Hello everyone.
Small interlude.
Sorry my set list used to compare headphones includes quite a few Zimmers.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moo...-reasonable-price.970569/page-6#post-17858587
At the beginning of the afternoon (in France) I listened to the first demo (that of Gladiator), with in the order of listening: The Thror, the HD-400 Pro, the HD-58X, the VENUS then the PARA, then switching from one headphone to another to study several details and confirm or deny my first impressions.
But on this demo alone (note: hearing and viewing it with wearing glasses with medium arms, the ones I use for watching movies or driving), I'm a little afraid that the mass has been said.
However, to maintain the suspense, knowing that I only listened to one demo out of four this afternoon, I will still listen to the other three.
Do we ever know.
I go back to my listening.
(three and a half hours later) ..
I'm not going to prolong the suspense any longer.
The three other demos listened to this afternoon did not change anything from my first listening impressions at the beginning of the afternoon, on the first demo.
Verdict, which should not surprise René too much.
I just want to clarify that I listened to these demos on my main Hi-Fi system (see the photo of the system below), with my ear sensitivity which is mine (with a shortened hearing above 10- 12 KHz).
Drum roll ...
VENUS >> PARA >= HD-58X > HD-400 Pro > Thror.
Two headphones stand out from the crowd.
-
The VENUS: it really stands out from all the other headphones, and is well ahead of them all.
- The Thror, and this is less glorious for it, because it also stands out from all the others, but by its least realistic tone of all and its shortened frequency response at both ends of the audio spectrum (amputation of part of the sound message, which is a shame).
The Thror listened to on the first demo is still very "midds-centric", has the least bass and sub-bass of all the headphones tested and cuts off the treble and harmonics in the treble, for vocals, but also violin, high percussion (cymbals) and brass which appear dull, lacking sparkle and brilliance. He's a little sad.
The VENUS stands out from all the others; it is from another class.
It is better in everything: it is the one which has the most beautiful timbres, the most refined, the most realistic, with the most beautiful midrange, the finest treble, the best balanced (for my ear); it is the one which is also the most detailed (to bring out the sound micro-details, perceived distinctly without the effect of blurring or mixing with other sounds); it is by far the most nuanced, with timbres that are both soft and detailed; it is also the one which offers the largest, most precise, best focused, most detailed soundstage, with a clear detachment of the instruments from each other, of the choir in the background, which stands out very distinctly from all the other instruments, themselves well placed and focused “materialized” in a distinct way.
It is the most three-dimensional soundstage with this “black background” which allows the instruments and voices to stand out that other headphones do not have.
In short, this is the best headphones of all, by far, after these test demos.
For the beauty of the tones, I retain 3 of the 5 headphones tested.
The VENUS, the one which gives both the most beautiful and good timbres (for listening to voices and instruments); most realistic and credible timbre (tone).
The HD-58X and the PARA tied for 2nd place.
The HD-58X gives slightly warmer tones than the PARA, which is comparatively a little colder.
The PARA is of the same level of technicality and sound resolution as the HD-58X; it differs from the HD-58X, apart from its comparatively a little "colder" timbres, by a slightly larger soundstage (similar to that of the HD-400 Pro/HD-560S); the other undeniable advantage of PARA, on Sennheiser headphones, is that it will suit large heads with significantly less clamping than that of the HD-58X, for example.
The level of sound detail is identical. It's a more "midds-centric" headphone than the VENUS, but much less "midds-centric" so than the Thror (much shorter at both ends of the audio spectrum at both ends of the audio spectrum); the timbres are much more accurate and natural than the Thror; it does not cut off the bass and sub-bass, nor the treble and harmonics in the treble (like the Thror); it is softer (calmer) than the VENUS in the treble (just like the HD-58X); however a little more sparkle in the treble of the PARA would not have bothered me.
As already said, the timbres of the PARA are beautiful, just like those of the HD-58X which compared to the PARA appear slightly "warmer"; but they do not reach the sumptuousness of the timbres of VENUS, imho of a class quite clearly above.
The refinement of the VENUS and the resolution are unrivaled, compared to all the other headphones tested (see the headphones comparison photo below).
Finally, for those who are not a fan of Hans Zimmer and his audio-visual concert (very well recorded) on DVD or Blu-ray (LPCM 48 KHz sound format), I listened with these headphones to the voice of the french soprano Natalie DESSAY, on the CD entitled DESSAY Nougaro, with my D1 Drive CD player + Audiomat dac ; and indeed the hierarchy given above, which I will put this time in reverse order is perfectly respected :
Thror < HD-400 Pro < HD-58X <= PARA << VENUS.
The VENUS stands above the rest, in a class of its own (superior) ; the Thror brings up the rear.
In this last demo, very time we go from one headphone to another, starting with the Thror and ending with the VENUS, we say to ourselves that it's better, until we end up with the VENUS where we say to ourselves: wow, how beautiful it is ! We're approaching perfection (which doesn't exist), but that's the impression we get when switching from one headphone to another.
Just a remark concerning the
comparison of the HD-400 Pro with the PARA, which seems interesting to me: on the one hand, with the Sennheiser HD-400 Pro, we have a "professional" reference electrodynamic headphone, which is used for mastering and mixing of sounds; on the other (Moondrop PARA) we also have here a high level (planar) headphone, at a similar price (300 Euros for the PARA and 220 Euros for the HD-400).
The advantage of
the PARA over the HD-400 Pro (apart from its packaging, which is more pleasant to look at
), is the quality of its construction, almost all metal (or at least in appearance), whereas the HD- 400 Pro is almost all plastic.
The soundstages are quite similar, quite wide (more than deep), even if they do not reach (by far) the dimensions, precision and three-dimensionality of the VENUS soundstage.
The refinement of the PARA timbres is greater than that of the HD-400 Pro (wich comparatively have timbres that are a little rougher, less fine), and quite close to that of the HD-58X (finer than the HD- 400 Pro), but well below the VENUS, the most refined of all and in another (higher) class .
There's also more treble with the HD-400 Pro, comparatively brighter than the PARA (and HD-58X); comparatively the PARA is less bright; as already said, a hint of extra treble with the PARA would not have done any harm to give more sparkle to the brass and shine to the cymbals; a question of taste and ear sensitivity, perhaps.
Otherwise, don't forget that the PARA is a difficult headphone to drive and demanding for amplification (unlike the HD-400 Pro/ HD-560S); As much as the HD-400 Pro can be used on a PC sound card, you will need a real amplifier with "juice" to drive the PARA, which is not a particularly sensitive headphone.
I think the PARA is a good alternative headphone to the Sennheiser HD-400 Pro and HD-58X headphones, each having their respective qualities and faults. It's up to you to see (and above all to listen in turn).
I also think that the PARA does better (for sound) when the sound message is not too complex (like the last demo of my headphones comparisons, with the very well rendered voice, by the PARA, of the soprano voice of Natalie DESSAY and of a few accompanying instruments).
On the other hand, the PARA shows its limits more quickly on more complex and polyphonic sound messages (as with the music of Hans Zimmer), while the VENUS, which in no way simplifies the sound message (as the PARA does somewhat, less discriminant) is significantly more efficient (and to its advantage) by standing out with a good head (and a good class) compared to all the other headphones tested.
As for the VENUS, I don't see any competitors in all the headphones I've ever listened to (NB: I'm not taking into account the Sennheiser HE-1, out of the running due to its excessive price).
Otherwise,
choosing between an HD-800 and a VENUS, I have not the shadow of a doubt: I choose
the VENUS, even if the soundstage of the HD-800 is interesting, as is its definition , which are great.
I'll leave you to your thoughts.
PS: as for the future of my headphones.
I am thinking of giving my PARA to my eldest son; I hope it will be more successful than the Thror, at least to his ear.
As for the Thror, it will soon be placed on the shelf of a glass cabinet to protect it from dust; it deserves at least that.
Note: the original of the two French posts translated into English here (for this headphones comparison) is here:
https://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post181284221.html#p181284221
![NOC]$$D4QZW0G~P`8OAYE5S.png](https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/12334900.png)
