The May is a very typical Moondrop IEM with a balanced tuning using a variation of their in-house sound target, with great accessories, and one little different twist. The May does not come with a standard audio cable -- instead, it includes a USB-C 2-pin cable that can connect directly to your phone without the need of a separate audio dongle adapter, and when used with the Moondrop App on your device, you can change the DSP tuning.
It's not revolutionary by any means, but it does go against the grain a little bit with the audiophile world. Of course, brands like Audeze have included DSP cables (The Audeze Cypher) in the past and so this isn't new. But for a product that is just $65 on APOS Audio, it's a fairly interesting and possible good buy for those who don't want to fuss with accessories and want the solid and well-established Moondrop tuning on the go.
And as you are probably now aware, this product was provided on loan from APOS Audio. They have many products including other Moondrop products at the following link: https://apos.audio
The May is a dual-driver IEM with one dynamic driver and one planar magnetic driver. This is a bit different than all of their single-DD IEMs in this lower budget price range, and so it does offer a unique look at their house tuning.
The shells are extremely comfortable and lightweight, and made of metal housing material. The faceplate is a reflective mirror-like finish with little rounded stars patterning the whole surface, and encompassing a small Moondrop branding logo.
The silver and black USB-C cable is very attractive and also very easy to use and light. It connects with 2-pin connectors at the IEMs and has a mic with controls on the right side.
Moondrop also includes a light brown zipper round case that is also quite the looker, along with a series of tips within its box. The whole package is very complete and I really like how everything flows together and each individual component stands by itself as an attractive showpiece.
Sound Impressions
The May sounds very much in-line with other Moondrop products. The bass levels are slightly above neutral with a a focus on sub-bass, with linear mids, and a focus on the upper-midrange and lower treble, while having a slightly dark treble range.
The overall IEM tonality is very smooth and enjoyable. There is warm and refined sound to it. Resolution is generally average, but more than adequate and above grade for this price point. The soundstage is a bit small, with a more intimate sound to it, but I did not have any issues with different instruments smattering together.
On "Wild Roses" by Of Monsters and Men, Nanna's vocals don't have any sibilance and sounds very natural. It's surprisingly smooth. The kickdrums have some impact, but it's not skull shattering. Generally, the dynamics are very mid-tier, but few IEMs in this price range have great dynamic range.
On "Seven Days of Falling" on the e.s.t. 30 live recording, the drums have much more deep impact on them. This 30th anniversary orchestra accompanied track by the surviving members of the Esborn Svensson Trio, sounds warm and smooth on the May. It lacks a bit of a large and grand soundstage that I would like to hear on an orchsteral/jazz record however, and I don't get the same impressions that I hear with my other IEMs like the Sony IER-Z1R or the Subtonic Storm in the sense of scale here.
Final Thought
The May is very enjoyable in its typical configuration. It is what I'd expect from a Moondrop product -- consistent, above average to great, and expectedly enjoyable. Like other Moondrop products, this works well for all genres, and comes with everything to get you going.
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