Moondrop LAN Review

[IAtaman]

In my search for IEMs I don't hate, I got a pair of LAN, because a. why not and b. subdued 3K region looked interesting as the main reason I hate IEMs is the headache they give me after a while. Well, long story short, these arrived a few days ago, have been using them exclusively for the last 24 hours, and I don't hate them. Yay! Not with the included eartips though - I hate them with the eartips they come with, but with foam tips they are quite good so far. Let's see.

 

[Tangband]

My Moondrop LAN has arrived - Im gonna do a review on saturday ( after some days of break-in ) where I will compare the sound experience with my Genelecs, and also my Sony WH1000xm3 .

 

[Tangband]

This is gonna be a very short review.
The source was an iPad 2015 with Apple lossless and the artist Anette Askvik with the record Liberty. A very good sounding recording. I let the LAN play 2 hours with some music before listening. I used two of the eartips that had the correct size for my ears.

I didnt like the sound from the LAN . My sony earphones has way to much bass for sure, but the LAN has no bass at all . My Genelec 8340 with GLM correction sound much, much better , a really big difference. The upper midrange in LAN is very harsh and this makes you wanna stop listening after 20 seconds. They are also very uncomfortable to wear wich was a surprise. In my opinion, those are not neutral and are not suitable for monitor listening. Or do they need a long break in period ?

Im gonna let them play music for 12 hours more ( without listening ) to see If there is some change in the sound after this.

 

[IAtaman]

The upper midrange in LAN is very harsh and this makes you wanna stop listening after 20 seconds. They are also very uncomfortable to wear wich was a surprise. In my opinion, those are not neutral and are not suitable for monitor listening. Or do they need a long break in period ?

Break-in is bogus. Get your self tips that fits better and the sound balance should return.

 

[Tangband]

Break-in is bogus. Get your self tips that fits better and the sound balance should return.

Hmm.., even Audiotechnica recommends breaking in of headphones.

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

www.audio-technica.com

”We’d recommend running your headphones in for an initial 10 hours to begin with, after this, select a testing track or album to monitor their performance. We always try and test headphones with the same selection of songs for an accurate comparison –Miles Davis – Kind of Blue is the album of choice for our hi-fi expert, Clive Atkins. Hiromichi Ozawa, manager of headphone research and development at Audio-Technica, opts for Mozart’s piano sonatas, played by Ingrid Haebler.”

 

[Tangband]

Break-in is bogus. Get your self tips that fits better and the sound balance should return.

Any link to good tips ?

 

[IAtaman]

Hmm.., even Audiotechnica recommends breaking in of headphones.

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

www.audio-technica.com

However, as with all arts, there are delightful subtleties to this ritual that can provide comfort for discerning audiophiles.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

Any link to good tips ?

I am using the foam tips that came with Truthear Zero. Spinfits are always a good option if you know your size.

You can give these a try.

 

[markanini]

@Tangband Try my EQ

Preamp: -2.6 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 500 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 0.510

I agree with @IAtaman though, most likely you are having an issue with tip fit, not getting full seal.

 

[Tangband]

However, as with all arts, there are delightful subtleties to this ritual that can provide comfort for discerning audiophiles.

They should be ashamed of themselves.


I am using the foam tips that came with Truthear Zero. Spinfits are always a good option if you know your size.

You can give these a try.

Do you think the LAN is better sounding than Truthear Zero ?

 

[IAtaman]

Do you think the LAN is better sounding than Truthear Zero ?

I don't know. I find Lan's smaller shell a bit more comfortable.

 

[Tangband]

Comparison with Apple airpods pro 2.

Coming soon…

 

[Jimbob54]

Comparison with Apple airpods pro 2.
View attachment 293416
Coming soon…

Someone else can sense check me but I think you might have the cables in the wrong way round. Take the red side, the cable loop should be looping away from the icon on the shell. Yours is going over. If I'm right (not great spatial reasoning) this might mean poor fit and sound.

Apologies if I'm being an idiot. Image below how it should be

 

[IAtaman]

Someone else can sense check me but I think you might have the cables in the wrong way round. Take the red side, the cable loop should be looping away from the icon on the shell. Yours is going ver. If I'm right (not great spatial reasoning) this might mean poor fit and sound.

Good catch. I can confirm you are correct. It was confusing indeed - and I thought I was good at spatial perception.

 

[delta76]

Hmm.., even Audiotechnica recommends breaking in of headphones.

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

Breaking-in New Headphones. How to burn in headphones (and is it necessary?).

www.audio-technica.com

”We’d recommend running your headphones in for an initial 10 hours to begin with, after this, select a testing track or album to monitor their performance. We always try and test headphones with the same selection of songs for an accurate comparison –Miles Davis – Kind of Blue is the album of choice for our hi-fi expert, Clive Atkins. Hiromichi Ozawa, manager of headphone research and development at Audio-Technica, opts for Mozart’s piano sonatas, played by Ingrid Haebler.”

almost all speakers/headphones makers recommend that (maybe with exceptions of few "professionals targeted" like Genelecs?) Simply reason - they want the sound to grow on you, avoiding early returns

 

[Tangband]

Someone else can sense check me but I think you might have the cables in the wrong way round. Take the red side, the cable loop should be looping away from the icon on the shell. Yours is going over. If I'm right (not great spatial reasoning) this might mean poor fit and sound.

Apologies if I'm being an idiot. Image below how it should be View attachment 293477

Thanks, I will try that.
If I have switch both cable wrong on both my LANs, its like switching polarity on both thereo loudspeakers. It shouldnt be any difference in the sound. But I´ll try your suggestion anyway. The comfort might be better.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks, I will try that.
If I have switch both cable wrong on both my LANs, its like switching polarity on both thereo loudspeakers. It shouldnt be any difference in the sound. But I´ll try your suggestion anyway. The comfort might be better.

Was for fit and comfort I was suggesting it for. Not sure how you'd get a good seal with the cable that way round, which then obviously impacts the actual sound in ear.

Your description of the sound earlier read like either you didn't have a proper seal or low drivers defective, which would be highly unlikely in both ears.

 

[Tangband]

Comparison with Apple airpods pro 2.
View attachment 293416
Coming soon…

The comfort became a little better by switching the polarity of both cables , but the sound didnt change.

Here is my subjective sound comparisons between AirPods pro 2 and the LAN :

AirPods pro 2 has a much better balance and the sound are almost identical to my Genelec 8340 . Whats missing in the AirPods pro 2 is the deepest bass between 20-30 Hz, not as deep as my 7350. The LAN has about 4 dB to little bass, and the bass thats there dont have the tonequality of the AirPods pro 2. So, equalization dont help much.

Further , the midrange and treble are also better in the airpods pro 2 , maybe only slightly to much energy above 6 kHz .

You can take those sound impressions with a bit of salt. Im my opinion, the sound from the LAN gets a little better If using foam tips, and the sound also gets better after break in ( without listening, just music playing ) for 24 hours.

However , the sound is not on par with AirPods pro 2 and its easy to be fooled by the fantastic measurement results - I was surely fooled.

 

[mc.god]

Lan FR seems impressively similar to 7Hz Zero

so surely a neutral bright tuning that you possibly don't like (i don't own the Lan but enjoy pretty much the 7Hz Zero.)
But if you don't like the bass even after equalization it seems to me of sealing problems not solved even with the cable in the right position.

 

[Cuckoo Studio]

Measurement Conditions Explanation And Chart Interpretation Of Cuckoo Studio Review

What you are about to read is the measurement conditions explanation and chart interpretation of Cuckoo Studio Review. This will help you better understand our measurement conditions, address any doubts about our data, and assist you in better understanding the information we aim to convey...

audiosciencereview.com

updated our measurement equipment instructions and chart descriptions.

 

[mck22mck]

My Moondrop LAN arrived this afternoon. I'm having a problem in that the cable won't stay connected to the monitors. I've pushed the cable ends in but there is no clip mechanism and the pins are loose in the sockets until the last fraction of a mm. After using them for a few minutes one or the other cable will disconnect. Has anyone else had similar problems, or could I have received a pair of monitors that are out of spec?