is great!”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
“The MP145 have fairly dense and punchy bass, but the speed is lacking slightly due to some added damping in the balanced and bass filters.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
“The area of impact is big but it isn’t heavy or very punchy.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
Measured
Two independent rigs agree, normalized at 500 Hz: roughly +10 dB at 20–30 Hz, +9.4 to +10.1 at 50 Hz, +6.8 to +7.3 at 100 Hz, and only +3.2 to +3.9 by 200 Hz — a shelf that is nearly flat from 20 to 50 Hz and clears the midrange quickly. ASR measures distortion as essentially non-existent at 94 dBSPL.
⚠ vs. listeners — Both readings are right. The shelf is very large where sub-bass lives and largely gone where mid-bass punch lives, so "deep and rumbly" and "not a heavy hitter" describe the same curve.
Sources split three ways rather than two. One camp calls the midrange a highlight for clarity; one hears the lower mids pulled back and male vocals set distant; a third calls it deliberately safe — inoffensive rather than a selling point. Nobody calls it shouty.
Measured
Both rigs put 500 Hz–1 kHz at the lowest point of the entire curve (1 kHz reads only +0.9 to +1.1 dB over 500 Hz) and place ear gain unusually low and modestly — +6.9 to +8.1 dB peaking at 2.27–2.47 kHz rather than the usual 3 kHz. Headphonesty's own prose figure, "about 7dB" of pinna gain, matches its rig exactly.
⚠ vs. listeners — A low, modest presence peak is why no reviewer finds it shouty — and also why the same tuning reads as clear to some and as set-back to others: vocal energy arrives around 2.3 kHz, below where a chest-forward male vocal wants help.
Where it splits
a highlight — among the best mids near the price29%
“In this price range, I’d say those are one of the best mids you could get up to this day, surprise, surprise!”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
safely tuned — smooth and inoffensive rather than a highlight35%
“Vocals on the MP145 are banking on its safer timbre to control the climb to shoutier regions since the midrange has an intimacy to it.”
Aldous, Headfonics
The most contested axis, and the one the production change touched. One camp hears real extension and sparkle with no sibilance; the other hears a safe top end that wants more air out of the box. A recurring middle note is unevenness rather than level: Headphonesty attributes the airiness to a spike near 14 kHz that "can be fatiguing in tracks with heavy cymbal hits," and owners report it turning sharp at high volume. The silver nozzle adds treble; the red nozzle takes it away.
Measured
Both rigs show the same top-end architecture over 500 Hz: a dip at 5.8–6.4 kHz (+2.4 to +4.1 dB), the dominant peak at 7.75–8.0 kHz (+7.0 to +11.2 dB — part of which is the known IEC-711 artifact), a notch near 12 kHz (−3.7 to −4.1 dB), and no agreement above 14 kHz (one rig +4.0, the other −1.3). ASR's GRAS rig independently reports "some shortfall in treble region" against its target.
⚠ vs. listeners — The graphs support both camps at once, in different octaves: there is a genuinely large peak at 8 kHz (the sparkle, and the sharpness at volume) sitting between a 6 kHz dip and a 12 kHz notch (the missing air). Which one a listener notices also depends on insertion depth and on which batch they own — the revision cut 0.8 to 2.2 dB out of 6.5–9 kHz.
Where it splits
extended and lively — sparkle and air, occasionally sharp at volume45%
“What these planar drivers are capable of are some of the best treble response and MP145 is no exception.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
safe and short of air — wants more extension out of the box55%
“Initial impression was one of neutral present for the most part, lacking a bit of emphasis in highs.”
amirm, Audio Science Review
Positive overall, but reviewers reach for different labels for the same curve — U-shaped, reasonably V-shaped, neutral, warm. Hidizs advertises the H-2019 (Harman) target, a claim one reviewer holds up only for 500 Hz–1 kHz. The single dissenting voice reads it as warm and declines to recommend it on tonal grounds.
“It’s 14.5 mm drivers are tuned to deliver class leading SQ with a reasonably V shaped signature that doesn’t feel aggressive or lean at any point.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
“Hidizs advertises that the MP145 is close to the Harman 2019 V2 target, which is accurate if you only consider the 500 – 1000Hz region.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
Measured
The measured shape is consistent across rigs: a ~+10 dB sub-bass shelf, a trough at 500 Hz–1 kHz, a modest +7 to +8 dB ear-gain peak placed low at ~2.3 kHz, and an 8 kHz peak — a U with an unusually low presence region, which is why one reviewer's "V-shaped" and another's "warm" can both fit.
Soundstage
Contested · 6 srcGenuinely split, and close to even. Half the field calls the stage one of the best at the price, singling out depth; the other half calls it average or planar-narrow, with one reviewer arguing the width is an artefact of the scooped lower mids rather than real space.
Measured
Both rigs put the 500 Hz–1 kHz band at the bottom of the curve, beneath both a +7 dB 100 Hz shelf and a +7 to +8 dB 2.3 kHz peak. That scooped middle is the physical basis for Headphonesty's argument that the apparent width is a by-product of lower-mid recession.
Where it splits
unusually big for the price — width, height and depth49%
“Few years ago it was criminal to expect a well developed stage at this price but guess what, MP145 has one of the best stage expansion and imaging.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
average at best; the usual planar narrowness51%
“The soundstage of the MP145 is on the average side where it consistently positions instruments around the driver region.”
Aldous, Headfonics
Imaging
Strong consensus · 6 srcThe clearest point of agreement after build. Separation, air between instruments and placement accuracy are praised across editorial, community and critical sources alike — including by reviewers who dislike the set overall.
“Layering and separation are superb with class leading amount of air between instruments.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
“Imaging is better than staging, with instruments having well-defined cardinal positions.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
Detail
Strong consensus · 7 srcConsistently called strong for the money, with the recurring line being that a clear step up costs considerably more. The one qualifier is note edges: Headfonics finds the leading edge blunted on the default nozzle, and the reviewer who measured both batches preferred the launch unit for lower-treble detail.
“MP145 has superb details, excellent clarity and much better control over sharpness than S12 pro and Talos.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
“I must say that the bite is quite shallow so the edges feel a bit blunted.”
Aldous, Headfonics
“I’m leaning more towards the Old MP145 for just that bit of detail in the lower treble region, overall resolution as well as slightly wider sounding”
vandung2510, Head-Fi
Measured
ASR measures distortion as "exceedingly low" and flat impedance, so the resolution reviewers hear is not fighting audible distortion at normal levels.
Fast and macro-capable, with a widely repeated caveat about micro-dynamics being masked by the sub-bass shelf. The bigger practical variable is drive: sources disagree on how much amplification it needs, from "considerably tasking" on a phone to "not super hard to drive" off a mid-range dongle.
“Macrodynamic punch is well reproduced, as sudden drops in bass or crescendos maintain their dramatic nature.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
“Microdynamics are middling, as the excessive sub-bass masks low-level details and subtle shifts in volume.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
“the MP145 remains a true planar and will be considerably tasking with low-powered sources, like a phone”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
Measured
ASR measures sensitivity as "a bit low for an IEM but not the worst we have measured" with flat, low impedance, and concludes it should drive from many sources. Independently, vandung2510 found the later-batch unit about 1 dB more sensitive at a matched volume setting — a small real difference in the same direction as the easier-to-drive claims.
Comfort
Contested · 10 srcThe single biggest complaint about the set, and the reason most "don't buy" advice exists. Two reviewers find the shells sit fine for long sessions; far more report them as too large, wide-nozzled and tiring after a couple of hours, with the stairstep faceplate's sharp edges drawing owner complaints up to and including injury. ASR separately found the wide nozzle made tip-swapping very difficult.
Measured
Hidizs specifies each earpiece at under 9.5 g (Headphonesty lists 19 g for the pair) — not heavy for metal shells, so the complaints are about size, nozzle width and edge geometry rather than mass.
Where it splits
big but livable — the shape follows the ear21%
“the contours of the shell followed the shape of my ear with sureness which was a good sign that I could use it for long periods”
Aldous, Headfonics
too large, sharp-edged and tiring — fit is a gamble79%
“I’d even say the fitting and the size of the shells puts me off more than the retuning itself.”
vandung2510, Head-Fi
Broadly excellent: an all-aluminium CNC shell that even the harshest reviewers call premium. The disagreement is in the details — the stairstep faceplate's sharp edges, the flush 2-pin sockets, an easily chipped hard case, plastic packaging on an environmentally-themed product, and a stock cable several reviewers think is below the price.
“great build and solid shell”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
“The stairstep pattern adds some flair to the design and makes the MP145 stand out, but the edges are sharp and can be uncomfortable.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
“The edges are extremely sharp for an IEM.”
David, verified purchase, Amazon
“There are no annoying edges to worry about.”
Suman Sourav Meher, The Headphone List
Isolation
Strong consensus · 3 srcAdequate rather than a strength. Two sources call it good or above average; one calls it enough for background noise but not class-leading. The shell carries two vents, which is also why nobody reports pressure build-up.
“Isolation is above average due to extra venting on the shell.”
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir, Headphonesty
“The isolation of the MP145 is enough if you’re looking to hush out noise coming from the background.”
Aldous, Headfonics
Measured
Hidizs' own spec sheet claims up to 25 dB of passive isolation — a maker figure, not an independently measured one.
A large majority still treat it as one of the strongest planars near $160, several calling it the best under $200. A real minority declines to recommend it — on accessories and fit, and on the quiet mid-life retune. Amazon's rating tail is the most honest picture: mostly fives, with about one review in seven at one or two stars.
Where it splits
still a benchmark at the price81%
“I am going to recommend the Hidizs MP145 IEM especially when used with a bit of EQ.”
amirm, Audio Science Review
undercut by accessories, fit and the quiet retune19%
“for €150 this cable and the box do not seem to me to be up to par, I can think of several headphones that make better use of our money”
PROblemdetected, Head-Fi
