The MOONDROP Chu is the direct replacement to the MOONDROP Spaceship, which you can still buy for the same $20 from SHENZHENAUDIO as this is written. This is a great example of how fast the world of Chi-Fi operates, as an item barely has the time to breathe before its replacement is on the way! An even cheaper set—in both senses of the word—was released in the time between the Spaceship and Chu; the MOONDROP Quarks got some hype before things settled down once people realized there were better options for just a couple of bucks more.

Somehow that story seems to be repeating with the Chu, with another ongoing hype train. It is selling out like hotcakes right now courtesy some glowing reviews, and MOONDROP is also a much bigger name today than it was even just a year ago. There is no doubt that the Chu is a commercial success already, and it deserves the value recommendation I am giving it, too. Many are buying it for the Spring Tips that cost $13 for a set of three pairs in a single size, and we get three pairs in sizes S, M, and L even if they might not be the best pairing here. So there is a justification for spending the extra $7 for a set of IEMs, barely functional cable, carry pouch, and yet another waifu for those looking to add to the collection. But then I postulate that you could spend an extra $5 on the Tripowin Lea with very similar tuning that is better in the upper mids and the replaceable cables at the expense of the carry pouch. There's also the CCA CRA, or newer CCA CRA+ for even less, and no doubt a dozen other offerings from KZ/QKZ/GK.

What MOONDROP does execute well is a nice balance of good, clean tuning without sounding completely dead inside as with some of the other budget IEMs out there, which convinced me that MOONDROP is good with tuning even if it's getting same-y with its releases off late having subtle VDSF target implementation changes. This alone is not going to be enough to get people excited for a new release beyond the simple reality of the barrier to entry continually decreasing, and what used to cost $50 now costs less than half. MOONDROP also has the benefit of a brand name that has a following, but I eventually want to see more, too. As it stands, the Chu certainly is worth the award, but consider your options before deciding whether these are for you.