[Avenida]

@Klots I feel like you made the right choice, personally the Aeon is better than HD800, and sounds super reference-like.

 

[441879]

Double post

 

[441879]

I traded my HD800-s for AFO last week, and they should arrive to me next week. When I bought HD800 more than 3 years ago, I just loved them. The clarity, air, separation, big soundstage, comfort. But this year I just had this feeling that maybe too thin sounding, maybe too big soundstage (listened from Gumby/MJ2)? I listen to classical music, but no so much as everything else. So when there is a small band (few guitars, drums, singer), then the large soundstage felt artificial (distance from guitarist to singer is too large etc). At least for me. So I wanted to try something different. Never heard a planar before and I have always used Sennheiser headphones. But if I don't like them, there is always a change to sell them in head-fi and try something else instead.

And some examples about the music I listen to: Albert King, Joe Bonamassa, Eva Cassidy, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Beth Hart, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Roy Orbison, Florence & The Machines, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Ray Vaughan and sometimes 90's dance music and a classical + jazz.

IMHO, the music you listen to (which overlaps considerably with my tastes) will sound fantastic on the AFO. Will you like it better than the HD800? I’m going to guess that the closer, warmer sound and forgiving nature of the AFO will work really well for you, especially with older, less perfect recordings, l suspect you’ll wish you had both though. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[IkSak]

You're going to enjoy the AFO a lot for small bands. It is absolutely amazing to portray music of a small band playing in a hall, or a club-like environment. Just be sure to pair it with a tube amp and you're set. Since you have the HD800 I assume you have them. Some amps with good pairing are the Schiit Vali 2, Lyr 2, Lyr 3, the Massdrop CTH. If you want a portable amp, the Chord Mojo and the Cayin C5 are pretty good matches for the AFO

I traded my HD800-s for AFO last week, and they should arrive to me next week. When I bought HD800 more than 3 years ago, I just loved them. The clarity, air, separation, big soundstage, comfort. But this year I just had this feeling that maybe too thin sounding, maybe too big soundstage (listened from Gumby/MJ2)? I listen to classical music, but no so much as everything else. So when there is a small band (few guitars, drums, singer), then the large soundstage felt artificial (distance from guitarist to singer is too large etc). At least for me. So I wanted to try something different. Never heard a planar before and I have always used Sennheiser headphones. But if I don't like them, there is always a change to sell them in head-fi and try something else instead.

And some examples about the music I listen to: Albert King, Joe Bonamassa, Eva Cassidy, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Beth Hart, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Roy Orbison, Florence & The Machines, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Ray Vaughan and sometimes 90's dance music and a classical + jazz.

 

[Klots]

You're going to enjoy the AFO a lot for small bands. It is absolutely amazing to portray music of a small band playing in a hall, or a club-like environment. Just be sure to pair it with a tube amp and you're set. Since you have the HD800 I assume you have them. Some amps with good pairing are the Schiit Vali 2, Lyr 2, Lyr 3, the Massdrop CTH. If you want a portable amp, the Chord Mojo and the Cayin C5 are pretty good matches for the AFO

No, I don't have HD800 anymore, traded them for AFO. And at the moment I need to save money for something else, so I can't buy a dac and amp. Going to listen them through 15 year old Sony home receiver for awhile. It sucks I know

 

[329161]

As pretty much everyone else said: when it comes to sound quality, this hobby is all about personal opinion. Most might be into Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, then you always get that weird guy into Justin Bieber or Adrianna Grande. Who's right? No-one (surprisingly). The HD800 is undoubtedly very popular with audiophiles. Then you'll get that weird person that prefers the VE Monks. Who's right? Re: original post- I personally agree with Tyll on this one. The treble on the 800 pierced too much, and the soundstage sounded unnaturally wide to me. Just too diffuse. It also seems to add an unnatural reverb, or shimmer to pretty much everything.I also like the warmer punchier and bolder sound of the planars on the Aeons.
Find out what your own tastes are, and then demo demo demo. If that's not possible then try to get an idea from others what the sound profile of your prospective headphones are. If you already know this, then I apologise and hope others can benefit from my wanna be wisdom.
As always, YMMV.
Edit: you can get the Aeons to sound closer to the 800 by not using any of the supplied tuning filters. So kind of best of both worlds.

 

[441879]

You're going to enjoy the AFO a lot for small bands. It is absolutely amazing to portray music of a small band playing in a hall, or a club-like environment. Just be sure to pair it with a tube amp and you're set. Since you have the HD800 I assume you have them. Some amps with good pairing are the Schiit Vali 2, Lyr 2, Lyr 3, the Massdrop CTH. If you want a portable amp, the Chord Mojo and the Cayin C5 are pretty good matches for the AFO

Oh yea- the Aeons pair exceptionally well with Schiit tube gear. Lyr 3 + AFO will definely beat the crap out of any old Sony receiver and any headphones (IMHO)

 

[Klots]

Oh yea- the Aeons pair exceptionally well with Schiit tube gear. Lyr 3 + AFO will definely beat the crap out of any old Sony receiver and any headphones (IMHO)

Im sure it will. Even mimby+vali2 would be better. But Aeons with that receiver will be better than no headphones at all Tracking info shows that Aeons arrived to my country, so beginning of next week and they should clear customs. Can't wait!

 

[Klots]

..you can get the Aeons to sound closer to the 800 by not using any of the supplied tuning filters. So kind of best of both worlds.

Will definitely start with no filters, because I didnt even find stock HD800 treble harsh and fatiguing.

 

[monini13]

wow! i personally like the hd800 a lot but i wont deny the clarity detail and that treble peak can cause some level of fatigue. what amp did you drive it out of!

 

[Klots]

I have used HD800 with Bottlehead Crack, Audiolab M-dac, Auralic Taurus MKII, Schiit Mjolnir 2, ibasso D14, creative E3. No fatigue for me, even without SDR mod