Closer Examination

MOONDROP is keeping things simple with a single cable provided with the COSMO, as opposed to including a single-ended as well as a balanced cable with the VENUS before. This is a very good cable, using eight strands of ultrapure single-crystal copper conductor. The cable uses a 4.4 mm balanced termination headed to your source, and we also get a matching 8-strand adapter cable allowing you to use an amplifier with 6.35 mm (1/4") single-ended output too. The cable is thick but not unmanageable, and certainly feels supple enough to re-shape as required, let alone manage the cable around your desk easily. It uses black anodized aluminium hardware, comes with a MOONDROP-branded cable tie, and has plenty of strain relief wherever necessary. The cable splits into two past the, well, splitter and thereafter heads to two 3.5 mm TRS connectors with L/R markings to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively. The metal connectors are gold-plated for oxidation resistance, as usual.


The MOONDROP COSMO, as with the VENUS and PARA before, is among the largest over-ear set of headphones in my collection. It's not bulky given the actual elements used are on the thinner side as evident from the front-on view above, but still ends up taller and wider on the other two dimensions. These headphones also feel quite solid in the hands, although I will say the industrial design feels like a step-down from the less-expensive VENUS. We still have a CNC-machined aluminium alloy chassis here, but the headband assembly is thinner and less comfortable. The top band is not as wide as on the VENUS and the suspension band is now just a thin section of suede which flops around when not in use. The end result is the COSMO is more bottom-heavy than I'd like, effectively losing out on that plush self-suspending band of the VENUS. The finish and aesthetics everywhere continue the industrial design scheme employed with MOONDROP's planar magnetic headphones, it's not going to win any art awards. I do like that everything is attached using screws, making repairs and mods easier than usual. This time we do see a cover on the inside to conceal the screw ends, and there's branding along with L/R markings on either side facing out as seen above.


MOONDROP has gone from the self-sizing mechanism of the VENUS to a more traditional one with the PARA, and we see the same here on the COSMO too. There are sliders which can be moved up or down in four steps, and this works well to also help match the two sides to the same level. The issue is that the headphones, and thus also the associated headband spacing, is already on the larger side to begin with. The smallest step may itself be too large for some people, so I really would have preferred more sizing steps on either side here. While I am complaining, that thin suspension band used here could have been wider, along with having some ventilation holes to minimize hot spots on the top of your head.


The headband assembly is screwed to the ear cups on either side such that the securement points double up as hinges, allowing for the ear cups to swivel in either direction, but then we see MOONDROP has deliberately added in stop points to limit the amount of cup swivel. There is enough movement to where I am not overly concerned about people struggling to get the ear cups around the ears to get a good seal though, and we see above how there is also plenty of rotation up and down too. While this means you can't lie the COSMO flat on your desk, I feel it instead can add to the solid feeling expected from premium headphones when you hold the ear cups in your hands, and they don't move around too much.


With MOONDROP firmly going for an industrial design here, the ear cup grilles on the COSMO go for a simple, yet effective, pattern of pill-shaped openings in the aluminium. There is a fine mesh underneath to prevent contaminants from impacting the drivers, so we can confidently say the COSMO is not unveiled. The ear cups are on the slimmer side as are the ear pads themselves, and I am happy to see MOONDROP is using another fan-favorite feature from the PARA here with the magnetic attachment system for the ear pads. Note how the stitch mark is lined on the side where the clamp secures the cups as opposed to the bottom by the cable connectors as with most other headphones. Then you can simply pull off the ear pads to reveal a metal plate which fits inside the back and helps secure the pads using the magnetic force from the driver magnets. MOONDROP has two protective screens between your ears and the drivers too, with one on the plastic baffle—another way they have reduced weight here compared to the VENUS—that only provides a teaser look at the planar magnetic drivers used here.


I previously mentioned how the stock ear pads on the MOONDROP COSMO are on the slimmer side, but even that feels like an understatement once I examined them separately. These stock pads remind me of the thin Cowhide Caldera pads from ZMF, and I can certainly see people complaining their ears would touch the magnets. Now the two separate barrier screens make more sense! The pads are made of suede on the inner lining and lambskin elsewhere, are round to match the ear cups, and have enough room horizontally and vertically at least. They use medium-density foam filling and are contoured to be thicker on the back compared to the front, which allows for a better fit and seal. Interestingly, the pads are not fenestrated, so these would be less breathable but could have higher bass impact and extension.


On the bottom of the ear cups is an extension where we find 3.5 mm ports for the cable connectors to easily click in place. They are directed at a slight angle downward to prevent the cables from hitting your shoulders, say, as on the VENUS. The cable does not fit in completely though, leaving a gap where you can see the gold-plated plug between the black housing and extension. This is a small thing, but should have been accounted for by MOONDROP to help with a cleaner look. You can always get aftermarket cables as desired, although I did not feel the stock cable was holding back the COSMO in any way. Also, if you plan to use a headphone stand, then get one which allows the COSMO to be supported off the metal headband rather than the suspension band, to avoid unnecessary wear.