COSMO vs VENUS: which needs more amplifier?

The Moondrop COSMO is 15Ω at 81.8 dB/mW; the Moondrop VENUS is 18Ω at 82.6 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The COSMO needs 0.8 dB more than the VENUS to reach the same loudness — 66 mW against 55 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationCOSMOVENUS
Impedance15 Ω18 Ω
Sensitivity81.8 dB/mW82.6 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)100.0 dB/V100.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB66 mW55 mW
Voltage for 100 dB1.00 V0.99 V
Current for 100 dB66.4 mA55.3 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
1.88 Ω2.25 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
188225

Where the two part company

37 of the 280 sources have the power for the VENUS but not for the COSMO — FiiO SnowSky Tiny B, Fosi Audio N3, iBasso DC03 Pro, 34 more.

3 sources are low enough in output impedance for the VENUS under the one-eighth rule but not for the COSMO (Astell&Kern HC3, RME Fireface UFX II, RME Fireface UFX III).

188 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Moondrop COSMO and Moondrop VENUS. Every figure on this page comes from what Moondrop published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.