Ok, hmmm...this may get long-winded...I apologize in advance...I am a lurker on this site but I am more active on another...so this will be new...if this is inappropriate by all means remove and inform me =) I'll adjust my approach in the future if so...but something to know about me... I like good whiskey...and listening to headphones while imbibing. I find the synergy of whiskey, good music, and good audio gear to be sublime, and a way for me to wash away the stress of the day/week (depends on when I can get some time to imbibe along with listening). Ok enough backstory...Aeolus...some nice acoustic streaming tracks from Qobuz studio... and currently the Cayin Ha-1a MKII (I recently developed some feedback but nothing noticeable with tracks going, I'll find the culprit sooner or later). Whiskey I started with 2 fingers of Jefferson Ocean 16 with a small rock, I am now on 2 fingers of WhistlePig Rye straight up. I prefer the Jefferson, mild, sweet-salty caramel. The WhistlePig has an almost swamp water taste to it (not in a gross way more... well I guess no matter how you look at that statement that sounds gross
but more in the earthy minerally watery way) it doesn't have the spice that most Rye has or any major sweetness, this could be due to having the Jefferson first and now the flavor profile of the WhistlePig is changed due to the sweetness of the Jefferson... I digress... (stupid ADHD and booze, they never seem to work for quick impressions)
Aeolus, the star of tonights show, sitting at around 30-40hrs of break-in listening time, and even without full break-in, I..am...addicted...Fs to the yeah lol. Acoustic tracks and vocals really shine on these, even some classical, just wow, the presence I'm feeling/getting from them...close your eyes and float kind of good!
Fur Elise in A Minor, WoO 59: performed by Dubravka Tomsic
- This track is pianotastic! one of my all-time favorites, with the Aeolous I can hear the notes hang in the air...they can blend together due to this but overall amazing
Devil's Pie: performed by D'Angelo (this album is mastered really well)
- all the cool intricacies happening, along with the very forward spoken word/singing...and that bass track with the electronic circling/dripping wow. The track isn't wide and feels very intimate. But imaging is excellent for me, at this stage
Terracentric: Performed by Rodrigo Y Gabriela
- This track slams! I dare you to try and not nod your head along lol. The details I'm pulling with the Aeolus, string vibrations, palm thumps, fingers sliding on strings...Yes, please!
King(acoustic): by Slenderbodies
- take the D'Angelo singing, and add the Rodrigo Y Gabriela light touch acoustics and bam! the whispered singing, all the backup instruments in the background, and the sliding of the strings. I really can get used to this, the Aeolus just presents very well...and slams when it needs to.
Trollabundin: by Eivor
- Wow, I have listened to this track an epic butt ton on my other headphones...I think this is my favorite so far, the echoes of the singer, the presence F me...this is good! So much going on, and I pick up a lot of it in new ways (this is why I love having different headphones, so many cool things happen when you listen with different chains).
Grandpa's Groove: by Parov Stelar
- This group is EDM/Swing/Bigband swingtastic! just fun to listen to... I sometimes turn off the volume to Cuphead and play Parov Stelar while trying to complete some boss fights. On the Aeolus just fun...un-abashed fun... I have a big grin going
Waiting in Vain: performed by Halie Loren
- Jazzy, smokey, sweet, rich, fall asleep with a smile on your face good. She just has a great voice, the band feels in the background with the Aeolus...like it should with this track. The singer is in your ear singing to you.
Heartbeats (Live): Performed by The Knife
- the audience, and overall performance, the cool thing about this track on the Aeolus is that the instruments are more forward, I feel like I'm sitting off center or "stage left" listening...that could just be the booze kicking in though...
I could go on...but I'm getting sleepy
I listened to more songs than the above but, I think I've already walled off enough... I'll end with a nice track that has recently been one of my favorites
Drive by Fires: Performed by Ayla Nereo
- I was trying to stick to Acoustic style tracks and vocal forward tracks. This track is a nice end to the night, ethereal especially with the background instruments, Violin, shakers, snares? hmm, lots going on here...and my brain is good and fuzzy so I think it is time to get some shut eye.
Hopefully, this was a fun read, and my stream of conscious of one of many short (too short) sessions with the Aeolus, wasn't annoying, or too much. I really can't get over how beautiful the Aeolus Ziricote is, I've attached a couple of pictures of my nighttime pairing for this session.
Cheers everyone!