Introduction
Moondrop has made a name for itself by offering affordable yet high-quality in-ear monitors (IEMs) that punch well above their price range. The latest addition to their lineup is the Moondrop May, a hybrid IEM featuring a dynamic driver and a planar magnetic driver. With an asking price of just $65, the May aims to bring planar magnetic sound to the masses. In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the May’s design, comfort, sound quality, and overall performance to see if it lives up to the hype.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. I have not received any form of compensation or incentive to endorse or promote any specific product mentioned in this review. Please note that the individual ratings provided for each product are given in the context of the product’s price.
Moondrop May
Specifications
- Driver: 10mm Sapphire Plated Diaphragm Dynamic Driver + 6mm Annular Planar Magnetic Driver
- Impedance: 30Ω±15%(@1kHz)
- Sensitivity: 120dB/Vrms(@1kHz)
- THD: THD@1kHz≤0.05%
- Frequency Response: 7Hz-39kHz
- Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz (IEC60318-4，3dB)
- Earphone Jack: 0.78-2pin
- Cable Plug: USB-C
- Nozzle Size: 7mm
Individual ratings
The May has excellent bass extension, impact, texture, and speed. The big bass is one of the IEM’s main selling points.
The midrange takes a backseat due to the V-shaped sound signature. There is a lack of resolution for micro-details.
The treble is airy, sparkly, and avoids harshness or sibilance, although extension could be better.
The soundstage width and depth are both impressive and create an immersive presentation. Imaging precision lags slightly behind more technical IEMs.
Micro-dynamics and micro-details are smoothed over, an average level of detail retrieval.
The hybrid driver design provides decent speed and macro-dynamic punch.
Similar to detail retrieval, the resolution is reasonable but not outstanding, lacking finer gradations.
With metal faceplates, resin shells, and sturdy hardware, the build quality exceeds the price point.
The ergonomic shape, lightweight shells, and included tips add up to excellent long-term comfort.
The engaging, lively sound makes for immersive casual gaming, although imaging precision falls slightly behind for competitive gaming.
At just $65, you get planar magnetic sound paired with excellent bass in a proven design, adding up to a fantastic value.
Overall Rating
Bottom Line
The Moondrop May offers planar magnetic sound in a proven Moondrop package, all for just $65. A fun, lively sound with huge bass and a sparkly treble makes these an easy recommendation for musical listeners. Just don’t expect technical prowess at this ultra-budget price point.
Pros
- engaging V-shaped sound with big bass and lively treble
- Solid metal and resin construction
- Extremely comfortable over long listening sessions
- Great noise isolation
- huge, spacious soundstage presentation
Cons
- Midrange takes a backseat in the mix.
- Average midrange resolution struggles with micro-details.
- Bass-heavy tuning is unsuitable for purists.
- Planar magnetic technology is marginally implemented.
Music Genres
Suitable
- EDM, hip-hop, pop, and big bass are well-suited for beat-driven genres.
- Rock, metal, and acoustic: engaging tuning sounds great with guitars.
- Orchestral movie scores and soundtracks: spacious staging sounds cinematic
Not Suitable
- Classical and jazz: a more balanced sound better serves complex instrumentation.
- Critical listening and audio analysis: lacks midrange resolution for analytical listening
Equalization Tips
- If stock tuning sounds too v-shaped, try boosting 1 kHz by 2 dB to bring vocals more forward.
- Alternatively, bassheads can boost sub-bass 10 Hz by 3 dB for added rumble or lower 2 kHz by 2 dB to increase treble sparkle.
1. Packaging
- Moondrop may
- case
- cable
- eartips
2. Design And Build Quality
The Moondrop May sports a sleek and modern design, with 3D-printed resin shells in a smoky black color. The faceplates have an eye-catching geometric pattern printed on real metal. The build quality is excellent, with clean seam lines and sturdy-feeling hardware. The shell material is lightweight yet durable, and the nozzles have a reassuring tightness when inserting eartips.
The included cable terminates in a USB-C connector and features an inline remote control with volume buttons and a microphone for phone calls. The cable itself has a cloth sheath that resists tangling. Overall, the May looks and feels like a much more expensive IEM than its budget-friendly price would suggest.
3. Comfort
Despite having a fairly compact shape, the Moondrop May offers excellent comfort and ergonomics. The rounded edges and angles of the shell contour nicely to the ear, and the rear cavity includes a pressure vent to relieve inner-ear pressure. Noise isolation is about average for an IEM, thanks to the shallow-fitting design. Those with very small ears may experience some hotspots over extended listening sessions. But for most, May should remain comfortable for hours on end.
4. Sound Quality Of The Moondrop May
I. Tonality
Tonally, the Moondrop May follows a mild V-shape signature with a slightly boosted bass and a sparkly, airy treble. The lows have plenty of body and impact while avoiding bloating or muddiness. Mids take a step back in the mix but retain clarity. Highs soar with crisp detail and openness. There’s also a sense of richness and smoothness permeating the sound that gives vocals and instruments a natural tone. Overall, the sound signature caters more towards musicality than strict neutrality.
II. Frequency Response Graph Of The Moondrop May
III. Bass Response
The May delivers bass that outperforms its size and price class. Sub-bass extension plummets deep, giving kick drums and synth lines a hearty, physical rumble. Mid-bass is lifted by a few decibels, granting bass guitars and male vocals some extra warmth and body. Bass control remains high, however, with superb tightness, texture, and speed on busy tracks. Notes hit hard on initial impact before swiftly decaying to avoid bloating or muddiness in the lower mids. Both bass quantity and quality exceed expectations for a $65 IEM.
IV. Midrange Performance
Set back slightly due to the V-shaped tuning, May's midrange takes on more of a supporting role. Lower mids retain enough body to sound natural, if not totally accurate. Upper mids perk up to add clarity and presence to female vocals and lead instruments like guitars and saxophones. Overall detail and resolution are merely average for the price, though, leaving some micro-textures smoothed over. But the tone remains pleasing, aided by the dynamic driver’s smooth and natural midrange reproduction.
V. Treble Response
Treble is where May’s planar magnetic driver gets to flex its muscles. From the upper mids through the lower treble, notes take on sparkle and airiness lacking in traditional dynamic driver designs. High hats, cymbals, and other percussive instruments benefit greatly. Extension reaches satisfyingly high, lending acoustic guitars and keyboards extra top-end richness. Best of all, this added treble energy avoids harshness or sibilance thanks to smart tuning. The May manages to retrieve an impressive amount of treble detail given its price range.
5. Technicalities Of The Moondrop May
I. Soundstage And Imaging
The May delivers a soundstage that impresses in both width and depth, stretching notably beyond the edges of the head. Thanks to the airy treble tuning, notes emanate from a dark and silent background to create a highly three-dimensional stereo image. Imaging precision lags just a step behind more technical IEMs, but instruments and vocals still occupy distinct spaces on the stage. For regular music listening, May’s large, holographic presentation greatly enhances immersion and engagement.
II. Dynamics And Speed
Being a hybrid design, the May mates the dynamic driver’s natural dynamic punch and bass control with the planar magnetic driver’s added treble detail and speed. Together, the drivers fill out a surprisingly complete frequency range, given the limitations of each technology alone. Macro-dynamics sound engaging, with bold dynamic contrasts between loud and soft passages. However, micro-dynamics come across as somewhat smoothed over and lacking the finer gradations heard in more analytical IEMs.
IV. Resolution
Resolution follows a similar path, with an average level of detail apparent across the frequency range. The May leans more towards listening enjoyment than critical analysis. Planars typically boast extremely high resolution, but much of that advantage gets lost by limiting their frequency bandwidth to treble only. Still, May extracts enough detail and texture to make instruments and recordings sound reasonably realistic.
6. Gaming Performance
Driven by its fun, engaging sound, the May makes for an enjoyable gaming IEM. Explosions and gunshots land with a visceral bass punch, and the holographic soundstage gives a great sense of space and dimension. Imaging may not pinpoint enemies with competitive precision, but casual gaming sessions have an immersive, lively feel. The microphone also works well for voice chat.
7. Comparisons
Moondrop May VS 7Hz Timeless
Compared to the 7Hz Timeless, the May has a darker, warmer, more V-shaped sound signature. The Timeless features more present mids and a brighter, more analytical sound. Treble extension is comparable, but Timeless retrieves more detail. The May fights back with a more spacious soundstage and harder-hitting bass.
Moondrop May VS Tin HiFi T3 Plus
The Tin HiFi T3 Plus offers more balanced mids and a brighter treble tuning than the May. It images better thanks to its more pinpoint precision. The May counters with bigger bass, a larger soundstage, and smoother, more fatigue-free highs.
Dive deeper with more comparisons.
8. FAQs
Q. Who should buy the Moondrop May?
Bass lovers wanting thumping lows on a tight budget
Casual listeners who favour big bass and exciting treble
Those new to IEMs seeking huge perceived value
Q. Who should avoid the Moondrop May?
Classical music or podcast listeners wanting midrange clarity
Audio engineers and producers need accurate monitoring.
Buyers wanting class-leading technical performance
Q. Is Moondrop May suitable for treble sensitive listeners?
Some may find the emphasised tone too hot or fatiguing over time. Using more isolating tips and listening at lower volumes should help reduce fatigue. Alternatively, try decreasing 8–10 kHz by 2 dB for a smoother top end.
Q: Does the May need a headphone amp to reach sufficient volume?
A: No, May’s high sensitivity of 120 dB/Vrms makes achieving loud volumes easy from any music player or smartphone. However, an amp may tighten up the bass and widen the dynamic range.
Q: Can the USB-C cable be replaced with a standard cable?
A: Yes, the May uses a standard 0.78mm 2-pin connector, allowing for replacement cables.
Conclusion
With the May hybrid earphones, Moondrop packs planar magnetic technology into an affordable package without cutting corners on design or build quality. A mildly V-shaped sound targets musical enjoyment over neutrality, aided by the dynamic driver’s rich bass and the planar magnetic driver’s speedy treble. Technical performance takes a backseat to engaging tuning. But for just $65, the May punches far above its price bracket. Bassheads on a budget, take note.
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