Short answer: the Grado Hemp. It ranks #53 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $495; the Moondrop Para 2 ranks #88, rated 3.9/5, and costs $499.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Grado Hemp does well: A preference score of 83 with mids within about 1 dB of target (upper mids 1.1 dB above, low mids 0.2 dB above) gives vocals and instruments a natural presence. The catch: Sub-bass is about 10 dB below target under 60 Hz, a large loss that removes most deep rumble.
Buy the Grado Hemp. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Moondrop Para 2 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Grado Hemp | Moondrop Para 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $495.00 | $499.99 |
| Ranked | #53 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #88 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 83 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.41 dB standard deviation | 2.37 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-11.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-6.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | 9 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99.8 dB SPL | 106 dB/Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 13Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 42kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 100mm planar magnetic |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Grado Hemp compares with other leading options:
- Stax SR-L300 vs Grado Hemp
- Edifier Stax Spirit S3 vs Grado Hemp
- Grado Hemp vs HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet Version
- Grado Hemp vs HIFIMAN Arya Stealth
- Moondrop Para 2 vs Sennheiser HD 660S2
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Grado Hemp: $495.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 83 with mids within about 1 dB of target (upper mids 1.1 dB above, low mids 0.2 dB above) gives vocals and instruments a natural presence. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is within 1 dB of target, and the neutral tilt of 0.09 fits listeners who want a balanced tonality. At 38 ohms and 99.8 dB sensitivity it is easy to drive from a phone or laptop.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 10 dB below target under 60 Hz, a large loss that removes most deep rumble. A 5 dB peak near 2.2 kHz can add forwardness to voices, and a 6 dB dip near 5.3 kHz takes some bite from cymbals and consonants. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.
Full Grado Hemp review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.41 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 13Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 83 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99.8 dB SPL |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-11.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,779 Hz | +5.8 dB | 3.08 |
| Peak | 103 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.63 |
| Peak | 2,201 Hz | -5.7 dB | 3.90 |
| Peak | 3,309 Hz | +4.0 dB | 4.69 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 627 Hz | +0.5 dB | 1.53 |
| Peak | 276 Hz | -1.0 dB | 4.28 |
| Peak | 4,235 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 45 Hz | +0.7 dB | 4.16 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Moondrop Para 2: $499.99 Amazon eBay
Full Moondrop Para 2 review and specifications →
| Released | 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.37 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 100mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 42kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 9 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-6.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons