Stacked. In conjunction with the carbon-fibre diaphragm, the term 'stacked' implies six ultra-thin layers bonded together in consecutively rotating fashion. This eliminates any directional cross-weave weaknesses. 'Stacked' could also refer to an underhung motor structure with a claimed linear excursion of 4mm (!). The elaborate surround enabling such stroke embeds radial stiffeners and damping materials. Surrounding the driver is complexly angled and curved geometry of open and closed chambers to absorb/diffuse rear-wave reflections and optimize airflow. Like aune's prior open-backed AR5000 and sealed SR7000, the driver's position inside its lens-shaped retainer angles aggressively to beam directly into our ear canal. The 1.6m 8-core silver-plated OCC leash sports detachable 3.5/4.4/6.3mm and XLR4 ends to make one cable fit all ports. Final specs are 4-50'000Hz, 43Ω, 102dB/1kHz and ~430g. As shown in aune's graphics, this is an exceptionally well-vented so very open design. Its overall geometry falls right in line with the brand's prior full-size cans. Based on early comments, the AR9000 banishes weaknesses in the Sennheiser HD800S and Focal Clear whilst maintaining many of their strengths. Not owning either—the original HD800's mid-treble peakiness evicted them from my crib ages ago—my comparisons would fall elsewhere. On price, the AR9000 sits right where rumours had predicted: €1.5K with VAT for EU punters. US buyers part with $1.4K. That includes a hard carrying case with handle; charcoal livery; and perforated asymmetrical pads with a large deep ear opening. For drive I had €350-€6K pricing with 2-14wpc/32Ω power via an Audalytic HP70, Topping A900, Shanling EM5 & EM7, Enleum AMP-23R and Cen.Grand SilverFox. In their company, aune's own A17 amp sits at 11.5wpc/32Ω of claimed pure class A with two bias and four gain settings; and a hulking €2'500 sticker far beyond the A9000's own.

aune's catalogue now packs unapologetically upscale entries. Listening must determine whether they remain fine value based on what we pay to match their performance, build quality and features elsewhere. In Ireland just then, Sennheiser's HD800S wanted €1.4K, Focal's Clear MG €1.3K. If early AR9000 comments relative to those are correct, aune's pricing is on par with direct competitors from well-established names. That our brand's commitment to smaller purses remains in good nick will be floated—or flaunted?—by the AR3000. Numerology suggests that it must sell below the €369 AR5000 MkII. Its Vienna teasers had some reviewers proclaim it the most exciting find at the event's CanJam. Clearly aune aren't giving up on their core audience just because their engineers wish to flex brainy muscle when parts and R&D funds limit less. That's an aspect bargain hunters find perverse: how pricing sets perception. The big leagues. Serious stuff. True ambitiousness not merely high value. To earn these stripes nearly needs upscale pricing. It's why certain brands start out very high and only trickle down much later. Once perceived seriousness and cachet are in place, a subsequent pursuit of slimmer wallets suggests 85% big-bore vroom for the relative trickle of a family hatchback. Who doesn't want that? Starting low only to climb up many years later banks on the grown trust of a broader base. One hopes that it'll come along for the climb. It's not the big Volvo XC90 shoppers suddenly trusting that Renault can build to their standards. Belief is reality. In our case, a majority audience doesn't yet equate aune with the engineering mojo of the field's big entrenched players. Will the AR9000 cans and companion A17 amp change that? If so, these two would be less flagships and more icebreakers.

By October 8th, I checked back with Shelly. "Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long and not better updated. As the AR9000 is a special product, we had a special strategy for it. We started with a very limited number of YouTube reviews then planned to expand to a wider range of reviews later on. However, the product sold much better than anticipated. Because the AR9000 is our flagship headphone, we've been very careful about QC. This meant that initial production capacity was somewhat limited and demand consistently outpaced supply. We're still short on stock but managed to set aside a pair for you." Actually, she managed more than that. Accompanying my AR9000 was the new AR3000. Its planned late October launch just meant that publishing anything about it prior was embargoed. Whilst perusing my DHL tracker's progress, I pondered sonic profiles. aune are clearly adept at controlling their amplitude response. They'd tweaked the AR9000's at least nine times just in public, never mind intermediate steps at HQ. Far harder than steering the response must have been where to exactly leave it for a range topper that enters an established competitive league with an audience spoilt for choice. Looking at the stock photos, one thing was crystal already. The AR9000's grill of deeply outlined honey-comb circle set atop horizontal channels with micro-perf backing is much louder than that of my far more subdued SR7000. Is this aune's nod at cosmetic bling? I expect that more conservative shoppers could call it a spot of nouveau riche. Noteworthy too? Just as on the SR7000, the central circumference of each ear cup houses slotted vents. Those will undercut chamber resonances and internal reflections. In fact the venting across this entire build must pursue optimized airflow. This reduces energy storage, its impact on the time domain and additive/subtractive amplitude aberrations. What's more, there's less chance for on-ear pressurization by captive air volumes which always triggers quicker listening fatigue. And surely each square millimetre of material removed helped keep the final weight in check of this maximally aerated affair. For more, DHL had to ring my bell. One day post pickup, my package had already travelled from Wuhan¹ 830km south to Guangzhou then was enroute another 135km to Hong Kong before heading for Dublin 9'848km due West; plus another 300km to Kilrush. A day later it was on the van out for delivery. Today's airborne door-to-door shipping infrastructure can be astonishing.

Listening to two tiny airborne creatures on my left shoulder, I heard the imp explain to angel Auriel that "its structural build is the same as the SR7000. For those benighted engineers, we have an excellent rotisserie to spit-roast them. It'll teach them not to defy the Big C of the almighty capitalism. Deeply crackled audiophile arse—mmh, what a delicacy."
The angel demurs as is their habitual entertainment. "It's about comfort based on size, weight and fit. aune already aced it all with their earlier models. There was no need to reinvent things just to make the AR9000 heavier by going all metal."
"In heaven reason may carry the day, darling. Down here, the heavy metal of desire is king. The more perverse, the better."
"You'd rather add 100 grams to the design and cut all those sweet listening sessions in half?"
"Discomfort, disillusionment, disappointment – these are my evergreen most popular discounts. Pile on. Remember, I'm in the pain game."
"How could I forget, scamp. Your cloven hoof has stood on my wing tip this whole time."
"No pain, no gain, little friend. Stick around. You'll soon learn our way of things. It's far more fun than your lot's."

Pick a side. I prefer (cough) very moderate climes. As for making mundane math matter, there's the AR9000's far more extreme driver; and whatever performance lift that bestows.
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¹ For reference, this metropolis divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers is ~5.4 times larger in land area and ~1.5 times larger in population than Greater London. Its administrative or prefecture area is ca. 8'494km², the urban area ~1'528km².