[rhern213]

Thanks! I bought the AFO as I get a great price on them and after reading/watching all available reviews these seem to be the closest to my preference too. I still really want to hear the AFC and the LCD2C too, so I arranged an audition in a shop next Saturday (2hrs away the closest). They have the AFC and LCD2C but not the AFO. I am pretty sure I made the right choice with the AFO, but it will be fun to compare these three headphones.

From what I've demoed I feel in this price range the AFO's are the best all around HP's you can get. While I don't think they do one specific area spectacularly, they do to really good levels. The 6XX's to me were more balanced for easier listening across the range, and the LCD2-C's were tighter, faster, and overall better at lower frequencies. But while the AFO's are merely 5-10% off in these areas, they are a clear 20% better everywhere else. I'm obviously throwing out random BS numbers, but it's just so you can get a better idea of my point.

 

[IkSak]

Do you guys consider the LCD2C a good complement to the AFO for songs that favor dynamics?

 

[rhern213]

Would you mind sharing your EQ settings for calibrating the AFO to the Harman curve? I'd love to try them out to hear the difference.

Here are my EQ settings. These are the base line changes, I didn't do anything further to my liking. Also you should set the global gain to a negative amount of the greatest gain setting, so in this case it would be -5db. This is just to fix potential distortion. Let me know what you think.

low shelving
100hz
3db
1.5 oct

Peak dip
150hz
-3db
2 oct

1250hz
3db
.25 oct

6000hz
5db
.4 oct

9000hz
-3db
.25 oct

12500hz
3db
.25 oct

 

[rhern213]

Do you guys consider the LCD2C a good complement to the AFO for songs that favor dynamics?

I think they're very good compliments to each other. The LCD's are darker and better at lower frequencies and genres like EDM. AFO's are better in mid's and highs and feel more open with better imaging.

 

[lugnut]

The LCD's are darker and better at lower frequencies and genres like EDM. AFO's are better in mid's and highs and feel more open with better imaging.

I am thinking about getting one of these two phones. My concern is I really like a nice soundstage and I have read that neither one of these excels in that department. I also do not have the opportunity to listen these. So you think the AFO's have the better soundstage ? I listen mostly to rock genres except heavy metal and I like blues & jazz.
Can you give your thoughts about the two ? Thanks

 

[IkSak]

The AFO is great for Rock, pop did to the vocals. If you have a good Dac and use them without any of the filters it has a good soundstage and imaging, although not at the HD700 level, which is my reference in this regard.

What I can tell you is that the AFO has some sort of reproduction that make you forget about every technical details and you get into the music

 

[rhern213]

I am thinking about getting one of these two phones. My concern is I really like a nice soundstage and I have read that neither one of these excels in that department. I also do not have the opportunity to listen these. So you think the AFO's have the better soundstage ? I listen mostly to rock genres except heavy metal and I like blues & jazz.
Can you give your thoughts about the two ? Thanks

The soundstage and imaging on the AFO's is clearly more open and accurate than the LCD's IMO. The one thing that's a little odd is the way they physically feel. The LCD's feel more open and airy physically just because of the design and size of the HP's. The AFO's physically feel more closed in, but once the music starts playing it's a whole different story.

 

[IkSak]

How would you compare the dynamics?. What're your thoughts about them for rock/pop music? what about classical/jazz?

The soundstage and imaging on the AFO's is clearly more open and accurate than the LCD's IMO. The one thing that's a little odd is the way they physically feel. The LCD's feel more open and airy physically just because of the design and size of the HP's. The AFO's physically feel more closed in, but once the music starts playing it's a whole different story.

 

[Ripley]

Here are my EQ settings. These are the base line changes, I didn't do anything further to my liking. Also you should set the global gain to a negative amount of the greatest gain setting, so in this case it would be -5db. This is just to fix potential distortion. Let me know what you think.

low shelving
100hz
3db
1.5 oct

Peak dip
150hz
-3db
2 oct

1250hz
3db
.25 oct

6000hz
5db
.4 oct

9000hz
-3db
.25 oct

12500hz
3db
.25 oct

Terrific. I'm going to spend some time comparing these with the default sound, but first impressions are very positive. Thanks for sharing!

 

[rhern213]

How would you compare the dynamics?. What're your thoughts about them for rock/pop music? what about classical/jazz?

Classical/Jazz it's a clear win for the AFO's because of it's reproduction of instrumentals and imaging. Rock and pop it's really a toss-up, they're both equally good at this for my ears.

Not sure what you mean by dynamics?

Terrific. I'm going to spend some time comparing these with the default sound, but first impressions are very positive. Thanks for sharing!

Good to hear!

 

[skyline315]

The soundstage and imaging on the AFO's is clearly more open and accurate than the LCD's IMO. The one thing that's a little odd is the way they physically feel. The LCD's feel more open and airy physically just because of the design and size of the HP's. The AFO's physically feel more closed in, but once the music starts playing it's a whole different story.

This nails it, and is the only reason I'd be tempted to sell the AFO.

It's not the sound at all, but the physical sensation that can drive me up a wall sometimes. Switching to something that feels more physically open (HD650, for example) can be a breath of fresh air (literally).

 

[rhern213]

This nails it, and is the only reason I'd be tempted to sell the AFO.

It's not the sound at all, but the physical sensation that can drive me up a wall sometimes. Switching to something that feels more physically open (HD650, for example) can be a breath of fresh air (literally) sometimes.

Exactly, even though they're heavier the LCD's to me feel a good bit better on my head and are more comfortable and airy around my ears. The AFO's feel like I'm wearing closed HP's, after an hour or so I always find myself with a bit of discomfort and heat, and repositioning them to let some air in. I could wear the LCD's all day with no worries.

 

[Phantaminum]

This nails it, and is the only reason I'd be tempted to sell the AFO.

It's not the sound at all, but the physical sensation that can drive me up a wall sometimes. Switching to something that feels more physically open (HD650, for example) can be a breath of fresh air (literally).

Fair enough. That’s the characteristics of the AFOs and won’t change much even with higher end tube amps. That’s one of the reasons I purchased the Auteurs to give me a more open and airy sound.

Even with the Auteurs I’ll be keeping the AFOs because of how forgiving they are with bad recordings. They just kind of put honey on all the jagged edges. But I can understand how they may give you a claustrophobic feeling.

 

[musicfrommemory]

Hi Everyone,

Happen to be in the very fortunate position of having temporary ownership of a pair of both open and closed AEON Flows.

I will be keeping one of them and have two weeks to decide.

If anyone has any questions they'd like to throw my way way I'll do my best to answer them...

Cheers,

MFM

 

[skyline315]

Many pages back it was recommended to use the foam spacer that came with the headphones when not in use to keep the pads from compressing.

Is this okay to do without any of the tuning/dampening pads installed? It seems the drivers are a bit exposed, so I want to be sure I'm not going to funk something up.