For posterity:
| DCA Aeon 2 Noire | Denon D9200 | Sony MDR-Z1R | Focal Stellia |
Comfort | Phenomenal comfort | Decent | Excellent comfort | So-so comfort |
Isolation | Excellent isolation | Decent isolation | Good isolation | Very good isolation |
Durability | Excellent build quality | Good | Excellent build quality | Superb build quality |
Drivability | Requires an amp | Easy to drive | Easy to drive | Easy to drive |
Pros | Mellifluous tone. Excellent transient response. Highly resolving—in fact the most resolving of the lot. Excellent clarity, detail retrieval, and transparency. Tuning filters make these versatile. | Moderate V-shape. Depending on fit and clamp, mids can be lean and dry or warm and full-bodied. Very nice treble sparkle. Vibrant, fun, punchy. | Grand soundstage and bass, for stage and bassheads. Theatrical, cinematic presentation. Palatable, consumer tuning. Warm, full-bodied, lush, smooth. | Rich, organic, dynamic. Excellent tonality. |
Cons | Average soundstage. Lean and bright; lacking in body and weight. Lacking in macro-dynamics and slam. | Intimate soundstage. Below average separation for the price tag. Bass is less defined and textured than I expected for a Foster variant | Treble is a tad recessed. Bass lacks some definition and texture. Somewhat slow transient response. | Very closed-in sounding. Lacking in air and upper-treble presence. Detail retrieval, clarity, and transparency are below average for the price. Weak transparency and separation. |
Chain -- Apple Lossless on Mac > Burson Playmate 2 [ V6 Vivid ] [ Super Charger 5A ] > Aeon 2 Noire / D9200 / MDR-Z1R / Stellia
Tonality — Stellia > MDR-Z1R > D9200 > Aeon 2 Noire
Soundstage — MDR-Z1R > Stellia > Aeon 2 Noire > D9200
Imaging — MDR-Z1R > Aeon 2 Noire > Stellia > D9200
Separation — Aeon 2 Noire > MDR-Z1R > Stellia >/= D9200
Transparency — Aeon 2 Noire > D9200 > MDR-Z1R > Stellia
Clarity — Aeon 2 Noire > D9200 > MDR-Z1R > Stellia
Detail retrieval — Aeon 2 Noire > MDR-Z1R > D9200 > Stellia
Bass quality — Aeon 2 Noire > MDR-Z1R > Stellia > D9200
Bass quantity — MDR-Z1R > Stellia > D9200 > Aeon 2 Noire
Mid quality — Stellia > MDR-Z1R > D9200 > Aeon 2 Noire
Mid quantity — Stellia > MDR-Z1R > D9200 > Aeon 2 Noire
Treble quality — Aeon 2 Noire > D9200 > MDR-Z1R > Stellia
Treble quantity — Aeon 2 Noire > D9200 > MDR-Z1R > Stellia
Speed and transient response — Aeon 2 Noire > D9200 > Stellia > MDR-Z1R
Dynamism — Stellia > MDR-Z1R > D9200.> Aeon 2 Noire
Timbre — Stellia > MDR-Z1R > D9200 > Aeon 2 Noire