Yup, I tried all my amps those included. The overall sound signature just never made me feel what I wanted as compared to other cans…
If I was first starting out these would be fine…the comfort is superb but the sound signature means more to me than that…ie my HEDD’s…HEAVY, BIG etc…but the sound…
Alls good…
The Ether 2 and AFO2 are pretty different in terms of sound signature as well as dynamics.
The Ether 2 has a darker tonality that I know threw a lot of people off initially when it was launched but its detail and resolution are a couple notches above the AFO2.
I’ve heard that the new Ether 2 pads do a good job of giving the Ether 2s a more friendly FR.
The Ether 2 remain as one of the most comfortable $2k and up headphones as well.
Thanks for the reply Taron…
-----Robert
Thanks for the response. It’s a bummer they don’t have better dynamics than the K371. My hunt for a true closed-back upgrade continues.
Thanks again!
I did read that on DCA’s website, as well. However, DCA seems to have a misunderstanding as to what the Harman Curve is, as they described it as V-shaped on their site, and the headphone itself already sounded, to me, just a little bit V-shaped.
I thought I was nuts thinking the A2O was significantly brighter and more annoying to listen to at CanJam and chalked it up to that unit being broken.
Guess not.
A2C so far has also impressed me as well. Thinking if I decide to go with a passive upgrade from Mobius maybe this would be it. I’m really not a big Elegia fan personally.
I swear you didn’t like the Aeon 2’s not that long ago? Said their dynamics sucked?
That would probably be their biggest drawback yeah.
Haven’t had the chance to hear them personally, given no stores in my City have them.
Just curious on Metals flip to actually liking them now? They interest me as a closed back option for sure.
I currently have a pair on loan (Closed version) and I’m not really ‘feeling’ them.
They have decent detail, but the vocals seem slightly veiled, and they lack sub-bass. The highs can get congested, but Imaging is pretty good.
I don’t use eq and I’m not sure the issues I’ve observed can be fixed with it.
They are comfortable, and they have a nice, innovative folding mechanism. I also like the cable and their BNC connectors.
ah, I see what you mean. i think these measurements of the aeon closed with perforated pads have me intrigued
What flip? Dynamics are the only drawback of A2C. The original had neither dynamics nor resolution nor soundstage. Aeon 1 is not Aeon 2. Now they’ve got excellent resolution with the A2C which alone puts them in a unique spot in the market along with being quite travelable. Just wish they wouldn’t be marketed as easy to drive because they’re not.
did you hear the recession in the upper mids and the 8k-ish peak in the closed? did the stock FR bother you at all?
I wanted to clarify that I think a good deal of what I’m hearing is related the cup/closed back design. There’s an overall “cupped” sound that’s affecting things, if that makes sense.
One of those Headphone show videos. Didn’t seem impressed with the A2C at all. Now you’re considering owning a pair.
So I tried the Aeon 2C, with and without the perforated pads from Dan Clark, which i ordered directly from Dan Clark Audio. My impression of the closed is that the slightly recessed upper mids made things sound a bit stuffy, and emphasized the upper bass/low mids between 100-300hz. With the perforated pads, the 2C sounds more lively and actually more “neutral.” The low mid emphasis is still there, but doesn’t seem amplified by the perforated pads. But the recession in the upper mids is gone, and though the headphones continue to sound bright, they no longer sound sibilant. The upper mids/low treble seem less peaky with the perforated pads. Comparing to my Sundara, the midrange below 1k sounds a tiny bit recessed on the Aeon 2C with the perforated pads, and the treble on the 2C sounds brighter. But I think putting perforated pads on the 2C actually makes it a more balanced tonality. Would love to see a GRAS measurement of the 2C with both types of pads!!!
But I think putting perforated pads on the 2C actually makes it a more balanced tonality. Would love to see a GRAS measurement of the 2C with both types of pads!!!
These would be very nice. If somebody could get their hands on the new Dekoni pads for the A2’s and measured them, that would be even better!
gonna leave this here
First time poster and lurker of many forums!
As an owner of the Aeon2 closed I can compare them to the following:
Focal Elgia
The Aeons sound more full and natural sounding vs the brightness of the Elgia’s more upfront presentation. Build quality on the Focal feels better (they feel premium) but the Aeon has better bass vs the rather thin sounding experience with the Elgia. I would go as far as to say the Aeon sounds more ‘open’ than the Elgia and this is with stock pads. To my ear the Aeon is more natural although there is a slight peak to the treble which can be controlled with the tuning pads. The Focal sounds much brighter with less bass emphasis which may suit those that prefer that presentation. The Aeon is much warmer with the same level of detail.
Sennheiser HD 660
Vocals on the Sennheiser are a benchmark in my opinion. Listening to Simon & Garfunkel it feels like they are whispering in my ear on some tracks. A truly excellent presentation and experience. The Aeon sound a little less ‘life like’ when it comes to the vocal presentation but more than make up for it with their ability to convey the nuances in a track and general resolution and sense of musicality; something I think the Sennheiser misses. I love the Sennheiser’s ability to portray vocals and my wish would be to have this ability to convey this realism with the Aeon’s rich natural tone and musicality. I’m sure there is a headphone out there that can do this, I just can afford it at the moment.
Audeze LCD 1
Not a fair comparison as the Aeon’s are twice the price but where the Audeze really excel is in their ability to provide the vocal clarity of the HD 660 in a wider sounding more accurate tonal fashion. They lack in terms of dynamic expression to that of the HD 660 and the headband creak is intrusive and spoils what could be a great entry level planner headphone. The build quality on the Aeon is miles better as is the dynamic ability to convey those emotions that make you sit back and think ‘wow’ I love this track! The Aeon’s are fuller and present a similar soundstage with more ‘emotion’!
Denon D7200
A headphone that I can find very little positives for. A muffled sounding headphone that seems to roll off far to early in the treble region. It’s almost like listening to bi-wired speakers with the tweeter switched off. I paid over £500 for these headphones and they are disappointing with no extension at the top end and a soundstage that feels like it comes directly from the driver vs that out of the head experience that every other headphone listed can convey to one degree or another. A truly disappointing experience in every respect. They were retuned for a full refund.
Summary
So are the Aeon 2’s closed the best headphone I have owned? Yes!! My headphone journey may be limited but I compare this experience to a 2.1 channel set I once owned. I had ADM active speakers with the ADM sub and the Aeon matches my experience in terms of clarity, soundstage, and slam that I had albeit with a more closed in intimate experience. Family additions permitting I would choose the ADM’s over the headphone experience all day but life changes along with our ability to enjoy music. That being the case the Aeon’s satisfy me in every respect and I have no complaints; a truly excellent headphone! I just miss that 2 channel presentation from being able to sit on the sofa and have the music presented in front of me rather than inside of me.
I should add that all testing has been done via the RMW ADI-2 DAC FS. It’s not cheap at over £800 here in the UK although it does sound clear and controlled as has just enough power to drive the Aeon’s. I run in high power mode between -20 to -11 DBr with the supplied cable. Talking about the supplied cable with the Aeon’s it is a little microphonic but this is usually forgotten when the music is playing. It could be better and although Dan Clark offer an upgrade it is quite expensive all things considered.
Andy, you should definitely try out the perforated pads for your Aeons! I liked the Aeon 2’s with the stock pads and the white filters, but the perforated pads with the white tuning filters are great