[Josh Englert]

  Hi Guys,
 
Been thinking for weeks if I should go for the AEON or not. I never spended that much money for either speakers nor headphones.
Yesterday I finally placed the order. So hopefully one pair will find it's way to tiny Luxembourg, Europe. Can't wait, I'm so excited. 

 
I'm also curious to see what hardcase the AEON will be delivered with. @ Dan: if you have any pictures, please feel free to share them 

 

 
In a similar boat as you my friend. Never spent that much money on headphones or speakers, and had no hesitation in placing my order. 

 

[Maelob]

I have the Prime, Sine. I occasionally use the Sine outdoors and around the house and the Prime indoors- i hope the Aeons are so good and not look weird outside so I could sell both the Primes and sine. The Aeons look like a one all around headphone solution.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

 
The Primes are fine headphone BUT;
 
1. They're 2 generational improvements of Mr. Speakers tech behind the Aeon.
2. They're using the old Fostex T50RP driver, which is 2 generations behind Fostex's T50-RP mk3. The Aeon is using Dan's own new and improved driver.
3. They're much heavier than the Aeon.

Gotcha; planning to directly amp my headphones via low-wattage (<5-watt) monoblocks which would be a better option for that?  Setting up a minimal loudspeaker system next to my desk so  I am planning to amp both my headphones and a pair of small speakers with a pair of monoblocks.
 

   
I agree with this. Even with the Aeon being more expensive, if I had the extra money I'd take it over the Prime any day. 

See above... any comments/ideas?
 

If I wanted a full sized headphone sound It'd be hard for me to pass up a prime at that price. However I'm so over big bulky headphones.

Very tempting still... trying to determine which would be better for the intended set-up and powering via speaker power amps.

 

[inthere]

Originally Posted by WoodyLuvr /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Very tempting still... trying to determine which would be better for the intended set-up and powering via speaker power amps.

 
Not complicated; if its price get the Prime but better sound it's Aeon hands down.

 

[swallace]

Has anyone heard the Aeons and the AQ Night Owls? Compare/contrast? 

 

[McTeags]

Finally caved and pre-ordered the Aeon to replace my EL-8C. Looking forward to it

 

[dallasmarlow]

How do you like the EL-8C? I've spent some time with the open backed version and like them a lot, I'm hoping the Aeon will be as good or better. 

 

[inthere]

  How do you like the EL-8C? I've spent some time with the open backed version and like them a lot, I'm hoping the Aeon will be as good or better. 

I preferred the Alpha Dog to the EL-8C so I'm pretty sure the Aeon will crush it.

 

[McTeags]

How do you like the EL-8C? I've spent some time with the open backed version and like them a lot, I'm hoping the Aeon will be as good or better. 

I like the sound of the EL-8C, although they may be a bit bright for my taste. The main issue I have with them is that they're heavy and the headband design does not do a very good job of distributing the weight. I typically can't use them for long periods of time, like when I'm gaming.

I do however really like the convenience of the optional Cipher cable.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

What is the latest info regarding the ohms and sensitivity rating for the Aeons?  Meaning how easy/hard are they to drive?  Sound fine without an amp or they definitely need some help (power) to sound good. 
 
EDIT:  Just stumbled across the specs... wow! Extremely efficient actually.
 
Impedance: 14 Ohms 
Sensitivity: 97dB/mW

 

[WoodyLuvr]

   
Not complicated; if its price get the Prime but better sound it's Aeon hands down.

Just auditioned those Alpha Primes... disappointing.  My B&O H6s are lighter and far more comfortable and sound just as good.  The Primes bass was more noticeable but not significantly and the imaging was weaker... definitely not a long wearing headphone either.
 
I guess I can 'chalk it up' to my minor hearing damage and sensitive ears as I didn't enjoy the Audeze Closed EL-8s or Oppo PM-3s either.. the EL-8 (closed) bass was much weaker than my H6s and they were just as heavy and uncomfortable as my open-back LCD-2s which I recently (and happily) gifted away.  The Oppo PM-3s, though a little clampy/sweaty, sounded very good but the imaging is still better on my H6s and they are definitely not as comfortable.  Tried the Sines again... a different pair that have been demoed/broken in far longer than the last pair I auditioned but they still are too uncomfortable and they don't sound as nice as my H6s... strange.  All were demoed/compared via the Deckard Headphone Amp (very nice amp!).
 
Guess I'll just have to wait and try the Aeons once they are out and about here in Siam... however, I may soon figure out that the H6s may be my end game. 
 
Definitely learned something today though... that my B&O H6s actually improved a little with a nice headphone amp so I will need to think on that.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I'd chalk that up to bad hearing or subpar equipment. The alpha prime scales up very well. At the NYC head-fi anonymous meet in 2015 it was paired with an Aurelic dac and cavalli liquid glass and was my favorite setup. Sounded great with the liquids crimson too

 

[DoctaCosmos]

What about the "imaging" was weaker

 

[inthere]

I'd chalk that up to bad hearing or subpar equipment. The alpha prime scales up very well. At the NYC head-fi anonymous meet in 2015 it was paired with an Aurelic dac and cavalli liquid glass and was my favorite setup. Sounded great with the liquids crimson too

​I was just about to say the same thing. I have the Deckard and it tends to level the playing field a lot. I recently compared the Focal Utopia with the Elear on it with another Headfi member and we couldn't tell the difference, however, as soon as we switched to a GS-X mk2 the Utopia left it in the dust. I don't ever remember getting more detail out of my H6 than my Alpha Dog, EL-8, Sine, or anything else over $400........then again I have 1st gen H6, Woody probably has 2nd gen.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

I'd chalk that up to bad hearing or subpar equipment. The alpha prime scales up very well. At the NYC head-fi anonymous meet in 2015 it was paired with an Aurelic dac and cavalli liquid glass and was my favorite setup. Sounded great with the liquids crimson too

 

Quote:

What about the "imaging" was weaker

Subpar???  Don't think so... all were amped by the Deckard with lossless files coming from a Astell & Kern Ak240 II DAP.
 
I also listened to a pair of LCD-2s (a newer version than my old ones), LCD-4s, and LCD-XCs... and wow the LCD-4s and LCD-XCs were beautiful (way better imaging than the Alpha Primes and my H6s) but unfortunately they still have that same heavy/clamping feeling like my LCD-2s  
 
The newer version LCD-2s seem to be a bit stronger in the bass with the same imaging as my older version but still very comparable, ever so slightly better than my H6s!  But again they are heavy and uncomfortable and why I gifted my LCD-2s recently.
 
To my ears piano, certain string instruments, female voices, and bells/chimes seemed more real sounding (or more to my liking) on my H6s than the Primes.  I am fond of timber and neutrality so don't like much color and/or enhancement.
 
Mind you again this all coming from the guy with minor hearing damage (from a combination of malaria attacks and the 2008 Israeli bombing in Gaza) and whom bought a pair of LCD-2s in a silly foray into open-back territory which ended badly as they ended up just gathering dust.  Isolation was poor and they were uncomfortable (too heavy and sweaty as hell) and they didn't sound as good as my H6s (weak shallow bass) and I really found the imaging of the H6s very close if not comparable to the LCD-2s.