Today we are looking at Moondrop Chu, a super budget IEM with Moondrop’s in-house sound signature.
Disclaimer: This unit was sent to me by Shenzhen Audio in exchange for my honest review. Thank you! I’m not paid to say anything in particular about this product and all thoughts and opinions in today’s episode are my own.
Moondrop Chu is a single dynamic driver IEM and it currently retails for 20 US dollars. Chu comes in a small stylish black box with anime waifu on the front of the box and frequency response graph and a list of technical specifications on the back.
In the box:
- Moondrop Chu IEM
- 3 pairs of Moondrop Spring silicone ear tips
- Black carrying pouch
- and a pair of rubber ear-hooks
Taking into consideration, that Moondrop Springs eartips cost 13 USD if purchased separately, the Chu package at 20 USD is quite generous.
The IEM is using one 10mm nano-crystal coated composite dynamic driver with a titanium-coated diaphragm. The impedance of Moondrop Chu is 18 Ohm, sensitivity is 120 db/Vrms. The cable is not removable and there is version with a microphone and without. My review sample is a non-mic version.
Design & build
The Moondrop Chu shells are made of zinc allow and feel quite solid. And it’s good to see all metal construction in this price bracket, as many models coming at this price are made out of plastic. The build is good and I like the smooth black finishing on this IEM. The shells have oval shape and are on a smaller side measuring just 18 mm in length
Each earpiece has a bamboo leaf on it, as the CHU in Chinese means bamboo and it’s associated in China with life. The shells also have left and right indicator painted. The nozzles are on a shorter side, they have a metal lip to keep ear tips securely in place and a mesh that helps to prevent ear wax from getting inside the shells. There are also 2 small vents on the inner side of the shells.
The cable is 1.2m long and it ends with L shaped 3.5 mm connector. The cable is non-detachable, which may be a deal-breaker for some people. But in this price bracket I prefer to have a good fit and build rather than a detachable cable.
The cable is quite thin and tangly, but using the included rubber ear-hooks improves the overall user experience. At the same I liked the fact the cable has minimal microphonics.
Fit & comfort
As Moondrop Chu is a small IEM with shorter nozzles I honestly didn’t expect them to fit that well. In my case, they were just comfortable straight out of the box and I liked it a lot. I have large ears, but the shells fit naturally and the angled nozzles in my opinion are just the right length.
With the supplied Spring tips installed, sound isolation on the Chu is above average as they are vented. They are absolutely usable outdoors, though you shouldn’t expect the same level of isolation like on unvented sets of IEMs
The overall comfort is good and I didn’t experience any problems with the fit. I was wearing the IEMs for a long listening sessions, and I never experienced any fatigue or discomfort.
🛒 Moondrop Chu on Amazon
Moondrop Chu sound overview
All the sound impressions that I’m sharing on my channel are completely subjective so please take them with a grain of salt. The Chu follow Moondrop’s tuning philosophy and it has excellent tonality for the price.
Moondrop Chu’s sound signature is slightly on a neutral bright side and it’s presentation is clear and detailed. The resolution and detail retrieval are surprising for its price category, and the fact Chu is easy to drive makes it twice as attractive.
The bass is slightly boosted on Chu, but it has just a right amount. The quality of bass is very good and the sub bass is more prominent here than mid-bass, but overall the IEM is not bass heavy as the mid bass sometimes lacks a bit of power. The bass texture is excellent and has a fair amount of details and definition. On the other hand there is no bass bleed into mids which in my opinion is really good. Overall I like the bass on Chu, but on some tracks the bass slightly lacks the punch and body.
Midrange on Moondrop Chu is clear and detailed and neutral. There is no bass bleed into mids and it makes the mid-range a bit sterile, which depending on your taste can be an advantage or disadvantage. I personally feel that on some tracks mid-range could use some additional warmth
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But at the same time Chu’s midrange has lifted upper-mid part and this results in a brighter tone. Female vocals sound natural and vibrant, but male vocals sometimes lack note weight and body. The timbre is quite accurate and the instruments sound clean. However, instruments in the upper registers can sound too forward and bright and this is especially noticeable at high volumes.
Treble on Moondrop Chu continues on from the moved forward upper mids, it has a good extension and is quite energetic. It’s is a bit on bright side, but in my case it was never harsh or piercing, but if you are a treble-sensitive person you might have issues with the treble here, as on some tracks it can be a bit hot.
It’s fairly precise and has a good resolution, but at the same time it lacks a bit of air. On the other hand, percussions have a good definition, cymbals and hi-hats have a lot of sparkle and the overall treble detail retrieval is good. The overall treble tonality is good it has a lot of transparency
The soundstage on Chu is fairly small and intimate. The width is average, but the depth is below average, so the music sounds in-your-head. Imaging is actually very good for the price, instruments placement is also good
The separation of instruments is above average, but micro-details retrieval is average as well. Clarity on the other hand is very good and overall this IEM has a strong technical performance for it’s price
Conclusions
Overall Moondrop Chu is a very attractive pair of IEMs, and while it doesn’t punch much above it’s weight and can’t compete with 1DD IEMs that are 2 or more times more expensive, it’s still one of the most interesting budget IEMs on the market today.
Pros:
- Very good build
- Excellent tonality and good timbre
- Easy to drive
- Excellent value per dollar ratio
- Comes with Moondrop Spring tips which cost 13 USD alone
Cons:
- Average detail retrieval and soundstage
- Non-detachable cable which can be a deal breaker for some
- Upper mids can sound a bit harsh on some tracks
Taking into consideration, most sets within this price category come with a V-Shaped turning, Chu’s tuning is quite refreshing. I’d recommend this pair to anyone who wants to try a neutral bright turning on a budget because Chu IEM is well made, has a very good timbre. are easy to drive, and come in a generous package.
And that concludes my review for today. If you want to see more content like this consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for future updates. Thank you for joining me, and until next time, goodbye!
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