[loregnum]

Forget about the Aeons if you have short or no hair. The fit adjusting mechanism is broken for all kind of reasons. Pads will stick, and never settle. And the Aeons can sound compressed for a multitude of reasons. Seems consistency with overall build is an issue. No other explanation for all of the conflicting experiences. Prob should RMA.

I shave my head with clippers using no attachment (don't know the length but might be around 1mm) and have never had any issue with the seal, fit adjustment mechanism, or anything else you mention with my A2C.

 

[MaxD]

Forget about the Aeons if you have short or no hair. The fit adjusting mechanism is broken for all kind of reasons. Pads will stick, and never settle. And the Aeons can sound compressed for a multitude of reasons. Seems consistency with overall build is an issue. No other explanation for all of the conflicting experiences. Prob should RMA.

Not what I have found, I shave my head weekly (no hair, zero, nada, Bowling ball like, Kojak, Shiny.....) and I have no issues at all with my Aeon 2 c's. Perhaps you have a strange shaped or sized head .

 

[roskodan]

I'll admit, the way I wrote that, it came out looking as a generalization. It was in response to a member complaining about some specific issues. As I found myself having some of the same issues as the member in question, I opted to cut the chase, as I believe users shouldn't be forced to like (or dislike) something (in my case the fit issues), just because someone says so. Should be viewed in that context.

 

[merlinzeta]

I'd like to reinforce the importance of amplication power needed for these headphones, by way of anecdotal evidence.

I posted before about the A2C sounding compressed, shrill and "noisy", difficult to listen to at average to high volume. This was to the point of considering returning them, at a great financial loss (I live in Australia and ordered direct from DCA in the US). I was using a Topping DX7 Pro as a DAC/amp combo, which has an output of 637 mW at 33 Ohm.

Then, I bought and received the Topping A90, which has an output of 2 W at 33 Ohm. Oh, what a difference in sound. The headphones now are open, dynamic and clear. I can listen to loud volume without fatigue, and I just want to listen to music more and more, whereas before I didn't have this urge at all and all I felt was disappointment.

Considering both the DX7 Pro and A90 have low distortion figures, I can only imagine this difference is mainly due to the power. Anyway, I'm entirely happy with my setup and can see using this for some time to come. I'm thinking people who complain about the A2C in a strong way are not wrong, however are not driving them with enough power. Can this be called a design fault? I'm not sure.

 

[jarnopp]

I'd like to reinforce the importance of amplication power needed for these headphones, by way of anecdotal evidence.

I posted before about the A2C sounding compressed, shrill and "noisy", difficult to listen to at average to high volume. This was to the point of considering returning them, at a great financial loss (I live in Australia and ordered direct from DCA in the US). I was using a Topping DX7 Pro as a DAC/amp combo, which has an output of 637 mW at 33 Ohm.

Then, I bought and received the Topping A90, which has an output of 2 W at 33 Ohm. Oh, what a difference in sound. The headphones now are open, dynamic and clear. I can listen to loud volume without fatigue, and I just want to listen to music more and more, whereas before I didn't have this urge at all and all I felt was disappointment.

Considering both the DX7 Pro and A90 have low distortion figures, I can only imagine this difference is mainly due to the power. Anyway, I'm entirely happy with my setup and can see using this for some time to come. I'm thinking people who complain about the A2C in a strong way are not wrong, however are not driving them with enough power. Can this be called a design fault? I'm not sure.

Maybe the A90 is just a better design? The Chord Mojo, which is maybe ~150mW at A2C impedance, has plenty of power and sound simply fantastic as a pairing. But I agree that these headphones scale very well with better equipment.

Update: I found Rob Watt’s post on Mojo into 16 ohms:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...in-3rd-post-◄★☆.784602/page-504#post-12192249
It’s more power than I stated but still only 1/3 of the A90.

 

[roskodan]

... Can this be called a design fault? I'm not sure.

Well, it's a design choice, and as such it's comes with its strong and weak points.

I'm still left wondering if it has more to do with the common practice in headphone amplifier design to limit current to the load more aggressively. Which will translate in the amplifier having it's current capability exhausted with lower loads.

A couple of us local head-fiers came to the conclusion that DCA headphones are the best at inducing air guitar, bass and drums frenzies. Perhaps one just needs to bring 'em out of the low level listening zone.

At any rate... MrSpeakers 4ever.

 

[roskodan]

Maybe the A90 is just a better design? The Chord Mojo, which is maybe ~150mW at A2C impedance, has plenty of power and sound simply fantastic as a pairing. But I agree that these headphones scale very well with better equipment.

How did you get by that power rating for the Mojo (Aeon is around 16 Ohms)? It says 720mW on Chord website...

Worth noting that at 16 Ohms, Topping DX7 Pro power rating, may be lower than the 637 mW at 33 Ohms.

 

[Racheski]

I'd like to reinforce the importance of amplication power needed for these headphones, by way of anecdotal evidence.

I posted before about the A2C sounding compressed, shrill and "noisy", difficult to listen to at average to high volume. This was to the point of considering returning them, at a great financial loss (I live in Australia and ordered direct from DCA in the US). I was using a Topping DX7 Pro as a DAC/amp combo, which has an output of 637 mW at 33 Ohm.

Then, I bought and received the Topping A90, which has an output of 2 W at 33 Ohm. Oh, what a difference in sound. The headphones now are open, dynamic and clear. I can listen to loud volume without fatigue, and I just want to listen to music more and more, whereas before I didn't have this urge at all and all I felt was disappointment.

Considering both the DX7 Pro and A90 have low distortion figures, I can only imagine this difference is mainly due to the power. Anyway, I'm entirely happy with my setup and can see using this for some time to come. I'm thinking people who complain about the A2C in a strong way are not wrong, however are not driving them with enough power. Can this be called a design fault? I'm not sure.

I had a similar issue initially with the A2O using the Topping A50, and then a member pointed out the impedance of the A2O (13 ohms) was below the impedance matching on the A50 (16 ohms), just like the DX7 Pro. Like you I switched to the A90 and couldn't be happier.

 

[merlinzeta]

Worth noting that at 16 Ohms, Topping DX7 Pro power rating, may be lower than the 637 mW at 33 Ohms.

Yes I only used an example impedance of 33 Ohm purely for comparative purposes, as it was available on both ASR reviews.

I had a similar issue initially with the A2O using the Topping A50, and then a member pointed out the impedance of the A2O (13 ohms) was below the impedance matching on the A50 (16 ohms), just like the DX7 Pro. Like you I switched to the A90 and couldn't be happier.

I think the DX7 Pro has an impedance output of 6 Ohm. This was also on my mind, but I've seen that impedance outputs of amplifiers should not affect planar drivers as they have flat impedance curves so was not sure if this makes any difference.

 

[jarnopp]

How did you get by that power rating for the Mojo (Aeon is around 16 Ohms)? It says 720mW on Chord website...

Worth noting that at 16 Ohms, Topping DX7 Pro power rating, may be lower than the 637 mW at 33 Ohms.

That’s into 8 ohms, and 35mW into 600 ohms. There have been other specs Rob Watts has thrown out, too, so that’s an interpolated guess. At any event, it’s far less than the A90 and sounds great without turning the volume way up (mostly around double red or double orange with modern music, double green with classical and high DR tracks).

 

[hikaru12]

I know we’re talking different price points but how do the Opens compare to the LCD 3? What headphones would you pit the opens with in terms of detail? My biggest complaints about the old AFO was the bass. I didn’t really mind the splashy treble. The imaging was excellent. How would you say that’s done here? Thanks for any info.

 

[ksorota]

Nice little sale going on right now at DCA...15% is back on (or should I say off)!

 

[mowgli-kun]

Hey all. Have been considering an Aeon 2 Open as my first real upgrade from the HD600. Has anyone here heard and compared the two?

Mainly wondering if the Aeon 2 Open retains the HD600's natural tonality while fixing some of the common gripes (bass rolloff, lack of soundstage, slight edge in the upper mids).

Tyll noted in his review that the original Aeon Opens reminded him a lot of the HD600s. =D

 

[hiImGrant]

Hey all. Have been considering an Aeon 2 Open as my first real upgrade from the HD600. Has anyone here heard and compared the two?

Mainly wondering if the Aeon 2 Open retains the HD600's natural tonality while fixing some of the common gripes (bass rolloff, lack of soundstage, slight edge in the upper mids).

Tyll noted in his review that the original Aeon Opens reminded him a lot of the HD600s. =D

So I’ve heard hd6xx and have aeon2 closed, have also had aeonX opens. I would put the aeon 2 on another tier from the hd6xx I heard. Though I’m not a fan of most dynamic headphones, was really not into the 6xx sound.

My thought is that these will be a large step up in stage, detail, bass extension, tonality is the only thing where I’m not sure because I didn’t respond well the the hd6xx.

 

[MaxD]

I got the SMSL SP200 for these cans, Sounds brilliant. Output Power: 6W x 2 (16ohm). Dont use the Questyle CMA400i, it has a low impedance protection to protect iem's and think's the Aeon 2's are iems. it cuts out before sufficient power is applied. I had to get an amp to drive these properly and the SMSL was not too expensive and tottlay transparent and black and yes, lots of power.