Moondrop May (IEM with USB C DSP cable)

[DJ SORROW]

Just got the Moondrop Chu2-DSP. It appears to be a Chu2 with a variant of the CDSP upgrade cable combo. I assume it will replace Moondrop JIU.
Chu2-DSP requires an updated app (APK), available on Moondrop website, to work correctly. I downloaded the upgrade and, interestingly, the app gives a view of the Chu2 presets PEQs: "default", "no bass", and "basshead":

View attachment 346966

I noticed the 1st filter in the "default" setting: 25 Hz is theoretically not allowed by the app (40-10,000 range only)... but it doesn't protest when I apply it!
As for MAY, the updated app does not show these screens, so no luck seeing each of the MAY presets... This app is still a mess
I'll see if at least, it gets better at detecting & recognizing Moondrop connected devices (so far so good...).

Hmm, this is peculiar. The filters' design suggests that the upper treble should exhibit a more pronounced elevation in comparison to the rest of the frequency response. However, both versions of the Chu 2 measure the same in this region when normalized at 60dB

 

[CedarX]

Hmm, this is peculiar. The filters' design suggests that the upper treble should exhibit a more pronounced elevation in comparison to the rest of the frequency response. However, both versions of the Chu 2 measure the same in this region when normalized at 60dB

This is off-topic as this thread is about MAY.
But the interesting point of these presets, if done right by the manufacturer (and that’s a big “if”) is that they can “suggest” some corrections depending on the IEM itself (whatever sub-optimal spots in the FR they may have) and the user “profile” and what they listen.

I don’t know the answers to your questions about Chu 2, but that’s the right questions: why did Moondrop shaped their presets like this? What can be inferred from these?

 

[markanini]

This is off-topic as this thread is about MAY.
But the interesting point of these presets, if done right by the manufacturer (and that’s a big “if”) is that they can “suggest” some corrections depending on the IEM itself (whatever sub-optimal spots in the FR they may have) and the user “profile” and what they listen.

I don’t know the answers to your questions about Chu 2, but that’s the right questions: why did Moondrop shaped their presets like this? What can be inferred from these?

Probably not much different from the work that went behind Harman IE, just "closed source" and using B&K 4128. Even the presets with different bass levels correspond to this:

 

[ehabheikal]

That's interesting... because I'm heading straight toward the exact opposite situation: I only need to accumulate two or three 3.5 / 4.4mm cables to fiddle with my Qudelix 5K & T71... But when I'm done, these USB-C DSP thingies are pretty slick! Between Tanchjim and Moondrop, I have already accumulated a dozen (!!!) of these USB-C DSP cables & IEMs (no quite: MAY is yet to be delivered).

I also wonder--a conspiration theory of mine--whether Moondrop intends to better capture their users FR preferences through the App cloud repository & "review process", so that they can better target future products.

EDIT: BTW, I am also messing with a Bugblat USB sniffer, trying to understand the commands protocol between the App and DSP--it cannot be that complicated (...???!!!). I am also willing to butcher a FreeDSP to find out what chip is used I just need to find some time...

Does tanchjim have a dsp cable? What is it called

 

[staticV3]

Does tanchjim have a dsp cable? What is it called

Not standalone.

You can buy a Tanchjim One DSP, then replace the IEM with one of your choice and use their App for EQ control.

 

[markanini]

Worth adding that the One DSP costs as much as Moondrops standalone FreeDSP and has a more flexible app.

 

[CedarX]

Not standalone.

You can buy a Tanchjim One DSP, then replace the IEM with one of your choice and use their App for EQ control.

Or you can buy the Moondrop CDSP (~$15) that is built around a KTmicro chip, like the Tanchjim DSP-enabled IEMs (DSP versions of the Zero, One, and Tanya).

These KTmicro-based IEM/cables only offer 5x Peak filters (9x on FreeDSP) and may not be as good as the FreeDSP—but they are most likely “good enough” for a large number of IEMs.

As @markanini noted, the Tanchjim app is better than the Moondrop one, but the Moondrop app is still “serviceable” if you don’t constantly fiddle with the filters: that’s what I do with my FreeDSP & CDSP cables: I leave them attached to the IEM…
Both app’s are Android apk.

 

[Jeromeof]

I think the recent improvement's in the MOONDROP app have made the CHU II dsp almost as good as the TANCHJIM One DSP and better in some respects!

I am planning on writing some details about these IEMs this week