In-Ear MonitorOverreview

Moondrop LAN II

One small steel shell in two tunings — nearly everyone finds it comfortable and calls it good value, but its bright treble splits listeners almost exactly in half.

43 sourcesUpdated
$51Typical US price

Score aggregates reviewer opinions across topics.

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Moondrop LAN II

The short version

What to know.

A single-dynamic-driver IEM in a small MIM stainless-steel shell, about $51, sold in two tunings. Measurements put POP about 2–3 dB above the Harman target in the upper bass and REF leaner, with sub-bass 2–4 dB under. Both have a strong ear-gain peak near 3 kHz and lifted upper treble. Comfort is the clearest agreement: the shell is among the smallest around, and most find it fits for hours, though larger ears can feel the edges and the steel adds a little weight. Value, detail, imaging and isolation rate well for the price, and the soundstage is moderate rather than wide. Treble is the main split, with sources almost evenly divided: one side hears it bright but clean and not harsh, the other hears sharpness or splash at times, mostly on REF and at higher volume. Vocals split the same way between clear and thin or shouty. Bass is mostly praised on POP and called light on REF. Build divides between a premium-feeling metal shell and a run of owner reports of one channel failing or cutting out, plus complaints about the thin, 4.4 mm-only cable.

About this product

Sold in two tunings with identical hardware, each its own listing at about $51: REF, the leaner and brighter one that follows the original LAN, and POP, which adds about 2 dB of bass and slightly less upper midrange. The faceplate logo and box colour tell them apart. This review covers both and says which one a comment is about. Not the original LAN (2023, about $40–45).

Moondrop's LAN II arrived in September 2025 as the follow-up to the original LAN, a $40 set that won a following for its lean, clean single-dynamic sound. The new one keeps the small stainless-steel shell, moves to a 10 mm driver with a glass-dome diaphragm and a 4.4 mm balanced cable, and costs about $51. It also comes in two tunings, sold separately: REF, which stays close to the original, and POP, with more bass for mainstream music.

Measurements agree on what separates them: on every rig but one, POP carries about 2 dB more bass and a little less upper midrange. Both share the same pronounced ear-gain peak and treble lift, which is where most of the argument about this set happens.

A good fit for

  • Small ears, or anyone who wants a tiny, low-profile shell that fits for hours.
  • POP: a first step up from earbuds for pop, rock and electronic music, with more bass than REF.
  • REF: listeners who like a lean, neutral-bright, detailed sound at moderate volume, or who already liked the original LAN.
  • Gaming at this price: imaging and separation are well regarded.

Think twice if

  • You're sensitive to treble or listen loud: both tunings, and REF especially, can turn sharp.
  • You want deep, physical bass: REF is light, and even POP is described as punchy rather than heavy.
  • You own the original LAN: REF measures close to it through the bass, and one reviewer hears little difference.
  • You need a 3.5 mm cable without an adapter, or have large ears that press against small shells.

The reviewer consensus

Agreement &
disagreement.

4 / 12topics divide opinion
imagingsoundstageisolationbasstonalitydetailcomfortvaluetreblemidsdynamicsbuild
3 Strong agreement5 Mostly agree4 Divided opinions

Common ground5

  • The small steel shell fits most ears comfortably for hours, including small ones.
  • POP has noticeably more bass than REF, which is leaner and brighter, and both share a strong peak near 3 kHz.
  • Detail, imaging and separation are good for the price.

Points of contention4

  • Treble: bright but clean to half the sources, sharp or splashy at times to the other half, especially on REF and at higher volume.
  • Vocals: clear and present, or thin and shouty in the upper mids.
  • Impact: fast and punchy to some, soft to others, partly along the POP/REF line.

A closer listen.

12 topics · 4 divided
Left: criticalRight: positiveTighter lines: more agreement

Treble

No overall leanDivided opinions
Reviewer sentiment15 supporting sources
CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

The defining split, almost exactly even. One side, led by the Chinese and Japanese written reviews, hears bright, extended and clean treble that stays short of harsh. The other hears it sharp, splashy or sibilant at times. REF draws most of those complaints, but they reach POP too, and several owners say it turns harsh as the volume goes up. One owner wants more air on top.

Measured

Both tunings peak near 3 kHz, about 9–10 dB over 500 Hz on POP and 10–11.6 dB on REF. 4–6 kHz then sits 1.3–4.4 dB under Harman on POP and 0.4–5.1 dB under on REF, and 10–16 kHz runs 0.9–2.8 dB over on POP and 0.2–5.4 dB over on REF across nine and eight rigs. Deeper insertion cut 4–6 kHz by about 3 dB on the two rigs that measured both, so fit moves exactly the region in dispute.

Where it splits
Bright, clear and extended, but kept short of harsh.51%

“呈现出一个明显透亮但不会过于刺激的状态”

TDS Review, SMZDM (Chinese; REF 'clearly bright and transparent, but not overly aggressive')
Sharp or splashy at times — REF most, and both get harsher at higher volume.49%

“Treble can get slightly piercing at times”

Toazty, Head-Fi (POP)
Link to this topic

The hardware

Specifications.

Checked

Design

Type
In-ear monitor
Drivers
1 × 10 mm dynamic (double-cavity, glass-dome composite diaphragm)
Housing
MIM stainless steel

Electrical

Impedance
30 Ω
Sensitivity
118 dB/V≈ 102.8 dB/mW
Frequency response
12 Hz – 60 kHz

Connection

Cable
Detachable, 1.2 mcommunity-sourced: cable length
Connector
0.78 mm 2-pin (recessed)community-sourced: socket depth
Plugs supplied
4.4 mm balanced

Physical

Released
2025-09

The 4.4 mm cable ships with a 4.4-to-3.5 mm adapter. REF and POP share the same hardware. Manufacturer-published figures, not measurements · from moondroplab.com, linsoul.com. Socket depth, cable length not published by the maker — community-sourced from hands-on reviews: moonstarreviews.net, post.smzdm.com, clearheadphones.com, head-fi.org, reddit.com, reddit.com.

Follow the evidence

Sources 43

1–6 of 43 sources

Read with context

Limitations & method.

As of

What to keep in mind 5

  1. This is a read of where reviews, owners and measurements land as of November 2026, about fourteen months after launch. The budget single-dynamic field moves quickly, and the Chu II, Kefine Klean and Delci, and the original LAN are the comparisons people raise most.

  2. Two tunings share one review. Where a comment applies to only one, it's labelled REF or POP; a few reviewers heard only one of them.

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