Short answer: a tie on sound quality, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 2.9/5 (#1019 and #1021 of 1291 in-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($899 vs $899), so choose on features and fit. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 1291 in-ear headphones; for better sound, the ThieAudio Monarch MKIII ranks #1 at $999.
The case for the DUNU DK4001: Its hybrid design pairs a 13mm dynamic driver with four balanced armatures, and at 112 dB sensitivity and 32 ohms it plays loud from a phone. The tradeoff: Presence is about 8.1 dB under target and air about 7.7 dB under, with a 12 dB hole near 11.9 kHz, so vocals sound distant and cymbals lose shimmer.
Why pick the Moondrop Illustrious: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 3.1 dB low with a 6.6 dB dip near 9.7 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the DUNU DK4001 or the Moondrop Illustrious on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Its hybrid design pairs a 13mm dynamic driver with four balanced armatures, and at 112 dB sensitivity and 32 ohms it plays loud from a phone.
HiFiGo $899.00 eBay
Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
Amazon $899.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| DUNU DK4001 | Moondrop Illustrious | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899.00 | $899.00 |
| Ranked | #1019 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #1021 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) | 60 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.52 dB standard deviation | 3.11 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.16 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.59 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-8.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 13mm dynamic + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x 11mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 112 dB | 124 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 50kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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