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Dan Clark Audio AEON RT Review (closed headphone)

paranoidbunny

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I'm just wondering whether there could be, just potentially, the airieness of the Sundaras and the punchieness of the Aeon, which most likey is apples and oranges at the same time, and probably the reason peole own more than one pair of HPs.
 

HiZ

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I hope that new versions of aeon 2 and noire can also be measured.
I'm really looking forward to it.
 

Duke650

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Aeon RT closed back arrived today (ordered directly from Dan Clark Audio last week)
Out of the box straight into JDS Atom = YEP, it´s a keeper :)
i could immediately forget the annoying shipping costs and import fees / tax (yes, good old Europe...)
Amir´s EQ applied to APO (Peace), hit play on Spyrogyra - Not Unlike That --- gues what. Yes, correct - no sleep tonight, it will be a long session ... Rage Against The Machine - Renegades Of Funk, Snarky Puppy - What About Me etc etc etc
 

Bernd

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I love this headphone very much. I aslo own a Focal Clear. The Clear gives me the impression to be in a large cozy room where some of the fine details phase away. The AEON RT is dead right in the studio - it feels a bit thigh but yuo get the full blow. The Clear uses some sound cosmetics which are wonderful. But when you want to get right into it and do some stompin' I prefer the AEON RT
 

3kweave

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Do you think the RME ADI 2 Dac headphone amp would adequately power the Aeon RT? Also it seems like with the exception of folding headband design the noire doesn't really justify its big price increase.
 

Bernd

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Do you know what target curve you prefer and will you be using the ADI-2 DAC to EQ?
I'm using Amir's EQ on the ADI 2 and that sounds perfect to me. I'm listening at - 27 db. And at that the ADI has tons of power left.
 

3kweave

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Thanks for the reply. I am new to the headphone thing. I think its really cool how the people on ASR approach the audio industry. Short answer is that I don't know exactly what sort of tuning I am looking for. One of the reasons bought the ADI 2 is so I could eq AmirM's settings for the hd650 so I could always have that good sound if I want to use it with something like the PS5 where I wouldn't normally have access to a software based eq. I generally like Amirs recommended settings for the 650. I feel like the bass is way to low on the 650 without eq. With eq at higher volumes the 650 bass sounds a little sloppy. The Aeon RT has good bass without eq. I am interested in the Aeon RT/2N because it is close to harman target which statistically most people like. It just seems to me like the RT and NC should sound pretty similar if they are tuned the same. The argument I've heard for why the Noire costs 400 more is because it has a new driver architecture which is "higher end." How does the Noire sound different? Thanks
 

maverickronin

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I am interested in the Aeon RT/2N because it is close to harman target which statistically most people like. It just seems to me like the RT and NC should sound pretty similar if they are tuned the same. The argument I've heard for why the Noire costs 400 more is because it has a new driver architecture which is "higher end." How does the Noire sound different? Thanks

I would guess you could make them sound very similar after EQ. I splurged on the Aeon 2 Closed over the RT because AXPONA was canceled last year due to the plague and I couldn't A/B them first. I later got the set of the DCA perforated pads for it, which is the only non-cosmetic difference between the A2C and the Noire.

The RT and A2C seems close enough that you could probably put the perforated pad on the RT and make an Aeon Bleu. Haven't heard of anyone here doing it though, let alone taking some measurements.

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The original Aeon, which the RT is based off of, was already great by itself so when combined with the RME's DSP you can't really go wrong, especially for the price.
 

3kweave

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@maverickronin Thanks for the helpful reply! If its one thing this site has taught me is that the price and performance aren't always associated. The RT is certainly the better value but it looks like from that graph the Noire is closest to the Harman target. Statistically people l like the Harman target so without hearing either of them it suggests that the Noire is the superior phone. Potentially the RT with perforated pads would potentially be the best intersection between price and performance (relatively speaking).
 

Dan Clark

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Probably. Maybe @Dan Clark can let us know if the designs are close enough to get the same effect.
Hi... Not certain I understood your question. If I did, the RT closed already uses the Noire pad. For someone wanting a flatter measured response from 20-2K would switch to the original AEON pad.
 

maverickronin

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Hi... Not certain I understood your question. If I did, the RT closed already uses the Noire pad. For someone wanting a flatter measured response from 20-2K would switch to the original AEON pad.

Oh, it's completely backwards from what I assumed. :facepalm:

Thanks for the correction.
 

Robbo99999

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Hi... Not certain I understood your question. If I did, the RT closed already uses the Noire pad. For someone wanting a flatter measured response from 20-2K would switch to the original AEON pad.
Oh, it's completely backwards from what I assumed. :facepalm:

Thanks for the correction.
It depends what you mean by "flat". Is it meant more conforming to the Harman Curve and thereby potentially sounding more like neutral/flat speakers or is it meant instead that the raw frequency response looks flat when graphed, as in wouldn't be following the Harman Curve as closely (as we know the Harman Curve for headphones has lots of curves in it). Just jumping in on the tail end of this conversation and saw there might be some confusion.
 

Dan Clark

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It depends what you mean by "flat". Is it meant more conforming to the Harman Curve and thereby potentially sounding more like neutral/flat speakers or is it meant instead that the raw frequency response looks flat when graphed, as in wouldn't be following the Harman Curve as closely (as we know the Harman Curve for headphones has lots of curves in it). Just jumping in on the tail end of this conversation and saw there might be some confusion.

A more linear measured response. The stock pad on the RT is pretty close to Harman, the pad without perforations will increase energy from 200-2000Hz for a warmer midrange tone.
 

3kweave

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@Dan Clark Thanks for responding to my question. Service like this is a major plus for DCA! I am trying to decide between Aeon RT closed and the Aeon 2 Noire. I became interested in your headphones after seeing Amir's review.I like the fact that I can have a strong bass response with having to use eq. I currently use eq with my hd6xx on the RME. If the Noire didn't exist I would have just bought the RT and vice versa. Besides folding up and having a new driver architecture what differentiates the two models? What makes the noire better or does it just have a different sound? I absolutely love the carbon fiber weave pattern on the sides!
 

mugbot

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So hypothetically if I wanted an Aeon 2 Noire for portable use, I'm presuming my phone won't be up to driving these - what would be a good solution? Perhaps the Qudelix 5k?
 
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