[robo24]

After reading a bit about Aeolus, I imagine that iDSD BL would probably be a nice match for these cans. I haven't heard it though, so anyone in here has any experience with this setup?

I loved the iDSD micro Black with really all the ZMFs, especially the Verite. I enjoyed it enough to sell and get the Pro iCAN. Both are pretty versatile, and certainly warmer than the THX 789. If you really must have tubes I think they sell another device you can add to give it (or other amps) some tubeyness, and with the iCAN you actually get tubes and solid state. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[MRHiFiReviews]

After reading a bit about Aeolus, I imagine that iDSD BL would probably be a nice match for these cans. I haven't heard it though, so anyone in here has any experience with this setup?

I recently reviewed the Aeolus and found that the synergy between the iFi IDSD Micro Black Label and the Aeolus to be epic. Here is the review check it out @iFi audio I would love to review your Pro ICAN

 

[jkpenrose]

I recently reviewed the Aeolus and found that the synergy between the iFi IDSD Micro Black Label and the Aeolus to be epic. Here is the review check it out @iFi audio I would love to review your Pro ICAN

Thank you. Excellent review and appreciate your impressions of multiple genres and specific references to time stamps. Also beautiful videography... This is perhaps the best visual image I have seen of the Aeolus - nicely done.

They are stunningly beautiful - which isn't adequately captured in still images, imo.

I am in the process of ordering the VO in the same wood and I think I am going to change the metal on my order based on your presentation!

I am also looking at the BF2 and am interested in what (if any) differences you note with that DAC?

 

[MRHiFiReviews]

Thank you. Excellent review and appreciate your impressions of multiple genres and specific references to time stamps. Also beautiful videography... This is perhaps the best visual image I have seen of the Aeolus - nicely done.

They are stunningly beautiful - which isn't adequately captured in still images, imp.

I am in the process of ordering the VO in the same wood and I think I am going to change the metal on my order based on your presentation!

I am also looking at the BF2 and am interested in what (if any) differences you note with that DAC?

Excellent, I am glad you enjoyed it. @zach915m and Bevin will take great care of you! I thoroughly enjoy the Aeolus listening with the Bifrost 2/LYR3 combo it presents music in an amazing way. I think the Bifrost2 for the money is one is the best DACs currently for the money out there.

 

[jkpenrose]

Excellent, I am glad you enjoyed it. @zach915m and Bevin will take great care of you! I thoroughly enjoy the Aeolus listening with the Bifrost 2/LYR3 combo it presents music in an amazing way. I think the Bifrost2 for the money is one is the best DACs currently for the money out there.

Ive had a great email exchange with Zach and LOVE what zmf is about!

I think they should work an arrangement with you to provide video clips of their headphones.

Once again, excellent job on that!

 

[MRHiFiReviews]

Ive had a great email exchange with Zach and LOVE what zmf is about!

I think they should work an arrangement with you to provide video clips of their headphones.

Once again, excellent job on that!

Thanks again! That sounds like fun to me!

 

[smoothb0re]

Cavalli's Liquid Carbon X is really starting to impress me. I didn't expect it to work all that well with the Aeolus - I mean the LCX is a bit warm and full-bodied to begin with. Despite that, I much prefer the LCX over THX amps (SP200, 789) for example. I thought the Aeolus lost something with both THX amps - they started heading to a direction that doesn't suit them. On a 789 the sound was sort of dry and the mids lost some magic, almost a little harsh? The SP200 was better in my opinion, but still behind the LCX. It's an awfully bad description, but it's the best I can do, what I did wasn't really analytical listening. Note that the difference wasn't massive - the Aeolus were still good, just not as good. The LCX really seems to add a bit of magic to the sound here.

With the LCX, somehow there seems to be synergy there between the two. Don't get me wrong - I love how the LD MKIII makes the Aeolus sound, but some times I want something more solid state. Bass is perhaps more controlled, highs get some nice sparkle and there's clearly more detail to be heard.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, though. My trusty old Vincent KHV-111 does not do well with the Aeolus. Not at all. The sound is congested and sloppy. Bass is all over the place. It's almost muffled. I'm a little shocked - I only did a tiny bit of listening with it when I got the Aeolus, but I thought it was ok then. Perhaps I was hearing what I wanted to hear? The KHV-111 has been my go-to amp for a long while. It's a wonderful German hybrid amp that usually gets the best out of every headphone. HEXv2, Ananda, HE1000se, LCD-2C, LCD-X, K712, HE-560, Nightowl etc. have all given their best performance with the Vincent hybrid. The HEKse especially were beyond amazing on it. It usually adds just a little bit, but enough, of this smooth, liquid audio honey to the sound, making it sound exactly like what it is - a hybrid. But not this time.

It's a shame. There's something weird going on with how it works with the Aeolus. It's doing nothing that it usually does, instead sounding like a cheapo tube amp. Knowing what it can do with planars and some dynamics, I'm shocked.

It's usually an incredible amp, but I have essentially zero use for it now that the Aeolus are my only pair of headphones. I guess I gotta consider selling it. Bummer.

 

[SteveM324]

Cavalli's Liquid Carbon X is really starting to impress me. I didn't expect it to work all that well with the Aeolus - I mean the LCX is a bit warm and full-bodied to begin with. Despite that, I much prefer the LCX over THX amps (SP200, 789) for example. I thought the Aeolus lost something with both THX amps - they started heading to a direction that doesn't suit them. On a 789 the sound was sort of dry and the mids lost some magic, almost a little harsh? The SP200 was better in my opinion, but still behind the LCX. It's an awfully bad description, but it's the best I can do, what I did wasn't really analytical listening. Note that the difference wasn't massive - the Aeolus were still good, just not as good. The LCX really seems to add a bit of magic to the sound here.

With the LCX, somehow there seems to be synergy there between the two. Don't get me wrong - I love how the LD MKIII makes the Aeolus sound, but some times I want something more solid state. Bass is perhaps more controlled, highs get some nice sparkle and there's clearly more detail to be heard.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, though. My trusty old Vincent KHV-111 does not do well with the Aeolus. Not at all. The sound is congested and sloppy. Bass is all over the place. It's almost muffled. I'm a little shocked - I only did a tiny bit of listening with it when I got the Aeolus, but I thought it was ok then. Perhaps I was hearing what I wanted to hear? The KHV-111 has been my go-to amp for a long while. It's a wonderful German hybrid amp that usually gets the best out of every headphone. HEXv2, Ananda, HE1000se, LCD-2C, LCD-X, K712, HE-560, Nightowl etc. have all given their best performance with the Vincent hybrid. The HEKse especially were beyond amazing on it. It usually adds just a little bit, but enough, of this smooth, liquid audio honey to the sound, making it sound exactly like what it is - a hybrid. But not this time.

It's a shame. There's something weird going on with how it works with the Aeolus. It's doing nothing that it usually does, instead sounding like a cheapo tube amp. Knowing what it can do with planars and some dynamics, I'm shocked.

It's usually an incredible amp, but I have essentially zero use for it now that the Aeolus are my only pair of headphones. I guess I gotta consider selling it. Bummer.

Have you tried rolling tubes? I assume you have .... just asking.

 

[smoothb0re]

Have you tried rolling tubes? I assume you have .... just asking.

I have, yes.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I recently reviewed the Aeolus and found that the synergy between the iFi IDSD Micro Black Label and the Aeolus to be epic. Here is the review check it out @iFi audio I would love to review your Pro ICAN

Your review is excellent: comprehensive, logically presented, and very perceptive re these 2 headphones (Aeolus & HD6XX). I found myself nodding in agreement often.

Perhaps the best feature of the review IMO is your decision to compare these 2 particular headphones, which are about as different as 2 high impedance open-back dynamics can be. I'm lucky to own a JAR650, an HD650 heavily & creatively modified by Jupiter Audio Research to ameliorate the same flaws you mention: bass that resolves less than mids & treble; subtle sense of congestion & veil; overall lower resolution than some other designs. The JAR650 improves these aspects with significantly better, more tuneful bass; improved dynamics; clearly more resolving & dynamic treble, and the same musical midrange.

I've compared the JAR650 at length to the ZMF Aeolus (mine is blackwood). Interestingly, despite the clear improvements in JAR650 vs stock HD650, there remains a great divergence in their sound:

• Greater overall resolution & detail on the Aeolus (this headphone doesn't get nearly enough credit for resolution)
• Obviously better bass, with more depth & impact, on Aeolus
• And more expansive, resolving, dimensional soundstage for Aeolus

Despite its quite effective mods vs the stock HD650, the JAR650 is still somewhat less dynamic, resolving & engaging than the Aeolus. IMO the JAR650 sounds its best used at moderate volume to "monitor" music; headbangers need not apply. It's a clear, engaging window into music, with precise, intimate soundstage and one of the best midranges around. But the Aeolus is simply bigger, stronger, and way more fun. It has seemingly endless headroom/power & scales like mad with music having deep bass, strong rhythm/percussion content and dynamics. Yet the Aeolus also delights on the most intimate & nuanced classical music.

I suspect that years in the future, people will describe the Aeolus in terms that mirror the way we now regard the HD650: a reference design, affordable in its class, standing apart from competing designs when launched and possessing real staying power in the headphone marketplace--a headphone you must hear if you love headphone audio & music in general.

 

[iFi audio]

I loved the iDSD micro Black with really all the ZMFs, especially the Verite. I enjoyed it enough to sell and get the Pro iCAN. Both are pretty versatile, and certainly warmer than the THX 789. If you really must have tubes I think they sell another device you can add to give it (or other amps) some tubeyness, and with the iCAN you actually get tubes and solid state. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

Thanks! And yes, Pro iCAN (and Pro iDSD too!) was designed to have its output stage as flexible as it could be. Considering its compact enclosure, we managed quite well I believe

 

[iFi audio]

I recently reviewed the Aeolus and found that the synergy between the iFi IDSD Micro Black Label and the Aeolus to be epic. Here is the review check it out @iFi audio I would love to review your Pro ICAN

Whoa, a great material! Very nice work with lights, sound and everything. Top shelf content in 100%, congrats!

 

[Wes S]

Hey all!

I just got all the different pads for my Aelous and I am a bit confused on what I have. I thought I had U. Suede Perf on, but now I have no idea? My Aelous came with 2 sets of pads, the stock Aelous pads, and what I thought was the U. Perf Suede, but now I am not so sure? I just took delivery of another pair of U. Suede Perf., that I bought as backups. However, the U.Suede Perf that I just got delivered look quite a bit different?

If you look at the pic below, I have the U. Suede Perf (just got delivered today) in my left hand that matches the shiny suede on the headband and then on the Aelous are a flat black darker colored/different feeling "suede" which feels and looks more like cloth/microfiber, and they appear to be a bit thicker on the back side and have a slightly larger opening, as well. Could the ones on my Aelous actually be another pad, such as Auteur Suede Perf? Does anyone know if @zach915m changed materials at some point? Any info, would be much appreciated. I would love to know what Suede Perf Pad came with my Aelous.

 

[robo24]

I've have only suede pads and they have differed slightly in material color, with slight difference in the openings. I know Zach has stated that the Aeolus stock pads are not 100% the same and the Universe, but also that they're basically the same. The stock suede ones I got differed from the Universe suede in terms of foam. The Aeolus ones bounce right back, while the Universe ones are much slower and seem like memory foam. Personally I can't hear any difference between the two.

 

[Wes S]

I think I just might have a very early production pair of Universe Suede Perforated on my Aeolus.

Here is close up of what the pads in question look like. These came with my Aelous straight from ZMF, and are currently on them. They look more like cloth than suede.

Here are the Universe Suede Perforated that just got delivered.

They look different enough, to make me wonder whats what.