[breckstar]

I'm curious if anyone has used an Aeolus for gaming? I have an Audeze Penrose that's pretty good, but has an unusual frequency response (even after EQ). I'm interested in folks' experiences plugging it into a PS5 controller. Would it sound good? Would it need more power?

I thought the aeolus was fine for gaming while I had it. I only game on PC so I never used it on a PS/Xbox/Switch. I would imagine the PS5 controller would do okay. Contrary to what people think, the aeolus is very easy to power. It powers fine out of a phone dongle so I would guess a controller would be similar levels of power. If that didn't work you could always run the 3.5mm controller out to an amp. I thought here are a few dacs that work with the usb on PS5. You could look into that as well.

 

[Bimbleton]

Interesting thanks for the replies. I’m going to just try plugging it into a PS5, and will report back.

 

[arar]

Just tried a bit of PS5 gaming with the Aeolus connected to the Dualsense controller out of curiosity and it worked perfectly fine - it sounded really good, actually. 50% volume was plenty for me. Played a few minutes of TLOU2 and God of War. I would have preferred just a bit more bass, but otherwise it was great.

 

[Bimbleton]

Just tried a bit of PS5 gaming with the Aeolus connected to the Dualsense controller out of curiosity and it worked perfectly fine - it sounded really good, actually. 50% volume was plenty for me. Played a few minutes of TLOU2 and God of War. I would have preferred just a bit more bass, but otherwise it was great.

You are great! Thanks for testing!

 

[Zachik]

Thank you Bevin for the fresh Aeolus pads

Corona Extra?! Didn't we have enough in the last year plus??

 

[Pharmaboy]

I should curb what I'm about to say and acknowledge that my input is from research only and I haven't had the chance to hear my Aeolus out of tubes, so I guess essentially useless my info is haha. BUT from what I gather something like a Bottlhead Crack w/ Speedball or a Felis Echo (just using two warm tube amps here as an example) might be too tubey for an Aeolus. Ideally you want to look for a tube with solid state characteristics for the Aeolus, you get the black background and extra stage from a tube amplifier with s/s characteristics without over bloating the already thick Aeolus FR. Something like a Haggerman Tuba, DNA, ZMF Pendant or SW51+. I went with a Bifrost 2 and SW51+, we will see when it arrives.

Sometimes when people talk about tubes vs SS sound, they seem to focus 100% on tonality--as if the additional tonal "warmth" of tubes is the biggest difference between tubes & SS. While it's true that some tube amps sound warm, many others have rather little additional warmth.

However, in my experience, most tube amps have other things, apart from tonality, that easily distinguish them sonically from solid state--and these attributes are well worth chasing all on their own:

• Dimensionality of notes: With most tube amps I've heard, each note sounds more distinct, rounded, real, a 3D bit of sound launched from a real instrument. Tubes make it easy to hear the launch, sound impact, then decay of individual notes. That makes instruments sound a lot more like they do IRL.
• Layering of sound in space: With tubes, notes from instruments or voices seem to occupy their distinct stratum in space: violins up here; cellos down there; etc. The dimensionality aspect operates strongly here, too--so the layering is distinct, discrete, with sounds being easily separated by the ear. All of this equates to more musical realism, less homogenized and "processed" sounding.
• Soundstage: I often experience the soundstage through tubes as somewhat deeper (and sometimes wider) than with a solid state amp. And there always seems to be a bit more "air" around each instrument and voice, much as there is IRL.

IMO these other factors are why a tube amp that is slightly warm doesn't automatically make a slightly warm headphone sound distinctly warmer. Your ears are hearing those things listed above, rather than just focusing on tonality.

One of the most amazing headphone experiences ever in my system was hearing a sapele Aeolus w/stock pads (= a moderately warm headphone) on my Woo WA22 w/complete set of NOS tubes (a moderately warm tube amp). That sound was from outer space, so clearly better and more nuanced than anything I'd ever heard. I still couldn't tell you if the Aeolus sounded "warmer" on the WA22--I was too busy getting knocked over by all the other things I heard w/that combo...

 

[Deceneu808]

Aeolus stock or Universe pads?

Very awesome stand

Aeolus stock. Long story short, the previous owner has used the original pads for about 300 hours or so throughout a year and kept them on a stand that pressed against the pads. They were kind of flat when I bought them so obviously I quickly ordered Universe lambskin & suedes to try them both but recently I found out that the Aeolus comes with exclusive Aeolus pads that are not available in the shop. I emailed ZMF and within a week I received these. They are a just a bit less thick than the Universe and the cup opening is a little bigger. They have more forwardness than the Universe lambskin. As far as tonality goes I'd say same warmth as the U lambskin. The biggest difference is from the Suedes which are more neutral and airy sounding.

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

Aeolus stock. Long story short, the previous owner has used the original pads for about 300 hours or so throughout a year and kept them on a stand that pressed against the pads. They were kind of flat when I bought them so obviously I quickly ordered Universe lambskin & suedes to try them both but recently I found out that the Aeolus comes with exclusive Aeolus pads that are not available in the shop. I emailed ZMF and within a week I received these. They are a just a bit less thick than the Universe and the cup opening is a little bigger. They have more forwardness than the Universe lambskin. As far as tonality goes I'd say same warmth as the U lambskin. The biggest difference is from the Suedes which are more neutral and airy sounding.

Good to know we can still get them directly from ZMF. I tried the universe perf leather recently, they sounded very different to the stock pad. Thanks for the reply and hope you're enjoying.

 

[swissheadphonelover]

Sometimes when people talk about tubes vs SS sound, they seem to focus 100% on tonality--as if the additional tonal "warmth" of tubes are the biggest difference between tubes & SS. While it's true that some tube amps sound warm, many others have rather little additional warmth.

However, in my experience, most tube amps have other things, apart from tonality, that easily distinguish them sonically from solid state--and these attributes are well worth chasing all on their own:

• Dimensionality of notes: With most tube amps I've heard, each note sounds more distinct, rounded, real, a 3D bit of sound launched from a real instrument. Tubes make it easy to hear the launch, sound impact, then decay of individual notes. That makes instruments sound a lot more like they do IRL.
• Layering of sound in space: With tubes, notes from instruments or voices seem to occupy their distinct stratum in space: violins up here; cellos down there; etc. The dimensionality aspect operates strongly here, too--so the layering is distinct, discrete, with sounds being easily separated by the ear. All of this equates to more musical realism, less homogenized and "processed" sounding.
• Soundstage: I often experience the soundstage through tubes as somewhat deeper (and sometimes wider) than with a solid state amp. And there always seems to be a bit more "air" around each instrument and voice, very much as there is IRL.

IMO these other factors are why a tube amp that is slightly warm doesn't automatically make a slightly warm headphone sound distinctly warmer. Your ears are hearing those things listed above, rather than just focusing on tonality.

One of the most amazing headphone experiences ever in my system was hearing a sapele Aeolus w/stock pads (= a moderately warm headphone) on my Woo WA22 w/complete set of NOS tubes (a moderately warm tube amp). That sound was from outer space, so clearly better and more nuanced than anything I'd ever heard. I still couldn't tell you if the Aeolus sounded "warmer" on the WA22--I was too busy getting knocked over by all the other things I heard w/that combo...

Excellent description of most important aspects of tubes vs ss.

So far my experience is limited to Feliks Euforia with ZMF VO and HD800s. I am awaiting my Niimbus US 5 in a few weeks, looking forward to my own experience tubes vs ss.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

An abundance of warmth. In the best way possible.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Excellent description of most important aspects of tubes vs ss.

So far my experience is limited to Feliks Euforia with ZMF VO and HD800s. I am awaiting my Niimbus US 5 in a few weeks, looking forward to my own experience tubes vs ss.

I'm so happy w/my V281 that I have zero urge to upgrade. But I've been following the Nimbus & other Violectric newbies from afar. Nimbus is a real TOTL SS amp. Once that's burned in, you'll no doubt have some contrasting/fascinating flavors of great sound from both amps...

 

[arar]

Switched back to the stock leather pads for a bit last night and while I think I prefer the overall sound of those (oh man, that bass punch), I think they're kind of uncomfortable compared to the suede pads. So stiff. I can't seem to be able to get the clamp force to spread out evenly so I'm constantly fiddling with them. Are the new stock pads (universe perf leather) any softer?

 

[kiwiduck929]

Switched back to the stock leather pads for a bit last night and while I think I prefer the overall sound of those (oh man, that bass punch), I think they're kind of uncomfortable compared to the suede pads. So stiff. I can't seem to be able to get the clamp force to spread out evenly so I'm constantly fiddling with them. Are the new stock pads (universe perf leather) any softer?

i can say that i've never used the stock aeolus pads since i recently received a new aeolus but i am finding the universe perf leather to be stiff as well and have ordered universe perf hybrid because i have the auteur hybrids and love those on my auteur.

 

[arar]

i can say that i've never used the stock aeolus pads since i recently received a new aeolus but i am finding the universe perf leather to be stiff as well and have ordered universe perf hybrid because i have the auteur hybrids and love those on my auteur.

Gotcha, sounds like it's expected with leather pads, then. Not a huge issue, the cans sound superb with the suede pads too.

But I actually didn't realize ZMF offered hybrid pads, so it'd be awesome if you could post some quick impressions when you get them! If they give a slightly warmer and bassier sound signature with the comfort of the suede pads, I'll have to get a pair too.

edit: surprisingly few posts about the hybrid pads in here, but it does sound like they're somewhere between the suede and the stock leather pads. I think I might order a pair too.

 

[kiwiduck929]

Gotcha, sounds like it's expected with leather pads, then. Not a huge issue, the cans sound superb with the suede pads too.

But I actually didn't realize ZMF offered hybrid pads, so it'd be awesome if you could post some quick impressions when you get them! If they give a slightly warmer and bassier sound signature with the comfort of the suede pads, I'll have to get a pair too.

edit: surprisingly few posts about the hybrid pads in here, but it does sound like they're somewhere between the suede and the stock leather pads. I think I might order a pair too.

glad i could put you onto them - they are wonderful. i agree the leather sounds great; no wonder it's the default it's just that even though zmf cans seem to have an amazing sense of where the line of 'too much' is (where clamping force is concerned) my ears must be sensitive or something as it feels so much nicer to be smooshed by suede than leather.

yea i don't see too many folk using hybrids in this thread; i do see a LOT of suede lovers hehehe. they might have sensitive ears too!

edit: oh shoot sorry i didn't see that part about you wanting impressions. i have the eikon too and when i switch to suede from leather, the sub-bass gets even sharper (can't believe it but it's true) and there seems to be less slam and the snap/bite that the leathers bring is gone.

when i use the hybrid auteur pads, the auteur's audio properties don't seem to be altered too much (seems to lift the mids and highs a bit) but truth be told i like them better with the hybrid than the leather for the sound. i really love drums and i listened hard to see if the impact/bite that i love so much from the auteur/eikon leathers was taken away when using the hybrids like with the suede switch but if anything, the snap felt more resonant.