Moondrop PARA, PARA-II, VENUS and COSMO (fitted with the Brainwavz Memory Foam Hybrid Earpads XL Size and ZMF Universe Lambskin perforated pads or ZMF BE2 Lambskin perforated pads or ZMF Caldera Lambskin Thick (top and side perf) pads) Discussion.

[eric65]

Good evening.

How about a little drum solo to wake up your eardrums with your favorite headphones?

I don't have any Abyss 1266 headphones at home, nor any headphone amp capable of driving them properly by the way, but with my duo of medium-sensitivity planar headphones, the Venus and the Cosmo (re-equipped for the latter with the excellent Brainwavz hybrid XL pads), listening to this drum solo, played by the talented Sina-drums, stands out, and not just a little, provided you also attach importance to the acoustic reverberations of the percussion set, in addition to the dynamics.
Don't hesitate to push your amp (and your ears) to their limits: for me, the volume knob on the Viva 2A3 amp (2 x 3 Watt on 32 Ohm load), in the 12 o'clock position for the Venus and 14 o'clock for the Cosmo, to smile blissfully in satisfaction.

Once again, a slight preference for listening with the Cosmo (with its XL hybrid pads) over the Venus, not for the dynamic range, which is great for both headphones (if you push the volume just right; both headphones are equal), but for the finesse of the Cosmo's percussions, better, with also a slightly better spatial rendering of the acoustic reverberaions, because even more precise and “realistic”, with the Cosmo versus Venus.
That said, the Venus is still very impressive on Sina percussion, especially if you have an amp capable of stirring it up properly, with the necessary watts.

Enjoy !



PS: remember to turn off the "stable volume" tab in YouTube video/sound settings.

 

[bavlf]

You who are great specialists of the Moondrop planar, can you help me to understand the Para pads:
- Ok there are the "spare perforated protein pads"
- Then , are the "default hybrid pads" the same as the EP-100A pads?
Thanks!

 

[eric65]

..., can you help me to understand the Para pads:
...
- Then , are the "default hybrid pads" the same as the EP-100A pads?

No.

Para's hybrid pads (default pads for the Moondrop Para) (micro-perforated inside face).

Moondrop EP-100A pads (not micro-perforated inside face) = upgrade pads for the Moondrop Para, to slightly reduce the brilliance of the Moondrop Para headphones in the treble, between 3 and 6 KHz and above 10 KHz.

Note : uncompensated Moondrop Para FR curve, with default pads (hybrid, internally microperforated) : yellow curve, and with the EP-100A upgrade pads (hybrid, not internally microperforated) : red curve.

 

[eric65]

Hello everyone.

To the question posed on HCFR (a French-speaking Hi-Fi forum) as to which headphones would be the best way to replace a 2014 HD 600 (which already works quite well) connected to a Lehmann Linear amp, looking (as a specification) for a wider and deeper soundstage, with more sonic detail and better bass ...etc..
Headphones to remain fairly neutral and as comfortable as the HD 600.
Maximum budget 900/1000 euros.

Provided you invest in a fairly powerful headphone amplifier (or a DAP) (delivering at least 3 watts over 32 Ohms), the Cosmo seems to me to be the ideal choice.

Admittedly, it's heavier than the HD-600, but its clamping is less important; for big heads (like mine), this is important.
For smaller heads, there's a very simple way of adapting the suspension band to be a little shorter.
Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, for Cosmo headphone neutrality, you need to use the upgrade pads like those indicated in the title of this thread.

Otherwise, the Para and Venus headphones risk being too bright in the treble (with the stock pads) and are also below the (maximum) budget given to upgrade the venerable and excellent Sennheiser HD-600 headphones very significantly.

 

[bavlf]

Frankly, what is the point of participating in a forum as bad as this French HCFR with Dub, René... etc ... so condescending, contemptuous, arrogant, ridiculous humor... So let's stay here...

You are so polarized by your proselytism for your Cosmo that it's a shame to lose objectivity.

So, I absolutely do not agree, a Moondrop Para is a great alternative to a Sennheiser HD600, no veil, much better transients, much finer reproduction, timbres as accurate, etc... Etc...

 

[eric65]

Hello.

I agree with you concerning the PARA, which is indeed a very nice alternative to the Sennheiser HD-600 (for a budget of 300 Euros).

But for a budget of 1000 Euros, with the COSMO requipped with the Brainwavz hybrid XL pads or the PARA's hybrid pads, we still have better than the PARA, and this on all the audio criteria (*); and it is still fortunate considering the price difference (factor 3) noted between these two headphones.

(*) With Brainwavz hybrid XL pads as upgrade for the COSMO, we obtain a more homogeneous and neutral frequency response than the PARA equipped with its stock pads, with in particular more bass and sub-bass and also less high-frequency brilliance; one of the best mids ever heard, at once smooth, detailed, present, creamy, with consistency.
XL soundstage, even wider and more precise than with the PARA...
Even more detail and finesse than with the PARA, with a better “black background”, bringing it closer to electrostatic headphones.
And last but not least, its impedance (15 Ohm versus 8 Ohm) is less low than that of the PARA, making it a little less difficult for the amplifier to drive.

And I'm in a good position to say so, being the proud owner of 3 Moondrop planar headphones (Venus, Para and Cosmo).

Otherwise, if I had to advertise the three Moondrop planar headphones I bought (with satisfaction), I'd do the same for these three planar headphones: just reread this thread from the first of the 39 pages to see how enthusiastic I am about these three planar headphones.

And I'm as objective as one can be (with measurement curves to back it up) in this "discipline"(headphone listening hobby).

PS: thanks for the advice not to waste my time on the HCFR forum ... I'll keep it in mind.

 

[bavlf]

...Seriouly: today: Moondrop Para 254$, for 764$ Cosmo (Hifigo)...

I can't believe that the Cosmo is so superior to the Para, and I even think that it must have a deficit in the upper part of the sound spectrum...

 

[N3urolink]

Hello.

This is my personal opinion.

First, I believe we should at least compare headphones within the same price range.
HD600 should be compared with products like ATH R70x, MOONDROP Para, EditionXS in the same price range (in Japanese yen), not with higher-end models.
Indeed, COSMO and HD600 have very similar frequency characteristics, but their prices are far apart.

In that regard, I agree with the opinion that Para can indeed be an alternative to HD600.
However, HD600 has the advantages of being lighter and requiring relatively less amplification (compared to Para).

Therefore, I think both are excellent models.

Second, comparing Para with COSMO is a difficult topic.
If you listen to COSMO, you will understand that it is in a different dimension from Para.
In terms of vocal proximity, presence, and naturalness, COSMO surpasses Para in all aspects. Here is a review of COSMO from Amazon Japan.
(N3uro, which is me)https://amzn.asia/d/7Jpqah8

Also, some of my X followers have purchased COSMO, and here are excerpts from their reviews:

A:When compared to Utopia SG, both have excellent expressions, but overall, I feel Utopia SG is superior.
However, COSMO is better in terms of vocal distance and soundstage, and its tone feels more natural.
Utopia SG has the basic performance, but COSMO's performance is extraordinarily good.
I haven't been this satisfied with a headphone since my beloved SR-X9000.

B:Within this year, I bought headphones more expensive than Cosmo like SENNHEISER HD800S, HiFiMAN Arya Organic, HE1000se, Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000, final D7000, but none surpassed Cosmo.

However, Para has a strength in the midrange that COSMO does not. Para excels at listening to EDM or pop music, and you can hear incredibly clear sound for its price range.

Also, COSMO is very hard to drive compared to Para.
I met with MOONDROP's president, and he said, "It's 'extremely' hard to drive." Considering this, to fully utilize COSMO's performance to "100%", a significant investment is required, which would worsen the cost-performance compared to Para.

In conclusion, Para is a very excellent headphone, offering good cost-performance and high satisfaction.
However, in terms of "sound quality" alone, COSMO is overwhelmingly superior.

 

[bavlf]

Thank you, that seems more balanced and therefore much more credible to me.
So, with a competitor like the Hifiman Arya or HE1000?

 

[N3urolink]

Thank you, that seems more balanced and therefore much more credible to me.
So, with a competitor like the Hifiman Arya or HE1000?

Unfortunately, there aren't many reviews comparing Arya and HE1000 with COSMO.
Apart from A and B, there is someone who has done comparison listening between Arya, Arya Organic, HE1000v2, and COSMO, and that person said they preferred the sound of COSMO.

Here, "preference" does not refer to the superiority or inferiority of sound quality.
Since everyone's taste in sound varies, please take this as a reference.

 

[Dynamo5561]

Unfortunately, there aren't many reviews comparing Arya and HE1000 with COSMO.
Apart from A and B, there is someone who has done comparison listening between Arya, Arya Organic, HE1000v2, and COSMO, and that person said they preferred the sound of COSMO.

Here, "preference" does not refer to the superiority or inferiority of sound quality.
Since everyone's taste in sound varies, please take this as a reference.

I can provide a brief feedback for now and plan to write a more detailed and comprehensive review of the Cosmo when I have more time. I've owned many headphones, including all the ones mentioned, and I easily prefer the Cosmo, especially with the EP100A pads. They are in a different league in my oppinion. The Arya Organic has a peaky treble that I find fatiguing over long listening sessions, and the HE1000v2 sounds flat in comparison, however has the wider stage for sure. The Cosmo's strength lies in its large driver, which delivers sub-bass frequencies with authority and air, despite a flat measurement. The midrange is incredibly textured, and vocals sound excellent. The treble is refined, airy, and not peaky at all. I prefer the Cosmo over the Susvara, although they share many similarities. While the Cosmo excels in vocal reproduction, the Susvara sounds more natural overall. I haven't heard another headphone as natural as the Susvara. I currently have around six different pads and will soon try the para pads, but the EP1000A are my favorites so far. My only criticism of the Cosmo is a very subtle glare in the mids, which is much less pronounced than in the Focal Utopia or ZMF Caldera as reference. This can be mitigated with different pads, but at the cost of losing other qualities. I like the Cosmo so much that I've ordered a second pair for my office.

 

[N3urolink]

I can provide a brief feedback for now and plan to write a more detailed and comprehensive review of the Cosmo when I have more time. I've owned many headphones, including all the ones mentioned, and I easily prefer the Cosmo, especially with the EP100A pads. They are in a different league in my oppinion. The Arya Organic has a peaky treble that I find fatiguing over long listening sessions, and the HE1000v2 sounds flat in comparison, however has the wider stage for sure. The Cosmo's strength lies in its large driver, which delivers sub-bass frequencies with authority and air, despite a flat measurement. The midrange is incredibly textured, and vocals sound excellent. The treble is refined, airy, and not peaky at all. I prefer the Cosmo over the Susvara, although they share many similarities. While the Cosmo excels in vocal reproduction, the Susvara sounds more natural overall. I haven't heard another headphone as natural as the Susvara. I currently have around six different pads and will soon try the para pads, but the EP1000A are my favorites so far. My only criticism of the Cosmo is a very subtle glare in the mids, which is much less pronounced than in the Focal Utopia or ZMF Caldera as reference. This can be mitigated with different pads, but at the cost of losing other qualities. I like the Cosmo so much that I've ordered a second pair for my office.

Thank you for the wonderful review.

As for the COSMO earpads, I've tried switching between EP-100A, the standard Para pads, and those from Brainwavz multiple times, but I found that I prefer the standard earpads.
One of the good things about COSMO (and PARA) is that just changing the earpads can significantly alter the sound.
I believe you can enjoy a change in sound by switching earpads when you get tired of the current sound.

 

[eric65]

Thank you, that seems more balanced and therefore much more credible to me.
So, with a competitor like the Hifiman Arya or HE1000?

Would you like even more objective and credible information about the Cosmo versus other headphones, be they very inexpensive (like the PARA) or very high-end (like the Susvara OG and unveiled)?

As for the technical nature of the COSMO - VENUS - SUSVARA OG headphones, I've put together a little “mathematical” demonstration here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...-size-discussion.970569/page-27#post-18103837

For the sensitivity of the headphones (COSMO, with its stock pads and the Para's hybrid upgrade pads - Susvara (OG and unveiled)): you have this graph below.
Note: headphone sensitivity expressed in dB SPL / Vrms, as a function of the FR.

For the frequency response of headphones, which imho is a major criterion of headphone quality and fidelity (in the sense of Hi-Fi, i.e. respect for timbre and tonality), you have (below) these frequency response graphs of well-known headphones, compared two by two.

It doesn't, of course, replace listening impressions, which depend on your personal preferences, tastes and ear sensitivity (which can vary with age), but it's a good yardstick for getting a first idea of a headphone's sound characteristics.

 

[ludoo]

Signing in as a Para owner: just got my used pair at last, been wanting to own them for quite a while as their FR should match well with my preference.

First listen with both sets of stock pads, kind of disappointing: small soundstage, sound bordering on clinical, too airy and light for my tastes. Swapped in the EP-100A pads, and... it's been an hour and I kind of forgot they were on my head while doing chores at the computer. They come very close to my favourite headphones in terms of enjoyment and musicality. Definitely keepers.

 

[Fusi]

Hi, i was looking for some mid~low end headphones, i was thinking about arya organics but i had to upgrade my PC so i end up with a moondrop para, it will be paired with my current Fiio K7 BT, currently using a blessing 2 dusk and very happy with it, ill post my impressions when it arrives.