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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the HifiMan Arya Stealth and the Moondrop Chu largely depends on your usage preferences. The Arya Stealth delivers exceptional sound quality for music listening with a wide open soundstage, but it's more suited for quiet environments due to its open design and lack of noise isolation. It's also bulkier and much more expensive, making it less portable and a significant investment. In contrast, the Moondrop Chu is much more affordable, offers good noise isolation, and comes with a microphone, which makes it convenient for calls and traveling. However, the overall sound quality and soundstage aren't as high as the Arya Stealth’s. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the HifiMan Arya Stealth
- Best in class for music
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Moondrop Chu
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
Key differences
Music
10.0
7.9
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is best in class for music, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
Gaming
7.1
8.0
The Moondrop Chu is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is good.
Phone Calls
5.1
8.8
The Moondrop Chu is very good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
TV and Video
9.4
7.5
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is excellent for TV and video, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
6.0
The Moondrop Chu is only fair for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
Cost
$599
$22
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has a price of $599 and the Moondrop Chu costs $22.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has excellent build quality, while the Moondrop Chu has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HifiMan Arya Stealth to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Moondrop Chu is good.
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How the HifiMan Arya Stealth and the Moondrop Chu compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Arya Stealth | Moondrop Chu |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$599 | $22 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Moondrop | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2018 | April 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.2/10 | 8.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 4.4/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 408.2 Grams | 8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | In-Line | |
Shopping
HifiMan Arya Stealth
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | October 2022
"The Arya can easily be end-game headphones for 99% of consumers, satisfying most audio desires. Priced well above USD$1000, the Arya are obviously and gloriously not for the mass market consumer; they are designed and built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts – especially those who view their expenses on this level of gear as investments."
Moondrop Chu
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Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | September 2022
"These budget buds put the pressure on those premium priced in-ear monitors to really justify the cost disparity. Offering excellent sound quality at any price, the Moondrop Chu is both a perfect entry into the audio enthusiast hobby, and an all around good pick for music fans."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Arya Stealth or the Moondrop Chu
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
About Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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