Moondrop Chu II IEM Review

[AndreaT]

Ordered a pair! Thank you Amir!

 

[InfiniteJester]

the sound completely fell apart for stuff that was fast and complex

It is exactly this.

I suspect that many audiophiles are not into avant prog and tech metal.

The Zero:2 spits mud when you are listening to something like Empath, for example.

But others IEMs are able to keep up.

 

[markanini]

The unique selling point of this IEM is that you can comfortably sleep with them. If you would like that look no further below $25.

I expect tuning will be very good, Moondrop tuning quality is generally is, and the DSP version of Chu 2 is probably even better, though I haven heard either yet. Just what I know from having owned the Lan and Chu which share the same shell shape.

 

[Jimbob54]

The unique selling point of this IEM is that you can comfortably sleep with them. If you would like that look no further below $25.

I expect tuning will be very good, Moondrop tuning quality is generally is, and the DSP version of Chu 2 is probably even better, though I haven heard either yet. Just what I know from having owned the Lan and Chu which share the same shell shape.

Same style for sure but the Lan is bigger.

 

[Honken]

It is exactly this.

I suspect that many audiophiles are not into avant prog and tech metal.

The Zero:2 spits mud when you are listening to something like Empath, for example.

But others IEMs are able to keep up.

No.

 

[VMAT4]

The Zero Twos were a real eye-opener for me, where the measurements shined through on tracks that were slow or simple, but the sound completely fell apart for stuff that was fast and complex. I'm not a true believer in measurements anymore when it comes to IEMs. The small drivers just aren't as flexible as the ones you get on speakers and full-sized headphones.

I know of no theory of acoustics or material science or physics that could explain your observation. Do you? And, could you please explain how this could be true? Or, should I "trust" you?

 

[georgehifi]

Wow, IEM's are getting ridiculous now with the price/performance ratio, just insane!

"price/performance/measurement ratio"

Yes that looks very good, so I bit, and have a pair comming today, wonder if the sound quality is going to be as good as my favourite no name brand IEM's that came with my DAB+ portable ( https://tinyurl.com/28kc9sdu ), I'll post up what I find.
Cheers George

 

[MacClintock]

It is exactly this.

I suspect that many audiophiles are not into avant prog and tech metal.

The Zero:2 spits mud when you are listening to something like Empath, for example.

But others IEMs are able to keep up.

How so? Sounds like a completely unbased and unjustified claim.

 

[MacClintock]

The Zero Twos were a real eye-opener for me, where the measurements shined through on tracks that were slow or simple, but the sound completely fell apart for stuff that was fast and complex. I'm not a true believer in measurements anymore when it comes to IEMs. The small drivers just aren't as flexible as the ones you get on speakers and full-sized headphones.

Perpetuating further myths. Sad.

 

[markanini]

I know of no theory of acoustics or material science or physics that could explain your observation. Do you? And, could you please explain how this could be true? Or, should I "trust" you?

Have you looked at the 7Hz Zero 2 frequency response? It's definitely warm-tilted, not unthinkable that the reproduction is compromised to some degree on a densely orchestrated song. Also: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...moondrop-chu-ii-iem-review.55179/post-2005030

 

[VMAT4]

Have you looked at the 7Hz Zero 2 frequency response? It's definitely warm-tilted, not unthinkable that the reproduction is compromised to some degree on a densely orchestrated song. Also: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...moondrop-chu-ii-iem-review.55179/post-2005030

View attachment 375854

Help me along here, what do densely orchestrated passages of music have to do with anything? It is a matter of a number of frequencies superimposed upon each other for a total amplitude at an instant in time, no? And of course the driver is not as "flexible as the ones you get on speakers and full sized headphones", titanium is a very light and rigid material. And , it was chosen for those properties. Are we to understand that those iems could reproduce the prelude to Wagner's Lohengrin but not say a Baroque Symphony? I'm not getting it.

 

[markanini]

Help me along here, what do densely orchestrated passages of music have to do with anything? It is a matter of a number of frequencies superimposed upon each other for a total amplitude at an instant in time, no? And of course the driver is not as "flexible as the ones you get on speakers and full sized headphones", titanium is a very light and rigid material. And , it was chosen for those properties. Are we to understand that those iems could reproduce the prelude to Wagner's Lohengrin but not say a Baroque Symphony? I'm not getting it.

Assuming you are not putting on an incredulous act, you are giving me many reasons to thing you are. If you own an hifi amp or receiver fully dial up the bass control and fully dial back the treble control. Let me know if you are happy with the sound reproduction after listening like this for a whole day .

 

[georgehifi]

I'll post up what I find.

Got'em, can't believe how quick they got here to Manly Australia, not even 12hrs from the time I bought them from Amazon!!!
Beautifully made and packaged and just $28aud delivered, yes the gel ear plugs are a real shit to put on, but at least they won't come off in a hurry.
The sound is very good clean extended detailed and distortionless, with excellent in your head stereo imaging. So far (unbroken in) if I had to want for anything, it would be for a "touch" more mid/lower bass, but that may come with the diaphragms loosening/breaking in some more and giving a touch more cone bass movement.
You know what would be the next thing for the crafty IEM designers to invent? is a mini inbuilt bass vibrator so one could feel as well as hear the low bass.
Cheers George

 

[MacClintock]

Assuming you are not putting on an incredulous act, you are giving me many reasons to thing you are. If you own an hifi amp or receiver fully dial up the bass control and fully dial back the treble control. Let me know if you are happy with the sound reproduction after listening like this for a whole day .

Frequency response has nothing to do with supposed difference in "driver quality". Just EQ the Zero 2 as you like it. The Zero 2 and the Chu II have exeptionally low distortion and many cheap IEMs use Beryllium coated DD. Anybody complaining about these drivers sounding "congested" either doesn't know what he is talking about or is a very naïve believer of long overcome myths.

 

[MacClintock]

Got'em, can't believe how quick they got here to Manly Australia, not even 12hrs from the time I bought them from Amazon!!!
Beautifully made and packaged and just $28aud delivered, yes the gel ear plugs are a real shit to put on, but at least they won't come off in a hurry.
The sound is very good clean extended detailed and distortionless, with excellent in your head stereo imaging. So far (unbroken in) if I had to want for anything, it would be for a "touch" more mid/lower bass, but that may come with them loosening/breaking in some more.
Cheers George

No IEM "breaks in".

 

[georgehifi]

No IEM "breaks in

Why, there must be some sort of mechnical diaphram inside them that "could" loosen up a little with time.

Cheers George

 

[MacClintock]

Why, there must be some sort of mechnical diaphram inside them that "could" loosen up a little with time.

Cheers George

There is a diaphram, but it not loosens up, just moves according to the electrical signal it is fed.

 

[georgehifi]

just moves acording to the electrical signal it is fed.

Anything that moves that is delicate "could" loosen up a little.

Cheers George

 

[MacClintock]

Anything that moves that is delicate "could" loosen up.

Cheers George

Sure, it takes about 50 hours of a driver to "loosen up" and after 5,000 hours it has become so loose that is not playing properly anymore and needs to be tightened again. So be careful with your listening time.

 

[georgehifi]

Yeah OK.