Наушники — Moondrop CHU II

The CHU II is a cabled earphone of the in-ear monitor type made by the Chinese company Moondrop and the second generation of its CHU model. It keeps a single dynamic driver per side but moves to a cast zinc alloy body, a separately machined brass nozzle and a cable that can be unplugged from the earpieces. The package covers the earphones, one cable, a storage bag, silicone tips in three sizes, a manual, a QC certificate card and a card that explains how to wear the earpieces.

Key specs that matter

The CHU II relies on a 10 mm dynamic unit whose membrane is a composite of aluminium and magnesium alloy. Moondrop gives a frequency range of 15 Hz to 38 kHz and an effective band of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, the latter measured to IEC 60318-4 at the minus 3 dB points. Rated impedance is 18 ohm plus or minus 15 percent at 1 kHz, and sensitivity is stated as 119 dB per Vrms at 1 kHz. Harmonic distortion does not exceed 0.5 percent, measured at 1 kHz and 94 dB. The earpiece sockets follow the 0.78 mm 2-pin standard, while the bundled lead finishes in a 3.5 mm single-ended plug.

Engineering and use context

Moondrop builds the cavity by casting it in zinc alloy, which gives the shell weight and a dense, rigid wall compared with moulded plastic. The nozzle is not part of that casting. It is a separate brass part made on a CNC machine, which the company chose for tighter tolerances and higher material density at the point where the output leaves the shell. Behind the nozzle sits a new generation of acoustic filter that the owner can replace, so a clogged or damaged filter does not mean replacing the earphone. Because the cable detaches at the 2-pin sockets, a worn lead can be swapped for any cable with the same termination, including a balanced one.

Pairing

That low impedance together with the high voltage sensitivity means a phone headphone output, a small USB-C dongle DAC or a portable player can drive the CHU II to ordinary volume with no separate amplifier. It also suggests pairing it with a player whose output impedance is low, and a quiet noise floor matters more here than raw power. Owners who move to a balanced 4.4 mm source need a 2-pin cable with that plug, because the included lead has only a single-ended plug.

Alternatives

The Moondrop KATO is a step up within the brand's single dynamic driver range, using a 10 mm ULT driver in a MIM stainless steel shell with swappable steel and brass nozzles.