Hence Benchmark's DAC1 USB played more direct and slightly cool where Burson's Soloist SL dug even deeper into micro details on Jazz and calmer singer/songwriter fare. Its minor bassiness also did well for numbers heavy with e-guitars. I found this match with the Burson more musical. Even the oft fussy NuPrime HPA-9 netted adequate results and particularly in the bass added a bit of output. Its innately soft treble punched up sonority yet took a bit away from MrSpeakers' detail intensity. Even smartphones didn't incur a tonal balance shift. It's on max output where some listeners could run dry. Here the Aeon tracked AKG's K702 which also can need assistance from a separate amplifier despite their low impedance. To improve microdynamics, a purpose-designed digital audio player would really be better.

With their Aeon Flow Closed, Dan Clark and his team at MrSpeaker actually have managed to go right up against established competitors from Sennheiser, Audeze & Co and mix it up in the highly competitive sector of high-end headphones. Where others keep pushing more and more expensive models on us as the seasons turn, MrSpeakers changed direction to launch a brilliant < €1'000 model. Wear comfort impressed from the very first moment. Workmanship followed. The physically reduced weight mirrored a bit sonically where its fleet-footed inherently lit-up voicing makes the Aeon Flow Closed the sophisticate amongst the magnetostatic lot.

With it, I particularly enjoyed calmer music like classic, Jazz and singer/songwriter fare. For Rock and electronica, competitors offer more bass power and reach but the included tuning pads can shift the Aeon more in that direction. I was particularly impressed by their excellent soundstaging considering this was a closed headphone. Especially minimalist productions created very realistic ambiance. In short, anyone looking to enter the world of high-end planarmagnetics with a highly detailed, supremely comfortable and amp-friendly model really ought to check out the MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed.

Psych profile for the Aeon Flow Closed…
Tonally vivid to be ideal for classical Jazz and simpler music. Included tuning pads can dial in a minor downshift to build out sonority.
Fresh presence and brilliance bands without ever crossing the line into the sharp or hard.
A very lucid upper midrange to make this one of the very best headphones for female vocals. The lower mids and upper bass are less emphasized than competing planars but can be elevated with the tuning pads.
Quite linear bass with good reach though other planars manage to convey more shove on kick bass.
Realistic sustains coupled to good steep transients.
Potential to out-soundstage many an open-backed design. Localization focus is high, spaciousness realistic.
High detail recovery during even quiet interludes. This allows for low overall SPL without getting opaque.
Good loudness stability where even high SPL don't lead to distortion.
Effective isolation to neither disturb neighbours nor be disturbed by environmental noise.

Facts.
Concept: Circumaural, closed.
Sensitivity/impedance: 92dB/mW, 13Ω
Weight: 340g
Finish: black
Other: foam tuning pads for voicing
Included: travel case, detachable cable with 3.5/6.3mm plug
Optional: XLR cable, additional pads
Warranty: 2 years