Moondrop Lab

[CedarX]

Wow, tower iems.

A 13mm DD driver is large for an IEM, but not unheard of. Beyond the typical marketing BS, I wonder how much credit we should give to Moondrop’s claim that the “front chamber”—the large cavity in front of the DD driver > hence the huge ‘z-dimension’ of the IEM— was devised to eliminate the 4.7 and 7.2 kHz resonance's.

Crin, in his video review, noted that Meteor is indeed a super smooth measuring IEM in the high-mids / treble area. How much of that is due to the front chamber size?

I’ll be very interested to get a version of the Meteor without the meteorite backplate (that, I think is pure aesthetics, but technical BS) at half the price: this would be a very PEQ-friendly IEM.

As is… too expensive for me!

 

[markanini]

A 13mm DD driver is large for an IEM, but not unheard of. Beyond the typical marketing BS, I wonder how much credit we should give to Moondrop’s claim that the “front chamber”—the large cavity in front of the DD driver > hence the huge ‘z-dimension’ of the IEM— was devised to eliminate the 4.7 and 7.2 kHz resonance's.

Crin, in his video review, noted that Meteor is indeed a super smooth measuring IEM in the high-mids / treble area. How much of that is due to the front chamber size?

I’ll be very interested to get a version of the Meteor without the meteorite backplate (that, I think is pure aesthetics, but technical BS) at half the price: this would be a very PEQ-friendly IEM.

As is… too expensive for me!

He said it uses a Helmholtz resonator. Maybe the 13mm DD is only part of the equation.

I'm not in the market for Meteor or +$200 IEMs. But if the R&D is legit it will trickle down to inexpensive IEMs over time and that's a net positive.

 

[CedarX]

Moondrop Echo-B
I assumed Echo-B was the dongle version of FreeDSP. I'll have to cut it open to verify if it's the same Synaptics (Conexant) CX31988 chip inside, but if it is, Moondrop has made some improvements on their FW/SW. When Echo-B is connected, the (Android) Moondrop Link app offers:

• 5x EQ presets: 'Normal', 'Bass+', 'Bass++', Sound stage+', 'Treble+'. As with Moondrop MAY IEM, the app does not show what the corresponding EQ filters are.
• 9x PEQ filters: Peak only but, unlike FreeDSP, it appears that Moondrop has lifted all the restrictions--whatever frequency, gain, Q-factor you enter, even with decimals, appears to be accepted, Link no longer protests... Now what actually happens under the hood has yet to be confirmed (measurements...).
• The preset/custom EQ "sticks": it is saved onto Echo-B chip, and will be applied to whatever you connect Echo-B to.

Moondrop Echo-A
This is the one I was the most curious about... mostly because of the advertised 32bits/384kHz, with no EQ. It did not look like any other Moondrop USB-C thingie except, perhaps Quark-2.
The Moondrop Link app completely ignores Echo-A, as in: "it doesn't exist". Nothing wrong with that, it is aligned with Moondrop description: Echo-A is a regular 3.5mm SE dongle, with mic. support (ADC). The "QR Code for APP download" in their marketing material is actually not present in the packaging (it is present on Echo-B card), so it must be an error... Or is it?

Echo-A actually has app support... 'TTGK Station' app sees it as a TTGK module, with a CB1200-AU DAC/ADC chip. So, Echo-A appears to be the dongle version of Moondrop Quark-2 IEM (same SoC) and, as with Quark-2, TTGK 'Walk Play' app gives access to:

• 8x EQ presets: PLUA (?), Pop, Rock, Vocal, Bass, Flat, Cinema, Game. Each preset can be viewed and modified in the PEQ section of the app.
• A "Custom" PEQ made of 8x Peak filters, with adjustable Freq., Q, and Gain. You can save, upload, share these customs filters from the app (saved locally or in the cloud).
• The preset/custom EQ "sticks": it is saved onto Echo-A SoC, and will be applied to whatever you connect Echo-A to.

On the other hand, TTGK Station sees Echo-B as a Moondrop product, lists all the USB interfaces, but that’s it: you can't configure anything with the 'Walk Play' app.

So, from a features stand point: Echo-A is 3.5mm dongle with mic. support and 8x PK filters configurable through TTGK 'Walk Play' app. Echo-B is a 4.4mm ("balanced", differential ) dongle with 9x PK filters configurable through Moondrop Link app.

 

[mc.god]

Moondrop Echo-B
I assumed Echo-B was the dongle version of FreeDSP. I'll have to cut it open to verify if it's the same Synaptics (Conexant) CX31988 chip inside, but if it is, Moondrop has made some improvements on their FW/SW. When Echo-B is connected, the (Android) Moondrop Link app offers:

• 5x EQ presets: 'Normal', 'Bass+', 'Bass++', Sound stage+', 'Treble+'. As with Moondrop MAY IEM, the app does not show what the corresponding EQ filters are.
• 9x PEQ filters: Peak only but, unlike FreeDSP, it appears that Moondrop has lifted all the restrictions--whatever frequency, gain, Q-factor you enter, even with decimals, appears to be accepted, Link no longer protests... Now what actually happens under the hood has yet to be confirmed (measurements...).
• The preset/custom EQ "sticks": it is saved onto Echo-B chip, and will be applied to whatever you connect Echo-B to.

Moondrop Echo-A
This is the one I was the most curious about... mostly because of the advertised 32bits/384kHz, with no EQ. It did not look like any other Moondrop USB-C thingie except, perhaps Quark-2.
The Moondrop Link app completely ignores Echo-A, as in: "it doesn't exist". Nothing wrong with that, it is aligned with Moondrop description: Echo-A is a regular 3.5mm SE dongle, with mic. support (ADC). The "QR Code for APP download" in their marketing material is actually not present in the packaging (it is present on Echo-B card), so it must be an error... Or is it?

Echo-A actually has app support... 'TTGK Station' app sees it as a TTGK module, with a CB1200-AU DAC/ADC chip. So, Echo-A appears to be the dongle version of Moondrop Quark-2 IEM (same SoC) and, as with Quark-2, TTGK 'Walk Play' app gives access to:

• 8x EQ presets: PLUA (?), Pop, Rock, Vocal, Bass, Flat, Cinema, Game. Each preset can be viewed and modified in the PEQ section of the app.
• A "Custom" PEQ made of 8x Peak filters, with adjustable Freq., Q, and Gain. You can save, upload, share these customs filters from the app (saved locally or in the cloud).
• The preset/custom EQ "sticks": it is saved onto Echo-A SoC, and will be applied to whatever you connect Echo-A to.

On the other hand, TTGK Station sees Echo-B as a Moondrop product, lists all the USB interfaces, but that’s it: you can't configure anything with the 'Walk Play' app.

So, from a features stand point: Echo-A is 3.5mm dongle with mic. support and 8x PK filters configurable through TTGK 'Walk Play' app. Echo-B is a 4.4mm ("balanced", differential ) dongle with 9x PK filters configurable through Moondrop Link app.

Very informative as always, i suggest a custom forum user status for you: "donglepedia"

 

[CedarX]

Very informative as always, i suggest a custom forum user status for you: "donglepedia"

I actually like very much the “Addicted to Fun… and (mostly!) Learning” moniker.

Dongles are cheap… Not for what they look like, but for what they can cram into a USB-C connector. I still find it amazing!

I hope one day, we’ll have a compete measurement chain & methodology allowing us to load a “true” personalized DSP profile (EQ, Dynamics…) onto a USB-C headphones or IEM (kinda of where Apple is heading?). DSP-enabled dongle & IEMs are just a very early step in that direction.
Moondrop appears to get some of that…

 

[Jeromeof]

I actually like very much the “Addicted to Fun… and (mostly!) Learning” moniker.

Dongles are cheap… Not for what they look like, but for what they can cram into a USB-C connector. I still find it amazing!

I hope one day, we’ll have a compete measurement chain & methodology allowing us to load a “true” personalized DSP profile (EQ, Dynamics…) onto a USB-C headphones or IEM (kinda of where Apple is heading?). DSP-enabled dongle & IEMs are just a very early step in that direction.
Moondrop appears to get some of that…

I agree - I bought a bunch of these and with some headphones that need EQ (and are easy enough to drive), I just have the dongle attached permanently - very handy as I switch devices during the day between my iPhone, a MacBook and a PC.

So I have an Echo B now - a little disappointed given it's a 4.4mm balanced version that it is not more powerful. I am going to look at doing some usb sniffing over the weekend and see can I add it to my little project.

 

[thewas]

The Moondrop M4P MTM Passive Monitor speakers have really nice spin and distortion data. Interesting! 400 usd

MOONDROP M4P MTM Passive Monitor Speaker

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

shenzhenaudio.com

View attachment 395930

SPECIFICATIONS
Description: 2-Way 4inch MonitorSpeaker
Impedance: 4ohms
Weight: 6.2kg(13.66 lb)
Crossover Frequency: 1800Hz
Sensitivity: 85dB(2.83Vrms/1M)
Rated PowerInput: 75W
MaxPowerInput: 150W
FrequencyResponse: 60Hz-30000Hz(-3dB,IEC61094-4Type WS3)
Woofer: 2x4inch(87mm)Carbon Cone Woofer
Tweeter: 1xlinch(25mm)ALU Mag Dome Tweeter
Dimensions(HxDxW): 380mm*185mm*155mm(14.96 inch*7.28 inch*6.10 inch)
Color: Matte black, Matte white

Erin just measured and reviewed them, he liked them:

AI generated summary of "Is The Moondrop M4P Monitor Speaker Worth EVERY PENNY Of $920?" video review​

• (00:00 - 00:32) Speaker Basics:
  • The Moondrop M4P is a $920 monitor-style speaker.
  • Features 4-inch carbon cone woofers and a 1-inch aluminum magnesium dome tweeter.
  • Impedance: 4 ohms, Sensitivity: 85 dB, Rated Power: 75W (max 150W).
  • Available in matte white and matte black.
• (01:09 - 02:47) Sound Quality & Tonality:
  • Generally good tonality with some sibilance but also strong mid-bass presence (100-160Hz).
  • The soundstage is wide, especially with tracks mixed in QSound (e.g., Thriller by Michael Jackson).
  • Slight treble roll-off, meaning it’s not excessively bright or "detailed" in the high frequencies.
• (04:15 - 05:44) Listening Experience & Limitations:
  • Better suited for nearfield listening (~1 meter); struggles with farfield (~3 meters).
  • Limited dynamic range at higher volumes due to compression and distortion.
  • Vertical dispersion is narrow (±20° from the tweeter axis), so placement is crucial.
  • Horizontal dispersion is wide (±60°), making it good for immersive room reflections.
• (07:18 - 08:17) SPL Limitations & Subjective Impressions:
  • Speaker loses detail and clarity at high volumes (e.g., handclaps in Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’).
  • Compression issues at crossover region (3-4 kHz), making dynamics feel limited.
• (09:04 - 10:42) Frequency Response & Comparison:
  • 3dB down at ~70Hz, 10dB down at ~46Hz → Limited deep bass response.
  • Similar tonality to the KEF Reference 2 Meta but with more mid-bass boost.
• (13:18 - 13:48) Vertical Lobing Issue:
  • Midwoofers cancel each other out in certain frequencies, causing a notch in response.
  • Sitting above or below tweeter level reduces upper midrange clarity.
• (14:21 - 14:58) Distortion & Compression:
  • At 96 dB, distortion rises significantly, mainly second-order distortion (less harsh but still present).
  • Dynamic compression increases with volume, making the sound less lively.
• (15:27 - 16:00) Impedance & Amplifier Considerations:
  • Minimum impedance of 3.7 ohms, EPDR at 1.7 ohms, meaning it requires a good amplifier.
  • Class D amps are recommended due to better thermal efficiency.
• (16:00 - 16:25) Final Verdict:
  • Great for nearfield listening, but not ideal for farfield due to SPL and compression limits.
  • Good tonality, wide soundstage, and solid mid-bass, but treble roll-off and sibilance may not suit everyone.
  • Not for those who prefer bright or highly detailed speakers.
• (16:45 - 17:13) Closing & Support:
  • The reviewer loves audio but does this as a side passion project.
  • Encourages likes, comments, subscriptions, and Patreon support.
  • Offers affiliate links to support his content.

Final Thoughts:​

The Moondrop M4P offers solid performance for nearfield use, but compression and vertical dispersion issues limit its effectiveness in larger spaces. The soundstage is impressive, and the mid-bass bump adds warmth, but treble roll-off and sibilance might not appeal to everyone.

 

[tjf]

These look great - but @ $800 / Pr. + shipping, etc., and the need for bass mgmt/HPF + Sub in order to reduce the mini woofers/mids THD when asked to go below 100HZ, it looks like you'd need to at least add a Wiim Ultra + Power amp + Sub -- at a minimum to make these work well...

 

[markanini]

Value for money or not, I find it interesting that a company with a history of using objective metrics can succeed in making a good product when entering a new category.

 

[tjf]

Interesting yes, Kudos to Moondrop for taking this step and the engineering that comes with it...

I think it speaks to the market influence of ASR...But I wonder -- if ASR didn't exist or had 1/10th of it's actual online presence -- would Moondrop have tried this experiment?

And, since the majority of Moondrop products cost substantially less than these speakers, it'll be interesting to see how they fare in various markets, as Moondrop seems to be looking for the next segment of the "Desktop Audiophile" concept (Nearfield/Desktop audio systems) - moving beyond IEMs/Headphones, and the associated electronics for these (supplied by Topping, SMSL, Fiio, et al)

Hope they produce a 2.1 DAC/Amp device and a sub to market with these!

 

[CedarX]

And, since the majority of Moondrop products cost substantially less than these speakers,

Moondrop Psyche IEM: $2,399.00… not substantially less than these speakers.

 

[tjf]

Thank you for finding one of the few examples of an expensive Moondrop product, hence my claim of the majority of the products are less than $800

Perhaps you could list all moondrop products cost in $ as a better argument that $800 is not substantially more than most (the "majority") of their products?

 

[Phorize]

Value for money or not, I find it interesting that a company with a history of using objective metrics can succeed in making a good product when entering a new category.

Not great VFM, but agree it's notable that this is their first LS and it's better than alot on the market from more establish LS manufacturers.

 

[SlowLife]

My Moondrop Para with Red Velvet Pads*.
(*Ask seller to separate the ring.)

Frequency response measurements by FFCuties.

 

[CedarX]

I'm not sure if Moondrop RAYS has been mentioned before...

It's a new IEM intended for gamer, priced at $99. It uses a 10mm DD + 6mm Planar, and a new DSP cable. It looks like a re-packaged MAY: same drivers, different shell/color scheme, a new DSP cable with game-oriented PEQ presets and a noise-cancelling microphone. Moondrop is also introducing a new PEQ online tool (Chromium-based WebApp) in addition to their Link Android app.

In addition to PEQ, the WebApp integrates an AUTOEQ feature, similar to what @Jeromeof is doing with his Squig.link tool (https://www.pragmaticaudio.com/headphones/).
The WebApp only supports RAYS at this point. Based on the screenshots, RAYS accepts up to 8 peak-type PEQ filters. Monndrop says that more filter types will be added in subsequent upgrades (see cable details spoiler below).

Is RAYS a repackaged MAY?

RAYS distortion measurements (Moondrop data):

MAY distortion measurement (Moondrop data):

Assuming Moondrop data is actual measurements, RAY and MAY are indeed the same IEMs, with a different shell. This also means RAYS should be perfectly usable as a general purpose IEM, like MAY (MAY is actually a pretty good IEM IMHO...) and the gaming credentials--low latency, noise-cancelling mic.--are just extras.

More details on RAYS' DSP USB-C cable

Spoiler: RAYS DSP Cable

8x PEQs for RAYS vs. 9x PEQ for FeeDSP, MAY, DUSK, Echo-B...??? This looked familiar to me: the WalkPlay-enabled dongles, cables, IEMs, all these thingies built around TTGK's modules, also have 8x PEQs. And there is a growing number of these modules, including Moondrop's own Quark2-DSP IEM and Echo-A dongle: although they are not supported by Moondrop Link app, they do support 8x (peak) PEQ filters through the Android & WebApp WalkPlay application.

But then I found this picture on Hifi-Go web page about RAYS:

The SPV6040 is an integrated SoC from SpaceTouch (https://www.spacetouch.co/pro11.html). RISC-V, DSP, NPU, USB 2.0 support, ADC, DAC. What is interesting (well... to me) is that we know, based on the work of @myy0222, that the CBHT chips used on all the PEQ-enabled TTGK modules (CB5100-pro, CB1200AU, CB1300AU) are custom versions of the SPV4040 SpaceTouch chip (or perhaps SPV5048 in the case of CB5100-Pro). So, RAYS' cable is either a new TTGK module based on the SPV6040, or it’s the SPV6040 itself with a custom Moondrop FW...

I have RAYS on order (don't know about tariff impact in the US yet...). I really like MAY so I don't mind trying a variant, and I am curious about the new DSP cable and Moondrop WebApp.

 

[Jeromeof]

It looks like a re-packaged MAY: same drivers, different shell/color scheme, a new DSP cable with game-oriented PEQ presets and a noise-cancelling microphone. Moondrop is also introducing a new PEQ online tool (Chromium-based WebApp) in addition to their Link Android app.

That sounds very good - I have a few more Moondrop devices working now (CDSP, Chu II DSP as well as Quark2 and a few others) but I haven't got the FreeDSP or the May as they appear to block browser access but if this new one is based on the May and they have browser access I should be able to figure this one out at least).

Any link to their online tool?

 

[Jeromeof]

That sounds very good - I have a few more Moondrop devices working now (CDSP, Chu II DSP as well as Quark2 and a few others) but I haven't got the FreeDSP or the May as they appear to block browser access but if this new one is based on the May and they have browser access I should be able to figure this one out at least).

Any link to their online tool?

Its ok I found it https://hub.moondroplab.tech/

 

[Jeromeof]

So, I had a look at the source on that page and yes it should be easy for me to integrated that device into my existing code.

I see in the code that this new website supports 2 devices the "Moondrop Rays" and one called "Moondrop Marigold". No mention of the May in the code at all so I would guess no - but I might implement support for this device in the next few evenings and see if it can support some of the Moondrop devices which I haven't figured out yet.

 

[CedarX]

So, I had a look at the source on that page and yes it should be easy for me to integrated that device into my existing code.

I see in the code that this new website supports 2 devices the "Moondrop Rays" and one called "Moondrop Marigold". No mention of the May in the code at all so I would guess no - but I might implement support for this device in the next few evenings and see if it can support some of the Moondrop devices which I haven't figured out yet.

MAY uses the FreeDSP cable, or a variant of that cable (CX31988 + Moondrop custom FW).

Does the source code look like WalkPlay protocol? If yes, RAYS' cable could be this "FreeDSP Pro" listed in the WalkPlay API page. If no, RAYS is probably a Moondrop homebrew development around the SPV6040 chip.

 

[Jeromeof]

MAY uses the FreeDSP cable, or a variant of that cable (CX31988 + Moondrop custom FW).

Does the source code look like WalkPlay protocol? If yes, RAYS' cable could be this "FreeDSP Pro" listed in the WalkPlay API page. If no, RAYS is probably a Moondrop homebrew development around the SPV6040 chip.

Yes, it does look very similar to the Walkplay device - similar but different enough to like a next generation of their protocol - I have implemented the new code now and these were the differences in the protocol summarized by ChatGPT: