Have you tried the Echo 2?
I am very tempted by one but I have found a total of zero reviews.
Yeah it only just got announced, so I don’t know anyone who has heard it yet. All I’ve heard about it was that according to Upscale Audio, it sounds mostly similar to the Echo 1, but with a bit more air in the treble.
But I’ll admit, I’m definitely a bit biased towards Feliks Audio. 
I trust them that the Echo 2 will at least be as good as the 1.
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Yeah, closed is more of a “it would make sense for me to compliment my open Rad-0 and to combat occasional noise” but isn’t a requirement per se, thus my mentioning the Aeolus. Noted on your thoughts re: Aeolus though. The thinking there was that the Verite were described as the resolving detailed ones, and the Aeolus as the fun bob your head with the music ones, so seemed of interest. Would the Auteur be more of a difference to the Rad-0 then? Or should I move away from the ZMF house sound altogether? Seemed like my options were fun sounding headphones or detail/wide soundstage options to really differentiate from the Rads, which to my ear are good all rounders but don’t excel in one particular area.
Regarding the Aeon Flow 2 Noire idea, I know DCA isn’t really loved in headfi circles, though it seemed like the A2C was the exception (though candidly I still have an itch to try Ether 2s for some reason…)
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I think Auteur might be a good option if you’re curious about ZMF. I’d go for Auteur over Aeolus personally.
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I want to love my VC/ZMF, they’re so beautifully made and comfortable, I just like the Rad-0 more and they seem too close in sound properties to me.
Auteur might be a nice way to stick with ZMF and get something different out of it.
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Then I’d suggest the bottle head crack. 
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You would, wouldn’t you.
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Would you suggest that with a speedball upgrade?
I noticed that for headphones, I will also need to look into the cables. I saw that some cables have a dual 3.5 mm jacks for the headphones and then end with a 4 pin XLR connection to connect to the DAC.
However, if I am only using a mobile device or also a USB DAC/amp, I cannot directly connect the 4 pin XLR end into my phone’s 3.5 mm jack. I saw on Amazon that there are 3.5mm to 4 pin XLR female balanced adapter cables.
Is this the best solution for the cables?
No. The 4pin XLR is big and heavy. With the adapter, its twice as big and heavy. I’d get a new cable entirely. Or if it must be one cable with adapters, something like the Hart Audio system using the mini xlr.
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Also, never try to use an adapter from the headphone 3.5mm to a phone/dac/amp with XLR.
Phone 3.5mm to headphone XLR is ok but not the other way around.
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By all means use an XLR adapter if you like carrying a banana or flashlight along with your mobile device. Ugg. I wish the world had switched to 4.4mm pentacon before I got into audio.
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I haven’t been able to figure out if 4.4 has the same weakness to shorting as TRS does. Any idea?
2.5mm balanced is wayyyy too tiny and fragile. 3.5mm is too weak as well. I’ve not heard bad things about 4.4, but it may just be too new.
I wish they went with mini XLR.
Then again, it’s not a great solution for daps and phones.
Always. The sound without SB is pleasant, but SB adds far more benefits than the tiny bit of euphoric (sloppy to some) sound you lose.
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So. If a guy was tube-curious… better to start with base kit and add speedball alter, or just do it all at once?
It depends. If you’re the procrastinating type, like @TylersEclectic who waited a year, then do it all at once. 
Otherwise, give it a few weeks, let it settle in, get used to the sound, then add SB. You’ll appreciate the differences more, imo.
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One year. Pfft. I can out procrastinate that while I’m still procrastinating putting one hand behind my back.
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You lose. I was expecting a reply next week. 
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