Moondrop JIU

Moondrop JIU: my first DSP



Introduction

Moondrop has released the DSP version of the acclaimed CHU: the Moondrop JIU. I am delving into the world of DSP in-ear monitors for the first time, so I invite you to read about my experience with this set!


Moondrop JIU Unboxing: Moondrop JIU Unboxing Short

Check out previous reviews here (or in spanish here)


Disclaimers:

• This product was purchased with my own money
• Analysis over 5 days - Sessions of approximately 2 to 4 hours
• All music is lossless (Qobuz > 16-bit - 44.1kHz)

Unboxing, Build, and Comfort

JIU: The housing is crafted from alloy metal, featuring a minimalist black design with a golden flower emblem. These IEMs are small, bean-shaped, with a nozzle of approximately 5mm. The cable is non-detachable, quite thin, and doesn't tangle easily. On the right side, there's a volume controller and a microphone. The USB-C termination in charge of the DSP process.

Volume Control and Mic: Both work well, although the microphone needs to be brought close to the mouth for clearer voice transmission.

Driver: 10mm dynamic driver with a diaphragm coated in titanium nano crystals.



Pouch/Bag – Earhooks - Moondrop Spring Tips (wide bore eartips) - Waifu



Comfort: Without earhooks = 2.5/5, the Spring Tips provide a good seal, but the cable doesn’t stay correctly over the ears, which can cause the JIU to fall off the ear when adjusted. – With earhooks = 4/5, decent seal. The earhooks disappear over the ears and secure the cable in place. A peculiar but comfortable design overall. These IEMs are great for use while lying down due to their minimal protrusion.



Functionality & Sound

Sound Profile

Credits: Paul Wasabii

Harmanish signature, aiming for Moondrop's VDSF target, with cold or neutral touches as the subbass/bass is less elevated, while the presence region (5kHz) and upper treble in the spectrum present some interesting peaks.


Noise Floor

One of my main issues with the JIU is its noise floor. In passages where the music's volume drops drastically, the hissing is noticeable. It mostly affected the playback of soloists like Adele and Amy Winehouse, as well as orchestras when only a few instruments were playing and background noise could be heard.


Gaming

First, I tested the compatibility of the JIU with Windows, and there were no issues connecting it using a USB-C to USB-A adapter. However, I tried games on my smartphone since I felt more comfortable using them this way.

I played two games: Monument Valley 2 and Motorsport Manager 3. Here, the hiss is quite noticeable when we're in menus where the game music is calm. Jumping into the action, the engine noises are well-defined, and the hiss becomes somewhat less apparent. In Monument Valley, the hiss is more noticeable and bothersome because the game features tranquil background music tracks depending on each level.


How they stack against my usual $20 USD recommendation?



Many of you might think that 7Hz pays me something to use the Zero as a comparison so often in my reviews, but no, I'm simply a reviewer who values a lot the price-to-performance ratio of the products I test, and the Zero were the first ones in this price range that fascinated me with everything they offered. Let's see if the JIU can challenge it!


Credits: Paul Wasabii

Bass







Listening to "All Nighter" by Tiesto and "Suburbia" by Tove Lo, I noticed that the subbass has better reproduction and rumble in the 7Hz Salnotes Zero, but both are close in this regard. On the other hand, the impact and control of the bass are similar in both cases. Neither of the two IEMs stands out in terms of quantity, and in terms of quality, they are on par with the average in this price point. In heavy metal songs like "Welcome To The Circus" by Five Finger Death Punch, both tend to lose a bit of the kick drum, focusing more on the guitarists and the lead vocalist.








Mids

The lower mids have more body and weight in the Zero, giving authority to Sinatra in "Teach Me Tonight." In both cases, the trumpets and saxophone take on a somewhat aggressive character to the ear with good definition (in the case of trumpets, the JIU makes them a bit more piercing). However, the ensemble of instruments harmonizes better in the Zero, presenting itself with some smoothness while making sure to retain as much detail as possible.

During "Rolling in the Deep", the JIU exhibited better tactility and texture as the acoustic guitar is played in the introduction. The presentation of Adele's voice is similar, but here the JIU makes female vocals forward, imbuing them with more energy. However, this is a double-edged sword as the rest of the instrumentation sounds somewhat muted in comparison.
Something interesting is that the Zero faithfully reproduced the reverberations heard in the room where this song was recorded.

Lastly in this section, while listening to the ending of "Granite" by Sleep Token, the JIU showcased their mastery in the upper mids, excellently reproducing the electric guitars. Also, by allowing the lead singer's voice to stand out a bit more (since compared to Sinatra, Vessel's voice is higher-pitched), the JIU avoid excessive congestion between the guitars, bass, and drums. However, the main vocalist's voice can become fatiguing after a while due to the emphasis on the lower treble.


Treble




When I listened to "Rolling in the Deep", the cymbal played on the right side during the chorus shines much brighter with the JIU, potentially becoming somewhat intrusive for some users. The Zero, at volumes between low and normal, relegate it more to the background, presenting a more pleasant experience.


The cymbals, both hi-hats and crashes, in Slayer's "Black Magic" are more upfront and provide an extra sense of detail with the JIU, although they are more piercing in their execution, to the extent that, if you listen genres where many higher pitched percussion instruments are involved, I find it difficult to recommend the JIU. As I listen at lower volumes, the treble of the Zero doesn’t sound fatiguing to me. Even though at normal volumes it isn’t as relaxed, in comparison, for extended listening, I would choose the treble presentation of the Zero every day of the week.


Soundstage and Imaging

The imaging in both is good for the price, and I would venture to say that the JIU does a better job at localizing the position of instruments while I was listening to "Bohemian Rhapsody/Radio Gaga" from Queen's live album during Live Aid. However, its three-dimensional stage is narrow in width, which in my opinion affects the efficient separation of instruments. It may sound contradictory, but the positioning of the instruments is accurate while their differentiation during "complex" passages is poor.

Regarding soundstage, the Zero is much more capable, with slightly greater depth and spacious width, providing a more realistic experience.







Side Note: The JIU is forgiving to poorly mastered music.


Conclusion

Objectively, Moondrop did a good job with the tuning, with the only flaw being the overwhelming treble reproduction. Despite their neutral signature and solid build, the DSP disappointed me, preventing me from enjoying games or genres like orchestral music due to its constant hissing. While it's nearly imperceptible with more energetic/vivid music, quieter passages are a struggle and quite bothersome.

Considering that these IEMs typically cost around $5 USD more than the 7Hz Salnotes Zero, I don't see many reasons to choose the JIU. They have their advantages like decent construction and comfort, along with some of the best eartips I've tried so far (Spring Tips). However, in terms of sonic and technical attributes, it can't be considered that these are better than the Zero.

Moondrop JIU : Perfect for Everyday Communication!



Summary:
Launched in late Apr'23, Moondrop JIU is the latest iteration of Single DD based IEM from Moondrop. It comes with a proprietary 10mm composite cavity Dynamic Driver and comes at a very affordable price below $25.

Disclaimer: @shenzhenaudio had sent me the review unit for my impressions & views. The opinions below are based on my experiences with the unit and my own. I have tried to be as comprehensive & comparative as I could be - to give a complete picture to the audience.




Introduction:

Let's quickly dive into what the Moondrop JIU has to offer. In pursuit of better sound for the price, the JIU comes with new generation 10mm composite cavity DD.
The JIU is priced at $24.99



Design & Build:

The JIU comes with a shell of metal alloy material - which is surprisingly comfortable and a perfect fit for most ears. I have tried it through long audio sessions, and it fared very well throughout. It is amongst the most comfortable IEMs in this price range that I have come across.

It is described as the following on the website:

The diaphragm utilizes PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) technology, in which titanium metal is deposited on polymer film to form nanometer-sized crystals on its surface layer and then integrally molded.

Adopting the Aria's decentralized dynamic structure, the high-performance 10mm composite cavity with high-frequency phased waveguide leverages a N52 Nd magnet internal magnetic circuit and 0.035mm ultra-thin imported CCAW sound coil to obtain high energy conversion efficiency, and deliver outstanding performance with full dynamic range and rich details.

Specifications:

The Moondrop JIU comes at $24.99 price tag and specifications are as below:

https://shenzhenaudio.com/collectio...igh-perfomance-dynamic-driver-in-ear-earphone







NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....

Items Used for this Review:

DAC/AMP & Dongles: @Questyle M15 Dongle DAC/AMP, @Cayin RU7 Dongle, C9 Portable Amplifier
Portable Players / Sources : @Cayin N8ii, N7, @Questyle QP2R, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch
Streaming Source: QOBUZ

Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews...






Ear Tips:

The JIU comes with Moondrop SPRING ear-tips and those can do a good job in terms of isolation for me. I've tried tip-rolling with a variety of tips such as: @Final Audio E series red & black ones, JVC Spiral dots, Spiral Dots+, @SpinFit Eartip CP500, CP155. Out of all of these I have found the AZLA SEDNAFIT to be the best fit for my ears in terms of overall fit, isolation & comfort.





Moondrop JIU Sound Impressions in Short:

The BASS:

The JIU comes with good bass performance for the price range. The sub-bass has details and the mid-bass comes with enough rumble and slam. In tracks like: "Fools Paradise (LP Version) – Donna Lewis" and "Chocolate Chip Trip - Tool" you can hear all the tiny nuances' of the sub-bassand you feel the thump & slams also.

The MIDS:

The midrange though recessed, but has ample clarity in the JIU. Midrange is amongst the weaker traits of the JIU.
There is average amount of muscle and texture and vocals come with ample amount of details and feel very real.
In tracks like: "Anchor - Trace Bundy", "A dog named Freedom – Kinky Friedman" and "Ruby Tuesday – Franco Battiato" it’s really easy to get lost into the music as it comes with ample detailed transients, texture, excellent vocals and details.

The TREBLE:

The JIU comes with enjoyable but non-fatiguing treble. The treble performance was quite enjoyable and Cymbals sound very life-like and real in tracks like “Chocolate Chip Trip – Tool”. The treble may not be as engaging as the pJIUar based IEMs but at this price-point, nothing to complain about.

Treble in tracks like: "Paradise Circus – Massive Attack", "Mambo for Roy – Roy Hargrove” and "Saints and Angels – Sharon Shannon" feel smooth & creamy with the right amount of air and texture and just feels very buttery smooth.

The SOUNDSTAGE:

The Staging capabilities of the JIU is just average for price range. I feel this could be better given that it comes with DSP. Tracks like: “The Secret Drawer – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” or “She Don’t know – Melody Gardot” or “Bohemian Rhapsody (live aid) – Queen” sound amazing & enjoyable.

Separation & Imaging:

Imaging is quite spot on and location of each instrument can be felt quite clearly on the JIU. Tracks like: “Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South “or “Hello Again - Howard Carpendale & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” just shine through. Separation is also average for the price-range.



Conclusion:

The Moondrop JIU is a great all-rounder IEM for the price range and with almost perfect price to performance ratio which makes it easy recommendation. It is ideal as a daily driver for office communication also.

HI everyone and welcome back to The Neighborhood. Today, for the first time, the channel is taking a look at an IEm withy DSP, terminating in a type-c connection. Is this the wave of the future? Let’s… get inToit!










So, this is the Jiu by Moondrop, and it may look eerily familiar. Essentially this looks a Moondrop Chu, with an in-line microphone that terminates in a type-C connection. Which means you can plug it right into your phone, and there’s no need for an additional DAC or amplifier to get it up and running. Speaking of getting it up and running, I used it both on a computer and on my phone. Off my computer this thing operated rather seamlessly. I was able to use discord, engage in video calls, and listen to music using my player of choice, Roon. Unfortunately, I didn’t have nearly as much luck with my android phone. Although music and video playback was without issue, using discord and even taking phone calls bugged this thing out. My voice and the voices of others came across digitized, so the DSP in the DAC of this thing isn’t always user friendly. This was a bit of a letdown, as the in-line microphone and small $25 dollar price tag of the Jiu suggest that it could be used as an everyday carry, in multiple use case scenarios, but the execution in android at the moment falls flat. Perhaps Moondrop can release a firmware update for the Jiu to fix this in the future?










I’m also going to knock the Jiu a bit, because it uses the same tangle-prone cable as the Chu and comes with only Moondrop Spring ear tips. I did not have as much of a sound problem with the Spring ear tips on the Jiu as I did with the Chu, but I much prefer Moondrops original black silicone ear tips to the Spring ear tips from both fit and sound perspectives. My preferred tips for the Jiu were Softears UC Eartips, but at a price of $18 dollars, that’s probably a big ask for this set. Tri Clarion Tips were also nice at half the price.










So, let’s go ahead and get inTo the sound. Does this just sound like the Chu with a different termination. No, it doesn’t! This is definitely an optimized version of the Chu. Although they seem to utilize the same driver, housing, and wire, the DSP technology appears to be doing some work! Overall, the Jiu is a lot smoother sounding, without any of the peakiness or mild harshness or shoutiness that the Chu exhibited. The bass of the Jiu is also tighter and more integrative. The Chu sounded really good for $20 dollars at the time, and the Jiu sounds even better for a mild price increase.










If I had one criticism of the sound, it would be that there’s a tinge of roundedness to the presentation of the notes that results in a smoothing affect to the sound overall. With that said, it is a pleasant sound, and I’m not sure if most people will notice or care about this in the end. This effect is slight, and, for $26 dollars, I shouldn’t complain too much, as these excel way beyond their price point.










The Jiu has a certain musical quality to it. The bass keeps up with most in-ear-monitors under $80 dollars or so. Its pretty even sounding, with more of a sub-bass emphasis than Chu had- which had more of a mid-bass push. The mid-range is sufficiently present, with a slight elevation in the presence area compared to its other Moondrop counterparts. The treble lacks early brilliance, but rebounds after 12K or so. I would have liked to have heard more representation from 8-10K.










Nevertheless, imaging is excellent and technical capabilities are great for this low price. I took particular note of its ability to distinguish between various instruments in the soundscape and separate out individual notes. Its soundstage width and height are just above average, but there is surprisingly good depth to the image. The timbre here is mildly dark, alluring, and somewhat warm, but, even so, each note cuts through well to the ear.


Compared the Moondrop Lan, the shell of the Jiu is also a fair bit shorter than the LAN, but a bit deeper in its profile. The Lan also comes with a detachable cable, but no built in DSP DAC, and boasts a standard 3.5mm connection instead. One would need an additional external device like the Atom 3 to get the Lan driven similarly well. Sonically, the Lan is drier, crisper, and weightier in its expression; with additional air, brightness, and a certain guttural quality to its output, while the Jiu is beyond entrancing- smoother and more liquid sounding with extra bass emphasis under 100 hertz. While I personally think the Lan is the superior experience, as it is more detailed and resolves slightly better, many people; after a more normative sound, may prefer the Jiu.










All the same, the Jiu is certainly an upgrade to the Chu. Those that are after more of a “no-fuss,” “plug-and-play” situation will surely be drawn to the Jiu. Someone who complains about having to use and external dongle DAC with their smart phone may find the Jiu more appealing than a traditional in-ear-monitor and all the “extras” that go with it these days; although I found its inability to be used for communication purposes off a cell phone a bit perplexing and frustrating to say the least. Not to mention, one is limited by digital volume with the Jiu. Still, the Jiu is easy to use otherwise, and has a safe and pleasant sound overall that works well with various genres of music. For $26 dollars, its sure to impress the budding audiophile, and make an excellent gift for those that may want a taste of this hobby.

Check out my YouTube Review of the Moondrop Jiu!

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Shenzhen Audio for providing this review unit.
The Moondrop JIU can be purchased here (no affiliate links): https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...igh-perfomance-dynamic-driver-in-ear-earphone




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10 mm titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver
• Impedance: no info
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 110dB/Vrms
• Cable: Non-detachable, USB-C with mic
• Tested at $24.99 USD

ACCESSORIES




Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of Moondrop Spring Tips (S/M/L)
- Ear hooks
- Leatherette carry pouch




For a $20ish USD set, the accessories are par for the course. No foam tips are included, but the highly sought after Spring Tips are, and these tips are quite serviceable in terms of fit, comfort and sonics.

Ear hooks are provided to give a more secure fit, with an elegant leatherette soft pouch to store the IEM.




Touted as the successor to the Moondrop CHU, but with a non-detachable USB-C mic cable, the JIU has an inbuilt digital signal processor (DSP) chip, which filters and compresses analog signals to mathematically modify them on-the-fly to provide the JIU's unique sonic flavour.

There's no mention of the cable material, but this cable is tangly and thin, though surprisingly, microphonics are quite controlled. There is sadly no chin cinch, but this non-detachable cable is reinforced with a strain relief where the cable inserts into the IEM housing.

The rest of this review was done with the stock Moondrop Spring tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.



BUILD/COMFORT



The JIU have identical ovoid housings to the predecessor CHU, just with a chrysanthemum motiff emblazzoned on the shells instead of the bamboo motiff of the CHU - the "JIU" word means 菊 in Chinese, which refers to the chrysanthemum flower.

The earpieces are zinc alloy casted, utilizing melting and injection mold, and they are lightweight with decent ergonomics. I didn't face major comfort issues during the one month I had with the JIU. The housings have L/R lettering to delineate the respective sides.

With each earpiece having 2 vents, the JIU is below average is isolation. I did not encounter any driver flex but this is partially dependent on ear anatomy and type of eartips used, so YMMV.


INTERNALS

The JIU's engine is a 10 mm titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver, with nano-crystalline coating via physical vapour deposition (PVD). The acoustic cavity is similar to that of the Moondrop Aria, with a 0.035mm ultra-thin CCAW N52 magnetic circuit, with a patented anti-blocking filter (which minimizes channel imbalance).


DRIVABILITY

I tested the JIU with the following sources:
- Windows PC
- Android smartphone
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Shanling M0 Pro DAP

The JIU is relatively easy to drive, and one shouldn't have any problems powering the JIU off weak smartphones or laptops USB ports. The Moondrop Quarks DSP - Moondrop's previous iteration with DSP implementation - had quite prominent hiss, and I'm glad to report that the JIU is silent even when plugged into unshielded PC USB ports.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

Tonally, the JIU follows Moondrop's virtual diffuse sound field (VDSF) curve, which is an amalgam between diffuse field and Harman tuning.


Graph courtesy of Shenzhen Audio (https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...igh-perfomance-dynamic-driver-in-ear-earphone)

The JIU has organic timbre for acoustic instruments, though there's a tinge of nasalness to vocals due to a thinner note weight.

The JIU is arguably the strongest of the current budget DSP IEMs in technicalities, easily beating the Tanchjim Tanya DSP in this department. Transients are fast and crisp, with no sluggishness noted. Soundstage is above average in all 3 dimensions, with stellar imaging. Instrument separation and micro-details are surprisingly good for a $20 set.

The JIU is sub-bass focused, with the bass just slightly north of neutral. Sub-bass extension isn't the deepest, with just a tickle of rumble heard. The bass is however, very fast and clean, with great speed and not an ounce of mid-bass bleed. Texturing is above average, and the JIU can keep up with even the most complex of bass riffs.




The lower midrange is quite neutral, and with no mid-bass bleed to encroach here, the mids are very transparent and open, allowing instruments to be easily layered on a dark background. With an 8 dB ear gain, the upper mids are forwards without veering to overt shouty territory - this allows vocals to take centerstage without being too fatiguing.

The lower treble continues on from the slight upper midrange boost, and treble extension is moderate. There's excellent clarity and resolution in this frequency band, though there are instances of sibilance and some glare in the lower treble. Treble perception is dependent on a multitude of factors - such as hearing health, eartips used, sources used, volume played at (Fletcher Munson curve) - but the JIU's treble in my book is just on the slightly spicier side, and may be fatiguing for longer listening sessions.


COMPARISONS




Comparisons were made with other budget single DDs with DSP technology, plus the predecessor Moondrop CHU. Planars, hybrids and pure BA types were left out of the equation as the different transducers have their pros and cons.


Moondrop CHU

Tonally, the CHU and JIU both follow the VSDF curve, though the JIU is slightly bassier and is a bit smoother in the treble and upper mids, which were pitfalls in the original CHU's tonality (ie CHU is more shouty).

In technical chops, these 2 siblings are pretty close, the JIU shades it just a bit, and the JIU isn't as nasal sounding, with better timbral accuracy. The JIU has better dynamics and is a bit more natural in note weight.


Moondrop Quarks DSP

The Quarks DSP and JIU share a similar tonality, just that the Quarks DSP is a bit brighter in the lower treble, but has a tinge less upper mids. Both sets have good technicalities for a $20 budget IEM, though the Quarks DSP is a hair behind in imaging and instrument separation (Quarks DSP has a slightly wider soundstage though).

Sound and technicalities aside, I was pretty disappointed with the Quarks DSP due to these glaring flaws:
1) The Quarks DSP hisses like a snake. When music plays, it is not so noticeable, but this can still be perceived in quieter parts of the music. The noise floor control on the Quarks DSP is disappointing in this regard.
2) The Quarks DSP has random pitch variation of instruments, which is probably a sign of incomplete DSP development/implementation. I'm not the only one to have encountered this problem, as there are various forum reports on this. This is a major deal breaker for me as a musician personally.
3) Volume steps are rather far apart on the Quarks DSP. I can't hit the volume sweet spot with the Quarks DSP on various DAPs and PCs, as it is either too soft (lacking dynamics), or too loud (fatiguing).

I did not encounter any hiss or weird pitching with the JIU, and the volume controls are very finely tuned too. The JIU fixes the above issues of the Quarks DSP and I would recommend the JIU any day.


Tanchjim Tanya DSP

The Tanya DSP is a bullet-shaped pair of IEMs, and is the spiritual successor to the original Tanchjim Tanya. The Tanya DSP is Harmanish with greater bass quantity, though the Tanya DSP's bass isn't as tight and textured and bleeds a fair amount. The Tanya DSP is smoother and darker in the treble, with a thicker note weight.

Technically, the Tanya DSP is a step behind in imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation. The Tanya DSP is more analoguish and suited for chilling to music, whereas the JIU is more analytical and technical.

The Tanya DSP has a better accessory spread, including multiple eartip variants, 10 pairs of Tanya filters and a velvet case.


CONCLUSIONS

The Moondrop JIU sports a balanced frequency response that follows the VSDF curve, and at the time of writing, is the best of the budget DSP IEMs in terms of technicalities, punching way above its mere $20 USD price. Considering the JIU costs the same as a couple of Starbucks coffee cuppas, it has really superb price-to-performance ratio.




The Moondrop JIU fixes the hiss and DSP pitch issues of the Quarks DSP, and also the tonal and timbral issues of the original CHU, killing two birds with one stone with its inception.

This year seems to be the DSP hype train, and perhaps dyed-in-the-wool audiophiles would scoff at using gear from a mere PC USB port without any dedicated audiophile-grade DAC or Amps in the chain. However, the JIU is especially accessible for lay consumers and beginners, due to its dummy proof plug-and-play concept and easy drivability. Terminating in a USB-C port, the JIU is compatible with everyday devices such as smartphones and laptops, which may be a boon for non-audiophiles who do not have DAC/Amps or dongles.

Tonally, the JIU is not for bassheads or for treble-sensitive folk, but otherwise, if one is looking for an all-rounder daily beater budget DSP IEM with good implementation, I would recommend this set.