Moondrop’s new Android phone likely sacrifices performance for sound quality

Moondrop recently launched the MIAD01 – a stock Android phone that prioritizes sound quality with some quality dedicated hardware, though the midrange SoC might be a failing point.

Moondrop is a popular company amongst audio-heads. It’s known for its lineup of IEMs, which are highly sought after and carry unique designs extending all the way to the packaging. Generally speaking, Moondrop’s products don’t rely on design alone and carry some weight regarding audio quality.

In a somewhat unexpected move, Moondrop has launched a new Android phone called the MIAD01. It houses a 5,000mAh battery and a 6.7-inch OLED display that comes in at 1080p. The display can reach 120Hz, which is becoming more commonplace even among midrange devices.

Essentially, that’s what the MIAD01 is – a midrange phone. The powering unit is a Mediatek Dimensity 7050 with a healthy 12GB of RAM. Internally, the phone can hold 256GB of data with an expandable slot of up to 2TB.

The main features come in the sound sector, as would make sense for an audio company. The Moondrop MIAD01 brings two headphone ports – a 3.5mm jack and a balanced 4.4mm output. The jacks bring a 2Vrms and 4Vmrs rating, respectively. The DAC that powers each port is a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI unit.

That setup is something a lot of audio fans would love to have on hand. It being from Moondrop and in an Android phone with a relatively recent OS is even better and would hopefully spark some competition among other brands to develop similar products. There are DAPs out there that run Android, but they’re bulky and lack the same ability as a dedicated smartphone. The MIAD01 looks to be a DAC/AMP in disguise that can do what a smartphone does rather easily.

The MIAD01 sacrifices some amenities, like a display over 1080p or a good camera. Moondrop is on record, stating that the camera is “not good, but it works,” though we’re not sure if this is a joking self-blow because image samples don’t look half bad.

On top of that, the Dimensity 7050 isn’t an ultra-high-end SoC, but it will certainly get the job done. Even still, we’re excited to see what kind of experience the MIAD01 brings.

The Moondrop MIAD01 Android phone is available now at around $345 in China and will be available for $399 globally at select retailers.