[eric65]

Hello everyone.

The new flagship of Moondrop, the COSMO, with its 100 mm diameter diaphragm and thickness of just 500 nm (0.5 um), joins the exclusive club of planar headphones with ultra-thin diaphragms.

For comparison, the 90 mm diameter diaphragm of the Audeze LCD-5 is also 0.5 um thick, with the following advertisement:
"The LCD-5 incorporates several technical improvements over the LCD-4. The 90mm diaphragm's Nano Scale polymer diaphragm is 0.5 microns thick—much thinner than the previous Ultra-Thin diaphragm and said to be among the world's thinnest."
Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audeze-lcd-5-headphones

Differences between these two high-end planar headphones (Moondrop COSMO and Audeze LCD-5,) apart from their FR (and tones) that everyone will judge, the price: 700,00 $US ! dollars versus 4 500,00 $US !

 

[eric65]

Hi all.

For non-Chinese (google image text translate : Chinese to English)

(In fact : see (read) this text instead: Cosmo Cosmopolitan)

 

[eric65]

4999 RMB = 690.92 US Dollar

 

[eric65]

Hello everyone.

Moondrop's future flagship, the COSMO, remains a heavy headphone to wear (just like Moondrop's previous planar flagship, the VENUS), but we can hope for a few dozen grams less to wear based on its lighter structure, more akin to that of the PARA than the VENUS. It remains heavy because it includes two rows of 9 magnets per driver (push-pull) compared with a single row of magnets (for the LCD-5).

The COSMO is obviously difficult to drive (like the VENUS and PARA), and a desktop amplifier is needed to get the most out of it, as these two photos show.

See also: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/moondrop-cosmo.27150/
and: https://space.bilibili.com/434249025/dynamic

 

[TheFritz]

The official version of the new flagship looks silver, and I noticed that Moondrop has launched Para's new pads.

I just received these EP-100A pads for my PARA from HifiGo and in case your just as optimistic/naive like me, a little warning:

I was fooled to believe by the product pictures in the shop (see below - there was no text information about these pads at the time I ordered) ...

... that the EP-100A pads come with the metal plates required to attach them to the PARA. They don't.

I asked the HifiGO-support about that and according to HifiGo, that's how the product is meant to be and they can't do anything about it (product pictures are provided to HifiGo by Moondrop). I was originally hoping for a second set of metal disks for quick swapping pads when I ordered ...

Additionally, you might get the idea from the product pictures ...

... that the inside of the pads is perforated/fenestrated... it is not.

Actually I am not impressed by the quite cheapish look, feel and sound of these EP-100A pads (they are comparable to generic 10 USD aliexpress pads) and prefer my PARA with the angled sheepskin leather pads I attached to them right at the beginning (but I might be biased now due to the disappointment from this purchase).

Edit:
I don't know if these pads are meant to be any different than hybrid ones of the stock ones - from my sound memory I do not think so.
The EP100A (as the original hybrid stock ones) are slightly more sibilant and "hotter" in the 7-8 kHz region than I like them to be (compared to my sheepskin pads).

HifiGo now included a note on their page "Note: This product includes only one pair of earpads; other items shown in the pictures are not included." .. too late for me. It is too much hassle to send them back.

 

[eric65]

Venus is the eternal king

Indeed, King (Queen) VENUS is not dead yet and remains formidable when it comes to listening to drums, many drums and I'd go so far as to say very many drums, with discernment and good dynamics.

Will the COSMO measure up to the VENUS ?

In any case, the PARA is lagging behind the VENUS, which is racing ahead, for this very interesting exercise in style; listen to this video below with your favorite headphones: can you hear each of the drum hits distinctly, with the right energy?
Are you in the crowd, carried along by the rolling of the drums, tapping your foot, in turn, to this frenzied rhythm?



EDIT: a bonus for percussion sound quality: here the VENUS is king (dynamics and timbre: perfect) and it has found its queen.

 

[eric65]

Hello everyone.

The new flagship of Moondrop, the COSMO, with its 100 mm diameter diaphragm and thickness of just 500 nm (0.5 um), joins the exclusive club of planar headphones with ultra-thin diaphragms.

For comparison, the 90 mm diameter diaphragm of the Audeze LCD-5 is also 0.5 um thick, with the following advertisement:
"The LCD-5 incorporates several technical improvements over the LCD-4. The 90mm diaphragm's Nano Scale polymer diaphragm is 0.5 microns thick—much thinner than the previous Ultra-Thin diaphragm and said to be among the world's thinnest."
Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audeze-lcd-5-headphones

Differences between these two high-end planar headphones (Moondrop COSMO and Audeze LCD-5,) apart from their FR (and tones) that everyone will judge, the price: $US 700 dollars versus US$ 4,500 !

The future comparison of Moondrop's future planar flagship, the COSMO (advanced price: US$ 700) with Audeze's current flagship: the LCD-5 (US$ 4,500) will be exciting.

Ridiculous comparison?

Unfortunately and most likely not (for Audeze).

Technologically speaking, apart from the fact that the Audeze LCD-5 has only one row of 8 magnets, as opposed to two (push-pull) rows of 9 magnets for the COSMO (just like the Hifiman Susvara, by the way) (theoretically guaranteeing less distortion than a single row of magnets, but at the expense of a heavier driver), the COSMO shares with the LCD-5 a waveguide extending the magnets (like the Susvara) (equivalent to "stealth" technology at Hifiman and "fazor" at Audeze); an FEA-optimized magnetic field (like the LCD-5), an ultra-thin 100 mm (90 mm for the LCD-5) nanoscale diaphragm : 0.5 um (500 nm) thick (like the LCD-5).

So, technologically speaking, the COSMO has nothing to envy the LCD-5 (nor the Susvara).

As for the tone (FR) of the COSMO compared with Audeze's LCD-5, it will be very interesting to compare, and this is unlikely to be to the LCD-5's advantage when we already compare the FR of the LCD-5 with that of the VENUS and PARA (see FR below in spoiler).

Spoiler

Compared with the VENUS, the LCD-5 lacks bass (below 50 Hz) and treble (above 6 KHz), and has a little too much upper midrange between 800 and 1500 Hz and also at 3 KHz, which must make voices a little shouty (compared with the VENUS).

Compared to the PARA, the LCD-5 has a bass level similar to the PARA (less so than the VENUS), it lacks just as much treble (above 6 KHz), it shares the same level hump at 3 KHz as the PARA (which is excessive) and still has that excess upper-midrange between 800 and 1500 KHz that must make voices a little shouty (which the PARA doesn't have).

Compared with the PARA and VENUS, with a great deal of reserve (caution), according to the first FR displayed for the COSMO in advertising, the COSMO should combine the best of the VENUS and PARA, in the midrange, upper midrange, treble and upper treble: it should be excellent (especially for the timbre which should be very natural) ; on the other hand, in the bass (below 50 Hz) it seems closer to PARA (and therefore to LCD-5) than to VENUS, which is king (with at least 3 dB more bass level below 50 Hz, especially if you deliberately break the watertight seal with eyeglass temples) and with a crazy dynamic range (for percussion) that brings it close to that of an Abyss AB1266!

Spoiler

Unseal the VENUS pads, by only a few mm, on their front side, as shown in the photo below, to :
- Increase the bass SPL of the VENUS by around +3 dB, between 30 and 70 Hz.
- Increase bass dynamics and the impact of a bass drum.
- Increase the spatial effect (volume of the soundstage).

A bit like a JPS Abyss AB1266

The VENUS makes this possible.

See the FR below of the VENUS in the bass, pads sealed and unsealed by eyeglass temples on their front.

This remains to be confirmed or disproved by future FR measurements of these Moondrop planar headphones (PARA, VENUS and COSMO) made on the same measurement platform, and also by comparative listening.
In my opinion, the VENUS is not about to be dethroned for bass, qualitatively, quantitatively and for its impressive dynamics (pads slightly unsealed on their front).

To be seen and, above all, heard, in the near future.

 

[delfin150]

A few days ago I had a pleasure to try some 300-500$ headphones( + HiFiMAN Arya Organic): Ananda nano, edition xs, hd490, hd650 and para. You can call me deaf, but Arya Organic and Para were way better than the rest, what’s more, I haven’t heard that price difference. I don’t know if Arya is overpriced or Para underpriced . Don’t get me wrong, Arya Organic is hell of a headphone, more lively and balanced compared to Para, which is brighter and midcentric. However, Para (if driven properly) is a little bit softer in the low and mid, has a touch of magic, without being far behind in terms of technicalities. TLTR: I prefer $300 Para over hyped $1300 Arya Organic. Either I’m deaf or Moondrop just broke the market. Now I’m wildly curious about Venus, if it is 2x better from Para, as the price suggests .

 

[eric65]

A few days ago I had a pleasure to try some 300-500$ headphones( + HiFiMAN Arya Organic): Ananda nano, edition xs, hd490, hd650 and para. You can call me deaf, but Arya Organic and Para were way better than the rest, what’s more, I haven’t heard that price difference. I don’t know if Arya is overpriced or Para underpriced . Don’t get me wrong, Arya Organic is hell of a headphone, more lively and balanced compared to Para, which is brighter and midcentric. However, Para (if driven properly) is a little bit softer in the low and mid, has a touch of magic, without being far behind in terms of technicalities. TLTR: I prefer $300 Para over hyped $1300 Arya Organic. Either I’m deaf or Moondrop just broke the market. Now I’m wildly curious about Venus, if it is 2x better from Para, as the price suggests .

Hi.

I have both headphones, the PARA and the VENUS (as you can see on this picture).

The VENUS isn't twice as good as the PARA, it's better balanced, less mid-centric, with more level bass and better bass, more dynamic, punchier, deeper, and a better soundstage, more precise and voluminous.
It's even more resolute than the PARA.
It's more driving and foot-tapping than PARA, especially with drums.

Spoiler

 

[acclimatise]

Hi.

I have both headphones, the PARA and the VENUS (as you can see on this picture).

The VENUS isn't twice as good as the PARA, it's better balanced, less mid-centric, with more level bass and better bass, more dynamic, punchier, deeper, and a better soundstage, more precise and voluminous.
It's even more resolute than the PARA.
It's more driving and foot-tapping than PARA, especially with drums.

Spoiler

Are you going to purchase COSMO ?

 

[eric65]

Are you going to purchase COSMO ?

Yes, with 99.9% probability.

Never two without three (Moondrop planar headphones).

I think the COSMO will complement the VENUS.

The VENUS should remain the king for bass and bass dynamics, but I think the COSMO will be even better than the VENUS for everything else (midrange and treble even more accurate in tone, natural, fluid and fine) ; that's the bet I'm making.

 

[eric65]

Hi.

On a YouTube video, I discovered the talented young percussionist Sina-drums, whose name is so apt, and whose rendering of the drums (cymbals, toms and bass drum) showcased the VENUS's dynamic capacity in the bass and the quality of its timbres, particularly on this memorable drum cover of "Child In Time" (Deep Purple), which I never tire of listening to again with the VENUS, so great is the quality of restitution.



But there's an even better test of drum sound quality in this behind-the-scenes recording of drums only: you'll hear cymbals, toms and bass drum in all their splendor and perfection, with a rare quality (for dynamics and timbre); it'll be an excellent test for your headphones.



The VENUS fares quite well, in fact very well indeed on this recording.
As I said before, VENUS is the king, and it has found its queen (Sina).

Honor also to German headphones (Pro) ; the Sennheiser HD-400 Pro headphones is also excellent on Sina's drums.

And finally, a little bonus, both for the quality of the sound and the demonstration of the very great and well-paced talent of the artist.

 

[acclimatise]

Hi.

On a YouTube video, I discovered the talented young percussionist Sina-drums, whose name is so apt, and whose rendering of the drums (cymbals, toms and bass drum) showcased the VENUS's dynamic capacity in the bass and the quality of its timbres, particularly on this memorable drum cover of "Child In Time" (Deep Purple), which I never tire of listening to again with the VENUS, so great is the quality of restitution.



But there's an even better test of drum sound quality in this behind-the-scenes recording of drums only: you'll hear cymbals, toms and bass drum in all their splendor and perfection, with a rare quality (for dynamics and timbre); it'll be an excellent test for your headphones.



The VENUS fares quite well, in fact very well indeed on this recording.
As I said before, VENUS is the king, and it has found its queen (Sina).

Honor also to German headphones (Pro) ; the Sennheiser HD-400 Pro headphones is also excellent on Sina's drums.

And finally, a little bonus, both for the quality of the sound and the demonstration of the very great and well-paced talent of the artist.

look at this
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1n...ck&vd_source=4a1d80dae8d3f9aeabf97c0f6a028b93

 

[acclimatise]

Hi.

On a YouTube video, I discovered the talented young percussionist Sina-drums, whose name is so apt, and whose rendering of the drums (cymbals, toms and bass drum) showcased the VENUS's dynamic capacity in the bass and the quality of its timbres, particularly on this memorable drum cover of "Child In Time" (Deep Purple), which I never tire of listening to again with the VENUS, so great is the quality of restitution.



But there's an even better test of drum sound quality in this behind-the-scenes recording of drums only: you'll hear cymbals, toms and bass drum in all their splendor and perfection, with a rare quality (for dynamics and timbre); it'll be an excellent test for your headphones.



The VENUS fares quite well, in fact very well indeed on this recording.
As I said before, VENUS is the king, and it has found its queen (Sina).

Honor also to German headphones (Pro) ; the Sennheiser HD-400 Pro headphones is also excellent on Sina's drums.

And finally, a little bonus, both for the quality of the sound and the demonstration of the very great and well-paced talent of the artist.

I bought COSMO just now through online shop, waiting for my unboxing.

 

[eric65]

I bought COSMO just now through online shop, waiting for my unboxing.

Wow!

Great.

We look forward to your feedback on the COSMO planar headphones, with the greatest attention.

COSMO versus VENUS
COSMO versus your best headphones
Best amp to drive the COSMO
Best cable to use with the COSMO.

You won't be bored.

EDIT: COSMO (last news) :
https://www.bilibili.com/opus/919351755613929491?spm_id_from=333.999.0.0
https://www.bilibili.com/opus/919414161504468997?spm_id_from=333.999.0.0
https://space.bilibili.com/434249025/dynamic