Mr. Speakers AEON

The open back is available to order, and marked as in stock:
https://www.mrspeakers.com/aeon/aeon-closed-back-headphone.html
(yeah, the web address is named closed-back but the web page is actually for open back)

 

Worried they will be treble cannons.

 

I would say anything but. Aeon Open (AO) have probably the smoothest presentation from Dan yet. Smoothest transients and an overall warmer tone.

 

Yeah agreed, definitely not treble cannons. I should have taken notes at the show, but I remember them the same way. Smooth, less mid-forward that the closed Aeon. Stronger mid bass, bigger stage as you'd expect. I didn't pick up on any obvious FR weirdness that the pre-existing open and closed Flow headphones have (particularly in the mids). I'd take a pair of open Aeon over any other MrSpeakers headphone at the moment, period.

One thing to note...the pair I heard had zero hours on it before the show and I heard it right at the start. I was really disappointed at first as the bass was loose and crappy. Wrote them off, then came back later in the day and the bass was tight and punchy.

 

And what about a knock from the bass, would you say the openend will have compared to closed Aeons just a slight touch more of the body to it (maybe a bit slower decay ---- I hope I used a correct term, it feels, sometimes, like describin a quantum physics...)?

 

I finally figured out what sounds funky to me about the Aeon. Have you ever been listening to an open headphone like a grado and put the palms of your hands over the cups? That's the effect I get when I go from listening to say, my HD800, to the Aeon. Obviously it's a lot milder effect that cupping a grado, but that tinge of reverb/hollowness is there. It's not something I notice on my other closed headphones.

 

Ordered the Flux open over the weekend, waiting for it to head north. Interested to compare to the Sine (which I'm liking a lot). Know they are different approaches but share some similarities.

 

Yeah we call that the closed cup effect. It's similar to muting lower midrange-upper bass frequencies and magnifying upper midrnage/lower treble regions. In other words it just makes the headphone artificially cold sounding. EQ'ing up 150-250hz by a couple db goes a hell of a long ways to improving the Aeon closed with regards to this quality, but it still doesn't sound as effortlessly warm as an open headphone. I'm hoping Aeon Open alleviates this, and according to Dan it sounds like it does just that.

 

That is predictable.
All Dan's headphones from the Ether onwards are just way excellent in construction and quality of ergonomics,
And this is his strength.
Not taking anything away and much respect for just excellent designs...
BUT,

But he has adopted this "over-the-driver" material covering ideology,
which has really always been considered a "band-aid" approach, for me at least,
And it is the main reason for the "smooth" observations stated.

I get it that most consumers listen to lower quality music which is usually treble emphasized,
But you take off those driver foam/felt covering and you will get ears bleed.
To be fair, the drivers were meant to be covered (Ether Flow mainly) so they can have the smooth effect.
So it's a mix bag of pros and cons.

I've only heard the closed version,
But In latest Tyll video, they seem to make reference to the famous SBAF toilet paper mods,



Which in itself was mostly meant to "fix" a driver issue that really should be the manufacturer job..
IMHO It shouldn't be a way of life, but if you like to cover your driver with materials for smoothness and trainsient smoothing or diffraction,
Then more power to you...

Edit:
On a more positive note, the driver side materials should even out dispersion and absorb driver to ear reflections...

It may read like I am knocking this down, but actually my point is that this is going for a specific Sonic characteristics that were started with Ether and mainly Ether Flow, creating an "added" signature of smoothness,
So I assume these Aeon carry on this ideal because of the Tyll video.

 

I'm assuming he'll include multiple strengths (thickness/densities) of 'doggie treats' for the Aeon Open. I am completely fine with him doing this for the Aeon models.

The measurements and tonal balance of the (non fucked early production units) is already very good, and the foam inserts is just an optional tune. My issue with it is it was just too thick so it fucked with comfort.

If there are some very thin inserts for the Aeon open (very akin to toilet paper), then I'm all for it. The inserts are also very much press-fits, so it's not like they look amateurish either.

 

I am slowly seeing this point.
I know the Code-X also uses frontal modding but still inside the unit.
Earpads are a form of frontal modifications when we swap pads.
So looks looks like a grey area.

Anyways my other point is this "smooth" trait may be a signature sound for Mrspeakers now.

 

For a decade or two, the Yamaha NS-10M was the near field monitor of choice in almost every major recording studio in the US. And many of them had the "KleenexMod™" which was a piece of tissue paper taped over the tweeter since they could be brutal up top.

Mr. Speaker said the Aeon Open ships next week. Should only take a day to get from SD to LA so looking forward to it. Now have to figure out an amp for my laptop, leaning towards the iDSD BL (though I stream Tidal so am wondering about MQA capability).

 

Unless a headphone's front baffle/pad area is exquisitely engineered, I think front damping of some sort is important to get rid of all the wonky reflections. It doesn't have to be extensive, but at minimal get rid of hard and flat surfaces.

I have yet to hear a MrSpeakers headphone that I like... but I haven't hated any of them yet either.

 

Without that foam the HD650 wouldn’t be the HD650. It’s integral to it’s presentation, and I’d go so far as to say it’s success. I’d encourage people to try listening to a HD650 without the front and rear foam to hear difference for themselves, it’s surprisng.

I’ve just recently taken to using the HD650 front foams on my Utopia. It brings the vocals forward, smooths and reduces the treble a little, and increases tactility and slam. Just as they do with the HD650. Of course there’s a performance penalty elsewhere, but it’s worth it.

This and some other experimentation has lead me to believe that front damping is not only beneficial but actually necessary in achieving a more natural presentation when strapping speakers to one’s head.

 

Aeon Flow Open is my favorite so far. Listening to it now. This is the final reference tuning. Tuning pads will come in the box for user preference. I don't need no stinking pads for mine. This is a sweet, rich and tonally pleasing headphone. Smooth and effortless. Not nearly as neutral as other offerings from the MrSpeakers crew. And a love the way there is room for voices and instruments to breathe on the stage. Nothing is cramped compressed or blended. This is a mid oriented headphone with some kick you in the balls bass response.

I wonder if @Marvey is planning to put this on tour? If not, I may step up to the plate.

 

I'm curious about these, only because Dan hasn't made a headphone (besides the Mad Dog) that I've ever liked. The Alpha Dog was boring (or bright depending on the revision,) the Alpha Prime was...bizarre, the Ether was boring and lacked quite a bit, and the Ether C was "just alright." It doesn't help the only orthos I love are...old Hifiman ones and the HE-1000. :/

 

I must to find out, find out!!! What on the earth has possessed you to evaluate Alpha Dogs as boring?

I mean, I really mean it in a good way...do you know both cups have one absolutely black and dark and yummy black hole with a screw going over it? It makes a magic when you turn it a turn or two...and I am not saying this as some biased AD owner..well, except I am biased and personally embroiled with that very tool of satan.

 

This is weird and disturbing.

 

I heard Dan had great customer service, but....Just how far does he go for his customers?