[JoshG1217]

It’ll probably sound crazy but the VZR Model One is the best audiophile headphone I’ve ever encountered.

It sounds better than the aeon x?

 

[helloh3adfi]

People say the ear pad's shape gets messed up after a while. Is it easy to fix it every time? Is there some recommended mod to prevent it?

 

[raymanh]

Would something like a BTR3 or Qudelix 5k provide enough oomph to drive these?

 

[JoshG1217]

Would something like a BTR3 or Qudelix 5k provide enough oomph to drive these?

I don't think so. I have an smsl ho200 and they sound best from that. A diablo or ifi idsd signature power them at 4 watts. Maybe a hipdac would, but I can't imagine a qudelix would.

 

[Deleeh]

I have the normal DCA R/T closed and am really happy with the Hip Dac 2.
It runs really well with both 3.5 mm jacks and Pentacon.
For the money, I think the Hip Dac is hard to beat.

 

[Strat1117]

Picked up a used like new pair of Open X out of interest and I kinda like them. I usually stay away from inserts, filters and the like, but the one notch white with the stiff black (a la Zeos, for whom I normally have zero respect) leave me with a comfortable, lively, musical sound. I leave them on my desk in my home office with an OG Burson Audio HA-160DS and they are very musically satisfying and comfortable. A bargain at the price I paid.

 

[AlwaysForward]

It sounds better than the aeon x?

It sounds better than the original Aeons to me but I didn’t feel them too much to begin

 

[makkusu2021]

I saw someone complained in the Drop page that the pad would leave black stains on his head, and he is able to rub black dye off from the pads.

Could anyone confirm whether this is real?

Moreover, is it hard to DIY a balance cable for it? My current DAP (iBasso DX200 w/ Amp 8) only have a 4.4 out. Not interested to get aftermarket cables as they are usually too long for me, and the shipping would cost too much for a cable alone.

Interested to get them a my first closed back headphone.

 

[HappyPessimist]

I saw someone complained in the Drop page that the pad would leave black stains on his head, and he is able to rub black dye off from the pads.

Could anyone confirm whether this is real?

Moreover, is it hard to DIY a balance cable for it? My current DAP (iBasso DX200 w/ Amp 8) only have a 4.4 out. Not interested to get aftermarket cables as they are usually too long for me, and the shipping would cost too much for a cable alone.

Interested to get them a my first closed back headphone.

This is sometime later but I've had 0 issues with black dye rubbing off and I shave my head so I'd definitely notice. I've worn them for hours without issue.

For the cable, I'd imagine finding the connectors would be the most difficult part as they don't seem to be super common, but I've never ventured into DIY cabling.

If you haven't made up your mind yet- I will say that these have been, by far, the most comfortable pair of headphones I've owned.

 

[HappyPessimist]

I bought these new from Drop about 2 months ago (well, received them 2 months ago). I was coming from the 400i (2020 version) and got these, Focal Elegia, and the Edition XS. I ended up keeping the Closed X and the XS. The Closed X are super comfortable and sound great after EQ. I don't use any of the tuning inserts.

The dynamics are about the only area where I feel they're lacking. Against the Elegia, I thought they each had pros/cons in terms of sound but these are so much more comfortable. I often have to listen with only one ear and these make that far easier.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

What do I think about the Aeon X Closed? These are my favorite closed backs for under a grand and possibly for more. I spent a long time searching through closed backs under that $1k mark and that search concluded with me spending under half that for the Aeon X Closed.

These guys are resolving machines, the bass is agile with a snappy attack and quick decay allowing each not to begin and finish without bleeding into others even in complicated tracks. The mids are so sweet, presenting male and female vocals with aplomb and still retaining plenty of bite for distorted guitars and the like. The treble extends well, is lively, and oh so detailed. All 3 sections come together smoothly, without a hitch and you're left with an incredibly detailed, cohesively tuned pair of headphones.

My purchase of the Aeon X Closed was my first brush with DCA and if you check my signature you can see that they weren't my last. When it came time to search for the best flagship for me I looked through all the big ones without any preference for open or closed, I just wanted the best for me. If I had done it a couple years earlier before I had the X Closed, I might have overlooked DCA's Stealth offering, but knowing how much I liked their little brothers, I knew I had to try them. I went through the LCD 4&5, Susvara, Abyss, He1k, etc, but from nearly the moment I heard the Stealths I knew I needed to own a pair.

I have had the Stealths for about a week now and I couldn't be happier with them! And to think, if it weren't for how much a $475 pair of headphones (the Aeon X Closed) impressed me I may have ended up overlooking the headphones that suited me best at the flagship level! So yeah, I like the Aeon X closed. You could say that...

Edit: This should not be construed as saying that the Aeon X Closed sound like the Stealth. The two share some basic audio DNA if you will, but they are very different headphones.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

I saw someone complained in the Drop page that the pad would leave black stains on his head, and he is able to rub black dye off from the pads.

Could anyone confirm whether this is real?

Moreover, is it hard to DIY a balance cable for it? My current DAP (iBasso DX200 w/ Amp 8) only have a 4.4 out. Not interested to get aftermarket cables as they are usually too long for me, and the shipping would cost too much for a cable alone.

Interested to get them a my first closed back headphone.

I have owned my Aeon X Closed for quite some time and haven't had a problem with this at all. Just like the other poster who replied, I keep my head buzzed with a no guard clipper so I would definitely be aware if black die was rubbing off on my head or around my ears. I'm Caucasian so the contrast against my skin and scalp would be easily noticeable. Just to make sure I grabbed my pair and rubbed the padding all over to see if anything would come off and I had absolutely nothing on my hands after doing so.

Hope this helps. The Aeon X Closed are a fantastic pair of headphones.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Would something like a BTR3 or Qudelix 5k provide enough oomph to drive these?

I own both receivers and the Aeon X Closed. The BTR3 can't drive them at all. The 5k can get you most of the way there, but you can still tell the drivers aren't reaching their potential and with quiter tracks or tracks that have big dynamic range the 5k really starts to show its limitations. Give the X Closed some proper power from my ifi Gryphon though and they really wake up. They're a great pair of headphones and such a good value!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

You can watch some Headphone Show videos from DMS. He considers the Aeon Noire an upgrade. Even more of an upgrade is the DCA Stealth.

The Stealths are a big upgrade, but that's where I went after a thorough TOTL search of both closed and open back (invl Susvara, LCD 4&5, Rosson, Kennerton, HE1000 v2, etc, etc, etc). The Stealths sounded like they were literally made for me from the moment I first put them on. They have some obvious differences from the Closed X, but they share the same audio DNA so to speak.

 

[288920]

I have owned my Aeon X Closed for quite some time and haven't had a problem with this at all. Just like the other poster who replied, I keep my head buzzed with a no guard clipper so I would definitely be aware if black die was rubbing off on my head or around my ears. I'm Caucasian so the contrast against my skin and scalp would be easily noticeable. Just to make sure I grabbed my pair and rubbed the padding all over to see if anything would come off and I had absolutely nothing on my hands after doing so.

Hope this helps. The Aeon X Closed are a fantastic pair of headphones.

Another vote here for the X Closed. VERY comfortable, zero issues with any dye rubbing off. I am using Oratory's EQ profile and I am seriously impressed.
(error in original post corrected... Oratory, NOT AutoEQ)