aune or FiiO? The cups of both measure the same 10cm across. FiiO's all-metal build is heavier. Its pads are even so not angled, its headband suspends on an elastic like Meze. With their shuriken Ninja motif, the FiiO look more adolescent gamer than mother of two. The aune aesthetics are less tekkie or hardcore. But because they do contain plastic bits which help reduce weight, the raw feel is not as substantial or impervious as that of the FT3. Those additionally come in black or white and in 32/350Ω tunings. FiiO even include a 4.4mm cable in a single black cloth sheath which feels nicer than the SR7000's coppery quad braid. On wear comfort my nod goes to aune whose oval not round pad openings are bigger and whose lower mass better subtracts 'I'm there' reminders from my skull. On perceived value, FiiO's extras of a balanced cable and faux camel-leather hard case for just €20 more ring the louder bell.

On sonics meanwhile I give aune the edge on subjective resolution, sheen and midrange presence or tacitness. The FiiO play it a bit more matte and subliminally stuffy. They don't quite equal the AR5000's bel canto sense of our tunes riding the breath like surfers glide over waves; or vocals breathing freely. I do think that aune are onto something effective and beneficial by venting their drivers also around the circumference of their cups, not just through the grills. It gives the presentation a certain ease and gush which, whilst far from equalling my radically costlier super-vented Serbian ribbons, comes closer than the FT3; or the SR7000 for that matter. For the full Monty on aune's two lookalike headphones—now that you know how their original vented version diverges from the later sealed model—refer to the SR7000 feature. That goes into proper detail. Today's was just a short side note to spread it around.