Mr. Speakers AEON

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by mscott58, Jan 29, 2017.

  1. Soliloqueen

    Soliloqueen Friend

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    they also share one of my favorite traits of the paradox: they're still fun at low and very low listening levels, thanks to the driver response and the isolation
     
  2. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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  3. Soliloqueen

    Soliloqueen Friend

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    Closed
     
  4. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    Okay, that makes perfect sense.

    The AFO will give you the warmth and musical engagement you're missing currently.
     
  5. Soliloqueen

    Soliloqueen Friend

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    The AFO definitely closes the gap, but i really have to reiterate how insanely similar these are to the paradox. they're almost exactly the same, except the treble is a fair bit tizzier. depending on the song i almost forget i'm wearing different headphones, and i'm a pretty critical listener.

    i have no real reason to recommend these over the paradox, which sits at 199 less for an almost identical experience, but i'm also not sad i bought them to replace mine. there's not even enough of a difference to lament anything about the purchase or make comparisons

    like okay, you know how when you buy a new set of headphones and you're really used to another set of headphones, you put them on and you're like "wow, that's different" for a while. i'm experiencing no such thing paradox -> aeon c. there is no "ok wow gonna have to get used to this." it's almost upsetting how similar they are, i've never heard two headphones sound this similar in my entire life.

    i can imagine why. the paradox is a modded t50rp and the aeon closed is tuned to sound like a modded t50rp, so it's to be expected, but i'm still taken aback.

    i mean, the biggest difference is the little valley between 100hz and 500hz compared to the paradox. female vocals sound a little hollow, but that's nothing EQ can't fix.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2018
  6. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    My only complaint thus far regarding the AFO is the stock cable. It's kind of...a nightmare.

    It kinks and coils and is way too stiff. Does it loosen up as time goes on? This pair is only three days old now.

    I got really spoiled by the Norne Audio cable @Ice-man uses with his.
     
  7. JuniorsGradez

    JuniorsGradez New

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    It goes without saying that the HD650 is a classic but I enjoy my AFO a bit more. I have played with the 1-notch white filter and the black filter and am torn on which delivers the best sound to my ears.
     
  8. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    According to Dan, the headphones were tuned with the 1-notch filter in mind, which is why they come pre-installed.

    I've listened with no filters at all since I got them, but I suppose it's time to give the other options a far shot. My initial impression is that they veil the sound a bit too much, but we'll see what happens once my ears have a chance to adjust.
     
  9. Out Of Your Head

    Out Of Your Head Friend

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    I received a new, unopened pair of Aeon Flow Closed as a gift and I have too many headphones!
    PM me if anyone wants to buy them. Make me an offer. (I'm in California, FYI.)
     
  10. aamefford

    aamefford Nothing like chamberpot coffee

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    My impressions of @Hands loaner pair (thank you profusely @Hands!). Hopefully not too fanboy-ish.

    Mr. Speakers Aeon Closed Listening Notes


    I’ve been listening to a pair of Ether C v1.1’s as my only headphones for a couple of years now. My desire in trying out the Aeon was basically to see just how bad I got hosed buying the Ether C’s brand new with a 10’ dum cable for about $1,850 after tax and shipping.


    All listening was switching back and forth, usually after 1 to 2 songs.


    Songs used most frequently:

    Rush “Witch Hunt” and sometimes “Vital Signs” as it follows on the “Moving Pictures” album. Great tinkly bells and chimes, big, fat percussion runs, Geddy’s bass runs.

    Diana Krall - “Girl in the Other Room” from the album of the same name, nice piano, breathy in your ear vocals. Sometimes Temptation from the same album for the cool upright bass intro.

    Cowboy Junkies “Mining for Gold” from the original Trinity “Sessions” album. Great a cappella vocals, and especially the undercurrent of what are apparently the heater pipes rattling in the church where the album was recorded. The pipe rattling is kind of telling - on some headphones, it jumps out, especially before the music starts, on others, it does not. It is not terribly present with the Aeons. It is clear and present with the Ether C v1.1’s with one black pad. With 2 black pads, it leaps out almost as it does on the D7000’s (from memory, long gone, sorely missed).

    Allison Moorer “Abalone Sky”

    Amber Rubarth “Full Moon in Paris”

    Colter Wall - just about anything from “Imaginary Appalachia” (side note - my current favorite album - God it’s good), but mostly “Caroline,” “Johnny Boy’s Bones,” “The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie.”



    Impressions from the “Good” rig:

    Laptop to Eitr to Bifrost Multibit to Sys (attenuation and switching between 2 amps) to Cavalli Liquid Crimson with a Phillips 6DJ8 (one of 3 favorites)

    The “good” news, at least for me - the Aeon closed is not “better” than the Ether C for my tastes. The “bad” news - it is very nearly as good overall. What’s that mean? Essentially, I paid about $900 for the pleasure of listening to my Ether C’s for a year give or take, before the Aeon came out, and for the diminishing returns of the Ether being to my ears a bit better than the Aeon. BIG NOTE HERE - I think there is a substantial group who will like the Aeon as well or better than the Ether C, regardless of value proposition.


    The Ether C and the Aeon are closer in sound than most Aeon liker’s / Ether C haters I think like to admit. The Ether C with one black pad is a bit leaner, but also to my ears a tiny bit cleaner, more resolving. Two black pads is a pretty close to the Aeon, but two black pads in the Ether C also tend to bring the bass and lower mids forward just a bit. The warmth and fullness of the Aeon seems to be just a bit less tight? Controlled? A bit more bloom? This may be a result of the flow technology, as I seem to remember this similar feel from a day of listening to the Ether C Flows back to back with the C v1.1’s. I nearly did the Flow upgrade, but after a bunch of back and forth, I decided that the v1.1 suits my listening needs better than the Flow iteration does.


    It seems to me that the Ether C v1.1 is (*desperate, grasping analogies to try and explain what I perceive follow*) like a small aperture setting photo, where every item in the photo is in sharp focus, and the Aeon is a larger aperture photo, with the subject in clear focus, and a tiny bit of blurring to the background items. Or maybe like a lightly foggy or hazy day (Aeon) vs. a sharp, clear day (Ether C v1.1). I really don’t like analogies in this instance, as it paints the fullness? slight euphonic character? Slightly more decay time (guessing here - I haven’t seen any waterfall plots of either headphone)? of the Aeon vs. the Ether as a big negative. It’s not. It is a different presentation, not a flaw. It is also nuance, not distinct. Not night and day. 5 PM vs. 5:15 PM in the summer maybe. Not night and day.


    Switching between the two, I found that I liked the Ether a bit better. I am about 99% sure most of that preference is familiarity with the Ether *Update - after a few more sessions, I still like the Ether a tiny bit better, but only switching back and forth. Pick up the Aeon first, and it is just a lovely headphone.


    Of particular note - the Aeon’s have really excellent isolation (this is apparently isolating outside noise from the listener. My lovely wife tells me they leak more sound out to the outside than the Ether C). When “sealed on” before listening, the Aeons seal so well that a bit of pressure on the cups is palpable at the eardrums, and they feel a bit cavernous. Similar to the JVC DX1000 in feel before the music starts, if you’ve ever experienced the DX1000. The similarity goes away when the music starts, as the DX1000 remains cavernous and echoey when playing, and the Aeon is spacious and airy. The Ether C’s isolation is a bit less than the Aeon, and they do not exhibit that cavernous feeling before starting the music. The Ether pads are much softer foam, and compress more easily. (Wondering about Ether C pads with Aeon foam?)


    And from the *Schiitiest Rig* (no Schiit gear in the Schiitiest rig)

    iPhone 7+ with the lightning to 3.5 mm dongle.

    Sitting downstairs in the early morning before the rest of the house wakes up listening through the lousiest music reproduction chain I own, into the Aeon. Yeah, seriously, and you know what? It does not suck. At all. Grain of salt here - I’m the guy who has a decent headphone rig and will choose ibuds over Ciems just based on convenience for office listening (hear ambient sounds, lift out of my ear vs screw out of my ear to address others). I do have ciems and I do use them for situations requiring good music and good isolation, like flying (good for ignoring the random seat mates as well). Still, just saying - I’ve passed through the audiophile smugness a (very tiny) little bit - lousy and convenient is sometimes better than excellent PIA. Bottom line - iPhone and Aeon is “acceptable, at least in a quiet room.”


    From the AppleTV (1st gen? - the kinda old one before the current one) to Modi Multibit to Peachtree NOVA (first gen)

    This is a decent test rig, as it has somewhat higher output impedance - maybe 20 ohms? Anyway, no issues with higher impedance. From what I understand, orthodynamic drivers have a nearly linear impedance vs. frequency curve, so no real issues with damping factor. Nice combination with either headphone, no real additional comments.


    From the Schiit “David” rig (as in David and Goliath - tongue lightly in cheek here)

    Laptop to to Eitr to Bifrost Multibit to Sys (attenuation and switching between 2 amps) to Vali2 with a Valvo ECC88.

    Wow - the Aeons sound freaking great from this amp, at least to me. Really nice. The Ether C’s suffer from highlighting the downsides of the Vali 2 - a bit bright, a bit overly punchy for me, a bit hazy in the details (nuance again - the Vali 2 is the coolest little amp. Everyone should have one). The Aeons just sound great with it to me.


    Conclusion

    No need for self immolation (whew!). I liked my Ether C v1.1 before I heard the Aeons, and I still very slightly prefer them for my listening needs. Definitely not everyone will agree. The Aeons are a really good closed headphone, and I suspect many would choose them over the Ether C.
     
  11. captkirk

    captkirk Khan's BFF

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    Loaner Impressions - Aeon Flow Closed (AFC)

    Chain: Mac Mini > Audirvana+ > [Gungnir Multibit (gen.5), Eitr/Modi Multibit] > BW2 > [HD6XX-K, Atticus, Aeon Loaner]

    I admit that I was unable to focus all my attention with these as the ZDTj loaner was in-house at the same time, and most of my attention went to listening to that paired with my 6XX. I’ll note here, that I did not find the AFC to be an ideal pair with the ZDj’s low impedance jack and after a short amount of time, returned to the BW.

    These impressions are from recall, and notes taken while listening, so S.O.C. with a slight attempt at organization:

    This is highly comfortable headphone. It’s light, adjustments for fit are easy, and provides good seal with fantastic isolation. Way more comfortable than my 6xx (which I find very comfy) and is much less weight than my Atticus.

    The FR seemed well balanced, with a nice amount of bass emphasis, that didn’t seem to bleed heavily into the mids, had good presence, decent sparkle, and clarity up top - no aggressive roll-off.

    Sounds close to my 6xx before mods, but with better bass extension and definition. With my modded 6xx, there’s noticeably more bass and warmth. Compared to the Atticus, it’s less extended down low, more lean in mids, and slightly brighter.

    Vocals seem a bit forward, with a heightened presence, but not overpowering.

    Good transients and good dynamics. Didn’t hit as hard down low as the Atticus, yet sounded just as fast. I liked it’s bite and slightly more lean presentation to the Atticus, not because it’s better, more that it’s different.

    Lacked the resolve of both the 6xx and the Atticus, with the 6xx being more smooth and airy overall. Details were good, but not remarkable.

    Soundstage had “ok” width and decent depth and height. Roughly the same perceived size as the 6xx but lacking the feeling of “openness” that I get from both my 6xx and Atticus. It was as if there was a “wall” that limited the perceived space. Yes, it’s a closed can, but the Atticus sounds much more open and less confined, though doesn’t have the level of isolation that the AFC has, leaking much more sound out than the AFC.

    The general impression I had was that I liked the AFC. Nothing was overly objectionable. I was able to listen for 2-3 hours without any fatigue and the it’s isolation allowed for some early morning listening while the fam slept, which I really, really enjoyed. If I find myself really needing/wanting to extend or shift my listening to the early morning, I’ll absolute put the AFC on the short-list. That said, I wasn’t sad to see it go, and I didn’t immediately hop on HF to check if any were available for a quick-buy.

    It’s a solid headphone and would recommend it to anyone for a listen, but to me it’s not game changing, as it doesn’t offer or better what I have currently on hand.
     
  12. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

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    Briefly heard these today at TSAV and I was pleasantly surprised. I heard one of the ether c’s a while back and did not like their thin and bright sound. The Aeon’s are much more pleasant. I didn’t spend enough time with them, but I’m definitely interested to own a pair for work and to use during the summer when my loud A/C is on. They’re just so small, light, and comfortable with superb build quality.They had a full and rich sound, which is right up my alley (maybe a bit peaky at times). Will hopefully get to spend a bit more time with them soon.

    I agree with captkirk that they’re not game changing, but they’re definitely an option for someone looking for a light and portable (maybe??) closed back.
     
  13. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Agreed with @Melvillian. Fully expected to dislike them given past experience with Mr S, but I kinda liked the AFC and AFO. Super brief meet impressions are that they are inoffensive and kinda laid back, not tonally fucked, decent take on a warm downward sloping sound, kinda smoothed over (more so the AFO anyway), fairly efficient, and extremely comfortable and transportable. Will go back to TSAV to listen again since they might make interesting cans for office or certain contexts, maybe even out of a dap...
     
  14. muckyfingers

    muckyfingers New

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    I had been looking for quite awhile for a smooth sound with more bass than the HD650's. I first found it with the Nighthawks, but the cavernous sound didn't always work for me. The Aeon Flow Open checked all my boxes, I love their sound and comfort. I am happy to stop any further searching.
     
  15. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    Some impressions from the loaner tour.

    Equipment used:
    Geek Pulse X infinity + LPS
    Cavalli Liquid Carbon (V1)
    Balanced Cable using Canare 1405 Star Quad

    Unfortunately my first impression of these headphones was a surprising level of channel imbalance with the left being up to 3 dB higher. This however was fairly easily compensated for in software and once done the listening could continue without issue.

    Comfort and Ergonomics

    My current reference pair of closed headphones are the Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime. While I actually find them quite comfortable with their large and very deep ear openings as well as a headband that distributes weight very evenly they do have a fairly high clamping force and are quite heavy.

    The Aeons have a lot of space in the ear cups despite being quite a bit smaller than my primes my ears still fit comfortably without touching the drivers at all (a problem which I have often). However the Aeon is much lighter and with an almost prefect level of clamping force that makes them some of the most comfortable and easiest to put on and remove headphones while still being quite secure.

    I should mention that with the foam filters inside my ears do begin to contact the foam which bother my ears after a couple hours. However I think my ears stick out slightly farther than most and are very sensitive to this (I have much worse problems with my Oppo PM-3).

    All in all it is certainly on of if not the best closed headphone for comfort (only potential competition I've tried might be the shure SRH1540).

    Sound Quality

    Now to the most important part I found the overall tone of the Aeon very close to what I would consider neutral and probably closer to neutral than any headphone I have other than perhaps the UERM. When compared to the alpha prime it makes the primes deficiencies in lower treble upper midrange tonality immediately obvious and it is clear that the Aeon is more correct and provides a more natural tone to vocals. Even after applying the EQ I have been using with my prime the Aeon was clearly more natural. They make me think somewhat of my HD600 but with better extension in both directions.

    In comparison to the Oppo PM-3 I found the treble extension of the Aeon to be far superior as the PM-3 seems to be lacking in it's upper treble response. I also felt that the Aeon had a slightly smoother and more natural sound than the PM-3 but they are very close in signature other than the upper treble. I did find the treble of the Aeon to be just a little sharp at times, tyhis can be corrected with the black foam pads however these touch my ears and I think they might do a bit more than is necessary. I found that just a single layer of thin toilet paper worked very well to remove just the slight edginess or sharpness in the treble (it really is slight).

    Previously when I had listened to the Ether C I found their sound signature also quite nice however I felt that when comparing them to my Alpha Prime they lacked dynamic kick particularly in the bass. While I would say that the Alpha Prime still seem slightly more dynamic the bass kick on the Aeon's is much better and I don't feel like there is anything missing anymore. All in all while the Aeon is not the perfect headphone and I can still find some technicalities that my Alpha Prime setup is better at there is no question that the Aeon is more well rounded and complete.

    The Aeon is the most competent closed headphone I have ever heard and bests all others regardless of price.
     
  16. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    That's not good news. Hopefully that's one time thing and not regular QC issue.
     
  17. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    Yeah I was quite surprised. My prior experience with their products suggests it likely is and more importantly their customer service is top notch. For this reason I wouldn't worry about it as being a risk because they will take care of It.
     
  18. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    I got them and didn't hear an imbalance. Only way to replicate was to mess with placement and fit, as well as slightly breaking the seal on one side.
     
  19. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    Very interesting indeed, it was quite obvious at first and playing with placement and seal didn't seem to affect it. I was even able to measure it (I don't think I bothered saving them but maybe I can check). I will say that it did seem to go away somewhat after a few days. I thought this was just my brain getting use to things but perhaps it was also some sort of warming up.
     
  20. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    If I HAD to guess, I'd say the pads got a little misshapen in shipping and ruined the seal a little.

    But, the memory foam started to fall back in place over time.
     

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