[Monsterzero]

Time for the Aeolus and I to get acquainted.

 

[latios507]

Don't forget about the ZMF OFC cable. It is the cheapest of the bunch and really well made. Sounds good too.

I wouldn't go chasing gold cables unless you have so much money you don't know what to do with it. Better to upgrade your other gear before buying $1000+ cables that won't likely sound any better than a well made copper cable.

Thanks! While I appreciate the suggestion (I do have some more spare funds to get a decent amp), it'd be great to have an idea of which cable would complement the Aeolus, given its similar nature to Atticus (same driver after all) but differs in terms of tuning & open vs closed.

Im sure others would love to know what cable would complement it

 

[mysticstryk]

If anyone has any specific questions or comparison they would like me to make just ask, my gear is listed in my profile


Disclaimer: The Aeolus was provided to me by Zach to use for a few weeks with no stipulation I had to write a review. My sound preferences lean slightly warm of neutral. My main gear consists of Arcam CD73 > Yggy A2 > ZDS > Auteur/HD800S/HD600 family.

Aeolus Review

Intro

When Zach released the Eikon and Atticus two years ago, like most I initially fell for the Eikon. It had a linear and natural timbre that most closed backs just could not achieve. The Atticus was more of a slow burn, gaining a strong following as time went on. The Atticus is a colored headphone and it embraces it wholeheartedly. I myself found that I preferred it over the Eikon, even calling it the best headphone for metal. Oddly enough, though it was far from neutral, the technicalities of the Atticus challenged and even exceeded the Eikon in some areas. Myself and others clamored for an open version using this same TPE driver. The Aeolus is that headphone.

Comfort/Build

The Aeolus uses the same design as all of Zachs previous headphones (using the newer and lighter headband employed first on the Auteur last year). They are made entirely of wood, metal and real leather (suede is available in place of leather as an option). While on the heavier side (~445grams depending on wood) it wears its weight well due to the excellent weight distribution. This is also among the lighter ZMF headphones. If you are coming from an Eikon, Atticus or Auteur (particularly the heavier wood versions) these are noticeably lighter. I can wear these for hours without discomfort. Ear pads are plush and comfy as usual. Saple is the default wood used and it looks really nice, has sort of a similar look as Mahogany. Smells really good too!

Sound

Intro

Over the years, many have claimed fame as being a “Super HD650”. I have ALWAYS found this to not be the case. My first full size expensive headphone I purchased years ago was the HD595 and soon after, the HD650. That same pair still lives in rotation among many more expensive headphones I own. While these “fake” super hd650s were sometimes good on their own merits, I have never found them to be good enough (or similar enough) to replace my hd650. Just to name a few that have worn the name super 650 are the Elear, Ether Flow, PMx2, Atticus and more. While some of these are fantastic headphones, they were never super 650s to me. In my opinion, the Aeolus is the first headphone that will be called so and actually deserve it.

VS Sennheiser HD650

Quick reference:
Quality
Bass: Aeolus > 650
Mids: Aeolus = 650
Treble: Aeolus > 650
Quantity
Bass: Aeolus > 650
Treble Aeolus > 650

Bass:

Both the 650 and the Aeolus have similar bass profiles. They both are elevated and centered around the mid bass. However there are a few attributes that make the Aeolus stand above. Most importantly, bass distortion on the Aeolus is lower than the 650. The 650 has a bit of a muddy haze in the lows compared to the cleaner and faster Aeolus. You can really notice this when listening to bass heavy music. The Aeolus bass is elevated further over the 650, though I wouldn't go as far to call it a basshead headphone (maybe refined basshead). Sub bass is no contest, the Aeolus smokes the 650. While the 650 quickly rolls off after 50hz or so, the Aeolus has usable bass down to the limits of human hearing. (don't expect quite the sub bass levels of the Eikon though)

Mids:

This is where some of those super 650 wannabes start to fall apart. The mids on the Aeolus are smooth and cohesive. Not recessed, not pushed up into honk city. Just like the Atticus, it has a very natural and slightly romantic (warm) tone to the mids. Resolution is excellent and dynamics and slight changes in pitch are easily heard. You can actually listen to complex orchestral passages and not miss any detail. This is where the Aeolus and 650 really come close together. However, to get as much resolution from the 650 as you get from the Aeolus even from a modest setup, you would need to scale up your gear to really show what the 650 is capable of (in regards to the Aeolus, the 650 is still the king of budget setups imo).

Treble:

Any “fake” super 650s that made it here are now gone (looking at you Elear and your huge canyon between the upper mids and lower treble). This region of transition from mids to highs makes and breaks many headphones, fortunately for the Aeolus it passes easily. There is a little bit more energy there in the Aeolus than the 650, but not as much as the 600 and 580. Going up into the treble proper, the Aeolus continues to have just a smidge more energy than the 650. Some may prefer this while other may not. Some find the 650 to be too dark in the highs. The Auteur has been my primary headphone for a year which has more energy in the highs as well. I find the Aeolus to be between the two in levels. Listening to poorly recorded bright metal with the Aeolus works well. While the Aeolus will not smooth it over, it doesn't bring about fatigue either.

Sound stage and imaging are both superior on the Aeolus, but neither headphones are near best in class in this area. If your someone who demands the widest, most diffuse sound stage around and refuse to buy speakers, the hd800 is about your best option.

VS Auteur

Will touch just a bit on the main differences with the Auteur. See my Auteur review for a more in depth look of Zachs first open back headphone. It has been my main reference for a year now.

Quick reference
Quality
Bass: Auteur > Aeolus
Mids: Aeolus = Auteur
Treble: Auteur > Aeolus
Quantity
Bass: Aeolus > Auteur
Treble: Auteur > Aeolus

The Aeolus and Auteur are different enough that they would appeal to two different types of preferences (or genres if you have a wide musical taste). Some of the basic differences of the Eikon and Atticus transfer over to their open variants. I think the Auteur is a better all rounder and is definitely closer to neutral than the Aeolus.

Bass:

Auteur goes deeper and slams more in the sub bass. Auteurs sub/mid bass peaks at about 50hz, lower than the Aeolus. The Auteur remains pretty linear through the rest of the bass into the lower mids while the Aeolus has the mid bass bump. Auteur is a bit cleaner, but I feel like the Aeolus is a bit faster. Neither bass profile is better than the other, it really comes down to your preference.

Mids:

The Auteur has slightly more resolution and micro detail, but they are so close it could just be gear matching/preference playing a roll. Otherwise the mids are pretty linear throughout on both with a slight dip before 5k on the Auteur and a bit more forwardness in the upper mids on the Aeolus.

Treble:

The Aeolus treble is just a little less in elevation in relation to the Auteur (however a pad swap on the Auteurs brings them about on par on level). The Auteur has this unique holographic soundstage that I haven't heard before on a headphone. While not really large, it is incredibly realistic with excellent imaging. The Aeolus can't quite match the Auteur here, but it's close. Both headphones have excellent transitions from bass-mids-treble.

If it seems like I prefer the Auteur, that is because I do. Unlike their closed counterparts, I prefer the biocellulose headphone. I think it has an overall edge when taken as a whole, however that comes at a cost as the Auteur is several hundred dollars more expensive than the Aeolus. Your musical and tonal preferences can easily have you preferring the Aeolus over the Auteur as well. They are closer in overall quality than the pricing would lead you to believe.

Sounds Amazing

Yes, it does, but it is not a perfect headphone. That doesn't objectively exist (of course there can be a perfect headphone for YOU subjectively). The Aeolus has a very cohesive sound from top to bottom that commits little faults. I feel like if your one to lean towards a neutral headphone, the Aeolus may be a little too warm of neutral for you though (unless you like a good contrast to your main headphone, like the Atticus has been to my Auteur and 800S). The treble, while non-fatiguing can be a little elevated to some who are super sensitive to that. It is not as smooth as the 650 in the highs, it can sound rough depending on your tolerances. This could all be positives or negatives depending on the person.

Gear

Just like the Auteur and 650, the Aeolus does not need kilobuck tube gear to sound fantastic. Also just like the Auteur and 650, it will scale up well with kilobuck tube gear. I don't feel it scales quite as much as either of them though. That doesn't mean that the 650 surpasses the Aeolus on something like my ZDS, just that the difference between my Vali 2 and ZDS is more pronounced with my 650 and Auteur than it is with the Aeolus. It still definitely benefits from good amplification. I'm particularly a fan of tubes over solid state. Personally I recommend Schiit on the low end of cost to DNA and Eddie Current on the high end. One of these days I'll finally hear a Glenn amp, many ZMF users swear by them as well. Gear, like headphones are a very personal taste though. You have to find the right synergy that goes along with your sound preferences. Having said that, I would not recommend overly warm gear with the Aeolus. The Aeolus itself is already a rather warm headphone and could lead to too much of a good thing imo.

Conclusion

It took two years but us Atticus fans finally got our open Atticus. The Aeolus is an excellent headphone and excels at not giving a schiit about its colored nature. It is all the better for it. The price is right too. Sitting right at $999 on preorder ($1199 after) , I think this hits a sweet spot among flagship headphones today. It has that warm, romantic punch of the Atticus while pushing closer to neutral, making for an excellent genre master or even all rounder depending on your preferences.

 

[latios507]

If anyone has any specific questions or comparison they would like me to make just ask, my gear is listed in my profile


Disclaimer: The Aeolus was provided to me by Zach to use for a few weeks with no stipulation I had to write a review. My sound preferences lean slightly warm of neutral. My main gear consists of Arcam CD73 > Yggy A2 > ZDS > Auteur/HD800S/HD600 family.

Aeolus Review



Intro

When Zach released the Eikon and Atticus two years ago, like most I initially fell for the Eikon. It had a linear and natural timbre that most closed backs just could not achieve. The Atticus was more of a slow burn, gaining a strong following as time went on. The Atticus is a colored headphone and it embraces it wholeheartedly. I myself found that I preferred it over the Eikon, even calling it the best headphone for metal. Oddly enough, though it was far from neutral, the technicalities of the Atticus challenged and even exceeded the Eikon in some areas. Myself and others clamored for an open version using this same TPE driver. The Aeolus is that headphone.

Comfort/Build

The Aeolus uses the same design as all of Zachs previous headphones (using the newer and lighter headband employed first on the Auteur last year). They are made entirely of wood, metal and real leather (suede is available in place of leather as an option). While on the heavier side (~445grams depending on wood) it wears its weight well due to the excellent weight distribution. This is also among the lighter ZMF headphones. If you are coming from an Eikon, Atticus or Auteur (particularly the heavier wood versions) these are noticeably lighter. I can wear these for hours without discomfort. Ear pads are plush and comfy as usual. Saple is the default wood used and it looks really nice, has sort of a similar look as Mahogany. Smells really good too!

Sound

Intro

Over the years, many have claimed fame as being a “Super HD650”. I have ALWAYS found this to not be the case. My first full size expensive headphone I purchased years ago was the HD595 and soon after, the HD650. That same pair still lives in rotation among many more expensive headphones I own. While these “fake” super hd650s were sometimes good on their own merits, I have never found them to be good enough (or similar enough) to replace my hd650. Just to name a few that have worn the name super 650 are the Elear, Ether Flow, PMx2, Atticus and more. While some of these are fantastic headphones, they were never super 650s to me. In my opinion, the Aeolus is the first headphone that will be called so and actually deserve it.



VS Sennheiser HD650

Quick reference:
Quality
Bass: Aeolus > 650
Mids: Aeolus = 650
Treble: Aeolus > 650
Quantity
Bass: Aeolus > 650
Treble Aeolus > 650

Bass:

Both the 650 and the Aeolus have similar bass profiles. They both are elevated and centered around the mid bass. However there are a few attributes that make the Aeolus stand above. Most importantly, bass distortion on the Aeolus is lower than the 650. The 650 has a bit of a muddy haze in the lows compared to the cleaner and faster Aeolus. You can really notice this when listening to bass heavy music. The Aeolus bass is elevated further over the 650, though I wouldn't go as far to call it a basshead headphone (maybe refined basshead). Sub bass is no contest, the Aeolus smokes the 650. While the 650 quickly rolls off after 50hz or so, the Aeolus has usable bass down to the limits of human hearing. (don't expect quite the sub bass levels of the Eikon though)

Mids:

This is where some of those super 650 wannabes start to fall apart. The mids on the Aeolus are smooth and cohesive. Not recessed, not pushed up into honk city. Just like the Atticus, it has a very natural and slightly romantic (warm) tone to the mids. Resolution is excellent and dynamics and slight changes in pitch are easily heard. You can actually listen to complex orchestral passages and not miss any detail. This is where the Aeolus and 650 really come close together. However, to get as much resolution from the 650 as you get from the Aeolus even from a modest setup, you would need to scale up your gear to really show what the 650 is capable of (in regards to the Aeolus, the 650 is still the king of budget setups imo).

Treble:

Any “fake” super 650s that made it here are now gone (looking at you Elear and your huge canyon between the upper mids and lower treble). This region of transition from mids to highs makes and breaks many headphones, fortunately for the Aeolus it passes easily. There is a little bit more energy there in the Aeolus than the 650, but not as much as the 600 and 580. Going up into the treble proper, the Aeolus continues to have just a smidge more energy than the 650. Some may prefer this while other may not. Some find the 650 to be too dark in the highs. The Auteur has been my primary headphone for a year which has more energy in the highs as well. I find the Aeolus to be between the two in levels. Listening to poorly recorded bright metal with the Aeolus works well. While the Aeolus will not smooth it over, it doesn't bring about fatigue either.

Sound stage and imaging are both superior on the Aeolus, but neither headphones are near best in class in this area. If your someone who demands the widest, most diffuse sound stage around and refuse to buy speakers, the hd800 is about your best option.



VS Auteur

Will touch just a bit on the main differences with the Auteur. See my Auteur review for a more in depth look of Zachs first open back headphone. It has been my main reference for a year now.

Quick reference
Quality
Bass: Auteur > Aeolus
Mids: Aeolus = Auteur
Treble: Auteur > Aeolus
Quantity
Bass: Aeolus > Auteur
Treble: Auteur > Aeolus

The Aeolus and Auteur are different enough that they would appeal to two different types of preferences (or genres if you have a wide musical taste). Some of the basic differences of the Eikon and Atticus transfer over to their open variants. I think the Auteur is a better all rounder and is definitely closer to neutral than the Aeolus.

Bass:

Auteur goes deeper and slams more in the sub bass. Auteurs sub/mid bass peaks at about 50hz, lower than the Aeolus. The Auteur remains pretty linear through the rest of the bass into the lower mids while the Aeolus has the mid bass bump. Auteur is a bit cleaner, but I feel like the Aeolus is a bit faster. Neither bass profile is better than the other, it really comes down to your preference.

Mids:

The Auteur has slightly more resolution and micro detail, but they are so close it could just be gear matching/preference playing a roll. Otherwise the mids are pretty linear throughout on both with a slight dip before 5k on the Auteur and a bit more forwardness in the upper mids on the Aeolus.

Treble:

The Aeolus treble is just a little less in elevation in relation to the Auteur (however a pad swap on the Auteurs brings them about on par on level). The Auteur has this unique holographic soundstage that I haven't heard before on a headphone. While not really large, it is incredibly realistic with excellent imaging. The Aeolus can't quite match the Auteur here, but it's close. Both headphones have excellent transitions from bass-mids-treble.

If it seems like I prefer the Auteur, that is because I do. Unlike their closed counterparts, I prefer the biocellulose headphone. I think it has an overall edge when taken as a whole, however that comes at a cost as the Auteur is several hundred dollars more expensive than the Aeolus. Your musical and tonal preferences can easily have you preferring the Aeolus over the Auteur as well. They are closer in overall quality than the pricing would lead you to believe.

Sounds Amazing

Yes, it does, but it is not a perfect headphone. That doesn't objectively exist (of course there can be a perfect headphone for YOU subjectively). The Aeolus has a very cohesive sound from top to bottom that commits little faults. I feel like if your one to lean towards a neutral headphone, the Aeolus may be a little too warm of neutral for you though (unless you like a good contrast to your main headphone, like the Atticus has been to my Auteur and 800S). The treble, while non-fatiguing can be a little elevated to some who are super sensitive to that. It is not as smooth as the 650 in the highs, it can sound rough depending on your tolerances. This could all be positives or negatives depending on the person.



Gear

Just like the Auteur and 650, the Aeolus does not need kilobuck tube gear to sound fantastic. Also just like the Auteur and 650, it will scale up well with kilobuck tube gear. I don't feel it scales quite as much as either of them though. That doesn't mean that the 650 surpasses the Aeolus on something like my ZDS, just that the difference between my Vali 2 and ZDS is more pronounced with my 650 and Auteur than it is with the Aeolus. It still definitely benefits from good amplification. I'm particularly a fan of tubes over solid state. Personally I recommend Schiit on the low end of cost to DNA and Eddie Current on the high end. One of these days I'll finally hear a Glenn amp, many ZMF users swear by them as well. Gear, like headphones are a very personal taste though. You have to find the right synergy that goes along with your sound preferences. Having said that, I would not recommend overly warm gear with the Aeolus. The Aeolus itself is already a rather warm headphone and could lead to too much of a good thing imo.

Conclusion

It took two years but us Atticus fans finally got our open Atticus. The Aeolus is an excellent headphone and excels at not giving a schiit about its colored nature. It is all the better for it. The price is right too. Sitting right at $999 on preorder ($1199 after) , I think this hits a sweet spot among flagship headphones today. It has that warm, romantic punch of the Atticus while pushing closer to neutral, making for an excellent genre master or even all rounder depending on your preferences.

Thank you. Insightful review indeed.

Out of curiousity, if you compare between the Atticus (its brother) and Aeolus:

1). Would you recommend Aeolus to bassheads? Or Atticus wins hands down because of its closed-can nature.

2). Which one sounds more intimate & musical sounding to your ears? (I.e. you can get lost in your Library of songs for hours)

3). Having a good source & amp will be beneficial but, which one is the more picky one with the amp? While ZMF headphones crave for tubes, how does Aeolus fare on Solid state setup compared to Tube if you could comment?

Thanks again!

 

[mysticstryk]

Thank you. Insightful review indeed.

Out of curiousity, if you compare between the Atticus (its brother) and Aeolus:

1). Would you recommend Aeolus to bassheads? Or Atticus wins hands down because of its closed-can nature.

2). Which one sounds more intimate & musical sounding to your ears? (I.e. you can get lost in your Library of songs for hours)

3). Having a good source & amp will be beneficial but, which one is the more picky one with the amp? While ZMF headphones crave for tubes, how does Aeolus fare on Solid state setup compared to Tube if you could comment?

Thanks again!

1) Atticus wins for bassheads. The Aeolus has a bit more present sub bass, but the Atticus punches harder.

2) Both really. The Atticus is more lush sounding though while the Aeolus pushes closer to neutral (in comparison with the Atticus, it is still a colored headphone). I feel like the Aeolus would be a better all rounder for most, but I generally gravitate towards open headphones to begin with.

3) Atticus is more picky imo. Due to it's sound signature, it is easier to end up pairing it with gear that makes it's romantic and lush sound be to much of a good thing. They both sound great out of cheaper gear though, I just wouldn't pair the Atticus with gear that also leans warm.

Unfortunately I've sold all my solid state gear over the past year (aside from my little Fulla 2, but that wouldn't really give you a good idea how the Aeolus sounds with really good SS gear). The Atticus was fantastic from my Black Widow, but I sold that months ago (also sounded great from my $99 Magni 3, also sold now). Generally speaking though, SS or tube will most of the time come down to preference. None of these headphones will sound bad, or even mediocre from SS gear. Same rules apply as with tube gear, pick gear that will synergize well with your headphones.

Luckily the Aeolus seems to play nice with lots of gear. Even sounds good out of my Fulla 2 (as does the Atticus). Looking at your gear in your profile, your iFi Micro BL should be fine for either of these headphones.

 

[Monsterzero]

Having a good source & amp will be beneficial but, which one is the more picky one with the amp? While ZMF headphones crave for tubes, how does Aeolus fare on Solid state setup compared to Tube if you could comment?

Give me a few days to listen and I can a/b Atticus vs. Aeolus thru my GOTL,GLM2 and vintage SS receiver.

 

[Por_Tu_Guy]

When it's a day away from Aeolus pre-orders and Zach drops Auteur B-stock



My wallet is fearful.

 

[Impulse]

When it's a day away from Aeolus pre-orders and Zach drops Auteur B-stock

My wallet is fearful.

Heh, I was tempted by the B-stock Auteur in teak ($1,150!) or the oak one for a couple hundred more, but ultimately decided to go for Aeolus + Verite pads (and an Atmos C cable). See ya in a couple months when I've heard them and have anything meaningful to add!

 

[zach915m]

Hey all!

Just a reminder you can preorder through our international dealer network as well!

Acorn Audio (UK and Europe)

Zeppelin and Co (Singapore and Asia): https://www.facebook.com/zeppelinandco/

The Headphone Company (Germany and Europe)

Hifi Solutions (Netherlands and Europe)

Wired For Sound (Asia)

Bright-Tone (Japan)

 

[KESM]

I ordered the Aeolus LTD. Looking forward to hearing these.

 

[Monsterzero]

A little sneak peak at the Aeolus & Verite. Sorry for the crappy audio

 

[lentoviolento]

i just pre ordered my pair. hope to get the same mids of atticus.
the first time i listened to pictures of you on them i almost felt moved. the voice was so real, so organic, so intimate. hope to get that feeling again..
i loved auteur but i loved atticus more

 

[BearlyPizza]

Ordered my pair 1 minute after pre orders started! I'm very excited to finally own a ZMF headphone!

 

[Monsterzero]

Thank you. Insightful review indeed.

Out of curiousity, if you compare between the Atticus (its brother) and Aeolus:

1). Would you recommend Aeolus to bassheads? Or Atticus wins hands down because of its closed-can nature.

I didnt forget about you,but Ive been listening a lot lately to several new headphones and wanted to give both the Atticus and Aeolus some good head to head time.

The Atticus slams harder than the Aeolos. The Aeolus goes down farther and has more sub bass presence.
I like to use this track when testing bass because it has good amount of mid and sub bass as well as a lot of other things going on too.



Both slam very,very hard but the Atticus takes it. For sub bass however the Aeolus wins by a pretty wide margin. In addition,the added air,space and imaging of the Aeolus lends itself better to this track than the Atticus does. I agree with the excellent review above...The Aeolus to my ears is a better fit for multiple genres than the Atticus,but if slam is your primary concern you have to go Atticus.

2). Which one sounds more intimate & musical sounding to your ears? (I.e. you can get lost in your Library of songs for hours)

The Aeolus sounds more open and has better separation and imaging than the Atticus,so the Atticus sounds more intimate by default,but both are incredibly musical headphones. Pick your poison.

3). Having a good source & amp will be beneficial but, which one is the more picky one with the amp? While ZMF headphones crave for tubes, how does Aeolus fare on Solid state setup compared to Tube if you could comment?

Thanks again!

This question needs some backstory. My Sansui 881 is actually warmer sounding than my Glenn OTL. Because of this I prefer tubes on both as IMO you dont want a warm amp for either of these headphones,but youre still getting great slam and rumble and musicality from the 881.

On my Gilmore Lite MK 2 both sounded very,very good. The skull slamming midbass was taken down a few notches from what it was giving me on the GOTL and 881,but that allowed the sub bass to come through a bit more,as well as hearing micro detail that might get lost in the slam. It is a marked difference,but I like it. Again,pick your poison.

I prefer the GOTL for both Aeolus and Atticus. I find the GLM2 to be a more refined and spacious sound than the 881,but with less slam in the mix. The 881 brings the heft but loses some of the smaller stuff.

I personally love my Atticus. It has been my number one headphone for quite some time now,but I have to admit the Aeolus is simply a more capable and versatile headphone.

 

[gLer]

I didnt forget about you,but Ive been listening a lot lately to several new headphones and wanted to give both the Atticus and Aeolus some good head to head time.

The Atticus slams harder than the Aeolos. The Aeolus goes down farther and has more sub bass presence.
I like to use this track when testing bass because it has good amount of mid and sub bass as well as a lot of other things going on too.



Both slam very,very hard but the Atticus takes it. For sub bass however the Aeolus wins by a pretty wide margin. In addition,the added air,space and imaging of the Aeolus lends itself better to this track than the Atticus does. I agree with the excellent review above...The Aeolus to my ears is a better fit for multiple genres than the Atticus,but if slam is your primary concern you have to go Atticus.


The Aeolus sounds more open and has better separation and imaging than the Atticus,so the Atticus sounds more intimate by default,but both are incredibly musical headphones. Pick your poison.



This question needs some backstory. My Sansui 881 is actually warmer sounding than my Glenn OTL. Because of this I prefer tubes on both as IMO you dont want a warm amp for either of these headphones,but youre still getting great slam and rumble and musicality from the 881.

On my Gilmore Lite MK 2 both sounded very,very good. The skull slamming midbass was taken down a few notches from what it was giving me on the GOTL and 881,but that allowed the sub bass to come through a bit more,as well as hearing micro detail that might get lost in the slam. It is a marked difference,but I like it. Again,pick your poison.

I prefer the GOTL for both Aeolus and Atticus. I find the GLM2 to be a more refined and spacious sound than the 881,but with less slam in the mix. The 881 brings the heft but loses some of the smaller stuff.

I personally love my Atticus. It has been my number one headphone for quite some time now,but I have to admit the Aeolus is simply a more capable and versatile headphone.

Great response, perfectly positions the Aeolus against the Atticus, which is what many will want to know. The big question for me - Aeolus compared to Auteur...