What’s in the Box
1 x MP143 Salt
3 x Pneumatic Sound Tuning Nozzles
3 Pairs x Ergonomics Silicone Ear Tips (Balanced)
3 Pairs x Ergonomics Silicone Ear Tips (High Frequency)
1 x 3.5mm or 4.4mm Earphone Cable
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty Card
1 x HIDIZS Pouch Bag

Unboxing video:



There's something undeniably refreshing about the Hidizs MP143 Salt. It's more than just a pair of earphones; it’s a statement. A commitment to both audio excellence and environmental responsibility. By partnering with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Hidizs has transformed a product into a purpose. It's a testament to the belief that even small steps can create a big impact.

The MP143 Salt is a tangible embodiment of this philosophy. From the no plastic packaging to the design, every element whispers of the ocean. The name itself, a tribute to the iconic humpback whale "Salt," is a poetic touch that connects us to the heart of the project. It's a product that invites you to listen not just to the music, but to the story it carries.

The MP143 isn’t just a scaled-down version of the MP145; it’s a distinct product with its own unique personality. Hidizs has taken the strengths of the MP145 and fine-tuned them, resulting in an IEM that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

Priced competitively, the MP143 enters a market full of options, but it’s not just another face in the crowd. It’s more like a sleek, agile shark, poised to make a real impact. But the big question is: does it have the bite to match its bold presence? Let’s delve into the details—exploring the sound quality, comfort, and overall experience—to see if the MP143 truly lives up to the hype.

Design/Build Quality:

Like the MP145, you’ll notice that the materials and finishing are on par with it bigger sibling, which is to say, top-notch. The MP143 carries on that legacy, but with a bit of a twist—it opts for a more understated look, slightly scaled down in size yet still elegant in design.

One thing that stands out about the MP143’s design is the lack of air vents on the faceplates. This is a deliberate choice that gives the MP143 a distinct and sleeker look without the bulging design where the vent is located on the faceplate of the MP145. The design still echoes the whale skin motif, which I find particularly striking. In my version (Silver), the pattern really pops, It’s the kind of design that makes these earphones as much of an accessory as they are a piece of audio equipment.

Even though the faceplates are vent-free, the MP143 isn’t completely sealed off. It features two ventilation holes—one on the inner side near the nozzle and another near the connector. These are well-placed to maintain sound quality without disrupting the sleek, minimalist aesthetic.

As for the size, I initially thought the MP143 might be on the smaller side, but in reality, the difference is minimal. The shape is more ergonomic, the design is snug and secure, but if you have more petite ears, you might still find them a bit challenging to wear for long periods but personally i dont have fit issues on the bigger mp145 and on the sleeker mp143.

All in all, the Hidizs MP143 strikes a nice balance between style and function. It looks great, feels solid, and is designed to perform well.

Sound impression:

The Hidizs MP143 borrows a lot from its predecessor, the MP145, but with its own unique spin, especially when it comes to tuning, you’ll notice that the MP143 follows the 2019 Harman path closely but with a few tweaks that give it its own character. The sound signature leans towards a warm/neutral profile, with some variation depending on which nozzle filter you choose. Personally, I gravitated towards the Silver nozzles, which, to my ears, offered the most details and clarity bacause of the slight treble bump and extension yet still retains the bass and warmth.

What struck me first about the MP143 was its tonal character—a slightly bassy U-shape with just the right amount of energy in the upper frequencies. It’s a sound that blends smoothness with a touch of crispness, creating a listening experience that feels both cohesive and dynamic. The transients are impressively fast, but not so much that the music loses its natural texture and timbre.

Despite its price point, the MP143 punches above its weight in terms of detail retrieval. You get a clear, hard-lined attack with a snappy decay, which really makes the MP143 stand out, particularly on faster and more complex tracks. It’s here that the MP143 shows its lineage, echoing the performance of the MP145..

The overall sound has a slight recession in the lower midrange, giving it a leaner, yet still lush, note weight. This isn’t a set that’s going to overwhelm you with energy—it’s more refined, offering a mellow yet detailed listening experience.

When it comes to drivability, the Hidizs MP143 doesn’t demand much to get going, but like every planar iems i own it definitely appreciates a bit of extra power. With an impedance of just 17 ohms and a sensitivity of 103dB, the MP143 is fairly easy to drive, even with less powerful sources. You can plug it into your smartphone or a basic DAC, and it’ll sound acceptable and good—no doubt about it.

But here’s the thing: like its sibling, the MP145, the MP143 really starts to shine when you feed it more power. It’s as if the sound opens up, delivering a richer, more dynamic listening experience. It’s not that the MP143 can’t perform with less power; it can. You’ll still get a solid listening session, but you might miss out on some of the finer details and that extra layer of depth that makes planar sets like this one so captivating.

What’s also interesting about the MP143 is how much it responds to different sources. I found that it’s more sensitive to source pairing than most IEMs. When I paired it with sources that leaned towards a more dynamic, neutral sound, the MP143 really came to life. The tonality of your source can make a noticeable difference, so it’s worth experimenting to find what brings out the best in these earphones.

In summary, while the MP143 is easy to drive, don’t be afraid to give it some extra power and choose your source carefully. Doing so will reward you with a listening experience that is more vivid, dynamic and engaging, allowing the MP143 to truly show what it’s capable of.

Bass:

The bass on the Hidizs MP143 is where this iems endearing character shines just like its bigger sibling. There’s a decidedly obvious presence that hits with authority, particularly in the sub-bass region. The rumble is intense, creating a sense of depth that’s almost tactile, midbass in smooth warm and well textured and has the same punch and slam of its bigger sibling.

Comparing to the MP145, the bass here is more substantial, yet it doesn’t quite reach the same level of quality. The MP145 had a way of dissipating pressure through its faceplate holes, making the bass feel more expansive and probably it sheer size fo the shell contributes to the flowing low frequency it porduces. On the MP143, the bass is more concentrated and can bleed slightly into the mids, but it remains impressively controlled for a planar driver.

Sub-Bass: Deep and Resonant ( depending on the eartip you will use)

The sub-bass on the MP143 deserves special mention. It reaches convincingly low, delivering a resonant, textured rumble that you can feel as much as hear. This is particularly impressive for a planar IEM because i heard that its really hard to tune a planar driver to produce such low rumble that is akin to a dynamic driver, which traditionally most planar driver i tried struggles to replicate the depth and physicality of dynamic drivers in the sub-bass region. The MP143, however, comes close, with a sub-bass that’s heavy, mean, and thoroughly enjoyable. It’s the kind of low-end that makes you feel the music in your bones, adding a layer of visceral impact to tracks that demand it.

Mid-Bass: Clean and Controlled

Moving up to the mid-bass, the emphasis is slightly less pronounced, which helps prevent the sound from becoming muddy. The transition from sub-bass to mid-bass is handled with excellent coherance finesse, maintaining good note definition and speed. While the MP143’s mid-bass isn’t as punchy or refined as some of its competitors in the price range, it’s still a solid performer. It provides the necessary warmth and lushness to the lower midrange, enhancing the overall richness of the sound without overwhelming the other frequencies.

Mids:

The midrange on the Hidizs MP143 is where things start to get interesting. There’s a slight recession in this area, but it’s not enough to push vocals or instruments into the background. Instead, the mids come across as warm, rich, and slightly laid-back, with a linear style that adds a sense of coherence to the overall sound. The planar driver does a commendable job of maintaining separation and clarity, ensuring that vocals remain audible and clear even when the bass gets heavy.

the tonality and timbre is natural with lifelike vocals that reproduces the sound with emotion and vivid details particularly with the right source and tips. I found the lower midrange to be particularly pleasing, with a nice balance of warmth and weight that gives male vocals a sense of authority and presence and the female vocals with energy and clarity.

Upper-Mids:

The upper-midrange is where the MP143 starts to regain some of the sparkle lost in the lower mids. Female vocals have a juicy, well-defined quality, particularly when using the Rose Gold or Silver nozzles and wide bore tips. Instruments like acoustic guitars and violins come through with a satisfying amount of bite and shimmer, adding a touch of brightness that contrasts nicely with the warmth of the lower frequencies. The result is a midrange that feels dynamic and lively, even if it’s not the most forward or aggressive. When compared to the mp145 the mp143s upper mids has a slight brightness and sparkle that extends to the lower treble with smooth coherent transition.

Treble:

The treble on the Hidizs MP143 is balanced and smooth, with enough clarity and resolution to keep things interesting. It’s not a treble-heavy IEM, so treble-heads might find it a bit too laid-back for their tastes. However, for those who prefer a more balanced sound, the MP143 delivers in spades. There’s just enough sparkle and air to add a sense of openness to the sound, without making it harsh or fatiguing.

Switching to the Silver nozzle enhances the treble even further, bringing out more micro-details and adding a touch of brightness that lifts the entire sound signature. This makes the MP143 feel more refined and almost at par in performance to the MP145, though the latter still has the edge in terms of soundstage and overall definition.

Soundstage and Imaging: Above Average for the Price

The soundstage on the Hidizs MP143 is not as huge as its bigger sibling but it’s well-developed, particularly in terms depth. There’s a decent sense of space and separation, though it doesn’t quite match the expansive soundstage of the MP145. Imaging is precise and accurate, with good separation and layering, typical of planar drivers. It’s an above-average performance for a $79-99 IEM, though not groundbreaking.

Nozzle Filters: Fine-Tuning the Experience

One of the features of the MP143 is the interchangeable nozzle filters, which allow you to fine-tune the sound to your liking:

- Red (Bass): This nozzle enhances the low frequencies even further, at the expense of detail and brightness. It’s a good option if you’re sensitive to high frequencies, but I found it to be a bit too much and sometimes overwhelming, as it takes away some of the clarity and sparkle that the MP143 needs to balance out its bass-heavy nature.

Rose Gold (Balanced): A good compromise, this nozzle dampens the treble slightly, making it less aggressive while also taming the bass particularly the subbass boominess and tighter midbass maintaining a more balanced sound. It’s useful if you find the highs a bit too much.

- Silver (Treble):This is where the magic happens. The Silver nozzle restores the balance between bass and treble, adding more air, detail, and clarity. It’s the best option if you want to bring the MP143 closer to the performance of the MP145, making it the definitive choice for those who prefer a more refined sound, this my choice of nozzle paired with divinus wide bore tips.

Conclusion:

The Hidizs MP143, while not an outright upgrade to the MP145, still holds its own remarkably well. Sharing the same DNA, but the MP145 remains superior in almost every aspect. However, this doesn’t diminish the MP143’s appeal. It offers a sound and performance that closely follows its larger sibling, despite its smaller shell and slightly reduced planar driver. What’s more, it’s priced at nearly half the cost of the MP145, yet it retains the same thoughtful design, premium quality, and tonal richness.

If you’re still in the market for a planar IEM that delivers substantial bass, warm mids, and balanced treble, the Hidizs MP143 is definitely worth considering. It’s a well-rounded performer that punches above its weight, making it an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a quality planar IEM with addictive bass. Additionally, with every purchase, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), supporting the protection of marine mammals and the ocean ecosystem. Even if you already own the MP145, the MP143 is a worthy addition to your collection and is a feel good purchase considering the noble cause behind it.

Hidizs MP143 Salt link : https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-mp143-large-planar-magnetic-hifi-in-ear-monitors