Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Moondrop - Aria 2 | Shure - AONIC 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Impedance | 32 Ω | 36 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 122 dB | 119 dB |
| Driver count | 1 | 3 |
Between the Aria 2 and AONIC 5, the Aria 2 comes out ahead in impedance / sensitivity, while the AONIC 5 wins on driver count. Overall, the Aria 2 scores 65.4 and the AONIC 5 scores 66.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (65.4 vs 66.4). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Aria 2 if you care most about impedance / sensitivity. The biggest gaps in its favor are impedance, sensitivity. The single most decisive one: Impedance — 4.00 Ω less. 32 vs 36.
Pick the AONIC 5 if you care most about driver count. Its strongest claims are driver count. The single most decisive one: Driver count — 2.00 more. 3 vs 1.
Both ship with comparable detachable cable, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Moondrop - Aria 2 or Shure - AONIC 5?
Shure - AONIC 5 leads the current Mars Score by 1.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver count, impedance, sensitivity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Moondrop - Aria 2 if…
Moondrop - Aria 2 has the measurable edge on impedance ohm, sensitivity db.
Choose Shure - AONIC 5 if…
Shure - AONIC 5 has the measurable edge on driver count.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Moondrop - Aria 2 wins
- ▲Impedance — 4.00 Ω less. 32 vs 36.
- ▲Sensitivity — 2.52% more. 122 dB vs 119 dB.
Why Shure - AONIC 5 wins
- ▲Driver count — 2.00 more. 3 vs 1.
Spec comparison
Drivers
| Spec | Moondrop - Aria 2 | Shure - AONIC 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver count | 1 | 3lead |
| Driver types | Dynamic | Triple Balanced Armature |
| Impedanceⓘ | 32 Ωlead | 36 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 122 dBlead | 119 dB |
Build
| Spec | Moondrop - Aria 2 | Shure - AONIC 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Detachable cable | true | true |
| Connector | 0.78mm 2-pinlead | MMCX |