[mrspeakers]

Quick question, just got home with my new AFO's. Has there been any issues with driver imbalance? My left seems to be noticeably quieter than the right side... I've plugged my PM 3's into the mojo at the same time and am not noticing the same problem with them as the AFO's, so it's not a source issue

If you hear an imbalance switch the left and right cables, if the imbalance changes sides it’s the gear in front, if not if your headphone is new we will replace it. Contact info@mrspeakers.com

 

[maximal112]

If you hear an imbalance switch the left and right cables, if the imbalance changes sides it’s the gear in front, if not if your headphone is new we will replace it. Contact info@mrspeakers.com

Hi, Thank you for your response. I did try switching the left and right cables and still had the imbalance on the left side. I've already sent back to company I bought it from and they are going to replace it

Thanks

 

[evolutiontheory]

Thinking about buying these. I have a Fiio Q5 for the source. Will it be able to drive these headphones good.
For reference I use the 2.5mm output from the Q5 AM3 to drive my LCD2C and Elears and I find it perfect.

Is the closed version any different when it comes to drivability?

Thanks!

 

[441879]

Thinking about buying these. I have a Fiio Q5 for the source. Will it be able to drive these headphones good.
For reference I use the 2.5mm output from the Q5 AM3 to drive my LCD2C and Elears and I find it perfect.

Is the closed version any different when it comes to drivability?

Thanks!

I have a Q5 too. It can drive them just fine but it won’t perform as well as a high quality desktop once you go beyond moderate volume (starts to sound less dynamic). If you have the standard amp module, you definitely want to use the balanced output on the Q5. The SE output doesn’t deliver enough juice.

That said, I use my Q5 all the time with my AFC on airplanes where I turn the volume up pretty loud. Still sounds great. My AFOs appear to be a little less efficient than my AFCs, but I don’t usually listen to them above moderate volume so it’s mostly a non- issue.

 

[Rick T.]

I have a Q5 too. It can drive them just fine but it won’t perform as well as a high quality desktop once you go beyond moderate volume (starts to sound less dynamic). If you have the standard amp module, you definitely want to use the balanced output on the Q5. The SE output doesn’t deliver enough juice.

That said, I use my Q5 all the time with my AFC on airplanes where I turn the volume up pretty loud. Still sounds great. My AFOs appear to be a little less efficient than my AFCs, but I don’t usually listen to them above moderate volume so it’s mostly a non- issue.

I agree.. Aeons really shine with (adequate) high quality power. They lose composure above moderate volumes in terms of dynamics when the amp is not up to snuff..

 

[evolutiontheory]

Thanks.
My plan was to use the balanced out on the Fiio Q5 with an upgrade to AM5 module at a later point. Would that be a good pairing or should I account for an upgrade to desktop amp sometime soon?

 

[441879]

Thanks.
My plan was to use the balanced out on the Fiio Q5 with an upgrade to AM5 module at a later point. Would that be a good pairing or should I account for an upgrade to desktop amp sometime soon?

If you want to get everything the AFO can deliver, you’re going to need a good desktop amp. For mobile use stick with the FIIO and the AM3 module, but think seriously about a strong desktop amp if you listen mostly at home or office. I’m of the opinion that you need something that can do at least 1W at 16 ohms, which you can find relatively inexpensively. More expensive amps will sound better but a $100 Schiit Magni 3 will outperform the FIIO Q5 above moderate volume.

 

[mrspeakers]

We have a limited number of B-Stock AEON open headphones at 15% off, with an option to upgrade to a VIVO cable at a significant savings. These are new in box with very minor cosmetic blemishes, there are only a few left. They can be ordered here:

https://www.mrspeakers.com/headphones-22/aeono-1.html

 

[onslash]

Thanks.
My plan was to use the balanced out on the Fiio Q5 with an upgrade to AM5 module at a later point. Would that be a good pairing or should I account for an upgrade to desktop amp sometime soon?

i have the afo , i strongly recommend the JDS LAB atom its plastic but one heck of an amp. I compared it to the magni 3, dragonfly black and it was noticeably better

 

[dan3952]

Thanks.
My plan was to use the balanced out on the Fiio Q5 with an upgrade to AM5 module at a later point. Would that be a good pairing or should I account for an upgrade to desktop amp sometime soon?

AFO is a step up from mid-fi headphones, and is more likely to show limitations in your DAC or amp than any cheaper headphones you may have had before. You may find with very well mastered tracks you know well, the music you are familiar with sounds worse than expected (certain instruments in quiet tracks sound shrill). There's details in the music that I could hear with the AFO, that I couldn't with the HD660S.

I wouldn't personally use any DAC/amp combo that goes less than $800 I'm using near high end headphones, even if somebody could successfully prove that my gear doesn't sound any better than something like a Chord Mojo, at less than half the cost. I had overcome the fear of paying too little. I don't even agree with some of the marketing that goes with my Gilmore Lite mk2, like "discrete output stages sound better than IC's". Not always. There's cost savings to be had in IC circuits that are well done, for lower power applications.

During critical listening, I always try to use gear that's more expensive than what I have at home, at the store, if I am in doubt about my DAC or amplifier's quality. Then I know where the problem is later if I find any. I do realize that not everybody can listen in person anymore.

Magni 3 and JDS Lab Atom? Don't expect much for $100-$120. I would only use them with low quality sources and 'phones that sell for $400 and under. There's lots of gear available at every price point: large and small, combined and separate. There's economies associated with using combination DAC/amp units like sharing the power supply, as separating things doesn't always give you better sound. Most of them have at least separate regulators for different parts of the circuit.

 

[Focux]

AFO is a step up from mid-fi headphones, and is more likely to show limitations in your DAC or amp than any cheaper headphones you may have had before. You may find with very well mastered tracks you know well, the music you are familiar with sounds worse than expected (certain instruments in quiet tracks sound shrill). There's details in the music that I could hear with the AFO, that I couldn't with the HD660S.

I wouldn't personally use any DAC/amp combo that goes less than $800 I'm using near high end headphones, even if somebody could successfully prove that my gear doesn't sound any better than something like a Chord Mojo, at less than half the cost. I had overcome the fear of paying too little. I don't even agree with some of the marketing that goes with my Gilmore Lite mk2, like "discrete output stages sound better than IC's". Not always. There's cost savings to be had in IC circuits that are well done, for lower power applications.

During critical listening, I always try to use gear that's more expensive than what I have at home, at the store, if I am in doubt about my DAC or amplifier's quality. Then I know where the problem is later if I find any. I do realize that not everybody can listen in person anymore.

Magni 3 and JDS Lab Atom? Don't expect much for $100-$120. I would only use them with low quality sources and 'phones that sell for $400 and under. There's lots of gear available at every price point: large and small, combined and separate. There's economies associated with using combination DAC/amp units like sharing the power supply, as separating things doesn't always give you better sound. Most of them have at least separate regulators for different parts of the circuit.

What r u using?

 

[dan3952]

What r u using?

A Gilmore Lite mk2 ($499) and a Musical Fidelity MX-DAC ($999).

 

[FangJoker]

AFO is a step up from mid-fi headphones, and is more likely to show limitations in your DAC or amp than any cheaper headphones you may have had before. You may find with very well mastered tracks you know well, the music you are familiar with sounds worse than expected (certain instruments in quiet tracks sound shrill). There's details in the music that I could hear with the AFO, that I couldn't with the HD660S.

I wouldn't personally use any DAC/amp combo that goes less than $800 I'm using near high end headphones, even if somebody could successfully prove that my gear doesn't sound any better than something like a Chord Mojo, at less than half the cost. I had overcome the fear of paying too little. I don't even agree with some of the marketing that goes with my Gilmore Lite mk2, like "discrete output stages sound better than IC's". Not always. There's cost savings to be had in IC circuits that are well done, for lower power applications.

During critical listening, I always try to use gear that's more expensive than what I have at home, at the store, if I am in doubt about my DAC or amplifier's quality. Then I know where the problem is later if I find any. I do realize that not everybody can listen in person anymore.

Magni 3 and JDS Lab Atom? Don't expect much for $100-$120. I would only use them with low quality sources and 'phones that sell for $400 and under. There's lots of gear available at every price point: large and small, combined and separate. There's economies associated with using combination DAC/amp units like sharing the power supply, as separating things doesn't always give you better sound. Most of them have at least separate regulators for different parts of the circuit.

I agree with your way of thinking. There's people in the Ether 2 thread complaining that it doesn't sound good with the thx amp. I've heard that amp because a friend has it and it's all power, no quality to the sound but he's just getting started and of course paired it with a senn 6xx which seems to be the headphone starter kit on massdrop and doesn't know what's really good yet.

 

[441879]

AFO is a step up from mid-fi headphones, and is more likely to show limitations in your DAC or amp than any cheaper headphones you may have had before. You may find with very well mastered tracks you know well, the music you are familiar with sounds worse than expected (certain instruments in quiet tracks sound shrill). There's details in the music that I could hear with the AFO, that I couldn't with the HD660S.

I wouldn't personally use any DAC/amp combo that goes less than $800 I'm using near high end headphones, even if somebody could successfully prove that my gear doesn't sound any better than something like a Chord Mojo, at less than half the cost. I had overcome the fear of paying too little. I don't even agree with some of the marketing that goes with my Gilmore Lite mk2, like "discrete output stages sound better than IC's". Not always. There's cost savings to be had in IC circuits that are well done, for lower power applications.

During critical listening, I always try to use gear that's more expensive than what I have at home, at the store, if I am in doubt about my DAC or amplifier's quality. Then I know where the problem is later if I find any. I do realize that not everybody can listen in person anymore.

Magni 3 and JDS Lab Atom? Don't expect much for $100-$120. I would only use them with low quality sources and 'phones that sell for $400 and under. There's lots of gear available at every price point: large and small, combined and separate. There's economies associated with using combination DAC/amp units like sharing the power supply, as separating things doesn't always give you better sound. Most of them have at least separate regulators for different parts of the circuit.

I’m of the opinion I get the biggest bang for my buck spending most of my money on headphones. For example: I don’t hear much difference between a $100 amp/dac and a $1000 amp/dac with $200 headphones (or even most $400 headphones). If I spent $1200 for $200 headphones and a $1000 amp/dac, it would’t sound much better than if I spent $300 on $200 headphones and a $100 amp.

Conversely, if I spent $800 on headphones and $100 on an amp/dac, it would sound much better than the above example and be $300 cheaper. If I spend $800 on headphones and $400 on the amp/dac, I absolutely can hear the difference with Aeons.

That said, once I spend beyond $800-900 on my amp/dac, upgrading my headphones to something like the Ether2 will give me a bigger sound improvement then spending more on anything else.

 

[franz12]

I think AFO driving balanced from the Q5 is great. IMO, difference compared to ifi Pro iDSD is fairly small.