To me the 300 didn't worth the risk, also because i prefer brighter woods...
Well man, i will try to give you my perception but i have particoular tastes, i listen only to tidal and not genres that NEEDS the level of detail that hd800 can give you. I had afo twice in my journey and even if i find that with metal and dance is a great hp, it always let you wanting more. Firts of all, afo is an open back that sounds like a closed back. Afo is what afc should have been. Second of all, if you only use afo and then switch to everything else, you suddenly know that you are missing details, musicality, realism. Also, i found it harsh, i always hated those "sss". Try patricia barber or lorena mckennit... Ether c flow could maybe give the detail you are searching, but still missing that engaging factor. I don't like jazz but during a meeting a friend of mine listened to some super hifi recording of a jazz section and you could hear even the nails on the guitar strings. It was analytical but in some sort of musical way. I assume that also ether flow open too could please you. after having an hd800s (i know it is a little different but my friend had that and lended it for a week) drove by one of the best otl money can buy i can tell you that i still don't understand all the fuzz about it. Tried to listen to massive attack and lenny kravitz. Terrible experience.
I had the chance/privilege to a/b lcd4 and aeolus, i admit that if money wouldn't be a problem i would have kept the lcd4, but even if aeolus wasnt so precise, so "hifi", so perfect and it is a little more laid back comparing to lcd4, at the end of the day it gave me a portrait of what music should be to me. It give you the chance to FEEL the Music, not just listen to it. I sold it only because i wanted to see which one i missed the most..
You get detail without being fatigued, bass without being overwhelmed, mids nuance without being bored. In the mad world of hifi with aeolus, a good warm otl and a good dac (everything from a modi3) you get something that cannot be beaten. You than get get something different, but not better. Lcd4 was different, i never thought "damn this 4k hp blows everything out of the water", never for a second.
I always thought that headphones are like women. There is the one for a certain period of your life, there is the first one that makes you say "wow.. But this is it? Is it possible that there isnt something better?I want to try something else!" (hd598 and was the beginning of the end). there is the one with you can get drunk, laugh for everything, have unprotected sex, and than feel ashamed and dont want to even talk about it (afo), there is the one that every man in town tried and you have to try it too if you want to call yourself a man (hd650), there is the one that everyone adores and when you have you chance think "i don't think is so good, maybe those men didnt try nothing better" (hd800), there is the anoressic one, you are having sex with her but you cant really enjoy beacause all you can see is stingly bones, but she still manage to get someone who likes her (he560), there is your twin flame, the perfect one on the paper, the one you want to show the world, your friends, your parents and brag about, you have good times, good sex, good conversations, you feel like god when you show her off in restaurants (lcd4), but you dont live your life on the paper. And then there is your soulmate, the one that gives you a little of everything and always let you wanting for more (of her) (aeolus). There is also the drunk, unresolved sister of your soulmate, she is a stripper, do drugs, she is screwing beautiful (atticus).
I almost forgot! There is the one that everyone see you with, because she is nice, have a good job, she goes to church, she is always well dressed, what a gooood girl. The one who is so perfect that you think there is something going on.. But she is not your soulmate(verite)
