Moondrop enters the OE headphone market

[RHO]

You don't hang around much on the Internet, do you?

Enough to know that not everyone has issues with Moondrop and most customers are quite happy with their purchase.

 

[Georgrig]

Enough to know that not everyone has issues with Moondrop and most customers are quite happy with their purchase.

I'm pretty sure I spent a lot more money than you on Moondrop.

First it's the QC: the glue they used for the faceplate leaked on the body of my Variations. They sold it to me regardless. The paint on my Aria started chipping away. Fortunately my Blessing 2 was OK on that regard.

Second it's the ergonomics: I could not wear any of the afforementioned IEMs for more than 30 mins before my ears were getting painful.

Third it's their cables. I decided to update the standard cables (that are very cheap in feel) to their own Bort cables. What a mistake! The stiffest cable I've ever used. Made the IEMs come out of my ears! And it was microphonic AF. 120 USD down the drain. Why would they even try to sell this?!

If you think Moondrop is decent, probably you've never tried DUNU, Fiio, or Sony IEMs.

Enough with the cheap but overpriced FOTM crap!

 

[sq225917]

I own fiio fh9, sony ext 800st and blessings and chu's, never had any issue with the blessings or chu's, maybe you have funny ears?

 

[Matias]

Aria and Chu perfect here. I guess it's one of those "silent majority x vocal minority" things.

 

[RHO]

I'm pretty sure I spent a lot more money than you on Moondrop.

First it's the QC: the glue they used for the faceplate leaked on the body of my Variations. They sold it to me regardless. The paint on my Aria started chipping away. Fortunately my Blessing 2 was OK on that regard.

Second it's the ergonomics: I could not wear any of the afforementioned IEMs for more than 30 mins before my ears were getting painful.

Third it's their cables. I decided to update the standard cables (that are very cheap in feel) to their own Bort cables. What a mistake! The stiffest cable I've ever used. Made the IEMs come out of my ears! And it was microphonic AF. 120 USD down the drain. Why would they even try to sell this?!

If you think Moondrop is decent, probably you've never tried DUNU, Fiio, or Sony IEMs.

Enough with the cheap but overpriced FOTM crap!

Well, my experience is very different on almost every point you mentioned.
I think the B2 Dusk is the most comfortable IEMs I have.
The nozzles on the Aria and Chu are too short, but with foam tips the do fit me well.
The cable on the Aria is quite bad, I have to agree on that.
I have the Line T cable. Cheap, but much better quality than any other cable I have in that price range.

 

[Ashimaru]

Measurement of Moondrop Void on Woodenears (B&K 4128)
Harmonic distortion is higher than I expected.

 

[Garrincha]

Measurement of Moondrop Void on Woodenears (B&K 4128)
Harmonic distortion is higher than I expected.

The THD is basically everywhere below 1%, which is the limit Amir usually demands, how low did you expect it to be? At which SPL that was measured?
Obviously the bass needs to be EQed to come to a considerable level, but with THD reasonably low, that should be no problem.

 

[Ashimaru]

The THD is basically everywhere below 1%, which is the limit Armin usually demands, how low did you expect it to be? At which SPL that was measured?
Obviously the bass needs to be EQed to come to a considerable level, but with THD reasonably low, that should be no problem.

They claim that Moondrop Void distortion is extremely low.
I'm quite impressed that they designed the dynamic driver well on their last IEM products like KATO or Chu with fairly low harmonic distortion. Just hope they can do it too on Void.

 

[Matias]

 

[Ashimaru]

Hi @新しい人 , can you ask the boss or Moondrop designer what upgrades will happen to the upgraded version?
I'm still hoping for a better THD.

 

[新しい人]

Hi @新しい人 , can you ask the boss or Moondrop designer what upgrades will happen to the upgraded version?
I'm still hoping for a better THD.

I haven't had any contact with moondrop since 2020, but as far as I know void won't have these updates you're expecting.

 

[RHO]

The rumor is that the Void has been delayed by a month because of reviewers feedback (about the build quality and comfort).

 

[新しい人]

The rumor is that the Void has been delayed by a month because of reviewers feedback (about the build quality and comfort).

I'm not sure if there will be an update. The main reason for the month-long production delay is the massive power outage in Sichuan, China in August.

 

[staticV3]

I'm not sure if there will be an update. The main reason for the month-long production delay is the massive power outage in Sichuan, China in August.

Moondrop have confirmed on Twitter that an updated version of the Void is in the works. No details on what that update will entail though.

 

[RHO]

I'm not sure if there will be an update. The main reason for the month-long production delay is the massive power outage in Sichuan, China in August.

Moondrop have confirmed on Twitter that an updated version of the Void is in the works. No details on what that update will entail though.

Than it will most likely be a combination of both. If there is a delay anyway, they see the opportunity to fix some issues for the final production model.

 

[D00M]

Question is what they can do in 1 month.

Cheap feel (plastic):

• Difficult to update physical design, like thicker plastic housing. You have to create new mold. For low volume product, it is not cost effect to create new mold. Unless Moondrop has money to burn. Or they have good confidence Void will be a big seller and worth sinking the cost for new molds.
• They might use different plastic with the same mold, assuming they can find upgraded material with more premium feel/weight to it.

Audio:

• Extremely unlikely to modify or change the driver in 1 month. Unless they already have those changes in the works. I doubt that they had those changes in mind. Because if they did, they could have (or should have) just waited 1 more month for release with new audio design.
• They can do some optimization by adding or removing foam, insulation, earpads, etc. That is definitely possible. But again, these are simpler changes that if they could have done it, they should have done it.

Lastly, on QC and Reliability. Often we hear reports of poor QC from smaller or startup Chinese companies, I always wondered if they do any long-term testing. Typical electronics companies care about QC and reliability. New product and any changes (like physical design, electronics, components, material, supplier, etc) require reliability tests. Reliability can both environmental and/or electronics. This is like running hundreds of units in high temperature and high humidity chamber with maximum power going into the units. This is typically 500 hours for consumer product, which takes around 30 days to run. It's 500 hours because that is what is required to extrapolate the lifetime to around 2-4 years for consumer grade electronics. And if change is significant, 2 rounds of reliability are required, which means approximately 60 days.

Issue is the duration. Typical flow is:

1. Build hundreds (if not thousands) of engineering units. These units are used for process control and tolerances. This might take weeks to a month to build, assuming material and components are readily available.
2. Some units from #1 will then go thru reliability testing, which takes 1 month for 1 round; possibly 2 months for 2 rounds.
3. If everything is good from #2, then start production. Then it will take weeks to a month to get those units out to customer.

They can take the risk and do 2 and 3 in parallel. That would be building at risk with unqualified product. If something goes wrong with #2, then products will have to be scrapped. Typically companies can take risk with incoming components, because they are cheaper and also to shorten the lead time for components. They usually do not do this with final product because that will be expensive scrap.

 

[Ashimaru]

Yes, maybe they will play around with the earpads. At the initial introduction and demo at the Chengdu Headphone Fest, the earpads looked different from the last product presented to the reviewer. They seem to be still looking for the right earpads.

 

[Ashimaru]

I have tried Moondrop Void, the sound is the same as the measurement from Woodenears.

 

[Matias]

More details of the Venus (planar) here

MOONDROP VENUS Full-Size Planar Headphone

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[Ashimaru]

More details of the Venus (planar) here

MOONDROP VENUS Full-Size Planar Headphone

shenzhenaudio.com: professional headphone, earphone, amplifier, dac, decoder, hifi player, cable supermarket. you will find good price here.

shenzhenaudio.com

100mm is huge driver!