TwizzyTonkaa
New Head-Fier
I just ordered the Cosmos I will have to upgrade my amp and dac eventually probably
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.
Hello everyone.
Our friend @N3urolink has just put together a rather interesting, original and, what's more, objective test comparing two sets of headphones: the Sennheiser HD-800S (a top-of-the-range open-air electrodynamic headphone; launch price US$1,799), and the Moondrop Cosmo (a planar headphone, the brand's current flagship; launch price US$899), to which you'll add about US$30 worth of upgrade pads: Brainwavz Memory Foam Hybrid Earpads XL size).
The comparison of these two headphones is interesting because a microphone “listens” to them; and it's your ears that will decide finally.
This video compares “listening” with a microphone of the Sennheiser HD-800S versus “listening” with the same microphone of the Moondrop Cosmo equipped with upgrade pads, versus the very source of the original recording (CD or dematerialized).
So which of these two headphones sounds, for yours ears, the most natural , on the one hand, and the most faithful to the source (i.e. the original recording), on the other?
Good comparative listening, if possible, for this occasion, with your most faithful and neutral headphones, or even with very good monitoring loudspeakers, sufficiently neutral not to bias the final result.
EDIT: Listen very carefully to the transition between the two headphones between beats 35“ and 45”; it's (for me) quite edifying.
Our friend @N3urolink has just put together a rather interesting, original and, what's more, objective test comparing two sets of headphones: the Sennheiser HD-800S (a top-of-the-range open-air electrodynamic headphone; launch price US$1,799), and the Moondrop Cosmo (a planar headphone, the brand's current flagship; launch price US$899), to which you'll add about US$30 worth of upgrade pads: Brainwavz Memory Foam Hybrid Earpads XL size).
The comparison of these two headphones is interesting because a microphone “listens” to them; and it's your ears that will decide finally.
This video compares “listening” with a microphone of the Sennheiser HD-800S versus “listening” with the same microphone of the Moondrop Cosmo equipped with upgrade pads, versus the very source of the original recording (CD or dematerialized).
So which of these two headphones sounds, for yours ears, the most natural , on the one hand, and the most faithful to the source (i.e. the original recording), on the other?
Good comparative listening, if possible, for this occasion, with your most faithful and neutral headphones, or even with very good monitoring loudspeakers, sufficiently neutral not to bias the final result.
EDIT: Listen very carefully to the transition between the two headphones between beats 35“ and 45”; it's (for me) quite edifying.
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TwizzyTonkaa
New Head-Fier
Has Cosmo been released yet my order hasn't been fulfilled and I've yet to see any reviews outside the headphone reviewer sphere
TwizzyTonkaa
New Head-Fier
My Cosmo has shipped I will get it soon
Hello everyone.
Like Hifiman before it, Moondrop lowers the price of its full-size planar headphones.
At Shenzhenaudio.com, where I bought my COSMO, prices of three Moondrop planar headphones just reduced; headphones currently on special offer.
New prices (excl. VAT) for these three planar headphones (in $ USD) (currently on promotion)
COSMO: $791.12 USD (instead of $899 USD)
VENUS (still on sale): $527.99 USD (instead of $599 USD)
PARA : $263.12 USD (instead of $299 USD)
Source : https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/headphones/products/moondrop-cosmo-100mm-full-size-flagship-planar-headphone?_pos=5&_fid=9e2149f46&_ss=c
Although the price/performance ratio of these planar headphones is very good from the outset, there's no small savings to be had ; so take advantage of these new (temporary) promotional rates.
PS: for Europeans: 1 US Dollar equals 0.91 Euro (this day).
Like Hifiman before it, Moondrop lowers the price of its full-size planar headphones.
At Shenzhenaudio.com, where I bought my COSMO, prices of three Moondrop planar headphones just reduced; headphones currently on special offer.
New prices (excl. VAT) for these three planar headphones (in $ USD) (currently on promotion)
COSMO: $791.12 USD (instead of $899 USD)
VENUS (still on sale): $527.99 USD (instead of $599 USD)
PARA : $263.12 USD (instead of $299 USD)
Source : https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/headphones/products/moondrop-cosmo-100mm-full-size-flagship-planar-headphone?_pos=5&_fid=9e2149f46&_ss=c
Although the price/performance ratio of these planar headphones is very good from the outset, there's no small savings to be had ; so take advantage of these new (temporary) promotional rates.
PS: for Europeans: 1 US Dollar equals 0.91 Euro (this day).
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Astral Abyss
1000+ Head-Fier
Is Cosmo a big enough upgrade to justify purchasing if I already have Venus? (with the pad upgrade to Cosmo, of course)
Hi.
The answer is yes.
At equal magnet forces, if we consider that the mass of the Cosmo's planar membrane wich integrates the mass of the Cosmo's plastic film (0.5 um thick versus 2 um for the Venus) and the mass of the pure silver metallic traces covering respectively 90% and 80% of the surface of the planar membrane of the Cosmo and Venus (silver tracks of 0.1 um thick (calculated) for the Cosmo versus 1.26 um (calculated) for the Venus); well, the calculated mass of the Cosmo's mobile crew is 8.26 times lower than the Venus's mobile mass (and a very close,1.22 times, at the estimated mass of the Susvara OG's mobile equipment).
Source and calculation details here :https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...-size-discussion.970569/page-27#post-18103837
And the lower the moving mass, the more agile, faster and finer the membrane is at bringing out the slightest sonic detail (in particular the microdynamics).
The Cosmo is more detailed, more precise and finer than the Venus, and it shows (heard).
The pads will play on the tone.
Indeed, the Cosmo's stock pads are quite colorful, which pleased Résolve (here: ) ; but there are much more neutral pads for the Cosmo, such as the EP-100A pads (not microperforated inside); the Para's hybrid pads (microperforated inside) (even more neutral than the EP-100A pads) and of course other pads, such as those proposed by @Groundhog here : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...-size-discussion.970569/page-35#post-18344882 or the Brainwavz hybrid XL pads proposed by @N3urolink
(Nb: these Brainwavz hybrid XL pads (microperforated inside like the Para's hybrid pads) will soon be tested by the author Sai of the latest Cosmo review (see the discussion at the end of the article here : https://unheardlab.com/2024/09/21/review-of-moondrop-cosmo-true-flagship-yet/).
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Astral Abyss
1000+ Head-Fier
Thanks Eric. Your explanation and reasoning is excellent.
Cosmo are really good headphones for it's price but they are not as good as Venus in my opinion. I was very eager to buy Cosmo. For a first time I was looking forward for first reviews nad I even wanted to order them from Amazon as soon as they appeared. I hold my horses and a month later I was able to borrow them. I knew I wanted to buy them, but after comparing them with Venus I really didn't see a point.
Venus IMHO are just better.
They have better extension than Cosmo. Bass on the Venus is spectacular, much better than Cosmo. Treble on Venus has a proper spark. On cosmo it's just muted in comparision. Cosmo in my opinion had a bit better soundstage depth but that's not enough to buy them. Of course if somene is looking for more universal sound, Cosmo might be a better choice. For me they lack emotions which a find in Venus.
Much will depend on a source chain. I have 12W/32Ohm Class A amplifier and quite decent other parts of my chain (nothing extremely expensive but I guess just fine). I use only silver interconnectors and headphones cables to achieve maximum transparency to the sound and maximun neutrality and smoothness. Venus scales like crazy with better gear. On my gear they sound very good but I heared them on my friend's top high- end equipement and I was blown away.
They are surely one of the best headphones on the market.
Of course I also borrowed Moondrop Para just to check it's pads on Cosmo. They indeed sound a bit better. They have more bass but it's quality is still behind Venus.
Pads from Para have very little space for ears and they are very uncomfortable. I wasn't even considering using them. If I had another pads for Cosmo, they might change my perspective.
My Summery: Don't change your Venus to Cosmo if you don't check them first. I would never do it. My 2 friends who were comparing Venus to Cosmo came to the same conclusion as me.
By the way. Moondrop Para are much worse than Venus and Cosmo.
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Astral Abyss
1000+ Head-Fier
Ah, the bass was the one thing I was hoping might be improved on the Cosmo. So much for that idea.
I'm quite happy with the bass on the Venus, but I feel like it could use more sub-bass. There's a point where it drops off sharply.
Hi there.
Thanks for your opinion, even if I don't share it: I also own the Venus and the Cosmo, both of which I use on a Viva 2A3 amp and with a high-end dac (Audiomat maestro Reference).
I rather agree with Sai's opinion of these 3 Moondrop headphones (Para, Venus and Cosmo), who says (on his review of the Cosmo on unheardlab.com, here : https://unheardlab.com/2024/09/21/review-of-moondrop-cosmo-true-flagship-yet/).
Quote Sai : "To compare, the Venus is a bit different, but the Cosmo feels like a BIG upgrade over the Para. The Para has a bright-neutral tuning and solid technicalities. For around $250, it’s exceptional value for money. But the Cosmo is much more well-rounded, with balanced tuning and stronger technical performance across the board. Gone are the treble peaks and sibilance issues you sometimes get with the Para.
As for the Venus, it’s a bit of its own thing. Being Moondrop’s first over-ear headphone, the sound profile is more unique, kind of ‘esoteric’ if you will. There’s more ‘flavour’, with a noticeable mid-bass bump (similar to the Meze Elite) and a bit of extra treble sheen, while the ear-gain region is slightly more subdued. Technical performance is solid, probably sitting between the Para and the Cosmo, but leaning more towards the Para. The Venus might have the edge in bass quantity (with stock pads), but the Cosmo’s bass is tighter with slightly better extension. "
Personally, I find (on my audio system) the Venus far less fine than the Cosmo (equipped with the Para's hybrid pads); moreover, the Venus overemphasizes the highs with voices that can become sibilant for ssss diction, which the Cosmo does not, with a slight attenuation of the 6 KHz sibilant frequency.
The Cosmo's bass, even if slightly weaker than the Venus's, except for the extension in the sub-bass where the Cosmo is better than the Venus, well the Cosmo's bass sounds to my appreciation more accurate, richer, less cavernous than that of the Venus, at least that's my impression. The Cosmo's bass dynamics are good, but dependent on sound volume SPL; the louder you push it, the more dynamic and percussive the bass; on the other hand, the Cosmo's microdynamics are excellent, better than those of the Venus, with a far greater ability to reveal microdetails and very fine sound details, and this at low listening volume; the Venus is less fine, particularly when listening to cymbals, which are rendered, with the Cosmo, with greater smoothness and finesse, less raw and less piercing than with the Venus.
A question of taste and color, no doubt.
The Cosmo's midrange (re-equipped with the Para's hybrid pads) is extremely clear, very resolute, natural, effortless and satisfyingly present (voices are not recessed or distant). The Brainwavz XL hybrid pads, compared with the Para's hybrid pads, bring even greater density and naturalness to the Cosmo's midrange, without sacrificing clarity, definition and presence. It's one of the finest midranges I've heard with my Viva 2A3 amp. The soundstage is truly immersive and large with these latest upgrade pads XL.
Otherwise, a point of absolute disagreement, but one is entitled to disagree: for my (normal-sized) ears, the Para's hybrid pads are extremely comfortable with the Cosmo, with their large surface area for application to the temples. The Cosmo's clamping force is excellent (for my big head); for small heads, there's a very simple way of adapting the Cosmo's headband to your physiognomy (reread my previous posts) so that the headphone doesn't fall below your ears, as the headband is basically large.
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This is just my opinion, but I feel that both Venus and COSMO are excellent headphones. Which one is better really comes down to personal preference. If you like a sound that focuses more on vocals, then Venus might be the better option. On the other hand, if you prefer a more natural and neutral sound, COSMO is the way to go.
Both have their strengths, but I believe COSMO is better suited to a wider range of music genres. As for the bass, in my opinion, the difference is very minimal.
Another key difference between Venus and COSMO is in terms of comfort and build quality. Venus has poor comfort, and the headband deteriorates and can fall apart (I’ve had to repair my Venus once). COSMO improves on these issues, so in aspects other than sound, COSMO is superior.
In conclusion, I do think it's worth upgrading from Venus, but the sound differences are more about preference, and you may find it better to switch between them depending on the music you're listening to.
For classical or orchestral music, I use Venus, and for rock or pop, I prefer COSMO.
I also own Para, but compared to the other two, the sound is noticeably odd, and I don’t like it as much.
I’ve posted demo sounds of Para, Venus, and COSMO on my X (Twitter), so feel free to check them out.
https://x.com/N3uroLink_/status/1841137373511631152?t=Tv_1bOD2YIMJUVlNtS1uSQ&s=19
Both have their strengths, but I believe COSMO is better suited to a wider range of music genres. As for the bass, in my opinion, the difference is very minimal.
Another key difference between Venus and COSMO is in terms of comfort and build quality. Venus has poor comfort, and the headband deteriorates and can fall apart (I’ve had to repair my Venus once). COSMO improves on these issues, so in aspects other than sound, COSMO is superior.
In conclusion, I do think it's worth upgrading from Venus, but the sound differences are more about preference, and you may find it better to switch between them depending on the music you're listening to.
For classical or orchestral music, I use Venus, and for rock or pop, I prefer COSMO.
I also own Para, but compared to the other two, the sound is noticeably odd, and I don’t like it as much.
I’ve posted demo sounds of Para, Venus, and COSMO on my X (Twitter), so feel free to check them out.
https://x.com/N3uroLink_/status/1841137373511631152?t=Tv_1bOD2YIMJUVlNtS1uSQ&s=19
TwizzyTonkaa
New Head-Fier
I feel like Cosmo uses an effect similar to AB1266 where there's a weak seal and the drivers are suspended to give a greater sound
Astral Abyss
1000+ Head-Fier
Well, I ordered a Cosmo at the discount price, so I will soon find out for myself.
TwizzyTonkaa
New Head-Fier
I found it extremely good sounding even on my mid-fi amp / dac combo
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