I have really good hearing, which often results in small noises taking me out of my music. I am looking for a good pair of Closed Backs when I can’t enjoy my Opens in peace
Current Tech
-THX AAA 789
-Aune X8
Owned Headphones
-ModHouse Argon MK3 (when they eventually arrive)
-Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee
-ZMF Aeolus
I care more about warm sound with clear vocals. I do like bass, but care more about clean bass than the amount of base.
I see many options for open, but very little for closed.
Focal Elegia, Aeon 2 closed, or used ZMF Eikon seem to be pretty commonly recommended in that range. I have the Elegia and it’s great, and the Ether CX which I really like, but apparently is not as good as the Aeon 2. Of the three, I think the Eikon sounds like it most aligns with your tastes if you can find one used in the $900 range.
I personally don’t ever use EQ, so I’d say no, but others may disagree. Like M0N says, vocal presence isn’t the strongest, so a little EQ could help there. I don’t find them recessed necessarily, just not forward, and there is just the slightest metallic timbre to the overall presentation.
So I mean, imo neither of those sound like they are up your alley, I think if you wanted to go for the cx, the aeon 2 is an overall upgrade (like pretty much I don’t see a reason to go for the cx when the aeon 2 exists)
The original aeon flow I would tend to agree, I wasn’t a fan of those, but they really turned it around with the aeon 2, after a week of having my aeon 2 I sold my ether c flow 1.1s as it addressed my complaints with the 1.1s
Going to guess that the ath awas is also out then unless you can find an open box? Also for the aeon 2 sometimes they have b stock or open box for 750 ish
I mean something else to consider might be a dt177x go imo, it does sound up your alley, as does a campfire cascade (but this one is a tad recessed in the vocals so idk)