Moondrop Droplet Review – No Headphone Out Needed
Moondrop’s new Droplet IEM is the last member of the DSP line. The pair is inspired by the popular science fiction called the “Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin. With its special DSP profile, the Droplet produces outstanding sound with just a single full-range balanced armature driver unit. The pair features unique drop-shaped ear shells made using a CNC machining process and chrome-plating process with high-quality brass ear shells. It has a super compact design.
Moondrop has designed the Droplet with a customized full-frequency nozzle-less balanced armature driver configuration. There is no extra opening in the cavity, which can reduce external noise.
The USB Type-C termination has a built-in decoding and amplification chipset, that simplifies the portable system with the Droplet. The tuning is done through the built-in DSP of audio SOC in the USB-C interface.
The Moondrop VDSF Target Response is a parametric target response that delivers outstanding sound with an open soundstage and detailed sound characteristics. The latest Droplet has been tuned following the same target response.
The cable of the Droplet is equipped with line control and with a high-quality MEMS microphone.
What’s in the box
Features
- Inspired by Popular Science Fiction “Three-Body Problem”.
- Premium Single Balanced Armature Driver Configuration.
- CNC Machined Chrome-Plated Brass Ear Shells.
- USB Type-C Termination.
- Built-in DSP Profile.
- Integrated Decoding And Amplification Circuits.
- Full-Frequency Nozzle-less Balanced Armature Driver Unit.
- Uncompromised Sound-Quality With Professional Tuning Adjustments.
- Clear & Precise Sound Performance.
- Tuned in line with VDSF Target Response Curve.
- High-Quality MEMS Microphone & In-Line Media Controls.
Specs
- Model Name: Drople USB-C Balanced Armature Driver IEMs.
- Driver: Full-Frequency Balanced Armature Driver Unit.
- THD+N: ≤1%@1kHz.
- Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
Price: $49.99
I would like to thank Shenzhenaudio for providing me with the review sample of Moondrop Droplet (non-affiliate link).
Sound
Lows
The Droplet has an elevated, impactful, and full-bodied bass reproduction. The sub-bass is slightly more prominent than the rest of the bass range, however, the bass feels abundant altogether. The textured, powerful bass contributes to the fun factor of the IEM. It’s tuned in a way to prevent the bass from bleeding into the lower midsection. The detail level is also good. The Droplet performs well in this regard, the bass is controlled, very powerful, and quite exciting to listen to.
There is a definite bass boost with this set, and the frequency response graph makes clear, the big bump to around 200Hz. The placement of this bump makes low-frequency sounds come across as big and full. This makes it a great fit for gaming and movies, as well as music.
Mids
Starting with the lower mids, Droplet follows a recipe of linearity here. I would easily say that this smart move ensures that the signature stays airy. The overall signature feels quite spacious, as well as the stage and the space between the instruments. The midrange has a linear tonality and features a note weight that is rather on the lighter side of the scale. However, the body of the instruments and the body of the vocals do not feel particularly thin and insufficient. The vocals feel breathy with plenty of details and they are quite engaging to listen to. The resolution and detail retrieval are really good here, you can hear and track micro-details and individual instruments on the stage, easily. The slightly recessed midrange does not stick out at all, it feels quite alright, following the rest of the spectrum effortlessly. The Droplet has an elevated upper midrange with a crisper tone.
Highs
The treble range of the Droplet follows the bass line, they are a little more pronounced compared to the lower midrange. The full-range BA driver does a great job of reproducing detailed, articulate, and clean treble. The resolution and detail level are certainly impressive for this price and the extension is quite satisfactory. The dispersion of extended highs of the Droplet helps stereo imaging and enhances the perception of stage height and width.
Technical
The instruments have accurate positioning with ample space between them and you can easily track individual instruments on the stage. The Droplet also handles congestion quite well thanks to its well-tuned signature and technical prowess.
Sum-Up
The perfect sleeping earphone? Yes! One of the best on-the-go IEMs? For me yes. The Type-C interface eliminates the use of dongle DACs which takes portability to a higher level. And the sound quality of the Droplet justifies the asking price easily. If we would have APP support in which we have EQ options on the fly, that sounds perfect, right? Maybe in the next version in the DSP line, who knows?