Phiaton Moderna MS 200 in-ear headphones review

The Phiaton Moderna MS 200 are the Korean manufacturer’s top of the line in-ear headphones. Made from exotic materials such as carbon fiber and featuring eye-catching design, the headphones aim to offer enough value for money to sway you away from the offerings of the well-established premium brands.

This not the first time I’m spending quality time with a Phiaton product. A couple of months back, I was impressed by the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC wireless headset. Naturally, given my past experience, I approached the MS 200 with high expectations. Join me to find out if the headset could live up to them.

Retail package

The retail box of the Phiaton Moderna MS 200 offers everything you will possibly need. Inside it, there is a cool-looking case for the headset, as well as five different set of ear tips.

The retail package has everything you need

Just like in the case of the Phiaton PS 210 BTNC headset, I was pleasantly surprised to find a set of Comply Foam ear tips. The latter offer superb fit to even the pickiest user.

Design and build quality

The Phiaton Moderna MS 200 headset is certainly a looker. The earphones feature the increasingly popular red/black color scheme, but with enough unique design elements to be able to stand out from similarly colored competitors. The carbon fiber components add a solid dash of premium to the look of the headset.

Phiaton Moderna MS 200 live photos

Build quality is exceptional. Carbon fiber, along with being great-looking, is extremely sturdy – it is used in the earbuds, as well as the 3.5mm audio jack connector. I spent a few weeks with the headphones as a daily driver without them showing even the slightest sign of wear and tear. The headset is also IPX4 Splash resistant tested and certified, so, along with a beating, it can take the occasional splash of water as well.

Ergonomics

In addition to its other advantages carbon is also quite light. Thanks to its use in the construction, the Phiaton Moderna MS 200 weigh only 5.6 grams without cord. The headphones’ low weight, combined with the right set of ear tips makes them feel extremely comfortable, even when worn for prolonged periods.

The 1.2m long cable is unsurprisingly tangle-free, while the single-button remote control felt sturdy, yet responsive.

Sound

The Phiaton Moderna MS 200 headphones feature 14.3mm high quality dynamic speakers with frequency range of 10-27,000 Hz, and impedance of 32Ohms. Sensitivity is 100dB at 1kHz, while the maximum input power is 30mW.

While many in-ear headphones tend to have their own sonic “character”, the sound experience which the MS 200 produced was neutral. No particular set of tones emerged as dominant with flat EQ settings, while playing music tracks, ranging from Pink Floyd to the bass-heavy Thievery Corporation tunes.

However, with the desired EQ settings put on, the headphones are able to deliver deep bass and screaming highs, as well as everything in between. The sound remains distortion-free even at the highest volume.

The quality of the phone calls was good – you wouldn’t expect anything else at this prince point.

Final words

The Phiaton Moderna are superbly put together, look good, and come well-prepared in the sound department. The suggested retail price for the headset is $149.99. A quick search in Amazon however, shows the headphones available for $119, which makes them an outstanding value for the money and therefore easy to recommend.