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Moondrop Chu

julian_hughes

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Success! I received the swabs this afternoon and have modified the Chu's:


chu1.JPG
chu2.JPG


It was very easy. The swab width you see in the images was my first try. I split a two ply swab into single layers, then cut a layer into three strips, rolled up two of the strips and tried them. Not bad, but rather dark, with upper bass a bit thick and female vocals recessed. Next I cut slightly narrower strips, trimmed about a third of their length and tried again. This is just right! The Chu's, with no eq, now sound really good and very, very natural. The balance left vs. right is perfect. The metal grilles pop straight back on. If you're careful you can reuse them. They sit very snug and flat, unlike they way they came from the manufacturer. If these homemade filters succumb to Moondrops extremely mysterious "vapors" I will be sure to update.
 

RHO

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Better than the starfield/aria?
I'm comparing them right now ... but I constantly forget to swap because I'm enjoying the music so much.:facepalm:

I'll try to tell you later what I think.:)

Edit: So, I compared some tracks. (Now I'm wondering why I didn't do that before) I think in general you could say that the Aria sounds a bit warmer. It has more deep bass and less ear-gain en lower treble. Still all the detail is there and it is not overly bassy at all. But upper bass seems to bleed a little into the lower mids which thickens that range a little but certainly not so it get bad.
You could turn the story around when describing the Chu. The ear-gain makes the upper mids and lower treble stand out a little more. The lower bass shelve puts less emphasis on the bass, but to my ears it is not lacking.
In the end they both sound great and it depends on my mood which one I would prefer I think. Both are worth the price.
If you listen to a lot of metal, rock or classical music I would go with the Aria. I think in most recording the balance between bass and treble will be better.
If you listen to mostly jazz the Chu could be a very good fit.
Although I'm now listening to Lils Mackintosh with the Aria and I'm not complaining.
If the cable on the Chu was removable and had preformed earhooks, I would like it more than the cable on the Aria. The cable on the Aria is very microphonic and gets tangled very easily.
I have a difficult fit in my ears on both. I have to use Spinfit CP100 XL or INAIRS AIR2 L foam tips to get a seal. (now using the AIR2 foam tips on both)
 
Last edited:

sushi2020

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I use Chu for casual music listening. It sounds good without EQ!:)

I share oratory1990's measurement FYI.
Moondrop_Chu.png


Chu is also high in the AutoEQ score ranking.
Considering the price, I think it's doing very well.
 

julian_hughes

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I use Chu for casual music listening. It sounds good without EQ!:)


Chu is also high in the AutoEQ score ranking.
Considering the price, I think it's doing very well.

They do sound good enough without eq. EQ just tames the very slightly one note, overemphasized bass and adds a bit of sparkle higher up. I looked at those AutoEQ rankings and find them quite odd. Some IEMs appear in the list more than once and with very different results and ranking. I own several of the IEMs in the list and it's definitely not a ranking of how good they sound in real life, as there is more to sound quality than matching a curve i.e. distortion, resonance, square wave characteristics. For example the Massdrop Plus Universal is a far better IEM than many much higher rated according to this ranking, and the Moondrop Quarks, while great for the price, sound nowhere near as good as a huge number of IEMs they supposedly outrank. There are lots of other anomolies, those are just two that stood out to me on first look. I think FR curves are useful but alone they can't really tell you very much except what to totally avoid. There's no substitute for listening, whether yourself or by a consistent and reliable reviewer who also measures the items and communicates well.

Further to my CHU mod: the modified CHUs with swab filter instead of Moondrop's problematic "warranty magnet" filter appear to be immune to the mysterious "vapor" and now work just the same every time :cool: I definitely recommend doing this to any CHU's which lose their balance. No need to send off to China for special filters, just go to your local pharmacy or ebay for an effectively unlimited supply of IEM filters.
 

ngs428

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I use Chu for casual music listening. It sounds good without EQ!:)

I share oratory1990's measurement FYI.
View attachment 220754

Chu is also high in the AutoEQ score ranking.
Considering the price, I think it's doing very well.
[URL


Thanks for the heads up. Not that they need EQ, but here are the Oratory1990 presets for Equalizer APO and MathAudio.
 

Attachments

  • Moondrop Chu - Oratory1990 - PEACE EQ Preset - 2022-06-07.zip
    741 bytes · Views: 82
  • Moondrop Chu - Oratory1990 - MathAudio Headphone EQ Preset - 2022-06-07.zip
    506 bytes · Views: 73

julian_hughes

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I've been enjoying the CHU's (with my own filters) so much that despite saying, because of the defective implementation, in an earlier post "I won't be spending another penny on Moondrop products" I actually just ordered a set of Moondrop Kato from Moondrop's Aliexpress store o_O In a few weeks I'll be able to compare the CHU's with its stablemate which costs about ten times more. I'm hoping/expecting the bass on the Kato will have a little more timbre and texture. I'll be very interested to hear other differences. One big motivation for the purchase is that my favourite pair of IEMs, my triple BA Massdrop Plus Universals, just died on me. They have this in common with almost every BA IEM I've tried. The Plus were eventually a cannibalization of three different pairs which failed (yes, I got refunded on two!). Out of the many I've BA IEMs bought I now have only one working pair (Massdrop Nuforce EDC3, a pair made up of the remaining working drivers from two sets - again I got a refund on one!) I'm starting to suspect that balanced armatures, while sonically great, are short term only. I have dynamic driver IEMs well over a decade old which work fine but have never owned a BA IEM which made it to three years. BA drivers are the staple of hearing aids. When my triple BA Plus failed I searched about hearing aid longevity: 3 to 5 years! :facepalm:
:mad::eek:

Anyway, when the Kato's arrive I'll try them for a few days and post again and tell you if I think the 10x price is worth it.
 

julian_hughes

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I received my Moondrop Katos yesterday and have listened quite a few hours already. Previous to this I've mostly been using the Chus for the last week. First impression of Kato vs Chu:

The Chus are a much better shape and size for a comfortable fit and this results in far superior isolation. The Katos are HUGE, don't conform so nicely to the shape of the ear, the fit is extremely shallow and isolation is surely as poor as is possible in a closed IEM.

The Chus have a much better tonal balance. Their tuning is really very neutral with some bass emphasis low down. The Kato have a very noticeably exaggerated bass which is great very low down but sounds overdone at upper bass frequencies. It's still many dB emphasised at 200Hz and can sound unnatural. Obviously with eq you can dial this down and then they sound very good indeed, whereas the Chus sound fine with no eq.

Subjectively it seems each IEM is similarly sensitive and easy to drive with a smartphone or DAP.

I think that apart from the overblown upper bass the Kato do sound natural (for example piano sounds *really* good) and, if eq'd, are the better listen *if you are somewhere quiet* and don't need isolation, which is kind of crazy in an IEM.

I like having the interchangeable cable as I already have a variety of 2-pin 0.78mm cables. I don't like only having the fixed cable on the Chu.

I think the Chu are great value (if you're happy to fix/live with the filter issue). The Kato have the same grille and filter with its tendency to die upon encountering humidity (like in the human ear!) like Superman exposed to kryptonite, but the nozzles are removable and replacement is much easier. If the Kato, with their replaceable cable and nozzles, last 10 years they'll be good value. But are they worth 9 or 10 times the price of the Chu? It's hard to say yes to that. For example, to know which one I'm listening to I have to check by touching my ear and seeing what is in there. They don't sound *that* different.
 

RHO

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So the KATO does not have the same shell as the Aria has?
You say they are huge? Compared only to the Chu or also compared to something like the Blessing 2?
 

Jimbob54

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So the KATO does not have the same shell as the Aria has?
You say they are huge? Compared only to the Chu or also compared to something like the Blessing 2?
The Kato are like a heavier, sharper Starfield shape, I much prefer the deeper, smoother blessing shells. Other ears may vary though.
PXL_20220809_101337363.jpg
PXL_20220809_101327284.jpg
 

julian_hughes

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So the KATO does not have the same shell as the Aria has?
You say they are huge? Compared only to the Chu or also compared to something like the Blessing 2?
I don't have a Blessing 2 or Aria so cannot compare. But they are bulky and huge compared to the Chu. The Chu is thick in places but tapers a lot. The Kato is thick in every direction. It's also large compared to every other IEM I have ever used. That's a lot of IEMs over a lot of years! They are very, very thick and despite the marketing claims, don't seem designed with human anatomy as a big priority. Last time I looked we humans don't have angular, sharp, hard edged ears. I am about 5'10 (178cm) British male with ears which are definitely not small, and while the Kato do fit, they don't feel snug and I can feel that large parts of their surface are not quite contacting my ears, hence the poor isolation. To me they just seem like they are designed in a fashionable shape to look somewhat like Campfire IEMs, you know? Heavy! Serious! Chunky! Expensive! Rolex! It smells of marketing to me. All that stuff about "light and shadow design, showing a three-dimensional rich layering"....surely all marvellous but they should have spent the effort instead on making them fit actual, real human ears perfectly. The Chu are way better in this respect. Shure SE series are better too, and the Massdrop Plus got this so right that they felt like a custom fit. The Kato would maybe be a nice fit for Bigfoot or the Yeti. Or a robot with angular, edgy, sharp ears :facepalm:
 

Jimbob54

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I don't have a Blessing 2 or Aria so cannot compare. But they are bulky and huge compared to the Chu. The Chu is thick in places but tapers a lot. The Kato is thick in every direction. It's also large compared to every other IEM I have ever used. That's a lot of IEMs over a lot of years! They are very, very thick and despite the marketing claims, don't seem designed with human anatomy as a big priority. Last time I looked we humans don't have angular, sharp, hard edged ears. I am about 5'10 (178cm) British male with ears which are definitely not small, and while the Kato do fit, they don't feel snug and I can feel that large parts of their surface are not quite contacting my ears, hence the poor isolation. To me they just seem like they are designed in a fashionable shape to look somewhat like Campfire IEMs, you know? Heavy! Serious! Chunky! Expensive! Rolex! It smells of marketing to me. All that stuff about "light and shadow design, showing a three-dimensional rich layering"....surely all marvellous but they should have spent the effort instead on making them fit actual, real human ears perfectly. The Chu are way better in this respect. Shure SE series are better too, and the Massdrop Plus got this so right that they felt like a custom fit. The Kato would maybe be a nice fit for Bigfoot or the Yeti. Or a robot with angular, edgy, sharp ears :facepalm:
Ironically- the loose fit of the Kato make them sound better than when I try and fail to get a deeper insert and better seal. That just brings out the upper bass bloat. There is a reason I only get them out of the drawer infrequently. But I actually like the sound without EQ- as long as I dont more or tilt my head so they drop out.
 

RHO

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RHO

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I don't have a Blessing 2 or Aria so cannot compare. But they are bulky and huge compared to the Chu. The Chu is thick in places but tapers a lot. The Kato is thick in every direction. It's also large compared to every other IEM I have ever used. That's a lot of IEMs over a lot of years! They are very, very thick and despite the marketing claims, don't seem designed with human anatomy as a big priority. Last time I looked we humans don't have angular, sharp, hard edged ears. I am about 5'10 (178cm) British male with ears which are definitely not small, and while the Kato do fit, they don't feel snug and I can feel that large parts of their surface are not quite contacting my ears, hence the poor isolation. To me they just seem like they are designed in a fashionable shape to look somewhat like Campfire IEMs, you know? Heavy! Serious! Chunky! Expensive! Rolex! It smells of marketing to me. All that stuff about "light and shadow design, showing a three-dimensional rich layering"....surely all marvellous but they should have spent the effort instead on making them fit actual, real human ears perfectly. The Chu are way better in this respect. Shure SE series are better too, and the Massdrop Plus got this so right that they felt like a custom fit. The Kato would maybe be a nice fit for Bigfoot or the Yeti. Or a robot with angular, edgy, sharp ears :facepalm:
I can't get the Chu to seal unless I use foam tips. Long and large ones. The nozzle is way to short for me. Same issue with the Aria. None of that with the Blessing 2.
 

julian_hughes

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I can't get the Chu to seal unless I use foam tips. Long and large ones. The nozzle is way to short for me. Same issue with the Aria. None of that with the Blessing 2.
Yes, I need foam tips for these too. The spring tips are tiny and hopeless
 

mvnchies

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I bought the Chu just to try the Spring tips for my Aria... surprisingly good sounding.
but even the L size Spring tips are too small so I had to order the XL ones as well. the tips cost almost as much as the Chu here... :D

I think they're really good - a little on the bright side compared to the Aria, but for the price I can't think of anything better. meaning I prefer the Aria but they're not that far apart - mostly a different flavour.
but - you do get detachable cable with the Aria, which is worth a lot to me! :)
 

AndyG

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I bought the Kato, Aria, and Chu. After much testing, I kept the Arias and returned the Chu and Katos. The Katos were too heavy, resulting in a very bad seal for me, despite trying different sizes of the spring tips, and Comply foam tips. Nothing worked as well as the silicone tips from the Arias. In the end, the Arias have better bass (to my liking) than the Katos, so between that, and the seal problems, they went back.

I then tried the Chus. I liked them very much, but the cable, without the formed curve for the ears, never stayed in place. Plus, the connection point of the wired-in Chu cable seemed like it would not last even a month, I wold have kept them if they had brought the full set of spring tips, but Moondrop has dropped that perk and now only provides one set in L, M, and S. Oh, and the filter tips fell pff on one of the Chu earpieces. Yeah, it's only $20, but I'd rather put that to another set of Arias.

I will say that the Arias do emphasize the highs on some tracks, but not enough that I don;t like them. In fact, I think the Arias are the best value right now below $100, and even below $200.
 

julian_hughes

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I haven't heard the Aria but people say, and measurements suggest, that it is bassier and darker than the Kato. I know I wouldn't like it. The Kato already has overcooked upper bass. Yes, the seal on the Kato is difficult. In ergonomic terms the design is quite poor, whereas the Chu's design is surprisingly good. Not ideal, but well above average. I've done a lot of hours listening today and I like the sound of the Kato a lot. Without eq it is sometimes a bit bloated but usually OK. With the upper bass tamed by eq it is a remarkably good IEM in terms of sound quality. Listening to some modern orchestral works I was taken aback by the naturalness and depth and realism of the sound. I also listened to some old school rock - Jimi Hendrix, Wings, Beatles, and the sound was beautiful, vocals were eerily real. But in terms of isolation and convenience and comfort i.e. all the other stuff which matters when you try and use them every day, it is overall average at best. The Chu is a nice compromise, a good all rounder. The location of the cable on the Chu is a little odd but does work. I think Moondrop need to really work more on ergonomics and a bit less on buzzwords and marketing. They have the essence of great products but with some poorly thought out execution. The spring tips are just nonsense. All the shaping and "magic" is on the outer part of the tips, *outside* of the audio path! There are a million not special tips which are just as good and which come in sizes which might fit people in Europe, North America, Africa who are normal size. The current range of spring tips is ridiculously tiny.
 

Fregly

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Strange no reviewer I recall mentioning mid bass bloat on the Katos. A friend noticed the issue on his set. I have them coming and I doubt they will work for me now from the comments here. I find bass often overcooked on iems. Except for Etys, of all I have tried. A rise in a graph before 200hz is not accurate for me.
 
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