Moondrop - Chu 2

As someone who owns much more expensive headphones, I always keep a pair of moondrop chu 2 (non DSP)around. The build is absolutely phenomenal for the price and I’d say better than my 300 dollar pair of Softear Volume S. The cable is straight up one of the best I’ve tried at any price. The sound is pretty good, but there are probably slightly better sounding pairs at the price. It’s balanced and exciting enough for me to enjoy my music quite a bit and one could easily have these as their only headphones for life and be satisfied. I often only bring a pair of these on trips and listen to nothing fancier for days or weeks.

Not really in order, as different tunings: * Moondrop Chu 2 - mild v-shape, great IEM * QKZ HBB - warm/bassy, great IEM * Blon BL03 - fun v-shape (but the fit is terrible) Bright neutral has a few options - I prefer the original Chu but the crappy fixed cable lets it down. The 7Hz Zero is a bit better in that regard, but I don't think it sounds quite as good. Arguably it's better to pay the extra for the Moondrop LAN for this signature because it's the best one until you go up significantly, but OTOH it's also kind of overpriced for what it is (I think it's around $40 normally, but it's basically just a Chu 2 with less bass). The 7Hz Zero 2 is OK as well but I personally find it a bit of an overly safe middle ground between other, better IEMs. Like the QKZ HBB, if you want warm but don't want to go quite that warm. It's probably the one that's the closest competitor to the Wan'er, as a better all-rounder. Although I find the Wan'er has a stand-out feature in its vocals while being weaker elsewhere, but the Zero 2 doesn't have a single stand-out thing it does better than anything else. It could maybe get the award for the okayest $20 IEM, as it doesn't do anything bad, but nothing stands out as particularly good either. You also have things like the KZ EDC Pro as probably the best beginner IEM, for around $5. It's very close to the Chu 2 but a bit bassier and slightly less refined in the treble. Probably more comfortable than the Chu 2 and less prone to condensation issues. The KZ Castor Bass, around $15, is good for a really hard-hitting bass tuning, although it's not an all-rounder and the tuning is a bit grainy.

Personally I'd go for the Chu 2 over the Gate because the treble on the Gate is a bit grainy, though you do need to be a bit more careful about humidity because of the metal shells. They're both a similar Harman-inspired, mild v-shape.

They all perform pretty similarly. I'd have to A/B to remind myself but I *think* the Chu 2 is slightly ahead of the rest. The Gate might be a bit wider sounding actually because it's a bit brighter than the Chu 2, but IMO it's not as well tuned as the others and can sound a bit "scratchy" at times. If you want to avoid too much bass, you will probably prefer the 7Hz Zero as it's a bright-neutral tuning (Chu 2 & Gate are both mild v-shape, Wan'er & Zero 2 are warm-neutral). With that said, none of these are basshead. Bear in mind that soundstage is a psychoacoustic effect anyway, so what sounds wider to one person might not sound like that to someone else. Very broadly, a slight v-shape with a lean towards more treble and less mid-bass will sound wider, but there's no guarantee everyone will hear it that way.

For the ones that get recommended there's a noticeable difference. Usually good $20 IEMs will have some limitation, like good tuning but lack extension, or vice-versa. The good $80-ish ones will have both. Around $200 you typically get a bit more refinement, but diminishing returns are definitely a thing. For a first IEM, the good ones in the $20 range are excellent and nobody will notice a difference compared to starting at $80 without having the chance to compare them directly. And even then, it might take a while before they have the listening ability to tell the difference in a comparison. The main thing about the $20 IEMs is that the good ones have a very specific signature and do one thing well, but maybe not everything. For example the QKZ HBB does warm and bassy better than anything I know of under $200, but it lacks treble extension. The 7Hz Zero is the exact opposite of that. The Chu 2 is probably the most balanced option and has the most premium look & feel overall because it's metal & comes with a decent cable & a nice carry pouch. It can have some issues with condensation because of the metal shells, so it needs a bit of looking after, especially in humid environments.

Kefine Klean if you can find them in budget (they're generally right around that price, depending on sales etc.). Otherwise KBear KB01 or the Kiwi Ears Cadenza. The KB01 is a 1:1 clone of the Cadenza, so choose based on price/looks. They sound identical. Failing that I'd go for the Chu 2 as IMO they sound the best in that price range and have the best build & accessories (only the Klean is ahead of them). But they do need a bit more looking after than most IEMs and can be prone to moisture issues if not kept dry between uses. I've also heard good things about the Bunny DSP, but haven't heard it myself. The fact it's plastic makes it lower maintenance than the Chu 2, but it won't look or feel as high quality. They do have them on Aliexpress, but it's possible they don't ship to your region and that's why it's not showing up. Sometimes Aliexpress search can be a bit weird so try googling it with "site:aliexpress" (you need to add .com to that but I don't want to get caught in the spam filter). That will sometimes help with finding listings that Aliexpress decides not to show for some reason. If you get a "not found" error that normally means it's not available in your country. Also another one that's not on your list but is excellent is the QKZ HBB. It's a very warm, laid back tuning. Quite bassy, but not energetic bass, just really warm. One of my favourite IEMs at any price, because there isn't really much else tuned like that. It's not as good and all-rounder as the others, but I think it might suit the genres you mentioned quite well. I like it for background listening because it pushes vocals back a bit (without making them sound muffled or unnatural) so it can make otherwise distracting music sound less distracting. It also volume scales really well if you decide to crank it up (just don't damage your hearing doing this!)

Kefine Klean if it's in budget. Otherwise the Truthear Gate. The Artti T10 has an even better cable (going up in price a bit). The T10 and the Klean are both excellent IEMs that punch well above their price point, in addition to coming with a decent cable. The Gate has one of the best lightweight cables around, but it's not a particularly good IEM IMO. It's OK, but it's not one I find myself wanting to pick up and listen to (I mainly bought it for the white cable). Also the Chu 2 cable is pretty good (just behind the Gate one) and IMO it's a much better IEM than the Gate. Although some people do run into issues with clogged filters (although lots of people don't have any issues so I wouldn't get over-concerned about that). If all you need is a cable, have a look on Aliexpress to see what KBear cables are on sale. The 8-core, 16-core and ST12 are all excellent cables. They rotate what's on sale, but there's usually at least one under $7. Only thing to watch about the KBear cables is they mostly use semi-flush connectors. That's better for most IEMs because they'll fit in a shallow recess and they won't stick out awkwardly on a flush IEM, but they don't do a version that will fit in a deep-recessed socket. They don't fit the Chu 2 properly, for example. The Kefine Klean and T10 cables are both fully flush, so they won't fit an IEM with any sort of recess. The Gate and Chu 2 cables both use micro connectors that will fit anything.

Linsoul like to do that with all their product descriptions to confuse people into thinking they're the brand, or to get people to go to their website instead of other sellers if they see the name on Amazon. They do it for any listing they control. I prefer the Chu 2 overall. They maybe aren't quite as bassy but a bit better balanced. TBH I haven't listened to my G1s enough to give them a really fair comparison - I listened to them for a bit and nothing especially stood out as being particularly great about them, other than the size. They're maybe a touch more comfortable than the Chu 2 and about the same size (the Chu 2 is known for being very small).

I would recommend the Chu 2 over the Gate. The treble on the Gate is a bit peaky and sounds unnatural at times. The 7Hz Zero (the original one not the Zero 2) is also closer to flat neutral if that's something you're looking for. I prefer the Chu 2 as it's a bit smoother and more engaging with a bit more bass. The Chu 2 is a mild v-shape, but not so v-shaped that anything is "missing". If you want neutrality though, the Zero is closer to that. Either one will give you good clarity, details etc. The Chu 2 feels a bit higher quality and the accessories package is a lot nicer, especially the cable. Because it's metal, it does require a bit more careful looking after than the Zero, which is plastic, because metal shelled IEMs are a bit more prone to moisture-related issues. The main thing is it's important to give the IEM time to rest and dry out between uses. If you live somewhere humid, it's best to invest in some silica gel to help with that. Otherwise just leave them out of the case somewhere warm and dry for a couple of hours to dry out before putting them away.

I wouldn't bother personally. The Chu 2, which you already have, has better quality treble than the Gate. Otherwise the tuning is fairly similar.

Don't know about the Vivian, but the Chu 2 is perfectly good for that. It's not flat neutral (but no IEM is), but it's quite a mild v-shape without any frequencies particularly missing, masked or over-boosted, and it has good extension in both the bass and the treble. Really "for gaming" is a bit of a meme and means basically nothing. It's just marketing. Looking at some graphs, it seem like the Vivian doesn't have as good treble extension as the Chu 2, so it's going to be a less reliable reference if you want to be able to hear high frequency noise in your recordings.

There's very significant diminishing returns. A good $500 IEM will be better than a good $20 one, but probably not as much as you might expect. Conversely, once you go above about $500 things can start going wrong easily. It's mainly about niche things that some people will love and others will hate. Roughly $500 is where the technical capability of drivers needed to achieve a near-perfect tuning tops out, and nowadays you can pretty much get there for $200-300. The price where you see the most difference for the least amount of money is around $80. Stuff like the TRN Shell (actually only $50) the Simgot EA500LM and things like that sound quite noticeably better than the Chu 2, in terms of technical ability, not just tonality (in fact in terms of tuning I'd say the Chu 2 is better than the Shell). But once you go up from that to say $200, the differences are much smaller and you're mainly paying for technical ability + better tuning. If you have the patience, you can achieve the same thing with EQ. The EA500/EA500LM is probably the perfect platform for "unlimited performance" with EQ because it's a very capable 1DD, which means it has no coherency issues around the crossover point (since a single driver IEM has no crossover). That said I'm somewhat interested in the [Fiio FX17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5GGRzPv8EA), which is about $1,500. The thing about that is that if you were to actually buy all the EST drivers it contains (never mind the shells and the other drivers), it would cost more than $1,500. ESTs tend to sound very good, but they're stupidly expensive to make (and only one company makes them). So this is one case where you actually know what you're paying for. But it's a but like buying a phone with 64GB of RAM installed - does that actually make any difference? This apparently is one of the few kilobuck IEMs that may be worth it (if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket). But at the same time, it's likely someone will bring out something around $300 in the next year or two that renders it obsolete, just using much cheaper drivers to achieve the same sound. Also when you get up into these more expensive multi-driver IEMs, very often the shells and nozzle have to be bigger, so they're worse for comfort than much cheaper options. You can only cram so many drivers into a certain amount of space.

bro neither 💀 get the truthear gate from headphone zone. its on sale right now as well. available only for 1700. much better than both these iems. also better than wan'er & chu 2. or wait for the wan'er 2 (coming out in early march). also use headphone zone for buying iems. they have fantastic customer service & u also get points for buying stuff (which u can later use to get discounts on other products). i can tell u more about this stuff if u want 🙌🏻

If you want something which is nuetral and clear with good bass get the CHU 2(3.5mm) If you only care about BASS then get the castor pro. The have really prominent bass but lack clarity in highs. Tangzu Wan'er have a shitty build quality, since you come from the samsung AKGs, tangzu will feel really cheap, and they have okayish sound quality with nice bass. overall i would suggest moondrop chu 2, really great build(metallic/aluminium alloy) built, and have a good balanced sound with a nice bass that doesnt get into your brain, KZ castors are purely bass prominent!

I use my moon drops chu2 for casual gaming for my switch. I alternate between supermix 4 and tea pros for pc.

It is overall balanced, can say slight v-shape

And for your question, IEMs for gaming maybe at or under $20 or less. Tangzu Wan'er 2 * New and will improve the original Wan'er SG, 2-pin 0.78mm (better than QDC) * Pre-order and no reviews yet so far. Tangzu Wan'er SG * Mellow and easy to daily drive both physically and sound comfort wise, one of the best stock eartips I experienced. Best low sub-bass I experienced. * Might sound a tad muddy footsteps especially Valorant, uses QDC connector. Moondrop Chu 2 * Great all rounder for competitive gaming, light and small, metal case and 2-pin 0.78mm. * Bass might be lacking for some, and especially single-player games, might be abit treble harsh sounding for some. KZ EDC Pro * General all rounder, punchy bass with good clarity and highs. Great for general single-player games and maybe some online games as well. 2-pin 0.78mm and light to wear. Mellow and not treble harsh sounding. * Might muddies out footsteps especially Valorant KZ Castor * Silver version - A more versatile version of the EDC Pro, has the better soundstage a bit, can change sound feel from a neutral bright, neutral, and abit bassy. uses QDC and might be a tad heavier in the ears, treble harsh especially at its treble and mid focused tunings. * Bass version - Best avoid with competitive games, especially Valorant. But great with single-player games that are cinematic and has alot of cutscenes and environmental stuffs. QDC and heavy as well. KZ Castor Pro * Silver and Bass versions - same with the OG Castor, but a tad bit physically heavier. There are definitely better IEMs on slightly higher price range of $50-80, but they might be expensive for you. You can wait and save some more money for a more pricey set.

1500 INR? * KZ Castor/Castor Pro Silver * KZ EDC Pro If you can at least push it at 2k INR, I would suggest * Tangzu Wan'er SG 2 * Tangzu Wan'er SG * Truthear Gate * 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 * Kiwi Ears Dolce * Moondrop Chu 2 Prices are HeadphoneZone, Audio Store, and Concept Cart If Amazon * KZ EDC Pro above 1.5k INR * Tangzu Wan'er SG 2 * Tangzu Wan'er SG * Truthear Gate * 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2 * Kiwi Ears Dolce * Moondrop Chu 2 * KZ Castor/Castor Pro Silver

All under 3k INR (based on ConceptKart website) Neutral (including warm and bright) * Tangzu Wan'er SG (neutral warm) \*\* * Tangzu Wan'er 2 (neutral warm) \* * Tanchjim Bunny DSP (neutral bright) \* * Tanchjim One DSP (neutral warm) * Moondrop Chu 2 DSP (neutral bright) * 7Hz Salnotes Zero (neutral bright) * Truthear Gate (neutral balanced) \* * Kinera Celest Wyvern Qing (neutral balanced) \* * KZ Castor/Castor Pro Silver (v-warm-ish to neutral bright) \*\* V/U-shaped (including warm and bright) * Tanchjim Bunny 3.5mm * Tanchjim One 3.5mm * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 (mild v-balanced) \* * ND Planet (v-warm) * Rose Technics (Roseselsa) Aurora Ultra (v-warm-ish) \* * Moondrop Chu 2 3.5mm (mild v) * DUNU Titan S2 (v-balanced) \* * BLON BL-03 (v-warm) * BLON BL-03 II (v-warm) * Kiwi Ears Dolce (u-bright) * TRN Conch (mild v-bright) * Moondrop Chu 2 3.5mm (mild v-balanced) \* * Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss (mild v-warm) * Tangzu Shimin Li (mild-v bright) * KZ Castor/Castor Pro Silver (mild v-warm-ish to neutral bright) \*\* * KZ Castor/Castor Pro Black Improved Bass (v-bass to v-bright-ish) \*\* * KZ EDC Pro (u-warm) \*\* * KZ EDX Pro (v-bright) (\* recommend | \*\* personally I own)

Chu 2 is ok, just that it might sound abit less fun with single-player games because of lack of enough bass. As well as recent issues with broken 2-pins and them getting stuck within the IEM. (very fixable and cable replacement) Tangzu Wan'er SG is a safer for the ears set, less treble crazy, but personally it sounded abit low mid muddy (but generally its all fine) KZ Castor, I am still waiting for my Silver version (but I liked the EDC Pro, similar-ish to the Silver Castor). I have the Bass, which is better for me vs the Wan'er SG, better sparkle and technicalities.

Bassy IEMs: Under $5 * QKZ AK6 Pro $25 and lower (bass-focused) * KBEar Rosefinch \* * QKZ x HBB (OG version) \* * BLON BL-01 * KZ Castor Bass \* $25 and lower (neutral warm) * Tangzu Wan'er SG/Wan'er 2 \* * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 \* * Moondrop Chu 2 * KZ Castor Silver (UUDD switches) $25-60 (bass-focused) * BLON BL-03/BL-03 II \* * BLON x HBB Z300 * TinHiFi C3 Mk2 \* * 7Hz x HBB Elua * Kinera Celest Gumiho * KZ Castor Pro Bass \* * CCA Rhapsody \* * CCA Trio \* $25-60 (neutral warm) * Kefine Klean \* * Inawaken Dawn Ms \* * Kiwi Ears Cadenza \* * Tripowin x 0DiBi Vivace \* * Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss \* * Tangzu YuXuanJi * KBear KB02 * KZ Zenith (UUDD switches) \* * KZ Castor Pro Silver (UUDD switches) Special mentioned * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue 2 \* * QKZ x HBB Khan (\* recommend)

$25 and lower * Tangzu Wan'er SG/Wan'er 2 * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 \* * Moondrop Chu 2 * KZ Castor Silver (UDDD switches) \* $25-60  * Kefine Klean \* * Inawaken Dawn Ms \* * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Red \* * Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue 2 \* * Kiwi Ears Cadenza * Tripowin x 0DiBi Vivace * Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss * Kinera Celest IgniteX Beast \* * Tangzu YuXuanJi * KBear KB02 \* * KZ Zenith (UUDD switches) \* * KZ Castor Pro Silver (UDDD switches) \* Or any other neutral warm IEMs, but the two Truthear Crinacle are the closest one with minimal mid-bass. Or go for planar IEMs, which their bass is speedy decay enough to be not too much mid bass: * SGOR Luna * Artti T10/T10 Pro * NiceHCK F1 Pro * Shozy P10/P20 * Letshuoer S08

|WARM|BALANCED-ish|BRIGHT| |:-|:-|:-| |Tangzu Wan'er SG (neutral warm)|Moondrop Chu 2 (mild v-bright-ish)|7Hz Salnotes Zero (neutral bright)| |Kiwi Ears Cadenza (neutral warm, with a touch of bright)||Simgot EW200 (mild v-bright)| All of them are good at their price point, but basing on your other IEMs, you prefer a mild-v tuning, either abit bright or abit warm. * KZ Castor Harman (Silver) which is a neutral bright to mild v-warm from switches * 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2 which is a mild v-balanced with a warm-ish feel * KZ EDC Pro is a u-balanced with a touch of warmness Kiwi Ears Cadenza has better brightness and air vs Tanzgu Wan'er SG, and personally experienced some minimal lower midrange mud with the original Tangzu Wan'er SG. Tangzu Wan'er SG 2 kinda fixed most of the issues with the original Wan'er SG, but its still a neutral warm IEM. Simgot EW200 has more energetic and brighter sound signature than KZ Castor Silver (Harman), but KZ Castor Silver has better soundstage and image separation vs Simgot EW200. Moondrop Chu 2 is the smallest on all of these, but might lack overall sound experience abit vs both the KZ Castor Silver and 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2. 7Hz Salnotes Zero is more neutral bright, lacks bass impact vs 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2. (fairly similar to KZ Castor Silver at DDUU/DDDU switches) * So if you want a little bit more warmness but retaining some balanced feel, Kiwi Ears Cadenza * If you want more treble energy and abit more analytical, Simgot EW200 * If you want a small IEM, Moondrop Chu 2

https://preview.redd.it/oc5qk49gnqze1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=9aa9538b56e361c6da5d2c43aba4962eff6c12fd SGOR Adonis should be also good for you, though its more v-shaped than the Salnotes Zero 2, with abit more upper midrange energy (which means female vocals and lead sounds will be more pronounced) But male vocals might get thinner abit, but advantage for the Adonis maybe slightly better on soundstage and image separation vs the Salnotes Zero 2, because of its semi-open back design (Like the KZ Castor Silver, at the UDUU switch setting)

[these](http://Moondrop CHU II High Performance Dynamic Driver IEMs Interchangeable Cable in-Ear Headphone https://a.co/d/9BibJsF) Has to be the best IEM i owned for the price

First i want to start off with saying thank you for this post. Now, the only IEMs I've used are the Chu 2s (not the USB-C ones), and I was blown away by the sound and everything, but from what I've observed, this is due to the switch to IEMs rather than the Chu 2. At this point, I'd like to allow you complete freedom to make a recommendation based on your experience; anything works. Don't overthink it; simply suggest what comes to mind. The only thing I'd like you to consider is the fit; the Chu 2s fit me perfectly; I'm not sure if they're considered big or small, but I've always assumed I had massive canals. Thanks again for your amazing work, you are awesome!

I got my moondrop chu 2s about 2 weeks ago, these sound much better than my friend's oneplus nord buds. heres the link: [https://www.headphonezone.in/products/moondrop-chu-ii?\_pos=4&\_sid=8ab797ad7&\_ss=r](https://www.headphonezone.in/products/moondrop-chu-ii?_pos=4&_sid=8ab797ad7&_ss=r)

After 100-200$ returns are diminishing. However, single DDs in that price range (your Chu) are good but not "that good" compared to more expensive ones. However, single DD cannot sound as good as planar or BA (let alone EST) sets. Simple example, i had Moondrop Jiu (basically Chu 2) and after that i bought Moondrop Lan. Lan had more pleasant sound and price diff is only ~20$. However i also had Intuaura Splendor II which is 250$ single DD, but Lan had 90% performance of Splendor. After that i tried 60$ Artti T10 planar, and it was better (to me) than Splendor in a way. Both DD and planar can sound amazing but its very hard to tune them nicely, especially planar. While BA can sound good and bad as any other driver its way easier to tune them and they are more consistent in frequency response, yet sound cleaner than DD but not always better. Also hybrid configuration needs crossover(s) which can ruin the sound if not implemented properly.

The usual recommendation of entry point IEM are all good. Of course I don't have all but I do have some and in case you're new and don't know, I'll name a few so you can start looking into them to see which fits your tastes better: * Mooondrop Chu 2 - metal body and small, very nice pick * Truthear Gate * Tangzu Wan'er (normal, 2 and studio edition) * Salnotes Zero (both 1 and 2) * Kiwiears Cadenza * Simgot EW100 or 200 * Tripowin Vivace - I just ordered this to try it as it has been getting a lot of praise and is supposed to perform way above its price range * Moondrop Lan - this is about 40 dollars, above of what you mentioned but I love it. Super comfortable, very neutral and pleasing sound signature. Full metal body, which is always a plus for durability. On the current sale I think it may be on your budget. If you have any more question just send them.

Zero2, Moodrop Chu and other one i dont remember

(amongst the iems have I owned) s tier: kiwi ears ke 4 and truthear hexa a+ tier: Ikko OH10, Pula PA02, Shuoer s12 pro, Sennheiser ie200, Kefine Delci, Dunu Titan S OG a tier: Dunu Titan s2, Tanchjim One, pre revision CCA CRA+ A- tier: Binary Chopin, Tangzu Waner Studio, KZ PR2 pre revision, Tripowin Olina SE B+ tier: Kiwi Ears Quintet, Tangzu Xuan Ji, Simgot EW 200, Truthear Gate and Hola, Tangzu Wan'er SG B tier: Moondrop Chu 2 and OG, KZ EDA Balanced, Kiwi Ears Quartet, Moondrop Aria Snow, FiiO Jade Audio JH3, Tripowin Lea B- tier: 7hz zero OG, Truthear Zero Blue, Whizzer BS1 C tier: KZ CRN D tier: Moondrop Quarks honorable mentions: Koss KSC75 in A minus, Porta Pro in B, Moondrop Space Travel in B-, Galaxy Buds Plus and 2 in A minus along with Airpods Pro Gen 1, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in A plus.

do you have the chu2? because thats actually pretty great alrdy. i dont like the tuning of the kz as it tends to be weird and not as smooth sounding in my ears. I would add the zero 2. but honestly, i would bet on the chu2 because of the fit too and overall in my ears i like how it has bass and also details on the top end because it is a on the bright side, but enough. wan'er is also good- though it is quite on the darker sounding side.

well, there is not much you could really choose at this price point to be honest. if you want to get something better than the chu 2, then you have to spend more. getting something at the $20 range is more or less just a sidegrade than an upgrade. I play a lot of valorant and cs2 and I found that something very neutral sounding like my moondrop SSR is much worse than anything on what the tuning of the chu2. the chu 2 is good with footsteps, idk why people always say that. i dont even have problem with the original chu with footstep at all. knowing the chu2 already have good enough imaging, thats more important. and honestly, dont listen to them lol. you can hear footstep fine. dont worry about that. if you love the chu 2, thats it. otherwise, you need to step up your budget to get something off better than the chu 2. but then again, if you want a sidegrade kind of thing, then the wan'er is pretty good. you can actually buy wireless modules/adoptors for IEM's like the KZ AZ20.

Haha yea. I had a m40x before with removed leather and sounded somewhat like what a moodrop chu would sound ( neutral and bright sounding) so when i stop fully working on mixing and mastering, I sold my m40x and only done side work from that time in mixing and mastering using my moodrop chu. The only hard part of mixing and mastering using an IEM is imaging. What i usually do to overcome this issue is to just use my phones speakers lol. But yea, its not recommended but it did work when i work with one of clients for side quests work loll

I own all mentioned but I only wowed a little bit moving from chu 1 and 2 to aria 2 and hexa. If op looking to be wowed by a mile then I think $200 market is the way. Kiwi Ears Quintet will be my recommendation.

Same here, I had the Chu 2 and then upgraded to the Hexa. At first the bass felt a bit weak, but after some EQ it really came alive. Still super detailed and smooth, but now with better bass impact. Definitely a solid upgrade.

From $200 to $1000 there’s practically no gain its like 800 extra for like 3% gain but from $20 chu2 to $200 iems omg the sound is so amazing all those extra drivers help so much it’s like your rediscover musice once you step into $100+ iems it’s impossible to listen to budget sets

Yes, I’ve recently got into iems about 2 months ago. I’ve been a AirPod/gaming headset user for many many years. When I came across iems, I purchased 1 from Ali express and I instantly fell in love with it. 2 things I mainly love is, how cheap and better they are compared to AirPods, I picked up moondrop Chu 2 for $10 and was immediately impressed with its sound quality. Right now I’m using Vzonis VD-01 but looking to upgrade to a more base iem. Another thing with iem, you can customise the cable. (With me I’m very picky about everything) and I’ve paired my iems with Xinhs 8core silver cables and it’s been the best. No cable tangles, nothing One problem is, once you get a iem, you will feel the urge to get more aha

They’re neutral-ish, only problem I had with them is that the treble can get a little tiring, and the build quality isn’t great, sold them and got the chu 2 instead and Im happier with them, pretty decent cable too

The chu 2 is pretty generic in terms of sound but they’re super safe in that regard

I’ve had mine since January and I absolutely love them. They are great for every day use however they do lack some bass. Other than that, they are great.

Not sure what do you mean by punchy feeling but the lack of bass isnt a deal breaker to be fair. They sound is very clear and far superior than all the other over the ear headphones that i've used. Music sounds clear and for gaming they are a very good option as well. I play mostly FPS and hearing enemy footsteps have never been easier with these.

I dont want to force your buying decision : Though I had wanger S.G , kefine klean , chu 2 and kiwi ears cadenza …. Chu 2 and kiwi ear cadenza are great … why you ask that metallic shell iems are not placed at the top … because they absorb moushire and can maybe end of clogging one of the sides in long run ( if you dont of take a good care of iem ) but kiwi ears cadenza are absolutely steal at 35 bucks

The biggest difference between my Shure/Klipsch IEMs and Moondrop/7hz (I own Chu2 and SSR and demoed Aria, Starfield and 7hz Eternal) is how bright the modern ones are. Shure (along with Westone) has a reputation for dark signatures and many people don't like them, however in their defense, the filters can be replaced (Knowles BA filters affect the sound) and they respond to EQ extremely well. Klipsch X7i is like a more "fun" Etymotic ER4 to me, it recesses the treble just about right to make it non-fatiguing while keeping the detail and relative neutrality, and does similarly with bass. Aria and Starfield sounded extremely similar (in being V-leaning) but Aria had a wider soundstage. They're basically all-rounders in my opinion, though Aria's soundstage was really outstanding, out of everything I heard it's only second to XBA-A3/Z5 (but these are hard to beat). Treble makes them sound more lively than old BA sets. 7Hz Eternal actually reminded me of Klipsch because it also seems to try and balance between neutrality and the more popular V-shape. SSR tries to achieve "true" diffuse field signature and can get fatiguing but ends up sounding very detailed, and it's impressively "fast" for a single DD. Overall they have different strengths (Shure has insane isolation and build quality and I love how drums sound on them thank to their "speed" and impact, Klipsch is a great all-rounder and smallest of them all, Moondrop SSR has amazing technicalities for how cheap it is) and I can't pick a favorite, though I mostly use Klipsch right now.

use mine while playing bass. it highlights too many mistakes lol

Alright so everybody here has an opinion, most of them based on "trust me bro". There is a bunch of ~20usd iems, all of them having very similar tuning (tuning is ALL that matters in the sound of earphones/headphones). A lot of them, because they are cheap, come with bad cables that break over time (cables are usually the nost fragile thing on this stuff). Thus I would recommend the Truthear Gate, it comes with a cable that is far better than even cables that vome with iems costing 5x the price. Under 100usd, I would recommend the the Truthear Pure. It is tuned to be what we call neutral now (jm1 and -1db/Oct. Tilt), leaning a bit warm. KZ is... questionable. Some praise it for its price to performance, others hate it. What we are certain about is that they do not sound *objecitevly* correct, not even close to it sometimes. On top of that, they got questionable QC... and marketing practices (paying reviewers, silent revisions for the worse...) 7hz Salnotes Zero:2 - is a good option with a solid tuning, but many find it uncomfortable. Edit: The moondrop chu2 is also a solid option, but I would still go for the Gate.

Truthear Gate & Moondrop Chu 2 seem to be decent options below 2k. Both are comfortable, sound good & have mics. Go for Gate imo.

Get IEMS. Wired beats wireless for gaming. Pure sound, 0 latency and vastly cheaper. Moondrop Chu II is like 20 dollars and will probably beat legit any earbuds being sold for 20 dollars new. Or do what u/P_Devil said and get a 2.4GHz adapter. But I would DEFINITELY recommend IEMS or anything wired.

Which would be best for music like the weekend , ed shreen and rammstin? Also I would use it for calls as well so what would you recommend? I had chu 2 it broke like in 2 years i am looking for something in that range or better but with clarity leaning to better base.

Chu 2 should be fine, they are reasonably neutral. You might want to consider Shure SE215 (outside of your budget but still) for practice since they are quite comfortable and provide very good passive sound isolation. Alternatively, a proper set of cans can also be nice, something like Sony MDR-7506. I should stress that the last two options I mainly suggest for practicing/tracking and not necessarily for general listening.

Get Moondrop Chu 2 or 7HZ Zero 2. KZ Zsn pro x is also good . I have it. You can never go wrong with this three. Also Moisture issue can happen in countries like India where there are lot of moisture in air. So it always advice to keep a silica gel bag with your iem and store it in a zip lock headphone pouch. Also if you want a dac dont fall for headphone zone marketing. Buy Audiocular D07 Dac from Flipkart/ Amazon / Concept Kart. Half the price and same performance.

Try the Chu 2 or Tanchjim Bunny

Moondrop Chu 2's tuning is great for all genres, even tho it lacks bass. That's why they recommend the Chu 2

Iem user for over 10 years now. Never had any issues with iems. Wanted to tey hps anf got Lcd2c. Sold it off and went back to my iems. Speakers are still king followed by iems to me. Budget ones that you can look into are: Waner Zero/Zero 2 Chu ii Gate Blon 03 i/ii

I ended up buying both. They're just so damn affordable. The Wan'er has great mids and highs, but very little low-end. But you can hear so much detail with these. Very balanced, with extremely clear vocals. Good for mixing, given you keep the lacking low-end in mind, great for listening to pop and EDM. Keywords: crystal clear, sparkly, refreshing. The Chu II is more energetic, with a more pronounced low-end presentation. Not as balanced, but more fun. The mids and highs are nothing to scoff at, just not quite as detailed and balanced as the Wan'er. Great for anything from hip hop and rap, to rock, metal and pop. Keywords: warm, deep, punchy. Both are easy to drive. Both sound great with classical music, for different reasons.

I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOUR POINTS: https://preview.redd.it/vwxf7i53neye1.jpeg?width=2377&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9aafdf70e38f01e9e6e88692e4c7f79caca103d8 This is MY collection...and I'm very early in the journey. I don't have the budget, knowledge or experience to blind buy a 500USD+ set of in ears that may or may not fit my ears or my preferences. While my journey doesn't completely fit OP's blueprint...I have/had the same thought process regarding purchasing IEMs. Not pictured are the Moondrop Chu 2 and 7Hz Sonus. I started with the Chu 2, 7Hz Zero 2 and Kiwi Ears Cadenza. From listening, watching and reading reviews...I was able to learn about all the terms, labels, and vocabulary to describe what I like or don't like. I threw money at the Wyvern Abyss...I mean...LOOK AT THEM😂. The Kz Castor Bass was a curiosity buy...want to hear if a set touting bass response was really that bassy. My next steps were the NiceHCK F1 Pros, Kiwi Ears Canta and the 7Hz Sonus. The F1 Pros and the Sonu were on sale at the time of purchase...good value and able to narrow things down more for myself. I knew I liked the planar sound...I have a set of open ear planar cans. The F1s felt disappointing (until I tip rolled) The Sonus was about much for my taste (in the mids) The Cantas were quite nice for me. By this point...I had a good grasp of what I was looking for and the direction (s) I want to go in. AFUL Performer 5+2 is currently my go-to...for all around listening. Sourced from R2R DAC lined out into a desktop tube amp. It's like a warm blanket on crisp bright and snowy winter day. I picked up the Hexa because I wanted to hear the hype...and yes...they definitely fulfill the hype and then some. I've EQed my IEMs... especially the planar. They can mimic the sound...but it's only a part of the equation. I now rotate through 3-4 sets at my desktop listening station. The cheapo ones all have 3.5mm out for around the house or for bed. If they break...ill decide if I want to replace. Tip rolling is a journey of itself. Some tips can dramatically change an IEM and rescue it from the bottom of the pile. My Planars now sport foam tips...easing off the treble was huge. Anyway...long post...if you got this far thanks for sticking with my diarrhea of words. TLDR: I agree with the OP

if you can afford 2 sets...get the Salnotes zero 2 and either the Chu2 or the Wan'er. They should have different enough sound signatures that you can start making a decision which you might like. Watch the reviews for the two sets you buy. Learn the lingo...and what it is you're hearing. That knowledge will help you when you're looking for an upgrade later on

OP... don't get rid of your Astral. Someone else mentioned it already...but it's a lack.of reference that has you second guessing. EQ (parametric EQ) is a good tool. It can help you fine tune the sound of the IEM to your liking. But...the IEM should sound good to you out of the box. HD550...hmmm... just go for the legend. Save for the HD600. I wrote down my experiences and things I learned as a beginner [Posted here](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/u2D7CWFQw9) Go and find all the reviews you can on the Astral. Listen to the terminologies and try to associate what you hear from the Astral. Then pick up a budget set or two (if you want to learn) watch those reviews from the same reviewer. See if you can hear what they are hearing...and establish a frame of reference. Hope that makes sense. Outside of that...you picked a really good IEM. Stick with it. HD

check the community recs for under 50...that's where I started (kiwi ears cadenza, Moondrop Chu 2, and the 7Hz Salnotes x Crinacle Zero 2) There should be enough of a difference between 2 of those sets to start getting a frame of reference. You'll likely hear the differences between those and your Astral

Moondrop chu 2 Best you can get for that price point, look up crinacle’s review on them.

Have: *Using a dac btw *Chu 2 and Kefine Klean are prone to sound damp/loss due to moisture getting trapped in the metal housing. If it happens let it air out or put silica gel next to it. -Kz edc pro(cheapest option; sounds better than my salnotes zero & chu 2 tho unreliable qc) -Salnotes zero(great budget option; clean layered sounds and a bit bassy, plastic housing not really bothersome quite reliable tbh, stock cable sucks tho, my running/jogging iem) -Moondrop chu 2(clean layered sound and neutral tuning, my preferred choice; metal housing, great stock cable, my travel iem) -Kefine Klean(a bit better sounding than every iem i have, best build quality, metal housing, great stock cable, my gaming iem) Currently eyeing: Kinera Celest Simgot ew300

I would love to try/have the Luna and the Horizon, the treble extension looks interesting. I come from AE headsets and just recently acquired the Chu II to have a try to IEMs and i am impressed and in love.

I’m looking for suggestions for a bassy IEM around the $100 range. I’ve previously used the Moondrop Chu 2 and then upgraded to the Truthear Zero Red. While I liked the balanced tuning of the Zero Red, I originally bought it for its bass, which turned out to be underwhelming. Now I want to move up to the next tier with something that delivers truly impactful and satisfying bass. Any recommendations?

Very nice, I have not experienced yours but I have a set of Moon Drop Chu 2s at home. More comfortable if you're literally going to keep an IEM in for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time, but not as isolating as the Etymotics for me.

Anything with a triple flange tip is going to reach deep. I have small ears (unsure how I could give you any sort of quantitative information here) and with the original tips I couldn't keep them in for more than 45 minutes at a time and my ears got super itchy inside. I was beginning to think " I'm just not a deep ear insertion type of guy" but then I picked up size small, triple flange ear tips and now I'm the happy camper.

I still have the Moondrop Chu II. It works well for me in Valorant.

Here's my journey in short: Brought the chu 2, impressed me a lot, got greedy, returned it and brought the ew300, extremely disappointed. My preferences (not in order): 1. Enough punchy bass without bleeding (this was what impressed me in the chu2) 2. Non muddied good mids (one of the two things that I hated about the ew300 was that it gets muddled in busy tracks and also seemed a bit recessed) 3. Lower treble (second thing I hate about ew300 being the weird piezoelectric metallic timbre and peaky treble) Current choices (kinda in order): 1. Aful explorer (doubtful about the bass bleeding and muddied mids) 2. Truthear hexa (I can live with lower bass and slightly brighter treble if it means I am getting cleaner mids) 3. Kefine delci 4. letshouer s08 (heard it has high planar treble) 5. Truthear nova 6. Tangzu fudu (free eartips) Feel free to recommend anything else.

Here's my audiophile journey so far from the chu 2 to the ew300 to the hexa. **Moondrop chu 2 :** Bought the moondrop chu 2 about 2 months ago. Impressed me a lot coming from oppo enco buds 2. The bass was punchy. Everything was more clear. More details in song. I did found it to be a bit sibilant and fatiguing. This must mean my preference is the V shape signature but with a little lower treble than the chu 2. So I got greedy, decided to upgrade and returned the chu 2. Also, the chu 2 were pretty mediocre for gaming. Too much bass made hearing footsteps hard. I play CODM a lot (one of those ranked sweats), although gaming is not my priority here. **Simgot EW300 :** I was first looking for something with lower treble. Found the tangzu waner to fit my needs. Waner 2 was releasing at that time. Decided to wait for it and did a lot a research at that time while also saving money. Choice then became truthear zero red and later decided to go for the ew300 or the hexa after various reviews. The hexa had supposedly lower bass as per everyone in this subreddit and the bass in the chu 2 was one thing that impressed me a lot. So EW300 was the way. And after a month of returning the chu 2, I finally bought the EW300 HBB edition. Had a lot of hopes. and..................... It was a **TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT**. The bass was not punchy and was too fast, the mids were recessed and muddled in busy tracks (most indian songs are pretty busy imo). The piezoelectric timbre and peaky treble gave it a somewhat unnatural sound, lacking coherency, especially noticeable at higher volume. At first I gave it sometime to adapt. After 3 days, brought audiocular d07 dac (CX30993 MAX97220) fearing that the iem maybe underpowered since it has a micro planar. Nothing changed, other than the fact that now I max out at 30% volume instead of the 80% without the dac. EW300 has its positives. The build, cable and looks felt very premium. It was very good for gaming also. Locating footsteps was very easy. It did suffer a bit when a lot was going on and the bass was still on the higher side for competitive gaming imo. Now I was confused about what sound signature I actually liked lol. As a last resort, tried to exchange the ew300 for the hexa. The thought was 'I can live with boring neutral sound with no bass but can't bear this muddled, recessed mids and metallic treble timbre'. Here's the thing. I bought these iems from headphonezone which is the best store for iems in India. They have this policy of one time exchange only and I had used it with the chu 2. As a student, 7400 inr (85 usd) was a lot and I can't save it one more time. So I emailed them if they could give me one more exchange chance and they agreed. If u are from india, just buy from them. Conceptkart and audiostore have bad customer care apparently. Else buy from linsoul and pray for no customs. So, I returned the ew300 and bought the hexa. **Truthear hexa :** Didn't expect the hexa to impress me as it doesn't have good bass and V-shape signature. and.................... it freaking impressed me, **A LOT.** Everything was way cleaner and sounded right. Holy details in every song I hear. Handled busy tracks like a champ. Bass was just enough, it did lack that exciting punch a bit (maybe I am not much of a bass head after all). Treble didn't felt peaky at all, maybe at high volumes (still way better than the chu 2). All this after hearing it for like, an hour. Will be using these for a long time to come. Extremely happy that I exchanged the ew300 for these gem of an iem. Coming to gaming, again it performed very well in busy gunfights. U can easily separate the footsteps, gunfights etc. The only downside I felt was the soundstage. Its not bad but ew300 performs little better in that regard. With the hexa, I can hear the footsteps and gunfights but can't locate it easily. The ew300 does this effortlessly. If u are looking for a gaming only iem, buy the ew300 and eq down the bass (for competitive only). **TL;DR : There's a reason the hexa is still the number one in this subreddits ranking under 100 usd. Don't underestimate the so called 'boring' neutral sound of the hexa. At least give it a try if u are new to this.** Thanks for all the help I received from this subreddit. Special thanks to dr\_wtf guy. U helped me a lot brother, keep up the good work.

Brought the chu 2 a month ago and it impressed me a lot, coming from oppo enco buds 2. So I returned it, saved more money, did my research and ended up with two choices - hexa or ew300. The first thing that impressed me with the chu 2 was the bass. The hexa had lower bass according to everyone. So I brought the ew300 hbb edition. Now here's the problem. It sounds bad. It is definitely better than my enco buds but the price increase from chu 2 is not justified. I cant compare the chu 2 and the ew300 as its been a month since I returned the chu 2. The bass is bloated. Mid bass punch is average. Overall presentation is not coherent. The recessed mids and piezoelectric treble timbre is very much audible. So I brought a dac - Audiocular d07 (cx31993) and still the sound seems same. Only this time, I max out at 30 volume instead of usual 80 without the dac. Can I do anything to improve this like buying a better dac or waiting to get adapted to it. Or should I just return this and get the hexa. I can live with lower bass but can't bear any bloated bass.

Hi! Great post. I have a question I hope you can guide me. Currently using Chu2 and I love it but looking for an upgrade which has better separation and probably better low-mids. How will be meze alba or ea500 lm? Although not a fan of harsh treble so ew300? Or anything else you suggest. I loved my old samsung buds pro in terms of sound but, hated the fit. I hope you got my point. And thanks a lot

Small list of the ones I recommend for beginners with budget 1. Moondrop chu ii 2. Kz castor (original or pro) if you like bass, pick the black one 3. 7hz Zero Red 4.sgor adonis

Hello good day, I recently started getting into the hobby The moondrop chu II and cvj Vivian are great imo, although they're kind optimized for gaming ig? Correct me if I'm wrong. But I would like to have recommendations for video editing since I tend to like monitor audio a lot and think that the ones I have are just more for gaming ig? Appreciate the time and thank you!

I really like mine (Chu II) for gaming; I was recommended by a friend (they use the MoonDrop Aria Snow Edition) and decided to try the "entry-level" type and they work really good for me. (Coming from Corsair HS60 Pro headphones).

It'll just happen with use. I have no idea why they thought using brass was a good idea. You can clean it off most of the time. Filters can be removed and cleaned without too much issue

I use primarily budget IEMs. My on-the-go pair is usually my Chu 2s or Nuos. I do also occasionally use the LANs. At home I use the Kefine Kleans. The other sets I have include the Hexa, Delci, and EW200, and the THifi C2s. The Kleans provide me with clean and accurate male vocals while still sounding natural which is really what I'm looking for in an IEM.

IEMs came a long way. I got me Moondrop Chu 2 for outside use for $19. It's a ridiculously cheap for great audio.

is Chu2 worth $20? yes duh is it $20 better than what you have? up to you. adding more $20 iems to your collection is just that, an addition. upgrade would be moving up to the $50-80 tier imo

what's affordable to you IEMs have cheap low-cost options for decent sound quality. moondrop chu 2s off the top of my head but theres so many recs in that $20-50 price range

Better? For certain situations. They really can't be beat for bang-for-the-buck performance. You can get VERY good sounding iems for as low as $25 (Moondrop Chu II, for example). They also just sound different from other setups. Open back headphones will have WAY more space and soundstage in almost every case. But a great amp and speaker setup will do even more for a sense of envelopment and tactility. The one, almost undeniable, advantage of iems is the lower price of entry into very good sound. The law of diminishing returns hits iems, headphones, and speakers just the same...iems just have a generally lower point of entry to very good sound. They also are , generally easier to power so they work well with cheap DAC/amps like the Apple dongle.

I’m surprised to see the Original 7 Hz Salnotes Zero on the list but not the Zero 2. The Zero 2 is the one I see recommended most on here, with TANGZU Wan’er and Moondrop Chu II very close seconds.

my first were moondrop chu 2. loved them to bits, but if i had to i wouldn’t get it again purely because of the moisture issue with the filters (i live in a high-humidity area) more recently got a tripowin vivace and am really liking it so far, so much so that i didn’t bother to autoeq or just even eq it in any way, because it sounded pretty much perfect to me stock

I using moondrop chu IIs on series x and ps5 for warzone and they are a ton better for hearing steps and such than my headsets, albeit warzone's soundmix is shit to begin with, lol

Tangzu Wan'er, Monndrop Chu II, Salnotes Zero 2 - they're all cheap as chips and you wouldn't go wrong with either of them!

No worries, you just need to find a style that you prefer. I probably use Dunu Candy eartips the most.

I had the Moondrop chu2 before this and a Razer BlackShark V2 headset and this sounds sooo much better.

I’m still somewhat new to this hobby lol, I only had the chu2 before this but I have tried the Blessing 3 and others, I’m still learning about the terms lol

The Chu2 had more bass and that thump, these have a neutral signature, this sounds very good and in games the footsteps are very clear and do not get muffled. The biggest issue I had with the Chu2 was the moisture issue which causes it’s filters to get clogged, I cleaned them regularly but this time it finally gave up and the filters were out of stock.

Moondrop Chu2 for me.

Absolutely, I'm very satisfied with them

My first pair as well, solid build and really good bass for the price, just take a good care of them and store them with silica gel so that the nozzles don't face any problem

No problem, enjoy your IEMs and have fun!

İIonly have an chu 2 s where would they fit in the tierlist d I presume?

My personal journey to find the perfect audio setup that works for me was long and expensive. Put simply, I tried a ton of the gamer-focused headsets first. Went through a lot, and some of them were actually decent, but in the end, I realized the truth: gamer headphones are not a good value. They put more resources into the branding and aesthetics than they do for actual audio quality. The one exception to this was the Sennheiser/Drop PC38x. These are wired open back headphones with a built-in mic. For me, these were far and away the best sounding "gamer" headphones I ever tried, and it wasn't even close. The open back really opens up the soundstage, which, at least for me, really helped with directional audio. The convenience of the built-in mic was definitely a bonus too. Sadly, it looks like they are no longer making these... maybe Drop or Sennheiser still makes something similar but I haven't looked. I ran the Astro a40's for a long time too. These also have an open back design, but I always found them to be a bit too harsh, and I spent WAY too much time trying to tweak the EQ to get them to sound good. The terrible software didn't help matters either. IEM's are all the rage now. I was skeptical at first, but have found this to be the best way to go. IEM's were always kind of a niche item that was historically expensive for a decent set, but over the last few years, a TON of really good IEM's have hit the market for super cheap. My current favorite set are the Truthear Crinacle Zero Reds. You can find them on sale pretty often for around $50. If that's too much, there are a lot of great options in the $15 - $50 range too. The KZ Castors come to mind: I think I got mine for like $25 and I like these almost as much as the Zero Reds. The Audiovance Vibes 202's are good as well and can be had for around $30. I like them because they sound really great, and I like the cables they come with. And of course, everyone loves the Moondrop Chu II. I have those as well and they are indeed quite good, especially for the price (around $20). The amazing thing is that all of the IEM's I mentioned above sound way better than the in ear monitors I used to use back in my days of playing live music... and they literally cost hundreds of dollars less. It blows my mind. The one downside to IEM's is the lack of a built-in mic. This is easy to get around if you are playing on PC, but a little less convenient if you play on console. I have a dedicated mic for my setup since I do a lot of music recording so it isn't a problem, but if you need a built-in mic, there are cables for IEM's that you can buy that have a little mic built in. I can't really speak to how good they are, but I would think that would work ok plugged directly into your Xbox or PS controller. Anyway, I didn't set out to write a book here when I started this post, but there it is... TLDR; iems are the way to go. Even the Moondrop Chu II's sound significantly better than even the most expensive gamer-focused headsets. And that's before you even consider cost. If you are like me, and your earholes don't generally like earbuds, you may need to experiment with different tips to find something that is comfortable enough to wear for long periods, but once you do it is awesome, and definitely worth the trouble.

I guess for music it depends on your taste Wan er have vocal focus Chu 2 is more fun well balanced and analytical Kz castor pro bass edition is for those who like a lot of bass For gaming I recommend you get the chu 2, it has better sound stage and imaging (I have all those iem btw) it’s my favorite music wise gaming wise and comfort wise (wan er is too big and kz castor doesn’t fit right on me) BUT you should see reviews for all of them and decide based on your taste I don’t recommend the wan er if you think about gaming with it, it’s uncomfortable and fatiguing after some time If you think about gaming over music pick the chu 2 If you like a lot of bass pick the castor If you think about music pick the chu 2 If you think about music but like vocal forward with a little bit extra bass, pick the wan er

At their price point, they are almost impossible to beat to me. Comfort is good, and I would recommend seeing which tips work best over the course of a couple of days. Cabling is actually something I prefer on the Moondrops than my Truthear Hexas, at moderate levels, there is no fatigue. Also, if you can EQ, I think they are perfectly capable of delivering any reasonable bass profile you can come up with. I remember the first time I heard them, and I was like, all this for $20?! Good luck

All the three IEMs are somewhat specialized or niche in my opinion. None of these does something exceptionally well in everything. But, if you are talking about versatile IEMs then the list goes like this: Moondrop Chu 2> Castor Pro > Wan'er If your priority is Bass and fun sounding IEM that is good for gaming and music: Castor Pro> Chu 2 > Wan'er Castor Pro is good if you want a fun V-shaped sound. Why you don't get many reviews of it mostly because reviewers do not like KZ or the sound signature it offers. So, if you want insight of Castor Pro, you have to look for user reviews. Or check the review of ToneDeafMonk's Castor Bass. Castor Pro is an upgrade and fixes the things that Castor Bass had. If your priority is vocals and smooth treble: Wan'er outshines everything in this price range. Additionally, there's Tripowin Vivace if you want something that is versatile and good for gaming in that price range.

I like the Chu2 better in that price range and for it would be a better choice. But it does have know issue with humidity and recently I have seen some complains that the volume on one side of their Chu2 becomes lower after some months. Do you have any other recommendations? There is 7hz Zero and Zero 2.. Would have gone for Zero 2 but its more on V shape

Ah, fellow Nasi Lemak gang. Stay with Chu II.

Chu 2 no contest

Some people dislike that the nozzles on the chu 2 are unlacquered brass and if they get wet will start to get some green oxides. That's literally it. You can wipe the nozzles off every now and then with a paper towel. Also the chu 2 has replaceable filters, unlike anything else. Chu 2 is by far the best all rounder. Wan'er are a total tier down and kz is a shady company not worth supporting (the castor is only okay too) The only $20 options in the same tier as the chu 2 are the kinera wyvern and the tanchjim bunny

I don't have the beast, but I would say the wyvern is as good. Bear in mind that cost isn't always a mark of higher quality. Chu 2, wyvern or tanchjim bunny are my votes

I think the tiers that really went "oh that was a definite bump in quality" is listening to the moondrop chu 2, then something like the simgot em6l, and the the apevoix Grit. Each one was just a clear improvement in better detail, more resolving, better dynamics and soundstage, etc. But honestly I have multi thousand dollar over ear headphones and after I got the Grit.... I don't know if there's really a better sounding iem under like 7 or 800 bucks. It definitely pegged the price to performance as far as it goes.

Moondrop chu 2 or Tripowin vivace + some cheap dongle is my rec , something like truthear zero is a little bit better

Moondrop chu 2 or Moondrop lan

Take something comfortable like Moondrop chu 2 or Lan, if you go up a little take Sennheiser ie 200 or Kadenz , also stock up on eartips or alcohol wipes. If you connect directly to the microphone there may be interference and background noise

Uhm they are very similar and both s, the waner 2 have a better cable and premium eartips, the chu 2 have the aluminum body. if you want more bass the chu 2 are better, if you want more details the waner 2

I am using the moondrop chu ll for like 2 weeks and It's a solid option and the sound quality is awesome I will recommend you a dac with the chu 2 without the dac it will sound a little flat but not noticeable difference

I just got myself the Chu II and I have to say I'm blown away, it feels like I'm being teased with how affordable they are

I can vouch for Moondrop Chu II. They're very good in terms of sound quality for the price they offer but it's not water resistant, so don't bring them to somewhere with high humidity or near water. Also if the cable breaks, you can replace them as long as the IEM itself is not damaged

If you're looking to find your sound signature then just get two or three of the budgets. Truthear Gate, Moondrop Chu2, and Tangzu Wa'ner. 3 different sounding budget iem's.

OMG ! this comment reallly made me think . like the target curve itself is v shaped. thanks a lot will go with moondrop chu 2. but by clear and detail i meant, if you pull a cheap earphone the audio resolution and clarity takes a drastic hit. ig thats more on how good the drivers are

If you live in a cold and humid city, don't buy the chu, it has condensation issues due to its metal shell

i personally won't bother with it . you have a kz anyway , just get another cheap-fi . chu 2 is pretty good for the price

I see, personally, Moondrop Chu 2 gets channel imbalance in moist places, so I'm avoiding them, I would get the Zero, but the problem is I've heard that they have a problematic fit, I figure it would be a gamble to just buy them, as I can't really demo them in person, so I suppose I'm going with the Gate, did you face any problems with the Zero's fit?

Well, I'd appreciate if you could help me a little.I actually got the Chu 2, unfortunately, due to moisture problems it developed a lot of channel imbalance, I now want a second iem, around the same budget, About my experience with the sound of the Chu 2, It had a nice amount of bass, maybe slightly too much, but it was okay, was happy with the treble too, but the mids just seemed too pulled back, I felt it was a bit too on the warm side, electric guitars felt a little warm and dull and didn't have that bite, I felt it could do with a little more emphasis on the vocals. Now, I wanted to try out the og Zero, but I've heard a lot of bad things about the fit, I had to use the smallest size tips with the Chu 2, so I'm unsure if the Zero would fit in my ears or not, and heck, even then my right ear could've used a slightly smaller tip size. I've decided on between the Gate, Wan'er or the Zero if it fits. Could you advise me on what I should buy? Any other suggestions except the iems I just listed? Thanks for any help, I would greatly appreciate it

My Shure SE215's don't sound as good as my Chu 2's. My recommendation would be to buy a pair of Chu 2's first and see if they tickle your pickle before getting any other IEM's.

Dang, I had no idea they're discontinued now. Makes me glad that I have 3 pairs of them lmao. For context I bought a pair to replace my Moondrop Chus bc the cable kept breaking and I kept having to solder them. After a plane trip, I came back and noticed one of the earbuds was missing from the cable, and I thought I had lost it on the plane, so I ordered another pair. Turns out the missing earbuds was somehow under the microwave so I had an extra pair. I also got a pair for my dad at some point, but he didn't really end up using them so they're just sitting around as well. I honestly kinda regretted not buying another earbud to try out, but now that the Holas are discontinued I'm kinda glad I have a few. They're basically flawless. Compared to the Chus, the cable is a lot better and also they don't fall out my ears when I move. The Chu IIs have a detachable cable now but they still seem very heavy.

Dang, I had no idea they're discontinued now. Makes me glad that I have 3 pairs of them lmao. For context I bought a pair to replace my Moondrop Chus bc the cable kept breaking and I kept having to solder them. After a plane trip, I came back and noticed one of the earbuds was missing from the cable, and I thought I had lost it on the plane, so I ordered another pair. Turns out the missing earbuds was somehow under the microwave so I had an extra pair. I also got a pair for my dad at some point, but he didn't really end up using them so they're just sitting around as well. I honestly kinda regretted not buying another earbud to try out, but now that the Holas are discontinued I'm kinda glad I have a few. They're basically flawless. Compared to the Chus, the cable is a lot better and also they don't fall out my ears when I move. The Chu IIs have a detachable cable now but they still seem very heavy.

I've been using Chu II for more than 8 months. They are very comfortable, for music, watching videos, playing games, multiplayer too. However one issue you might consider is the problem with humidity and filter clogging. The humidity makes the nozzles oxidate which leads to corrosion of the brass. They are still functional but are worn off. The filters are also clogging pretty easily, so more ear hygiene is required, and sometimes you'll need to clean them by either sucking the nozzles, or by scrubbing them with a brush.

The oxidation issue is just for cosmetics. The nozzle part instead of looking golden looks silver. There is also a little bit of green grease when that happens, but can be easily wiped off and there are no technical drawbacks because of it

How big are the nozzles? I had to return the red zero as they were too big for my ears. Currently using chu ii with w3 ii and very impressed still!

Got it. How "large" are they in reality? I could not get my motorbike helmet on with the zero red. Can get helmet on with chu ii with balaclava. Taking off needs practice ha.

I have generally heard better reviews for Moondrop chu 2 if you want a clinical reference grade sound.

The 3.5mms. Invest in a basic cx31993 dac at the very least and optionally you can also use Apple music lossless and that will make the Chu 2s reveal their true character.

$20. Seriously, the chifi IEM market is crazy and there are a bunch in the $20-30 range that are really, really impressive. Based on your preferred tune, I'd suggest the Tangzu Wan'er SG or Wan'er II. I prefer the sound of the II, but the SG cost me only $11 a few weeks ago. The base cables are ... meh, but pretty easy to swap out. If you want a more v-shaped tune, the Chu II are also pretty great.

Any $10 USB-C dongle, and a pair of Tangzu Wan'er 2 (neutral), Moondrop Chu II (v-shape), or 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 (bumped bass) will beat the earpods.

Whenever someone pops up here asking which $100 IEM they should buy, my standard response is to spend $60 on a Wan'er 2, Zero:2, and Chu II, $10 on a dongle DAC, and spend the other $30 on something else (or save for upgrade). EQ is cool, but it's not magic. And finding something close to your preference and starting there goes a long way. Also, not for nothing, but I used a different tunes of IEMs at my desk (Wan'er) vs. working in a loud office (Chu II) vs. walking my dog (Zero:2), and playing with multiple tunings helps you figure that out.

The Wan'er 2, hands down. Definitely skip the Cadenza; at least to me they're super tinny and sibilant, with hollow and unsatisfying bass. Chu II are also great, but I think the Wan'er are a more resolving headphone.

Wan’er is vocal focused neutral and my favorite of those three. Chu is v-shaped ands zero:2 bass boosted, though also good IEMs.

What sounds "good" to you might well be very different than "good" to me, which is the reason for my comment. If you blind buy, you might pick something bassy that turns out to give you a headache after fifteen minutes, or a v-shape that is so bright as to set your teeth on edge, or a neutral pair that sounds boring to you. People here recommend some real weird shit! Seriously, $20 each: Tangzu Wan'er 2, Moondrop Chu II, and 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2. Each is a good headphone that might end up meeting your long-term needs, but they each also have a clear upgrade path once you know that you like/can tolerate a sound signature. \[or if you're determined to just buy once, get the Moondrop Aria 2 for $99. A nice headphone with a very inoffensive but fun tuning, well-built, nice accessories and cable, etc.\]

Wan’er 2 for a neutral tune, 7Hz Zero:2 for a bassy boi, Chu II for a v-shape (elevated base and treble). All around $20, all incredible values. (My personal fave is the Wan’er and it’s not particularly close.)

$20 each: Tangzu Wan'er 2 (neutral), 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 (bassy), Moondrop Chu II (mildly v-shaped) $35 (on sale; original MSRP $80): Kiwi Ears x Crinacle Singolo (v-shaped). Personally I really, really like the Singolo, but the $20 ones are all great IEMs.

If you go for a budget one (and many people might hang me for saying this), you can equalize a bit more bass for them. Wan'er 1 are warm and pretty solid, Chu II are more shouty but have good performance and Salnotes have a nice sound stage.

Sa price point na yan ung contenders ay ung: Salnote 7hz Zero 2 Moondrop Chu II Tanchjim Bunny Tangzu Wan Er 2 All of them are good pero iba iba sila ng sound profile so depende sa trip mo. As a treble head, mas gusto ko ung Tanchjim Bunny sa lahat since mas treble ang focus nya.

Moondrop Chu 2 siguro. Wide soundstage, not too bright trebles, tapos warm ung bass nya without mid bass bleed. Generally, you want V shape pag alt rock eh. Imo, pinaka ideal ang TRN Conch tho di ko alam if meron sa shopee.

Chu II or Wan'er for me

UPDATE: The final verdict is Moon drop Chu II! Thank you for everyone's suggestion. I was contemplating the Linsoul Bl03 for the design but apparently the sound quality is hit or miss. Thank you I really appreciate it!

I like whatever the crankle ones were the other week and Chu 2. Much more entertaining

i had the simgot supermix 4(which they say the endgame for almost everyone) and then lost one side and had to get something cheap for some time, i got the moondrop chu2, brother when i say that there is almost difference between them and if you wanted to notice it you’d have to use them side by side and be soo picky, if you don’t have FOMO you will be very happy like i’m with it, even someone i knew said the samething, they got the kz s10 and they didn’t notice any changes from the chu2,

Agreed, though less harsh than the "vaunted" Chu II. People glazed that IEM and to this day I still don't know why. Was the one time my feelings on an IEM were completely different from Crin.

chu2 is good enough to hear some actual fine audio.

The build quality is shit in 1 months the paint is gone and after 3 months the 2 pin female connector on my left iem broke. As it broke physically the warranty does not claim. And for long listening sessions my ears hurt. Now I got the moondrop chu II i am in love with the build quality and sound is nice too only con is no mic.

Ok so this if from my personal experience.... I have several iem range from sub 100 until 500 some I lent to my friends or I just keep on my house...I have several friends which audio hobbyist they have audio store so I have opportunity to try before I buy one..so someday I want buy 1000usd iem, read reddit and head-fi forum then go to my friend store...so I tried moondrop chu2 compare to my kadenz yes the quality is very different, compare again with letshuoer s15 the s15 better than my kadenz for my taste...so when I put monarch mk3 it's blow my ear, damn this iem so amazong and I decide to bought it....then several weeks later my friend call me then say I have 64audio tia demo and annihilator just come....with fully excited I'm going there when I tried both of them, I dont feel WOW like I tried monarch mk3 the first time then at that time I realize, mk3 is my peak and I cant tell the significant difference between mk3 - annihilator and tia So thats why I like to try and buy several 100-500usd iem and sometimes sub100 too because I can tell the difference and I can choose whats signature I want..like a week ago I choose simgot ea500lm rather than ew300 because I found the sound more aggresive because mostly my iem is warm and neutral.... So from my story, I have limitation and taste for me, spent 1000 iem in monarch mk3 is one of the best choise I ever made and beyond that price point my ears cant tell fhe difference so..but back again thats my experience and opinion....

I've had my Chu II for about a month and it's been great. Not a lot of bass and just enough treble for me personally. I do EQ a bit but without it sounds just fine too. Everything sounds clear. Can't comment on the other ones cause I've never had those.

Don't buy chu 2 their filters get clogged due to moisture and require regular cleaning also the connector pins are not that strong. Mine broke within 11 months and also the bass is pretty bad.

Unpopular opinion… Moondrop Chu II AND KZ Dawn. They’re ~$25 USD combined, and the Chu II are pretty … tame and the KZ are more “fun”. For less than the cost of a USB-C cable from Apple you’ll get a nice little intro into the IEM world. (Also fwiw I’m an avid IEM user with too many high, middle and low end sets… lol)

First of all: I am not an expert in hi-fi. I'm just a simple man who was looking for good IEMs, and this is only my subjective opinion. The IEMs I was looking for should cost between $50 and $150 and should have balanced, lively bass with pleasant treble that does not tire the ears. So far, I have tried many IEMs and tested them on my PC and smartphone without any additional devices. No DAC, no amp. It was important to me that they were ready to use right out of the box. For me, good sound is when it is carried by lively bass and deep frequencies that guide you through the music, especially for drum and bass and metal. Low frequencies, and especially bass, form the basis of a good listening experience; that's the primary purpose of why I prefer hi-fi headphones, to get into it. My rotation: **≈ 50$ IEMs which I tested:** LINSOUL TANGZU Wan'er LINSOUL SIMGOT EW200 MOONDROP CHU II LINSOUL 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 KZ Castor LINSOUL KZ ZS10 PRO 2 LINSOUL KZ ZS10 PRO X **≈ 100$ IEMs which I tested:** LINSOUL SIMGOT EW300 ARTTI T10 Pro TRUTHEAR Hexa Surprisingly, only two of the IEMs I tested impressed me with their overall bass reproduction. I couldn't decide between the KZ PRO 2 and the ZERO BLUE 2, but in the end I chose the BLUE 2 because it offers the best overall package. For me, the ZERO BLUE 2 is simply badass right out of the box. These were the only IMEs that had this deep sounding I was looking for. https://preview.redd.it/fm66t5fl5uef1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87099e1c617e96b62bb51f28fe01520ebe96a0c6 https://preview.redd.it/pyn3x43m5uef1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=721c67332e8f8dd3db7ed8ac6e948c098e174871

Top 10, didn't bother to list more 1. HD6XX: After getting my hands on the HD6XX years ago, I don't get that "wow" feeling again no matter what I try. "Thanks to" the HD6XX whenever I try every HiFiMan, Meze, AKG, etc, I was like, 'That's it?'. HD6XX had ruined my headphones upgrade journey. 2. FiiO FT1: About a few months ago, I went to a Headphone Expo in Guangzhou, China. There I tested the FT1, it has that "oh this is nice" vibe to it which I haven't had since the Moondrop Cosmo. They offered a discounted price that I simply couldn't refuse so here I am. 3. Sennheiser Momentum 3: My travel/outdoor companion. Still one of the best built and sounds wireless over ear, no argument allowed. 4. Moondrop Kadenz: I got it at a decent price in China when released because of my membership of '客亭', a Chinese HiFi retailer.(Cheaper than KATO MSRP). My daily IEM whenever I don't feel like using my Anker A40. Sounds good, came with a nice dongle (ECHO-B), comfortable to me. 5. Sony MDR CD900ST: I bought second hand in Japan. Mainly for it's heritage and look. I use it for my studio as a secondary monitor at times. Sounds good, meh comfort and the The First Take scandal. 6. Sony MH750: My first ever "monitor", always got a soft spot for this IEM and goes back to listen to music with it. Sounds great, good comfort, compact. A bit bassy but overall sounds correct. Used it for mixing and composing in the past. Maybe it's nostalgia for it to be in the top 10. 7. Moondrop Chu 2: An IEM for testing equipment and arcade gaming. 8. 7Hz Salnotes Zero: A backup IEM for testing equipment 9. Nicehck DB2: I always use this to show people the disadvantage of BA driver. Sound good in the mid and bass because of the decent DD, missed the mark because of the BA driver handling the treble. 10. Soundcore Anker A40: A TWS for me to trash around. Sounds ok after EQ. Tbh, who needs HiFi audio quality when you're on the street or watching normal YouTube videos.

Add the delci, T10, zero 2, zero red, S08, chu 2, gate. I haven't heard it but the hexa is "light on bass," but I heard they're excellent otherwise. Personally I would get the T10 or S08 because they're planars. I have a zero red, gate, chu 2, zero 2. In terms of out of the box sound I find the Chu 2 to be the most exciting and lush and the most comfortable (it's absolutely TINY). I found gate too bright and the zero 2 kinda weak in note-weight but all of these things are "well tuned". If bass is your thing the zero red with some mucking around with PeaceAPO on PC (like matched to a singularity) absolutely *delivers.*

I have the space travel and just got another space travel for my gf and a chu 2 despite people saying it's bright, because it squigs nearly the same as the zero red just with more bass everywhere. I think the metal shell is a nice touch.  At first i didnt like the space travels sound. It has a Bluetoothy poor resolution. After grocery shopping with it for 2 hours i was left impressed. It is tuned very well and I dont get a harsh or metallic sound, theyre smooth everywhere and have good bass. The only down side for the price is my dunu tips dont fit in the charging case and the OEM tips suck. ANC and transparent modes work well enough but the voiced translation between them is off with "hmm", "hey", and "sleep". Highly worth the price. 

Chu 2 competes with my mp145 if youre not paying attention to the lushness. The T10 is probably better but for the $20 bracket the chu 2 is an easy win because its so tiny itll fit in anybodies ears. 

I think there's better options than all of those for gaming specifically but gaming/music it will be the same thing, there's not really a specific "for gaming" IEM, they can be used for anything, the biggest factor you'd want to consider is probably if there's an optional mic and whether the soundstage and imaging are decent... which is hit or miss. Less bass, $80ish Truthear Hexa. It's the only one I'll mention that I haven't heard. Neutral with slight bass lift, Truthear Zero Red but it has a huge nozzle that many find uncomfortable, these are large IEMs. I use these for gaming with a different cable that has a mic. When using the 10-ohm adapter it takes away the shrill from gun shots in video games that plagues all of my budget IEMs. You think you don't want bass - but I'm telling you that if you listen to sharp sounds like gun shots you DO want bass, just not a crazy amount of it (Blon BL03). Truthear Gate I found bright. Couldn't stand it at high volume. Has an optional mic. Feels cheap and plasticky but I trust Truthears build quality. Safe picks: 7hz zero 2 (optional mic) and Moondrop Chu 2 (doesn't come with a mic, fit is excellent because they're tiny). Cables with mics are $1-$10 from aliexpress. Get a zero 2. However, I think the Chu 2 sounds better overall and is a little more V-shaped and it has a metal shell which for me means it'd be pretty durable. Very lush and inoffensive sound that borders between engaging, little bit bassy but fairly "neutral". It sounds more exciting than my zero red, less exciting than my Gate. KZ has a terrible reputation here lol. They were caught silently revising IEMs and paying people for reviews. For a market that is so word-of-mouth based they really fucked up. Literally all of these are good picks with KZ being at the bottom. Someone mentioned "I find the Zero 2 muddier in the mids...and treble is a bit dark." and I would agree. While it's tuned very safely I found it less transparent/lush than things like the Chu 2 which are slightly more exciting while avoiding sibilance and boringness. If your version of "too bassy" is Beats By Dre or Skull Candy, none of these will even come close to bass like that (maybe the castor pro) so don't worry about it. Worry about how bright they are and how well people say they fit.

Get the chu 2. 

The fit. In order of brightness on the highs: zero 2 - chu 2 - gate. Chu 2 is sparkly where the zero 2 is darker and i found the gate overly bright. Chu 2 seems to have more bass impact. I have all of these. Zero 2 for gaming, chu 2 for music. 

I stopped looking at iems after my chu 2 blew me away. I have a $260 set i never use even tho it sounds better. I just never use them analytically. 

Honestly sitting around and gloating over how good your IEMs sound gets old real fast and that search is exhaustive, it never ends, but when you throw on a good $20 set and disappear into your music, new or old, that's where it's at. I have the chu 2, and use them 90% of the time, when I have $250 sets. I can't say they're uncomfortable at all because they're so tiny. That being said, yes, a $250-$1000 set will be very noticeable in sound quality, but if you're not sitting there and actively paying attention to that sound you may not even notice it.

Try checking out the Moondrop Chu II, 7Hz Zero, or Truthear Gate. The Wan’er is great for music, but I wouldn’t recommend it for gaming.

I am using moondrop chu 2 with HIBY R4 so far it’s pretty good

Long story short, I always have been a music fan and have owned multiple headphones and earbuds (Mostly sony), however this year the audiophile itch started and I bought my first IEM (CHU II) and a DAP (Fiio JM21), together no more than 200 dollars investment and they put my 450 dollar Bose QC ultra to shame in terms of detail and quality… its like hearing my old music again for the first time… What’s next? Any recommendations for my next IEM? I am taking it slow with the spending, (Waiting for Tangzu Waner SG 2)

LOL I now know :/. the order was, first the CHU 2 expecting to use it with my phone and thats why I choose DSP, and after that I bought the DAP that’s why I am asking for advice :)

Thanks, I now know that, I bought first the Chu expecting to use them with my phone (That’s why I choose the DSP version) and then the DAP, that’s why I am asking for advice for my next buy :)

Got into IEMs this year after a few wireless sets died on me..... Started with budget ones and now have a small collection - Castor Pro tuned for bass, TW SG2 for daily use, and Chu 2 for vocals/classical. Would love to try something higher tier like the Horizon (or the Odyssey 2) to see what multi-driver magic sounds like!

If you want to stay on a budget, Moondrop Chu II are going to change your life coming from these. With some EQ they can deliver some serious punch.

Truthear Zero Red, I gave them to my little sister since I bought the Moondrop Chu 2 for myself and that started our whole IEM collecting hobby

I have used Sennheiser IE 300, Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, Phoenix Call, Chu 2, Tanchjim Origin, Tanchjim kara, Dunu Da Vinci, Mega5est, Simgot EA500, Kinera Skuld, Tin T2, Tanchjim One.and softears volume s on the way soon.

In that price range it is very good but there are the more accessible chu 2 although I recommend saving a little more for the kiwi cadenza that have beryllium to improve the sound quality for about 35 dollars more or less on amazon and 20 on aliexprees

Moondrop Chu 2 is best for around under 2.5k

I've experimented with IEMs and came to an conclusion that no IEM will ever beat the soundstage of an open-back planar pair of cans. But to be honest I had a lot of fun with budget earphone options like HEXA/Chu2/Aria SE etc and think that if the budget is limited (up to 100$), IEM is the only way to go. Most budget sub-100$ caans are just meh from both technical and tuning perspective.

1. Edition XS - when I want to enjoy music I always pick them 2. HD599se - when I work in front of my pc for many hours a day and require maximum comfort I use them. The comfiest cans in existence. Period. Plus, the warm signature is a great escape from the XS 3. HD6xx - exclusively use them for vocal-heavy songs. For critical listening the XS is much better and the 599 is just way more comfortable to be an all-rounder. 4. KSC75 - use them for my bike commute to work/daily walks. Comfortable, sounds good and can be put in a small T-shirt pocket without an issue. 5. DT770pro - I still own them and ONLY use them twice a week when I’m watching a movie/yt very late and my wife is asleep and can be waken up by the soundleak from the XS/599. IEMS - 1. Aria SE - only use in public transport. Neutrally tuned which I like. 2. Space Travel - was my commute daily driver until recently when my wife lost her APP so I had to give it to her. 3. Chu2 - meh, too much bloated low end for my liking. 4. CCA Cra - like chu2 but worse.

Using Moondrop Chu II for Valorant and it works fine. Also using it for music and I love it. I'm into the pop rock genre. Although it's my first and only IEMs now so I can't really compare. All I can say is it's good for games and music.

Maybe the Moondrop Chu 2. Reasonably small, very inexpensive, ~$20 USD, and a pretty balanced, inoffensive sound. It is wired like the IE200 you show, unlike the 2 other BT wireless buds you have photos of. And depending on your situation, if she hates it you’re only out $20 (if you find it on Amazon, in the US you have easy return policies if it’s listed as “shipped by Amazon”, so you’re not even out the $20). Something more upscale and very small would be an Etymotics ER2XR. If she’s super afraid of the triple flange tip (which really won’t puncture her brain) or can’t get used to it, there are other tips included such as foam tips that can be more comfortable. Its small bullet shape is about as good as you can find. There are other bullet ageless IEMs out there, but honestly I don’t remember all of them.

What tws are you using? Generally, an IEM can sound superior at a lower price point than a tws. There’s no need for a Bluetooth modem, ANC, transparency and all those bells and whistles that come with tws, including a battery. So it’s all about the audio, and only the audio. An IEM considerably cheaper can potentially sound better, if it meets your preferences for music, warm bassy, or bright high treble type of sound signature. Compared to a tws around the price range of $100 will be outperformed by an IEM of $50 or less. But remember you now have a wire tethered to your phone, or whatever you use. It does suppress external noise, but not as well as high quality ANC. If you want to talk to someone, you have to take an IEM out of your ear. It’s stuff like that you have to weigh against the benefit, better audio at sn affordable price point. I would start with a budget IEM and see how you like them. Something like the popular Moondrop Chu 2, or the new Tangzu Wan’er 2 for $20 are worth trying. If you like the principle of an IEM, you’re comfortable at how it integrates into your day, then you can buy a more expensive IEM of maybe $75-100 that will totally blow you away in music quality. Or you can decide “hey, this $20 set sounds great, why should I spend any more money”. Give a cheap IEM a chance. If it works out then see if you want a high quality set. If it doesn’t and you miss all the conveniences of a tws, you didn’t waste much money and know what your best step should be.

of course, i tried the moondrop ch 2 and are amaizing for only 16 bucks

Estou com um TRN Conch agora, eu particularmente preferi o Chu 2 para Metal, o TRN embola fácil demais em músicas mais rápidas, um Black Metal podrão por exemplo, mas tem graves mais presentes e melhores que o do Chu 2, no resto creio que o Chu ganhe. Lembrando que não leve minha opinião como regra, você pode se decepcionar, apesar da minha opinião é um fato que o TRN é mais fácil de se gostar.

Moondrop chu2 hands down the best. Been using for the past 2 years works great sounds absolutely great. Recommended by crinacle (audiophile bigshot youtuber).

I got my chu II like 6 days ago, the right one got clogged up in like 3 lol, they're really good for the price otherwise

Any example of something that gives much better value for your money than my Chu 2s? I like them but they did develop a channel imbalance that I kinda fixed by cleaning the filter. Maybe more expensive options have a smaller chance to develop problems Like this?

I tried chu 2 and tangzu waner sg2. Chu 2 has more bass, tangzu more treble. If you use a bad source like a windows laptop, Nintendo Switch or something like that there will probably be white noise with the tangzu waner sg. No noise on the chu 2

Honestly if it's a windows laptop even if it's good you might hear noise. I have a windows laptop that was $1000 like 3 years ago. With the tangzu I can hear some white noise. if I use my MacBook there is no noise because it has a good dac/amp. If you don't think that is a problem then the chu 2 has more bass and the tangzu are more focused on treble

I recommend starting with Chu Moondrop 2, they only cost around 30$ paired with an apple dongle and if you like it you can upgrade to more premium IEMs in the future.

I’d recommend trying a Moondrop Chu 2 for a couple reasons. I have very small ear canals and I’ve found the Chu 2 to be very comfortable with the smallest tips they provide. Second, they’re quite cheap, so if you aren’t in love with the sound profile you can spend time EQ’ing them to really research more what may meet your sound and size requirements. 

I was using chus for while with arc raiders on ps5

Yes, loved them only reason I switch is I got nicer pair as a gift from a friend

Use the Chu 2s when cable doesn’t matter - for the price (and for considerably more) I haven’t found much better than the chu. Nothing ear (new version) for wireless - the app for tweaking to your own hearing seems to work for me

But that's not to say you won't notice a difference!! It just isn't overly dramatic imo and it seems like you have high expectations. I recently purchased the letshouer s12 and grabbed the chu2 shortly thereafter to sort of compare the two but also to have a decent set of buds for on the go. The planar s12's definitely have some very nice clarity and sharpness, the crisp bass response is definitely interesting - but it's not some revelation of newfound sounds I've never experienced before 🤷‍♂️ maybe I had my initial expectations a little bit high as well

I also have a pair of S12 (non pro) If you're wanting to pay a bit more and try out a planar, I'd say they're a good pickup if you really wanting something different and they'd be a great "one and done" purchase for a budget but very high quality planar. AFAIK there really isn't a better planar IEM ***for the price*** I have no plans to buy anything fancier than these S12. You can throw all kind of EQ at planars and make it sound exactly how you prefer. It's interesting to see/hear the ranges that these iem's can reproduce. I've ordered a pair of Chu 2's for a more on-the-go set (grabbed a 2m cable for my S12 for PC use), and I don't see myself buying anything similar for a while. It's quite unnecessary to buy multiple IEM's within the same categories/price tier 

You’d be partially incorrect on your guess that they’re gaming oriented, they are good for gaming as they have boosted bass and treble (consider why the Chu II’s are called V-shaped) but they’re not bad for video editing. You’d want a more neutral IEM, but that’s really nitpicking imo.

honestly, unless she's already a big hifi-person i will 100% say the moondrop chu 2 are more than good enough. I was hesitant to buy them in case the sound was disappointing, but it's good enough that I've used them instead of my Hifiman Sundara headphones for a week straight now. there is some weakness in some frequencies compared to the Sundaras that I heard, mainly the bass (it's in no way a shrill trebly sound signature). based purely on audio quality and what I'm used to i would've easily accepted the chu 2 as a $100 set personally, to put their price to performance in perspective. and i can confirm that the fit is definitely comfortable, even if you have small ear canals, and they're tiny enough that I'm assuming if the outer ears are small they'd also fit well with a tiny bit of getting used to the feeling of them.

How would you compare it to chu 2? Currently have them for bout 6 months now

They are not bass heavy, most of them follow neutral curve or the harman curve

Aku tak tau Umur ko,sebab telinga kita ni ada certain frequency yang lebih kita sharp,ada yang kurang,Dan semestinya lagi tua Umur,lagi kurang benda tu jadi tak sama dengan zaman kita remaja,kalau antara 50-100,hmm aku lebih cadangkan empunya badan cari IEM,bergantung jenis music apa ko nak dengar jugak,rock,classic,rnb/hip-hop,irama traditional ke?ataupun secara general best bang for bucks gitu?ada dalam range harga tu yang aku kaut kat shopee moondrop chu II jenis lama belum ada type C sumbat(sebab aku lebih nak guna dengan phone je) dengan fiio JD 3,aku sumbat sekali dengan jcally jm 06 pro portable dac to type c,overall untuk belanja 2-2 iem sekali portable dac tak sampai 200,puas hati?syukur,puas hati untuk semua jenis lagu,tak kisah lah slipknot ke,guns n roses ke Busta rhymes ke,Js Bach ke,telinga aku puas hati,dengar detail

Can recommend the moondrop chu 2 can get them from Amazon or AliExpress for about £20

Entry level ? Very entry level : Chu 2 / Entry level : Kiwi Ears Candeza / Quite entry level : Artti T10 / Less entry level but still: Simgot EA500LM Voilà 😄

My first IEMs were the KZ ZS12 Pro X and the KZ Castor Pro Bass. I still have them, and they have a pleasant signature, powerful bass, and bright treble. I do recommend them, especially the KZ ZS12 Pro X because everything is much clearer. Based on your preferences, if you're looking for something inexpensive, I recommend the Moondrop Chu 2, KZ ZS10 Pro X, Truthear Hexa, Truthear Gate and Truthear Zero red

No one mentioning the EDC Pro or newer Saga? I have all three you have listed. Of the three, I like the Wan'er the best, but only if you cover the front vent to give it a bass boost. Stock, it's great for movies and K/J-pop. Cover the front vent, it's now good for EDM (think PulsRadio Dance's poppish EDM) The Castor Pro Bass is a bit too V shaped for me. The bass and trebles are the best of the three. And has the most technical build {2 DDs) and requires more power, so buy a good DAC with 30mW per channel. And you can EQ the mids to give you an even better sound. The Chu 2 is decent Just... decent. Nothing special. I'll get hate for it, but to me, the sound boring. So I'd rank them in this order 1 Wan'er (with front vent covered. If not covered, then go with Castor Pro Bass) 2 Castor Pro Bass (probably best of three for gaming) 3 Chu 2 ...or buy the new KZ Saga and be done with it.

100% this. The ChU II is very boring. Not much bass, recessed mids, squishy trebles. And they fall out of my right ear, which requires larger tips for a sealed fit, Audio Amigo gives them a "brilliant" rating, and I cannot understand why. Even my KZ EDC Pro sounds far better for half the price. The only good thing about the Chu II is the metal build quality (unless you live in humid areas, then you're screwed)

Your post is awesome. Revisiting it a lot! Started the hobby about a month ago and got the Wan'er then the Chu II. I believe I like the Wan'er warmth better and it feels comfier on my ears (still tip rolling on the Chu II). I'm looking for a brighter IEM and a bassier one too just to know which tuning I prefer. Which one would you recommend?

Wow, I love my Chu 2s for gaming. And now I'm super intrigued.

The filters come in stock every so often. I subbed to be notified and bought the filters last week. Replaced the filters and my Chu 2s are as new as ever. Back to perfect sound.

Tangzu Waner studio edition sounds better than chu II. But chuII has better build quality.

me using Moondrop Chu II for wired.

I've had both, Chu 2 is better but se215 does sound more natural, I remember first Chi-FI IEM I tried from the friend Trn V30, it was all around better than se215 only upper bass sounded kinda harsh on it, on se215 it was more polished, that was one thing it was better than $30 IEM from 5 years and a half years ago, new stuff has gotten even better, I'd take GATe over it any day even if same price

qkz has great soundstage for the price, waners are mid when it comes to soundstage, chu II above average, gate above average, tripowin vivace is best for soundstage under $30 but for a bit more you can get Klean which is all around a lot better, only under $30 I can recommend are Bunny(just not for gaming obviously) and Zero Ultima, same like Bunny just bullet style with non-detachable cable

Beautiful setup you got there, congrats! I’m a bit further down the rabbit hole as I started with entry level ones (Chu 2, Zero 2, GATe) but upgraded recently to the RED. Waiting for the upgraded cable to arrive, in the meantime the GATe’s cable is just fine https://preview.redd.it/ndz2f2sys35e1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9067996897e9b48c51f8bc034f4516e9dc4b017c

Ever since I tried the 19$ Chu 2 and found it equal or a little better than my 199$ AirPods Pro 2 I had this awakening as well. The brand name and convenience/features is what you pay for. Sound quality, it’s always chifi iems. Saved me so much money from buying the 299$ momentum 4, 249 Bose QC ultra earbuds, etc looking for best sound when I found them right here in my sub 20$ sets. Plus the wire means they’ll never die like wireless headphones.

Seriously, I had a pair of Bose iem that I used for a decade. When it was time to replace them I went with the Chu 2 and was completely blown away at the similar quality for a fraction of the price.

go with Tangzu waner 2 or moondrop chu 2

moon drop chu 2 is a good option if you want a versatile iem. I have tangzu waner sg rn but the cable quality is so cheap of it

I always come back to the chu 2. They're crazy comfortable and sound great.

KZ is trash, buy Moondrop Chu II or Truthear gate instead 👍

Chu II or Truthear gate is better

Better sound, better build quality and accessories

Moondrop chu is very bassy comparable to ie200 while ie200 can get really loud, chu doesnt. I’ve broke one pair of chu 2 during our bands practice. They cannot tolerate loudness.

Chu 2 cannot be loud and are a bit muddy…

Had chu 2 (shitty) kz zs 10 & 12 pro x (shitty) sennheiser ie 100/200 (not great) and aful explorer (very nice).

I had these, they are broken within 4 months of use 💀 but the good side is it's comfortable and sounds 7/10

Got it from Red Ape. Did not hear a sound from them since.

Unluckers I guess

You don’t have to go to $500 to hear a difference. From chu 2, just go up to performer 5+2 and your ears will unlock a whole different world you have never heard before even if they’re the same song. Then you will def say the chu 2s are that muffling/no where near lively and can bring that much details as the upper price iems.

I bought it on release and have never stopped recommending it to anyone who asked me for a $100-200 budget.

IEMs are for audiophiles and audio books and Headphones for gaming. If you will ever play games then go for headphones. Best IEMs i am aware of is Moondrop chu 2 that has both with mic and without mic option.(This post is NOT sponsored, it is a personal opinion) https://preview.redd.it/2t646nthrc8e1.png?width=1524&format=png&auto=webp&s=139722d40218dcf05d112dc2c396ea8c7b98842d

I got the chu ii because of the hype a year ago and people said it was good then eventually months later the cable broke☠️

Absolutely the best thing to do is try some out for yourself. The recommended list from this sub is here: [Top 5 IEMs in every price range chosen by you! : r/iems](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1hd2hd1/top_5_iems_in_every_price_range_chosen_by_you/) But would it be a step up \*for you\* ? Well, that depends... Longer answer below: My IEM journey has been a short one. I bought one recommended from the sub-$50 range (the Chu 2) and one from the $50-$100 range (the Simgot EW300). Both sound good when used with equalization, although I do prefer the Simgots. However, I do not use IEMs for my office work. My workdays are much shorter (8-9 hours) and I work both from home and in an office. 1. I have nothing negative to say about the sound quality of IEMs. It is very good (and I listen to a lot of music) But I find both open-backed and closed-backed headphones to be more "spacious" sounding than IEMs which somehow sound "narrower". In your case you're not listening to much music and for calls you don't really need superb audio quality. So while for me, I find the sound quality of my headphones better than my IEMs, you may find for your use case either that you don't notice any loss (certainly if used mainly for calls) or that you simply don't care about the extra "space" of headphones. 2. Feel. This is the main reason I don't use IEMs. They block the ear (like your TWS) and I don't like that for extended periods. I've tried a lot of different tips but personally still feel a bit uncomfortable with them. Please note that many many others do not have my problem and you may well be one of these. That's why I recommend springing $20 (or maybe even $80) to try a pair for yourself. 3. One side-comment: I spent quite a lot of time on this sub before taking the plunge with IEMs and I still come back here often. Like any sub there are a wide range of contributors, from zealots to meh. I think a lot of people are on the IEM bandwagon right now because: i. it's the hottest new thing, with developments happening much more rapidly, and at more affordable price points, than with speakers and headphones. ii. the price/performance is superior. My (possibly unpopular) POV for sound quality remains: speakers > headphones > IEMs But that is very much my POV. Your ears are your own! There's no better way to find out than by taking the plunge.

If you’re going super budget then moondrop chu II can’t be beat for the money. I personally use kinera norm but they’re honestly overkill. If you’re lucky and have an audiophile store near you then just go try on iems till one fits you well

I highly recommend iems, the audio quality you get is elite, they’re low profile so they’re easy to pack, and a well fitting pair isolates noise well. Check out the iems subreddit for suggestions, you’re looking for something with a balanced sound profile so you don’t boost any eq artificially. If you’re in nyc I suggest audio46 to try on iems. If you want a cheap and dirty pair then you can’t go wrong with the moondrop chu II, they’re about 20$ and will give you a good impression on whether or not you like the ear feel of iems. Also be very picky with tips for your iems, trying tips till you find something that really fits your ear and you enjoy. Good luck with your journey and if you become an audiophile I’m sorry for your wallet

Hi! You commented on my post and I thought I’d come by to give some advice! I would typically recommend the wan’er 2 as a first pair of iem’s but considering their large shell size they might not be for you. The Chu 2 are a great set absolutely and can be upgraded directly to the LAN 2 ref also from Moondrop. I wouldn’t recommend going for the ie200 because they cost a good amount of money but they take on a neutral tone which might be to your preference, I personally prefer a “fun” sound and therefore don’t use them often. Also consider tip sizes. If you find your canal is too small, most iem’s offer small tip sizes and you can find even smaller aftermarket, in which case I recommend the wan’er 2 as they have my favourite ever tips in the stock box that I use for all my iem’s. Don’t spend more than needed, I would recommend the KZ castors, Cadenza, Wan’er 1 or 2, Chu 2, or, if it’s in your budget, the LAN

Chu 2 has better build quality (all metal) and cable. It also has a better balanced tuning (imo) with better imaging and clarity. Source: own both

If you’re willing to spend $5 more, KZ ZS12 Pro X is on sale on AliExpress for $30 (normally retails for like 50-60). It is a legitimate step up in every way — it’s all metal with a hybrid driver setup (1DD + 5BA), an assortment of decent stock tips including foam, decent cable, and built in switches to EQ the sound. Alternatively, there’s the Moondrop Chu2 for about $20. They’re also all metal, and have a very clean balanced sound (less v shaped than the Castor). They won’t have quite as much bass, but the bass is punchier and doesn’t crowd the mix as much, allowing other instruments to breathe more. This creates more clarity and imaging / separation. They also are able to work with basically any genre, unlike the aggressive V-shape of the castors which can exaggerate the bass to the point where it doesnt sound correct for certain genres.

I just got simgot ew300s and the bass is definitely solid. I like the bass on these much better than the castor bass. they’re about $60 usd. I use the gold nozzle that comes with the pink rubber ring so it lowers treble slightly and gives a bit of a warmer sound. the silver one is nice too but a bit too spicy for me, highs could be a bit much with the silver nozzles. I def recommend them tho cuz they impressed me. my iems before that were moondrop chu 2 and castor bass and they were both solid but the ew300s definitely outperform those two. edit: the ew300s are very similar with iems like the kefine delci and aful explorer. I personally prefer these because of how they look but they all sound very similar. even s12 sounds very similar to these, but those are around $110 and planar. the ew300 has a hybrid three driver setup. it’s up to u to try them and find what you enjoy

depends on the iem. I went from moondrop chu 2 and kz castor bass to simgot ew300 and I think it’s quite a big improvement. I love the sound and the look and the size, more expensive is just typically a lot more polished than cheaper options. also depends on what sound you like. personally I found them really great. I still like my chu 2s a lot too and the castor bass is just meh it’s a bit large and doesn’t sound all that good but it’s just trial and error for finding what you like.

I have the Chu 2 and Castor Pro Bass version. The Chu 2s are way better all around than the Castor Pro Bass - way clearer detail, midrange, treble, more ergonomic for small ears, build quality, etc. I did notice the Chu 2 sounding a bit dark and metallic & sibilant in songs with a lot of cymbals, but it's still way better than Castor Pro Bass for everything but mid bass quantity.

best for quality would be anything in the 20 dollar range like the Chu 2, 7hz Zero 2 or some Tin Hifi/CRN stuff, they're all close and only differ in tuning and build quality mostly. Depends on what you want. If you want exciting sound dont go for the chu or zero, people find them to be "disgustingly boring"

I have the chu 2. And I absolutely love them. I brought them because I have really small ears. I also brought the moondrop lan but where just a tad too big compared to the chu 2s. I also brought the iFi Zen Can amp for them and have them connected to my gaming monitor as I am using them for my Xbox Series X. They sound incredible compared to my Astro A40 wireless headset. Oh and I also brought the moondrop spring tips size s. They are so much better than the stock small ones.

Like a decade ago I was into iems, then I got into over ears the last like 5-6 years. I just got some chu 2s to go with my iPod last week and dawg. The cheap iem game is no joke now

All of them have own advantages. All good just consider better deal and your preference of sound. Waner 2 is a good package for its content otherwise its on par with others. Wyvern is good looker, though fit can be issue as it quite large, I returned them due to this but I'd say best sounding in the 4. Cadenza is all rounder OK. CHU2 is good due to DSP.

if you're enjoying the music, the artists, the lyrics, composition, the poetry if its a wonderful song it definitely does not get any better above 100$(chu2 is far behind really 100$-200$ is more better for this question). I have many 20$ and the Alba is just better if along with all above you are into sound of it all..and well for iem people alba is just average 150$ iem..new ones like defiant fission quatio etc are better they, we? say lol.

Put it this way, because of them i have sold Castor Pro, Zero 2 and Chu 2. Tells you all you need to know!

Tangzu Wan'er S.G I wouldn't choose,they are nice sounding IEM just can be tiring. I would give a try Moondrop Chu II or Kbear KB01

if you don't want to spend too much just buy the moondrop chu 2 for 20 bux from aliexpress or something. for that kind of money they are objectively good, literally S tier. It has metal body for that price, which is a nice touch, and are also quite small, so they look sleek.

Yeah if it’s just for podcasts get a $20 pair and you’ll be just fine. You won’t hear more sounds with more expensive pairs if that’s what you’re thinking. I’d suggest Moondrop Chu 2 or Wan’er SG as they’re both neutral and decently comfortable.

Not entirely sure at lower price points. The original Chu is pretty close to flat, with a bit of treble bit though.  But as I said if you’re just looking for a great all rounder, you might want to avoid a “flat” IEM. Anything that requires any bass will IMO not be satisfying enough. Hexa although not flat is pretty good for an allrounder.  You might want tri try a cheap IEM first and keep that for a few weeks or months to see what it is you want. Chu or Chu II (more bass) might be a good fit

Not entirely sure at lower price points. The original Chu is pretty close to flat, with a bit of treble bit though.  But as I said if you’re just looking for a great all rounder, you might want to avoid a “flat” IEM. Anything that requires any bass will IMO not be satisfying enough. Hexa although not flat is pretty good for an allrounder.  You might want tri try a cheap IEM first and keep that for a few weeks or months to see what it is you want. Chu or Chu II (more bass) might be a good fit

I said this in a different thread but I'll say it again; I wouldn't buy anything from KZ. they're known for incorrectly wiring their drivers, or just having drivers that serve no purpose to market it and charge more, which suprisingly lots of people in this sub are ignorant of. There's lots of other options and brands out there that you can check out on sites like Linsoul or Hangout.audio. If you want something cheap my choice would be the Moondrop chu 2, they're tuned very well for their price.

I’m following the trend of IEMs as a gamer of Black ops 6. I started low budgets : KZ 10 pro, Chu 2 and QKZ x HBB. Then I decided to try the famous Truthear Zero OG. The reasons: 1. I don’t like headsets on my head and hair. 2. The trend hype Compared to a gaming headset I have less boom subwoofer immersion effect. But I have a more clear sound for sure. Regarding footstep and space visualization, I’m not sure is really better. To be honest I’m starting to thing that my Koss KPH40 is not the best compris. Is there something I’m missing here or you are gonna say that I need to access the next level of IEMs to understand. Are the Moondrops Dusk to next level and I would feel it? Am I going to get long and beautiful bass immersion ? Or should I actually just go back to gaming headset like Ace zone ?

I have Kz 10 pro (they are bad and no bass), the Chu 2 ( I love them but miss bass in game) and just got QKZ x HBB ( no amazed by the bass and unclear sound). I’m tired of trying cheap IEMs I need to verify if I can get similar results as with a good gaming headset. I want to be get loud and rumble bass and good immersion.

Chu2 only pros is clean sound nothing else just average.

Chu2 is only pros is clean sound for music and nothing else. Single player games doesn’t feel much exciting . In FPS games there is no soundstage. :::::Kefine klean.

Might wanna look at something like the zero:red or moondrop may. If you’d rather stay lower in price the moondrop chu 2 has been a favorite of mine. Also what groups are you into?

PEQ with Chu2 can make em sound amazing. Their range is super wide depending on your taste. I have AZ100 and a bunch of headphones and IEMs including an endgame (Arya Organic), and I still use Chu2 regularly because of sound and comfort. AZ100 is great too after EQ.

Of those, I have the Zero:2 and Chu 2. Curious to hear your thoughts on those in comparison. For me, the fit on the Chu 2 is incredible. Sound wise compared to the Z2 it’s a little less sub bass-ey (but not a ton — it still hits with good intensity) with just a bit more treble that can bug me on certain songs (“Dumb” by Nirvana comes to mind).

The Chu II is pretty good for beginners, it's also smaller than usual so it will fit you better, especially if you have small ears like me. The sound signature is pretty balanced. But it does have a major issue that almost everyone that has owned it has faced, the filter gets clogged up because of moisture, so you have to clean it very often or else you'll see that green stuff in there. So be careful about that. Performance wise, it's great. Make sure you use the correct eartips though because that can either make or break your IEM experience. I'd also suggest getting an additional cable.

To be fair I have tried several IEMs with my controller and none of them have had static issues. I have used: - Moondrop Chu 2 - Moondrop Aria SE - Letshuoer S08 - Kiwi Ears Aether - Thieaudio Hype 4. Maybe you should try another pair to confirm it isn't your controller.

Same as that plus my shiny new tea pros. Saying that all my iems have a place in my heart from my very first pair of moondrop chu 2 to my most expensive my mangird tea pros which I'm still not sure about I'm just hoping that what I was told about your brain getting used to new iems. If not they'll be going back and I'll have to raid my monthly iem budget for the next year or so and stop eating and go live in tent and buy my end game the mighty monarch marks 4s.

Over the Buds or Chu 2? Yes. Over the XS? Not even close, XS smashes in enjoyment imo.

I've been using it for almost a year after they broke due to my carelessness. They are my favorite among my collection—very light and comfortable because of how tiny they are. They don’t even cause fatigue or tiredness when listening for a long time. For isolation, not so much. They offer some isolation, but because of the shape, they don’t fully cover the ear canal, so some noise can still slip through. The cable is mediocre; over time, it will turn yellow due to oxidation, but if you store them properly, they will last a long time. The microphone is okay—not great, but fine for casual use. For music, they are great, especially classical. They are one of the best IEMs for music, though not very immersive. They are more neutral, and you can technically hear everything, but it’s a bit flat. After trying many IEMs, Chu 2 feels okay but not exciting. If you like bass, it’s not punchy, and the volume is among the lowest I have, so I usually use a DAC. For budget DACs, I suggest JCally JM6 Pro rather than Fiio JA11; Crinacle explains why Fiio isn’t suitable, especially the dongle version. For budget IEMs, they are one of the best I’ve used, but preferences matter. For example, my friend with sensitive ears doesn’t like Chu 2 and prefers Tangzu Wan’er. They’re good for starting IEMs, though the quality doesn’t last long unless well cared for. As others have said, the filter will get clogged, but thankfully it is replaceable.

Moondrop Chu 2s are the absolute best bang for your buck. The sound quality is incredible for the price point, and imo, the build quality is also incredible. They sound, look, and feel better than my AirPod 3s with ANC. Trust me on this one bro, you can’t go wrong with the Moondrop Chu 2s 👏👏👏.

Not even $100. I bought the $20 Moondrop Chu II just to see if I would like an IEM and I've been happily using them for well over a year. Crazy value.

My first was kz d-fi. But they have short nozzles and they fall out of my ears immediately. The first and only time i have such problem. Can't say much about sound, since i simply can't listen them because of this. Next was moondrop chu2. Complete waste. They sounds so damn thin i absolutely hate them. I would ranked them 1/10 Next was kiwi ears cadenza. They sounds... Tolerable i guess. 3.5/10 or maybe 4/10 Tripowin piccolo - that was not a bad buy. Interesting, unusual mid centric (or w-shaped) tuning, i liked them, but not enough to use them as my main. 5/10 or 5.5/10 After that i lost my interest to iems for a year. But month ago i bought kz edx lite. I bought them because they cost for me $0.35. I had zero expectations since they normal price is like $4-5 and they were cheaper than anything i tried before, and i though if i didn't like more expensive iems there is 0 chance something so cheap would be good. But then i tried them i was immediately blown away how good they sounds and ofc much better than i expected. 7/10 Couple of days ago i bought kz edc pro. And i think they will became my main. Their resolution is just much better than in edx lite. Use edx lite in next day feels like watch 480p after 1080p. Honestly both has pros and cons, in sum i liked lower half of spectrum more in edx lite, but higher half of spectrum in edc pro. Edc pro less universal, electronic music sounds great, but any real instruments sounds less natural than in edx lite. Female voices, higher male voices, electric guitars and some dubstep synths sound thin. Kick sounds harder. Its not about quantity of kick, they just sounds different, and i like softer kicks in edx lite more. Edc pro sounds much more V-shaped, they brighter and kick take more attention than in edx lite. Soundstage is much better, in edx lite it almost dont exist. So, while i think that edx lite is equally good in every genre with any instruments etc, unlike edc pro, but the resolution is just much better in edc pro. 7.2/10 Basically reddit meta was waste for me (including tws - moondrop space travel and over ear - koss ksc75, didn't like any of this) So i don't trust reddit anymore

They are in the box, u will get 3 pairs

Not really. Just leave them in your case (with silica gel) after every use and they will be fine. I live in Hanoi and it gets humid all the damn time here but none of my IEMs get any issue (including the Moondrop Chu 2 with its famous clogged filter issue)

Home use: I mainly use my yincrow x6, but I also have a Hifiman Edition XS for when I really want to be immersed. Gym: Shokz Openswim Pro On the go: Moondrop Chu 2 After having cycled through one airpods, airpods pro, and powerbeats pro in 3 years, while my Ikko OH1 lasted me 6 years. I decided to stick mainly to the wired and cheaper ones for my main drivers.

Can't say about the OG Wan'er but my Wan'er SE is definitely far from being punchy bass. Vocals sounds fantastic though. The Chu2 bass is also isn't punchy atleast not Basshead punchy but better than my Wan'er SE, a lot more balanced overall. And Immersion is at the Ears of the Beholder if that's how the saying goes lol. I'm assuming you're talking about soundstage, but person to person you'll hear different comments about soundstage when it comes to IEMs.

Its unavoidable, they will patina over time thats just how Brass works. Unless you give them some sort of coating, but it has no effect on the sound purely cosmetics. That said the nozzle on the Chu 2 is threaded so you can screw it on and off unlike most Nozzle which are just glued on and permanently stuck.

i only have experience with CHU II, Wan'er SG, crin's Zero 2, idk bout the others, but chu II is prolly the most comfy, its light and sturdy, u should go for chu II, crin's zero2 is just good, nothing else, good is just the perfect word to discribe zero 2, wan'er sg early batch that i got (black&white) build quality isnt so great, the green one is the newer one, u can also go for the studio version, its better

I am using Chu 2 with FLAC files from listening to hard rock and heavy metal music.

I suggest waiting for 11.11 sale para sa cadenza or kefine klean kasi they're unbeatable under 2k. For Chu 2, if you dont mind shouty vocals and peaky trebles then it's fine, maybe?? It's not for me. Also, you dont need a DAC unless you're not satisfied with the max volume level of your iem or if the hisses are audible for you which can get annoying. Otherwise, you can get a cheap CX31993-MAX97220 dac dongle for ~300 pesos. Dont buy their DSP version(type-c).

I started with CHU 2 a while ago and it still is one of the best

Oh yeah, hard to beat IE200 or final E4000 for comfort. Meze Albas is another one known for comfort. Apart from that look single driver iems like S08. For cheaper ones Chu II's are fantastic. P.S - most iems you find will already be smaller than mp145, I find them too big (helps the Soundstage though), for ex: Nicehck f1 pro has the same driver in a much smaller shell.

I have the gate. Vocals (male) dont sound natural at all. Wouldnt recommend this iem. The Chu 2 is good for that purpose. Kind of flat sound. Just take care of it. As with all metal iems, they are prone to humidity.

Iva had a bunch of those, i can give opinion: - Chu 2: sound good, nice bass and detail. Sadly the tip started leaking green liquid and clogging all the time, not very good on the go, had to unscrew it to dry. The cable and eartips were awful and i bought other ones. The pouch, looks nice but its whatever, does its job. - 7Hz x Crinacle Zero 2: didnt have it myself but asked a guy who was wearing it and it sounded bass boosted but kinda dead compared to the Chu 2. Kinda weird fit too, didnt really feel comfortable to me. - Tanchjim Bunny: Sounds good and similar somewhat to the Chu 2 (with default of the box EQ). Had some issues on the other iems that i used a dongle dac to use on the phone but they had a very annoying background electrical buzz to it, probably bad dongle but i had tried 2 brands same issue. The cable usb c that comes with this one finally solved that problem for me, no background hiss at all. Eartips are ok so is the cable. I've been trying a Truthear Pure eq profile these days. Without EQ (not the defaut, just a custom one i made all to 0) they are very bassy. - KZ ZSN ~~Pro~~ : i had the not pro version of this one, my first chifi. Good sound, just not that good as the other ones. High pitched noise on some tracks that was unconfortable. The cable, ass, it broke in half. The iem itself broke at the connector too, i left it once on the sun and then it fell off the cables. The eartips, they were the worst, but i didnt really care at the time. - Truthear Gate: The best cable and eartips of the bunch, even the pouch is really good, very confortable fit. The sound? Hot garbage, sounds the same as some cheap earbuds. And i mean earbuds, not iems. No bass no treble, nothing. Most boring sound ive ever heard (and im eq the Pure to my bunnys, mind you, that one is supposed to be no bass and its way better). - Moondrop Quark: It sounded ok. Cable bad, but not as bad as the chu, eartips ok. It was ok. I prefer the ear over cable iems, just more confortable. - Truthear Zero Blue: i had it for very little, it felt very big to my ear insides. It sounded ok and bassy The dongle DAC i had were some CX31993 and ALC5685

Sennheiser ie200 and chu 2

Personally, they are the easiest brand to get in South Africa, so I fell in love with the brand myself. I have a moondrop chu 2 pair, and I am working on getting a wan'er sg 2 (praying my girlfriend says I can), but I really love the KZ iems I have too. It has the most variety, and I can get them locally for a reasonable price! So to all the kz haters, please feel free to send me any other iem. I'm more than happy to see your perspective with my ears 😂😂😂

I'm sure these types of questions are asked all the time so I apologise in advance. I've been looking at getting IEMs more for gaming now, I picked up some moondrop chu 2's to try out and see if I liked IEMs a while ago, and I much preferred them. I was wondering what IEMs would be recommended for gaming with a higher budget than the 30 I spent on the moondrops. I'm mostly getting them for competitive FPS games like Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch, Valorant and CS2. So the spatial audio is very important to me. Thank you in advance for any recommendations :)

Thoughts on Clavelon Delta? Im looking something similar to it (eyeing Dunu Kima 2 atm) and coming from Chu 2, it sounded "too fun", I'm looking for a balanced, but more details etc that isn't too treble-y. TIA!

Same here, my chu 2 stay in their case.

X2 on the conclusion, i've got a pair of Chu 2 and the G1, i like em both, i read about the cadenzas everywhere so i would like to know too.

Why Chu 2 when you can get the Kefine Klean which is way better

I don't know man. I had the Chu II and found them a little too ringy and tiring. Got the the Aful explorers and haven't bought anything else at all ever since. It's a matter of restraint, I think

Go for zero 2 or moondrop chu 2.. and if ur into smooth sound like relaxed then go for tangzu waner S.G

7hz zero 2 if u like bass moondrop chu2 if u like balanced going mid range iem go for crinear daybreak or ziigaat odyssey for highend go for mega5est based on this list nad personal experience [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1lvI0ucbqjPXZLQKzqdycBD9ZKBuMSdd0e\_bPzhJpJKo/htmlview#gid=2029568238](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1lvI0ucbqjPXZLQKzqdycBD9ZKBuMSdd0e_bPzhJpJKo/htmlview#gid=2029568238)

i have the chus, they built like a tank not including the cable, the chu 2 solved that zero 2 has plasticky feel but i think it can last like our earpods

Personally I'm still happy with my chu 2 😄 although I replaced the dsp cable with a ruyi celest for work Teams calls and gaming chat when I'm not using my hd599se

Yeah it was a bit of a swallow 😆 but that says a lot about how cheap the chu2 are I think. The ruyi celest has volume up/down buttons and and a button to pause/play/answer/hangup/skip (double click the pause/play button to skip). The buttons don't seem to work right when directly connected to my android phone's 3.5mm port, but they work when I'm using the apple usb-c dongle. Part of justifying it was I wasn't happy with the chu2 dsp cable having hiss / weirdly aggressive muting behaviour when music got quiet like a piano key fade out, but it's still a handy cable for out and about if your phone doesn't have 3.5mm and there's some ambient noise so you aren't listening somewhere super quiet.

Chu II. Just good, not that impressive

That's common for moondrop unfortunately

Overear style at around RM100: Koss KSC75 It is a clip on over ear style wear, but you can mod it adding the headband with mods join r/kossmods if you want to see how they do it DIY, very active subreddit Koss Porta Pro It has a headband by default if you don't want to mod KSC75, this headphone sounds bass-ier then KSC75 AKG K52 (K72 & K92 is more expensive) Sony brand entry level priced options is bassy muddy no clarity, not good Senheiser brand you need to spend alot more to have comparable level of quality Audio technica, Focal, Audeze, Hifiman Abyss, Grado all way overprice In Ear Monitor style headphones at around RM100: Moondrop Chu 2 (if you can spend more, get Moondrop Lan) Tangzu Wan Er SG (vocal/singer forward tuning) Blon BL03 (if enjoyment is what you want) Simgot EW200 (good "clarity" but very sibilant sound) I bet many people here will recommend KZ, QKZ, or CCA, i see too many reports of QC issue and DOA case to suggest avoid at all cost, very shady handling of stock All of the above are wired headphones, you want real good quality headphones, get wired, wireless cannot compare, because bluetooth cannot do lossless audio playback, even with Qualcomm Aptx HD or Sony LDAC Source: i can qualify as an audiophile, tried many headphones

Chu 2. Yep, I use them. It's the most comfortable pair for me. I still use them for sleeping because they are really comfy. https://preview.redd.it/l9ajv7ge6wre1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd4965213e69492f936a7417d63b57f463cc4601

Same exact experience for me but instead of the Buds 2 Pro and the Hexa it was with the Soundcore Life P3 and the Moondrops Chu 2.

bhai idk it kinda does even i have moondroap chu 2 and there huge difference in sounds with and without DAC

I came here to ask the same question, Ping me if someone answers I'm driving daily a pair of Moondrop Chu ii with 3rd party OCC

Best for the price, period

First, KZ used to be shady but nowadays is as símilar as most decent brands (TRN, Moondrop, etc) only caveat is they take the honestly not great approach to throw anything to the wall to see what sticks. Besides volume depends on a lot of things, but Castor is not much hard to move so i am a bit worried to whoever said you need a DAC for volume with original Castor Bass. All That said, is just a good entry set, but not super special vs other things nowadays. KZ does use pretty basic accesories and budget build quality on cheaper stuff so i get your point, but models like Castor are realistically as well build as most sub $25 suff on the market, and some of their models, like Castor, have a pretty decent track record of not coming faulty out of box. If you want alternatives, and still want V-shape but not KZ: 7Hz G1, 7Hz Elua *Ultra* (no HBB Elua), Twistura D-minor or at least Moondrop Chu 2 (struggles with humidity, if you live in a humid city, better get other options). (Consider them in that order of recomendation). If you want bassy V: The closest to it are 7Hz Salnotes Zero 2 for kinda balanced bassy sound, still energetic, QKZxHBB for bassy inmersive sound, kinda relaxed tho (Not Hades or Khan, the plain QKZxHBB), or Kbear Rosefinch for a very clear bass leaning. If you want more insight on those models or want to see other alternatives, and If you havent checked it yet: This is a Sub $50-ish iem list i made: [- Click Here -](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/ewQg6y32HB) Youll find most of the iems mentioned there for a bit mode insight on what to expect.

It can definitely get better than the Chu 2 but in my opinion it doesn't get significantly better once you've hit the $200 price point. There might be some higher end products that are better for specific people because they align more with their HRTF and personal preference but IMO you can find plenty of sub $200 IEMs that sound significantly better than quite a few kilobuck IEMs. A lot of very expensive IEMs actually sound like complete shit to me. They often go for esoteric tunings that just sound weird and unnatural. I guess some people hear something that sounds tonally different and assume it's "better" because it sounds different and is more expensive. In my experience a sub $100 IEM + EQ sounds better than every IEM I've tried with it's stock tuning. If you don't want to EQ then it's just about finding the IEM that aligns best with your HRTF and preferences, or in other words, just find the thing that sounds best to you. People will try to say it's unexplainable but in reality it's explainable by a simple phenomenom we all learn about in school, the placebo effect.

Chu 2 and Wan'er 2 are a good start, but I'll go with Wan'er because of its more mature tuning and Moondrop build quality will really disappoint you in the long run Cadenza used to be my go to pick, but with Wan'er 2 existing, I dont see the point anymore Wyvern abyss is...a massive turn off tuning wise, the upper mids is too much for my ears, doesnt sound right

I have the chuII and the waner. I think the chu II is better for gaming, I hear footsteps better with it than the waner. Do not buy a KZ if you don't want to swap the crappy cable they come with.

Also the chu 2 is metal and the paint will chip after lots of use if that would bother you.

I recently bought chu 2 a week before everything feels good fitting, vocals and all. But it doesn't have much bass. If you want want bass I would say go for castor. Also purchase from headphonezone, they are legit also the price difference. I got the chu 2 for around 1740.

What other iems do you own? I have the moondrop chu 2 and kz edc pro (people say both are v shaped with enough bass) but for me both are lacking.

Chu 2 are a little bit female vocal forward , lower bass than the CASTOR, not meant for gaming, it's usually for 24hr music listener, (good choice for those who want c type with dsp) (But serious problem with humidity/filters) Good for small ears .and cute too Now about the castors , good for gaming and music, u can always have the advantage to tune the eq switches to reach a similar output like chu2 ,the whole reason 80% in r/iem like the castor is due to its soundstage and the ability to physically tune the switch.. https://preview.redd.it/rnebek0tpfhe1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=135bc045d85a20e4afaeb8fdac2a3bb48c9fd296 THATS WHY THE DEAL BREAKER IS THE castor FOR ME , ESPECIALLY AT THAT PRICE 🔂💯

I prefer open back headphones when gaming so I can hear the tactile feedback of my keys. I mainly use my sennheiser 560s but also a pair of KOSSs work really good for gaming too. Where I think IEMs excel at gaming are for gaming on the go. I use a pair of Moondrop CHU IIs with my steam deck and they work pretty good

please do NOT buy moondrop chu 2, they will get rust like mine after a month of careful usage https://preview.redd.it/g6bo12qu50yf1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=857c6e2ee7627ea320fcd282953665ef18e5d45f

Tangzu waner 2 or moondrop chu 2 from IEMs. If willing for getting normal wired then samsung akg ones. I use both tangzu and samsung, and imo samsung is better for portability and general use(ofc iem sound quality is better but other factors weigh it down)

Chu 2 will have the best value IMO. For $20 USD, very hard to beat. It isn't the best at anything, but for that price point, it is the best of the Moondrop collection IMO

For me both Sgor Venus/adonis and chu ii has really good quality cables. If you want 4.4mm balanced, wan’er 2 also ships with a great one

I have the Moondrop Chu II with a USB C cable and they have a nice microphone. Anything with a USB C cable (DSP) should be fine.

Se for FPS recomendo o Dunu Titan S, se for qualquer outra coisa um Moondrop Chu 2 resolve e bem especialmente pelo conforto

I picked up some Moondrop CHU 2 IEMs and use them for gaming. They're nice for $20, sound better than my 8-year-old $120 headset. I play a lot of Escape from Tarkov and never have issues locating where sounds are originating. I prefer headsets but due to a mysterious medical issue I'm limited to using IEMs. As of 6 months ago I can't have anything touch my outer ear or it turns cherry red and feels like someone is holding a flame against my ear. Can't even sleep on my side anymore because the pressure of a pillow is agonizing.

So I have to wait so I can notice the difference on my iem i just ordered and dac i hope i will able to notice a difference

Starter pack moondrop chu 2

Got this two days ago i hope this is enough https://preview.redd.it/yy5bon7dlznf1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1f367ad13758d350671520d81a94f3825e01070 Moondrop chu 2 and dac

Iem Starter pack moondrop chu 2 with headphones jack and dac it's Will take same time to deliver

Because they are better. The chu2 is just fine/boring.

This post showed up on my feed after I’ve been scouring for earbuds to replace my soundcore space a40 which were my daily listening device along with a pair of sennhieser 450 bt. I went with a pair of Sony xm5 earbuds and loved them but returned them planning to get them on my next check. But during that I kept researching and bit the bullet on a Dac and moon drop chu 2 and have been over the moon at how much better they sound out the box. I do admit I didn’t spend enough time with the sonys, but for $25 I love the moondrops over the Sonys $330 price point

Moondrop chu 2... It sounds great, smaller compared to other many iems, easier for first timers to adjust to big iem shells. It has type c dsp version too.

Comfort is very individual. There's even very expensive custom fits. I find IEMs with earhooks and silicone tips to be the most comfortable. In terms of sound leakage, you should avoid IEMs that have visible vents/holes on the outside. You can also experiment with foam rather than silicone tips. And don't turn them up too loud. I'd suggest trying some cheap ones to see which you like best, rather than researching the best $1500 pair. There are sites out there with extensive reviews and measurements, but you're monitoring to spot heavy breathing, a weird background noise, etc. - any decent pair will let you hear that. Apparently Moondrop Chu II is the current hotness and will set you back around 22 bucks.

Yeah this. I have the Linsoul zs10 pro. Around 50.00 1 DD 4 BA iems and they sound amazing in my opinion. I've also bought the moondrop chu II and they sound really good too for like around 20 bucks.

Yeah, zvx pro is miles better in sound build quality than ccz. Or just get chu 2 or waner 2

Except for Comfort/Accessories/Build quality(that can be either better and sturdier materials or branded drivers) what you often get is a more fine tuned Iem. A single DD Driver is often limited to a certain degree what is possible with the tuning. If you check out some graphs you often see these peeks in the treble which can't be fixed with only one DD.  With more an different drivers you can tune it easier and make it smoother. You can eq and make it better but you have to do it by ear (up until 6k you can use AutoEq and it works pretty good). The treble on the graphs are not correct therefore AutoEq  won't help. You can in general increase or decrease the amount of treble (with a highshelf filter) but its harder to fix the peeks, add more treble energy in the parts where it lacks (which can sometimes be in the 10db range but it's not necessarily recommended to that because drivers have limitations -especially cheaper ones - and adding more and more will cause distortion) and still make it sound smooth.  Is it worth it though to spend 5x more compared to the chu 2? If you want a better executed Treble, better build quality and accessories than definitely yes ( I'm thinking about the letshuoer S12 pro for a more exciting and detailed treble which you u can get during sales for around $100 or something like the Truthear Pure which has a smoother and more relaxed treble.) Is it worth it though to spend 25x more compared to the chu2? Now we are in a territory where value isn't really a factor anymore. Up until 200-$300 you can still argue in some cases that the value is still decent. But at $500 no Iem is worth the price if you can get the Moondrop chu2 for $20. Dont get me wrong. No $100 Iem sounds 5x better than the chu2 but like I said in the paragraph above the other things make it worth it. At the $500 price tag you don't get that much better better build quality, accessories or Soundquality compared to the $100 price tag. It will be definitely be better overall but it's not a good value (if we only think about Soundquality). Something like the Xenns top pro ( 2 DD and 8Bas)  has noticeably higher r&d costs as well as material and labor/packaging costs.  You are paying for let's say 20% better Soundquality $480 more.  Not great value but its better. The $200-300 range is where you can get close enough to the endgame territory and is only slightly behind the behind the $500 price bracket. Everything above $500 is the last 1% (excluding the tuning preferences. Only talking about technical performance)

Go with iems. Moondrop Chu 2 is a good entry level one. It's not exactly Harman tuned but the sound is pretty balanced. If you want to tweak it, check wavelet out on play store ( I don't know if it's available for apple store ). It got all the eq options you ever want. Now that doesn't mean that there's no good headphones at that price range, it all depends on what you're using it for. For indoor usage, you could probably get a Samson sr850 for under 100 if you're lucky, but it bleeds a lot ( it's open back so I'm not even sure "bleed" is the right terminology here), so it really depends. My advice is to check out YouTube videos or other subreddits like r/iems or r/headphones

Your experince has some similarities with mine. I also started with the Zero (1) but it broke, so I got the Chu 2. Found the Chu 2 too V-shaped for me. Next, I got the SGOR Luna, which is like you getting the EW300. Both clearly V-shaped tuned IEM's with similar flaws. I love the Luna but it was just too V-shaped and I felt like I was missing out on the mids and vocals were distant (they never go too busy though since they're plannars). Then I got the 7hz Sonus in an attempt to save from spending for the Hexa. This was 90% there for me but it got really fatiguing ang unnatural after a month. Too "in-your-face" sound. I finally got the Hexa's and have been using them for over 2 months now. The way you describe them is almost exactly how I would too. Cheers.

If you are really keen on being scrutinous in determining the sound you like most, I highly suggest getting something in the $20 range and go up from there. Getting something neutral like the Tanchjim Bunny, Tangzu Waner (any edition), Salnotes Zero (1) or MoonDrop Chu II would be a great start. BUT just get one pair. So for example, you get the Tanchjim Bunny first. Listen to it for at least a month, then if you find anything in the frequency lacking or copious, then find your upgrade from your findings. I hope this makes sense. My biased answer is for you to get the Hexa or 7hz Zero as these are 2 of my favorite IEMs right now. Cheers.

I picked up the moondrop chu 2's and they've been a delight. I'm only a casual gamer and listen to some music through them but they are gorgeous to listen through. Very comfortable too although getting the buds on was a bit of a pain

Definitely Chu II

between, Kz castor and moondrop chu 2, I'd suggest to go for the chu 2, assuming you're from India since you said aliexpress is banned in your country, pick up a audiocular d07 along with it, and you get a pretty solid experience with no sacrifice in bass. I've got the exact same setup and it's goated, just make sure to get some desiccants to keep in the carry bag with the chu 2 because india is humid , and moondrop and humidity doesn't go well together. my chu 2s paint has already started chipping off.

Second all this. Had mine for a week. Music and some gaming on Steam Deck. For the price, I couldn't be happier with them. May get some better eartips so they sit better, but no complaints so far on their performance.

Moondrop Chu Ii

For me although it has a good v shape, the bass lacks a little. It sounds muffled on some heavy bass songs. The midrange is limited as well on some instrumental jazz tracks when the treble is present, for an example Pharoah Sanders, You got to have freedom track. I use this track mostly when testing IEMs. The moondrop was one of my first IEM along with KZzs 12 Pro X tuning model and Simgot EW300 HBB. The Letshuoer Cadenza4 is my daily driver for now. It has the best sound signature for what I listen to.

Moon Drop Chu and Chu II work well for me,

Moon Drop Chu and Chu II work well for me,

For neutral I’d recommend chu 2 or tangzu wan’er (new one releasing soon btw) a bit more exciting would be 7hz zero 2 and even more (ideal for hip hop) would be Blon x HBB Z300

I just bought my first IEM (Chu 2) last week and was really impressed by how clear it sounded, yet still longing for bass. Here I am, looking for an extra pair to rock out whenever I feel the need to get that BASS rumble. I'm really not sure how different TFZ connector is to what my Chu 2 has. Any clue here?

The Chu 2 and Zero 2 aren’t bad for first time IEMs. They both have decent bass and a bit of treble sparkle. To me, the Chu 2 sounds a tad more neutral, while the Zero 2 is a bit more v-shaped. The Chu 2 is metal so it feels more durable. But if you live in a humid climate, you need to take extra care of them (store them with silica gel packs). The Zero 2 doesn’t have replaceable filters, while the Chu 2’s filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned. The Chu 2 is smaller and less prone to fit issues, but the Zero 2 is lighter. Some users have complained about the corners of the Zero 2 pressing against their outer ear due to the odd shape. Both have pros and cons. Ultimately it could come down to your tuning preference.

It depends on your tuning preference. I’m not a fan of the tuning of the APP, so I even most of my budget IEMs (Zero 2, Chu 2, Wan’er, etc.).

For audio production, I personally wouldn’t use anything less than the Zero Red. The closest to me at the price point would probably be either the Chu 2. Then slightly more expensive might be the Kiwi Ears Cadenza. If you haven’t chanced upon it yet, [here’s ](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1ei7lp2/newbie_advice_for_what_is_the_best/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) my standard advice that may help you find the answer you need.

Maybe the Zero 2 or the Chu 2. There’s a chance you’ll hate them both. Sampling different sets until you find your tuning preference is a reality of the hobby that people don’t normally tell newbies. You could get lucky and like your first set, but there’s a chance you won’t. There’s really a lot of trial and error until you find what’s best for you.

The Castor Pro Bass I believe has more bass than the Chu 2, while the Castor Pro Harman has less bass. So it seems the tuning of the Chu 2 is in between the two. The Castors have tuning switches, but I’m not sure how much difference they make.

Welcome to the hobby! Make sure you don’t judge all IEMs based on just one. There are lots of different tunings of IEMs. The Rosefinch is a bassy one. If you want something a little less v-shaped (sub bass and upper treble not quite as boosted) you may want to try something like the 7hz Zero 2. Also, here’s my standard advice to those new to the hobby… The ear tips can make or break your experience with IEMs. If you don't get a good seal, you won't hear the intended sound (particularly bass). Stock tips aren't for everyone, so you may have to try out different tips ("tip rolling"). Also, if you don't like the IEM's sound, the tuning just might not be right for you. There's a lot of experimentation in this hobby. Take note of what you don't like when getting your next set. Remember to keep your ears very clean. Lots of people don't realize how much wax ears produce and they end up clogging the IEM filters. IEMs like the Chu 2 are particularly prone to clogging as the mesh filter is very fine. If/when they do get clogged, the some filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned (by unscrewing the nozzle tips). Store your IEMs in an airtight case with silica gel packs. Avoid wearing them in the rain. Try not to wear them when you're sweating profusely. Moisture causes corrosion of internal components/electronics. It also causes copper parts to turn green. (Once all of that happens, it can’t be reversed.) Enjoy your IEM journey!

If you haven't tried any IEMs before, you need to just jump in. There's no way to know what your preferred sound signature is if you don't try anything. You’ll likely get a lot of IEM recommendations from helpful people on this sub, but remember that’s what they like, it may not necessarily be what you will like. If you haven’t chanced upon it yet, [here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1ei7lp2/newbie_advice_for_what_is_the_best/) my standard advice that may help you find the answer you need. I suggest you take your best guess based off of our suggestions/descriptions, knowing that it might not end up being the perfect set for you. From your reaction to that, you can make a better more-informed move. Hopefully you live somewhere with good return policies. If you really don't know where to start, I normally recommend either the Moondrop Chu 2 or the 7Hz Zero 2. They're both somewhat middle-of-the-road, with the Chu 2 being more warm/neutral while the Zero 2 is a bit more exciting. (Just know that you may not like these IEMs. But knowing why you like or hate them will help lead you on the path to the perfect tuning for you.)

If you don't know where to start, I normally recommend either the Moondrop Chu 2 or the 7Hz Zero 2. They're both somewhat middle-of-the-road, with the Chu 2 being more warm/neutral while the Zero 2 is a bit more exciting. (Just know that you may not like these IEMs. But knowing why you like or hate them will help lead you on the path to the perfect tuning for you.) The Chu 2 and the Zero 2 both have decent bass and a bit of treble sparkle. To me, the Chu 2 sounds a tad more neutral, while the Zero 2 is a bit more v-shaped. The Chu 2 is metal so it feels more durable. But if you live in a humid climate, you need to take extra care of them, like storing them with silica gel packs (which is actually a good idea for all IEMs). The Zero 2 doesn’t have replaceable filters, while the Chu 2’s filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned. (The Chu 2’s filters will need to be cleaned/replaced periodically because the mesh is so fine.) The Chu 2 is smaller and less prone to fit issues, but the Zero 2 is lighter. Some users have complained about the corners of the Zero 2 pressing against their outer ear due to the odd shape. The cables of both sets aren't that great (but that's about par for the course for budget IEMs). The Chu 2 does come with better quality ear tips.

There aren’t really any IEMs with a flat frequency response. Many follow the Harman curve or something somewhat close to it. (A lot of people in the hobby refer to this as “neutral”.) With IEMs, individual ear anatomy affects the perception of frequencies. So in this hobby, the definition of what sounds “flat” or “neutral” can be different from person to person. Two people can listen to the same IEM and disagree on the tuning (i.e. whether they're too bassy or to bright). To me, a cheap IEMs that I would consider as somewhat neutral would be the Moondrop Chu 2. Others may think of it as a bit warm. If you don’t like bass or warm tuning, the original 7hz Zero might be what you’re looking for. If you haven’t chanced upon it yet, [here's ](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1ei7lp2/newbie_advice_for_what_is_the_best/) my standard advice that may help you find the answer you need.

Welcome to the hobby! Just a bit of friendly advice… The ear tips can make or break your experience with IEMs. If you don't get a good airtight seal, you won't hear the intended sound (particularly bass). Stock tips aren't for everyone, so you may have to try out different tips ("tip rolling"). Also, if you don't like the IEM's sound, the tuning just might not be right for you. There's a lot of experimentation in this hobby. Take note of what you don't like when getting your next set. Remember to keep your ears very clean. Lots of people don't realize how much wax ears produce and they end up clogging the IEM filters. IEMs like the Chu 2 are particularly prone to clogging as the mesh filter is very fine. If/when they do get clogged, the some filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned (by unscrewing the nozzle tips). Don’t swap cables often. This will loosen the connection of your IEM and your cables will eventually fall off the cable and/or not have sound. Take extra care of your IEMs. You cannot treat them like regular cheap earbuds. They are much more delicate and will break much easier. Store your IEMs in an airtight case with silica gel packs. Avoid wearing them in the rain. Try not to wear them when you're sweating profusely. Moisture causes corrosion of internal components/electronics. It also causes copper parts to turn green. (Once all of that happens, it can’t be reversed.) Enjoy your IEM journey!

Welcome to the hobby! Just a bit of friendly advice… The ear tips can make or break your experience with IEMs. If you don't get a good airtight seal, you won't hear the intended sound (particularly bass). Stock tips aren't for everyone, so you may have to try out different tips ("tip rolling"). Also, if you don't like the IEM's sound, the tuning just might not be right for you. There's a lot of experimentation in this hobby. Take note of what you don't like when getting your next set. Remember to keep your ears very clean. Lots of people don't realize how much wax ears produce and they end up clogging the IEM filters. IEMs like the Chu 2 are particularly prone to clogging as the mesh filter is very fine. If/when they do get clogged, the some filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned (by unscrewing the nozzle tips). Don’t swap cables often. This will loosen the connection of your IEM and your cables will eventually fall off the cable and/or not have sound. Take extra care of your IEMs. You cannot treat them like regular cheap earbuds. They are much more delicate and will break much easier. Store your IEMs in an airtight case with silica gel packs. Avoid wearing them in the rain. Try not to wear them when you're sweating profusely. Moisture causes corrosion of internal components/electronics. It also causes copper parts to turn green. (Once all of that happens, it can’t be reversed.) Enjoy your IEM journey!

Welcome to the hobby! Just a bit of friendly advice… The ear tips can make or break your experience with IEMs. If you don't get a good airtight seal, you won't hear the intended sound (particularly bass). Stock tips aren't for everyone, so you may have to try out different tips ("tip rolling"). Also, if you don't like the IEM's sound, the tuning just might not be right for you. There's a lot of experimentation in this hobby. Take note of what you don't like when getting your next set. Remember to keep your ears very clean. Lots of people don't realize how much wax ears produce and they end up clogging the IEM filters. IEMs like the Chu 2 are particularly prone to clogging as the mesh filter is very fine. If/when they do get clogged, the some filters can be easily swapped out or cleaned (by unscrewing the nozzle tips). Don’t swap cables often. This will loosen the connection of your IEM and your cables will eventually fall off the cable and/or not have sound. Take extra care of your IEMs. You cannot treat them like regular cheap earbuds. They are much more delicate and will break much easier. Store your IEMs with silica gel packs. Avoid wearing them in the rain. Try not to wear them when you're sweating profusely. Moisture causes corrosion of internal components/electronics. (Once that happens, it can’t be reversed.) Enjoy your IEM journey!

The chu is tuned well but I don’t think it’ll make a huge difference in hearing lossless. I have the EW300 ($80ish) usd and some times I think I can tell. I never could with the chu

Using dsp with a dap makes using the dap pointless since your not using its internal dac and amp with an analog connection (3.5, 4.4). Just get analog for your next pair and your good. The chu 2 (20 usd) is a good start for iems, though if you get a set double or more the price, your going to be even more blown away. While there is a gradual increase in diminishing returns even from the beginning, it stsrts to get pretty aggressive around the 400-500 usd range. To save money in the pit that Is audio, I would figure out what kind of tuning you like and go straight to an endgame pair (the price range of that pair depends on what you want out of an "endgame" set. Endgame for some can be a 200 dollar set and for others it could be a 3k usd set; it varies wildly); you already have a nice dap so driving any iem you get in the future wont be a problem.

chu 2 is not good for humid climate, its filter mesh is very refined and cloggs like nothing else , you'll have to buy its filter after few months. akg is a overall a good package , good sound , water resistant , good quality mic , good build quality For IEMs , you'll have to take care of them like a baby ,don't drop them ,no water droplets should be near it blah blah

Yeah maybe they are saying that salnotes zero 2 and tanchijm bunny and chu 2 are better , but those are balanced and more expensive ones, and also you will need a dac with them if they don't have a built in one. As you asked for the bassy sound, fiio will serve you better because salnotes and chu 2 are not the bassiest and bunny is really good if you are ready to pay more price but it will be better with a dac at that price, since you are on a budget, fiio with built-in dac is better for you

Moondrop Chu 2 is a great option. They’re $20-30 and I’ve been using them for a while

Moondrop Chu 2 like the other commenter said is probably miles better than any "name brand" headphones you currently have and is only $20. After that you can go upwards in the IEM market, or get some nice headphones ($300 or less for Hifiman Sundara or Sennheiser HD6XX)

Agreed, the cheapest "good sound quality" headphones I can think of are some Koss stuff and even those are around RM140-200. (If OP's priority is sound quality anyways) Some recommendations for OP if he doesn't mind IEMs: KZ Castor Bass edition, KZ EDC Pro, Moondrop Chu II, Tangzu Wan'Er original and SE versions, 7Hz Zero 2 and original versions, and the Truthear Gate. Note that I only specifically recommend those 2 KZ models since the rest of their lineup don't sound as good unless you move up the price bracket. KZ also has issues with deceptive marketing as well with certain models where they switch out the drivers randomly in the middle of the production run. The Chu II can occasionally be found for around RM40-50 in carousell, and if you live in the Klang Valley, starspicker's store sometimes have open box Chu IIs for sale.

It's good even with a cellphone or PC. It's a nice iem.

I'd say save the money and go for 1500-2000 budget when you can. The performance difference is noticeably good on IEMs like truthear gate, salnotes zero, chu 2 etc.

KZ Castor, Moondrop Chu II, Tangzu Wan’Er SG II are all great and less than $40

Frequency response graphs are not the ultimate truth but do they give some context about differences in sound signature. Here is a comparison of the the Hexa and the Chu 2. https://graph.hangout.audio/iem/5128/?share=JM-1_Target%2CChu_2%2CHexa&bass=0&tilt=0&treble=0&ear=0

Moondrop Chu IIs, KZ ZS10s and Apple earpods..

Moondrop Chu II. About £20. Solid metal build, replaceable cable and of course they sound really good!

Waners, Castors, Abyss, Cadenza, Moondrop Chu 2, Blon bl3 2 are some iems you can consider. Most iems these days are good enough for flac music in this price range, only the tuning differs. As they're wired, they dont have a battery to degrade so they can ladt you forever. Just keep them away from sweat and moisture of any kind since that damages them. Considering most iems are 3.5mm, you will need a dac which converts type c to 3.5mm (digital to analog) and lets you take full advantage of your iems as it improves the sound and volumes as well. Even if you have a 3.5 on your phone or laptop, a dac will make the iems sound better.

I know there's a quite a few people who have been waiting for me to finally make this post. I apologize for the delay, I was still waiting for an iem to be delivered. A little background: I've been an fps gamer all my life. I used to play cod semi-profressionally and participated in both online and LAN tournaments for money. The main fps games I play today are apex, cod and siege. Ever since I discovered the audiophile world with studio headphones I was amazed how much better headphones sounded compared to gaming headsets. Fast forward to present day and I am now into IEMs and discovering which ones are the best for gaming. As a disclaimer my thoughts and opinions are my own. I understand there are YouTubers such as Fresh Reviews, Ryan Ho, and Gadgetry Tech that may or may not agree with my takes. So please take my thoughts and opinions with a grain of salt as I am just a chill guy who likes to game competitively. The way I determine if an iem (or headphone) is good for gaming is by 3 main categories: soundstage, imaging, and sound separation. A good and accurate soundstage has good width (x), height (y), and depth (z). Imaging, or stereo imaging, is the spacial perception and ability to perceive the precise placement of sounds. Essentially directional audio. I.e left, right, center, back, top left, etc. Sound separation in a iem or headphone is the ability to pick up different sounds at once without it overlapping each other. So the ability to hear explosions go off, gun shots, gadgets, footsteps, etc without distorting the other sounds. With that being said here's the list of iems that I've tried each with a short review and a rating out of 5 for gaming (3 is usable, anything less is not): CCZ BC01 Pro (1) - way too bassy, bad vertical directional audio. Better options CCZ BC04 Pro (2) - same issue as the BC01 but a much more tolerable bass. Better options Moondrop Chu 2 (1.5) - sound is okay, soundstage felt narrow to me. Imaging was okay. Sound separation was below average. Premium feel and build but I didn't like how heavy they were on my ears. Better options Truthear Gate (2) - sound great but not good for gaming. Narrow soundstage, imaging is okay, below average sound separation. Better options Truthear Zero Red (?) - literally couldn't fit in my ears properly without severe pain. So I couldn't test the IEM and returned it. Will be testing the zero 2 tho Truthear Hexa (4) - comfort is not that good, better than the zero reds tho, soundstage and imaging is okay, sound separation is decent. Also not a fan of how they sound tbh. Too neutral for me Tripowin Vivaci (3) - nearly identical to the zeros 2 in technical performance but I like the zero 2 more in terms of overall sound. And for $5 more you can get the 7Hz G1 which is better than both 7Hz Zero (2.5) - a bit too bright, zero 2 is better 7Hz Zero 2 (3) - average soundstage, decent imaging, below average sound separation. Best $20 iem imo, better options as you continue to go up in price 7Hz G1 (4.5) - a Klean but cheaper with a more fun v-shaped sound signature, get this if you're on a budget 7Hz Sonus (4.5) - the most underrated iem for gaming, great imaging and great soundstage but average sound separation. EW300 is a bit better cuz it has better sound separation Kiwi Ears Canta (3.5) - a bit too bright for most people, good imaging, okay soundstage, below average sound separation Kiwi Ears Quartet (4) - best soundstage imo, super comfy fit, imaging is okay and sound separation is average Kefine Klean (4.5) - a better Delci, better sound separation and arguably better sound signature imo Kefine Delci (4) - good soundstage and imaging, slightly above average sound separation Simgot EW300 (4.5) - nearly endgame but still needs better sound separation. Simgot EM6L (5) - endgame, great soundstage, great imaging, great sound separation. Can't recommend it due to it's nozzle QC issues. Otherwise I probably wouldn't use any other IEM for gaming but this Simgot Supermix 4 (3.5) - not endgame. Might get some hate for this but I was really not impressed by this iem for gaming. It had a narrow soundstage and okay imaging, good sound separation tho. EM6L is way better Other IEMs I am planning to review: ND Planet, Tangzu Waner 2, KZ EDC Pro, Truthear Zero 2 Blue, and Kiwi Ears Airoso Note - in the end I recommend the 7Hz G1, 7Hz Sonus and EW300. The DT 900 Pro X and 770 Pro X are my reference headphones for directional audio for competitive fps games. Those headphones essentially make me feel like I have wall hacks and the iems perform 85-90% as good. The best was definitely the EM6L where I felt nearly no difference in performance with my headphones but I can't recommend it because of the nozzle QC issue. It is an easy fix by super gluing it back on but that shouldn't even happen for an iem worth $110 in the first place. With that being said I will still review iems (and headphones) above and below the respective prices but I feel that you will be perfectly happy with the performance of the iems I recommended. Side Note: I'm currently in the process of building a website with the best gaming peripheral recommendations which includes not only iems but headphones, keyboards, mice, monitors, even pro controllers and more. Hope you all have a blessed day and find this helpful in your purchasing decision!

My God, as someone who just jumped into the hobby, I have Zero2 and Chu 2s, I'd LOVE to try something like the Tea Pros but can't spend that kinda moin. How would you desc to a newb like myself the diff between a $30 and $400 IEM? I appreciate it.

I use the chu 2 and they are great, my fav out of the 3 pairs of KZ ones and another one I can't remember.. Second would be the KZ harman. Both are around the $30-50 mark on Amazon. Chu 2 is definitely more comfortable, especially paired with the Comply T500 memory foam eartips.

I've got a set of Kz castor harman bass edition's I love them, even up high volume with a dac+amp they are still crystal clear. Another great budget iem are the moondrop chu 2, better highs and mids compared to the kz castors, need to eq the bass up just a touch, but the bass is clear once you do. Out of the 2 I prefer the moondrops, they are a lot smaller and a lot more comfortable, great for having a nap sleeping on your side. I've paired them with the kz az09 pro bluetooth earhooks and from both my pc and s20U they sound amazing. One must for any iem is some good eartips, I was using the spinfit cp145 which were a huge step up from the stock ones, but currently using the comply t500 foam tips, I don't think I could ever go back to silicone.

Loving my moondrop chu 2, smaller than regular iem's, and sound quality is amazing.

I'm a beginner in IEMs, just got a Chu 2 and it's awesome and I'm loving it

Chu 2 has relatively forward vocals and a sub-bass focused bass boost. The tonality should be pretty close to what you're describing, though the chu 2 lacks in technical performance, as in sounds don't sound very separated one from another and the sound is relatively "in your head". Tonality wise, the ew200 is like a more aggressive version of the chu 2, but with slightly less sub-bass (but still present), and noticeably more detailed and technical, while the delci is like a different approach and sounds smoother. If you want to get the best bang for buck and most "exciting" performance, the ew200 might be a good choice, unless you want to spend more and go for something even more well rounded

Chu 2 has relatively forward vocals and a sub-bass focused bass boost. The tonality should be pretty close to what you're describing, though the chu 2 lacks in technical performance, as in sounds don't sound very separated one from another and the sound is relatively "in your head". Tonality wise, the ew200 is like a more aggressive version of the chu 2, but with slightly less sub-bass (but still present), and noticeably more detailed and technical, while the delci is like a different approach and sounds smoother. If you want to get the best bang for buck and most "exciting" performance, the ew200 might be a good choice, unless you want to spend more and go for something even more well rounded

Chu 2 has relatively forward vocals and a sub-bass focused bass boost. The tonality should be pretty close to what you're describing, though the chu 2 lacks in technical performance, as in sounds don't sound very separated one from another and the sound is relatively "in your head". Tonality wise, the ew200 is like a more aggressive version of the chu 2, but with slightly less sub-bass (but still present), and noticeably more detailed and technical, while the delci is like a different approach and sounds smoother. If you want to get the best bang for buck and most "exciting" performance, the ew200 might be a good choice, unless you want to spend more and go for something even more well rounded

Generic pop is usually mastered very well lol, it's just not aiming to sound the most interesting or complex. Good headphones can make generic pop sound better than generic earbuds BTW my recommendation would be 7hz zero 2, it's my favourite of the budget iems. I prefer it to the chu 2, tangzu wan'er and kiwi ears cadenza, but of course everyone's ears are different.

Chu 2 is not balanced Chu 1 was

I like the moon drop chu 2

I have Chu 2 and are ok but maybe you can order a few and try them and choose

I feel the exact same, i use the CHU2 and the moondrop X crinicle Dusk, genuinely the only thing i could tell is that band members sounded slightly further apart on stage. This was only after I was laying down in bed, covered my eyes, and removed myself from the world as I switched back and forth from each of them. Its one of those things that youll only be able to tell ANY difference if you train yourself and also listen to very specific music. Unfortunately El cheapos have gotten really good so the average consumer wont be able to tell the difference - music is music and changing the iem won't change it. The #1 driving force of price is amount of speaker in them, CHU2 had like 1, maybe 2 speakers in them, while the Dusk had like 4 or 6 or something crazy. Sounds all the same. However, the more money you spend, the cuter anime girl you get on the box, so its worth it.

Chu 2 is good but also have filter problems. Using it for too long can cause unbalanced audio bc of the filter's glue.

It's a good dap but still has some issues n need more updates. Playback error 13 still happening a little The ones that come in the value pack are not that good imo moondrop chu 2 or other budget ones will be better.

There’s a brief rundown in the auto mod post to have a look through, really helps with the basics. You can then check out reviews here/online/YT, that’ll give you an objective idea on what may work best for you. For a balanced tuning and small size shell/nozzle, recommend looking at the Moondrop Chu 2. I own these and they’re a great fit, quality metal shell;/bass is punchy but not bloated or distorted, instruments/male & female vocals are clean and not thin, & treble isn’t too bright or sharp (for myself). Your own ears will be the best test for anything audio related :) 7hz Zero 2 is also very popular (balanced/V tuning) as is the Tangzu Wan’er 1/2 (vocal focused, warm V). I also own the Wan’er 2’s but didn’t get on with them (shell is quite chunky & vocals were too forward, instruments felt recessed); but many really like their tuning. All 3 offer a solid entry to iems with proven reliability. Castor Pro is another good option, haven’t tried them though.

Try the Moondrop Chu 2. Small fit, quality metal build and balanced V sound. You will get improved sound quality with $40-60 iem’s imo but if you’re looking only for $20-25 range, then these are good start (again!). Esp. if the fit wasn’t right with bigger plastic shells. - Wan’er is vocal forward; 2’s are warm leaning slightly but more vocal forward around the 2k region (personally found these intolerable unless at super low volume). Chunky shells, not suitable for everyone - Cadenza’s - warm with balanced vocals but found treble wasn’t as detailed, felt a bit muddied but lots like these. Shells are small-ish vs Zero/Wan’er, wider usability - EW200 are balanced but treble can be bright for anyone sensitive to those peaks. Quality shells for the price - Zero’s - same fit as your 2’s but 2’s are much better tuned **Side note:** I made a quick step up from the Chu 2 (nothing wrong with them a starter set) to **Inawaken Dawn MS**. **Kefine Klean** was also on my list but the look was similar to the Chu 2 and wanted a different style and were only £36. Both tuning’s are similar but the lower treble peaks vs Klean made it preferable (both sets are probably the best sub $50 around). InAwaken is warm leaning but bright enough without any shoutiness. Mid bass is rich & textured without overpowering, excellent balanced vocals with smooth treble. Works great for varied genres. Despite the shell being bit larger vs Chu 2 the fit has been amazing. The resin build is high quality & so silky to wear all day. They have a shorter nozzle so sit really well with no canal issues. I would honestly consider both the Klean and InAwaken based from you already trying a few budget sets and wanting improved sound quality. The sets you listed are literally sidesteps. **If not wanting to spend more, restart with the Moondrop Chu 2 :)**

Silica gel packs (blue colour changing ones) are your solution here. Metal shells in general aren’t ideal vs resin, or plastic, in higher humidity environments but all IEMs can easily absorb moisture/sweat. So it’s wise to store in something airtight with the silica to absorb the moisture and prolong the internals. Plus you can easily change the filters/nozzle on Chu 2 vs most other budget models which are fixed and a bit trickier to change out.

Moondrop chu 2. Slightly v shaped and good bass imo.

Man, I entered the world of IEMs (in-ear monitors) six months ago and I already have 14 earphones hahaha, ranging from 20 to 200 dollars. I have all those on your list and I can tell you, if I were to recommend which ones to start with, my three favorites in terms of cost-benefit are the Chu 2, the 7Hz Crinacle Zero 2, and the Kinera Celest Wyvern Black. Now, if you have a higher budget, I’ll tell you about others from 50 to 200 bucks that I like. But, honestly, except for maybe two, those three I mentioned for cost-benefit aren’t at all behind the more expensive ones not even a little. As for DACs, I only have three: the Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 and the Fiio KA15, plus the NICEHCK NK1 MAX. If I were you, I would get either the NICEHCK NK1 or the Moondrop to start with.

I really like chu II

To be honest depends on what sound you like and how much you're willing to spend. Commercial IEMs are mostly scam. Shures suck. Shure was good back then, but today you can get IEM of the same quality as Shure for about 20-50€ in the chi-fi world. Chi-Fi are chinese high fidelity produced IEMs, which sounds sketchy, but it's really just amazing. For example KZ is a decent recommendation for 10-20€ range of budget. They're decent IEMs, block fair amount of noise and have good conventional sound. It's not the best, but totally fine for professional use. If you're willing to pay more, there's Moondrop as one of millions of examples. Moondrop offers better QC, better build quality and better soundstage and more polished sound overall. For example, I use Moondrop Chu II as my main IEM. It works great, sounds way more spacious and wide, fits my ears better and has amazing build quality. Cost me 25€ However, I'd advise to learn what sound curve you prefer. I use Sennheiser HD560S as my main headphones, therefore I prefer flat neutral sound, so I went for Moondrop Chu II, that matches the sound I wanted. However, watch reviews and learn what you like. I watched Crinacle on YT to sort out my decision. However if you want molded IEMs, that's fine, but it's better to stick to commercial IEMs then. Keep in mind though, that you're paying much much more for the same sound. The sound you will get for 200-300€ would be available in Chi-Fi world for a fraction of the price.

I use wired because wireless always introduce delay and the best ones like ROG Cetra cost a fortune(I have those). The chinese brand Moondrop makes some pretty solid TWS and IEM earbuds at affordable prices. For TWS I have Space Travel 1 & 2. Highly recommend Space Travel 2. It has gaming mode that reduce delay. Cetra has better sound and less latency in gaming mode though. As for IEM, the Chu II is the best money for your buck by far and is often listed as the best IEM at that low cost. I own ARIA SE, and Aria 2 came out last year at the same price range and is an upgrade. Though at that price range also consider Truthear Zero Red, Trurthear Hexa or Moondrop May depending on the type of music you listen to.

Well, its not like iam not satisfied with the sound, they sound great, even though i was suprised how good chu2 stands its ground despite being 1/3 of the price., i was more wondering what sound profile you liked because iam kinda bad at eqing and i dont want to get into an insane rabbithole. I just wanted to try out what you liked more than the stock eq

If you can go till 2000, go for the moondrop chu 2 (the safest choice) or tangzu waner SG 2 Been using sg 2 for a while the experience is pretty good!

I just bought the chu 2, ill try these super low budget out for a month and then ill get back here to invest more!

I've been singing praises of the Tin HiFi T2 for years. I had other IEMs over the years but I still go back to the T2. I just purchased the CVJ Aria and Vivian, so I don't know how well I will like them. I also have the Moondrop Chu 2, which I like a lot (a little tinny sounding to my ears, but they are currently on loan to a family member. Although the price to performance is great. I will suggest watching reviews on them, but take what they say with a grain of salt. Everyone has different ears and what may be good to me, may not sound good to you. Prices Amazon: Tin HiFi T2 - $50 Moondrop Chu 2- $20 CVJ Aria - $80 CVJ Vivian - N/A AliExpress: Tin HiFi T2 - N/A (The T2 DLC is there though) Moondrop Chu 2 - $30 CVJ Aria - $80 (got mine for 75) CVJ VIVIAN - $23

The Chu’s lasted me 6 months before they broke, common issue. I’d avoid them!

Mine got quiet in one ear that I couldn’t clean and fix away after 6 months. Was good while it lasted but I don’t recommend.

Moondrop Chu 2. I Love the output but they feel a little tacky. Still in use btw.

A lot of years ago I was recommended the Moondrop Aria and stuck with them. My son asked me for an iPod and I got him the chu II, those are a great option too. I've also tried others but I'm happy to recommend these as I didn't really notice any difference with more expensive IEMs and I moved from FLAC to MP3 320 after some blind tests and realized I couldn't hear a difference between them, even with much more expensive IEMs.

I used that to figure out that the MoonDrop Chu 2 are ridiculously bang for the buck. Got them and they're my daily driver now. Better than some of my Sennheiser and AKG headphones.

I bought both MoonDrop Chu 2 (€20-€25) and Apple EarPods (€19) and the MoonDrop Chu 2 are so much better: audio quality is amazing, they fit comfortably and stay in, and isolate sounds way better. The Apple EarPods are just a backup at this point. But for that same price point, you can't beat the Chu 2.

Look at top 5. Chu 2 is great, Zero 2 great but odd shape. Maybe Cadenza. Not Gate or Wan'er. You won't know if it fits unless you try. All are V to a degree, at this point don't stress about it too much.

Get the Chu II, they're bloody amazing. (Be advised the default tips are atrocious to the point of being unusable if you have small/medium ear canals or if you're easily irritated by low quality ear tips)

Try the chu 2

You can't go wrong with either chu 2 or 7hz zero 2. Chu 2 slightly has fun tuning as it's more v shape leaning than zero 2. Zero 2 has safe and balanced sound. I think chu 2 is what you're looking for

listening to music on mine right now. comfort is great because of the small shell sound isolation not great, this will depend upon the eartips you select, but the small shell doesn't occlude much cable microphonics are not an issue. The cable is actually quite nice in this regard. can't comment much on story game imaging I'd add my voice to the chorus of recommendations on this unit.

chu 2 is all time legend, for 18 usd it is unparalleled)

The Moondrop Chu II is great value. I wasn’t expecting bass at that price. A great all rounder.

Just got the castor pros this morning, and goddamn are they incredible. The last pair I used was the moon drop chu II. And they are miles ahead.

I currently own the chu2 and I have been loving it just seeing if there is something slightly better. I see people saying that they aren’t the greatest for hearing foot steps but I haven’t tried to actively use them to listen for footsteps because I have been more into marvel rivals recently. Edit: I want and an extra pairs for just in case. Would also really appreciate recommendations for wireless stuff because currently the main stream AirPods and stuff don’t fit my ear they either fall out or don’t stay put when I’m at the gym. So far ear hooks and iem like the chu 2 seems to solve my problem but I don’t want to carry wires around for the gym and stuff.

I am by NO means an audiophile. I don't know how to read graphs. This review is mainly for people like me who are new and don't know all the fancy terms and just want to know how they sound and how they feel without graphs and words like "V-Shaped" and "Bright" or "Warm". I just want to give my impressions of my first IEMs. These were sent out to me by Linsoul.... after I paid 18.99. Price: 18.99 USD for 3.5mm 23.99for DSP version (USB-C) What comes in the box: 3 pairs of eartips S/M/L, A 0.78mm 2 pin cable, the IEMs, a simple pouch, and pictures of anime girls, because you obviously need those. Impressions of the contents: The stock eartips are fine. They come in small, medium and large, measuring 11mm, 12mm, and 13mm respectively. I use the medium ones and they feel fine. I didn't notice anything special or unique, just simple looking stock eartips. The cable is okay, looks good in my opinion, tangles a lot in my experience so I would recommend another cable. It's long enough for a beginner like me and I think for most people aswell. It's an okay cable, nothing much at 18 dollars. The pouch is fine, never used it because of the tangling issues. It's really only big enough for the IEMs and cable, I wouldn't put in an extra IEMs and/or eartips. Pictures of anime girls stayed in the box. Durability: These things are VERY durable in my experience. I've accidentally sat on them, banged them against the wall and table, slept on them, my cat even grabbed them and ran away dragging the IEMs on the floor, and yet they still feel and function the same as DAY 1. Comfort: These things are MAD comfortable. They go in, they disappear. I've used these for 8 hours a day, sometimes more, and I cannot tell you of a single day or moment in the time span of 3 months where I've felt discomfort in my ears because of them. These things are incredibly comfortable. Build quality: Metal shell, I like the little bit of weight it has, makes it feels a lot more expensive than it is. It's small, this thing would probably fit in a baby's ear. I don't think anybody will have an issue with the size of the shell or nozzle. The nozzle is 6mm at its widest point. Sound: This is where these things really shine. They sound amazing. For somebody who's best sound experience was the Airpods Pro 2 and cheap 5 dollar earbuds, these things are astronomical in sound. I felt like my 3rd eye was opening. I felt like a kid in 13th century England being shown an iPhone 16. The bass hits hard, the vocals are clear, every instrument and every whisper is audible, this thing is crispy. I did notice that it is probably a bit more bass-heavy, sometimes the vocals felt a bit harsh, but not all the time. I wouldnt get these IEMs if you're less of a bass person and more vocals focused. I listened to some EDM, hip hop, rap indie, rock, metal, pop, kpop. Everything was great. My best experiences were on hip hop, rap, EDM, rock and metal, but that may just be my personal music taste, these were great on basically every genre I listened to. Gaming: They're good. I played some roblox FPS games, fortnite, XDefiant, and they were fine. I could hear the direction of footsteps very clearly, little sound cues like doors opening, I could feel the rumble of explosions and grenades, very immersive. I don't think these are the best for gaming, there are definitely better ones, but if you're fine with GOOD instead of BEST for gaming, then these are more than enough. Conclusion: These are crazy. They are so good that I believe that most people who have never experienced GOOD sound quality from IEMs, could use these forever and never feel the need to upgrade. Fortunately (unfortunately for my wallet), these have sparked a need to upgrade, not because they're bad but because of the hobby, so they might do the same for you and send you down the rabbit hole of IEMs. For less than 20, these are some of the best value. I would pay 50 dollars for these and not even question it. 4.5/5 Pros: Amazing sound, Insane comfort, Very good durability, Extremely good price for budget, beginner audiophiles. This thing could easily be priced twice as much and nobody would care. Cons: When the cable tangles, it's infuriating, There are better options for gaming, Not the best for people who like vocals more than bass. Your family, friends, and partner might think you're a weirdo with the anime girls on the box and inside the box. Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was at least somewhat helpful. This is my opinion so some things might not align with you and I am not an expert in audio, so consider my review as coming from a regular consumer who likes audio, and not an expert with years of experience and a collection of 80 IEMs and 20 DACs.

I have had 0 issues with the Chu 2 in terms of comfort. I don't have small ears but I also don't have large ears and I can tell you that the Chu 2 is very comfortable. When I first got the Chu 2, the first thing I noticed was how it stays in perfectly and how it feels like it just disappears in your ear, so yeah the fit is good, I used the Chu 2 daily for 3 months with over 4 hours of listening time a day and I had no issues with fit and comfort. My sister and my mom also tried the Chu 2 and they have small ears, but also found no issues with comfort or fit. So, even though no ear is the same, I'm pretty sure the Chu 2 works well for small ears. The nozzle size is about 5.7mm-6mm so pretty standard and shouldn't cause any real issues. I think if you're going for something comfortable with a good fit, the Chu 2 would definitely be my top choice for a first IEM.

I have both hexa and chu 2s myself, I can't even listen to the hexas, unless I EQ them. I like the chu 2 better. I guess I like v-shape iems better. I wish I never bought the hexas. Just boring to me.

My favorite 2 iems under 30 dollars are the Moondrop Chu 2 and KZ Castor pros (bass edition).

Hear me out. I have the 64a A6t customs. From Crinacle’s recommendation (IEM reviewer) I bought the Moondrop Chu II for $20 from Amazon. Believe me when I tell you these IEMs are amazing! The clarity in them is insane and the main difference with my other pair is that the the A6ts are a bit warmer overall. I was SUPER doubtful of another cheaper IEM pair but the Moondrop is truly the exception (the contruction is not even plastic). Just make sure with all IEMs you clean them every so often to avoid blockages.

The $20 Moondrop Chu II IEMs are the best bang for buck out right now. So much clarity

Can’t go wrong with 64 Audio even the lower tier model. I would try the universal fit equivalents before buying them though. For cheap IEMs the Moondrop Chu II are always my modern day go to

I also received mine as my first IEM! Using them with a Qudelix-5k. I've changed the cable to a Linsoul Tripowin Zonie and some SpinFit CP100 ear tips and indeed ... They're awesome and a steal at that price!

I also have the Chu2 and then got the HEXA , and I agree with you. Feels like hearing songs for the first time. Not punchy low ends but very clear sounding IEMs. Recently got the Ziigat Doscinco and now I am in the endgame. Hexa for movies and gaming for that extreme clarity and the doscincos for music. You can use KZ Starline eartips on the HEXA for the best sound and slightly higher bass.

My chu 2 has been great

First was zero red 2s but I ended up returning them bc they didn’t fit in my ears well, now I got the chu 2s

I kinda got fed up with any type of blue headphones and earphones and I switched to iem earphones. I got some basic ones to check it out. I got the moondrop chu 2. I bought the usb cables for the earphones so I had the option to listen to lossless audio on my phone and the usb audio and the 3.5mm jack are just great. I even use the usb c plug for gaming and the mic is great quality I payed $27 for them. Beat the beats, sony, and jbl earphones i have.

other good option could be moondrop chu II but these were the best for my music preferences

Chu, SSR, Castor Pro and many cheaper ones. This is the most FOMO based hobby I’ve ever been in.

Can’t go wrong with the moondrop chus

I have had a few sets of the Chus die on me, both the old ones with the attached cables and one set with the detachable cables. They sound great for the price though.

What's a "meta" IEM for someone who finds most too boomy/bassy with only the cheap Chu **I** being tolerable?

Meze Alba, Sennheiser IEX00, Moondrop Chu/Chu2, etc. There are also plenty of hybrid/tribrid IEMs that are not tiny, but still very appropriately sized. I find DUSK to be pretty comfortable despite being a 6-driver tribrid.

The moondrop chus have pretty good bass you should check those out