[navii]

To be honest, it's not as good as I imagined. I prefer venus, but I need to run it for a longer time to make a more definitive judgment.

Are the earpads leather? They look like it.

 

[eric65]

To be honest, it's not as good as I imagined. I prefer venus, but I need to run it for a longer time to make a more definitive judgment.

The tone of the COSMO is different from the VENUS as you can see in this comparative FR curve between these two headphones below.

A question of taste, not to mention the different technicality.

I advise you to give yourself a little time to unaccustomed you to the sound of the VENUS in order to fully appreciate the new sound of the COSMO.

 

[acclimatise]

Yes, I need more time. I think it's more like Para 2 than an upgraded version of Venus, just a first impression.

 

[eric65]

Hi.

An idea: try the COSMO with the stock balanced silver-plated copper litz wire cable (V-Line series) from the VENUS, you should have more sparkle in the highs with the COSMO if you find them a little dull compared to those of the VENUS (which are quite bright).

 

[acclimatise]

Hi.

An idea: try the COSMO with the stock balanced silver-plated copper litz wire cable (V-Line series) from the VENUS, you should have more sparkle in the highs with the COSMO if you find them a little dull compared to those of the VENUS (which are quite bright).

I think you would like COSMO because it is more suitable for headphone amplifiers than speaker amplifiers. I prefer VENUS because I drive with speaker amplifiers.

 

[farits]

In the end, Venus remains a goddess)))

 

[eric65]

I think you would like COSMO because it is more suitable for headphone amplifiers than speaker amplifiers. I prefer VENUS because I drive with speaker amplifiers.

I think that the VENUS and the COSMO are two complementary headphones (and with distinct tones) (note: see comparative FR curve of these two headphones in my previous post above).

For amplification, I would have no other choice than to use my VIVA 2A3 tube amplifier (output power 2 x 3 Watt on 32 Ohms and 2 x 1.5 W on 15-18 Ohm).
The marriage of this tube amp is, for me, excellent with the VENUS.

See that the official sensitivities of the VENUS and COSMO are almost identical: COSMO: sensitivity 100 dB / Vrms - 15 Ohm (82 dB/mW)(@1 KHz); VENUS: sensitivity 100 dB / Vrms - 18 Ohm (82.5 dB/mW) (@1 KHz), I hope that the COSMO will also be well driven, with the same iron fist in a velvet glove as the VENUS, with this same VIVA 2A3 amplifier, very qualitative, both for dynamics and for timbres.

 

[acclimatise]

I think that the VENUS and the COSMO are two complementary headphones (and with distinct tones) (note: see comparative FR curve of these two headphones in my previous post above).

For amplification, I would have no other choice than to use my VIVA 2A3 tube amplifier (output power 2 x 3 Watt on 32 Ohms and 2 x 1.5 W on 15-18 Ohm).
The marriage of this tube amp is, for me, excellent with the VENUS.

See that the official sensitivities of the VENUS and COSMO are almost identical: COSMO: sensitivity 100 dB / Vrms - 15 Ohm (82 dB/mW)(@1 KHz); VENUS: sensitivity 100 dB / Vrms - 18 Ohm (82.5 dB/mW) (@1 KHz), I hope that the COSMO will also be well driven, with the same iron fist in a velvet glove as the VENUS, with this same VIVA 2A3 amplifier, very qualitative, both for dynamics and for timbres.

I went out for dinner and it kept playing music. When I came back, I felt the sound had improved a lot, so it really took time to run. I think my best policy before it runs for 100 hours is to shut up.

 

[JuanPablito]

Question, wait for Cosmo or just buy Venus? Bit worried about that headstrap because i have big head. But its much cheaper

 

[eric65]

Question, wait for Cosmo or just buy Venus? Bit worried about that headstrap because i have big head. But its much cheaper

Hi.

If the COSMO headband is sized like that of the PARA, no problem for big heads, because it is large; it may even be too long for small heads.
Wearing the PARA is very comfortable, despite its weight.
(Note: I have a big head myself).

 

[JuanPablito]

Hi.

If the COSMO headband is sized like that of the PARA, no problem for big heads, because it is large; it may even be too big for small heads.
Wearing the PARA is very comfortable, despite its weight.
(Note: I have a big head myself).

And what about Venus head strap. What I've read in this thread and on Reddit it's bit of an weak point. does this material lose its elasticity over time? Could I for example buy strap from exactly same material on Amazon or AliExpress and diy replacement strap? I'm leaning towards Venus because it's in my local retailer inventory and any refund or repairs would be done thru them instead of sending headphones to china for more than 100usd. Other option would be waiting for Cosmo to arrive in Europe and buy it from local distributor but it will be in few months time. Yeah, that elastic head strap without any vertical adjustment is what I'm worried about in Venus.

 

[eric65]

And what about Venus head strap. What I've read in this thread and on Reddit it's bit of an weak point. does this material lose its elasticity over time? Could I for example buy strap from exactly same material on Amazon or AliExpress and diy replacement strap? I'm leaning towards Venus because it's in my local retailer inventory and any refund or repairs would be done thru them instead of sending headphones to china for more than 100usd. Other option would be waiting for Cosmo to arrive in Europe and buy it from local distributor but it will be in few months time. Yeah, that elastic head strap without any vertical adjustment is what I'm worried about in Venus.

Hi, there.

Yes, the PARA headband (and probably the COSMO headband, which looks a lot like it) is preferable to the VENUS headband, which I find less practical and a little less comfortable to wear than the excellent PARA headband, which is simple, effective and very comfortable to wear, with perfect clamping (including for my big head: sufficient clamping but not too strong).

Yes, the VENUS headband has its flaws, in terms of design, and the presence of an elastic band isn't all that practical, unless you have a standard-sized head (not too big in particular); no, the elastic band hasn't stretched over time.

But to repeat my philosophy, every problem has a solution, there's nothing insurmountable (or prohibitive) with the VENUS headband, you just have to adapt at it, and it would be a shame to deprive yourself of such a good headphones, the VENUS, especially at its price, when it seems to me a perfect complement to the COSMO (note, the COSMO doesn't replace the VENUS, it complements it), and for just a few euros/dollar, you can permanently remedy the design flaw in the VENUS headband (see the two links below, mine and that of @acclimatise).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...nar-new-flagship.970569/page-17#post-17931947
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...nar-new-flagship.970569/page-10#post-17876236

 

[JuanPablito]

Hi, there.

Yes, the PARA headband (and probably the COSMO headband, which looks a lot like it) is preferable to the VENUS headband, which I find less practical and a little less comfortable to wear than the excellent PARA headband, which is simple, effective and very comfortable to wear, with perfect clamping (including for my big head: sufficient clamping but not too strong).

Yes, the VENUS headband has its flaws, in terms of design, and the presence of an elastic band isn't all that practical, unless you have a standard-sized head (not too big in particular); no, the elastic band hasn't stretched over time.

But to repeat my philosophy, every problem has a solution, there's nothing insurmountable (or prohibitive) with the VENUS headband, you just have to adapt at it, and it would be a shame to deprive yourself of such a good headphones, the VENUS, especially at its price, when it seems to me a perfect complement to the COSMO (note, the COSMO doesn't replace the VENUS, it complements it), and for just a few euros/dollar, you can permanently remedy the design flaw in the VENUS headband (see the two links below, mine and that of @acclimatise).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...nar-new-flagship.970569/page-17#post-17931947
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...nar-new-flagship.970569/page-10#post-17876236

Manufacturers should just offer replacement parts on their websites for diy modifications and repairs. It would be nice to change headband for PARA version or just buy spare straps. Like whole theme of exposed hex screws scream repairability and ease of dissasembly but u have to ask them for spare parts.

 

[eric65]

Hello everyone.

What are the amplification needs of the VENUS and also the COSMO, with the same official sensitivity of 100 dB/Vrms (@1 KHz) and very similar impedance (15 Ohm for the COSMO versus 18 Ohm for the VENUS) ?

Without going so far as to use a VIVA 2A3 tube amp, which I use daily with my VENUS to my great delight (and soon the COSMO) (nb output power of the Viva 2A3 amp : 2 x 3 Watt on 32 Ohm and approx. 2 x 1.5 Watt on 15-18 Ohm) ; for your amplification of these Moondrop Planar headphones, you should also consider the effective sensitivity of the VENUS (and COSMO), which is in practice is greater than the official sensitivity measured at @1 KHz: it is (this effective sensitivity) measured for the VENUS at 106 dB/Vrms (between 100 Hz and 10 KHz); nearly 89 dB/mW SPL - average impedance 17.7 Ohm, which is very significantly higher than the effective sensitivity of the Hifiman Susvara, which is only 95 dB/Vrms (between 100 Hz and 10 KHz); nearly 83 dB/mW SPL - average impedance 61.8 Ohm, as measured on the RAA measurement site.
See also this post : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/how...ones-driving-difficulty.972470/#post-18075697

Knowing these figures for the effective sensitivity of the VENUS (and of the COSMO, whose sensitivity is very similar to that of the VENUS, by the same token), what amplification is recommended, with sufficient power, to listen to these two headphones (VENUS and COSMO) ?

This review (of the VENUS) may provide the answer: https://headfonics.com/moondrop-venus-review/2/

The minimum power requirement for amplification, to drive the VENUS (of 18 Ohm impedance) very correctly (and very probably the COSMO (of 15 Ohm impedance) having almost the same sensitivity as the VENUS, within 0.5 dB SPL) is very probably of 2 x 2 W @32 Ohm load and of 2 x 1 W @16 Ohm load (very close to the impedance of COSMO: 15 Ohm and of VENUS: 18 Ohm).

Here, for an example of a competent headphones amplifier, given by the above review, and powerful enough to drive the VENUS very correctly: FIIO K9 PRO ESS (dac/amp)

SINGLE-ENDED HEADPHONE OUTPUT PERFORMANCES (JACK 6.35MM)
Output power	≥ 1.1W @ 16Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN ≥ 2W @ 32Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN ≥ 278mW @ 300Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN
Output impedance	< 1Ω (32Ω)
Crosstalk	≥ 75dB (1kHz, 32Ω, AUX IN)
THD+N	< 0.0005% (1kHz/32Ω/dBA)
Noise floor	< 2µV(dBA)
SNR	≥ 123dBA
Frequency response	20Hz~20kHz (-3dB)
Max output voltage	> 256Vp-p

BALANCED HEADPHONE OUTPUT PERFORMANCES (JACK 4.4MM, XLR4)
Output power	≥ 1.1W @ 16Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN ≥ 2W @ 32Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN ≥ 278mW @ 300Ω, THD+N < 1%, AUX IN
Output impedance	< 1Ω (32Ω)
Crosstalk	≥ 114dB (1kHz, AUX IN)
THD+N	< 0.0004% (1kHz/32Ω/dBA)
Noise floor	< 3µV(dBA)
SNR	≥ 123dBA
Frequency floor	5Hz~50kHz (-3dB)
Max output level	>51Vp-p

Source: https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...-hd-ldac-32bit-384khz-dsd256-mqa-p-16578.html

To conclude this post, I present you the contest of 3 waifu (those of the VENUS, the PARA and the COSMO): I won't say what I prefer, but I can already say that I love all three of them!

VENUS

PARA

COSMO

 

[acclimatise]

In terms of my current listening experience, I still firmly believe that VENUS is the better earphone, The relatively low selling price may be due to being the first model.
Venus has a noticeably larger sound field, more open sound, and stronger reverberation dynamics, while COSMO is easier to drive a little bit. I still think COSMO is more like the second-generation PARA. But the sound of COSMO is still slowly changing, becoming fuller and more relaxed, and looking forward to a longer run. BTW, I don't like COSMO's pads, so I bought three different pads. When I listen, I will update my listening experience in more detail.