[qrtas]

AFO is well balanced across bass-mid-treble, which I believe it is pretty difficult to achieve. I think it does not underperform in any of those areas. One day, I auditioned LCD 2,3,4 in a shop listening Janet Jackson's album 'unbreakable'. I immediately understood why they did not make it in Tyll's reviews. While they have excellent bass and mids, treble was too bad to justify their price tags. And difference was quite noticeable when I compared them to my HD800S and Ether C. I value treble and am not a bass-head person, so they were out of my choices.
IMO, AFO is bass-heavy compared to other MrSpeakers products, so it may even satisfy some bass pursuant listeners. But it does not necessarily mean that you will be satisfied with this. I would suggest you audition them If you have a chance.

Audeze LCD 3 was on Tyll's wall of fame for a long time, it was #2 following the Stax SR-009. Then it was kicked out of the wall of fame by MrSpeakers original Ether (Red). I tried the ether, but the sound was too thin. Reading your comments, and everyone's comments here, the AFO looks very, very promising. You are right, I'll need to audition them. In my case will mean to purchase them online and take advantage of the return policy, because no store here carries them.

Thank you!

 

[Charente]

Thanks so much for sharing your impressions. When I look for a good headphone that really satisfies my ears, I obviously consider the headphone's technical abilities. But the most important aspects for me to consider are musicality and natural tonality. For example, to me the HD800/800S have impressive technical abilities, however, to my ears they are not the most musical and natural sounding headphones. I currently have the Audeze LCD 3. I love its sound, however, I am getting tired of its weight and I also have this constant fear that one the drives are going to fell at any moment, based on other people's bad experiences. I've been looking for a headphone that replaces my lcd3. I am not really looking for an upgrade, I think it is more a sidegrade. I was looking for headphones at around the same price as an lcd3, you know Focal Elear Clear, Ether Flow, etc Now the AFO comes out and I caught my attention. The AFO is a planar magnetic, it is lighter, perhaps more reliable than Adeze, more comfortable, etc. I know it is crazy for me to even consider an $800 headphone to replace a $2000 one. Do you think this is a crazy move? I don't like thin sounding headphones. Is the AFO thin sounding? or Do you consider the AFO musical and natural in its tonality?

I don't envy your task ! I don't know about the Audeze LCD-3 nor the Focal Clear, so I can't give you a view as to a comparison between them. I can comment on a couple of points your raise ...

Comfort - The AFO are more comfortable IMO than the HD-650 ... less clamping force overall and I don't really notice the strap on the top of my head. Perhaps a few people might notice a slight force just in front of the ears, where the straight-edge of the tear-drop design rests up against the front edge of the ear ... I found by moving the head-strap slightly forwards helps general comfort. These are not uncomfortable and certainly not heavy.

I would not describe the AFO as 'thin sounding' by any stretch of the imagination ... nor are they 'thick' ...as I mentioned earlier, I find them just warm of neutral and give an incisive but natural presentation. Yes, I do consider them musical in their tonality ... in my favourite jazz genre, instruments such as piano and saxophone sound lush and natural. However, I do think they respond well to lots of power ... my MJ2 has that and is very slightly warm itself, so that may help that thought.

LCD-3 to AFO ... Is it a crazy move ? Tricky ... on paper ... probably. I'm not sure I can comments further, having not heard the LCD-3.

 

[lentoviolento]

What's not a good sign? The AFO and the 660S are BOTH great sounding headphones with my rig. The fact that neither is a slam-dunk clear winner is a testament to the quality of both IMO.

I mean that i hoped thar aeon costing double the price of 660s had double the slam!

 

[swmtnbiker]

I mean that i hoped thar aeon costing double the price of 660s had double the slam!

I don't know where you live, but here in the U.S. they're not double the price. The 660S is $500USD and the AFO is $800USD, or a bit more than half again as much as the Senn.

 

[Charente]

I mean that i hoped thar aeon costing double the price of 660s had double the slam!

I'm not sure it works like that ! The AFO's bass is good and well balanced ... if the music/recording requires it, they deliver and do it well. If you're looking for up-front, dominant bass across the board then they may not suit you.

 

[lentoviolento]

i live in italy. senn costs around 490euros, aeon 950 shipped.....
i know i was jocking about the slam.. but i hope to get better sound anyway, i like senn but maybe i'm more of a basshead than i would admit..

 

[franz12]

Audeze LCD 3 was on Tyll's wall of fame for a long time, it was #2 following the Stax SR-009. Then it was kicked out of the wall of fame by MrSpeakers original Ether (Red). I tried the ether, but the sound was too thin. Reading your comments, and everyone's comments here, the AFO looks very, very promising. You are right, I'll need to audition them. In my case will mean to purchase them online and take advantage of the return policy, because no store here carries them.

Thank you!

Buy and return strategy is a bit tricky for MrSpeakers' products. For AFO, it takes 100+ hours for break-in, which may be difficult to achieve within their return period, and break-in is indeed real. Usually, it took 1-2 months to understand their potential.

 

[Faber65]

Buy and return strategy is a bit tricky for MrSpeakers' products. For AFO, it takes 100+ hours for break-in, which may be difficult to achieve within their return period, and break-in is indeed real. Usually, it took 1-2 months to understand their potential.

You can run the headphones with the source in repeat mode with pink noise or normal music if you want to speed up the break-in.

 

[qrtas]

You can run the headphones with the source in repeat mode with pink noise or normal music if you want to speed up the break-in.

Thanks Faber65

 

[thighmaster69]

Lol any sneaker heads reading AFO as Air Force Ones?

 

[AlanU]

Just auditioned the "open" flows and I think they sound quite good. I don't know why but I prefer my HE560 a lot more for some reason. To my ears the AFO sound stage almost has a closed headphone sound similar to the Aeon closed version but slightly wider. It seems to have a V sound for excitement with smooth "flow" of music. I did listen to a hifiman Edition X immediately afterwards there was definitely a totally different experience adding $800 above the AFO sticker price of $999CDN. The Hifiman edition X mk2 had this open sound almost giving me the impression that I was listening to a 2 channel hifi stereo.

I will admit the AFO's I auditioned do not have that many hours on them but I fail to see a miraculous and massive difference in SQ from the signature sound I heard today.

I'll have to say I'd probably prefer the AFO sound over my modified HD800 HP. Price wise to my ears if I spend more the Hifiman edition X mk2 was a much open and beautiful sounding HP. Bang for the buck the current price of the HE560 sounds better to my ears over the AFO especially in a holographic sound stage from Hifiman. Never ever thought I'd say such a thing about the HE560.

It'd be interesting to hear the Focal Clear as it's slightly more expensive than the AFO. If the "Clear" sounds anything like the Elears.......I'd save $$$ and go for the AFO or spend a lot more and go for the Hifiman Edition X mk2 for my budget.

I think I have to do another audition for a "broken in" AFO to make a true judgement.

 

[franz12]

Just auditioned the "open" flows and I think they sound quite good. I don't know why but I prefer my HE560 a lot more for some reason. To my ears the AFO sound stage almost has a closed headphone sound similar to the Aeon closed version but slightly wider. It seems to have a V sound for excitement with smooth "flow" of music. I did listen to a hifiman Edition X immediately afterwards there was definitely a totally different experience adding $800 above the AFO sticker price of $999CDN. The Hifiman edition X mk2 had this open sound almost giving me the impression that I was listening to a 2 channel hifi stereo.

I will admit the AFO's I auditioned do not have that many hours on them but I fail to see a miraculous and massive difference in SQ from the signature sound I heard today.

I'll have to say I'd probably prefer the AFO sound over my modified HD800 HP. Price wise to my ears if I spend more the Hifiman edition X mk2 was a much open and beautiful sounding HP. Bang for the buck the current price of the HE560 sounds better to my ears over the AFO especially in a holographic sound stage from Hifiman. Never ever thought I'd say such a thing about the HE560.

It'd be interesting to hear the Focal Clear as it's slightly more expensive than the AFO. If the "Clear" sounds anything like the Elears.......I'd save $$$ and go for the AFO or spend a lot more and go for the Hifiman Edition X mk2 for my budget.

I think I have to do another audition for a "broken in" AFO to make a true judgement.

Mrspeakers' products require massive break-in hours to open soundstage. I have to admit that I initially disappointed with my ECF because of narrow soundstage, but it took 200 hours (almost 2 months!) to achieve a wider soundstage finally. AFO was no different. I initially felt somewhat narrow soundstage like closed, but I feel it is now widening after 70+ running hours.

 

[AlanU]

Mrspeakers' products require massive break-in hours to open soundstage. I have to admit that I initially disappointed with my ECF because of narrow soundstage, but it took 200 hours (almost 2 months!) to achieve a wider soundstage finally. AFO was no different. I initially felt somewhat narrow soundstage like closed, but I feel it is now widening after 70+ running hours.

Thanks for the info. I was quite taken back and did not want to come across as very negative. I was rather shocked how my head almost felt like it was in a concealed box with a closed headphone sound.

 

[lentoviolento]

the punciest headphone i've ever had was the fidelio x2. it would be perfect for me but i hear a spike somewhere in the highs that bother me. expecially eith female vocals. i hope to get that punch with no fatigue sooner or later. maybe lcd2c will be the right one.

 

[shenanbay]

I was expecting more reviews on these. I've only seen like two so far. Does anybody know why it's taking so long?