[-ImageX]

As @lafeuill mentioned, Dan Clark posted about the damping effects of the tuning pads as well as his PEQ settings on another forum on July 2, 2023. If you look up the Aeon 2 Noire Review on that site, you will see a few posts by Dan Clark (that is also his user name). I have been using similar PEQ settings on my RME ADI-2 along with the foam tuning pad ÷ 1 notch white (i ordered a set) and the headphones sound fantastic to my ears (way too sibilant for me otherwise).

I have just never heard that they are “not SUPPOSED to be used WITHOUT” the tuning pads. Did Dan actually say that? I am into my first hour of listening….. no pads….. and am actually loving them as is. I will experiment though for sure but I am still waiting on the 4.4 balanced cables to be delivered. As of now, they can take 120 volume on the Fiio M17 with standard SE 6.35 connection.… not that I will listen to them this loud all the time. Sometimes I might though. These things sound GREAT! I can only imagine that it’s going to get even better balanced.


The documentation says only this….EDIT: Just realized that the 1 notch white felt is preinstalled. That is how I am listening to them… so actually not without pads yet.

 

[lafeuill]

Already posted a few pages back:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dan...ssion-impressions-thread.956878/post-17629093

Here are the two interesting links:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-aeon-2-noire-review.46055/post-1643697

and
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-aeon-2-noire-review.46055/post-1670277

 

[TK33]

I have just never heard that they are “not SUPPOSED to be used WITHOUT” the tuning pads. Did Dan actually say that? I am into my first hour of listening….. no pads….. and am actually loving them as is. I will experiment though for sure but I am still waiting on the 4.4 balanced cables to be delivered. As of now, they can take 120 volume on the Fiio M17 with standard SE 6.35 connection.… not that I will listen to them this loud all the time. Sometimes I might though. These things sound GREAT! I can only imagine that it’s going to get even better balanced.


The documentation says only this….EDIT: Just realized that the 1 notch white felt is preinstalled. That is how I am listening to them… so actually not without pads yet.

Glad to see you are enjoying them.

I don't think anyone is trying to say you should not or could not use them without the pads but, rather, my guess is that they were trying to be helpful in case you dont like the stock tuning out of the box. You can use then however you like. As the documentation you quoted says, it is "personal preference" and, I think the reason for pointing to Dan's posts in the other forum is to show that there is no one right way to listen to them (even Dan uses the tuning pads + EQ). Nice to see the 1 notch white is now included (Dan did say they would make this change going forward on that other forum). When I bought mine (I preordered at launch), it only came with the other three filters (and nothing pre-installed) so I had to buy a new set of tuning pads to get the 1 notch white. It was worth it for me as I am much happier with the sound using the 1 notch white + foam (I am generally sensitive to treble so this is my personal preference).

Hope you continue to enjoy yours. Mine has been serving me well over the last few years.

 

[P007]

Really liked the Noire's with no added pads.

 

[kennyb123]

Already posted a few pages back:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dan...ssion-impressions-thread.956878/post-17629093

Here are the two interesting links:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-aeon-2-noire-review.46055/post-1643697

and
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-aeon-2-noire-review.46055/post-1670277

Thanks but still not seeing a direct mention that they should not be used without the pads. Really bad form to claim someone said something without posting the exact quote along with the exact link where it was mentioned.

I did find Dan saying in one of those links: “But try both combos to see what works for you, it's not like there's a ‘right’ solution, which was intended to be part of the fun..”. If there is no “right solution” then there is no should or shouldn’t do.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Why would it be a problem to not use the filters?

The filters address the most common complaint of the treble peaks of the Noire. For those of us with aging hearing, these peaks are irrelevant.

 

[ahmonge]

Why would it be a problem to not use the filters?

For me no filters is the way to go. Less treble and the sound would be too bass oriented.

 

[AudioAndCoffee]

is there any adapter around which could use my meze pcuhd cable in 3.5mm end to aeon headphone (in hirose connection)?

 

[David A Silva]

is there any adapter around which could use my meze pcuhd cable in 3.5mm end to aeon headphone (in hirose connection)?

Hart Audio Cables: https://hartaudiocables.com/
They made me adapter pigtails with hirose connectors on the Aeon end and mini xlr to mate with Zmf cables on the other end. Beautiful work. Send them an email and tell them what you need. Very reasonable price and quick turn around.
Good luck!

 

[KING DRANZER]

Guys which is the best closed back headphone DAC got with best Soundstage and imaging.

1. DAC Aeon RT Closed
2. DAC Aeon Closed X(Drop)
3. DAC Aeon 2 Closed
4. DAC Aeon 2 Noire
5. DAC Ether CX

 

[mrspeakers]

I have just never heard that they are “not SUPPOSED to be used WITHOUT” the tuning pads. Did Dan actually say that? I am into my first hour of listening….. no pads….. and am actually loving them as is. I will experiment though for sure but I am still waiting on the 4.4 balanced cables to be delivered. As of now, they can take 120 volume on the Fiio M17 with standard SE 6.35 connection.… not that I will listen to them this loud all the time. Sometimes I might though. These things sound GREAT! I can only imagine that it’s going to get even better balanced.


The documentation says only this….EDIT: Just realized that the 1 notch white felt is preinstalled. That is how I am listening to them… so actually not without pads yet.

I think what I've said is generally that without any pad these will be too bright for some, and that the tuning pad is the default. But the whole point of the system is to have fun and enjoy what works for you...

 

[jsmiller58]

I think what I've said is generally that without any pad these will be too bright for some, and that the tuning pad is the default. But the whole point of the system is to have fun and enjoy what works for you...

Thanks! I am one of these that don’t use any of the tuning pads, but then I use EQ to customize the sound more finely than I could ever with pads. But yeah, the pads are there to provide the flexibility to tune.

 

[lafeuill]

I think what I've said is generally that without any pad these will be too bright for some, and that the tuning pad is the default. But the whole point of the system is to have fun and enjoy what works for you...

There's a huge disparity of sound level listening between the members of our French HP enthusiasts community.

Some find very low levels enough for their sensitivity, others like me are at the opposite end and try to get as close as possible to near-field real levels.

I've experienced being very close to musicians playing (50in / 1.2m): Daniel Mille's accordion, Que Vola's brass trio (trumpet + trombone + saxophone), Ulf Wakenius's guitar, one of the multiple marimbas playing a Steve Reich composition, Koki Nakano's piano...

Living these moments totally influenced what I look for when listening to recorded music.

The Noire, Stealth and Expanse are part of the excellent tier of HPs that I can push with the proper amplification to very satisfyingly strong levels, provided the recordings are good enough.

For my Noire, I first settled on the one-notch black + two-notches white combo. Then I ordered the tuning pads pack to try the one-notch black + one-notch white combo and settled with that.

My low level listening comrades would probably have less need to tame the treble, to the point where using no filters can make sense.

I recently hooked up a Flux FA-10 Limited Edition to my Aune S16 dac, great set to push the Noire to my kind of sound jungle.

 

[bavich]

I’m currently using the Noires with Schiit Jotunheim 2 and Bifrost 2 2/64. It’s a great combo. However, I was thinking of getting a Chord Mojo 2 for the office or when I’m visiting my family. What are your thoughts or experience with the Mojo?

 

[Mightygrey]

I’m currently using the Noires with Schiit Jotunheim 2 and Bifrost 2 2/64. It’s a great combo. However, I was thinking of getting a Chord Mojo 2 for the office or when I’m visiting my family. What are your thoughts or experience with the Mojo?

The Noire sounds great with the Mojo 2. I'd be comfortable using it as my main source with the Noire.