Moondrop May VS Etymotic ER2SE

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Moondrop May and Etymotic ER2SE use 1DD+1Planar and 1DD driver setups respectively. Moondrop May costs $65 while Etymotic ER2SE costs $80. Etymotic ER2SE is $15 more expensive. Moondrop May holds a decisive 1.3-point edge in reviewer scores (6.5 vs 5.2). Moondrop May has significantly better bass with a 1.5-point edge, Moondrop May has slightly better treble with a 0.3-point edge, Moondrop May has significantly better dynamics with a 2-point edge and Moondrop May has significantly better soundstage with a 1-point edge.

Insights

Metric Moondrop May Etymotic ER2SE
Bass 7 5.5
Mids 6.5 6.3
Treble 5 4.7
Details 6.5 5
Soundstage 6 5
Imaging 6.5 5
Dynamics 5 3
Tonality 5.8 5.1
Technicalities 5.5 5.1

Moondrop May Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Tim Tuned Jaytiss
Z-Reviews Super* Review IEMRanking AI

Average Reviewer Score:

6.5

Mixed to Positive


Etymotic ER2SE Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Jaytiss
Jays Audio Precogvision Tim Tuned
Super* Review

Average Reviewer Score:

5.2

Mixed to Negative


Moondrop May User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Etymotic ER2SE User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Moondrop May Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

5.6

Gaming Grade

B-

Etymotic ER2SE Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

5.1

Gaming Grade

C+

Moondrop May Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B-
  • Generally enjoyable tonal character with some noticeable unevenness. Maintains listenability while showing room for refinement in frequency balance.

Average Technical Grade

B-
  • Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
Bass A-
Strong, well-defined bass with good texture. Delivers satisfying punch and rumble without overwhelming other frequencies.
Mids B+
Good midrange presence with solid clarity. Vocals are clear and instruments have reasonable texture and body.
Treble C+
Decent treble with acceptable extension and detail. Can sound slightly unrefined but avoids being harsh or sibilant.
Dynamics C+
Decent dynamic performance. Good macro-contrast but micro-dynamics could be more nuanced. Satisfactory impact.
Soundstage B
Good soundstage with proper width and depth. Instruments have clear positioning with reasonable front/back placement.
Gaming B-
Moderate spatial presentation conveys general directionality. Suitable for casual play where precision isn't critical.

Etymotic ER2SE Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

C+
  • Generally enjoyable tonal character with some noticeable unevenness. Maintains listenability while showing room for refinement in frequency balance.

Average Technical Grade

C+
  • Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
Bass B-
Average bass performance - present but unremarkable. Has reasonable texture but lacks depth and physicality.
Mids B
Good midrange presence with solid clarity. Vocals are clear and instruments have reasonable texture and body.
Treble C
Average treble performance - present but lacking refinement. Some graininess or splashiness affects clarity.
Dynamics D
Noticeably compressed dynamics. Musical expression suffers with weak transients and poor contrast between quiet and loud sections.
Soundstage C+
Decent spatial presentation with noticeable width. Some depth perception but height dimension remains underdeveloped.
Details C+
Decent detail retrieval. Handles most textures adequately though micro-details and ambient cues could be more pronounced.
Imaging C+
Decent positional accuracy. Good left/right placement with acceptable center image, though depth positioning is approximate.
Gaming C+
Fundamental left/right positioning with limited depth perception. Works for non-competitive gaming but lacks precision.

Moondrop May Reviews

Z-Reviews 7.5 * score normalized
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Price: $74.99

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Super* Review 7* * score normalized
The May is the way to go if you have 80 bucks. Standard EQ sounds great. Nice low contrast neutral sound

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel
- Super* Review
Tim Tuned 5.5 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
A- Tech
check links for more info:

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
- Tim Tuned
Bass: A- Mids: A+ Treble: A-
Jaytiss 5.3 Reviewer Score
C- Tuning
D Tech
A very enjoyable listen, hard to fault at this price and design. Could be a winner for you.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
- Jaytiss
Mids: C+ Treble: D Dynamics: C+ Soundstage: B

IEMRanking AI

2025-07-01
IEMRanking AI 7 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
B+ Tech

The Moondrop May offers a convenient USB-C DSP cable with multiple EQ presets accessible via the Moondrop Link app, though the app suffers from connectivity issues and requires invasive permissions like location and file access. Its lightweight resin build provides solid comfort for extended wear, but the included ear tips are notoriously difficult to install on the nozzles. The DSP cable itself can exhibit a faint electronic whine during audio pauses, which disrupts calls or quiet passages.

Sonically, the May delivers a balanced signature with smooth, natural midrange, though male vocals occasionally lack resolution and texture. The 6mm planar driver handles treble with refinement, avoiding harshness, but struggles with airiness and micro-detail retrieval compared to competitors like the Truthear Hexa. Bass texture and layering also fall short despite the hybrid 1DD + 1 planar configuration, leading to a somewhat one-dimensional low end in complex tracks.

Technical performance is adequate for the price, with a moderately intimate soundstage and competent imaging, though instrument separation and dynamics can feel congested in busy mixes. The May scales better with analog cables than its own DSP solution, revealing improved clarity and midrange texture when bypassing the stock setup. While the DSP concept is innovative, execution issues limit its appeal, making the May a competent but inconsistent package at $65.

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- IEMRanking AI
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Etymotic ER2SE Reviews

Super* Review 7* * score normalized
check links for more info:

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel
- Super* Review
Jays Audio 5.5 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
B+ Tech
Great detail & clarity. Fit took a long time to get used. Very clear and natural mids and treble. Lacks lower-extension, and couldn't handle bass notes on Time by Hikaru Utada (0:40+).

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
- Jays Audio
Precogvision 5.2 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
C+ Tech
See ER2XR but with less sub-bass.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
- Precogvision
Bass: C+ Mids: A- Treble: C+ Dynamics: C+ Details: C+ Imaging: C+
Tim Tuned 5 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
A- Tech
Great detail Intrusive fit

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
- Tim Tuned
Bass: B Mids: A+ Treble: A-
Jaytiss 3.3 Reviewer Score
D Tuning
E+ Tech
Old, Treble for days.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
- Jaytiss
Mids: C- Treble: E+ Dynamics: E- Soundstage: C+

Moondrop May User Reviews

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Etymotic ER2SE User Reviews

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