Sound Quality:
The Moondrop Golden Ages deliver a clear, tight, and highly precise sound, thanks to their planar magnetic drivers. The treble is especially crisp, maintaining clarity without any harshness or sibilance. Vocals and instruments are distinctly separated, resulting in a soundstage that feels expansive and free of congestion. While the bass may be less pronounced compared to dynamic drivers, it is still impactful—tight and responsive, thanks to the 13mm planar driver. For those seeking a more bass-heavy sound signature, I recommend using the Target 5128 EQ available in the Moondrop Link app.
Build Quality:
The Golden Ages are crafted from a lightweight yet durable plastic. Some may find the build a bit too light, which could give it a less premium feel, but personally, I find the lighter design to be more comfortable for extended listening sessions. The painted finish on both the buds and case may be prone to chipping over time, though I have not encountered this issue with other users.
Features:
In the box, you'll find a silicone protective case, a USB-C charging cable, three sets of silicone eartips, user manuals, and a poster featuring the box cover art. The Golden Ages come equipped with active noise cancellation (ANC), Transparency Mode, LDAC, and LC3 support. The ANC performance is solid—while not class-leading in this price range, it does a decent job of reducing ambient noise. Transparency Mode, however, is somewhat underwhelming; it amplifies environmental sounds, but there’s noticeable hiss in the background, and it doesn’t deliver the clearest reproduction of your surroundings. Unfortunately, I cannot provide feedback on LDAC and LC3, as my phone does not support these codecs.
Microphone Performance:
As with most Moondrop TWS products, the microphone quality leaves something to be desired. During calls, your voice tends to be muffled and frequently cut off. This is an area where Moondrop still has room for improvement.
Software Experience:
The Golden Ages are compatible with Moondrop’s software, Moondrop Link, which allows you to adjust EQ settings, customize tap controls, and—most importantly—update the firmware on the earbuds. The app is available for both iOS and Android, and I recommend downloading version 2.0, as it is the most stable and feature-complete version available.
The Moondrop Link app offers several preset EQ settings:
Reference
Monitor
Basshead
Target 5128
Secret
However, a frustrating flaw of the app is that each time the Golden Ages reconnect to your phone, the app resets your EQ settings. This means you’ll need to manually adjust the EQ every time you reconnect the earbuds. Despite this, the app remains functional and works as advertised.
Verdict:
The Moondrop Golden Ages are an excellent pair of true wireless earbuds at their price point, especially for audiophiles seeking planar magnetic drivers in a TWS format. Despite some shortcomings—particularly with the microphone and Transparency Mode—these earbuds deliver impressive sound quality, a lightweight design, and a solid feature set. If you’re looking for an audiophile-grade experience in a wireless earbud, the Golden Ages are certainly worth considering, provided you don’t mind the minor flaws.