First time poster here. I decided to pick up some IEM‘s, and after review, I picked up the Moondrop Variations. I need them, particularly to sleep in. I put some memory foam tips on them, and was pleasantly surprised that they fit my ears perfectly, and sounded quite good too. As I will be wearing these regularly, I was thinking about picking up a pair of the S8’s. Can anyone comment on size and shape of the S8’s vs Variations? As a reference, I normally use Hifiman Aryas when at my desk. Thanks!
Thanks Taron, the article was helpful. I like the Variations generally. for is excellent for me, but I know I can get better sound (I like a v shape I‘ve worked out - solid bass, airy treble). Other than buying and trying, I’m not sure how to find the Variations for with the better sound (and hopefully not crazy price )
Hi, I have both the Variations and the S8 so hopefully I can be of help.
Although the S8 is priced about $200 higher, I don’t think the sound is necessarily better. Let me explain.
The Variations and S8 have very different sound signatures. The S8 sounds a little smoother, leaner, and sweeter. The Variations have an overall more natural tonality.
I find the the fit of the Variations to be fairly comfortable and ergonomic. The S8 takes it even further and is one of the most comfortable IEMs in my opinion. It’s ergonomic and sports smaller shells than the Variations.
The S8 has an edge in sheer resolution but the Variations are already pretty detailed. The bass response of the Variations is much better than the S8’s. It has organic and textured DD sub-bass, whereas the S8 doesn’t have much sub-bass to speak of.
The S8 has decent mid-bass but it’s just passable in my opinion.
I think the S8 pairs especially well with genres like K-Pop whereas I found the Variations more versatile in the genres it works with.
I think the Variations and S8 are dead even in terms of overall ranking. Whether you choose one over the other depends on what you index for.
The Moondrop Jiu is an upgraded version of the Moondrop Chu that utilizes onboard digital signal processing (DSP).
The Moondrop Jiu could represent the budget IEM market’s next big leap thanks to its integrated DSP. This technology will allow manufacturers to squeeze out even better tunings from entry level drivers, adding to the amazing progress the market has made in recent years. If you already have the Chu, getting the Jiu is not a must. But if you’re curious about integrated DSP, you should give the Jiu a listen.
My full review, with a subjective comparison to the Moondrop Chu, frequency response measurements, and additional images, is available at the link below:
The Moondrop Chu II is an in-ear monitor (IEM) with one 10mm aluminum-magnesium composite alloy diaphragm dynamic driver in each housing. It is a sequel release to the Moondrop Chu and now features a removable 2-pin cable. The Chu II retails for $18.99
While I may take issue with its presence region and mourn the absence of Spring tips included in the package, I think the Moondrop Chu II’s tuning is going to be well received by the average listener. More importantly, Moondrop has once again raised the bar for what is possible in terms of technical performance in a $20 IEM with the Chu II’s new dynamic driver.
The Moondrop Starfield II fails to meet expectations associated with its predecessor — one of the most popular budget IEMs of the last five years. There are expectations associated with the Starfield name. A Starfield sequel should have been easy to recommend to a broad swath of listeners even if it were not the most exciting-sounding IEM on the market. The Starfield II falls well short of that bar. I do not recommend it, and urge Moondrop to treat this lineage of products with greater care and respect for consumer expectations.
My full impressions are available at the link below:
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