HIFI Diary: MOONDROP LAN In-Ear Headphones Sound Quality Review

I. Introduction

The first review on the new server! This time, it's the MOONDROP LAN in-ear headphones sent by a group member. The version sent by the group member has a 3.5mm jack, paired with MOONDROP's Spring Tips ear tips. The last time MOONDROP's in-ear headphones were tested was the Aria2, which left a very good impression on the blog owner due to its decent quality and very versatile/balanced tuning. Therefore, even though this review is for a more entry-level priced in-ear headphone, the blog owner still has considerable curiosity to explore it.

II. Preparation for the Evaluation

The headphones reviewed this time are the Shuiyueyu LAN Lan. The review equipment used is the Xiaomi 13 Ultra + Laobanzhang LBZ-04 small tail (the review for this small tail is still being written), and the playback software used is QQ Music/Poweramp. The headphones come with the original 3.5mm single-ended cable, and according to the suggestion of the friend who sent them for review, we will also test with a different cable later.

III. Evaluation Pieces/Scoring Method

The track selection is based on the blogger's usual listening preferences, which are about 70% Japanese music and 30% large-scale orchestral works. Therefore, the selection leans heavily towards Japanese music. The scoring criteria are derived from a simplified version of Liu Hansheng's "Twenty Essentials for Audio," with a maximum score of 10, though generally, the highest score given is 9. A score of 8 indicates a clear advantage in the scoring category, 7 signifies excellence, 6 means it can be normally appreciated, 5 means it can be normally listened to, and scores below 5 are not commented on. For a more detailed evaluation plan, please refer to here.

IV. Test begins

项目	MOONDROP LAN	MOONDROP ARIA2
Integrity	6.5/10	7.5/10
High frequency	6/10	7/10
Medium frequency	6/10	6.5/10
Low frequency	5/10	7/10
Analysis, separation	6/10	7/10
Sound field, density	6/10	6/10
Drive, dynamic	5.5/10	7/10
Total score	5.9/10	6.9/10

1、Song: Legends Never Die, Singers: League of Legends

Like the nameless verses passed down through generations by bards, some melodies are destined to hold extraordinary significance from the moment they are born. Sometimes, they are meant to record a piece of history that should never be forgotten, and other times, to immortalize moments of glorious honor. As the most popular esports game in the world, the 2017 World Championship theme song "Legends Never Die" for "League of Legends" documented the struggles of RNG and WE that year, and also carried the regrets of countless Chinese players. By 2025, this song has long become an important footnote in the memories of the post-80s and post-90s generations—when the familiar notes play, those nights of fighting alongside friends and those moments of cheering for victory may have already faded from our lives. But the blogger believes that when this song plays again, you will surely remember clearly the line you heard most in your youth: Welcome to Summoner's Rift.

OK, let's talk about this song next. This is a song that almost perfectly reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the LAN earphones. Overall, the LAN has a warm sound signature, with vocals slightly forward and a very good midrange texture. The separation is decent, so even with complex tracks, the earphones don't sound too messy. In the high frequencies, the LAN is not dark but lacks detail and extension. The low frequencies are the main issue, as they seem to lack dynamics, resolution, and elasticity. Fortunately, the LAN doesn't have a lot of bass presence, so it doesn't affect other frequency ranges, but for those who enjoy bass, it might be hard to accept. Overall, when the LAN performs this song, the texture feels somewhat disjointed, but interestingly, all these issues are somehow blended together by the LAN's rich, warm tuning, creating a unique, warm, and slightly muddy yet clear vocal presentation. This might just be the sonic character of the LAN earphones.

2、Song：24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 24 in A Minor (Tema con Variazioni)，Singers：József Lendvay/Niccolò Paganini，Album：Lendvay

Here it is, after much deliberation, the BLOG owner has finally chosen this rendition of Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor, performed by a Hungarian violinist. Those familiar with instrumental music know that this Caprice No. 24 is hailed as the pinnacle of virtuosic pieces, with some considering it a wild ride and others viewing it as the ultimate test for musicians. Regardless, no violinist can bypass this piece. In his interpretation, Lendvay not only showcases his unique understanding of Caprice No. 24 but also, notably, performs a faster-paced adaptation that highlights technical prowess, with the entire piece lasting only 3 minutes and 12 seconds, omitting several variations from the original, making it arguably the shortest existing version of Caprice No. 24. This somewhat unconventional adaptation isn't about reducing the piece's difficulty; upon closer listening, one finds Lendvay's performance quite intriguing. He doesn't deliberately pursue speed or technical display in each theme but instead employs a "tempo rubato" approach, achieving excellent fluidity. This style, which neither seeks technical prowess nor musicality, can be said to stand in a class of its own. During the variations, he incorporates some Eastern European folk music embellishments as transitions, making each variation distinctly recognizable (for example, the sixteenth-note variation at 23 seconds is highly distinctive). Overall, while Lendvay's performance of this piece may not yet be considered a Master-level interpretation, it is indeed refreshing and offers unique insights.

Returning to the LAN earphones, after much deliberation, the blogger concluded with a phrase, "It's not like they're unlistenable." This is actually a quite fair assessment. Essentially, the LAN is an earphone with a rather disjointed three-frequency response. Normally, an earphone with no extension in the highs and poor quality in the lows would make listening to violins quite a torment. Surprisingly, listening to violins with the LAN isn't that unpleasant. Although the lack of dynamics is a very obvious flaw, its warm sound signature somehow smooths out the music's roughness, stripping away the ostentation, making everything quite listenable. If this is the tuning that Moondrop chose after serious consideration, given the limited quality of the driver unit, then the blogger can only express respect, as it is indeed not unpleasant to listen to.

V. Summary

It must be said that Lan is a headphone with many obvious issues; it is neither balanced nor perfect. However, to say that Lan is no good would be incorrect. In fact, when listening to some less complex, vocal-focused tracks, its rich atmosphere really hits the blogger's sweet spot. Just to name a few tracks, such as "看见" from Black Myth, Mao Buyi's "无名的人" and Lei Jia's "人世间" all offer quite an excellent listening experience. It's not just a case of one flaw overshadowing all others, but rather a stylized headphone tuned within its limited capabilities. From this perspective, while the Shuiyueyu Lan certainly has its share of problems, it is still a headphone product worth recommending. However, as an entry-level HIFI headphone, it might be too niche or distinctive, and whether it is truly suitable for beginners to dive into requires careful consideration. Additionally, after the blogger changed the cable, Lan's quality indeed saw a qualitative leap, with improved midrange density and better texture in the bass. This shows that the headphone driver itself has decent quality, but considering the cable costs several times the price of Lan, such an attempt can only be considered a bit of fun.