Moondrop CHU II High Performance Dynamic Driver IEMs Interchangeable Cable in-Ear Headphone

I got the Linsoul 7Hz Salnotes Zeros about a year ago as an upgrade from basic budget earbuds, and have enjoyed them. I wanted a second IEM so one could be for at-home use and one could be for carrying around. I find the audiophile rabbit hole fascinating, but have difficulty hearing and describing characteristics in audio that might be apparent to those folks. So I wanted to try a different IEM and see if I could hear differences from the Zeros. I went with the Chu II's because of the reputation of the original Chu's, and initial YouTube reviews of the Chu II's were quite positive. I've been using the Chu II's at home and carrying the Zeros around. I haven't attempted to A/B them for a careful comparison, so all I can say right now is that I enjoy them both. As far as I can tell, they both have an even response with good presence and are not lacking in bass. Neither have an overpowering bass or a shrill treble to me. The shape of the Chu II shell is a bit more comfortable, and they look a bit more streamlined than the Zeros. Chu II also has a metal shell in comparison to the Zero's shell which is mostly plastic. The Chu II cable has a nice silver color in a clear sleeve and is a bit more pliable than the Zero's braided copper cable. The plug on the Chu II cable is L-shaped while the Zero plug is straight. Both the Chu II and Zero are very easy to drive and work well plugged into a DAC (which is a Scarlett Focusrite Solo for me) or a standard 3.5mm jack from a phone or laptop. Many reviewers seem to prefer the spring tips that came with the original Chus. The Chu II's come with basic tips of varying size. I use the ones that fit the most snugly and they seem good to me. The Zeros and Chu II's seem to be safe budget-friendly choices for a first IEM or to have a few handy. I like them both and don't see one as a clear winner. Perhaps I will give a slight edge to the Chu II because of the look and ergonomics. There are a bunch of other highly touted budget IEMs on the market right now too: the Kiwi Ears Cadenza, Tangzu Wan'er, the Truthear Hola are three that come up a lot. I'm thinking that these also might be safe choices, but that's it's not necessary to acquire all of them because they won't be so different sounding from each other. It would be useful to listen to them side-by-side and somehow be able switch back and forth without delay, but I'm not sure if that is physically possible. Update (10/28/2024) After about one year of regular use, the right IEM suddenly stopped producing sound. These are the IEMs I use for home listening, so I have treated them very delicately. I noticed that this was a recurring issue in other reviews and did some troubleshooting. First I swapped the left and right shells to the opposite sides of the cable; the right IEM was still the one with no output. Then I tried removing the filter from the right IEM and putting the tip back on with no filter (very briefly). The output seems to be normal, so I think it is definitely a filter issue. There was a bunch of gunk on the filter, including some blue stuff (blue ear wax?), so I tried cleaning it with 91% isopropyl alcohol and some q-tips. The filter is a thin piece of metal and an a tiny sheet of paper housed inside of a round enclosure. I gave both of them a good swabbing, and they both appear to be significantly less gunky. After replacing the original filter, the output has improved significantly, maybe to about 50%. I rummaged through my saved box collection to see if I could find the Chu II box in case it had some extra filters, but I can't seem to find it. I think replacing with a new filter will bring the output all the way back, but I'll post an update if I try it.

I’ve been really impressed with these IEMs, especially considering the price. They sound really good for gaming, with clear audio that makes it easy to hear footsteps and other sounds around me. The sound is also enjoyable for music and videos, so they aren’t just useful for gaming. They’re lightweight and comfortable to wear for longer sessions, and I really like that the cable is interchangeable. The build quality feels good for the price as well. If you’re looking for an affordable pair of IEMs mainly for gaming, I think these are a great option. You get really good sound without having to spend a lot of money. Definitely happy with them.

This was my first ever iem 2 years ago, since then I've vastly expanded my collection and reflected on my opinion about the Chu 2 for this review. The first time I put on the Chu 2 was after listening to the HD6XX for 8 years. I was in the middle of a Motown playlist, and Marvin Gaye's Mercy Mercy Me came on, and I was absolutely floored. It was like rediscovering music again. I didn't think such small iems could have sub bass or such shimmer in the treble, or the airiness of Marvin Gaye's vocals. So for a first time foray into iems, this a 5/5 recommendation even after all these years and having moved onto other iems. It's also small with a nice cable, and should fit in whatever ear with zero issues. Two years since, I've started to understand the shortcomings of the Chu 2. And for those more mature with music who didn't just listen to the HD6XX for 8 years and who wants to get into iems, this might be more relevant. The Chu 2's biggest and only con for me is that it can be sibilant and fatiguing in the treble. I say this is the only con but it's a big one for me, since I am sensitive to treble and prefer warmer signatures, which the Chu 2 isn't. The shock from HD6XX to the Chu 2 initially blinded me to the treble peaks. But put on Feist's I Feel it All and you can hear it especially when it gets busy. Listen to Resolve talking about 480 Pro and note the sibilant sounds. EQ will work somewhat, but it's still not very smooth for me. For this reason, I don't use the Chu 2 anymore, neither for music or just listening to podcasts. Ultimately my daily driver is now a EQed Nova which is 5x more expensive and comes with its own issues, and still old reliable HD6XX, but more for work and listening on youtube and podcasts. At this point you might be thinking if there's a budget iem like the Chu 2 but with smoother treble, and I don't think so. I have the Wan'er, and while that is much less harsh than the Chu 2, it is not nearly as dynamic, the imaging isn't nearly as good. Wan'er is still excellent for relaxed warmer listening, but it's not the Chu 2. Wan'er 2 although better on imaging is still not the Chu 2, it still lack that dynamic tuning. The Gate comes a bit closer but still doesn't capture Chu 2's dynamic sound. Chu 2 still slaps hard on most tracks even when I put it on these days, but it's issues are apparent when I encounter it. Having said all that, I still wholeheartedly recommend the Chu 2 over any other budget iems even in 2026 as your first iem. It's a perfect spring board to get started listening to iems, to learn about graphs and also not read too much into them, find out about your tuning preferences, learn how to EQ, and go down that iem rabbit hole

I purchased these after my pair of noname IEMs died, since they're the top selling pair on amazon under $25. I use these to edit a podcast, and they work great and are pretty transparent. For the price, these things are an unbelievable deal. They sound great with both music and spoken word, they're comfortable for extended wear, and the all-metal housing is really sturdy. The cable is also really nice - it's thick and doesn't tangle easily. When these die, I'll probably just get another pair since I don't really want or need anything else. My only complaint is with static - it's winter when I'm writing this, and with the air being really dry, these have a tendency to give a very slight, occasional static shock when your ear touches the metal body. It doesn't hurt but you can hear it and it just kinda feels weird. Is it a dealbreaker though, absolutely not. Also, very minor thing, what's up with the anime girl on the packaging? It's kind of embarrassing when you just want some headphones, I get that some people like it but it's a super weird branding choice. Update after 8 months of almost-daily wear - I typically wear these in an office with only one ear in so I can hear what's going on around me, and I've noticed that the left ear (the one I would wear most often) has dropped in volume by about 80% while the right ear is perfectly fine. No idea what caused it, it just happened one day. I'm not dinging it any stars since it's still a crazy value for the quality you're getting, but don't expect too much longevity out of these if you wear them frequently. Update after over a year of near-daily use - these unfortunately died on me a couple of weeks ago. Wearing them in only one ear at a time, I noticed that the ear that I would favor would slowly diminish in volume in the last two weeks of its lifespan, and at a certain point it would fully die on that side. Then I'd switch to the other side, extending its life a few months, but the same thing eventually happened where the volume would gradually lower until it stopped working entirely. I decided to branch out and try a new set after these (the Linsoul Salnotes Zero) and the Moondrops are far and away the best build quality I've found in this price range. Sound quality is similar with decent clarity on both, but I noticed that these are tuned with a bit more bass and slightly more high end detail. So if you're using these in a studio or editing situation, I would maybe look for a pair with a flatter response. Otherwise, if you're using these for casual listening or really anything else, they'll sound great and last you a little while before you have to replace them.

the moondrop chu ii are the best bang for your buck and the safest purchase i think anyone can make as an entry into the iem world. they are easily the most comfortable iem i have ever used. there is no cord microphonics unlike my sennheiser ie200. while my ie200 are basically invisible once you get a good seal, it can take some effort to get that good seal which can be annoying. not with the chu ii! these seal so easily it's shocking. i'm extremely picky about seal comfort and unfortunately even these sometimes feel squishy with jaw movement in the ear - but i purchased dunu s&s eartips and that resolved the issue. now the buds are perfect. i would not recommend these for side sleeping despite what some might say. maybe you use smaller tips than me (i use medium) and insert deeper which allows you to do so, but in my experience when these press on the pillow they block all sound from that side. not only that, but these are too fragile for side sleeping compared with something like shure se215 or sennheiser ie200. i have seen enough photos of broken chu ii on reddit to say confidently - do not sleep in these. the sound is all around incredible for the price. yes they aren't as good as my ie200 but those are like 5x the price! these are just so good in every way i could gush about them for hours. buy them!

I've bought two of them and they both didn't have fitting ear-tips. Literally unusable out of the box if you don't have 3rd party ones or are ok with the metal frame instead, and no budding it. They're very mid, left-right sound is completely washed so DO NOT buy for gaming. Decent enough for music and podcast if taking them on a walk/causal phone usage. Cord isn't terrible, pretty decent for the price range and durable, still thin; As they almost all are. Main reason why they get 3 stars is the durability of the actual IEMS things are metal rocks. As long as you get cheap cords they can last forever. Still would recommend: Moondrop Nice Buds Flat-Headed Earbuds-Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones-Samsung EO-IA500 3.5mm Earphone- Koss KSC75 Portable On-Ear Clip Headphones- or, Linsoul TANGZU Wan'er S.G II in Ear Monitor over them, all within price range if not cheaper.

The Moondrop CHU II IEMs are seriously impressive for such an affordable pair of in-ear monitors. The 10mm dynamic drivers and aluminum-magnesium alloy diaphragm give these a detailed, lively sound with plenty of clarity, while the metal housings give them a much more premium feel than you would expect at this price. One of my favorite features is the detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable. Being able to replace the cable instead of throwing away the entire set if the cable eventually wears out is a big advantage, and it also opens up options for upgraded or Bluetooth cables. They also come with multiple ear-tip sizes and a small storage pouch. The replaceable acoustic filters are another thoughtful touch, and the compact design makes these easy to use for music, gaming, or everyday listening. For the money, the CHU II is an excellent entry into the IEM world and punches well above its price point.

The sound at first seemed normal, but now as I get used to it, I noticed it’s actually better than I thought? I think the audio quality is a bit subjective. At the very least, the audio isn’t cheap sounding. The box it comes with is cute, I’ve kept it in my room as a little decor. The silicone tips were harder to put on than I thought. I really struggled with it, but at least you know it won’t fall off easily. The earphones itself are metal, which makes it durable and heavier than your average plastic earphones. The weight isn’t noticeable since it goes in your ear. The texture of the cable is like thin clear PVC pipe, I assume it is, since it is kind of stiff, glossy and slick compared to other cables. Through it, you can see the wire is silver, which suggests it is silver-plated copper, which means it should be better sounding than Apple Earpods which use just copper wires. The earphones are actually curved just like in the photo. You can’t straighten them out, it is in a fashion of a sport-hook attachment if you wrap it around your earlobe it makes the earphones less likely to fall out. So besides me struggling with putting the silicone ear tips on, this product is great. However, one weird thing is the pricing of the cables you’re supposed to replace them with is similar to the earphones’ price itself! Add shipping to it, and at that point just buy the whole thing again. So double check the replacement cable prices before buying it, if you’re buying this mostly for the detachable cable feature.

Le Moondrop CHU II sono cuffie in-ear di qualità sorprendente per il prezzo. L'audio è chiaro e bilanciato, con bassi presenti ma non invadenti e alti dettagliati. Perfette per ascoltare musica in modo immersivo senza spendere una fortuna. Il design è elegante e confortevole, e il cavo intercambiabile è un plus che aumenta la longevità del prodotto. Anche dopo lunghe sessioni di utilizzo, rimangono comode da indossare. Se cerchi IEMs ad alte prestazioni che offrano un audio di qualità superiore senza svuotarti il portafoglio, queste cuffie sono un'ottima scelta. Consigliate per audiofili e non solo!

Für elektronische Musik (EDM, Melodic EDM) sind sie perfekt geeignet. In Anbetracht des Preises bieten sie eine ausgesprochen starke Leistung und Qualität, die man so überhaupt nicht erwartet. Sie zeichnen sich durch ein breites Klangspektrum, einen schön ausgeprägten Bass und klare Höhen aus. Ich habe sie an einigen herausfordernden Songs getestet und wurde nicht enttäuscht. Der Klang ist einfach sehr sauber und ausgewogen und wird nicht wie bei vielen anderen günstigen Modellen vom Bass erschlagen. Sie sind auch wunderbar leicht und sitzen sehr gut im Ohr, wenn man den passenden Gummiaufsatz gefunden hat. Das Kabel ist hinten um das Ohr herum geführt und verwicklungsfrei, sieht man auch nicht mehr oft. Insgesamt absolut empfehlenswert und ich würde sie mir wieder kaufen.

TLDR: Buena calidad de material, sonido y ergonomía. Cable relativamente corto y sonido algo débil en los graves pero con buena calidad y claridad en general. Son unos IEM de buena calidad con un sonido bastante neutro y claro. En general, me parece un producto bastante bueno, únicamente le vería 2 inconvenientes: 1. El cable es relativamente corto. Si los usas para tu celular, van de sobra, pero sí es para un PC, quizá sí quede algo corto. 2. El sonido, aunque bastante bueno, diría que está algo bajo en los graves, no son tan profundos y para que se sientan más intensos es necesario subir bastante el volumen, pero los medios se empiezan a sentir levemente saturados en ese punto. Finalmente, sigo recomendando mucho el producto, son unos audífonos de buena calidad, buen agarré y sonido muy claro. Incluso con las desventajas comentadas, me parece que por su precio son excelentes. Aún así, si buscas un sonido de alta calidad o piensas utilizarlos en una PC principalmente, recomendaría que busques un modelo un poco más caro o unos auriculares Bluetooth de calidad decente, en esa categoría, incluso hay auriculares Xiaomi que tienen una calidad de sonido similar y algunos con mejor calidad.

Amazing for the price. Kept seeing getting praised and hyped up as a budget iem and im glad it actually lived up to it. Build quality is amazing, with a full metal body and cable is also decently amazing. 10/10. Definitely will take good care of them.

I had bought a number of cheaper IEMs that were well-reviewed on YouTube, such as BLOB BL03, Kiwi Ears Cadenza, KZ ZS10 PRO X, and this Moondrop CHU II. I was looking for a pair of IEMs for my Meta Quest 3 VR Headset, where I wanted good sound (with fat bass) for music games like Beat Saber, but also for watching movies where you can really hear those movie basses clearly. I extensively tested all 4 IEMs, starting on the phone with the left-right test to ensure the stereo was on the right side, followed by music videos. Here, the Moondrop CHU II and the KZ ZS10 PRO X performed equally well in the test; both sounded fantastic. I had never heard such quality before. When I performed the test on the Meta Quest 3, the Moondrop CHU II clearly emerged as the winner. The sound here was also of high quality, with a thick, fat bass to boot—exactly what I wanted. The KZ ZS10 PRO X sounded really bad on the Meta Quest 3. I think it has to do with the low-current amplifier in the Meta Quest 3; however, the Moondrop CHU II delivered the same quality as on the phone. I am so satisfied that I just ordered a second Moondrop CHU II set as a spare. I also ordered Moondrop Spring Tips at the same time, which isolate the sound around you even more, whereas it was already blocking out 80%. What quality, and for 25 Euros; I really don't need 1000 Euro IEMs anymore. I was actually considering buying expensive IEMs, but what if it had been disappointing? 1000 Euros down the drain. With the Moondrop CHU II, I have exactly what I wanted; my search for good IEMs is now complete.