Moondrop Chu Wired Earphones review: Best audiophile headset on a budget
Moondrop Chu price in India is Rs 1,999. It comes with inline microphone variant and remote. The wearable looks good and offers 3.5mm wired connectivity, comes with 10mm dynamic drivers, and promises neutral tuning and detailed sound. Is This the Best Affordable Audiophile Friendly Earphone Pair Currently? Let’s find out in this review.
Moondrop Chu design and specifications
Like other China-based audiophile products, the Moondrop Chu shouldn’t be judged by its name. In the range of less than Rs 2000, this product looks quite good, in which metal earpieces are provided with metal leaf pattern. The only place the logo is found on the product is on the plastic Y splitter module of the cable. Markings are given on the earpiece only for left and right channels.
The Moondrop Chu features a transparent fixed cable with an in-line remote, a microphone, and a 3.5mm plug for connectivity to the source device. Its three button remote has controls for volume and playback. If you want, you can also get the variant without inline remote and microphone, which is available a little cheaper at the price of Rs 1,799.
It took me a while to get the right fit of the Moondrop Chu. Its silicone eartips provide a good seal and hold. It also has ear hooks (available in the box itself) through which the cable slips inside and remains in place. But it takes some time to adjust the cable length under the ear hooks and make it fit in the right place.
With continued use, they become easier to fit, but still not as easy as the Final Audio E1000C and KZ Audio ZSN Pro However, compared to Moondrop Chu, Final Audio E1000C and KZ Audio ZSN Pro
Moondrop Chu features 10mm dynamic drivers and a frequency response range of 10-35,000Hz. It has an impedance rating of 28Ohms and a sensitivity range of 120dB. Its specifications make the wearable easy to use even with basic source devices such as budget smartphones. These can be easily used with Shanling UA2 Portable DAC. The sales package also includes three pairs of silicone ear tips, rubber ear hooks and a small fabric carry case.
Moondrop Chu performance
In the last few years, Bluetooth headsets have become more affordable, and their audio quality has also improved. Therefore, many people have now started preferring devices with wireless connectivity instead of wired headphones or earphones. However, wired connectivity does sound better, and the sound quality of the Moondrop Chu seems to be much better than true wireless earphones available today.
For this review, I used the Moondrop Chu with the Shanling UA2 DAC with a OnePlus 9 Pro and used Apple Music for high-resolution audio tracks. As an alternative source I used an iPad mini (2019) with a direct 3.5 headphone jack.
In both cases I found the Moondrop Chu to be quite loud. I found 60 percent volume sufficient for the iPad, whereas with the Shanling UA2 DAC I couldn’t even muster the courage to go above 50 percent. The sound was rich and the tone was excellent. The fit was great, making the sound feel very engaging and full of energy.
The beats on Kraak & Smaak’s Hold Back Love sounded deep and punchy, thanks to its tight, responsive bass. Due to the mid tempo pace, details were quite good, including faint instruments and vocals in the background. I have not heard such sound in any entry level audiophile earphones.
I then switched to more melodic music which included Psapp’s Cozy In The Rocket by The Chillout Airlines Crew. There was a lot of detail in the sound. The soundstage was rich and immersive, which only a good in-ear monitor can provide. From gentle vocals to playful tunes, the sound in the track was quite rich. Although the tight bass caught my attention, the midrange also sounded quite refined.
At times I found the treble to be a bit piercing, especially when listened to at high volume. Meanwhile, the music in tracks like Limp Bizkit’s Take A Look Around also felt tiring due to the aggressive bass. Like other IEMs in the audiophile category, Moondrop Chu also goes overboard on fast and high-powered tracks. It performs best in melodic and progressive music.
Moondrop Chu is primarily a musical pair of earphones but its microphone also makes it flexible in use. Performance during indoor calling was quite good and I even recorded a long audio clip with good effect in a quiet room. I was a little surprised that the inline remote and microphone were shutting down when used with the Shanling UA2 DAC, but they worked fine when connected directly to the iPad.
Verdict
There are only a few IEM options under Rs 2000 that can be called good audiophile earphones. But none of the ones I have used so far have been as enjoyable as Moondrop Chu. Although they take a lot of time and are a bit difficult to set up, their performance pales in comparison when listened to with a good DAC and high-resolution audio tracks.
There are minor shortcomings in the sound but these can be easily ignored considering its price and hands-free convenience. Overall, this is probably the best Star IEM I can recommend right now, and a great example of good sound quality within a tight budget.
