[macroscopes]

Hi all,

I just received my pair and I'm really impressed with how great they sound! Initially I found it a bit too thin and echo-y but then I realized how detailed they are compared to my previous headphones sounded (Master and Dynamic MW60).
I'm although having A LOT of problems with them and I already contacted Aedle. Wanted to share this and understand if anyone is having the same issues and possibly suggest a few solutions:

1. Every time they are on there is an annoying noise on the left, similar to an old modem sound. Other bluetooth headphones emit this noise but on the VKX this is a lot more pronounced and I can hear in quieter tracks.

2. I struggled a lot to make them work via the USB-C cable. I discovered that USB-C cables work for charging vs signal depending the side you insert them in. If it doesn't work for you just flip the cable (I don't mean swap the ends, just flip the connector 180degrees) and make sure your phone/computer output is not defaulting to internal speakers but the headphones.

3. I don't understand if they are charging or not: I've never been able to make the LED turn green. Depending on how I insert the cable (see above) the light either: (a) doesn't do anything or (b) is on all the time (blue). The light blinks only on disconnect.

4. Sometimes when I connect via bluetooth I get one of the feedback sounds play every few seconds (not sure which feedback it is). I have to disconnect and reconnect to make it work properly.

Is anyone having any issues?
Might just got a bad one and it’s a real shame. Aedle is a fantastic company though: I own a VK1 and they are always had amazing customer support and sent me a new pair when I had problems. I’m super confident they will make it right.

 

[edvardd]

My Aedle VK-X black 1 month old is up for trade vs DAPs like dx200, qp1r or headphones/IEMs in the 500-1000$+ category.

They sound and look
great but i have Mobius and wireless inears which i use more atm.

 

[ommnibox]

Hi all,

I just received my pair and I'm really impressed with how great they sound! Initially I found it a bit too thin and echo-y but then I realized how detailed they are compared to my previous headphones sounded (Master and Dynamic MW60).
I'm although having A LOT of problems with them and I already contacted Aedle. Wanted to share this and understand if anyone is having the same issues and possibly suggest a few solutions:

1. Every time they are on there is an annoying noise on the left, similar to an old modem sound. Other bluetooth headphones emit this noise but on the VKX this is a lot more pronounced and I can hear in quieter tracks.

2. I struggled a lot to make them work via the USB-C cable. I discovered that USB-C cables work for charging vs signal depending the side you insert them in. If it doesn't work for you just flip the cable (I don't mean swap the ends, just flip the connector 180degrees) and make sure your phone/computer output is not defaulting to internal speakers but the headphones.

3. I don't understand if they are charging or not: I've never been able to make the LED turn green. Depending on how I insert the cable (see above) the light either: (a) doesn't do anything or (b) is on all the time (blue). The light blinks only on disconnect.

4. Sometimes when I connect via bluetooth I get one of the feedback sounds play every few seconds (not sure which feedback it is). I have to disconnect and reconnect to make it work properly.

Is anyone having any issues?
Might just got a bad one and it’s a real shame. Aedle is a fantastic company though: I own a VK1 and they are always had amazing customer support and sent me a new pair when I had problems. I’m super confident they will make it right.

I am also having issue

1. The max charge on the Vk-x seems to only go up to 70%. when i plug them into the charger. sometimes it charges and sometimes it doesnt charge.
2. when i am watching any youtube video OR have no sound streaming to the headphones, i constantly hear a buzzing/clicking noise in the headphones in the background and such.
3. the Earcups do not detach? i was under the impression that they were supposed to be magnetic.
4 the volume control doesnt work well, takes several turns to inch the volume up or down. somtimes doesnt work at all
5. Sometimes i have to plug the unit into the charger for me to be able to turn the headphones on.

so i think i have similar issues to yours? did support ever get back to you with regards to your problems? Because they certainly havent responded to me in over a week

Cheers!

 

[macroscopes]

I am also having issue

1. The max charge on the Vk-x seems to only go up to 70%. when i plug them into the charger. sometimes it charges and sometimes it doesnt charge.
2. when i am watching any youtube video OR have no sound streaming to the headphones, i constantly hear a buzzing/clicking noise in the headphones in the background and such.
3. the Earcups do not detach? i was under the impression that they were supposed to be magnetic.
4 the volume control doesnt work well, takes several turns to inch the volume up or down. somtimes doesnt work at all
5. Sometimes i have to plug the unit into the charger for me to be able to turn the headphones on.

so i think i have similar issues to yours? did support ever get back to you with regards to your problems? Because they certainly havent responded to me in over a week

Cheers!

Yes they answered me.
They are just very busy with the last few shippings, I think they will be more responsive in a bit. I already owned a pair of VK1 and when I had problems they made it right no questions asked.

I have quite a few problems with battery life and Bluetooth but I'm generally confident in their service.

 

[Talal]

Hi all. First post here. Had a chance to visit Aedle's workshop on a visit to Paris this week. Really impressed, the team are driven by passion, and strive to reflect that in their products. The VK-X is beautiful, and feels perfectly weighted. Light and comfortable on the head, but with a feel of balance, and substance when held.

I played a short succession of excerpts (Jimi Hendrix - Angie, Some Kendrik Lamar, Rachmaninoff Concerto No.3), streamed from Apple music on an iphone xs over bluetooth (didn't have High Fidelity tracks or reception for Tidal as the workshop was below ground), nevertheless, the sound put a massive smile on my face.

I enjoyed trying the VK-2 previously (driven by a dragonfly red DAC with Tidal Master tracks), and the VK-X (even over bluetooth) felt like a great improvement, with a more substantial low end and wider soundstage. I'm a novice when it comes to personal audio, but am a frequent concert goer (jazz, classical, rock, more) and have been seeking to near that experience. I've tried many headphones in search of satisfying sound: the usual suspects such as Bose QCs and the Sony WM3 are both incomparable to the VK-X (they suck in comparison imo), VK-X also sounds significantly better to me than the Master and Dynamic MH40 and MH50, Grado SR325e, Bower & Wilkins P9. The VK-X also sounded better and more satisfying than the Fostex TH-610, Focal Elegia (a closed back, wired headphone in another price class, with Tidal dragonfly red), and various other headphones from BeyerDynamic and Audiotechnica I tried (can't remember which - closed back, slightly lower price range). Based on my short first listen, the VK-X may not have sounded as good as the Focal Elear (open back, chunky, $1000 headphone, again dragonfly red driven (perhaps not suited for this test)), but held its own! particularly for a pair of compact, noise-cancelling headphones streaming over bluetooth! The VK-X delivered.

I preordered my set on the Aedle website, and tried to convince the team to let me walk out with a pair, but Indiegogo backers will be happy to hear that Lucas and Baptiste have strong moral resolve and refused to let me take mine before yours are shipped Which should complete in the next week or so.

The pair I tried didn't have the static problems some people have mentioned. Regardless, even if some do, I'd take the risk, having loved the sound and knowing that the team will make sure to amend any issues that might arise with early units (and fix early backer issues). And they have a solid vision for the future, so I expect they'll stick around and deliver more exciting products. They should be more available once the final Indiegogo units are shipped.

 

[Monsieur Sans Honte]

So it's been a couple of weeks and I'm experiencing what a few others here have reported:

1: The sound is definitely louder when wired, by a factor of 1/3.
2: There is a buzzing sound when certain songs or videos are playing over bluetooth - no such issue when using wired.
3: The battery doesn't seem to be lasting as long as advertised. After a few annoying times where I put them on and nothing happened, I've charged them overnight to get them into the green, but after a few days in the case (powered off) it was flat...
4: On a couple of occasions, the headphones would not power on unless they were plugged into power.

The volume issue I can live with, but the buzzing will be a dealbreaker if it cannot be resolved - unfortunately, these were purchased to be used primarily as wireless headphones, and for the price, I need the wireless sound to be bulletproof. I'm too upset about the lack of cabled noise cancelling - I prefer to have the ability to use the headphones wired if the battery dies on me.

I was initially underwhelmed by the sound, but after a few listens it's really grown on me.

I've reached out to Aëdle and they will allow me to return them for inspection. I'm hoping that I'm just unlucky because I really want these headphones to be a success for them. I have several pairs of the VK-1 and the only thing that let that model down was the fragility of the cable jack.

These are sturdy, comfortable and beautifully made - and I want to keep them - but that buzzing needs to be dealt with. I'm encouraged by others reporting no such issue that it can be.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

I talked to Baptiste at the Paris Sound Days a couple of weeks ago. I was bringing him my VK-X which needs servicing (batch 2 I believe).

From what he told me:

- that “modem” RFI noise in the left cup during BT transmission they have a bead on, on my unit Lucas tells me it’s now been corrected so as to be virtually inaudible. And it was loud. It’s a magnet placement problem that they know how to correct.

- ANC is a voluntarily light-touch implementation. It’s made to cancel plane engine noise essentially, not so much voices and street noise. It’s not feed-back plus feed-forward like Bose, where the ANC mics pick up on both ambient noise outside the ear cups, and what reaches through to the ear on the inside. Depending on user feedback they consider dropping ANC altogether on the next product.
I personally find it useless, I just hear a woosh and no attenuation whatsoever, which doesn’t bother me as I find passive isolation excellent (more on that later).
To those concerned by ANC, I learnt it’s tuned by a human on each unit, so if you're not happy with it there’s a chance it can be improved with another pass at their workshop - Lucas tells me it has now been improved on my unit.
As to ANC not working when wired, the intention was to have a completely passive mode. But the electronics designer they worked with did not deliver on his brief (the hp need a tiny charge to work, even wired). So you get neither always-on ANC nor completely passive operation, again I don’t mind but for others I can see how it’s a bummer.

- the battery and LED behavior was a big issue. Turned off, my unit would completely discharge within a few days. That’s much improved apparently by flashing the battery, again something they do at the workshop. And there is an additional round of battery life improvement being made as we speak - I left them my unit so they can work on that in addition to the flash. I don’t know what to expect from it.
LED behavior will also be corrected, it will turn on automatically when plugged in, and iirc they are doing something about those too-large steps. At least you will get a solid indicator all charge long.

- there was an issue with either the usb-c cable or the connector on the hp themselves being flipped, or only working when plugged one side. That’s being corrected too.

All in all, and barring fundamental design issues that may make the VK-X a bad fit for your use case, I recommend anyone with issues to get in touch with Aëdle and send in their unit, as there’s a myriad things they are improving. They will also let you know what can be achieved at that point in time. There’s a sort of roadmap. For instance they consider offering to replace the linear, smooth volume knob by a stepped one with a prism shape for better grip.

Regarding SQ I had a terrible first impression - turns out the volume knob was stuck in a weird position that caused channel imbalance and an overall tinny, bass-less, unnatural response. I was going to return it but gave it one final, harder twist before packing them up - once unstuck, wow! It was like lifting a lid. Bass came through all of a sudden, controlled, precise; timbres were restored; and the focus on lower treble brings tremendous clarity. It’s a pretty daring tuning for wireless hp, but clever too; taking full advantage of the advanced codecs support to go for a more “audiophile” tuning than you get with mainstream brands. Detail is outstanding, vivid. Vocals come forward, guitars crunch exquisitely, drums are fascinating.

My only criticism is that the signature can get a bit fatiguing. It’s an involved, energetic listen, and as such not quite the soothing experience the Sony WH-1000XM3 provides, with amazing ANC to boot. Bear in mind I don’t listen to very soothing music either
Add to that the clamping force is strong. A bit less than with the VK-2 though. The larger format helps here. On my average size ears the VK-X sits between over-ear and on-ear, which sounds like a recipe for discomfort but is actually fine and an improvement on the VK-2. The clamping is the price you pay for excellent passive isolation.

All in all I maybe wouldn’t recommend the VK-X for very extended listening sessions, intercontinental flights etc., as they’re not the most comfortable experience either sonically or physically. But for shorter trips, walking around in a city with a beautiful accessory on your head that also pushes audiophile-grade audio wirelessly, the VK-X is unbeatable and one of a kind. Its tuning makes it an even more unique proposition. And manufacturing quality, of the hp themselves but also of the accessories and box, is second to none.

 

[macroscopes]

Thank you monsieurfromag3, this gives me some hope. I've been sending emails back and forth with Lucas, the CMO, and I'm still wondering if asking for a refund or waiting for them to fix these issues and send them back to be serviced.

You basically touched all my main issues, the biggest one being battery performance.

My last one is the behavior of Bluetooth over cabled, with Bluetooth taking the precedence and cable not working if the batteries are completely dead. Were you able to address that?

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Thank you monsieurfromag3, this gives me some hope. I've been sending emails back and forth with Lucas, the CMO, and I'm still wondering if asking for a refund or waiting for them to fix these issues and send them back to be serviced.

You basically touched all my main issues, the biggest one being battery performance.

My last one is the behavior of Bluetooth over cabled, with Bluetooth taking the precedence and cable not working if the batteries are completely dead. Were you able to address that?

You’re very welcome! Glad I could help a bit. My recommendation would go towards having your unit serviced before requesting a refund. If you ask them beforehand, I believe Aëdle will accept the principle of a refund if you’re not happy after your hp get fixed. But I get it’s more of a hassle from NY - I can pick up my unit straight from their workshop, so it was a no-brainer in my case. I’ll let you know if I feel the improvements were worth it.

I don’t think they can fix the fact that the hp need a tiny charge to work, even when plugged. As to BT taking precedence, I’m not sure what you mean?

 

[macroscopes]

You’re very welcome! Glad I could help a bit. My recommendation would go towards having your unit serviced before requesting a refund. If you ask them beforehand, I believe Aëdle will accept the principle of a refund if you’re not happy after your hp get fixed. But I get it’s more of a hassle from NY - I can pick up my unit straight from their workshop, so it was a no-brainer in my case. I’ll let you know if I feel the improvements were worth it.

I don’t think they can fix the fact that the hp need a tiny charge to work, even when plugged. As to BT taking precedence, I’m not sure what you mean?

By design if you are connecting via Bluetooth while connected with cable as well Bluetooth takes the precedence. Which to me is a weird design choice because your headphones can connect to a device in another room without knowing.

It looks like they are going to offer control over this through an app though.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

By design if you are connecting via Bluetooth while connected with cable as well Bluetooth takes the precedence. Which to me is a weird design choice because your headphones can connect to a device in another room without knowing.

It looks like they are going to offer control over this through an app though.

Got it, sorry. I have not discussed that with Baptiste, but I’m guessing Lucas mentioned the app in your exchanges? I hope they’ll get around to developing one. Coming from a wireless set-up centered on the Radsone ES100 and its incredible app, I was disappointed that Aëdle didn’t have some kind of software ready for the X launch.

 

[FenderP]

I was disappointed that Aëdle didn’t have some kind of software ready for the X launch.

The app was a stretch goal on the indiegogo campaign IIRC. That didn't happen, hence no app.

 

[FenderP]

As to ANC not working when wired, the intention was to have a completely passive mode. But the electronics designer they worked with did not deliver on his brief (the hp need a tiny charge to work, even wired). So you get neither always-on ANC nor completely passive operation, again I don’t mind but for others I can see how it’s a bummer.

This is basically what Lucas said to me and the main reason I returned them. I bought them to be used via a wire, not BT. This was my dealbreaker. All other NC cans work wired, and to me it was inexcusable. I would have never ordered had I known this. It was not cheap sending them back from the US, but it was cheaper to return them versus having a very expensive paperweight.

 

[macroscopes]

Another thing I'm confused about is that to me they often sound hollow/tinny, with very little bass. Other times they sound amazing, depending on the record I'm listening to and at lower volumes. But that's most likely me, not the headphones.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Another thing I'm confused about is that to me they often sound hollow/tinny, with very little bass. Other times they sound amazing, depending on the record I'm listening to and at lower volumes. But that's most likely me, not the headphones.

I don’t think it’s you. Mine definitely exhibit weird behavior at low volume, they need to go loud for the bass to come in play and timbres to sound natural.