After gauging community feedback, Drop decided to tweak the tuning of the PM-3 driver to remove some of its perceived treble ‘darkness’, and to help increase its detail-retrieval abilities. Tuning-wise they were looking to strike a fine balance between detail + resolution and ensuring that the voicing is neither grating nor fatiguing. The PM-3’s voicing was further tweaked with the addition of a new pad structure, to increase frequency range extension via a better overall seal.
With driver and amplification technology sorted, Drop then needed to source A1 digital components and technology to help feed the Panda with the best-possible signal, and give it the digital talents required in a premium wireless product in 2020. To ensure that the Panda’s connectivity was as capable as possible and to ensure it remains viable long into the future, Qualcomm’s 5100 series of chipsets has been employed. Straight of the box, the Panda will feature adaptive Aptx Low-latency/HD, meaning a latency of only 40ms, which is good news for gamers and those planning to watch videos. Currently the highest fidelity audio codec available, Sony’s LDAC is the absolute benchmark when it comes to wireless performance. However, LDAC needed to be made compatible with the new Qualcomm chipset, meaning Drop needed to work with Sony to implement LDAC on the Panda and needed to write the libraries themselves.
Will explained that Drop’s goal with the Drop THX Panda was to create a product whose wireless performance was indistinguishable from its wired performance, and so ensuring the best possible Bluetooth technology was essential. According to Drop’s claim that the Panda is the “World’s first headphone with matching FR +THD measurements in passive and active mode”, and it sounds like they believe they’ve achieved it. Our conversation got even more interesting when I got a sense of some of the features that might make their way into the potential upgrade-path for the Panda, including robust Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capability; the ability to apply loudness + EQ curves; and even (theoretically) using the Panda’s 2 x in-built microphones to compensate for outside noise with an active cancellation effect. Pretty cool – let’s watch this space, but for now let’s focus on what the Panda will give you for your $399 at launch.
Drop + THX Panda.
Meet the Drop THX Panda
So with all the community requests, ideas and innovation that has gone into the Panda, what exactly do we have on our hands? Some might think that having to tick so many boxes might result in a Frankenstein-esque creation, reminiscent of Homer Simpson’s Car. Or, have Drop managed to create a ‘Unicorn’ – a wireless closed-back headphone that’s usable, comfortable, portable, and also happens to sounds awesome?
On paper, it certainly seems like it might just be:
- Headphone type: Closed, planar magnetic
- Bluetooth wireless technology: 5.0
- Effective range: Line of sight, approximately 10 m (30 ft)
- Battery life: 30+ hours
- Impedance: 26 ohms
- Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1kHz / 1mW
- Isolation: -40 dB
- THD: 94 dB SPL @ 300Hz < 0.1%
- THX-AAA-0™ Amplifier: -130 dB THD, 2.6 uV A-wt noise, and 10 mW power consumption
- Frequency response: 10–50,000 Hz
- Driver unit: 55mm, ribbon planar magnetic
- Microphones: Dual
- Weight: 13.2 oz (375 g)
The article continues on the third page. Click here or use the jumps below.
Peter
Great review! These are on the list now! Seen a lot of reviewers raving about them already, but this review is a bit more thorough then the rest of them. Great job!
Matty Graham
Thanks Peter, glad to hear you found it useful – I hope you enjoy the production model.
Robert
How would the Panda compare with the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless?
Matty Graham
Cheers Peter! I hope it gave you a good idea as to what we can expect when the launch version arrives.
Robert
How would the Panda compare with the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless?
Matty Graham
It would be an interesting comparison – that’s for sure. The Panda is a little more ‘purist’ in the way it’s been designed, but not having compared directly I couldn’t say exactly – it probably depends on whether you’re a traveller (and need ANC), or looking for straight-up SQ.
Usman
A comparison to the Sony WH-1000XM3 would also be helpful !
Matty Graham
Hey Usman, I don’t have either on hand to compare any more, but I distinctly remember the Sony having a dark, mid bass-centric sound. And of course, they’re designed to actively cancel noise. The Panda is hands-down better in terms of sound quality, and I’d say it’s passive isolation is a “fine” trade-off.
Toni
About Panda vs Meze 99 Classics – which do you prefer was more comfortable? Do you think that Panda had bigger and softer pads or how was it? I have Meze’s and I’m thinking to purchase Panda for office use. I like the Meze’s but sometimes I just wish that the pads were softer and maybe a bit bigger.
Matty Graham
Hi Toni, the Panda is a snugger, more comfortable fit overall and also isolates better.
arnold
Nice review!
How does the sound quality compare to the Audeze EL-8?
Ajith Nambiar
How does one get hands on a panda in Australia. The drop check out says doesn’t ship to Aus when I put my address as Melbourne.
Tony Peng
I think nowadays would be a lot harder, I got my pair in Australia via the Panda was still in crowd funding stage on Indiegogo. Now you can only purchase it through the official website on Drop
Zaza Asatiani
Hi Matty, you did a fantastic job. Thanks!
Can we say that Drop Panda is the best sounding wireless headphones currently available on the market?
Before I heard about Panda for first time, I had a dillemma to decide between Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, Audio-Technica DSR9BT and Shure Ionic 50.
Have you listend to them as well? Any comparison with Panda?
Best Regards,
Zaza
akira
hey, ive been searching for a long time for a comparison between the mobius and panda. could you please elaborate on that comparison. I really wanna know which one sounds better
. Im planning to use it with a fiio m5.
I just want to know which one sounds better
Matty Graham
Hi mate, I’ve just got my hands on the production Panda so I’ll let you know in a week or so after I’ve had a good listen to them.
akira
thanks sooo much, ive heard the mobius arent good for music but I dont believe that. id like to hear from you what you think about them both. seeing as your an experienced audiophile