Part of The Audiophile Rabbit Hole Series!
This series takes a look back on my experiences with headphones dating back to 2010. Enjoy!
How exactly will Dan Clark’s Aeon Flow change YOUR life? Let’s find out…
Greetings Bass Head and Welcome Aboard.
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear), all over again, so…
At A Glance
Dan Clark Aeon Flow Closed
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos Audio! | Check eBay!
In The Box
ÆON headphone
Carrying case
DUMMER Cable (or VIVO Cable Upgrade)
Manual
Tuning Kit
Cleaning Cloth
Specs/Graph
Shoutout to Crinacle for the graph! This is Crinacle’s graph. There are many like it, but this one is his.
- Type: Closed Back.
- Fit: Circumaural.
- Driver: Planar Magnetic.
- Impedance: 13 Ohm.
- Sensitivity: 92 dB/mW. What is Sensitivity in Headphones?
- Weight: 12 Oz.
- Accessories: Carrying case, foam-pad filters, detachable fabric-covered headphone cable with “Hirose-style” connectors at the headphone end and ¼” and 3.5mm dual-tip plug at the other end.
How will it change your life?
The Aeon Flow Closed represents what is perhaps the most sublime recreation of music that you’ll ever hear, at least in terms of a closed-back headphone.
Like the other headphones in this series, it will smack you in the melon one way or another.
It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
Imagine feeling as if the vocalist was in front of you, singing you sweet nothings. 🙂 Maybe you could even move in for a Lil kiss. Mwah!
That to me is what listening with an Aeon paired with the Chord Mojo felt like.
It was similar to the feeling of Soundstage; the out-of-your-head moment that kind of happens sporadically with a headphone like the AKG K702.
With a K702, you get the sense that those sounds may be happening to your right or left or side to side, but they may seem more distant and subtle.
Intimacy
In the case of the Aeon, it took on a more intimate quality, as if she (the vocalist) occupied the same space as me.
It didn’t feel like I was listening to her through a device.
This is sort of like the feeling you get when 2 speakers or studio monitors are pointed towards your ears in an equilateral triangle. What are Studio Monitors?
It’s what is referred to as the “Phantom Center Image”, or the illusion that the sound is coming from somewhere it’s not (i.e. the middle).
Basically, it’s your brain’s way of compensating for the strange stimuli.
The fact that a pair of headphones could achieve this same sort of effect was mind-blowing to me, and something I have yet to experience since.
Instead of hearing the sound through the 2 drivers on my right and left ears, it felt like the voice was centered and directly in front of my face.
- Related: What is a Headphone Driver?
Yes, it actually felt like I was listening to speakers, or that the sound was outside of me rather than in my head.
Everything about the Aeon is mostly perfect.
The Aeon paired with a Mojo is pure musical bliss.
- Needs Amplification? Yes
- Recommendation: Chord Mojo
- Helpful Guide: How to Choose a Headphone Amp [Definitive Guide]
- Official Review: Dan Clark ÆON Review | A CLOSED BACK DREAM?
Its bass, mid-range, and treble are all pristine and effortless sounding.
There’s no one frequency that overpowers another.
It’s a smooth, rolling sound that feels like the flow of water.
It’s certainly an end-game type of headphone, and especially noteworthy considering how hard it is to find an upper-echelon closed back.
I’ve always found it super difficult to recommend closed-backs above a certain price point.
Open-back headphones seem a lot more abundant (and in reality, are), but closed headphones are a different animal.
With a closed-back, you have to worry about many things: fatigue, the sound becoming too boxed in and claustrophobic, plus most closed-backs just aren’t very comfortable if we’re being honest.
The K550/553 and CB-1 are both exceptions in the mid-tier and budget categories, respectively. Both are very comfortable for the most part.
The great news?
The Aeon is a true outlier in all regards when it comes to closed-back headphones.
It’s supremely comfortable, it’s built like a tank and highly portable, and it pretty much avoids all of the pitfalls of your typical closed-back headphone; that is, it sounds incredibly open and spacious and doesn’t get fatiguing in the slightest – musically or otherwise.
Attack, sustain, and decay are all spot on. Notes and voices are full and trail off beautifully.
Instrument plucks and rhythm guitars sustain their sound incredibly well; meaning, they sound full, bold, and lush.
Nothing is forced.
With many headphones in lower-tiered price categories, you’ll oftentimes find that the music seems forced – perhaps a bit too brittle or sterilized.
The Aeon sounds like how a smooth, warm liquid would feel running over the top of you.
It’s like a bubble bath!
Oh no, here comes the word salad. xD
A lot of headphones tend to sound a bit thin and perhaps brash.
As much as I love the SHP9500, it can sometimes sound a bit too open and airy.
As if the music is missing some weight or thump. Imagine a lean, long-distance runner who could benefit from a cheeseburger, or 10. xD
The Aeon tends to portray sound with meat on its bones.
It’s a bodybuilder on a bulking regimen.
It almost reminds me of a Sennheiser HD25 without the brightness in the treble and without the mid-bass bump.
Like the HD25, there’s certain energy the Aeon has that’s hard to argue with.
The bass slams and has a lot of impact but doesn’t feel bloated or artificial.
The mid-range sits perfectly in the mix, and the treble has sparkle and detail without sounding essy.
If I had to choose one closed-back headphone to take with me on a deserted island the Aeon would most certainly be the one.
Final Word
It combines everything about a headphone that I adore into a single package; it’s comfortable, durable, portable, open, spacious, impactful, detailed, crisp, and lively sounding all at the same time.
Like a Utopia, it’s a headphone that comes along very seldom.
Learn More:
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Closed Review & Discussion, and came away with some valuable insight.
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Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Do YOU think the Aeon is life-changing or has the potential to be? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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Photos
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Absolutely Breathtaking.
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Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow (Closed)
Pros
- Almost Perfect Sound
- Amazing Tonality and Resolution
- Great Soundstage
- Perfect Comfort
- Fantastic Build
Cons
- Sometimes weird treble
2 comments
Do the Audeze Sine on ear accomplish the same in a older and smaller package?
Hey Rafa!
That’s a bit complicated. The Sine is definitely less comfortable being On-Ear, and it’s also a lot more neutral. The Aeon has that warmth to it with an elevated bass shelf. I would say if you’re looking for more neutral, the Sine is a fantastic headphone. I’m actually pretty upset it’s not in circulation anymore. Hopefully, Audeze brings it back. That said, the Aeon is incredible in how it kind of makes you feel like the artist is singing in front of you. Back when I demoed it I thought it was the Mojo responsible for that, but it’s actually that the imaging on the Aeon is simply on another level.