Regarding A2C I own it and enjoy it but I prefer it on a Tube [hybrid presently hopefully DHT here very soon] for much the same reason I like HD 800 on a tube, the tonality is more correct I feel on tube amps same as with HD 800. The linearity of solid state does A2C NO favors in my limited experience
I’ll say that even the more “natural” sounding solid state amps like the original Rupert Neve HeadAmp do HD 800 no favors, as you wind up with a more natural mid-range but the bass has toooo much bloom. That isn’t to say all more natural sounding solid state amps will render HD 800 the same but the majority of the ones I’ve tried haven’t been to my liking, an with A2C[And HD 800 honestly] on a powerful SS like the SP200 the staging is a little weak and the midrange sounds slightly off…
The only exception to that HD800 experience has been the Aune B1S which isn’t the most detailed and the portable QP2R [slightly better], so some of the current gain stuff to my ears helps HD 800 have a more natural midrange but even then I find myself going back to tube amps for an overall more correct “natural” presentation
An interestingly enough I enjoy A2C with my Ember II which only outputs maybe at best 600 mW into that, though it’s likely lower
In my home system without a ton of power it still does pretty well, more so than when I run it on the SP200 which has at least double [if not triple] the output into the >13ohm A2C load
I’ll also add I don’t much like the tonality if Focal nor the staging, both are a touch too forward. Utopia is the most tolerable but the models I heard 2/3 years ago were a little shy in their bass presentation, maybe that’s changed but I’ve come to accept the Focal line and voicing just doesn’t sit right with me
It’s likely others will feel the same about A2C, so having some guy run around talking about how terrible it is is’t surprising. I’m just disappointed he hasn’t come to accept that we all perceive [and hear] harmonics/frequency response a little differently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-JGAobDwGs I like this video on the subject, thanks to @I_want_all_the_tacos
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@mshenay have you tried running your A2C via a MCTH?
I have not, do we have a more detailed measure of it’s power output? It’s only rated for 1W @50 Ohms
Ember II for example is rated for like 2+ around 60 or so but it’s output is parabolic so it does far less into the what 16 [or 13?] ohm A2C
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I can confirm the Aeon2C sound great with the Drop Cavalli Tube Hybrid/D90 pairing, not as good as the LYR3/Bifrost2 combo but for significantly less money pretty damn enjoyable.
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In response to my last post, Listening to the Aeon2C today at my workstation desktop setup, and I have to say these headphones have a good synergy with my SMSLSP200 THX amp, generally when at my desktop I use my MCTH amp with my other cans. However when listening to the Aeon2C the stage widens and the bass is much tighter. I would say this is likely a big part of the extra current that this THX amp provides. Once again an important factor to take into account with the Aeon’s. Listening to Lana Del Rey right now and pretty much every song seems to grab more detail, and an overall better sounding performance for these headphones. I can’t stress enough the more current these hungry little planars get the better they sound, you can really notice a difference from low gain on the THX amp to high gain as well vs. the Elegia I felt had a less forgiving synergy with the SMSL SP200 THX.
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That was a tour de force of a review and a quiet instruction book on depth of field and composition.
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I just purchased Elegia from the folks at this great forum site. Great headphones. I also have Aeon Flow Closed v1 (Blue). I prefer the Elegia thus far. Headphone “Head Compression” is a touch firm, but not an issue.
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congratulations!
nice to read, you are enjoying them so far
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Wooha! Congrats @rrwwss52! I just got mine a few weeks back from headphones.com as well. Welcome to the Focal club 
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I’m on the market for a closed back headphone and I have to thank Marcello for his detailed insights. While aesthetically I prefer the Aeon2C, for the kind of music I listen to and for drivability I believe I’ll end up buying the Elegia. I travel a lot and thought the Aeon would be a better option because of the smaller form factor but the detail about driving them properly is pushing me to Elegia. I regularly use a Dragonfly Red or Cobalt when I travel and thanks to Marcello I know it won’t be enough for AE2C. I also understand Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli’s piano will come out better from the Elegia than from AE2C. Thank you so much to Marcello and to all the community. Stay safe and take care. MC
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@monochromios thanks Stefano! I think the Elegia been discontinued now, but it still can be found online.
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You’re welcome Marcello. Yes, Elegia discontinued now but easily available from online stores at good prices which is always a plus.
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Perfectly said.
I needed a (really) portable pair of closed planars and A2C (actually Aeon Noire) were what I got.
They have their pros and their cons as all headphones have.
Every closed back headphone is in some way a compromise and at the end of the day they are just instruments to listen to music.
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