[melibond]

All good. I'd try to find a local store so you can make more of an educated opinion of what exactly you're looking for as the journey is different for everyone. I've personally taken a wild path with essentially buying & selling/trading like a madman for four years to end up where I am now. It's been a lot of fun but i'm fatigued and I wouldn't recommend the route that I took unless you're super obsessive like me.

I'd look at the following to start with as all of these on the second hand market punch WAAAY above their weight and you could potentially sell the Aeolus and buy two of these for roughly the same value:

Audeze LCDX 2021
Arya Stealth
Meze 109 Pro
Edition XS

I recognize. Thanks for the heads up. It was definitely something I would've done first.
Audeze sounds like something I'd like to try. As for the meze 109 pro, I heard from Z-review's video of the thieaudio ghost, that they sound 99% like the meze 109 pros, with pads that don't have the thick foam it has in between the driver and ear, and, so, I ordered a pair on amazon, tried, them, and, I'll confess, I ordered them just to try, and, packaged them for return the same day. They sound incredible with open pads (for their price). The sound goes from good for the price, to something I'd deem acceptable at the 500-600 euro range.

Although, they are built mostly with plastic, and, I preffer the sound of my Aeolus anyway, so, meze 109 pro is off the list.
I'll see if I can get my hands on some of these other headphones... thanks again btw, this has been a very helpful conversation all around.

P.S.They are the most amazing pair of headphones for gifting to someone though.

 

[melibond]

I found this very helpful :

 

[haasaaroni]

No one seems to want to admit that the Aeolus could use a bigger Soundstage. I'll leave the bass part to the side, since, that's more subjective, but, wether you're ok with the soundstage or not, it really doesn't matter, since no matter what anyone subjectively feels in relation to that, some more soundstage is objectively better. I've heard better soundstage for several other headphones, and, "better" as many have pointed out in their reviews, is enough to consider that an objective understanding.

I totally get what you’re saying. The soundstage is small (some call it “intimate”) and the bass, while elevated, can sound lacking in impact. I just crank the volume up, and get the feeling like I’m crammed in stage with the musicians. But it’s not the only sound I would want.

I complement the sound with the Auteur Classic, which has more impactful bass, higher resolution, and a much wider and deeper soundstage. That would be my first recommendation, mostly because it’s such a good all-rounder. I also really loved the Atrium, for an even wider stage and more impactful bass, but it’s a lot more money.

Aside from ZMF, I’m a big fan of the HE1000 (SE and V2) for some amazing soundstage and sub bass. But they require some pretty capable amps, or at least the V2 does.

Hope this helps!

 

[melibond]

I totally get what you’re saying. The soundstage is small (some call it “intimate”) and the bass, while elevated, can sound lacking in impact. I just crank the volume up, and get the feeling like I’m crammed in stage with the musicians. But it’s not the only sound I would want.

I complement the sound with the Auteur Classic, which has more impactful bass, higher resolution, and a much wider and deeper soundstage. That would be my first recommendation, mostly because it’s such a good all-rounder. I also really loved the Atrium, for an even wider stage and more impactful bass, but it’s a lot more money.

Aside from ZMF, I’m a big fan of the HE1000 (SE and V2) for some amazing soundstage and sub bass. But they require some pretty capable amps, or at least the V2 does.

Hope this helps!

Thank you

 

[TheMiddleSky]

It's not easy to find something smoother and more forgiving than Aeolus. Not hard to find something with bigger soundstage though.

Games and movie, need "explosive" impact and bite in sound, that may become harsh/unpleasant with music. That's why home audio and home video have different sound tuning. If you use proper home audio to play action movie, the villain voice would be "too audiophile" that take away the evil mood.

I read that you own ADX5000, no need to worry about treble on HD800S then. I think for Dynamic Driver, HD800S is one of the strongest contender based on how you describe your needs. I never listened to xduoo though, so have no idea how they synergize.

The alternative option, for Planar, my recommendation would be Hifiman Arya SE.

 

[Exekuhtor]

Yup, Arya Stealth Edition is incredible for its price, it will sound very different. You should 100% check out planars, the Arya delivers big in that area. It's a completely different experience.
LCD-2 from Audeze can be also a great contender, way less bright, but also less detailed. Also heavier.

 

[OnlySoMany]

I'd go verite closed all day. If you want a bit of softness and smoother bass then look for a softer wood. If hardness and sharper bass then a harder wood.

Edit: I should add that I have a set of aeolus. And auteur. And atrium. A solid upgrade would be the VC from where you are at now. They will also scale up as you upgrade your other kit and keep rewarding you. Personally my favorite headphones are VC and VO. Look at sig for all their competition.

 

[MFranzen]

Aeolus was one of the few headphones I've had and sold that I truly miss. I don't agree with the bass comment at all. I felt the Aeolus had excellent bass presence on my chain and responded to EQ well (this is coming from someone who adds an 8db LPF and 3db peak to LCD-X, so I like bass). Below are some of the more recent headphones I've tried.

- LCD-X 2021 - Bass, weight of music, resolution. They can be made VERY comfortable with a ZMF copilot pad and some Dekoni or ZMF pads. I recently sold mine so I could try out the LCD-4 soon because I loved them so much. To me, this is THE best headphone in the 1k range (subjective, of course).

- LSA HP-1 - Similar to the above but with a more balanced sound, less body in the mids, and better soundstage. If I could have dealt with the headband I would have kept them. They remind me of an LCD-X with some added attributes of the HD800S.

- HD800S - One of my current loves on an OTL with a bass shelf. I plugged them into my solid state and hybrid amps today, will never do so again. Could use more sub bass, but the rest is excellent. Soundstage and imaging has earned this a keeper spot for my gaming headphones but excellent with almost all music genres as well with the right chain. Recently purchased new for 1250 after coupon and at that price I am extremely happy with them. Listening to the Tron Legacy soundtrack on them as I type this incoherent mess.

- Verite Open/VC - Both had a significantly wider and deeper soundstage than Aeolus with better imaging, resolution, layering, driver speed. VC rivals Aeolus as my keeper ZMF. To my ear, better macrodyanamics with improved sub bass extension. Objectively, this is a superior driver from most of the metrics people use to rate headphones. The mids aren't as full and rich to me, which turns out to be something I really enjoy.

- Arya (non-stealth) - Good soundstage and bass extension is about all I have positive to say about them. I tried them from SS and hybrid amps with various levels of EQ and the degree of sibilance was never tamed for me. This is from someone who loves HD800s that many describe as bright. This is one of the few headphones I was truly disappointed with, probably because of the hype.

- Focal Radiance - Overall, good headphone for the price you can find a lightly used or open box from. Similar to the Aeolus in that it is a very musical headphone and has a lot of body in the mids. Good macrodynamics. Poor imaging for me was the reason for their trade.

I've had many others, but the above are the most recent standouts for me. If you like ZMF sound and want to spend some more coin for a superior headphone, VC. If you want to try out planars, LCD-X is my vote. If you want to try a different dynamic, HD800S is a good choice. With that being said, Aeolus still may stand out of my favorite headphone to date for getting lost in music. Obviously, this is all subjective and the ramblings of a random person on the internet.

 

[fvblt]

If you're interested in trying another pair of ZMF headphones, I would definitely try the Atrium. I own a pair, and they are undoubtedly the warmest and most bass-oriented headphones I have heard. Despite this, it does not seem to sacrifice anything in other areas important to you e.g. soundstage.

 

[JackarlTwo]

Atrium Open or Closed. Excellent soundstage and bass.
LCD-X 2021 is great with EQ, but I suspect they're more of a side-grade than an upgrade over Aeolus. Doesn't have the largest soundstage, but still one of the best headphones in this range.

 

[melibond]

If you're interested in trying another pair of ZMF headphones, I would definitely try the Atrium. I own a pair, and they are undoubtedly the warmest and most bass-oriented headphones I have heard. Despite this, it does not seem to sacrifice anything in other areas important to you e.g. soundstage.

The atrium is definitely something I look forward to trying, or, buying, If I can ever afford it.

 

[melibond]

Aeolus was one of the few headphones I've had and sold that I truly miss. I don't agree with the bass comment at all. I felt the Aeolus had excellent bass presence on my chain and responded to EQ well (this is coming from someone who adds an 8db LPF and 3db peak to LCD-X, so I like bass). Below are some of the more recent headphones I've tried.

- LCD-X 2021 - Bass, weight of music, resolution. They can be made VERY comfortable with a ZMF copilot pad and some Dekoni or ZMF pads. I recently sold mine so I could try out the LCD-4 soon because I loved them so much. To me, this is THE best headphone in the 1k range (subjective, of course).

- LSA HP-1 - Similar to the above but with a more balanced sound, less body in the mids, and better soundstage. If I could have dealt with the headband I would have kept them. They remind me of an LCD-X with some added attributes of the HD800S.

- HD800S - One of my current loves on an OTL with a bass shelf. I plugged them into my solid state and hybrid amps today, will never do so again. Could use more sub bass, but the rest is excellent. Soundstage and imaging has earned this a keeper spot for my gaming headphones but excellent with almost all music genres as well with the right chain. Recently purchased new for 1250 after coupon and at that price I am extremely happy with them. Listening to the Tron Legacy soundtrack on them as I type this incoherent mess.

- Verite Open/VC - Both had a significantly wider and deeper soundstage than Aeolus with better imaging, resolution, layering, driver speed. VC rivals Aeolus as my keeper ZMF. To my ear, better macrodyanamics with improved sub bass extension. Objectively, this is a superior driver from most of the metrics people use to rate headphones. The mids aren't as full and rich to me, which turns out to be something I really enjoy.

- Arya (non-stealth) - Good soundstage and bass extension is about all I have positive to say about them. I tried them from SS and hybrid amps with various levels of EQ and the degree of sibilance was never tamed for me. This is from someone who loves HD800s that many describe as bright. This is one of the few headphones I was truly disappointed with, probably because of the hype.

- Focal Radiance - Overall, good headphone for the price you can find a lightly used or open box from. Similar to the Aeolus in that it is a very musical headphone and has a lot of body in the mids. Good macrodynamics. Poor imaging for me was the reason for their trade.

I've had many others, but the above are the most recent standouts for me. If you like ZMF sound and want to spend some more coin for a superior headphone, VC. If you want to try out planars, LCD-X is my vote. If you want to try a different dynamic, HD800S is a good choice. With that being said, Aeolus still may stand out of my favorite headphone to date for getting lost in music. Obviously, this is all subjective and the ramblings of a random person on the internet.

Thanks a lot for sharing

 

[melibond]

As of now, my relationship with my headphones has changed.

I no longer focus on using one pair, and, rather swap headphones whenever I like something on the other more, and, then come back to the other/others and so on.

P.S. I don't own the ADX5000. I had them for a few weeks.

Thank you all for your replies. I never expected so many people to share their open and honest opinion with me.

 

[djentbat]

Something I’d like to say from my personal experience is that I used to say I want more soundstage but what I realized is that I actually wanted better imaging. As imagine gives the illusion of sound all around me.

I used to think the HD800s was my end game but it didn’t have that holographic sound I was looking for, so I went with a ZMF Atrium (waiting for mine to ship).


With that being said, it’s hard to find a headphone that’s meets the “sounds good with everything” you mentioned. My favorite headphone that I own is a clear MG because I can listen to everything and it’s sounds great and has excellent imaging and dynamics, to top this off the bass is exactly where I want to it to be. Unfortunately the soundstage is small but personally the imagining makes up for it in my eyes.

 

[melibond]

Something I’d like to say from my personal experience is that I used to say I want more soundstage but what I realized is that I actually wanted better imaging. As imagine gives the illusion of sound all around me.

I used to think the HD800s was my end game but it didn’t have that holographic sound I was looking for, so I went with a ZMF Atrium (waiting for mine to ship).


With that being said, it’s hard to find a headphone that’s meets the “sounds good with everything” you mentioned. My favorite headphone that I own is a clear MG because I can listen to everything and it’s sounds great and has excellent imaging and dynamics, to top this off the bass is exactly where I want to it to be. Unfortunately the soundstage is small but personally the imagining makes up for it in my eyes.

The ZMF Atrium is what I decided I'll get if I can ever afford it.