Moondrop Para 2 Planar Headphone Review

[yo!]

You'll really want push 20 dB in to try to fix this thight supernotch? I don't think so.

 

[Dk33145]

You'll really want push 20 dB in to try to fix this thight supernotch? I don't think so.

If it would be fixable sure but digging in more and seeing that measurements around 10k and over aren't super accurate to begin with and so it becomes tough to know how much to adjust by. Makes me wonder why the big penalty then.

 

[yo!]

It begins beyound 3 kHz that measurements / individual forms effects the outcome and starts to show different results.
You never know if the 9 k notch wanders around a bit or if it is something complete different in another setup. And it is no dramatic fault either. If it were a peak it would be more of a problem.

 

[migo77]

For me 9k peak (and some around 12k) is audible and needed to put it down a bit. This is PEQ what I'm using right now.

 

[yo!]

IMHO, this is not the kind of artefact a EQ can solve.
There is a real world cause in geometry around 4 cm size distance / form which is responsible for that, that could be found and if possible, corrected.
But first try with a freq gen how you hear this frequencies with this earphone.

 

[Dk33145]

IMHO, this is not the kind of artefact a EQ can solve.
There is a real world cause in geometry around 4 cm size distance / form which is responsible for that, that could be found and if possible, corrected.
But first try with a freq gen how you hear this frequencies with this earphone.

Good idea; that 10k freq is definitely audible on the tone generator for me. Though I have to say Maiky's EQ is quite wonderful and adding back in anything around 10k (even as low as +2) actually makes it sound too bright and tiring for my taste. Read somewhere that starting around this freq, the Harman curve doesn't have a ton of agreement, I can "hear" why. I have auditioned cans that cost way more than this one and they all have that too bright sound that it hurts my brain and ears, now I understand why.

 

[yo!]

OK, nice!

To me the Harman curves are all too shouty, even the newer calmer ones.
I like a pinna gain around 8 dB from 1 to 3k and then fast falling 6k down to normal level again. This is my prefered setup. It's not often that I choose 10 dB pinna gain and Harman like slow fade out to 10 k. I tried multiple times, but more often it's simply painful to listen, gives me chainsaw vibes
But then, I have big ears and pinna. Maybe this explains somehow, that Asians more often prefer gains raising up to 5k.

 

[Chagall]

OK, nice!

To me the Harman curves are all too shouty, even the newer calmer ones.
I like a pinna gain around 8 dB from 1 to 3k and then fast falling 6k down to normal level again. This is my prefered setup. It's not often that I choose 10 dB pinna gain and Harman like slow fade out to 10 k. I tried multiple times, but more often it's simply painful to listen, gives me chainsaw vibes
But then, I have big ears and pinna. Maybe this explains somehow, that Asians more often prefer gains raising up to 5k.

Harman is the worst form of preference curves, except for all the others...
Winston Churchill

Joking aside I find flat bass curves much worse in that regard, more shouty - at least Harman has some kind of balance.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Well, I’ve bitten. I’ve order a pair, they’ve arrived, and are waiting in their box until the Topping DX5ii arrives (ordered and due next Tuesday).

Up until recently it looked like the Dan Clark Stealth were the state of the art. The differences between those and these?

1 - The Stealth are closer to target…
2 - …but these can be EQ’d to be pretty much identical to the Stealth…
3 - …or anything else you want, because of…
4 - …incredibly low distortion, which is better than the Stealth.
5 - The Stealth costs 8 (EIGHT!) times more than these.

It had me thinking, I know how much Amir loves his Sennheiser HD6..s, but what does he use for everyday listening? And reading in further in this thread, it appears he now uses these.

‘Issues’ may be to do with comfort/weight/headband, but most reviewers seem to start off saying these might be problems, but ultimately find they’re not.

If the FR is pretty much perfect (or can be EQ’d to that), and even after EQ their distortion is pretty much the lowest on the market, are these not end game headphones?

I suppose I’m about to find out.

 

[Oldson]

Well, I’ve bitten. I’ve order a pair, they’ve arrived, and are waiting in their box until the Topping DX5ii arrives (ordered and due next Tuesday).

Up until recently it looked like the Dan Clark Stealth were the state of the art. The differences between those and these?

1 - The Stealth are closer to target…
2 - …but these can be EQ’d to be pretty much identical to the Stealth…
3 - …or anything else you want, because of…
4 - …incredibly low distortion, which is better than the Stealth.
5 - The Stealth costs 8 (EIGHT!) times more than these.

It had me thinking, I know how much Amir loves his Sennheiser HD6..s, but what does he use for everyday listening? And reading in further in this thread, it appears he now uses these.

‘Issues’ may be to do with comfort/weight/headband, but most reviewers seem to start off saying these might be problems, but ultimately find they’re not.

If the FR is pretty much perfect (or can be EQ’d to that), and even after EQ their distortion is pretty much the lowest on the market, are these not end game headphones?

I suppose I’m about to find out.

i've been unable to find them in stock anywhere in UK

 

[Dk33145]

Well, I’ve bitten. I’ve order a pair, they’ve arrived, and are waiting in their box until the Topping DX5ii arrives (ordered and due next Tuesday).

Up until recently it looked like the Dan Clark Stealth were the state of the art. The differences between those and these?

1 - The Stealth are closer to target…
2 - …but these can be EQ’d to be pretty much identical to the Stealth…
3 - …or anything else you want, because of…
4 - …incredibly low distortion, which is better than the Stealth.
5 - The Stealth costs 8 (EIGHT!) times more than these.

It had me thinking, I know how much Amir loves his Sennheiser HD6..s, but what does he use for everyday listening? And reading in further in this thread, it appears he now uses these.

‘Issues’ may be to do with comfort/weight/headband, but most reviewers seem to start off saying these might be problems, but ultimately find they’re not.

If the FR is pretty much perfect (or can be EQ’d to that), and even after EQ their distortion is pretty much the lowest on the market, are these not end game headphones?

I suppose I’m about to find out.

The Para 2 are awesome and especially on the Dx5 II which is my set up. You'll be very happy with it as an endgame set up. Having said that, it does get dinged for FR at the 10k dip and above which is not handled well by EQ if at all (I perceive this as a less sharp/fast attack in the treble especially if and when the music does require it). The Verum 2 gets dinged less and I have that too but then its soundstage isn't quite nearly as good. It depends on the genre type which one is better. On high dynamic range tracks requiring a wide soundstage, like classical music or even "atmospheric" pop, Para 2 is spine chillingly good. On "radio friendly", lower dynamic range tracks like top 40s stuff, Verum 2 wins based on clarity.

 

[Oldson]

assuming i am going to use eq, how do these Para 2's improve on something cheaper like a Sundara , for instance?

 

[Dk33145]

assuming i am going to use eq, how do these Para 2's improve on something cheaper like a Sundara , for instance?

The soundstage is stunning along with the accurate FR under 9k makes certain sounds very lifelike. Some percussive sounds for example are indistinguishable for me from real life and made me look over my shoulder! Overall a darker and more laid-back presentation with expansive soundstage. After quite a bit of research and auditioning, I don't know of cheaper cans with similar qualities or I would have bought them! In the price range probably only Verum 2 is better and even then only for certain tracks.

 

[Henreid]

I don't think anything in the research involved sub-bass. The tracks used in Harman research did not have such content. It is there that I find the enhancement most impressive. You get a ton of deep bass response without making the overall sound boomy. My sense is that vast majority of people would prefer to have this sub-bass response.

I'm a fan of Baroque organ music. J.S. Bach is said to have preferred pipe organs that included a 32-foot pedal stop, which is a low C tone at approximately 16 Hz. Organ compositions rarely call for a note that low, and it's in the realm of sub-bass we're more likely to feel rather than hear. It's also doubtful we'd ever encounter frequencies that low on any music recording. Still, I have enormous appreciation for headphones like the Para 2 that are able to produce sub-bass accurately and without distortion. And while movie lovers would ideally want to hear their Blu-ray recordings that contain sub-bass soundtracks (some reaching below 20 Hz) through subwoofers in a Home Theater system, I consider it a great value to have headphones that can provide a similar experience circumaurally, and maintain their composure when doing that.

 

[Henreid]

Bending the steel band worked for me. You need to repeat it until you fell it is enough. Clamping is OK now for me.

Thanks for mentioning that it's possible to increase the clamping force on the Para 2 simply by bending the metal headband inward. Unfortunately, I have a cranium that's narrower than most folks, and loose fit was the primary concern I had that made me wonder if these headphones would be suitable for me.

 

[migo77]

Thanks for mentioning that it's possible to increase the clamping force on the Para 2 simply by bending the metal headband inward. Unfortunately, I have a cranium that's narrower than most folks, and loose fit was the primary concern I had that made me wonder if these headphones would be suitable for me.

No one can give you right answer unfortunately, only you by trying it. Maybe with headband strap modification (mounting it upside down) + bending steal headband bridge will fit your head.

 

[Henreid]

We're approaching Chinese New Year (February 17, 2026). In previous years, have discounts been offered on Moondrop headphones during the holiday period, similar to Black Friday sales?

 

[Dk33145]

Thanks for mentioning that it's possible to increase the clamping force on the Para 2 simply by bending the metal headband inward. Unfortunately, I have a cranium that's narrower than most folks, and loose fit was the primary concern I had that made me wonder if these headphones would be suitable for me.

To be honest, if you have a narrower head, you probably won't like the fit. I have a larger head than average, and still use between the smallest and 2nd smallest setting and it is still loose, almost surely by design. It kind of floats on your head and contributes to that ethereal feel. The headband doesn't exert much clamping force, as much as moves the cans up and down. As Amir mentioned, it makes it damn comfortable, but very loose feeling.

 

[Henreid]

To be honest, if you have a narrower head, you probably won't like the fit.

You'd think manufacturers would understand by now that if they make their headphones more adaptable to fit the greatest range of head sizes - whether wide or narrow - they'd have a better chance of selling more product. It's disappointing to learn that the Para 2 has such low clamp force it would just slide off my head, because I thought I'd finally found the headphone to end the "analysis paralysis" that's been keeping me from making a purchase. My searches haven't turned up another headphone model that offers comparable sound quality in the $500 price range. Maybe I could wear the Para 2 under a swim cap. At this stage in my frustration, I'm only half-joking

 

[Dk33145]

You'd think manufacturers would understand by now that if they make their headphones more adaptable to fit the greatest range of head sizes - whether wide or narrow - they'd have a better chance of selling more product. It's disappointing to learn that the Para 2 has such low clamp force it would just slide off my head, because I thought I'd finally found the headphone to end the "analysis paralysis" that's been keeping me from making a purchase. My searches haven't turned up another headphone model that offers comparable sound quality in the $500 price range. Maybe I could wear the Para 2 under a swim cap. At this stage in my frustration, I'm only half-joking

Unfortunately, I think it was a design choice. Some of the other headphones I have tried are kind of like that too, like the FT7. They are aiming for that barely there sensation. One thing I have learned from shopping for my first sets of nice cans, is that they don't make these things to fit everyone whether it be the sound profile or the fit etc. Seems like at the mid to higher end, a lot of these are all niche products. Makes sense in a way if you are spending all that hard-earned money, you want something that is almost bespoke to you.