This is a review and detailed measurements of the Beyerdynamic Amiron Home open back headphone. It was kindly sent to me by a member. Looks like the wired version is discontinued but cost roughly US $400.
This is an attractive headphone:
Overall fit was fine other than slightly pinching my earlobes. Weight is about average at 345 grams without the cord:
Cups are round and have a circumference of 62 mm and depth of 20 mm.
Note: The measurements you are about to see are made using a standardized Gras 45C. Headphone measurements by definition are approximate and variable so don't be surprised if other measurements even if performed with the same fixtures as mine, differ in end results. Protocols vary such as headband pressure and averaging (which I don't do). As you will see, I confirm the approximate accuracy of the measurements using Equalization and listening tests. Ultimately headphone measurements are less exact than speakers mostly in bass and above a few kilohertz so keep that in mind as you read these tests. If you think you have an exact idea of a headphone performance, you are likely wrong!
Fitment on the fixture was good.
Beyerdynamic Amiron Home Measurements
Let's start with our usual frequency response:
There is decent amount of bass but could use more subbass and less upper bass. The main issue however is the recession between 500 Hz and 3 kHz. It has an odd shape so hard to fix with a filter or two. Here is a the relative response for purposes of developing said EQ:
I was disappointed with how fast bass distortion escalated up with level:
The rising distortions are unfortunately where we need frequency boosts with EQ so they are going to be more audible.
Group delay just confirms the dip on bass and not revealing of much else:
Impedance is high and varies by a ratio of two:
Sensitivity is below average but not too bad:
Headphone Listening and Equalization
Out of box experience is decent due to adequate amount of bass. But it is unexciting and closed due to droop in energy between 500 and 3 kHz. So I brought out the EQ tool:
Alas, On the first track I listened to, I got screeching highs and crackling. I decided to add the two high frequency filters but that was not it. The problem was as I mentioned, the boost in the 500 Hz to 2 kHz. It is a much needed correction but with the right track, it can sound terrible especially at higher levels.
I originally had the bass boost higher to match the measurements. While again that sounded good on some music, on others, it caused terrible distortion with drivers almost modulating the sound. At the levels I have it, it seemed to work across most music.
At first I was going to ditch the EQ due to distortion but it really lifts the performance of this headphone. Spatial effects come to their own and overall fidelity is quite nice.
Conclusions
If there is a norm in my headphone reviews, it is the sound being near terrible without EQ, and being good to great with. Here, that is not the case. Without EQ the sound is tolerable. With EQ it gets much better but then distortion comes to haunt you and haunt you big time depending on your music spectrum and how loud you listen.
I can't recommend the Beyerdynamic Amiron Home with or without EQ for reasons mentioned.
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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
This is an attractive headphone:
Overall fit was fine other than slightly pinching my earlobes. Weight is about average at 345 grams without the cord:
Cups are round and have a circumference of 62 mm and depth of 20 mm.
Note: The measurements you are about to see are made using a standardized Gras 45C. Headphone measurements by definition are approximate and variable so don't be surprised if other measurements even if performed with the same fixtures as mine, differ in end results. Protocols vary such as headband pressure and averaging (which I don't do). As you will see, I confirm the approximate accuracy of the measurements using Equalization and listening tests. Ultimately headphone measurements are less exact than speakers mostly in bass and above a few kilohertz so keep that in mind as you read these tests. If you think you have an exact idea of a headphone performance, you are likely wrong!
Fitment on the fixture was good.
Beyerdynamic Amiron Home Measurements
Let's start with our usual frequency response:
There is decent amount of bass but could use more subbass and less upper bass. The main issue however is the recession between 500 Hz and 3 kHz. It has an odd shape so hard to fix with a filter or two. Here is a the relative response for purposes of developing said EQ:
I was disappointed with how fast bass distortion escalated up with level:
The rising distortions are unfortunately where we need frequency boosts with EQ so they are going to be more audible.
Group delay just confirms the dip on bass and not revealing of much else:
Impedance is high and varies by a ratio of two:
Sensitivity is below average but not too bad:
Headphone Listening and Equalization
Out of box experience is decent due to adequate amount of bass. But it is unexciting and closed due to droop in energy between 500 and 3 kHz. So I brought out the EQ tool:
Alas, On the first track I listened to, I got screeching highs and crackling. I decided to add the two high frequency filters but that was not it. The problem was as I mentioned, the boost in the 500 Hz to 2 kHz. It is a much needed correction but with the right track, it can sound terrible especially at higher levels.
I originally had the bass boost higher to match the measurements. While again that sounded good on some music, on others, it caused terrible distortion with drivers almost modulating the sound. At the levels I have it, it seemed to work across most music.
At first I was going to ditch the EQ due to distortion but it really lifts the performance of this headphone. Spatial effects come to their own and overall fidelity is quite nice.
Conclusions
If there is a norm in my headphone reviews, it is the sound being near terrible without EQ, and being good to great with. Here, that is not the case. Without EQ the sound is tolerable. With EQ it gets much better but then distortion comes to haunt you and haunt you big time depending on your music spectrum and how loud you listen.
I can't recommend the Beyerdynamic Amiron Home with or without EQ for reasons mentioned.
----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
