Table of Contents
Introduction
The rankings for the Panda has been up for a few months now. This is just a full formal review at the request of some readers.
Oppo is probably most famous for their PM3 planar magnetic headphone, one of the first planars on the market that was specifically designed for portable use. It was pretty decent though personally I wasn’t that big of a fan.
And then in April of 2018, Oppo announced that they’ll be ending their line of headphones (also their Blu-ray players, but that’s not really relevant here). So while many mourned for the loss of Oppo in the headphone scene, I was part of the quiet few who shrugged and went on with their lives without a care in the world.
Imagine my surprise when the Panda was… well, dropped. A headphone built by Drop in collaboration with THX that’s very clearly inspired by the PM3 (using the same driver too!), with their own spins and twists on the formula that put Oppo on the headphone map.
Now to be clear, I have some very personal love towards planar headphones, mostly revolving around their bass presentations. But I’m also insanely picky, with most of Audeze’s lineup doing nothing for me and only a select few Hifimans being my personal recommendations (sound wise, not build wise). The PM3 wasn’t really my thing back when it was popular, but let’s see if Drop can change my mind.
Product page: https://drop.com/buy/drop-wireless-headphones/
MSRP: $400
Driver configuration: Planar
This Panda was kindly provided by Drop.
Signature & Tonality
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The Panda’s sound signature can be described as simply “warm”. Lower frequencies are up front and centre on the Panda, providing a very deep and thick colouration to the overall sound.
It’s not a tuning that I can really approve of, considering that there is a pervasive sense of cloying and “mush” when listening to them. There is not a lot of bite or intensity to the Panda’s tonality, which may be a decent segue to say that they could very well specialise in the typical male vocals and stringed instruments, but I’m not exactly enjoying those on the Panda either. Sure, female vocals sound expectedly husky and the Pandas fall apart with any kind of percussive instrument, but even male vocals have a sense of nasal-ness and chestiness that constantly distracts me.
That said, it’s not like the Pandas are doing a particularly bad interpretation of this “warm-thick” sound signature. The general timbre of instruments is still somewhat preserved, albeit heavily coloured, and isn’t skewed completely to one specific range of instruments even within the realm of planar headphones. It’s not my thing, but looking at it from a different perspective… I can see a diehard segment of the market finding enjoyment in these cans.
However my criticism still stands; my main complaint with the Panda’s tonality is that it’s simply “too thick”. Too rich, too decadent, and ultimately too heavy to properly present the nuances in the upper harmonics of instruments. A one-trick pony that took its one trick too far.
Tone grade: B-
For more information on the grading system, click here
Technicalities
If you thought the tuning was the Panda’s Achilles’ Heel, then strap yourselves in.
My biggest issue with the Panda is that it is blunt. Hits are soft, lacking impact and virtually textureless. This has broad effects on the overall technical ability of the Panda of course, the most obvious being its utter lack of resolving ability.
Forget the microdetailing, they can barely resolve the surface level, with notes smearing and obscuring each other constantly. From a technical perspective, listening to music (specifically, familiar tracks) on the Panda is exhausting in that the brain is constantly filling in missing detail that they gloss over. Now I usually make it a point to have the headphone/earphone I am reviewing on my head while writing the post, but I just gave up with the Panda midway.
Its blunt attack also has an unfortunate double-whammy combo with the warm/downsloping tuning, resulting in a veiled, muddy, and muffled presentation all around.
Imaging is slightly below average, not quite Sony MDR-7506/V6/CD900ST level but nothing to brag about either. The overall soundstage width is alright but where the Panda really struggles is in instrumental positioning, where things get rather undefined and blob-ish. Barely acceptable with studio mixes, but keep the Pandas far away from orchestral tracks and live mixes.
Technical grade: D-
For more information on the grading system, click here
Valuation
The Panda has been touted as the audiophile’s alternative to the popular Bose 700 headphone, the Sony WH-1000XM4, and more recently, the Apple AirPods Max.
Personally, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I’d pick all three over the Panda. Even if sound quality is the only concern in the comparison.
At $400 it handily blows past the WH1000XM4 and Bose 700, both of which are marked at $350 MSRP and retails for under $300 in recent times. And the AirPods Max, while priced at a whopping $550, isn’t too far off from the Panda either. The Panda is clearly aiming for the hifi consumer/prosumer market, though I’m not sure if it’s ready for that if it can’t beat the competition at the one thing it’s supposed to dominate on: sound quality.
And it’s not like these headphones are the crème de la crème in terms of raw audio fidelity either; notice here that I’m specifically avoiding comparisons with the audiophile market headphones, and for good reason. Against headphones like the Sundara ($350), the ATH-R70x ($350) or even closed-backs like the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless ($400, review soon), the Panda isn’t even part of the conversation.
Is there potential? Maybe, since Drop is planning a firmware update that allows the Panda to store EQ profiles, so that could help with its tonal problems. But for everything else, it’s a tough sell.
Value Rating: N/A
For more information on the grading system, click here
Conclusion
The Panda is a good concept on paper: an audiophile-quality headphone packaged to appeal to the masses with a sleek minimalist design and true wireless functionality.
In practice, where the Panda disappoints in the sound. Passable tonal balance, but unfortunately plagued with subpar technicalities and results in a smeared, blunted presentation. Consumer friendly? Seems like the Panda has that on lock. Audiophile-quality? That’s where In-Ear Fidelity has to disagree.
Grade: D+
Awarded grades are in reference to the Ranking List.
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7 thoughts on “Drop + THX Panda Review: To Be Blunt”
Thanks for the review! I came away from the Panda feelings similarly. Especially when A/B’ing it against other more resolved headphones, these sounded “mushy” to me. I’m glad I’m not alone hearing this – to one degree or another.
How would you compare its technicalities to the original MrSpeakers AEON Flow Closed? I really like mine in terms of soundstage reproduction (definitely not the typical “closed can” feeling) as well as midrange and treble details, but dislike that its bass transients and quality feel quite soft and slow, loose, especially for planar magnetic standards (my HE400 is a whole different league in terms of bass speed and tightness in comparison).
I read this review a while ago but I hadn’t received mine yet. I bookmarked it to re-read since it was such a different review to most others. I reckon you’re way off here. I know ‘good’ cans is a subjective thing but I’ve got to assume there’s something wrong with your set based on the entire technicalities section.
I wouldn’t even bother with my 712s in most cases now.
The Pandas did sound a bit odd for the first few hours like a lot of headphones do and their wired sound lacks a little in the higher frequencies but between these and my HD25s, 712s and the whatever my ANC Marshall things are called, I can’t really think of a situation I wouldn’t use these.
I don’t think that I’ve ever disagreed with a review more than I do this one! The timbre & tonality of voices with the Panda is excellent. They are way better than both Sony & Bose in their overall presentation. What you criticize as husky, nasal & chesty, I perceive as truth. Some voices are husky or nasally or chesty & there are more than a few headphones that miss this quality on artists that I am very familiar with. These do not.
Yes, they are they on the warm side of neutral but not offensively so. They have a very musical presentation that only falls a bit short in treble extension. Very reminiscent of something like a LS 3/5A of similar speaker.
being better than sony or bose tuning-wise is a remarkably low bar lmfao
but of course, it’s all subjective, and if you like the panda then you like the panda
But they are really a lot ahead of theses headphones. Tried Boses, Sonys, Senns. But Pandas are (for me of course) best of these by a vagon (very long). From functionality point of view, Sonys delivers. From comfort point of view, Bose delivers. But of course, everyone prefer different sound or has different listening experience and all reviews and opinions are highly subjective. Theres no absolute truth.
I just picked up these cans off Amazon. I’ve got probably 6 hours on mine. Owner of the Sennheiser HD 280 pros, Sennheiser momentum’s and Samsung galaxy buds. I may not have the best headphone fleet but I do have an extensive high end speaker and component collection. Headphones are a new game considering I’ve spent thousands looking for the perfect speakers for multi channel audio..I know what sounds good to me.. and these Panda’s.. I’m stuck in the middle. They are very warm, no where near bright but I’m hearing sounds in recordings that only my high end speakers could give me and only if I paid enough attention. The creak of the piano thrown, the sliding on fingers on guitar strings, the lead singer calling the cadence to his band members. I never got that with any of my other headphones. Are the muddy/mushy? Yes a little but they have a ton of detail for Bluetooth headphones. The destroy the Sony 1000xm3’s.. I’m sure they would best the xm4’s too. Bose 700? Bose really? These companies use DSP to control their sound, they are not tuned to the degree the Panda’s are. Drop did a good job with these and the firmware update will only help. A touch brighter and bring the sound out of the back of my head.. would be my only request. These are decent headphones not a D-.. not even close.