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DROP + Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X Headphones US$394 (~A$531) Delivered @ Drop

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DROP + Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X Headphones US$394 (~A$531) Delivered @ Drop
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poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 12:25 drop.com (601 clicks)
Last edited 16/10/2021 - 13:55

When the original version was first released in 2017, they were highly rated at their retail price of A$1,150. Usually sells for US$494 / A$665 delivered via Drop.

Given that Addicted to Audio don't seem to be run their A$599 Focal Elegia deals anymore, this is probably the best deal in audiophile closed back headphones under $1000.

Known to be light and comfortable to wear, with an airy and surprisingly expansive soundstage, a highly detailed, smooth and bright leaning neutral sound signature that passively isolates background noise very well.

If it's your first time buying from Drop, don't forget the referral bonus which will knock an additional US$10 off the price.

Reviews (RT and Drop versions virtually the same):

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Referee receives $10 on a new signup with referral link. Referrer receives $10 credit upon the Referee completing a purchase.

Electrical & Electronics Dan Clark Audio Headphones

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closed Comments

  • HD9990 on 16/10/2021 - 12:27
    +1

    Looks very professional…. Waiting for more comments

    • Larsson on 17/10/2021 - 01:01

      Not good, for the price. You'd be better off with a DT770 in my opinion.

      I do have quite a lot of headphones and like the hobby, don't use it professionally to mix it or anything. I would say these are neutral sounding, so nothing wrong with that and that's good.

      But they somehow sounds totally dead… like music isn't enjoyable. It's hard to describe because I can't really point to anything specific and they do measure well but this is a common complaint with these they take away the enjoyment of the music, as oppose to HD58X and 6XX - albeit they are open back of course. Look online and you will see plenty reviews to this affect from people who have other references.

      Anyway for that price, even with the discount, really not worth it. If you have nothing to compare this to, you might actually think it's good, but once you do, it's abundantly clear that these are way too expensive for what they are. Something like a Beyer DT770 would do the same, they sound great and still neutral, tho might need a little EQ to take away the top end a little, like 2-3dB. but at least that can be fixed unlike the Aeons. And if not looking for a closed back in particular, HD58x, 6XX, Fidleo X2HR are much much better options at much cheaper price.

      EDIT: Also I think this heavy discount (unusual for Drop, especially lower value stuff like this) is because they are not selling well, because, well… they are not worth $479US or even $379

  • wintermadness on 16/10/2021 - 12:39
    +1

    Bought the open version of these when they were discounted recently. Can't compare them directly, but I'm very happy with them - great sound, superb quality, arrived quickly etc. Have heard similar about the closed.

  • ThatsCheap on 16/10/2021 - 13:08
    +1

    Yeah I'm waiting for Addicted to Audio to drop the Elegia down to $599 again, but I've been waiting months. Still, willing to wait for it to happen again.

    • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 13:39
      +3

      I have a theory as to what happened. Just after the last time they ran the sale (around March) a couple of prominent headphone reviewers (Z-Reviews and DMS) released very favourable reviews of the Elegia, saying that they even prefer it to some of Focal's higher end offerings.This in turn drove renewed interest and a lot of demand for the Elegia, which is why they haven't had to drop the price again. I'm doubtful that we'll see it drop to $599 for quite sometime - and it might even sell out completely before it does, given that the Elegia has apparently been discontinued. Very annoyed at myself for not picking it up in March, if it ever drops down to $599 again I'll place my order immediately.

      • ThatsCheap on 16/10/2021 - 13:47
        +1

        Yeah I mean I'm not too bothered about it. I already have headphones, I'm assuming you do too. There'll always be deals and new headphones that'll drop in price. Will just wait for a worthy discount. Hopefully the Elegia hits $599 again end of the year though.

        • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 13:51

          Haha, you're right - I do, it certainly is an addictive hobby. Fingers crossed A2A blesses us with a Christmas / New Years discount.

    • Feeblely on 16/10/2021 - 14:48

      The Elegia were on my Xmas list too, but what do you think about the cracking headband? Is it overblown you reckon?

      Will A2A help with warranty as well I wonder?

      • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 15:43

        I own a pair of Elears that share the same headband, they're going well - but I will say that the headband does seem brittle and I'm always very careful not to stretch them too far when I put them on or take them off. As long as you're careful with them, I think it should be fine.

    • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 14:49
      +2

      Relevant graphs: https://headphonedatabase.com/oratory/headphones?ids=170,188

      Elegia needs a bit of work either with pad roll or EQ, Dan Clark is better out of the box, more open sounding too.

      I generally don't even bother going this far up with closed backs, money tends to be better spent on open backs and IEMs.

      • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 15:41
        +2

        Unfortunately I agree, even though the Elegia and the Aeons are great for closed backs, they just don't hold a candle to what a pair of open backs can do.

        I do have an issue where Planar headphones seem to trigger my tinnitus, which is why I'm a bit hesitant to get the Dan Clarks - although at this price it is very tempting.

  • Seafoodrice on 16/10/2021 - 13:38
    +1

    I have got a pair purchased a few weeks back. Nice and wide sound stage. Comfort to wear, I prefer this over HD6xx as its clamp force is too hard for me and made my ear bit pain after sometimes.

  • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 13:52

    Before you buy this headphone, take a look at the frequency response posted on ASR that OP provided. The measurement for the FR does not look good at all i.e. lack of subbass extension, 7db dip in the mid-range, terrible LR driver matching, and 0 treble extension.

    • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 14:24

      If the target is Harman, the graph isn't awful. Flat bass out of a closed back tends to make for a much more detailed sound, while the upper mid dip can give a diffuse field response that will sound a bit more open.

      Most people would prefer a 2-4 dB cut at 1.5-3.5 kHz, something that the AKG K371 does a fair bit despite a massive sub-bass shelf (note: the target curve I've linked is not Harman, and is lessened a bit at 1-4kHz already). By default, Harman has bite in the upper mids and lower treble, which adds a bit of bite to voices.

      • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 15:35

        The whole point of buying a closed back headphone is to have better/deeper subbass impact, i.e. e-mu teak purpleheart, also you shouldn't be comparing graphs that were measured on different system as it would not be accurate.

        By default, harman is considered V-shape, the aeon is not one and barely meets harman curve. If you look at the measurements from ASR, you can see at the 2 to 3khz there's a 10db disparity, which is 10x loudness in difference, not to mention the terrible QC with the channel imbalance from a premium headphone, it would do well for people to at least demo it first before buying or just outright steer clear and get something reliable.

        • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 17:40

          The whole point is isolation, and you're still going to get better bass extension in any scenario.

          There almost isn't a single closed back that brings the bass shelf without bringing issues into some combination of the mids, timbre, or detail levels. The materials in use today just don't cut it for preventing resonance and reflection issues. This kind of planar design goes close though.

          'True' Harman borders on V-shape due to the upper mid and lower treble rise to go with the bass shelf, but in terms of how engineers actually execute that in an individual headphone? The K371 highlights what they wind up going for with decent components: sub-bass shelf, no bleed into mids, bring down that 2-4kHz bump a little to reduce the heat & sibilance.

          Remember that Harman is an amalgamation of preferences, built off testing a group of people's ratings (trained and untrained) across common headphones, and that it's only done every so often (last time being 2017-2018). Materials engineering is in the middle of some big leaps, so that reference is frankly dated, and only applies to budget gear because you're not getting sibilance out of such dull drivers when you boost the upper mids.

          • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 19:07
            -1

            @jasswolf: If you want better isolation, buy an iem. You say better bass extension, but again the FR says otherwise due to channel imbalance and QC issues.

            There almost isn't a single closed back that brings the bass shelf without bringing issues into some combination of the mids, timbre, or detail levels. The materials in use today just don't cut it for preventing resonance and reflection issues. This kind of planar design goes close though.

            Per your example, K371 says otherwise, not planar but still.

            Yes I know what is harman and v-shape is and if you look at harman over the years, it's been V-shape with minor adjustments but the general shape has always been V-shaped. The consumer market has also always preferred a bass boosted / V-shape signature, so saying the reference is dead is untrue and not factual at all. High end headphones, i.e. focal utopia, susvara, HEDDphone all have subbass extensions as well despite being open back and don't lack treble extension like the aeon.

            Furthermore, based on the FR provided by ASR, there's a random 10db 5k peak and the FR after 5k is an outright joke. HD800 which is one of the best high end headphone on the market, has a 5db peak at the 5-6khz and has been criticized intensely by the public. What makes you think a 10db peak from the aeon would be a good idea.

            Not to mention as well that the QC issue that has been plaguing the headphone, people should really not blind buy it without trying the headphone.

            • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 19:26
              -1

              @ilikeblue: You've completely ignored the nuance in my comments, and you're over-focusing on a a 5kHz jump (helpful for imaging) that sits below the target you're chasing. I don't think you understand what the curve shows and doesn't show, and where and why it can be ignored. For all the good work that can be done on ASR (and plenty bad, even by the staff), you're showing the ignorant commentary that rides in on the back of it.

              Utopia, Susvara and HEDDPhone represent extremely high levels of design in terms of minimising distortion, maximising dampening and improving conductance of bass through pads and enclosure. That being said, the HEDDPhone and Utopia don't have the bass extension of the Susvara, but they offer different physics in regards to the bass (AMT driver on the headphone pushing more air, Utopia having more punch and slam along with its dynamics than most headphones).

              No one worth their salt in audio engineering will use Harman as an absolute target, it is a reference point for preferences based on very specific comparisons. If you consider yourself a student of such things, I emplore you to go through this recent interview with Dr Sean Olive, the guy who invented the damn thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7vnKHxtVUE

              He doesn't agree with your take.

              BTW, HD800 was replaced with the 800S for the reasons you describe, but it's built on a modified diffuse field curve, not Harman. That reflects the intended use case (orchestral, live music) and the design of the headphone enclosure itself. Not a perfect headphone (no such things really), but a great headphone, and when compared with hi-fi and summit-fi, great value.

              Hard to audition a Dan Clark closed back in AU, and if you look in my comments, I basically tell people to stop at the K371 and stick to open backs and IEMs if they want to reach in this price range.

              Closed backs are still built for great isolation though, I don't know what world you live in to think that isn't the case… IEM fitment is challenging (but rarely impossible), but at least tip rolling can be relatively cheap.

              Going forward, I implore you to actually improve your product experience before you get so adamant in the comments.

              • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 19:43
                -1

                @jasswolf: First of all, you're ignoring the 100-200hz dipped for no reason. Besides that, if you really think 5khz is good for imaging, why do you not see other companies doing this. Furthermore, while ASR is questionable most of the times, i'm not even using anything they say to prove my point apart from the FR that he posted. You on the other hand is ignoring the FR for so called better "imaging", unless of course you want to tell me that the FR past 5khz doesn't matter.

                The whole point of me talking bout Utopia, Susvara, and HEDDphone is to show that customers do want a sound signature that has subbass with actual slam and treble that has actual extension. Both which the Aeon does not have.

                No one worth their salt in audio engineering will use Harman as an absolute target, it is a reference point for preferences based on very specific comparisons. If you consider yourself a student of such things, I emplore you to go through this recent interview with Dr Sean Olive, the guy who invented the damn thing:

                Yes, the same reason why AKG ,Samsung, and Moondrop are using the Harman Target. Because the target is bad and consumer doesn't like it right? /s

                Again, the whole point of me mentioning HD800 was that even though it's great, it still got criticized because of the 5db 5khz peak. What makes you think the Aeon can get away with a 10db 5khz peak?

                I never said closed back were bad for isolation, I'm just saying IEMs are an obvious choice for isolation. I have to say, your reading comprehension is terrible, you ignore what I say, don't response to the concerns I lay out, and just tell me background history about headphones that has nothing to do with the discussion. I now understand why you got banned from IEF discord.

                FYI, if you still think the Aeon is a good product, https://imgur.com/a/DeZ8u6d

                • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 20:25

                  @ilikeblue: The ego in this post outrageously outweighs the substance, where you again misunderstand acoustics and how they pertain to headphone and speaker design.

                  First of all, you're ignoring the 100-200hz dipped for no reason.

                  Negative, it dips to prevent bass bloat into the mids, a common fix and mostly filled in by resonance in actual listening experience.

                  Besides that, if you really think 5khz is good for imaging

                  This isn't a consistent thing, but a reasonably common thing, and you'll see it the most in Beyers, Sennheisers and gaming headphones. It's dependent on the enclosure design and dampening, you can't just spike 5kHz and get better imaging.

                  Lots of headphone enclosures, particularly from the 70s/80s/90s were similarly designed, so similar tricks were deployed to generate an acoustic result. It's one of several tricks to deviate away from a target like Harman (8kHz peaks, 1-3kHz dips, 10kHz dips are others) to produce a better sense of space, and these are picked through acoustic simulations and testing, as well as the intended use case and typical musical preference the product is designed for.

                  Yes, the same reason why AKG

                  Harman owned, and I again point you back to the K371 graph (set the target to Harman).

                  Samsung

                  Harman owners

                  Moondrop

                  They use the VDSF target, something they designed, which borrows slightly from Harman… and still doesn't match it in the upper mids and lower treble, like I have repeatedly mentioned to you. They also do an incredible job on perfecting those mids so that vocal presentation (timbre) doesn't generate sibilance.

                  All of your examples notably deviate from Harman, because get this: it's a preference curve, not universal constant. Literally every different driver, current/signal supplied, cable, pad, filter, enclosure, headband placement, etc… it all modifies how the sound presents. Dan Clark gear does some very different things with the enclosure and their planar dampening, hence why you can forgive the lack of a more accentuated upper mids and lower treble.

                  Again, the whole point of me mentioning HD800 was that even though it's great, it still got criticized because of the 5db 5khz peak.
                  It's not 5dB above the Harman target on the HD800… it's almost 8… on the wrong gear it's like getting stabbed in the ear. On the 800S it's 2 dB.

                  Where are you getting this info from??

                  What makes you think the Aeon can get away with a 10db 5khz peak?

                  Except it's not… it doesn't have that at all. Are we still talking about this headphone from Drop or do you need some food and water?

                  No one here was suggesting the Aeon RT was better than the Clear, we're discussing the $500 price point for closed backs, and you're squirreling around avoiding the consequences of your successively awful arguments by trying to find a new source for internet points.

                  Stop, and educate yourself further on the subject matter, please. Won't be replying to you any further.

                  • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 20:51
                    -1

                    @jasswolf:

                    What makes you think the Aeon can get away with a 10db 5khz peak?
                    Except it's not… it doesn't have that at all. Are we still talking about this headphone from Drop or do you need some food and water?

                    Lets get this out of the way first, https://imgur.com/a/UY4dtAt you measure the highest point to the lowest point to get the difference in db. I'm not sure if you're blind or something but…yeah.

                    Negative, it dips to prevent bass bloat into the mids, a common fix and mostly filled in by resonance in actual listening experience.

                    That's a terrible design choice, literally no other manufacturer would have to do a 7db dip that just to eliminate bloat as that's just dumb.

                    This isn't a consistent thing, but a reasonably common thing, and you'll see it the most in Beyers, Sennheisers and gaming headphones. It's dependent on the enclosure design and dampening, you can't just spike 5kHz and get better imaging.

                    Yes beyers which nobody buys because of outrageous treble peaks and sennheiser who's last successful product was the HD800/s which was released in 2009 and 2015. Gaming headphones..let's not even go there.

                    Yes, I know AKG and Samsung are owned/owners of Harman and the reason why their products are successful is because..you guess it, they follow the Harman curve. claps

                    Moondrop uses VSDF target, which they've said many times was a slight deviation from Harman curve as you pointed out. You are the one saying Harman curve is "dated", but companies are using the curve as the reference point. If you think Harman is not reliable, why would companies be using it as a reference point?

                    No, no one was saying Aeon RT was better than the Clears, if you go back at the beginning you would see that I'm dissuading people from getting a $500 headphone that they can't demo because the FR is terrible. You are the one coming in saying it's not that bad for whatever reason when it is outright a terrible headphone with a bad FR curve and QC. Again, you were also the one that wanted to compare all these things when my first comment was literally bad headphone due to bad FR and bad QC. Both things that has been acceptable by the audio community and here you are defending a product that people know is bad.

                    Maybe you are the one that should learn to read seeing as you just like assuming things eh?

                    • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 22:26
                      -2

                      @ilikeblue: Immediately breaking my promise because this post is horrifically misinformed…

                      https://headphonedatabase.com/oratory/headphones?ids=300,170
                      https://www.head-fi.org/threads/drop-dan-clark-audio-aeon-cl…
                      https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachmen…

                      Those three sets of measurements use three very similar measurement rigs of the highest standard, at least in an affordable space for professional headphone reviewers, with correct compensations applied through understanding how the rig actually works. The 5kHz is operating very near to your target demands, and in the case of Resolve's measurements it probably a subjective adjustment he has made.

                      Amir on ASR by comparison doesn't really get it right, I'm not even sure what gear he's measuring with, and he matches the curve at 425Hz, when most will use 1kHz. It's a series of strange, uninformed choices.

                      These other measurements show that the dip doesn't exist the way you think it does. You've no idea how to even read these graphs, and not only is it messing with your ability to make a judgement, you're also wildly exaggerating what judgement to make beyond a decent read on tonality.

                      Yes beyers which nobody buys because of outrageous treble peaks and sennheiser who's last successful product was the HD800/s which was released in 2009 and 2015. Gaming headphones..let's not even go there.

                      This entire section reads like a child trying to pass as an adult.

                      Moondrop uses VSDF target, which they've said many times was a slight deviation from Harman curve as you pointed out. You are the one saying Harman curve is "dated", but companies are using the curve as the reference point. If you think Harman is not reliable, why would companies be using it as a reference point?

                      In the frequency range we're talking about, it follows the diffuse field more. It's a combination of the two that they have simulated to improve imaging and soundstage depth, something Harman struggles with.

                      Harman is a consumer preference reference point. It's a theoretical basis for how most human ears perceive sound in a treated studio room with studio monitors and a sub, measured at the pinna of the ear after the audio has interacted with the room, including reflection and absorption by the room then adjusted to align with preferences and any evidence presented by a suite of consumer products.

                      You use it in headphone design the same way an artist uses a reference picture. As the technology changes, you will see the curve radically change as typical materials change. Harman actually have a different curve for IEMs, for example.

                      No, no one was saying Aeon RT was better than the Clears, if you go back at the beginning you would see that I'm dissuading people from getting a $500 headphone that they can't demo because the FR is terrible. You are the one coming in saying it's not that bad for whatever reason when it is outright a terrible headphone with a bad FR curve and QC. Again, you were also the one that wanted to compare all these things when my first comment was literally bad headphone due to bad FR and bad QC. Both things that has been acceptable by the audio community and here you are defending a product that people know is bad.

                      I think you should focus your energy less on these crappy points, and more on finding more about what you're talking about, actually helping people, and paragraphing.

                      Planar drivers are harder to match than dynamic drivers, it's not a 'QC' failure, and using discussion boards to gauge failure rates fails to consider how many people bother to log on when they don't have a problem. Spoiler: it's not that many.

                      Your 'bad FR and QC' argument is both bad and ignorant, which is what I've been trying to say this entire time, and trying to prevent some poor OzB user from buying into with your oversimplified arguments.

                      Maybe you are the one that should learn to read seeing as you just like assuming things eh?

                      Go get some fresh air.

                      • ilikeblue on 16/10/2021 - 22:58
                        -1

                        @jasswolf: Mate… based on the headfi link you provided, you're literally proving my point. That's also the FR from MrSpeakers themselves so..you know…stop embarrassing yourself

                        https://imgur.com/a/dwl8D0R

                        Planar drivers are harder to match than dynamic drivers, it's not a 'QC' failure, and using discussion boards to gauge failure rates fails to consider how many people bother to log on when they don't have a problem. Spoiler: it's not that many.

                        That's a terrible excuse. Go look at crins headphone database for Audeze. Most of the headphones has a 1~3db channel imbalance at most.

                        • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 23:43
                          -2

                          @ilikeblue: The Head-Fi measurements are from the Head-Fi staff, hence why it has their logo on it… you've just seen MrSpeakers mentioned in the post and latched onto that. Get some sleep, please.

                          That's a terrible excuse. Go look at crins headphone database for Audeze. Most of the headphones has a 1~3db channel imbalance at most.

                          I wasn't covering that, because no one else is showing that in their measurements. Amir's headphone reviews are not to be trusted at present. Neither are his amp and DAC preferences mostly, but they offer data that is sometimes useful.

                          You've been hoovering up faux-intellectualism from bad sources, and you're completely ignoring physics beyond simply tonality and channel measurements as an indicator of headphone performance.

                          This is like RTings for toddlers, except RTings are horrifically dumb in how they describe headphones in terms of sonic performance.

                          Great that you mention Crinacle, because you should really read this: https://crinacle.com/2019/02/04/what-is-technical-ability-ac…

                          Then this: https://www.stereophile.com/content/innerfidelity-headphone-…

                          Then cease to exist in my notifs. Thanks.

                          • ilikeblue on 17/10/2021 - 00:45
                            -1

                            @jasswolf:

                            Your 'bad FR and QC' argument is both bad and ignorant, which is what I've been trying to say this entire time, and trying to prevent some poor OzB user from buying into with your oversimplified arguments.

                            Bad channel matching = bad QC. Jesus is that so hard to get into your head.

                            Planar drivers are harder to match than dynamic drivers, it's not a 'QC' failure, and using discussion boards to gauge failure rates fails to consider how many people bother to log on when they don't have a problem. Spoiler: it's not that many.

                            Literally proved my points that planar drivers can be matched via example of Audeze headphones.

                            You've been hoovering up faux-intellectualism from bad sources, and you're completely ignoring physics beyond simply tonality and channel measurements as an indicator of headphone performance.

                            Yes you can say the headphone uses whatever technology you want, if it can't even have good tonality and channel matching which is like the basics of basics and charge you $500 for it, you shouldn't be buying it. Not that hard to understand. As per your example you can just buy AKG K371 for cheaper and for better performance.

                            Also, I don't think you looked at the screenshot I posted which is from head-fi cause it literally says the source is from MrSpeakers. (The 2nd pic is in case your eyes are too blind to see) I'm literally quoting your own source so I don't even know what more you want.

                              • ilikeblue on 17/10/2021 - 01:35
                                -1

                                @jasswolf: LMAO. Which part of what I said is strawman fallacy? Are you trying to link that for yourself to read? Literally been replying to whatever you said but sure. You're literally repeating what you did on ief discord which is how you got banned.

                                Aight peace out, you can go continue convincing people to buy a headphone without demoing and potential QC issues. Cheers

                                https://imgur.com/a/diylHV6

                                • jasswolf on 17/10/2021 - 11:59
                                  -1

                                  @ilikeblue: LOL I got banned from the 'serious' channel on there because I glibly compared the tonality of an overpriced DIY headphone to a lesser headphone and used an emote.

                                  While the rule was correctly enforced (I made a small joke and used an emote), there was no discussion, the mod in question had DMs turned off (to my knowledge I'd never interacted with them, nor any other mods), and upon realising they had no intention of allowing any appeal, I left.

                                  The one genuinely good thing about how that discord is operated, is that anyone reading this can go back and confirm my version of events, instead of the story you just tried to spin.

                                  Once again, you've shown you cannot interpret information at a pretty basic level, and when challenged you distort facts and shift goal posts (not that you can even remember the original arguments you or I were making).

                                  I'm guessing you've clung to this from the start as a basis for your ridiculous sense of superiority…

                                  Ironically you've shown yourself pettier and more foolish than the childish behaviour you're masking as justified. I hope you grow as a person in time, so you don't actually terrorise some poor soul in the future with your enormously ill-tempered rantings.

                                  All the best!

  • bohn on 16/10/2021 - 15:22
    +1

    I want a Sundara deal ;(

    • CBrads4 on 16/10/2021 - 16:20

      Me too! Hanging out for one of those.

    • jasswolf on 16/10/2021 - 18:39
      +2

      1. Black Friday on Amazon, stack Zip & Amazon cashbacks if that's how you want to go. Should be around $430 before considering discounted gift cards, but those would come at the expense of Zip cashback (though better, and technically stackable with Zip if you don't have enough, I think).

      2. There are several recent HIFIMAN releases you might want to check info and reviews (and demo) before making that choice: the HIFIMAN DEVA Pro (not the original Deva) and the HIFIMAN Edition XS.

      These are brand new releases, with listening impressions on the Deva Pro only coming in right now. Both use the Susvara magnets that have had an impact for the HIFIMAN HE400SE (built-off the HE400i 2020 edition), which seems to improve resonance, in turn likely brightening the treble and improving detail in the mids and treble.

      Both are starting at $429 USD I think, though I'd imagine a wired DEVA Pro will price closer to the Sundara. Good chance all three options will be worth the ~$100 step up.

  • mostlygordon on 16/10/2021 - 16:46
    +2

    Thanks OP, purchased. Will leave a comparison to my Elegias when they get here :-)

    • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 16:48

      Enjoy! The comparison would be greatly appreciated! :)

      • mostlygordon on 16/10/2021 - 17:09
        +1

        I am expecting the Eligia to be more resolving. I have tried the old Aeons a long time ago and liked them, but they were around $1200 back then. Very laid back from memory, which I like sometimes. These will be more portable than the Elegia with a smaller case, which is what I'm after with things opening up. Hoping I can find a pentacon cable cheap, off to AliExpress now;-)

        Wound up buying this cable.

  • Manny Calavera on 16/10/2021 - 17:47

    Good for 128kbps mp3s, right?

    • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 17:57

      Only if it has been ripped from Youtube

      • Manny Calavera on 16/10/2021 - 18:00

        No grandfather clause for something I got off Napster and just kept moving between computers?

        • poppingtags on 16/10/2021 - 18:02
          +1

          That should work well too!

          • mostlygordon on 16/10/2021 - 21:32

            @poppingtags: God, and I thought my 64kbps rips of Dolby HX Pro cassette tapes recorded from FM radio were high-res!

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