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Drop Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X

GoMrPickles

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Hint on connecting the Hirose connectors to the headphone fast, every time ... grab the silver connector between thumb and forefinger, insert it gently into the collar on headphone and rotate it until the cable connector hits the headphone slot. Then pinch back your forefinger and thumb so as to roll your grip back to the collar behind the silver collar and push the cable connector in until it clicks. Practice this in one, careful motion two or three times, and you should find that you can connect fast each time from then on, pretty soon without even thinking about it.

On EQ, you may already know this, but try the Oratory/Harman EQ or the ASR/Robbo9999 "Sample 2" EQ as a starting point. I found that with the Closed X, I dialed back the low bass a couple of dB below Harman just because I thought it integrated the smooth FR from bottom to top a little better for acoustic sources, and the Harman curve is a little bit north of neutral on bass anyway. But of course that's a preference item, and with the low distortion bass, these headphones are easy to EQ to taste. (I had the opposite experience with my Senn HD6XX headphones, where EQing the weakish bass just increased the audible bass distortion. After hearing the clean bass from these headphones, I can never listen to the HD6XX phones -- that I once liked a lot -- just because of it.)
Thanks for the info. I installed SoundSource (Mac) and the Oratory and Sample 2 EQ. I don't hear much difference between no EQ and Sample 2; the Oratory seems to take care of the bass boominess and that was my biggest issue. So I'll play around for a bit and see. It does seem like there's a bit of unit to unit variation, per this thread, so there's that, too.

I haven't tried taking the white filters out yet but from reading (some of) this thread that also looks to be worth trying.

ETA: One subjective comment is that these headphones play studio reverb (i.e., on vocals) with remarkable clarity. That detail repeatedly stands out to me.
 

Robbo99999

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Thanks for the info. I installed SoundSource (Mac) and the Oratory and Sample 2 EQ. I don't hear much difference between no EQ and Sample 2; the Oratory seems to take care of the bass boominess and that was my biggest issue. So I'll play around for a bit and see. It does seem like there's a bit of unit to unit variation, per this thread, so there's that, too.

I haven't tried taking the white filters out yet but from reading (some of) this thread that also looks to be worth trying.

ETA: One subjective comment is that these headphones play studio reverb (i.e., on vocals) with remarkable clarity. That detail repeatedly stands out to me.
Certainly, if you're using EQ #2 that I did then you should for sure be using your headphone without the white filters installed - simply because Resolve measured the headphone without the white filters included, so therefore the EQ is designed to be used without the white filters installed. Re the Oratory EQ, I'm unsure if he had the white filters installed during his measurements or not. But for sure take out the white filters if you're gonna be using any of my EQ's that are in this thread.
 

JanesJr1

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Thanks for the info. I installed SoundSource (Mac) and the Oratory and Sample 2 EQ. I don't hear much difference between no EQ and Sample 2; the Oratory seems to take care of the bass boominess and that was my biggest issue. So I'll play around for a bit and see. It does seem like there's a bit of unit to unit variation, per this thread, so there's that, too.

I haven't tried taking the white filters out yet but from reading (some of) this thread that also looks to be worth trying.

ETA: One subjective comment is that these headphones play studio reverb (i.e., on vocals) with remarkable clarity. That detail repeatedly stands out to me.
I agree with others on this site that if you can EQ the headphones, it's better to not use the earpads. Resolution and soundstage seem to benefit.

One of the, um, disadvantages of good planar phones like these is that they may, using your example, play vocals with reverb well, but they also can reveal poor recordings. Sometimes I start to blame the phones for some kind of noise or distortion, but once I investigate, it's always the source. It's worth it to put up with the bad to get the good, especially the nice separation, which I enjoy constantly.
 

antikryst

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Got mine today. Using off of a DX3 Pro+ with Bluetooth streaming from Spotify, since that's what's available. Listening with phone at max and DX3 at -25ish. I don't listen very loud, usually.

First impressions:
Cables are surprisingly tricky to secure. Was worried I'd break them. Cable itself is fantastic tho.
Headphones feel decently made but not bombproof. Very light. Pads seem squishy.
More bass than Oppo PM-3. Bass is distractingly boomy on some tracks; actually hard to hear on others (System Seven). Will EQ if/when listening from a laptop.
Very good detail on some tracks (they're a great match for Aurora's voice, it seems). Sounds very similar to PM-3 otherwise.

Overall, these seem like a modest upgrade over the PM-3's; I think I was expecting more of a difference, but both are closed-back planars in the same price range, so I think my expectations were out of line. I suspect the Aeon could use a bit more power; I may try it with Dx3 Pro+ -> L30 and see how that sounds.

how is the combo? planning to use it on the DX 3+ as well. do you need to go high gain for it?

getting my aeon x in maybe a week and a half (used a forwarder to get it to me so now I wait).
 

GoMrPickles

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how is the combo? planning to use it on the DX 3+ as well. do you need to go high gain for it?

getting my aeon x in maybe a week and a half (used a forwarder to get it to me so now I wait).
It's good! Upon first listen, I wasn't sure if I'd keep them or send them back, but I think I'm a convert.

I think I listen at pretty low volumes; on low gain, I have the DX3+ around -30 to -20 dB. On high gain, -20 dB was painfully loud. I haven't tried the L30 yet and may not need to... I'm happy with this setup.

One positive note is that the cable I got from Drop came with a 1/8" connector and a screw-on 1/4" adapter, so I just removed the adapter and was good.

I took out the white filters and definitely prefer the sound with them out. I also definitely prefer the bass EQ'd down. Without EQ, I think I would have sent them back, TBH.
 

antikryst

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It's good! Upon first listen, I wasn't sure if I'd keep them or send them back, but I think I'm a convert.

I think I listen at pretty low volumes; on low gain, I have the DX3+ around -30 to -20 dB. On high gain, -20 dB was painfully loud. I haven't tried the L30 yet and may not need to... I'm happy with this setup.

One positive note is that the cable I got from Drop came with a 1/8" connector and a screw-on 1/4" adapter, so I just removed the adapter and was good.

I took out the white filters and definitely prefer the sound with them out. I also definitely prefer the bass EQ'd down. Without EQ, I think I would have sent them back, TBH.

wow. i drive grado SR325s and IEMs at -25 low gain.

thanks for the feedback. cant wait to get mine.
 

Construct

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I took out the white filters and definitely prefer the sound with them out. I also definitely prefer the bass EQ'd down. Without EQ, I think I would have sent them back, TBH.

I had to make small adjustments to the headband over a few weeks to get these ear cups to sit just right on my ears. Until I got the fit right, the bass would be slightly different depending on where the cups landed relative to my ears.

My earpads broke in over several weeks until they matched the shape of my head. It's all more predictable now, but when I first used these I felt like the bass was different every time I put them on.

Compared to my PM-3, I prefer the DCA Aeon Closed X. It took a few weeks for my ears to adjust and for me to get the fit right before I arrived at that conclusion. The PM-3 is more fun to listen to on certain tracks, but the DCA is the more accurate headphone. Giving up the PM-3 fun audio signature took some time, but I find the DCA much easier to listen to for work and longer listening sessions.
 

FreaK

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Hello!

My headphone is on the way, and i ordered and sent the hirose 4 pin connectors with a 4.4mm male (i have a 4.4mm to XLR adapter already) to a guy who makes cables. He doesn't know how to connect the pins on the hirose connector, and i can't find any pin layout for headphones on the net. Does someone know maybe how to connect them?
 

JanesJr1

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Hello!

My headphone is on the way, and i ordered and sent the hirose 4 pin connectors with a 4.4mm male (i have a 4.4mm to XLR adapter already) to a guy who makes cables. He doesn't know how to connect the pins on the hirose connector, and i can't find any pin layout for headphones on the net. Does someone know maybe how to connect them?
I'm no cable-making expert. However, if you end up trying a different solution, Hart Audio makes a nice balanced cable with either XLR or 4.4mm at one end and the Hirose connectors at the other. The price is pretty reasonable as those things go.
 

FreaK

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I'm no cable-making expert. However, if you end up trying a different solution, Hart Audio makes a nice balanced cable with either XLR or 4.4mm at one end and the Hirose connectors at the other. The price is pretty reasonable as those things go.
Thank you, i knew about them. Price is reasonable, but not really cheap, $75+$50 for shipping to the EU + VAT, it would be about $150 at the end, at least.
The cable this guy makes is about ~$15 altogether. I ordered the connectors from Aliexpress and shipped to him (is included in the $15).
 

FreaK

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If anyone else needs it, i found the pin layout for the hirose connector on DCA's website:

hirose csatlakozó.JPG

And here is how to identify the pin's:
image-0.jpeg


Also my headphone arrived today, i'm exited to hear it in the evening :) i also need to search for the "sample 2" EQ preset in this thread :)
 

Construct

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@FreaK Thanks for following up and posting the information you found. A refreshing change after years of searching Google for problems only to find that the OP never followed up again. :)
 

antikryst

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just got my closed x yesterday. first impression is that its thin in the bass department. bass also changes on how they sit on my head. cant seem to find the perfect position yet... any advise?

at first i had them hanging low on my head. then bass had more impact and body when i raised them where the bottom of my ear is just about touching the bottom of the inside of the pad.

what do the screws do on the headband adjustment thingy? can these be tightened so the headband is on a fixed position? or does this just hold the plastic thing in place?
 

JanesJr1

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just got my closed x yesterday. first impression is that its thin in the bass department. bass also changes on how they sit on my head. cant seem to find the perfect position yet... any advise?

at first i had them hanging low on my head. then bass had more impact and body when i raised them where the bottom of my ear is just about touching the bottom of the inside of the pad.

what do the screws do on the headband adjustment thingy? can these be tightened so the headband is on a fixed position? or does this just hold the plastic thing in place?
The screws seem to arrive just a little loose, so that you can manually slide the headstrap to a location that sounds good, and so that the headstrap doesn't touch the Nitinol cage/wires overhead. I suggest you tighten the screws when you find the right adjustment, or the headstrap will gradually move up the slider. Simple, but it seems to work.

With regard to positioning the earcups, many people seem to agree that a good seal of these closed-back headphones can much improve the bass response, but everyone seems to have a different story about how easy this is to do.

I personally like these ear-shaped cups, because I have large ears and there is more room for me to position these earcups than any others I have tried. I also consistently get a good seal, even with eyeglasses on, even though I know others have a time with this. But just play with the earcups to get (1) a good 360-degree seal (first priority); and (2) comfort (second priority).

You have the Closed X. For those who have the Noire, I notice that position of the earcups has a big effect on soundstage. I get the best soundstage with the skin on the top of my ears and just behind 12 o'clock, slightly touching the earpad. The soundstage (and tonality) change a lot if I move things away from this sweet-spot.
 

majingotan

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just got my closed x yesterday. first impression is that its thin in the bass department. bass also changes on how they sit on my head. cant seem to find the perfect position yet... any advise?

at first i had them hanging low on my head. then bass had more impact and body when i raised them where the bottom of my ear is just about touching the bottom of the inside of the pad.

what do the screws do on the headband adjustment thingy? can these be tightened so the headband is on a fixed position? or does this just hold the plastic thing in place?

Maybe you're referring to the mid-bass than the sub-bass. The Open X (No Filter) that I have has more mid-bass than the Closed X (I prefer the Open X tuning for that reason, and you can definitely EQ the 150-250 Hz for that boost)

CtRzSuSe2xxDyLHOsL2g_IMG_4243.JPG


z8jwZAwS8KorHBkbrf6X_DROP-Dan-Clark-Audio-AEON-CLOSED-X---FR-AVG---FILTER-and-NO-FILTER.jpg


My position is similar to yours. I put mine where earlobe touches the pad then move them backward a bit for a perfect center fit.

As for the screws, you can tighten them but not too much and that'll lock the position permanently. I suggest to not mess with it unless the headband slides too freely
 

jsvaldez

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So I got a pair of Closed X headphones recently and loved them. Back and forth between Sample #2 and Oratory's EQ, I ended up settling on Oratory's with some extra bass added. The one thing I was looking for was a bit more comfort and sealing in the earpads. I happened to see that there was one pair of Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin earpads left in the b-stock inventory, so I took the deal and got them (you really can't beat 40% off).

After getting the earpads in today, I immediately hated how much emphasis on the treble they added. To be fair, I should have considered based on Dekoni's measurements how much bass is lost with the fenestrated earpads. However, I feel like there's not just bass lost with the Dekoni pads. I felt like "s"s in vocals actually hurt me. It wasn't just one song, either. It was pretty much any song that didn't actively have a de-esser in its production that hurt me. I ended up making a separate EQ profile that's a lot more V-shaped to get closer to the sound I had prior to changing the pads. I'm attaching it in case anyone else wants to tweak it.

I wouldn't actively not recommend the pads, especially since I got them at a nice discount, since they add a bit to the soundstage and comfort of the headphones themselves. However, they do require a significantly different profile than the stock earpads, and definitely make the headphones (in my opinion) unlistenable without EQ. If you want replacement Dekoni pads without EQ, I would probably recommend the Dekoni (non-fenestrated) sheepskin earpads instead.
 

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Finder

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just got my closed x yesterday. first impression is that its thin in the bass department. bass also changes on how they sit on my head. cant seem to find the perfect position yet... any advise?

at first i had them hanging low on my head. then bass had more impact and body when i raised them where the bottom of my ear is just about touching the bottom of the inside of the pad.

what do the screws do on the headband adjustment thingy? can these be tightened so the headband is on a fixed position? or does this just hold the plastic thing in place?
I got mine last week and the first time I put them on, I thought I'd have to return them for the lack of bass. Never believed in breaking in headphones, but then I saw the the included tuning guide and DCA's own recommendation for a burn-in period. Suffice it to say, a week later, I'm actually finding the bass a little too much. Currently using Resolve's / Robbo99999's sample 2 correction and they sound great (thanks! @Resolve @Robbo99999 ). Give it some time, you might be surprised!
 

Robbo99999

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I got mine last week and the first time I put them on, I thought I'd have to return them for the lack of bass. Never believed in breaking in headphones, but then I saw the the included tuning guide and DCA's own recommendation for a burn-in period. Suffice it to say, a week later, I'm actually finding the bass a little too much. Currently using Resolve's / Robbo99999's sample 2 correction and they sound great (thanks! @Resolve @Robbo99999 ). Give it some time, you might be surprised!
Maybe also the pads have worn to fit your head a little better, or maybe you're subconsciously placing the headphones better on your head now to get a better seal, or maybe you've just got used to the bass level that the Closed X gives you.....with that last point being quite important if you're previously coming from headphones or speakers with large amounts of bass, in which case when you try a headphone with less bass then it initially sounds low in bass until & if you manage to get used to it.
 

Finder

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Maybe also the pads have worn to fit your head a little better, or maybe you're subconsciously placing the headphones better on your head now to get a better seal, or maybe you've just got used to the bass level that the Closed X gives you.....with that last point being quite important if you're previously coming from headphones or speakers with large amounts of bass, in which case when you try a headphone with less bass then it initially sounds low in bass until & if you manage to get used to it.
Absolutely! Could be any or all of the above. Regardless, I find them quite pleasing after a week of use, though a little bright for me as I'm sensitive to treble. An added -2db shelf at 8k with a Q of 1 seems to do the trick on top of the sample 2 correction.

I've also noticed that the correction files on page 1 and 2 of this thread don't have the filter numbers of the shelves, and thus the shelves are not imported into APO + PEACE. Hope people realize this! The original and combined correction files have active shelves and won't sound as intended without fixing the missing info. Luckily, the sample 2 correction have 0db shelf corrections (for tuning I assume?) so it doesn't actually matter. Just an FYI...
 

Finder

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Absolutely! Could be any or all of the above. Regardless, I find them quite pleasing after a week of use, though a little bright for me as I'm sensitive to treble. An added -2db shelf at 8k with a Q of 1 seems to do the trick on top of the sample 2 correction.

I've also noticed that the correction files on page 1 and 2 of this thread don't have the filter numbers of the shelves, and thus the shelves are not imported into APO + PEACE. Hope people realize this! The original and combined correction files have active shelves and won't sound as intended without fixing the missing info. Luckily, the sample 2 correction have 0db shelf corrections (for tuning I assume?) so it doesn't actually matter. Just an FYI...
If anyone wants, here are the fixed corrections with the shelves for importing into EQ APO+PEACE.
 

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  • Drop Aeon X Closed.txt
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  • Aeon X Closed 1+2Avg.txt
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  • Aeon X Closed Sample 2.txt
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