[VocaloidDude]

The Mr Speaker ÆON Flow Open Back, Tyle ranked it above the Sennheiser HD800... is it really better? Tyle did say that he is going to be bringing the Aeon Flow with him in his RV, so it's kind of the one he likes the most I guess. But what does it have over the HD800? What does it have over the HD650? What does it have over any headphone? Is it worth getting if you already have the HD800 like I do?

 

[SilverEars]

It's just one's opinion. Doesn't mean it's better in general. You need to get that out of your thinking.

There are headphones Tyll put in wall of fame people disagree with. He's not the authority in what is good or better, you are. Try it out if you can.

 

[RollsDownWindowsManually]

I own both of these. They are really really drastically different. it's like saying an F-350 pickup truck is better than a corvette. What does AFO have over the HD800? Bass and smooth tretble. What does HD800 have? Accurate timbre, soundstage, clarity and detail. Neither is perfect. Choose your weapon. I think Ether Flow open strikes a balance somewhere between the two, although it has its own flaws.

 

[armink]

I think once you get to a certain price point you can't say that one headphone sounds better than another, it's purely subjective. You can only say that they sound different.
Think of headphones as a tool, and different tools accomplish different things. AFO's are better at one thing than the HD800's, but the HD800's are better at one thing over the AFO's. It all comes down to sound signature and what you prefer. Everyone's ears are different.

 

[Roscoeiii]

I think once you get to a certain price point you can't say that one headphone sounds better than another, it's purely subjective. You can only say that they sound different.
Think of headphones as a tool, and different tools accomplish different things. AFO's are better at one thing than the HD800's, but the HD800's are better at one thing over the AFO's. It all comes down to sound signature and what you prefer. Everyone's ears are different.

Yes, agreed. And in addition to personal preferences, some sound signatures seem to work better for some genres. For example, due to their huge soundstage, many people think of the HD800s as excellent for classical.

 

[bagwell359]

I think once you get to a certain price point you can't say that one headphone sounds better than another, it's purely subjective. You can only say that they sound different.
Think of headphones as a tool, and different tools accomplish different things. AFO's are better at one thing than the HD800's, but the HD800's are better at one thing over the AFO's. It all comes down to sound signature and what you prefer. Everyone's ears are different.

In a perfect democratic world - yes. In the real world? No. Indexing quality purely by price point is MUCH worse than assigning a subjective opinion to a set of cans - regardless of the price. Also with no subjectives allowed, how many people would come here to opine, or read?

Now, I don't say person X should listen to me, unless they tend to agree with my opinions on say 3 cans, so the 4th can person X hasn't heard can have some interest, perhaps even a small measure of trust in my opinion on can 4.

Edit: For instance, I think LCD-2's are brutally amusical (that's the '14 Fazor version). I base that on a childhood full of live classical performances of all types, and a lifetime of using SOTA or supposed SOTA equipment to reproduce music. I find them an insult on a level with beats and Bose 901's. My buddy that has the LCD 2 and 3 verified my version sounded correct. Very glad that Amazon saved my bacon on those. This opinion will anger some, impress others, and most will ignore it.

Your supposed plan would have this site degenerate into press releases on new products and re-releases. Color me disinterested in that vision.

 

[441879]

Think of headphones as similar to wine: once you get to a certain level, it’s all about personal tastes and the sophistication of the listener. Sure, some are going to be better value, but it’s really about what you enjoy.

I like variety so I can enjoy the differences and would own both if I could afford it.

 

[bagwell359]

Think of headphones as similar to wine: once you get to a certain level, it’s all about personal tastes and the sophistication of the listener. Sure, some are going to be better value, but it’s really about what you enjoy.

I like variety so I can enjoy the differences

That's more nuanced, but vinegar is still vinegar.

 

[441879]

That's more nuanced, but vinegar is still vinegar.

I don’t think the phones we’re discussing qualify as vinegar, though with something as subjective as sound, your mileage may vary.

 

[bagwell359]

I don’t think the phones we’re discussing qualify as vinegar, though with something as subjective as sound, your mileage may vary.

The two cans that this thread is about? No, not even close. However, the overly broad assertion related to a certain price level by another poster doesn't pass the logic test. That's all.

 

[Quasimodosbelfry]

Think of headphones as similar to wine: once you get to a certain level, it’s all about personal tastes and the sophistication of the listener. Sure, some are going to be better value, but it’s really about what you enjoy.

I like variety so I can enjoy the differences and would own both if I could afford it.

I'm not much of a drinker so I usually use steak as a metaphor when I try to explain to people the difference between my cans and IEMs.

Dang... I'm hungry now.

 

[Avenida]

I think the Eeon Flow sounds more like a really good BA IEM, while HD800s sound like headphones with the clarity slider set way too high. If I had to choose it’d be the Flow for being nuetral and still fun.

 

[IkSak]

Think of headphones as similar to wine: once you get to a certain level, it’s all about personal tastes and the sophistication of the listener. Sure, some are going to be better value, but it’s really about what you enjoy.

I like variety so I can enjoy the differences and would own both if I could afford it.

I think this pretty much sums it all. The perfect do-all headphone doesn’t exist. Just like good wines, which are suitable for different kind of food and even for different moods, the same happens with the headphones. Tyll said that because of two things: 1) the man prefer warm, slightly dark headphones and 2) the level of engagement of the AFO suits Tyll tastes.

What is important here is that in the end everyone tastes are different and what can be better for one person doesn’t necessarily make it for another. Now, if you’re considering adding the AFO to the HD800, I think it makes an amazing team since they portray music in two different ways and both ways are very beautiful

 

[441879]

I think this pretty much sums it all. The perfect do-all headphone doesn’t exist. Just like good wines, which are suitable for different kind of food and even for different moods, the same happens with the headphones. Tyll said that because of two things: 1) the man prefer warm, slightly dark headphones and 2) the level of engagement of the AFO suits Tyll tastes.

What is important here is that in the end everyone tastes are different and what can be better for one person doesn’t necessarily make it for another. Now, if you’re considering adding the AFO to the HD800, I think it makes an amazing team since they portray music in two different ways and both ways are very beautiful

This is why I find solid descriptions of how audio products compare to some well known products (like the HD800) so useful, and why reviewers like Tyll (who have a known and consistent set of tastes) helpful.

 

[Klots]

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.