INTRO

I like the fact that looking into my inbox today revealed that there was a new offering from Dan Clark Audio. Officially dubbed Aeon 2 Noire, this headphone is dressed all in black and offers a new spin on tuning to be more in line with the Harman curve. The only other change that A2N carries is that the stock pads have a redesigned perforated interior wall. The Noire is offered at a current discount price of $675 instead of the $900 standard retail price. Of course looks are subjective for each person. And personally, I do indeed like the all dressed in black look of this headphone. It strikes me as sleek and sexy and a little Darth Vadar. So yeah, the look certainly works in my book.

I received the A2N just before Christmas and after giving them a quick listen, I cued up a little Infected Mushroom and let them cook for several days.

Now, after a weeks break in how does this new iteration of the Aeon 2 sound? First of all, while the Noire is not what I'd call a direct sibling to the original I'd be comfortable calling them a 1st cousin. The pedigree from the original is certainly there, but the Noire ultimately comfortably carving out it's own unique sound signature. And it's a darn good one indeed.


SOUND

The Noire tuning as verified by Dan Clark Audio is very much based on the Harman curve. And wow, the Harman tuning plays out exceptionally well on the Noire. Basically compared to the OG Aeon 2, the Noire fleshes out a little more bass and treble. This gives the sound of this headphone an effortlessly enjoyable quality. I found myself having to replay my test tracks with this headphone on more than one occasion because I found it very difficult to listen critically. The music just flows and puts me into immediate enjoyment mode and I loose track of listening with a reviewers ear.


MORE SOUND SPECIFICS

I am enamored with the bass response on the Noire. It has that visceral punchy tendency that is just plain smile inducing. Listening to deep notes from an upright bass from a jazz trio, I hear that heavy textured pluck that immediately grabs my attention. And I'm thinking, “man, this sounds so good.” Next, cueing up a bit of electronic music from Scann-Tec I get a true sense of just how well the Noire bass can slam without ever getting out of control. If you are a closet bass-head, this headphone might just make your heart skip a beat or two.

During testing, the next genre I like to sample with new headphones is classical. Not surprisingly, the quickness of the Noire's planar drivers seemed to really excel here. Hilary Hahn's virtuoso violin, floated effortlessly across a large stage with nimble effortlessness. The passion that Ms. Hahn played her instrument was easy to perceive. Cymbal strikes are alarmingly accurate and natural. There is loads of information flowing from the treble region, with no brittleness or stridency (note that I'm self proclaimed treble sensitive).

Staging width and depth get an upgrade over the original Aeon 2. I believe this is mostly attributed to the construction of the new pads with perforated interior wall. While I could be dead wrong on the reason for the improved staging, I'm absolutely certain of the improvement itself. It's not difficult to hear this upgrade. It's easy to forget that I'm using a closed headphone with the Noire...very easy.

If it's not quite clear at this point, let me just say it plainly, “I really like the sound coming from the Aeon 2 Noire.” It's different enough from the original that it sets itself apart with a fairly unique variation on the original turning. In fact, compared directly to the original, I admit that I easily prefer the Noire over the OG. To my ears, the Noire is able to resolve subtle detail more effortlessly and just has that engagement factor that makes listening to music truly enjoyable.


CLOSING

When you add it all up: class leading build quality, all day comfort with the feather weight tear drop cups and a smart refresh on the tuning, I would not be surprised at all if the Aeon 2 Noire becomes a best seller at Dan Clark Audio.

I don't always “need” a closed headphone. For my own preference, I've historically chosen open backed headphones for their more natural tonality and openness of the sound staging. But times they are a changing. I find myself working from home more often than ever before. And with two kids still in the nest and three rowdy dogs, a good closed back set seemed to be in order.

Because I typically grind my teeth at the sound of ANC headphones, I knew that I'd want a set with good passive isolation. And because of a degenerative issue in my neck, I'd also need a headphone that was lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods. Lastly, I didn't have a big budget. This should be easy enough, right?

I first thought about the Audioquest Nightowl Carbon. They did fit much of the criteria that I was looking for. The issues with the NHC were the somewhat wonkey frequency response that required a fair bit of EQ to get to my liking and also they were out of production and not easy to find on the used market. Then I remembered seeing the sale pricing for the newly retuned (RT) version of the Aeon Flow from Dan Clark Audio. I needed to take a closer look at them. They were lightweight at 327 grams...check. The new tuning put them very close to the Harmon curve which I find natural sounding and enjoyable...check. And the price was coming in at a sweet $499! I knew that I needed to give these a shot.

I guess the Aeon Flow RT must be quite in demand as it took about two weeks to get them in hand after placing the order. When they arrived everything looked great except they came with a singled ended cable instead of the balanced cable that I ordered. I contacted support and Sue reached out quickly and had a balanced cable on the way with a return label provided to send back the SE cable. This is how customer service should be handled!

I did a break in period of about 125 hours to get those planar pleats moving freely. So after the fifth day, I finally started to put them through the paces with my usual test tracks. Here is my test track playlist:


*Nathaniel Rateliff: In Memory of Loss (Brakeman and Oil and Lavender)

*The Civil Wars: Barton Hollow (I've Got This Friend)

*k.d. Lang: Hymns of the 49th Parallel (Hallelujah)

*Ry Cooder: Delta Time (Shelter from the Storm)

*Carmen Gomes: Carmen Gomes Sing the Blues (A Fool For You)

*Doug MacLeod: There's a Time (Black Nights)

*Rodrigo y Gabriella: self titled (Diablo Rojo)

My test track list sometimes changes depending on my mood and preference. But the songs I use always cover some common ground. They offer examples of:

*Good staging. Not just width and depth, but depth cues and instrument placement

*Textured bass response where instruments can be clearly identified and enjoyed

*Well recorded male and female vocals for mid range evaluation especially natural tone

*Ability of the treble to extend without harshness and fatigue

And lastly, how much did I enjoy listening to the test tracks? Was the experience monotonous and boring. Or did I get drawn in and continue to listen to track after track, excited to hear subtle detail and nuance that I may have missed before from these tracks that I've listened to dozens of times.

So let's get right to it. How does the AFRT sound and did I make a good choice?

My pair of AFRT came with the white single notch filers installed for each cup. After experimenting with all the included tuning pads, the original turned out to be the one that I preferred the most. The white tuning pad gave me the best balance of tone, warmth and detail out of all the tuning pads included. All impressions offered here will be with the white one notch pads installed.

Two things jumped out at me quickly when going through my test tracks. First, was the bass response. While it's slightly elevated, it's clean nicely textured and man does it hit hard. The bass here was taking me back to the old days of the OG he400 with that visceral punch that puts a big smile on your face. Bass response just seems to dig effortlessly all the way down to about 30 hrz. I have to admit that while my taste have gravitated towards a more neutral signature, I'm still a bit of a closet basshead provided that we are talking audiophile quality bass.

The second thing that strikes me with AFRT, is that while the bass might be the star of the show these headphones are quite even across the spectrum with juicy detailed mids and airy highs. Of course any headphone that I review are based with the knowledge of the sticker price in mind. That being said, I would evaluate and judge a $2000 pair of headphones differently than a $500 set. So now let's consider that the AFRT has a sticker price of $500. How would I evaluate them at that sticker price? I would easily put this headphone in a “best in class” category for it's price/performance ratio. This headphone is simply a whole lot of fun to listen to music with and it comes with a good sprinkling of audiophile pedigree from it's older siblings.

Anyone looking for a very good pair of headphones with a $500 budget should have the AFRT on their shortlist.

Dan Clark of MrSpeakers fame never seems to rest. He is always working harder to build on his former success and make something better. An ambition for perfection might seem a fool’s errand, but it’s often where greatness can be achieved. To be honest, when Dan told me that he was working on ETHER 2, I didn’t exactly think it was his greatest brainchild (sorry Dan). First of all, the original is an amazing product in its own right. I wondered just how much improvement he would be able to make in a successor and honestly whether or not people really wanted an ETHER 2.

And then he called me up one day to give me the particulars of ETHER 2. New design changes would be present where ETHER 2 borrowed the single pivot point technology from Aeon. I remember that call well and musing to myself, “damn, that’s smart and it makes perfect sense.” Single pivot point has better reliability and would be easier to manufacture. Dan went on to reveal that the design changes would yield additional benefits. A key result would be that he could lower the curb weight of the headphone by approximately 50 grams. Now that really had my attention. The production model actually went considerably lower than that 50 gram reduction coming in right at 288 grams total (minus the cable). This is remarkable to me. The weight of the Audeze LCD series is laughable to me, tipping the scale at nearly two times the weight of ETHER 2. Why anyone would want to wear something weighing almost a pound and a half is beyond me. Audeze doesn’t even publish the weight of their LCD line under the specs on their website…shameful. ETHER 2 is literally weighs in at half as much.

Additionally, the ease of manufacturing ETHER 2 would likely allow to keep an aggressive price for this headphone. It was at this juncture of the conversation that I began to appreciate the scope of just how special ETHER 2 could be. Even back in the day when Dan was cranking out Mad Dogs from his garage for a measly $300, I remember that he was always respectful of the cost of his products even when others were charging many times more. Dan seems to have retained his early days appreciation for the cost of his products and is always maneuvering to keep prices low and reasonable. I appreciate this. Heck, we all appreciate a good deal and when price/performance works more in our favor.

Now, what about the sound. Does it deliver the goods? I’m going to call the EHTHER 2 a rather bold departure for MrSpeakers from their typical “house sound.” I really enjoyed the original ETHERS and they are still a fine product. But, for me they always needed the tuning pads or EQ to get to where I was happy with the signature. The originals could at times be lacking for warmth and body. Plugging in the ETHER 2, I was shocked at what I heard. No EQ or tuning pads needed whatsoever! The sound of this headphone was warmer, smoother and at the same time more resolving than anything that I’d heard from MrSpeakers before, even more so than Aeon Open.

I don’t like to use the word “natural,” but it does come to mind when thinking of descriptors to tag the ETHER 2. There is just no harshness or strident sound coming from the ETHER 2. Another big change is improved sound staging. Both width and depth are improved over previous ETHERS, extending well off the shoulder during my listening sessions.

It would have been much easier to simply make the structural and cosmetic changes to ETHER and roll out ETHER 2. But this is more than that, much more. ETHER 2 sports:

* an all new driver redesign from the ground up

*an all new motor

*an all new cable

*an all new baffle design

MORE ON THE SOUND

There are a few aspects of this headphones signature that I’d like to call significant. The first is the manner in which ETHER 2 reproduces bass. The sub bass on this headphone is flat down to almost 10 hz. Wait…did MattTCG just say flat down to nearly 10 hz? Oh yes, I did. You might want to label ETHER 2 an audiophiles basshead dream. The bass is just phenomenal in its ability to maintain texture and integrity down to a ridiculously low level. Please don’t misunderstand me here. This is not a th900 where the bass on all source material is jacked up. The bass here is linear to the recording. Put on some electronic music that features real sub bass and hold on to your seat. I’ll have to harken back to the release of the original lcd-2 pre fazor to conjure the feeling I got with ETHER 2 when I first put them on and cued up the music. The lcd-2 was fairly strong down to around 30 hz or so but it was somewhat “one note” with those frequencies and slightly murky. The bass with ETHER 2 goes lower and is much more textured.

If you’re thinking that ETHER 2 might be a one trick pony, you’d be wrong. This headphone offers the best sound stage from a MrSpeakers headphone to date. Room acoustics come across very realistically. Notes decay nicely and trail off from the front to the back of stage convincingly. The stage is spacious. And while not hd800 spacious, it’s still a nice improvement over previous ETHER headphones.

Next, if you’re into dynamics you’re going to love ETHER 2. The ability of the transducer to go from delicate and detailed to big and bold happens shockingly fast…almost estat fast. ETHER 2 can punch hard and effortlessly even at moderately low volume levels.

WHO IS ETHER 2 SUITED FOR

If you are a fan of the hd650 but want more sub bass and better resolution, then I imagine that you’d very much enjoy this headphone. If you always wanted a totl Audeze headphone but found the comfort and quality lacking, then you would very likely be a fan of ETHER 2. If you like the resolution and fine detail of the hd800 but find it too thin and lacking warmth and bass response…you should try ETHER 2.

WHO IS ETHER 2 NOT SUITED FOR

If you think that the hd800 on a Magni 3 has plenty of warmth and bass response, then e2 might not be for you. If you are not a fan of the “planar sound,” that probably won’t change for you with this headphone. Some people are drawn to the sound of a dynamic drivers. I can appreciate both.

WRAP UP

This is an exciting time to be in the headphone hobby. Reflecting back on the past 20 years in the hobby there have been headphone releases that were truly significant in that they helped to define the hobby and helped to advance it. Often these “special” releases proved what was possible with the type of signature they rendered. One such company that has led the way in helping to define the hobby is Sennheiser. With products like the hd90 (Orpheus), hd650, hd800 and many others they have made generational contributions that shaped the concept of what was possible in the hobby.

Looking, listening and considering what MrSpeakers brings to the table with ETHER 2, I would put this release in the category of “important and significant.” And a contribution that will help to shape the hobby. There are technical aspects about the build of this product that are truly noteworthy.

The build that results in a curb weight of 288 in a planar magnetic flagship is a substantial contribution. It shows that flagship headphones, even of the planar magnetic variety, don’t have to weigh a pound and can be worn comfortably for hours at a time. Consider the hd800. I’ve always found the ergonomics and comfort fairly good for long listening sessions. The ETHER 2 is almost 100 grams lighter than the hd800.

And then there is the sound. When I think about the sound coming from ETHER 2, the words haunting, and addictive come to mind first. The way that it renders music gives me an instant emotional connection to music. That sense of connection is the very reason that I’m in this hobby. It is the very reason that I listen to music at all. ETHER 2 has given me the most enjoyable, straight out of the box, plug and play experience I’ve had since I’ve been into headphones. It renders music in a manner that is simply ethereal. For me, it offers an experience that might be more comparable to a good set of speakers than anything else. At the very least e2 is “speaker like” in its ability to render sub bass and it’s ability to be transparent to the source material. Pictures will be posted shortly and driver specifications and graphs will follow after that.

MrSpeakers ÆON
 
Intro:
 
This is a great time to be in the headphone hobby. The science, materials and passion for the hobby seem to be converging at the right time and manufacturers are producing products that take headphone performance to all new and captivating levels.  As hobbyist, we have more choices and offerings than ever before.  Unfortunately, not everything in the hobby is trending in such a positive direction. Prices for new headphone products are gravitating upward and onward. Some manufacturers seem to tack on another zero to what used to be a fair price and see if the market will bear it. Ever see someone fling a moist piece of spaghetti against the wall to see if it will stick? Boo, hiss…bring out the torches and pitchforks!
 
This is admittedly an expensive hobby, but we all have a budget to work with and no one wants to feel taken advantage of when we buy a new headphone. In fact, I like to feel that I got a good value or at least that I paid a “fair” price for the headphones I choose to add to my collection.  End rant.
 
Enter the MrSpeakers all new from the ground up ÆON (introductory price $699). “Value” has been a big component of the products from MrSpeakers, from the first Maddog through the ETHER flagships. I’m happy to say that ÆON holds true to that tradition and offers incredible value for the price/performance. At the introductory price of $699, you might not feel like you stole it, but it will be close.
 
The first thing that you notice when you take the ÆON out of the box is that its constructed somewhat differently than its flagship siblings the ETHERS. In fact, there is only one pivot point per side on the whole headphone, with the Nitinol band acting as the primary hinge. Nice! Now that’s smartly engineered. The purpose of the new design was to increase an already class leading build quality found in the ETHERS. This “overbuilt” level of quality will also lend itself well to the ÆON’s portable nature and ensure its long-term durability.  You’ll also notice that the DUM cable is now even DUMMER! The cable has been re-worked for more flexibility and the gauge in not quite as thick, lending itself for better portability.
 
Thoughts on comfort:
 
If anyone is worried about a high level of comfort with the ÆON, just don’t. This headphone is one of the most comfortable that I’ve ever had the pleasure to adorn my medium sized noggin. Slip them on and it feels like sliding into a pair of expensive Italian leather loafers…ahhhh.  In two minutes, I’ve forgotten that I’m wearing them. I believe the comfort level comes from a combination of the light weight (339 grams), elongated cup shape and near perfect ergonomic fit and clamp. For those of you who know me, I am self-proclaimed to be hyper-sensitive to weight when it comes to headphones. That being said, I find the ÆON perfectly comfortable and can wear them for hours without fatigue. 
 
Tone:
 
If a headphone passes my comfort test, the very first thing that I listen for when I cue up music is tone. If the voices and instruments do not possess a natural tonality, then it’s a fail for me. No matter what other amazing and astounding sonic abilities a headphone may offer, if it doesn’t get the tone correct then I’ll never love it. I’m happy to report that the ÆON reproduces a beautiful tone of both voices and instruments. In fact, mid-range vocals may be the star of the show here.
 
Overall, I find the signature of the ÆON is more friendly and accessible than the ETHERS. What I mean is that ETHERS have a reference sound and a very honest one. Also, ETHERS have a high level of resolution and transparency, revealing exactly what is coming from the source. Some hobbyist will prefer a warmer and somewhat more forgiving experience. I feel that this is just what the Aeon offers. In fact, I can see that some will choose ÆON over ETHERS for this distinction alone regardless of the substantial price discrepancy.
 
To my ears, the ÆON has a touch more mid bass, whereas the ETHERS offer more true sub bass frequency response. Most music that we listen to doesn’t offer much in the way of true sub bass unless you tend to listen to a lot electronic music. The difference in frequency response gives the ÆON an overall warmer overall tone. 
 
The overall signature of the ÆON is what I would describe as “cohesive.” The parts of the signature blend very well together with no peaks to distract from the experience.  The elongated and naturally shaped cups seem to add to the sound stage especially along the y-axis. So, for a closed headphone the ÆON sounds quite spacious.
 
Also, ÆON isolates sound quite well. You won’t disturb your spouse in bed, nor will you be disturbed by ambient noise like the tv, dishwasher, kids, nagging wife/girlfiend etc. To have a headphone of this sonic caliber, comfort in a closed version is really a rare feat. For many of us, listening to open headphones just isn’t always possible in a home or work setting. And the high level of isolation will be a blessing for those not wanting to disturb co-workers and still be able to use a world class headphone that can be powered pretty decently even from a smart phone. This brings me to my next consideration.
 
Amping:
 
My testing with amps show the ÆON to high a highly efficient product. It can be amped and enjoyed from any modern smart phone. Stepping up to my Dragonfly Red or Fiio x5ii gave an obvious improvement where the tone was richer and more natural, with better staging and PRAT. Finally, the ÆON sounds tremendous on my desktop amp.  Most planar magnetics respond well to power and Aeon is no exception. How nice it would be to take the Aeon to work with a modest DAP or phone even, only to bring it home in the evening and unleash it’s potential on your desktop amp.
 
Conclusion:
 
Most of the time when I unbox a new headphone and give it a listen I have one of three reactions. I hate it, I can live with it or I love it. ÆON was an instant hit for me. The comfort makes them nearly invisible. The signature is friendly, but resolves well without any harshness or stridency. And the price is easy on the wallet given the current state of what the hobby is offering. Maybe the best complement that I can give the ÆON is that I often times found myself picking it when the house was quiet and I could have chosen one of my open headphones. The signature is inviting, additive and I feel confident saying that the MrSpeakers team has another winner on deck. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see ÆON as the best seller at MrSpeakers.
 
Scores:
 
Value: 9.8
 
Comfort: 9.5
 
Tone: 9.0
 
*disclaimer-I was part of the test group that listened to the prototypes of this product and offered feedback on the design and tuning of the Aeon. The headphone that I reviewed here was not a shipping version but did have final production level tuning. Also, I reserve the right to return to this review and add commentary on direct comparisons to other closed headphones that I own or have owned if time permits.

I was an early adopter of the original hifiman he-1000 (part of the original beta group). At the end of the beta period I elected to keep the product and it was replaced with the newest and latest version. I personally enjoyed this headphone very much. It needed a clean and powerful amp to really get the best from it. But when amped properly, you had a special experience.
 
Now enter hifiman he-1000 v2. Upon visual inspection, it looks very much like its predecessor with the edition of new cables. As you look more closely you notice the new pads. Now by all counts, these pads are just lovely. The materials and craftsmanship are top notch. Also, the pads are noticeably “chunkier” than the previous version.
 
With the headphones in hand, they continue to impress. The manufacturing process has certainly improved here. The suspension headband clicks firmly in place and feels very nicely crafted. In fact, the machining tolerances appear to be tighter and the headphone quality is showing some nice maturity with version two.
 
The cables are a nice upgrade over the original. Both in term of form and function, the cables now are more representative of a flagship product. Although they are slightly “springy” I have no qualms or issues with these new cables. Hifiman has even managed to trim down the weight of the new headphone to a very manageable 420 grams (thank you for this).
 
So how does the new version sound? If you've ever heard top of the line speakers in a well-treated room, you'll have an idea of just how good these headphones sound. There is an air of naturalness and ease in the presentation of sound across the spectrum. The bass extends hard and deep, always in control but never shy about delivering those deep notes in a dynamic manner. Treble is natural with tons of detail, but never harsh or strident. And then there's the midrange, where the music lives. Vocals are carried out with a delicacy and lushness that is rather addictive. 
 
Compared to the original, version two is an upgrade across the board. Better build quality, better sonics and just a wonderful experience. These seemingly small improvements collectively add up quickly and result in what many, including myself, will call an end game headphone. My hat is off to Fang and the team at hifiman.  
 
Misc: I amped the he-1000 v2 with Jotenheim and Questyle cma800r with Gumby as my source. Both amps drove the he-1000 v2 well. The Jot needed hi gain to get the most from the pairing. Overall the Questyle gave the best synergy providing better layering and allowing me to hear deeper into the sound stage. Both amps works well though and I could be happy pairing this headphone with either one. 

Alex is quite in interesting guy. I spent about an hour with him on the phone discussing his journey and his craft. Honestly, it's a compelling story. The story is well known and has been told before so I won't bother to rehash it in great detail. But let me say that I believe that Alex is passionate and talented and that he has something special to contribute to the world of hi end personal audio.
 
I followed the Oppo headphone story closely from the first mention of the product by Jude when the pm-1 was still very much a beta product. Many of us longed for a company to create a comfortable planar magnetic audiophile headphone that would compete with the likes of Audeze and other Orthodynaic big hitters.
 
When the pm-1 was released, it launched to mixed reviews. While there were many that sang it's praises, there remained a contingent that felt it lacked resolution and fidelity of a true flaship product given it's price.
 
I think that it's fair to say that Alex would fall into the camp that felt like the Oppo headphone did not deliver it's true potential. And in that moment, I suspect, Audio Zenith was born. Alex began his journey with the pm-2 in an effort to get the best fidelity possible from the Oppo drivers. If you feel that the pm-1/2 is good but is somewhat overly warm or lush without an appropriate level of resolution, then the pmx2 may be just what the doctor ordered.
 
The pmx2 is quite a departure from the stock headphone. There is an impressive level of modification in the pads alone. Alex has taken the stock velour pads and created several sections of varying firmness and with sections of channels. My understanding is that the pad modification facilitates a wider more open and airy sound stage that admittedly the original headphone lacked.
 
Listening to the stock headphone and pmx2 back to back, I'll confirm that the modded headphone is certainly more airy and open in it's presentation. The stock offered a more intimate stage where the listener is very close to the music. Some would say that the stock presentation is a bit too close and intimate. In this regard the pmx2 has successfully eliminated the problems associate with the stock headphones constricted sound staging. The modded pads are still comfortable and give up only slight bit of the ultimate comfort that I find with the stock pads.
 
One aspect of the pmx2 that is fairly obvious once you ease into the pmx2 is that the modded version carries a fair bit more weight than stock. Right at 490 grams according to my kitchen scale, the pmx2 gets into the danger zone with regard to be too heavy to be worn for me than an hour with pressure point or muscle strain becoming an issue for me. When I mentioned this to Alex he offered a simple explanation to address the problem. Simply reshape the headband for more clamp. After a few attempts to carefully reshape the headband, I was in business. The extra clamp worked wonders to make the pmx2 comfortable for an hour plus while listening. Although I still find the stock headphones more comfortable, the pmx2 is certainly reasonable comfortable for long listening sessions.
 
The time and dedication that Alex puts into each set of pmx2 is impressive. He states that he doesn't really have a firm time table for completing each pair. He simply works each part of the modification until the headphones are finished. I certainly appreciate his hard work and it was evident from the moment that I put them on for an initial trial run.
 
The sound achieved with the pmx2 is both technically impressive and musically enjoyable. Compared to the stock version the pmx2 is first and foremost more neutral. The stock version is warm and thick with the bottom of the signature colored particularly in the sub bass. The pmx2 reigns that color in and presents and wonderfully neutral and accurate signature.
First and foremost, I'm a mids guys. I listen to a lot of vocally centered music. The mids on the pmx2 are a notch or two better than stock. There are subtle nuances that come through easily on the pmx2 that I wasn't hearing with the stock version. These realistic nuances drew me in to the music and made me listen longer. Simply put, the vocals were more natural and realistic, but they are offered more detail and resolved the recording to a higher degree. Mids are not quite so forward on the mod. They are more 4^th or 5^th row instead or 1^st or 2^nd. I enjoyed this change for most genres.
 
Treble, which admittedly has always been a shortcoming on the stock version, shows more extension and presence on the modded version. Hi hat cymbals are not voiced in a subtle way. In fact they came across with good dynamics and extension when called for. This brought new genres of music into play for me, especially classical and stringed pieces with violin.
 
With regard to mid-bass, it's toned down quite a bit on the mod. Sub bass seems significantly tighter and textured. Overall the modification offers a very musically neutral and more cohesive presentation of the music. So is it worth the cost of admission. I confess that I had doubts going into this audition. In the end, I found myself coming away a believer despite my reservations. The pmx2 is an excellent headphone and makes a good product even that much more impressive.
 
Thanks again to Alex for his generosity to share his product and time with me. I really enjoyed our conversation and getting to know, first hand, how you created this wonderful headphone.
 
 
 
 

The ETHER:
 
Fit Finish and Build Quality:
 
I have not encountered many problems with regard to quality control with previous Mr. Speakers products, but of course this is a ground up project which introduces a whole new realm of potential problems. While it is pretty early, let me say this. The Ether is an incredibly well thought out design. The execution of the design in terms of fit, finish and materials are some of the very best I've seen. I grilled Dan for the better part of an hour at the Nashville meet about the build process. One thing I came away with from that conversation was just how important build quality was to his process. He has scrutinized every last piece and screw and considered how each piece connects to the whole. I was impressed then as I am now that they are in my hands.
 
I've only seen one other company in this arena truly impress this much right of the gate in the first time/ground up headphone game...Oppo. So.....I wouldn't worry to much about quality control or build quality...it's stellar.
 
Most headphones looking somewhat goofy when worn. It seems the more expensive they are, the goofier they look, at least in most cases. Personally, I find the ETHER to be a very attractive looking headphone. The claret red against the black pads and headband look nice. And the diminutive NiTinol band gives the headphone an overall smaller look than most others.
 
The pads are a little different here than the typical Alpha Pad. First of all the are flat instead of angled. When I asked Dan about the choice of a flat pad he simply said, “flat pads sound better.” That explanation was good enough for me.
 
The pair that I have here came with the DUM cable. Honestly, it didn't matter much to me what cable came stock with the ETHER because I knew that I'd get an aftermarket cable. That being said, I'll go on record to say it would be a mistake to overlook the DUM cable. Dan has put a lot of effort into bringing out every ounce of performance with ETHER and the DUM cable plays more of a role into the overall performance of the headphone than I previously realized. After a few days with the ETHER I loved them but thought that they have a little less bass response than they did in Nashville. I switched from the aftermarket cable to the DUM cable, and viola, problem solved. They DUM cable is a nice performer and well worth the cost IMO.
 
 
After hearing these headphones in Nashville, I knew that they were special and I also knew that I wanted to own a pair. Going through my first few test tracks put a big Cheshire grin on my face. Damn, the ETHER was sounding wonderful...but a little different than what I'd heard in Nashville. Not a huge change but an appreciable one nonetheless. And the more I listened the more I recognized and appreciated the change that I was hearing. Not being able to properly comprehend the improvement I was hearing, I decided to reach out to Dan and just ask. The easiest way to do that was to just pick up the phone and call him. What Dan explained is that he'd made a small discovery that produced better air and staging without adding any harshness or brightness to the treble. That was it! That's just what I was hearing. It was impressive to listen to. What a difference such a subtle change made to the overall experience and enjoyment.
 
This headphone has given me the most emotional response that I've ever had to reproduced music with the exception of the Sennheiser he90/Orpheus. The musical engagement factor is off the charts good. At least five times during my first series of test tracks with the ETHER,...my jaw would drop open, then I'd try to repress a big smile and then, finally, I'd chuckle with joy at how I felt listening to music with these.
 
This particular ETHER is a demo pair now with approximately 200 total hours on them. So, they are in fact completely burned in. They do have final production tuning according to Dan including a late recent change. More on the change later.
 
TREBLE:
 
In a word, fantastic. I'm not a treble head by any means. I've owned the hd800 (more than once) and still say that it gives maybe the best classical experience out there period. BUT, given other genres of music and particularly less than expertly recorded music the hd800 can be very fatiguing and a sure trigger for my tinnitus. The first day with the ETHER resulted in the longest listening session that I've had in many months. When I woke this morning I had zero listening fatigue and no sign of tinnitus. YES!
 
The treble on the ETHER is impressively extended and offers a similar type of treble to the hd800, but just adds a splash of musicality. Strings and guitar are gorgeously rendered and held me captive song after song as I cued up the likes of Chloe Hanslip and listened to her elicit those incredible tones from that million dollar violin. The resonance of that instrument when I listened to her play La Campenella was intoxicating. Before I even realized it, I was listening to the last song on the album an hour later.
 
Guitar riffs and plucks are equally entertaining. I grew up listening to live acoustic guitar. Since I was three or four years old, I can remember listening to my dad and his friends strumming away on acoustic guitar on Friday and Saturday nights. I love the sound of acoustic guitar played live. Listening to Julian Lage: Worlds Fair on the ETHER took me back to my childhood. The detail and tone of guitar reproduced through the ETHER is exceptionally good. The added air and transparency from the Ether took the sound of guitar to the next level for me. It connected me to the music easily and left me utterly engrossed until the last note was played.
 
Next, I used Rodrigo Y Gabriela tracks from their first album for testing. Going back and forth between ETHER and hd650, I found the difference to be quite dramatic. The first two aspects that jump out at you are that the veil of the hd650 is lifted and that sound stage is considerably larger. Also the speed of the Ether handled the lightening quick dueling guitar licks with aplomb, effortlessly. The hd650 could not generate the same speed and passages and were often somewhat smeared together.
 
MIDRANGE or WHERE THE MUSIC LIVES:
 
The ETHER is a very balanced and neutral headphone. But if I were pressed into nominating the most special aspect of the frequency response, it would have to be the mids. They are gloriously good. If you enjoy vocal centric music you are in for a special treat. Jazz vocals (some of my favorite recordings) such as the likes of Cassandra Wilson, Patricia Barber and Diana Krall with the ETHER took these favorites of mine that I've cued up many hundreds of times and took them to a new level of enjoyment.
 
Vocals here are natural and contain a wonderful resonant quality. Often it comes down to tone of the mids and specifically vocals that make or break a headphone for me. If a headphone can't get tone of voices and instruments right in the mids, then it's missed the mark for me. I'm happy to say that the ETHER hits the bullseye with the mids. These are some of the most enjoyable mids I've had the pleasure to listen to. I often like to use K.D. Lang to test mids. I've heard her several times live and love the tonality of her wonderful effortless voice. In my opinion, her album Drag is a great example of one of her best efforts and is expertly recorded. Listening to this album through the ETHER made the hair on my arms stand up...several times. There are moments when you really can't put into words how listening to music made you feel, not exactly. You become intoxicated and forget that the music is recorded. You feel that you've been transported to the place where you are there with the musician. We all long for these moments. Listening to the ETHER with some of my favorite Jazz vocal recordings gave me several of these moments. For me, the music lives in the mids and is where the magic happens. Thankfully there is plenty of magic to be found here with the ETHER.
 
All about that BASS:
 
This is typically where hairs are split and enemies are made among us audiophile types. I'll try to be as direct and forthcoming as possible here. First of all, this headphone has very nice bass. The sub bass response is linear to the recording with tightness and texture. The ETHER is not a bassy headphone or a basshead heaphone. The signature here is more about neutrality. The bloom typically associated with bassy cans is just not there with the ETHER That being said, the ETHER does very well with electronic music. The speed, tightness and precise imaging makes for a really fun experience when I cued up Daft Punk: RAM. The he1000 will go deeper and with better impact. The he-6 features more visceral slam in the bass region.
 
I am admittedly a recovered basshead. Back in the day I loved the AT m50 and later the Denon AH-D2000. But the days of “v” shaped signatures no longer appeal to me. These days my affection goes to headphones that offer a more neutral response with a dash of warmth. The ETHER fits this description quite well, to these ears.
 
MISCELLANEOUS:
 
Imaging with ETHER is stellar and with the largish sound stage make a nice presentation of the “area” where the music is represented on stage. It's very easy to distinctly pickup where vocals and instruments are located within the sound stage. The height, width and depth are generously represented, only to be slightly outdone by the hd800 specifically in the category of width.
 
The ETHER offers a modest level of isolation. More so than a typical open headphone. Also it doesn't leak as much either. For example, it was difficult for me to hear my phone ringing just on the other side of the room when listening with the ETHER. I would have no trouble hearing this with any of the other open headphones that I've owned. I can some people benefit was this modest isolation in a work setting or slightly noisy home environment.
 
WRAP UP:
 
The ETHER is an impressive effort by Dan and his team. To consider that this is their first offering built from the ground up increases my appreciation of the accomplishment even more. But at the end of the day,5 it doesn't come down to my appreciation of a pair of headphones but rather how much they connect me to the music. I'm happy to report that the engagement factor is what makes me the happiest with the the ETHER. The musicality of these headphones connects me to the music and keeps me listening and enjoying music for hours at a time, as much as any headphone that I've owned.
 
I found ETHER to work well with all genres of music and not just specific types. I listen to a lot of Jazz vocal recordings. Also newer folk, acoustic and live performances are often on my playlist. Less frequently classical and rock are too my liking. The ETHER handled all of these types of music equally well.
 
What don't I like about the ETHER? Well, they are not cheap. But they are, in my opinion, a good value based on what is currently being offered on the market at similar performance levels. Remember that the ETHER does offer impressive “scale” with amps, dacs etc. While mega buck amps and dacs will offer appreciable improvement, the ETHER will also deliver an impressive experience from mid-fi gear. The bifrost proved to be a good dac pairing, but the Gungnir offered better dynamics and resolution. The lyr 2 with NOS tubes was exceptionally well paired to the Ether bringing out the best in the mid-range and explosiveness in the bass region. I also used the Gustard h10 to good effect, getting beautiful tonality and finesse across the frequency, while extending a little deeper but with less weight than the lyr 2. I tried the ETHER with more expensive amps, but I'll go into that at a later date.
 
At the end of the day, the ETHER hits all the check boxes for me. A neutral headphone is a different experience than most of the headphones that I've owned. It also happens to be the most enjoyable headphone that I've ever owned. It takes some slight adjustment to get used to the ETHER and truly take in it's offerings. The level of distortion is so incredibly low that it may cause you to re-evaluate what reproduced music can sound like. It did for me.
 

First of all, I'd like to thank Joe Saxon at headphoneaudiophile.com for the review sample for this critique of the new Momentum 2. I have been looking forward to hearing this one since it was announced, so let's get down to business.
 
I owned the original Momentum. I wanted to like them. They were wonderfully lightweight, and elegant in design. They could be amped easily and had a nice sense of style about them. I sold them after two weeks after purchase though. What killed the romance for me? Two things. The original momentum was billed as a circumaural or an around the ear headphone...for most of us even with average sized ears, it was not. There was just no way that my average sized ears were going to fit comfortably in those ear pads. I could wear them for about 15 minutes and then the irritation of pressure around my ears would set in. I'd try in vain to adjust and re-adjust to get some semblance comfort back, but ultimately this was a fruitless endeavor. Comfort issues have killed many nice sounding headphones for me.
 
The second issue was the sound signature. And more specifically the bass. It was just too colored and mildly bloated to blend well with the rest of the signature. At times it was somewhat overpowering and bled into the mids. But still, there was some promise there.
 
Enter the Momentum 2. It seems that Sennheiser was listening to the complaints and issues that the community found with the first version. The thing that you notice about the new Momentum as you slide on the luxuriously soft leather pads, is that they are in fact appreciably bigger than the original. Yes!! I can wear the new version comfortably for two hours with no pressure around the ear whatsoever.
 
And now the moment of truth. I'll get straight to it, this headphone is a really impressive listening experience and addictively enjoyable. Please don't misconstrue my comments. This is not just a “fun” headphone. There is real hi-fidelity present here and I won't shy away from calling the Momentum 2 an audiophile headphone because indeed it is. There is a refinement and delicacy in the signature that gives this headphone some real legs. While the changes to the sound signature are not revolutionary compared to the original, they are effective enough to put the new version in a different class. The treble on the new version has come out of the dark woods and has some presence. While the treble is still slightly rolled off, the new Momentum does not shy away from an energetic cymbal crash. The bass is now a bit more well mannered than before. It doesn't sound as sluggish and boomy and adds just enough punch to deliver the sub frequencies with texture and good weight. Finally, the mids are the real star of the show here. The tonality of the mids is right on target and delivers some spectacular vocals. The mids are where the music lives for me and Sennheiser just nailed this part of the frequency on this headphone.
 
The net result of the changes have been significant for me. The momentum 2 is a truly fine headphone that I enjoy listening to daily. Because it doesn't require an amp and can be appreciated from my smart phone, it a perfect portable solution for me. Sometimes, I even chose to listen to music with the Momentum 2 when I'm home and the house is quiet. Given my other selection of very nice open headphones, I'd call this a nice complement to the Momementum.
 
What don't I like about the Momentum 2? Living in the hot and humid deep South, the closed cups and leather ear pads can be a bit toasty at times. The cable and carrying pouch are not quite as nice as the original Momentum. The Momentum is not the ultimate in resolution. If you tend to favor brighter more resolving headphones, then there are better options out there such as the Oppo pm-3. For the record, I did have the pm-3 in house while testing the Momentum. I no longer have the pm-3
 
Other than these few quibbles, I just love this headphone. I knew from day one testing this headphone that I'd buy the review sample. The Momentum 2 is a regular in my rotation and gives me enjoyment daily.  

Build Quality and Comfort
 
No matter how good the sound of a headphone, if you have a model that is poorly constructed or prone to break it will be difficult to enjoy and appreciate them in the long run.  Despite some problems with build quality on earlier hifiman models, there are simply no problems to report here.  I’m very appreciative of the crew at hifiman who’ve listened to the community and redesigned the 400i, making the quality, fit, and finish leagues above most offerings.  I just love the design choices here. The paint is beautiful and some of the best looking painted cups in the business.  The color is difficult to photograph, but looks much like the he4.  I call it black chrome. The suspension pad is without a fault in choice of material and fit. The adjustment of the headband comes with solid clicks and feels very secure.
 
Comfort, while previously questionable on older models, now leads the way with some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve had the pleasure to wear.  The clamp, reduced weight, and pad construction are exceptional and offer a headphone that can be worn easily for hours with no fatigue.
 
My only real complaint with the design of the headphone is the connectors. I just don’t like them, period. I know that many of you have never had problems but please appreciate that many have. There are just too many very nice single click and forget it connectors to be using these screw on type.  The cable is improved this time and with a nice insulated jacket and is more flexible.  But mine is only about six feet and I’d prefer a slightly longer cable.
 
Sound Quality
 
So now that I’ve proclaimed the 400i wonderfully redesigned and supremely comfortable, how do they sound?  I’m happy to say this this is a great sounding headphone.  There is good balance across the spectrum with that signature warm tilt of the sub bass. The bass blends well into the mids without bleeding into the vocals in any perceivable way.
 
And just what about that bass? Does it retain the wonderful extension and weight of the original he400? Well, almost. Previously the only bass that I’ve found to surpass he400 bass was the LCD 2.2 (pre-fazor). For extension, weight and texture it just doesn’t get any better than the lcd 2.2. I’ll give them a 10/10 for bass presentation in my book. The original he400 for me would rank a 9.0, while the 400i comes in at 8.0. Overall, across different  genres of music, the he400 seems to go down a little deeper and with better weight than the 400i. I’d call it a difference of about 15%. Disappointed? Don’t be. I’m certainly not. Let me explain why.
 
Other than the slight difference in sub bass, there is nothing that the 400i doesn’t trump the 400 on. The mids on the 400 are rich and tonally accurate. In fact, the only headphone that I’ve found to improve on the mids, in this price category, is the hd6x00. And the difference is surprisingly small. No tizzy, peaky treble here either. Just smooth and extended. The 400i is just a joy to listen to and does most every genre of music well. For me personally, the weak mids and peaky treble made the original 400 relegated that headphone to EDM, Dub and Chillstep. The 400i does those genres well also but now also does vocal centric music just as enjoyably. There’s a little sparkle to the treble but nothing harsh. Guitar plucks have a nice leading edge. Hi hat cymbals and drum brushwork come across clearly and naturally without getting muddy or unrefined. It’s a very good balance of sound.
 
I'll admit that I’m a poor judge of sound stage. I suppose it’s in the anatomy of my ear canals. I’ll leave this category to be judged by others who have a better appreciation for the subtle differences in this category.
 
Conclusion
 
Overall, I’m very pleased with the results with the 400i. There is enough sub bass to offer plenty of  a fun factor and enough good natural tone to the mids to be taken seriously with vocally centered music.  The goal stated by Hifiman was to voice the 400i similarly to he500. I’ll go on record and say that they accomplished that goal. Those two headphones are very similar in their voicing and overall sound signature.  This is a compelling headphone and should make a lot of waves in its price bracket against the likes of the venerable Sennheiser hd6x00 and soon the Oppo PM-2 to name just a few.  My hat is off to Fang and everyone on the Hifiman Team for an excellent product.
 

 
Miscellaneous:
 
*all testing was done through the Oppo HA-1/Normal Gain/Single ended
 
*Focus A-Pads came on this unit
 
*Grill Mod-if you put your hands over the cups while the music is playing you'll notice that the sound becomes muffled and deteriorates. Remove the grills and you'll get a nice improvement across the spectrum with this hp. Improved mids and sound stage with better air. 

Okay, these are my thoughts after a few hours. I recognize that's it's only been a few hours, but my opinion rarely changes with additional time. 
 
 
Initial Impressions:
 
As has been mentioned almost ad nauseam, the comfort is supreme with the new design.  What HFM has done with regard to the design and improved comfort is impressive. This is all day comfort folks. It's not just about being lighter in weight, they are. It's also about "balanced" weight. That being said, this is what I have issues with:
 
*For goodness sake, please get the pad design issues resolved. For me personally, my left ear touches the dust fabric over the driver. Drives me nuts…yes, even more than my usual nutty.  After learning that the pads were supposed to be locked in at 6:00, I noticed my pair were not oriented to the right position. After adjusting them, I no longer have an issues with my ear touching the driver.
 
*I still don’t like the connectors.  I would have opted for mini xlr...but I will not beat that dead horse anymore (although I’d like to).
 
*There are some very slight inconsistencies with the veneer cups.  Most people would likely not notice…I’m not most people.
 
*The overall design and execution is good but not on par with say, Oppo or Sennheiser and others. Take that for what it’s worth.
 
Sound:
 
*The first thing that strikes me about the signature was that these sound like a mixture of the he500 and he6…somewhere in between, leaning a little more towards the he6.
 
*The mids are very nice. Coming from the he400 you’d be floored by the improvement in the mids (even MLE would probably like these mids. Vocals are natural but just a touch thin from my favorite (hd650). I listen to a lot of vocal centered music and I could be happy with these as my daily driver with the likes of Dianna Krall, K.D. Lang and Eva Cassidy.
 
*The treble is more resolving than the he500 but not harsh like the he4 can be.  Highs are closer to the he6 on a good amp. Very resolving and extended, but remain confidently in control with everything from hi-hat cymbals to the upper register of the violin. Still, if you prefer a darker treble response, you would likely have issues here as the treble here is pretty well extended and holds nothing back.
 
*The transition from the mids to the bass is very coherent and I could not detect any bleed from the bass into the mids.  The bass presents itself in a very linear fashion, meaning that I didn’t find the 560 to color bass into a recording where it wasn’t there in the first place.  On jazz tracks, the acoustic upright bass plucks are satisfying and with appreciable texture (this is important to me, as I don’t like hp’s that make that “one note” bass response).  Becoming Insane by Infected Mushroom is a good EDM test track for me. The 560 images the acoustic guitar nicely as the track opens. The track builds quickly and drops a seriously hard bass line. This track gives a lot of hp’s trouble with the heavy electronic sub bass. The 560 carries the bass out with aplomb…never out of control. While the quality, texture and speed of the bass is certainly there, there were some tracks where I would have appreciated more quantity and weight. While this is not a “bass light” hp by any means, it does not match the sub bass ability of the he400 or lcd-2.2 (pre-fazor).
 
Overall and would I buy it…
 
*Mids: 9.0
*Treble: 8.5
*Bass: 8.0
 
Does the 560 get the MattTCG seal of approval? 
 
Hm…this is an enjoyable hp and I don’t question that in the least.  Will I run out and purchase it? Well, no…not yet.  My gut feeling is to let the dust settle and see if there are any furthers changes or revisions. Plus, I’m very curious as to how the 400i fits into the puzzle. Does it warrant the sticker price? Honestly, it’s a tough call. I’d have to admit that I’d be more comfortable at the $800 mark.  In the end, I come away with an appreciation for what Hifiman has done and applaud their ability to produce a better product…well done Fang!!
 
*These are my observations based on my personal preferences and nothing more than that. YMMV . All testing done with uberfrost>lyr (telefunkens)

Just wanted to share my thoughts on the vaunted m50's...not that more reviews are needed. First off, I couldn't be happier with them except for the comfort level. I need a break from them after about an hour and it's a tough concession as I really don't want to take them off!! I plan to stretch them out a little and see if it makes a difference. 
 
The best way that I can describe the m50's is that they seem to be able to play just about any genre well...effortlessly. The sound is rich, articulate, a bit heavy on the bass (which I like) and inviting. The sound signature is perfect for me. I just like the way that they sound in nearly every category. The other headphones that I owned have been put through the artificial burn in period. When I put these on my head, I just didn't feel the need to give them a burn in period. I just wanted to listen, and listen and listen. I will let them burn in naturally as I use them. I just don't feel the need to get better sound from them out of the box. They are that good to me.
 
These are not what I would budget/bang for the buck phones. They feel expensive, look expensive and sound expensive IMO. The fact that they can be had for around $100 may change that equation though. Maybe the best compliment that I can pay the m50's is that when I put them on I stop listening to the audio quality and just get lost in my music. The second best compliment is that they curbed my desire to go and buy "a better" pair of headphones. How long will that last? Don't know. 
 
The cable is nice and thick and metal coiled at the terminated end...nice touch. They are drive nicely without any amp. They have a heft to them that suggest the quality of the build. What would I change about them? I wish that they had more comfortable pads. That's it really. 
 
If anyone is on the fence about these, don't be just buy them and enjoy!!